South Bay Church

We can never be truly connected unless we’re willing to “remove the masks” and allow ourselves to be seen for who we really are. God’s grace makes up for our weaknesses and allows us to find acceptance.

God’s design for relationships within the church demands that we overcome the spaces between us. Don’t let there be spiritual “six feet” - hit the reset button in your spiritual relationships if needed, but engage!

Maintaining spiritual ambition can be tough in troubled times. Yet it gives us focus and helps us maintain healthy self-dependency.

Gaining spiritual maturity affects every aspect of our lives - how we view our past, future, relationships, problems, and opportunities.

Take personal responsibility for daily spiritual choices that strengthen your mind, body, and soul. Could it be God is refining us during this time? Church relationships strengthened during this time?

Ever felt like a sermon was just for you? Like someone talked to the minister about you? What if the minister called you out by name! Well, that’s exactly what Paul does in Philippians 4 with this whole idea of unity and humility, intensional mindset.

When do you really “know Christ?” When you’re misunderstood. When you lay your life down for others. When you give to others without expecting in return. When you have to rely on the love of God to keep on going:.

Key to unity is learning to “align our mindset” with Jesus Christ, as Paul describes in Phil 2. What makes us beautiful is the diversity of all of us (from different cultures, perspectives, experiences, viewpoints) coming together in perfect unity

Some of the teens of South Bay Church share about what “true humility” looks like in our lives and relationships, and what it means to walk humbly with God.

Micah 6:8 says what God requires is for us to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly. What do we do with the anger we may feel about injustice? What does it mean to put mercy into our conversations and relationships?

The pages of the Old Testament our full of admonishments from God to work to protect the vulnerable: the orphans, widows, poor, and immigrants. How should this inform our current view of justice?

How can this letter from Peter to early Christians give us perspective into our current situation? Find comfort, peace, and a way to cope with our anxieties.

What does it mean to love each other “deeply and from the heart,” the way the Apostle Peter prescribes?

No one likes to suffer or struggle, but is it possible that hardships can refine and sharpen us? Make us better? The early Christians provide us with a great example.

The Apostle Peter points to Jesus as our example in our relationships - being like Jesus makes everyone better.

There is so much in the world that we can’t trust. But we can entrust our lives, struggles, hopes and fears to “him who judges justly.” Jesus is our perfect example of trust in God. And being forgiven allows us to forgive others.

Peter reminds us that Jesus is who brings us together - like “living stones” forming a building for God’s presence. Jesus’ death and resurrection make for a whole new reality.

Peter reminds us that Jesus is who brings us together - like “living stones” forming a building for God’s presence. Jesus’ death and resurrection make for a whole new reality.

In this historic and unprecedented time, we can have a hope that is “imperishable”- it cannot be destroyed or taken from us. Eternal security, infinite value.

In this series we look at the message from the Apostle Peter to Christians of his day, and it is remarkable how many things we can relate to in our present challenges. This message gives us hope, builds our faith and confidence in God.

Grace allows us to become better and better representatives of God with no limit to how much we can grow - it sets us free, leads us by the Spirit, and continually strengthens us.

Grace allows us to be people who are known not for being gifted, not for doing good things, but for how we love people. Real love doesn’t give up on God, ourselves, or on others. Graced people love people.

Understanding God’s grace is so motivating. It transforms our identity and allows to to truly be ourselves. It allows us to view weakness and struggle differently. It fundamentally changes our relationship to God.

The older we get as Christians, it can be easy to become self-reliant. Yet we quickly reach the end of ourselves and come up short. We try to fill ourselves with junk. But only the Spirit can produce in us those things which are most needed. Focus on being rather than doing. Live by faith and not by the flesh.

Could it be that God has designed a plan for you to make the world a better place through what you do? Learning to see your life as a calling from God can bring great purpose and meaning. An identity in Christ will make you a better employee.