Despite what we see every day in social media and in the entertainment industry, LOVE is more than a sentiment. Love is a choice that leads to action. Love is also hard. Maybe that is why so many choose to just say the words and go through the motions. Love is often painful. In this second message of the Love Our Neighbors in a World Full of Hate, Pastor Steven Merritt outlines the shape of that love, and tells us how we live out love like that.

We live in a world that is full of hate (and envy, lust, greed, etc.). It is why we have such difficulty getting along with one another. It is an old story though. There is an answer to this problem, and the solution is older and more powerful than the problem. But we must look at the problem first, in order to appreciate God's solution. I this first message in the series Loving Our Neighbor in a World Full of Hate, Pastor Steven Merritt takes us back to the beginning of the problem. It is not just any story, it is our story.

We have been looking briefly at the trustworthiness of the Bible, and the focus of it. But what is the Bible actually for? What is its purpose? Why do we have it? And what good is it in today's world? In the third message of the series "How to Read the Bible," Pastor Steven Merritt tells us what it means to say that the Bible is God-breathed, and what difference it makes in our lives (if we let it).

Some, if not many believers do not see the purpose of the Old Testament, or they read it like historical reference. In this second message of the How to Read the Bible series, Pastor Steven Merritt how to read the Old Testament in a fresh way, by revealing something that many never even think of.

Is the Bible truly trustworthy? Is the Bible the Word of God? If so, what is its purpose? Can we trust it, and if so, how far? This first message in the How To Read the Bible series, Pastor Steven Merritt begins a four-part discussion on the purpose and reliability of Scripture.

The Kingdom is upside down. Humanly we would never equate a yoke (used by teams of oxen to haul heavy loads) with freedom. Being connected to something or someone for the purpose of work or labor is thought of as liberating. Yet, in the Kingdom of God, this is exactly how we get freedom and rest. As we continue with our Set Free series, Pastor Steven Merritt, how to get peace and rest.

Living life in the Kingdom of God is upside down. It takes a lot of strength to admit your weakness and yield to God. It takes an immense amount of trust. And He will give you the strength to trust Him if you are at least willing to be made willing. One thing is for sure - even though His strength is displayed through our weakness, the life on someone who would follow Jesus is definitely not for the weak. Pastor Steven Merritt gives some practical guidance for those who are living in fear, as we continue our Set Free series.

Some things we are able to do without any training. Most things we want to do need some explanation, instructions, and even modeling. Most (not all) followers of Jesus know far more of what they SHOULD be doing that they are currently doing. In this latest message of the Set Free series, Pastor Steven Merritt reminds believers of what they already know to do, and reminds them to do it.

Not everyone is what they appear to be, or even what they claim to be. Many claim to be followers of Jesus, and even have amazing deeds to back their claim. But an authentic relationship with Jesus is not about words, or even deeds. And the storm that is coming will reveal the truth of the matter. As we continue the series Set Free, Pastor Steven Merritt compares an authentic relationship with God through Jesus, to an inauthentic one.

Despite the increasing prominence of some religious groups, by and large the church seems divided and powerless. That lack of power reveals a great deal. It reveals that someone in the church has been ignored. Pastor Steven Merritt begins a new series called Set Free, a deeper study into the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of each believer and in the lives of believers collectively - in something we call The Church.