When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, He taught them to pray for God's will to be done on earth as it is in Heaven. He didn't teach them to simply ask for the desires of their hearts or that God would do their bidding. He taught to pray for God's will. In prayer, we come to a place of seeking alignment with the Father. We invite Him to shape our hearts, days, and influence to bring His Kingdom to shape our present reality; not the other way around. When we do this, He will do greater things than we could have possibly imagined as He moves history toward the renewal of all things.

One simple line in the Lord's Prayer stoked extra exposition from Jesus as He taught His disciples to pray. "Give us this day our daily bread" contains three key directives that will help us see God as the pinnacle of our source, schedule, and supply. What does it mean to trust Him daily with your needs? Do you trust Him or do you order your life around other sources? He is inviting us into deeper trust to know Him as Father, align our hearts with His, and come daily before Him for all of our needs.

Have you ever felt silly talking to someone you can't see? prayer can sometimes feel awkward, especially because God doesn't often speak audibly in the way we're used to. As we learn to recognize His voice, this gets easier, but it takes time. We learn to distinguish His voice uniquely through time spent with Him in prayer, worship, and Scripture and in community. In the in-between space of this learning though can be awkwardness. Be encouraged by the community of faith! As we come before Him in earnestness He will respond. He desires intimate relationship with His creation and with you personally.

Have you ever felt unworthy to come to God in prayer? Maybe the picture of Father God doesn't evoke a positive image. Maybe you just recognize the sin in your life. Maybe you're too busy striving for righteousness that you don't feel like you've done enough yet. Wherever you find yourself, we have a God that reaches across the divide and pulls us in. He always goes first to declare that we are His, He loves and accepts us, that we have access to Him, and that He excitedly awaits our coming to Him in prayer. Will you come to Him today? He's longing for you.

Have you ever felt intimidated by prayer? Ever wondered where to begin? You're not alone! You're not alone in your experience or in your practice. We've all felt that way. We've all had to begin to learn to come to God in prayer. And He even offers His own help! We have a teacher in Jesus and a helper in the Holy Spirit to help us train in coming to the Father in prayer.

Whenever we talk about fasting, we usually ask the question of what we're choosing to go without. Whether it's food or something else, we fixate on the thing we are setting aside. But the whole purpose of setting one thing aside is to take another thing on. We fast from, in order to fast for something greater! Fasting is a tool for us to tend the mess in our hearts and reorder and reorient to the person and way of Jesus. We create space in our hearts, bodies, calendars, and minds to train our attention on the true source and Bread of Life.

What do you live by? Everyone has something they trust in. A source of truth that guides their mental maps of the world they're navigating. For Jesus, that foundation was the Hebrew Scriptures. For His followers, the same holds true, along with writings from His followers in the immediate aftermath of His life, death, resurrection, and ascension. We learn to live a life in proximity to God and guided by His Spirit as we engage Him through the Bible and in community. There are a lot of things we can live by, but only one source of life and truth.

God does not pursue you for your treasure, He pursues you for your heart. His love draws back those who don't know Him, those who have wandered away from His love, and those who have become stagnant and complacent. As we start to conclude this Advent season, Pastor Ryan speaks to us from Matthew 2 about how God's love pursues and humbles our hearts, and how He's given us His all-sufficient love in the form of Jesus, born to us as a baby on Christmas. What can you give more than your heart?

Would you characterize yourself as joyful? What about when things go wrong? Biblical joy is enduring and goes beyond circumstances to become who we are deep down. It can overcome fear to help us think clearly in difficult situations. Biblical, divine joy comes from proximity to God in prayer and worship and it's a fruit of our being recreated into the character of Jesus, full of joy.

As we continue the Advent season this year we look to the Prince of Peace, as the One who provides for us a Peace that is both permanent and unwavering. Peace is not the absence of conflict and chaos, but is rather the presence of the fullness of God. Sometimes it's rewarding to chase after the peace that God gives; to sit back and ask ourselves "Which of these things truly gives me God's perfect peace?" God provides for us a peace that is neither circumstantial or situational. Which peace are you seeking this Christmas season?

As we begin the Advent season this year we look a the story of Simeon, recorded by Luke in his gospel. Simeon's is a story of Hope, at length deferred, but finally fulfilled in the coming of Jesus. Simeon heard from the Lord and had hope in Him. He had a trust in things yet unseen. What does it look like for us to step into Simeon's sandals? What can we learn when we come & see the Hope of Humanity, God With Us in the person of Jesus and begin to trust in Him?

Do you have a vision of Heaven? Pastor Ryan concludes our series through the Epic Story of Scripture with just that. We look at the end of Revelation as John paints for us a picture of what eternity in the presence of God will be like! We will have God with us forever, no more pain or sorrow, and a life where all things are new... always. Hallelujah!

What will it be like after Jesus comes back? Is it a time to be fearful of or a time to look forward to with hopeful anticipation? The answer to that depends on you. Do you want to be ruled by King Jesus? That is the reality and the question set before us as Pastor Ryan draws our year-long journey through the Bible near its conclusion with a look at Revelation 20 and the reign of King Jesus in this penultimate teaching from the Epic Story.

There is one attribute of God's that gets repeated three times when it's used. That is that God is holy, holy, holy. He is utterly other and worthy of true awe and reverence. Pastor Mike returns to set before us what it means to live in the fear of the Lord and pursue the Kingdom of Heaven first.

Do you know the end of the Epic Story? It's pretty simple: Jesus wins! The power of Satan holds sway in many venues in the world, giving rise to the influence of the Biblical concept of Babylon all around us. Followers of Jesus can, however, have hope. In the end the Lamb of God, the Savior of the World, Jesus the Anointed One, The very God of Creation Incarnate will return in glorious splendor to vanquish Satan and establish His Kingdom of Truth and Justice forever!

Who is it too hard for you to share the love of Jesus with? Who do you think you can't be in fellowship with? Who can you not reach with the gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven? People who speak differently? Dress differently? Vote differently? Believe differently? Does being a Christian mean to you that someone think, vote, and believe all the same things as you? Acts 10 paints a picture for us of God blowing the doors off the barriers we create for where the gospel can go and who can be invited in. At the very beginning of the Jewish religious movement that would become Christianity, followers of Jesus were expecting converts to become Jewish first and foremost, and then to join their specific sect that followed Jesus as Messiah. God had other plans! His plans were to bless the nations across ethnic and cultural bounds and create a new citizenry of Heaven. So maybe a better question is: "Who can you reach newly today with the good news that Jesus Christ has conquered sin and death and sits glorious upon the throne?"!

What might the impact be if people knew the Church as simply "the place where God is"? What curiosity and hunger might it stir up? What might it change about what we expect to see when we gather? The manifest presence of God is available to us whenever we gather and He wants to change things in and among us! His presence brings healing, reordered priorities, and makes us an irresistible community that reflects His glory to a world in need of fellowship with the Father.

Have you ever felt like an ill-equipped representative of Jesus? Jesus said that we would have troubles in life, but to take heart because He had overcome the world and He would send a Helper. That Helper came in the pouring out of God's Holy Spirit, initially at the Pentecost feast in Jerusalem following Jesus death, resurrection, and ascension. That same Spirit is available to followers of Jesus today to empower us to carry on the ministry of Jesus and reveal His love and character to a lost and dying world!

What does the resurrection of Jesus reveal about God and what does it mean for you? The reality is that, despite the pain and heartache of the world, Jesus is already victorious over the powers of sin and darkness that seem to hold sway over the present. He has achieved victory over death, which means he has achieved victory over sin itself. And the best part is, that victory is available to you today. You are not only the beneficiary of his righteousness being imparted on you because of His victory, but He welcomes you to walk in the same victory that He has. He invites us to participate in the divine nature and live in glimpses of Kingdom life on Earth as it is in Heaven.

What kind of person would forgive while being insulted? What kind of person would forgive while being literally nailed up on a cross? What kind of person would have compassion for the very people murdering them? God would. The beauty of the cross is that God, while we were stuck in our own brokenness and sinfulness, paid the debt that had separated us from Him and drew us into Himself through His radical forgiveness and generosity. Pastor Ryan begins Volume 4 of our year-long series in the Epic Story of Scripture, titled Glory as we look at Jesus exaltation on the cross and the radical grace that is the Gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Do you ever feel like you need help for this life? Like you don't know the words to say or how to act when in difficult situations? Like you don't know how to comfort those who are suffering? Like you don't know how to follow Jesus in the unique circumstances of your life? There's good news! Jesus promised us The Helper; His Holy Spirit who comes alongside us and leads us into all truth.

Matthew 3:13-17

Our place is in God's world is defined by two things: our relationship to Him, and our responsibility as citizens of His kingdom. In Jesus, we have been adopted as beloved children of God. It's from that place that we look to God the Father for direction and we respond in obedience; not as a means to receive love, but in response to it. Likewise, we are ambassadors of King Jesus. He has given us authority over powers of evil in this world. The more we learn to walk in that authority, the more of God's power we will see released against pain, oppression, and darkness in our midst.

Jesus redefines our worldly norms in order to change our perspective and benefit His kingdom. Today, Matt Kladnik, our Head of School for RSM Christian, walks us through Matthew 19:13-15, when Jesus' disciples rebuked the parents of children that were looking to be with Jesus. You see, Jesus invites us to have a child-like faith. He wants to have a relationship with us because we are His priority. We have been so wounded by the world that we've forgotten how to wonder. What would it be like if we allowed the Holy Spirit to re-center and heal that part in us?

Are you a fan of Jesus? That's great! But Jesus didn't call us to be fans. He called us to be followers and he called us to Bring The Kingdom to the world. He called us to proclaim the Good News, demonstrate it, and freely give it away. Pastor Grace Kladnik takes us through what it means to be active participants in the work of declaring the Kingdom of God is at hand to all people, all around the world.

Who are you following and where are they leading you? Do you find your life characterized by peace and joy or anxiety and anger? The Bible tells the story of the King over all of Creation. And the best part? His Kingdom is one of peaceful flourishing for humanity and He is always beckoning us to come and follow; to be Followers of the King and live as bringers of light and life, participating in His Epic Story.

Three of the gospel accounts begin Jesus' ministry with a call to "repent for the Kingdom of God has arrived". Pastor Cami takes us through the dynamic fourth chapter of Luke as Jesus' ministry launches into His earthly ministry having been tested in the wilderness and then proclaiming what the Kingdom is like and demonstrating it's power. He shows a Kingdom that is compassionate and concerned with those that would otherwise be cast aside. He shows a Kingdom that heals the sick, cares for the poor, and restores the oppressed without restraint. But in that simple humility He also shows a Kingdom with unmatched power to conquer the forces of evil, greed, pain, and suffering that plague our world. He shows a Kingdom that will one day make all things new as those who choose Him will enjoy His glorious presence forevermore.

What has the whole Epic Story of Scripture been leading us to? It starts here, with the story of John, an Israelite prophet in the wilderness preparing the people to Receive the King that the Old Testament was pointing to all along. Jesus was coming and while John was baptizing people with water in the Jordan, He would come baptizing with the Holy Spirit and with fire. John led us to repentance, that we might Receive the King, Bear Fruit, and Receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.

There are two ways of living: living in darkness or in daytime. God promises to restore us to life in Him again, and as we wait for that time, how do we chose to use it? Do you live in the darkness of the world, with anticipation of morning coming? Or do you live in the expectation of the dawn, in constant preparation for the wonders that He has in store? What time of day are you living in?

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by how broken down the world around us seems to be? We can't fix these things on our own, but with God all things are possible. God is looking for people to partner with Him in bringing restoration to the broken areas of life. So how are you partnering with God today to bring restoration in your family, workplace, or community?

Living in a world filled with sin isn't just a time of condemnation. It's an opportunity to be a blessing and to share hope with a world that is so desperate for a savior. Today, Pastor Ryan opens with our third volume in our year long Epic Story series, titled Restore. Living as exiles, we are given an opportunity to press into God's will for His people, as builders to make the world better, blessings for those who need it, and as intercessors for each other in every walk of life. Living in the hope of God, and the future that He has promised, leads to good, only, always. How badly do you need to live in the hope of God today?

God's Royal Story isn't like other stories. There are no castle walls keeping out the rabble. There is only a benevolent King who goes into broken places, brings real change to hearts and circumstances, and calls us into ambassadorship right where we
are. We don't have to get fixed up and knighted before we're ready to participate in God's Royal Story. We can always begin to proclaim this story far and wide.

Would you say you have an 'eternal perspective'? When you think about Jesus, does the fact that He is coming back to rule and reign on this earth come to mind. Pastor Ryan closes out Volume 2 of our look at the Epic Story of Scripture with a look at the idea of the Day of the Lord. In the Old Testament, we see God outline the consequences of Israel choosing their own way over divine wisdom and then ultimately the fulfillment of that consequence. What can we learn from this? It is a signpost for us that God will likewise grant us the result of our choices. But Peter encourages us in his second letter that, while it's been a long time, God has a different perspective on time, He wants to see all come to repentance, and The Day Will Come.

What is it that derails our destiny? So often, and for so many, it's pride. Pride makes us self reliant, defensive, and stubborn. It insists that we know what's best for our own lives and that we do what seems right to us. But the way of Jesus is different. It seeks the wisdom of God, always! King Asa is an example of how pride can lead us astray. Asa had an opportunity to repent too. He had a golden moment to turn back to trust. And we have a tool to help us to do just that. When you're being derailed by pride, the antidote is to simply turn back to God in praise. To remind yourself that He alone is God and the creator of all and to lift high the name of Jesus.

We all have influence. We all have people we're around who hear from us, maybe learn from us, respect us. So how do you wield your influence? Who do you let influence you? This week, Pastor Ryan looks at the life of Jeroboam, a king of Israel who got it wrong. He took advice from the wrong people and led the people down destructive paths. What can we learn from a life like this? Where can you identify with Jeroboam's folly and, importantly, how can you turn from that and use the influence you have to lead people closer to Jesus?

Can you imagine living in a world of perfect peace? Pastor Mike Foell walks us through the promises that God made to King David in 2 Samuel 7. God promised David that He would cut off his enemies from him. Can you imagine being in a place like that? Even though David sinned countless times against God, He was still faithful. Destiny can be derailed by disobedience, but resurrected through repentance. As broken as we are, God still loves us. What promises has God made to you, and how has He continued to show His faithfulness toward you?

Substituting expedience for obedience always yields the "fast food" result. Trying to substitute what we want instead of what God has for us never satisfies our needs. It only ever brings something temporary. The truth of the matter is that there is nothing we can hide from God, and yet He still chooses to love us, care for us, and fulfill His promises towards us. Today, Pastor Cami walks us through how King Saul failed time and time again to listen to God's calling, and how God still loved him and his people through the process.

It's easy to let little things in our life slide for the sake of immediate gratification or convenience. And God doesn't expect us to be perfect, but He does call us to follow Him wholeheartedly. That's the crux of Compromise. It's trying follow other things along with Jesus and it doesn't work. The book of Judges is the story of Israel's compromise and the low build up of decisions that lead the people away from God. But His mercies are new every morning and there is always a way back to Him!

We talk about bridging the gap between who you are and who God created you to be. But how do you know who God created you to be. It starts by recognizing that we have been commissioned by God. Pastor Ryan begins Volume 2 of our series on the Epic Story of Scripture by examining the opening words of Joshua and what it means for us to be Commissioned by God in our lives today.

You are not defined by your history, but you are affected by it. King Josiah came from a history and lineage of predecessors who had become irreverent toward God. And yet, as a young man, barely more than a teenager, he made a choice to bring his life and kingdom back under the scripture instead of standing over it and looking down upon it. God's word is fresh every day; it's about what he's saying to you through hat He's already said. What is God speaking to you today?

We often build our identity on things that are not the best focus of our lives. We focus on career, parenthood, or status. But there is a better source. Jesus asks Mary Magdalene two questions at the empty tomb: "Why are you weeping?" and "Whom are you seeking?". The second of which is key to rooting our identity in the firm foundation of God's goodness in our lives. Mary sought Jesus, her Gardner (tender caregiver), Teacher, and Lord. It was from that relationship that her identity came. The same is available to us today; abundant life living in the good love of Jesus our Gardner, Teacher, and Lord.

What is the point of church? Have you ever found yourself wondering this? Why the songs? why the preacher? Why the time to 'turn and greet your neighbor'? You're not alone. This week Pastor Ryan takes a pause after Holy Week to remind us what the point of our gathering together on Sundays is and cast a vision of what it means for us to not only go to church, but be the Church.

However, this is not a new idea -- everyone knows you need to breathe, what are the practical steps?

In this message our mom's discuss some of the issues they faced and how they have been able to find time to breathe.

Don't you hate it when someone talks about you behind your back? Too often, that is the culture that surrounds us. We love to gossip and find fault with others. This is NOT the culture of the Kingdom of Heaven though. The Kingdom of Heaven looks past an offense and yet, manages to restore the wounded to health and wholeness. The Kingdom of Heaven corrects with gentleness to lead us into Christlikeness without condemnation. So the question is this: what culture do you live out of? One leads to death and division, but to find Grace in a Fault-Finding Atmosphere leads to life and to an Indivisible community.

Everywhere around us, people are judged and discarded at a moment. Say the wrong thing? We're done with you. Not know the best way to say something or have the wrong words to communicate what you mean do say? It's over! But this is not the Way of the Kingdom of Heaven! The Way of Jesus is profoundly counter cultural in that it leads us in Unconditional Acceptance in a Conditional Culture. That is acceptance of the person who bears the divine image in human form and who is worthy of love for that very fact. We grow, we teach, but we trust judgment to the hand of God as we love people into the Kingdom of Heaven and maturity in the Spirit.

Has it ever felt like the world was swirling around you? Or that it was moving way too fast to keep up? The world can feel chaotic, and in fact, it is one of the Enemy's greatest weapons that he uses to divide and conquer. If he can use chaos to divide a church, marriage, friendship and then destroy that community, he will. And yet we have a God who gives peace. He even IS our peace. Do you need Peace in a Chaotic Season? Look to Jesus and the Holy Spirit to form you into a person of peace, capable of holding community together and maintaining an Indivisible spirit.

In many ways the Way of Jesus is counter cultural. One of those ways is the drive towards unity. While division and strife rule our day to day lives and newsfeeds, the Way of Jesus fights for unity, even in the face of disagreement and embraces the differences amongst us to create a community working together for the common good of man in the Kingdom of Heaven. Do you know this sense of unity? Pastor Ryan begins on a series on how we become the Indivisible Church as we practice Unity in a Divided World.

Would you live differently if you believed you were intentionally made by someone? Would it change the way you interacted with others if you believed they were intentionally made by someone? Some see our existence as a matter of happenstance. They believe the right factors lined up by chance and resulted in the world we see. The Bible tells another story though. It tells the story of a Creator God who looks at you with pride and calls you the result of His craftsmanship, created in Christ and for good works. Pastor Ryan wraps our series on Foundations for a Good Race by looking at what it means to be created with Purpose & Calling.

What does righteousness actually mean? And what do I have to do to be "righteous"? If you've ever wondered these things, you might have encountered worldviews that have given you a list of things to do or ways to go about life that can make you a righteous person. The radical thing about Christianity is this: righteousness is not a thing you do, but a Person you know. It is a relationship with a God that became a man and exchanged our interpersonal separation for right standing and restored life and love.

What do you believe you deserve for your life? What is the truth about the condition of your life? Pastor Taylor examines three critical questions when it comes to addressing this foundational issue in our Christian journey. Who has the wisdom to diagnose our condition?; What do they say about our condition?; and What can be done about our condition? It's not a great starting point, but the Great Physician IS great!

Who do you say that Jesus is? What you believe to be about Him is the foundation from which our entire life flows. Some people say that Jesus was a good man and a good teacher. Some would even say He was a prophet of God or a demigod. But the Biblical truth is simply this: Jesus is God. This is the starting place as we begin a series examining four essential truths that are Foundations for a Good Race.

Do you know "why" you do "what" you do? As we round out our series on Reaching For It All, we focus in on what motivates us to live our lives. Are we mere 'fans' of Jesus, or are we devoted followers, imitating His Way of life and living out the good works He has prepared for us? Are you simply getting by day by day? Or are you dangerous for the Kingdom of Heaven?

Did you know that there will be a time when all followers of Jesus stand before Him and receive a reward for their stewardship in this life? A large part of the mission of The Bridge Church is preparing followers of Jesus to hear "well done!" at that moment. The scene is called the Bema Seat of Christ in Scripture and it's a day to look forward to with eager anticipation. Pastor Ryan unpacks the attitude that looking forward to that day can provide us as we run our race of life in hopes of that day when we bask in His presence.

When Paul paints the picture of an athlete running a race, he does so knowing that the energy source for our spiritual race is never ending. Our week flesh grows weary with physical exertion, but we get to start each leg of our spiritual race - each new season of our lives with God - empowered by His spirit and refreshed by streams of Living Water. As such, we posture our hearts toward Him and renew our focused pursuit of His Kingdom, walking in the good works He prepared for us from the beginning.

Have you ever tried to run a race while facing backwards? As humans, we're not very good at dividing our attention between two things. When we try, we tend to not pay attention to either one. We're called to leave our past in the past; to let go and let God take control. How can we live the life that God has for us if we refuse to let go? How can we run toward Jesus if we refuse to look toward him? Luke writes "whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it." It's time to let go. God only has good for you. Cast your eyes on Him, and let's run this race together.

Why do you run the race of your life? What motivates you? Jesus Christ grabbed a hold of the Apostle Paul while he was on his way to persecute the very Church of Christ and gave him a picture of life in the Kingdom of Heaven. Paul then grabbed ahold of this "why" that drove the rest of his life. God is inviting us to do the same - to grab hold of the "why" in our lives and allow His love and grace to drive us to run a race of love, side by side, arm in arm.

What are you putting your confidence in? How do you define success or failure in your life? The Apostle Paul said that he was running a race and that the prize was Jesus Christ! But we also run the race WITH Jesus. We are on a course that was designed for us by God to be run alongside Him. But often we choose to run it alone. We try to have the Kingdom of Heaven without the King of Heaven and we wind up hurt. Will you choose your running mate today and partner with Jesus?

The Woman at the Well, as she's come to be referenced, was completely outside of community. She was lonely. About as lonely as can be. She had been rejected to the point of coming to her well alone at mid day in unbearable heat. But in the midst of such loneliness and rejection, Jesus saw her, dug past the dirt and met her with a living, life-giving sense of embrace that called her beyond her current station and upward to a life of holiness that led others to know that Jesus was the Messiah. Pastor Cami finishes our series on the Faces of Loneliness with a look at this famous story and how Jesus entered it with true Biblical Community.

Pastor Taylor continues our series looking at Faces of Loneliness in the Bible and how Jesus met them with true Biblical community. He takes us to the story of Zacchaeus and how he and Jesus went deep and shared transparency leading to Zacchaeus' inclusion in the community of Jesus' followers. But what does that look like for us today as we learn to have community with God and each other, and then minister to the lonely out in our surrounding communities?

In our Discernment season this past Autumn, we collectively came to the issue of loneliness as the thing the Lord was calling us to minister to. Faces of Loneliness seeks to understand the issue of loneliness and how we can be the hands and feet of Jesus as we minister true Biblical community to our city and region. Pastors Cami & Taylor look at the issue of loneliness along with its implications, how Jesus lived out community, and what the Lord is inviting us into in this next season.

*You're going to want to watch this one*

Are you weighed down by stress? anxiety? depression? unmanageable expectations? Jesus has come to bring freedom from your oppression. Are you weighed down by abuse? sickness? spiritual powers of darkness? imbalanced authority structures? Jesus has come to bring freedom from your oppression! And He has commissioned The Church to be the hands and feet that take His Good News and His compassion and healing restoration to our local communities and to the ends of the Earth.

What are you doing with the light you've been given? Do you let it illuminate areas of darkness or hide it? Do you use it as a weapon to condemn those in darkness, or as a lamp to illuminate their path back to God?

We have the unique opportunity to help those lost and stumbling in darkness find their way back home into the loving arms of a gracious God through the work of Jesus Christ. The question is, what are we doing with that opportunity?

The journey to freedom starts by recognizing Jesus is the one to lead us out of captivity. Sin only and always leads to captivity. But Jesus only and always leads to freedom. Freedom does not mean that we get to do whatever we want. That freedom is of the world. The freedom that God gives is the freedom to become who you were created to be. Whatever it is that holds you captive will bow to Jesus if you recognize Him as King. As we abide in His Word, we are empowered by the Spirit to become like him. What are you abiding in today?

We live in a broken world. Brokenness exists all around us: in our workplaces, in our schools, in our families... yet God gives us the Gospel; a practical tool for the here and now that gives us hope for the future. You see, the Gospel to the poor is not just to those in physical poverty. It is also for those in spiritual poverty. That's the thing about poverty; it makes you willing to beg. Today, we dive into how the Gospel breathes life into our brokenness. How can we use the Gospel and the Kingdom within us to feed His sheep? How can we learn to see Jesus in the poor, the hungry, and the impoverished? Access to the resources of the Kingdom just requires a simple ask. All we have to do is keep crying out.

You have been sent by God to proclaim the Gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven in your sphere of influence. This is critical for us to grasp as followers of Jesus seeking to see His will be done and His Kingdom come on Earth as it is in Heaven. And if we grab hold of this mission, one thing becomes abundantly clear: we need help! Fortunately, help is available in the person of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is ready and willing to fill and empower all those who ask and are willing participants in seeing the Kingdom of Heaven break into our world in real and practical way as we exalt Jesus the King.

What does it mean for us to be exiles here in the world? While it may not feel like it, there is a purpose for us being alive when and where we are. We are ambassadors of the Kingdom of Heaven here on Earth. We seek the good of the place we find ourselves and in so doing, reflect the nature and character of Jesus to a world in desperate need of Him.

How do we use the earthly wealth that has been entrusted to us? Do we use it for our own selfish gain, or to invest in the priorities of the Kingdom of Heaven?

Pastor Taylor takes us through a look at the Parable of the Dishonest Manager as we contemplate how we best demonstrate our trust in and allegiance to Jesus with our financial influence through the investments we make to alleviate human suffering.

How do we respond to being indebted to the love and mercy of a benevolent God? Pastor Sean takes us through the Parable of the Two Debtors and outlines how an honest awareness of what we've been given by our Heavenly Father can only result in a restructuring of the way we live as citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Often times, when we think about being good stewards of our wealth we think about saving. We think about not being wasteful with the finances that we've received. But what if the Lord is inviting us into more. What if He's inviting us into being the sort of community that cares for others when they're in need, that lifts the heads of the destitute, and reveals the heart of Jesus to minister to the whole person, including their physical and financial needs? What does it look like to take risks under the direction of the Holy Spirit that love our neighbors well?

Pastor Josh takes us through the Parable of the Ten Servants as it's titled by the editors of the New Living Translation and asks how it is we can be the good and faithful servant.

"Who is my neighbor?" This is the question an expert in the law asked Jesus that invoked the parable of the Good Samaritan. Jesus told him to behave like the Samaritan in relation to others, with compassion and radical, fearless generosity. What does that look like for us, in our social and historical context?

Pastor Leah begins our summer teaching series on the Economy of Heaven with a look at the Parable of The Good Samaritan.

The apostle Paul told the Corinthian church to follow him as he followed Christ. Whether you're a parent or not, there are people looking to you to learn how to behave, and grow, and live. What we choose to allow to form us and reflect out to others goes a long way into forming those that we are in contact with and have influence with.

We see three feast holidays commanded to the people of Israel in Leviticus 23. This begs the question: "What purpose did these feasts serve that the God of Israel commanded them to His people?" Pastor Ryan concludes our series on Fearless Trust with a look at how we respond to the goodness of our God by Gathering with Gratitude.

Pastor Ryan turns the Page to the second part of our Cultivate series as we look at tools and practices that can help us cultivate a life following the Way of Jesus. We start by looking at what a life aware of His ongoing presence can look like and how we learn that sort of Way as we develop Cultivating Hands.

For some people, fear can be one of the biggest motivating factors in life. Maybe that's fear that their finances won't be enough, fear that they'll never amount to their biggest aspirations, or fear that they're kids won't be successful. For others, at least on the surface it isn't. Whatever level of natural confidence we have in our outcome, one thing is certain. No natural confidence can ever compare to supernatural peace. That is the very peace that God brings through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Will you trust Him to settle your soul and bring you peace from on high today?

It's easy to let fear run our lives if we lose sight of our true Master. Pastor Ryan looks at the story of David & Goliath through the lens of the ways the Enemy tries to use fear to control us, and then meets that effort with the name of Jesus and His perfect love that casts out fear.

We can do tremendous things when emboldened by the Spirit of the Living God. Through His courage, peace, and confidence we are able to face any difficult situation. We can face any trial or tribulation that our lives present, because He is our endpoint and our anchor. Do you need fresh courage from the Lord today?

Spiritual hunger isn't like physical hunger. Spiritual hunger grows when you feast, and dwindles when you abstain from spiritual bread. It is the motivation that drives us into the loving arms of our Heavenly Father. Pastor Cami unpacks the ways that the Lord meets us in our desire for Him and stirs us up to love and good works in this inaugural message of 2023.

What does a life of faith look like? What does it mean to trust God when He says "Go."? Where does that faith come from and what does it form in us to practice it? Pastor Ryan continues our advent series of Wonder by looking at the story of Joseph, the man who acted as Jesus earthly father, and the gift of faith. This Christmas, remember to never lose your wonder at the ways God has invited us to trust in Him and to let Him lead our lives.

It's easy to pick sides. It's easy to treat others the way they do treat us, not the way we wish they would. It's easy to fight back against those who persecute us, disagree with us, speak badly about us, or attack us. Those things are not the Way of Jesus though. We finish our series through the Sermon on the Mount looking at how Jesus calls us to love. It's impossible apart from His Spirit, but praise God He gave us His Spirit to aid us and form us into the types of people who love well and love the way He does.

Has anyone ever wronged you? Offended you? Even just not helped you when you needed it? The usual human response is to get that person back. Like for like. Or even amped up from how they wronged us. Jesus however, gives another way. The Way of Jesus that seeks restoration and relationship over retribution is counterintuitive. But for some reason it is the way to life. From Gandhi to Jackie Robinson to Martin Luther King Jr., seeking the good of those who harm you softens hearts, draws others to your side, and most importantly points people to the One who empowers such a radical response; Jesus Christ and His Holy Spirit.

How seriously do you take your commitments? Can people believe you when you tell them something? The Way of Jesus is one of integrity. It means to let our "yes" be "yes" and our "no" be "no". As His follower, are you fully honest with everyone around you or do you deal in half truths. It's easy to say something that is technically true, but designed to deceive. The Way of Jesus doesn't do that. It's easy to craft our language to provide ways out or loop holes in what we said or committed to. The Way of Jesus doesn't do that. The Good News is this: a community of honesty and integrity is safe, secure, and flourishing; and Jesus provides His Spirit to help guide us to look and act more and more like the God we follow every single day.

There are things we esteem above others. You prize a certain pair of shoes above your others, a certain watch, a family heirloom, a piece of tech. When you prize something like that you give it honor and you treat it differently. In short, you treat it as though it MATTERS. This is how we're called to treat marriages. Whether you're in one or not, marriages deserve your honor. Maybe that looks like taking a step toward loving your spouse in the ways that they most receive love. Maybe that looks like allowing for space for your married friends to invest into their marriages. As you pray, how do you feel the Holy Spirit leading you to honor marriage today?

This week we continue our summer series on how God's love protects us, and how he steps in to save us from ourselves. What does it look like to step in and protect others with love? God stepped in and sent us his Son. How can we step in to other people's lives and show them how God protects them?

We continue on in our series on love, looking at what it means to trust in God. What does it look like for you to believe that God wants only your ultimate good and that He's fighting for you in both the valley and the mountain top?

Pastor Sean starts off our new summer teaching series on the way of Love. In it he talks about the way love hopes. And not just a common, human hope. Instead, we're given a divine, living hope by the Spirit of God. This is a hope that defeats death, that confronts heartache, and that stands victorious in the name of Jesus Christ.

The world is full of injustice. People wrongfully accused and convicted, people skipped over or shown preferential treatment, and people denied access to necessities because of their faith or the color of their skin. In this part of For The Good, Pastor Ryan talks about how we respond in the face of injustice committed against us. Do we seek to get others back for what they've done to us? Or do we turn the other cheek? To we treat our enemies in kind? Or do we treat them with kindness?

"God is our Provider." It's easy to say, but hard to believe. Add the pressures of economic downturn, high cost of living, and social pressures to impress to this disconnect between our heads and our hearts and the results can be devastating. We might put our hope in finances. We might draw our identity from our careers or incomes or our roles as breadwinners in the family. Or inversely, we might draw identity as the "have nots", regardless of our position globally. All of this turns our attention away from a loving Father who not only cares for us, but desires to teach us to abound in wealth and in scarcity. He wants to teach us to- and aid us in overcoming scarcity for the good.

Few things have the emotional capacity to wound quite like rejection. We continue to look at the story of Joseph in Genesis, who faced a rejection of incredible violence. Despised by his brothers, He was cast away and sold into slavery. There was a long journey in between, but by the work of God Joseph was able to overcome the pain of that rejection. He became the model of restorative grace that pointed forward to the work of Christ. That form of grace that restores us into the Family of God is now available to us through that very work. He has made us sons and daughters, coheirs with Christ.

There is no quick fix to hardship. No matter who you are, you will have to endure it to some degree. For followers of Jesus, this hardship is part of the process by which we begin to resemble our Savior and Teacher. You can't avoid it. You must experience it. The good news, however is this: You don't go through it alone. Even in hardship we can trust in the name of God. We can trust in His goodness and that His purposes are ultimately, eternally good.

What on earth is the "fruit of the Spirit", and why does it matter? We live in a world that, without the Spirit of God at work in people's lives, is full of depravity, selfishness, and violence. The Lord wants to do a different thing in His people. He wants to cultivate new behaviors in those that choose to follow Him and He wants to empower that transformation through His Holy Spirit.

Pastor Mike has been an integral, influential, and infectious leader in the community of The Bridge since The Bridge and Mission Hills Community Church merged. He's been impactful at the property the church resides for even longer, not only as a pastor, but as a teacher, counselor, and mentor. Before addressing the content of this teaching we say thank you Pastor Mike. Happy "refirement"!

We look at the larger of body of Psalm 145 and examine how the psalmists points us to the greatness of God. Not only His greatness, but His glory, goodness, generosity, and His grace. As verse 8 points out, we worship a God who is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

You can tell someone all day about your faith, about what is right and wrong, and about your ethics. It won't carry much weight unless you actually live it out. As you lead and mentor, you have to exemplify what it is you want to see grow in those you're leading. This is true of children, students, mentees, etc. There is no "do as I say, not as I do". The only effective leadership that leads to health is one that models the truth to which their words point.

Calling over career. As followers of Jesus we're called to love God first. This means following Him before worrying about your job, your income, your public image, any of it. Then you trust Him to handle the rest as He sees fit. We also seek to establish a culture of calling focus in our Homes that seeks first the Kingdom of God and lives to hear "well done, good and faithful servant."

Prayer has an impact. Know it. Believe it. God has invited us to partner with Him in ruling over His creation and one way that we participate in heavenly realms is by praying. As such, we have a responsibility to those we care about to cover them in prayer.

Occasionally we find ourselves taking a passive approach to our spirituality. We treat God as an addendum to our lives and, as a result, allow things outside of God's Word and Spirit to shape the way we see the world. To be a Healthy Home in the Kingdom of God however, means that we actively pursue practices that shape in us a view of our world and circumstances that reflect the view of God

No matter what you're home looks like, who lives there, or how old they (or you) are we're called to share the stories of God's work in our lives with the next generation. Spiritual conversations are one rhythm that, when fostered, lead to a healthy home. It's not too late. You can start discussing God, His Word, and His work with those closest to you today!

Jesus is King of the valley and of the mountain top. Julia Schmaltz leads us through a look at the Triumphal Entry to Jerusalem of Jesus Christ on Palm Sunday and the ways that He is faithful in every season.

It's for freedom that Christ has set us free. But we can have some pretty twisted ideas of what freedom is. Usually, in our 21st-century, enlightenment context, we think of freedom as the right to do as we please. This is not what Jesus or the Biblical authors had in mind. Pastor Ryan finishes our series on our identities as followers of Jesus as he unpacks what it means to be free in Christ.

In life we have identities spoken over us often. There is only one Person, however, who has the right to declare our identity. That Person is the one and only God Most High and He calls us beloved, clean, righteous, empowered, and blessing. As we begin to take hold of the identity that God speaks over us we begin to live into that identity and it transforms the way we live and the confidence we have. As we begin to see others the way God sees them it transforms the way we love.

What does it mean to be adopted into God's family? How does it impact the way we treat others to see them as a part of that family? To see all people as desired by God, worthy of adoption? We often believe things about ourselves based on the messages we receive from a fallen world. These messages, regardless of their intentions, fall short of the identity that God has spoken and is speaking over us. It's only when we receive identity and calling from Him that we can live into the full potential of our lives to see His Kingdom come and His will be done.

Pastor Cami takes us through the life of Moses as we ask what it means to be known by God. Where is our identity derived? Is it in what we've done? Our profession? Where we've been? Our likes and dislikes? or is it rooted in I AM? As we get to know our God, our identity as His son or daughter comes into focus because the frame isn't our own, but who He is.

Pastor Ryan begins a new series that not only explores our identities as followers of Jesus and Brothers and Sisters in Christ, but the identities of all persons as Image Bearers of God.

What does it look like for you to represent Jesus to people in the storm? What does it mean to be a Person of Peace? Paul gave us an example of a follower of Jesus bringing the peace and encouragement of his Savior to people who didn't know the Lord. This was only possible because of his immense trust in God. Where does your trust lie today, and how can you reflect trust in God as you endure storms in your life with others.