Come Alive

Worship music has been at the center of controversy in the Church for at least a few decades. Whether you go into a service that resembles a rock concert or one that feels like you’ve stepped back in time 100 years, the style and sound are not really what matters. If you don’t think you can worship through one or the other, the actual music may have become an idol, and your hea

If you’re like most Christians, you might reach a genealogy or a list of people in Scripture, and quickly scan through it with little regard for its value. Sure, it may not be heart-warming or uplifting on the surface, but Pastor Mark challenges us in today’s message to look a little deeper and think about why those names are there. When you read the name of a loved one – of

Christ is often misinterpreted as being a pacifist. While He did encourage us to respond to personal attacks, such as a slap on the cheek, in a way that demonstrates grace and love to our attacker, He was not a proponent of passively standing by in the face of injustice or abuse. You need to stand up for the oppressed. As Pastor Mark challenges us in today’s message, especially w

God designed the Church as a body for a reason. Every part serves a purpose and helps the other parts. Yes, a body can continue living even when it loses one part, but the absence of it can severely lessen the quality of life. As Pastor Mark continues our study of the book of Nehemiah in today’s message, he reminds you of the importance of surrounding yourself with Christian frie

The Bible is like a magnifying glass that points out sins you otherwise wouldn’t see. Unlike sin, which deceives and lies to you, the Word shows you the true condition of your heart. Sin causes you to compare yourself to others and elevate yourself above them, as you’ll hear from Pastor Mark today. Nobody likes to see themselves as a sinner in need of help, but God has given th

Is your response to God’s Word one of arrogance and pride, or one of humility and repentance? You can learn a lot from the Israelites’ reaction to the reading of the law from Pastor Mark’s teaching today. They immediately humbled themselves with fasting, putting on sackcloth and dirt, and confessed their sins. They saw their frailty and sinfulness in light of an awesome God.

The Word of God must be taught for it to be understood and understanding reveals what has already been there the whole time. God will use different circumstances and situations at certain times in your life to illuminate the meaning of Scripture right when you need it. This is why it’s key, as Pastor Mark points out today, to make sure the teaching you’re getting from the Word

Take an inventory of how you spend your time each day. This will reveal much about where your priorities lie. Is study of God’s Word high on your list or does it get beat out by social media, television, or hobbies? Today Pastor Mark teaches a strong emphasis on God’s Word is a primary mark of spiritual renewal. You don’t desire God’s Word unless the Spirit is moving and wo

Countless families, marriages, and lives have been destroyed because of complacency. When a couple lets their guard down and allows sin and selfishness to grow in their marriage, it will eat away at their foundation, and they’ll easily crumble when a strong enough storm comes through. The same can happen when parents aren’t on alert for the ways that Satan is actively infiltrat

God’s creation is beautiful. Whether you’re walking through an arid desert, along the thundering ocean, through a temperate forest or in a vast mountain landscape, you can look around and just be struck speechless by the splendor of it all. As Pastor Mark explains in today’s message, as amazing as this place is, it is flawed and broken. Because of man’s sin, all of creation