Thrive Harbor

As night settles over Jerusalem, Jesus enters into the darkness of his impending death—beginning with his arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane. In this message on John 18:1-27, Jonah Kilpatrick, director of Thrive Harbor , unfolds the story of Jesus' final hours and what we learn about his great sacrifice.

What would the Son of God ask for in prayer? In John 17, the curtain is pulled back on the Trinity as we hear the Son pray to the Father as he prepares to go to the cross. In this message, Jonah Kilpatrick, director of Thrive Harbor , unfolds what Jesus prays for and how his requests reveal Jesus' heart for his people.

On the eve of his departure, Jesus teaches the disciples how to be a light for him in the midst of the world. Because the world rejected Jesus, the disciples shouldn't expect to be accepted by the world, but through the Holy Spirit they can be filled with peace and confidence no matter what they face. This message was given by David Shohradov, a member of Thrive Harbor.

If you want to experience God, then obey him. That's one of the lessons Jesus leaves his disciples on the eve of going to the cross. In response to Jesus' love, we love him, and when we love him, we'll naturally want to do what he says. Where does the Christian life become thrilling? On the other side of love-driven obedience. Where does transformation lie? On the other side of love-dr...

It's the night before his death, and Jesus is giving his disciples one last lesson. He is especially concerned that they understand his relationship to the Father. It is not that Jesus is like the prophets of old, one who merely points to God. Jesus is God. He is not a tool for understanding ultimate reality. He is ultimate reality. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. This message was g...

In the last 24 hours of his life, Jesus does something unthinkable. Putting on the garb of a servant, he washes the feet of the very disciples who would abandon him to die that same night. In this message, Jonah Kilpatrick, one of Thrive 's interns, explains how Jesus' foot-washing isn't just a gimmick or a one-time act. What Jesus did that night is a demonstration of who he really is:...

Jesus has kept us in suspense. Over and over he's said, "My hour has not yet come"—until finally, in John 12, he declares, "The hour has come!" But as Jesus is on the verge of going to the cross, he reveals something startling: the hour of his death is also the hour of his glory. Turning all our ideas on their head, Jesus redefines glory as something less like a blazing sta...

The last sign John records before Jesus goes to the cross is the raising of Lazarus. In this message on John 11, David Shohradov, a member of Thrive Harbor, teaches on how this climactic miracle puts Jesus’ power, wisdom, and tender love on full display.

Who or what do you let shepherd your soul? In John 10, Jesus makes a radical claim: he is the shepherd our soul needs. He is the shepherd who will not let us down, because he laid his life down to save us. This message was given by Michael Bouterse, director of Thrive Harbor . Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include John 10:1-18; Ezekiel 34; Psalm 23; and Matthew 10:39.

"I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see!" So goes John Newton's famous hymn, "Amazing Grace," an account of how God takes away our spiritual blindness. In this message on John 9, Michael Bouterse, director of Thrive Harbor , speaks on the story that inspired Newton's hymn, Jesus' healing of a man born blind. More than just a miracle, Jesus' ac...

Many have been captivated by Jesus, but far fewer make the costly decision to follow him. That's because though Jesus offers us an incredible life of peace, purpose, and satisfaction, that offer is tied to the radical claim that Jesus himself is the source of that life. In this message on John 6, Jonah Kilpatrick, Thrive 's summer apprentice, unpacks Jesus controversial statement that he i...

Lots of questions surround the story of the woman caught in adultery. Is this passage at the beginning of John 8 original to the Bible? What was Jesus writing when he wrote on the ground with his finger? Did Jesus break the law in not condemning the woman? In this message, Thrive alum David Baumgaertel takes us on a deep dive into John 7:53-8:11 to provide answers to these questions.

Many people respect Jesus. Even non-Christian religions acknowledge that he was enlightened, or a prophet, or a great moral teacher. But Jesus won't let us get away with that. To take Jesus seriously, and to receive the gift of salvation he offers us, we have to wrestle with his radical claims. In this message, Judah Helland, a lay preacher from Olalla, WA, unfolds the claims Jesus makes about...

During his public ministry, Jesus brought hope and healing to the broken. In this message on John 5:1-15, Tim Stobbe, pastor emeritus of Waypoint North in Gig Harbor, WA, teaches on Jesus' healing of a disabled man, showing how Jesus' concern is not just for the man's body but for his soul.

Usually we refer to Jesus' healings as miracles, but in the fourth Gospel, John calls them "signs." Just as a sign points to something else, so Jesus' miracles point to the truth of who He is. In this message on John 4:43-54, Tim Cedarland, Thrive 's director emeritus, unfolds Jesus' second sign, while also surveying what we learn about Jesus from all seven signs recorded...

What really satisfies? In his encounter with a Samaritan woman, Jesus gives us something that can quench the longing of our souls and move us to awestruck worship. This message was given by Stan Mansfield, president of Shepherds Bible College in Bremerton, WA.

John the Baptist had once been "a big deal." Crowds had flocked to him. But now Jesus' ministry is growing, and John's ministry is starting to decline. How will John react? In John 3:22-36, we see that his response is joy! John is overjoyed to see Jesus' influence overshadow his, because his joy is found in seeing Jesus made great. In this message, Michael Bouterse, director...

What is salvation? In John 3, Jesus responds to the questions of a Jewish teacher named Nicodemus about how and why we can be saved: not on the basis of how good, smart, or capable we are but by looking to Jesus. This message was given by Jeremy DeSpain, pastor of Bible Baptist Church in Port Orchard, WA.

Who is Jesus? In John 2, John records when Jesus saved a wedding from disaster by turning water into wine. In this message, David Shohradov, a member of Thrive Harbor, unpacks the significance of this famous moment, showing Jesus to be the one who removes shame and brings joy.

What would it be like to meet God? In John 1, Andrew, Peter, Philip, and Nathanael all find out. In this message, Kurt Mach, pastor of Peninsula Christian Fellowship , unfolds the story of how these four disciples of Jesus first met the man they came to love, serve, and even die for, and what it was about Him that made Him so irresistible. Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message i...

John's Gospel is unique. Using signs, "I am" statements, and lots of rich symbols, John seeks to answer the most fundamental question a human being can ask: "Who is Jesus?" One answer to that question is that Jesus is the light. In this message on John 1:1-18, Michael Bouterse, the director of Thrive Harbor, opens Thrive's series on the Gospel of John by examining what...

To wrap up Thrive’s series on relationships, we asked three couples to tell us their dating stories and to share their wisdom on dating with us. Our panelists were Brenden & Rachael Lowery, Chris & Abby Basile, and Michael & Claire Bouterse.

Many people desire to be married. But what is a healthy marriage? What is the Bible's blueprint for this most intimate of all human relationships? In this message, David Shohradov, a member of Thrive Harbor, speaks on marriage out of Ephesians 5.

Thrive is joined by two married couples, who share their stories, insights, and wisdom on what a healthy, Christ-centered marriage looks like. A special thanks to our panelists: Kurt & Revell Mach and Tim & Sarah Gauthier.

It's hard to talk about singleness well in Christian circles. How can the church elevate singleness the way the Bible does, without idolizing singleness the way our culture does? In this talk, Michael Bouterse, director of Thrive Harbor, looks to Jesus and Paul—both of whom were single—to explore what it looks like for a Christian to live fully devoted to God as a single person. Scripture pass...