Northwest Vineyard

Continuing the summer series on the Beatitudes, Pastor Scott Engebretson returns to examine Matthew 5:7 : "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy." Scott explores how our ability to extend compassion and forgiveness to others is directly tied to our own experience of God's grace. He explains that if we find ourselves harboring bitterness, judgment, or an unmerciful spirit, it serve...

Continuing the summer series on the Beatitudes, Sam Stephens walks through the fourth beatitude in Matthew 5:6 : "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled." Sam contrasts the cultural obsession with chasing superficial appetites—like scrolling through social media—with the deep spiritual hunger we are actually created to experience. He explains that kingd...

Guest speaker Emily Crider steps into the "Flourishing" series to examine the third beatitude: "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." Drawing from her extensive ministry work with university graduate students, Emily breaks down our modern discomfort with the word "meekness," which is often misconstrued as weakness, powerlessness, or passivity. By contrasting the oppressive, self...

In this installment of the "Flourishing" series, Pastor Scott Engebretson addresses our cultural aversion to grief and the rising phenomenon of emotional "dryness." Looking at the second beatitude in Matthew 5:4 , "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted," Scott challenges the American standard of rushed bereavement. Sharing a deeply personal reflection on the legacy and loss of h...

Continuing the summer series on the Beatitudes, Pastor Scott Engebretson tackles our tendency to make false assumptions about life, work, and faith. Zooming in on Matthew 5:3 , Scott unpacks the countercultural definition of what it means to be "poor in spirit." He explains that kingdom flourishing doesn't come from getting louder, bigger, or more self-reliant, but from a posture of spiritual bank...

Kicking off a new summer series on the Beatitudes, Pastor Scott Engebretson introduces what it truly means to live a life that flourishes. Transitioning into Trinity Sunday, Scott contrasts cultural and academic definitions of human flourishing—like Harvard University's Human Flourishing Project—with the countercultural vision cast by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount. Drawing a linguistic link fro...

Preaching on Pentecost—the birthday of the church—Pastor Scott Engebretson concludes the journey through the book of Galatians with a powerful look at Galatians 5 and 6 . Scott challenges the common misconception that the Holy Spirit's power is only meant for spectacular, headline-grabbing moments. Instead, he reveals that the "B-Side" of Pentecost is the internal power of God working daily to res...

Continuing through the book of Galatians, Pastor Hannah Engebretson dives into one of the most powerful and challenging passages in Scripture: Galatians 5 . On a joyful Sunday marked by celebratory water baptisms, Hannah addresses the internal tug-of-war we all experience between the "flesh" and the "Spirit." She explains that while the flesh naturally produces destructive results—such as anger, b...

Preaching on Mother's Day, Pastor Scott Engebretson highlights a moment of "providential convergence" as the journey through Galatians brings us to a passage where the Apostle Paul describes his heart as being in the pains of childbirth for the church. Drawing from Galatians 4 , Scott explores what it truly means to look at our desires and evaluate what we are passionately striving for. He explain...

In this message, Pastor Scott Engebretson tackles the "Do It Yourself" (DIY) mentality that often creeps into our spiritual lives. While DIY skills are great for home repairs, Scott argues that they are spiritual "kryptonite" when it comes to our relationship with God. Drawing from Galatians 3 , he explores the story of Abraham to show that righteousness has never been something we can manufacture...

Continuing through the book of Galatians, Pastor Scott Engebretson explores the vital role our environment plays in our spiritual growth. Using the devastating impact of recent freezes on Florida's citrus crops as a metaphor, Scott explains that just as a physical freeze can destroy fruit, our "spiritual climate" can either nurture or stifle the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Focusing on Ga...

Continuing the series through Galatians (alternatively titled "Fruit and Flame"), Sam Stephens explores the danger of "gatekeeping" the Kingdom of God. Drawing from Galatians 1 , Sam warns against the trap of legalism—likening it to someone trying to sell bottled water while standing right next to a flowing river. He emphasizes that the Holy Spirit's power at Pentecost wasn't just for a one-time e...

Launching a new series through the book of Galatians, Pastor Scott Engebretson introduces "The B-Side Life." Using the analogy of vinyl records, Scott explains that while the "A-Side" represents the polished, popular versions of ourselves we present to the world, the "B-Side" is where the raw, authentic, and soulful work of the Holy Spirit happens. Exploring Galatians 1 , Scott addresses the "perv...

On this Easter Sunday, Pastor Scott Engebretson concludes the "Participating" series by exploring the world-changing reality of the Resurrection. Scott contrasts the "simulated wonder" of illusions—like those performed by magician Harris III—with the tangible, historical truth of the empty tomb in Luke 24 . He challenges the idea that the Resurrection is merely a metaphor or a "beautiful story," a...

In this installment of the "Participating" series, Pastor Scott Engebretson tackles our cultural aversion to waiting. Drawing from Jason Farman's Delayed Response , Scott notes that in our world of instant gratification, we often view waiting as "dead time." However, looking at the transition from the suffering of Holy Week to the hope of the Resurrection, he argues that waiting is actually a sacr...

Continuing the "Participating" series as we approach Holy Week, Pastor Scott Engebretson shares a deeply personal reflection on the tension between the "so much more" of God's power and the reality of human suffering. Drawing from Matthew 27 , Scott walks through the harrowing details of Jesus' mockery and crucifixion, inviting the community to look closely at the "Man of Sorrows." He explores the...

Continuing the Lenten series "Participating," Hannah Engebretson explores how we navigate the "thorns" in our lives—those persistent points of pain, weakness, or affliction that we desperately want removed. Drawing from 2 Corinthians 12 , Hannah looks at the Apostle Paul's experience of pleading with God for relief, only to receive the answer: "My grace is sufficient for you." By reflecting on her...

Continuing in the "Participating" series and the season of Lent, Pastor Scott Engebretson explores the difficult invitation to participate in the suffering of Christ. Using a humorous story about "yak milk" in Nepal to illustrate how we often expect one thing but receive another, Scott dives into the story of Simon of Cyrene from Luke 23 . He discusses the reality that the "cross" is often somethi...

Continuing the "Participating" series during Lent, Pastor Scott Engebretson uses the survival show Alone as a backdrop to discuss how we navigate the "wilderness" of life's hardships. Drawing from John 16 , Scott explores the inevitable "labor pains" of the world and how Jesus prepares his disciples for the trouble ahead. He highlights three ways we are called to participate when life gets hard: b...

Kicking off the new series, "Participating," and entering the season of Lent, Pastor Scott Engebretson looks at the reality of temptation and the "death spirals" we often find ourselves in. Using the story of Jesus in the wilderness from Luke 4:1-13 , Scott highlights how the enemy targets our most basic needs, our desire for protection, and our hunger for power. He explores how Jesus resisted the...

In the concluding episode of the "You Are Here" series, Pastor Scott Engebretson discusses how we navigate the distance between where we currently are and where we want to be as a community . Using the analogy of "You Are Here" maps found in malls and airports, Scott highlights the importance of spiritual orientation . He shares a personal conviction that God is inviting Northwest Vineyard into a...

In the third week of the "You Are Here" series, Pastor Scott Engebretson shifts the focus from the communal church to the individual, asking the challenging question: "Where have you dammed up your life?" . Using the history of dams as a metaphor, Scott explores how we often inadvertently cut off the flow of God's presence, leading to spiritual stagnation . He emphasizes that your personal life wi...

Continuing the "You Are Here" series, guest speaker RJ Owen—a User Experience Designer by trade—explores the concept of liturgy , literally defined as "the work of the people" . Using a humorous illustration of a confusing "high-design" bathroom sink, RJ argues that while the Vineyard is a "low church" with a thin, variable liturgy, we still participate in a set of inherited practices . Drawing fr...

Kicking off a new series titled "You Are Here," Pastor Scott Engebretson explores our identity as a local church within the broader "universal" church. Using the analogy of a "You Are Here" map, Scott explains that while we inhabit a specific time and place in Broomfield, Colorado, we are part of a much larger story that spans centuries. Drawing from Exodus 25 and the specific instructions for the...

In the conclusion of the "Ferment" series, Sam Stephens explores how to protect the spiritual growth God is bubbling up within us. Centering his message on the poetic imagery of Song of Solomon 2:15 , Sam warns against the "little foxes"—those small, seemingly insignificant compromises, distractions, or habits that can ruin a vineyard just as it begins to blossom. He emphasizes that while God prov...