In our discovery of who God is and what His purpose is for us in all things, there is one singular, foundational source of knowledge: the Bible. While it is not the only way, it is the penultimate one, the one that informs all others. And yet, even with how essential the Bible is for us as we develop healthy spiritual lives, there remains a caution. Discover how to push into this Rhythm of life while not letting it be more than it should.

Though we may not have a clear understanding of it, we all worship something. There is something that demands my ultimate allegiance, something that orders the rest of my life. What that something is determines how I’ll live my life, what I’ll really value, and which choices I’ll make in the end. Rightly placed, this is the most significant factor in what my life will look like. And rightly organizing the rhythms around HOW I worship will bring health or chaos into the mix.

Because of the brokenness of our world, trauma is reality for many (if not MOST) of us, to one degree or another. While some stress is good for us - it can energize us into problem solving, increase our awareness, or keep us motivated - TRAUMA has been described as a brick wall that disconnects us relationally as well as rationally.

There are many things we can discuss when it comes to being honest about our mental health, and the Bible actually has a lot to add to that conversation. However, there is a principle that needs to be in play if any of us are going to be truly able to find light in the darkness - we have to look deep, go deep, and authentically deal with whatever we find there.

Even in our hyper-connected society, it has been said that we are in a pandemic of loneliness, that many (or most) of us struggle regularly with being lonely, feeling like we don’t have deep connections, that others don’t really know us, that we don’t have people that we can turn to. This is not how we are designed to be, but it is the first problem the Bible talks about. And there are ways that we can shine light on this particular kind of darkness.

All of us have ups and downs - this is normal for life. However, what happens when our times of heightened awareness & energy stays too high or the lows stay too low? It’s more than just needing “not to worry” or to “just cheer up” … and it’s simply wrong to think that’s all it will take when we are walking through this particular darkness. Explore some of the roots of Anxiety & Depression and a little bit about what it looks like to shine light into those dark places.

Mental health can be a very difficult topic to discuss within the church because it is complex and highly personal, but all of us are affected by mental illness - personally or with those we love. Therefore, The Church must address this subject ... silence leads people to struggle in isolation. If you have or are currently struggling with mental health issues, please know this - you are not the illness or disorder. It is part of your journey, and God is not intimidated by it!

It’s one of the most unbelievable things that the Bible records and that Christianity teaches: that Jesus actually rose from the dead. Can we believe that? Can we really trust in it? It’s an amazing proposition, but there is compelling evidence to answer one way: YES.

Last week, we explored the brutality of what happened to Jesus on the cross that very first Easter. This week, Pastor Kim walks us through why it was all so necessary and what it accomplishes for each of us. What happens when we face the reality of what it means that the Author of Life gave up His to guarantee our own?

Mark Clark once wrote, “The scandal of Jesus is that he creates a crisis in each of us … The life & teachings of Jesus are more than just historical events we dust off & examine like artifacts in a museum. They alter reality, forcing us to rethink & reconfigure everything about our lives. Such is the risk and the adventure of the problem of Jesus.” Discover the problems that Jesus creates for each of us & a deeper understanding of one of the foundational events of our history.

How can you tell what’s right and what’s wrong? Fortunately, many would say, we live in an age where objective truth has disappeared. What’s true for you isn’t true for others, and what’s wrong for you isn’t wrong for others. But is it truly good for us when morals change from generation to generation and you can write your own? Or, are we missing something?

So often we’re told that we need to follow our own truth - that I need to pursue what makes me truly happy, regardless of the cost? At other times, we’re told that I should ignore myself and think only and ever of others. However, there is a third - and better - way of approaching life.

Why would anyone living today trust the Bible? Isn’t it full of terrible instances of violence and oppression? Isn’t it barbaric and outdated? Besides, you can’t really rely on a document that’s over 2000 years old. It’s been translated so often there’s very little likelihood that what we’re reading is what was written. Right? The answer just might surprise you!

Some have said, “Religion is basically how ancients understood the world, but science has taken us so far beyond that. If science explains or will explain everything, why do we really need God?” Others say, “ Science is man’s way of trying to get rid of God. It deifies itself, and shouldn’t be trusted - only what comes from faith can be counted on.” Which is true? The reality is, the answer is both … and neither. True truth is found in both the book of nature and the book of Scripture.

There is a phenomenon taking place in our world today, particularly in our America expression of Christianity - the notion of deconstructing one’s faith. Many in the established religious sphere have bemoaned this, and, sometimes, rightly so. However, this is not simply a flippant disregard for the holy, but most often it is a deep and reasoned response to hard things the church in general has not always handled well. Begin a journey of looking at this process and perhaps discover that it just might be foundational for what it means to REALLY follow after this man called Jesus.

Because Life is Hard, it can be hard to accept the good that comes our way. But if we learn to trust again, if we roll up our sleeves, if we discover that there is a hope and a truth greater than what I see in the moment, we can learn to embrace the good that will set us free.

Because life is hard, many (most?) of us have learned that we can't really trust others. We've learned that trusting others can easily result in being hurt or let down. And while it takes vulnerability to try to trust again, there is a strength and an agency that comes with trying that opens us back up to hope and healing.

Life is hard, and the only real way of walking through it is to find something greater than that hardness - something we believe is found in God and those who act to love in His name. But even so, there is a very real piece to this puzzle that means we need to find what role WE have to plan in walking towards wholeness and peace .. in other words, we need to do some hard work on our own, too.