Pastor Erik Dunkin starts our new series Glory in the Grind in Philippians 2:3-7 by explaining the “Purpose of the Grind.” We reflect the character of God, His creativity and order through our work. If we “allow our attitude to be the same as Christ Jesus” in the daily grind, we reflect His character. Living a life of selfless service is the true purpose of the “grind.”

This week, Pastor Erik Dunkin presents a message on who the church is and what God called the church to do. In this message, he explains how the nation of Israel was the original community God used to represent His contrasting standards to the other religions and nations of their time. Today, the church has inherited the same mission of representing God’s principles and standards to the world around us.

In A Man Called Norman, preacher Mike Adkins tells the story of his eccentric neighbor whom everyone is afraid of. Norman is the small town outcast who is elderly, lives alone and talks mostly to himself. Mike’s life and heart are forever changed when he puts aside his busy schedule to include this eccentric neighbor in his life. At first, Norman responds cautiously to Mike’s persistent friendship before eventually committing his life to Christ. Norman teaches us we all are in a rush in this world and oftentimes don't take time for individuals who are slower, maybe not as clean, and with whom we have nothing in common. It requires work to get to know them. In this week’s message, we learn God can use us if we’ll slow down and reach over the fence or across street to express His love.

Being invitational is one of our core values here at Prairie Lakes Church. Just as God invited us into His family, He asks

us to be invitational and include others. No one meets and follows Jesus without being included by someone, so we

should always be looking for ways to invite friends, family and co-workers into our circles. Summer’s relaxed pace of

life gives us more opportunities to do just that. As we enter this season of sun and fun, we are looking at the practice

of INCLUDE – inviting others into my life so they can see Jesus at work in me.

Being invitational is one of our core values here at Prairie Lakes Church. Just as God invited us into His family, He asks us to be invitational and include others. No one meets and follows Jesus without being included by someone, so we should always be looking for ways to invite friends, families and co-workers into our circles. Summer’s relaxed pace of life gives us more opportunities to do just that. As we enter this season of sun and fun, we are looking at the practice of INCLUDE--inviting others into my life so they can see Jesus at work in me.

This week’s teaching tackles the issue of blind spots in our relationships. Most of us have them, and we have two choices: deny they’re there or take steps to remove them. Pastor Chip uses examples of three relationship to help us take a closer look at parts of our character, beliefs and actions that can hide in our blind spots. In doing so, we have the chance to move our relationships with others to where we wish they would be.

In our series Wish You Were Here, we are exploring the importance of moving toward healthy personal relationships that bring about spiritual growth in ourselves and others: forgiving past hurts, connecting with compassion, creating healthy boundaries. But, what about those difficult and crucial conversations where we actually put those first things into practice? This week, Pastor John helps us see how we often avoid such conversations, why we need to have them and what steps can help ensure those conversations are God-centered and have a lasting and positive impact on our relationships with others.

Healthy boundaries define our responsibilities, who we are and who we are not. Without healthy boundaries, our relationships will suffer. Setting healthy boundaries starts with realizing our identity is in God, identifying what boundaries need to change and having the courage and perseverance to have the tough conversations necessary to change them.

In this week’s message, we learn how communication is critical to our lives and how it can be framed in competition, criticism or connection. In John 4, Jesus demonstrates how we can connect with others as He encounters a Samaritan woman on His trip to the village well. Our attitude and care in connecting with others will assure them we are listening. When that happens, real communication begins.

This week, Pastor John Fuller kicks off a series on human relationships. Throughout scripture, and especially in the book of 1 John, we are reminded that how we relate to others affects our walk with God. Pastor John focuses on the issue of an unforgiving spirit, which can be a great hindrance in our walk with others and with God.