We naturally want to be on the winning side. To be the ones who are noticed for our achievements. Rarely does someone dream about being second chair in the orchestra, or the back-up quarterback, or the understudy for a lead role. That is where our natural thinking must change. If you want to follow Jesus, it means diving to the bottom. It means humbling yourself: giving u...

What does it mean to be "born again?" Your answer will vary based on your station in life. For some (normally unbelievers), born again is a derogatory term referring to an extreme, conservative Christian. For others, this term is used as a litmus test to distinguish a legit, Bible-believing follower of Jesus from the pretenders. Regardless of your use of the term, we can...

When was the last time you considered what makes Jesus angry? We often dwell upon His love, and rightly so, but not as frequently upon His anger. As a foundational principle, we must first acknowledge that Jesus' anger is always fully righteous and justified, and never tainted with sin. That makes it different than the typical human anger that we all know too well. Jesus ...

When you know Jesus, all things are possible. Mary: "They've run out of wine."Jesus: "Woman, my hour has not yet come."Mary (to the servants): "Do whatever he tells you." Join us this Sunday as Pastor Jared preaches this familiar text (John 2:1-12) about Jesus' first recorded miracle in John's gospel. The story may be familiar, but I am confident that the Lord will revea...

This Sunday we will be picking up our series through the Gospel of John that started during the Advent season. We'll be continuing from where we ended on Christmas Day, in John chapter 1. You may be wondering, why are we going back to John's Gospel immediately after Easter? It's because we want to encounter Jesus in a fresh way, to see how he lived and what he taught, up c...

This weekend marks the pinnacle of the Christian calendar. It is when we celebrate the most monumental events in human history. Today, on "Good Friday," we remember the Son of God who died in our place. The events of Good Friday assure us of God's unfathomable love for us. On Easter Sunday, we will celebrate Jesus' glorious resurrection from the dead. This day assures us o...

Failure. It's a word no one wants to be called. Since this is true, we make every effort to avoid the label. Perhaps you often feel like a failure as you go about your day. Or, conversely, perhaps you cannot identify with those who struggle in this way. Surprise! You likely struggle with this fear more than you know. Let's take a minute to identify the symptoms, origins, a...

Good summaries are invaluable. Sorry to every English teacher out there, but when I was in high school, book summaries called "Cliff's Notes" (if you're younger, think Spark Notes or Schmoop) helped me understand the meaning of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream and other challenging texts. These summaries were priceless in helping me understand the author's main idea...

Busywork. Nobody likes busywork- those activities that take time but don't connect to a greater purpose. Meaningless worksheets for students. Time wasting projects at work. Life-sucking chores at home. Busywork seems pointless. If you're honest, I suspect there are times when your walk with the Lord can feel like busywork. At such times, your internal dialogue may generat...

In the days before smartphones and GPS, when you got lost on the road, you had two options: You could try to find your way back on your own, or You could ask for directions. The same two options are available to us when we are lost, or struggling, or feel distance in our relationship with God. If you've lived long enough, you know that option #1, trying to find your...