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In Jeremiah 23, we receive a promise from God spoken through the prophet Jeremiah. The people of Israel had been let down over and over again by their leaders. Those they trusted to lead and protect them had failed to the point where the Israelites were forced to leave their homeland and live in exile. Jeremiah tells them that a day will come when the Good Shepherd will bring them home. This promise goes beyond a physical return to their land; it is a restoration of their relationship with God. As we see in John 10, Jesus reveals Himself to be this promised shepherd. As we approach the Advent season, we are exploring passages that point us toward the arrival of Jesus. These scriptures give us confidence in the work He has already done and hope for what is yet to come.

Who is Jesus according to Jesus? We are answering that question by exploring seven scandalous claims he makes in the Gospel of John, known as the "I AM" statements. In John 14, Jesus declares, "I am the way, the truth, and the life." Within each of these three words, we find something we desperately long for—something we were created for. Yet, we frequently replace these authentic longings with cheap, enticing counterfeits. These counterfeits promise fulfillment but ultimately leave us empty. In this message, we discover that while we tend to be preoccupied with self-preservation and security, what we truly need—and what Jesus offers—is a life of abundance and purpose that we can participate in now and into eternity.

We believe that it is important to build meaningful relationships with people who think and believe differently than we do. But knowing how to engage with someone from another faith (or no faith at all) without it feeling awkward, forced, or like there is a hidden agenda isn't easy.  In this episode, Brent and Mike talk about the importance of having intentional conversations with people of different faiths. They share three simple practices—curiosity, listening, and sharing—that have made a powerful impact on their own relationships. Tune in to learn how you can build genuine friendships, cultivate peace, and create opportunities for honest faith conversations in your own life!

Who is Jesus according to Jesus? We are answering that question by exploring seven scandalous claims he makes in the Gospel of John, known as the "I AM" statements. In John 14, Jesus declares, "I am the way, the truth, and the life." Within each of these three words, we find something we desperately long for—something we were created for. Yet, we frequently replace these authentic longings with cheap, enticing counterfeits. These counterfeits promise fulfillment but ultimately leave us empty. In this message, we discover that while we tend to be preoccupied with collecting answers, what we truly need—and what Jesus offers—is a truth that we can build our life and faith upon.

Over the years, we’ve learned that the healthiest communities are the ones that pray together often. But knowing how to pray as a group without it feeling awkward or forced isn't always easy. In this episode, Brianna and Jondra introduce a simple tool that has made a powerful impact on their house church. Tune in to learn how you can make corporate prayer accessible, meaningful, and a consistent habit in your own community!

Who is Jesus according to Jesus? We are answering that question by exploring seven scandalous claims he makes in the Gospel of John, known as the "I AM" statements. In John 14, Jesus declares, "I am the way, the truth, and the life." Within each of these three words, we find something we desperately long for—something we were created for. Yet, we frequently replace these authentic longings with cheap, enticing counterfeits. These counterfeits promise fulfillment but ultimately leave us empty. In this message, we discover that while we tend to be preoccupied with our destination, what we truly need—and what Jesus offers—is a way of life that transforms both us and the world around us.

Who is Jesus, according to Jesus? We will answer that question by exploring seven scandalous claims he makes in the Gospel of John, known as the "I AM" statements. In John 15, Jesus declares, "I am the true vine." Often, we focus primarily on His command to "abide." We rightly understand that this passage holds a profound truth about our need to be rooted in Him as our ultimate source of rest and life. However, we sometimes overlook the fact that this text has just as much to say about what we produce. Because we are rooted in the vine, we inevitably "bear fruit" as we participate in the mission of God all around us. Ultimately, this is a message about rest and work—abiding and going. It challenges us to simultaneously dig deep into the source of life and reach out to offer that life to the world around us.

In this interview, we hear from Erin Popova who is the Dean of Students of EnterMission. EnterMission is a guided gap year program that seeks to help students navigate life, faith, service, and their future. They partner with domestic and international partners to help their student discover how to live missionally wherever God takes them. If you would like to contribute financially to the work that Erin is doing with EnterMission, visit https://newinternational.org/give/campaign/erin-popova

Who is Jesus, according to Jesus? We will answer that question by exploring seven scandalous claims he makes in the Gospel of John, known as the "I AM" statements. In John 8, Jesus declares, "I am the light of the world." Interestingly, this is the only "I AM" statement he also attributes to his followers (Matt. 5:14). We are called to be the light of the world as we walk alongside the ultimate Light. The interactions surrounding this claim demonstrate that light reveals what is hidden—not to destroy, but to restore; not to shame, but to heal. We can only effectively fulfill our calling to be "light" if we first step into that light ourselves, experiencing the full weight of Jesus' love and grace.

Who is Jesus, according to Jesus? We are going to answer that question by exploring seven scandalous claims that Jesus makes in the Gospel of John. These are known as the "I AM" statements. In John 10, Jesus declares: "I am the good shepherd". We live in a culture that prizes self-determination and independence, yet we often find ourselves exhausted, anxious, and aimless. Jesus reveals that we cannot find true security while we are busy trying to be our own protectors. When we stop trying to outrun our vulnerabilities and look to the Good Shepherd, we realize that our need for safety, guidance, and belonging can only be met by the one who knows us by name and was willing to lay down His life for the flock.

Every year, as we enter into the lenten season, we are invited to reflect upon our brokenness, our mortality, and our deep need for Jesus and His resurrection.  This exercise of writing your own epitaph will encourage you to consider your life - as it has been, as it is, and as it could be. What matters most? How do you want to be remembered? What does it look like to live life to the fullest? As we do this, we turn towards God, who is the author of our lives, and discern what it looks like to lead lives defined by worship and gratitude.

Who is Jesus, according to Jesus? We are going to answer that question by exploring seven scandalous claims that Jesus makes in the Gospel of John. These are known as the "I AM" statements. In John 6, Jesus declares: "I am the bread of life". We all have this tendency to seek fulfillment in things that will never truly satisfy, leaving us perpetually disappointed. Jesus reveals that we cannot find satisfaction in him, while we are looking to be satisfied by something else. When we turn away from those things that we are looking to for fulfillment, we realize that our deepest longings can only be met by him and him alone.

Why does God allow pain and suffering? It’s one of the most frequently asked questions about God and one that keeps many from choosing to follow Him. Unfortunately, the Bible doesn’t offer clear and concise answers to every question we have about suffering. Suffering is unpredictable, messy, and deeply personal. The good news is that Scripture offers us stories of real people who live through suffering and still draw near to God despite not having all their questions answered.  Acts 27 is one of those stories. After years of trials and suffering , Paul finds himself in the middle of a violent storm as he sails to Rome. Through Paul’s experience and example, we uncover some profound truths that will help us to live well in the midst of suffering in our own lives.

What do we do when we are overcome with the brokenness in the world around us? Often, Christians respond in one of two ways: we separate or we assimilate. We remove ourselves from the culture so that we are not affected by the brokenness; or we assimilate so that we are not bothered by it. Both of these responses prevent us from being able to have any meaningful impact on the world around us. Instead, Jesus offers a third way: We call this contextualization. In Acts 17, Paul is overwhelmed by the brokenness that he sees in the city of Athens. But instead of isolating or conforming, he contextually engages the culture. As a result, the people of Athens hear the message of Jesus in their own language and are compelled to consider if Jesus is truly God and King of the world.

In this episode with have a conversation with Larry McCrary, missionary and founder of The Upstream Collective. Larry and the Upstream team train marketplace missionaries to go abroad and engage their context through their vocation. They partner with churches to send well and support people during their time overseas. Larry shares a helpful tool for assessing the unique rhythms of your neighborhood or missional context and identifying the best times to build relationships and connect with people on a deeper level. If you want to learn more about The Upstream Collective, visit https://www.theupstreamcollective.org/.