Turn Off The Dark, Through the Eyes of a Lion, part 1"Why do you think so many children are afraid of the dark? Were you scared of the dark when you were young? If so, how did you cope with your fear?" God has brought light into this dark world. Through Jesus, God has stepped into the painful mess of this world in rebellion against Him and enables us the opportunity to see things the way they real...  Read More

Impossible Pain - Incredible Power, an introduction to "Through the Eyes of a Lion."Think of the times in your life when something incredibly painful happened that you either did not expect or did not want.   How did you feel?  Describe how that reality impacted you. What does getting a healthier perspective on your painful reality do for you?  God meets us in our incredibly painful moments with i...  Read More

Beating the algorithm Dear Church Family and Friends,  On a scale of 1-10, how comfortable are you with AI? Regardless of your feelings about it, one thing for certain is it’s here to stay. So can we beat algorithms and find authentic community in an artificial era?After all, the most popular verse in the Bible isn’t, “For God so loved the world, He sent an algorithm…”Join this Sunday as we look a...  Read More

Rejoicing FaithDear Church Family and Friends,  God calls us to rejoice always! Rejoicing in a peace and hope that only he can give. A rejoicing that is evident in our gentleness to others. A rejoicing that is evident in how we share our faith. To rejoice always is a difficult commandment to live out in the face of hardship. Yet, God gives us that ability through his peace. A peace that is accesse...  Read More

Marriage Matters Blog, 007Strong Marriages Are Built One Day at a TimeEvery strong marriage isn't built in a single moment—it's built through thousands of ordinary moments. A kind word. A patient response. A shared prayer. A date night that stays on the calendar. A choice to forgive instead of keeping score.No marriage is perfect because no two people are perfect. Every couple faces challenges, se...  Read More

The Greatest RoleDear Church Family and Friends,  As I read through the gospel accounts of the life and ministry of Jesus and His 12 closest followers, it's fascinating to see how belief, belonging, and behavior intersect. Questions arise as I read about Jesus letting the Disciples belong, way before they believed or behaved. Join this Sunday as Jesus uses a heated conflict between the Disciples t...  Read More

The Greatest CommandmentsDear Church Family and Friends,  We get easily confused and distracted from the things that are most important.  We need constant reminders to stay focused on what is central to life and relationships. Reminders and simple summaries are helpful.  Jesus gave us a simple summary of what is most important.  He wrapped up everything that was taught in the Law into two simple s...  Read More

The Greatest CommissionDear Church Family and Friends,  We are in a crisis of purpose.  Humanity's recognition that we need one has led to the adoption of a lot of temporarily worthy causes.  On the other end of the spectrum, lots of efforts that have no sane foundation are being undertaken with passion in popular culture.  Our timeless purpose, a mission worth living for, comes from outside of us...  Read More

Remember & Return!Dear Church Family and Friends,  We are forgetful, stubborn creatures.  How many of you remember the last non-negotiable directive of your boss?  Of your wife or husband?  Of a parent?  If you do remember, where are your heart and actions right now in regard to that issue?  Are you honoring that directive, desire, or request?  Why not?  God has given all of humanity a sense of wh...  Read More

Three verbs that will change your lifeDear Church Family and Friends,  Have you ever experienced a high-end massage chair? A family friend has a zero-gravity massage chair with amazing features. The chair can heat up or cool down. It can compress your arms, legs, and feet, and has a variety of massage options. The long drive on the 91 freeway to get to gatherings at his house is well worth it– onc...  Read More

"The Parenting Journey" Part 6Dear Church Family and Friends,  Most guys have a hard time with traffic.  Unconsciously, we want to "win" and get to our destination faster than others around us.  Someone cutting in front of us, driving stupid, or sitting at a green light in front of us while looking at a cell phone triggers something in us. Yet, we are also keeping our eye on the yellow truck on th...  Read More

"The Parenting Journey" Part 5Dear Church Family and Friends,  We are very prone to imitate those we view as our heroes or people we admire and want to be like.  Children do the same thing.  Think of the boy who dresses up as Spider-Man and is casting webs all over the house to rescue his toys from injustice.  Or imagine the girl who dresses as a princess and sings, "Let it Go," as she slams the d...  Read More