Thrive Harbor

Hope comes from what you believe about the future. And what lies ahead for Christians is: glory. God promises that one day His people will enjoy not just a gloriously renewed creation but a gloriously perfected relationship with Him—a relationship that takes us into the very heart of who God is. Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Romans 5:9; 8:17-25; John 1:1, 14, 17,...

Christ doesn't just save us from the penalty of our sin. He changes us so that we live transformed lives. That change happens not through behavior modification or naked moral effort. Instead, God's Spirit changes us from the inside-out, giving us a new nature with new desires. Scripture passages cited in this message include Galatians 2:11-3:6; John 20:17; Romans 6:3-5, 17; 1 John 1:8; 1 Timothy 1...

It's amazing enough that God forgives us. But the gospel is even more incredible than that. Through Jesus, God has adopted believers into His family. We can know God as Father, a relationship of utmost intimacy and steadfast security. Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Romans 8:12-17; Genesis 5:28-29; 17:5; 35:16-18; Luke 1:59-63; Matthew 3:17; Revelation 2:17; Zephan...

How does the story of the Bible change your life? In the New Testament letters, Paul gives us one answer to that question: God has shared with us His righteousness. Now instead of seeking our status or worth in what we achieve, the gospel frees us to rest in what Jesus achieved—and the result is life and peace.  Scripture passages cited in this message include Romans 1:23; 2:28-29; 3:21-26; a...

As soon as the first Christian communities formed, they were persecuted. But in one of the Bible’s most stunning surprises, one of the worst persecutors of the early Christians became one! The conversion of Saul, also called Paul, was a pivotal event in biblical history. Changed by an encounter with Jesus, Paul went on to plant churches throughout the Roman empire, write much of the New Testament,...

When Jesus ascended into Heaven, he promised that he would send his followers the Holy Spirit so that they could live, speak, and witness for him. In so doing, Jesus launched a movement of people (called the "church") who to this day have not stopped sharing the good news of Jesus around the world. This message was preached by Josh Nuckols, worship coordinator at our sister ministry, Thrive Kitsap...

After Jesus' death and burial, it looked as though God's story had come to a screeching halt. But three days later, Jesus rose—and it changed everything. Jesus' resurrection is an announcement that God wins, sin loses, and death doesn't have the last word. This message was preached by Jake Chambers, pastor of Wilderness Church .

The most shocking moment in Jesus' life was his death. Who would have thought that after thousands of years of anticipation, the long-awaited Messiah would come—only to die? Yet it was through the cross that Jesus fulfilled the Messiah's ultimate mission: to take our sin, die in our place, and reconcile us to God. This message was preached by Tim Cedarland, Thrive director emeritus.

As storm clouds of hostility begin to gather around Jesus, Jesus reacts to the rejection of His own people by speaking to them in parables. Through the parables, He discloses hitherto unrevealed truth about what God's Kingdom is like—especially during the age we're living in, while the world rejects God's King. Scripture passages cited in this message include Matthew 12:24; 13:1-52; Mark 4:11-12;...

In the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew reveals Jesus' authority through His teaching. Immediately after, he reveals Jesus' authority through His miracles. A glittering showcase of Jesus' power, mercy, and compassion, the miracles reveal that a Messiah who is more than just a man: Jesus is God in the flesh, sovereign over all creation. This message was given by Dustin Polley, director of Thrive Kitsap...

The Messiah is not just a rescuer but a king, one who claims ultimate authority. After Jesus begins His ministry, He asserts His Messianic authority in the most famous sermon of all time: the Sermon on the Mount. This crucial teaching of Jesus reveals that our need for God is far deeper than we could have imagined. But as we read the rest of the story, we discover in Jesus a savior who delights to...

The back side of a Persian rug is a tangled mess of knots and lumps. But flip it over and all the threads come together in a beautiful masterpiece. The Bible is the same way. Like a rug flipped over, the New Testament ties the earlier threads of the story together in and through Jesus. And one of the best examples is the very first page. Scripture passages cited in this message include Matthew 1:1...

The Old Testament anticipates the coming of the Messiah, a rescuer who will set everything right. But it ends on a cliffhanger—the Messiah hasn’t arrived yet! What we're left with instead is a kaleidoscope of clues for recognizing the Messiah when He arrives—when and where He’ll be born, what family He'll come from, the things He'll do and accomplish. But the most shocking clue of all is found in...

For seventy years Israel lived in exile in Babylon as punishment for their unfaithfulness to God. But after those years were over, God brought the Israelites back to the promised land, where under the leadership of prophets like Haggai and Zechariah, a revival took place. This message was given by Cedric van Duyn, pastor of Anthem Church .

Matthew Wick, Middle School Director at Peninsula Bible Fellowship , continues through the book of 1 Peter in this fourth 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 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.