oneChurch.tv

Have you ever been stalked? I don’t think I have, but I suppose it would be hard to tell if the stalker was any good! Stalking is one of those creepy things where once you start talking about it, you imagine it’s always happening to you. More people trying to follow Jesus should think about what stalkers do, but not for the reasons you might think at first. Because a lot of people stalk Jesus—they...

A lot of us expect our problems to disappear once we reach out to God. When trials continue or escalate, we get confused and frustrated. Sometimes we pray for things to happen or not happen, but God doesn't seem to answer. It leaves us wondering, does He really care about me? The story of Hosea reminds us that despite how we feel, God relentlessly pursues us with love. Even when it seems like our...

It's human nature to run from God. People see Him as police officer chasing them down or a judge waiting to convict them of all their crimes. But God doesn't pursue us with judgment, He pursues us with grace. God offers a beautiful picture of grace in the story of Hosea and Gomer. His wife is lost in a life of prostitution, owing more debts than she can ever hope to pay. God tells Hosea to not onl...

A lot of us get worn out trying to stay on God's good side. We know we should go to church more, pray more and read more of the bible, but when we try to live a 'better life,' we fail. The more we fail, the guiltier we feel and the harder we try next time. Most people give up on faith or trudge on through life not ever feeling good enough for God. There's a word for this: it's called religion. But...

There is an often-ignored principle that determines the quality and direction of our lives. While we are quick to recognize the importance of this principle in our children’s lives, as adults, we feel like we can disregard it. However, the truth is that we are just as impacted by the power of this principle now, as we were when we were younger. Today, we will discuss how we can become intentional...

Most of the time we operate with a flawed understanding of what it looks like to be spiritually mature. This faulty definition has caused many churches to actually get in the way of those interested in a relationship with God. So what does it look like to spiritually mature? And how do you get there? In this session we’ll discuss how you can partner with the church to move in the right direction a...

Surveys show that around eighty percent of us make New Year’s resolutions. But the same surveys show that we break most of them in the first two months. Each New Year we have a chance to start over. But the question is, “What is your top priority?” For many of us it’s relationships, health, friends, family, and finances. We’re challenging everyone to not put Jesus first, at the top of your new-yea...

When God is silent, we’re tempted to think he’s absent. That’s why the Christmas story is so important. You can’t separate the “Silent Night” of Christmas from the 400 years of Silent Nights between the Old and New Testaments. Christmas gives us a real, tangible, and historical hope. It reminds us that even when God is silent, He isn’t absent.

Are we we too worried about what we're entitled to? And not worried enough about what we're doing with what we're entitled to? Jesus, the Son of God, was entitled to his apostles' praise. Yet rather than demanding his due, Jesus set an even more powerful example. He became a servant.

We can be a nation that makes interest or that pays interest. The choice should be obvious. Yet, somewhere along the way, our national perspective on that choice changed. Debt used to be a burden of the poor. Now it's a ‘tool’ used by everyone from the richest to the poorest. We need to be reminded of God's financial wisdom—wisdom that has been in the bible for 2,000 years. Maybe now is the time t...

In God We Trust. Or do we? It's our national motto. But is it still true? Let’s challenge the nation to change our rhetoric and declare our Dependence Day—dependence on Almighty God— like King Solomon did. Like Abraham Lincoln did. Like our nation's founding fathers did. Recovery needs God's blessings and favor. And blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.

Unemployment is up. Stocks are down. Furloughs are impacting our finances. Health Care is broken. And everybody’s pointing fingers. If you are like most Americans, you’re wondering what’s going on in Washington. And you’re probably wondering what you’re supposed to do while you wait for somebody to fix things. Well, here’s an idea. What if we don’t wait around for somebody else? What if we go ahea...

With so many voices vying for their attention, parents are more confused than ever about what discipline is and how to administer it. This message breaks through all the noise from the stands and hones in on the only voice that matters in the critical game of family discipline—God’s voice.

Having friends is great. Whether you want one, or you already have one, there’s just something about having other people in your life who you can count on. For many, friendships just happen. A new friend is in the right place at the right time. And while friendships may start out randomly, there is an intentionality about who we allow close to us—and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Because the...

We all have vampires in our lives. They’re not the ones with pale skin and bloodthirsty fangs – but they do suck the life out of us. Some of the hardest vampires to hug are usually the vampires in our own family. The people we love the most have the opportunity to hurt us the most. So what’s the answer? How do we deal with the vampires that sleep next to us? Many try to control the other person, b...

We all have vampires in our lives. They’re not the ones with pale skin and bloodthirsty fangs – but they do suck the life out of us. They live in your city, across the street and maybe even under your own roof. So how do you love the people who drain you? How do you handle your dysfunctional relationships? How do you make it work when all you want to do is run? It’s time to learn how to hug a vamp...

We all have something to offer to those around us. If God is part of your story, then He wants you to share that with those still living like the “you” of the past. In the church world we use the word discipleship. You may also hear it called mentoring. What ever you call it, it is clearly the way God has outlined for us to share our faith from generation to generation. One on one, investing in ea...

Almost half of all Americans experience mental illness at some time in their lives, and almost a third are afflicted in any one year. But for a Christian, is it possible to obey God, be in the will of God, and yet struggle emotionally with depression?

We’re looking at the type of person God chooses and uses. God’s choice of a person is diametrically opposed to how we choose a person. So many times, we choose individuals based upon what that person is. God chooses people on the basis of what they are to become. But if we’re going to become the person that God uses mightily, that means we’re going to have to prioritize Him and not waver and dance...

Sometimes life can really feel like a roller coaster, where instead of a steady path there are lots of ups and downs. This certainly was true for the prophet Elijah, who experienced so many ups and downs that he had to wonder what God was doing. What was God doing? Preparing Elijah for a bigger stage. A larger influence. A greater ministry. But before we can have a bigger stage, we must first be f...

How do we become the super hero that God created us to be? The same way Elijah did. We acknowledge that God exist, that He is real. We realize that God wants us to be his hands and feet, His representative. That God has given us in His word and through the Holy Spirit what we need to do what He calls us to do. And that sometimes that means that the pain and the loneliness of our lives are helping...

Fear is a normal part of life—it keeps us safe from harm. But, fear can also control our lives and keep us from taking risks or trying new things. A life controlled by fear, rather than faith, becomes a self- destructive power. Fear is not just an unpleasant feeling. Fear is a hindrance to everything God has called you to be and to do. Fear can single-handedly keep us from experiencing the fulfill...

All of us experience difficult times when our problems become so big that the only thing we can see is our problems. We ask questions of God, like “God, if you’re in control, why is my life so out of control? Why aren’t you moving and acting?” It’s during those times of being in the dip that, when we choose to focus on God and worship Him, our big problems shrink when focused on a God who has move...

We all face times in our lives when we wonder if we are alone. Deep down we know we are not alone, but the question still haunts us. What if God does not show up? What if I am alone? What if this situation never changes? But the truth is, we have a choice and the choice is to trust in a God that never fails, even when we don’t understand. Our character is defined in the times we feel like we are w...