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Ever catch yourself thinking, “I’ll be grateful when...”? When my marriage gets better. When the finances settle. When my kid gets back on track. But life rarely becomes permanently uncomplicated. In the final week of Nehemiah and the 7 Cs, Pastor Aaron McRae looks at the celebration that marked Jerusalem’s rebuilt walls, and the surprisingly unfinished ending that follows. The big idea: celebrate God’s goodness to cultivate a grateful heart, even when the story isn’t finished. Four takeaways: Celebration gives God the credit for what He has doneCelebration is something we prepare for, not just something we feelBiblical celebration is a sacrificial response to God’s goodnessKeep celebrating, even when the story isn’t finishedChristian celebration isn’t denial. It’s choosing to remember God’s goodness while trusting Him with what’s still unresolved, because in Jesus, God has already given us every reason for hope. This week, ask yourself: What’s one thing I can thank God for today, even if the bigger story isn’t resolved yet? Scripture: Nehemiah 12:27–44; 13:6 · Colossians 3:16 · Ephesians 5:19–20 · Romans 12:1 · Hebrews 13:15–16 · Hebrews 12:2 · Philippians 4:4 Resources Mentioned H.G.M. Williamson, Ezra, Nehemiah (Word Biblical Commentary)Abraham Joshua Heschel, Who Is Man?J.G. McConville, Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther (Daily Study Bible)Colleen Chao, In the Hands of a Fiercely Tender GodFor the full gathering of this message which includes worship, visit our Youtube channel.   Stay Connected With Hillside Community Church. Youtube | https://www.youtube.com/c/HillsideCommunityChurch Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/hillsidechurches/ Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/hillsidechurches Website | https://hillsidechurches.com

Ever read the Bible and walked away feeling worse? In Nehemiah 8, God’s people gather to hear His Word read aloud from sunrise to noon. As they listen, they realize how far they’ve drifted, and they start to weep. But Nehemiah stops them: “Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” In Week 6 of Nehemiah and the 7 Cs, Pastor Aaron McRae explores what it means to be Christ-centered. The big idea: a right understanding of God, followed by a right response, centers us in Jesus Christ. Three ways to live it out: --Let God transform your life through His Word --Let God’s grace be greater than your guilt --Let God’s joy overflow into the lives of others Jesus is the Word made flesh, full of grace and truth, and He wants His joy to be complete in you. This week, ask yourself: Where am I letting guilt speak louder than grace? Scripture: Nehemiah 7:73–8:12 · Matthew 26:26–27 · John 1:1, 14 · John 15:10–12 · Colossians 2:2 · Psalm 111:10 · Matthew 22:37 For the full gathering of this message which includes worship, visit our Youtube channel.   Stay Connected With Hillside Community Church. Youtube | https://www.youtube.com/c/HillsideCommunityChurch Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/hillsidechurches/ Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/hillsidechurches Website | https://hillsidechurches.com

Most of us don’t struggle to know what matters. We struggle to choose it. You want to be a present parent, but your phone keeps winning. You want to grow spiritually, but prayer is the first thing to go when life gets busy. In Week 5 of Nehemiah and the 7 Cs, Pastor Aaron McRae names the conflict zone: the space between our commitments and our choices, where things usually go wrong. After the wall goes up in 52 days, Nehemiah turns from bricks to people. He puts faithful people who fear God in charge of the city and leads Israel to recommit with specific choices about marriage, rest, and money. Jesus says it plainly: seek first the kingdom. Because if we have 12 priorities, we have no priorities. Real commitment is when our choices line up with our confession to Jesus. 📖 Nehemiah 6:15–16; 7:1–5 · Proverbs 1:7 · Matthew 22:36–40 · Matthew 6:33 · Matthew 16:24 Hillside Community Church  🔗 [Website] · [Join a Group] · [Serve] Hashtags #Nehemiah #Commitment #FollowingJesus #Discipleship #ChristianLiving #Sermon #Faith #HillsideChurch For the full gathering of this message which includes worship, visit our Youtube channel.   Stay Connected With Hillside Community Church. Youtube | https://www.youtube.com/c/HillsideCommunityChurch Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/hillsidechurches/ Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/hillsidechurches Website | https://hillsidechurches.com

What if the community around you is missing something, and it's you? Most of us know we're supposed to belong somewhere. But after enough letdowns, it's easier to build a wall, trust only yourself, and keep people at a safe distance. You can show up for years and never actually be known. In Week 3 of Nehemiah & the 7 C's, Pastor Jayden Zwerner looks at Nehemiah 4. The people rebuilding Jerusalem are exhausted, surrounded, and ready to quit, until Nehemiah repositions them to carry the weight together. From Genesis to 1 Corinthians, Scripture is clear that God never designed us to do life alone. He has uniquely gifted each of us for one another. That means we're not just invited into community. We're needed in it. Take one courageous step toward God's people: risk being loved, and risk loving someone else. Scripture: Nehemiah 4:6–20 | Genesis 2:18 | 1 Corinthians 12:12–18 | Proverbs 27:17 | Romans 12:15 | Galatians 6:2 | Ephesians 3:14–21 Resources Mentioned: Eugene H. Peterson, A Long Obedience in the Same Direction (InterVarsity Press) Stay connected with us throughout the week: YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/c/HillsideCommunityChurch Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/hillsidechurches/ Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/hillsidechurches Website | https://hillsidechurches.com We’re glad you’re here. For the full gathering of this message which includes worship, visit our Youtube channel.   Stay Connected With Hillside Community Church. Youtube | https://www.youtube.com/c/HillsideCommunityChurch Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/hillsidechurches/ Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/hillsidechurches Website | https://hillsidechurches.com

Ever wanted deeper community but couldn't figure out why it wasn't happening? You can build a church without building a community. You can have the walls, the chairs, and the programs and still feel alone in the room. In Week 3 of Nehemiah and the 7 Cs, Pastor Aaron McRae shows how God rebuilt more than Jerusalem's wall. He rebuilt His people. The big idea: community is a work God does first IN us before He does it THROUGH us. God builds that community in us through three things: A shared identity: we know WHO we areShared rhythms: we learn HOW to be togetherSelfless sacrifice: we choose WHOSE interests come firstSome of us don't have a community problem. We have a calendar problem. This week, ask yourself: Have I built room in my life for real Christian community to happen? Scripture: Nehemiah 2:17–18; 3:1–5; 4:6; 9:38; 10:28–29 · John 17:20–21 · Ephesians 4:3–6 · Acts 2:42–47 · John 15:12–13 · Philippians 2:1–7 Resources Mentioned Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together (quote adapted)Francis Schaeffer, The Mark of the Christian (idea adapted)Robin Dunbar, research on social circlesJohn Mark Comer, Practicing the WayFor the full gathering of this message which includes worship, visit our Youtube channel.   Stay Connected With Hillside Community Church. Youtube | https://www.youtube.com/c/HillsideCommunityChurch Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/hillsidechurches/ Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/hillsidechurches Website | https://hillsidechurches.com

Afraid of the conversation you need to have? The decision you can't avoid? The step you know God is asking you to take? Most of us picture courage as loud and heroic. Biblical courage is usually quieter. It's telling the truth when it costs you. It's loving someone when you don't feel like it. It's refusing to compromise when everyone around you does. In Nehemiah 2, a cupbearer who is "very much afraid" steps into a moment far bigger than himself. What carries him isn't confidence in his own ability. It's knowing "the gracious hand of my God" is on him. In Week 2 of Nehemiah and the 7 Cs, Pastor Aaron McRae shows how courage helps us: --see what God is doing, --step up when He opens a door, and --stand when opposition comes. Courage isn't about who you are. It's about who God is. 📖 Scripture: Nehemiah 2:1–20 · Ephesians 6:13 · Matthew 5:43–45 · Romans 12:14 · Ephesians 3:12 · Hebrews 4:16 · Ephesians 6:19 · Philippians 1:20 · John 16:33 📚 Resources Mentioned -Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae -Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics #Courage #FaithOverFear #Nehemiah #BibleStudy #ChristianLiving #Sermon #HillsideChurch #7Cs For the full gathering of this message which includes worship, visit our Youtube channel.   Stay Connected With Hillside Community Church. Youtube | https://www.youtube.com/c/HillsideCommunityChurch Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/hillsidechurches/ Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/hillsidechurches Website | https://hillsidechurches.com

You can feel heartbroken by the news and still never do anything about it. Catastrophizing. Doomscrolling. Compassion fatigue. Comfort-zone syndrome. We have a dozen ways to feel deeply about suffering in the world — and still keep it at arm's length. This week kicks off a new series through the Old Testament book of Nehemiah, and it starts in an unexpected place: not with a plan, but with a broken heart. Nehemiah had comfort, access, and success. He also had a choice: stay safe, or let someone else's pain interrupt his life. Before he ever picked up a hammer to rebuild a wall, he wept, fasted, and prayed. In this message, we talk about: Why proximity changes compassion from a feeling into an actionThe four foundations of biblical compassion — starting with turning to God, not trying to fix, avoid, or numb what hurtsWhy the greatest test of compassion isn't when we're hurting, but when we're comfortable and someone else isKicking off a 7-week series on the character God is shaping in us — starting with Compassion. Scripture referenced: Nehemiah 1:1–11 · Matthew 9:36 · Isaiah 49:15 · 1 John 1:9 #Nehemiah #Compassion #SermonSeries For the full gathering of this message which includes worship, visit our Youtube channel.   Stay Connected With Hillside Community Church. Youtube | https://www.youtube.com/c/HillsideCommunityChurch Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/hillsidechurches/ Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/hillsidechurches Website | https://hillsidechurches.com

What if the goal isn't a different season — it's deeper roots? Everybody is trusting something to hold their life together: control, approval, success, another person, themselves. It works fine until the heat comes — a diagnosis, a closed door, a kid who won't choose right, a prayer that isn't answered on your timeline. Suddenly you find out what your roots were really in. In Jeremiah 17:5–8, God gives a picture of two lives: one like a shrub in the desert, one like a tree planted by a stream. Both face the same drought. Only one stays green. The difference was never the weather — it's the source. In this message, we talk about: Why pressure exposes what you're actually trusting, not what you say you're trustingWhy God is often more interested in your roots than your branchesWhat it means that "the greatest threat isn't the drought — it's disconnecting from the Source during the drought"Why "stuck" doesn't mean "forgotten," and how sanctification can be happening even when your circumstances aren't changingHow Jesus' invitation in John 7:37 — "if anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink" — changes what it means to grow, mature, and produce fruitIf you're in a season that isn't changing yet, this one's for you. Scripture referenced: Jeremiah 17:5–8 · John 7:37–39 · Matthew 26:38–39 · Exodus 30:23 · Ezekiel's temple vision (Ezekiel 47) #Jeremiah17 #StayConnected #FaithInTheDrought #SermonSeries For the full gathering of this message which includes worship, visit our Youtube channel.   Stay Connected With Hillside Community Church. Youtube | https://www.youtube.com/c/HillsideCommunityChurch Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/hillsidechurches/ Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/hillsidechurches Website | https://hillsidechurches.com

What if the hardest season of your life isn't a sign God has abandoned you — but proof you're right in the middle of His story? In Exodus, God's people are rescued from slavery in Egypt... only to land in a wilderness with no food, no water, and no map. It's easy to judge them for grumbling. It's harder to admit we'd do the same. This week, Sean Murphy walks through the pattern that shapes the entire Bible — and our own lives: Out of bondage, Through the wilderness, Into promise. It's the story of Israel, and it's the story Jesus fulfills completely — facing down sin and death so we could be free, not just from something, but for something. You'll walk away asking: Where am I still stuck in a cycle I keep choosing over God? Do I trust God's provision one day at a time, or do I just complain when it's hard? Am I quick to forget who actually provided the good things I have? Scripture referenced: Ephesians 2:4-5, Exodus 3:7-8, Exodus 6:7, Exodus 14:10-16, Exodus 16:2-3, Deuteronomy 8:10-18, Judges 21:25, John 3:16, Matthew 4:4, Luke 23:40-43, John 8:31-36, Psalm 139, Jeremiah 1:5 Resources mentioned: The Critical Journey by Janet Hagberg & Robert Guelich; Bible Project #Exodus #Freedom #Wilderness #FaithJourney #Discipleship #HillsideChurch #GodsStory #Redemption Stay Connected with us.  Youtube | https://www.youtube.com/c/HillsideCommunityChurch  Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/hillsidechurches/  Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/hillsidechurches  Hillside Website | https://hillsidechurches.com Stay connected with us throughout the week: YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/c/HillsideCommunityChurch Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/hillsidechurches/ Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/hillsidechurches Website | https://hillsidechurches.com We’re glad you’re here. For the full gathering of this message which includes worship, visit our Youtube channel.   Stay Connected With Hillside Community Church. Youtube | https://www.youtube.com/c/HillsideCommunityChurch Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/hillsidechurches/ Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/hillsidechurches Website | https://hillsidechurches.com

What if the plateau you're feeling isn't failure — it's just one stage of a much longer road? In the final week of our "What We Believe" series, Pastor Aaron McRae maps out the real stages of a life of faith — from first discovering God, to the busyness of serving, to a harder inward season many people never talk about, and finally into a life marked less by striving and more by love. Drawing on Jesus' words in John 15 and research showing most Christians plateau far short of real transformation, Aaron makes the case that getting stuck isn't the end of the story — it might just mean you're due for a turn you didn't expect. This teaching: Why "being active at church" and spiritual transformation aren't the same thingWhat "the Wall" is, and why it's often a sign of growth, not failureOne honest question to ask about where you actually are on this journeyScripture: John 15:1–17 #HillsideChurch #AaronMcRae #WhatWeBelieve #ChristianLifeSeries #SpiritualGrowth #John15 #FaithJourney #Discipleship #CriticalJourney #SpiritualFormation #StuckInFaith #ChristianMaturity For the full gathering of this message which includes worship, visit our Youtube channel.   Stay Connected With Hillside Community Church. Youtube | https://www.youtube.com/c/HillsideCommunityChurch Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/hillsidechurches/ Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/hillsidechurches Website | https://hillsidechurches.com

What if the thing holding you back isn't a lack of effort, but a wrong starting point? In Ephesians 4, Paul describes two very different ways to live — one marked by exhausted striving, and one that starts somewhere completely different: belonging. Pastor Aaron McRae opens our new series on Scripture and the Christian Life by asking a strange question — what does your life actually smell like to the people around you? — and unpacks a simple but life-changing order: you don't become to belong. You belong, so you become. Why "putting off" old patterns only works when it flows from identity, not effort What adoption into God's family actually means — and why it changes everything One practical shift you can make this week in how you speak, handle anger, or respond to conflict Scripture: Ephesians 4:17–5:2 | Romans 8:14–15 | 2 Corinthians 5:17 Stay connected with us throughout the week: YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/c/HillsideCommunityChurch Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/hillsidechurches/ Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/hillsidechurches Website | https://hillsidechurches.com For the full gathering of this message which includes worship, visit our Youtube channel.   Stay Connected With Hillside Community Church. Youtube | https://www.youtube.com/c/HillsideCommunityChurch Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/hillsidechurches/ Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/hillsidechurches Website | https://hillsidechurches.com

What's your relationship with your Bible actually look like right now? For some of us, it's a stack of good intentions — worn in some places, untouched in others. In this message, Pastor Woody walks through a personal journey with Scripture — from childhood to now — anchored by a surprising Old Testament command: even Israel's future kings were told to personally write out and read God's Word every single day of their lives. Not delegate it. Not outsource it. Own it. If Scripture is that essential for a king, it's essential for the rest of us too. In this message you'll discover: -Why proximity to God's Word matters more than good intentions -What Deuteronomy 17 reveals about humility, consistency, and long-term faithfulness -A simple next step to re-engage with the Bible this week — no matter where you're starting from Scripture referenced: Psalm 1, Deuteronomy 17:18–20, Psalm 119:105, 1 Corinthians 10:13, Matthew 3:8/Luke 3:8, Matthew 11:29–30, Psalm 71:18, 2 Kings 22, 2 Chronicles 34 Resources mentioned: Move by Greg L. Hawkins and Cally Parkinson Welcome to Hillside Community Church. Wherever you are joining us from today, we’re glad you’re here! If you would like to experience this gathering among community with others engaging online, head to our Church Online site https://live.hillsidechurches.com/ to utilize a chat or request prayer from our team.  Stay Connected with us.  Youtube | https://www.youtube.com/c/HillsideCommunityChurch  Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/hillsidechurches/  Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/hillsidechurches  Hillside Website | https://hillsidechurches.com For the full gathering of this message which includes worship, visit our Youtube channel.   Stay Connected With Hillside Community Church. Youtube | https://www.youtube.com/c/HillsideCommunityChurch Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/hillsidechurches/ Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/hillsidechurches Website | https://hillsidechurches.com

You already know the Bible is good for you. So why is it so hard to stay consistent? Drawing from 2 Timothy 3, Pastor Aaron McRae makes the case that Scripture isn't just useful — it's doing something in you every time you engage with it. Teaching. Rebuking. Correcting. Training. Four words that sound simple but carry the weight of a life being shaped from the inside out. This is week two of Hillside's series on Scripture, and it tackles the question behind the question: not just how to read the Bible, but what God is actually trying to accomplish through it. The goal isn't more information. It's not a better morning routine. It's becoming more like Jesus — thoroughly equipped for every good work. It's never too late to start. And you're never finished growing. Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:14–17, Romans 10:8–10, 1 Timothy 4:8, Romans 15:4, Hebrews 12:7–11 Resources: Women of the Word — Jen Wilkin; Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy; Experiencing God — Henry Blackaby; Gerry Breshears, "The Bible Is Inspired By God" For the full gathering of this message which includes worship, visit our Youtube channel.   Stay Connected With Hillside Community Church. Youtube | https://www.youtube.com/c/HillsideCommunityChurch Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/hillsidechurches/ Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/hillsidechurches Website | https://hillsidechurches.com

Most people who read the Bible are reading it for the wrong thing. For information. For answers. For a checklist. And when it doesn't deliver, they close it and walk away disappointed. But what if the Bible was never meant to be read like a search engine — or a self-help book — or an instruction manual? Drawing from Luke 24 and the Road to Emmaus, Pastor Aaron unpacks what Scripture is actually designed to do: reveal a person, tell a story, teach a truth, and require a life. This is week one of a new series on Scripture — and it starts with one question: what would change if you read the Bible not for information, but for intimacy? One small habit. Consistently practiced. The power to transform your life. Scripture: Luke 24:13–49 John 14:6 John 16:13 Romans 10:8–11 James 1:22 1 John 5:3–4 Resources: The Jesus Storybook Bible Cape Town Commitment (Lausanne Movement) The Bible Recap YouVersion App For the full gathering of this message which includes worship, visit our Youtube channel.   Stay Connected With Hillside Community Church. Youtube | https://www.youtube.com/c/HillsideCommunityChurch Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/hillsidechurches/ Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/hillsidechurches Website | https://hillsidechurches.com

What if the thing you're most proud of is the exact thing standing between you and real life? A successful, "good" young man comes to Jesus with a resume most of us would envy — wealthy, respected, morally upright. He's kept every commandment. He's checked every box. So why does he walk away from Jesus sad? Pastor Aaron McRae walks through Matthew 19:16-26, where Jesus meets a man who wanted eternal life to be one more thing he could earn — and exposes what was actually running his life the whole time. It's not really a story about money. It's a story about identity, control, and what we quietly trust to make us whole. This week, we're asking: what are you holding onto that you'd say no to Jesus over? And what does it actually look like to follow him instead of just admiring him? In this message: -Why "good behavior" was never the point -What Jesus meant by "impossible with man, possible with God" -The difference between admiring Jesus and following him -What it costs — and what it's worth 📖 Matthew 19:16-26 For the full gathering of this message which includes worship, visit our Youtube channel.   Stay Connected With Hillside Community Church. Youtube | https://www.youtube.com/c/HillsideCommunityChurch Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/hillsidechurches/ Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/hillsidechurches Website | https://hillsidechurches.com