In Philippians 1:12-18a, Paul tells the church of Philippi that all he has endured was for the benefit of spreading God's Word and no matter what the motives of those who preach the Gospel are, he has reason to rejoice. We have no excuse to not share the Good News with everyone we can.

After updating us about the changes and state of Lakeview Christian Camp, Brian Barr challenges us to consider what God would find if He searched our hearts and souls. These days, there are many miserable Christians. They are trying to include sin and the World in their lives, but it only serves to taint the joy that living for God has to offer.

Part 2 of our series "Joyful Unity" looks into Philippians 1:1-11, where Paul begins with a greeting to the church in Philippi and prays for thanksgiving and intercession. In just a few verses, Paul prepares them for the contents of the rest of the letter. Pastor Kevin guides us through all of the theological subtext that we can apply to our lives.

Our new sermon series "Joyful Unity" comes from Philippians, Paul's personal letter to the church in Philippi. Pastor Kevin begins by setting the context for the letter, introducing us to 8 probable reasons for Paul's letter, and 4 important themes we can apply to our own lives today.

The year 2020 has been full of turmoil that only God could see coming, but Jennifer Urban outlines some of the things that we can learn from these days of crisis: How to fix our eyes on Christ, to love in a crisis, to care for our minds and spirits, to build an enduring faith, and to do our part to fight racial injustices. To see 2020 through a new lens, we need to pray.

In the 1993 film Jurassic Park, an eccentric industrialist finances a team of scientists to recreate dinosaurs for a new theme park. However, things go wrong and everyone on the island is put in danger. Ian Malcolm, one of the guests, states, "Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should." The people of Israel demanded that Judge Samuel give them a king before God had intended and, as a result, they suffered under King Saul. We are also given freedom to make our choices, but we must be conscious to make decisions that honor God.

In the 1985 film Back to the Future, Marty travels back in time and interferes with key events between his would-be parents, preventing his eventual birth. To ensure his existence, he must set the timeline right again. When God has a plan, we know it's for the best and won't be thwarted, even if it is sometimes difficult to wait for His plan to become apparent.

In the 2008 film Kung Fu Panda, Po is dedicated to working at his dad's noodle stand until he is chosen to be the Dragon Warrior. Po fails in his conventional training, but when he focuses on what he is familiar with, he is able to become a great warrior and defeat the villain. In 1 Samuel 17, we read about David, the shepherd boy who uses his faith in God and a single riverstone to slay the Philistine giant Goliath. Each of us has uniqueness that God gave us, so we must recognize what it is and use it for His glory.

In the 1971 film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, impoverished Charlie wins a tour of the strange and wondrous chocolate factory of Willy Wonka, contending for the top prize. A shady man named Slugworth approaches and offers a hefty payment in exchange for an Everlasting Gobstopper. After disqualifying from the top prize, Charlie proves his worthiness by returning the Gobstopper, showing he would rather walk away with nothing than betray Wonka.

Each of us face temptation, but we must be able to resist it, as Jesus did after the 40 days of fasting following His baptism. It is the Spirit can give us the power to resist.

In the 1987 film The Princess Bride, true love is able to get Wesley through many obstacles, including death, and allow him and Buttercup to be reunited. True love such as that seems inconceivable! However, when we remember the vastness of God and His love for us, we know it exists and it exceeds any earthly bonds we could ever form.