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Contentment is obviously a message that is stressed consistently in Scripture. From the very beginning, Adam and Eve were tasked with finding contentment with the tasks they were given, and what they had access to (including a close relationship with God. The Israelites wandering in the wilderness were challenged to find contentment in their journey. New Testament authors speak extensively about finding in contentment “with what you have” (Heb. 13:5).   This week, I want to speak to contentment, but also to satisfaction – in the gospel truth that we hold to. There are a number of implications – when we are satisfied in the gospel. First, it means that we can end our pursuit of other sources of meaning, purpose, and fulfillment. Second, it means that we will want to share the satisfaction that we’ve found. Our satisfaction will lead us to be living testimonies of the hope we’ve found, for ourselves, our friends and family, and our community.   Join us as we explore this important value that we hold – that the gospel of Jesus Christ satisfies us – we’ve found the living water!   -Pastor Nate Roschen

One of the great gifts that we can give to the world – is to be a non-anxious presence. Our world is fraught with concern, and worry, and tumult. Who can be confident that all will be alright? Who can find their footing when nothing seems certain? There is nothing better than to be rooted in Christ. If a Christian is one who can be anxious for nothing, then we will be well-suited to help those in crisis. One thing we need to be mindful of, however, is that we don’t avoid reaching out to those who are on shaky ground, because we’re concerned about being shaken ourselves. Christ operated out of a certainty concerning Himself and His standing with God the Father. We are tasked with doing the same. Join us as we see how our lack of anxiety is one of the greatest blessings we have to offer! -Pastor Nate Roschen

Everyone agrees – we want more good things to happen in the world. The challenge is coming to terms with the thought that it needs to be “me” who does them. This week I want to challenge us to consider a couple of things. First, that doing good – and being a blessing to those around us, is a means to a well-lived and God-honoring life. The good we do should be without condition – and without consideration of whether anything will change based on our actions. We do good because it is in service to God. Secondly, I want to challenge us to consider our intentions in the context of Romans 1 & 2. Whispering Pines Church has always valued service to others – loving God and loving people. As we re-examine the core of what we believe – let us rethink our praxis, our actions, the means by which we serve and do good. Join me as we put them under the microscope of God’s Word. -Pastor Nate Roschen

In our God we find both truth and love. God speaks and deals honestly with His people. Human beings are not in the dark about God’s expectations of His creation (Rom. 1:20). At the same time, held in tension with His truth – is God’s love for His creation. We are tasked with living out the same in our lives. To hold to one, and neglect the other, is not just folly – it is a failure to be what God has tasked us with embodying. Psalm 85 tells us that in God, goodness and truth “kiss” – they meet. We are tasked with the same. When people experience us, they should experience the goodness and kindness of God. And they should also experience the truth of God – that we need saving. How we weave these together in an effective way is often the challenge. Join us as we continue to delve into the core of what we believe! -Pastor Nate Roschen

No one walks the Christian life alone. There are no examples in Scripture of anyone practicing Christianity all by themselves. Instead, we are all – according to 1 Peter 2, a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation. We learn and we grow together. We minister together. As we continue to explore the distinctives of Whispering Pines Church, we find that all of our pursuits demand a togetherness, a teachable and workable attitude among the parts of the body. I hope that you can join us this week to begin a conversation around working together, as the Body of Christ – on this mission that we’re on. -Pastor Nate Roschen

This week we launch into a new series where we will explore the depths of what we believe to be central to who we are as Whispering Pines Church. What is our heartbeat? What makes us tick? What beliefs, teachings, foundations, stories, tell us who we are – and how we are to live out our missional call? We can’t start anywhere but Jesus. Everything in Scripture points to Jesus – and everything that we are as an Ekklesia is from and through and for Jesus. Join us this Sunday as we reflect on what we believe about the Son of God – the fullest revelation of God. His compassion moves us. His teachings shape us. His love refines us. -Pastor Nate Roschen

Song of Songs is a book about Solomon, just as Ecclesiastes is a book that concerns itself with Solomon. There is a great deal of debate as to this book’s authorship – but whether it was written by Solomon (though it is critical of him at points) or simply written “to” or “about” Solomon, its reading is unchanged. Song of Songs – the title itself implies that we are reading the very best of songs (similar to Ecclesiastes’ ‘vanity of vanities’). The song concerns itself with human love and intimacy – the question for us is, does it use this language to speak to something else – the relationship between God and Israel, or perhaps between Christ and the church? A number of early church fathers did what they could to prohibit others from reading the book (including Gregory of Nyssa and Jerome in the 4th century). The Council of Constantinople in 550 famously outlawed the literal reading of the Song of Songs. So, why is it here in our Bibles? What benefit is there for us today? What does it speak to, and what does it matter? Join us as we spend a Sunday exploring this book’s place in the grand narrative of Scripture! -Pastor Nate Roschen

Jesus is constantly reminding us that his way is different. It is different in every way. Jesus will remind us of the servant way once again this Sunday as we look at one of Jesus' last moments with his disciples. - Dan Martinez

Finally, after 37 chapters of back and forth, torment and questioning – God shows up and responds to Job. What we find here is likely not what we expect. God is not on trial, and He never was. What we find at the end of Job is a God who is absolutely overwhelming. Job wants to fight God, essentially – and Job finds that He cannot fight God and win. Job doesn’t have a leg to stand on, none of us do. All anyone can do is fall on, depend on, call upon the Name of – the God who is good. At the end of it all – God is not angry with Job, in fact He restores everything to Job. God is angry with the friends of Job – as they have spoken untruths concerning God. Join us for the thrilling conclusion to this book about God – and His goodness. -Pastor Nate Roschen

If you were standing in a courtroom with the Lord - discussing the merits of your life - what would you do? Where would you turn? What would your best argument be? Job, having lost everything - and having done nothing to deserve it - continues his back and forth with God. Though his friends question him and raise their doubts, Job remains focused on addressing God and wrestling with Him as he tries to make sense of his life. Job never curses God. The biblical text explicitly states that Job does not sin or charge God with wrongdoing through his trials. When we go through trials, challenges, suffering - how do we consider God? Is our foundation set? Do we know Him to always do what is right? Join us as we continue our journey with Job. -Pastor Nate Roschen

Job 28 is one of the most beautiful chapters in our Bibles. It is a pause, a break, a soliloquy. For 25 chapters, Job and his friends have been going back and forth. As he is barraged by his friend’s accusations, Job defends himself and his honor - denying any wrongdoing. Job 28 comes out of nowhere. The text does nothing to make it clear whether chapter 28 is a part of Job’s discourse, or if it is instead a poetic interlude, or the narrator’s own reflection on wisdom. But it is beautiful, and begs the question - “Where can wisdom be found?” In the midst of our woes, our questions, doubting and defense, we need wisdom. We need to know how to discern what is true and what is false. Job 28 takes us on a winding journey, but ends with a definitive statement about wisdom that we need to hear. Join us this Sunday! -Pastor Nate Roschen

When your friends are in crisis, what do you do? In the case of Job, after tragedy had befallen him, his friends showed up for him. Their initial reaction was commendable. They wept with him, mourned with him, tore their clothes and wept with him. They sat with him in silence for seven days and seven nights. They were, in every sense, with their friend. Their presence was what was needed. But it didn’t take long before his friends changed their strategy. Upon seeing the depth of despair that Job was in, they begin to try to fix the problem. The first order of business was determining where to assign blame. Someone must be responsible for this. In our own lives – we will be called upon to offer something to those in trouble. What will we bring? What will our posture be? Can we trust God, and wait on Him, even in desperate times? -Pastor Nate Roschen

Join us this Sunday as we remember the commission that Jesus gave His disciples. At the conclusion of our service we will also have the opportunity to hear from those who went on this year’s mission trip to Puerto Rico. The mission left behind by Jesus for His disciples to follow is multifaceted. Matthew 28 records the simple message that we are to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them, and teaching them to obey Jesus’ commands. In Acts 1, Luke records Jesus saying that we are to His witnesses, first in Jerusalem, then Judea & Samaria, and then to the ends of the earth. Of course, Jesus gives us many more directives about how to go about doing this. Join us this Sunday as we remember the heart of Jesus’ mission for us – and to celebrate the good that comes when we follow Him ‘to the ends of the earth.’ -Pastor Nate Roschen

“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” – Num. 6:24-26 This Community Sunday we are going to gather together to reflect on what was understood to be the greatest blessing known in the Old Testament. This blessing was given to Aaron, the priest, and his sons, to be used as a verbal blessing over the people of God. The blessing – was that God would see you, turn His face toward you, look at you. It’s interesting how much this thought has changed in our minds. How many children have been warned that “God is always watching you,” or that “He sees everything that you do!”? The gaze of God, intended to be a blessing, is now often used as a threat, a warning. How can we recover our understanding of God? How can we remember that His presence is a blessing? Join us this Community Sunday as we explore the deep human need that we have to know and be known by God – for God to see us as we are. -Pastor Nate Roschen

Do we see God as He is? Or as we wish Him to be? At the beginning of the book of Job, we are introduced to a man named Job who is blameless and upright. He fears God and turns away from sin. He loves the Lord and enjoys His many blessings. The question is raised: Does Job do so, only because he has not suffered? And then… God allows every good thing in Job’s life to be taken away. The Book of Job is a dramatic irony. We know the story better than the characters in the story do. We see everything going on in heaven and on earth, but the characters don’t know anything. The point is to read this book and feel driven to yell at the characters – Why don’t you get it? Why don’t you understand? This book, like no other, lets us behind the curtain to see God more clearly. It is intended to frustrate us in terms of the humans in the story. Then something in ourselves and our limited perspective can be revealed. Join us as we continue this epic story of Job. -Pastor Nate Roschen