Welcome to our Church Archive

Archive

Here you will find events, messages and blog posts from the church
Find
12 Feb 2024
Content That Helps Permalink

God is more than a presence

February 12, 2024

It is one thing to know we worship God. To know we pray to God. It is quite another to know the God we worship. The God before whom we come and pray.

If my friend Joe enters the room, he is present in the room. We can say his presence is there. But that is still not the same thing as knowing Joe. As having a personal relationship with him. 

As Christians, far too many times we are content with God being present in the room. And His presence — His present-nearness — is wonderful and impactful. We cannot help but feel when He is in the room. He is the ever-present, ever-living, all-knowing, all-powerful holy God. As human beings in His presence we are certainly going to react emotionally.

But that’s not the point. That’s not our ultimate pursuit.

God is more than a presence in the room. He is a personal God who longs to know us and to be known by us in close, intimate relationship. So the goal in our “worship services” is not to feel God’s presence but to know God Himself.

Knowing God is the heart of worship. Our worship may begin with some vague or growing awareness that God is present but God seeks to bring us beyond that. Encountering Him and seeing His beauty with the eyes of our heart and tasting His goodness on the palette of our heart is what God is really after.

To know He is near is good. But to know Him and to be known by Him personally is where true transformation and joy of heart occur.

05 Feb 2024
Vision Forward Permalink

SERVANTS HEART

February 5, 2024

In this month’s vision forward, Leighton Smith, our Community Outreach Pastor, brings us some information about the mission he’s building called Servants Heart North.  Click the link below for the full Vision.

CLICK HERE
04 Feb 2024
Messages Permalink

Growing a Big People || How Does God Guide Me?

February 4, 2024

For most of us the question of how God guides is not in the realm of “Is this moral, legal, allowable,” but is this wise (is this the right career choice, the right person to marry or not, the right amount of freedom for my children, the right number of weekly commitments on my calendar, etc.). So how does God guide me in terms of making wise choices in my life?  Will he just tell me what to do?

01 Feb 2024
Vision Forward Permalink

FEBRUARY 2024

February 1, 2024

Our one big church goal for 2024 is:
Complete a capital campaign – breaking ground in 2025, completing expansion in 2026

“Today we find ourselves in a position of outgrowing our sanctuary and, especially, our children’s classrooms. We have ministries who gather and use our building every day of the week, sometimes multiple ministries, sometimes multiple times a day. This is all very exciting and, although it to took me somewhat by surprise, it hasn’t surprised Jesus. This is His church. It’s His vine, His growth, His fruit.”

In February’s Vision Forward Pastor Jonathan outlines the plans for our capital campaign and construction of the expansion of our building

READ THE FULL VISION FORWARD
26 Jan 2024
Content That Helps Permalink

Confusing prayer

January 26, 2024

A “prayer life” can be a confusing way of talking about prayer. Do we say “my worship life”? My “hospitality life”? My “generosity life”? My “serving” life? We understand our whole life to be worship. We see our whole life as one of serving others. Compartmentalizing isn’t always helpful to understanding and living our life in Christ. 

Not praying is not always the direct result of not having the time to pray. And more time, even enough time, doesn’t always equal a better prayer life.

If we view our “prayer life” as strictly what we do with our time, then we’re all always failing. But if we start viewing our prayer life as a “life of prayer” – our whole life as, devoted, entrusted and surrendered to Christ – rather than strictly as the act of praying, then even our groaning and yearning and failing can become prayer (Romans 8:23).

The Psalmist says “I give myself to prayer” (Psalm 109:4). The literal translation is “I am prayer”. He understands his life’s every breath, step, desire, and thought —his WHOLE life—is now from, through and for God. Directed towards God. In reply to God. Nothing in life is left out as prayer. “In him (God) we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:26-28).

Jesus doesn’t want your time. He wants your heart. If He has your heart, then He’ll have your time. He’ll have your life-as-prayer.

21 Jan 2024
Messages Permalink

Catalysts of Kindness and Mercy

January 21, 2024

Continuing with the thought, “give them what they don’t deserve” Pastor Bill teaches about the immense and undeserved blessing the Kingdom of God has been, and continues to be in this world.  We are to show the world a better way – the way of Jesus.  To serve others, not to demand service.  To pray for our enemies, even to feed them if they are hungry!  We are to be peacemakers – those who stop hostility, harness hatred, and heal hurts.

10 Jan 2024
Content That Helps Permalink

30 days of fasting and prayer: Prayer journal

January 10, 2024

Dear Elim Grace,

This Sunday we begin 30 days of fasting and prayer. This serves as our first “rally point” of the year. It’s a time to rally together as a church family and seek God together for 2024.

Some of you may fast by taking something away from your normal routine (a meal, social media, etc.), while others of you may do so by adding something to your routine (a daily walk, a 30 day devotional, etc.). To help us all, one of our elders, Phil Ryan, has composed a 30 day prayer journal that we can all follow together. I would encourage you to download.  The link is is at the end of this message.

30 Day Prayer Journal.

Let’s commit these 30 days to the Lord and commend ourselves to Him. May we by His power and grace grow (into) a BIG people in Christ!

Pastor Jonathan

Download the Prayer Journal
31 Dec 2023
Messages Permalink

Chasing the Light of the King

December 31, 2023

Somewhere east of Jerusalem, in a tower or perhaps upon a roof, a team of Magi – professional astronomers and dream interpreters see something they’ve never seen before in the sky.  They chase the light across plains and mountains to find a king whose birth will change everything.  Who are these “wise men” and what can we learn from them?