10/18/2020 | How do we take our relationship with God from the shallows into a deeper place? In Week 3, Pastor Matt talks about how going deeper in our faith involves doing something. Just like our physical diet consists of calories in and calories out, our spiritual diet must consist of both calories in and calories out. Reading from Philippians 2:12-16, Pastor Matt challenges us to "Work out what God is working in."

Pastor Matt & Pastor Jamal talk about what Pastor Jeff called, "signs of spiritual infancy" in greater depth. We talk about how & why we can fall prey to being unchanged in a church atmosphere, as well as being unchanged by God's Word. We talk about the mission and purpose of the church, how to know when you're ready to teach someone else, and each of us share something that recently God has spoken to us personally.

10/11/2020 | How do we take our relationship with God from the shallows into a deeper place? In Week 2, Pastor Jeff challenges us from Hebrews 5:11-14, where the writer talks about what Pastor Jeff refers to as "symptoms of spiritual infancy":

1) Slow to learn / dull to hear (v. 11)

2) Ought to be teachers instead of being taught (v. 12)

3) Milk over meat (v. 12)

4) Unskilled in the Word (v. 13)

Pastor Jeff warns against being in a place where nothing that is said impacts our lives. Learning is good, but there is nothing more exciting than sharing your faith with someone who needs to know about Jesus.

Pastor Matt, Pastor Jamal & Pastor Todd talk about "going deeper" in our walk with God. We define what is meant by "deeper", we talk about our need for and dependency on God, and we talk about navigating the tension of trusting in God and his provision when it seems like He isn't providing for us in the tangible ways that we may need.

10/04/2020 | How do we take our relationship with God from the shallows into a deeper place? In this first week, we look at Jesus' personal encounter with Peter in Luke 5:1-11. We see that: 

1) Jesus is never too busy to meet with just you,

2) When Jesus meets us, it is to take us from shallow faith to deeper faith,

3) Jesus turns what we are concerned about into what He is concerned about.

Pastor Matt, Pastor Jamal & Pastor Todd talk about the "Better Together" September teaching series. We talk about the dangers of being in isolation, how relationships can take work, humility in community, and knowing that we're working towards unity instead of being self-focused and keeping others from God.

09/27/2020 | It is almost impossible to be an ally and an advocate for people who are different than us, without being in relationship or having a significant experience with them. Pastor Jeff unpacks the Early Church's struggles with accepting those who were different from them in Acts 15:5-12. He reminds us that when it comes to belonging and including others:

1) We were all created in the image of God.

2) Jesus set the example.

09/20/2020 | Being in community is how we can grow past our blind spots. Tough love is the right combination of “grace-giving” + “truth-telling,” which we see embodied perfectly in Jesus (John 1:14), and tough love is how we overcome those blindspots. Pastor Matt gives some helpful tips when it comes to giving and receiving tough love:

1) Know thyself (2 Timothy 1:7)

2) Consider the source (Proverbs 27:17)

3) Choose your battles (John 16:12)

4) Catch people doing right (Proverbs 25:11)

09/13/2020 | As we gear up for the launch of Life Groups, Pastor Jeff talks about the importance of being in community with other Christians, specifically when it comes to small groups. Looking at the Early Church in Acts 2:41-47, Pastor Jeff shows us that:

1) Community is not simply found; it is formed.

2) Connection involves gathering in both large (communal) and smaller (relational) ways.

Pastor Jeff encourages us with Hebrews 10:24-25; to not neglect meeting together, but to encourage one another instead.

09/06/2020 | Pastor Jeff reads from Philippians 2 and talks about how we must have the same attitude as Christ Jesus, who humbled himself and gave himself up for us. We need to exemplify a Christ-like attitude to everyone around us, especially in community with our brothers and sisters, because we're Better Together.