When you hear the phrase "The Great Commission," what is your initial reaction? There can be a tendency in the church to relegate the carrying out of this command to those who are "called," or perhaps to those of a certain personality type. But if we follow Christ, the command to make disciples applies to us all—to the introvert as well as to the extrovert; to the lawyer and the barista as well as to the pastor and the career missionary. In this week's message from John 15, Acts 1, and Matthew 28, Pastor J.D. provides a helpful framework for how to do what Jesus has called us to do: live with gospel intentionality in a way that results in true multiplication. 

Whether you make New Year's resolutions or not, you probably have areas of your life that you would like to change. But the path to change, as we all know, isn't always an easy one. It can be difficult to break old habits, make new ones, and incorporate fresh rhythms into our lives. In this week's message from John 15, Pastor J.D. helps us to see that our growth as disciples isn’t a matter of steeling ourselves and willing new routines and habits into existence. Rather, this growth is a natural byproduct of abiding in Jesus as he abides in us. And it is this true connection to Jesus that will produce fruit that lasts into eternity.

If you consider yourself a follower of Jesus, you probably refer to yourself as a "Christian." But how often do you call yourself a "disciple"? In this week's message from John 15, Pastor J.D. shows us that the difference between these two words might just be more significant than we think. What's more, we may be surrounded by people who claim to be Christians but are far from being true disciples of Jesus. The good news? For those willing to fully submit to and follow Jesus, there is immense joy to be found in joining him in his mission—one that really does change the world.

"Getting back to the basics" is an oft-repeated phrase—and for good reason. Whether you've been following Jesus for 10 months or 10 years, it is always beneficial to be reminded of the essential truths of the gospel, upon which our faith is built. In this week's message, the first in our series on "The Whole Disciple," Pastor J.D. helps us unpack some of these foundational truths from Romans 3:23–26. As true disciples of Jesus, these are the things that we cherish and continually learn from, rather than master and move on from. 

It's safe to say that we all desire to pray bold prayers, grounded in God's Word and fueled by his Spirit. So why is it that we often find ourselves settling for a prayer life that is characterized more by timidity than audacity? As we prepare to begin 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting, this week's message from Pastor J.D. focuses on a lesser-known story of Elijah and King Ahab in 1 Kings 18. Bold prayer, prayer that truly changes things, isn't just reserved for the select few—rather, it is something that all believers can and should practice. 

In this short message from 1 Corinthians 16, Pastor Curtis provides valuable direction for us as we find ourselves on the cusp of a new year, giving us four practical steps to ensure we are making progress in our lives as Christians. While we don't know exactly what this new year will hold, we can be sure that there will be both highs and lows. But we can also know with certainty that even through these mountains and valleys, consistent steps of obedience to God will lead to our growth as disciples.  

Have you ever been in a place of immense darkness, literal or otherwise? If so, then you know how incredibly powerful it is when you see the first rays of light beginning to break through. In this week's message from Isaiah 9, the last in our Christmas series, Pastor J.D. shows us how Jesus is the light that the long-ago prophet spoke about. Even when darkness threatens to overwhelm this weary world, we can rejoice in the knowledge that the light of Jesus has come—a light that will never be eclipsed by darkness. 

Christmas can stir up many different emotions. For some, it generates excitement and anticipation. But for others, particularly those who find themselves in the midst of a difficult season of life, it may feel more sorrowful than joyful. So what do we do when it simply doesn't "feel" like Christmas? This is precisely the question that Pastor Bryan considers in this week's message from Revelation 5. As we look at a second image that the Bible uses to describe Jesus and how he comes to us, we see that in beholding him as the Lamb of God, we gain a perhaps much-needed change of perspective during this Christmas season. 

While Christmas has inspired the writing of many songs throughout the centuries, one song that is often overlooked is a biblical one—namely, that of Zechariah, whose words were inspired by the birth of John the Baptist. Over the next few weeks, we will examine three ordinary objects and how they can help us better apprehend the meaning of Christmas. In this week's message from Luke 1, Pastor J.D. walks through Zechariah's song to explain the first of these objects, the horn. At first glance, it may seem a curious image to use—but its rich symbolism serves to point us to Jesus, the ultimate horn of salvation. 

While the Bible makes it clear that the demonic realm is real, it doesn't leave us in a place of despair, without instructions on how to do battle against such forces. In this week's message from Ephesians 6, Pastor J.D. returns to the issue of spiritual warfare in order to show us the importance of putting on the armor of God. The truth is that if we try to fight out of our own strength, we will likely fail. Only by properly dressing ourselves for battle, armed with the strength of God, can we overcome Satan.