Frontier Church

Have you ever looked at something in your life and thought, “It’s too far gone”?

A broken relationship. A dream that died. A heart that feels numb.

This Sunday, we are excited to have Kathy Martinsen, Christian's wonderful mom, bring the message from Ezekiel 37—the powerful vision of dry bones coming to life. In a valley of death and disappointment, God asks a question that still echoes today:

“Can these bones live?”

Through the words of a prophet and the breath of the Spirit, we’ll explore how God restores what we’ve written off—how He brings life where there was only loss, and hope where there was only heartache.

If you're in a season of spiritual dryness, or if someone you love feels beyond repair—this is a message that will strengthen you.

God is still breathing. And His Spirit still restores.

(Rom 12:1-8, Part 2)

This Mother’s Day, we’re honoring more than just the role of a mother—we’re honoring the Spirit-formed lives that shaped us.

Some of us learned to pray by watching our moms whisper blessings in the quiet. Others were taught Scripture at the dinner table, or watched a spiritual mentor serve faithfully behind the scenes. These daily practices—prayer, Scripture, and spiritual gifts—aren’t just for the spiritual elite. They are the very tools God uses to shape ordinary people into kingdom builders.

In a world that’s forming us through distraction, hustle, and digital overload… what if we were formed by the Spirit instead?

This week’s message dives into:

-How to renew your mind through Scripture

-How to make prayer a relational rhythm, not just a task

-How to discover and use your spiritual gifts in community

Whether you’re a parent, a student, or just spiritually tired—this message is for anyone who wants to return to the quiet place and live with power in the public one.

Every one of us is being shaped—by our habits, our screens, our culture, and our desires.

This Sunday, we’re diving into a powerful and practical message from Romans 12:1–8 called:

“Conformed or Transformed? The Worship War In You.”

We’ll explore the hidden forces that are forming our minds and lives—often without us realizing it—and what it looks like to live as a living sacrifice in a world of distraction, pressure, and self-optimization.

Here’s what we’ll unpack:

-Why you’re already worshiping something (even if you don’t realize it)

-How the world subtly conforms us—and what it takes to resist

-Why true worship involves your whole life, not just Sunday mornings

This message is for anyone feeling the tension between the life you’re living and the life you’re called to.

We live in a culture of convenience, distraction, and comfort. Everything is designed to minimize commitment—ghosting is normal, and long-term sacrifice feels optional. When it comes to following Jesus, we tend to want a version that fits around our schedules, not one that interrupts our lives.

So the culture is louder than ever—shaping how we think, what we value, and even who we believe we are. In a world that tells us to look within for truth, to chase happiness at all costs, and to live life on our own terms, the call of Jesus cuts through with a radical invitation: ‘Come, follow Me.’

Today, we’re talking about what it means and the cost attached to real disciple to Jesus—not just in theory, but right now—in a secular age that’s constantly pulling us in the opposite direction.

This isn’t just about going to church. It’s about becoming someone—someone who’s being formed by Jesus in the middle of a culture that’s trying to form us without Him. A secular worldview offers hope until life falls apart. The gospel offers hope because life falls apart.

Jesus will show us in this message that the excuses aren't new. They just have better branding today.

In Luke 9, people gave "good" reasons to delay following Jesus. But Jesus knew: delayed obedience is disobedience. The same is true today.

Discipleship is slow, quiet rebellion against the gods of this age.

In this Easter message, Christian delves into the profound implications of the resurrection of Jesus, emphasizing its central role in transforming lives and restoring purpose. The resurrection is presented not just as a historical event but as a transformative truth that evokes deep personal encounters with God, enabling believers to find hope amidst suffering and brokenness.

The message draws parallels to the biblical figure of Paul, whose dramatic conversion signifies the lifting of a spiritual veil that hinders true understanding of God. This theme of “lifting the veil” suggests that true engagement with God often precedes intellectual acceptance of the resurrection.

In looking at modern examples of movements of faith in today's culture, we look at the the emergence of hope and revival across generational lines, especially among young people. You are invited to explore your spiritual journey, encouraging an openness to the divinely transformative experience that Jesus' resurrection offers.

In this message, Christian explores the complexities of faith, discipleship, and the importance of genuine connection with God. He encourages us to engage deeply with the Scriptures and to be open to the challenging words of Jesus, as presented in the Gospel of John. We reflect on the nature of worship and the significance of sacrifice, highlighting that true discipleship is about more than mere belief—it’s about transformation and allowing God to disrupt our false notions of discipleship. We look at the tension between cultural expectations and scriptural truth, urging us to analyze our motives and seek deeper spiritual maturity. The message also addresses the issue of false discipleship and the need for each of us to be honest about our spiritual motivations, ultimately inviting us to a profound engagement with God’s presence.

Key Insights

- The Cosmic Perspective: Humans worship a God who is intimately engaged with creation despite our insignificance in the universe. This acknowledgment encourages worship as a response to God’s greatness.

- Sacrifice and Transformation: The ability to sacrifice for future fulfillment is unique to humans, which sets the stage for understanding the significance of Jesus as the ultimate sacrifice. This tradition of recognizing sacrifice embodies the transformative journey Christians undergo to align with Christ.

- The Offense of Discipleship: The idea that many followers often leave when faith is challenged showcases the difficulty of true discipleship. The church must navigate this tension, recognizing that faith may sometimes be uncomfortable.

- Cultural vs. Scriptural Alignment: Discipleship isn’t merely about accepting beliefs but involves active engagement with scripture against cultural norms, urging believers to discern their insecurities and dependencies.

- The Importance of Heart Alignment: Peter’s heartfelt confession reflects that true belief isn’t just intellectual agreement; it’s a deep acknowledgment of Christ’s authority and life-transforming power, calling believers to align their inner beliefs with their actions.

- The Complexity of Faith: A genuine faith journey can involve doubt and questioning, reinforcing that even seasoned believers face challenges in understanding God’s plans and allow emotions to play a role in their spiritual journey.

- Embracing Spiritual Practices: Practical engagement in spiritual disciplines, such as prayer, scripture reading, and community, can guide believers through their struggles, exposing their true motives and fostering deeper transformation in their faith journey. Choose 1 to intentionally practice in response to this message.

We often think we know and embrace who Jesus is, but then we are confronted with suffering we aren't ok with.

The very minute the Peter understands who Jesus is, Jesus tells him what He is going to do to overcome the evils of our broken world and rescue humanity from itself, “I’m going to have to suffer, I’m going to have to be rejected, I’m going to have to die.”

- Satan had already issued to Jesus the promise of the kingdoms of this earth so long as Jesus would bow down and worship him (Matthew 4).

- The Father’s way entails that Jesus must endure defeat, shame, and suffering, whereas Satan proposed to give this to Jesus through worldly honor and worldly achievement.

- Like Satan’s proposal, Peter’s own ideas of victory and greatness had no room for suffering, humility, or any measure of personal unhappiness/discomfort.

- Peter at this stage could not reason (let along imagine) alongside the Father, with “the mind of Christ” (1 Cor. 2:16; Phil. 2:5–8), and therefore sets his personal beliefs and desires above and in front of that of Jesus.

- SO... Peter was not prepared for God’s kingdom to move through him in the same way it did with Jesus, remaining indestructible no matter what difficulty comes his way.

- To the extent that we, too, insist that our lives should not be going this or that way, we are subject to the same rebuke.

BIG IDEA: LET JESUS EXPOSE YOUR DESIRES AND PUT THEM IN CHECK.

Just die already;). Die to the ways of the world. Live for Jesus' eternal kingdom.

Disruptive Discipleship in a Secular Age

Christian officially begins our "Disruptive Discipleship in a Secular Age" series that we have been introducing over the past weeks. We'll be focusing on what discipleship to Jesus looks like in our current secular moment of our culture, and rediscovering the practices of our faith that can flourish in a new world.

WHAT IS DISCIPLESHIP IN OUR MOMENT?

Discipleship is the intentional process of becoming like Jesus by countering the cultural forces that shape us and actively aligning our lives with His way.

Discipleship is not passive but requires intentional formation, where each of us resist the pull of secular culture and embrace the values of the kingdom of God. It’s not merely about acquiring knowledge but about practicing the way of Jesus through intentional habits, deep community, and a countercultural lifestyle.

Phil Chan is sharing a significant message on Fasting: Discipling our Desires… What we desire shapes who we become. If we don’t disciple our desires, our desires will disciple us. In this message, we explore the underutilized practice of fasting and how it is actually God’s chosen tool for helping to shape our desires in world where everything is gnawing to shape it. Pastor Phil breaks down the why, what, and how to get started with fasting for modern Christians looking to keep their hunger rooted in God.

As we begin the Season of Lent leading to Easter, Christian is continuing an emphasis on "authentic repentance" in our pursuit of Discipleship in a Secular Age. Tomorrow message is on "The Miracle of the Spirit: Perseverance in Suffering" from Romans 5.