The Gathering

How we should read the Bible.

Why did Jesus honor Zacchaeus and offer him salvation despite his riches? Jesus offer of salvation was radical, rich men.

Why did Jesus answer Martha as he did? Jesus invitation to Martha was radical. He invites us the same way.

God meets us where we are - even and especially at our worst.

What will my legacy be? What difference will your life you make? Legacy is about perspective. The news that we are going to die causes us to live differently. Legacy is about people. Relationships are priceless. Legacy is about time. Greatest mistake we can make is believing we have all the time in the world. We are building our legacy each day we are alive.

Why am I here? Job can be way you live out your calling, but your job is not your call/vocation. We are here to love God and to love people. Purpose is not about what we do, but about how we do it. Oftentimes the greatest thing you have to offer is your redeemed weakness. Purpose is not something to find, but something to remember. Calling is not something to be discovered, but a gift to be receiv...

Who am I? Easter is about that Jesus wants to do in you. Jesus desires to re-create us. Identify is how we understand ourselves. Jesus is inviting us to see ourselves differently. We are more than the roles that we play, the groups we are a part of, or what we produce/achieve. The more you get to know who Christ is the more you will understand who He created you to be.

How to move my faith from my head to my heart. How to find new life in Christ. When we desire a new life, a new identity it must start in a new place. That new place is Christ. We can be defined by Christ. Christ can become our new identity.

How do we maintain a Disposition of Joy? Disposition is a choice. One of the characteristics of a new life is a disposition of joy rather than a disposition of anger. Be careful about anger lingering in your heart. Rejoice always. Maintain a posture of joy and thanksgiving by focusing on God and what He has done for us and is doing in us. Joy is rooted not in what we are experiencing now but in wh...

How do I move from guilt to forgiveness? Words we have heard said to us, or have said to ourselves, can shape our reality. God in Christ invites us into a new life. Christ forgives us and frees us to that we don't have to live under the power of guilt. Part of what it means to walk in new life is to change our thoughts. Guilt and shame keep us trapped in our past and stunt what we are able to do g...

What does a shift from pride to humility look like? Pride and Humility are right at the center of our conversion in Christ. Pride is a distorted love of self. The move from pride to humility can change everything about what God is able to do in your life. Humility must begin with a recognition of the greatness that exists in others, but especially God. Humility is having an accurate picture of you...

How are we called to act courageously? "Fear is always associated with loss. New life in Christ requires that we set apart something old and put on something new. We need to choose to live not out of fear, but out of courage. Fear always makes us question ourselves. Fear leads us to determine the (negative) outcome before we ever get started. Courage is always needed in our defining moments. God b...

What tendencies do we need to overcome to persevere in faith? Change away from giving up and towards perseverance. Perseverance is a critical element of faith. Perseverance is not giving up. Three ways of giving up are: quitting or walking way from God, self-destruction, and complacency or resigning to the current reality of our life. God promises that he will see us through the hardships in life,...

Jesus (and The Gathering) welcomes us, then challenges us.

God sees you as you are but wants to heal/forgive you. Jesus' biggest controversy was His claim to forgive sins.

What does the Bible say about sex? Four problematic ways sex is interpreted in modern culture: sex is entertainment/having fun; sex is therapy/feeling better; sex is shopping/consumerism/getting not giving/no commitment; sex is dangerous/dirty/gross/bad. Three Bible truths about sex: sex is good/God created; sex is covenantal/intended for a binding relationship; sex is pleasurable/fun.