New Story Church

Warmed by the Wrong Fire | Easter 2026

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 05 Apr 2026 10:00:00 -0400

Most Easter sermons end at the empty tomb. This one ends at a charcoal fire.

This Easter, we're sitting with a charcoal fire on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, where the Risen Jesus tracks down the man who denied him three times. No explanation demanded. No conditions given. Just breakfast, and one question asked three times in the exact place where everything fell apart.

If you've ever lost yourself and wondered whether there was any coming back — this one's for you.

Do You Love Jesus… or Just What He Can Do for You? | Mark 11

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 29 Mar 2026 10:00:00 -0400

What if the thing standing between you and really loving Jesus… is everything He can do for you?

This Palm Sunday, we trace one of the most surprising threads in the Gospel of Mark — a pattern where Jesus heals people, raises the dead, and casts out demons… and then tells everyone to keep it secret. What is He up to? And what does it reveal about the difference between following Jesus and actually loving Him?

Along the way, we'll meet a crowd that goes from "Hosanna" to "Crucify Him" in five days, disciples who can't stop arguing about who's greatest, and a question that's harder to answer than it sounds: Do you love Jesus — or just what He can do for you?

The Fast That Feeds Others | Isaiah 58

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 22 Mar 2026 10:00:00 -0400

What if we've lost something that our soul actually needs?

Fasting is one of the most forgotten practices, and maybe the most understood. Drawing mostly from Isaiah 58, this sermon unpacks the ancient practice of fasting: what it is, why many have largely abandoned it, and why it keeps showing up in the lives of people who actually want to change. This isn't about performance or behavior modification. It's about something deeper -- what's really driving our desires, what's keeping you stuck, and how God meets you in it.

Together, we'll wrestle with questions like:

Why does fasting feel so hard -- and why might that matter?
What does it actually do in us, not just for us?
And what if fasting isn't just about you.....but about others?

Whether you're spiritually curious, stuck, or longing for something more real with God, this message invites you into a practice that has shaped followers of Jesus for centuries -- and still has the power to change lives today.

Why Does God Treat Sex Like It's Nuclear? | Song of Songs 8

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 15 Mar 2026 10:00:00 -0400

You've probably wondered why God makes such a big deal about sex. (So have I.)

Song of Songs chapter 8 doesn't give you a list of rules. It reveals something stranger and more beautiful — that marital love, the kind expressed in sex, carries within it the actual power of God. That it's stronger than death, stronger than chaos, stronger than anything that seeks to destroy you.

In fact, it's so powerful that — without a proper container — it could destroy you. Like a radioactive isotope.

In this sermon, we'll explore the awesome power of love, uncover the ancient story behind one of Scripture's most stunning passages, enjoy an Andrew Wyeth painting, consider what happens when sex has no container, and wrestle honestly with desire and its consequences.

Download the group discussion guide here.

Your 3,000-Year-Old Marriage Problems | Song of Songs 5–6

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 08 Mar 2026 11:00:00 -0400

He wanted intimacy. She didn’t. They fought.

In Song of Songs 5, a husband and wife have a painfully familiar moment. What begins as a small conflict quickly spirals into something deeper—and raises a question every relationship eventually faces: What story will you tell yourself after the fight?

This ancient love poem doesn’t idealize relationships. It shows us how conflict actually works—how it can slowly build walls between two people… or become the very thing that deepens intimacy and trust.

Download the group discussion guide here.

Why the Best Wedding Night Ever… Still Isn’t Enough | Song of Songs 3–5

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 01 Mar 2026 10:00:00 -0500

Why do the very best moments in life still leave you wanting more?
In Song of Songs 3–5, we come to the moment everything in this relationship — this song, this couple — has been building toward: the wedding night. It's beautiful, joyful, intimate, and holy. And yet, even this moment carries an ache that lingers.

In this sermon, we wrestle with why our most beautiful moments don't fully satisfy, what the "thin places" of life are trying to show us, and how marriage and sex function not as ultimate destinations, but as signposts pointing beyond themselves.

If you've ever felt the quiet longing that follows your best days — this message is for you.

Real Intimacy Should Make You Want to Puke | Song of Songs 2-3

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 22 Feb 2026 10:00:00 -0500

Most of us want real intimacy. And most of us are terrified of it.

In Song of Songs 2–3, love calls a woman out from behind the walls — and she hesitates. In this sermon, we'll explore why we hide, why vulnerability feels so risky, and how we are made to be fully known and fully loved. From the poetry of the Song to the story of Jesus calling Mary by name, this message invites you to wrestle with what it means to come out of hiding and receive a love strong enough to heal.

What the Dying Can See That No One Else Can

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 15 Feb 2026 10:00:00 -0500

Sometimes it takes coming to the end of yourself to see what God is doing.

In 2 Kings 7, four lepers are trapped outside a besieged city—rejected, starving, and staring down death. But their desperation becomes their clarity: they see an option no one else can see. And when they stumble upon an unexpected abundance, they face a choice that will define them: hoard it or share it.

Over the past four years, our church has experienced a similar kind of grace—from meeting in a mold-infested building during a pandemic to stumbling upon an embarrassment of riches we never could have anticipated. Growth in depth. Growth in reach. A movement of God we didn't conjure and can't take credit for.

But that grace raises a question: What do we do with what we've been given?

In this Vision Sunday message, we explore what faithful stewardship looks like in this season—and why we believe God is calling us to experiment with a third service from Easter to Father's Day.

This is a day of good news. Let's not keep it to ourselves.

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Better Than Dating: A Biblical Vision for Attraction and Romance | Song of Songs Chapter 1

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 08 Feb 2026 10:00:00 -0500

A man tells a woman she looks like a horse. She swoons. This is Scripture.
This sermon starts our journey through the Song of Songs—exploring attraction, romance, consummation, conflict, and unbreakable commitment.

In this first movement (Song of Songs 1:1–2:7), we step into a love song tucked right into the heart of Scripture. It’s playful, sensual, awkward, tender—and radically countercultural. A woman speaks first. A man compares his lover to a warhorse (and yes, that's romantic). Desire is named without shame. Attraction begins with character, not chemistry.

This song refuses both sexual repression and casual, consumeristic sex. Instead, it offers a vision of love that is intoxicating and wise—one built on friendship, safety, and the courage to wait. It asks hard questions about timing, trust, vulnerability, and what it really means to give yourself to another person.

Whether you're single, dating, married, wounded, or just curious, this sermon invites you to wrestle with a deeper story of intimacy—and to see how human love ultimately points beyond itself to the faithful, healing love of Jesus.

Download the group discussion guide here.

Understanding Identity through the Lens of the Gospel with Dr. Mark Yarhouse

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 01 Feb 2026 10:00:00 -0500

How do identities form in contemporary settings? How are identities formed in relation to our sexuality and experience of gender? This message engages historical, social, and linguistic changes that have influenced young people’s understanding of sexuality and gender. Rather than offer simple formulas, Christians need tools for caring, respectful, and effective engagement with youth who are navigating sexual and gender identity in contemporary culture.

Today, we welcome Dr. Mark Yarhouse, clinical psychologist, professor at Wheaton College, and follower of Jesus. Yarhouse has been known for listening deeply to LGBTQ+ people and their families, holding to historic Christian teaching while refusing to reduce anyone to a label, and helping churches and parents find language and practices that are both truthful and kind.

Why Is There an Erotic Poem in My Bible? | Song of Songs

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 25 Jan 2026 10:00:00 -0500

Why did God put an erotic poem in the middle of my Bible?
I grew up in church. Sat through thousands of sermons. And somehow never heard about the Song of Songs—one of the most beautiful, confusing, and ignored books in the Bible.

It's a collection of erotic love poetry. And it's right there in your Bible, sandwiched between the Psalms and the prophets.

So... why?

Is it just ancient relationship advice? A guide to dating and marriage? Or is there something deeper going on—something that points us toward the greatest love story ever told?

In this message, we explore:

Why churches have historically avoided this book (and why that's a mistake)
How celibate monks became obsessed with these love poems
Why ancient rabbis sang the Song of Songs at Passover
What this book reveals about desire, intimacy, and being truly known
How it all points to the Cross

This isn't just for people who are dating or married. It's for anyone who's ever longed to be loved, pursued, seen—and wondered if that ache means something.

The Stories Shaping our Sex Lives

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 18 Jan 2026 10:00:00 -0500

We live in a world where there are narrative tensions (4 of them) that are at play in what story of sexuality people are telling, or inhabiting. Caught within a mixture of pleasure, shame, longing, and confusion, this sermon explores the pertinent question at the heart of it all: what does our sexuality have to do with God?

Drawing on the insights of many, we look at the different stories shaping our understanding of sex -- and why so many of them leave us restless. Jesus doesn't start with shame or easy answers. He offers a subversive vision of humanity where our bodies matter, our desires aren't dismissed, and our deepest ache finds meaning in the Kingdom of heaven.

This message invites you to wrestle honestly with desire, identity, and faith -- and to consider whether Jesus might be offering a better story than what's been inherited or that's on offer.

What Sex Reveals About Heaven, Hell, and You

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 11 Jan 2026 10:00:00 -0500

What happens when we ask sex to do what only God can do?

In this message, we explore why sex can feel like heaven—and why it can so easily turn into something painful, confusing, or enslaving. Drawing from the Scriptures, church history, and our own lived experiences, we'll wrestle with desire, limitation, marriage, loneliness, shame, and hope.

Sex can’t save us—but it reveals something profound about who we are, what we’re longing for, and where true healing and union are ultimately found.

Download the group discussion guide.

Biblical Sex Ed: What Your Youth Group Never Told You

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 04 Jan 2026 10:00:00 -0500

Most of us were told what not to do with sex.
Very few of us were ever told what sex is actually for.
In this message, we'll revisit a question my friend David asked in youth group: "What is sex?" It sounds simple, but the answer is anything but.

Drawing from Genesis 1-2, 1 Timothy, and Colossians, we'll explore four overlooked truths: sex is essential, sex is God's idea, sex is an icon, and sex is a signpost. Along the way, you'll have a chance to wrestle with why sex matters so much, why it wounds us so deeply, and what it's designed to point us toward.

This isn't about new rules. It's about a vision of sexuality that's both ancient and desperately needed today—one that refuses puritanical shame and consumeristic self-indulgence in equal measure.

If you've ever felt torn between following Jesus and your sexuality—this message is for you.

Download our group discussion guide here.

Valentinus: “Your Body Doesn’t Matter.”

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 21 Dec 2025 10:00:00 -0500

If your faith feels disconnected from real life, your body might be the missing piece.

An early Christian teacher named Valentinus claimed that the physical world didn’t matter and that salvation was escape. That idea didn’t die. It just went underground.

In this message, we'll explore why the church called it heresy, why it still feels believable today, and why Christmas tells a story that refuses to separate God from flesh, bodies, and ordinary life.

Arius: "Jesus isn't God."

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 07 Dec 2025 10:00:00 -0500

318 bishops. 3 months of debate. 1 question that would shape Christianity forever: Is Jesus fully God—or just the greatest being God ever made?

In 325 AD, a charismatic pastor named Arius was making waves across the Roman Empire. He wrote catchy songs, drew massive crowds, and had a simple argument: if Jesus is the Son of God, he must have had a beginning. It was logical. It sounded Biblical. It was wildly popular. And it was heresy.

This message takes you inside the Council of Nicaea—the church fathers who showed up bearing scars from persecution, the biblical case both sides made, the slap heard round the church (courtesy of St. Nicholas), and an ending you won't see coming.

But more than history, we wrestle with a question that still matters more than you might know: What kind of Father is God?

Part of our Christmas series: How Heresies Saved Christmas—where ancient half-truths help us see the real story more clearly.

Download this week's group discussion guide.

CHAPTERS

00:00 Alexander of Alexandria: What Kind of Father Is God?
02:22 “Homousia?!” – Too Brilliant to Understand
05:46 Arius: The Tall, Rock Star Pastor and His Viral Song
08:23 Nothing Clarifies the Truth Like a Half-Truth
09:40 “Father of Mine”: When Dad Walks Away
13:15 Why This Ancient Debate Still Shapes Your Life
18:46 Constantine, Persecution, and the Council of Nicaea
23:08 Round One – “The Father Is Greater Than I”
26:15 Round Two – “Firstborn of All Creation”
28:05 Round Three – “Only Begotten Son” and God Begets God
30:38 St. Nicholas Slaps a Heretic
33:51 The Creed: Eternally Begotten, of One Being
35:59 Arius Dies of Diarrhea & the Song Still Echoes in Istanbul
38:40 Look at the Son to Know the Father

Pelagius: The Ancient Lie We Still Believe

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 30 Nov 2025 10:00:00 -0500

What if the deepest struggle you feel -- the pressure to be enough, do enough, fix yourself -- is a window into what you were truly made for?

Enter one of the most important debates in Christian history: Pelagius vs. Augustine. Their clash over sin, free will, and grace are highlighted in:

Do we need better habits, or a new heart?
Does grace make us passive -- or does it actually make us alive?
Why is surrender so much harder than self-improvement?

If you've ever felt stuck, exhausted, spiritually dry, or weighed down by the pressure to be 'enough', this message will challenge, comfort, and reorient you towards the kind of life only grace can create.

Download this week's group discussion guide here.

Marcion: The Man Who Cut the Old Testament Out of His Bible | Leviticus 16

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 23 Nov 2025 10:00:00 -0500

What happens when someone tries to cut the Old Testament out of the Bible?
In the second century, a wealthy ship-owner named Marcion did exactly that—literally tearing out every page that didn't fit his vision of a loving God. The early church called him "the firstborn of Satan" and returned his $13 million gift. But his question still haunts us: What does blood and sacrifice have to do with the God of love?

This sermon follows Marcion's story into Leviticus 16—the Day of Atonement—to show how the Old Testament isn't something to escape from, but the key to understanding the cross, the incarnation, and the mystery of Christmas itself.

It's an invitation to wrestle honestly with Scripture's hard parts and discover why the church fathers would rather die than lose the Book of Leviticus.

Download this sermon's discussion guide here.

Strike the Ground: Our Church's Vision for This Cultural Moment | 2 Kings 13

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 16 Nov 2025 10:00:00 -0500

What if God is placing opportunities right in front of you—and you don’t even see them?
In this vision sermon, we explore 2 Kings 13 and the moment God invites King Jehoash to “strike the ground.” It’s a strange story with a powerful question behind it: What will you do with the opportunities God puts in your hands?

We’ll look at the cultural moment we’re living in, the growing spiritual hunger around us, and the call to wake up, pay attention, and join God in what He’s doing.

The Sea: The Moment You Can’t Save Yourself | Exodus 13-14

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 09 Nov 2025 10:00:00 -0500

Ever feel like following God has made life harder, not easier? Like you traded predictable pain for terrifying freedom? This is a message for anyone who has ever stood at a Sea moment and thought, “Maybe I should just go back.”

In Exodus 13–14, the people of Israel are finally free… and immediately feel trapped. Pharaoh changes his mind. A sea blocks their path. Fear rewrites their memories and freedom suddenly feels overwhelming.

We look at why God sometimes takes “the long way,” how fear convinces us that slavery was easier, and how Jesus (the better mediator/Moses) accomplishes for us the greatest Exodus, from sin, shame, and sorrow.

Download this week's group discussion guide here.

Eat the Lamb: This is THE Moment | Exodus 11-13

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 02 Nov 2025 09:00:00 -0500

Everyone has a defining moment. What if yours already happened—before you were born?

In Exodus 12, death is coming. God commands His people: slaughter a lamb, paint its blood on your door, then gather your family and eat. This meal becomes THE moment that defines them forever. And it's the moment that helps us understand what Jesus meant when He said, "This is my body, broken for you." The Passover doesn't just explain communion—it IS the gospel. Substitution. Blood covering. A feast that sustains you for the journey.

If God can take traumatized slaves and give them a new story, a new identity, a new beginning... He can do the same for you.

Download this week's sermon discussion guide here.

First Unlearn Everything: How the Ten Plagues Reveal Who God Really Is | Exodus 7-10

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 26 Oct 2025 10:00:00 -0400

The first step in knowing God is unlearning everything you think you know.

In Exodus 7–10, God doesn’t just free His people from Egypt—He dismantles Egypt’s entire way of seeing the world. Through the Ten Plagues, He reveals Himself by unmaking their reality and tearing down the false gods they had trusted for meaning, security, and control.

In this message, we'll explore our response to the God who hides in plain sight, kills our "gods," and thrusts our lives into emptiness and chaos... so that he can make us new.

Download our group discussion guide here.

Getting Your Soul Back: Restlessness & Sabbath

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 19 Oct 2025 10:00:00 -0400

What if Jesus said to you, “You don’t yet look as happy as I mean you to be”?

In a culture drowning in distraction, hurry, and exhaustion, Sabbath is God’s radical invitation to freedom. Drawing from Scripture, neuroscience, and real-life stories, this sermon explores what it means to stop, rest, delight, and worship. You’ll discover how Sabbath is not just a day off, but a life-giving practice that helps us get our souls back, resist the gods of productivity, and step into the joy God intends for us.

Remember to Rest: How Sabbath Reclaims Our Humanity

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 12 Oct 2025 10:00:00 -0400

What if the very thing your soul is craving isn’t more achievement, more hustle, or more scrolling—but rest?

Speaking to our modern exhaustion, is Sabbath unreachable? Is it wellness for the privileged, legalism, or a Jewish thing? It’s actually about freedom, formation, and healing. What might change if we actually lived into this rhythm?

Whether you’re feeling burned out, spiritually hungry, or just curious about what Jesus has to say about rest, this message will help you step into God’s gift of Sabbath—a cathedral in time, where our souls can recover, delight, and breathe again.

Why We Can't Stop Working (and How Sabbath Sets Us Free)

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 05 Oct 2025 10:00:00 -0400

You can't stop working. Something won't let you rest.

The Book of Exodus names that "something" - and shows you what God wants to do to break its power in your life.

This sermon unpacks Israel’s slavery in Egypt and God’s strange way of training them in freedom through manna and Sabbath. You’ll see that Sabbath isn’t self-care. It’s resistance.

We’ll uncover what’s really keeping you from rest—and point you to Jesus, the true bread from heaven, whose finished work on the cross means you don’t have to prove yourself anymore.

Sabbath isn’t just rest. It’s an act of war.

When Following God Makes Your Life Worse | Exodus 5-6

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 28 Sep 2025 10:00:00 -0400

Ever feel like following Jesus is making your life, not better, but worse?

In this message from Exodus 5-6, we dive into one of the most honest and unsettling parts of the Bible—where God's people accept His promise of salvation, and then their suffering immediately gets worse. Moses shows up with God's message of freedom, the Israelites worship and believe... and then Pharaoh makes their slave labor brutally harder. The people who were just praising God now curse Moses. Even Moses starts questioning God.

If you've ever felt like following Jesus made your life more difficult instead of easier, this message is for you. This isn't a "everything happens for a reason" message. It's an honest look at why the path to freedom often leads through deeper struggle first—and why that might actually be evidence that God is working, not absent.

Download this week's group discussion guide.

God Has a Name | Exodus 3-4

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 21 Sep 2025 10:00:00 -0400

Most people know God by a title… but did you know He has a personal name?
In Exodus 3–4, Moses meets God in the wilderness and dares to ask: “Who are You?” The answer — “I AM” — is as mysterious as it is life-changing.

This sermon explores the moment God reveals His Name, why it matters more than we realize, and how it changes the way we see ourselves. You’ll discover why knowing God’s Name is about more than pronunciation or theology — it’s about identity, intimacy, and trust.

Whether you feel like a nobody, wrestle with doubt, or are searching for something real, this text invites you into two of life’s most important questions: Who am I? Who is God?

Download this week's group discussion guide here.

The Long Journey to Discovering Who You Really Are | Exodus 2

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 14 Sep 2025 10:00:00 -0400

Who are you—really?
It’s one of the hardest questions to answer. For Moses, it took eighty years. For many of us, it still hangs unresolved.

In Exodus 2, we follow Moses’ journey from prince to murderer to nobody in the wilderness. Along the way, we see how God uses the long, slow work of identity formation—and how the question “Who am I?” echoes through Scripture until it finds its answer in Jesus.

When the Story You're Living Starts to Devour You | Exodus 1

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 07 Sep 2025 10:00:00 -0400

We all live by a story. Some give life. Others take it.

The book of Exodus isn’t just about an ancient people escaping Egypt. It’s about us. It’s about you.

It’s the story of being enslaved to a system that slowly grinds you down, the story of a God who shows up in the middle of it, and the story of discovering who you were always meant to be. It’s about realizing that the way out of slavery is also the way in—to freedom, identity, faith, and hope.

For thousands of years, people have turned to Exodus to make sense of their own lives. Maybe it’s time you did too.

Download our sermon discussion guide for this week here.

Releasing Anxiety, Rewiring Vibrancy

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 31 Aug 2025 10:00:00 -0400

Philippians 4:4–9 explores how Paul’s (the apostle’s) prison-saturated words invite us to rejoice in the Lord’s nearness, release our anxieties through prayer, and rewire our inner life with God’s peace.

With much of the West marked by unrest and distraction, come see how biblical meditation, neuroscience insights, a trip to prison, and an ancient inscription from Phrygia guard our hearts and transform us to be carriers of His peace in an anxious generation.

Money is a Liar. Matthew 6:19-24

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 24 Aug 2025 10:00:00 -0400

Money makes big promises: “I’ll make you happy. I’ll keep you safe. I’ll give your life meaning.” But money is a liar.

In Matthew 6, Jesus pulls back the curtain on money’s hidden power. He shows us that our treasures aren’t neutral—they tether themselves to our hearts, shaping what we love, how we live, and even what we see as real.

In this message, we wrestle with Jesus’ uncomfortable (but healing) words: “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” What is money doing to your heart? Who—or what—is really in control of your life?

Jesus pokes and prods at your bank account and spending habits, not because he wants your money, but because He wants your heart. And He knows that your heart will follow your money.

Can I Doubt and Still Believe? John 20:24-31

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 17 Aug 2025 10:00:00 -0400

Your doubts might be the place Jesus wants to meet you.

We’re not the type of church to have a patron saint, but if we did, it might be “Doubting Thomas.” We live in an age of unrelenting doubt. It infects and affects us all. Thomas heard the resurrection story and flatly declared, “I will not believe.” This is the story of how Jesus meets us in our doubts. Whether you’ve been hurt by faith, wrestled with hard questions, or just aren’t sure what you believe anymore, this conversation is for you. Jesus doesn’t shame or belittle doubters—He invites them closer.

Is Faith Enough When I’m Anxious or Depressed?

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 10 Aug 2025 10:00:00 -0400

In a world plagued by anxiety, depression, loneliness, and a 'connection crisis', what does faith have to offer our cultural moment?

Biblically, transformation is not a linear approach, but a multi-faceted journey that involves our inner and outer life of faith. If you've ever wondered if there's a more holistic approach to what we're facing, this is the sermon for you.

By surfacing mental health and faith myths, we find hope in biblical realism, insights from an award winning book, and real life examples of people who hold the tension of deep anguish and deep trust in Jesus.

How Do We Make Sense of Our Suffering? Our Story & the Story of Job

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 03 Aug 2025 10:00:00 -0400

Why, God? How do we make sense of this? Where are You?

In the wake of tragedy, the usual answers fall flat.

This message turns to one of the oldest and rawest stories in the Bible—the story of Job. It’s unfiltered grief. At times, it’s hard to hear. And that’s exactly the point.

Job doesn’t offer easy answers. But he does offer us a path through the pain. A way to keep wrestling. A reason to keep hoping.

We may not get the answers we’re looking for. But we meet a God who steps into our grief, who doesn’t stay distant from our pain, and who promises that chaos does not get the final word. He does.

Yield: Fighting Like Jesus

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 27 Jul 2025 10:00:00 -0400

In the final message of our P.R.A.Y. series, we see that yielding is a battle posture, rooted in surrender and grounded in God’s Word.

To fight like Jesus means giving God our feelings, our desires, and — ultimately — our trust. Join us to recover intimacy, identity, and our spiritual resiliency by Jesus teaching us how to pray.

Ask: Daily Bread & Unanswered Prayers

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 20 Jul 2025 10:00:00 -0400

Following our P.R.A.Y. acronym, we zoom in on A; asking. Through simplicity and dependency, we can experience the heart soaring power of prayer. But, what do we do with prayers that go unanswered? The Psalms provide us examples of how, when we process with God, we invite God into the process. We can bring our agony to the Almighty.

In asking, we come to trust that God gives us what we would have asked for if we knew everything He knows.

Rejoice & Reflect: How to Hallow

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 13 Jul 2025 10:00:00 -0400

What is the Lord’s Prayer about? According to a few scholars, it teaches us a way of praying in two distinct parts: (1) Gets us in on God’s World & (2) Gets God in on our world.

But, what does that mean? How does that happen? With words like ‘hallow, kingdom, and will, ’ do these words have any bearing on our life today? Join us as we look at how the earth largest’s camera can help us see the Lord’s Prayer the way Jesus saw it.

Pause: The Beginning of Prayer

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 06 Jul 2025 10:00:00 -0400

Philip Yancey said: “Prayer is the act of seeing reality from God’s point of view”.

It’s noteworthy, Jesus’ disciples never asked him the proper way to heal the sick, order a church, teach the Scripture, or engage the world socially. They did ask him — ‘teach us to pray’.

Many of us have questions and fears about prayer. Join us as we explore why don’t we pray, what prayer isn’t, and what prayer is. Mainly, to start, it begins with seeing and pausing.

Your Quickest New Testament Summary Ever

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 29 Jun 2025 10:00:00 -0400

The New Testament is where everything comes together - the long-awaited arrival of Jesus, the growth of the church, and the hope of a new creation. In this message, we’ll map out the story of the New Testament, introduce the main books and themes, and show how the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus fulfill everything the Old Testament promised. Whether you’re starting fresh or rediscovering old truths, you’ll see how the New Testament invites you to be part of God’s ongoing story.

Your Quickest Old Testament Summary Ever

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 22 Jun 2025 10:00:00 -0400

The Old Testament is the foundation of the Bible - full of sweeping stories, promises, kings, prophets, poetry, and hope. But how does it all fit together? In this message, we’ll explore the big picture of the Old Testament, tracing the story from creation to covenant to kingdom to exile. You’ll walk away understanding not just the major events and books, but also the heartbeat behind it all: a God who is relentlessly pursuing the people He created and loves.

I Will Dwell | Psalm 23:5-6 | The Table, the Feast, & the Homecoming

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 15 Jun 2025 10:00:00 -0400

What if the thing you’ve been chasing… has actually been chasing you?

The journey of Psalm 23 ends not with our searching, God's lavish welcome home. A seat at His table. A feast in the presence of your enemies. A life marked by goodness, mercy, and deep belonging.

This message explores the longing behind every longing—the ache to be home with God. It’s about rest, joy, and a Shepherd who won't stop coming after you until you're safe at home.

💭 Maybe the only thing keeping you from God's goodness… is the speed of your life.

🎧 Tune in—and take your seat at the table.

I Will Fear No Evil | Psalm 23:4

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 08 Jun 2025 10:00:00 -0400

How do we not lose faith, not lose our way, not lose our souls—when the path leads us through the valley of deep darkness?

Psalm 23 doesn’t offer escape from evil but invites us into a deeper confidence in the presence of the Shepherd. In this message, we wrestle with fear, suffering, and what it means to say, “I will fear no evil,” even when evil feels overwhelming.

I Shall Not Want | Psalm 23:1-3

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 01 Jun 2025 10:00:00 -0400

In a culture of endless wanting, Psalm 23 opens with a bold confession: “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” This message invites us to slow down, breathe deep, and rediscover the soul-rest that comes not from having more—but from knowing the Shepherd.

Our Anger & God's Questions | Jonah 4

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 25 May 2025 10:00:00 -0400

Have you ever experienced the power of a well-placed question? What if God did for someone else what you longed for Him to do for you? God’s mercy is both scandalous and healing-revealing our deepest motivations.

Jonah ends with a question, not a resolution. The final thread is left in our fingertips. Will God’s mercy melt us before it moves through us?

When God Gives You a Second Chance | Jonah 3

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 18 May 2025 10:00:00 -0400

The Crisis with Men and Boys: Why Men Are Losing Their Way and What We Can Do to Help

Grace Valley Fellowship — Fri, 16 May 2025 23:00:00 -0400

Something is happening to men—and it's time we talk about it.
Deaths of despair are soaring. Men are falling behind in education, work, relationships, and health. Loneliness, addiction, apathy, and isolation are eating away at an entire generation.

If you care about being the man God designed you to be—if you care about the future of your sons, your brothers, your friends—this conversation matters.

Download the accompanying handout: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/ftonyormrmasrkajco3mc/The-Crisis-with-Men-Handout.pdf?rlkey=7nl5zlzhei47s9i419z4hby7f&st=unve61aj&dl=0
Download Pastor Paul's slide deck: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/9nc0nxo4kfgxtjzbytdag/The-Crisis-with-Men-Slide-Deck.pdf?rlkey=jsizp498g3j54gml5zw2a1pwg&st=tp8mlqvu&dl=0

🔵 In this talk:
00:00 Introduction – The crisis we are facing
03:22 Deaths of Despair – Too many men are dying from despair
09:03 Education – Men are underperforming at all levels, with declining college enrollment.
11:29 Relationships – Men are increasingly single, lonely, and disconnected.
14:40 Work – Male workforce participation and wages are declining.
17:04 Biology – Testosterone and grip strength are dropping at alarming rates.
19:22 Technology – Addictions to porn, gaming, gambling, and digital escapism disproportionately affect men.
23:41 Biblical Roots – God's Design for Men
27:12 Adam: Passive Masculinity
28:58 Lamech: Toxic Masculinity
33:30 Historical & Sociological Roots of the Crisis
42:15 Progressive Reaction: The denial gender gifferences and pathologizing of masculinity
44:05 Conservative Reaction: Embracing hyper-masculinity and alpha-male culture
45:11 A Proverbs 31 Man
47:35 Jesus is a Man
48:48 Seven Practical Steps We Can Take

Deep Change Starts with a Desperate Prayer | Jonah 2

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 11 May 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Some change looks dramatic on the outside — but still leaves your heart untouched.

In Jonah 2, we hear a desperate prayer from the depths. Jonah sounds like he’s finally changed… until you realize he hasn’t. Not really.

This story is a mirror. It shows how hard it is to truly change — and how easy it is to settle for surface-level surrender. It exposes how slow our hearts can be, even when our words sound right.

But it also shows us something else:
That when we hit the bottom, God is already there.

Deep change doesn’t begin when we try harder.
It begins with a desperate prayer — and a God who refuses to give up on us.

When God Sends a Storm to Wake You Up | Jonah 1:4–17

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 04 May 2025 10:00:00 -0400

Jonah ran. Jonah slept.
And God hurled a great storm at him — not to destroy him, but to wake him up.

Maybe the chaos in your life isn’t proof God has given up on you.
Maybe it’s proof He hasn’t.

This is the story of a God who refuses to give up on you — even when you give up on Him.

When You Don’t Want God to Look at You | Jonah 1:1-3

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 27 Apr 2025 10:00:00 -0400

What do you do when you don't want to be seen?
When facing God feels more painful than running from Him?

Jonah didn’t argue. He didn’t plead.
He just ran — trying to escape the gaze of the One who knew him completely.

This story isn’t about a fish.
It’s about protest, shame, and the grace of a God who refuses to turn His face away.

When He Speaks Your Name. John 20 | Easter at New Story

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 20 Apr 2025 10:00:00 -0400

Mary Magdalene thought Jesus was dead.
She couldn’t see what God was doing—until He spoke her name.

The Easter story is more than a historical event or a theological idea.
It’s personal.

Jesus—the risen Word of God—comes looking for us.
Not as a concept, not as a symbol, but as a living Savior who calls us by name.

Because when He speaks your name, everything changes.

Peter and the Drama of Holy Week: Before and After. Matthew 26:30-75; John 21:15-19

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 13 Apr 2025 10:00:00 -0400

The drama of Peter's life over the course Holy Week and the days beyond offer a compelling "Before and After" story. With words of challenge, hope and promise, they offer a fitting study for Palm Sunday, and prepare us for the week to come.

Some Advice for Those Who Aren’t Yet Dead. Ecclesiastes 11:7-12:14

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 06 Apr 2025 10:00:00 -0400

This is the final message of Ecclesiastes—the Teacher’s last word after a lifetime of searching. In these final chapters, the Teacher pleads with all of us—especially those who are young—to learn from him: If you want to live a life of real joy and lasting significance, you have to stop trying to take it for yourself.

True joy and significance cannot be achieved or seized.
They can only be received as gifts from the God who made you.

Obedience and surrender aren’t barriers to joy—they are the way to Joy.
God’s commands aren’t given to steal your life, but to lead you to Life.

If you’re still breathing, this is advice worth hearing.

What to Know When You Don’t Know. Ecclesiastes 11:1-6 & 9-10

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 30 Mar 2025 10:00:00 -0400

In the second to last chapter of Ecclesiastes, we get uncertainty, predictability, inevitability, and mystery. Is that enough rhyming for ya?

What do you do when you don’t know? In chapter 11, the Preacher offers us three things we don’t know and three things we can know. This chapter picks up the pace, calls us to a decision, and frames the end. Join us!

Fasting: Why You Should (or Maybe Shouldn’t)

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 23 Mar 2025 10:00:00 -0400

Fasting has been practiced by followers of Jesus for thousands of years—but it’s often misunderstood. Some see it as deeply spiritual, others as outdated or even unhealthy.

So why does the Bible talk about it so much? And should you do it—or not?

In this message, we explore what fasting is (and isn’t), what it’s for, and how it can become a way of reconnecting with your hunger for God.

Live Like You're Dying. Ecclesiastes 9

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 10:00:00 -0400

If you knew your time was short, how would you live? Ecclesiastes 9 reminds us that death is certain, and almost nothing else is. But instead of despair, the Teacher urges us to live fully, love deeply, work with passion, and trust God with what we cannot control. This isn’t about reckless indulgence. It’s about learning to receive each day as it's meant to be: a gift from God.

When God Doesn’t Make Sense. Ecclesiastes 8:9-17

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 09 Mar 2025 11:00:00 -0400

Have you ever asked, or been asked, why do good things happen to bad people? Or, similarly, why do bad things happen to good people? The Teacher is going to survey the moments that show a gap between what we ‘know’ and what we ‘observe’.

The Teacher gets more philosophical in this chapter. And, with the help from a few other Philosophers, we’ll learn how to live wisely when life/God doesn’t make sense.

Escapism vs. Wisdom: Benefits & Limitations. Ecclesiastes 7:7-22

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 02 Mar 2025 10:00:00 -0500

What can a columnist, a theologian, a philosopher, and the writer of Ecclesiastes show us about search for the good life? In short, wisdom can help us with a lot of things. At the same time….

Join us to “be alienated from what we think we know in order to genuinely grow.” (B.Brock)

Remember You Must Die. Ecclesiastes 7:1-6

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:00:00 -0500

We spend most of our lives avoiding this one truth: death - but the Teacher in Ecclesiastes 7 tells us it's the key to wisdom, purpose, and a better life.

Down through the ages, Christians have practiced memento mori-"Remember you must die"-not to live in fear, but to live with clarity and meaning. What if what we've been avoiding is exactly what we need to face?

Why Money Is Not the Answer. Ecclesiastes 5:8-20

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 16 Feb 2025 10:00:00 -0500

We’re often told that more money means more happiness, security, and freedom—but the Teacher in Ecclesiastes 5 says otherwise. He warns that wealth can distort our vision, create anxiety, and leave us emptier than before. So, if more money isn’t the answer, what is? Join us as we explore the Teacher’s wisdom on contentment, worship, and finding true fulfillment in God.

Listen: An Unexpected Answer to Life’s Biggest Questions. Ecclesiastes 5:1-7

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 09 Feb 2025 10:00:00 -0500

We search for meaning in all the usual places—success, wisdom, pleasure, hard work—but the Teacher in Ecclesiastes finds that none of it fully satisfies. Then, in Ecclesiastes 5, he offers a different kind of answer: Stop talking. Start listening.

Could it be that the key to a meaningful life isn’t found in more striving, but in learning to listen—really listen—to God? Instead of trying to control life or fill the silence with words, the Teacher invites us to slow down, be still, and receive. Join us as we explore how listening to God in worship can change not just how we approach faith, but how we experience life itself.

Me or We: Living Less Upwardly Mobile

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 02 Feb 2025 10:00:00 -0500

Where am I going in life? This tends to captivate the modern mind. Qohelet, the author of Ecclesiastes, says that is our very source of pain. Workism is making us miserable, oppression is widespread, and people are lonely. Even wisdom fails in securing fame. In this chapter (4), we’re offered a new question to ask. For our hearts to be indexed away from me, and to focus on we.

Eternity in Your Heart: Time and the Meaning of Life. Ecclesiastes 3

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 26 Jan 2025 10:00:00 -0500

Why do we feel the pull of eternity while living in a world bound by time? In Ecclesiastes 3, the Teacher uncovers the profound tension between our longing for something lasting and the fleeting nature of life’s seasons. How can we find peace in this tension? And what does it mean to live meaningfully when the future feels so uncertain? Explore the wisdom of the Teacher and discover how God invites us to embrace life as a gift, woven with eternal purpose

Why You'll Never Find Happiness Until You Stop Trying. Ecclesiastes 2:12-26

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 19 Jan 2025 10:00:00 -0500

What if all your efforts to create happiness and meaning are actually driving them further away? In Ecclesiastes 2, the Teacher of Ecclesiastes hits rock bottom, confronting the stark truth: every attempt to create lasting meaning or happiness is fleeting, ultimately undone by the certainty of death. But it’s here, in this moment of despair, that he uncovers something extraordinary. He realizes he doesn’t have to strive to make his life meaningful—because meaning isn’t something we achieve; it’s something God gives. When the Teacher finally lets go of the need to control and define his life, his hands are open to receive life for what it truly is: a gift from God.

What If Getting Everything You Want Still Isn’t Enough? Ecclesiastes 1:12-2:11

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 12 Jan 2025 10:00:00 -0500

If you had the wealth, skill, power, charisma, and know-how to get everything you wanted in life, what would it actually get you? This week, the Teacher from Ecclesiastes shares the story of his infamous “pleasure experiment.” He pursued it all—wealth, career success, fine food and drink, the arts, and even sexual indulgence—looking for something that would give his life meaning and fill the void. But none of it did. None of it could. Now, he doesn’t want you to make the same mistakes he made. If you feel the pull of a longing that nothing in this world can seem to satisfy, maybe this story is for you.

When Life Stops Making Sense. Ecclesiastes 1

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 05 Jan 2025 10:00:00 -0500

What do you do when life stops making sense? It’s not a question of if—it’s when. And when you find yourself in that place, God has just the guide you need. We don’t know his name; he’s simply “the Teacher.” In Greek, they call him Ecclesiastes.

In this message, we uncover the raw, unfiltered wisdom of this ancient book and its bold declaration that “everything is meaningless.” But here’s the paradox: the Teacher isn’t offering despair—he’s pointing the way to discovering real meaning.

Curious, profound, and sometimes shockingly honest, this journey will challenge your perspective, tear down the illusions we cling to, and open your eyes to what truly matters. Come ready to wrestle with life’s hardest questions and uncover the hope waiting on the other side.

Jesus, Lobotomies, and the Lies We Tell Ourselves. John 8

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 22 Dec 2024 10:00:00 -0500

We all tell ourselves stories—some true, some comforting lies. But what happens when those lies are exposed? In this message, we journey into the Gospel of John to discover how Jesus, the Light of the World, reveals the truth about our hearts. With the help of a Greek tragedy, a lobotomist, and an 18th-century theologian, we explore Jesus's invitation to face the uncomfortable reality of self-deception and step into the freedom that only He can bring.

The Light of the World & the Meaning of Everything

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 15 Dec 2024 10:00:00 -0500

What if the universe has been trying to show you something all along - but you just can't see it? What if it’s been whispering a name? In the message, we follow the Apostle John as he leads us past an ancient festival of light, through timeless wisdom and prophecy, and back all the way to the beginning... of everything. There he invites us to hear the Word that speaks life, to see the Light that lets us see reality, and to wrestle with what this might mean for us today.

(Re)Imagining What Your Life Could Be. Romans 12

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 08 Dec 2024 10:00:00 -0500

How do we get in on the life transformation that is promised in the Scriptures? What does this look like in my life? In this message, we dive deep into Romans 12 and explore how God’s grace renews our minds, reshapes our habits, and pulls us into life-changing relationships.

Sent Like Jesus. Luke 9:1-10

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 01 Dec 2024 10:00:00 -0500

How do we share Jesus in a post-everything world? In a hostile culture, and with many of us having an emotional hang up to words like ‘evangelism’, witness, etc., tune in to discover how Jesus’ authority sends us in simplicity to offer a compelling (missional) alternative.

Meeting Jesus in Your Crisis. Luke 8:40-56

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 24 Nov 2024 10:00:00 -0500

Sometimes what we really want & need can only be found on the other side of crisis & hardship. This is so easy to say and so hard to embrace. In this message, Luke will lead us through a series of crises, forcing us to slow down and watch how Jesus not only meets us in these moments but also uses them to bring about a new, deeper wholeness. It's a reality that we'd all like to avoid. But we can't. It's not if, it's when. Crisis is coming for all of us, and Jesus wants to meet us there.

Ballroom Dancing and Other Lessons for Abiding in the Vine. John 15:1-11

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 17 Nov 2024 10:00:00 -0500

We began last week our two-week focus on life with Christ: what does it mean to "abide in Him"? This week, we consider this question: "What does ballroom dancing teach us about life with Jesus?" If you want to learn more about how to experience the dance of life with Jesus, come join us this week!

Tarzan Christianity. John 15:1-11

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 10 Nov 2024 10:00:00 -0500

How do we live out a life with Jesus that survives and thrives in the jungle of everyday life? And how do we do that - not just in the high points of inspiration and revelation - but in the everyday places of frustration and temptation? This week, we'll begin a two-week pause in our study of the Gospel of Luke to think about how living with Jesus is rooted in the reality of Jesus living in us.

"Where Is Your Faith?" Luke 8:22-25

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 03 Nov 2024 09:00:00 -0500

Viktor Frankl, the neurologist and holocaust survivor, once said: “Between stimulus and response there is space. In that space is the power to choose our response. In our response, lies both our growth and freedom.” In Luke 8:22-25 we see this space occur in the life of the disciples. We’re confronted with two questions. One is a diagnostic one, the other a directive. Tune to learn how to ‘hear’, trust, and choose our response.

Breaking the Jar. Luke 7:36-50

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 27 Oct 2024 10:00:00 -0400

According to the Scriptures, the most important thing you can do with your life is love God. Period. That's it. If you only get in on one thing in this life, get in on that. But what if we don't love God that much? Love is not the kind of thing that you can just manufacture on your own. So, what do we do? In chapter 7 of his gospel, Luke unfolds this intimate, shocking, slightly scandalous story about a woman bursting into a refined dinner party. It's a story that helps us see what's going on in our own hearts so that we can get in on what's most important.

Laborers are Few

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 20 Oct 2024 10:00:00 -0400

Today, we are excited to welcome a missionary leader from India who serves on the Lead Team of Concentric, an alliance of ministries across the globe who do disciple making movements according to the Jesus lifestyle.

The Mosaic of the Great King: How Jesus Brings Beauty from Brokenness. Luke 7

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 13 Oct 2024 10:00:00 -0400

Since ancient times, Christians have seen God's work of salvation as a mosaic. In isolation, our lives might look small, random, even broken. It's hard to make sense of things. But Jesus picks up broken people and broken lives and sets them into a work of God that is bigger and more beautiful than we can possibly imagine. In this message, Luke helps us see the bigger picture as Jesus encounters an outsider, a grieving widow, and a man on death row.

Authentic Passion: Christ-like Humility. Philippians 2:1-11

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 06 Oct 2024 10:00:00 -0400

Today, we welcome Duffy Robbins: renowned conference speaker, Grove City College professor, and friend of New Story.

How You Behave Says Something About You. Luke 6

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 29 Sep 2024 10:00:00 -0400

You've probably heard the quote: "I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ." We cannot be certain Gandhi said that, but you've almost certainly felt that before. According to Luke chapter 5, Jesus came for the broken, for those who are unhealthy, and for the sinners. And that's good news. But turn the page to chapter 6 and we immediately feel the tension. Jesus calls these sinners-made-disciples to live out a radically different, whole, healing, forgiving, pure way of life. A way of life that frankly feels impossible if you've ever tried to live it. This week, we'll explore what sinners (like us) are supposed to do with this.

The Invitation: Will you sit with sinners or stand on your own? Luke 5:27-32

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 22 Sep 2024 10:00:00 -0400

This is not a sermon. Not really. It's just a story... or, better, an invitation. You are invited to imagine what it must have been like to encounter the famous, rule-breaking, leper-healing Jesus of Nazareth. Some were furious with him. Others worshipped Him. No one could quite figure Him out. What about you?

Jesus Meets You in the Place of Your Deep Woundedness. Luke 5:12-26

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 15 Sep 2024 10:00:00 -0400

Some wounds you cannot see. Luke, the physician turned Gospel writer, seems to think that all of us are sick. Maybe not physically. But all of us have something deeply broken in us. In Luke 5, he presents two stories of physical healing that expose our need for a yet deeper healing, and that is where Jesus wants to meet us. Jesus wants to meet us in the place of our deep woundedness. That's where we experience His healing power.

Four Marks of a Follower of Jesus. Luke 5:1-11

Grace Valley Fellowship — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 12:00:00 -0400

The invitation of Jesus is (& has always been): "Follow Me." But what exactly does it mean to follow Jesus? In this message, we'll attempt to piece together the broader Jewish context of 1st Century rabbis and disciples in order to makes sense of what it means for Rabbi Jesus to invite you and me to follow Him.

Peace & Quiet

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 01 Sep 2024 10:00:00 -0400

Does it ever feel like there's just too much going on in your life to ever find some peace & quiet? I would venture say to say that you're not the only one! Psalm 131 gives us beautiful imagery to begin to understand what it means to find peace with God.

The Danger of Growing Up With Jesus. Luke 4:14-30

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 25 Aug 2024 10:00:00 -0400

In Luke 4, Jesus goes to his hometown. These are the people who should know Him the best. These are the people who grew up with Jesus. But, when He announces who He is and why God has sent Him, it doesn't go so well. That's putting it mildly. (They try to throw Him off a cliff.) Luke leaves us wondering: Why is it that those who are far from God seem to joyfully receive Jesus while those who grew up with Jesus seem to struggle to see Him for who He really is? And how might this same danger lurk among those of us who grow up with Jesus today?

The Subtle Temptation to Make It About Me. Luke 4:1-13

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 18 Aug 2024 10:00:00 -0400

To be tempted is to be human. Since Adam & Eve, temptation has been part of the human story. In Luke 4, Jesus, "the son of Adam," is getting ready to step into the mission to which God has sent Him. But first, God leads Him into the wilderness. There He must confront a series of subtle temptations, temptations that are truly tempting because they sound like truth, temptations that we all must face.

Bless You, Julian the Apostate!

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 11 Aug 2024 10:00:00 -0400

Julian was raised Christian. He grew up going to church, was baptized, went to a Christian school and then, in his early 20s, he walked away from the faith. This is how the Roman Emperor Julian became known as Julian the Apostate. This is also how Julian has become a kind of patron saint to the millions who grew up in church, knew Christianity from the inside-out, and have walked away from the faith. Julian's story has become an important case study for those of us who live in a post-Christian world. In this message, we'll listen to Julian's story, probe the unexpected success of the early Church, and hear God's missionary plans for Abraham as we try to begin to figure out: what does it look like to reach our world for Jesus when our world is full of Julians?

Walk as Jesus Walked: Francis of Assisi

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 04 Aug 2024 10:00:00 -0400

Francis of Assisi was a simple man who changed the world by living like Jesus. That's it. He sought to literally do what Jesus did: embrace lepers, serve the poor, love his enemies, own nothing, and trust God for everything. To this day, Francis's joy-filled life stands as a convicting and inspiring reminder that the life and teaching of Jesus is not impossible to follow. Rather, it is the way of pax et bonum (peace & all good)!

Knowing God & Knowing Yourself: Bernard of Clairvaux

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 28 Jul 2024 10:00:00 -0400

If you are looking for a spiritual guide, you will be hard pressed to find one better than Bernard of Clairvaux. He is famous for his historical and political exploits. (After all, he was involved in untangling a Church schism and starting the Knights Templar!) But his theological and devotional works are worth savoring. He was a student of the love of God and of the human soul, making him a faithful guide to those seeking to know God and know themselves more deeply.

A Handbook for Combating Demons Evagrius of Pontus

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 21 Jul 2024 10:00:00 -0400

In the 4th century, after the Roman Empire was officially declared "Christian," thousands of men and women fled to the deserts of Egypt. They were literally following Jesus's example of going into the wilderness to face their demons. This week, we'll explore the story of one such "Desert Father" named Evagrius. In the wilderness, Evagrius faced his own demons and learned to help others face theirs. He then went on to give us a taxonomy of temptation that we know as the seven deadly sins.

A Sinner After God's Own Heart. 1 Samuel 1:1-2:11

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 14 Jul 2024 10:00:00 -0400

When God chooses young David to be his anointed King, he describes him as 'a man after my own heart'. But as the story plays out, David is also shown to be Israel's greatest sinner (on more than one occasion). How does this work? How can one be a sinner after God's own heart and what does that mean for your life? This will be the question we ask on Sunday as we read of beginning of David's story, looking at the birth of the prophet that would ultimately anoint him (Samuel).

Walking Humbly with Your God. Micah 6:6-8

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 07 Jul 2024 10:00:00 -0400

What does it mean to know God? What does that look like? How does it play out in my everyday life? The Bible contains some wonderful summaries in answer to these questions and the passage before us describes its answer to these questions using the language of "walking'. To know God is to walk daily with him, talking with him (prayer), hearing from him (scripture), and having your life transformed by him. This sermon will zero in on the specifics of the transformation that God is working in those who walk with him.

Our Glorious Calling. Ephesians 3:8-12

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 10:00:00 -0400

From the Garden of Eden to the final pages of scripture in the new heaven and new earth, we read God’s extraordinary autobiography. The author and the finisher of our faith has designed humanity to be the living and breathing embodiment of his image, right at the heart of his creation. Now, because of Jesus’ entrance into, and redemption of, our part in the grand story of God, we together have a unique opportunity to reveal a mystery that was hidden for ages but is now able to be displayed in the Church. What a calling! Let’s explore this beautiful and glorious gift together.

The Spiritual Practice of Remembering. Psalm 103

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 23 Jun 2024 10:00:00 -0400

In Scriptures, we are commanded, urged, and warned to remember/do not forget... more than 100 times. The Psalms repeatedly teach us to "remember" in our prayers. One gets the sense that how we remember is critical. According to the Prophets and Apostles, remembering appears to be a spiritual practice that is essential to knowing God and ourselves more truly and more deeply. In Psalm 103, David leads us in how to coach your soul in this spiritual practice of remembering.

How I Almost Lost My Faith. Psalm 73

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 16 Jun 2024 10:00:00 -0400

Thousands have gathered for the worship concert. Asaph, one of the greatest singer-songwriters of all time, steps ups to the mic: "My name is Asaph... and this song… is about how I almost lost my faith.” That's how Psalm 73 begins. For thousands of years, believers have been using this psalm as a guide to praying our doubts.

Our Most Precious Hatred. Psalm 137

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 09 Jun 2024 10:00:00 -0400

Profound wholeness demands profound honesty. The Psalms invite us to be brutally honest with God and with ourselves, drawing things out of us that we rather not think about.. much less pray. This week, we'll explore a horrifying, but helpful, psalm that invites us to trust God with "our most precious hatreds."

Pull Me Out of the Wall. Psalm 130

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 02 Jun 2024 10:00:00 -0400

How do I pray when I feel like I have ruined my relationship with God? Psalm 130 is the prayer of someone headed to a worship service. On the way, he realizes that his relationship with God is completely broken, and it's all all his fault. This Psalm shows you how to pray when you find yourself there: in depths of your own brokenness, stuck inside yourself, wrapped in pain, trapped, lost.

Waiting for the End of the Story. Psalm 13

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 26 May 2024 10:00:00 -0400

This Sunday, professor, speaker, and author, Dr. Duffy Robbins, will introduce us to a Biblical way to lament what is wrong in our world and in us. Using Psalm 13 as a guide, Duffy will show us how to pray our laments and even write our own psalm of lament.

What God Desires From You. Psalm 40

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 19 May 2024 10:00:00 -0400

It's through hearing about what God has done in your life that others can begin to know the goodness of God. In Psalm 40, we find David standing at the Temple. He’s come to offer a thank offering to God, but, when he listens to God, he discovers that what God desires more than a sacrifice is for David to tell others what He has done for him. Then, many will see and fear and trust in the Lord.

I Feel Seen. Psalm 139

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 12 May 2024 10:00:00 -0400

Am I safe? Who am I? Who are you? Who am I to you? These are the questions that give our lives shape and meaning. This is where we begin to figure out what it means to be human. And yet, these are questions that you cannot answer on our own. Modern Psychology and ancient Hebrew wisdom agree: if you are ever going to answer these questions, you need Someone to know you. You need to feel seen. You need to experience Someone else experiencing you. In Psalm 139, King David invites us to experience the God who knows everything about you, who is always with you, who made you.

When You're Wrecked by the Love of God. Psalm 84

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 05 May 2024 10:00:00 -0400

In Psalm 84, we stumble into a prayer that reads more like a juicy love letter than what we usually think of as prayer. These are the words of someone who has been wrecked by the love of God. He is sick with love. At times, he almost sounds insane. His voice cracks. He can hardly breathe. And, by praying this prayer, we learn to open up our hearts to more & more of His love.

Look Up. Psalm 8

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 28 Apr 2024 10:00:00 -0400

In Psalm 8, David helps us get oriented to reality. If all you've ever known is the observable universe, this might be a bit hard to imagine. The universe David takes us into is much more vast. But he doesn't take us there to get lost. Rather that is the only place we can truly find ourselves. David guides us into this incomprehensibly vast "kingdom of God" so that we can find our place in the midst of it all.

Surrender is Your Only Hope. Psalm 2

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 21 Apr 2024 10:00:00 -0400

If you think that life is a problem that you can solve, you're in trouble. In Psalm 2, we're faced with the reality that if it's up to us to fix ourselves or save our world, we are hopeless. But we're not hopeless. It's not all up to us. The hope of God's people is that the God's King would do what we cannot do. In this Psalm, we explore how surrendering control of our lives is not a barrier to the life we want, but it is the way into life with God.

Prayer Begins with Listening. Psalm 1

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 14 Apr 2024 10:00:00 -0400

The editors of the Psalms knew how hard it is to pray. They felt it too. So, when we open up the Book of Psalms, we find that they don’t force us to jump right into prayer as though that’s an easy leap to make. Instead, they give us two Psalms to help us enter into prayer: Psalm 1 & 2. These two Psalms do not shy away from the difficulties we will face. It won't be easy. But it will be blessed. We might not be where we want to be. But God will meet us there too. This week, Psalm 1 gives us the secret to a prayer life that can flourish no matter what: prayer begins with listening.

The Psalms: An (Unexpected) Guide to Life with God

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 07 Apr 2024 10:00:00 -0400

If you ask Christians down through the ages: "How do I move forward in my walk with God?" They will say (over & over & over again): "The Psalms. You need to pray the Psalms." And this feels like a reasonable answer... until you start praying those Psalms about hating people or about the coronation of a king or the one about smashing the teeth of mine enemies. Yeah. Awkward. In this message, we're going to try to figure out what's going on in the Psalms... and why everyone down through the ages seems to think that if we want to move forward on our journey with God, then we really need to learn how to pray these prayers.

An Easter Story about Doubt. John 20:24-31

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 31 Mar 2024 10:00:00 -0400

Today, we celebrate the greatest day in history, Resurrection Sunday!

Today's Message:
An Easter Story about Doubt. John 20:24-31

We’re not the type of church to have a patron saint, but, if we were, ours would have to be "Doubting Thomas." We live in an age of unrelenting doubt. It infects and affects us all. This Easter, we will look at the story of Thomas, the disciple who heard the resurrection story and then declared: "I will not believe." This is a story that confronts us with some deeply personal questions: Where do my doubts come from? What do I do with my doubts? How do my doubts fit into my journey with God?

Adventures in Missing the Point. Luke 9:51-62

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 24 Mar 2024 10:00:00 -0400

Sometimes you can get it all right, and still get it all wrong. One of the occupational hazards of discipleship is doing the right things for the wrong reasons. In this second Lenten meditation from the Gospel of Luke, guest speaker, Duffy Robbins helps us to consider how easy it is to completely miss the point of the discipleship relationship with Jesus.

Defining the Relationship. Luke 9:18-27

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 17 Mar 2024 10:00:00 -0400

What does it mean to be Jesus' disciple? Is it about church membership? Sunday attendance? Being in a small group? Wearing Christian shirts and bracelets? In a special two-week Lenten study from the Gospel of Luke, guest preacher, Duffy Robbins will help us "define the relationship".

Steak: The Taste of God's Lavish Goodness. Leviticus 3

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 10 Mar 2024 11:00:00 -0400

Consuming red meat is not just a dietary choice. It is (and has always been) fraught with moral, political, economic, social, environmental, religious, and health implications. It's almost like eating the flesh of another creature has some unseen, but significant, effect on our world. In this message, we'll explore the spiritual significance of eating meat. According to the Scriptures, how might a medium rare filet help us experientially know God?

Oil: The Scent of God's Presence

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 03 Mar 2024 10:00:00 -0500

When God's People experience the Presence of God, they start pouring oil on things. From oil covered pillars to beards dripping with oil to a woman pouring precious oil over the feet of Jesus, oil is everywhere in the Scriptures. Why? What did oil mean to them? And how might oil help us experientially know - maybe even smell - the Presence of God? That's what we'll explore in this message.

You Are the Salt of the Earth. Matthew 5:13

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 25 Feb 2024 10:00:00 -0500

When we ask Jesus: "Who am I?" He says: “You’re salt.” That's who you are. It's not the answer that most of us would expect. Nor is likely to be the first way most of us would self-identify. But, if we were to take this seriously, what might it mean? What does "salt" say about how Jesus sees you? And how might “salt” help us experientially know who God is, who we are, & how to make sense of this thing we call life?

Water: Hearing the Invitation of Jesus. John 7

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 18 Feb 2024 10:00:00 -0500

If we ever hope to experientially know God the way that the saints of old knew Him, then we are going to need some help. We need a guide. This week, we are going to look to the Apostle John to give us some advice on how to experience the life-giving invitation of Jesus... through water. If it sounds a bit crazy that's because this is a wholly (& holy) different way of viewing things. But maybe with John's help (and some practice), we might begin to taste and see what he's tasting and seeing.

Bread: Clinging to What Gives Us Life. Exodus 16

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 11 Feb 2024 10:00:00 -0500

According to the Scriptures, you can’t just know about God. You have to experientially know God. You have to “taste & see” for yourself. In this series, we’re exploring what it might look like for us to taste & see God in the stuff of life. And this is bread week, the week in which we ask: How can we experientially know God through our daily bread?

Taste & See. Psalm 34:8

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 04 Feb 2024 10:00:00 -0500

For millions of Americans, God no longer feels real. Collectively, we seem to be losing the capacity to know & experience God in a way that was common in the Scriptures and in the Church down through the ages. In this series, we're going to explore what it might look like for us to "taste & see" God in a way that is deeply personal, strangely sensual, overwhelmingly Biblical, and beyond dispute. Following a major theme through Scripture, we're going to talk about how to experience God through... food. Through bread, water, salt, oil, and a perfectly cooked steak. Today, we’re going to lay some groundwork. Let's call this a theological history of food... or, better, a culinary history of the family of God. Bon appetit!

Forgiveness.

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 28 Jan 2024 10:00:00 -0500

Forgiveness is a community affair. Our extending it or withholding it, doesn't just impact us; it impacts everyone around us. Jesus gives us a pattern to follow that helps us experience the freedom that comes from a life of extending grace toward those that hurt us.

The (Often Overlooked) Benefits of Suffering With Others.

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 21 Jan 2024 10:00:00 -0500

Both biologically and Biblically, we have reason to believe that humans need to suffer. Not horrifically, but some. Stress, hardship, trials. These are necessary for your growth and development. If you want to fully become who you are created to be, you have to suffer, and you shouldn't do this alone. You need to suffer with other people. In this message, we'll explore how suffering with others is celebrated(?!) by the Biblical authors as a sure way to become more like Jesus and find the life that is truly life.

3 Years and 219 Hours.

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 14 Jan 2024 10:00:00 -0500

3 years. When someone shows up at our church, that's how long we expect them to stay before a new job, a new house, or some life transition moves them away. 219 hours. According to a 2019 study from the University of Kansas, that's about how long it takes to develop a close friendship. Our vision to be a church where life transformation is normal seems to keep bumping into these two numbers. Deep life transformation requires deep relationships, and deep relationships requires time... which is the one thing we never seem to have. So what does this mean for us?

Naked & Unashamed

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 07 Jan 2024 10:00:00 -0500

Neuroscientists, Moses, and the Apostle Paul agree: Other people are the problem... and the solution. Both. If you let other people see you for who you really are, they might hurt you. (They probably will.) But it's also true that other people are the solution. The only way to undo what has been done to you is with the help of other people. They must see you for who you really are. Hmm. What do you do with that? And what does Jesus have to do with that? That's what we'll explore in this message.

Can I Get Into Your Boat? Luke 5:1-11

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 31 Dec 2023 10:00:00 -0500

“New Year’s Resolutions,” you say? Hmmm, don’t they always seem to run out of gas before we hit February? No real changes. How about a different approach? This Sunday we’re going to let Jesus work us over a bit, just like he did Peter in Luke 5:1-11. Peter’s life was busy, calibrated…and predictable. Jesus had something else in mind for Peter and his future. Jesus’ words and actions in this interchange/encounter with Peter set a whole new course and dimension of life for him. It all started with a question, “Can I get into your boat?” He has that same question for us as well as we stand at the dawn of a new year. Read the passage to discover what else Jesus said and did so that Peter and we can see what a New and transformative Year and Life should look like.

Looking for God in a Godless World. Matthew 2

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 17 Dec 2023 10:00:00 -0500

If you are looking for a guide to help you find God in a world where he seems oddly absent, you can hardly do better than Matthew. This tax collector-turned-disciple helps us see how God shows up in a world of mass killings, refugees, & crazy leaders; a world like ours. He helps us see how God is still at work in our lives today.

When God Asks You to Make an Unthinkable Sacrifice. Genesis 22

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 10 Dec 2023 10:00:00 -0500

In Genesis 22, God politely asks Abraham to sacrifice his beloved son, and Abraham does it. This is a story that has been called absurd, abusive, and immoral... and yet, it remains a story that we cannot shake off or just ignore. There's a reason for this: We need it. We cannot come to peace with God, ourselves, or the journey of faith without this story. This is the story of a God who provides what we cannot provide and sees what we cannot see. The question is: Can we follow a God that we cannot understand?

Why Are You So Beautiful? Leah's Story

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 03 Dec 2023 10:00:00 -0500

In the spring of 2018, Leah's life looked perfect. She had written books, trained 1000s of leaders, and was married to a "celebrity" among Christians of SE Asia. But then, that August, his secret sin was discovered, and Leah's world crumbled. Since that time Leah has been on a journey of discovery and grief; brokenness and healing; pain and beauty. This Sunday, we are going to pause to listen to the story that God is writing in Leah's life in the hopes that we might begin to better hear His Story that He's working out in our lives as well.

Download this exercise (https://tinyurl.com/sermonexercisedec3) to help you reflect on YOUR story after hearing Leah's.

Fear Threatens Everything You Love. Genesis 20-21

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 26 Nov 2023 10:00:00 -0500

In Genesis 20 and 21, we come to what should be the climax of Abraham’s story. The long-awaited promise of a son is going to be fulfilled! And yet, at the very moment when Sarah & Abraham receive the miracle they’ve waited for their whole lives, they both become gripped with fear. A terrible fear. The kind of fear that makes you selfish, defensive, and sinful. The kind of fear that threatens to ruin everything and undo the very thing that God has promised to do… In this place of fear, the question emerges: Can my fear undo the very promises of God?

Dragged Kicking & Screaming to Salvation. Genesis 19

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 19 Nov 2023 10:00:00 -0500

In Genesis 19, the story of how God judges Sodom and saves Lot... and we aren't sure which is more shocking. The only thing more shocking than God's judgement is His mercy. At least, the destruction of Sodom was just and justified. But, why would God save Lot? He does not appear to be a particularly upstanding person. His moral judgement is suspect. His offer to let his daughters be raped… is unthinkably evil. And we're not even sure that he wants to be saved. In the end, the angels have to drag him out of Sodom… and then, along the way, he’s trying to negotiate so he can keep a little bit of his Sodom lifestyle. What kind of God saves a man like Lot?

Please note: This sermon contains adult themes that are not suitable for children and might be triggering to victims of sexual violence.

Eat, Laugh, Pray. Genesis 18

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 12 Nov 2023 10:00:00 -0500

At first glance, Genesis 18 appears to be a random story about three men who unexpectedly show up at Abraham's tent for a late lunch so that they can tell Sarah something. But then, about half way into the chapter, we pick up that these aren't just men... and this isn't just a meal. This is a picture of what it means to be a "friend of God." If we want to know what “friendship with God” looks like, this might be a good place to start.

The DTR (Define the Relationship) Talk. Genesis 17

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 05 Nov 2023 09:00:00 -0500

In Genesis 17, God stops everything. The storyline comes to a screeching halt. God wants to have a DTR (define the relationship) talk with Abraham. This chapter is a foundational text. It gives us language for what it means to have a personal relationship with God. As such, it will not only shape & define Abraham's relationship with God, it will give shape and definition to your relationship with God.

The God Who Sees Me. Genesis 16

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 29 Oct 2023 10:00:00 -0400

What do you do when you are gripped by fear and powerless to change things? When we pick up the story in Genesis 16, Abram and Sarai are beyond desperate. They have been waiting more than a decade for God to fulfill His promise, so Sarai decides that God needs her help. She tells Abram to sleep with her servant, Hagar, and what follows is a tragedy: wounded people wounding people. This too is part of the journey of faith. But, thankfully, there is a God who knows you by name, seeks you out, and finds you when you are running away. He is "the God who sees me."

Look Up & Count the Stars. Genesis 15

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 22 Oct 2023 10:00:00 -0400

How do you know that you can trust God when you cannot comprehend what He is doing? In Genesis 15, we find Abram, the father of faith, afraid and full of doubt. He's trying to make sense of God's promises, but they still do not make sense. Here, in this place of darkness and doubt, God says to Abram, "Look up at the night sky and count the stars." And Abram believed God. In this message, we'll explore how this profoundly simple story shows us what it means to have full faith in God even if we cannot fully understand Him.

3rd Day

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 15 Oct 2023 10:00:00 -0400

Recapturing the Why Of Reaching the Unreached. II Kings 6:24-7:9

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 08 Oct 2023 10:00:00 -0400

Life is full of decisions. Every choice I make, sometimes unconsciously and often without examination, evidences the set of priorities that have taken root in my heart. What are God’s priorities and how can I tap into them? This week we will be led into the Scriptures and into the lives of two Indian friends who are Christians living God’s mission in their own country as we rediscover God’s loving heart for people far from Him, why that matters, and what is being done to bring people who are separated from God His offer of reconciliation.

Two Ways of Seeing. Genesis 13 and 14

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 01 Oct 2023 10:00:00 -0400

Our desires can blind us. The promises of wealth, success, and pleasure can stop us from seeing the promises of God. In Genesis chapters 13-14, Lot and Abram show us two very different ways of "seeing." Lot looks at what he thinks is paradise and moves his family straight into hell. Abram surrenders his desires to God and sees the promise of life with God. In this message, we'll explore why some things can only be seen on the other side of surrender.

You Are Just Like Your Father. Genesis 12

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 24 Sep 2023 10:00:00 -0400

The story of Abraham & Sarah is not just some Middle Bronze Age story about a nomadic patriarchal, tribal couple. This is the story of the father of faith, of the journey of faith, of the family of God. And, if you have heard the promise of God, are on the journey of faith, consider yourself a child of God… this isn’t just Abraham's story. It’s yours. This is our family history. In this message, we'll meet Abraham & begin to see how his heroic faith (& heroically bad sin) shapes our present and guides our future.

Practicing the Presence of God

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 17 Sep 2023 10:00:00 -0400

If we are not careful, we can become so busy that Jesus Himself could literally show up at your house, plop down on your couch, and you would totally miss Him. It would be just another busy, stressful, anxious, frustrating day. That's the story of Martha in Luke 10, and that's the story that many of us are living. In this message, we will introduce the practice of the Presence of God, exploring how believers down through the ages have cultivated a life-changing awareness of God's presence in their daily lives.

- Pray As You Go App. https://pray-as-you-go.org/
- One Minute Pause App. https://www.pauseapp.com/

Birds, Flowers, and the Anxiety Epidemic. Matthew 6

Grace Valley Fellowship — Wed, 06 Sep 2023 08:00:00 -0400

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells us: "Do not worry." He says it four times in a row. If you've ever struggled with anxiety, this might sound tone deaf or harsh. But Jesus doesn't leave it there. He gives us a resource for addressing our anxiety: the Book of Creation. He seems to think that if we could learn to read creation the way one reads a book, our anxieties would (with time and practice and growth) fade away. In this final message on the Book of Creation, we'll explore how God uses creation - birds and flowers - to speak to our anxiety and cultivate in us a vision of life that grows within us a deep peace with God, ourselves, and all things.

WARNING: In this message, anxiety and panic attacks will be mentioned. For some, this can be a trigger. This sermon is not intended to be medical advice. If you suffer from severe or chronic anxiety, you should seek help from a mental health professional. If you need help finding help, email care@newstorychurch.life.

How (In)Gratitude Transforms Our Lives. Romans 1

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 27 Aug 2023 10:00:00 -0400

The modern world has blinded us to the goodness of creation, and it's destroying us. In this message, we'll explore how our experience of the goodness of God in all things - what we call gratitude - profoundly shapes us, literally reshaping our brains and spiritually reshaping our souls.

Looking for God Like a Madman. Psalm 104

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 20 Aug 2023 10:00:00 -0400

What would it look like to see the universe through the eyes of an ancient believer? In Psalm 104, the Psalmist sits in awe of God's work in creation and has a vision of the life that bursts forth in gratitude & peace, fear & worship. While we may never see the universe the way an ancient Israelite sees it, is it possible to catch a glimpse of that vision of life? Can we learn to see God at work in all things the way he did?

The Book of Creation. Psalm 19

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 13 Aug 2023 10:00:00 -0400

The early church fathers spoke of "the book of creation." Just as a book contains the words of the author, creation itself is a book written by God. Reality is pregnant with meaning. It is a personal expression of a personal God. Everything has meaning. Everything points us to Him. Using Psalm 19 as our guide, we will explore how to read the book of creation so that this ancient vision of life gets into us and, through us, brings wonder, gratitude, and peace to our modern world.

Looking For And Finding Life. The Gospel of John Ch. 1 & 2

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 06 Aug 2023 10:00:00 -0400

We’ll be looking at Chapters 1 & 2 in John’s Gospel to discover, or perhaps re-discover, how absolutely AWESOME Jesus is. He is both Infinite & all-powerful (see John 1:1-5) AND Intimate, accessible and personal (1:29-51). The main point we’ll try to get is, “It is only to the degree that we are CAPTURED BY and LOVE (and LIKE!) JESUS, that we truly COME ALIVE and become TRANSFORMED and IMPACTFUL people.”
www.newstorychurch.life

God Will Never Forget You! 1 Samuel 11:20

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 30 Jul 2023 16:00:00 -0400

Have you ever had someone provoking you? Is someone deliberately trying to upset you? Most of us can handle this for a time or two, but what if this goes on for months or years? What if we start to feel forgotten by God? Hannah was such a woman who lived in an extraordinary situation with extreme hostility and provocation. How did she handle this? What did she do? From 1 Samuel 1:1-20, you will learn how to handle difficult situations and see a tremendous promise from God.

www.newstorychurch.life

Laodicea, You Cannot See Yourself Clearly Without Help. Revelation 3:14-22

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 23 Jul 2023 10:00:00 -0400

The church of Laodicea is full of highly capable people who are confident that they can succeed in life without help from anyone... even Jesus. Their success has blinded them to their true spiritual condition. Their lives have drifted away from Jesus - He's not even invited to their church services anymore - and no one seems to have noticed. In this letter, Jesus forces them (& us) to face the reality that we cannot see ourselves clearly without help.

newstorychurch.life

Philadelphia. Small But Powerful. Revelation 3:7-13

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 16 Jul 2023 10:00:00 -0400

"Never judge a book by its cover" is a modern-day saying, but over 2,000 years ago, the apostle John said essentially the same thing. The small, run-down, persecuted ancient church of Philadelphia was filled with Nike Christians (really!) who were faithful pillars in their community. Despite external appearances, this tiny and faithful church had the keys to God's kingdom, while other larger churches with more earthly status were judged as faithless, compromised and even dead!

Summary: Be Nike Christians like the Church in Philadelphia. Just do it! Win the prize for your faith under trials.

newstorychurch.life

Sardis, When Life Is Most Comfortable, We Are Most Tempted Revelation 3:1-6

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 09 Jul 2023 10:00:00 -0400

In ancient Sardis, history has a way of repeating itself. They seem stuck in a cycle of getting comfortable... too comfortable. Eventually, they get so distracted and so busy that they forget to guard against their enemies and their city falls. In Revelation 3, it sounds like history is about to repeat itself again. Except this time, it's not the city of Sardis that's about to fall. It's the church.

newstorychurch.life

Thyatira, It’s Not Loving to Affirm Sin. Revelation 2:18-29

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 02 Jul 2023 10:00:00 -0400

If the church at Ephesus (Revelation 2:1-7) was full of fundamentalists who loved God's Word but hated people, this church would be just the opposite. They were super loving, affirming, and active in the community. Really, really nice people. But they also tolerated some things that seemed to directly contradict the Word of God... and Jesus wants to talk to them (& us) about this.

newstorychurch.life

Pergamum, Watch for the Second Attack. Rev 2:12-17

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 25 Jun 2023 10:00:00 -0400

If you had to choose: "Renounce Jesus or die." Would you die for Jesus? In that moment, many of us would choose to die.... or, at least, we hope we would. But what if the test you face is less about dying for Jesus and more about living a life of dying to your own desires… for the sake of Jesus? In His letter to Pergamum, Jesus warns them (and us) against thinking that if Satan isn't trying to kill us, then we're safe. If he cannot destroy you, he’ll try to make you self-destruct. If he cannot defeat you, he’ll seduce you.

newstorychurch.life

Smyrna, Do Not Fear Suffering. Revelation 2:8-11

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 18 Jun 2023 10:00:00 -0400

In His letter to the church at Smyrna, Jesus writes: “Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer.” He writes this as the Roman government is getting ready to hunt them down & kill some of them. It’s a bit jarring. In this message, we'll explore how Jesus gave these early Christians courage, peace, and even joy in the face of unthinkable suffering... and how He wants to do this for us too.

newstorychurch.life

Dear Ephesus, You Cannot Love the Bible and Hate People Revelation 2:1-7

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 11 Jun 2023 10:00:00 -0400

At the end of the first century, the churches faced immense cultural pressure to conform to the world's values and ways. Some churches held firm to the teachings and way of Jesus... and were hated, rejected, & persecuted. Other churches compromised with the world... and lost their reason for existing. So, Jesus wrote them (& us) letters to help us overcome the world without becoming like the world. This week, we'll look at His letter to the church of Ephesus, a church that held tightly to the truths that Jesus taught but somehow lost their love for people.

newstorychurch.life

How to Stand Against the Devil's Schemes Ephesians 6:10-20

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 04 Jun 2023 10:00:00 -0400

What happens when a modern, iPhone-using, Starbucks-drinking, Netflix-watching, well-educated American picks up the Bible & finds that the Apostle Paul believes this world is controlled by the Devil? Do you laugh, do you hide in fear, or do you start to pray? That's the question we'll consider as we close out this study of Paul's letter to the ancient Ephesians.

newstorychurch.life

Remembering Grace

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 28 May 2023 10:00:00 -0400

Wouldn't it be amazing if God were not mad at me? Wouldn't it be life-changing if his acceptance for me was not contingent on my making the grade; my living up to a behavioral standard empowered by my sincerity, my perseverance, my full-hearted fervency, and my sold-out determination? How would it change my life if God told me that he loves me as much as he loves Jesus? What if grace was real? Let's see this morning.

newstorychurch.life

Slavery & the Church. Ephesians 6:5-9

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 21 May 2023 10:00:00 -0400

Why doesn't the Apostle Paul openly denounce the institution of slavery? Only when we've grappled with this question of justice can we begin to appreciate why Paul seems to think that spiritual slavery is an even more pressing issue.

newstorychurch.life

Children, Parents, & Jesus. Ephesians 6:1-4

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 14 May 2023 10:00:00 -0400

The parent-child relationship is central to life. It forms you from birth. And, if you happen to have kids, you form them in ways that you cannot imagine. (Maybe you dare not imagine.) In this message, we talk about how Jesus redeems these most basic, most human of relationships that we might experience "the life that is truly life."

newstorychurch.life

How Jesus Changes Your Marriage. Ephesians 5:21-33

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 07 May 2023 10:00:00 -0400

In marriage, women & men behave, think, feel, are… different. We shouldn't overstate this, or attempt to overly define roles based on these differences. But differences there are. How we relate to one another in these differences can be a matter of great pleasure or horrific pain. In our message today, we'll explore how Jesus's changes marriage and redeems it... so that you can more fully reflect God's love to God and to one another.

newstorychurch.life

Resurrection Family. Acts 2

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 30 Apr 2023 10:00:00 -0400

As part of our New Story Missions focus, we welcome Mike Harder to share with us.

Could there be more to life than chasing personal achievement or rising to the top of your career? Could there be more than simply accumulating personal power, money or accolades? Could God give you a mission worth your life? In the book of Acts, Luke says yes. God not only calls us to a life with greater purpose and meaning; He gives us the special gift of His Spirit to help us in this new mission. This message shares how God uses ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things when they give their lives to His purpose.

www.newstorychurch.life

How God Uses Everyone

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 23 Apr 2023 10:00:00 -0400

Soldier. Athlete. Farmer. 2 Timothy 2:1-7

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 16 Apr 2023 10:00:00 -0400

"If a man has not discovered something that he will die for, he isn’t fit to live," MLK. Before he is executed, the Apostle Paul writes to Timothy to give him (and us) some perspective on the mission that we find ourselves caught up in. It is hard and costly. To be part of it means that you will suffer. It might cost you your life. And... it's worth it. It's so very worth it.

It's Personal. John 11

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 09 Apr 2023 10:00:00 -0400

For the Apostle John, the vast, epic story of Easter cannot be separated from that which is most personal. Every resurrection story he tells is (almost awkwardly) intimate. We find Jesus meeting Mary in her shame, Thomas in his doubts, and Peter in his denial. When we probe John and ask, "Why? Why do you want us to see Easter in such deeply personal terms?" Rather than answer directly, John tells us a story about Jesus meeting two dear sisters and their dead brother in the house of suffering.

Filled With The Spirit or Just Drunk? Ephesians 5:3-20

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 02 Apr 2023 10:00:00 -0400

In Ephesians 5, the Apostle Paul tells us that God's will for your life is this: "Don't get drunk." But that's only half the story. Understanding why Paul might be so concerned about our behavior... and why he would compare getting drunk with being filled with the Spirit, that's what makes this passage beautiful. Paul isn't just giving you some new rules to follow. He's giving you a new vision for your new life with God.

Old Lies, Rancid Words, & Simmering Anger. Ephesians 4:25-5:2

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 26 Mar 2023 10:00:00 -0400

Why you do what you do matters. The life promised by Jesus isn't just a matter of obeying some rules. It's becoming a whole new person. It's the start of new desires and... repulsions. This week, the Apostle Paul guides us through five practical (& pressing) issues in order to help us see how the love of God transforms our motivations and our lives.

"Remember The Poor"...a forgotten verse. Galatians 2:1-10

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 19 Mar 2023 10:00:00 -0400

Heart of a Disciple

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 12 Mar 2023 11:00:00 -0400

If discipleship is following Jesus, that means we must know who He is (His identity) and what He came to accomplish (his mission). We will examine Mark 8:27-9:13 – the account where a few of His disciples catch a glimpse of His glory and tease out a few implications for us.

https://newstorychurch.life

Saints Who Still Feel Like Sinners Ephesians 4:17-24

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 05 Mar 2023 10:00:00 -0500

How can I truly believe in Jesus... and still live like I don't really believe in Him? How can I know that He calls me a saint... and still feel like such a sinner? If you've ever asked these questions, you're in good company. This message is for you. Before the Apostle Paul instructs us on how to live as a saint (a beloved child of God), he pauses to make sure that we appreciate the magnitude of change needed. This isn't a matter of changing some bad habits or learning a few new things. Jesus is doing something much more radical: You are becoming a new human.

https://newstorychurch.life

Spiritual Gifts, Misquoting the Psalms, & Becoming Fully You. Ephesians 4:7-16

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 26 Feb 2023 10:00:00 -0500

What unites us in Christ doesn’t destroy your individuality or personhood. Each one of us is uniquely gifted by Christ. In this message, we'll discuss how knowing and embracing our different spiritual gifts is essential to becoming who we are called to be.

Annoying People, Blowing It, & a Life Worth Living. Ephesians 4:1-6

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 19 Feb 2023 10:00:00 -0500

When we ask the Apostle Paul to help us find a life worth living, he starts by pointing us towards all the people we find annoying. You know. "Those people." The ones who seem to ruin everything, make your life difficult, and hold you back. The Apostle seems to think that "those people" are not a barrier to the life you are called to live, but they are the surest way to the life that is truly life.

Two Gifts God has for You. Genesis 40-41

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 12 Feb 2023 10:00:00 -0500

Do you ever feel forgotten, like God may have left you behind? Today we will examine two gifts that God has for each one of us to help us during any difficult season of life.

Guest speaker: Carl Green. Executive Vice President, Global Training Network. www.gtn.org

https://newstorychurch.life

Eat With Someone: How Eating Together Can Transform Your Life & Our World

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 05 Feb 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Throughout the Scriptures, we find this uncanny link between eating together and God drawing people into relationship. In this message, we'll pull on this thread, looking at food through the lense of Scripture, history, culture, and neuroscience. In each of these, we get the idea that God is somehow using our tables & our menus to call us into relationship, heal what is broken, and form us into a new people.

Boaz and Jesus Paying the Price to Get What Money Cannot Buy Ruth 3-4

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 29 Jan 2023 10:00:00 -0500

At some point, God is going to drop an opportunity at your feet. It will be an opportunity to take on new levels of responsibility, to really make a difference in someone else's life. But it will be costly. It will require you to commit. And, it might impact your lifestyle. It might take away your freedom. It might hurt you financially. What are you going to do? What story are you going to live?

newstorychurch.life

The Risky and Risqué Story of Ruth Ch 2-3

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 22 Jan 2023 10:00:00 -0500

Ruth doesn't fit our mold for greatness. She's an impoverished, powerless, voiceless, immigrant widow. But, somehow this woman finds her way into the very heart of God's story. Her little story becomes part of God's epic story. Her name will forever be spoken with names like Moses and David... and Jesus. How? How do normal people Ruth (like you & me) get in on this vast, epic, beautiful story of God?

Parental Guidance Suggested. This passage does include some adult themes. If your kids are listening in, you might want to skip the part where Ruth starts "uncovering feet."

Call Me Bitter: Learning to Pray Our Complaints. Ruth 1

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 15 Jan 2023 10:00:00 -0500

How do I find my place in the story of God? In the Book of Ruth, an impoverished, hurting, broken old widow named Naomi shows us an unlikely way to get in on God's Story: by bitterly complaining. If you've ever felt like God has disappointed you or like God is against you, Naomi might help you find your way into God's Story too.

What Story Are You Living?

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 08 Jan 2023 10:00:00 -0500

Your life is a story. With every day, every decision, every relationship, with every thing you do, you are writing the next line. Which is to say: Your life has a plot. It has meaning. It is headed somewhere. The question is not: Is your life a story? (Of course, it is.) The question is: What story are you living? In Colossians 2, the Apostle Paul gives us a vivid picture of how Jesus takes your old story, the script that this world has handed to you. He renders it powerless and invites you to begin a new story with Him.

www.newstorychurch.life

New Year's Day 2023

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 01 Jan 2023 10:00:00 -0500

Here we examine the only Biblical passage that exposes us to the life of Jesus between the end of his birth events and the beginning of his public ministry as see what it has to say to us in as we begin 2023.

www.gvf.church

Christmas at GVF 2022

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sat, 24 Dec 2022 15:00:00 -0500

Love: Experiencing "God with Us"

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 18 Dec 2022 10:00:00 -0500

God is with us. Here. Right now. But how do you experience a God that you cannot see? In this message, we'll explore how God's love breaks through the boundaries of space and time, shame and guilt, anxiety and fear so that we might live in His transforming presence.

www.gvf.church

Hope: Pressing on When You Aren't Sure What's Next

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 11 Dec 2022 10:00:00 -0500

118 views Streamed live on Dec 11, 2022

How do you face an unknown future? When you consider the upcoming week, year, or season of life how do you feel? Fear, anxiety, and the need to control outcomes: this is how we usually respond to the unknown. The Apostle Paul invites us to consider a new possibility: hope. This week, we'll explore how a 2,000 year old event - the arrival of "God with Us" - might reshape how you think and feel and press into your future.

www.gvf.church

Faith: Jesus is "God With Us" in Our Past.

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 04 Dec 2022 10:00:00 -0500

In this series, we'll explore how the Advent (literally "Arrival") of God into our world redeems and transforms time itself. Jesus is "God with Us" in our past, present, and future. It's mind-bending, heart-twisting stuff. In this unconventional sermon, we explore everything from Swiss theologians and the neuroscience of memory formation to Robert De Niro and what it means to "forget" in pursuit of the deceivingly simple question: How does the arrival of "God with Us" transform your past?

Resources:
Here is a guide to the Five "Hs" in section 6 of "My Spiritual Growth Plan" https://www.gvf.church/s/Spiritual-Fo...
How Sharing Your Past Can Set You Free From Your Past is a helpful interview with Child and Family Therapist, Kelly Raudenbush. https://youtu.be/Ce_Opf1nKn4
The reflection song is Cluttered Soul by Joel Ansett. https://youtu.be/1nmMUqTuQZQ

www.gvf.church

When You Can't Keep Your Head Above Water. Ephesians 3

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 27 Nov 2022 10:00:00 -0500

You know the feeling. It's like you can't keep your head above water. As soon as you make it through one crisis, the next wave crashes over you. This is increasingly "normal" in our world. Chronic stress, anxiety, fear, outrage, and hypervigilance: these words increasingly describe us. We all know that this is an awful way to live. We know that this is not the way of Jesus. But what are we supposed to do? Our problems feel like unconquerable giants. In Ephesians 3, the Apostle Paul prays that, in the same way the Israelites of old were empowered by God to take possession of the Promised Land, we might be empowered by God to take possession of the life that God has promised us.

www.gvf.church

Jesus in a Divided World. Ephesians 2:11-22

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 20 Nov 2022 10:00:00 -0500

We live in a divided world. It really feels like the social fabric of our nation is tearing apart. While social critics ponder political polarization, we just try to make it through Thanksgiving without our family members tearing each other apart over politics. But none of this is new. In Ephesians 2:11-22, Paul shows us a way forward. The social divisions keeping us apart are destroyed by Christ. Unity is possible. Jesus makes a new people and a new way of peace in this new creation community we call the church.

www.gvf.church

For We Are God's Workmanship. Ephesians 2:10

Grace Valley Fellowship — Mon, 14 Nov 2022 10:00:00 -0500

How is God forming you? How is your life being shaped & reworked by the grace of God? This week, the Apostle Paul gives us a picture to better understand the way in which God works His grace into our lives. God is like a craftsman, a poet, a sculptor, a potter. And we are God's workmanship.

www.gvf.church

Life on the Pinnacle of Grace

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 06 Nov 2022 09:00:00 -0500

Only when you know the depth of a valley can you fully appreciate the height of a mountain. This week, as we continue our Ephesians series and focus on Ephesians 2:1-10, we will see apostle Paul remind first century Christians, and Christians of all times, of the depths of the dark valley out of which God saved, us by his grace, and the heights of the glorious spiritual position to which he has brought us.

In response, we will celebrate that grace in worship and communion.

Read ahead in Ephesians 2:1–10.

www.gvf.church

Eyes Wide Open. Ephesians 1:15-23

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 30 Oct 2022 10:00:00 -0400

"People lose their WAY when they lose their WHY!" (Michael Hyatt). God, through the apostle Paul, has no problem telling 1st Century (and 21st Century) Christians how to live. But before he does that, apostle Paul continues to lay his foundation for Christians of why God is different than they think, and Christians are different than they feel. Once their eyes are wide open to the truth about God and themselves, living differently makes all the sense in the world.

Read ahead from Ephesians 1:15–23, bring your Bible and join us this Sunday as we explore the hope, the riches and the power of God offered IN CHRIST.

www.gvf.church

Changing Your Mind: Seeds, Part 2. Ephesians 1:7-14

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 23 Oct 2022 10:00:00 -0400

The Apostle Paul and psychotherapists seem to agree on at least one thing: how you think shapes your whole life. Your patterns of automatic and habitual thoughts shape your life more than you can imagine. In Ephesians 1:3-14, Paul invites us to let God reshape our minds by receiving seven good words from Him the way soil receives seeds from a farmer.

www.gvf.church

Your Life Is Not an Accident: Seeds of Faith, Part I. Ephesians 1:3-6

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 16 Oct 2022 10:00:00 -0400

Does my life have meaning? Is history headed somewhere or are things just careening off a cliff of chaos? Where is God at work in this world? In Ephesians 1:3-6, the Apostle Paul offers us three words from God that will challenge, confound, and comfort. He scatters words from God the way a farmer scatters seeds, praying that they might take root in our lives. This Sunday, he tosses out the first three seeds of faith: You're blessed. You're chosen. You're predestined for adoption.

www.gvf.church

The Woman, the Man and the Kingdom. 1 Samuel 1-2.

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 09 Oct 2022 10:00:00 -0400

Is the Bible sexist? Does it treat women as second class? This Sunday, author and pastor, Dr. Sam Andreades, explores questions about the Bible and gender through the story of Hannah in the Book of 1 Samuel. Dr. Andreades is the author of a book entitled, "enGendered," & has very much done his homework on how to thoughtfully love people, listen to God's Word, and speak into this messy, deeply personal topic of gender.

Guest speaker, Sam Andreades.

www.gvf.church

Reading Your Own Eulogy. Ephesians 1:1-3.

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 02 Oct 2022 10:00:00 -0400

If you could sit in on your own funeral and listen as people talk about you, what do you think would be said? What will be spoken over you as you lie there lifeless, unable to respond or change how others think of you? In Ephesians 1, the Apostle Paul invites us to sit in & listen to as God reads His eulogy over all who are "in Christ."

Don Juan, Boredom, & Life Worth Living. Ephesians 4:1

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 25 Sep 2022 10:00:00 -0400

What scales do you use to measure your life? Is your life good... or bad? How do you even know? In this message we'll explore the many broken ways in which we seek to make our lives weighty, substantial, worthwhile... Then, we'll see how the Apostle Paul cuts through all of this with a word. One word. This word might just be the key to unlocking Ephesians... and our own brokenness.

www.gvf.church

Magic, Demon-Hunters, & Jesus: The Story of Ephesus. Acts 19

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 18 Sep 2022 10:00:00 -0400

If you only read Paul's Letter to the Ephesians, you might think that their lives were charmed. They probably were but not in the way you're thinking. Acts 19 gives us the earthy, honest, beautiful, and magical (in the worst possible way) story behind this letter and this church. That’s what today is. It’s the story of the men and women, Jews and Gentiles, sinners and saints, who were called together by God to become the Church of Ephesus. This is their story.

www.gvf.church

Becoming a Church Where Life Transformation is Normal. Romans 12

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 11 Sep 2022 10:00:00 -0400

Something is rotten in the state of the American church. Our kids are walking away from the faith. Our families are imploding. Our leaders are failing. Our lives become just as anxious and busy and addicted and joyless and restless as those who do not know Jesus. In this message, we explore what we can do - indeed must do - if we hope to break the norms of today and become a church where life transformation is normal.

You are God's Temple. 1 Cor 3:16.

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 04 Sep 2022 10:00:00 -0400

The Apostle Paul says: "You are God's Temple." Of course, the only problem with this is that you & I have precisely zero experience with temples. How can we possibly be God’s Temple, if we have no idea what a temple is or does? In this message, we're going to try to fix this problem. We're going to explore what God's Temple is and was so that we can begin to become who we are called to be in this place called Church.

www.gvf.church

Life Together: the Trinity, a Body, & 1982. 1 John 4 & Romans 12.

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 28 Aug 2022 10:00:00 -0400

Committed, self-giving relationships are the stuff of life. They are the soil in which we are designed to flourish & bear much fruit. But, they can also be the worst. They can feel like death. In this message, we're going to explore how God uses committed, self-giving relationships in this place called church to grow you and fulfill His mission. 1 John 4 & Romans 12.

www.gvf.church

A Sabbath House. Psalm 92

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 21 Aug 2022 10:00:00 -0400

Psalm 92 is a song "for the Sabbath." God's People have been singing it for 1000s of years. It's a song that invites us to step out of slavery, out of chronic busyness, and out of this world of anxiety and into a place called Sabbath. This week, we are going to listen carefully to this song and explore what it might look like for this place called church to become a Sabbath House: a place of deep play, rest, delight, and renewal in the midst of a chronically anxious and busy world.

www.gvf.church

Why go to church? Exodus & Acts.

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 14 Aug 2022 10:00:00 -0400

We're in a series called, A Place Called Church. For the next month, we'll be seeding our minds with Biblical stories so that they might take root in us and give us God's vision for what this place called "church" could be. This week, we'll ask the question that many have been asking: Why go to church at all? Why do we gather? Is it really necessary to have a place called church?

Created to Worship. Genesis 1-2

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 07 Aug 2022 10:00:00 -0400

If we want to capture a vision of who we could be, we need to make sure we're clear on who we were created to be. This week, we are kicking off a series called, A Place Called Church. For the next month, we'll be seeding our minds with Biblical stories and images so that they might take root in us and give us God's vision for what this place called "church" could be. This week, we'll start at the beginning. Literally. In this message, we'll explore the foundational narrative for understanding who I am, why I’m here, why there is something rather than nothing. In Hebrew, it's simply named for the first line of the book, "In the beginning." We know it as Genesis.

www.gvf.church

Salt & Light. Matthew 5:13-16

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 31 Jul 2022 10:00:00 -0400

SALT. It disinfects, it preserves, it changes the environment it's in, it makes you want more of whatever it's on. LIGHT. It chases away darkness. It's beautiful. It's fast. It cleans. It sustains life. Being called salt and light by Jesus himself is pretty daunting. So how do we live up to it? How can we live in this world and act like salt and light? Tune in to find out how we can be salt and light that Jesus was asking us to be. www.gvf.church

Do Not Conform. Romans 12:1-2

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 24 Jul 2022 10:00:00 -0400

The Apostle Paul encourages believers in Christ to "present their bodies as a living sacrifice"...which sounds almost poetic. But have you ever tried to sacrifice something living? Living things squirm. Dodge. Move. Avoid pain like their life depends on it...because it does! So how do we do it? ...well, tune in to part 2 of our 3 part series, "In It, Not Of It" to find out.

www.gvf.church

In It Not Of It. John 17

Grace Valley Fellowship — Mon, 18 Jul 2022 10:00:00 -0400

Being "in" the world but not "of" it is a tricky thing. The Amish live what they call a "plain life", devoid of electricity, cars and even zippers on their clothes, in an effort to not become "of" culture. On the other hand, we see some Christians today who dress, act, talk and live in a way that is practically indistinguishable from the culture around them, in hopes of lowering barriers to building Godly relationships. So what's the right response? Join us as we open God's word, and discover how Jesus lived out his answer to this tough question.

The Parable of the Good Samaritan. Luke 10

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 03 Jul 2022 00:00:00 -0400

In Luke 10, Jesus tells the Parable of the Good Samaritan. It is well known but not well understood. Today, we might culturally translate it as the Parable of the Good Abortion Doctor or the Parable of the Good Capital Rioter, depending on your political tribe. This parable is outrageous, offensive, unsafe... and, perhaps, a message our world needs to hear more than ever.

www.gvf.church/parables

(Re)Learning How to Listen. Luke 10.

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 26 Jun 2022 10:00:00 -0400

Listening, really listening is essential to getting in on the Kingdom of God and experiencing the life of Jesus. It is about more than mastering the meaning of words. It takes practice and patience. It likely takes unlearning what you think you know as much as it takes learning what you do not yet know. Through the parables, Jesus invites us to (re)learn how to listen. In this message, we explore the ancient Christian practice of lectio divina (sacred reading) as a way of relearning how to hear the voice of Jesus in the Word of God.

Parable of the Prodigal: Why we feel so lost. Luke 15

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 19 Jun 2022 10:00:00 -0400

Who are you? What is ultimate reality like? Is our universe basically governed by impersonal laws or is it ultimately relational and personal? In Luke 15, Jesus tells us a story that challenges how we see and experience... everything. It's a story that explains why we feel so lost. But, it's also a story that - if you let it - might just worm its way into your heart and mind and pull you into a deep, rich, fullness of life with God the Father. May it wreck you the way it has been wrecking people for 2,000 years.

Sacred Sifting. Luke 22:31-34; 54-62

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 12 Jun 2022 10:00:00 -0400

OK, I get it. I’m supposed to be on this journey of personal transformation so that my life looks progressively more like Jesus. But my transformation-journey can, all-too-often, seem excruciatingly slow and, sometimes, end up in a ditch. Maybe, yours too? Our faith waivers, gets weary, and can even forget to show up. This Sunday we’ll be exploring a fascinating WORD that Jesus used with his disciples to describe how He can intervene in their and our bumpy faith-journeys in such a way as to transform our struggling and failings into strengths and eternal fruit. That word is “SIFTING.” A process that can be painful, and yet so very promising.

Walking with God in a World of Injustice & Suffering. Luke 13:1-9

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 05 Jun 2022 10:00:00 -0400

In Luke 13, Jesus invites us to walk with Him as we wrestle with one of life's most perplexing questions: How do we make sense of senseless evil? Where do we find God in this world of injustice & suffering? But, if you're looking for a simple answer, you'll need a different Messiah. Jesus doesn't want to make this simple. He wants to tell us a story.

The Manager, Mammon, & the Margarita Machine. Luke 16:1-13

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 29 May 2022 10:00:00 -0400

In Luke 16, Jesus tosses out this story about a crooked manager who is commended for his shrewdness in flushing a bunch of his master's money when it can secure him something better. It's an uncomfortable story. Talking about money usually is. It will lead us to explore the dark power that money has over us, the things we believe about God & money, and the possibility that you might want to buy a margarita machine.

www.gvf.church

The Sinner Who God Loves. Luke 18

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 22 May 2022 10:00:00 -0400

On this baptism Sunday, we look at parable that reveals the beauty of the Good News of Jesus: God loves sinners. If you are a sinner, this is good news indeed.

The Birdwatcher, the Sower, & the Shema. Luke 8

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 15 May 2022 10:00:00 -0400

Jesus told many stories, but there’s one story in particular that He seems to want us to hear first. In Matthew, Mark, & Luke, this story stands as a kind of entryway to the stories of Jesus. You must go through it if you hope to get inside. It's a story about a farmer sowing seeds, about Isaiah speaking to deaf people, and about how hearing has more to do with your heart than your ears.

Stumbling over the Parables of Jesus

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 08 May 2022 10:00:00 -0400

The parables are those simple, confusing, humorous, cutting, encouraging, almost always unexpected and often irreverent little stories Jesus told. They are especially suited to worm their way into our hearts & minds. This week we are beginning a series on the parables of Jesus by asking that most basic question: Why? Why does Jesus speak in parables? Why does Jesus seem to think that parables, in particular, have the power to transform us from the inside out?

The Voice of God (and how to hear it)

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 01 May 2022 10:00:00 -0400

Samuel heard it but didn’t recognize it. Gideon heard it but doubted it. Isaiah heard it and was fearful. John The Baptist heard it, and was affirmed. Saul heard it and it knocked him to the ground. What about you? Have you ever heard the voice of God?

If You Only Knew What Was Really Happening. Daniel 10-12

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 24 Apr 2022 10:00:00 -0400

History matters. World history. Your personal history. The way you think about the past matters. In this final vision of Daniel, we get one last peek behind the veil of human history. There we see unseen forces at work in our past, the inevitable collapse of humanity apart from God, and the hope of resurrection. It's a vision that suggests if you only knew what was really happening, you'd be horrified... and yet not without hope.

The Road to Emmaus: He’s Walking Right Beside You. Luke 24

Grace Valley Fellowship — Mon, 18 Apr 2022 10:00:00 -0400

If Jesus is alive and with us, then why is it so hard to see Him in your life? This Easter, we are invited to go on a journey that may feel familiar. It's an ancient story about people, who - like us - struggle to see Jesus even when He's walking right beside us. Luke 24:13-35

The 70th "Seven." Daniel 9:20-27

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 10 Apr 2022 10:00:00 -0400

In Daniel 9, God allows us to peek behind the curtain of human history in this mysterious vision of 70 "sevens." We get a glimpse of the aim and end history. In it, two things become astoundingly clear: One, the end is certain. God wins. If you are a child of God, you will prevail. And, two, the road to the end will likely be more brutal than you can even imagine. Both are true. If we can cling to faith while facing this brutal reality, then three is almost nothing we cannot overcome.

Five Things That Will Transform Your Relationship With God. Daniel 9:1-19

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 03 Apr 2022 10:00:00 -0400

If the Book of Daniel is an apocalypse (or unveiling) of human history, then Daniel 9 is an apocalypse of Daniel’s heart. It is the unveiling of what is really going on in Daniel’s soul. It allows us to peek behind the curtain to see what’s really going on. And it is stunning. In this text, we discover five things that shape Daniel's relationship with God and could transform your relationship with Him too.

The Shadow of the Antichrist. Daniel 8

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 27 Mar 2022 10:00:00 -0400

At one level, Daniel 8 is just about some historic events. It's just the story of some king who persecutes the People of God. That’s it. But, as the story unfolds, something changes. We’re no longer just talking about some man. We're talking about the spiritual forces behind the man, spiritual forces that are still at work in our world today. This is an uncomfortable text that forces us to ask some uncomfortable questions about how we see the world.

The Four Beasts, Antichrist, & the Story of Your Life. Daniel 7

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 20 Mar 2022 10:00:00 -0400

In Daniel 7, we encounter something different. It’s a bit like Dorothy opening the door to Oz. Suddenly everything is in technicolor & bizarre. "We’re not in Kansas anymore." Daniel invites us to peak behind the curtain of human knowledge & see what can only be seen with eyes of faith. We are invited to hear the story of the end, the story of our world, the story our lives… as told by God.

Lions, Liars & Legends of Faith. Daniel 6

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 13 Mar 2022 11:00:00 -0400

Some people believe that extraordinary men and women of God do extraordinary things in times of crises. That's not true. In times of crisis Godly men and women continue to persist in the extraordinary things they have been practicing all along. It’s only in times of dire crisis when those things become like weapons in the battle, with which they are highly skilled.

Death, Distraction, & the Fall of Babylon. Daniel 5

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 06 Mar 2022 10:00:00 -0500

You are going to die. Everything you create/do/build/write will one day end up on the dust pile of history. This world in its present form is passing away. It's an uncomfortable and unfortunate fact. In the modern world, whole industries are devoted to distracting us from this fact. But the fact remains. In a world inebriated with things that won't last, Daniel chapter 5 is a slap in the face. In this story, Daniel urges us to sober up and consider our lives in light of the end of all things.

Before We Lose What Makes Us Human. Daniel 4

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 27 Feb 2022 10:00:00 -0500

Apart from God, we will forget what it means to be human. Society will go insane. Our lives will become increasingly animalistic. We will dehumanize ourselves and one another. The philosophers of old saw this coming, we see this happening in our world, and, in Daniel 4, we see this dramatically play out in the life of Nebuchadnezzar. Yet, even in when we are at our worst, God's love pursues us still.

Standing When the Whole World Bows. Daniel 3

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 13 Feb 2022 10:00:00 -0500

The pressure to bow to the spirit of the age is not new. The tools of manipulation, control, and intimidation might be new, but the story is an ancient one. In Daniel chapter 3, we hear the story of three exiles who are forced to choose between bowing or being burned alive. It's a story that forces us to ask: How do you stand when the whole world is bowing to pressure? And, perhaps more importantly, where is God when my life is burning down?

Anxiety, Bad Dreams, & Being on the Right Side of History. Daniel 2

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 06 Feb 2022 10:00:00 -0500

He's wealthy and successful, but he can't sleep. He has the world's best security... but he's filled with anxiety. In Daniel chapter 2, we get an intimate look into the mind of one of the most powerful people in the history of the world. Through a dream, God reveals to Nebuchadnezzar (and to us) why we're so anxious, the aim of history, and how to get a good night's sleep.

Raising Kids in Babylon: Parenting Panel Discussion

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 30 Jan 2022 10:00:00 -0500

We are in the midst of a cultural war, and our kids are at the frontlines. This week, we're pausing the Daniel series to host a panel discussion designed to help you practically wrestle with the question: How do we raise kids in Babylon? DISCLAIMER: While we can attest to the character of the panel participants, their views do not necessarily reflect the official position of GVF. They were intentionally selected because they reflect the spectrum of parenting decisions. You should prayerfully discern what is the right decision for you and your family.

Where Do You Draw the Line? Daniel 1

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 23 Jan 2022 10:00:00 -0500

If you live, dress, eat, talk, shop, work, and consume media just like everyone else, at what point do you become just like everyone else? In Daniel chapter 1, we watch as Daniel and his friends are sent off to the University of Babylon. There the Babylonians attempt to erase their identity as children of God and give them a new Babylonian identity. They reprogram them in the language, values, and gods of Babylon. But, when it comes to eating the king's food, Daniel refuses to participate. This week, we explore how Daniel's courageous act is model of godly wisdom for how we might make critical decisions about where to draw the line in our day and our Babylon.

The Book of Daniel: History, Prophecy, & Apocalypse.

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 16 Jan 2022 10:00:00 -0500

The Book of Daniel is the story of a few 6th century Hebrew exiles, who are assimilated into the city and culture of Babylon, serve in the Babylonian government, and live among the Babylonians. And yet, they manage to keep their identity as the People of God. They live in the world but are not of the world. In this message, we begin to unravel how Daniel's life and visions help us make sense of what is happening in our lives and our world.

Redeem the Time. Ephesians 5:15-16

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 09 Jan 2022 09:00:00 -0500

With Omicron & freezing rain changing up our plans this weekend, I thought it might me a good time to reflect on a phrase that has come up again and again in this past year: "redeem the time" (Eph 5:16).

Jellyfish Mentality. Luke 12

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 02 Jan 2022 10:00:00 -0500

Brainless, heartless, slow jellyfish thrive in our oceans by simply going with the flow. All of their needs are provided for by the Oceanic Conveyor Belt. Similarly, in Luke chapter 12, Jesus reminds his disciples that their heavenly father will provide all they need if they put their trust in, and get their identity from God alone. What about you? Where do you get your security and find your identity?

All the Mistakes in the Genealogy of Jesus. Matthew 1:1-17

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 19 Dec 2021 10:00:00 -0500

Matthew chapter 1 is a go-to text for people who want to prove that the Bible is full of errors. If you take this text literally, you can quickly see that there is literally something wrong with it. But is this a problem with what Matthew wrote or with the way we are reading it?

The Blessing on the Other Side of Brokenness. Genesis 32

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 12 Dec 2021 10:00:00 -0500

This is one of the great stories about how people are transformed by a personal encounter with God. It's night. Jacob is all alone. He has come to a crossroads. God wrestles with him all night, but Jacob refuses to surrender. So, in order to bless Jacob, God breaks Jacob. He walks away limping... and blessed. If you listen carefully, perhaps you will find yourself in this story.

The Things We Do When We Feel Unloved. Genesis 29-31

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 05 Dec 2021 10:00:00 -0500

This week we come to a love story. In fact, this one might just qualify as the world's first rom-com. It's a crassly humorous story about all the hurtful, messed up, stupid, and ridiculous things people do when they feel unloved. It's the story of how God will form these unloved people into His Beloved People. It's our story.

Jacob's Ladder & the God Who Interrupts Our Lives. Genesis 28

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 28 Nov 2021 10:00:00 -0500

Your life has just come crashing down. You’re completely alone in the world. Your relationships are all ruined. You're running from your past. You're not quite sure who you are any more. But, what happens next is about to change everything. This is Jacob's story, but maybe this is your story too. Or, maybe it will be. Either way, Jacob's ladder is a story worth hearing.

Nobody Wants to Live an Unblessed Life. Genesis 27

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 21 Nov 2021 10:00:00 -0500

At first, it reads like a comedy. Jacob pretends to be someone he is not in order to receive a blessing he doesn't deserve. Then, it turns into a tragedy when we realize that this isn't just a story about Jacob. It's about us too. This text forces us to wrestle with the ways we seek to be blessed, the ways we have (or have not) experienced God’s blessing, and the ways we do (or do not) bless others. It speaks to that deep human longing to be blessed and the deeply flawed ways we seek this blessing.

Jacob: A Man Named "Struggle" (Genesis 25)

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 14 Nov 2021 10:00:00 -0500

Jacob's story doesn’t comfortably fit into a modern American sermon or a modern American life. And maybe that’s the point. In this passage, we meet Jacob, the man named "Struggle," who invites us to struggle with him and with his God. Genesis 25:19-34

Making Lemonade: The Journey. Philippians 4

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 07 Nov 2021 09:00:00 -0500

As it turns out, the transformation of sour lemons into sweet lemonade can be a long and harrowing process. The Apostle Paul discovered this while in a dire situation in a Roman prison; he squeezed his circumstances into a letter of encouragement and hope to those he loved. The result was something beautiful. Paul's undying belief in God's providence would not only encourage the Philippians, but all Christ followers for the next couple of millennia to follow.

You Can't Imprison the Message: Philippians 1:12-18

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 31 Oct 2021 10:00:00 -0400

When life gives you lemons...make lemonade!" The apostle Paul took this well known modern-day maxim to a whole new level when he wrote a letter of encouragement and joy to the people of Philippi from a dark, damp Roman prison. Are there any areas of your life that could use this kind of perspective? Join us as we investigate Philippians 1 to find out exactly how he did it, and how you can too!

www.gvf.church/makelemonade

What, In The World, Does God Want?

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 24 Oct 2021 10:00:00 -0400

In a world of 7.9 billion people, nearly 2 billion have never heard of Jesus in a way to which they could respond in saving faith; what does God want? In a world where the vast majority of people are deeply desired by God yet desperately distant from God; what does God want? In my community, my family and my inner life; what does God want? In this message we explore 1 John 2:1-3 and see God’s heart, God‘s actions, and God’s invitation to partner with him to change the world.

Get Jack Nelson's book, Reachable for free HERE. Ebook, PDF or order the book available. https://www.worldlinkonline.org/resou...

Jesus and Technology: Part 2. Deuteronomy 6.

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 17 Oct 2021 10:00:00 -0400

Has technology become too precious in your home? In this timely message, we discuss the glowing blue elephant in our homes: technology, and ask a very simple yet critical question: "does it consume more of your time, money and thoughts than God does?" If so, don't despair or start pouring water over your devices. We'll see that what we really need is perspective, wisdom and discernment, not fear or judgement.

Six Questions You Need to Ask About the Technology You Use

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 10 Oct 2021 10:00:00 -0400

We are living in the midst of a digital revolution. Technology is rapidly changing the way we think and behave and relate to one another. In this message, we introduce six questions that we need to ask of every technology we use. The questions revolve around how technologies affect: Attention, Limits, Engagement, Relationships, Time, and Space, which just happen to spell the word, ALERTS.

What We Want and What We Need

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 03 Oct 2021 10:00:00 -0400

In exploring a story Jesus told about a father and his two sons, we'll discover some truths about what we want in our relationship with God, and what we really need.

Doubt & Belief in a Post-Christian World. Psalm 73

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 26 Sep 2021 10:00:00 -0400

In our post-Christian world, doubt is an unavoidable part of the journey of faith. If we hope to become a church where life transformation is normal, then we have to get really, really comfortable admitting, discussing, processing, and working through our doubts. In this message, we'll look at the deconstruction and reconstruction of faith in an ancient worship leader named Asaph.

A Different Kind of Answer: The Way, the Vine, & the Trellis. John 14-15.

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 19 Sep 2021 10:00:00 -0400

We want to become a church where life transformation is normal. When we ask Jesus how this is supposed to work in our post-Christian world, He gives us a different kind of answer. The kind of answer we might not suspect. In this message, we look at two simple, but profound, images Jesus has given us to navigate the complex realities of our modern, post-Christian world. Then, we talk about how we envision living this out at GVF over the next 3-5 years.

Something's Wrong Here: Following Jesus in a Post-Christian Era

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 12 Sep 2021 10:00:00 -0400

Over the past few years, it has become increasingly obvious that something's wrong here. Our world has changed. The old assumptions about how to be your true self, find meaning, and live a good life are no longer reliable. The old way of doing church isn't working. We need a new vision. In this message, we begin a conversation about what it might look like to become a church where life transformation is normal.

Unity. Ephesians 4:1-6

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 05 Sep 2021 10:00:00 -0400

Without love and grace, division in the body of Christ is inevitable. Today we hear about many non-Biblical issues tearing the church apart, and we know that a house divided cannot stand. Yet there is hope! Scripture offers several guideposts which can help us get back on track if we're willing to be obedient.

Sabbath: A Practical Guide to Finding Real Rest. (Matthew 12)

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 29 Aug 2021 10:00:00 -0400

How do we move from learning about Sabbath to walking in the freedom, rest, and delight promised in Sabbath? In this message, we look at what it means to follow Jesus in His invitation, "Come to Me. You who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest." Click here to download a Sabbath worksheet for planning your Sabbath.

Sabbath: Practicing Radical Kindness. Deuteronomy 5

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 22 Aug 2021 10:00:00 -0400

In a world of division, loneliness, and social isolation, Sabbath is a place where you show radical grace, generosity, kindness, and love to others, especially those who are not like you. Not because they deserve it. Not because you agree with them. But simply because that’s how God loved you.

Sabbath: Killing the "gods" of America. Exodus 16

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 15 Aug 2021 10:00:00 -0400

On Sabbath, we are invited to join God in mocking & killing the "gods" of this world. It may sound violent. It is. But God insists that the gods of consumerism & insatiable desire, the gods of achievement & creating your own value, the gods of numbing, distraction, & restlessness… they must die. Only when we realize that they have no power over us can we be truly free.

Sabbath: The One Thing That Changes Everything. Exodus 20

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 08 Aug 2021 10:00:00 -0400

When God wants to lead us into the deep, rich, fullness of life with Him, He gives us nine ways to orient our hearts and one weekly practice: Sabbath. In this message, we explore why God singles out Sabbath as the one thing that we must do if we want to become a people who love God and love others.

Five Reasons Why It's So Hard to Find Real Rest (Sermon Excerpt)

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 01 Aug 2021 12:00:00 -0400

Resting should be the easiest thing in the world, but it's not. In this sermon excerpt, we look at five major reasons why it's so hard to rest so that we can recognize these barriers in our own lives.

Why Is It So Hard to Rest? Exodus 5

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 01 Aug 2021 10:00:00 -0400

Jesus invites us to rest. It sounds like the easiest thing in the world... until you actually try to do it. In this message, we explore the possibility that the chronic busyness that passes for normal in our world might be a symptom of a much deeper sickness, a form of spiritual slavery.

Groanings & Glory. Romans 8:18-30

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 25 Jul 2021 10:00:00 -0400

We all experience the groanings of this world. We all long for something more in the midst of our struggles. Could it be that our groanings actually point us to the truth of God's glory?

Moses and the Humble Blue Jay

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 18 Jul 2021 10:00:00 -0400

Sometimes the most important truths in life can't be perceived by the five senses. Moses knew this when he stared out at an impassable Red Sea, with the lives of 500,000 of God's chosen people on the line. His faith helped him see what wasn't there: a way out. Where do you need this type of faith in the unseen? Exodus 14.

Who Are You?

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 11 Jul 2021 10:00:00 -0400

Beauty on a Battlefield

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 04 Jul 2021 10:00:00 -0400

A beautiful scene emerges in the midst of chaos and loss as one man has a disruptive encounter with Jesus. Scripture text: Mark 5:1-20

A New (& Better) Way to Do Life. Matthew 11:28-30

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 27 Jun 2021 10:00:00 -0400

Jesus doesn’t want to give us more to do or make our lives harder. He is inviting us to lay our burdens down, to experience freedom, and to step into a new (& better) way of life.

The Message Etched Upon Your Heart. Jeremiah 17

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 20 Jun 2021 10:00:00 -0400

Jesus promises give us a "new heart." He does not just want to fix us up on the outside. He wants to write a message in our hearts, changing us from the inside out. But, in Jeremiah 17, we learn that before He can write His message, He has to address the messages that are already on our hearts.

That’s Not Who You Are Anymore. Romans 6

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 13 Jun 2021 10:00:00 -0400

Becoming a follower of Jesus doesn't just change how you think. It changes who you are. According to the Apostle Paul, the old you, the one that ran from God & lived for yourself, is dead. The things that used to control you, they no longer lay claim to you. You are a new person with a new life.

Why Is Baptism so Important?

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 06 Jun 2021 10:00:00 -0400

The earliest followers of Jesus describe baptism as a proof that God loves them, a motivation to radically change their lives, and a source of hope in the face of suffering. How does symbolically submerging someone under water in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit do that?

Lead Us Not Into Temptation: A Guided Daily Prayer Exercise

Grace Valley Fellowship — Sun, 30 May 2021 10:00:00 -0400