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In every relationship, we bring with us a box of expectations. Some of us may have a smaller box with very few expectations; while others of us have larger boxes with significant expectations. As we move through the relationship, we think we know what is in each other’s box of expectations. Often, we think our box of expectations even matches. Yet, couples face all kinds of challenges in their rel...

God uses detours in our own lives to bring us closer to Him. God will take us on a detour because He is constructing something in our lives. Today, we will see Joseph finally realize his dreams and God brings him to his destination on a 22 year detour—to not only rescue an entire nation, but his family as well.

There is something about revenge that is enticing. We love it. Think about our favorite sorties. Don’t we like to see the bad guy get what they deserve? Most of our favorite movies or TV shows involve some highly trained loner who is out to right all of the world’s injustices. Revenge seems like a good idea, but it never satisfies. BIG IDEA: ​ ​Forgiveness is easier said than done. Do it anyway.

Today, it seems like everyone is all about dreaming big. There is an entire industry that centers on selling people a dream lifestyle built on travel, money, and image. The problem with dream culture is that it often ignores the important planning that makes dreams come true. BIG IDEA: ​ ​A dream doesn’t mean a thing apart from God’s plan.

God uses detours in our own lives to bring us closer to Him. God will take us on a detour because He is constructing something in our lives. But how do you know God has you on a detour rather than simply experiencing a bad circumstance? How can we know that this is a God-ordained detour rather than things just aren’t working out right now? BIG IDEA: To get unstuck from a detour, serve others who a...

As we continue to study Joseph’s story and the detours God took him on, notice how God uses detours in our own lives to bring us closer to Him. Sometimes detours take longer than we hoped for, but remember that the Lord has a purpose and a reason for them and that we can trust His timing. BIG IDEA: God cares more about the development of the dreamer than the realization of the dream.

A detour is an unexpected shift in the route we were trying to travel. We often think of detours that happen when we are in our cars, but sometimes our life takes a detour and we end up in a place we never dreamed. Yet God allows and uses detours to grow us and to get us towards our ultimate goal—to a place where we can be used by Him. BIG IDEA: The purpose of detours is to develop you for what Go...

Some labels withstand the test of time: Conan the Barbarian, Buffy the Vampire Slayer. But your nickname in grade school? Probably not. Some labels are honoring: Alexander the Great. Others aren’t as flattering: Rahab the Harlot. But is God able to do something through us regardless of what our labels, our pasts, or our reputations might suggest? You bet. BIG IDEA: People with pasts are the point.

You might think the Bible is filled with good, godly people. And it is. But these people have their fair share of dark secrets and shadowy pasts. Judah and Tamar are no exception. He’s a little shady—no, he’s a lot shady. She took extreme measures. So why in the world would God decide to include them in Jesus’ ancestry? BIG IDEA: ​ ​Dysfunction doesn’t disqualify you from His-Story

Whether we’re religious or not, we all have at least one thing in common; we’ve all made some messes in our lives. You’ve said things like, “I messed that up,” “I made a mess of that,” or, “My life is a mess.” We’ve all been in, are in, or are only one decision away from a mess. Fortunately, Christmas reminds us that Christianity is not for religious people but for messy people, just like us. BIG...

There’s always more. There’s always better. The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. It’s easy for us to look at what our neighbors have and assume their lives are better than ours. But what if their stuff isn’t making them as happy as we assume? BIG IDEA: Contentment is tied to what we “do” not in what we “have.”

What do you value? And more importantly, why do you value it? Often, the belief that what you’re pursuing has greater value than what you have can drive the sense of entitlement most of us feel. But what if the myth of the greener grass has caused you to overvalue what you’re chasing? THE BIG IDEA: Overvaluing the wrong things will cause you to overlook the best things.

The grass is always greener on the other side. It may be an old cliché, but it lurks in every one of us. It’s that thing we don’t currently have that we think will give us what we want most. It’s an insatiable appetite for more. It never leads to joy. It robs us of life. So, what do we do with our longing for the greener grass? THE BIG IDEA: Don't waste your own life wishing for a different one.

Your favorite candidate either won or lost based on how our country voted last week. However, the church will win or lose based on our behavior in the aftermath of the election. The unity and diversity of the early church shocked and intrigued the ancient world. Ours should as well. THE BIG IDEA: ​ ​Jesus is the King who came to reverse the order of things.

Your favorite candidate will win or lose based on how our country votes this week. However, the church will win or lose based on our behavior between now and then. THE BIG IDEA: ​ ​We can disagree politically and love unconditionally.

We’ve all heard of a win-win outcome. But as Pastor Chris points out in this message, we are daily engaging in a lose-lose activity and we may not even realize how destructive it is. Being rich-er or smart-er or funny-er may feel like a short-term win, but for ourselves, our families, and our marriages, comparison is a game with no winners. THE BIG IDEA: Compare-i-sin kills contentment.

With communities across the country facing a mental health crisis unlike anything we’ve ever seen, combined with the uncertainty, chaos; disruption from a global pandemic;  protests and racial tension; and a more and more tense political climate have only increased anxiety for many Americans. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, the feeling of anxiety affects one in five...

Through Jesus we can move past our issues like anxiety, cynicism, comparison, shame and insecurity. When we say, “I can’t handle this,” It’s a cry of desperation. But just because we say “I can’t handle this”, doesn’t mean it goes away. Yet when we bring God into the equation? But as we will realize, God is drawn to desperation.

Money is such a touchy topic but it is so important to deal with, especially when talking about emotional and spiritual maturity. See, the Bible reminds us in John 3:16 that God loves us so much that he “gave.” James 1:17 tells us that “every good and perfect gift comes from God above.” God is generous. His salvation is free. BUT, money is the test in Scripture about whether or not you truly are g...

Statistics reveal that in the UFC, 50 percent of the fight’s end via technical knockout (TKO), knockout (KO), or submission. This means that in any given fight, anything can happen. Thus, flexibility is an essential asset for mixed martial artists. In the same way, life is a fight, and flexibility is a key component of maturity. THE BIG IDEA: ​ Flexible people grow into the future. Rigid people ar...

Bursting into tears because it is time to make your bed is cute when you are 4, but not the greatest reaction when you are 24. At the same time, some outfits look amazing when you are 18, but may not work as well in a boardroom at 48. Part of life involves maturing. We all want to mature at the right time. We learn the skills, requirements, and habits of adults... but we don’t always mature emotio...

Growing up physically and intellectually do not guarantee we will grow at the same pace (if at all) emotionally and spiritually. Charting a path of growth towards becoming our true self requires that we take an honest look in the mirror. Are you ready? THE BIG IDEA: ​You can’t really care until you become self-aware.

The more stressed out we are, the more selfish we become. But what if it doesn’t have to be that way? We get to live out a New Normal. When I HAVE to do something, my sole focus is ME. When I GET to do something, I see beyond me. The church does not exist for us. We are the church and we exist for the world. Real freedom comes, not from consumption, but from compassion. THE BIG IDEA: ​Jesus Saves....

Many of us have viewed faith as something we do alone. We might have said that it’s private. But there’s a limit to our faith growth when we go it alone. There’s a deepening to our faith that we only experience together. When it comes to consistently growing our faith, “we” is greater than “me.” Who’s spurring on your faith and whose faith are you spurring on? THE BIG IDEA: Weekly connection leads...