The Ridge – Weekly Message

Description: Life hands us an endless string of decisions. Many of us want to follow God, but how do we know what He wants for us? Recognize that God isn’t trying to hide His will. He wants us to know His will. But to know that, we must know Him. Message by Mike Van Rees Scripture referenced: Acts16:6–10

A couple of times a year we take the opportunity as a church to hear stories of how God is working in and through people in our community. We call these, Encounter Sundays. This week on the podcast host Will Herron welcomes Ridge Production Director Jacob Clark to share of how God has used some difficult experiences in his life for good. Read the Beyond the Sermon devotionals : Get the devotional...

It's Encounter Sunday, a day when we take a pause from our normal routine to hear from everyday people who - like the woman at the well - have been transformed by an encounter with Jesus. Stories feature Jacob Clark and Carole Harding. Read the Beyond the Sermon devotionals : Get the devotional each week! Sign up to receive the Beyond the Sermon blog in your inbox.

People respond to the gospel in different ways. Some are at first resistant (Apostle Paul). Others feel they have no need of a Savior and can earn their way to God through religious practice (the Pharisees). How then do we go about leading people like Paul and the Pharisees to Jesus? Join Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees and BTS host Will Herron as they discuss ways in which we can be part of peopl...

Rivals compete for our allegiance every day. McDonalds and Burger King. JIF and Skippy. Sometimes we swap brands. Acts calls it conversion. In chapter 16 we see the stories of four conversions. All had different stories. But what ultimately led them to move from secularism or some form of polytheism or Judaism to Jesus? And as His followers, what is our role in that process? Message by Mike Van Re...

If we are doing life with others, conflict is inevitable. At some point we'll have a disagreement on what is best/right. So how do we go about navigating these kinds of conflict? What does the Bible have to say about resolving relational tension? Join Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees and BTS host Will Herron as they seek answers to these questions in the disagreement of Paul and Barnabas in Acts 15...

Description: In Acts 15, Barnabas wanted to bring John Mark along. Paul adamantly did not. Who was right? Who was wrong? The Bible doesn’t clearly tell us. But maybe that’s the point. Maybe there is something better than winning and being right. Message by Mike Van Rees Scripture referenced: Acts15:36–41 Read the Beyond the Sermon devotionals : Get the devotional each week! Sign up to receive the...

Whether you look at more recent or ancient history, the church has never been a stranger to disagreement. Acts 15 gives us insight into one such disagreement that could have derailed the early church and prevented countless people from coming to faith. Join Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees and BTS Host Will Herron as they discover how this passage can help us navigate disagreements as well as avoid...

First century Jews who believed in Jesus did not consider themselves to be converts to something new. Jesus was their Jewish Messiah, and they were teaching that you cannot be a Christian without first becoming a Jew. As they understood it, it was Jesus and obeying the Jewish laws. But, in fact, it was something altogether different. Message by Mike Van Rees Scripture referenced: Acts15:1–35

Host Will Herron and financial coach, speaker, and writer Travis Shelton ( Meaning Over Money / travisshelton.com ) unpack the first principle to stewarding finances well: The way we view money changes everything about how we handle it.

For many followers of Jesus, the idea of spiritual warfare raises questions or perhaps even skepticism. Yet when we look to the Bible, particularly Jesus ministry, we can't deny the presence of a supernatural enemy in the world. So how do we go about identifying and resisting his work in our lives? Join Ridge Leadership and Ministry Director, Julie Wiemann, and BTS Host Will Herron as they explore...

The enemy may be invisible, but he’s not fictional. As believers we are not immune from his assaults. But we are given access to the power of God. In fact, we’re promised we are fully equipped for the fight. Message by Julie Wiemann Scripture referenced: Ephesians 6:10–18 Read the  Beyond the Sermon devotionals : Get the devotional each week!  Sign up  to receive the Beyond the Sermon blog in your...

None of us are exempt from challenges and problems in our lives. Jesus Himself declared that we would face trouble in this life. But how are we to approach problems when they arise? How can we avoid getting overwhelmed by the challenges we encounter? Join Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees and BTS Host Will Herron as they explore 2 Chronicles 20 and the discover the godly guidance it gives in navigat...

A problem-free life is a myth. Problems and challenges and battles are part of our ongoing reality. In 2 Chronicles 20, as the problem intensified and King Jehoshaphat had done what he knew to do — he fasted, sought counsel, prayed — he did another thing. He worshipped. And something happened. Message by Mike Van Rees Scripture referenced: 1 Kings 22, 2 Chronicles 20 Read the Beyond the Sermon dev...

If we are to develop in any area of our lives, humility and teachability are key. If we are not willing to be challenged in the way we think and act, our potential for growth is limited. King Ahab ultimately wanted his desires to be validated rather than questioned. How do we avoid this pitfall? How can we be open to challenge and change? Join BTS host Will Herron and Ridge Lead Pastor, Mike Van R...

King Ahab thought he was right, and he didn’t want anyone to tell him that he was wrong. 1 Kings 22 teaches us that truth is not what we like, what we want, what feels good, what everyone else is doing, what works for us. Truth is God’s word. Message by Mike Van Rees Scripture referenced: 1 Kings 22:1–6, 17–18, 34–36 Read the Beyond the Sermon devotionals : Get the devotional each week! Sign up to...

A good question the start any new year is: Are you listening. Perhaps a better question would be how are we listening? Are we listening to live? Message by Will Herron Scripture referenced: Luke 6 Read the Beyond the Sermon devotionals : Get the devotional each week! Sign up to receive the Beyond the Sermon blog in your inbox.

It’s one of the most frequently used words at Christmastime. Immanuel. It’s a word we read and sing and speak over and over. But have you ever stopped to think about what that word means? Message by Mike Van Rees Scripture referenced: Matthew 1:20–23 Read the Beyond the Sermon devotionals : Get the devotional each week! Sign up to receive the Beyond the Sermon blog in your inbox.

No one expects to hear the word “cancer”; and when you do life suddenly speeds up and slows down all at the same time. This past year our podcast guest received that diagnosis and her journey has been a roller coaster since. In the midst of all her treatments she’s faced the journey with peace, hope and the guidance of the Holy Spirit—all gifts Julie talked about in her recent message “The Gifts y...

For young and old alike, there are gifts that won’t be found under the tree that are ours to unwrap. These gifts of peace, grace, hope and the Holy Spirit are all ours to receive. And they are all gifts that never wear out—they are ours now and forever through the gift of Jesus. Message by Julie Wiemann Scripture referenced: James 1:17, Romans 5:1, John 14:27 Read the Beyond the Sermon devotionals...

Join BTS host Will Herron and Ridge Director of Hospitality Joni Pine for this special Christmas edition of the podcast. Listen in as they welcome some Ridge staff members for some Christmas fun! Click here to RSVP for our Christmas services Click here to watch the Ridge U “With Us” video

The first step to accepting Jesus as Lord of your life is belief. Believing He is the Son of God, that He bore all your failures, and died and rose again on our behalf. But where do we go from there? What does Jesus call us into beyond that? Join Pastor Mike and BTS host Will Herron as they discuss how being a disciple of Jesus involves not only belief but a faith that displays itself in the way w...

God asks more of us than belief. He asks us to follow. He asks us not to simply believe something about Him, but to let Him lead. In today’s world — in a culture that prizes individual freedom and personal autonomy — why would and should we agree to such a thing? Message by Mike Van Rees Scripture referenced: 1 Kings 18:16–46 Read the Beyond the Sermon devotionals : Get the devotional each week! S...

Receiving criticism can often be difficult, yet if we are to grow personally and relationally with others it is necessary. But what about giving criticism? How do we get the balance between hounding others and being passive in this area of our relationships? Join Pastor Mike and Will as they discuss striking the right balance when giving feedback. Read the Beyond the Sermon devotionals : Get the d...

What we see in 1 Kings 21 is not an ideal marriage. Jezebel is a controlling wife, Ahab a passive husband. Yet there is something more, something of paramount importance. Jezebel creates a scheme, she’s the instigator. Yet God ultimately holds Ahab accountable. Why? Doesn't that seem strange? Message by Mike Van Rees Scripture referenced: 1 Kings 21 Read the Beyond the Sermon devotionals : Get the...