Without intending to, Christianity won the West. It toppled the Roman Empire. And it did so without raising a sword. What was the secret of the early church's influence? And where did we go wrong? In this message, Chris shares the secret - and a lesson for us about judging others. This may be exactly where the church has gone wrong. . .

The words used to describe Christians today often bear no resemblance to the one word Jesus wanted his followers to be known for. What would it look like if, for one day, we got it right? What if we as Christians embodied this one word? What if our behavior was so consistent with this word that folks around us were drawn to us - and to God?

The invitation of Jesus to be a disciple is an invitation to relationship. But often our Christian experiences are more centered around information and rules and laws and lists. What if obedience was not the initial step but a by-product of a connection with Jesus? Maybe Jesus is more interested in imitation rather than information.

Enter into any kind of relationship - business, sales, new job, etc. - and you need to define the terms in order to put everyone on the same page. Christian is a hard term to define because the Bible never does, but a disciple? Jesus clearly defines a disciple.

It's a word we hear all the time - Christian. It evokes strong emotions and feelings from most people and studies would show that a high percentage of people would self-identify as one. But what does it really mean? Did Jesus really call people to be Christians?

As we enter a new year, its fun to look back and see the good things God has allowed us to participate in serving him. And as we look ahead, doing the right things isn't always easy, so we stay in the fight for Real. Family. Life.

The name Jesus is so familiar to us - we actually use it when we are angry and have no other word to use! But the name has a deep and rich meaning that points us to the message of Christmas.

Jesus was described as the prince of peace, the one with authority to usher peace into our world and lives. Peace is one of the major themes of the Christmas story. But our lives and world are anything but peaceful. Did Jesus fail? Is peace really possible?

The idea and image of God the Father can be grossly distorted by the experiences of our earthly dads. It can be hard for us to embrace the name Everlasting Father. Jesus knows this struggle and uses a simple story to paint a picture of how God really sees us and the basic message that you can come home again.

Power can be a dangerous thing in many regards, but a power that brings life and hope is something anyone can wish for. God displays his mighty power through the story of Jesus but its not to intimidate or make us feel insignificant. Because of his great love for us, we have the same power it took to bring death to life. Do you have his power?