This week's Advent focus is on the Magi, who embarked on a journey to worship Jesus, symbolizing a spiritual journey of discovery and surrender. Through this story, we see that worship is a lifestyle that requires offering our lives fully to God and aligning personal plans with His will. As we walk through the journey of worship - in discovery, treasure, and humility—we can engage deeply and humbly in worship. 

During our second week of Advent, we read in Luke Chapter 2 about how the shepherds in the field were the first to hear about the birth of Jesus from angels. Ordinary, marginalized people were chosen to be the first to receive the news of the Messiah's arrival in Bethlehem. As we talked about the wonder and awe that the shepherds must have experienced, we were challenged to share the joy and wonder of our faith with others through personal stories, the way we live, and inviting others to experience the good news.

In this sermon, we kick off the Advent season with a message that focuses on the concept of being "willing." Pastor John highlights the story of Mary and Joseph as examples of having hearts sensitive to God's call and willing to do difficult things. He walks us through three key points: willingness is birthed from a heart sensitive toward the Lord, believers can do difficult things when following God's plan, and obedience is required to fulfill God's purpose.

To wrap up our Upside Down series, Pastor Zach explores the concept of "strength in weakness" through the apostle Paul's writings, arguing that acknowledging and surrendering our weaknesses to God can lead to true strength. He shares his personal story, emphasizing that admitting we are not enough allows God's power to work through us, which is a key principle of the "upside-down" kingdom of God.

In this message, Pastor John teaches about how generosity is a fundamental aspect of Christian living that often goes against our natural human tendencies. He explains that generosity is important for three main reasons: it guards our hearts from materialism, it helps people in need, and it makes the Great Commission possible. He emphasizes that in the New Testament, giving should come from a cheerful heart and a place of "want to" rather than "have to."

In this message, Pastor Eric emphasizes that true happiness comes from recognizing our spiritual poverty and complete dependence on God, not from our circumstances or possessions. We are encouraged to embrace our need for God daily and to put Jesus' teachings into practice, as this is the foundation for experiencing the abundant life He offers.

In this message, we discuss how the kingdom of God that Jesus taught us about is an "upside down" kingdom that is not of this world. It presents the kingdom as an invitation to start over and be "born again," living a different way from the values and priorities of this world, focusing on goodness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit rather than worldly desires and power.

This message focuses on prayer as one of the key elements for making wise decisions. John breaks down prayer into four main components: how we pray, why we pray, what we pray, and where we pray. He emphasizes that prayer is accessible to everyone and doesn't require perfection or formality.

This message focuses on the importance of choosing the right counsel when making wise decisions, emphasizing two key sources of counsel: Scripture and trusted advisers. John stresses that basing one's life on God's Word provides a solid foundation for decision-making while surrounding oneself with wise, trustworthy people can provide valuable guidance.

In this message, John emphasizes the importance of seeking wisdom from God in decision-making. He highlights that unwise decisions can have long-lasting impacts on our lives. To make wise decisions, we are encouraged to ask God for wisdom, ensure our faith is solely in Him, and maintain an undivided commitment to Him. By doing so, we align our choices with God's will, which is inherently pure and good.