First Christian Church Champaign

“You’re with me, but are you really with me?” Have you ever felt like that about someone close to you? Sometimes we can unintentionally communicate that we aren't fighting for the ones we claim to love. How so? Well, sometimes simply being present isn’t enough. We need to have each other’s backs too.

“I love my church!” Of course we want everyone to say that, but what does that even mean? Does it mean we love the messages, we love the music, or maybe we just love what our church has to offer our kids? Those aren't bad reasons, but at its heart, “I love the church" should mean one thing first and foremost—that we love people.

When the church is flourishing it reflects a community of love, compassion and care to everyone. A place where people of every background, life stage, ethnicity and economic status can find their home. It’s time to be the church where we live work and play. "ALL IN" ON 3!

Giving is an act of vulnerability. Nothing exposes our desires more than how we give of ourselves. Sacrifice, service, and generosity collectively point to the depth of our hearts. Let's honestly and openly evaluate what it truly takes to give our time, talent, and treasures.

Pressure and hardship tend to expose a person’s character. When was the last time life smacked you in the face and did not go as you hoped? Very often in those times of conflict and hardship we tend to go through it alone. However, when we are a part of a community we have people who can walk through hard times with us. Ultimately, through this, our character is refined and a community is impacted.

When we gather with our whole family - we often call it a reunion. Reunions are times to retell old family stories to remember who we have been and snap pictures of 3rd and 4th generations to capture who we are becoming. The church is a family - a family that gathers and meets people where they are. A family without purpose can drift off course, however, a family with healthy intention can leave a positive legacy that lasts throughout generations. Invite your family and friends to join us as we continue to build our legacy.

In the midst of everything that doesn’t make sense there are a couple of clear paths to choose… toil away in meaninglessness, or trust God. This is easier said than done, but we believe that finding true meaning in life is a choice we can make.

Many people spend a lot of time trying to avoid the inevitable reality of death. Spoiler alert… we won’t live forever. People obviously handle this in a variety of ways. Some of us obsess over it, some of us try to ignore it, and some of us cling to one form of faith or another. On Sunday we’ll talk about how we can find meaning in life, even in the face of death.

It seems like the worst stuff happens to the best people, and the worst folks seem to keep catching breaks. Why does it seem like God is okay with that and what are we supposed to do with that? This week we will dive into this mystery and see there actually is a way to move forward in life without understanding things that don’t seem fair.

Ever feel like you’re trying to “keep up with the Joneses” getting stuff you don’t really need to impress people you don’t really like? Money, property, cars, status, fame… and on and on it goes. A lot of the things we chase in life fail to deliver on their promises to fulfill us. Is there more to life than the rat race for more, more, more.