(Message date: April 3, 2022)

The meeting at the Bethlehem gate (Ruth 4:1-12) is a scene that powerfully shows us the Gospel of Jesus. It’s a high-stakes negotiation that narrowly succeeds. Here, Boaz shows us — by contrast to the other guy: Chad — the sort of redeemer he is, and ultimately, the sort of Redeemer God is. Just as they weighed the costs and risks of redeeming Ruth and the land, God weighed the implications to redeem us, and said: “Yes”.

Message Date: March 20, 2022

What we believe about God’s providence makes all the difference for how we face hard times. In this lesson in Ruth 2, after an eventful day on the farm for Ruth and Boaz, Naomi — who a chapter ago insisted on being called “Bitter” — now praises God for showing unexpected loving kindness. Is she right? Our answer really, really matters. 

Message Date: March 6, 2022

If you’d been named for the things you’ve done, or the things done to you, what would you name yourself? Imposter? Victim? Invisible? Unworthy? After what Naomi has suffered, she wishes to be called “Bitter”. In this lesson, we observe what suffering does to Naomi's community, to her faith, and to her sense of identity. Our suffering doesn’t have to define or trap us, but it will, unless we know what the alternative is. Learn about it in this message.

Message date: February 20, 2022

For we who take our rights and freedoms for granted, Ruth is a window into the global reality of the suffering that is normal for millions. With Ruth, the world awaits a reversal of all that’s gone wrong, and in Ruth, we see a role model for all men and women of how to live while we wait. Lent is a focused season of waiting and self-denial, and as we learn in this message, Ruth is the perfect Lenten study.

Message date: January 30, 2022, (Matthew 18:1-10)

When a lot of children and youth in a culture learn to expect a lot of access to a lot of technology, that's not something to celebrate - it's something to avoid at all costs. In this message we heard four serious reasons why this is true, and why rather than completely abstain from all technology, families should have as their goal to let kids be kids, and put technology in its place. If we don't do the parenting, the technology will.

Message Date: January 23, 2022 (Colossians 3:1-14)

Why do so many kind and compassionate people become trolls online? What is it about online technologies that bring out the worst in us? In this message we considered persuasive evidence that the problem is not only human sin; these technologies are deliberately awful. And as serious as the problem is, it's not new; followers of Jesus have always wrestled with how to live for Jesus between two worlds. It turns out we already have all we need in order that it may be online as it is in heaven. 

Message Date: January 16, 2022 (Ephesians 2:1-10)

Persuasive Technologies have turned human life into a commodity while we blindly click and scroll along. No longer. In this message we learn what an algorithm is, and how it knows so much about us. If we're disturbed at the idea that tech companies might be listening to us through our devices, the reality is even worse. Only by realigning our use of this tech with our identity in Christ can we take our lives back from a business model that traffics us.

Message date: January 9, 2022

This message is first in a series in which we consider what social media and related technologies are doing to us - individually and as a culture - and whether it's worth it. It's an important conversation for the Church to have. Reflecting theologically and biblically, we acknowledged that this tech has helped us in many ways, but there are numerous examples to show that this tech functions in our lives like an alternate god. It is deceptively powerful. What options are available to us as followers of Jesus?

(Message Date: November 28, 2021)

In this message we begin our Advent journey by considering the meaning of Jesus' Incarnation. The first week of Advent is the week of hope. We who live in seemingly hopeless times can find tremendous hope as we reflect biblically, historically, theologically, missionally, and personally, on the God who didn't stay in heaven, but put on flesh to be WITH US. 

(Message date: November 21, 2021)

We conclude our study by asking how Habakkuk went from "Where are You?!" at the start of the book to "I trust You no matter what" here at the end. Habakkuk's despair was turned to rejoicing because of three choices faith makes: Faith doesn't mind a little trembling; Faith doesn't wait for 'why', and Faith doesn't judge God.