A
famous Christian author wrote that the world’s major religions have eight major
themes, eight commandments
in common. That list included loving others… respecting others… and being
honest…
among
other ethical standards. So in light of those eight commandments, what makes
Christianity so
A lot of strange things happen in the name of Religion. Behavior that is just odd. Faces of religious icons appearing in random places. Fanatical rules and restrictions to follow in order to be 'good'. Are all of these misguided attempts to connect with God? Do we try too hard to make sense of something so big and mysterious? How is what Jesus offers any different?
Sunday, August 30, 2009 Message by: Tom Brown, Director of N.W.C.E.A.
It happens again and again: people go
through the most difficult circumstances imaginable, and come out on
the other side with rock-solid, unshakable faith.
As they describe their
stories later, they say, "I wouldn't have signed up for it; I wouldn't choose to go
through it again; and I wouldn't wish it on anybody else. But God
did something in the middle of those circumstances that I don't
think he could have done any other way."
Our faith is
permanently impacted by these big, bad, bold, unexpected circumstances. And that's not
accidental; it's intentional on God's part.
We naturally resist
discipline. Recognizing that and meeting it head-on is good, because faith is
like a muscle; the more you exercise it-stretch it, exhaust it-the
stronger it becomes.
Relationships always impact our
faith, for good or for bad. We can trust God to bring people into our lives
whose influence can help our faith grow strong, if we allow that to
happen.
Do you know people whose faith in
God is so strong that you could sometimesdescribe it as amazing?What is it
that makes their confidence in God so strong? God wants to take us to a new level
of big faith-extraordinary trust and confidence in him. God is honored and thrilled
by our faith. So what is it that will grow our faith so he'll be increasingly
honored?
God uses five primary ways to expand
our faith: (1) practical teaching from the Bible, (2) providential
relationships, (3) private disciplines (4) personal ministry, and (5) pivotal
circumstances.
Sunday, September 20, 2009 Message by: Pastor Ken Harvey
Every business, organization, and
family has assumptions. These assumptions drive decisions. Church is no
different. But what if these assumptions are false? This weekend we will look at one of
Christianity's age-old assumptions, why it is false, and what we should do in
light of this truth.
A
famous Christian author wrote that the world’s major religions have eight major
themes, eight commandments
in common. That list included loving others… respecting others… and being
honest…
among
other ethical standards. So in light of those eight commandments, what makes
Christianity so
A lot of strange things happen in the name of Religion. Behavior that is just odd. Faces of religious icons appearing in random places. Fanatical rules and restrictions to follow in order to be 'good'. Are all of these misguided attempts to connect with God? Do we try too hard to make sense of something so big and mysterious? How is what Jesus offers any different?
Sunday, August 30, 2009 Message by: Tom Brown, Director of N.W.C.E.A.
Today we
are blessed to have guest speaker, Tom Brown, who is the Director of the Northwest Christian Evangelistic Association
share with us a message God has placed on his heart… are we really united as
Christian brothers and sisters?What is
the journey of life? And do we have a mission?
Sunday, August 23, 2009 Message by: Pastor Ken Harvey
Many people in our world have a
similar experience. They have come to a pointin their lives where they feel that
they have lost faith in God. They maybe were raised Catholic, Baptist, Jewish
etc., but they have come to a place where theirreligious faith seems empty and
without hope. They feel that religious leaders aretrying to control them rather than
lead them to freedom in a personal relationship with God. Jesus wants us to know that the
starting point of faith in him is forgiveness. He doesn't want to control us, he wants
to restore us.
This Sunday morning Ken will
interview Amy Crites, Kevin Smith, and Forrest Fowler about their recent missions trips to
Africa. Amy just returned from five weeks in Ethiopia and Kevin and Forrest were in South
Africa on separate ventures this spring. Hear their stories of how God
impacted their lives.
Sunday, August 2, 2009 Message by: Pastor Ken Harvey
If God is indeed preparing us while we are in
the waiting room, what should we be doing to make the most of our time. Should
we just sit and watch the paint dry? What is my responsibility and what is
God’s?
Sunday, July 19, 2009 Message by: Worship Pastor, Michael Johnson
Pain, Suffering, Heartache.... why is there so much of it in this world? Even as Christians..why can't we just expect to sail through life unscathed? Today we're going to take a look at our heart..... our faith, our trust in God...when we experience the difficulties and valleys of life.
Sunday, July 5, 2009 Message by: Pastor Ken Harvey
You live according to your conscience. It dictates your thinking
of what you ought and ought not to do.Likewise,
family units have a corporate conscience. Large and small organizations have a
conscience. Fortune 500 companies have a conscience. But is
there such a thing as a national conscience? If so, what governs
the national conscience of theUnited States of America?
Popular demand? Or is there something else governing Our National Conscience?
“Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature
things required by the law, they are a law
for themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show
that the requirements of the law are
written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness,
and their thoughts now accusing, now
…"No eye has seen, no
ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love
him" 1 Corinthians 2:9.
Satan wants us to
believe the lies that Heaven can wait and that Heaven is our default
destination. Satan wants us to focus on life today with no thought of the future
with God. He wants us to think that we will not go to Hell unless we do
something horrific. The scripture shows that these are false ideas.
This weekend we will
see that God plans to make a new heaven and a new earth, he will do away with
death and the old order of things. He will live with man and complete His plan
to dwell with us forever.
The afterlife is cloaked in
mystery. What happens moments after we die? What is Heaven really like? What
about Hell? And does what we do in this world really matter in the next? Join us
as we uncover the life-altering answers to these questions in So You're
Dead...Now What?
Sunday, May 17, 2009 Special Message for Communion: Jeff Peters Message by: Pastor Rob Gepford
Today we’re going to hear first hand…the impact Christians
can have when they give of their time and of their hearts to show compassion on
the lost and hurting people of this world.Saying you are a Christ follower and actually living it are two entirely
different things.You must have an
outflow of Christ’s love in order to make a difference in the lives of people
and the Kingdom
of God.
Sunday, April 26, 2009 Message by: Pastor Ken Harvey
Uncertainty. As a society, we live
in a world of uncertainty. Uncertain social conditions. Uncertain economic
times. Uncertain global developments. Yet uncertainty is nothing new. The
characters in the Bible experienced wildly fluctuating levels of uncertainty. .
. often feeling as if life was moving backwards, getting worse. And the
questions remain the same. Where's God? Is he going to show up? Is he still in
control?
Some of the brightest moments in our
lives are the result of brokenness. When we can see that God is working through
undesirable circumstances - even the ones we bring on ourselves - there is a
sense of purpose and peace that emerges. Knowing that God is still active during
uncertain times allows us to maintain hope and faith and keeps us from despair.
We can rest knowing that God has not abandoned us . . . and that he's still in
control.
Sunday, March 29, 2009 Message by: Pastor Neal Thorne
The story of Zacchaeus is by far one of the most interesting stories in the life
of Jesus. In only ten verses we receive a story filled with rich description,
one that can’t help but become a short movie within the imagination of all who
read it. But at the same time that the story of Zacchaeus offers us something,
it also beckons us to something. The story of Zacchaeus is not so much about a
little man in a tree as it is about our relationship with the despised,
discarded, and ignored of our world. Relationship? Jesus’ point exactly.
Sunday, March 22, 2009 Message by: Pastor Neal Thorne Bible Ref.: Luke 16:1-18
The bible is full of great, heart warming stories from Jesus.
There’s the story of the little cute lost sheep, and the one about the father
and son embracing after the son was lost to his perilous ways. And don’t forget
the tear-jerking story about the scandal in the work place. Wait, that doesn’t
fit. Or does it?
We find in Luke chapter 16 a story told by Jesus that is
different than any other story. A story of scandal, dishonesty and superior
intellect. The question is, how does Jesus plan on using such a questionable
story to communicate a Godly truth? Can it be done?
Sunday, March 15, 2009 Message By: Pastor Ken Harvey
Luke 15:1-31
These three parables reveal God as a Searching
Father, looking for the lost, actively seeking them, and rejoicing when they are
found. An essential part of God's character is about extending mercy to the
undeserving -- not only those who happen to mess up , but an active program of
seeking out the hurting and oppressed, the blind and the imprisoned . That is
the message of the cross, the message of active love.
Sunday, February 22, 2009 Message by: Ken Harvey Luke 10:25-37
The story of the good Samaritan
wonderfully illustrates Jesus' capacity for turning an abstract
theological discussion into a discourse on real life issues. His
encounter with this lawyer reveals how he does not allow
distinctions to be made when it comes to the treatment of people.
There are no easy escapes for failing to serve and be a
neighbor
Sunday, February 15, 2009 Message by: Pastor Ken Harvey Bible Ref.: Luke 9:57-62
Discipleship is not a casual affair to Jesus. In a series of three encounters, Jesus shows the high priority he places on discipleship. It is not an accident that this teaching follows a passage that centered on rejection. Part of what makes following Jesus so demanding is the fact that some type of rejection is given for the believer. Following Jesus takes focused commitment. Kingdom preaching is an urgent task for followers of Jesus.
Sunday, February 8, 2009 Message By: Pastor Ken Harvey Bible Ref.: Luke 9:18-27
The Christian faith goes beyond knowing what others believe. It requires us to hold beliefs for ourselves. When Jesus asks, "Who do you say I am?" he wants us to take a stand, Who do you say Jesus is? People are willing to pay a high price for something they value. Is it any surprise that Jesus would demand this much commitment from his followers? There are at least
three conditions that must be met by people who want to follow Jesus. We must be willing to deny self, to take up our crosses, and to follow him. Anything less is superficial lip service.
Sunday, February 1, 2009 Message by: Pastor Ken Harvey Bible Ref.: Luke 9: 10-17
The feeding of the five thousand is
the only miracle recorded in all four Gospels. The miracle shows how
Jesus meets needs. A key to this miracle is that the provision
comes through the disciples. Jesus had just commissioned them to share
the kingdom message. They needed to be aware of what they
could do through Christ. Jesus shows them that they have access to
his authority through his enablement. What about us? What
would happen if we trusted Jesus with our resources? How would
that change us?
Sunday, January 25, 2009 Message by: Children's Pastor, Rob Gepford Bible Ref.: Luke 8:40-56
Today our journey through the book of Luke shows us two individuals who were desperate to fix the circumstances in their lives. They thought if they could just touch and see Jesus...He could heal them. They were desperate for Jesus...Are you?
Sunday, January 11, 2009 Message By: Ken Harvey Bible Ref.: Luke 8:4-15
"A
farmer went out to sow...." Jesus' Parable of the Soils (often called the
Parable of the Sower), focuses on the quality of hearing; Jesus ends his parable
with the words, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"
Sunday, January 4, 2009 Message by: Pastor Ken Harvey Bible Ref.: Luke 7:36-50
William Barclay once said."The one thing which shuts a man off from God is self-sufficiency. And the strange thing is that the better a man is the more he feels his sin. Paul could speak of sinners "of whom I am chief" (2 Timothy 1:15). It is true to say that the greatest of sins is to be conscious of no sin; but a sense of need will open the door to the forgiveness of God, because God is love, and love's greatest glory is to be needed."
Sunday, December 28, 2008 Message by: Pastor Ken Harvey Bible Ref.: Luke 2:1-20
The greatest event in history had just happened! The Messiah had been born! For ages the Jews had waited for this, and when it finally occurred, the announcement came to humble shepherds. The good news about Jesus is that he comes to all, including the plain and the ordinary. He comes to anyone with a heart humble enough to accept him. Whoever you are, whatever you do, you can have Jesus in your life. Don't think you need extraordinary qualifications. He accepts you as you are.
Sunday, December 14, 2008 Message by: Ken Harvey Bible Ref.: Luke 1:5-38
God sent the angel Gabriel to announce to Zechariah that He and his wife Elizabeth would have a son born to them and to Mary that she would give birth to Jesus the Savior of the world. Both were miracle births. Zechariah and Elizabeth were past child bearing years and Mary was a virgin. Zechariah expressed doubt that this could be, yet he was obedient. Mary was young, poor, and female. In her culture, she would seem to be unusable by God for any major task. But God chose Mary
for one of the most important acts of obedience he has ever demanded of anyone. What we will see this weekend, is that God can use you if you trust him.
Sunday, December 7, 2008 Message by: Pastor Ken Harvey Bible Ref.: Hebrews 11:1, Luke 7:1-17
"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Two words describe faith: sure and certain. These two qualities need a secure beginning and ending point. The beginning point of faith is believing in God's character-he is who he says. The end point is believing in God's promises-he will do what he says. When we believe that God will fulfill his promises even though we don't see those promises materializing yet, we demonstrate true faith.
The story of the widow's son illustrates salvation. The whole world was dead in sin, just as the widow's son was dead. But God had compassion on us, and he sent Jesus to raise us to life with him. Accept God's gift of life, praise God for it, and use your life to do his will.
Sunday, November 30, 2008 Message by: Pastor Ken Harvey Bible Ref.: Luke 6:39-49
Jesus reminds us that we need to follow the right teachers, and to not be critical of others. He reminds us that our speech and actions reveal the true underlying beliefs, attitudes, and motivations in our lives. Obeying God is like building a house on a solid foundation that stands firm when storms come. Be sure your life is built on the solid foundation of knowing and trusting Jesus Christ.
Today we
are blessed to have guest speaker, Tom Brown, who is the Director of the Northwest Christian Evangelistic Association
share with us a message God has placed on his heart… are we really united as
Christian brothers and sisters?What is
the journey of life? And do we have a mission?
Sunday, August 23, 2009 Message by: Pastor Ken Harvey
Many people in our world have a
similar experience. They have come to a pointin their lives where they feel that
they have lost faith in God. They maybe were raised Catholic, Baptist, Jewish
etc., but they have come to a place where theirreligious faith seems empty and
without hope. They feel that religious leaders aretrying to control them rather than
lead them to freedom in a personal relationship with God. Jesus wants us to know that the
starting point of faith in him is forgiveness. He doesn't want to control us, he wants
to restore us.
This Sunday morning Ken will
interview Amy Crites, Kevin Smith, and Forrest Fowler about their recent missions trips to
Africa. Amy just returned from five weeks in Ethiopia and Kevin and Forrest were in South
Africa on separate ventures this spring. Hear their stories of how God
impacted their lives.
Sunday, August 2, 2009 Message by: Pastor Ken Harvey
If God is indeed preparing us while we are in
the waiting room, what should we be doing to make the most of our time. Should
we just sit and watch the paint dry? What is my responsibility and what is
God’s?
Sunday, July 19, 2009 Message by: Worship Pastor, Michael Johnson
Pain, Suffering, Heartache.... why is there so much of it in this world? Even as Christians..why can't we just expect to sail through life unscathed? Today we're going to take a look at our heart..... our faith, our trust in God...when we experience the difficulties and valleys of life.
Sunday, July 5, 2009 Message by: Pastor Ken Harvey
It happens again and again: people go
through the most difficult circumstances imaginable, and come out on
the other side with rock-solid, unshakable faith.
As they describe their
stories later, they say, "I wouldn't have signed up for it; I wouldn't choose to go
through it again; and I wouldn't wish it on anybody else. But God
did something in the middle of those circumstances that I don't
think he could have done any other way."
Our faith is
permanently impacted by these big, bad, bold, unexpected circumstances. And that's not
accidental; it's intentional on God's part.
We naturally resist
discipline. Recognizing that and meeting it head-on is good, because faith is
like a muscle; the more you exercise it-stretch it, exhaust it-the
stronger it becomes.
Relationships always impact our
faith, for good or for bad. We can trust God to bring people into our lives
whose influence can help our faith grow strong, if we allow that to
happen.
Do you know people whose faith in
God is so strong that you could sometimesdescribe it as amazing?What is it
that makes their confidence in God so strong? God wants to take us to a new level
of big faith-extraordinary trust and confidence in him. God is honored and thrilled
by our faith. So what is it that will grow our faith so he'll be increasingly
honored?
God uses five primary ways to expand
our faith: (1) practical teaching from the Bible, (2) providential
relationships, (3) private disciplines (4) personal ministry, and (5) pivotal
circumstances.
Sunday, September 20, 2009 Message by: Pastor Ken Harvey
Every business, organization, and
family has assumptions. These assumptions drive decisions. Church is no
different. But what if these assumptions are false? This weekend we will look at one of
Christianity's age-old assumptions, why it is false, and what we should do in
light of this truth.
A
famous Christian author wrote that the world’s major religions have eight major
themes, eight commandments
in common. That list included loving others… respecting others… and being
honest…
among
other ethical standards. So in light of those eight commandments, what makes
Christianity so
A lot of strange things happen in the name of Religion. Behavior that is just odd. Faces of religious icons appearing in random places. Fanatical rules and restrictions to follow in order to be 'good'. Are all of these misguided attempts to connect with God? Do we try too hard to make sense of something so big and mysterious? How is what Jesus offers any different?
Sunday, August 30, 2009 Message by: Tom Brown, Director of N.W.C.E.A.
Today we
are blessed to have guest speaker, Tom Brown, who is the Director of the Northwest Christian Evangelistic Association
share with us a message God has placed on his heart… are we really united as
Christian brothers and sisters?What is
the journey of life? And do we have a mission?
Sunday, August 23, 2009 Message by: Pastor Ken Harvey
Many people in our world have a
similar experience. They have come to a pointin their lives where they feel that
they have lost faith in God. They maybe were raised Catholic, Baptist, Jewish
etc., but they have come to a place where theirreligious faith seems empty and
without hope. They feel that religious leaders aretrying to control them rather than
lead them to freedom in a personal relationship with God. Jesus wants us to know that the
starting point of faith in him is forgiveness. He doesn't want to control us, he wants
to restore us.
This Sunday morning Ken will
interview Amy Crites, Kevin Smith, and Forrest Fowler about their recent missions trips to
Africa. Amy just returned from five weeks in Ethiopia and Kevin and Forrest were in South
Africa on separate ventures this spring. Hear their stories of how God
impacted their lives.
Sunday, August 2, 2009 Message by: Pastor Ken Harvey
If God is indeed preparing us while we are in
the waiting room, what should we be doing to make the most of our time. Should
we just sit and watch the paint dry? What is my responsibility and what is
God’s?
Sunday, July 19, 2009 Message by: Worship Pastor, Michael Johnson
Pain, Suffering, Heartache.... why is there so much of it in this world? Even as Christians..why can't we just expect to sail through life unscathed? Today we're going to take a look at our heart..... our faith, our trust in God...when we experience the difficulties and valleys of life.
Sunday, July 5, 2009 Message by: Pastor Ken Harvey
You live according to your conscience. It dictates your thinking
of what you ought and ought not to do.Likewise,
family units have a corporate conscience. Large and small organizations have a
conscience. Fortune 500 companies have a conscience. But is
there such a thing as a national conscience? If so, what governs
the national conscience of theUnited States of America?
Popular demand? Or is there something else governing Our National Conscience?
“Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature
things required by the law, they are a law
for themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show
that the requirements of the law are
written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness,
and their thoughts now accusing, now
…"No eye has seen, no
ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love
him" 1 Corinthians 2:9.
Satan wants us to
believe the lies that Heaven can wait and that Heaven is our default
destination. Satan wants us to focus on life today with no thought of the future
with God. He wants us to think that we will not go to Hell unless we do
something horrific. The scripture shows that these are false ideas.
This weekend we will
see that God plans to make a new heaven and a new earth, he will do away with
death and the old order of things. He will live with man and complete His plan
to dwell with us forever.
The afterlife is cloaked in
mystery. What happens moments after we die? What is Heaven really like? What
about Hell? And does what we do in this world really matter in the next? Join us
as we uncover the life-altering answers to these questions in So You're
Dead...Now What?
Sunday, May 17, 2009 Special Message for Communion: Jeff Peters Message by: Pastor Rob Gepford
Today we’re going to hear first hand…the impact Christians
can have when they give of their time and of their hearts to show compassion on
the lost and hurting people of this world.Saying you are a Christ follower and actually living it are two entirely
different things.You must have an
outflow of Christ’s love in order to make a difference in the lives of people
and the Kingdom
of God.
Sunday, April 26, 2009 Message by: Pastor Ken Harvey
Uncertainty. As a society, we live
in a world of uncertainty. Uncertain social conditions. Uncertain economic
times. Uncertain global developments. Yet uncertainty is nothing new. The
characters in the Bible experienced wildly fluctuating levels of uncertainty. .
. often feeling as if life was moving backwards, getting worse. And the
questions remain the same. Where's God? Is he going to show up? Is he still in
control?
Some of the brightest moments in our
lives are the result of brokenness. When we can see that God is working through
undesirable circumstances - even the ones we bring on ourselves - there is a
sense of purpose and peace that emerges. Knowing that God is still active during
uncertain times allows us to maintain hope and faith and keeps us from despair.
We can rest knowing that God has not abandoned us . . . and that he's still in
control.
Sunday, March 29, 2009 Message by: Pastor Neal Thorne
The story of Zacchaeus is by far one of the most interesting stories in the life
of Jesus. In only ten verses we receive a story filled with rich description,
one that can’t help but become a short movie within the imagination of all who
read it. But at the same time that the story of Zacchaeus offers us something,
it also beckons us to something. The story of Zacchaeus is not so much about a
little man in a tree as it is about our relationship with the despised,
discarded, and ignored of our world. Relationship? Jesus’ point exactly.
Sunday, March 22, 2009 Message by: Pastor Neal Thorne Bible Ref.: Luke 16:1-18
The bible is full of great, heart warming stories from Jesus.
There’s the story of the little cute lost sheep, and the one about the father
and son embracing after the son was lost to his perilous ways. And don’t forget
the tear-jerking story about the scandal in the work place. Wait, that doesn’t
fit. Or does it?
We find in Luke chapter 16 a story told by Jesus that is
different than any other story. A story of scandal, dishonesty and superior
intellect. The question is, how does Jesus plan on using such a questionable
story to communicate a Godly truth? Can it be done?
Sunday, March 15, 2009 Message By: Pastor Ken Harvey
Luke 15:1-31
These three parables reveal God as a Searching
Father, looking for the lost, actively seeking them, and rejoicing when they are
found. An essential part of God's character is about extending mercy to the
undeserving -- not only those who happen to mess up , but an active program of
seeking out the hurting and oppressed, the blind and the imprisoned . That is
the message of the cross, the message of active love.
Sunday, February 22, 2009 Message by: Ken Harvey Luke 10:25-37
The story of the good Samaritan
wonderfully illustrates Jesus' capacity for turning an abstract
theological discussion into a discourse on real life issues. His
encounter with this lawyer reveals how he does not allow
distinctions to be made when it comes to the treatment of people.
There are no easy escapes for failing to serve and be a
neighbor
Sunday, February 15, 2009 Message by: Pastor Ken Harvey Bible Ref.: Luke 9:57-62
Discipleship is not a casual affair to Jesus. In a series of three encounters, Jesus shows the high priority he places on discipleship. It is not an accident that this teaching follows a passage that centered on rejection. Part of what makes following Jesus so demanding is the fact that some type of rejection is given for the believer. Following Jesus takes focused commitment. Kingdom preaching is an urgent task for followers of Jesus.
Sunday, February 8, 2009 Message By: Pastor Ken Harvey Bible Ref.: Luke 9:18-27
The Christian faith goes beyond knowing what others believe. It requires us to hold beliefs for ourselves. When Jesus asks, "Who do you say I am?" he wants us to take a stand, Who do you say Jesus is? People are willing to pay a high price for something they value. Is it any surprise that Jesus would demand this much commitment from his followers? There are at least
three conditions that must be met by people who want to follow Jesus. We must be willing to deny self, to take up our crosses, and to follow him. Anything less is superficial lip service.
Sunday, February 1, 2009 Message by: Pastor Ken Harvey Bible Ref.: Luke 9: 10-17
The feeding of the five thousand is
the only miracle recorded in all four Gospels. The miracle shows how
Jesus meets needs. A key to this miracle is that the provision
comes through the disciples. Jesus had just commissioned them to share
the kingdom message. They needed to be aware of what they
could do through Christ. Jesus shows them that they have access to
his authority through his enablement. What about us? What
would happen if we trusted Jesus with our resources? How would
that change us?
Sunday, January 25, 2009 Message by: Children's Pastor, Rob Gepford Bible Ref.: Luke 8:40-56
Today our journey through the book of Luke shows us two individuals who were desperate to fix the circumstances in their lives. They thought if they could just touch and see Jesus...He could heal them. They were desperate for Jesus...Are you?
Sunday, January 11, 2009 Message By: Ken Harvey Bible Ref.: Luke 8:4-15
"A
farmer went out to sow...." Jesus' Parable of the Soils (often called the
Parable of the Sower), focuses on the quality of hearing; Jesus ends his parable
with the words, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"
Sunday, January 4, 2009 Message by: Pastor Ken Harvey Bible Ref.: Luke 7:36-50
William Barclay once said."The one thing which shuts a man off from God is self-sufficiency. And the strange thing is that the better a man is the more he feels his sin. Paul could speak of sinners "of whom I am chief" (2 Timothy 1:15). It is true to say that the greatest of sins is to be conscious of no sin; but a sense of need will open the door to the forgiveness of God, because God is love, and love's greatest glory is to be needed."
Sunday, December 28, 2008 Message by: Pastor Ken Harvey Bible Ref.: Luke 2:1-20
The greatest event in history had just happened! The Messiah had been born! For ages the Jews had waited for this, and when it finally occurred, the announcement came to humble shepherds. The good news about Jesus is that he comes to all, including the plain and the ordinary. He comes to anyone with a heart humble enough to accept him. Whoever you are, whatever you do, you can have Jesus in your life. Don't think you need extraordinary qualifications. He accepts you as you are.
Sunday, December 14, 2008 Message by: Ken Harvey Bible Ref.: Luke 1:5-38
God sent the angel Gabriel to announce to Zechariah that He and his wife Elizabeth would have a son born to them and to Mary that she would give birth to Jesus the Savior of the world. Both were miracle births. Zechariah and Elizabeth were past child bearing years and Mary was a virgin. Zechariah expressed doubt that this could be, yet he was obedient. Mary was young, poor, and female. In her culture, she would seem to be unusable by God for any major task. But God chose Mary
for one of the most important acts of obedience he has ever demanded of anyone. What we will see this weekend, is that God can use you if you trust him.
Sunday, December 7, 2008 Message by: Pastor Ken Harvey Bible Ref.: Hebrews 11:1, Luke 7:1-17
"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Two words describe faith: sure and certain. These two qualities need a secure beginning and ending point. The beginning point of faith is believing in God's character-he is who he says. The end point is believing in God's promises-he will do what he says. When we believe that God will fulfill his promises even though we don't see those promises materializing yet, we demonstrate true faith.
The story of the widow's son illustrates salvation. The whole world was dead in sin, just as the widow's son was dead. But God had compassion on us, and he sent Jesus to raise us to life with him. Accept God's gift of life, praise God for it, and use your life to do his will.
Sunday, November 30, 2008 Message by: Pastor Ken Harvey Bible Ref.: Luke 6:39-49
Jesus reminds us that we need to follow the right teachers, and to not be critical of others. He reminds us that our speech and actions reveal the true underlying beliefs, attitudes, and motivations in our lives. Obeying God is like building a house on a solid foundation that stands firm when storms come. Be sure your life is built on the solid foundation of knowing and trusting Jesus Christ.
You live according to your conscience. It dictates your thinking
of what you ought and ought not to do.Likewise,
family units have a corporate conscience. Large and small organizations have a
conscience. Fortune 500 companies have a conscience. But is
there such a thing as a national conscience? If so, what governs
the national conscience of theUnited States of America?
Popular demand? Or is there something else governing Our National Conscience?
“Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature
things required by the law, they are a law
for themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show
that the requirements of the law are
written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness,
and their thoughts now accusing, now
…"No eye has seen, no
ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love
him" 1 Corinthians 2:9.
Satan wants us to
believe the lies that Heaven can wait and that Heaven is our default
destination. Satan wants us to focus on life today with no thought of the future
with God. He wants us to think that we will not go to Hell unless we do
something horrific. The scripture shows that these are false ideas.
This weekend we will
see that God plans to make a new heaven and a new earth, he will do away with
death and the old order of things. He will live with man and complete His plan
to dwell with us forever.
The afterlife is cloaked in
mystery. What happens moments after we die? What is Heaven really like? What
about Hell? And does what we do in this world really matter in the next? Join us
as we uncover the life-altering answers to these questions in So You're
Dead...Now What?
Sunday, May 17, 2009 Special Message for Communion: Jeff Peters Message by: Pastor Rob Gepford
It happens again and again: people go
through the most difficult circumstances imaginable, and come out on
the other side with rock-solid, unshakable faith.
As they describe their
stories later, they say, "I wouldn't have signed up for it; I wouldn't choose to go
through it again; and I wouldn't wish it on anybody else. But God
did something in the middle of those circumstances that I don't
think he could have done any other way."
Our faith is
permanently impacted by these big, bad, bold, unexpected circumstances. And that's not
accidental; it's intentional on God's part.
We naturally resist
discipline. Recognizing that and meeting it head-on is good, because faith is
like a muscle; the more you exercise it-stretch it, exhaust it-the
stronger it becomes.
Relationships always impact our
faith, for good or for bad. We can trust God to bring people into our lives
whose influence can help our faith grow strong, if we allow that to
happen.
Do you know people whose faith in
God is so strong that you could sometimesdescribe it as amazing?What is it
that makes their confidence in God so strong? God wants to take us to a new level
of big faith-extraordinary trust and confidence in him. God is honored and thrilled
by our faith. So what is it that will grow our faith so he'll be increasingly
honored?
God uses five primary ways to expand
our faith: (1) practical teaching from the Bible, (2) providential
relationships, (3) private disciplines (4) personal ministry, and (5) pivotal
circumstances.
Sunday, September 20, 2009 Message by: Pastor Ken Harvey
Every business, organization, and
family has assumptions. These assumptions drive decisions. Church is no
different. But what if these assumptions are false? This weekend we will look at one of
Christianity's age-old assumptions, why it is false, and what we should do in
light of this truth.
A
famous Christian author wrote that the world’s major religions have eight major
themes, eight commandments
in common. That list included loving others… respecting others… and being
honest…
among
other ethical standards. So in light of those eight commandments, what makes
Christianity so
A lot of strange things happen in the name of Religion. Behavior that is just odd. Faces of religious icons appearing in random places. Fanatical rules and restrictions to follow in order to be 'good'. Are all of these misguided attempts to connect with God? Do we try too hard to make sense of something so big and mysterious? How is what Jesus offers any different?
Sunday, August 30, 2009 Message by: Tom Brown, Director of N.W.C.E.A.
Today we
are blessed to have guest speaker, Tom Brown, who is the Director of the Northwest Christian Evangelistic Association
share with us a message God has placed on his heart… are we really united as
Christian brothers and sisters?What is
the journey of life? And do we have a mission?
Sunday, August 23, 2009 Message by: Pastor Ken Harvey
Many people in our world have a
similar experience. They have come to a pointin their lives where they feel that
they have lost faith in God. They maybe were raised Catholic, Baptist, Jewish
etc., but they have come to a place where theirreligious faith seems empty and
without hope. They feel that religious leaders aretrying to control them rather than
lead them to freedom in a personal relationship with God. Jesus wants us to know that the
starting point of faith in him is forgiveness. He doesn't want to control us, he wants
to restore us.
This Sunday morning Ken will
interview Amy Crites, Kevin Smith, and Forrest Fowler about their recent missions trips to
Africa. Amy just returned from five weeks in Ethiopia and Kevin and Forrest were in South
Africa on separate ventures this spring. Hear their stories of how God
impacted their lives.
Sunday, August 2, 2009 Message by: Pastor Ken Harvey
If God is indeed preparing us while we are in
the waiting room, what should we be doing to make the most of our time. Should
we just sit and watch the paint dry? What is my responsibility and what is
God’s?
Sunday, July 19, 2009 Message by: Worship Pastor, Michael Johnson
Pain, Suffering, Heartache.... why is there so much of it in this world? Even as Christians..why can't we just expect to sail through life unscathed? Today we're going to take a look at our heart..... our faith, our trust in God...when we experience the difficulties and valleys of life.
Sunday, July 5, 2009 Message by: Pastor Ken Harvey
You live according to your conscience. It dictates your thinking
of what you ought and ought not to do.Likewise,
family units have a corporate conscience. Large and small organizations have a
conscience. Fortune 500 companies have a conscience. But is
there such a thing as a national conscience? If so, what governs
the national conscience of theUnited States of America?
Popular demand? Or is there something else governing Our National Conscience?
“Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature
things required by the law, they are a law
for themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show
that the requirements of the law are
written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness,
and their thoughts now accusing, now
…"No eye has seen, no
ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love
him" 1 Corinthians 2:9.
Satan wants us to
believe the lies that Heaven can wait and that Heaven is our default
destination. Satan wants us to focus on life today with no thought of the future
with God. He wants us to think that we will not go to Hell unless we do
something horrific. The scripture shows that these are false ideas.
This weekend we will
see that God plans to make a new heaven and a new earth, he will do away with
death and the old order of things. He will live with man and complete His plan
to dwell with us forever.
The afterlife is cloaked in
mystery. What happens moments after we die? What is Heaven really like? What
about Hell? And does what we do in this world really matter in the next? Join us
as we uncover the life-altering answers to these questions in So You're
Dead...Now What?
Sunday, May 17, 2009 Special Message for Communion: Jeff Peters Message by: Pastor Rob Gepford
Today we’re going to hear first hand…the impact Christians
can have when they give of their time and of their hearts to show compassion on
the lost and hurting people of this world.Saying you are a Christ follower and actually living it are two entirely
different things.You must have an
outflow of Christ’s love in order to make a difference in the lives of people
and the Kingdom
of God.
Sunday, April 26, 2009 Message by: Pastor Ken Harvey
Uncertainty. As a society, we live
in a world of uncertainty. Uncertain social conditions. Uncertain economic
times. Uncertain global developments. Yet uncertainty is nothing new. The
characters in the Bible experienced wildly fluctuating levels of uncertainty. .
. often feeling as if life was moving backwards, getting worse. And the
questions remain the same. Where's God? Is he going to show up? Is he still in
control?
Some of the brightest moments in our
lives are the result of brokenness. When we can see that God is working through
undesirable circumstances - even the ones we bring on ourselves - there is a
sense of purpose and peace that emerges. Knowing that God is still active during
uncertain times allows us to maintain hope and faith and keeps us from despair.
We can rest knowing that God has not abandoned us . . . and that he's still in
control.
Sunday, March 29, 2009 Message by: Pastor Neal Thorne
The story of Zacchaeus is by far one of the most interesting stories in the life
of Jesus. In only ten verses we receive a story filled with rich description,
one that can’t help but become a short movie within the imagination of all who
read it. But at the same time that the story of Zacchaeus offers us something,
it also beckons us to something. The story of Zacchaeus is not so much about a
little man in a tree as it is about our relationship with the despised,
discarded, and ignored of our world. Relationship? Jesus’ point exactly.
Sunday, March 22, 2009 Message by: Pastor Neal Thorne Bible Ref.: Luke 16:1-18
The bible is full of great, heart warming stories from Jesus.
There’s the story of the little cute lost sheep, and the one about the father
and son embracing after the son was lost to his perilous ways. And don’t forget
the tear-jerking story about the scandal in the work place. Wait, that doesn’t
fit. Or does it?
We find in Luke chapter 16 a story told by Jesus that is
different than any other story. A story of scandal, dishonesty and superior
intellect. The question is, how does Jesus plan on using such a questionable
story to communicate a Godly truth? Can it be done?
Sunday, March 15, 2009 Message By: Pastor Ken Harvey
Luke 15:1-31
These three parables reveal God as a Searching
Father, looking for the lost, actively seeking them, and rejoicing when they are
found. An essential part of God's character is about extending mercy to the
undeserving -- not only those who happen to mess up , but an active program of
seeking out the hurting and oppressed, the blind and the imprisoned . That is
the message of the cross, the message of active love.
Sunday, February 22, 2009 Message by: Ken Harvey Luke 10:25-37
The story of the good Samaritan
wonderfully illustrates Jesus' capacity for turning an abstract
theological discussion into a discourse on real life issues. His
encounter with this lawyer reveals how he does not allow
distinctions to be made when it comes to the treatment of people.
There are no easy escapes for failing to serve and be a
neighbor
Sunday, February 15, 2009 Message by: Pastor Ken Harvey Bible Ref.: Luke 9:57-62
Discipleship is not a casual affair to Jesus. In a series of three encounters, Jesus shows the high priority he places on discipleship. It is not an accident that this teaching follows a passage that centered on rejection. Part of what makes following Jesus so demanding is the fact that some type of rejection is given for the believer. Following Jesus takes focused commitment. Kingdom preaching is an urgent task for followers of Jesus.
Sunday, February 8, 2009 Message By: Pastor Ken Harvey Bible Ref.: Luke 9:18-27
The Christian faith goes beyond knowing what others believe. It requires us to hold beliefs for ourselves. When Jesus asks, "Who do you say I am?" he wants us to take a stand, Who do you say Jesus is? People are willing to pay a high price for something they value. Is it any surprise that Jesus would demand this much commitment from his followers? There are at least
three conditions that must be met by people who want to follow Jesus. We must be willing to deny self, to take up our crosses, and to follow him. Anything less is superficial lip service.
Sunday, February 1, 2009 Message by: Pastor Ken Harvey Bible Ref.: Luke 9: 10-17
The feeding of the five thousand is
the only miracle recorded in all four Gospels. The miracle shows how
Jesus meets needs. A key to this miracle is that the provision
comes through the disciples. Jesus had just commissioned them to share
the kingdom message. They needed to be aware of what they
could do through Christ. Jesus shows them that they have access to
his authority through his enablement. What about us? What
would happen if we trusted Jesus with our resources? How would
that change us?
Sunday, January 25, 2009 Message by: Children's Pastor, Rob Gepford Bible Ref.: Luke 8:40-56
Today our journey through the book of Luke shows us two individuals who were desperate to fix the circumstances in their lives. They thought if they could just touch and see Jesus...He could heal them. They were desperate for Jesus...Are you?
Sunday, January 11, 2009 Message By: Ken Harvey Bible Ref.: Luke 8:4-15
"A
farmer went out to sow...." Jesus' Parable of the Soils (often called the
Parable of the Sower), focuses on the quality of hearing; Jesus ends his parable
with the words, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"
Sunday, January 4, 2009 Message by: Pastor Ken Harvey Bible Ref.: Luke 7:36-50
William Barclay once said."The one thing which shuts a man off from God is self-sufficiency. And the strange thing is that the better a man is the more he feels his sin. Paul could speak of sinners "of whom I am chief" (2 Timothy 1:15). It is true to say that the greatest of sins is to be conscious of no sin; but a sense of need will open the door to the forgiveness of God, because God is love, and love's greatest glory is to be needed."
Sunday, December 28, 2008 Message by: Pastor Ken Harvey Bible Ref.: Luke 2:1-20
The greatest event in history had just happened! The Messiah had been born! For ages the Jews had waited for this, and when it finally occurred, the announcement came to humble shepherds. The good news about Jesus is that he comes to all, including the plain and the ordinary. He comes to anyone with a heart humble enough to accept him. Whoever you are, whatever you do, you can have Jesus in your life. Don't think you need extraordinary qualifications. He accepts you as you are.
Sunday, December 14, 2008 Message by: Ken Harvey Bible Ref.: Luke 1:5-38
God sent the angel Gabriel to announce to Zechariah that He and his wife Elizabeth would have a son born to them and to Mary that she would give birth to Jesus the Savior of the world. Both were miracle births. Zechariah and Elizabeth were past child bearing years and Mary was a virgin. Zechariah expressed doubt that this could be, yet he was obedient. Mary was young, poor, and female. In her culture, she would seem to be unusable by God for any major task. But God chose Mary
for one of the most important acts of obedience he has ever demanded of anyone. What we will see this weekend, is that God can use you if you trust him.
Sunday, December 7, 2008 Message by: Pastor Ken Harvey Bible Ref.: Hebrews 11:1, Luke 7:1-17
"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Two words describe faith: sure and certain. These two qualities need a secure beginning and ending point. The beginning point of faith is believing in God's character-he is who he says. The end point is believing in God's promises-he will do what he says. When we believe that God will fulfill his promises even though we don't see those promises materializing yet, we demonstrate true faith.
The story of the widow's son illustrates salvation. The whole world was dead in sin, just as the widow's son was dead. But God had compassion on us, and he sent Jesus to raise us to life with him. Accept God's gift of life, praise God for it, and use your life to do his will.
Sunday, November 30, 2008 Message by: Pastor Ken Harvey Bible Ref.: Luke 6:39-49
Jesus reminds us that we need to follow the right teachers, and to not be critical of others. He reminds us that our speech and actions reveal the true underlying beliefs, attitudes, and motivations in our lives. Obeying God is like building a house on a solid foundation that stands firm when storms come. Be sure your life is built on the solid foundation of knowing and trusting Jesus Christ.
Today we’re going to hear first hand…the impact Christians
can have when they give of their time and of their hearts to show compassion on
the lost and hurting people of this world.Saying you are a Christ follower and actually living it are two entirely
different things.You must have an
outflow of Christ’s love in order to make a difference in the lives of people
and the Kingdom
of God.
Sunday, April 26, 2009 Message by: Pastor Ken Harvey
Uncertainty. As a society, we live
in a world of uncertainty. Uncertain social conditions. Uncertain economic
times. Uncertain global developments. Yet uncertainty is nothing new. The
characters in the Bible experienced wildly fluctuating levels of uncertainty. .
. often feeling as if life was moving backwards, getting worse. And the
questions remain the same. Where's God? Is he going to show up? Is he still in
control?
Some of the brightest moments in our
lives are the result of brokenness. When we can see that God is working through
undesirable circumstances - even the ones we bring on ourselves - there is a
sense of purpose and peace that emerges. Knowing that God is still active during
uncertain times allows us to maintain hope and faith and keeps us from despair.
We can rest knowing that God has not abandoned us . . . and that he's still in
control.
Sunday, March 29, 2009 Message by: Pastor Neal Thorne
The story of Zacchaeus is by far one of the most interesting stories in the life
of Jesus. In only ten verses we receive a story filled with rich description,
one that can’t help but become a short movie within the imagination of all who
read it. But at the same time that the story of Zacchaeus offers us something,
it also beckons us to something. The story of Zacchaeus is not so much about a
little man in a tree as it is about our relationship with the despised,
discarded, and ignored of our world. Relationship? Jesus’ point exactly.
Sunday, March 22, 2009 Message by: Pastor Neal Thorne Bible Ref.: Luke 16:1-18
The bible is full of great, heart warming stories from Jesus.
There’s the story of the little cute lost sheep, and the one about the father
and son embracing after the son was lost to his perilous ways. And don’t forget
the tear-jerking story about the scandal in the work place. Wait, that doesn’t
fit. Or does it?
We find in Luke chapter 16 a story told by Jesus that is
different than any other story. A story of scandal, dishonesty and superior
intellect. The question is, how does Jesus plan on using such a questionable
story to communicate a Godly truth? Can it be done?
Sunday, March 15, 2009 Message By: Pastor Ken Harvey
Luke 15:1-31
These three parables reveal God as a Searching
Father, looking for the lost, actively seeking them, and rejoicing when they are
found. An essential part of God's character is about extending mercy to the
undeserving -- not only those who happen to mess up , but an active program of
seeking out the hurting and oppressed, the blind and the imprisoned . That is
the message of the cross, the message of active love.
Sunday, February 22, 2009 Message by: Ken Harvey Luke 10:25-37
The story of the good Samaritan
wonderfully illustrates Jesus' capacity for turning an abstract
theological discussion into a discourse on real life issues. His
encounter with this lawyer reveals how he does not allow
distinctions to be made when it comes to the treatment of people.
There are no easy escapes for failing to serve and be a
neighbor
Sunday, February 15, 2009 Message by: Pastor Ken Harvey Bible Ref.: Luke 9:57-62
Discipleship is not a casual affair to Jesus. In a series of three encounters, Jesus shows the high priority he places on discipleship. It is not an accident that this teaching follows a passage that centered on rejection. Part of what makes following Jesus so demanding is the fact that some type of rejection is given for the believer. Following Jesus takes focused commitment. Kingdom preaching is an urgent task for followers of Jesus.
Sunday, February 8, 2009 Message By: Pastor Ken Harvey Bible Ref.: Luke 9:18-27
The Christian faith goes beyond knowing what others believe. It requires us to hold beliefs for ourselves. When Jesus asks, "Who do you say I am?" he wants us to take a stand, Who do you say Jesus is? People are willing to pay a high price for something they value. Is it any surprise that Jesus would demand this much commitment from his followers? There are at least
three conditions that must be met by people who want to follow Jesus. We must be willing to deny self, to take up our crosses, and to follow him. Anything less is superficial lip service.
Sunday, February 1, 2009 Message by: Pastor Ken Harvey Bible Ref.: Luke 9: 10-17
The feeding of the five thousand is
the only miracle recorded in all four Gospels. The miracle shows how
Jesus meets needs. A key to this miracle is that the provision
comes through the disciples. Jesus had just commissioned them to share
the kingdom message. They needed to be aware of what they
could do through Christ. Jesus shows them that they have access to
his authority through his enablement. What about us? What
would happen if we trusted Jesus with our resources? How would
that change us?
Sunday, January 25, 2009 Message by: Children's Pastor, Rob Gepford Bible Ref.: Luke 8:40-56
Today our journey through the book of Luke shows us two individuals who were desperate to fix the circumstances in their lives. They thought if they could just touch and see Jesus...He could heal them. They were desperate for Jesus...Are you?
Sunday, January 11, 2009 Message By: Ken Harvey Bible Ref.: Luke 8:4-15
"A
farmer went out to sow...." Jesus' Parable of the Soils (often called the
Parable of the Sower), focuses on the quality of hearing; Jesus ends his parable
with the words, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"
Sunday, January 4, 2009 Message by: Pastor Ken Harvey Bible Ref.: Luke 7:36-50
William Barclay once said."The one thing which shuts a man off from God is self-sufficiency. And the strange thing is that the better a man is the more he feels his sin. Paul could speak of sinners "of whom I am chief" (2 Timothy 1:15). It is true to say that the greatest of sins is to be conscious of no sin; but a sense of need will open the door to the forgiveness of God, because God is love, and love's greatest glory is to be needed."
Sunday, December 28, 2008 Message by: Pastor Ken Harvey Bible Ref.: Luke 2:1-20
The greatest event in history had just happened! The Messiah had been born! For ages the Jews had waited for this, and when it finally occurred, the announcement came to humble shepherds. The good news about Jesus is that he comes to all, including the plain and the ordinary. He comes to anyone with a heart humble enough to accept him. Whoever you are, whatever you do, you can have Jesus in your life. Don't think you need extraordinary qualifications. He accepts you as you are.
Sunday, December 14, 2008 Message by: Ken Harvey Bible Ref.: Luke 1:5-38
God sent the angel Gabriel to announce to Zechariah that He and his wife Elizabeth would have a son born to them and to Mary that she would give birth to Jesus the Savior of the world. Both were miracle births. Zechariah and Elizabeth were past child bearing years and Mary was a virgin. Zechariah expressed doubt that this could be, yet he was obedient. Mary was young, poor, and female. In her culture, she would seem to be unusable by God for any major task. But God chose Mary
for one of the most important acts of obedience he has ever demanded of anyone. What we will see this weekend, is that God can use you if you trust him.
Sunday, December 7, 2008 Message by: Pastor Ken Harvey Bible Ref.: Hebrews 11:1, Luke 7:1-17
"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Two words describe faith: sure and certain. These two qualities need a secure beginning and ending point. The beginning point of faith is believing in God's character-he is who he says. The end point is believing in God's promises-he will do what he says. When we believe that God will fulfill his promises even though we don't see those promises materializing yet, we demonstrate true faith.
The story of the widow's son illustrates salvation. The whole world was dead in sin, just as the widow's son was dead. But God had compassion on us, and he sent Jesus to raise us to life with him. Accept God's gift of life, praise God for it, and use your life to do his will.
Sunday, November 30, 2008 Message by: Pastor Ken Harvey Bible Ref.: Luke 6:39-49
Jesus reminds us that we need to follow the right teachers, and to not be critical of others. He reminds us that our speech and actions reveal the true underlying beliefs, attitudes, and motivations in our lives. Obeying God is like building a house on a solid foundation that stands firm when storms come. Be sure your life is built on the solid foundation of knowing and trusting Jesus Christ.