Generations Community Church

We live in a world of chaos and scarcity, which can naturally spark fear. In response, we often scramble to control our circumstances. But control is just an illusion. No amount of planning or manipulation can guarantee our safety or secure our future. That is exactly why the Bible repeatedly calls us to have faith. From the journeys of Abraham and Moses to the Psalms of David and the radical exam...

We American Christians have forgotten something important about our faith - namely, it's about a life WITH God rather than all the things we're doing FOR God. Our focus on endless activity is no accident. In the late 1800s, American Christians shifted heavily toward action, perfectly captured by preacher Charles Spurgeon’s famous plea: “Brethren, do something; do something; do something.” For over...

When faith is watered down to a checklist of ministries or evangelistic goals, we start believing our worth comes from our output. But our value isn't tied to our performance. God treasures friendship with you far more than He needs your accomplishments

We humans are natural storytellers. And one of the big reasons we tell stories is to make sense of life, make sense of reality, and make sense of God. Stories allow us to describe "what is." This month's virtue - is TRUTH - and truth is what is (but truth is also a person).

There is a deeply unhealthy, unbiblical view of God that treats Him like a cosmic vending machine. It tells us that if we follow the rules, God is obligated to bless us, but if we slip up, He’s waiting to zap us. The truth is, God cannot be manipulated, and His blessings can't be bought with our good behavior."

You have likely been given formulas for success: five rules for a bulletproof marriage, three steps to ensure your kids stay in the faith, and seven financial laws to build wealth. While these frameworks sound great—offering structure, eliminating risk, and making life feel controllable—they are not foolproof. In his message, Max Vanderpool argues that true faith cannot be reduced to a rigid set o...

American culture is defined by a cycle of endless consumption—buy, use, discard—a habit validated by overflowing storage units and thrift stores. However, this consumer mindset often bleeds into our spiritual lives, acting as a barrier to a truly satisfying relationship with God and fueling misery during difficult times. In this message, Max Vanderpool explores this issue through the lens of the P...

Perseverance: Refusing to give up when life gets hard, because God is always with you!

The Sabbath has a life-giving ability to PROCREATE. That's because the Sabbath fills your world with life - with energy, creativity, vision, strength, optimism, clarity - and even hope. You're MORE productive (not LESS) when you rest - regularly. You're MORE creative (not LESS) when you rest - regularly. That's why we receive the Sabbath as a gift - because it gives LIFE - and helps us to be HUMAN...

Pharaoh (from the Old Testament) is both a person and a typology. And the system of pharaoh has been the DOMINANT economic system for most societies and nations since humans started farming. It's a system of more, more, and more - built off the backs of those who labor to the benefit of those who own or rule. And it's the same system - whether it's capitalism, socialism, or communism. But there IS...

What do you do when you're being asked to do something at work that you believe is wrong? Do you stay? Do you go? Do you remain silent? Do you speak out? Most Americans, when work becomes difficult or toxic, immediately look for the exit door. But what if God has something in you staying? How do you know? In this message, Max Vanderpool highlights how four different men handled difficult leaders a...

We're not smarter than people who lived 2,000 years ago. They KNEW that some things cannot be undone - which is why Jesus is so FASCINATING - because he does things that seem downright impossible. April's virtue focus is JOY: choosing to celebrate what God is doing.

How's your spiritual life these days? We can actually ask that question, and church-going Americans will have a sense of what we're talking about. That's because we tend to think about life in two categories: SPIRITUAL and SECULAR. Spiritual things have to do with God - you know, stuff like going to church, reading your Bible, praying, and going on mission trips. Secular things are everything else...

Graduation speeches are full of platitudes and cliches: Follow your passion. If you can dream it, you can do it. Be true to yourself. And - the future belongs to you! But these platitudes are not helpful - nor do the represent the kind of life that MOST AMERICANS experience (over 150 million of them) as they work - week in and week out. So if graduation speeches aren't the best place to turn for j...

What comes to mind when you think of heaven? Is it a giant stadium where thousands and thousands of people wearing white robes are singing their hearts out to Jesus (sitting on a golden throne in the middle of it all)? If that's you, you're not alone. But THAT picture of heaven isn't exactly the whole story about what heaven is like. In fact, much of how we talk about heaven isn't really biblical...

Humility - putting others first by giving up what you want.

Work can be incredibly frustrating! That's because you can work hard and set something up that's INCREDIBLE that the "next guy" tears down. And you can work hard and produce something truly GOOD and yet not succeed with it - because it doesn't capture the market. And you can work hard and experience something unexpected (like a tornado) that blows everything away in the wind. So WHY is work so har...

There are two extreme perspectives about work in America today: (1) work hard and hustle and show up early and razzle and dazzle so that you can climb the ladder and reap the rewards - and retire like a king or queen, and (2) work ONLY as much as you have to and only do what is minimally required and take every sick day and personal day and vacation day you have coming to you - because life is sho...

If you do or say something stupid - something that YOU post online or something captured on someone else's phone and posted online, YOU are in serious PERIL. That's because nothing you do or say will cause the people of the internet to forgive you. They will DEMAND that you demonstrate the appropriate sorrow and humility - and that you are held accountable for what you said or did. But no amount o...

Love: choosing to treat others the way Jesus treats us! This February, our kids will be exploring what (real) love looks like - it looks like Jesus. Jesus shows us what love is, what love does, and how love treats others.

Our world is set up to compare ourselves to others and to get to the “middle” where all the power and influence and resources are. vThe problem is that when we play this comparison game it robs us of our hope and our true identity. It actually keeps us from being ourselves and from seeing others. And, while this comparison game (for most of us) STARTS in middle school, it carries on into our adult...

What do you do when all hope is dashed? If you're religious, you've probably assumed that, if you do your part, God will do His part. And so you try harder and harder to get God's attention and get into His good graces - so that the WORST won't (or doesn't) happen. But that's not how things work - and that's not the kind of God that God is. In this message, Brian Hull draws the parallels between t...

Commitment: Making a plan to be like Jesus and putting it into practice. And one of the BIG WAYS we do that is by TALKING about God - at church, at home, and with our friends and family.

Teens and young people are fun to watch. They have their WHOLE lives in front of them. And they are determined - that they will always or they will never or they will not be like their parents or they WILL be like their parents. Should we warn them? Should we tell them? Do they need to know that they are going to fail sometimes? That they are going to let people down sometimes? That the FUTURE ver...

When someone has hurt you, betrayed you, or taken something from you - it's hard to see anything in them but a villain - a bad guy - a jerk - an adulterer - a deadbeat dad - a demanding boss - a Harry Black. But people are complicated - even the people who do terrible things. In this message, Max Vanderpool unpacks an often-forgotten aspect of forgiveness - re-humanizing the person who hurt us (ev...