The Local Church

How amazing is it that the God of the universe chooses to dwell with us - within His followers? This weekend our Family Pastor, Adam, looked at God's dwelling places throughout scripture. God wants to be close to His children, and Jesus made that closeness possible. --- Join us for service online or in-person in Grand Rapids every Sunday at 8:30, 9:45 & 11:15AM. Decided to follow Jesus? We...

All of the Christian life is a movement toward death; but how do we die well? By practicing dying and surrendering to Jesus. We can do this by practicing letting go of two specific things: our desire to be seen by others, and our desire for control. Pastor Austin asked us - where would we rather not go? And are we willing and able to let Jesus lead us there anyway if he desires it? --- Join us for...

This week, Pastor Toran expanded on the deeper spiritual maturity he believes God is calling TLC to. We examined three phases of maturity that disciples of Jesus experience, their temptations, and their benefits. --- Join us for service online or in-person in Grand Rapids every Sunday at 8:30, 9:45 & 11:15AM. Decided to follow Jesus? We would love to help you figure out what's next! Let us...

Pastor Toran is back from sabbatical and sharing with us some lessons learned for himself as well as our church. --- Join us for service online or in-person in Grand Rapids every Sunday! Through the summer at 9AM and 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...

In our series Prodigal Prophet we're learning from the book of Jonah - a short, 4-chapter book that's ultimately a prophetic masterpiece about God's love. --- Join us for service online or in-person in Grand Rapids every Sunday! Through the summer at 9AM and 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-decid...

In our series Prodigal Prophet we're learning from the book of Jonah - a short, 4-chapter book that's ultimately a prophetic masterpiece about God's love. --- Join us for service online or in-person in Grand Rapids every Sunday! Through the summer at 9AM and 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-decid...

Jonah's prayer recorded in chapter 2 demonstrates his sincere gratitude for God's rescue, but also a continued defiant protest of God's plans. It serves as a mirror for us to ask - how often do we find ourselves either disobedient or blinded to how God wants to move in, through and around us? Do we recognize that God does unexpected things in unexpected ways with unexpected people? In...

When God instructs Jonah, a righteous man, to prophesy to Nineveh and give them the opportunity to be saved from destruction, he disobeys. Jonah is afraid that God may be limitless in His love - love even for His enemies. Many of us today find ourselves wanting to put limits on God's love, but it is essential that we name our "enemies" and extend radical love to them. In our series P...

Today, Pastor AJ Gillespie from Berkley Hills Church helps us understand how our everyday relationships have the potential to be radically impactful. If we follow what Hebrews 10:25-26 says, being people who encourage and challenge one another, this can bring about about protection from sin and expose blind spots so that we can become more like Christ. Through the “PB & J" series, we'...

Meals offer an opportunity to make space daily to remember who God is and what He's done for us. The Passover meal recorded in Mark 14 was a life-changing meal for the disciples. Jesus not only washed their feet, modeling the posture of serving they should have, but He also asked them to eat and drink in remembrance of Him. As he set up His new covenant He framed the most ordinary thing - eati...

How can we live as people who watch and wait for the Kingdom of Heaven when we can barely wait for the small things in our lives? Waiting is uncomfortable. But as Paul outlines in Romans 8:18-25, we can wait in hope because we have the Holy Spirit within us. We can have hope that there is more: more than our present suffering, and more than the world's empty promises of fulfillment. As Christi...

How do you handle the small annoyances and struggles of your every day life? When our schedules are interrupted or we feel out of control, our reactions can reveal what we prefer to keep hidden: anger, anxiety, self-berating, our idolatry of ease. But practicing confession of our shortcomings offers a valuable way to connect with the Father daily. It requires trust in His mercy; it recognizes our...

This weekend, we looked at the baptism of Jesus in Matthew 3:13-17, when He enters the waters to symbolize bringing order to the chaos of the world. The Father in Heaven then declares His love and delight in Jesus - all before Jesus's ministry even begins. Jesus began beloved simply based on His identity as God's son; if we're in Him, so do we. If we begin beloved, how does the way we...

Research shows that the majority of Americans don't enjoy and aren't satisfied by our jobs. Dr. Conrad of the GLR challenges us - what would happen if we allowed God to move us into the other camp? To do this we must understand that all ethical work is sacred and deeply matters to God; and that we are ambassadors of Jesus in the workplace. --- Join us for service online or in-person in Gra...

This weekend we're learning from Moses - specifically, from the end of his life in Deuteronomy 34. This text brings up a scary possibility that we could work long and hard toward a dream, and at the end, God might say we won't see it finished. But notice that Moses didn't plead with God to allow him into the Promised Land. Might it be that after his long life with God, he realized that...

In John 14:6-7, Jesus makes what is perhaps his most counter-cultural "I Am" statement. As "the way, the truth and the life", Jesus doesn't just show us the way to the Father - He IS the way to the Father. As His followers, we must be obedient to His way and connected to His truth in order to bring about His life. And as we share this with others, we have the privilege to u...

Have you ever felt like your life isn't producing the fruit you thought it would? In John 15, we see Jesus describe himself to his disciples as the "true vine". He says that remaining in Him - abiding with Him - is the key to living a fruitful life that glorifies the Father. How do you sense He wants you to draw closer to Him in this season? --- Join us for service online or in-perso...

There is a strange and compelling power of Jesus's sacrificial and all-encompassing love. This beauty is what Jesus is referring to when, in John 10, he calls himself "the good shepherd". As His sheep, we should emulate Him in laying down our lives for others. --- Join us for service online or in-person in Grand Rapids every Sunday at 8:30, 9:45 & 11:15AM (EST). Decided to follow...

Might pursuing a life of safety on our own hold us back from experiencing the life God has for us? Many of us think that we can create a life of safety and security through our own means. With enough planning and smart decisions, we will be safe. But in John 10, Jesus tells us that He is the shepherd who we go through for refuge and protection in the world. In week 4 of our "I Am" series...

We continue our i am series by looking at another one of Jesus’ statements and the story that it is embedded in. Jesus is the light of the world. His proclamation of this and the response that followed offers us the chance to reassess our source(s) of light and invites us to surrender to Jesus for true fulfillment. -- Join us for service online or in-person in Grand Rapids every Sunday at 8:30, 9:...

While we wrestle with the disappointment of a different offer being accepted on a building we continue to feel like God has for us, the Bible encourages us to bring those to God and remember God’s mighty works. Our birthday presented the perfect opportunity for that. -- Join us for service online or in-person in Grand Rapids every Sunday at 8:30, 9:45 & 11:15AM (EST). Decided to follow Jesus?...

Together, we focus on Jesus’ proclamation, "I am the bread of life". This statement from Jesus draws parallels to the Old Testament story of the Israelites' exodus and invites anyone who hears it to go beyond seeking material or political gains and instead receive Jesus as the true source of eternal life and fulfillment. -- Join us for service online or in-person in Grand Rapids ever...

Kicking off our series I AM, we're examining 7 of Jesus's "I am" statements found through scripture. On Easter Sunday, we see the truth that Jesus IS the resurrection and the life as we read the story of Lazarus being raised from death. -- Join us for service online or in-person in Grand Rapids every Sunday at 8:30, 9:45 & 11:15AM (EST). Decided to follow Jesus? We would love...

We conclude our Victories & Valleys series by looking at the last written words of David. Who is suitable to serve as a king? David’s final words focus on righteousness, justice, and the fear of God while emphasizing David's acknowledgement of needing transformation. -- Join us for service online or in-person in Grand Rapids every Sunday at 8:30, 9:45 & 11:15AM (EST). Decided to follow...

The story of David and Absalom is a story which highlights the need to heed God's warnings and avoid taking matters into our own hands. It highlights the importance of accountability, resisting temptation, and establishing checks and balances in our lives. We need to seek God's help, genuine community, and accountability to prevent falling into the traps of sin and rebellion. -- Join us fo...