To be a disciple of Jesus requires obeying all the commands of Jesus. Paying attention to all his teachings. As we look today at the teachings of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount, we have to start with asking ourselves how we relate to these teachings. Are they optional? Are they goals to set for sometime in the future? Are they fiction? Can they b…

The Beatitudes are a pronouncement, based on observation, that a certain way of being in the world produces human flourishing and felicity. These were common in ancient literature, including in Jewish texts. What is uncommon is who Jesus described as the ones who are flourishing.Bởi Brenda Burns

The Sermon on the Mount provides a lot of guidance for everyday living. But it does so with the end firmly in mind. This is an important understanding for biblical theology - we are never just living for the here-and-now, even while we are encouraged not to worry about tomorrow. We have in view God's grand purpose to redeem and restore all of creat…

The women came to the tomb that day carrying spices. Those spices represent several things: grief, tension between faith and doubt, tradition and duty, and questions. What have you brought to the tomb?Bởi Brenda Burns

We are considering Gethsemane, and Jesus' prayer there, and looking at it through the lens of Philippians 2.Bởi Brenda Burns

Even when face to face with a resurrection miracle, there are those who doubt. Jesus prayed a specific prayer before calling Lazarus out, and it was for those struggling to believe.Bởi Brenda Burns

Prayers of blessing are much more than just hoping to get something good for yourself. The blessing of God opens channels of favor and paths of right-living within our hearts, and flows out into our families, our church, our community. We need to seek the Lord's blessing.Bởi Brenda Burns

Prayer is about talking with God about what you need. And he knows what you need. And he's a loving God who is intensely interested in receiving your sincere prayers and answering. It's not a formula, it's not a guarantee of everything going your way, but it is an invitation to relationship with God.…

As we prepare to enter the season of Lent, a vital practice of prayer is listening.Bởi Brenda Burns

Give something back. Give something forward.Bởi Brenda Burns

In our consumer culture, saturated by advertising and manipulation, we are accustomed to being baited and targeted. Was this what Jesus had in mind when he said he would teach his followers how to fish for people?Bởi Brenda Burns

God sees you. And he is not content with that - he also wants you to see him.Bởi Brenda Burns

On this Epiphany Sunday, we take a quick look back at Pastor Brenda's six-year anniversary, and then see the work of the Holy Spirit through today's readings.Bởi Brenda Burns

We apologize for the audio quality, but wanted to share this special conversation with you. We can trust the goodness of God even through long-term illness and chronic health challenges.Bởi Brenda Burns, Craig Burns, Susan Stiles

The story we tell as Christians is dependent on this mystery - Jesus Christ, Son of God, Creator of the world come to dwell in the world he created as a creature, fully man, fully God.Bởi Brenda Burns

We must understand that even though our story is constantly being written and there will be good days and there will be bad days, we are called to keep telling the SAME story. The love of God, the salvation of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit poured out on all people, the hope of the resurrection - this story doesn't change no matter what happens to u…

Blane shares up-to-the-minute stories of God at work in students' lives, and a fresh take on a familiar story from the Book of Acts.Bởi Blane Young

I have become concerned about Christian nationalism, and its impact on our society and on the Church. But that does not mean we should not be patriotic, or love our country. So today I just want to give a pastoral talk to encourage us in navigating the differences between proper love of country and patriotism, as opposed to idolatry and Christian n…

Pastor Brenda shares from her recent travels and inspires us to "Be Strong in the Lord!"Bởi Brenda Burns

Guest speaker and missionary Rev. Becky Pucher challenges us: What is your mission?Bởi Becky Pucher

In my early planning for this series, three promises stood out to me to cover. And I expected that each one would be the focus of an entire sermon. But for today, I'm going to talk about them together: 1) God has promised his presence. 2) Jesus has promised he will return. 3) There will be a new heaven and new earth!…

Hebrews 8:6. But now Jesus, our High Priest, has been given a ministry that is far superior to the old priesthood, for he is the one who mediates for us a far better covenant with God, based on better promises.Bởi Brenda Burns

We live in the new covenant promises of God, fulfilled in Jesus Christ. This is the arc of the biblical narrative, that God has made a way for us to be right with him. Initiated by love, God established the new covenant, and we can be assured that what God says will come to pass.Bởi Brenda Burns

What can we believe? Who can we trust?It is within God's character to initiate covenant. It is an exchange of life - "I am yours, and you are mine." This has been God's way with humans always. Understanding the background of covenant in the Old Testament is crucial to grasping Jesus' words as he shared the cup of wine with his disciples on the nigh…

The truth of God's blessing is real. And the fact that the Scripture gives us some specific wisdom regarding God's blessing is an amazing gift. We are not left to wander around looking for some secret portal into the blessings of God. We are given very clear understanding of what God blesses, and who God blesses.…

As personal as it feels to me anytime I read, "The Lord is my Shepherd..." it also is true and available to whoever calls on the name of the Lord. Through the centuries, people from all over the world have found comfort and strength in Psalm 23.Bởi Brenda Burns

As we long for revival, for an awakening that reaches to our children's generation, we work toward that. And we pray, "Lord! Make our efforts successful!" I pray for you, that all that you do in service to the King is blessed and anointed, that God's favor be poured out on you, and you receive that smile of God's approval, and the sense of God maki…

Jesus taught that the Psalms spoke of him. We learn how Psalm 22 proclaimed the suffering and victory of Christ.Bởi Brenda Burns

"You healed me!" "Joy comes in the morning." "Your anger lasts only a moment, but your favor for a lifetime." -So many memorable and important declarations are contained in this Psalm. Thanksgiving sets us apart as we experience orientation, disorientation and reorientation through the Psalms.Bởi Brenda Burns

How good it is! when brothers and sisters live together in harmony. Jesus prayed that his followers would be one. That prayer has yet to be fully answered, yet we are invited to join ourselves to this hope.Bởi Brenda Burns

Do you have a favorite Psalm? Or more than one? You may be surprised as you read through the Psalms to realize how familiar some are to you, because the Psalms serve as the lyrics for many hymns, anthems and songs of worship. As we spend a few Sundays looking closely at Psalms, my hope is that you are intrigued and inspired, and that through the gi…

Jesus gave us this prayer for the already and the not yet, for the right now, everyday following Jesus step by step, and the joyous anticipation of the glory that will be. It doesn't give us a key to destroy evil before God's time when that day will come, but it does give us the pattern for how to live in anticipation of that day.…

In the Genesis account, we see an important correlation to the part of the Lord's Prayer that we are examining today. Genesis 2 illustrates two basic needs that we humans have had baked into us at creation: 1. Food. 2. Relationship. In current jargon, this need for food and for relationship is not a bug, this is a feature.…

When we pray, "Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven." we are expressing the hope that our hearts will align with God's heart. God is love. God is good. God is kind. God is holy and just. His will for you is love. His will for you is good. His will for you is kind. His will for you is holy and just.…

This request - deliver us from evil - is profound. And full of hope. We are going to spend some time really unpacking this prayer, and seeing how Jesus teaches us to approach coming down to this final request - deliver us from evil.Bởi Brenda Burns

Encouraging us all that we each have a destiny in God, founder and president of Heart to Hands International Debbie Gillispie shares the vision and opportunities before her for impacting communities in Africa by raising up leaders and providing resources for healthcare, education and empowerment. Learn more at https://www.h2hinternational.com/.…

On the Day of Pentecost, the Spirit was poured out on all people. Every nation and ethnicity that was gathered there heard the praises of God in their own language. Men and women, servants and handmaidens, the young and the old, the sons and the daughters, it doesn't matter your gender or your age or your vocation or economic status - the Spirit of…

Announcing the Gospel is bringing the good news, proclaiming that Jesus has come to bring life and freedom!Bởi Craig Burns

Colossians 3:23-24:Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ.Bởi Brenda Burns

God cares about justice. How can you practice justice? Start where you are.Bởi Brenda Burns

Practicing hospitality is the deeply intentional practice of presence. Being present to the people you are with, and being present to the Spirit of Christ, sharing that presence through hospitality.Bởi Brenda Burns

People talk about heaven, a belief in a better place, a comfort, a solace that their deceased loved one is still alive in a new reality. What gives people this hope? It is only through the Resurrection of Jesus Christ that such a nonsense could even be considered.Bởi Brenda Burns

The overwhelming, overpowering love of God was poured out in full through the cross. A love so deep, a devotion so strong, a purpose eternal from before the beginning - the cross is the power of God unto salvation. Journey with us through Holy Week as we remember Christ's path to the cross.Bởi Brenda and Craig Burns

Missional Presence is about purpose and aligning our will with God's will, choosing to be 'on mission' with God, desiring to live in such a way that God's presence is revealed in us and through us.Bởi Brenda Burns

"God...is the ultimate source of our lives, joy, and sexual desire. The starting point and the end point of our desires is God. This is the work of good theology and spiritual formation--believing that our bodies and sexuality were meant to point to something outside ourselves." -Rich VillodasBởi Brenda Burns

Lent is especially meant as a time for re-energizing this practice of self-examination. The purpose of the fasts and contemplation are to draw us into a better posture for opening ourselves up before God, allowing the Holy Spirit to show us what is true about ourselves.Bởi Brenda Burns

Our spiritual formation, the transformation that is afforded us through the Gospel, includes dealing with racism.Bởi Brenda Burns

Prophetic resistance is still necessary - we must choose to be a people distinct from the world. We are called to live differently, and when we choose to shape our lives according to the rhythm of Sabbath, we are allowing God to form us, and serving as a signpost of his rule and reign in our lives.Bởi Brenda Burns

Rather than embracing nationalism and triumphalism, we are called to a higher vocation, and given the power to triumph over sin and death.Bởi Craig Burns

One of the hopes and dreams for our church is that this be a place where you can experience peace. We want to have open hearts that welcome the weary traveler looking for a spiritual home. We want to have a resolute spirit that rises up against oppression, harassment and exploitation. Becoming a peaceful presence is not about turning a blind eye to…