Jonathan Reid of Fostering Hope delivers a challenging sermon on the adoption of God's people and the responsibility that comes with it. What does this responsibility entail? The imitation of Christ through the selfless fostering and adoption of orphans into the family of God.

Pastor Scott gives what he often calls a "pastoral talk" to address some very practical and important concerns regarding life as a church community. There are many challenges in the aim to have depth of community including geographic scattering, busy schedules, widening social circles, fatigue, and the transient nature of cities. Several concrete instructions are given on how to overcome these challenges and develop deep meaningful relationships within the church. In the ending, Pastor Scott talks specifically about the need for supernatural love in order to do what God is calling us to do in being a community of love.

No one can escape the need to forgive others. Everyone is hurt or wronged or betrayed at one time or another, and when these experiences happen, it's very easy to become bitter. Ren elder John Michaelson goes deep into the teaching of Christ from the sermon on the mount about the dangers of not forgiving. He discusses how it's not only important to forgive but to pursue reconciliation. John also provides some wonderful hope at the end on God's sufficient grace to enable us to forgive deeply from the heart.

Pastor Scott walks through the resurrection narrative found in John 20-21 for most of the message and then points out three simple things that can be seen. We see weak, doubting people many of whom denied the Lord. We see the resurrected Christ coming to these struggling people not to condemn but to help. We see that when these weak seekers encounter the risen Christ their lives are utterly transformed and they go out and turn the world upside down. Parallels are made throughout the message of how Jesus works in our lives today in much the same way.

Lamentations 3 promises that the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases. But the background of Lamentations is not happiness and blessing, but suffering and destruction. How does the steadfast love of the Lord come to us in times of pain and suffering? Nate draws on Scripture and personal experience to unpack what it looks like to be loved by God through the hard times of life. We learn that life hits hard, but the love of God comes stronger. Those moments that were meant to tear us down, actually can build us up stronger than we were. The sermon gives special encouragement and guidance for those in the midst of mental illness.

In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Nate and Sam bring a message about God’s kingdom and racism. Nate shares that condemning and eradicating racism is a reflection of God’s character. God’s people is not one race or one culture, but is made up of every tribe, language, and race. Sam describes ways that we as Christians can carry on MLK’s legacy in how we live, pray, and worship.

Our children are being swept away by world systems of unbelief. The majority of children raised in the Church fall away from faith. Most young people are not interested in serving the Lord. Instead, they are caught up in the current of the world. The Bible clearly states that the Kingdom of God is for children; God can move in their lives and transform them. Pastor Scott preaches a message about what God wants to do in the upcoming generation, and our role in our families and communities.

On Wednesday, May 25, the Renaissance Church community tragically lost a beloved member in a terrible accident. At times like this, we can't help but ask God, "Why?" We may never be able to answer that question to our satisfaction, but Pastor Scott delivers a heartfelt and powerful message about grief, loss, and hope.

Pastor Scott unpacks Mark 16, and the astonishment that comes when we (like Mary Magdalene, Mary, Salome and the disciples) first realize that Jesus is actually alive, raised from the dead, now Lord and King and Savior of the universe. Something supernatural happens when the Holy Spirit makes the truth real. We stop hearing and seeing in the natural, but hear and see with our hearts. Scott also offers an exhortation against soul weariness: God is merciful and compassionate, and gives power to the weak.

Paul Moon delivers a Passover sermon on Matthew 21:12-13, when Jesus enters the Court of the Gentiles in the temple, and defends them and removes the stumbling blocks holding them back from experiencing God in a deeper way. We avoid being a stumbling block by being filled to overflowing with the Spirit, glorifying God, and becoming a clear path to Him without restrictions. Paul then offers some practical steps to achieve this in deeper ways.