Pathfinder Church Messages

Pathfinder Church | August 1, 2021 | Doug Mauss Great leaders spend time getting to know themselves. And they never stop. Website | https://pathfinderstl.org Online Giving | https://pathfinderstl.org/give Podcasts | https://pathfinderstl.org/podcasts Facebook | https://facebook.com/pathfinderstl Instagram |  https://instagram.com/pathfinderstl St. John School | http://stjls.org Contact Us | church...

Pathfinder Church | July 25, 2021 | Doug Mauss Jesus is Lord of all, yet he came to serve. That can be puzzling to our modern-day, success-driven culture.  Website | https://pathfinderstl.org Online Giving | https://pathfinderstl.org/give Podcasts | https://pathfinderstl.org/podcasts Facebook | https://facebook.com/pathfinderstl Instagram |  https://instagram.com/pathfinderstl St. John School | ht...

Pathfinder Church | July 18, 2021 | Dion Garrett Jesus knew everything, yet he asked people questions! Website | https://pathfinderstl.org Online Giving | https://pathfinderstl.org/give Podcasts | https://pathfinderstl.org/podcasts Facebook | https://facebook.com/pathfinderstl Instagram |  https://instagram.com/pathfinderstl St. John School | http://stjls.org Contact Us | churchinfo@pathfinderstl....

Pathfinder Church | July 11, 2021 | Dion Garrett Horses were made to run, trees to grow tall, stars to shine, and you to serve others. A preoccupation with self is not simply a moral issue eating away at the fabric of society; it’s a sin against our design. When you put your skills and abilities to use for the good of others, you align yourself with one of your most powerful purposes. Website | ht...

Website | https://pathfinderstl.org Online Giving | https://pathfinderstl.org/give Podcasts | https://pathfinderstl.org/podcasts Facebook | https://facebook.com/pathfinderstl Instagram |  https://instagram.com/pathfinderstl St. John School | https://stjls.org Contact Us | churchinfo@pathfinderstl.org

Pathfinder Church | June 27, 2021 | Dion Garrett Scarcity tells us there’s not enough for us, let alone enough to share. But God’s call on us is to see a world so abundant that we are glad to share whatever we have with others, knowing that the whole world becomes richer when we share. Website | https://pathfinderstl.org Online Giving | https://pathfinderstl.org/give Podcasts | https://pathfinders...

Pathfinder Church | June 20, 2021 | Doug Mauss Longstanding advice says it’s impolite to bring up religion or politics in mixed company. While that’s hard to argue with, God calls us to have spiritual conversations everywhere we go! Being on a LIFEjourney with Jesus means becoming fluent in the kinds of conversations that call our attention to the most important things in life and even bring life...

Pathfinder Church | June 13, 2021 | Dion Garrett You’ve heard it said before, the Bible is a book written by dozens of human authors, who lived thousands of years ago, in languages that are now dead… how can it have any relevance to modern people living in times that no human author ever could’ve imagined? You’d be surprised. Website | https://pathfinderstl.org Online Giving | https://pathfinderst...

athfinder Church | June 6, 2021 | Doug Mauss People search the Scriptures for a lot of reasons, but there is one reason above all that is the key to understanding all of the Scriptures rightly, especially some of the most difficult passages. Many of our misunderstandings come from misunderstanding God’s primary intention in giving us the Scriptures.  Website | https://pathfinderstl.org Online Givi...

Pathfinder Church | May 30, 2021 | Dion Garrett Stating the obvious here: The Bible wasn’t written in English. Not only are translations across time tricky, but languages don’t always have equivalent words that easily convey meaning. Then you add translational philosophies into the mix (strict literal translations vs. more interpretative ones) and you end up with a lot of different versions of the...

Pathfinder Church | May 23, 2021 | Doug Mauss Most scriptural misunderstandings start in the same way: a verse is removed from its context. It shouldn’t surprise us that the practice creates problems, since it also creates problems in other parts of life. To get the clearest reading of Scripture we must also start looking not just at words or single verses, but looking at the greater context. Webs...

Pathfinder Church | May 16, 2021 | Dion Garrett All of scripture is true and inspired, but it’s not all to be taken literally. That’s shocking to many of us, but that just means that we first have to understand what kind of literature we’re reading before we can rightly interpret it. To read metaphors as literal truth is nonsense.  But to decide that you can set aside uncomfortable, direct teachin...

Pathfinder Church | May 9, 2021 | Dion Garrett Life has never been more demanding (and all the moms said “Amen!”) So, it makes sense that we look for short cuts to make it all fit. But as we grow to rely on efficient shortcuts, we all know deep down that what we’re cutting out are some of the least efficient but the richest parts of life. Website | https://pathfinderstl.org Online Giving | https:/...

Pathfinder Church | May 2, 2021 | Dion Garrett Christians live with tensions… the world is passing away and yet, it’s not a throw-away. The same is true with our own bodies. In both cases, it’s in our best interests to care for the physical parts of creation, but they’re not very cooperative! No wonder we find ourselves in retreat, indoors, on our couches, looking at our screens. But ignoring the...

Pathfinder Church | April 25, 2021 | Dion Garrett By keeping our distance, we not only keep ourselves physically safe, but we can block whoever hurts us, find an audience who will be sympathetic to all our views, and never be challenged. Meanwhile, we all know that living in proximity with others, in flesh and blood relationships, causes conflict that can be exhausting and heartbreaking. But befor...

Pathfinder Church | April 18, 2021 | Doug Mauss Our digital world makes us feel like we’re more connected than ever before, but it also means we somehow feel less seen, known, and loved as we really are. Our mediated and manicured avatars may look great and provide us with plenty of attention, on top of 24/7 connection, but they work against what we need most: being truly seen and known. Website |...

Pathfinder Church | April 11, 2021 | Dion Garrett Right now, we have to sit distanced because we know that if we don’t, people will get sick and die. But distancing ourselves is not new, we have increasingly chosen to distance ourselves from others for all kinds of reasons… all of them about self-protection (of health, life, reputation, and complications). But the Spirit that is released after Jes...

Pathfinder Church | The Cost of 6ft | April 4, 2021 | Dion Garrett Jesus, the Son of God, chose not to stay distant from us, at Christmas he came near. But his life, and especially his rejection, betrayal, and death show us why flesh and blood living is so risky. Lately in our world, we see it too. The risks of embodied living seem endless. Yet, after the resurrection Jesus shows us that in spite...

Pathfinder Church | March 28, 2021 | Doug Mauss The Grace of Mystery Extracting the richness from life feels like endless work. To be sure, much of life’s best things are the fruit of a lot of diligent labor. But before any of us were, God created a complex, magnificent, mysterious universe for us to experience—with little effort—as a gift. While so much of my life’s joy is caught up in my achievi...

Pathfinder Church | March 24, 2021 | Melissa Harting & Doug Mauss Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the Council, a good and upright man, who had not consented to their decision and action. He came from the Judean town of Arimathea, and he himself was waiting for the kingdom of God. Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body. Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen cloth and placed...

Pathfinder Church | March 21, 2021 | Dion Garrett The Grace of Belonging When it comes to belonging, history has shown that we make two critical mistakes: (1) Expel anyone who violates our beliefs and rules (2) Affirm all beliefs and rules as equally valid so that everyone can belong.  Both make belonging dependent on the community’s rules. But God doesn’t make following the rules a basis for our...

Pathfinder Church | March 17, 2021 | David Jameson & Doug Mauss Two rebels were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left.  Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!” In the same way the chief priests, the teach...

Pathfinder Church | March 14, 2021 | Dion Garrett The Grace of Provision One of our sinful survival mechanisms tells us that survival is on us. We must take care of ourselves and if we are to expect anything from anyone else, it’s always transactional—quid pro quo. But there is a grace from God that also lives especially but not exclusively among His people. It says, “let me give to you what you n...

Pathfinder Church | March 10, 2021 | Jon Shepherd & Dion Garrett Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.” When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom. “Let’s not tear it,” they said to one another. “Let’s decide by...

Pathfinder Church | March 7, 2021 | Dion Garrett The Grace of Patience Calling someone immature is never a compliment. Our impatience with people who aren’t where we want them—including ourselves—shows how much we struggle with the growth journey. The truth is, maturing is a process that takes time. And while struggling through the awkwardness and ugliness that accompanies our “becoming,” we can a...