South Hills Church - Costa Mesa

Our family is who we came from. And for a lot of us, it’s also who we’re running from. We don’t want who they are to limit who we can be. Sometimes the people you expected to have your back feel more like they’re in your way. Family is supposed to love you for you & support whatever you want to do, right? We think—If I had a good family, they’d make me happy, celebrate me, resource me, and ask...

If you were to imagine what’s most important to God, beauty probably wouldn’t make the list. Dostoevsky said beauty will save the world. Jesus seemed to agree. What does that mean? Why would Jesus assign so much power & priority to something most of us see as surfacy? Could it be we don’t understand God, or have we incorrectly defined beauty? What if it’s a bit of both? What if beauty can save...

A lot of people think the point of life is to try to be a good person. But what does that mean? Is it about DOING the right things, or BELIEVING the right way? And how do we know what’s right? Jesus argued with people He believed were right, accusing them of not being good. So, they’re not the same? Jesus taught one was more important than the other, the result of which got Him killed and saved th...

Most people want to be told the truth. But what does that word even mean anymore? Is it all relative? We heard—Just live YOUR truth. Is there such a thing as THE truth? If so, where does it come from and how do we measure it? Jesus was asked these same questions and His answer is nothing short of astounding.

When someone hurts us, our impulse is to get them back. We want to get even because even feels fair. But it doesn’t end up feeling good. In fact, it doesn’t end at all. We get sucked into a never-ending cycle of retaliation. Jesus did His best to give grace to those who treated Him the worst. What made Him think this counter-intuitive strategy would make a difference? And why did He encourage us t...

The way we approach a conversation transforms what we get out of that conversation. This is true with other people, but it’s also true with God. Most of us passively learn to pray by mimicking the religious figures around us. We can fall into patterns of talking with God that feel formulaic and leave us wondering about their effectiveness. Are there ways of talking with God that are better than ot...

Words are weighty. We all know it, but we don’t always act like it. On one hand, we’ve all spent more time than we’re proud of carefully crafting the perfect text or Tweet. We’ve also casually said something that was taken out of context and came back to haunt us. It’s hard to be thoughtful and intentional about everything we say. But can we afford not to try? Words shape reality. The words we use...

We all develop our own particular way of communicating. We don’t necessarily set out to do it, it just sort of happens. We not only pick up words, phrases, body language, but also tone, volume, and intensity from the people we’re raised by and the circles we run in. The way we say things is as impactful as what it is we’re saying. And different people prefer to be communicated with in different wa...

When we think about the power of words, we typically think about what we say to others and what they say to us. But the words that shape us most are the ones we say to ourselves. Every one of us is having an ongoing conversation with ourselves in the confines of our own minds. But we don’t often stop and think about the content of those conversations or whether or not the words we’re using are hel...

In Scripture, we frequently see the Holy Spirit represented as a dove. Why is that? What does this small, bright-white bird have to do with how God wants to relate to us? What can we learn by taking a deeper look at where and how this illustration was used? Could it be telling us more than one thing? If so, what? How does this winged, word picture point us to the practical ways God wants to help u...

There are a lot of notable examples in Scripture of the Holy Spirit appearing in the form of a cloud. Of all the shapes and symbolsGod could’ve chosen, why does He repeatedly approach humanity wrapped in this one? What does this illustration tell us about who the Holy Spirit is and what He does? How might unpacking the places this word picture is used teach us something practical about trusting Go...

The most prominent metaphor for Spirit is probably fire. And there’s reason for that: It’s all over Scripture. Why? When God’s Spirit shows up in the form of fire, where does it happen and what is God doing? What does this image reveal about who the Spirit is and the impact a relationship with Him ought to have on our everyday lives? How might this aspect of God alter the way we face what He place...

In Scripture, the Holy Spirit is almost exclusively spoken of in metaphor. One of the most prominent illustrations is ‘breath’. When, how, and why was this word picture used? And what does it tell us about the way God wants to relate to us? If we could experience the Holy Spirit as the breath of God, what would that be like? How might it transform our perspective of Him? How would it help us? And...

There’s this core concept in Christianity called ‘the Trinity’. It’s the idea that our singular God somehow exists in three separate forms. If just the thought of that sort-of scrambles your brain, you’re not alone. Why did God choose to reveal Himself this way? How are these identities intertwined? Why are all three essential? Why did the Father see the need to send the Son? And why did the son s...

Is there anything more to my work than just doing it well? Is the goal to just show up over and over again until retire or die? The reality is that work you do today as an engineer, cashier, teacher, banker, or stay-at-home parent will have an eternal impact – but how?

“Everybody’s working for the weekend.” Yes, it was Loverboy who put these words to a killer sing-a-long melody, but is that really all there is? Are we all just wearing ourselves out, exhausted, trying to make it to the weekend or our next vacation? Is it possible to actually experience rest? And what do I need to do in order to not burn myself out before I get there?

We sometimes dream of jobs we’re passionate about, that are fulfilling, and that somehow check every single box on our list of perfect ideals. (Oh yeah, it also needs to pay a lot of money!) But what if we can’t actually get that job? Can I be fulfilled while working at a job I’m not passionate about? To pursue my “calling” will I have to submit my resignation letter?

We are created in the image of a God who worked and is still working. This means that for us to feel whole, we actually need to work; to be co-creators with God. But our identity was never meant to be found in what we do or how we do it. Both work and rest are meant to flow out of our identity as children of God, not be the source of our identity.

All of us know someone suffering from severe anxiety or depression (whether we know it or not). But statistically, so few seek help. It’s something we don’t want to admit to others, maybe even ourselves. And technically—what’s “severe” anyway? So, we suffer in quiet isolation, imagining the crippling sadness will somehow disappear as suddenly as it descended. But when it doesn’t, and the days turn...

Some people who suffer from severe depression do find their way back. How? What sort of holistic approach are they taking to tunnel out of the darkness? Is it the same for everyone? What are the commonalities? If someone wanted to get better, where would they start?

All of us know someone suffering from severe anxiety or depression (whether we know it or not). But statistically, so few seek help. It’s something we don’t want to admit to others, maybe even ourselves. And technically—what’s “severe” anyway? So, we suffer in quiet isolation, imagining the crippling sadness will somehow disappear as suddenly as it descended. But when it doesn’t, and the days turn...

All of us know someone suffering from severe anxiety or depression (whether we know it or not). But statistically, so few seek help. It’s something we don’t want to admit to others, maybe even ourselves. And technically—what’s “severe” anyway? So, we suffer in quiet isolation, imagining the crippling sadness will somehow disappear as suddenly as it descended. But when it doesn’t, and the days turn...

All of us know someone suffering from severe anxiety or depression (whether we know it or not). But statistically, so few seek help. It’s something we don’t want to admit to others, maybe even ourselves. And technically—what’s “severe” anyway? So, we suffer in quiet isolation, imagining the crippling sadness will somehow disappear as suddenly as it descended. But when it doesn’t, and the days turn...

There are lots of words, phrases, and slogans that get stuck in our head. “Cancelled!” “I’m lovin’ it.” “That’s totally sus, bro!” “Follow for follow.” These phrases get passed around, not because they’re profound, but because they’re catchy. We say them because everybody says them. All of which leads us to repeat things worth forgetting and to forget things worth repeating. Jesus, shortly before...

There are lots of words, phrases, and slogans that get stuck in our head. “Cancelled!” “I’m lovin’ it.” “That’s totally sus, bro!” “Follow for follow.” These phrases get passed around, not because they’re profound, but because they’re catchy. We say them because everybody says them. All of which leads us to repeat things worth forgetting and to forget things worth repeating. Jesus, shortly before...