When we look at the Christmas story it's fascinating to consider who showed up to worship Jesus and who didn't. It wasn't the religious leaders with all of their information and knowledge. It was those willing to seek and follow their longing and questions all the way to the end. Do you ever have doubts about faith? Questions? Fear not, you're in good company. It was those with honest questions that God entrusted himself to.

The Christmas season is experienced in different ways for different people. It was no different at the first Christmas. It is clear in the Christmas story that God entrusted certain people with himself, and withheld himself from others. What type of people did God trust; and what type of people were left in the dark? Perhaps it's not that different from today. Join us this week as we look at Christmas through the eyes of Joseph.

In the Christmas story, God reveals himself to those who are humble, poor in spirit, and downtrodden. He connects with those who are childlike in faith, and those who are not pretentious. This weekend we will look at how God shares his special news with the shepherds - not royalty, not the religious elite, and certainly not the proud nor powerful. Is our pride, self-sufficiency, or lack of humility keeping us from connecting with God, and all that He has for us?

What is the defining characteristic of Jesus’ relationship with us? What did he do over and over that we can also do? This weekend we’re going to look at how we can live like Jesus lived and be a community whose actions reflect Jesus’ relationship with his father as lived out in the early church.

“Tithing”. What response does that word create in you? This word has been the source of much debate and confusion. Should you, or shouldn’t you tithe? Is it, or isn’t it biblical? Join us this week as we talk about this five-letter word and whether it should hold any weight in your life and budget at all.

Over the first couple of centuries, the early church went from a scattered group of Jesus' followers to a force that changed the cities and cultures around them. What happened? Those early followers of Jesus were so convinced of the generosity of God that it caused them to live radically generous lives which in turn became an unstoppable force. Could it be that (re)discovering the generosity of God could again change us and the world around us?

Wherever you have wandered, your true home is with Jesus. We are excited to have guest speaker Mark Wessner share at SunWest this weekend. Mark is the President of MB Seminary and an Associate Professor of Biblical Studies for Christian Leadership. The common threads in much of Mark’s experience and education are leadership, teaching, and spiritual formation. Mark is passionate about helping others effectively integrate biblical studies and leadership in their daily lives, in the local church, and in the marketplace.

When we look around it can be easy to notice everyone who has more than us. We can even become envious of what others have. We may even begin to blame God, wondering why we have been shortchanged. “Why not me?” If only I had what they had I could be happy, content, or joyful. Discover how viewing God as a gracious provider can help free us from the comparison trap.

Avoiding the comparison trap is good but what if you are stuck in it? Brad Huebert is back with us this Sunday to explore how to escape the comparison trap - by exploring contentment.

You've probably heard the phrase "Keeping up with the Joneses". This phrase is often used when we attempt to try to emulate someone else's appearance, lifestyle, or standard of living. But the Jones' don't just live in the 21st century, they also lived in the 1st century. Have you ever wondered why the church community, which should be the safest place to be authentic and vulnerable, can often be the place people feel the most pressured to be someone they're not? Join us this week as we examine why that happens and what God thinks about it.