Verve City Church: Weekly Messages

In today’s culture, there are all kinds of ways to talk about Jesus: as a life coach, a path to success, a political symbol, or a way to guarantee life after death. But when the focus shifts from Jesus himself to what we can get through him, something subtle but significant changes. This week, we’ll look at four popular versions of Christianity in America and ask a simple but important question: a...

We live in a time when spirituality, wellness, and self-optimization are increasingly intertwined. Mindfulness, breath work, energy, alignment — these practices and ideas offer people a sense of peace and wholeness. But how do they fit with Jesus? Do they complement his way, conflict with it, or do something else entirely? This week is an invitation to explore how ancient practices and modern well...

Karma has quietly become one of the most accepted spiritual ideas in the West, even among people who’ve never studied Eastern religions. It’s simple, intuitive, and feels just. But is that what the world is really like? This week, we’ll explore what karma actually teaches, where it resonates with the way of Jesus, and where the two paths begin to diverge.

For many, the idea of God just doesn’t add up. Whether for logical, emotional, or experiential reasons, atheism has become a default setting, especially in the modern West. But what does a world without God actually ask us to believe? And what are the strengths and limitations of that view? This week is an open exploration of the worldview that says, “There’s no one out there… and that’s okay.”

In a global culture where pluralism is often a given, it’s easy to assume that all religions are basically saying the same thing. But is that actually true? This week, we’ll explore the core stories and claims behind some of the world’s major religions — and a few of the stranger ones, too — to see what they have in common, where they differ, and why those differences might matter more than we thi...

Easter brings fun memories of egg hunts, chocolate bunnies, and baskets of goodies. But beneath it all - is Easter true? Is the story of a man conquering death and offering us freedom worth believing?  Listen to our discussion about why we choose to follow Jesus. 

We read in the New Testament that God is love, and then we read other stories in the Old Testament about God bringing punishment and death and plagues. So, how do we reconcile what seems almost to be a dual personality? Does God act like Jesus dying for his executioners, or is God more like the deity who allowed an angel of death to kill the firstborn children of Egypt? The answer to that question...

During the Watergate scandal of the early 1970s, Senator Howard Baker posed the question during a hearing, "What did the President know, and when did he know it?" We intuitively understand that the specific knowledge people have and the amount of time they have it can either exonerate or implicate them. What does God know, and when does he know it? It's often said that God is "...

For the last several centuries, a troubling philosophical question has haunted Christianity: If God is all good and all-powerful, why is there so much evil in the world? What's fascinating is that this question is never posed in quite this way in the Scriptures. How could Jesus and his followers expect the world to be filled with pain and still believe in a completely loving Creator God? Beca...

Honey badgers are relentless and fearless. They don't give up even when facing off against much larger animals, and they're wicked smart. When it comes to his love for us, God is like a honey badger. He will not be deterred. He keeps pursuing us and trying to help us even when we flee him, curse him, or deny him. We are invited into this ravishing love, and we are invited to share it. 

Does your job feel like a calling—or just a grind? Work isn’t just a paycheck—it’s a chance to find joy and bring God glory. Scripture is full of men and women who demonstrate that even ordinary jobs can become a platform for something bigger when we invite God in. How can their examples help us find joy and purpose in our daily grind? 

Our own brokenness and anxiety distorts our relationship to work and can frequently cause us to have an unhealthy relationship with it. But the Gospel of Jesus can transform HOW we work and how we THINK about work. This Sunday, we talk about how faith reshapes work, and why you were made for Monday.

Work is not just what you do—it’s who you become in the process. We live in a culture that either glorifies work or resents it. Hustle harder. Climb the ladder. Or—just survive until the weekend. But what if work was designed for something more? What if the sacred is found in the spreadsheets, the meetings, the endless to-do lists? In Take This Job and Love It, we’ll reimagine work through God’s d...

Perhaps growing up, you had a mischievous uncle or friend: someone who loved you in part by kidding around with you, playing innocent practical jokes, or giving you a non-painful noogie with a whimsical glint in their eye. That was Jesus. He occasionally used his miraculous power in funny ways. He seemed to intentionally confuse his disciples at times both to deepen their thinking and, seemingly,...

Pop-culture is saturated with superheroes, Jedi, hobbits, wizards, and things that go bump in the night. We love stories. A good story can help us make sense of our lives. A well-written character can inspire us, engage us, and make us feel like we belong. Jesus loved stories as well. His hallmark teaching device was the parable: he crafted illustrations to help us understand God and our place in...

Jesus himself said that others called him a "glutton" and a "drunkard." What a strange reputation for the most influential spiritual leader in the history of the world! While Jesus believed those descriptions of him were misguided, it's worth asking the question: why did some religious leaders believe this of him? Jesus seemed to believe that sometimes spiritual transforma...

What picture comes to mind when you think of Jesus? Is he stoic? Self-serious? Hippy-dippy? For many of us, Jesus seems both unapproachable and unrelatable. However, the stories of Jesus found in the Gospels portray a very different Jesus than the one in our heads: joyful, funny, and welcoming. This week, we'll explore an often undiscussed attribute that seemed to be the key to several of Jes...

Rounding out our Level Up series, we’re looking at taking our rest to the next level. Join us to explore how we can prioritize true rest so that we can bring our best selves to all we do. 

 We hear it all the time as a casual expression in our culture: Have a little faith. He’s acting in bad faith. She’s acting in good faith. Keep the faith. Take a leap of faith. He believes on blind faith. We praise, deride, and criticize people for having or not having faith. But what is faith? Is it always good? If you wanted to “grow” in faith, what would that even look like? And if you have a c...

The person you’re becoming tomorrow is being shaped by the habits you practice today. No one drifts into spiritual depth, health, or mastery—it all starts with intentionality. Jesus didn’t just teach about the way of life; He lived it through a daily rhythm of prayer, rest, and purpose. This week, we’ll explore how the gospel reshapes not only what we believe but also how we live—because the habit...

Parenting is a relentless, beautiful, heartbreaking journey of pouring yourself into tiny humans who simultaneously bring you great joy and stretch you to your limits. When we lean into this divine calling, we discover it’s more than just hard work; it’s holy work. Whether you’re a mom, a dad, a grandparent, or a mentor, let's explore how to find God’s presence and power in the midst of it al...

Cynicism can build walls, brick by brick, around a weary heart. Even John the Baptist, the one who prepared the way, found himself questioning when the story didn’t unfold as he hoped. But Jesus, in His gentleness, always comes close to meet our doubts. This week, we’ll discover how Christmas calls us to lay down our skepticism and trust again in the God who makes all things new.

God wants everyone to experience His joy, no matter their starting point. This feels great when we’re receiving grace, but what about when we’re the ones forgiving, accommodating, or celebrating with family or friends who have hurt us, or failed to meet our expectations? At Christmas, we’re reminded that Jesus left His heavenly home to bring us into God’s family and invites us to extend that same...

Home. It's a word that can elicit feelings of comfort, rest, and safety. At Christmas-time the word may spark memories of brightly colored packages under the tree, the nostalgic smell of hot cocoa, or the pleasure of extended time with family. As we get older, we don't just enjoy home — we become home for someone else: neighbors, friends, children, co-workers. But the responsibility of p...

In the last week of our Boundless series, we'll reflect on the security believers have in God's love. Paul asks, "If God is for us, who can be against us?" and answers: No hardship, suffering, or power can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus. Join us for our final look into Romans 8, a powerful reflection on the life of the Spirit and the assurance of God’s...