Honest question:  Do you pray as much as you'd like (or think you should)?  If the answer is no, what do you think holds you back?  This week Pastor Jack begins looking at prayer element of spiritual formation, and takes a look at these questions.  (BTW, this is a judgement-free message for those of you who are allergic to that).

This week Pastor Jack takes an honest look at what can seriously impact our intimacy with God and with each other, as well as destroy a healthy church culture. This message is full of truth, but also has a good dose of hopeful encouragement!

Christian Community: The Body of Christ (Ron Renzema) by Pastor Jack Sytsema

Got discontentment?  If you're like an overwhelming majority of people across the globe these days, you'd have to say yes.  And with that often comes a feeling of powerlessness.  But we humans tend to react to powerlessness by trying to control whatever we can.  The problem is, control and faith aren't compatible.   So, what can we do?  Learn to tell a good story!  Pastor Jack explains it all in this hopeful message of encouragement.

Sometimes it feels like there are two scripts at war in our minds, doesn’t it? I mean there’s the one that says that God has plans and purposes for our lives, then there’s the one that is based on the hurts and fears of our past that creep in and affect our expectations. So, what do we do? This week Pastor Jack talks about breaking off old mindsets and strongholds so we can move with more freedom into the future God has for us.

Here’s a radical thought: Dealing with our past honors God. Wait! Why? Because being willing to submit our past to God is an important way of putting Jesus first in our life. Our willingness to really examine everything we've been and done in light of our salvation makes Jesus the Lord of our past as well as our today and our tomorrow. And that is a crucial aspect of spiritual formation. In this message Pastor Jack looks specifically at the generational component of dealing with our past.

So, here’s the question of the week: Why do you really (and we mean really) meet with God? Whether it’s a time of prayer or quiet time or whatever it may be for you, what is it that you are hoping to accomplish? This week Pastor Jack takes an honest look at many possible reasons, and why the practice of silence and solitude is so vital for the Christ-Follower.

Part 2: Joseph's Silence and Solitude by Pastor Jack Sytsema

Spiritual formation.  Sounds like one of those required classes that no one wants to take (and even bores the professor).  But nothing could be further from the truth!  This series focuses on the important stuff you need to know to live the abundant, deeply satisfying life of the true Christ-follower.

Part 1:
 This week's message looks at King Saul, who had absolutely everything going for him, including God's complete backing.  And yet he ended in failure -- rejected by God and a menace to his people.  So what happened?

Lately we’ve come to realize that community is critically important.  We need each other now more than ever.  Not only that, Scripture tells us to think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works (more stuff we really need!).  In this message, Pastor Jack inspires us in desiring community, and thinking of ways to motive and encourage one another in an age of isolation, criticism and suspicion.