Reach Church

As Jesus begins to pray on the final night of his life, 3 things appear to be on his mind -- the GLORY of God, the AUTHORITY of God, and ETERNAL LIFE by knowing God. When we orient our thoughts and actions around these same ideas, things change.

The divine call to be a peace-maker is always difficult, but especially in the wake of indefensible acts. Remembering what following Jesus is (not) about, asking ourselves where our hope is, and choosing to reflect the heart of God in the midst of the madness provides a starting point as we process a heart-breaking week.

As we look back on an unexpected year, and forward to another one that's sure to have its own challenges, Pastor Brian brings us an encouraging word on what it means for God to hit reset in our lives, our church, and our world.

As people finishing one hard year and staring down the likelihood of another, what hope does God offer us? “Yes, you will have suffering in this world. But take heart — I have conquered the world.” In these words we don’t just find our hope, but also our purpose as a church for the season to come.

Is it possible you don't pray because you think God doesn't love you? The certainty of Gods love for you, makes the mystery of prayer hopeful. The uncertainty of Gods love for you, makes the mystery of prayer hurtful.

As we approach the end of the year, there are no shortage of reasons to feel disheartened and discouraged. Why can we choose hope in such a difficult season? Jeff Bethke reminds us of our place in God's story and points to five truths we can cling to that empower us to take heart, regardless of the season and especially in this one.

There is a joy that can replace our sorrow and wipe away our pain. Forever. We take hold of such joy as we see Jesus for who he is, and serve others as he does.

In the midst of troubling circumstances, we can take heart because we have been given a Guide who has gone before us and will lead us in the truth.

When people are experiencing real pain, “Don’t worry, be happy” is not helpful. God doesn’t ask us to ignore our hardships. He joins us in the midst of them.

For Christians facing opposition while on mission with Jesus, there is some very good news in this passage -- Jesus sends the Holy Spirit to show people in the world the things they need to repent of. Pro tip: never stop asking the Spirit to do the same for you.

In John 16 Jesus is all the more intentional to equip his disciples for his absence, and for the opposition they will face. He foretells the hardship to come, but makes it clear he will be with them every step of the way. He says the same to us today -- no matter how dark things get.

In a culture that treats busyness like a badge of honor, committing a day every week to intentional rest looks somewhere between irrational and insane. But when we remember Jesus has already done the work that matters most, our rest becomes worshipful, joyful, and the very thing we need.

In a culture of indulgence, excess and self-reliance, fasting might be the most counter-cultural thing we can do. It’s time to make room.

Silence and solitude is essential to a thriving spiritual life. Our culture places such little value on this practice that it can be one of the harder ones to make space for. However, when we obediently place ourselves before God we are able to experience the forming power of becoming like Christ.

Scripture is a tool God has given us to connect with Him. If we are going to be people who remain in Jesus, we must learn how to use it. Pastor Jason teaches us how to pray through scripture and shares how this practice has impacted his life.

There's no way to abide in Christ without abiding in his Word. And many of us still don't. What if we actually wanted to? And what if we actually did?

If we love like Jesus it will be messy, it will be hard, and it will be full of joy. To love others like Jesus, we have to act like him. How do we model truth and love like Jesus did?

If abiding in Jesus and bearing fruit feels impossible, you’re right. We can’t do what we’ve been called to do without divine assistance. Luckily, there’s a helper committed to teaching, reminding and guiding us.

Reviewing John 15 as a whole reveals the 3-fold command that helps us bear much fruit. Bottom line: there is no way forward without pruning. It will be painful, but it will be worth it.

Immediately after equipping his followers to love one another, he prepares them to be hated. It's our job to make sure we are being opposed for the right reasons, and to remind each other why we can be confident in the face of opposition.