Arborway Community Church

If you've ever wondered what type of person Jesus says is blessed, you don't have to look further than the opening section of the Sermon on the Mount. In this section, Jesus talks about the kinds of people that will be in his kingdom. If you're launching a new kingdom and looking for influence, might, and power, this is not going to be the group to gather. But Jesus was doing something completely...

This may be strange to think about, but have you ever wondered why God doesn't just take us to Heaven after we trust in him? It's because he has given us a mission and purpose for staying, at least for a time. This week Pastor Ivey talks to us about our mission as Christians, both to those we know and to those around the world. If you're a Christian today, Jesus has saved you and given you hope. H...

Last week Pastor Ivey spoke on togetherness, and this week we continue to define Arborway by looking at what our mission is together. Anyone can bring a group together, but what's most important is the mission of that group. Why do they exist? We're not just together, but we're together with one another. We're on Jesus' mission as defined in the gospels and the goal is his kingdom and glory. This...

Every year we remind ourselves about who we are as a church. With a new name, vision, and mission, this year there is even more to talk about! Join pastor Ivey as he talks to us about what it means to be "Together" with Jesus. This week we explore godly togetherness. The early church had something special, and it's something that Arborway strives to live out.

Whether we admit it or not, all of us struggle with insecurities. There is a broad range of things we can be insecure about, but much of it comes down to the feeling like we’re not enough. This week we take a look at Moses, one of the most important people in the Bible. Though he would do incredible things through God, he didn’t begin his story as a hero. When God chose him to lead the people out...

What do people mean when they say things like, “I prefer to think of God like…“? If God is real, it doesn’t matter how we prefer to think of him. He is who he is. This week we turn to the making of the golden calf to explore the question, what does it mean to make an idol? For many of us, we’re not tempted to worship a golden cow, but we do create other types of gods. Pastor Ivey helps us see wher...

All of us are going to go through painful times in our lives. And it's not like being Christian changes that. The question we may have is, "Why would a good God allow us to suffer? It's a legitimate question, but what if it's the wrong question? This Sunday pastor Ivey brings us through Job and gives us two helpful questions we should ask about our pain... and "Why?" is not one of them.

We can look at the stars and measure God's infinite creative power, but how do we measure his glory? This week pastor Ivey helps us understand the infinite goodness and holiness of God by taking us to two passages where God's glory is on display. For those in the room, it was a really bad thing. Not only were they scared, but their lives were at risk.

Do you struggle with doubt about God? Much of our doubt happens because we shrink God. Many people want a God that is powerful, but not too powerful. Great, but not too great. We would like him to be like us, just a little smarter and stronger. Why? Because that’s a God that we can control. But that’s not the God we encounter in the Scriptures. The God of the Scriptures is incomprehensibly strong,...

The Apostle Paul uses an analogy about Jesus’ church. He calls it the body of Christ. In it, each person has a different purpose and gift. Though we are different we are made to work together in unity. Listen this week as special guest and Arborway member, Peter Namukowa, challenges us to live as a unified church in Christ.

We’ve all eaten something that was so disgusting that we couldn’t keep it in our mouths. This week Jesus writes a letter to a church that makes him vomit. What’s their big sin? They are lukewarm. Jesus examines Laodicea, a wealthy church that stopped being the church as Christ designed it to be. It may seem all is lost for this terrible church, but in the end, we’ll see that if they repent, Jesus...

This Sunday Pastor Ivey looks at Jesus’ letter to the church in Philadelphia. This is one of the few churches where he doesn’t call for them to repent. This is one of the good ones! Philadelphia was a church we can emulate. What was so special about this little church? They were faithful to walk through the doors Jesus opened for them. This week, learn how Jesus opens doors that are impossible for...

In the book of Revelation, Jesus presents a terrifying idea: Churches, people, and things that look spiritually alive can actually be dead. History is full of dead churches that looked alive. We know people who called themselves Christian, to only leave the faith or do something counter to the way of Christ. Sometimes we can even fool ourselves! So how can we know if we're spiritually alive in Chr...

Join us today in Ephesians 4:17-24 as we explore how the Gospel transforms our minds from ignorance to Christlikeness. As unbelievers, none of us knew Christ and our minds were dark without Him. When the Holy Spirit opens our minds to the Gospel, our thoughts, desires, and emotions become more like Jesus.

This week we look at Jesus’ letter to the church in Thyatira. While they were doing a lot of good things, they were tolerating a false teacher. Jesus calls this teacher Jezebel. Somehow, many in this church have been tricked by her. This week Pastor Ivey shows us four ways we get tricked by false teachers and helps us avoid them.

What does it mean for Jesus to be Lord? This week we jump to the letter from Jesus to the church in Pergamum. In it, Jesus challenges the church because they were compromising in all the wrong ways. The outcome was that Jesus was no longer Lord. Pastor Ivey helps us see the ways in which we compromise our faith, then we learn how to hold tight to Jesus in the middle of a culture that wants to pull...

This week we start a new series in the book of Revelation. We often think of Revelation as a really strange book full of weird images and prophecy, and it is. Yet, at the start of the book, we get seven letters from Jesus to seven churches in Asia Minor. In week one we look at the church in Ephesus. A church that knew all the right things, but did have the love Jesus wanted them to have.

Starting is easy, finishing is the hard part. Many of us have started something, ran into a snag, and dropped out. But if God has called us to start it, how can we not finish? In our final message of Pre-Decide Pastor Ivey helps us learn how to be finishers.

We will all be remembered for something after our lives are over. What do you want to be remembered for? Some want to be successful, others happy, or and some of us moral. The question all of us should ask is, “Who does God want me to be?” This week Pastor Ivey helps us discover the foundational aspect God is looking for.

We all want to be happy, but did you know the more advertisements you see the less happy you are? Ads show us all the things we’re missing and they promise us happiness if we get the thing. The problem is, they can’t deliver on the happiness promised. If acquiring more stuff won’t make us happy, what will? Jesus gives us an unintuitive truth: “It’s more blessed to give that receive.” This week pas...

We dedicate our time to the things we care about most. It makes sense for Christians to dedicate our time to God. How many hours do you dedicate to your relationship with God? Many Christians dedicate an hour a week on Sundays. Which is a good start, but a relationship needs more than that. Life is busy already! How can we give more time? If you need help in your relationship with God, watch this...

This week we look at a spiritual discipline that can turn your life around. Those that have a thriving life live out this discipline on a daily basis. What is it? Consistency. This week Pastor Ivey takes to Daniel, one of the most faithful and consistent people in the Scriptures. We’ll learn how being a consistent person can change our lives. Then we’ll get three ideas to help us be consistent God...

In week two of Pre-Decide we turn to temptation. All of us are tempted daily, and some days we’re more successful at fighting it than others. Succumbing to our worst temptations not only hurts us, but can hurt the people we love the most, and ultimately hurt the heart of God. How can we be better equipped and stronger against our struggles? This week, Pastor Ivey looks into the Scriptures to teach...

This week we begin a new series on making better decisions. Pastor Ivey talks about the idea of pre-deciding some of life’s biggest choices before they every happen. We’ll examine how this technique can help save us from making some really destructive decisions. This may not be an idea you’ve heard before, but it’s one found all over the the ancient wisdom of the Bible. Listen in this week for par...