Pastor’s Blog
You Are Beloved
You Are Beloved: The Truth That Breaks the LieThere is a word that has the power to undo years of damage. It is not a complicated word. It is not a word reserved for theologians or scholars. It is a word so simple that a child can say it, y…
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Walking in Love
Walking in Love, Truth, and Obedience: The Inseparable ThreeThere is a moment many of us have experienced — the moment someone we love treats us as though we have not grown at all. Perhaps a parent, meaning well, reminds us that no matter h…
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Access Granted: How Close God Really Is
Access Granted: How Close God Really IsThere is a list. You may not call it that, but you know it exists. It is the invisible inventory of requirements that many of us carry around, the mental checklist of things we must get right before we…
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Knowing You Have Eternal Life
When Love Is the Answer: Reflections on Agape, Sin, and the God Who Pursues UsThere is something quietly devastating about watching someone walk away from God because of the wounds inflicted by other people who claimed to follow Him. It hap…
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Knowing Love: From Selfishness to Agape Love
From Ball-Takers to Bike Fixers: The Radical Call of Agape LoveThere is a word that has been sanded down for generations. A word we toss around in church circles so casually that we have nearly forgotten its weight. That word is agape. And …
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The Testimony That Changes Everything: Water, Spirit, and Blood
The Testimony That Changes Everything: Water, Spirit, and BloodThere is a moment in most people's lives when they realize they have been carrying something too heavy for too long. A backpack full of good intentions, sincere effort, and genu…
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Overcoming Empire With Love: What Romans 12 Still Has to Say
Overcoming Empire With Love: What Romans 12 Still Has to Say There is a photograph taken in front of the Colosseum in Rome that captures something important about the ancient world. The structure is massive, almost incomprehensibly so. Its …
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Greater: Trading the Counterfeit for What Is Real
Greater: Trading the Counterfeit for What Is RealThere is a moment in the twelfth chapter of Mark where Jesus does something that looks simple on the surface but cuts straight to the heart of everything. He is standing in the temple court i…
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The Ancient Problem of Love and the Only Solution That Works
The Ancient Problem of Love and the Only Solution That WorksThere is a word in the English language that we use to describe everything from our favorite pizza to the deepest commitment we have ever made to another human being. That word is …
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"ABLE"
You Are a Child of God -- and You Are AbleThere is a moment in the story of Cain and Abel that most people rush past. Everyone remembers the tragedy -- the jealousy, the murder, the first act of violence recorded in Scripture. But tucked in…
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Named: The Identity That Changes Everything
There is a moment in the life of every person when they are called something that either lifts them or diminishes them. A name given in love can carry a person through decades of hardship. A name spoken in contempt can follow someone like a…
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Living With the Trinity: A Blanket, a Cape, and a Prayer Shawl
Living With the Trinity: A Blanket, a Cape, and a Prayer ShawlThere is a question that sits quietly beneath much of the Christian life, one that most believers sense but rarely put into words: How exactly are we supposed to relate to God? N…
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Destroying the Fear Factor: Walking With Jesus Through Life's Storms
Walking With Jesus: Destroying the Fear FactorThe story of Jesus walking on water is one of the most familiar passages in Scripture. We've heard it countless times—Jesus defying the laws of physics, striding across the Sea of Galilee while …
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Hearts Burning Within Us: Encountering the Risen Christ on the Journey
The Sacred Journey: Finding God on the Road to EmmausThere's a profound difference between being a tourist and being a traveler. The tourist checks off landmarks, snaps photos, and moves on to the next attraction. The traveler, however, sit…
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Living with Our Father / Growing in Love
There's something profound about the relationship between a father and child that transcends age, accomplishment, or maturity. No matter how old we become, how successful we are, or how wise we grow, our earthly fathers will always see us a…
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God is Light / Growing in Love
Embracing the Mess: Where Christ's Love GrowsLife is messy. Church is messy. We are messy. And perhaps that's exactly the point.There's a beautiful paradox in the Christian journey that we often overlook in our pursuit of perfection: it's p…
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When Ancient Heresies Meet Modern Hearts: The Timeless Call to Joy and Fellowship
When Ancient Heresies Meet Modern Hearts: The Timeless Call to Joy and FellowshipThere's something profoundly unsettling about discovering that the struggles we face today aren't new at all. The questions that keep us awake at night, the do…
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The Journey Through Grief: Finding Hope in the Space Between
The Journey Through Grief: Finding Hope in the Space BetweenThere's something profoundly mysterious about the forty days between Easter and Pentecost—a space often overlooked in the Christian narrative, yet deeply significant for understand…
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When Every Ten Seconds Counts: Living in Light of Eternity
When Every Ten Seconds Counts: Living in Light of EternityIn 1991, a seminary student began writing letters to his father who had just been diagnosed with a brain tumor and lung cancer. The first letters were filled with prayers for healing…
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When Truth Gets Uncomfortable: Wrestling with Heaven, Hell, and the Hardness of Our Hearts
When Truth Gets Uncomfortable: Wrestling with Heaven, Hell, and the Hardness of Our HeartsThere are certain truths in Scripture that make us squirm. We'd rather skip over them, wish them away with a kind of theological abracadabra—poof, pro…
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Trusting God's Word Over Our Wishful Thinking
The Divine Inspiration of Scripture: Moving Beyond Wishful ThinkingThere's a powerful tension at the heart of Christian faith that we rarely acknowledge: the struggle between what we wish God's Word said and what it actually reveals. This t…
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The Power of Daily Surrender: Remembering What Matters Most
The Power of Daily Surrender: Remembering What Matters MostThere's something profound about last words. When someone knows their time is limited, they don't waste breath on trivial matters. They distill a lifetime of wisdom into the essenti…
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Sent from the Garden
The Woman Who Saw Him First: Mary Magdalene and the Commission to ProclaimIn the dim light of early Sunday morning, a woman made her way to a tomb. Her heart was heavy with grief, her mind focused on one final act of devotion—anointing the …
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Perfect Knowledge: Experiencing God Through Surrender
Perfect Knowledge: The Transformative Power of Divine ExperienceThere's a profound difference between knowing about something and truly experiencing it. Consider the difference between a fresh college graduate and someone with ten years of …
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Agape' Suffering – 1 Peter 5:1-12
The Gift That Requires Assembly: Understanding God's Agape LovePicture this: It's Christmas morning, and you've just unwrapped the gift you've been hoping for all year. Your excitement builds as you tear away the wrapping paper, only to dis…
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United in Suffering: Finding Strength Through Shared Pain
There's something profound about shared experience. When veterans gather around a table, they don't need many words. The understanding flows between them, unspoken but deeply felt. They've walked through fire together, and that bond transce…
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Love Suffering: Purification Through Christ-Like Endurance
Dear Beloved Church Family,I hope this message finds you walking closely with the Lord and experiencing His grace in your daily life. I wanted to take a moment to reflect on this week's powerful message about what it means to suffer with Ch…
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The Sacred Bond of Innocent Suffering
The Sacred Bond of Innocent SufferingThere's something profound that happens when we suffer unjustly while trying to do what's right. It's in these moments—when we're falsely accused, misunderstood, or persecuted for standing firm in our fa…
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Spouse Suffering
Why Let Suffering Go to Waste? Finding Purpose in Life's Hardest MomentsThere's an old piece of wisdom that goes something like this: In life, you only have two things to worry about—whether you're healthy or sick. If you're healthy, you've…
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Shadow Suffering: Finding Freedom Through Christ's Healing Presence
Shadow Suffering: Finding Freedom Through Christ's Healing PresenceWe all carry invisible wounds. Some are fresh, raw from recent pain. Others have been buried so deep we've almost convinced ourselves they've disappeared. But they haven't. …
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"Spiritual Suffering – Groaning in the Spirit: A Dream of Healing and Transformation"
When God Gives Us Dreams: Groaning, Healing, and Resting in the SpiritWe often hear about famous dreams that changed the world. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech stands as a monument to hope, justice, and transformation. But …
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Holy Suffering: Releasing God's Spirit Within Us
The Glasses on Your Head: Finding Holiness in SurrenderHave you ever searched frantically for your glasses, only to discover they were perched on top of your head the entire time? That moment of realization—the sudden awareness that what yo…
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The Upside-Down Way: Finding Joy in Suffering
The Upside-Down Way: Finding Joy in SufferingWhat if everything we thought we knew about suffering was backwards? What if the trials we desperately try to avoid are actually the very means by which we become who we were created to be?This i…
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The Purifying Power of Suffering: Remembering Our Baptism in Christ
The Secret Ingredient: Finding Hope Through SufferingThere's a fascinating piece of history about Coca-Cola that most people don't know. Before 1929, the iconic soft drink contained a secret ingredient that made it truly unique—cocaine from…
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The Bells Still Ring – Emmanuel in the Chaos: Finding Light in Life's Cracks
When Christmas Collides with Reality: Finding Light in the CracksThe warm glow of Christmas candles barely flickers out before reality comes crashing back in. We've just finished singing carols about peace on earth, unwrapped presents, and …
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Will the Real Joseph Stand Up? Discovering Biblical Discipleship in Everyday Life
Will the Real Joseph Stand Up? Discovering Biblical Discipleship in Everyday LifeThe Christmas story we've heard countless times holds a powerful secret about discipleship that often goes unnoticed. While we sing songs asking "Mary, Did You…
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When Expectations Meet Reality: Finding Hope in Unexpected Places
Have you ever found yourself questioning God's plan when life doesn't unfold the way you expected? Perhaps you've felt confused when your prayers seem unanswered or when God's direction takes you somewhere completely different from where yo…
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Looking for God in All the Wrong Places
Looking for God in All the Wrong Places: Understanding Advent Through First-Century EyesAs we enter the season of Advent—a time of anticipation and preparation for Christ's arrival—we're confronted with an uncomfortable truth: we often sear…
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Seeking God's Kingdom First: A Daily Surrender
When Everything Stops: The Radical Call to Seek FirstThere's something profound about losing your phone. Not the panic of thinking it's gone forever, but that moment when everything else ceases to matter. The car doesn't move. Conversations…
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Stewardship Consecration Sunday
From Scarcity to Abundance: The Wedding at Cana and God's Extravagant GraceThere's something universally appealing about a good party, isn't there? Even more so when it's a wedding celebration. The joy, the anticipation, the coming together…
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The Kingdom Within: Finding God's Healing Flow in Our Lives
The Kingdom Within: Finding God's Healing Flow in Our LivesThere's an old joke about a woman who prayed desperately to win the lottery. Day after day, she pleaded with God as her circumstances grew more dire. Finally, after weeks of unanswe…
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Living Large, Giving Large: The Freedom Found in Surrender
Living Large, Giving Large: The Freedom Found in SurrenderThere's a haunting question that echoes through the centuries, asked by a young man who seemingly had everything: "What do I still lack?" He had wealth, status, and a spotless moral …
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The Profound Grace of God: From the Womb to Rebirth
Have you ever paused to consider the incredible truth that God knows our hearts intimately? It's both a comforting and awe-inspiring thought. This divine knowledge of our innermost being begins long before we take our first breath, continui…
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If it is the Lord's will
The Journey of Humility: Taming Our Tongues and Trusting God's WillHave you ever found yourself in a situation where your words got ahead of your wisdom? Or perhaps you've made grand plans, only to have life throw you a curveball? These all…
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The Path to Purity: Overcoming Spiritual Adultery
The Path to Purity: Overcoming Spiritual AdulteryIn our journey through life, we often find ourselves caught between two worlds - the spiritual and the material. We profess our love for God, yet our actions and desires sometimes tell a diff…
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The Path to a Pure Heart: A Journey of Spiritual Growth
In our quest for spiritual growth and a deeper connection with God, we often find ourselves longing for a pure heart. But what does it truly mean to have a pure heart, and how can we achieve it in a world filled with challenges and temptati…
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Understanding the Assignment: The True Cost of Discipleship
In our fast-paced world of instant gratification and quick fixes, the concept of true discipleship can seem daunting, even counterintuitive. Yet, as we delve deeper into the teachings of Jesus and the wisdom of spiritual leaders throughout …
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Free Faith Works: The Dynamic Relationship Between Faith and Works
Faith That Works: The Transformative Power of Free GraceIn our spiritual journey, we often grapple with the interplay between faith and works. Are we saved by faith alone, or do our actions play a role? This age-old question lies at the hea…
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"God Sees Our Hearts"
In a world that often judges by outward appearances, we are called to a higher standard - one that reflects the heart of God. This profound truth is beautifully illustrated in the story of David's anointing as king. When the prophet Samuel …
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"The Word Grower" – Synchronizing with God's Wavelength: Breathing in the Living Word
"The Word Grower"Tuning In to God's Wavelength: Finding Harmony in His PresenceJames 1:13-27In our fast-paced world, filled with constant noise and distractions, how often do we truly take the time to synchronize our hearts and minds with G…
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"Joyful Suffering"
Title: Finding Joy in Trials: Embracing God's Presence as Our PriorityLife often presents us with unexpected challenges, leaving us wondering how to navigate through difficult times. But what if we could find joy even in the midst of our tr…
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The Power of God's Word in Healing and Transformation
The Power of God's Word in Healing and TransformationHave you ever felt stuck in your spiritual journey, wondering if there's more to experience in your relationship with God? Perhaps you've been seeking physical healing or emotional restor…
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Planting Seeds of Faith: Embracing God's Healing Power
Planting Seeds of Faith: Embracing God's Healing PowerHave you ever felt God planting a seed in your heart, only to shut it down because it seemed too overwhelming or unbelievable? Many of us have experienced moments where divine inspiratio…
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"All Aboard" - A Call to Repentance and God's Universal Love
In our journey through life, we often find ourselves at crossroads, questioning our path and seeking deeper meaning. Today, let's embark on a spiritual voyage that challenges us to rethink our relationship with God and invites us to experie…
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The Unknown God: Discovering the Creator We Were Made For
In the bustling intellectual center of ancient Athens, a city boasting over 300 gods and goddesses, stood an altar with a curious inscription: "To an Unknown God." This humble acknowledgment of the limits of human understanding opens a door…
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Navigating the Best and Worst of Times: Lessons from Early Christian Journeys
In the tapestry of human experience, we often find ourselves living through the best and worst of times simultaneously. This paradox was vividly illustrated in the early days of Christianity, as the message of Jesus Christ spread across the…
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Finding Joy in the Midst of Chaos: Lessons from Paul and Silas
In life, we often find ourselves facing trials, tribulations, and moments of intense suffering. It's during these times that our faith is truly put to the test. But what if we could find a way to not just endure these hardships, but to actu…
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Embracing God's Presence: Understanding and Unbelievable
The Power of God's Presence: Understanding and Experiencing Divine EncountersIn our spiritual journey, we often find ourselves yearning for a deeper connection with God. We long to experience His presence in tangible ways, to feel His power…
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Let go, let God
Letting Go by Letting God In: A Journey of Spiritual FreedomIn our journey through life, we often encounter the phrase "Let go and let God." It's a simple saying that many of us try to put into practice, but there's a subtle yet crucial mis…
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Unlocking Hearts: Walking in God's Spirit and Embracing His Will
Opening Our Hearts to God's WillHave you ever felt like you're constantly hitting roadblocks in your spiritual journey? Like every time you think you know where God is leading you, you run into a "no" instead of a "yes"? It's easy to become…
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Listening for God's Pennies: Finding Divine Direction in the Everyday
Have you ever bent down to pick up a penny on the sidewalk? It may seem insignificant, but those small copper coins can teach us a profound lesson about hearing God's voice in our daily lives. Just as a high school football player once coll…
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One God, One Race, One Love: Rediscovering the Foundations of Faith
In the early days of Christianity, a pivotal question arose: What does it truly mean to be saved, and how should new believers live out their faith? This question, rooted in ancient history, remains profoundly relevant today.The journey of …
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The Power of Three: Resurrection, Redemption, and Renewal
The Power of Three: Resurrection, Redemption, and RenewalThere's something captivating about the number three. From childhood tales to culinary trios, from musical ensembles to spiritual symbolism, the power of three permeates our culture a…
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Embracing Faith Through All Our Senses: Lessons from Thomas and Beyond
In the days following Easter, we're reminded of a powerful story that challenges our understanding of faith and doubt. The account of Thomas, often labeled as "Doubting Thomas," invites us to reconsider how we experience and embrace our spi…
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The Resurrection Power: From Death to Life in Christ
Easter Sunday is a time of celebration, renewal, and hope. It's a day when we reflect on the profound transformation that occurred when Jesus Christ rose from the dead. But what does the resurrection really mean for us today? How can we exp…
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Laying Down Our Palms: Reflecting on False Expectations
As we approach the Easter season, it's a fitting time to reflect on the profound events surrounding Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. This moment in history carries deep spiritual significance that resonates with our own…
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The Four Essential Laws: God's Blueprint for Christian Living
The Path to Spiritual Purity: Embracing God's Laws for a Fulfilling LifeIn the early days of Christianity, a pivotal question arose: How much of the Old Testament law should new Gentile believers follow? This wasn't just a matter of religio…
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Keeping God First - Four Laws Over Spilt Milk
Four Laws Over Spilt Milk: Keeping the Main Thing the Main ThingWe've all had those moments - accidentally knocking over a glass of milk, watching helplessly as it spreads across the table and drips onto the floor. As children, we might hav…
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The Journey from Law to Grace: Embracing a New Covenant
{image: circumcision of the heart]In the early days of Christianity, a profound shift was taking place. The followers of Jesus were grappling with a fundamental question: How does the Old Testament law relate to the new faith in Christ? Thi…
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Finding Strength Through Suffering: A Journey to Spiritual Growth
In the midst of life's trials and tribulations, it's easy to question why we must endure such hardships. We often find ourselves asking, "Why me?" or "When will this end?" However, what if we were to shift our perspective and see suffering …
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Visible Biblical Faith: Recognizing the Spirit of Christ
Seeing Jesus: The Power of Visible FaithIn our journey of faith, there are moments when we catch a glimpse of something extraordinary – a flash of the divine that leaves us in awe. These instances of "visible faith" are not just abstract co…
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Believe, Receive, Concede: Acts 2: 36-43
Believe, Believe, Believe: Moving Beyond Passive FaithIn our journey of faith, we often encounter the phrase "just believe." But what does it truly mean to believe? Is it a passive act of mental assent, or does it require something more? To…
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Believe, Believe, Believe: Moving Beyond Passive Faith
In our journey of faith, we often encounter the phrase "just believe." But what does it truly mean to believe? Is it a passive act of mental assent, or does it require something more? Today, we're diving deep into the concept of belief and …
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Letter from the Pastor September 2021
Letter from the PastorSeptember 2021God's HouseThe four gospels reveal Jesus's passion for prayer in His church. At the beginning and end of His earthly ministry, Jesus dramatically cleansed the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem and proclaimed, "M…
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