In our spiritual journey, we're called to bring an encounter with God to others.In todays Leadership Lesson we explore three key elements of fruitful leadership: encounter, experience, and equipping. The encounter stems from our own spiritual formation and leadership development. This process shapes us into the image of God (Imago Dei), preparing us to minister effectively. Pastor Mark Kelsey challenges us to cultivate daily disciplines of intimate connection with God, embrace the transformative power of suffering, and integrate our whole being - spirit, soul, and body. As we grow in these areas, we become vessels through which others can encounter God's presence.

The Psalms of Ascent remind us that faith moves upward even when life feels like it's falling apart. Jesus’ journey from Palm Sunday to Gethsemane shows us the reality of both joy and sorrow on the road of obedience.

Pastor Mark Kelsey highlights that our direction matters more than our condition. Jesus stayed oriented toward the Father, anchored in identity, not emotion. His surrender “Not my will, but yours be done” wasn’t weakness, but strength. We’re invited into the same posture. In every season, God is present. Nothing can separate us from His love. 

God restores our fortunes, turning our mourning into laughter. When we're challenged to see our pain through a new lens - not as something to be avoided, we sow seeds for a future harvest of joy. Pastor Amy Perez encourages us to bring our honest laments to God, acknowledging our pain while trusting in His transformative power. As we learn to sow our tears, we're promised a harvest of joy that not only changes us but also becomes a powerful witness to the world of God's faithfulness.

Psalm 126 paints a vivid picture of joy rising out of sorrow. It recalls the Israelites’ return from exile, a moment of divine restoration that reflects our own journey with God. As they remembered what He had done, their mouths were filled with laughter, and hope was reignited. This act of remembering is not just nostalgic; it’s a spiritual practice that fuels endurance. We’re called to sow in tears, remaining faithful in seasons of struggle, trusting that God is cultivating something deeper. Pastor Kevin Myers points out that the life of faith is a steady ascent one that shapes us through every high and low. As we walk this path in community, we learn to ask boldly, trust deeply, and anticipate the harvest of joy that God promises.

The life of a disciple is not an individual pursuit but a shared journey rooted in community. Just as the Israelites journeyed together toward Jerusalem, relying on God through both trials and triumphs, we too are called to a steady ascent toward Him. Psalm 126 reminds us that joy isn’t a fleeting emotion tied to circumstances, it’s the deep, enduring fruit of a life rooted in God’s faithfulness. This Sunday Pastor Stephanie Rivas paints a picture of the life of faith as a pilgrimage. One where tears are sown in trust, and God brings forth a harvest of joy. Along this path, we are shaped by generosity, worship, and shared spiritual growth. This is the invitation: to live lives as living testimonies, spreading the light of God’s joy through our communities and daily interactions. Together, we learn to see joy as a divine promise, cultivating resilience that testifies to God’s unwavering goodness.

In this weeks Leadership Lessons, Pastor Amy Perez explores how we're invited to dive deep into the interplay between sorrow and joy in our spiritual lives. Psalm 126 beautifully illustrates how God restores our fortunes, turning our mourning into laughter. We're challenged to see our pain through a new lens - not as something to be avoided, but as seeds to be sown for a future harvest of joy. As we learn to sow our tears, we're promised a harvest of joy that not only changes us but also becomes a powerful witness to the world of God's faithfulness.

Worship isn't just a song it's a lifestyle that anchors us in the middle of uncertainty, pain and pressure. In this weeks Leadership Lesson, our Worship Director Tameeka Walker unpacks the power of worship when life doesn't make sense. Drawing from Acts 16, Tameeka shows how Paul and Silas didn't wait for breakthrough to worship, they were already prepared. Worship shifts atmospheres, builds spiritual endurance and keeps our hearts aligned with God even when we're pressed but not yet delivered. In the middle of the process, the tension and the unknown, worship creates space for God to move. 

Worship isn't rooted in preference it's anchored in presence. Pastor Banning continues our journey through the Psalms of Ascent with a call to reorient our hearts around the One who's worthy. Singing together isn't about what we feel, but what we bring: unified adoration. It's not performance, it's offering. As we reflect, we're invited to ask: is our worship shaped by convenience or by reverence? Discipleship begins not with what moves us but with what we surrender.

Exile isn't always a place, it's a condition of the soul. Pastor Josh begin this journey of ascent by exploring the restleness that awakens when we realize we no longer belong where we are. The way of Jesus isn't about conveinece it's about courage to return. As we reflect, we're invited to examine whether we're drifting or truly walking with God. Discipleship begins not with arrival but with the ache to come home.

Drawing from Hebrews 10, Pastor Ryan Schlachter unpacks the powerful truth of being seated with Christ. Reminding us that while Old Testament priests stood daily offering repeated sacrifices, Jesus made one final sacrifice and is now seated at the right hand of God. Because of this, we no longer strive for God’s approval but serve from a place of rest. This shift frees us from guilt and shame, inviting us to live in the fullness of Christ’s forgiveness and approach life’s struggles from a place of already-won victory.