Pathfinder Church Messages

Pathfinder Church | November 12, 2023 | Doug Mauss It’s not always clear how the “reward” of faith works. Does God bring earthly blessing and prosperity on those who are faithful? Or does our godly integrity result in suffering and persecution in this life? What are the true costs and rewards of faithful following of Jesus? Website | https://pathfinderstl.org Online Giving | https://pathfinderstl....

Pathfinder Church | November 5, 2023 | Dion Garrett It seems like the only way to get ahead is to work harder, smarter—more!—than the people around you. We prioritize achievement over connection, assuming the former will be richer—and the result is that we’re unhappy, lonely, and tired. Is it time to reevaluate achievement’s value proposition? Website | https://pathfinderstl.org Online Giving | ht...

Pathfinder Church | October 29, 2023 | Doug Mauss In what ways should Christians be different from the culture around them? Often, a Christian life looks the same as any other American life—we work the same jobs, share the same hobbies and interests, and spend our money on the same things. On the other hand, when Christians completely reject our culture, we look intolerant, mean, irrelevant, and u...

Pathfinder Church | October 22, 2022 | Dion Garrett It’s encouraging to see and rejoice in other people’s successes (just scroll through your Instagram stories), or to have them rejoice in yours. Or in times of struggle, to be able to “share” your struggles with others, knowing that they will be with you “in spirit.” But so few of us have a community that sees, values, and cares for us during ALL...

Pathfinder Church | October 15, 2023 | AJ Mastic When we do things well enough in life, we develop a comfortable rhythm. Being in our comfort zone feels good! But if we stay there long enough, we end up complacent, even stagnant. How do we take a steady, predictable life to the next level, without having to feel dissatisfied with or ungrateful for the life we have?  Website | https://pathfinderstl...

Pathfinder Church | October 8, 2023 | Doug Mauss We make connections with people for all sorts of reasons. Often, we connect over work, or through competition, or based on mutual interests. Social science has shown that we most easily connect over shared anger and outrage. But those kinds of connections don’t leave us feeling invigorated and joyful. Is there a more positive way to connect with oth...

Pathfinder Church | October 1, 2023 | Dion Garrett We know the rules of earthly success and power—maximize your control over yourself and over the people/things around you that impact your success. But this is ultimately a burned-out way to live. We can never adequately meet the unexpected difficulties and crises of life. Is there a way to exceed our human limits so that we can have the resilience...

Pathfinder Church | September 24, 2023 | AJ Mastic We know relationships are important, but it’s so hard to do them well. Do we need more relationships or fewer? What kind? How do we recognize and prioritize the full range of healthy relationships that we need? Website | https://pathfinderstl.org Online Giving | https://pathfinderstl.org/give Podcasts | https://pathfinderstl.org/podcasts Facebook...

Pathfinder Church | September 17, 2023 | Doug Mauss It seems like the only way to get ahead is to work harder, smarter—more!—than the people around you. We prioritize achievement over connection, assuming the former will be richer—and the result is that we’re unhappy, lonely, and tired. Is it time to reevaluate achievement’s value proposition? Website | https://pathfinderstl.org Online Giving | ht...

Pathfinder Church | September 10, 2023 | Dion Garrett So often we find ourselves stuck on an isolating trajectory in our lives. The relentless pace required to function makes people feel more isolated than ever. We feel trapped by the choices we’ve already made. Can we find a new, more-connecting way to move through life? Website | https://pathfinderstl.org Online Giving | https://pathfinderstl.or...

Every year we designate one weekend to get out and prayer walk for our community. We won’t have any services that weekend – instead we encourage you to walk your neighborhood and pray for those around us. No matter how you choose to participate–with a group in one of our park meetups, or in your own neighborhood–this isn’t a weekend to skip church, but to get out and surround our community in pray...

Pathfinder Church | August 27, 2023 | Doug Mauss We’ve all heard that God loves us in spite of our sins. But that can create a misconception that God does not like us until we have changed for the better. What if that’s not actually true to the nature of God? Website | https://pathfinderstl.org Online Giving | https://pathfinderstl.org/give Podcasts | https://pathfinderstl.org/podcasts Facebook |...

Pathfinder Church | August 20, 2023 | Dion Garrett Everyone knows that the best things in life cost something. It’s “fair” that I pay for benefits I receive, and others pay for theirs. But in a world of zero-sum resources, what is the ultimate cost of that mentality? Website | https://pathfinderstl.org Online Giving | https://pathfinderstl.org/give Podcasts | https://pathfinderstl.org/podcasts Fac...

Pathfinder Church | August 13, 2023 | AJ Mastic It’s human nature to instinctively react to differences as “threatening.” Often we reserve our kindest impulses for those who are most like us. Website | https://pathfinderstl.org Online Giving | https://pathfinderstl.org/give Podcasts | https://pathfinderstl.org/podcasts Facebook | https://facebook.com/pathfinderstl Instagram |  https://instagram.co...

Pathfinder Church | August 6, 2023 | Doug Mauss There is only one power in the world that can truly change a person from the inside out. We can’t change others through hostility, force, or punishment of the Law. Website | https://pathfinderstl.org Online Giving | https://pathfinderstl.org/give Podcasts | https://pathfinderstl.org/podcasts Facebook | https://facebook.com/pathfinderstl Instagram | ...

Pathfinder Church | July 30, 2023 | Dion Garrett Christians have long operated with an understanding that when Jesus returns, this world will be destroyed, and we’ll get to go somewhere else; to Heaven. So, does it not matter what happens to this world, then? What is our responsibility for creation? What if the new creation is going to be more closely tied to this one than we realize?  Website | h...

Pathfinder Church | July 23, 2023 | AJ Mastic When we gather for worship, many times we envision our praise as a sort of sacrifice, akin to the Old Testament sacrificial offerings, which pleases God. We seek to show the depth of our devotion through passion, contrition, and obedience. We can develop a strong sense of worship as obligation, but if God is far more interested in mercy than sacrifice,...

Pathfinder Church | July 16, 2023 | Doug Mauss It is so comforting to hear that God has plans to prosper us; but what does prosperity mean to God? If following God means that He’ll help us avoid hardship, then why did Jesus experience so much suffering, and why do we? What exactly is the promise of this passage, and to what extent does faith result in God’s protection and blessing? Website | https...

Pathfinder Church | July 9, 2023 | Dion Garrett We can’t underestimate the importance of solid parenting in order to set children up for success in life. Studies show that that the more intentional we are about modeling our values, the greater chance our children will follow suit. In some ways that’s reassuring, but in others it feels like an impossible burden to carry. How can imperfect people de...

Pathfinder Church | July 2, 2023 | AJ Mastic From the time of Jesus, to the American Revolution, from politics to family finances; money has often been the root of division. Jesus frequently warned about the dark side of money, and urged us to beware of its pull - but we can’t just avoid money! We need it! How can we handle money with integrity, and keep from letting it control us? Website | https...

Pathfinder Church | June 25, 2023 | Doug Mauss We’ve all heard that we’re not supposed to judge, but is that really possible? We’re always making judgements about people, whether we verbalize them or not. Surely Jesus isn’t forbidding us from speaking the truth or offering correction – but then again, how can we even discern such things without our own sin obscuring the picture? How are we to unde...

Pathfinder Church | June 18, 2023 | Dion Garrett  What does God mean when He says that He is jealous? Jealousy seems like selfish, immature behavior - and it’s not the only thing in scripture that causes us to question God’s character (particularly if we look at the Old Testament)! Some passages almost make it sound like God might be emotionally unstable. What is God really like? Website | https:/...

Pathfinder Church | June 11, 2023 | Doug Mauss We’ve all been so entangled in an argument or feud that we can no longer remember how it started. Careless actions and well-planted words can give rise to noxious weeds that threaten to choke out all life and fruit. How do you protect your community and yourself?  Website | https://pathfinderstl.org Online Giving | https://pathfinderstl.org/give Podca...

Pathfinder Church | June 4, 2023 | AJ Mastic Whether we’re talking vegetables or flowers, what makes for the best gardens? Biodiversity! A garden where lots of different species are working for the overall good. Is there an equivalent benefit in our family dynamic? How do we get beyond seeing different roles and contributions as frustrations to work with and instead see them as a pathway to a thri...

Pathfinder Church | May 28, 2023 | Doug Mauss Looking around, it’s easy to see how it’s more difficult than ever to feel confident in who we are and what we’re about. We are desperately trying to find identity in our groups, our causes, our jobs, or our philosophies. But the ever-shifting environment and wide-scale rejection of formerly common values and metrics of success leaves us feeling uproot...