Refuge Church Ojai Valley

We all long for connection, purpose, and a place to belong. But the kind of life Jesus offers isn't found by simply being around people—it's found by walking through Him.

This week in our 1 > 99 series, we're exploring how Jesus, the Good Shepherd, invites us into a community marked by protection, healing, purpose, and real relationships. In a culture that often settles for isolation, distraction, or surface-level connection, Jesus calls us into something deeper.

What does it look like to stay spiritually alive? How do we keep Jesus at the center when other things compete for our attention? And what happens when God uses community not just to comfort us, but to challenge us, heal us, and help us grow?

Join us as we look at the invitation Jesus extends to each of us through the doorway of His grace.

#1GreaterThan99 #Community #GoodShepherd #RefugeChurch #InOjaiAsItIsInHeaven

Does truth actually exist?

What if the life God is calling us to is bigger than the comfort we’ve settled for? This week we launch our new series, 1 is Greater than the 99, a journey through the heart of Jesus — the Shepherd who leaves the ninety-nine to pursue the one.

As we begin, we’re asking a foundational question:

Will we choose comfort, or will we answer the call?

Following Jesus has never been about staying safe, staying still, or staying comfortable. It’s about joining Him in His mission — stepping into the places He is moving and becoming people who carry His hope to those still searching.

Join us as we kick off this new series and explore what it means to live with a calling that is greater than comfort. #1GreaterThan99 #CallingOverComfort #RefugeChurch #InOjaiAsItIsInHeaven

This Sunday, we’re looking at the powerful stories of women in Scripture whose lives reveal what it means to walk in the Spirit.

Through obedience.

Two big, absolutely essential words.

Where do you go for comfort? Is it control? Success? Proving yourself? Or something deeper? Jesus didn’t leave us to figure life out on our own. He gave us the Holy Spirit—our Comforter. Not comfort through autonomy… but through surrender. Not comfort through ego… but through mercy and peace. He meets us with truth when we need direction, with perspective when life feels overwhelming, with a reminder of who we are, and with the nearness of God Himself. The question isn’t if you need comfort. It’s where you’re looking for it. This week, we’re talking about the Holy Spirit as our Comforter—and the kind of peace you can’t create on your own.

As we step into this message with our Associate Pastor, Derry Brooks, we’re reminded that the Holy Spirit is not distant or abstract—He is God with us.

He is the Counselor Jesus promised. He dwells within His people and is actively at work in their lives. The Holy Spirit is personal. He is someone you can know and respond to. He guides you into truth when life feels confusing. He convicts, not to shame you, but to lead you into freedom. And He transforms hearts in ways no one can manufacture on their own.

In a world full of noise and competing voices, everyone is being led by something. But the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth, always pointing back to Jesus. He empowers ordinary people to live boldly and faithfully—not just for personal growth, but for the spread of the gospel. So the question isn’t whether the Spirit helps. It’s whether you’re willing to humble yourself, trust Him, and follow where He leads. 

Do you believe the Holy Spirit is real… or just an idea?

Not a force. Not energy. Not something to control.

A Person.

One who speaks, guides, convicts, comforts—and lives in you.

So what does that actually mean for your everyday life?

This week, we’re diving into the person of the Holy Spirit—and why your relationship with Him changes everything.

Hope has a name. Today we gather to celebrate a hope that does not end at the grave — a hope that meets us in our wounds, speaks into our questions, and holds us when we feel like we are running out of strength. A hope that reaches into yesterday, steadies us in today, and stretches far beyond what we can see. A hope not built on what we can earn, but on what has already been finished. Come and behold the hope of Jesus.

In a world full of competing loyalties — religion, culture, comfort, success — Jesus doesn’t ask for part of us. He invites all of us.

This Palm Sunday, we’re stepping into the tension of a crowd that shouted “Hosanna” one day and “Crucify Him” just days later. As we open Scripture, we’ll wrestle with an honest question: what are we really sold out to? Is it Jesus… or something we’ve built around Him?

This week, we’ll see that following Jesus isn’t about religion, cultural approval, personal comfort, or even our own plans — it’s about surrendering to the One who is better than all of it. Because Jesus isn’t just part of life — He is our only hope for real life. No matter where you’re coming from, this is an invitation into deeper honesty, deeper surrender, and a faith that doesn’t shift with the crowd.

 #ChristiansAre #TransformedByGod #RefugeChurch #1Thessalonians #holiness #LiveStream #palmsunday