Although Jesus is King and Judge over all the Earth, He chooses to not only empathize with the lowly, but to become lowly Himself. Among the poor, the broken, the needy, the blind, the brokenhearted—that is where He makes his dwelling. For most people, life progresses in such a way that we obtain more prestige and privilege as time goes by and we become less aware of the needs of the marginalized. But, if we want to truly serve Jesus in this life, we should take every opportunity to anchor ourselves to the suffering, because that is where He is.

Matthew 25; Genesis 24; Matthew 11

As we walk with God, He reveals his love for us in ways that other people can see, but also in ways that others cannot. Over time, the blessings that God pours out into our lives accumulate and stand as a layered testimony of God’s love that the people around us can bear witness to and celebrate. But, there are experiences that we have with God that no one else will be privy to, and it is in those experiences that we discover the immeasurable depth of his love. Understanding this facet of his love, however, is not guaranteed with time; it requires intentionally holding onto Him and his promises even in our darkest moments.

God in his infinite power could solve all of the world’s problems in an instant, but if He did, we would miss out on a key experience of what it means to be like Him. Instead, in his infinite wisdom, He has made room for us to participate in his sufferings so that we may find our place in his story of salvation. All of the areas in life where we recognize that the Kingdom of God is not manifest are invitations for us to labor for his will to be done on the Earth as it is in Heaven.

Colossians 1; Luke 7; Luke 3; Proverbs 18; Ecclesiastes 3

The culture today tells us that we should discover our identity by looking inward. Ironically, this practice of navel-gazing will eventually produce anxieties and insecurities within us that cause us to doubt who we are. When we look outside of ourselves, however, and focus on what God has spoken concerning us, understanding who we were made to be and what we were made to do becomes exceedingly clear.

Exodus 3; Luke 4; Psalm 123; John 9; Job 1

Student Fall Retreat 2025

Saturday Evening Sermon

Student Fall Retreat 2025

Saturday Morning Sermon

Student Fall Retreat 2025

Friday Evening Sermon

NYC Sunday Sermon by guest speaker, Jody Atchison.

The more we become acquainted with societal norms, the easier it is to conform to these norms without even realizing it, and life in God is no exception to this. Although adhering to the status quo of Christian living may feel safe, it can cause us to lose sight of the unique aspects of our personalities that were deposited in us by God. If we are to remain authentic to who God created us to be, we must be willing to do what is risky—be ourselves.

Matthew 25; 2 Corinthians 11

NYC Sunday Service | October 19, 2025

Biblical life and death can be understood as more than physical conditions, but states of being that permeate all aspects of our lives. Divine “life” is an inexhaustible, dynamic experience characterized by blessings, prosperity, health, restoration, and supernatural resilience in the face of affliction. “Death,” however, is a gradual spiritual decline marked by confusion, frustration, failure, and sickness, which overtakes a disobedient person even while they are physically alive. Jesus’ obedience to the Father’s will became a conduit through which the overwhelming life of God could flow to everyone He encountered, and we have the ability to offer the same to those around us.