Eastbrook Church

The closing weekend of MissionsFest with a message from Senior Pastor Matt Erickson.

The opening weekend of our 2018 MissionsFest with Dr. Paul "Bobby" Gupta from the Hindustan Bible Institute in Chennai, India.

In Daniel 4:1-37, Nebuchadnezzar has a dream and Daniel interprets it truthfully. Nebuchadnezzar’s pride threatens to undo him, and Daniel speaks of that reality. When it comes to pass, even Nebuchadnezzar humbles himself before God.

In Daniel 3:1-30, Daniel’s three friends find their faith tested with the threat of idolatry and resulting punishment. What does it mean to have faith in a foreign land when the fire comes?

Nebuchadnezzar has a troubling dream that for which no interpreter can find meaning. Daniel seeks God in prayer and receives a revelation from God. When he gives a favorable response, all around recognize the power of God.

The story of Daniel begins with the exile from Jerusalem. What does it mean for the exiles to live out their faith in this place? Daniel and his friends provide us with an example of how to live our faith as exiles. We are in the world but not of it. We seek the peace of the city in which we are planted but it is not truly our home.

The church as a multi-ethnic, Kingdom-oriented community is central to the gospel of Jesus Christ. What does it mean to move beyond the frameworks of divisive thinking, and rather to call us into a deeper grasp of Jesus’ prayer for unity and call to love?

The church is an intergenerational family, where we are all equally children of God by simple faith, yet also embracing the entire church, young and old, as having a place of belonging and value. What does it mean to move beyond the frameworks of generational thinking, and rather to call us into a deeper grasp of Jesus’ prayer for unity and call to love?

Within the book of Revelation we have numerous examples of heavenly worship. We may not think of them as prayer, but that is truly what they are. How might we better learn how to pray now by learning from the heavenly examples of prayer?

The early church spent a lot of time in prayer. Prayer was the fuel and guide for their outward mission in Jerusalem, Judea, and the further parts of the known world. Looking at their examples of prayer throughout Acts, we can learn how to let prayer shape our life on mission as a church.

Throughout his ministry, Jesus teaches his disciples to pray. It is in the midst of an ordinary exchange with an ordinary father, however, that we learn what it looks like to come to God in total weakness to find Him more than sufficient in Mark 9:22-25.

Mary’s prayer stands out as one of the strongest expressions of faith in the entire Bible. She is humble yet bold, meek yet strong. Her words become a model for all of us on how to live a life surrendered to God.

After the exile of God’s people from the Promised Land to Canaan, God raises up Nehemiah as a great leader to establish the people back in their land. What we often forget is that Nehemiah’s great leadership began in prayer. All of us may not feel we are leaders, but all of us can be used by God wherever we are. The key to that work of God in and through us comes by dedicating ourselves to Him in...

Daniel lives in exile in the land of Babylon. He serves in the upper echelons of society while also maintaining his faith through regular prayer. In Daniel 9:3-19, in the midst of his regular prayer, he offers one of the most powerful expressions of corporate repentance and renewal in the entire Bible.

The prophet Habakkuk concludes his bleak book with a powerful and rich declaration of faith in the face of pending suffering in Habakkuk 3:1-21. Regardless of our circumstances, how might we learn to be people of faith through prayer like Habakkuk?

King Hezekiah faces tremendous threats at the hands of the Assyrian armies. In this dire situation, Hezekiah turns to God with a prayer for deliverance in 2 Kings 19:14-20; 20:1-7. When we face pressures, how might Hezekiah’s example help us, whether individually or corporately, turn to God for deliverance?

Elijah’s wonderful victory over the prophets of Baal turns into a fearful flight for his life. Running to the mountain of God, Elijah has a powerful encounter with God that transforms him. He speaks and listens, and is sent out by God renewed in 1 Kings 19:1-18.

David’s adultery with Bathsheba leads to a rebuke from the prophet Nathan. David, this ‘man after God’s own heart’, suddenly finds his life crashing down because of his sin. We can learn from David’s prayer of repentance how we also might turn to God in prayer when we sin.

In the midst of her barrenness, Hannah calls out to God. She finds that God answers her in relation to her deepest desires for a child. Hannah helps us learn how to pray our desires in the presence of God in 1 Samuel 1:9-20; 2:1-10.

The ongoing rebellion of God’s people after the Exodus appears to have worn God out. Judgment will come upon them for their disobedience, yet Moses intercedes with the Lord on behalf of His people. What can we learn about interceding for God’s people from Moses in Numbers 14:1-23?

In one of the most vivid passages of the Old Testament we see God speaking with Abraham about the wicked towns of Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham’s nephew, Lot, lives there with his family, but Abraham focuses on calling God to act justly. It almost seems like Abraham is bargaining with God. What is going on here and what might we learn about pleading with God in prayer on behalf of the lost?

If we move forward with God the Father by faith in Jesus the Messiah, we are filled with the Holy Spirit. If this great power and presence of God is in us, then our identity with God is transformed tremendously. But how specifically does the Holy Spirit’s presence in our lives shape our identity? Join us this week as we explore that reality.

Because of Jesus Messiah, God’s love is made clear and powerful in our lives. Our sense of belonging in God can shape our sense of personal identity. We are found in Christ and held in the love of God. When we know how deeply loved we are with God, it gives a foundation to our lives that shapes the way we live with others.

Life is a journey. We are not finished yet. That is a truth in general, but even more so with our identity in God. God is doing a work with us in our lives, and it will not be finished until we see Him face to face. Like the Israelites in exile, we are waiting for the day when we will see God. He is refining us and shaping us. He is working in us and through us. This week explores how our identity...