Week 3 of Verdict Not Guilty

How does the Body of Christ help the truth of "not guilty" get into our hearts? When we don't have enough grace for ourselves, our Christian brothers and sisters help carry us with their grace.

Join us for Attachment Disorder, a 2020 Damascus Road series, as we consider how secure are our divine attachments. Why is faith hard? Why do we experience insecurity in our relationship with God? How can we help heal our disordered attachments and experience the peace of deep faith in our Heavenly Father?

Part 2 of Attachment Disorder

"It's okay, I know, don't be afraid" -- the soothing words of a parent help calm a child and give them a sense of safety in the midst of dysregulation. As a child with a secure attachment grows, they are able to internalize this message from their parents to self-soothe and say "I'm okay, I'm not afraid." But unlike a parent, when God tells us "It's okay," he actually means it, and is the only one who is capable of actually making that true. And over and over throughout Scripture God tells us this truth: "Don't be afraid -- for I am with you." How can we securely attach to God and internalize his message of "It's okay" even in the midst of our dysregulation?

Join us for Attachment Disorder, a 2020 Damascus Road series, as we consider how secure are our divine attachments. Why is faith hard? Why do we experience insecurity in our relationship with God? How can we help heal our disordered attachments and experience the peace of deep faith in our Heavenly Father?

Part 1 of Attachment Disorder

When a child's needs are not met consistently and faithfully over time, the child develops what is called an "Insecure attachment." It's a disordered attachment, one that leads to lack of trust, lack of a sense of safety, lack of faith in others and the world. Many of us find ourselves also experiencing an insecure attachment to God. It's difficult to trust in him. It's difficult to believe he is reliable. It is difficult to have faith. Why do so many of us experience insecure attachments with God? How have our pasts, our relationships with our earthly parents, and our wounds impacted our attachment to God? And are we the only ones who have had trouble with faith?

Week 2 of Verdict Not Guilty

Even if our eternal destiny is secure and we are not condemned because of our sin, our sin still has consequences. What are the consequences of our sin, even if all the charges are dropped?

It is time for a throwback! In Verdict Not Guilty, we have been exploring God's love and grace through the imagery of a courtroom, but there are many more images for understanding and relating to God in scripture. Join us for Loaf + Linen, a 2017 Damascus Road series, as we explore some of the overlooked images of God, such as clothing or a laboring woman.

Part 2 of Loaf + Linen  

We know that God created us and created the world, but we do not often imagine God bringing forth life and change the way a pregnant woman gives birth -- groaning, panting, bellowing in animal pain, knees trembling, sweat pouring down. But this is one of the images the Bible uses to describe God, a laboring woman, crying out in agony. What does it mean to love a God who nurses, to know a God who groans in pain, to serve a God intimately connected to and participating in the grisly, vulnerable, visceral experience of giving birth?

It is time for a throwback! In Verdict Not Guilty, we have been exploring God's love and grace through the imagery of a courtroom, but there are many more images for understanding and relating to God in scripture. Join us for Loaf + Linen, a 2017 Damascus Road series, as we explore some of the overlooked images of God, such as clothing or a laboring woman.

Part 1 of Loaf + Linen

We put on clothes every day. In the morning, we pull a T-shirt over a heads, dig out that favorite pair of jeans, shrug on a coat, slip into sweatpants after work, pull on socks, change into pajamas. What we wear makes a statement about who we are, changes how we feel about ourselves, gives us confidence or comfort, and is incredibly intimate, our second skin touching naked bodies. In the book of Galatians, God is likened to clothes. What does it mean to understand yourself as clothed in God? Who is God, the chunky wool sweater, the tailored suit, the old tweed jacket?

Week 1 of Verdict Not Guilty

What is the true theology of the cross? What does “there is no condemnation in Christ Jesus” really mean? Is there really such a thing as a “guilty Christian?”

Week 5 of Shareable

Oftentimes, when Christians speak about evangelism, this is step one. Other times, when we try to do things differently, we don’t include this step at all. But sometimes, our friends need more than time and space and good food to accept Christ. At some point, they may need us to challenge and encourage them in their own commitments. Are they ready to accept Christ and follow him? Are they ready to believe in God? As we share the Good News and our lives, we also need to share the invitation into life with God.

It is time for a throwback! After learning about how important relationship is to sharing the Gospel, let's dive into how we form deep relationships. Join us for Friending, a 2018 Damascus Road series, as we will learn how to create a strong foundation for new, Godly friendships, how to relate well to our existing friends, and how to be a friend marked by love.

Part 4 of Friending 

Too often our culture tells us to never tolerate any negativity or criticism from our friends; just “cut the toxic people from your life.” On the other hand, how do we balance maintaining our own identities and health with people that are truly draining or harmful to us? Setting boundaries and letting go of certain relationships is challenging and should be done with care-how can we model ourselves after Christ even in these difficult situations?

It is time for a throwback! After learning about how important relationship is to sharing the Gospel, let's dive into how we form deep relationships. Join us for Friending, a 2018 Damascus Road series, as we will learn how to create a strong foundation for new, Godly friendships, how to relate well to our existing friends, and how to be a friend marked by love.

Part 3 of Friending 

Even the best friends disagree and have conflict on occasion. Rather than push away from conflict or let friendships fizzle out because of it, we can learn to grow our friendships through it. How can we navigate conflict and tension with our friends while still valuing our own needs and feelings? What might our friendships look like when we are able to do this well?