Go Deeper

Mark and Ryan sat down to discuss 1 Corinthians 1, the foolishness of the cross, and the pursuit of wisdom in Jesus.

Grow in sound wisdom - live for Christ; gain heaven. He is our source - the only true source - for success and security as He prepares us for heaven. This isn't our best life now - it's life. Period. Without Him, we are dead in the water.

Satan is always on the prowl attempting to lead us astray through lies and temptations, but God's wisdom, grace, and righteousness protect us. God is greater, and He will lead you away from the crooked paths.

Faith in Jesus produces righteousness, which in turn values godly justice and encourages integrity. Faith is the foundation. Only through Jesus can we find success and security in trials.

Proverbs 2:1-6 emphasizes the importance of seeking God's wisdom and understanding over secular wisdom. The pursuit of wisdom is a lifelong journey requiring humility and a longing for God's heart.

Success and security aren't found in social acceptance, financial wealth, or fame and notoriety. True success and security are found only in Jesus Christ, who covers us with His righteousness and empowers to pursue wisdom with integrity.

Ryan sat down with Jeremy Bell to discuss adoption, acceptance, and God's great love and plan. Thank you to Jeremy for opening up about his adoption and sharing his heart for God.

If our true, core identity is rooted first and foremost in Christ, then we will not be ruled by our ever-changing social identities. He is the giver of new names!

Is God fully knowable? No. He's God, but the pursuit of knowing Him is worth the effort. Is God fully comprehendible? No. He's God, but the intimate understanding is worth the journey.

Ryan sat down with his oldest son, August, to discuss life at 13. The two touched on growing up, education, faith, and Minecraft. Big thanks to my buddy August for taking time from his rigorous schedule of playing the Switch, watching anime, and messing with his brother to chat with me. As we approach Father's Day soon-ish, I'm thankful for my kids.

True passion for God requires humility, which is not self-deprecation, but laying down your own will to honor and pursue the Father's will; to value what God values above all else.

Passion is more closely related to suffering than to pleasure. The Latin root means to suffer or endure for something or someone. Jesus' passion took Him to the cross for you, leading to redemption. Will your passions reveal His redemption or bind you to the world?

When we invest in God's wisdom, we bear fruit in the appropriate time, and we become spiritually prosperous - breaking through life's challenges as Jesus prepares us for heaven.

Our passion is a mirror into what we truly value. What are you most passionate about? Do they reflect your value for God?

Ryan and Allen sat down to discuss faith, politics, and the world in between the two. The conversation was cut short due to a technical difficulty coinciding with a real life emergency. Hopefully we'll be able to revisit the conversation soon.

Spiritual abuse perpetrated by those who claim the name of Christ is real and needs to be addressed. It can be an abuse of power and authority or subtle words and accusations. It diminishes and divides us, and can lead to or originate from other types of abuse, as well. The Christian response is for restoration - not to the status quo allowing further abuse - but to fellowship with God and His bri...

Satan twists our words and actions to destroy our fellowship with God and one another. But God is stronger and our redeemer. He restores us to right relationship with Him and others. Will you face your pain and hurt; seek restoration?

Pastors Mark and Ryan discuss personal evangelism and the call to missions. Mark shares some details about his time living in middle Asia.

How can you practice patience in a current situation where you feel tempted to take control? King Saul's failure in 1st Samuel 13 illustrates our need for patience and obedience during trials of any kind.

What specific choice can you make today to prioritize God's path over your own desires? One of the fundamental discussions among Christians is the problem of choice. Who will you choose to follow?

Jackie, Cassy, and Ryan sit down to discuss women in scripture, those that influence specifically Jackie and Cassy, and motherhood. Despite our technical difficulties in producing the video this week, we hope that it encourages you. And Happy Mother's Day. :)

Engaging deeply with scripture involves more than simply reading the Bible - although we should absolutely simply read the Bible. It involves meditation, prayer, and application.

We all have barriers to spiritual growth. Often our barriers fall into one of four major categories: a shallow faith, inverted priorities, valuing information over intimacy, and unconfessed sin. Regardless of the barrier, God can break through.

Seeking God's kingdom requires effort and sacrifice, but promises eternal rewards. What are some sacrifices you might need to make to seek spiritual riches more earnestly?

The Prosperity Gospel, taught by some, is the idea that God wants us to live our best lives now, that we can name our blessing and claim our blessing - whatever that blessing may be. It idolizes our comfort, wealth, and health. God does promise prosperity, but it's much more beautiful and eternal life giving than the world's view of prosperity.