Refuge Church Ojai Valley

For way too long, the church has been understood as a boring, sterile place. The reality is, the bible describes the church as something far different. The book of Hebrews says we are even supposed to gather so that we can stir one another up! That's right - we are supposed to meet together to encourage, cheer, applaud, and ignite one another to live a life sold out to Jesus. So what does that loo...

From the beginning, Jesus has no interest in ever being separated from grace. From the beginning, grace is given as a gift. No one earned Him. No one deserved Him. Once he is on the scene, he shows us what grace in the flesh looks like. He fulfills the prophecy about him that says he will be a Mighty God. This means he is on a mission and nothing will stop Him. He also fulfills the prophecy that s...

When Jesus was born, he was born for a mission and a purpose. The Prophet Isaiah knew this and told people about this hundreds of years before Jesus’s birth. This Jesus would be monumental and one of the things he would bring with him is a completely new way to live, to love, and to worship. Don’t tolerate a tame Christmas, listen to how Jesus brings a message at Christmas that is nothing short of...

The church is important and we all need it, blemishes and all! Jesus died for her and one day he is coming back for her. But while we wait she serves as the first line of defense here on earth and she teaches us and counsels us in times of need. Thank you to Juan Fallas from Real Life Church in Valencia for bringing the word this morning!

When someone tells you to be thankful or grateful how do you respond? Does it bother you? Does it feel forced? What if gratitude and thanksgiving was the key to living life well? What if God actually designed us to find joy, love, and fulfillment but that those came out of postures of gratitude? This week we celebrate a holiday on a calendar, but in reality we see that God has created us to be tha...

Words like lust and gluttony sound like they come from long ago, but we live in a world that is soaked in both of them. Every day, every one of us is invited to indulge in both. As followers of Jesus we must be discipled well here. We must be discipled by Jesus and not tradition, popular opinion, or by what we feel. The prison of gluttony and lust is real and the only hope is found in Christ. #ser...

It doesn’t matter who you are, it's likely that you want to feel approved and accepted by someone or some group. It's hard wired into us as humans. For thousands of years and within thousands of cultures we have been trying to earn and prove our worthiness for approval and acceptance. When Jesus comes on the scene he solves the problem. He reveals our blindness, affirms our need, and then calls us...

What would inspire us to go against the comfort and norms of this world and choose the fire instead? This week, is an important message for the life of Refuge Church as we look at what it looks like to worship the one true God. We see how the fire refines us, and ultimately causes us to find the greatest HOPE in the one who is more than able. #trials #faith 

There are several times in the New Testament where Jesus gathers such a crowd that it is literally "Standing Room Only". Today, our guest speaker, Conor Le Blanc from Real Life Church, explores an epic story from Luke 5 and talks about what it looks like when we step out in faith to pursue Jesus at all costs. 

Jesus wants to talk to us about our greed but we never want to listen. It's almost certain that you don’t think you are greedy. Most people don’t. We compare our lives to those who have more than we do and we convince ourselves that its ok if we want more. We also compare our level of generosity to those who are less generous than us and are convinced that we are generous people. Thankfully Jesus...

When sin is normal, no one thinks it's sin. When everyone does it, it's the people who abstain who look strange; but that doesn’t mean sin is still not wrecking lives. Our world loves to envy and we don’t think much about it. But envy is destroying lives and crippling our ablity to relate to one another. So where is the hope? How can Jesus and a few of his peculiar people bring life?

Christians are supposed to look different than any culture they find themselves in. Jesus said they are supposed to be the salt of the earth. They are supposed to bring a flavor and a value that changes everything. So, how does that happen? We live in a angry, wrathful, rage filled world; is it even possible to be salt in the midst of wrath?    #sermons #onlinechurch #sermon #christians #theway #s...

We go through our life with a few names. Names that were given to us a birth, nicknames that friends or family offered, and names we may not tell others but that we give ourselves. Some names we embrace and others we despise. But for every follower of Jesus there is a new name. That new name holds a reality and a future that looks nothing like our old names. The question is will we leave our old n...

When God brought the first Christians together in the book of Acts there were five specific ways they “lived” out their new faith. But what about today? Is it different now? How do we actually live out our faith through our everyday lives?   #faith #sermons #onlinechurch #sermon

What if God really means what he says? Jesus says some crazy things that sound good, but do we really believe him? If we do it means we have a huge part to play in his plan to redeem, restore, and make all things new. So how do we do it? How do we live as people who are his and ready to follow him anywhere? This week we dive headfirst into that question and see where Jesus sends us! #sermon #ojai...

It’s time to talk theology again and this week we dive into the theology of adoption. Do you know that is how the early Christians explained how we become God’s sons and daughters? Do you know what it means to be adopted by God? Is it just an illustration or metaphor for you or do you really believe it? This week we dig deep and see how embracing our adoption changes everything! #familyofGod #fait...

So often, when we find ourselves stuck in an impossible situation we ask God "What should I DO?". In looking at the life of Moses, we see that it isn't so much about what we should DO, but something else entirely. Join us as we hear the word from our guest pastor, Shawn Dilbeck. #faith #rest #sermons #inspiration #church # onlinechurch

In your story who is the hero and who is the villain? Are you someone who speaks positively to yourself or are you harsh? These questions might seem strange but how we answer them reveals a lot about what we think about God and his interaction with our daily life. These are questions that men and women have wrestled with for thousands of years and thankfully our God has a message for us. Join us a...

At the heart of the Bible is a claim that God is a God of making things new.  Jesus even says that is part of his work. So what does that look like? Is that just in the Bible or is that for us too? Do we have to wait until we die to experience redemption and renewal or can God make that happen for us today? Join us as we dive into the story of Esther in our "Jesus is Better" series. #bible #sermon...

The story of David and Goliath is often, even in church circles, twisted into a moral tale of how you can conquer your Goliaths. That is not the story of Jesus. David’s life is one of beauty and tragedy, but it is not one to emulate. When Jesus comes he shows us that “we” are terrible saviors but thankfully God has provided exactly what we need. #savior #kingjesus #faith #dependance #trustGod

There is a story in the bible that raises all kinds of questions. The father (Abraham) is asked by God to sacrifice his son (Isaac.) Its a wild event that can leave readers asking why. When you dig deep into this story it starts to reveal powerful themes of what it looks like to trust God and just how loving and trustworthy He is in how he provides. #faith #sermon

Join our Guest Speaker, Scott Harland from Real Life Church, as we look at the life of Abraham and how God used his failures and flaws to shape into a man of faith and trust. #faith #trust

Everyone thinks they know the story of Cain and Abel. A jealous brother lets his anger get the best of him and he kills his brother. But what is really happening there? What does the story of Cain and Abel tell us about God, and ultimately how does Jesus figure into the story? It's a powerful and grace filled lesson for people who are guilty and need mercy and it's a liberating and freeing story f...

There are two stories in two different gardens that get at the heart of who God is and who we are. One is a story of disobedience and blame and the other is a story of trust and sacrifice. One story is our inheritance and in our DNA and the other is our gift if we choose to receive it. #sermons

Just like every hiking trail has a path to follow, God has laid out a path to salvation for us to follow. This week, Michael Johnson from Shepherds Church in Porter Ranch, shares with us from Romans 10 on the path to salvation and the heart of God. #sermons #church #salvation