On the Defense

Introduction

All of us have been in the cross-hairs of criticism. It may have come from a spouse, a parent, an adult child, or another family—all ...

A Christian's Happiness

Introduction

If you're a Christian, you know that Christianity is supposed to be about joy. You probably also know that you're supposed to experience ...

Why Worry?

Introduction

We're probably all familiar with the story of Howard Hughes. Hughes was a big-time businessman who dabbled in oil, entertainment, and ...

The Peace Jesus Brings

Introduction

In this Advent season, we are looking at the theme of God's promise of better days for our lives. That is the hope of Advent and Christmas, ...

Summer

Introduction

I grew up in a small mining town in northern Canada, a place memorable for its hard, cruel winters. But on the first day of summer in 1975, ...

Spring

Introduction

I spent many early years in a northern mill town—a town with a heavy reputation. It's a place that made ice in winter and mud in summer, ...

Winter

Introduction

Confession: I've lived nearly 50 years and, for most of them, have never heeded the truth of Ecclesiastes 3:1-8. For everything there is a ...

The Christian's Happiness

Text: Romans 8:28–30
Topic: Our joy can be constant no matter our life circumstances.

From the editor

Romans 8 is such a beloved, oft-quoted section ...

Comfort for the Troubled Heart

Introduction

The Allies had planned Operation Overlord for years, amassing vast armies, an incredible navy, and enough arms to release Europe from the ...

The Promise of Better Days

Introduction

As a 5th grader at Cornelia Elementary School in Edina, Minnesota, I always felt sorry for a fellow student named Gary. With his high squeaky ...

Beyond Comfort

Introduction

Where do you turn for comfort when you encounter loss, pain, or disappointment? Some people turn to food. For some reason, certain foods—like ...

Unbreakable?

Introduction

M. Night Shyamalan's film Unbreakable begins with a train wreck. Everyone on board is killed—over a hundred people—except for ...

Lessons from Lepers

Introduction

We often look at thanksgiving backwards. We think of thanksgiving as thanking God for something that has happened to us already. The real ...

Cravings and Conflicts

Text: James 4:1–2
Topic: Identifying and addressing the source of conflict

Introduction

There is a relational conflict in your immediate future. You ...

Peace in the Church

Introduction

When I was a pastor in Arizona, there were two men in the church who were greatly admired. They were both successful businessmen who desired ...

Where's the "Gift Return" Receipt?

Introduction

Let's suppose there's a small town on the edge of Iraq, near the Saudi border. Let's call the town Mosel. It's a small community with no other ...

Back to Reality

Introduction

Do you know what it is like to have a mountaintop experience and then come down hard when necessity forces you to get back to reality? Maybe ...

Losing Our Minds

Sermon One

Introduction

How do you put together the pieces of the puzzle of life? When a terrible storm sweeps over your life and blows your careful constructions ...

Reality Shows

Sermon Two

Introduction

Imagine a report comes on the television that a terrible tragedy has just befallen a group of people beyond your town. Person "A" ...

Quantum Communion

Sermon Three

Introduction

For more than 1600 years, Christianity occupied the head seat at the vast communion table that came to be called Western Civilization. ...

Image is Everything

Sermon Four

Introduction

One of our church members recently recounted to me the story of a woman named Lorena, who directs the Onessimu Brother's Home in ...

Choosing Sides

Sermon Five

Introduction

The year was 536 B.C., the third year after the great Persian king, Cyrus, had overthrown the vast kingdom of Babylon, and a new ...

Payback Time

Sermon Six

Introduction

Almost everyone I know wants to believe what the Bible says in the first verse of Psalm 73—that "surely God is good to … ...

Bad to the Bone

Sermon Seven

Introduction

On all sides today we are reminded that something in this world has gone wrong. Women are abducted in increasing numbers. Precious ...

Superhero

Sermon Eight

Introduction

When I was five years old, I was sent to the school nurse by my kindergarten teacher, who was very concerned that I was ill. The ...

Joy: A Time to Dance

A PowerPoint presentation for this sermon series is available here.

Series Subject: How to express and manage emotions rightly

Series Purpose: To inform ...

Abandonment: When You Feel Alone

A PowerPoint presentation for this sermon series is available here.

Series Subject: How to express and manage emotions rightly

Series Purpose: To inform ...

Fear: When You're Scared Senseless

A PowerPoint presentation for this sermon series is available here.

Series Subject: How to express and manage emotions rightly

Series Purpose: To inform ...

Gratitude: More than just an attitude

A PowerPoint presentation for this sermon series is available here.

Series Subject: How to express and manage emotions rightly

Series Purpose: To inform ...

Anger: When Your Back Is against the Wall

A PowerPoint presentation for this sermon series is available here.

Series Subject: How to express and manage emotions rightly

Series Purpose: To inform ...

Contentment: When Your Soul Is at Rest

A PowerPoint presentation for this sermon series is available here.

Series Subject: How to express and manage emotions rightly

Series Purpose: To inform ...

Depression: When Darkness Is Your Closest Friend

A PowerPoint presentation for this sermon series is available here.

Series Subject: How to express and manage emotions rightly

Series Purpose: To inform ...

Disappointment: When Your Dreams Die

A PowerPoint presentation for this sermon series is available here.

Series Subject: How to express and manage emotions rightly

Series Purpose: To inform ...

Restlessness: When You Still Haven't Found What You're Looking For

A PowerPoint presentation for this sermon series is available here.

Series Subject: How to express and manage emotions rightly

Series Purpose: To inform ...

Outrage: When Your Heart Is Filled with Revenge

A PowerPoint presentation for this sermon series is available here.

Series Subject: How to express and manage emotions rightly

Series Purpose: To inform ...

Seasons of the Soul

A PowerPoint presentation for this sermon series is available here.

Series Subject: How to express and manage emotions rightly

Series Purpose: To inform ...