City Baptist Church Vancouver

Love carries the cost. That’s what Mary showed us in Mark 14. She poured out her most precious possession, not because it made sense, but because Jesus was worth it. Does our worship look anything like that? Not polished or performative, but personal, costly, wholehearted—because when you see the worth of Jesus clearly, holding back just doesn’t make sense anymore. Scripture: Mark 14:1-9

Most of us don’t spend our mornings thinking, “What if Jesus comes back today?” But that’s exactly the wake-up call Jesus gives us in Mark 13. He’s not asking us to figure out dates or obsess over headlines, He’s calling us to stay ready, to live holy, and to be bold in a world that desperately needs hope. Because when He returns—and He will —He’s not looking for casual churchgoers. He’s coming fo...

You don’t have to be perfect to be part of God’s family—you just have to be honest. God sees every worm in the mess of your life and still chooses to love you. That’s grace. Like that little broken dog that turned into a loyal companion, God looks at us in our worst and sees potential we can’t. And just like my wife chose that mangy dog—and, let’s be honest, somehow chose me—Jesus chooses you, not...

Let’s be real—life moves fast, cities change, people drift, and comfort calls. But Acts 20 reminds us that followers of Jesus aren’t called to blend into the blur. We’re called to stand firm. Paul didn’t flinch when the future looked painful—he said, “None of these things move me.” Why? Because the mission mattered more than his comfort. And I just wonder—what would happen if we lived like that? I...

We live in a city that’s constantly changing—new buildings, new challenges, shifting values—but as followers of Jesus, we’re called to hold fast to something that never changes: our commitment to Christ and His church. In Acts 20, Paul looks into the eyes of men he loves and urges them not to waver—not when it’s hard, not when it hurts. He had every reason to quit, but instead he said, “None of th...

Most of us are tempted to treat church like a flight—we find the seat we like, hope for some decent snacks, and settle in to be served. But Jesus flips that script completely. In John 13, He didn’t demand a platform—He grabbed a towel, knelt down, and served. That’s the kind of love He modeled, and that’s the life He calls us into—not a life of consumer Christianity, but one of humble, joyful serv...

When the world feels fractured and faith feels faint, the church should shine brightest—not by our perfection, but by our unity. Jesus said the world would know we’re His by the way we love each other. That’s not some vague, feel-good idea—it’s a gritty, Spirit-empowered choice to stay committed, forgive freely, and lock arms in mission even when it's hard. Unity in the church doesn’t just reflect...

You weren’t made to sit on the sidelines—you were made for more. Jesus didn’t die and rise again to create a church full of spectators; He rose to build a body where every person matters, and every member plays a vital role. The local church isn’t a spiritual country club—it’s a living, breathing mission, and you have a place in it. When we step into the role God’s given us with hearts full of lov...

Maybe you walked in today with doubts, grief, or even a little fear in your heart—but here’s the good news: the resurrection of Jesus changes everything. It takes grief and replaces it with joy, turns fear into peace, and transforms doubt into bold, living faith. Jesus didn’t just rise to make a point; He rose to meet you personally, right where you are. Just like He called Mary by name or stepped...

Picture this: the same crowd shouting “Hosanna!” on Sunday would be shouting “Crucify Him!” by Friday. Why? Because their view of Jesus was incomplete. They saw a Savior who would rescue them politically, not one who would rule over their hearts. But Jesus is both the Son of David and David’s Lord—fully human, yet fully God. And that changes everything. The only right response is to not just say J...

So many of us live in a swirl of questions—Why am I here? What should I do? How do I make sense of this broken world? But what if the most important answer isn’t found in solving every problem but in surrendering to the One who holds all truth? When Jesus was confronted with loaded questions meant to trap Him, He didn’t dodge or deflect—He pointed people to what matters most: love God with everyth...

What's incredible about this parable is how patient and generous our God really is. He gave everything—a vineyard fully equipped, ready to thrive—and just asked for fruit in return. And even when the tenants rebelled, beat the messengers, and killed His Son, God didn’t lash out immediately—He waited. That’s the kind of love we see in Jesus: rejected, yet still reaching. So here’s the question—...

When the road ahead looms large with mountains we cannot move, and the weight of our fears presses down like a storm, Jesus whispers still: Have faith in God. Not faith in our own resolve or in the strength of our belief, but in the God who speaks worlds into being and bends the arc of history toward redemption. He is not threatened by our impossibilities—He delights to work through them, even whe...

Jesus, the sovereign King, rides into Jerusalem—not on a warhorse, but on a humble colt, a King of peace rather than conquest. The crowd cries, "Hosanna," but their lips soon betray their hearts, for worship without surrender is empty noise. The fig tree stands lush with leaves but bears no fruit, a vivid picture of religious pretense that lacks true spiritual life. And in the temple, Je...

Jesus walks through Jericho for the last time before His journey to the cross, and in the crowd of voices, a blind man cries out, desperate for mercy. The world, as it often does, tells him to be silent, to settle for his brokenness—but he refuses. He cries louder, and Jesus, the King on His way to die, stops. In this moment, we see the heart of our Savior: undistracted by the weight of His coming...

Jesus, the King of Glory, marches toward Jerusalem with unwavering resolve, His heart set on the suffering that will purchase our redemption. He does not seek a throne of power, but a cross of shame—an act that turns the world’s definition of greatness on its head. In a moment of tragic irony, His disciples, blinded by ambition, grasp for status, failing to see that true greatness in God’s kingdom...

The kingdom of God belongs to those who come to Him with empty hands and childlike trust, not those weighed down by their own self-sufficiency. Jesus, in His wisdom, shatters the illusion that wealth and power secure our place in eternity—instead, He calls us to release our grip on the temporal and cling to Him alone. The rich young ruler, though moral and accomplished, missed eternal treasure bec...

Marriage is not a mere social contract or a fleeting human arrangement—it is a divine covenant, a sacred gift from God, designed for our joy and His glory. From the very beginning, God established the union of man and woman, not as something to be discarded at convenience, but as a lifelong bond reflecting Christ’s love for His Church. In a world that trivializes commitment and exalts self-gratifi...

Equip 2025 - Apologetics Weekend with Tobi England In the darkest valleys of loss and suffering, when the weight of this world presses heavy, the gospel stands as an unshakable anchor. Peter, writing to a persecuted church, reminds us that our faith is no myth, no cunningly devised fable—it is the surest reality, rooted in history, attested by eyewitnesses, and fulfilled in Christ. The righteousne...

Equip 2025 - Apologetics Weekend with Tobi England Christianity does not rest on myths or empty traditions—it stands or falls on a historical event: the resurrection of Jesus Christ. If Christ did not rise, our faith is in vain, our sins remain, and death is the final word (1 Corinthians 15:17). But if He did rise, then everything changes—death is defeated, sin is conquered, and hope is eternally...

Equip 2025 - Apologetics Weekend with Tobi England The reliability of Scripture is not a blind leap of faith—it is an anchor grounded in history, archaeology, and careful preservation. The same God who spoke the universe into existence has sovereignly ensured that His Word has been accurately transmitted through generations. Every tested claim—whether in prophecy, historical figures, or manuscript...

Equip 2025 - Apologetics Weekend with Tobi England The Christian does not fear truth, because all truth belongs to God. Science is not the enemy of faith; it is the study of the world God created, a world that unmistakably bears His fingerprints. When we look at the fine-tuning of the universe, the complexity of life, and the moral law written on human hearts, we see not randomness, but intentiona...

Equip 2025 - Apologetics Weekend with Tobi England Doubt is not the enemy of faith—unchecked doubt is. The Christian life is not about avoiding questions but about pressing into them with confidence that the truth will hold. Deconstruction, as our culture frames it, often leads to a hollow skepticism, not a stronger faith, because it assumes that tearing down is always better than building up. But...

Equip 2025 - Apologetics Weekend with Tobi England Christianity is not just true—it is profoundly, inescapably good. In a world fractured by self-interest, injustice, and suffering, the gospel of Jesus Christ stands as the one unshakable force of restoration, not merely calling us to righteousness but transforming lives, healing wounds, and redefining what it means to be human. The love of Christ...

True greatness, as Jesus defines it, is found in a heart fully surrendered to Him—a heart that humbly serves others, pursues holiness, and aligns itself with His mission. It’s a greatness marked not by self-promotion or worldly acclaim but by self-denial, by embracing the last place and the lowly. Jesus calls us to a radical discipleship that sees sin as the greatest enemy and holiness as the high...