River’s Edge Church

A conversation about engaging in life with God has to include an understanding of the Holy Spirit. But who is the Holy Spirit, and what role does he have in the biblical storyline in our lives today? 

As Jesus sets out to teach his disciples about life in the in-breaking Kingdom of God, he teaches them how to pray - in what has come to be known as "the Lord's Prayer." But what was so profound about this prayer and how should it effect the way that we pray? 

As we start our series on prayer and engaging in life with God, we begin in a odd place. We are starting our series in the Psalms. But why are the psalms important, and how should their raw and unfiltered language effect the way that we pray?

As Jesus embarks on his earth shaping ministry, he brings with him 12 apprentices, or 12 "disciples" who are to learn from him and ultimately carry on his work in the world. But then Jesus introduces a concept into the center of their discipleship which would have been shocking and difficult to grasp, "deny yourself" Jesus says, "pick up your cross, and follow me." But what did Jesus mean by these...

We are a family of missionary disciples who live to see God's will done and His kingdom come, in Spokane as it is in heaven. But what does it mean to be "on the mission of God" and how should our identity as "missionaries" shape our joint lives together as a community? 

We are a family of missionary disciples who live to see God's will be done and His kingdom come, in Spokane as it is in Heaven. But how does Jesus inform our understanding of what it means to be brothers and sisters, and what does it look like to be the family of God in Spokane in 2017?

We start and end each gathering in musical worship. By why do we worship in song and how do we expect to encounter God in the midst of it? 

Prayer is a central feature of the Sunday gathering, weaving its way through all that we do. But if we're honest, many of us find prayer frightening, boring, or even pointless. But what is prayer, why do we pray, and what do we expect to happen as a result? 

Every week we spend roughly half of our Sunday gathering studying the Scriptures together. But what is the Bible? Where did it come from? And what do we mean when we say that the Bible is the authoratative word of God? 

As Paul planted churches in Ephesus that would change their city and the world, he emphasized the importance and power of the Holy Spirit. But what's the role of the Holy Spirit in the lives of a community that gathers and scatters, and why does God give the Holy Spirit to begin with? 

Every week we gather around the "bread and the cup" celebrating communion together. But what is communion, why is it the "center" of our gathering, and how should expect to meet with God in that moment? 

Over the next five weeks, we'll take a break from our journey through the book of Matthew to talk about why we gather as a church, why we do what we do, and how we expect to encounter God in the midst of it. In week 1 we unpack the mystery of the body of Christ, and what it means to be a fully functioning church body. 

As Jesus nears the end of his life, he speaks of the end of the age, and the judgment that will occur, as some are ushered into the Kingdom of Heaven and others are turned away. The sheep will be seperated from the goats, Jesus says, and many will be surprised to find that they had been serving (or denying) Jesus without knowing it.  

As Jesus nears the end of his life, he speaks increasingly of his death and resurrection, and also of the age to come. His disciples have questions about when Jesus will return to usher in a new age, and so Jesus answers their questions with a series of parables, highlighting how we are to live in light of his imminent return.

As Jesus teaches his disciples about life in the Kingdom, they struggle with issues of power, greatness, and reward. So Jesus tells them a parable about a landowner who hires workers throughout the day, and pays all of them the same wages, causing outrage among many of them. But how do we interpret this parable and what are the implications for our daily pursuit of Jesus? 

As Jesus teaches his disciples about their joint lives together in the new community that is being formed through him, Peter raises a pressing question: How many times should we forgive a brother or sister who sins against us? Jesus answers Peter with a parable about accounting, and in doing so reveals something profound about the importance of forgiveness and the human vocation as God's image bea...

As Jesus teaches his disciples about the Kingdom of God, there is one aspect of Kingdom life that is particularly difficult for the disciples to grasp. So Jesus uses parables and vivid imagery to explain to the disciples what power and greatness look like in his upside down Kingdom. But what do children, sheep, and millstones have to do with power and greatness? 

Parables Series - As Jesus continues to teach his discioples about the Kingdom of Heaven, he compares it to treasure found in a field, or a precious pearl, but he also warns his disciples that the Kingdom movement will catch up both good and bad fish. How are these parables connected and what do they teach us about the Kingdom of God? 

Many of the parables of Jesus were powerful tools used to illustrate an aspect of the Kingdom of Heaven. But these tools did more than illustrate. They were also provocative, divisive, and even  offensive, forcing the crowds to take a step forward or a step back. But how is the Kingdom of Heaven similar to wheat in a field, yeast mixed in dough, or a mustard seed planted in the ground? And why wou...

As Jesus sets out to teach the crowds about the nature of the Kingdom of God, he speaks of the primary importance of the receptivity of the heart. How does out heart posture relate to the Kingdom of God, and what can we learn from the parable of the Sower? 

As Jesus ends his sermon, he gives one final exhortation about the importance of the words he has just spoken. How do we respond wisely to his words and in what ways do we commonly err? 

As Jesus nears the end of his sermon, he issues a warning to his disciples about where reality is headed and the fact that there will be judgment for those in rebellion against God. But what is the nature of the reality Jesus speaks of? Join us as we discuss two different theological positions regarding the nature of hell and judgment. 

As Jesus teaches his disciples about life in the in-breaking Kingdom of Heaven, he warns them to avoid the empty righteousness of "the Scribe and Pharisee" - where good deeds are done for the purpose of being seen by others. This Jesus says, is hypocrisy. But what does Jesus mean by hypocrisy, how does it show up in modern day America, and what solution is Jesus proposing? 

As Jesus reaches the end of his sermon, he wants his disciples about several traps which threaten to smother the work of the Kingdom in their lives. This week we examine the call of Jesus to refrain from judging others. But what exactly is Jesus asking us to do and how do we move forward in a culture of relativism while holding deep convictions of universal truth?

As Jesus draws near the end of his sermon, he gives his disciples a profound and simple directive for Kingdom living: "do not worry." In doing so Jesus sums up in a sentence what might take us a lifetime to master. In our anxiety-ridden culture, how do understand and enter into the invitation of Jesus to live a life without worry?