The Local Church

Easter isn’t just a story we believe— it’s a story we’re invited to step into. We all try to build our lives on things like success, relationships, or achievement, but eventually those things fall short and leave us wanting more. The resurrection shows us that Jesus didn’t just defeat death, but that He started something new that we can experience right now. Real life change happens when we stop s...

Palm Sunday we kicked off a new series on how God uses rhythms and stories, like the Passover, to shape His people and remind them who they are. Toran walked us through the story of Israel, showing how they couldn’t have rescue themselves from slavery and needed God to step in with a substitute—the Passover lamb. Jesus is the true “Lamb of God” who fulfills that story and brings ultimate rescue fo...

Paul’s journey reached its end, but in his end -- is our beginning. This Sunday, Sara wrapped up the series in the book of Acts by looking at the end of Paul’s journey and how he finished strong even while under so much distress and numerous arrests. Sara shared three ways God provided for Paul: unlikely allies, clear direction when things felt hopeless, and the boldness to keep going to the very...

Where does your story start?  Sundays message walks through Paul’s story and shows how God meets people in the middle of their life, not after they’ve cleaned everything up.  It highlights how Jesus calls and uses ordinary (and even unlikely) people for a purpose. It shows how God doesn’t wait for you to have it all together—He steps in right in the middle of your story. Pastor Toran reminds us to...

Be honest with yourself - are you living for comfort or a purpose worth giving your life to? Sunday's message explores Acts 20 - 21, where Apostle Paul chooses to continue his mission to Jerusalem even though he knows suffering and imprisonment await him. Through Paul’s example, Pastor Toran challenged us to consider whether we are living for comfort or for a purpose worth giving our lives to....

What idols would you struggle to burn today? Influence, money, perceptions, convenience? In Acts 19, we see how the gospel that Paul brought to Ephesus challenged everything about the culture and its economy. As hearts were transformed and idols were left behind, opposition rose to reveal how deeply humans cling to the illusion of control when threatened. When Jesus truly becomes Lord, He doesn’t...

Acts 18 records Paul’s time in Corinth as he followed Jesus in a messy, distracted, and spiritually confused city. We see that faithfulness often looks ordinary — working, building relationships, staying planted — even when results aren’t immediate. Even when you feel tired or unseen, God is closer than you think, and your steady obedience matters more than flashy outcomes. --- Join us for service...

Jesus: Consultant or King? In Acts 17, Paul went to Thessalonica and declared “Jesus is King”. It wasn't just spiritual language, but was was a bold claim that challenged every other authority of that time. Today we have to look at the invisible kings on the throne of our hearts— comfort, approval, success, security. Jesus isn’t meant to be a consultant in your life. He’s King, and he’s worth...

Today Pastor Toran guided us through Acts 16, and what faith looks like on the front lines. --- Join us for service online or in-person in Grand Rapids every Sunday at 9AM & 10:45AM. Decided to follow Jesus? We would love to help you figure out what's next! Let us know at https://bit.ly/TLC-i-decided Stay Connected! Website: http://localchurchgr.org Facebook: http://facebook.com/localchurc...

Today Dr. Gary Burge joined us to explore Acts 15 and define grace. --- Join us for service online or in-person in Grand Rapids every Sunday at 9AM & 10:45AM. Decided to follow Jesus? We would love to help you figure out what's next! Let us know at https://bit.ly/TLC-i-decided Stay Connected! Website: http://localchurchgr.org Facebook: http://facebook.com/localchurchgr Instagram: http://in...

In Acts 13-14, we see that the gospel was never meant to stay in one place or with one group. Jesus's disciples knew this, and humbly took the gospel to others even when that path included rejection and suffering. Mission is learned, practiced, and sustained in community. It isn't hard because you're doing it wrong, but it is impossible if you're doing it alone. --- Join us for ser...

Acts 10 tells a story of a generous God who will stop at nothing to bring the good news of Jesus to people. In this instance, he uses two different visions sent to two men. One was incredibly clear, while the other was perplexing. God could have chosen to speak simply to them both, but instead asked for obedience even without a full understanding of the plan. This happens in our lives today, as we...

In Acts 9, Saul has a dramatic encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus and grace completely flips his story. Ananias was a quiet but crucial “hinge character” whose obedience, even when it was scary and didn’t make sense, helped change Saul’s life — and ultimately the world. God often works through ordinary people saying yes, not just big-name heroes of the faith. Who might God be calling you...

All of humanity has a "God-shaped hole in our heart" and nothing we try to fill it with - even good things - don't satisfy. Throughout scripture, Jesus is called the promised “branch” who brings real life and hope. Christian hope isn't wishful thinking — it’s confident trust in a future God has already promised and revealed in Christ. The way to translate this hope to others who...

Where are you? Are you far from God or living like you're one of His family? We often hide from God - especially when we’re ashamed, hurting, or overwhelmed - but God invites us back to Him. In our darkest moments, God is compassionate, gentle, and delighted to draw near to us. The promise of Immanuel, God with us, is that light is coming. No matter what you're carrying, God wants you to c...

There are many types of suffering - physical, emotional, spiritual, relational. Some of us can name specific suffering we're going through, but there's also a general sense in the world that things are broken and not okay. Pain and suffering aren't proof that God has left us — it's often the place where He does His deepest work. Jesus understands our suffering and actually walks wi...

Does truly loving someone mean that we need to affirm all parts of them, including their sexual orientation?  Today we look at what scripture says about same-sex attraction as well as how God loves and responds to his people (with all types of brokenness). Though TLC holds to a traditional sexual ethic, how we talk about this charged topic and live it out has deep implications for people that Jesu...

What is the Bible? Even proclaimed Christians can have trouble constructing a definition, often because we come to scripture with our own opinions and doubts. But if we start with how Jesus understood and viewed God's Word, we can reach a new definition: The Bible is a library of books — both human and divine — that's trustworthy and authoritative, and tells a unified story that leads us t...

Can we really trust the Bible? Using history, archaeology, and critical literary research, we explore how Scripture was formed, copied, and preserved with remarkable accuracy. Compared to other ancient texts, it is unmatched in evidence and consistency. When we look at how God has faithfully preserved His Word through thousands of years, we can feel confident that the Bible is historically credibl...

Does God still speak personally and clearly today, like he speaks to Phillip in Acts 8? Obedience to God’s voice can lead to unexpected but life-changing outcomes. God speaks through Scripture, prayer, the Holy Spirit, and community. Believers can learn to recognize God’s voice the same way they recognize a parent’s—through familiarity and relationship. --- Join us for service online or in-person...

God loves to take the ancient truth of the gospel and breathe new life into it. In Acts 7 & 8, we read of the persecution and scattering of Christians as Jewish leaders tried to stop the spread of the gospel. But this physical movement of Jesus's followers to a new place ignited a bigger movement of the Spirit in people's hearts. --- Join us for service online or in-person in Grand Rap...

This Sunday was a Sacred Space Sunday, where we spent extended time in Acts 4:23-31 together in small groups. We examined the text for what it reveals about God's character, and prayed for the boldness to recognize and obey any invitation the Spirit has for us. --- Join us for service online or in-person in Grand Rapids every Sunday at 9AM & 10:45AM. Decided to follow Jesus? We would love...

When faced with opposition, will you obey God or man? Acts 4–5 shows the early church wrestling with this question. Jesus’ followers had to choose between obeying men who threatened them or obeying God. Today, many believers still face severe persecution, while most of us encounter subtler tests—how we respond to gossip, integrity, anger, money, culture, and idols. Through the Spirit and the churc...

The early church in Acts gave generously and sacrificially. How? They devoted themselves to Jesus' teachings on the subject and those of the Old Testament. Today we looked at six Biblical principles of giving that believers can follow today. This message is part of our series in the book of Acts, which is like the "part 2" of Luke's writing, capturing the life and ministry of Jes...

Acts 2:42 gives a picture of what the church can look like when it's operating at its best: devotedly pursuing the apostles' teaching (the New Testament), fellowship, eating together and prayer. Practicing this kind of fellowship - or koinonia - offers so much value for our lives today. This message is part of our series in the book of Acts, which is like the "part 2" of Luke&#39...