Evergreen Christian Community

Great by Choice, part 3: The Choice for Integrity July 24, 2016 Pastor Jim Ladd The Big Idea: Integrity is fueled by an unshakeable trust in God. Genesis 39:6-12 Joseph's choice, and it was a great one, was INTEGRITY INTEGRATED faith results in a life of INTEGRITY Integrity isn't something you HAVE; it's something you CHOOSE Joseph's Five Keys For Making This Choice: 1. Choose the greater YES with...

Great By Choice, “Sacrifice” July 17, 2016 Speaker -Jim Ladd Big Idea: .Many times the choice to be great is also the choice of sacrifice. Life has KAIROS and CHRONOS moments Esther 4:9-11 Esther 4:12-14 “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the k...

Great By Choice, 1 “Wisdom” July 10, 2016 Big Idea: Greatness is not a circumstance; it is intentionally chosen. “ ...if there’s one overarching message arising from more than six thousand years of [combined] corporate history across all our research...it would be this: greatness is not primarily a matter of circumstance; greatness is first and foremost a matter of conscious choice…” Jim Collins D...

CITIZENS OF TWO KINGDOMS July 3, 2016 1 Peter 2:11-20 Live as FOREIGNERS (vs 11 -12) Live as CITIZENS (vs 13-14) Live as EMPLOYEES (vs 15-16)

Father’s Day June 19, 2016 The Big Idea: Today’s decision changes tomorrow’s outcome. God’s advice: I. Love their MOM. Ephesians 5:25-30 II. TEACH your children a) About GOD Deuteronomy 11:18-21 b) Do not PROVOKE them Ephesians 6:4 III. DISCIPLINE your children Proverbs 19:18 IV. Speak to them about POSSIBILITIES Psalm 78:2-8 COMMUNITY GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1. When you reflect over your journ...

Breath of God “The Gifts of the Spirit” June 12, 2016 The Big Idea: Everything the Body needs it already has, through the Presence of the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12, 14 Romans 12 Ephesians 4 COMMUNITY GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1. Have you ever considered that God has given you spiritual gifts? What is the primary use for those gifts? 2. Where do you suppose God wants you to use the gifts He ha...

Breath of God “The Fruit of the Spirit” June 5, 2016 Galatians 5 The journey is about CONFORMITY to Jesus WALK by the Spirit: Galatians 5:16 Psalm 1 At the Holy Spirit’s coming at conversion divine PERFECTION does not set in…but divine INFECTION does. EVERYTHING is a work of the Spirit : The Fruit in the Bowl: 1. LOVE: “self-sacrificial giving for the sake of others” 2. JOY: Entirely based on what...

Breath of God “The Spirit Against the Flesh” May 29, 2016 Romans 6 & 7 Big Idea: Through Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit God has opened a new way for us to live and to walk in godliness. Romans 7 & 8 Galatians 5 COMMUNITY GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1. When the Bible talks about our "flesh" what do you think it's referring to? 2. When God gives us a New Way to live, what does that look like...

Breath of God 2 “The Spirit of Power” May 22, 2016 Big Idea: The Holy Spirit wants to empower you to crucify your flesh and become more like Jesus for the common good. The Holy Spirit is guaranteed to ask you to go somewhere or do something YOU DON’T WANT TO DO. We are called to walk in COMMUNAL accountability and BIBLICAL integrity. Acts 8:20-23 Five Reasons The Spirit wants to give you Power: 1....

Breath of God “Meet the Holy Spirit” May 15, 2016 Big Idea: The Holy Spirit is a Person and His influence upon Christians should be dramatic. John 14:16-17 Who is the Holy Spirit? Why do so many believe but have no power? Acts 19:1-3; Acts 7:51 Three ways the Holy Spirit will help you? 1. He will COMFORT you - John 14:16 2. He will COUNSEL you - John 16:13; Isaiah 30:21 3. He will CONVICT you - Jo...

The Awesome Power of Mom May 8, 2016 Big Idea: Mothers have been divinely positioned to leave a legacy. God’s design for motherhood is MAGNIFIED at creation Genesis 1:26-28; Genesis 2:15-23 A mother’s connection to her young DEFIES human understanding 1 Kings 3:16-28 The man’s role in motherhood is to be the mother’s biggest ADVOCATE. Acts 16:1 2 Timothy 1:5

The God of Wrath & Mercy - “Christianity vs Islam" May 1, 2016 Intro to Islam The majority of Muslims are NOT FROM THE ARAB WORLD “Allah” is the Arabic word for GOD “Islam” means “obedience, SUBMISSION, or surrender “Muslim” means “one who is SURRENDERED” The Five Pillers of Islam: 1. Recite the “SHAHADAH” 2. PRAYER 3. Practice an annual FAST 4. Give ALMS 5. Make a PILGRIMAGE 6. Some add a sixth:...

The God of Wrath & Mercy - “Slaughters” April 24, 2016 Deuteronomy 20:10-18 1. This was God’s planned PUNISHMENT of the people of Canaan for their ways. Genesis 15:12-16 2. It was God’s CALL TO MAKE 3. The command to kill every living thing was not LITERAL a. This was common HYPERBOLE in the day. b. This was for the CITIES only c. This was more about PURIFYING than PURGING 1) Punishment 2) ordaine...

The God of Wrath & Mercy - Sacrifice April 17, 2016 Genesis 22:1-19 1. Abraham had ABSOLUTE FAITH that Isaac would not die. 2. Isaac also had FULL FAITH in God. 3. Abraham and Isaac’s Faith Was WELL PLACED He wanted people to see the SEVERITY of their sins. Following Jesus’ sacrifice, there was NO OTHER sacrifice needed. Luke 22:19-20

The God of Wrath & Mercy - “Punishment” April 10, 2016 Examples of punishment in Old Testament Leviticus 20:9; Lev. 24:10-14; Numbers 15:32-36; Duet. 21:18-21 Why are there so many "punishments" in the Old Testament? GOD WAS TRAINING UP A PEOPLE The New Testament is the NEW AGREEMENT God made after JESUS. The Old Testament (law) was to prepare people for the coming of a COMPLETE COVENANT in the Me...

The God of Wrath & Mercy - “The God of Two Testaments” April 3, 2016 A Testament is an AGREEMENT or COVENANT The better way to think of them is the FIRST covenant and the FULFILLED covenant. The HOLINESS of God and RUINED STATE of man. Isaiah 6:1-5 The God of HOLINESS is also a God of GRACE. Isaiah 6:6-7

The Hope of Easter March 27, 2016 Big Idea: Through Jesus, God reveals both who He is and the extravagance of His love for you. 2 Questions: What do you believe ABOUT GOD? WHY do you believe it? 1 Corinthians 15:3-8 Hebrews 1:1-4 Learning what God is like from Jesus and Peter 1. God chooses UNIMPRESSIVE people. Mark 1:16-18 2. God invites you to an ORIENTATION ADJUSTMENT. Matthew 14:22-32 3. God g...

The Surprising Secret to a Powerful Marriage BIG IDEA: Personal Responsibility is the fuel that drives the actions of a healthy marriage. Marriages experience conflict for two reasons: 1. Couples fail to make each other HAPPY 2. Couples succeed at making each other UNHAPPY A Few Surprises About Marriage: - God didn't invent marriage to make me HAPPY, but to make me WHOLE and HOLY Genesis 2:18-25 -...

Football players share their stories of pain, loss, and hope.

The Year of Health, part 5 “Healthy Love” January 24, 2016 The Big Idea: Healthy love is at its best when the going gets tough. 1 John 4:7-12 THE FACTS OF LOVE: My ability and desire to love is profoundly connected to my KNOWLEDGE of God. V8 We SHOW our love the same way God SHOWED His v9 God’s love for me is made complete in me when I LOVE OTHERS v12 Love is made complete among us when it ELIMINA...

Big Idea: We are all in process, and the source of our spiritual growth is Jesus. - We all start out as SEEKERS - We need to begin living our faith OUT LOUD - God will give us opportunities to be BOLD - God BEGINS and FINISHES the work in us - NOW is always a GOOD time to follow Jesus