What kind of book is the Bible? Is it a history book, a law book, a dictionary, or something else? How a person views the Bible shapes how they read it. This summer we are learning to read the Bible as one unified story--the Greatest Story! We'll cover the big picture of the Bible in twelve weeks to answer the question, "What is the Big Story?"

As we go, we'll explore how we fit into the grand narrative of Scripture... in other words, our purpose!

This message is an introduction to our summer series and the first session on the creation account in Genesis 1-2. God made a good world of needy people who were designed to find fulfillment in God, others, and doing God's work.

By the middle of Genesis 38, Tamar was the ultimate outsider: A foreign, childless, banished widow. Her father-in-law Judah wasn't treating her fairly, and her prospects for the future were grim--to say the least. But God didn't lose sight of Tamar, and she wasn't about to fade into obscurity. Instead, she saw to it that the plan of God stayed on track through some rather unorthodox means. You're invited to hear more about how Tamar, an unlikely hero, kept God's people on track!

Even though Esau threw away his birthright and was cheated out of his blessing, God still had big plans for this overlooked older brother. His story shows us you don’t have to be “the chosen one” to play a key role in God’s ultimate plan of redemption.

Jesus gives us a powerful example of meeting the physical and spiritual needs of his community in Matthew 9:35-38. God has always wanted the good news of the Kingdom to go out into all the world, and Jesus is choosing us to be the workers.

One of the most consistent themes in the Old Testament is that Israel was God's chosen people. When God appeared to Abram in Genesis 12, he promised that Abram would become the father of a nation that would one day bless the entire world. In order for this promise to become a reality, God called together one nation to be unique and set apart. But this "choosing" was not intended to exclude others, it was intended to one day bring everyone into a loving relationship with him.

In this first part of a new class "The Faith of the Outsider," Bryan explores what it means to be chosen by God and the ministry God is calling us to. We invite you to join us every Wednesday at 6:30pm for this online class.

Jesus commissioned the disciples to go into all the world, but then he told them to wait in Jerusalem. Before going, they needed to be equipped with the power and strength they'd need for the mission. In Acts 1-2, we see that they devoted themselves to prayer, made unity a priority, and learned to rely on the power of the Spirit.

We would do well to follow in their footsteps!

God tells us that he abounds in faithfulness (or truth). Bryan shares about what this means and how Jesus personifies the faithfulness of God in the Gospels.

Adam England explores what it means when God says he is faithful.

How does Jesus show love to people in his lifetime? Tonight we'll look at three people Jesus loved and three principles we can learn from these stories.