Pastor John leads the discussion this week as we kick off our Fall Series "Fire and Cloud"
This message closes out our Stories We Thought We Knew series with one of the most well-known accounts in Scripture: Daniel and the lions’ den. In this sermon, Pastor Donny uses the story of Daniel in the lions' den to teach about handling life's challenges without compromising faith. Donny shares a personal story from his military service in Kenya, where he heard an actual lion while walking alone at night, using this experience as a metaphor for the "lions" we all face—difficult situations like career transitions, health concerns, or financial struggles. Drawing from Daniel's experience in Babylonian captivity, the sermon presents three key principles: know your non-negotiables (distinguishing core convictions from preferences), stay faithful even when it costs everything (like Daniel's commitment to prayer despite the king's decree), and keep your eyes fixed on God rather than the problems. Donny illustrates these points with artwork by British artist Briton Riviere, depicting Daniel in the lions' den. The central message to this sermon encourages believers to not compromise their faith and to focus on God and His Word instead of life's roaring challenges.
Daniel represented a man that stood firm in his faith despite circumstances, a country, and a culture that threatened to sweep him away from the Lord. How do we develop the awareness, strength, and commitment that is able to withstand even the strongest tides against us?
Pastor Aaron Hanson leads the discussion this week as we wrap up our series "Stories We Thought We Knew"
What if everything you thought you knew about Jonah was wrong? This isn't just a cute children's story about a man and a whale—it's one of the most sophisticated pieces of satirical literature in Scripture, written like a divine Saturday Night Live skit. The book of Jonah uses comedy, irony, and extreme scenarios to expose something uncomfortable: how far we can be from God's heart while bearing His name. From a prophet who runs from God's call to pagan sailors who are more spiritually aware than God's own messenger, every absurd detail serves as a mirror reflecting our own pride, prejudices, and resistance to God's mercy. But here's the beautiful twist—God uses imperfect, reluctant people to accomplish His perfect purposes. Just as Jonah's worst sermon in history achieved the greatest revival, God can work through our flaws and failures. The question isn't whether we're qualified enough, but whether we're humble enough to let God's mercy flow through us, even to people we think don't deserve it.
This week in our series, Pastor Foth takes us to the dramatic and quirky story of Jonah and the Whale. The story of Jonah shows us the vast difference between human thoughts and God’s ways. Through Jonah’s rebellion and God’s relentless pursuit, we see His compassion, mercy, and second chances—even for those we least expect.
Pastor Foth leads the discussion this week as we continue our series "Stories We Thought We Knew"
In this sermon Pastor Aaron Hanson reframes the familiar story of David and Goliath, moving beyond the popular cultural interpretation of an underdog defeating a champion through skill and training. Instead, it reveals that God is the true hero of this narrative, not David. The story demonstrates how God uses the most unlikely people in extraordinary ways—not the most talented, but the most willing and available. The forty-day period of Goliath's taunting represents a season of testing and preparation that Israel endured, similar to other biblical forty-day periods like Noah's flood, Moses on Mount Sinai, and Jesus in the wilderness. This testing season becomes preparation for the next assignment God has in store. The message emphasizes four key principles for accomplishing God's purposes in our lives. First, we must guard and cultivate our hearts, as everything we do flows from them. Second, we should view every season—even difficult ones—as preparation for our next assignment. Third, we need to live with integrity, maintaining continuity between our private and public lives, just as David's character remained consistent whether tending sheep alone or facing Goliath publicly. Finally, we must use the unique gifts God has given us rather than trying to wear someone else's "armor." David's private victories over lions and bears while shepherding prepared him for his public victory over Goliath, illustrating that God prepares us in private so He can use us in public, and that our private battles lead to public victories when we trust in God's power.
Is the account of David and Goliath primarily about the surprising, even miraculous clash between an overlooked boy and an epic warrior? If we look a little deeper, there is much about this account that tells us a bigger, better story of who God is and what he desires in us and through us.
Pastor Donny leads the discussion this week as we continue our series, "Stories We Thought We Knew"