Messages

Jesus did some incredible things and even helped other people do incredible things too - walking on water as a prime example. But could Jesus really help me? Could Jesus really do incredible things in my life?

Jesus is known for miracles, maybe none more famous than feeding multitudes of people with only a few loaves of bread. But are these miracles really possible? And if so, what do they mean for us today?

God is doing some incredible things in the lives of families, marriages, kids, and youth. As a church family, we want to share and celebrate what he's up to. Join us this Family Day weekend to be together as a church family and be inspired by the difference God wants to make in our own families.

Christmas is a special time of year -- and not just because of the fun and festivities of the season -- but because it marks the occasion when God broke into the world in the form of a person, a person who has changed all of human history. As a church, we believe this incredible event calls for an incredible celebration, and that's why Christmas is special at Southridge. More than any other season...

Amidst all the debate and the myriad of beliefs, is there one conviction we can cling to more than any other? Is there one source of a love that is truly beyond belief? Is there one gospel that brings all this together?

Many prefer to live in a world where everything is black-and-white. But what do we do when even the Bible has grey areas? How do we know what is up for debate and what isn't? Can we do better than just agreeing to disagree on these matters?

There are as many opinions and interpretations on the Bible as there are people who have tried to read it. But is there anything we can all agree on? Are some truths more important than others? What would Jesus say is the greatest belief?

We hold few things more dearly than our beliefs. But what do we do when our convictions create conflicts? Does loving someone I disagree with mean compromising, or disregarding my beliefs altogether? Does what we believe really even matter?

With so many conflicting opinions, values, and philosophies, sometimes it seems like we're in a war of acceptance versus agreement, truth versus grace, and love versus belief. But can anyone really win? Where is Jesus in it all? What does it mean to love beyond belief?

It's been said that one of the greatest gifts is to be seen. But we cannot give what we haven't yet received. So what would it mean to receive this gift from God? How do we respond to the God who sees?

We are called to love, but sometimes it's hard to simply love better. But what if loving others has as much to do with our eyes as our hearts? What if seeing better means loving better too?

We all dream of winning the lottery, hitting the jackpot, or striking it big. Just imagine; anything would be possible; the sky is the limit. But what's it look like to hit the spiritual jackpot? What would you be willing to lose if it meant the ultimate spiritual gain? What is the one thing worth everything we'll ever have?

We live in a world of "now". Instant messages, instant coffee, instant downloads, and instant gratification. But what about the adages such as "good things come to those who wait" or "Rome wasn't built in a day"? How do we reconcile the instant with the slow and steady in our spiritual life? What is our hope for the future of God's kingdom?

Life isn't easy and doesn't always go the way we want, or even the way God would want for that matter. Why is that? If God wants to bring goodness and love into the world, why is there so much pain, struggle, and tension? What do we do with the weeds in the garden of life?

There's something fascinating about a farmer's ability to cultivate a crop out of the dust of the earth. But it's not always as easy as it looks. The quality of the soil affects the health of the harvest; bad soil equals bad results. But with good soil, with a rich and fertile source, the abundance is exponential. So what does this mean for our lives and ultimately our hearts when it comes to cult...

Everyone likes a good story... Except when that story is hard to understand. Jesus liked to teach through stories, but sometimes the lesson just wasn't clear. So what do we do with the parables of Jesus? How can we discover the mysteries of the greatest story ever told? What if we could find a hidden treasure worth more than we'll ever know?

We're kicking off the fall with Vision Sunday. Join us as we rally around the vision and heartbeat of our church for the season ahead. We believe Jesus is calling us to expand our love for him and our love for others like never before! We invite you to take part and consider, "How big can your heart get?"

Most people understand the Bible to represent a religion: a series of beliefs to be adopted and behaviours to be employed. But could there be something more to this ancient book? Could there be a greater mystery still being revealed on its pages? What if we could look beyond the scriptures and read between the lines of our Bibles to see "the Word" for what it really is?

Sometimes we treat the Bible like a rulebook: a clear cut guide for what's right and wrong in every situation. But what happens when the rules don't seem to apply or even conflict? After all, when Jesus was asked to clarify the most important rule, his answer made the interpretation of the rest of the rules a little more complicated. So how can we learn to obey and discern, understanding the rules...

Life is so much easier when we have all the answers, and for the most part, we expect the Bible to provide the answers we're looking for. But it seems the answers in scripture aren't always as cut and dried as we'd like them to be. After all, countless people draw countless conclusions from this same book. So how do we wrestle with these tensions? What do we do when we have more questions than ans...

Many skeptics have pointed out the discrepancies in the historical accounts of the Bible, while advocates for faith have worked hard at creating synergy and accounting for historical flaws in order to maintain the Bible's credibility. So what do we do when the "facts" of the Bible seem more like "fiction"? Should we discredit the Bible altogether? Or is there another explanation?

There's a long history of the debate between faith and science, and many people feel that the two are incompatible. But if God is a God of truth, and if faith and science are both intended to point to truth, shouldn't there be a better way? How do the science and the stories of scripture make sense of our world today?

Bible scholars estimate there were about 40 authors throughout history who contributed to the 66 books that make up the Bible. But isn't the Bible "God's Word", the "Holy Bible", and the "Sacred Scripture"? How do we reconcile the "holy" and "human" aspects of the Bible? How to we begin to read the Bible for all it's worth?

It's often been said that blood is thicker than water, meaning that family always comes first. But could there be ties that bind us closer than our own flesh and blood? How did Jesus relate to his family? And what would he say about the kind of people who should have our loyalty and allegiance?

Have you ever witnessed a miracle? Do you ever wish you could hear the audible voice of God? The Bible says that Jesus walked on water, healed disabilities and diseases, and even raised the dead! But what if these miracles are nothing compared to what we're supposed to experience as Christ's followers? Maybe the problem is that we're looking for signs and wonders in all the wrong places.