Northwest Vineyard

In this installment of the Remarkable Women in the Bible series, Pastor Scott Engebretson unpacks the story of Deborah from Judges 4–5. Serving as both a prophet and a judge in Israel during a dark cycle of national oppression, Deborah was a remarkable leader who rose to the top of her field, using both strategic wisdom and prophetic insight to bring God's peace into seasons of deep chaos.

Scott highlights how remarkable faith is thoughtful, practical, and willing to take action rather than remaining stuck in passivity. More than a decision-maker, Deborah was a catalyst for the faith of others—walking alongside Barak and challenging him to step into his God-given calling. We are invited to examine where God is calling us to bring His peace into chaotic places, to invest in the next generation, and to courageously encourage others to step out in faith.

To learn more about our church, explore series resources, or connect with our community, visit northwestvineyard.org.

Continuing the Remarkable Women in the Bible series, Pastor Hannah Engebretson explores the story of Rahab from Joshua 2. As a Canaanite, a woman, and a prostitute, Rahab seemed like the most unlikely candidate for God to use. Yet, when confronted with the reality of God's power and mercy, she put her trust in Him and took a massive, life-threatening risk to protect the Israelite spies. Through Rahab's story, Hannah tackles the question so many of us ask: "Can God really use me?" Rahab's example shows that God doesn't require a perfect background, pedigree, or flawless credentials—He looks for a living, active faith that is willing to step out of the safe and comfortable. Rahab's single act of courage not only saved her household but forever altered her family's legacy, placing her directly in the lineage of Jesus Christ. To connect with our community, share a prayer request, or support our ministry, visit northwestvineyard.org.

In the first message of the series Remarkable Women in the Bible, Pastor Scott Engebretson walks us through Exodus 1:6–21 to highlight two unsung heroes who changed the course of history: the midwives Shiprah and Puah. Facing a brutal decree of forced population control and infanticide from a powerful, unnamed Pharaoh, these two women chose holy defiance over fearful compliance. By placing their reverence for God above the authority of an oppressive regime, Shiprah and Puah modeled a courageous, remarkable faith. They used wisdom, moral clarity, and shrewdness to protect vulnerable lives, standing directly in the stream of God's covenant promises. Scott challenges all of us—men and women alike—to examine where we are called to stand against injustice, resist the fear-driven currents of our culture, and live with an unwavering fear of the Lord. To explore series resources or connect with our community, visit northwestvineyard.org.

In week four of the Stuck in a Moment series, Pastor Scott Engebretson tackles one of the most sensitive yet universal areas where we feel trapped: our finances. Diving into Ecclesiastes 5:8–20, Scott acknowledges the overwhelming financial stress gripping our culture and confronts the illusion that more money equals more security. The teacher of Ecclesiastes reminds us that a disordered love of wealth only leads to corrupt hearts, sleepless nights, and endless striving. True freedom doesn't come from moving our financial goalposts or hoarding resources we can't take with us. Instead, it is found in choosing contentment, walking in generosity, and receiving the ability to enjoy our daily labor as a true gift from God. Scott challenges us to stop toiling for the wind and invite the Holy Spirit to unlock a deep, untethered gladness of heart. To learn more or connect with our community, visit northwestvineyard.org.

In the conclusion of the Stuck in a Moment series, Pastor Scott Engebretson explores Ecclesiastes 1:12–18 and 12:8–14to break down the limits of human wisdom and knowledge (Hokema). When we live purely with an "under the sun" perspective—relying solely on worldly information, self-effort, and human intellect—we eventually hit a wall of cynicism and painful helplessness. Access to more information in a modern world often brings more sorrow when we realize we lack the power to fix broken systems, tragedies, or our own mistakes. However, the narrator of Ecclesiastes offers a vital, hope-filled critique to the teacher's heavy reflections: there is a God beyond the sun who actively breaks into our reality. True wisdom isn't just about accumulating data, but living in proper awe, reverence, and obedience before our Creator. Where human effort fails, the God who restores and judges can step into our chaos, heal our brokenness, and make the crooked things straight. To learn more or connect with our community, visit northwestvineyard.org.

In week three of the Stuck in a Moment series, Pastor Scott Engebretson unpacks Ecclesiastes 1:3–11 and 3:9–11, exploring the heavy, often monotonous weight of time. Whether counting down the fleeting days of summer or watching decades slip by, we often feel like time is a thief and an abyss of forgetfulness. Scott contrasts the teacher's pessimistic view of an endless "wash, rinse, repeat" cycle under the sun with the hope of a God who transcends time.

While a Greek tragedy offers a beautiful but hopeless vision of how the world could be, the Gospel reveals a God of the Exodus and the Resurrection who actively breaks into our present moments to make all things new. Scott challenges us to step out of existential despair, move past self-focused legacies, and invite the eternal God to rewrite our trajectory today.

To learn more or connect with our community, visit northwestvineyard.org.

In week two of the Stuck in a Moment series, guest preacher RJ Owen dives into Ecclesiastes 2 to unpack the teacher's heavy reflections on labor, achievement, and burnout. In a world that often treats employment, career, and even deep-seated callings as modern-day religions promising identity and fulfillment—a cultural trap known as "workism"—Ecclesiastes offers a sobering reality check: it is all hebel (vapor). RJ challenges us to stop turning the good gift of work into an idol that fuels anxiety and keeps us up at night. Through the lens of St. Ignatius's Suscipe prayer, he invites us to renounce our workaholism, submit our talents back to God, and step into the true flourishing life: one that works hard for the Kingdom but boldly gives itself permission to disconnect, rest, and enjoy life's simple gifts with the people we love. To learn more or connect with our community, visit northwestvineyard.org.

Launching a new five-week series through the book of Ecclesiastes titled Stuck in a Moment, Pastor Scott Engebretson opens up the ancient wisdom text to address the very modern feelings of monotony, exhaustion, and feeling stuck in life. Scott breaks down the structure of Ecclesiastes—distinguishing between the narrator and the core monologue of "the teacher"—and explores two central concepts that frame the entire book: living "under the sun" and the Hebrew concept of hebel (often translated as meaningless, vanity, or vapor). Rather than viewing Ecclesiastes as a cynical treatise, Scott reframes it as a liberating gospel for control freaks. He presents four key invitations for navigating an unpredictable world: recognizing God's grace in every circumstance, releasing the anxiety of tomorrow, surrendering our idolatry of control, and learning to receive each brief moment as a gift. To learn more about Northwest Vineyard or connect with the church family, visit northwestvineyard.org.

Closing out the summer series on the Beatitudes, Pastor Scott Engebretson addresses Matthew 5:10–12: "Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Scott unpacks the reality of Christian persecution across the globe while providing necessary perspective on what persecution is—and isn't—for the Western church. Emphasizing that Jesus's vision of flourishing is not an easy, fairytale life, Scott shows how living under the rule of King Jesus and pursuing real righteousness naturally clashes with the values of the world. He challenges us to move beyond silent self-protection and courageously live out our faith, asking whether we are truly willing to risk social discomfort, lost friendships, or cultural pushback for the sake of Jesus.

For more information about the church, please visit northwestvineyard.org.

Continuing the summer series on the Beatitudes, Pastor Hannah Engebretson explores Matthew 5:9: "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God." Opening with a lighthearted look at a 20-year marital compromise, Hannah dives into the profound difference between simply being a "peacekeeper" who avoids conflict at all costs and being an active "peacemaker" who courageously steps into tension to bring about healing and wholeness. Drawing lessons from modern culture, the story of Joseph in Genesis, and Jesus's own teachings, she illustrates that peacemaking is not a passive personality trait—it is the costly, active evidence of God's grace and peace at work within our lives.

For more information about the church, please visit northwestvineyard.org.