Does "God is for us" mean He's against "them?" This phrase from Romans 8 has often been ripped from its context and misused often as a battle cry for a weaponized faith. But what if Paul's words of strength and comfort speak to a far better hope - and a far greater victory - than the battles we're told we have to fight? (Romans 8:31-37)

God is more committed to our growth and wholeness than we are - shaping are ups and downs for our good, and forming us into the image of Jesus. In the scope of successes and failures we face in our spiritual journey, this is a hope that can hold us. (Romans 8:26-30)

When we feel the ache of a broken world, we can know this to be true: we have a future strong enough to sustain our present. (Romans 8:18-25)

Romans is written to a community of people who were always aware of their differences. And in knowing God as Abba Father, they'd find a new kind of family - a people of unity, not uniformity. (Romans 8:14-17)

Spiritual growth takes place within our wholes selves: body, mind, and spirit. Instead of understanding our body as the enemy of the Spirit's work, we are learning to see our bodies as active participants in the our growth.

As we begin our summer series walking through Romans 8, we begin with some foundational good news for our life together: we are free. And it's not just what we're freedom from, but what we're freed for. (Romans 8:1-4)

This week, we took an opportunity to talk about how we're working to build a healthy, growing culture as a Church. You'll hear from our elders about how we're seeking God for our future together. (Titus 1:7-9)

In John 20, Jesus breathes the Holy Spirit into His disciples, and the Church is born. Discipleship in light of Pentecost, then, is learning to breathe again - joining Jesus in His mission, in His power, and at His pace. (John 20:19-23)

It's when - not if - we'll walk through suffering. But while we may not know the fullness of "why" we experience suffering in our lives, we can know this to be true: God never wastes it. (1 Peter 4-5)

In Acts 17, Paul is confronted by the idols of Athens. As we ponder his missionary journey, we ponder our own idols - and how we see what God is truly like in Jesus.