Renovation Project 2014
Check out this video update on our Renovation Project that was kicked off this week and will continue in 2014. Read about the scope of the project and hope you can help. ...
Keep ReadingBy teaching these 3 parables in this chapter, Jesus demonstrates that God not only receives sinners, but He intentionally seeks them out! And that there is great rejoicing when even one sinner repents! ...
In John 10, Jesus continues to reveal more of His identity, His mission, and His motives....
In Luke 14, Jesus again confronts the hard hearts of the Pharisees. He also deals with pride, apathy, and lukewarm commitment disguised as busyness. He also teaches that those originally invited into the Kingdom will not respond (Israel), and therefore others (Gentiles) will be invited and will respond. He does this by way of parables, showing that His gospel is to be preached and shared with the poor, the lowly, the afflicted, not just the affluent, those of social status and the well-to-do, who many times will reject His message. The chapter ends with Jesus teaching about the very personal cost and evidence of following Him. ...
In Luke 13, Jesus continues His ministry, with His intention to go to Jerusalem one final time. (v. 22, 31-35). Also confirmed in Luke 9:51 where He 'set His face’ to go to Jerusalem....
In Luke 12:35-48, Jesus commands us to live a life ready, filled with faithful stewardship and service and prepared for His return. ...
In Luke 12, Jesus gives us some tremendous promises but also some very direct warnings and sobering teaching. This week we will cover verses 1-34. ...
The 9am and 11am services will have differences in restriction levels starting Sunday, February 21st. ...
In Luke 10, Jesus demonstrates and teaches the priority of: God's heart for the lost Team ministry Earnest prayer, asking the Father to provide workers for His ministry (laborers for the harvest) Focused ministry in the power of the Holy Spirit The necessity of God's power, will, and initiative to open blind eyes to see (reveal) Him Loving God completely Loving all people sincerely with hearts filled with mercy Devotion and worship, over well-intentioned service and busyness...
In John 8 we find Jesus' deep compassion for and forgiveness of a sinful woman. His bold assertions of Godly origin, character and attributes His clearest teaching on faith and belief in Him leading to eternal life and spiritual freedom from sin and death The Jews most troubling issue; questions about who Jesus was and who He claimed to be His most direct confrontation with and condemnation of the Jewish religious leaders His foretelling of His crucifixion His most direct claim of being God...
This week our scripture passage is John 7. In John 7, Jesus attends the seven-day Feast of Booths or Tabernacles, the longest Jewish festival. It was a celebration of God's provision for the Israelites in the wilderness and a celebration of the completion of the year's harvest. During the festival, there was a ceremonial water drawing commemorating the provision of water in the wilderness (Numbers 20:2-13) and a lamp lighting ritual. The first of these ceremonies provides the setting for Jesus' first proclamation in John 7:37-38, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink." The second, His declaration in John 8:12, "I am the Light of the world!"...
We belong to God. This Sunday we took this simple Scriptural truth and applied it to current challenges. This week take some time and see how Christians have expressed and applied this truth. ...
Want to grow in your faith in 2020? Join us in reading the Bible together in 2020. We'll get a little help with some free resources. ...
We want to encourage our whole church to spend time in the Word of God, with key passages and messages that can help inform our understanding of the world around us....
Ricky and Joe talk about the need for help in the areas of marriage and parenting during quarantine and offer a free resource from the church that can help! ...
The small book of Habbakuk transforms us from being a “What if?” people to being an “Even if” people. It takes us from being a worried people wondering what will happen next, to a people confident that even if the worst happens we are secure because God is in control. ...
In the midst of a very tumultuous season, our hearts can grow restless and our minds wander into all sorts of questions: "Will my family be ok? Will they be safe from the Coronavirus? Will I be able to keep my job? Are we going to be financially stable?" If we are not careful, our anxious hearts can lead us to doubts and fears. How then, are we to respond? Where do we go for comfort? ...
These are extraordinary times. It feels like everything in life has changed in just a few days -- everything from our workplace to getting groceries to visiting friends to plans to even gathering as a church. ...
Ricky shared a few challenges our church is facing regarding our volunteer base and the variety of factors that contribute to them. Our Kids Ministry is facing the most significant problem, so here is the appeal we believe we need to make right now: If your kids are benefitting from Kids Ministry, we are appealing for your help in the ministry. ...
When the gospel changes lives and brings people together it creates a gospel culture. It transforms our relationships, families, and churches. It creates a culture of unity, grace, love, and hope flowing from the gospel. Whether you've been a Christian for a month, a year, or a decade, this is a class worth taking. ...
Everyone needs care. Everyone is called to care for others. Join us for a sermon mini-series this January on why God has called us to care for people around us and how to do it well. Whether you're feeling fainthearted, stuck, or weak, God has help for you in his word. ...
Do you want to grow in your understanding of the Bible and theology so you can make an impact in your family, church, and world? Then consider joining us for this 12 month study program. ...
I'm so excited about parenting seminar coming up soon. We have a wonderful opportunity to learn from Bob Kauflin next month. Bob is a well-known writer and speaker but also someone my wife Jenn and I know personally and who is someone we want to emulate in this area. ...
This Sunday we’re going to take a short break and launch a five-week mini-series at Cross of Grace on our vision as a church. In the next few weeks, we want to layout where we think God is taking us as a church, what we long to see happen in our city, and how we want to live as a church community. ...
Pastoral resident Andres Contreras shares lessons his church learned during the worst period of violence in Juarez. He encourages us that God can and does work even through hard times to build his church and reach the lost. ...
At times like this fear and anxiety are near but the Lord is at hand. Because he is at hand we can pray. Here are six ways we can begin to pray for ourselves and our city. ...
It seems surreal that it was only a few days ago that a gunman opened fire in El Paso. On Monday I had to go back to the store. Next week our boys are going back to school. We are here for a reason as disciples of Jesus and one of our tasks is to love our neighbors well in a way that serves them and points them to Jesus. But how do we do that? ...
With Easter approaching, here are some easy ways to make your family celebrations Christ-centered to share the truth, hope, and joy we find in Him. ...
Playlists to pair up with our sermon series on Isaiah ...
We're about to embark on a one year journey through the book of Isaiah. Over the next year most of our preaching will focus on this book and even our worship and liturgy will be shaped by this book. Before we jump in, I want to answer a big question: "Why Spend a Year in Isaiah?"...
We all feel pressure to be perfect around the holidays, but none of us are. The good news is that Jesus' family is made of imperfect people like us. And as a result, we should invite in others and care for them the way Jesus has cared for us. ...
On March 4th we'll launch two services at 8:45am and 11am. There's a lot of change ahead but one thing that won't change at all. ...
On Sunday we looked at Jesus' promise to send the Helper, the Holy Spirit, to give us power to advance the gospels. One of the things you see when you read the gospels is that the Holy Spirit didn't suddenly "show up" after Jesus left but that Jesus did his ministry in the power of the Spirit. We encourage you to explore and meditate on these verses as you trace this theme in the gospels....
As we start our series on the Book of Proverbs for the summer we thought you'd enjoy this 4 minute animated introduction to the book. It's a great overview, and the art is great too. ...
Proverbs says that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. This means that getting time with God is one of the most practical things we can possible do. Here are some suggestions. ...
The following was a reading Pastor Ricky Alcantar shared at our Good Friday service called "A Brief History of Death." "Death entered the world like a knife?- quick and silent and irreversible....
We believe that the words in the Bible are God's very words, breathed out by him (2 Tim 3:16), as carried along writers across the centuries (2 Peter 1) to tell one great story. Now is the perfect time to plan what you'll read in 2016....
As the Christmas season turns to a new year we want to make the best use of our time to live an intentional Christ-focused life (Ephesians 5:16). Here are a few suggestions to get you started....
Here is a prayer offered in light of Friday's tragedy in Paris and Sunday's message: The Lord reigns, let us rejoice, mourn, and long for his return. ...
Wondering whether to jump in to a community group this year? Here are four reasons why we think you should jump onboard. ...
Check out this video update on our Renovation Project that was kicked off this week and will continue in 2014. Read about the scope of the project and hope you can help. ...
Keep ReadingWant to get involved in our ministry in the Lower Valley? Jonathan shares what's going on this month. Check it out and sign up to help....
Keep Reading[Updated below] This Christmas season we want to serve a community in need with physical nourishment and spiritual help. Fill up a shoebox and join us! Just a little sacrifice on the part of our church community can have a huge impact on a violence-ravaged community in Mexico. ...
Keep ReadingLooking for a quick rundown of all our holiday events this December? Check out this easy to scan list of opportunities to serve, give, and celebrate. ...
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