You would be hard-pressed to find anyone who enjoys waiting. Whether it's waiting in line at the grocery store or waiting for a package to arrive at your door, patience is generally not something that comes naturally to us. And yet sometimes God asks us to wait, just like he did with Simeon in Luke 2:25-35.

Join BTS Host Will Herron and Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees as they finish out the year by discovering ways we can grow to be people of patience who wait well on God.

Mary, Joseph, Jesus, angels, wise men, shepherds. All are part of the Christmas story. So is Simeon. Remember him? He was the one who greeted Mary and Joseph when they brought the infant Jesus to the Temple for purification and dedication. Simeon boldly took the baby Jesus in his arms and celebrated the arrival of the Messiah. It’s the moment he had been waiting for.

Message by Mike Van Rees

Scripture referenced: Luke 2:25–31

The Bible clearly teaches that God is good and that everything that is good comes from Him. But how do we square this away with the hurt, pain and conflict we see in the world and in our own lives?

Join BTS Host Will Herron and Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees as they explore this age old dilemma in this week's Beyond the Sermon episode.

God is good. And He is working to lead us into the deepest, richest, fullest life possible. In a world that’s full of sin and darkness, at times, that’s hard to see. But, despite our situation or circumstance, He is still good. All the time.

Message by Mike Van Rees

Scripture referenced: James 1:16–18

Whether we realize it or not, we are being formed. It's a plain fact that the things we do frequently shape us. So, it stands to reason that If we are to be formed into the likeness of Jesus, we have to think intentionally about the habits and rhythms of our lives.

Join BTS Host Will Herron and Julie Wiemann as they explore some habits we can adopt whereby God can change us into the likeness of Christ.

Jesus was fully human and fully divine. In addition to growing physically, He had to grow intellectually and spiritually. Jesus took the posture of a learner. So should we.

Message by Julie Wiemann

Scripture referenced: Luke 2

Temptation is an experience common to us all. Yet how can we resist and turn from temptation to think and act like Jesus? How can we experience lasting freedom from the things that draw us away from God?

Join BTS Host Will Herron and Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees as they explore what the Bible has to say about resisting temptation as well as how Jesus' example can both encourage and inspire us.

Temptation. It is a reality of life. We are all tempted to do thins we know to be wrong and to refrain from doing what we know to be right. But is temptation alone a sin? 

Message by Mike Van Rees 

Scripture referenced: James 1:12–16

Identity isn't something we often talk about and yet it is a crucial part of being human. Each of us has an identity, question is, what is that identity built upon? What does the Bible have to say about who we are?

Join BTS Host Will Herron and Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees as they discuss this important topic, exploring some of the things we tend to build our identity on.

Here, James addresses identity. Individuals were basing their self-worth on their net worth. The more wealth a person had, the more they were valued and esteemed. James tells them they had it all backward. 

Message by Mike Van Rees

Scripture referenced: James 1:9–11