What does it mean to have faith? How does it change the way that we see the world around us? Ken Hoogstra examines an interaction between Jesus and his disciples im Mark 9 to examine how we can wall ourselves in and prevent God from working in and through us... and how to open up to a life of the freedom of faith.

Is the church a building? Isn't church a place you go to? Or is church more of something you do? What does it look like to go to or be church? The bible's picture of church is one body, an active, moving breathing entity, and not a stable, structured building.

As we celebrate Mother's Day we will look at a variety of scriptures that talk about the important role that our Mother's have in molding us and bringing us up in our faith. Our Moms clean our cuts, comfort us in trouble, and help mold us into who God has made us to be.

Hear stories and testimonies from our youth about how God is at work in their lives, and all God has taught them.

This week we will look at: Do I need to believe before I can belong? Is church a club that requires a certain set of beliefs before one can belong? What if I am still learning about Jesus, can I be part of the church and Christian community?

Theme: Sabbath rest matters. After all, it is the hallowed climax of the first story ever told in the Bible.

Myth: I need to have my life together before I go to church

Do I Need to have my life together before I come to church? Don’t church people have their lives together? Instead we will look the fact that a relationship with Christ does not remove our brokenness or move us to a place of perfect, but instead shifts us towards and attitude of humility. Knowing God just helps us better understand that we are not perfect, and are always growing.

We get disappointed when our team doesn’t win, when plans fall through, when life doesn’t come out the way we anticipated. But God reminds us in this passage, God is bigger than our circumstances, God’s work will happen even in spite of what can look like tough challenges.

If someone asked you to describe Jesus how would you answer? Or better yet where would you begin? What would you highlight, what could be left out? As we open Holy week we are going to look at who the man we are focusing this whole week around was. What does the bible tell us about him?

Jesus offers each of us a chance to have our lives changed and transformed. Jesus offers healing and renewal, but to accept Jesus’ offer comes with consequence, we have to be willing to do something, or give up something. So do you want to be well, do you want your life to be changed? Are you ready for what that means?