Lakeside Church

The Christmas story doesn’t end with angels and manger scenes - it continues into fear, flight, and forced exile. When Joseph hears the words “escape to Egypt,” God overturns assumptions about safety, enemies, and where refuge can be found. This message from Robyn Elliott explores how Christmas is a story of reversal, vulnerability, and a God who meets us in the wilderness to make something new. D...

Christmas doesn’t end on December 25 - it carries on as a reminder that Jesus is for the whole world, not just a select few. In this message from Joash Thomas, in the story of the Magi, we’re invited to move beyond certainty and fear toward humility, curiosity, and attentive listening. It’s an invitation to notice where God is already at work, often in places we wouldn’t expect. Discussion Questio...

Be Still and Know: A New Year's Reflection by Lakeside Church

Bethlehem was not a peaceful postcard but a place of poverty, occupation, and conflict, and God chose that setting to enter the world. In this message from Robyn Elliott, Advent reminds us that God’s path to peace comes through humility, justice, and righteousness, not force or empire. To take Christmas seriously is not to save the world, but to live like Jesus - carrying God’s peace into forgotte...

Advent reveals a God who completely redefines power. Instead of arriving with force, status, or spectacle, Jesus comes in humility - born in obscurity, announced to the overlooked, and crowned through self-giving love. In this message from Mike Carmody, we’re invited to surrender the world’s version of strength and discover where God might be reversing power in us today. Discussion Questions: 1. W...

In this message from Jack Ninaber, we explore the often-overlooked faith and obedience of Joseph - the quiet, steady figure in the Christmas story whose actions shaped the arrival of Jesus. Joseph models compassion, surrender, and courage in the face of misunderstanding, showing us what it means to step faithfully into God’s mission even when it places us in the background. His life invites us to...

Advent is a season that asks us to face the tension between hope and fear - much like Bethlehem itself, the “House of Bread” and the “House of War,” where the Bread of Life was born into a world that was not yet as it should be. In this message from Robyn Elliott, we explore how God shows up in the shadows and in our waiting, turning the ashes of our lives into something sustaining and life-giving...

Why do some prayers get answered while others seem to go unheard? Jesus promises that faith can move mountains, yet we still face trials, disappointment, and mystery. In this message from Robyn Elliott we wrestle honestly with unanswered prayer, exploring biblical tensions, real-world complexity, and the hope the resurrection still offers. Discussion Questions: 1. When have you experienced an unan...

In this sermon, Pastor Johanna Kelly explores wordless or contemplative prayer—a form of prayer beyond language, where we meet God in silence and presence rather than through words. It reflects on those moments in life, whether joyful, sorrowful, or ordinary, when words fail and we sense the divine near. Contemplative prayer is not about doing but about being fully present, allowing God’s love to...

Today’s focus is on prayer as a cry — not a polished, polite prayer, but an outcry or complaint to God. When life hurts and sorrow overwhelms, tidy prayers fall flat. Outcry or Lament is not faithless; it’s a form of protest. Lament says, “This isn’t right,” and appeals to God to act, to heal, to make things whole. But what happens when we cry out and get no explanation? Today Robyn Elliott will d...

In this message from Robyn Elliott, we rediscover prayer not as something to master but as a rhythm to live - a way of turning aside to notice the divine in the everyday. From the burning bush to the coffee line, God meets us on ordinary ground and turns it into holy ground. Prayer isn’t about performance, it’s about presence, learning to see that every moment can become sacred when we pause to no...

In a world shaped by symbols, Jesus gave us a table - not a throne, not a sword, not even a cross - to remember him. And in this message from Robyn Elliott, we explore how the communion table is a radical, countercultural symbol of inclusion, equity, and service, and why Paul was so fired up about it in 1 Corinthians. What does it mean to eat and drink "unworthily?" You might be surprised. Discuss...

What if the most powerful part of your story isn’t the ending - but the mess in the middle? In this message, Kathleen Elliott shares her honest, unfinished journey of faith, parenting, and showing up when life feels messy. If you've ever wondered where God is in the middle of your doubts, struggles, or everyday chaos, this story is for you. Discussion Questions: 1. Where in your life do you feel l...

In a world craving home, we believe the Church is called to be just that: a family of all kinds of people, gathered under one roof and around one table for the sake of the world. This message from Robyn Elliott is a call to reimagine church as a lived experience of love, belonging, and unity. This is about belief, bodies, and buildings - and how God is doing a new thing right here. Discussion Ques...

The book of Acts ends with loose ends - a story unfinished. But maybe that’s the point. As we close this rollercoaster of a journey through Acts with Pastor Robyn Elliott, we ask: what kind of church are we becoming, and are we still living the way of Jesus, not with control and power, but with humility, love, and Spirit-empowered purpose? Discussion Questions: 1. In what ways has the church today...

Acts (The Way Forward): When Kindness Comes from Strangers by Lakeside Church

In this message from Mike Carmody, we explore the powerful farewell of Paul in Acts 20:17–25, uncovering what it means to live a life that truly counts. From faithful service and bold witness to Spirit-led surrender and eternal perspective, Paul gives us a model for a life well lived. Whether you’re just beginning your faith journey or you’ve been running the race for years, this message will chal...

Acts (The Way Forward): Power Behind the Name by Lakeside Church

Acts (The Way Forward): The Faith in a World of Idols by Lakeside Church

Acts (The Church Gets Messy): Fractured Yet Faithful by Lakeside Church

The early Church wasn’t neat, tidy, or black and white - it was messy, complicated, and beautifully real. In this message from Robyn Elliott, we look at Acts 16 and discover how God shows up in the tension of right and wrong, rules and grace, motives and mistakes. If your Jesus following feels complicated, you're not alone - and that might be exactly where Jesus meets you. Discussion Questions: 1....

In the early church, rapid change created deep tension between tradition and the movement of God’s Spirit. In this message from Robyn Elliott, we take a look at Acts 15, which shows us how the early leaders navigated sacred convictions, honest disagreement, and radical inclusion - by listening, telling stories, and centering everything on Jesus. This passage is a masterclass in following Jesus fai...

Acts (The Church Gets Messy): Life isn’t Fair but God is Good by Lakeside Church

Acts 10 is a turning point - not just for the early church, but for how we understand God’s radical vision of inclusion. When Peter crosses the threshold into Cornelius’ home, everything changes: the boundaries of who belongs are shattered. In this message from Robyn Elliott, we explore what God is up to when the church gets messy, uncomfortable, and beautifully diverse. Discussion Questions: 1. W...

Saul was the last person you'd expect to change, and yet, Jesus met him, and everything flipped. In this message from Mike Carmody, we dive into Acts 9, where God uses an ordinary guy named Ananias to welcome a dangerous man into the family of faith, showing us that no matter your story or your struggle, there’s a place for you in the church. Discussion Questions: 1. Have you ever judged someone b...