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Steve DeNeff:For too long holiness has been concerned mostly with abstinence, the ruthless elimination of sin. It’s time to get serious about joy. We need to get joy back into our pursuit of holiness.

Steve DeNeff:Things change when a few on the margins to find a better way to live and the rest of us join them. The “holiness code” in Leviticus (chapters 18-22) is a summary of that better way to live. What if a whole community, like CWC, were to practice the witness of this holiness code? What difference could it make in our society?

Ethan Linder: What does holiness actually look like? Leviticus 19 is part of the “holiness code,” which takes holiness out of the abstract and places it in the ordinary details of life: work, money, relationships, ambitions… even the way we handle grievances. But how do these laws relate to those of us who live in this moment? This sermon will explore how the holiness code in Leviticus helps us understand the shape of our own practice of holiness: specifically, how love of God works its way out into love of neighbor.

Steve DeNeff:From the beginning, it was God’s intention to make us into priests who served the world (Ex 19:6). But what do priests do? What role do we have in bringing the world into The Presence? Does anyone - even ministers - play this role today? And what can we do, as laity, to act as priests in the places where we live, work and play?

Lori Minor: Lori is the lead pastor of Become Ministries! Over the last few years, she’s become a more regular voice in our preaching rotation. We’re excited to worship with her and hear God’s word through her this Sunday!

Steve DeNeff: One day, one person, one reason … the Day of Atonement was for the Hebrews what Good Friday is for the Christians, only better. In other words, we have a lot to learn about Good Friday that only the Day of Atonement can teach us.

Steve DeNeff: Holiness is not just a standard but proximity to the Presence. It’s not something we have, but something we enter. Yet how does one get into the Presence? “Who of us can live with a consuming fire?” (Isaiah 33:14). The way in begins with sacrifice, not as a bribe but as a gift. But how do we sacrifice today? What offering do we bring to the Presence?

Steve DeNeff:The big story of the Bible is of God’s relentless pursuit of the world, of his people and of his desire to live among us. But this God is a consuming fire (Ex 24:17; Is. 29:6; Heb 12:29). So how do we approach the God who lives in unapproachable light”? The way in begins … with Leviticus.

Steve DeNeff: According to Jesus, “love” is the measure of our spiritual growth. But how is the love of a Christian different from other loves? Here are 4 levels of love, from the lowest to the highest, from the most carnal to the most complete. And here’s what’s involved in moving from one level to the next. How “perfect” is your love for God and others?

Steve DeNeff: In Praise of BoredomMost of us hate to be bored and we go to great lengths to avoid it. But there are two kinds of boredom: the holy and the unholy, and one of them is good for you. Have you ever wondered what God might be up to in those seasons when nothing is happening, and how those seasons are crucial for building the muscle that will carry you into your better years?

Ethan Linder: Friend of God"I no longer call you servants; I call you friends." This sounds like a promotion; but is it always? Throughout Scripture, Abraham is a prototype of the "Friend of God." By peeking into his life, and the disciples' lives, we get a glimpse what it means to nourish, abide in, and live out this friendship. This sermon will explore the question: What does it really mean to be a friend of God... especially when life takes us places we wouldn't pick for ourselves?

Steve DeNeff: As we conclude our Ten Commandments series with the final commandment, “You shall not covet…" we're reminded that God isn't just concerned with our actions—ultimately he's after our hearts. What is possible when even our desires, our inclinations, are transformed?

Vickie Conrad: Every day we testify about someone — a coworker, a neighbor, a friend — whether we realize it or not. This week we dig into the ninth commandment and ask: what kind of witness are we called to be and what does that look like in our daily lives?

Nathan Metz:On the surface, the 8th commandment is easy to follow. Don’t take stuff that isn’t yours. As we grow in Christ, the 8th commandment has less to do with theft and more to do with generosity. Even further: the easiest generosity is financial. While Paul tells the Corinthians to give freely of their gifts, we ask “what gifts exactly?". What are the best gifts we can give of freely? This sermon explores three stories in Mark 5 where Jesus gives gifts far more valuable than money. So the question is: is stealing easy?

Emily Vermilya: The seventh commandment calls us to become people of faithful love. Marriage is its clearest expression, but not its only one. God is forming people whose promises can be trusted, whose relationships are marked by loyalty, and whose lives reflect the steadfast love God has shown them.