For answers on frequently asked questions about our "Traditional" and "Encounter" worship gatherings, please visit our Worship FAQs.
Current Message Series
In July we launched a four-week message series on characters from the Old Testament, that we're calling "Heroes and Screw-Ups of the Old Testament." Each week we're picking out a different story -- some familiar, and some not -- and are immersing ourselves in some of the characters to see wheat they might teach us about ourselves. We began with "Elisha, the King, the Captain, and the Four Lepers" and will be looking at Cain and Abel on July 11th. Other characters to come.
In August, we'll begin a new series on some of the challenging sayings and teaching of Jesus in a series we'll be calling "Jesus Said What?!"
Previous Message Series
We started this year with "Gifted By God," a 3-week message series on spiritual gifts, and then on January 24th, guest preacher Marcus Kunz led us in a 3-week message series called "Who, How, O Wow!" We asked ourselves the fundament question "Who do you trust?" to explore our assumption and persective about God, about others, about ourselves and our relationships with each of them. Some of the most long-standing statements of faith in the Christian community -- the creeds and Martin Luther's explanations -- were one resource as we followed this question about trust and where it leads in your life.
On February 14 we launched our new all-congregation book, 40 Days of Living the Jesus Creed. Written by North Park Seminary professor Scot McKnight, it takes us on a Lenten journey deeper into what McKnight calls the Jesus Creed: loving God and loving others. Everyone was encouraged to grab the book and to follow the assigned daily reading for each of the 40 days in Lent. Our Sunday message series, Sunday morning small groups and one of the Young Adult groups were also based on the book so that we can focus our attention on Jesus' message of love.
Following our Holy Week and Easter message series (Love Tested, Love Eclipsed, and Love Wins!), on April 11 we launched a new 4-week message series "Just Walk Across the Room." Based on a book by Bill Hybels, we'll focus on sharing our faith naturally, on what the Bible calls "being ready to give an accounting for the hope that is in us". We began the series by asking the simple question, "WHY evangelism?" We then asked, "WHAT can we share?" and explored what our own personal 100-word-or-less "amazing grace" story might sound like. We'll go on to explore the WHO and the HOW of sharing our faith "with gentleness and reverence."
In June we worked through a 4-week message series on the Psalms We’re called it “Soundtrack for Life,” because the Psalms present a playlist of 150 songs that cover the whole range of human experience and emotion. From the depths of lament or anger to the heights of joyful and exuberant celebration (and most everything in between), the Psalms give voice to our lives and allow us to sing them to God.