The Gathering

Is God fair or just? Many people think God’s idea of justice is retributive - basically that if you do something bad, he will punish you by having bad things happen to you. But, there is another way to understand justice. Perhaps God does not act according to strict retributive justice, but instead promises us restorative justice, or setting right what sin has eroded. Perhaps God is less intereste...

It’s human nature to want to believe that “everything happens for a reason,” especially when we’re suffering. We want to believe that suffering serves some greater purpose. We’re taking a look at the role that suffering plays in our life, what God can offer us through it, and the limitations of trying to always give our suffering a greater meaning.

Every day, we’re faced with everything from tragedy in the world to struggles in our everyday life, leaving us constantly wondering why? We're exploring this question by looking at the story of Job, learning how God shows up even in our darkest moments.

Political fear is something the disciples experienced, also. We're talking about how Jesus centers us in a climate where our fear is not only real but also exploited. Fear in fact was a major theme of Jesus’ ministry, evidenced by how often he says, “fear not."

Politics can threaten our relationships. When we feel that divide unfolding, we can practice 3 simple rules of engagement: 1. Do No Harm 2. Do Good 3. Stay in Love with God These three rules, coined by Methodist Founder John Wesley, offer us a framework for love that can often challenge us, but that models Jesus.

Jesus is the foundation of our faith, and that faith shapes how we engage in politics and how we respond to those we deeply disagree with. Many of us are asking the question, "How does my faith shape the way I respond to what's going on around me?" Luckily, we can look to Jesus' political engagement as an example for our own. But, we first must dispel two myths: Jesus wasn't political. Jesus was p...

Faith is something we believe. But, on a deeper level, it's something we practice. As we step away from a conversation about our Shared Practices, Pastor Charity Goodwin reminds us why they're so important - and how we can practically begin implementing them in our lives.

Invitation doesn't have to be hard. Jesus gives us an example of how to invite: start with the people you know, listen for opportunities, risk an invitation, let go of the outcomes. People need good news, and we have the opportunity to be the ones that help them find it. It is powerful when someone is able to change their life in light of Jesus. And, often all of that starts with one, simple invit...

You don't have to be an expert in faith to extend an invitation. Your faith is worth sharing. For many of us, a simple invitation to church is the easiest and clearest way to offer someone else the chance to explore Jesus and faith. You don't need to be an expert, or have all the answers. And, you really don't have to try and get people to do anything. Instead, just do what's natural. Share your e...

Jesus WANTS Your Help. Your Faith is worth sharing. All around us, strong voices are projecting a version of church that is judgmental, partisan, angry and condemning. Too few people know that there is another kind of church. That Jesus came not to judge or condemn, but to invite us into lives of love, emotional freedom, and compassion. This Jesus is underrepresented. This kind of church needs a v...

Gathering, meet Pastor Aaron Carter! As one of our associate pastors, Aaron will be joining us across all our sites and online as he considers starting a new church! We're very lucky to have him on our team. In this message, he reminds us that Jesus is for US. He's for you, for me, for all. Jesus' presence in our lives makes a difference.

Faith is more than a static list of beliefs. It is also actively living your life in a way that will help your faith grow and evolve. Just as artists practice their craft as they pursue excellence, we must practice our faith as we pursue a deeper relationship with Jesus. Join us as we learn about the spiritual practices we commit to here at The Gathering in order to follow Christ and pursue growth...

Faith is more than a static list of beliefs. It is also actively living your life in a way that will help your faith grow and evolve. Just as artists practice their craft as they pursue excellence, we must practice our faith as we pursue a deeper relationship with Jesus. Join us as we learn about the spiritual practices we commit to here at The Gathering in order to follow Christ and pursue growth...

Faith is more than a static list of beliefs. It is also actively living your life in a way that will help your faith grow and evolve. Just as artists practice their craft as they pursue excellence, we must practice our faith as we pursue a deeper relationship with Jesus. Join us as we learn about the spiritual practices we commit to here at The Gathering in order to follow Christ and pursue growth...

Faith is more than a static list of beliefs. It is also actively living your life in a way that will help your faith grow and evolve. Just as artists practice their craft as they pursue excellence, we must practice our faith as we pursue a deeper relationship with Jesus. Join us as we learn about the spiritual practices we commit to here at The Gathering in order to follow Christ and pursue growth...

Faith is more than a static list of beliefs. It is also actively living your life in a way that will help your faith grow and evolve. Just as artists practice their craft as they pursue excellence, we must practice our faith as we pursue a deeper relationship with Jesus. Join us as we learn about the spiritual practices we commit to here at The Gathering in order to follow Christ and pursue growth...

The first name given to the son of Mary, while still in the womb, was the name Jesus. This name means God saves (delivers, rescues). There is a lot packed into this name. It means that first, we need to be saved FROM something. Secondly, it means that we need to be saved FOR something. And finally, that we need SOMEONE to do the saving (we cannot do it ourselves). Jesus is the one who saves us fro...

In ancient times, the morning star was the brightest star in the sky, easily distinguishable from all others. It was usually the first to appear in the morning and the most prominent light in the sky at dusk. This “star” actually wasn’t a star at all. It was the planet Venus. Nonetheless it represented several things to the ancients. It represented that which is first and most important. It was al...

We often wonder what God is like. People tend to fill in the blanks with whatever they believe God should be. This can lead to a sense that God is free for people to define however they see fit. God is nature; God is an abstract spirit; God is merciful, judgmental, or vengeful. God can be almost anything. But the author of Hebrews tells us that Jesus is the exact imprint of God’s very being. In ot...

Churches have a lot of rituals that often leave people wondering...why do we do that? To new people, church can feel confusing, ritualistic, or just plain weird. And, if you’ve been coming for a while, it can be automatic, mindless, and you may even take it for granted. In this series, we will uncover some of the history, meaning and beauty behind those rituals you experience each Sunday. Join us...

Churches have a lot of rituals that often leave people wondering...why do we do that? To new people, church can feel confusing, ritualistic, or just plain weird. And, if you’ve been coming for a while, it can be automatic, mindless, and you may even take it for granted. In this series, we will uncover some of the history, meaning and beauty behind those rituals you experience each Sunday. Join us...

Churches have a lot of rituals that often leave people wondering...why do we do that? To new people, church can feel confusing, ritualistic, or just plain weird. And, if you’ve been coming for a while, it can be automatic, mindless, and you may even take it for granted. In this series, we will uncover some of the history, meaning and beauty behind those rituals you experience each Sunday. Join us...

The minor prophets are twelve books of the old testament, nearly ⅕ of the Bible. And yet their voices are rarely heard. But, the prophets played an important role - speaking truth to power, naming uncomfortable realities, and reminding people of the way they were called to live. Their voices were not popular, but were necessary. That was true then, and is still true today. Join us as we study the...

The minor prophets are twelve books of the old testament, nearly ⅕ of the Bible. And yet their voices are rarely heard. But, the prophets played an important role - speaking truth to power, naming uncomfortable realities, and reminding people of the way they were called to live. Their voices were not popular, but were necessary. That was true then, and is still true today. Join us as we study the...

The minor prophets are twelve books of the old testament, nearly ⅕ of the Bible. And yet their voices are rarely heard. But, the prophets played an important role - speaking truth to power, naming uncomfortable realities, and reminding people of the way they were called to live. Their voices were not popular, but were necessary. That was true then, and is still true today. Join us as we study the...