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Regret has a way of convincing us that we’re doing something productive when all we’re really doing is suffering. God recognizes the destruction that guilt can cause us, and through his perfect grace, he creates a space where we can come honestly to him with even our biggest regrets.

In light of the tragedy at Silver Rail Elementary School this week, we dedicated our Sunday services to a time of prayer, lament, and reflection. We love you, Bend, and we are here for you as we process our grief, anger, and confusion together.

Good Questions Week 5 | The Holy Spirit is God’s personal presence in our lives. It is continually transforming us to become more like Jesus and producing the fruit of the Spirit in us.

Good Questions Week 4 | Healthy things grow, and growing things change. Throughout Jesus’ teachings, we observe that he frequently encouraged his disciples to lean into Him and think critically about what it meant to be a follower of Jesus.

Good Questions Week 3 | Anger should act as a warning light for us, not a steering wheel. Through Jesus’ teachings and the stories of how he handled anger, we learn that anger itself is not bad or sinful; however, we are never called to let our anger turn into hatred for another human being.

Good Questions Week 2 | Hearing God often comes from knowing Jesus so deeply through Scripture, prayer, and community that we learn to recognize his voice and work in our everyday lives and let his character shape our decisions.

Good Questions Week 1 | In the first week of our Good Questions series, we learn from the Apostle Paul’s teachings that it is better to walk intentionally (and often quietly and slowly) next to Jesus than to put on an outward show to convince others that we are “good Christians.” A radical faith does not need to be a loud one.

This Sunday, Westside commissioned the Franco family as they prepare to move to Spain as missionaries. We had the privilege of hearing Pastor Gonzalo preach about mission work. Pastor Gonzalo shares that the church’s ultimate mission is about introducing people to Jesus – not merely Christian culture, traditions, or institutions. Every believer is invited to participate in that mission, no matter where God has placed them.

Healthy Relationships: Week 4 | Healthy relationships require adopting the humble, selfless posture of Jesus. From Jesus’ example in the Bible, we see the value of prioritizing others and practicing vulnerability, forgiveness, and reconciliation.

Healthy Relationships: Week 3 | Through the story of Jesus’ interaction with the Samaritan woman at the well, we learn from Jesus’ example that listening is an act of love. Healthy listening does not involve interjecting or fixing the situation – it is slowing down and seeking to understand.

Healthy Relationships: Week 2 | In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus’ interaction with God helps illustrate that healthy relationships begin by honestly confronting what is happening beneath the surface of our hearts – being brutally honest with ourselves and with whoever we are in friendship or relationship with – rather than avoiding difficult emotions.

Healthy Relationships: Week 1 | What can we learn from the Bible when it comes to building healthy relationships? Because Jesus calls his followers to love one another, we learn that healthy relationships require commonality, consistency, and vulnerability – and the church can become a place of healing and connection in an increasingly lonely world.

James Week 4 | In this week’s sermon, Pastor Josh shows us how James often gives us simple, clear instructions on how we can turn towards God. In hard times, God calls us to come close. In good times, we are called to worship. While these actions can feel insignificant, it is only through the love of God that we can be made perfectly whole, no matter our situation.

James Week 3 | In the final installment of our series through James, we learn what to do when we encounter conflict with others. Rather than build up our defenses and look for ways to blame others for our actions, James encourages – or even demands – that our first action when dealing with conflict should be to turn to God and seek his grace in the situation.

James Week 2 | James’ message in his third chapter sounds so harsh because he is being incredibly serious; words have the power to literally build up or tear down the character and wellbeing of the people around us. When Jesus interacts with the world, he does so with words of sincere kindness – and we should do the same.