Alligator Snapping Turtles are sneaky little creatures. With a tongue that looks like a worm, they lure  fish into what they think is a tasty meal. That is, until the razor sharp jaws shut after the unsuspecting fish has found its way into the mouth of the turtle. In a lot of ways, this is how idols function. They promise a tasty worm but deliver empty deceit. Thankfully however, Jesus provides a way out toward real happiness and significance.

How do we press on when things get tough? How do we continue to hope in the Gospel even through suffering? We can when we have seen the rabbit, so to speak. This week, we look at three "rabbit sightings" that serve as fuel and fire for the apostle Paul himself.

The crux of the book of Colossians is the notion that Jesus Christ is God Himself, having all power, authority, compassion and mercy. This week, we get to this view of who Jesus is that leads to the Overview Effect. Nothing else can be the same after this, not the least of which being how we steward our time, talents and treasures that God has given to us for His Kingdom.

As we begin the book of  Colossians, in the first  few verses we see a case study of what it  looks like when the Gospel  comes to a place and begins to take root and bear fruit. Looking at the story of the church of Colossae is helpful because by examining Colossians 1:1-14,  we can take an inventory of our own lives and church to see if the Gospel has come to us as well.

The book of Colossians allows us to experience the Overview Effect. It is a book that when we understand how it flows and what God is telling us through it, our perspective on reality is dramatically changed. This week, we begin our series by doing an overview, so to speak, through the book of Colossians and outlining where we're going for the next few months.  For the rest of the Fall we’re simple but challenging question: Will you enter in and explore the book of Colossians and dare to experience the revolutionary power of the Overview Effect?

Imagine a sunken treasure ship. Jesus has given  us the Lord's Prayer to take us from the surface of the sea to the riches found below. When we follow His process, we find all the resources and answers to our problems. This week, we explore how asking for and giving forgiveness makes us both continually aware of the condition of our own hearts and gives us the pathway to walk in freedom.

What are we really praying  when we pray the words, "Your kingdom come, you will be done, on earth as it is in heaven?" Everybody has an  idea of what their ideal kingdom looks and feels like on earth. However,  when  we examine what Scripture tells us about God's Kingdom, we see that  we are praying specifically for God's presence to be felt, God's people to be increased, and God's purposes to be submitted to.

In the first line of the Lord's Prayer, Jesus teaches us that understanding our relationship with our Father is the first step in learning to pray. As we continue into Matthew 6, we explore how prayer is first about our relationship with God before it is about our requests from God. 

Prayer is  the most important yet at the same time most difficult of the spiritual disciplines. So much is misunderstood about prayer which is why we are opening up Matthew 6 and exploring how Jesus teaches us to pray (and not to pray). This week, we consider who it is we are praying to and its deep implications that adoption into God's family has for our lives.

Christian fasting is a normal, voluntary abstinence from food for spiritual purposes. It might be one of the most misunderstood and avoided of the spiritual disciplines and yet at the same time it might be one of the most potent and life-changing. This week, we examine Matthew 6 and 9 to explore Jesus' teaching on why we fast, how we fast and what it is that fasting accomplishes in us.