In the first 11 chapters of the book of Romans, Paul covers all kinds of doctrines: the righteousness of God, the sin of man, the worthlessness of works, the helplessness of the law, justification by faith, the resurrection, peace with God, standing in grace, the promise of glory, the love of God, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, the death of Christ, the atonement, union with Christ, the two natures, the effect of sin, sanctification apart from the law, the work of the Holy Spirit, the doctrine of election, the doctrine of predestination, the doctrine of eternal security, the doctrine of God’s faithfulness and… how to get a Costco card. These are just a few of the things covered in the first 11 chapters – all the essential fundamental beliefs of the Christian faith.

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons….will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Throughout the Daring Faith series we’ve been unpacking the freedom available to us through Christ–freedom from guilt, failure and discouragement. This weekend we learned how we can live free from the fear of separation from God.

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28 (NIV)

“I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.”

What can we learn from the early church about overcoming life’s hurts, losses and discouragements? What does prayer have to do with it? Find out this weekend as we continue this game-changing series!

Have you ever wanted to do great? I mean really succeed. With all your might you wanted to make the team, give the speech, sell the product, win the girl, score the winning point, finish on top, win the prize, etc. etc. etc. but instead of winning you failed. Have you ever blown it? Have you ever experienced the agony of defeat? What causes us to fail? How do we overcome a life altering failure? How does our mentality, locality, and the reality of God’s Spirit give us freedom from failure?

This weekend we take in-depth and practical look at Rom. 8:5-15 where Paul compares and contrasts the failure that comes from doing life without the Spirit of God as opposed to the liberty and joy that comes from setting our minds on God’s Spirit.

We’re so excited to launch the new Daring Faith series this weekend, beginning with an overview of Romans 8 – one of the most impactful chapters of the entire Bible! That’s not just our opinion, check out these great quotes about Romans 8:

The most profound writing in existence of all time.
Samuel Taylor Coleridge

The chief book of the New Testament… It deserves to be known by heart, word for word, by every Christian.

Martin Luther

The most important book in the Bible.

Chuck Swindoll (on Romans 8)

Barnabas: The Hero Nobody’s Heard of

Strange Visitors, Stranger Visions and Very Big Breakthroughs

Saul Interrupted

There’s nothing more annoying than an interruption… unless that interruption comes from God! Filled with hate for the followers of Jesus, Saul’s journey on the road to Damascus is interrupted by Jesus Himself. What was it that changed Saul’s eyesight, thinking and direction for the rest of his life? This weekend we learned how letting God interrupt our lives can make all the difference in every circumstance, relationship and trial we go through!

A Church on the Move

This weekend Pastor Ray brought us the latest in our series on the book of Acts. He also interviewed Johnnie Moore, author of the book Defying ISIS and expert in the spread of ISIS. It seemingly came out of nowhere and now is in the news everyday.  Just what is ISIS and how could it affect you? Check out this short video on Johnnie.

You’ll learn what that means for Christians in the Middle East and the United States.  This is a great opportunity to bring anyone who’s interested in this daunting story unfolding before our eyes daily.

Where in the world can God be found? For Steven and the early disciples, that question was literally a matter of life and death. How does Stephen’s story in chapter seven impact the entire book of Acts and why should this matter to us today? Could knowing God’s exact “GPS location” change our relationships, work, stress level and purpose? This weekend the early church leader Stephen gives us an advanced lesson on “Where is God?”

Living in a Pre-christian Culture
Until now our study in the book of Acts has focused on the birth of the young church in the city of Jerusalem. They’ve seen explosive growth and favor, but in chapter 6 and 7 all of this success will be challenged by a gathering storm of conflict and false accusations. Their response to internal discord and external persecution provide us with some major life transforming lessons.

5 Things the Early Church Had That We Have Got to Get Back

Religion vs Jesus

Marks of Spiritually Healthy Christians & Churches

On the Menu at the Lion’s Club!

When God Crashes a Party!

This weekend’s message brings us to one of the most dynamic and memorable passages in the entire bible. If you’ve ever felt the heat of life’s pressure in relationships, work, parenting, finances, faith and every other challenge this world presents, you won’t want to miss these “lessons from the furnace.”

When you make a God honoring decision, it will pay off for all the chapters of your life.

In chapter 1, Daniel is under immense pressure to change and conform. He makes a God honoring decision to stay true to his faith and by the end of chapter 2, not only has he remained true to his beliefs, but the king is bowing before him and acknowledging the God of Daniel.

Ever been under performance pressure? You know that moment when everyone’s looking at you to come through… Do you get stressed? Do you fall flat on your face? Or do you excel under uncertainty? Be ready to learn how to walk in God’s truth as we launch this new series on Daniel, which is an incredible example of someone who stood strong in the face of temptation and peer pressure.

Want to grow in your ability to practice authentic faith? Join us this weekend as we look at what James says about cultivating a life of action.

We all have that one person who knows how to push our buttons; that one temptation that keeps nagging at us. Temptation alone won’t harm you, but giving in to it will.

This message answers the questions: “What are the consequences of unchecked temptation?” and, “Is it possible to learn how to control our desires?”

Join us as we learn how to overcome the anger and enticements that keep us from authentic faith!

James is an amazing book. Consider this fact: It is written by the half-brother of Jesus, offering a bird’s eye view into the life of our Savior. He is an eyewitness to the ministry of Jesus and to a great period of persecution for Christians. His insight will help us mature in our faith and persevere through difficult life challenges. Whether you are facing financial challenges or the fear of Ebola, God has a plan for walking through the difficult times.