Generations Community Church

Do you know anyone who's telling a grievance story? Chances are, you do. And the story they tell has a clear victim (that's THEM) and a one-dimensional villain - someone who hurt them, ignored them, passed them over, mistreated them, betrayed them, or took something from them they could NEVER give back. And this grievance story is told OVER and OVER again - to anyone who will listen. And you know something? They're RIGHT. They WERE hurt. What was done to them WAS wrong - but telling that story over and over again isn't helping them. Why? In this message, Max Vanderpool unpacks an important part of the process of forgiveness - learning to tell a BETTER story.

Do you know anyone who's telling a grievance story? Chances are, you do. And the story they tell has a clear victim (that's THEM) and a one-dimensional villain - someone who hurt them, ignored them, passed them over, mistreated them, betrayed them, or took something from them they could NEVER give back. And this grievance story is told OVER and OVER again - to anyone who will listen. And you know something? They're RIGHT. They WERE hurt. What was done to them WAS wrong - but telling that story over and over again isn't helping them. Why? In this message, Max Vanderpool unpacks an important part of the process of forgiveness - learning to tell a BETTER story.

If you lend your car out to someone and they TOTAL it, but they have no insurance and no way to financially reimburse you the cost, what does it mean to forgive them? Is there a magic "car fairy" that shows up and provides you with the money to make up for what they did to you? Who (ultimately) bears the brunt of it? And what does forgiveness really mean? Does it mean you don't feel hurt? Does it mean you have to forget what they did? Does it mean you have to "kiss and make up" (and restore the relationship)? In this message, Max Vanderpool tackles the brain and heart aspects of forgiveness and why it's both a decision and a process.

If you lend your car out to someone and they TOTAL it, but they have no insurance and no way to financially reimburse you the cost, what does it mean to forgive them? Is there a magic "car fairy" that shows up and provides you with the money to make up for what they did to you? Who (ultimately) bears the brunt of it? And what does forgiveness really mean? Does it mean you don't feel hurt? Does it mean you have to forget what they did? Does it mean you have to "kiss and make up" (and restore the relationship)? In this message, Max Vanderpool tackles the brain and heart aspects of forgiveness and why it's both a decision and a process.

In life, those closest to you have the capacity to hurt you the most. Your family. Your partner. Your "best friend." But we don't all respond to hurt the same way. Some of us verbalize it and tell everyone who will listen how we've been wronged - how we've been hurt. Others of us, however, bury it deep inside and pretend to be "okay," dismissing how we were mistreated with excuses. Both get it wrong. You cannot excuse the inexcusable, and you cannot forgive what is unnamed. In this message, Max Vanderpool outlines the FIRST STEP any of us should take when we've been hurt or wronged in life. It may not be easy - but, in the long run, it's worth it - because it's a step that leads to freedom.

In life, those closest to you have the capacity to hurt you the most. Your family. Your partner. Your "best friend." But we don't all respond to hurt the same way. Some of us verbalize it and tell everyone who will listen how we've been wronged - how we've been hurt. Others of us, however, bury it deep inside and pretend to be "okay," dismissing how we were mistreated with excuses. Both get it wrong. You cannot excuse the inexcusable, and you cannot forgive what is unnamed. In this message, Max Vanderpool outlines the FIRST STEP any of us should take when we've been hurt or wronged in life. It may not be easy - but, in the long run, it's worth it - because it's a step that leads to freedom.

Tucked away in the book of 1 Kings is the encounter between Elijah and the prophets of Ba'al. And in that contest, we are reminded of something very important: God can do the impossible.

Tucked away in the book of 1 Kings is the encounter between Elijah and the prophets of Ba'al. And in that contest, we are reminded of something very important: God can do the impossible.

We're living at a time of tremendous INSTABILITY and UNCERTAINTY. And, when facing the unknown, we tend to respond with fear and with faith. Fear says that we're not sure of the outcome, but we have a feeling it's going to be bad. Faith says that we're not sure of the outcome, but that we know God is with us and for us and will take care of us. So we (simply) take another step. Another breath. In this message, Max Vanderpool spells out why God's people have ALWAYS had a hard time trusting God - and why, despite how we might feel internally - God CAN be trusted.

We're living at a time of tremendous INSTABILITY and UNCERTAINTY. And, when facing the unknown, we tend to respond with fear and with faith. Fear says that we're not sure of the outcome, but we have a feeling it's going to be bad. Faith says that we're not sure of the outcome, but that we know God is with us and for us and will take care of us. So we (simply) take another step. Another breath. In this message, Max Vanderpool spells out why God's people have ALWAYS had a hard time trusting God - and why, despite how we might feel internally - God CAN be trusted.