Christmas Gifts. We all get them. They can bring joy or blank looks and empty thanks. Sometimes the gifts don’t come in carefully wrapped packages. Often Christmas gifts cost us. Today we begin to unpack this theme as we consider the question: “What if you could have any gift you wanted?” Solomon got that opportunity and chose wisely. What [...]
Many churches today are stressing more: more money; more attendance; more community; more activity; but is this push for more inclusive of joy? Jesus always connects our relationship with Him to joy. Where is your faith? What is your connection to God’s church all about? What does your giving feel like? The Lord loves a “cheerful heart”.Luke 19:1-10Pastor Phil [...]
To this day people struggle with commitment. What is it about commitment that scares us so much? The benefits of commitment are obvious: deep friendships, strong marriages, and a life of peace with God. Today we consider that God sees the blessing of commitment for our lives and that is why He invites us into a deep relationship with [...]
Whenever the Church talks about stewardship, our thoughts go to money. One of the great excuses that keeps people from the Church is that “They just want my money…” Is that true? Does God just want my money? A careful look at the Bible indicates that money is necessary for the functioning of the institution we call “church”, but [...]
Hope is critical to healthy living. We all want a positive future. On this Reformation Day, Martin Luther reminded the church that “…this is Us” – we have a future named Jesus Christ. Through Christ alone we have a future whether we are sick or healthy, young or old, rich or poor. Jesus, through His death and resurrection, gives [...]
In answer to the statement, “The church is full of hypocrites,” Jesus might answer, “Of course it is. All sinners are hypocrites. My church is full of forgiven hypocrites.” Are you honest about the reality that you are a hypocrite who says one thing and does another? Have you brought your sin to the cross of Jesus so that [...]
All people struggle with anxiety and fear. In every relational system/family there is "free-floating anxiety." Some people have the tendency to increase anxiety. Sometimes anxiety and fear overwhelm . church. Jesus is the Prince of Peace. He comes to remove anxiety. His perfect love drives out fear and anxiety. Luke 8:49-56 Pastor Phil Wagner [...]
In heaven, God's family has no conflict, but we are not in heaven yet. Healthy friendships, marriages, and families have conflict, as do healthy churches. Sin is the obvious reason. It separates. Jesus gives the best conflict resolution skills in the gifts of honesty, forgiveness, and love. We can struggle in conflict, but as God is in us, we [...]
We (the Church) are a family. We are children of God, brothers and sisters in Christ. Every family has values. These are caught and taught as we celebrate and face crises, as we live ordinary and extraordinary days. They reveal the unspoken yet understood truths about how we think and act. What are the values of the family of [...]
What is the Church? Who is the Church? Some say, “The Church is full of hypocrites…” Who are the people of God’s Church - of Trinity? “This is Us” is a sermon series that takes an honest (warts and all) look at “Us” – the people who comprise the Body of Christ. Today, we consider that we are a [...]
