The Connection Church

The narratives of the Old Testament are a rich resource for God’s people. There is no better example of this than the story of Deborah in the book of Judges. Deborah was a mighty judge for the people of Israel. She was a strong woman of influence who led her people out of 20 years of bondage into 40 years of peace. Find out how she accomplished this on Sunday, as we continue examining the Victories & Failures of some key people in the Old Testament.

Gideon was a mighty judge for the people of Israel. His first victorious battle over the Midianites, with a puny 300 man army, is legendary. Through the amazing story of Gideon, we can learn how to face any battle with confidence. During his 40 year rule, all of Israel lived in peace. However, Gideon was not without his faults. And this Sunday, we will glean from Gideon’s Victories and Failures, as we continue examining the lives of some of the men and women we read about in the Old Testament.

Gideon was the youngest in his family, but still became the fifth recorded judge of Israel. By putting aside his station of being poor and being from the most insignificant tribe, he was able to accept the calling of God for his life. Gideon, with God’s help, led the people of Israel to victory over their Midianite oppressors. Because of Gideon, “the land had peace forty years.” (Judges 8:28) Despite this, Gideon didn’t only have victories, he had Victories and Failures. And this Sunday, we will learn from both.

We believe for 2018 that God is going to bring unexpected shifts to The Connection Church—unexpected shifts in your life. When we say “unexpected shifts,” we’re talking about supernatural shifts of favor in your life. A turning point that puts you on a path to fulfilling your destiny. A turning point that makes you victorious.

Incarnation is a term used by theologians to indicate that Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, took on human flesh. It is one of the greatest events to occur in the history of the universe. It is without parallel. The Incarnation was an astonishing act of humility that was on full display from the beginning to the end, from Bethlehem to Golgotha. And He did it all because He loves us!

There is nothing worth more than you. Yes, you! Did you read that and say, “Yeah, yeah…” and mostly, or even partially, doubt that it’s true?Here’s the thing—God really thinks that way about you. Need proof? God lowered Himself from His divine and heavenly throne to take on human flesh, the same type of human body that we all have, becoming one of us (He values us that much!). Then, to break the curse and bondage of sin and death over you, He died bringing us real liberty!This is the wonder of redemption, and this is what we will explore in this third week of Advent.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, “No pastor, no theologian stood at the manger of Bethlehem. And yet all Christian theology has its origin in the wonder of all wonders: that God became human. Holy theology arises from knees bent before the mystery of the divine child in the stable. The purpose of theology is to preserve the miracle as miracle, to comprehend, defend, and glorify God’s mystery precisely as mystery.” Join us as we continue our Advent sermon series, Preparing for Christmas, being captured by the amazing wonder of the mysteries of God!

More than 2,000 years ago, the Jewish people saw themselves captive in a world that was just not right, with no liberty to live and rule themselves as God had promised. They longed for a God-anointed king to come and save them and set them free.And today, we find ourselves in a world that still shows evidence of brokenness, waiting for our Anointed King to return and finally bring His Kingdom to its fullness and grandeur. But do we wait in agony and torment as God’s people did before their Messiah would come? Can we have the peace and goodwill that the angels declared to the shepherds the night that Christ was born? Join us Sunday as we begin our Advent sermon series, Preparing for Christmas.

So far in this sermon series, Victories & Failures, we have seen in the lives of the early Old Testament patriarchs that God was very patient and merciful in spite of these men’s failures. He brought them through those bumps in the road to lead victorious lives. The overall lesson for today? God deals with us with the same mercy and graciousness! This Sunday, we will finish our look into the life of the Old Testament patriarch, Jacob.

As we continue our exploration of the characters found in the Old Testament, we see such drama developing in the story of the family that God is forming under Abraham and Isaac. It is like watching a daytime soap opera play out in the beginning pages of our Bible. The story seems almost ridiculous until we realize that it reveals the heart of mercy, patience, and love that God holds and gives to the people of His creation. So join us this Sunday as we beginning looking at the lives of Jacob and Esau.