Thrive Harbor

Matthew Wick, Middle School Director at Peninsula Bible Fellowship , continues through the book of 1 Peter in this third of four talks at Thrive’s Fall Retreat.

Matthew Wick, Middle School Director at Peninsula Bible Fellowship , continues through the book of 1 Peter in this second of four talks at Thrive’s Fall Retreat.

Matthew Wick, Middle School Director at Peninsula Bible Fellowship , opens the book of 1 Peter in this first of four talks at Thrive’s Fall Retreat. Note: This recording only captures the ending portion of the message.

God led Israel into the Promised Land, gave them a king, and made them prosperous. But Israel responded with sin and disobedience, placing them on a collision course with judgment. That judgment fell when God allowed the Babylonians to carry His people into exile for seventy years. This message was given by David Baumgaertel, a Thrive alumnus.

When Israel sinned, God sent prophets to call them to return to Him. But in addition to speaking against Israel's waywardness, the prophets were also entrusted with some of the most magnificent predictions of the Messiah, whose coming would deal with the problem of sin once and for all. This message was given by Peter Churness, pastor of One Hope Church .

After David died, his son Solomon built the temple, the majestic dwelling place of God's manifest presence. But it wouldn't be long before Israel's sin resulted in God's presence departing and the temple being destroyed. Only with the coming of Jesus would God establish a different kind of temple, where God's presence would dwell with His people forever. This message was given by Will Weron, a mem...

Desiring to be like the other nations, Israel rejected God as their king and asked for a human king instead. Under the Saul, the kingship began as a disaster. But then God raised up David, a king after His own heart and a preview of the far greater King who will one day sit on David's throne. Scripture passages cited in this message include 1 Samuel 8:5-7; 15:10-21; and 2 Samuel 7:8-16. This messa...

Not long after making it into the promised land, Israel goes astray again... and again… and again. Yet throughout the book of Judges, God responds to Israel’s lapses into idolatry not only with discipline but with astonishingly unmerited grace. This message was given by John Lewis, founder and president of Kingdom Story .

After several centuries of homelessness, God fulfills His promise and brings Israel into the Promised Land. At their head is Joshua, Moses' successor, Israel's leader—and a foreshadowing of Jesus, through whom we have an even greater inheritance.

Yet again the Israelites abandon trust in God, stranding them in a desert for the rest of their lives. The exception is two Israelites named Joshua and Caleb, who because of their faith are the only members of their generation to enter the Promised Land. Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Exodus 32; 33:1-2; Numbers 13:31-33; 14:1-4, 30; and John 16:33.

Scarcely after promising to keep God's law, Israel breaks it, creating a relational chasm between the sinful nation and her holy God. How can the chasm be breached? According to the book of Leviticus, only through a sacrifice can God and humanity be reconciled. This message was given by Dustin Polley, director of Thrive Kitsap , our sister ministry. Note: Due to a technical issue, the recording st...

God saved Israel from Egypt—but what did He save them for ? According to Exodus 19, the answer is: relationship with Him. At Mount Sinai, God gave Israel the Law to reveal His character, and also the character of the human heart: our bent toward sin, our inability to obey, and our deep, deep need of a Savior. Scripture passages cited in this message include excerpts from Exodus 19-20; Matthew 6:21...

After Abraham passed off the scene, his descendants, by this time a nation called Israel, fell into the clutches of slavery. But through a man named Moses, God delivers the Israelites from their Egyptian captors, guiding them on a miraculous escape route through the Red Sea. This message was given by Kurt Mach, pastor of Peninsula Christian Fellowship . Scripture passages cited in this message inc...

Some 2,000 years after Eden, God begins a new chapter in His rescue plan to save the world through calling a man named Abram. His call marks the beginning of one specially chosen ethnic family, in whom all the nations of the earth will be blessed.  Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Genesis 3:15; 4:25; 5:29; 6:9; 7:1; 9:21-22; 11:4; 11:27-12:9; and 1 Timothy 1:4.

Why is the world broken? The Bible's account of the fall of humanity shows that the reason is far more complex than just simple rule-breaking. At the root of all our broken relationships—with others, the world, and ourselves—is the collapse of right relationship with God. Scripture passages cited in this message include Genesis 2:16-17.

Most stories begin by introducing the plot and chief characters—and the Bible is no exception! Scripture begins by revealing God as the main character, who creates a world of goodness, beauty, and relationship. In giving us a glimpse of life before the Fall, the opening act of the Bible offers a tantalizing picture of God’s original design for humanity and for the world, untouched by the ravages o...

The last chapter of Jonah is the heart of the book. Using contrasts, irony, and even humor, this final act of the drama reveals that even after all Jonah has been through, he still hasn't come to grips with the grace of God—a God who continues to woo and pursue him despite his hardness of heart. Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Jonah 1:3; 3:4, 10; Matthew 23:37; Luk...

When Jonah obeys God, revival breaks out in Nineveh, offering an ironic case study of the ingredients in spiritual renewal. Scripture passages cited in this message include Matthew 10:19-20; Acts 26:20; 2 Corinthians 7:10; and 1 Thessalonians 1:9.

What does it take to get unstuck? Swallowed by a fish and surrounded by his failure, Jonah cries out to the Lord in a stirring prayer, shedding light on how God can lift us from the pit of our sin and suffering. Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Psalms 3:8; 18:6; 31:22; and 42:7.

When Jonah tried to abandon God, God refused to abandon Him. In the mystery of His mercy, the Lord rescued Jonah and used him despite his disobedience, proving that you can never outrun the grace of God. Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include 2 Kings 14:25; Jonah 1:1-3, 8; and Matthew 12:39-41.

Trusting God is the bread and butter of following Jesus. One person who understood trust well was Abraham, who once was asked by God to do something that seemed absolutely crazy—and he obeyed! How? According to Genesis 22, it all had to do with the faithfulness of God.  Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include 1 Timothy 1:4; 2 Corinthians 5:7; Psalm 66:10-12; John 15:2...

How do you really follow Jesus? Answer: Not alone. God's design is for the whole body of Christ to work together, so that it can grow and become more like Jesus. Ephesians 4 shows us three ingredients of what that process involves: unity, diversity, and maturity.

The gospel is woven into the Bible from beginning to end. Drawing on key stories from Scripture, Tim Cedarland, Thrive's director emeritus, shows how God's "big picture" is all about the gospel.

How would you break down the gospel for a friend who'd never heard it? Jake Chambers, pastor of Local Church , offers one way to do just that, using nothing more than pen and paper.

The gospel is a reflection of God's character—including His great faithfulness. In this message, Dustin Polley, director of Thrive Kitsap , reflects on what God's faithfulness can look like in our lives.