January 26 & 27, 2019

Lead Pastor, Bobby Parschauer

What does it mean to be “…loved by God…” (1 Thess. 1:4a)? How do we reconcile that with our afflictions? Perhaps being loved by God has far deeper implications than we would have thought. If being loved by God, is only as deep as what makes us feel good at the moment, then is it limited love? Are we too shallow in our thinking? Perhaps God’s love is far deeper and more immeasurable than we would have imagined.

January 19 & 20, 2019

Lead Pastor, Bobby Parschauer

Have you noticed the temperature of rhetoric rising in our country? People have strong opinions ranging from politics to religion, sexuality and everything in between. Along those lines, if you have chosen to believe that Jesus is the “way, the truth and the life”, then you can quickly become the target of hatred. Well, that is nothing new. The church at Thessalonica was born in the midst of great opposition. What makes the story so fascinating is that you see forces in play that are not normal, or human. Something happened that caused Paul and his team to be steadfast. Something was allowing that fledgling church to grow and prosper in the midst of hostility. I’m excited to go through this letter with you and praying that God will give us a deeper understanding of what it means to be steadfast.

January 12 & 13, 2019

Lead Pastor, Bobby Parschauer

Extrovert: “Solitude is punishment.”
Mother of young children: “Solitude would be wonderful.”
Choleric: “I meet God when I am actively doing things.”
Religious person: “I love solitude. It makes me feel better.”
What is the purpose of solitude? Culture has us by the neck. Many voices. Endless noise. Why did Jesus choose solitude? How do we hear from God?

January 5 & 6, 2019

Lead Pastor, Bobby Parschauer

Whenever a new year rolls around I get a little reflective. I try to ask, “What does God really care about…?” I know God is love, and as a result He cares about caring relationships. Let’s think a little about our relationships and what God might be telling us going into 2019. From Hebrews 10:24-25, we are told to “spur”, to “love” and to “meet”. The closer we get to the return of Christ the more we are to increase in these areas. So what does that look like?

December 29 & 30, 2018

Guest Teacher, Matt Craig

Happy 2019! The new year brings an exciting sense of fresh beginnings. At the same time, most resolutions begin with the wrong end in mind, and shortly after this season of high hopes many of us revert back to living a daily grind. This week we will take a look at an incredible interaction that Jesus initiates with His new disciples, and discuss what it means to realign our resolutions (at any time of year) toward Jesus Himself.

December 23 & 24, 2018

Lead Pastor, Bobby Parschauer

December 15 & 16, 2018

Lead Pastor, Bobby Parschauer

Twenty-five years ago, on Christmas Eve, I asked Jen to marry me! I was ready to make a wedding vow based on the value I saw in her. It’s interesting that Leviticus ends with a chapter on making vows to God. Vows are voluntary! They are an overflow of joy! They are based on understanding the value of something or someone. I love the thought that Israel was led into the desert to learn how to engage the Presence of God, and then they get a chance to think about voluntary vows. Interesting. What does that mean for us today? 

December 8 & 9, 2018

Lead Pastor, Bobby Parschauer

The tree is up. You’re sitting fireside, enjoying the glow of dimmed lights and quiet music. For a moment you get a sense of peace and then your phone “bings”. Peace silently slips away and you’re being beckoned back into the world of noise. We know peace mostly by its absence- pressure on the neck, ulcers, restlessness, emotional pain... What is this “shalom” that I long for? What is “peace with God” and “the peace of God”? What does it mean that Jesus is the “Prince of Peace”? How can I silence the voices that pull me away from Peace?

December 1 & 2, 2018

Lead Pastor, Bobby Parschauer

What is hope? 
“Hope you have a nice Christmas.” 
“I hope it all works out for you.”
Hope in the Bible is deeper than that. More like an inner confidence that finds strength in God’s character. If faith is more rational (based on reading Scripture), then hope is more emotional, in the sense of filling my inner reservoir, to keep me from discouragement or despair. This weekend we will look closer at two pieces of furniture in the tabernacle that symbolize hope; also the year of Jubilee that gives us hope and tells us something about the character of God.

November 24 & 25, 2018

Lead Pastor, Bobby Parschauer

Yesterday, as a woman walked by me on her way out of a grocery store, she snarled, “Jesus Christ! These PA laws for buying alcohol are ridiculous. How is someone supposed to cope in life?” I thought, “Well, lady, you just answered your own question. Refer back to the first part of your sentence.”
This weekend we will cover the Jewish feasts in Leviticus 23. You may be unaware, but they teach us how to cope with life. Really? Yes! God built into the lunar (Jewish) calendar 7 feasts that all point to Christ! When we take the time to rest and remember, we can celebrate the fact that God has granted us access to His Presence and given us markers to enjoy resting and remembering Him.