Common Ground

Acts 2:42-47 And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. God desires for his children to love and live in proximity, not only to him, but in proximity with one another. This closeness can only happen when reconciliation, hospitality, simplicity, and Sabbath rest are present. We have been created to live with one another and we have been recreated for one another. Join us for our third and final conversation on the theology and practice of Christian discipleship through House Church!

Acts 3:1-10 And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. 6But Peter said, "I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!" 7And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. We do not exist only for the worship of God but also to make disciples of all nations. It is the worship of God that pushes us out to love in a way that we couldn't if we have not been in the company of Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. When we think of mission, and sharing the "good news" we have a lot to learn. Why do our efforts look so different from the ones in Acts? What if we understood the power of the Holy Spirit in a way the early church did? How can we live in a city and still be scattered in mission? Join us as we continue the conversation about discipleship from the book of Acts!  

Acts 1 & 2 When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. When the Holy Spirit came upon the early church in the book of Acts, the disciples were changed forever. After seeng the risen Christ they believed in the future that he was in fact the long awaited Messiah of Israel. All of their expectations in life changed, when they were shattered by the power, glory, and mission of God for the world. When we consider being disciples we have to first understand that all our plans change when we encounter the power, glory, and mission of Christ to reach the world. However, before we go out to change the world, our internal world has to change in the presence of God. Join us for an unconventional conversation about worship with the help of some of our House Church leaders. Grab a friend and meet us at the Silk Mill at 10 am!  

Galatians 5:16-26 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Jesus said that it was better if the Spirit came. Jesus called the Sprit a comforter. Jesus said that the Spirit would convict us in our sin. Jesus promised his disciples that the Spirit would be poured out on all people and that times of following HIM will look like times of being led by the Spirit. True discipleship means being able to live and be like the Master, even when the Master is no longer around physically. We are looking forward to the final installment of Being Disciples. It means living in the Spirit. Join us on Sunday as we gather for worship at 10 am at the Silk Mill!  

2 Corinthians 2:12-26 But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, 25that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 26If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Paul calls us the body of Christ but what does that mean? How do we work best together and how do we give honor to all parts when it's so easy to just love the extraverted parts? God has a plan and we want to see him glorified in his body! Join us as we look to Jesus as we grow in Being Disciples!  

2 Corinthians 3:17-46 For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. The commands to be holy are all over the Old and New Testaments. Yet, nothing can seem to be harder to grasp than holiness through discipleship. How did Peter, John, and later on Paul become holy? Often times we think that to be holy is to be cut off from a world that is polluted. Yet somehow, Christ is able to be fully engaged and fully pure all at the same time. This is the holiness we pursue! Join us as we look to Jesus as we grow in Being Disciples!  

Luke 24:13-35  They said to each other, "Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?"  On Sunday morning, we as a community will give witness and testimony to the risen Christ as we say together, "He is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!" As Jesus showed up to the two friends walking on the road to Emmaus, we have a burning hope that has shown up to us as well. We simply cannot wait to rejoice and celebrate King Jesus with you!  

2 Corinthians 2:12-17; Matthew 21:6-11 But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. As we celebrate the dedication of four beautiful babies this Sunday, we will also consider what it means to be led by Christ in "triumphant procession." For Paul, this meant being held captive to the power of a great affection. As Jesus walk through the processional on Palm Sunday, there is no doubt that the crowds around him had different expectations of what the Messiah would and should do. We are not much different. The goal for us though, is to not stop following him at the temple, to go where he goes, to keep company with Jesus and to follow him all the way to the cross. Where others abandoned him along the road, we will follow. We have to, for he alone has the words of life, "come unto me, all you who are heavy burned, and I will give you rest." Join us as we consider this Christ and the aroma of His new regime as we

Matthew 7:7-9; 6:8-15 Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Being Disciples means to forgive offenses as God, in Christ, has forgiven us. Easy to say. Easy to offer up statements to ease our suffering when people stab us in the back and tear down our world. Did Jesus really mean what he said in the Sermon on the Mount? Why? But perhaps more important than the why, is the how. How can we, forgive like Christ has forgiven us? Are you carrying resentment? Your family. Your former church. Your current church. Your work. Your children. Your neighbors. Join us for a formative discussion on how t

1 Corinthians 13:8-13 Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. Being a disciple is to constantly be in the company of Jesus. While in that company we see him our faith being stretched, our hope being solidified and our loves being challenged. To follow Jesus is to love like Jesus. Join us as we worship and move out in Faith, Hope, and Love! 

John 1:35-39 And they said to him, "Rabbi" (which means Teacher), "where are you staying?" 39He said to them, "Come and you will see." So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. As we move toward Easter we are beginning a new series of messages on what it means on Being Disciples. When Jesus called the first disciples he invites them to Come and See how life with God is really supposed to be lived out. This Sunday we will look at that famous passage in John one and we are praying as a community that we too will hear those words of Christ, "Come, the lame are healed. See how the kingdom is breaking into the darkness." Join us as we grow in prayer and worship, together, as we follow this Jesus. 

Exodus 17:1-7 And the Lord said to Moses, "Pass on before the people, taking with you some of the elders of Israel, and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. 6Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink." Lent offers the people of God a time to consider our thirsts. We fast, we give, we pray, and all three of those can reveal to us some of our most beloved idols. Join us as we take a step away from the Taboo series to talk about thirsting in the desert and trusting that God is big enough to handle our doubt and loving enough to handle our thirst. 

Romans 12:9-21 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. How is a Christian to think and live in a nation divided by immigration, refugees, documented and undocumented aliens? We are being bullied on both sides, told that we are either racist xenophobes, or, on the other extreme, that we are single handily contributing to the downfall of America by letting in terrorist Muslims. How is the church to live and love when we are fearful and unclear? When does the church speak up, and with what voice? Does God have anything to say? How does the Bible speak about strangers among us? Join us as we look at the words of St. Paul, who crossed many borders but only lived in one for one KING. 

Ephesians 2:11-22 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. The history of segregation, systemic injustice, and slavery has left a gaping wound in America. For those who are unwilling to either understand the work of the gospel, or the history of prejudice in our nation, they, will go through life blind to the hope for unity and love. They will be lazy to the work of the gospel and form a Jesus who blesses them, while telling others to just pull yourself up by your bootstraps. While we have come far from the days of "Whites Only", there seems to be a new face of racism popping up, not only

Genesis 1:26-31; Genesis 2:12-15; Romans 8:18-22; Revelation 22:1-22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. What are we talking about when we talk about climate change? What does environmental stewardship look like for Christians who are already pulled in so many ways about what issues to feel strongly about and what issues may not be real? What shoots through your soul when you hear about Climate Change on the news? What does the Bible tell us? What does science tell us? Who should I trust on the issue? Join us as we take a serious look at the taboo issue of environmental stewardship, climate change, our role in the New Creation and how Christ in his victory is making all things new! 

Luke 11:1-13 And he said to them, "When you pray, say: "Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation." As the people of God, one of the greatest gifts the Lord has given to us is the privilege to be in communication and connection with him. Yet there is so much about prayer that we don't grasp. Sometimes we put too many expectations on ourselves of what prayer has to look like and be. Other times we think we simply struggle through a time of drought and disconnection with God. Join us as we ask, as the disciples, "Lord, teach us to pray." 

John 19:1-42 After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), "I thirst." A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, "It is finished," and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. As the people of God, should we die any differently than others? What if you are terrified about death? What if you are all too eager for it? What if you are numb to it for all the family that has already died? What and how should following Christ inform our death as an event? This Sunday we will be asking the morbid question of Christ, "Lord, teach us to die." Unlike the celibate Rabbi, who never had sex, we can look to Jesus' death as the place to find some clues to how we can approach our own end. Join us as we worship the creator and consider what it means to pass on to eternity. 

Song of Solomon 8:1-7 Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it. If a man offered for love all the wealth of his house, he would be utterly despised. Sure, we can all figure it out. This goes here and that goes there. How hard can it be? Having sex doesn't need to much explanation when it comes to the logistics. The problem comes when we add human beings, with all our baggage, hurts and disorientations to sex. God has given spouses a beautiful thing when he gave us sex. The church should be the first to promote, encourage, and establish this as a good and great thing for our communities and our homes. Join us as we ask the question of Christ - "Teach us what it means to make love in your kingdom!" 

Luke 7:36-50 37 And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, 38 and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. It is the Christians Love for the Lord Jesus Christ that is the most powerful witness to the lost world…an ungrateful, loveless Christian undercuts the testimony of the gospel and such attitudes are incompatible with God’s gracious forgiveness.  As we begin a new series this week called “Jesus teach me to…” we will explore together a richly beautiful text, Luke 7:36-50, and ask “Jesus teach me to….Live”.  What does it look like to “live” in light of eternal life provided by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.  Through the interaction between a Pharisee, a sinful woman, and Jesus, we will examine what it means to actively seek out God, counter culturall

Luke 2:1-21 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. The people walking around in darkness, political darkness, religious darkness, inner darkness, have seen a great light. As we gather on Christmas Eve to worship the newborn king, we have to acknowledge our deep need for light. We cannot wait to gather with you as God open's up the floodgates of light into our hearts as we acknowledge what a mighty thing he has done in the incarnation! For unto us a child is born!