following Jesus (Page 5)
Follow – Amazingly Simple, Incredibly Hard
Following – how hard can that be? On the surface it sounds pretty straightforward. And following a person is amazingly simple. Simple enough for a child. But when the one you are following is Jesus it’s a different story. It may be simple but it is not easy. As a matter of fact it is incredibly hard. So hard that most won’t even try, some give up and many just pretend. We’re going to look at what it means to be a real follower of…
I Still Have Doubts, So I Can’t be a Christian
The Case for Faith by Lee Strobel Objection #5 – I Still Have Doubts, So I Can’t be a Christian Theologian Lynn Anderson remembers the time a brilliant novelist came to the small Canadian town where he lived as a boy. One day, as he visited with Anderson’s family, the writer asked Lynn, “Do you really believe the Bible’s true? Babies born from virgins, dead people coming out of the cemetery?” “Yes,” Lynn answered, “that’s what I believe.” The writer…
i WONDER? – sermon series
Have you ever asked yourself these questions? Does my life matter? – 9/27 God are you there? – 10/4 Why is there evil? – 10/11 Why is life so unfair? – 10/18 Is there life after death? – 10/25 Why do I feel so alone? – 11/1 If you have wondered about these questions (and who hasn’t) and are still looking for answers, then this series of messages might be for you. If you would like a safe and respectful place…
Where the Church is the People
This month we publically launch NineSevenZero Church. We come out of the closet and announce to our community that we exist. But make no mistake this isn’t the “start” of our church, just our formal introduction. NineSevenZero Church is a new church emerging in the Grand Valley. And while this launch has us consumed for the moment, we’re not working to create an organizational entity. We believe that the church is not a building or a denomination. We believe that the…
Fishin’ Is Better With A Buddy
“Fish with a buddy – it’s nice to have someone to grab the net.” I do enjoy the solitude of fishing by myself. It’s rejuvenating and refreshing but they usually aren’t my most productive ventures. For maximum results and fun – bring a friend. I can’t count the times that I realized that, by myself, I didn’t have what it takes. I didn’t have enough hands or couldn’t troll and fish at the same time. It’s just nice to have…
Frozen – Hard Water Fishing
“Just ‘cause it’s froze over, don’t mean you can’t fish.” The secrets of hard-water fishing are pretty much the same as warm weather fishing. Knowledge of the waterway and its structure will help you know where the fish are hanging out. Depending on the species you’re targeting, some fish will tend to hug structure, some will suspend themselves to take advantage of thermocline layers and oxygen levels, while others will “tail” schools of bait fish. But there are unique aspects of…
There’s Something Irresistible About Live Bait
There are many fabulous artificial lures on the market but they all seek to imitate real life. Relational Evangelism is like using live bait when fishing. Amazing events and fabulous services can be effective and productive in communicating the Good News to our world but we must never forget that there is something irresistible about live bait. There is no substitute for real life. Many times in our culture we (not the corporate church) are the most effective and productive connection…
Fight – Winning the Battles that Matter
Pastor and bestselling author Craig Groeschel explores the life of Samson, helping you uncover who you really are—a man created with a warrior’s heart in the image of God—and how to stand up and fight for what’s right. Find the strength to fight the battles you know you need to fight—the ones that determine the state of your heart, the quality of your marriage, and the spiritual health of your family. The battles that make you dependent on God as…
Who Do You Say I Am? – Week 1
Sometimes we treat Jesus and His Word like the grocery store sample tables. We pick and choose what we want to satisfy ourselves all the time knowing that we’re not really interested in “buying in.” After all Jesus’ call to follow him involves a cross, sacrifice and death. Pretty radical stuff. Like who does he think he is? But John Mark in his gospel turns that question on its head. A question that flows through the book, from beginning to the end. It’s the…
The Gospel of Mark – Chronicles of a Disciple
We’ve just completed a hard hitting, in-your-face study of the Book of James. Now we’ll shift our attention to the journals of a man who knew the disciples as a boy and journeyed as a young man with Barnabas and Paul. We’ll spend the rest of the summer studying the chronicles of a disciple, John Mark, and what is probably the first written of the Gospels. His book is fast moving and has the feel of a news report (just the facts please). But there…
Lessons from the Vineyard
The Grand Valley of Colorado is known agriculturally for the quality of the fruit that it’s orchards and vineyards produce. The unique sediment soil, abundant sun light, protection by the massive Mesa and Book Cliffs mountains, and the life giving flow of the Colorado River make this desert fertile and productive. Recently while walking down the rows of vines, I was reminded of the parable Jesus told his disciples in John chapter 15 and some of the faith-life lessons that come…
This Is NOT What I Expected
Have you ever come to a point in a job, a relationship, your marriage, with your children, your first semester or planting a church when you wake up one day and say, “This is NOT what I expected?” This must have been how the disciples felt at their last celebration of Passover with Jesus. They were convinced that He was the Messiah and would soon be crowned King. They had been talking among themselves for weeks about their place in…