Northwest Vineyard

In this installment of the "Participating" series, Pastor Scott Engebretson tackles our cultural aversion to waiting. Drawing from Jason Farman's Delayed Response , Scott notes that in our world of instant gratification, we often view waiting as "dead time." However, looking at the transition from the suffering of Holy Week to the hope of the Resurrection, he argues that waiting is actually a sacr...

Continuing the "Participating" series as we approach Holy Week, Pastor Scott Engebretson shares a deeply personal reflection on the tension between the "so much more" of God's power and the reality of human suffering. Drawing from Matthew 27 , Scott walks through the harrowing details of Jesus' mockery and crucifixion, inviting the community to look closely at the "Man of Sorrows." He explores the...

Continuing the Lenten series "Participating," Hannah Engebretson explores how we navigate the "thorns" in our lives—those persistent points of pain, weakness, or affliction that we desperately want removed. Drawing from 2 Corinthians 12 , Hannah looks at the Apostle Paul's experience of pleading with God for relief, only to receive the answer: "My grace is sufficient for you." By reflecting on her...

Continuing in the "Participating" series and the season of Lent, Pastor Scott Engebretson explores the difficult invitation to participate in the suffering of Christ. Using a humorous story about "yak milk" in Nepal to illustrate how we often expect one thing but receive another, Scott dives into the story of Simon of Cyrene from Luke 23 . He discusses the reality that the "cross" is often somethi...

Continuing the "Participating" series during Lent, Pastor Scott Engebretson uses the survival show Alone as a backdrop to discuss how we navigate the "wilderness" of life's hardships. Drawing from John 16 , Scott explores the inevitable "labor pains" of the world and how Jesus prepares his disciples for the trouble ahead. He highlights three ways we are called to participate when life gets hard: b...

Kicking off the new series, "Participating," and entering the season of Lent, Pastor Scott Engebretson looks at the reality of temptation and the "death spirals" we often find ourselves in. Using the story of Jesus in the wilderness from Luke 4:1-13 , Scott highlights how the enemy targets our most basic needs, our desire for protection, and our hunger for power. He explores how Jesus resisted the...

In the concluding episode of the "You Are Here" series, Pastor Scott Engebretson discusses how we navigate the distance between where we currently are and where we want to be as a community . Using the analogy of "You Are Here" maps found in malls and airports, Scott highlights the importance of spiritual orientation . He shares a personal conviction that God is inviting Northwest Vineyard into a...

In the third week of the "You Are Here" series, Pastor Scott Engebretson shifts the focus from the communal church to the individual, asking the challenging question: "Where have you dammed up your life?" . Using the history of dams as a metaphor, Scott explores how we often inadvertently cut off the flow of God's presence, leading to spiritual stagnation . He emphasizes that your personal life wi...

Continuing the "You Are Here" series, guest speaker RJ Owen—a User Experience Designer by trade—explores the concept of liturgy , literally defined as "the work of the people" . Using a humorous illustration of a confusing "high-design" bathroom sink, RJ argues that while the Vineyard is a "low church" with a thin, variable liturgy, we still participate in a set of inherited practices . Drawing fr...

Kicking off a new series titled "You Are Here," Pastor Scott Engebretson explores our identity as a local church within the broader "universal" church. Using the analogy of a "You Are Here" map, Scott explains that while we inhabit a specific time and place in Broomfield, Colorado, we are part of a much larger story that spans centuries. Drawing from Exodus 25 and the specific instructions for the...

In the conclusion of the "Ferment" series, Sam Stephens explores how to protect the spiritual growth God is bubbling up within us. Centering his message on the poetic imagery of Song of Solomon 2:15 , Sam warns against the "little foxes"—those small, seemingly insignificant compromises, distractions, or habits that can ruin a vineyard just as it begins to blossom. He emphasizes that while God prov...

Continuing the "Ferment" series, Pastor Scott Engebretson explores one of Jesus' most challenging teachings: the parable of the wineskins . Drawing from the calling of Levi in Luke 5:27-39 , Scott discusses the radical nature of following Jesus, which requires more than just "tacking" Him onto an old life . Using the metaphors of unshrunk cloth and new wine, he explains that the "bubbling energy"...

Launching a new three-week series titled "Ferment," Pastor Scott Engebretson uses the biological process of winemaking as a metaphor for spiritual growth in the New Year . Drawing from Alan Kreider's The Patient Ferment of the Early Church , Scott explores the "invisible yeast" of God's Kingdom—a bubbling energy that works from the inside out . Looking at Jesus' first miracle at the wedding in Can...

In this special Christmas Eve service, Pastor Scott Engebretson concludes the "Creating Space" series by exploring the unexpected power of humility . Contrasting the world's view of success—illustrated by NFL coach Tony Dungey —with the Kingdom of God, Scott cites research from CU Boulder to argue that true leadership is found in serving others. He traces this theme through the Christmas story in...

In this special family service, Pastor Hannah Engebretson leads an interactive Advent reflection involving the children and youth of the church. Acknowledging the difficulty of waiting —whether for Christmas presents or for life's heavy burdens to lift—Hannah explains the distinction between the anticipation of Advent and the twelve-day celebration of Christmastime that begins on Christmas Day. Dr...

Returning to the "Creating Space" series, Pastor Scott Engebretson contrasts our culture's desire to "chase momentum" with the biblical call to slow devotion . Focusing on the story of Simeon in Luke 2:25-33 , Scott explores how Simeon sustained his faith during the centuries of silence between the Old and New Testaments, proving that intimacy with God is possible even in the dark . He defines dev...

In this special service, we celebrate the ordination of Pastors Scott and Hannah Engebretson. We are honored to host Rich Nathan, the founding pastor of Vineyard Columbus, who delivers a sermon titled "What is a Pastor?". Preaching from 1 Peter 5 , Rich argues that a pastor is defined not by academic credentials or charisma, but by character and a willingness to pay the price of leadership. He out...

Launching the new "Creating Space" series for the season of Advent, Pastor Scott Engebretson challenges the sentimental view of the holidays, reminding listeners that "Advent begins in the dark" and often amidst the clutter of our lives. Drawing from the story of Zachariah and Elizabeth in Luke 1:5-25 , Scott explores how to faithfully prepare for Jesus' arrival even while navigating deep disappoi...

Concluding the "Reasonable Charisma" series, Pastor Scott Engebretson asks a pivotal question: "What do you do after a miracle?" . Citing research by sociologist Ed Esler, Scott reveals that while miracles are surprisingly common—experienced by a majority of people regardless of education or income—they are often fleeting moments in a life defined by the "ordinary" . Drawing from the early church...

Continuing the "Reasonable Charisma" series, Pastor Scott Engebretson addresses the gift of healing , advocating for a low-key, non-theatrical approach: "Healing is not in the hype" . Drawing from the story of Naaman in 2 Kings 5:1-15 , he argues that healing is often found in the mundane and through simple, ordinary obedience, challenging the desire for a spectacular cure . Scott addresses the te...

Continuing the "Reasonable Charisma" series, Pastor Scott Engebretson explores the story of the prophet Elijah and the widow of Zarephath from 1 Kings 17 . He uses the story of this vulnerable woman facing her last meal to illustrate how God often chooses to show his power and presence, or "charisma," not when we are strong, but when we are at our breaking point . This message encourages listeners...

In this message from the "Reasonable Charisma" series, Pastor Scott Engebretson explores the vital skill of discerning and hearing God's voice in our everyday lives. He begins by addressing how we make all kinds of decisions—from the mundane to the major—and then turns to the question: How do we hear God speak? Pastor Scott outlines a balanced,  reasonable approach to discernment that involves bot...

Continuing the "Reasonable Charisma" series, Pastor Scott Engebretson unpacks 1 Corinthians 12 , exploring the nature and purpose of spiritual gifts in the church . He emphasizes that all gifts—whether speaking in tongues or offering a handshake—come from the same Holy Spirit and are intended to show the power and presence of God . Pastor Scott challenges the idea that spiritual gifts are "special...

In our new series, "Reasonable Charisma," Pastor Scott Engebretson challenges the church to embrace a better way of living—one marked by both the Spirit's power and good sense . Scott draws on the book of 1 Corinthians to explore the tension between wisdom and spiritual gifts . He notes that while the Corinthian church had access to all the gifts of the Spirit, their relationships and practice of...

In this message, the final of the 'Guardrails' series, Pastor Hannah Engebretson discusses the essential role of  the church as outlined in the Nicene Creed: " one holy, catholic, and apostolic church " . She explains that the church is not a place, but a gathering of God's people united in Christ . For more information about the church, please visit Northwestvineyard.org .