For the final message in this series, we reach the bottom line. If someone were to ask why you are a Christian, what would you say? How do we make sure we are being authentic and ready for that conversation?

Jesus’ conversations with a Samaritan woman and a disabled man provide valuable lessons in how to engage with our neighbors. Hint: It’s not as difficult as it might seem.

As a tax collector, Matthew may have been the least likely disciple. Yet he quickly turned his house into a place where spiritual outsiders could gather for a meal and meet Jesus. We can learn much from Matthew’s actions.

By our hospitality, we declare the “outsider” as our brother or sister … just as God has done for us. It boils down to whether we live in fear, or love.

Whether you’re an introvert or an extrovert, our culture works against biblical hospitality. If we’re not careful, the culture’s values can become ours. This week, we explore what it looks like to renew our minds in spite of all that.

We begin a six-week series on biblical hospitality. What does it look like, in a culture where neighbors barely recognize each other? Bring your hesitations, objections and fears. We all have them. But ... this could be simpler than we ever thought.

Our job as followers of Jesus is to be witnesses — to testify about what we have seen and experienced. As we come to the end of a 17-week series on Acts, we notice that the book doesn’t have a formal ending. It just ... stops.

Wait, no it doesn’t.

Paul remains true to his faith while also engaging the thinkers and culture makers of his day. His wise approach in Athens applies equally well today in Rockford, Illinois.

Paul & company arrive in Philippi, where God is about to change the lives of three very different people: a rich merchant woman, a slave girl and a jailer. Their stories have much to teach us about the power of the gospel and the heart of God.

Over time, churches can drift from a heavy, outward focus on transformation to a subconscious, inward focus on conformity. Even the early church struggled with this. What questions do we need to ask ourselves to keep from becoming a barrier to people seeking God?