Spark Cast

The stories of the Bible were not written so that we could become better Christians. They were written because they envisioned a new kind of humanity. One of the main plot lines (pillars) of this humanity, is the theme of covenant.

The meal is one of the most significant events in our lives and in the Biblical narrative. The stories we tell and live around those meal are powerful. In this message, Pastor Mark encourages us to find the hope in those meals.

Q&A after the message

The next part of our story includes a flood, a destroying of the earth that God created. Okay, so whether it "happened" or not, Pastor Tom addresses the story that this narrative is attempting to convey. What does this story tell us about the character of God?

We all fall short. This is neither news or a surprise. It is perhaps the most common experience of humankind. This story, however, tells only a few verses of that fall. The rest of the story is how God is pursuing us again and again for a gazillion chances.

Our story continues with the development of humanity "in God's image." In this talk, we peer into that image, and reclaim our identities as those image bearers.

Our new series introduces us to a new way of considering and thinking about faith, spirituality, and The Way of Jesus. Rather than through the lens of doctrinal statements, the Bible begins with what is essentially, "Once upon a time," a phrase that invites us into seeing ourselves in new ways, ultimately valuing meaning, purpose, and the next chapters that we are to write. The video played at ser...

Following up from our 5th Anniversary Service, Pastor Danielle exhorts Spark to be the kind of church that is committed to inviting people to The Way of Jesus, grounded in our values. This means that we will be pushed to "the edge of the inside," but it is there, that we find healing and hope.

The end of the book of Acts leave us hanging a bit. In this message, Omair shares why that might be, and what it calls us to do. This, as with all things in the Bible, was no accident.

Paul faced many storms in his travels, an illustration and metaphor for the challenges we all face as we journey with and for Jesus. In this message, Pastor Tom shares how we can be with one another, in and through the storms of our lives.

What is your metric of success? That question helps frame your responses to the experiences of your life. In Acts, there are immediate challenges, persecutions, etc. But these early followers of Jesus held to a "long view" of God's redemptive work.

Each name and pronoun in our narrative highlights aspects of this early movement. In this study, we'll dig into the name Mnason, and the pronoun "we," and how that informs our practice today.

The story of Eutychus is a strange narrative in the middle of what appears to be a travelogue. What is this story doing in there? Drawing from Homer's Odyssey, we consider the possibility that Luke is doing something profound, which is retelling an ancient story in light of the new movement of Jesus, infusing the hearers with a new set of principles, lessons, and values. Really brilliant of Luke!

The early church wrestled with the question of who's "in" and who's "out," regarding their engagement with this community. As we discover, this has been a human expression since the beginning of time. The Jesus Way is one of radical welcome, that ALL are truly welcome, not just at the table, but at the PARTY!

Sparker, Tom Arrington, continues our series with an impassioned encouragement for followers of Jesus to actually trust, and then actually obey.

We are not to sit on the sidelines. Indeed, we cannot, because we ARE NOT on the sidelines. Engaging with the realities of our world, both the light and the dark, is simply an embrace of our true selves, our real identity, and our central calling.

What are the pathways from terrorism to truth, from fear to faith? A reexamination of Saul's encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus reveals blindness as a necessary component of that transformation. As it turns out, blindness is a theme we see throughout the biblical narrative. Rather than "I once was blind but NOW I see," this idea embraces "I once was blind SO I could see."

The Q&R with Pastor Danielle after Lauren's message.

Sparker Lauren Chan reflects on life, and leaving for college. While many are thrilled to be departing from home, this is not something Lauren is looking forward to. Yet, throughout her life, and throughout the biblical story, "leaving home" is a dominant theme of a growing faith.

Acts 19 finds Paul in Ephesus where he incites a famous riot. It is not, however, by traditional means. This riot, is caused by love.

A follow-up interview from Omair's talk, "Mars Hill."

The Q&R session after Omair's talk, "Mars Hill."

The discussion that we see at the Aeropagus, also known as Mars Hill, in Athens highlights two main features of the Jesus movement. First, that followers of Jesus, and the message of the Gospel is comfortable and conversant with intellectual thought. Second, that women play a significant role in the expansion of the movement. Both are often missed and misunderstood through Christian tradition, a m...

A follow-up interview from Marcus's talk "What Are You Going To Do, Are You About That Life?"

If we are really going to be the kind of church that Jesus calls us to, then we should really consider if we are truly committed to loving and welcoming those who are not like us. In this message, Pastor Marcus challenges us from Acts 15 to "get comfortable, being uncomfortable."