In the Old Testament, the conquests of Israel against other nations can become very problematic for a lot of Bible readers in trying to understand the nature and character of God. Ironically enough, in Matthew 15, Jesus interacts with a Canaanite woman whose national identity represents nothing less than a literal enemy of God’s people throughout Ancient Near East history. In this message, T.D. Davis (co-lead pastor) walks us through Jesus’ surprising response to this woman’s request for mercy that illustrates a compelling picture into the uncategorical mercy of God.

Have you ever experienced a season where life felt like you were just “going through the motions”? In Ephesians 5, Paul identifies this posture of “sleepiness” as a major threat to our spiritual life in the way it minimizes the unique opportunities our lives afford us each day. Rather than coasting through life and passively waiting for more direction, what would it mean if we chose to legitimately own the mission of God where we live, work, learn, or play?

Our Plant the Gospel series continues with a deep dive into Ephesians 4 and Paul’s depiction of a healthy, mature local church. Guest teacher, Jon Ritner, breaks down the five core functions that every local church must express in order to display the fullness of Jesus in the world. These five functions, or as Paul call’s them, gifts, are given to God’s people as the equipment we need to fulfill God’s mission in the world. And by God’s grace, we all get a gift to share with the world..so lets open them up together.

What motivates us to join God where He’s already at work in the world? Are we somehow naturally motivated to follow God into our calling and purpose or do we require an external motivation to help spiritually “hype” us up? In Ephesians 3, the early church apostle Paul prays a powerful prayer that clues us into an unlimited supply of motivation that Jesus alone powerfully saturates us with: His love. In this message, T.D. Davis (co-lead pastor) encourages us to find our long lasting ministry motivation to be found in God’s realized love, rather than a posture trying to earn what He’s already accomplished.

One of the interesting observations around the COVID-19 pandemic included the question: Who is the church without a typical Sunday gathering? How could the church fulfill God's vision without one of its expected and integral expressions? In Ephesians 2, members of the church are described as unique masterpieces mobilized to plant God’s goodness through the engagement of good works. With this in mind, what happens when “Sundays" inadvertently become the church's end goal? In this message, T.D. Davis (co-lead pastor) encourages us that our collective callings are a reminder that Jesus empowers people to accomplish something beyond the limited boundaries of centralization.

Throughout human history, God’s agenda has been all about saturating creation with His goodness. Ephesians 1 describes Jesus in a way that affirms this ultimate authority and filling power in mutual participation with His church. But isn’t it interesting how we sometimes feel like we can out-originate or out-vision God in our own human cunningness? In this message, T.D. Davis (co-lead pastor) challenges us to take the pressure of good works and service off of our shoulders and onto the One who is capable and already at work.

What do you think of when you hear the word “church”? The generative grammar of our culture often times drives us to imagine a building or a steeple, but is this “static” picture the vision Jesus intended as the vehicle to see His will be done “on earth as it is in Heaven”? In Part 1 of this new message series, T.D. Davis (co-lead pastor) helps remind us that we all carry a powerful spiritual birthright to actively serve in the places God has already uniquely planted us.

Is it possible that the hurried, fast paced, 24/7 hustle harder culture that we live in is not only unhealthy, but actually inhumane? Throughout the pages of scripture, God offers an antidote for the type of burnout, anxiety, and exhaustion that has become so prevalent in America today. Let’s re-discover the lost art of Sabbath together and explore how this divine rhythm of life is meant to communicate the eternal truth that we are enough.

Throughout scripture we see that God sends his people and uses diversity as a means for restoration and healing. We are one body with many parts, unified and diverse. When looking at the Tower of Babel we once again see God’s goodness through the reigning in of oppressive uniformity and a renewed diversity propelling people outward. When people sought to live outside personal boundaries, wanting to be God themselves, God redirected them to a place within limits but a place of freedom to multiply. God reaffirms our calling to be “his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way” as seen in Ephesians.

 In today's world, a person is not considered successful until they have gained more, or reached their end goal, or achieved certain levels of wealth or fame. This message offers us a new framework to think about success. Bella Perez (NextGen Pastor) teaches that faithfulness is what makes you successful and shares different ways to be faithful.