Stello Grove, Grand Rapids MI

Did you know that a crisis of faith is sometimes tied to past generations?  Along with a lot of other problematic issues that can overwhelm our lives today?  Pastor Jack explores these issues and lays out a path to move forward!

Did you know that a crisis of faith is sometimes tied to past generations?  Along with a lot of other problematic issues that can overwhelm our lives today?  Pastor Jack explores these issues and lays out a path to move forward!

Here’s an interesting thought. Jesus only mentions “church” twice. The first time was in the context of conflict, saying the church would prevail, and the second was that He would build the church. Building the church is not our calling. So, what is our part? Over and over Jesus calls His followers simply to make disciples. And to be brothers and sisters. And that is what this series is all about.

While our enemy is defeated, he has not yet surrendered. He is still going about stealing, killing, and destroying. Some choose to ignore the warfare, thinking God’s got it all worked out with or without our involvement. Others live in a constant battle going from war to war rather than from glory to glory. So, where do we land on all of this? Pastor Jack explains!

Truly, deeply loved by God. That can be a tough concept for many, especially for those dealing with guilt or shame. So how can we really break though into understand the depth of God’s love and compassion for us? That’s where understanding adoption comes in! This is an important message for those needing to understand God’s love, and those wanting to explain it to others.

Many sociologists agree that Americans are becoming more and more lonely. Our desire for independence and individualism comes with a cost: an epidemic of loneliness in our culture. And with fewer people attending church than before COVID, what are we to do? This week Pastor Jack looks what real community looks like, and how the church may need to look different in the future.

Oh, everyone is so excited about this one! (Not!) But what if it’s not about what you need to do to be better? What if it’s about what God does to help you? What if we take the pressure off of ourselves and put it on the Holy Spirit? Pastor Jack is here to explain.

If you ever wanted to pray like David prayed -- real, raw, vulnerable, full of doubt, yet full of faith -- this message will help get you there! You will not see prayer and relationship with God in quite the same way at the end of this one! Prepare to be encouraged and emboldened. And if you have a panic attack in the middle, be comforted. So did David!

Justice. It means different things to different people, and has been politicized this way and that. But what does the Bible say about justice? And what if we are not meant the Good Samaritan? Wait! What? Pastor Jack has a lot to explain in this one!

Wait for it...
Yeah, right!  That's not always so easy to do!  And most of us can use a bit more practice (good thing we have so many opportunities!)  But can the very act of patience be a blessing in and of itself? Can patience bring a unique kind of fulfillment?  Well, the waiting is over.  Time for Pastor Jack to explain!

Here's a powerful key to living a re-storied life: gentleness! Huh? What has gentleness ever produced? Well, Jesus used it to describe His own heart.  And besides being one of the fruit of the Spirit, Proverbs says gentleness is powerful enough to turn away anger! Hmmm.  Let's get curious...

A re-storied life is what happens after the Holy Spirit enters and redeems your past, gives you victory for today, and hope for tomorrow. As a result, your life tells a different story and you live a different story. So, how does that happen? In this series, Pastor Jack will explore ways God intersects your story, and how we live differently as a result.  First up, kindness! Contrary to its rather...

What is evangelism and how do we do it? Jared takes the scary out of this topic by breaking it down with enthusiasm and joy.

In this very unique Palm Sunday message, Pastor Jack looks at everything that was going on as Jesus enters Jerusalem, including one very important and often overlooked detail: the Pharisees wanted Lazarus dead! What? Why? And why should that motivate us in a whole new way as followers of Jesus?  Find out and be encouraged!

What do limping and leaping have in common?  And what does that have to do with being God's "chosen people?" Pastor Jack answer these and other questions as we keep looking at divine reversals and enter into the Passover season.

So we know that God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind. But what does that promise have to do with spiritual gifts? As it turns out, quite a bit. Pastor Jack takes a look at how they are linked and why it’s important. Along the way he gives a deeper understanding of miracles – and why, if you’re a follower of Jesus, you’ve already seen and experienced them

Should we be praying for divine healing?  If God doesn't heal, is it a lack of faith? What are we to believe? Too often our view of divine healing is more informed by our personal experience than by what the Bible actually says -- and that's what Pastor Jack takes a look at this week.

This message is literally filled with faith!  In addition to balanced, unique teaching and fresh biblical understanding on the gift of faith, be prepared for an invitation into deeper, more fulfilling expectation into divine, informed trust in a God who has a hope and a future for you!

What do Esther, the Feast of Purim, and the spiritual gifts of knowledge and wisdom have in common?  They are all features of this week's message of encouragement and faith!  Get ready to move forward into something new and exciting!

In this faith-filled message, Pastor Jack introduces the biblical Feast of Purim by telling the story of Esther in a fresh and engaging way. This message will stir both the desire for and expectation in prayer that dares to believes God for His divine reversal in situations that seem hopeless. He then blends that with prayer for Ukraine, under attack from Russia at the time of this message.

What exactly is discernment? Who has access to it? What is the purpose of it?  What should (and shouldn't) we do with it? And do you have any fun stories about it? These are just a few of the questions Pastor Jack answers in this message in our ongoing study of spiritual gifts.

So, prophecy.  What is it?  How does it work?  What place should it have in church?  Are we biblically allowed to ban it or ignore it?  What if a prophecy is just plain wrong? Pastor Jack has lined up a message that will answer these and many other questions on this often-misunderstood gift of the Spirit.

James says we need to be quick to listen and slow to speak. But why? Especially when we have so many important things that need to be said (and posted). Today’s message is all about how listening well is essential to loving well.

Perhaps the biggest obstacle that churches face today has nothing to do with COVID or how we gather or the format of our church services. The biggest obstacle is our lack of understanding of how much we need Jesus and the gifts of the Holy Spirit.  Pastor Jack looks at how this understanding is a huge part of you really doing you!

God gives all Christ-followers spiritual gifts.  And with those gifts comes spiritual power.  What does that mean?  How do we get this power?  Where does it come from?  What responsibilities come along with it?  Pastor Jack breaks it all down.