Southridge Community Church

Most of us like to believe we\'re honest. But then, we catch ourselves saying, \"Well, to be honest\" or \"I swear!\" suggesting we\'re not always as transparent and trustworthy as we\'d like to believe. But what if we could break through the deception and denial? What if we could overcome our fear so that the truth can set us free? How can we learn to say what we mean and mean what we say?

Till death do us part... It\'s a daunting proposition. That\'s probably why half of marriages (faith-based or not) throw in the towel at some point along the way, and why more and more people are choosing to either put off or pass up on marriage altogether. Is marriage an outdated concept? Can it really work? Can two people actually stay together? What \"talk\" would Jesus and the Bible have about marriage in this day and age?

There might be no topic more celebrated by Hollywood, but shamed by the \"holy.\" So what is God\'s vision for sex? How can we follow Jesus with our sex lives? Can we experience freedom and fulfilment instead of restriction and shame? From teenagers testing boundaries to adults asking, \"What\'s the big deal?\", to parents terrified of \"the talk\", to spouses wanting to reclaim the magic, this conversation is for you.

From playing the field to courting till matrimony, there\'s a variety of perspectives on dating. Whether you\'re currently single, in a relationship, considering whether to swipe right or left, have friends in \"the game,\" or are a parent biting your nails, how can we develop a more mature expectation and experience of dating? What \"talk\" would Jesus and the Bible have about dating in 2019?

​Some say that \"God helps those who help themselves.\" It is a vision of faith that fits in neatly in our culture, which rewards people who show initiative, take matters into their own hands, and solve their own problems. But how neatly does it fit with the teachings of Jesus? When we\'re experiencing persistent pain, frustration, and injustice, and it doesn\'t seem to be going away, is the truth that God is just waiting to help us help ourselves? If not, what is God waiting for?

We\'re told that \"the one who dies with the most toys wins.\" It\'s doubtful that many people actually believe that is true, but it doesn\'t seem to stop many people from living like it is. That’s true even of people who profess to follow the Jesus whose message was “good news to the poor.” Sometimes we refer to the material things we’ve accumulated as “God’s blessings,” but what if that isn’t entirely true? What if the truth about our stuff is more inconvenient than that?

It is said that the best time to plant a tree is 100 years ago, and the second best time is right now. Financial experts, for example,urge investors to plan ahead, set goals and taking practical steps to reach their desired outcomes. ​The same truth applies to education, vocations, families, and, well, seemingly everywhere. By being careful to plan for the future, we ​can become the masters of our fate and the captains of our destiny. But what if the truth about our futures is more complicated, and inconvenient, than that?

Good Friday: to some, it\'s nothing more than a strange tradition marking the death of a religious figure. To others, it\'s a powerful symbol of forgiveness and grace. Maybe you\'ve never been to a Good Friday service or couldn\'t imagine attending church twice on one weekend (if you\'re already coming for Easter), but Good Friday is such a meaningful experience for our community and just might be a time of (extraordinary revival as we encounter the love and grace of the cross. We invite you to join us as we look to Jesus to \"forgive us our sins\" through song, story, and communion. 

We all love things. From ice cream to hockey to music to pets, our lives are full of affection toward the things we most value. But what does it look like to express our affection to God? What does it mean to truly worship? Does worshipping God really make a difference? At the end of the day, is worship worth it?

We all search for wisdom and guidance. Whether Google or Wikipedia, or skimming the latest self-help bestseller, trying to read our way into a better life is quite common. But what about the Bible? Is it still a place worth looking for wisdom? Is it a book that\'s actually worth reading? Can reading the Bible really change anything at all?

It\'s not unusual to download our thoughts and struggles, joys and successes, to our most trusted friends; sharing what\'s going on in our lives in order to gain the support and insight of others. But what about sharing our inner thoughts with God? Is that really possible? And if so, is it worth it? Does God really hear us? Can praying make any difference in my life?

Most of us would admit that our lives are fairly ordinary, even mundane at times. Those who describe themselves as spiritual or religious typically lead similarly unspectacular lives, leading many to wonder if \"ordinary\" is all there is. Is it possible to actually experience something supernatural and divine in the midst of our otherwise ordinary lives? How does our experience of life and connection with God go from typical to transcendent, from natural to supernatural?

When we try to find our voice, we usually assume we need to use more words. But is that actually how finding your voice works? At the end of the day, what\'s better, more words or the right words? When it comes to finding your voice, what matters more: how we talk or who we become?

It\'s a common belief that you have to use your words to get what you want. From arguing to asking, we try to wordsmith our way to get what we\'re after. But what happens when our arguing with others stands in the way of our asking of God? What does it take to become a voice God can use? Where should we start if we want change the tone of our voice?

We all know the kind of person who, when they speak, people perk up and listen. But how do we become that person? What has to change in order to find the voice of wisdom? What does it take to become the kind of people who only use wise words?

From politics to religion and from business to social settings, fighting to have your say and fighting to get your way seems to be a way of life. But how should we learn to talk if we want to actually have influence? And what should we avoid if we\'re going to become people who truly find our voice?

It\'s been said that we live in the \"wild west of words.\" With the explosion of social media, critical opinions and gossipy rumours are no longer contained in the back room. Now, more than ever, words have power to help or harm. So what should we make of an untamed tongue? Is it really true that sticks and stones can break our bones, but words will never hurt us?

It will be a time of singing and celebration as well as vision and inspiration from our guest speaker, Jeff Manion. Jeff is the pastor of Ada Bible Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and also the author of our fall devotional, “Dream Big, Think Small.” Jeff is a passionate leader and compelling communicator and we can’t wait for him to lead us further on our journey of living faithfully in the small things!

Some studies have shown that the average person says more than 10,000 words in a day, but that only 500-700 are words of \"significance,\" as in, communicating something important to an active listener. So what should we think of all this hot air flowing from our mouths? Does it really matter how we use our voice? What does all our talking ultimately say about us?

Friendship is hard work. And sometimes choosing good friends means letting go of others. What if the next step in pursuing meaningful friendships means pruning the less healthy ones in the process? How can our friends help us grow spiritually? What will it take to experience truly life changing friendships?