discipleship (Page 5)

discipleship (Page 5)

Taking Risks – Shaping Destiny

Five hundred years ago, on October 31, 1517, Brother Martin, a monk and a scholar, approached the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany, and nailed a piece of paper that would shake the world and send it in another direction. He had struggled for years with the teachings of his beloved church. He had been particularly disturbed by an unprecedented sale of indulgences, the selling of forgiveness by the church for past, present and future sins. But why October 31? November…

AM I DREAMING?

Growing up as a boy north of Chicago I was, of course, a Cub fan. I still have an autographed baseball from the 1963 Cubbies when they were only winning half their games on my bookshelf. I never played baseball competitively but to me, as a boy, baseball and summer were synonymous. There was a game almost everyday in the neighborhood and I can still almost hear the call of the games over the radio and Harry Cary signing “Take…

Chase the Lion (small group study)

Small Group starting Wednesday, 10/26, at 6:30pm When the image of a man-eating beast travels through the optic nerve and into the visual cortex, the brain sends the body a simple but urgent message: run away! That’s what normal people do, but not lion chasers. Rather than seeing a five hundred pound problem, they see an opportunity for God to show up and show His power. “Chase the Lion” is more than a catch phrase; it’s a radically different approach…

Believe – sermon series

What we believe and why matters. Most people don’t realize how their beliefs shape them and their life. What we believe changes the way we perceive the world around us What we believe impacts the way we think What we believe influences the choices we make What we believe is revealed in the way we act and live What we believe guides our relationships What we believe is the basis for our self image and value What we believe shapes…

Believe for Greater Things – 2016 Prayer Focus

As we look toward the New Year, many of us face great challenges, concerns, and needs as well as great opportunities. Some of those things may seem impossible, and, frankly, without God’s help, most probably are. That is where prayer and believing come in. We serve an amazing God who is able to do immeasurably more than we could ever imagine as we trust in Him. So, at the beginning of this year, we will be taking time to believe…

Good or God

Good or God starting Wednesday, 11/11, at 6:30 pm Our Life Groups are in a new video study called, Good or God based on a book by John Bevere. Why Good Without God Isn’t Enough. BUT if it’s good, it must be God. Right? These days the terms good and God seem synonymous. We believe what’s generally accepted as good must be in line with God’s will. Generosity, humility, justice—good. Selfishness, arrogance, cruelty—evil. The distinction seems pretty straightforward. But is that all there is to…

Not A Fan

Not A Fan starting Wednesday, 9/23, 6:30 pm We all have junctures in life where an interest becomes a career, a hobby turns into a business, a recreational sport turns into a profession or a romantic relationship becomes a marriage. In those moments there are life altering decisions that are made. Questions that must be answered like: Is this a hobby or a business? Is this just interesting or a real passion? Is this just for fun or for something more? Am…

#itscomplicated – Relationships

Relationships are probably the most complicated and frustrating part of human life. They are usually the source of our deepest pain and regret as well as our greatest joy and fulfillment. Join us this Fall for a series of messages that may not solve all the issues but might help you chart a course to bring health and wholeness to your relationships. We know it’s complicated but God has a lot to say that can give you hope and a new vision…

liveSTRONG – Philippians

The church at Philippi began with Paul’s ministry to a small group of God-fearers that where worshiping along a riverbank (Acts 16:111-13). I love the diversity that was part of the church at Philippi right from the beginning. Lydia is a wealthy Asian woman; the slave girl is an oppressed Greek, and the jailer was a middle class Roman. All were ultimately transformed by the Gospel and part of the church’s genesis. As Paul is writing this letter he is under…

Ever After – Life Lessons Learned in my Castle of Chaos

Ladies’ Mid-Week Life Group Starting Wednesday, 2/25/2015, 6:30 pm Most every woman dreams about having a family and a building a home. We grow up on a steady diet of fairytales and chick flicks that drive our dreams . . . and leave us with a sugarcoated version of reality. We want it all: the prince, the kiss, the proposal, the ring, the castle, and eventually, the kids in smocked rompers playing cheerfully on the perfectly manicured lawn. Our hopes…

Cover Me – Day of War

Men’s Mid-Week Life Group Starting Wednesday, 1/28/2015, 6:30 pm Cliff Graham’s Lion of War series is powerfully resonating with readers through its intense and gritty depiction of epic biblical struggles. By addressing heart-felt issues that transcend time, Graham’s work invites us into deeper introspection by igniting a desire for lasting change. In the first study guide for the Lion of War series, Cover Me satisfies the desire for authentic life-transformation by taking us on a unique journey from Graham’s historical…

LIFE Redefined – Lessons from the Sermon on the Mount

Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount contains some of the most widely known passages of his teaching ministry yet they are probably the least obeyed. It is his clearest description of the nature of the Kingdom he came to inaugurate, yet it establishes a standard beyond our experience and even our ability. Jesus’ sermon is filled with contrasts between citizens of his Kingdom and those of the world, between his subjects and the outwardly religious. He quotes often from the Torah but says…