The Father’s gift of His Son is the true definition of love. As we celebrate Jesus’ Advent, we must see it as a part of our love story. Throughout history, God showed His love by calling us to Him. We see His love through Old Testament prophecies and faithfulness to His chosen people. His love continues in the New Testament, fulfilling many prophecies about the Messiah coming, living, dying, and r...

Feeling low amid Christmas joy is normal, like Charlie Brown’s struggles in "A Charlie Brown Christmas." Rather than looking inward or taking on more, Jesus invites us to come to Him for rest. This season, lay your burdens at His feet—only He can bring true peace and strength....

We often put our hope in people or things and end up disappointed. Where can we find hope that won’t disappoint? On Sunday, Pastor Josh said that our hope is found in Jesus. He never waivers. He has always been and always will be who He said He is, the Savior of the world. ...

Whether you are serving in ministry or any other area of life, you are called to steward your gifts well. It’s easy to get caught up in the demands of life and forget the purpose behind what we do. But living for the Master’s “well done” requires intentionality and a heart willing to follow God’s leading. ...

This past Sunday, Pastor Josh Rhodes kicked off our new series, "Margin for More." We have the ability to create margin for more generosity in three areas of life: our time, talent, and treasure. But in order to do that, our first step is to be grateful for those things....

The enemy's lies often lead me to believe that if I dwell on every "what if," every potential scenario, and all the things that could go wrong, I will be better prepared when these challenges arise. This tendency has been particularly evident during my wife Olivia's pregnancy. However, I have found support from others when I have struggled to bring my worries and anxieties about my wife and younge...

On Sunday, Pastor Josh Rhodes reminded us of an often-overlooked truth: suffering for our faith is not just something Jesus warned us about but something He shared in, for our sake. As Christians, we’re called not only to endure hardship but to see it as an honor—a mark of our shared identity with Christ....

When Pastor Josh said, "Holy living starts at home," it struck a chord in me. As he mentioned, home is where our guard is let down. As long as no one else sees the chaos, we can hide our weaknesses from the world by downplaying or justifying them. We often walk out of church on Sunday as if God stays at the church—but that is not the case; God knows and sees everything. ...

This past Sunday, Pastor Josh taught from 1 Peter 2 how, as “citizens of heaven, we are to live honorably as citizens of earth.” I couldn’t help but think of the Olympians representing their countries in Paris this summer. Whether hailing from Germany, Spain, Greece, or the USA, they temporarily resided in Paris and, while there, represented their home to those around them. Even though we often d...

Given the absolute destruction Hurricane Helene has caused, my mind has been flooded with hopelessness for the past week; yet, amid the storm and beyond, many beautiful stories of hope existed. As powerful as it was, Hurricane Helene did not have the final say. In the same way, the trials and suffering we face in this life do not have the final word over our lives. Jesus does....

People flourish, and organizations thrive when they have great leaders. Ultimately, Jesus is the leader and head of the Church, but He also established a need for local church leaders. On Sunday, Pastor Tim talked about the qualities of a Godly leader for the church. The most important quality is the leader’s character. ...

When I was about four or five, my neighbors invited me to church. They would allow me to go with them to church whenever I wanted. They were being the hands and feet of Jesus by showing me that I was important to God. My neighbors' simple invitation to church has impacted my life throughout my school years and even today....

Where do you want to grow? Where is your life's foundation? Growing with God takes planning, diligence, and effort. It isn't just about hearing a message on Sunday; it's about digging deeper into His Word daily for a sound foundation....

When presenting the Gospel to young children, we often use a gift box to signify that God gives us the gift of Jesus. A few weeks ago, one of the four-year-olds turned to his leader and said, “I hate to tell them this, but Jesus is too big to fit in that box!” Often, we place Jesus in a small box in our lives. In the craziness of life, we don’t appreciate all that God has done for us....

As you read through the book of Titus and really the entirety of the Bible, you can learn who God is, what He’s like, His attributes, and quite frankly, what He is not like. However, we often miss out on getting to know God as we read our Bibles because we don’t read our Bibles with the intention of getting to know God. See, the Bible functions in two ways: as a mirror and a window. Our probl...

This past Sunday, our church celebrated Pastor Tim Haring and what God has done through him over almost 40 years. Pastors Matt Santen, Seth Broadhurst, and Josh Rhodes shared about Pastor Tim’s faithfulness, but the overall theme was how much love Tim has. Our calling may not be to leave everything to start a church like it was for Pastor Tim, but we all have an opportunity to influence those arou...

Are we so resistant and fearful of change that we are blinded to the miraculous things God has in store? God wants to do something new right now in each of our lives, but we need to trust Him. Instead of relying on ourselves, we must have faith in God's promises and eyes to see past our current fears and doubts to whatever path He opens....

Comparison often breeds covetousness, the desire for what others have. This desire can quickly spiral into discontentment, causing us to question God's provision and goodness. But covetousness is a thief of joy. It blinds us to the blessings we already possess and sows seeds of bitterness in our hearts. ...

This week, I was reminded about the importance of speaking up. I can remember occasions when someone spoke up for me when I was heading down a path that would have brought a lot of pain and regret. At some point, a friend pulled me aside and told me they were concerned. Looking back, I'm grateful that I surrounded myself with people who were willing to do what was difficult and called me out....

Stealing is one of these things we like to adjust in our own eyes how severe the sin is because of the value of what we are stealing or who we are stealing from. We might think lightly of a kid stealing a candy bar because of how small the item is. We might not think much of lying on our taxes because "the government takes enough of our money." However, I encourage you to take this commandment, al...