Thrive Harbor

We live in a world of fake news—and of fake gospels! In this message on 2 Peter 2, Ed Longabaugh, pastor of Grace Evangelical Presbyterian Church, expounds Peter’s dire warning about false teachers and how to spot them. Along the way, Ed also points out how secularism—the dominant worldview in our culture today—is eerily similar to the very false teachings Peter writes about.

How can you be certain that something is true? In this message on 2 Peter 1:12-21, Matt Edwards, pastor at Believers Fellowship, explains how Peter makes the case that one day Jesus will return. As one who beheld Jesus in His glorified state on the Mount of Transfiguration, Peter invokes his own eyewitness testimony, as well as the testimony of the prophetic Scriptures that predict the Messiah’s return.

Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include 1 Thessalonians 1:4-5; Matthew 17:1-13; and 1 Corinthians 15:1-8.

Being a Christian is like going up the down escalator—without forward motion, you’ll go backwards! In this message on 2 Peter 1:1-11, Mac Davis, one of Thrive’s own, teaches on what it looks like to have a faith that grows and is active rather than passive. A growing faith is a God-centered faith: we advance in the Christian life when our focus is on knowing God better! And when faith grows, so too does the fruitfulness that comes out of our lives.

The Bible is full of assurances that God is a shelter to all who belong to him. But at the same time, following God is risky. God is a God of adventure, sometimes calling us to places of danger we’d rather not go. In this message on Luke 8:22-25, Michael Bouterse, Thrive’s local director, teaches on a story where the disciples learned this firsthand. Invited by Jesus to venture out onto the stormy Sea of Galilee, the disciples faced genuine danger following Jesus, while at the same time, experiencing deep safety in the shadow of his sovereignty as Jesus calms the storm and brings peace.

Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Mark 4:35-36, 38-39; Genesis 1; and Psalm 46:10.

The last few years have witnessed a host of Christian leaders who have lost their positions due to scandal and abuse of power. The result is a tremendous hunger in our world today for leaders of character and integrity. In this message on 1 Peter 5:1-11, Tim Stobbe, lead pastor of Waypoint Church, unfolds Peter’s exhortation to those in leadership, which calls authority figures to be mindful of how they lead, why they lead, and who is leading them.

According to 1 Peter, Christianity is often the path not of least resistance but of most resistance. In this message on 1 Peter 4:12-19, Dustin Langley, lead pastor of Peninsula Life Church, teaches on the cost of discipleship, emphasizing that following Jesus is a choice we make on a daily basis, even if to do so opens us up to pain and suffering.

Scripture passages cited in this message include Deuteronomy 30:19-20; Matthew 26:14-16; 27:1-5; and Luke 14:27.

If you knew that the world were ending tomorrow, would you change how you live today? In this message on 1 Peter 4:1-11, David Shohradov, one of Thrive’s own, gives four attitudes that Christians are called to have in light of the imminent return of Jesus. Along the way, David also sounds the Bible’s call to make a total, radical break with sin.

From slandering your opponent, to lashing with words, to shouting down the other side, toxic dialogue has become a fixture of our not-so-civil discourse. Is there a better way? In this message on 1 Peter 3:8-16, D’Vante Rolle of One Hope Church unfolds Peter’s instructions to respond with love to those who resist you, in order that our words and actions might be aimed at reconciliation, not retaliation.

As marriage rates decline and gender roles shift, does the Christian vision of marriage have anything to offer? In this talk on 1 Peter 3:1-7, Michael Bouterse, Thrive’s local director, unfolds 1 Peter’s instructions to husbands and wives, addressing along the way its many cultural “landmines,” such as: What does the Bible mean by submission? What is “a gentle and quiet spirit”? And why are wives called “the weaker vessel”?

Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include 1 Peter 2:12-18; 3:8; Ephesians 5:22-24; Proverbs 31; Acts 5:29; and Genesis 2-3; 18:12.

As the post-Christian West grows increasingly antagonistic toward the claims of Jesus, how can Christianity win a hearing? In this talk on 1 Peter 2:11-25, Tim Cedarland, Thrive’s director emeritus, unpacks 1 Peter’s instructions for how Christians can be a powerful witness in a hostile environment.