Hyphen Church

It's Not For You To Know

Sun, 24 May 2026 14:00:00 GMT

The disciples ask Jesus a question about the kingdom's timeline. Jesus refuses to answer it — not because the question is small, but because it's the wrong question for a people about to receive the Spirit. What if the church's most persistent question is one Jesus keeps gently deflecting?

Notes for this message

Our Mission

Sun, 10 May 2026 14:00:00 GMT

The Risen Jesus doesn't leave his people hiding behind locked doors, he walks through walls, breathes his Spirit into them, and sends them out. The Resurrection isn't just the foundation of what you believe but the engine of why you go.

Notes for this message

Our Community

Sun, 03 May 2026 14:00:00 GMT

In Ephesians 2:14–22, we’re reminded that Jesus didn’t just bring us closer to God, He tore down the walls between us and brought us into His family together. This message explores what it means to truly belong, even in the middle of imperfect and unfinished relationships, because resurrection life was never meant to be lived alone.

Notes for this message

Our Future Self

Sun, 26 Apr 2026 14:00:00 GMT

We are a show-me culture. We want evidence before investment, proof before affection, demonstration before commitment. We test things before we trust them. And into that posture Peter drops a description of a community that has staked everything — their present security, their social standing, their futures — on someone they have never seen.

Notes for this message

Our Present Self

Sun, 19 Apr 2026 14:00:00 GMT

The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is not a distant theological fact — it's the energy source you were meant to run on. The Resurrection doesn't just change where you're going, it changes what's fueling you right now.

Notes for this message

Our Past Self

Sun, 12 Apr 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Because we have been united with Christ in His death and resurrection, our old self is truly dead and buried—our past no longer defines us. We are now alive to God in Christ Jesus. Count it true and live like the person you already are.

Notes for this message

The Deep Work of Dawning

Sun, 05 Apr 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Dawn doesn't create the landscape but it reveals it. Dawn doesn't build anything new it shows you what was real the whole time you were stumbling in the dark. The resurrection is that dawn.

Notes for this message

The Deep Work of Darkness

Sun, 29 Mar 2026 14:00:00 GMT

The darkness isn't where God is absent, it's where He's doing His deepest work. Jesus didn't flee from the cross. He entered it and embraced the darkness. He trusted the Father when He couldn't feel Him. And in doing so, He transformed what darkness means forever.

Notes for this message

The Deep Work of Dryness

Sun, 22 Mar 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Sometimes God asks us to do everything we can — knowing it won't be enough. Not because our effort is pointless, but because our effort creates the space for His Spirit to move. The source of life is never your effort. It's always God's Spirit, but your obedience creates the space for His breath to move.

Notes for this message

The Deep Work of Despair

Sun, 15 Mar 2026 14:00:00 GMT

The cave isn't where God is. The cave is where Elijah is hiding from God. And God comes to him there — not to drag him out, but to ask: "What are you doing here?" It's an invitation to stop fleeing and start pursuing again. Are we running away from something or running toward someone?

Notes for this message

The Deep Work of Disorientation

Sun, 08 Mar 2026 14:00:00 GMT

We do not stop being thirsty — we just start drinking from things that cannot hold life.

Disorientation begins when we forget the difference between the source of life and the containers we build to hold it.

Notes for this message

The Deep Work of Deprivation

Sun, 01 Mar 2026 15:00:00 GMT

Deprivation disciplines us away from the familiar and into a growing faith. It redirects us from testing God to trusting Him. It develops a deeper prayer life—not one built on emergencies alone, but on relationship. The wilderness exposes our tendency to confuse God’s provision with God Himself, and our wants with our needs. The question is not whether God is present. The question is whether we will trust Him when the bridge looks out and the water seems gone.

Notes for this message

The Wilderness is the Workshop

Sun, 22 Feb 2026 15:00:00 GMT

Early Christians used to go into the Egyptian desert, not to escape the world but to confront the parts of themselves they couldn’t see in comfort. They believed the wilderness didn’t create the struggle, but revealed it so God can reshape it.

Notes to this message

The Lost Son

Sun, 15 Feb 2026 15:00:00 GMT

The final parable in Luke 15 reminds us that rebellion and self righteousness can both keep us outside. But grace doesn't wait at the door, it comes out and meets us.

Notes for this message

The Lost Coin

Sun, 08 Feb 2026 15:00:00 GMT

This is perhaps the most overlooked parable in Luke 15, but it may be the most unsettling. Because unlike the sheep and the prodigal, the coin doesn't even know it's lost.

Notes for this message

The Lost Sheep

Sun, 01 Feb 2026 15:00:00 GMT

We are called to share God’s posture, not just God’s property. The church is not a pen to protect sheep, it is a community shaped by pursuit.

Notes for this message

These Two Commandments

Sun, 25 Jan 2026 15:00:00 GMT

Religious experts testing Jesus, wanting a hierarchy, a shortcut, a way to organize 613 commands. Jesus refuses the game and offers something better—two commands that change everything. If these two commands are the summary of everything, why do we organize our lives around other priorities?

Notes for this message

In Secret

Sun, 18 Jan 2026 15:00:00 GMT

A better pace isn’t just about less doing—it’s about deeper being with God. Prayer that prioritizes presence slowly forms us into people who live from God’s nearness instead of striving for God’s attention.

Notes for this message

Something Greater Than the Temple

Sun, 11 Jan 2026 15:00:00 GMT

Ask yourself, "Who am I rushing past? What am I protecting?" Jesus doesn’t abolish Sabbath, He restores its heart. And at the center of God’s rhythm is space for mercy.

Notes for this message

You Did Not Dance

Sun, 04 Jan 2026 15:00:00 GMT

Before Jesus ever talks about how we live, He invites us into who we live with. Rest doesn’t begin with better rhythms. It begins with a better relationship. And the invitation is still the same: "Come to Me."

Notes for this message

Not What He Had In Mind

Sun, 21 Dec 2025 15:00:00 GMT

What does faithfulness look like when God is present, but the future is still unclear? God-with-us does not remove uncertainty; it teaches us how to live faithfully inside it.

Notes for this message

He Has Looked With Favor

Sun, 14 Dec 2025 15:00:00 GMT

God’s work is often slower than we want, but more faithful than we expect. Advent joy is not the result of things working out—it is the fruit of God being near. The miracle of Advent is not that God entered the world once, but that God keeps entering ordinary lives still. God with us means the ordinary is where salvation takes root.

Notes for this message

We Who Are Strong

Sun, 07 Dec 2025 15:00:00 GMT

Advent is not the denial of conflict but the promise that conflict is not the end of the story. Christ did not wait for harmony to arrive; harmony arrived because Christ came.

Notes for this message

Nearer Now

Sun, 30 Nov 2025 15:00:00 GMT

Many of us have prayed for something for so long that hope feels thin; however, God’s timing is always filled with His purpose. Even when it’s quiet, God’s promises are still unfolding. He never forgets His people.

Notes for this message

Self-Control

Sun, 23 Nov 2025 15:00:00 GMT

Self-control is not self-repression. It is Spirit-formed freedom — the freedom to love well, serve boldly, and live with purpose.

Notes for this message

Goodness & Kindness

Sun, 16 Nov 2025 15:00:00 GMT

Goodness is love that seeks the well-being of others; kindness is love that moves toward the undeserving. Together they reveal the radical, generous mercy of God.

Notes for this message

Gentleness

Sun, 09 Nov 2025 15:00:00 GMT

True strength is found in gentleness; Jesus invites us to rest in Him, reflect His humility and allow His gentle heart shape how we live and love in a harsh world.

Notes for this message

Patience & Faithfulness

Sun, 02 Nov 2025 15:00:00 GMT

Patience is love stretched across time. Faithfulness is love that refuses to let go. Both are sustained by remembering who God is and staying close to those who remind us of it. They are not just virtues to admire, but rather the Spirit’s slow miracle in us, turning weary hearts into steadfast ones.

Notes for this message

Joy & Peace

Sun, 26 Oct 2025 14:00:00 GMT

Joy and peace are not emotions to chase but conditions of the soul formed by trust in God’s nearness. Joy anchors the heart in delight; peace anchors the mind in trust. Together, they form the steady heart that endures all things through Christ who strengthens us.

Notes for this message

Rooted in the Spirit

Sun, 12 Oct 2025 14:00:00 GMT

True freedom is not doing what we want, but being formed by the Spirit into who we’re meant to be.

Notes for this message

Figs At Last

Sun, 05 Oct 2025 14:00:00 GMT

When tragedy strikes, like the church shooting in Grand Blanc, our first instinct is often to ask, Why? Why them? Why now? Why would God allow this?

It’s an ancient question.

The people around Jesus were asking it too. They bring Him news of a massacre, worshippers murdered by Pilate while offering their sacrifices. They’re grasping for meaning, wanting to know whether those victims somehow deserved it. It’s not curiosity but self-protection. If we can find a reason, maybe we can keep it from happening to us.

Notes for this message

The Persistence of Faith

Sat, 04 Oct 2025 18:29:41 GMT

Faith is not measured by immediate answers but by enduring trust. In a world shaped by delay, silence, and injustice, Jesus invites us to a faith that resists despair, clings to the character of God, and keeps praying when nothing seems to change.

Notes for this message

The Return of Faith

Sun, 21 Sep 2025 14:00:00 GMT

Faith that truly transforms doesn’t stop at the gift—it returns to the Giver, recognizes the fullness of salvation, and steps into a life of gratitude and sanctification.

Notes for this message

The Posture of Faith

Sun, 14 Sep 2025 14:00:00 GMT

Often, we approach the Lord with a long list of excuses for why we haven't been more effective in our service to God and His kingdom. However, Jesus, with His well-known teaching on faith the size of a mustard seed, reminds us that the quantity of our faith, wealth, talent, or any other attribute is not what truly matters. What is truly important is what God can accomplish through us and within us when we are open and willing.

Notes for this message

The Currency of Faith

Sun, 07 Sep 2025 14:00:00 GMT

This puzzling parable about the dishonest manager challenges us to consider what we're doing with our influence, wealth, and opportunities. Faith isn’t just belief, it’s investment. The faithful steward manages all things in light of the Kingdom.

Notes for this message

The Watch of Faith

Sun, 31 Aug 2025 14:00:00 GMT

Jesus is teaching that your treasure doesn’t just express your heart—it shapes it. Your treasure determines your direction, desire, and discipline. You always watch what you value, so if your treasure is the Kingdom, your eyes will be open, your lamp burning, your life expectant.

Notes for this message

The Grip of Faith

Sun, 24 Aug 2025 14:00:00 GMT

The Parable of the Rich Fool isn't about wealth and even building bigger barns, it's about worshipping self-sufficiency. Accumulation tends to masquerade as wisdom but leads to anxiety, isolation, and spiritual blindness.

Notes for this message

Guest of a Sinner

Sun, 17 Aug 2025 14:00:00 GMT

Jesus doesn't wait for Zacchaeus to clean up his act or prove his worthiness. He offers relationship first, and transformation follows. True hospitality goes to where people are, not where we think they should be.

Notes for this message

Thank God I'm Not Like Other People

Sun, 10 Aug 2025 14:00:00 GMT

The parable of the Pharisee and tax collector is not just about humility as a virtue; it’s a warning: self-righteous comparison can block you from God’s mercy. Jesus teaches us to value compassion overs comparison.

Notes for this message

For Eighteen Long Years

Sun, 03 Aug 2025 14:00:00 GMT

Jesus invites us when we are too broken to respond.

Notes for this message

Take the Lowest Place

Sun, 27 Jul 2025 14:00:00 GMT

Jesus is invited to a banquet at a Pharisee's house. This is not a casual gathering, it’s a public, status-laden event filled with religious and social elites, and where you sat revealed your importance. Jesus sees right through the scramble for status. The parable He tells isn’t just etiquette advice, it’s a critique of a system that runs on self-promotion.

Notes for this message

Few Things Are Needed

Sun, 20 Jul 2025 14:00:00 GMT

Hospitality always starts with a question: Is there room? For most of us today, the issue isn’t a lack of love—it’s a lack of space. In Jesus’ eyes, the “one thing needed” is not performance or provision—it is presence, attentiveness, and receptivity to God’s Word.

Notes for this message

Go and Do Likewise

Sun, 13 Jul 2025 14:00:00 GMT

To love our neighbors as ourselves means to actively participate in their well-being, and to extend grace and support to those outside our cultural or social circles.

Notes for this message

Counting the Cost

Sun, 29 Jun 2025 14:00:00 GMT

Following Jesus isn't just a spiritual decision—it's a complete surrender.
You don't carry a cross for convenience. You carry it to die, and through that death, you find life.

Notes for this message

Sent Ahead

Sun, 22 Jun 2025 14:00:00 GMT

The harvest isn't waiting for us to become powerful enough to gather it—it's waiting for us to become willing enough to join it.

Notes for this message

No Turning Back

Sun, 15 Jun 2025 14:00:00 GMT

The life you're looking for is found not in cautious interest in Jesus, but in resolute commitment to following him.

Notes for this message

Each One Heard Them Speaking

Sun, 08 Jun 2025 14:00:00 GMT

The Spirit of God speaks to us, empowers us, and draws us together — even in the ordinary places and across our deepest divides.

Notes for this message

Around Midnight

Sun, 01 Jun 2025 14:00:00 GMT

God meets us in our darkest hour, breaks chains we cannot see, and calls us to joyfully join His liberating work.

Notes for this message

He Will Be With Them

Sun, 18 May 2025 14:00:00 GMT

God is actively restoring and fulfilling His promises to dwell with His people, offering hope and assurance of a future without pain or suffering.

Notes for this message

The Widows Stood Beside Him

Sun, 11 May 2025 14:00:00 GMT

Genuine ministry creates genuine community.

Notes for this message

Something Like Scales

Sun, 04 May 2025 14:00:00 GMT

Saul's call on the road to Damascus tells us something surprising about the God we worship: He's calling all kinds of people to the kingdom. Scales fall from our eyes daily, not just to help us see, but to help us see differently.

Notes for this message

That Night They Caught Nothing

Sun, 27 Apr 2025 14:00:00 GMT

Following Christ’s direction leads to unexpected abundance in our lives, turning our challenges into testimonies of His glory.

Notes for this message

Were Not Our Hearts Burning

Sun, 20 Apr 2025 14:00:00 GMT

Jesus walks with us even when we don’t recognize Him. Encountering the risen Christ transforms confusion and despair into clarity, passion, and renewed purpose.

Notes for this message

Three Skulls

Mon, 14 Apr 2025 02:00:00 GMT

Even in death, Jesus prayed. His three final prayers from the cross speak forgiveness over the guilty, cry out in solidarity with the forsaken, and offer perfect surrender to the Father—revealing the full heart of God and calling us into the life that flows from the cross. In our darkest moments, we find hope and redemption through Christ's example of prayer and forgiveness on the cross, which empowers us to respond to our suffering with faith and love.

That They May Be One

Sun, 06 Apr 2025 14:00:00 GMT

Jesus’ final prayer is for the unity of His people—a unity that reflects the oneness of God, reveals the love of Christ, and carries the mission of the Gospel into the world.

Notes for this message

For Those You Have Given

Sun, 30 Mar 2025 14:00:00 GMT

Jesus prays for His disciples to be protected, sanctified, and sent into the world with truth and joy. As followers of Jesus today, we are sustained by this same prayerful love and mission.

Notes for this message

Like Drops of Blood

Sun, 16 Mar 2025 14:00:00 GMT

Jesus models the kind of prayer that holds nothing back—bringing real fears, desires, and suffering to God while ultimately surrendering to His will. In His most agonizing moment, Jesus prays with raw honesty and unwavering surrender, showing us what it means to bring our deepest struggles before God.

Notes for this message.

40 Days of Prayer

Sun, 09 Mar 2025 14:00:00 GMT

Prayer is not just a practice but a posture of dependence on God. Jesus teaches us how to pray, invites us into persistent prayer, and assures us of God’s faithful response.

Notes

To download the 40 Day Prayer Guide that accompanies this message, please click on the button below.

Prayer Guide

Sharing With Them

Sun, 02 Mar 2025 15:00:00 GMT

Koinonia is not just about connection; it’s about participation in God’s generosity, leading to transformation, thanksgiving, and glory to God.

Notes for this episode

Grace Given

Sun, 23 Feb 2025 15:00:00 GMT

God has given each of us a unique role in the body of Christ. True koinonia happens when we embrace our place with humility and serve with faithfulness.

Notes for this episode

They Devoted Themselves to Fellowship

Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:00:00 GMT

True Christian fellowship goes beyond mere attendance; it's about actively participating in each other's lives and needs, reflecting Christ's love and generosity.

Notes for this episode

Our Fellowship is With the Father

Sun, 09 Feb 2025 15:00:00 GMT

Fellowship with God is what enables us to have real, authentic, and lasting fellowship with one another. The solution to disconnection isn’t just more community, but more of Christ at the center of our community.

Notes for this message

Today

Sun, 02 Feb 2025 15:00:00 GMT

The kingdom of God is not something far off in the future—it begins today. Jesus declares that the work of liberation, healing, and restoration has already begun, and we are invited to step into it now, no matter how small the start may seem.

Notes for this episode

All the People Listened

Sun, 26 Jan 2025 15:00:00 GMT

When we gather together as God’s people, when we are conscious of coming into the presence of the living and holy God, when we center our worship on God’s Word, when we offer all of ourselves to God, we cannot help but be changed over time.

Notes for this episode

Though the Servants Knew

Sun, 19 Jan 2025 15:00:00 GMT

Signs and wonders do not inherently require a large group, an entire church, or a whole household. When the faithful few act in obedience, they create space for God’s abundant work and reveal His glory.

Notes for this message

Hyphen Church is a nondenominational church in Fenton, MI seeking to form people who practice the presence of God for the sake of their neighbors. Be sure to check us out at hyphen.church and follow us on Facebook for the latest updates and events.

Sitting Among the Teachers

Sun, 12 Jan 2025 15:00:00 GMT

God’s transformative work often begins in the small and ordinary moments of life, teaching us humility, obedience, and trust. Small starts—learning, growing, and questioning—are foundational to God’s transformative plans.

Notes for this message

A Wondering Worship

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 15:00:00 GMT

Most of us want clarity before we act, but faith often requires small, uncertain steps before we see God’s bigger picture, but the journey to find Jesus begins with small steps of faith and leads to a life-changing discovery.

Notes for this message

We Make Space for Joy

Sun, 22 Dec 2024 15:00:00 GMT

Joy isn’t something we create—it’s a response to recognizing God’s presence and work.

Notes for this message

We Make Space for Love

Sun, 15 Dec 2024 15:00:00 GMT

Faith in God is the first step, but John calls us to further action in his answer to the question “What should we do?” Our actions reflect our understanding of God, so we don’t just make space for love, but we make space to be loved.

Notes for this message

We Make Space For Peace

Sun, 08 Dec 2024 15:00:00 GMT

Zechariah’s peace isn’t a quick fix; it’s a deep, enduring wholeness that only comes from God. It’s not about avoiding the hard things but embracing them, trusting that God’s light will guide us.

Notes for this message

We Make Space For Hope

Sun, 01 Dec 2024 15:00:00 GMT

The world’s chaos doesn’t indicate God’s absence, it signals His movement and redemption. Hope isn’t wishful thinking—it’s a confident expectation based on God’s promises.

Notes for this message

What Do You Want Me To Do For You?

Sun, 24 Nov 2024 15:00:00 GMT

By embracing servanthood and focusing on being needed, we step into a life of purpose, joy, and true greatness in God’s Kingdom. Gratitude flows from recognizing the gift of serving others.

Notes for this message

He Had Great Wealth

Sun, 17 Nov 2024 14:59:00 GMT

The pursuit of wealth can choke our faith and obscure our dependence on God, but embracing vulnerability and choosing to serve others opens the way to true fulfillment and eternal life in His kingdom.

Notes for this message

Receive the Kingdom Like a Child

Sun, 10 Nov 2024 14:59:00 GMT

Jesus calls us to restore our relationships, rejecting exploitation and affirming the dignity of every individual as made in God’s image.

Notes for this message

Whoever is Not Against Us

Sun, 03 Nov 2024 15:01:00 GMT

True discipleship involves embracing inclusivity and rejecting the spirit of exclusion, recognizing that all who serve in Christ's name are valued and welcomed in His Kingdom.

Notes for this message

And Servant of All

Sun, 27 Oct 2024 14:00:00 GMT

True greatness in God's eyes is marked by our willingness to be vulnerable and humble servants, following the example of Christ in our daily interactions and service to others.

Notes for this message

You Unbelieving Generation

Sun, 20 Oct 2024 14:00:00 GMT

Faith, vulnerability, and reliance on God are crucial for both those in need and those called to help them.

Notes for this message

The Dogs Under the Table

Sun, 13 Oct 2024 14:00:00 GMT

God's grace and love extend beyond every human boundary.

Notes for this message

Hyphen Church is a non-denominational church in Fenton, MI seeking to form people who practice the presence of God for the sake of their neighbors. Be sure to check us out at hyphen.church and follow us on Facebook for the latest updates and events.

Receiving and Giving

Sun, 06 Oct 2024 14:00:00 GMT

Why do you give? Is it to be noticed? Is it to check a box? Do I give out of a deep trust in God and who He is? What about God's generosity influences the way I give?

Notes for this message

Abundance and the Myth of Scarcity

Sun, 29 Sep 2024 14:00:00 GMT

Hoarding resources not only fails to bring security but also blinds us to the needs of others and the opportunities to live generously. At the core of our anxiety is the belief that we are on our own, that we must secure our future. But Jesus reminds us that God knows what we need and will provide.

Notes for this message

The Reconciliation of All Things

Sun, 22 Sep 2024 14:00:00 GMT

If Christ is reconciling all creation, then we walk on dangerous ground when we wall off certain areas of our life, shielding them from the transforming light of Christ.

Notes for this message

Faithfulness to People and Place

Sun, 15 Sep 2024 14:00:00 GMT

In order to bear fruit, to extend hospitality, and to nurture a flourishing community, our faith communities must be deeply rooted and maturing in our particular places.

Notes for this message

The Slow Work of God

Sun, 08 Sep 2024 14:00:00 GMT

The primary work of Slow Church is not attracting people to our church buildings, but rather cultivating together the resurrection life of Christ, by deeply and selflessly loving our brothers and sisters, our neighbors and even our enemies.

Notes for this message

Not Against Flesh and Blood

Sun, 25 Aug 2024 14:00:00 GMT

If our battle is not against flesh and blood, then our victory will not be through flesh and blood. Prayer is the thing that ensures the battle is won before it's ever fought.

Notes for this message

Be Filled

Sun, 18 Aug 2024 14:00:00 GMT

Living in community means we must be ready to accept vulnerability. There is always risk and uncertainty associated with living and worshiping together. Being filled with the Spirit means showing compassion to people just for who they are.

Notes for this message

The Practice, Pleasure, and Pain of Body Life

Sun, 11 Aug 2024 14:00:00 GMT

Living as a church body, there are so many things to manage, but above all, we must manage how we imitate Christ.

Notes for this message

There is One Body

Sun, 04 Aug 2024 14:00:00 GMT

There are no insignificant parts in the body. Every gift has a purpose because every gift is used to build up the body. If one component fails or, even worse, works in isolation, the whole system will suffer.

Notes for this message

Rooted and Established

Sun, 28 Jul 2024 14:00:00 GMT

Paul's incredible prayer for the church shows us what the apostle thought was most important: rooting the church in the undefinable and unsurpassed love of Christ.

Notes for this message

Being Built Together

Sun, 21 Jul 2024 14:00:00 GMT

What's the point of all this unity? Paul digs in to what God's plan has been for His people: to be built together into the very foundation of the church.

Notes for this message

The Mystery of His Will

Sun, 14 Jul 2024 14:00:00 GMT

The letter to the church of Ephesus was a letter that would've been passed around to several 1st century churches. Paul's opening argument takes aim at what God's will for His people is, and how true unity can be accomplished in the church.

Notes for this message

Shake the Dust Off

Sun, 07 Jul 2024 14:00:00 GMT

Closing our series in the first half of Mark, Jesus encourages His students to do the direct opposite of what we would imagine: in the face of rejection, move on to the next place. We must learn the proper response to rejection, one that honors God and people, but also raises the stakes on what's possible.

Notes for this message

Desperate Daughters

Sun, 30 Jun 2024 14:00:00 GMT

Interruptions are a part of life. Watch carefully how Jesus handles them, making the point of ministry not destination, but the lives we touch along the way.

Notes for this message

They Thought He Was a Ghost

Sun, 23 Jun 2024 14:00:00 GMT

There's some storms we just can't be ready for. When we find ourself in the midst of a storm, look around...can you see Jesus?

Notes for this message

Give Them Something to Eat

Sun, 16 Jun 2024 14:00:00 GMT

We've read the story of the feeding of the multitude several times in several places, but one thing is threaded through them all: God is a God of abundance, and following Jesus' example, the church is empowered to transform mundane life into abundant life.

Notes for this message

Out of His Mind

Sun, 09 Jun 2024 14:00:00 GMT

As we gather closer to Jesus (at His feet in some cases), we are going to start behaving more like Him. What can we make of the chameleon Christians who never get too close so they don't seem too crazy to their friends? Jesus meets us in that place and redefines what it looks like to be part of God's family.

Notes for this message

Even of the Sabbath

Sun, 02 Jun 2024 14:00:00 GMT

Jesus pushed back on the old ways, not because they didn't honor God but because they didn't also honor His people. Where the law prioritizes strict adherence to the rules, the kingdom of God prioritizes the flourishing of humanity.

Notes for this message

Suddenly There Was a Sound From Heaven

Sun, 26 May 2024 14:00:00 GMT

While there are so many things to unpack with a moment like Pentecost, the main takeaway for a modern hearer is the unity created. The purpose of the Spirit descending to earth was to create unity to emphasize the centrality of Christ.

Notes for this message

Their Voices Shook the Temple

Sun, 19 May 2024 14:00:00 GMT

We might never see a scene like Isaiah 6 while we're still on earth, but there is a really simple and ordinary way to experience the presence of God in our daily walk. As we learn to be receptive to our own "throne room" moments, the silence in between will tell a better story.

Notes for this message

Our Faith is the Victory

Sun, 12 May 2024 14:00:00 GMT

Surprising just about everyone, John ends his letter not talking about love, but rather faith, the sum of our relationship and loyal love with God. Our faith, not our love, is what is used to rise above the trouble of the world.

Notes for this message

As He is So Also Are We

Sun, 05 May 2024 14:00:00 GMT

John makes his final connection about love, that it is a disposition not a duty. Love should not be a check list item, but should flow out of our standing as children of God.

Notes for this message

How We Put Our Hearts at Rest

Sun, 28 Apr 2024 14:00:00 GMT

The author of 1 John puts his finest point on love yet, making the strongest case for mirroring the actions of Christ. Ultimately love is a giving action: those of us that feel generous toward others, even the undeserving, are approaching the heart of God.

Notes for this message

What We Will Be

Sun, 21 Apr 2024 14:00:00 GMT

As John’s letter gains momentum, he begins some of his most famous arguments about the evidence of being a child of God. God has redefined our identity as His children, a gift from Him, not based on anything we are or can do. We are called to live in a way that represents our standing.

Notes for this message

What We Have Seen and Heard

Sun, 07 Apr 2024 14:00:00 GMT

First John leads us toward the community grounded in God’s grace by declaring that together we need God. Any kind of close relationship with God includes honesty about our failure to love God and our neighbor. As we uncover the letter of 1 John together, we have to ask ourselves, what is the definition of truth and togetherness?

Notes for this message

You Will See Him There

Sun, 31 Mar 2024 14:00:00 GMT

Salome’s presence in the Mark’s telling of the Resurrection perhaps gives us a clearer look as to what is happening in this passage: the hope of the Resurrection surrounds us with peace. Just like the women at the tomb, we have the peace of hope that Jesus continues regardless of whether we can reach out and touch Him.

Notes for this message

They Went and Found a Colt

Sun, 24 Mar 2024 14:00:00 GMT

We’ve experienced Palm Sunday so many times it can be easy to miss the whole point of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. Misinterpreted by almost everyone involved, Jesus is determined to disrupt and destroy the same power seeking to end his life. The parade isn’t the point, it’s to show those gathered what power in the kingdom looks like.

Notes for this message

So He Made a Whip

Sun, 17 Mar 2024 14:00:00 GMT

The cleansing of the Temple isn’t exactly about the cleansing of the Temple. Jesus instead was making a symbolic gesture about the extra things that come between us and encountering God. In a world where distractions and distortions of worship abound, Jesus’ example calls us to reevaluate what consumes us.

Notes for this message

Through the Unknown

Sun, 10 Mar 2024 14:00:00 GMT

We all make plans for our life, but Jesus says if we really desire to live, we need to give up our life and follow him. While that might be scary, to truly see Jesus in everything we do involves a radical giving up of all we hold on to.

Notes for this message

If Anyone Would Come After Me

Sun, 25 Feb 2024 15:00:00 GMT

Peter declares Jesus the Messiah, but it’s on his terms. After Jesus corrects him publicly, He offers His deepest understanding of what it means to be one who follows after Him: denying themself and embracing sacrificial love.

Notes for this message

The Sign of the Covenant

Sun, 18 Feb 2024 15:00:00 GMT

To begin our Lenten journey, we discover the beginning of our redemption. Surprisingly, it comes from a story of destruction. Renewal only comes through devastation, a reminder as Jesus makes his way to the cross.

Notes for this message

It’s Good For Us To Be Here

Sun, 11 Feb 2024 15:00:00 GMT

In the final Sunday of Epiphany, we read from one of the high points in the Gospel of Mark, the Transfiguration. Jesus was positioned then and still is now as the center of God’s glory and presence. We as the church can reveal that glory, too every time we embody the presence of Jesus.

Notes for this message

The Whole Town Gathered at the Door

Sun, 04 Feb 2024 15:00:00 GMT

Jesus had busy days all the time, but He shows us and His Disciples that time spent in prayer alone always leads us back to Kingdom mission. Being with people is more than service, it’s revealing God face-to-face just as Jesus did.

Notes for this message

With a Shriek

Sun, 28 Jan 2024 15:00:00 GMT

One of the most interesting things about Mark’s gospel is the first acknowledgement of Jesus’ true identity is not by a person but an unclean spirit. Jesus performs the first miracle of his ministry demonstrating that Jesus’ authority liberates us.

Notes for this message

Fishers of People

Sun, 21 Jan 2024 15:00:00 GMT

Today we examine three important characteristics of God’s call: it’s universal, it’s personal, and it’s transformative. We are obligated to respond knowing that following Jesus involves a fundamental shift in our sense of self and purpose.

Notes for this message

Under the Fig Tree

Sun, 14 Jan 2024 15:00:00 GMT

From the early pages of John, we learn an easy definition of a disciple: being found and finding others. Being found by Jesus, no matter where we are, becomes a chain reaction of finding others to follow Jesus. Being found by Christ is a transformative encounter leading to a renewed relationship with God.

Notes for this message

One More Powerful

Sun, 07 Jan 2024 15:00:00 GMT

Our mission as people of God is to do as John did, humble ourselves and point the way to Jesus the Christ, or as John calls him: “One More Powerful.” In calling Jerusalem to repentance, John accidentally defines what a church is: a unified spiritual journey toward repentance and renewal.

Notes for this message

The Places Long Devastated

Sun, 17 Dec 2023 15:00:00 GMT

The speaker of Isaiah 61 has been anointed for a special purpose: a mission of radical proclamation, one described in the text as “good news.” Then he describes what good news does, it’s a moment of transformation that although nothing has come yet, something is already here. Good news is a proclamation of “Instead.”

Notes for this message

In the Wilderness Prepare

Sun, 10 Dec 2023 15:00:00 GMT

In some ways, Israel’s judgement looks nothing like our modern culture, but searching deeper, we share in their “uprootedness,” a spiritual homelessness. But it’s precisely in the Babylonian desert God comes to dwell among us, not some “pie in the sky” future, but right now in the places we feel alone and abandoned.

Notes for this message

The Master of the House

Sun, 03 Dec 2023 15:00:00 GMT

Our way is not God’s way. Especially when it comes to the timing of events. God’s timing to us may not seem nice, measured, or orderly at all. Sometimes God seems to break into our lives at the most inconvenient times in our everyday lives. But then God’s time collides with our time.

Notes for this message

Sheep and Goats

Sun, 26 Nov 2023 15:00:00 GMT

As Jesus builds to His conclusion, He repeats a familiar phrase to His disciples: Can you be trusted with the little things? Jesus makes it clear, those worthy of life with Him are those who have done well to protect and lift the least among us.

Notes for this message

A Hole in the Ground

Sun, 19 Nov 2023 15:00:00 GMT

Responsibility in the church is the same no matter what we’ve been given, but the message from Jesus is not all of us have been given the same amount. We can be a delight to the Lord when we steward well whatever we have ability for.

Notes for this message

Our Lamps Are Going Out

Sun, 12 Nov 2023 15:00:00 GMT

Who is responsible for the oil in our lamps? When our waiting comes up against a delay, something unexpected, who do we become while we wait?

Notes for this message

The Greatest Among You

Sun, 05 Nov 2023 15:01:00 GMT

Just before His death, Jesus began handing off the work of the kingdom to those around him. They weren’t the religious leaders who abused authority, but regular people who had a heart and desire to follow Him. This extends to us, too, the modern church. We have been entrusted with the good news and good works of a faithful kingdom. Jesus then exposes hypocrisy that still enflames the church today.

Notes for this message

In Moab, Not Canaan

Sun, 29 Oct 2023 14:00:00 GMT

We have to ask ourselves if our holiness based on a faith in God, or on what we get out of the transaction? To us, watching Moses be denied entry into the promised land is the height of disappointment, so how did Moses respond in faith to what God showed him?

Notes for this message

The Things That Are God’s

Sun, 22 Oct 2023 14:00:00 GMT

Those opposed to Jesus work together to try and trap him but Jesus makes it clear that Caesar can keep his metal coins, and we are called to give back to God the things that are his. The question we have to ask is do we desire things with God’s image or Caesar’s?

Notes for this message

You Have Made Them Equal

Sun, 15 Oct 2023 14:00:00 GMT

Jesus tells a parable that reflects God’s generosity. The parable exposes a culture that reflects entitlement, and often encourages us to pray “Give me this day my daily bread.”

Notes for this message

The People Complained

Sun, 08 Oct 2023 14:00:00 GMT

The sin in Exodus 17 wasn’t complaining or quarreling, it was nostalgia: The Israelites question if they were better off with God or better off back in Egypt where at least they had water.

Notes for this message

A Listening Community

Sun, 01 Oct 2023 14:00:00 GMT

Building your relationships around listening to others helps open you to the needs of others.

Notes for this message

A Public Disturbance

Sun, 24 Sep 2023 14:00:00 GMT

Paul and Silas didn’t set out to be a disturbance to the community, but the very name of Jesus made those in power uneasy.

Notes for this message

An Impact-Driven Church

Sun, 10 Sep 2023 14:00:00 GMT

The message of community transformation seems easy: love God’s people, and live in a way so they love you, too. Somewhere in our journey as God’s people, and in our quest to be disciples of Jesus, we’ve forgotten how to love the people we are called to love. The biggest idea driving our church is if our community isn’t better because of our presence in it, we don’t deserve to exist.

Notes for this message

A Threat and a Promise

Sun, 03 Sep 2023 14:00:00 GMT

The message of the church became a threat to those hostile to Jesus because it was different from what they were used to, it was a radical departure from the norms of the day, and was backed by the power and promise of an unchanging God. How can we as a church community learn to live out this radical message once again?

Notes for this message

Turning the World Upside Down

Sun, 27 Aug 2023 14:00:00 GMT

Has the church lost its reputation as world changer?

The Jews of Thessalonica seek to arrest the agitators Paul and Silas because of their reputation in other cities. As we begin to examine what it means to turn the world upside down, we look through the lens of what we intend to do as a church, and where we can create a reputation in our community as agitators.

Notes for this message

Triumph of God’s Love

Sun, 20 Aug 2023 14:00:00 GMT

Paul concludes the Chapter 8 with the basis for our hope, both future and immediate. Through a series of rhetorical questions, Paul reveals the relationship between the Father and Son, and the Son and His followers.

Notes for this message

Intercession of the Spirit

Sun, 13 Aug 2023 14:00:00 GMT

The greatest hindrances to our prayers are our indecision and ignorance. But believers aren’t left to figure it out by themselves. Paul writes that the Spirit speaks on our behalf, and groans a long with us. This union allows us to be known and heard by God whose love is worked out despite our failings.

Notes for this message

Redeemed in Hope

Sun, 06 Aug 2023 14:00:00 GMT

There is a condition so common to humanity, Paul says it causes us to “groan together.” We all wait with eager longing for the promised hope, the expectation of what God was determined to do since the ancient of days: redeem those who believe. This hope should embolden us, not cause us to grow passive and weary, that Paul calls in other places perseverance.

Notes for this message

Inheritance of Glory

Sun, 30 Jul 2023 14:00:00 GMT

Living in the Spirit gives us three distinct gifts: we are no longer enslaved by fear, we have direct access to the Father, and we are called children of God, giving us status as co-heirs with Christ and His glory. It’s important to remember that while our identity is now, our inheritance is our hope for the future, being revealed in Christ’s glory through His sufferings.

Notes for this message

Positioned in the Spirit

Sun, 23 Jul 2023 14:00:00 GMT

Positioning ourselves in the Spirit requires a conscious effort to purge the old self, position ourselves with purpose, and pursue life and peace. It is a transformative journey that promises a life filled with divine peace and the ultimate reward of eternal life.

Notes for this message

Set Free For Life

Sun, 16 Jul 2023 14:00:00 GMT

Paul starts Chapter 8 of Romans with some of the best news possible: Jesus has rescued us from death to life, freeing us to live a new life in community with other believers. Through Jesus the Messiah, God decisively breaks through everything that separates us from God and makes it possible to live the life God intends for us.

Notes for this message

Gentle and Lowly

Sun, 09 Jul 2023 14:00:00 GMT

Jesus gives his disciples remarkable insight by talking about his heart. Though we resist this new life, Jesus reveals to us the Father God and calls us to rest in his ways. It doesn’t mean an end to work though, it means the end of meaningless work.

Notes for this message

The Cost of Discipleship

Sun, 25 Jun 2023 14:00:00 GMT

Jesus continues the “disciple discourse” telling his disciples what to expect as they proclaim his message of the kingdom. Our guest speaker Nicole Corso lays out three places we may find the cost of discipleship too high.

Notes for this message

Great Harvest, Few Workers

Sun, 18 Jun 2023 14:00:00 GMT

Week four of our Co-Missioned series gets to the literal heart of our commissioning from Jesus. As he sees the people in the region, he is full of compassion for them as they are helpless without a shepherd. His response to His apostles reveals His daily response to us.

Notes for this message

Dinner at Matthew’s

Sun, 11 Jun 2023 14:00:00 GMT

Week three of Co-Missioned begins with the calling of Matthew. During dinner at his house, Jesus is mocked by the religious leaders but he isn’t moved by them, only the sick people surrounding him. It’s the faith of three people that Jesus focuses on, and helps us determine how to follow Christ properly.

Notes for this message

Make Disciples of All People

Sun, 04 Jun 2023 14:00:00 GMT

Week two of Co-MIssioned brings us face-to-face with the Great Commission itself, the missional heart of Christianity. Jesus doesn’t commission individual believers, but instead sends all believers in his power to transform the world, first in baptism, then in teaching.

Notes for this message

For the Common Good

Sun, 28 May 2023 14:00:00 GMT

We open a new series on the Day of Pentecost highlighting the purpose of the Spirit's gifts, not for proof of faith, but to be used for the common good.

The Body of the Living

Sun, 21 May 2023 14:00:00 GMT

Our final message in the Imperishable series forces us to confront last major theme of the letter: suffering. The body of Christ is not an individual pursuit. Suffering and persecution are opportunities to remember we are a part of the whole. When one believer is oppressed, we all are (1 Peter 5:9).

A Life of Blessing

Sun, 14 May 2023 14:00:00 GMT

The best way to witness about the risen Christ is to be reminded all our actions and behaviors are a reflection of Him. We use Mother's Day to remember the same of our Moms.

Live Such Good Lives

Sun, 07 May 2023 14:00:00 GMT

Peter gives both an encouraging word and challenge to believers on how to live among a hostile culture.

Through the Living Word

Sun, 23 Apr 2023 14:00:00 GMT

The enduring word of God redeems believers from the empty ways of their ancestors. New life should lead to a new way of living.

Into a Living Hope

Sun, 16 Apr 2023 14:00:00 GMT

Peter reminds the post-Easter believers in Asia Minor their hope is a living hope because their future is not based on perishable things.

The Woman Who Went Running

Sun, 09 Apr 2023 14:00:00 GMT

Good news travels fast (John 20:1-18), but this isn't a story about running.

The Dead Man’s Sisters

Sun, 26 Mar 2023 14:00:00 GMT

Two questions await us in this encounter with Jesus from John 11: why does He delay in going to Lazarus, and why does He cry knowing Lazarus will live again?

The Man Who Used to Beg

Sun, 19 Mar 2023 14:00:00 GMT

The man who was born blind from birth (John 9) was overlooked and cast aside for his life, until the one true Messiah restores his sight. The man responds by proclaiming the truth of Jesus despite losing everything in the process.

The Woman Who Testified

Sun, 12 Mar 2023 13:59:00 GMT

Jesus deliberately seeks out the outcast Samaritan woman (John 4:1-42) to awaken her thirst for living water, the presence of the true God.

Nick at Night

Sun, 05 Mar 2023 15:00:00 GMT

Jesus invited Nicodemus (John 3:1-21) to stop meeting him at night and to practice the truth living in the light.

The Tempter Approached

Sun, 26 Feb 2023 15:00:00 GMT

We start our Lenten journey of self-rejection with Matt 4:1-11, and determine the purpose of temptation.

So Then Be Perfect

Sun, 19 Feb 2023 15:00:00 GMT

In the conclusion of the first section of the Hillside Teaching (Mat. 5:21-48), Jesus establishes His authority as a new Moses with giving instruction on a mountain. He illustrates 6 ways a Kingdom-centered disciple could apply the law in their lives. Through this teaching, Jesus isn't adding to the law or abolishing it, but rather pointing to a whole embodiment of God's revelation.

He Went Up the Mountain

Sun, 29 Jan 2023 15:00:00 GMT

In the first few verses of Jesus' Hillside Teaching (Mat. 5:1-12), He reveals the kind of people God is including in the Kingdom.

To Fulfill All Righteousness

Sun, 22 Jan 2023 15:00:00 GMT

Jesus' baptism (Mat. 3:13-17) reminds us of God's promise of renewal.

God’s Faithful Promises and Provisions

Sun, 15 Jan 2023 15:00:00 GMT

God faithfully develops our faithfulness in order to provide daily expectation.

A Light Has Dawned

Sun, 08 Jan 2023 15:00:00 GMT

God is pursuing, and he is relentless in His pursuit. The only requirement to be found by God is to be lost.

What is Conceived in Her

Sun, 18 Dec 2022 15:00:00 GMT

Intrusions can be a sign God is working in our life, and are an invitation to trust.

What You Hear and See

Sun, 11 Dec 2022 15:00:00 GMT

Advent invites us to re-examine our expectations for the coming Messiah.

Make Ready the Road

Sun, 04 Dec 2022 15:00:00 GMT

Preparing room for Christ involves turning from everything and eating the wilderness.

What Time the Thief

Sun, 27 Nov 2022 15:00:00 GMT

Jesus calls on believers to have hope, not certainty.

How To Be Rich

Sun, 20 Nov 2022 14:59:00 GMT

Richness comes not from counting our things but sharing freely.

The Secret of Being Content

Sun, 13 Nov 2022 14:59:00 GMT

Contentment is only possible when we are free of our dependencies.

Deliver Us

Sun, 06 Nov 2022 14:59:00 GMT

Testing is a joy because it refines our hearts and proves us to be true.

Forgive Us

Sun, 30 Oct 2022 14:00:00 GMT

God sets the standard for radical forgiveness which we only experience fully in radically forgiving others.

Our Daily Bread

Sun, 23 Oct 2022 14:00:00 GMT

Praying for our bread daily reminds us what is essential is a gift.

Your Kingdom, Your Will

Sun, 16 Oct 2022 14:00:00 GMT

As we pray for God to use us for his purpose, heaven comes to earth.