It’s that time of year. Lights are going up, decorations are out, and Christmas movies are on TV. As we approach Christmas, the church enters into the celebration of Advent. But what is Advent? ...
Recently God has impressed one thought on my mind: Keep looking for joy, even in the mundane or the very difficult times. If all I’m doing in my current season is wishing for the next season, then I am missing so much joy and so many gifts which God has given me in the here and now....
As The Christ-Centered Home sermon series comes to a close, our staff has curated a list of recommended resources to continue to equip you and your family. You'll find books, articles, podcasts, and other great resources that we've found helpful. Our hope is that your home would be strengthened by one or more of these resources....
Earthly adoption is a beautiful picture of the gospel and it points to the greater adoption that Christ has offered all who call upon his name. ...
The term “sound doctrine” is a term that I have always associated with people who know more than me. I thought pastors, seminary students, or biblical scholars dealt with doctrine. It never occurred to me that doctrine was something I should be concerned about. It was always over my head and above my pay grade....
On Father’s Day, we looked at God’s word for Fathers and came away with three charges: Fathers are to pursue Christ, honor their wives, and train up their children....
Suffering comes in many forms, some physical and some spiritual. At times, it is more intense than others, but according to James, all our suffering as believers is to be related to in the same way - with pure joy and gratitude....
Community is so much more important to us now because we can remember times that we didn’t have it. Our Community Group has not only become our dear friends, but also people who remind me of the truth of God when I most need it....
The fact that Jesus lists persecution as a beatitude and mentions it twice underscores the reality of persecution for every believer. This doesn’t mean that we should be persecuted for our faith at all times. But this does mean that persecution is inevitable and that it is a mark of being a Christian....
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When Josh asked the students during the debrief Sunday morning to raise their hands if they loved Jesus more than they did before the weekend started, I didn’t hesitate to raise my hand. God did some unbelievable things in my heart and the hearts of many other students during FOCUS 2017, and I was so blessed to be part of such an amazing weekend....
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You’ve probably heard that we are transitioning to two services at 9:15 and 11:00 a.m. To prepare for this transition, we have added seating in the sanctuary and classroom space in Providence Kids. Our hope is to make this transition as smooth as possible for families coming to worship with us on Sunday. Here are a couple things to keep in mind......
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I was barely 22 when I became pregnant by a guy that I wasn’t really dating at the time. I was scared, confused, lonely, and felt like I let everyone down. The world told me that marriage or abortion were the only solutions, and at least with abortion nobody would have to know....
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This past week we started our new sermon series walking through the Sermon on the Mount found in Matthew 5-7. I spent a considerable amount of time giving introductory remarks that I believe will help us as we navigate through Jesus’ most famous sermon....
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Making resolutions can be tough and keeping them past a few weeks can be even harder, but as Jonathan Edwards demonstrates, making resolutions can be a fruitful venture in seeking to be disciplined and self-controlled for the glory of God....
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Each year, our staff puts together a short list of our favorite books of the year. Not all of these books were released this year; in fact, many of them are a few years (or centuries) old, but we read them this year....
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A perennial favorite carol has been “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.” My love for this song goes all the way back to childhood - watching Charlie Brown and the gang singing the carol, gathered around that magical scrawny little tree. (“I never thought it was such a bad little tree!”)...
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My favorite Christmas song is “O Come, O Come Emmanuel.” I’ve heard a lot of versions of this song, but it’s hard to find a good one. You can sing the notes perfectly but miss all the emotion. This song expresses such deep longing for freedom that it’s almost impossible to sing without tears of joy and desperation. “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” helps us explore l...
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This year, we’ve found several great resources we recommend to help you celebrate the season of Advent and the birth of Christ. Check them out!...
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