It's not an overstatement to say that we live in a highly sexualized society. Commercials, movies and tv shows all utilize it in ways often contrary to God's design. But what exactly does the Bible have to say about sex?

Join Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees and BTS Host Will Herron as they discuss this question and more in this week's BTS episode.

Solomon has led a God-honoring life. When asked the one thing he most wanted, he asked for wisdom. When his wealth accumulated in abundance, his response was to build a lavid temple for the Lord. And once the project was complete, the first thing Solomon did was fall to his knees in prayer. So, how does he go from all of this to falling away from God? Message by Mike Van ReesScripture referenced: 1 Kings 11:1–8

Jesus taught more about the Kingdom of God than anything else. He said things like, “The Kingdom of God has come upon you,” and “the Kingdom of God is in your midst.” After His resurrection He continued to teach His disciples about the Kingdom of God. Yet for such a common part of Jesus’ teaching, it feels like many of us don’t have a clear picture of what the "kingdom of God" really means.

Join Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees and BTS Host Will Herron as they explore what Jesus meant by the kingdom of God and how it impacts us today.

The Queen of Sheba visits Solomon to see if what she knew of him — his wisdom and achievements — was true. What she found: In wisdom and wealth Solomon far exceeded the report she heard. The entirety of this passage gives us a picture of a king and his kingdom. But there's more to see here than what we see in Solomon.

Message by Mike Van Rees

Scripture referenced: 1 Kings 10

In 2 Kings 20 King Hezekiah becomes suddenly deathly ill. Out of the blue, life suddenly takes a turn for the worst. The reality is, none of us are exempt from experiencing the unexpected, so how can our relationship with God impact how we respond in those moments?

Join Ridge Family Ministries Director Doug Applegate and BTS Host Will Herron as they discuss the ways in which our relationship with God can enable us to face the unexpected with peace, courage and hope.

King Hezekiah teaches us the importance of turning to God in both good times and not-so-good times. It can be hard to turn to God when we mess up or experience hardship; we can be tempted to run in the opposite direction. Likewise, we can forget to focus on God when it's smooth sailing, when life seems easy and care-free. But in both seasons, God is there to keep us grounded and focused on what is most important.

As we continue to walk through the life of Solomon, we become aware of his tendency to partially obey God, which leads to difficult circumstances in his life. Sometimes we experience trouble because of disobedience, but is it also possible that God allows certain hard things in our lives for deeper reasons?

Join Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees and BTS Host Will Herron as they explore this question and more in this week's BTS episode.

Solomon's temple and palace have been built. The temple has been dedicated, and the Ark of the Covenant has been placed inside. Solomon has prayed, a celebration has taken place, and now God blesses him for his obedience. But He also has a stern warning for Solomon. One that also applies to us yet today. Message by Mike Van ReesScripture referenced: 1 Kings 9:1–9

In his message, Pastor Mike commented how "God answers our prayers according to His goodness, His will, and His plan." Yet, if we are honest, sometimes that plan is hard to understand, and the realities we face seem to challenge the idea of God's goodness rather than reinforce it. So how do we go about responding in instances or seasons like that? 

Join Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees and BTS Host Will Herron as they explore this question and more in this week's BTS episode.

The dedication of the temple. The text describes the procession of the Ark of the Covenant into the temple and features Solomon's lengthy prayer of dedication along with the massive festival of sacrifice and celebration. There's quite a lot to cover in 66 verses and even more to see in regard to how it applies to us and our lives yet today. Message by Mike Van ReesScripture referenced: 1 Kings 8