Is the news about Jesus spreading in our city? Is the reality of who He is and what He has done made it to the ears of your neighbors? The fame of Jesus was spreading throughout the land of Galilee and throughout the region of Galilee while He was on earth. Jesus was teaching in the synagogues, preaching everywhere at anytime, and healing people. News about Him spread all over and now He is looking to twelve of His disciples to go and represent Him. Jesus asked them to pray for workers to go and gather people into the kingdom of God and God made them the answer to their own prayers. Today He is looking for those among us who will represent Him and carry the name of Jesus into their cities and villages.

You have probably heard it many times, God loves you. He indeed does love you. As we look into Matthew’s Gospel today we see the compassion of Jesus as He looks upon the crowds of people. This is truly the nature of who Jesus is coming out. Jesus sees the peoples’ condition now but even greater their eternal condition without Him. This same compassion is what Jesus longed for His disciples to have as He calls them to pray concerning these crowds of people who are hurting. Jesus calls the twelve not only to pray, but also to get involved and join Jesus in this mission. Be encouraged today to join Jesus as well in this great mission of compassion.

Today we will veer from our study of Matthew’s Gospel to look at the call to be a messy church. That is what Paul had with the church at Corinth. It was a mess, but it was precisely the place where God’s Spirit built this beautiful mess of a church. This morning we will survey Paul’s first letter to the church at Corinth and see how we are called to be a place where broken people are accepted and healing can take place. We believe God is the only one who can change people and that He is inviting us to be cultural farmers to create the right soil for that to happen.

Who do you want to be like? In the younger years of life girls often want to be princesses and boys a superhero. There was a time when young basketball players wanted to be like Mike, Michael Jordan that is. Jesus wants us to be like Him. To be like Jesus in word and deed is costly though. The narrow road of Christianity is not smooth sailing. Jesus says, though, that being like Him is all you need in life. There is a foe to such a life though. It is fear. We are fearful people at times concerned about what others think of us and what others could do to us. Jesus wants us to simply trust Him. He wants us to trust in His providential care, so that we can have a fearless witness.

This father’s day, we are going to discuss the question, “What is winning?” Most of us know what is considered winning for various sports: football, basketball, baseball, or hockey. But can you tell someone, what is considered winning for a church? More specifically, can you tell someone, “What is winning for The Ridge Church?” Join us this week as we answer this question.

What kind of man has the sea, winds and even demons obey Him? That is what Jesus' disciples and others wondered when they encountered His power over creation and demons. This week we see the Divine power of Jesus and the call to follow Him as we venture back into Matthew's Gospel.