Bay Area Community Church

Last week, Peter's message to his friends was that they needed to be "So Good they can't ignore Jesus." This week, we'll dive into how that principle plays out when your GOVERNMENT or your BOSS is antagonistic to your faith. To be honest, I'm not sure there's much in the Bible more offensive to our modern way of thinking than what Peter has to say: so join me as we all work to align our hearts and minds with what the Scriptures say about submitting to (every) authority.

The letter of 1 Peter is all about how to engage with a culture that has rejected you and your beliefs, but to do so in a way that somehow points them back to Jesus. Is that even possible? This Sunday, we'll explore Peter's strategy for living in the midst of a hostile world without making your culture the enemy. These next few weeks will challenge all of us in our basic assumptions about life in our culture: let's buckle up and learn together!

Few of us have experienced severe persecution for our faith in Christ. In countries like North Korea, Congo, India, Iran and others, persecution for following Jesus is a reality. But what about us? Is persecution something to be expected, and if so, how am I to handle it? This week as we wrap up our series, “Weathered: Built to Withstand Persecution,” we’ll prepare ourselves for the increased persecution to come upon those of us who take a stand for Jesus. As our culture moves further away from biblical truth, God’s Word shows us how to withstand persecution.

The Christian message is not a philosophy, it is not a system of morality, a code of conduct nor a religious preference. It claims to be the WAY. Michael Green put it well when he said, “Christ did not come to make bad people good. He came to make dead men live." Christians are in the “Life (eternal)” business. We witness to the Creator God. We testify to the fallenness of the human heart. We announce that there is a Savior and a new way to live. We invite others to know God and follow Him. Join us this Sunday as we take a deeper look at the call and cost of discipleship.

God’s heart is for ALL people - he doesn’t want anyone to perish but all to have eternal life with Him. Therefore, His call to “follow me” is for everyone. How should we live as a result of that? By practicing the presence of God regularly so we are equipped with the love of God that compels us to take steps of faith, which ultimately create opportunities for others to come to know Jesus. Join us on Sunday as we break this down and figure out what it looks like to practice the presence of God practically.

Have you ever seen a mud hut? How long do you think that structure will last as it gets pounded by storms? Now compare that to Aya Sofya, a building in Turkey which has been standing since 539 A.D. It is not going anywhere soon. Some things in life are built to last. Have you ever thought about how this applies to your life with Jesus? Is your faith built to withstand the storms of life? I hope you will join us on Sunday as we kick off our series, Weathered: Built To Withstand Persecution.

While there was a time that identification as a Christian might've had a positive effect on a person's prospects in life and business, but that time is increasingly in the past. Social marginalization is becoming the norm, and that's unlikely to reverse. How does the follower of Christ become comfortable with the idea of being seen as laughable, ignorable or (worse) evil? In this section of the letter, Peter sets out to make his friends rejection-proof: a lesson we would do well to learn! See you Sunday!

When I'm in a difficult situation (or even when I'm just feeling overwhelmed), it's easy to slip into indecision, and analysis-paralysis. Essentially, I'm just putting my head in the sand and hoping this moment passes me by. In part 2 of the "How-To Guide for Sufferers", Peter is continuing to give his struggling friends a path forward - he points them proactively toward God's plan for them, rather than toward the indecision and fear that often accompany suffering. Join me this weekend as we uncover Peter's final 2 steps for his fellow sufferers. 

Many people like “how to” books. I’m one of them. Early on I read Mortimer Adler’s, “How To Read A Book” and Gordon Fee’s, “How to Read the Bible for All It’s Worth.” Super helpful! I’ve recently finished “Atomic Habits” (about how to build habits) and “Deep Work” (about how to concentrate). In 1 Peter, believers are suffering because of various trials. After reminding them of their identity in Christ, Peter gives very specific “how-tos” when it comes to suffering. For anyone in the throes of suffering, and for all of us who will go through suffering, Peter’s “How-To-Guide” will help us glorify God amidst the trials we face.

This week we launch a new series through 1 Peter. In this epistle, Peter says some astonishing things to people experiencing suffering and persecution. Perhaps most shocking is this statement: “In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials.” I read that and think, “What? Rejoice during rejection, unjust treatment, cancer, the loss of a loved one? How is that possible?” I hope you will join us and invite friends this Sunday at 9am or 11am as we discover how to find God’s joy amid suffering.