Teaching
We gather around the scriptures to learn the unfolding story of God.
Rest — Exodus 16:21-26
In a world driven by hustle, distraction, and endless productivity, Sabbath invites us to remember that our identity is not rooted in what we accomplish, but in belonging to God. More than self-care, Sabbath is an act of trust, worship, and resistance that points us to Jesus — the One who offers true rest for weary souls.
Meals — Luke 19:1-10
In a culture marked by isolation and solitude, followers of Jesus are invited to practice radical hospitality and intentional presence. As we gather around the table, we participate in God’s work of making the world whole.
Relationships — John 13:31-38
In a world that increasingly avoids the friction of real relationships, Jesus offers a different way—one marked by deep, costly love. On the night of His betrayal, He commands His followers to love as He has loved: extending grace to the Judas who wounds us, forgiveness to the Peter who fails us, and sacrificial love to all. This kind of relationship is not easy or comfortable, but it is where healing, growth, and wholeness are found.
Serving — Mark 10:35-45
In a world shaped by self-interest, limited time, and constant distraction, serving others can feel difficult—but these barriers reveal how often we center our lives on ourselves. Through the story of James and John, Jesus challenges our assumptions about greatness, showing that His Kingdom is not about status or recognition, but humility and self-giving love.
Gathering — Hebrews 10:19-25
Americans are attending church less and less every year. Despite this, the gathering of Jesus’ community is essential. When we gather, we worship, we are formed, and we join God in His mission to heal the world.
Healing — John 11:1-44
In a world marked by both miraculous healing and deep suffering, the question arises: how do we trust God when healing feels uncertain or delayed? Through the story of Lazarus, we see that Jesus meets us in the tension—inviting us to wait in prayer, to anchor our hope in resurrection, and to trust that God is at work even when we don’t understand.
A World Made Whole — Colossians 1:15-23
In a world marked by brokenness, longing, and quiet hope, the story of Jesus emerges not as myth, but as the turning point of history. What began as a rumor of resurrection becomes a life-altering reality for Paul, who encounters the risen Christ and discovers that Jesus is not only alive, but Lord over all creation.
The Humble King — Matthew 21:1-11
As Americans, we find ourselves stuck between two tensions: our impulse to reject kings and the impulse to use Jesus as a slogan. On Palm Sunday, Jesus reveals that his kingship is the best news available, for he is the subversive, misunderstood, and humble king.
Solitude and Silence – Mark 6:7-13, 30-32
In the midst of life’s noise, distractions, and relentless demands, Jesus invites us into a different rhythm: silence, solitude, and intentional presence with God. This practice is not about escape, but about encountering our true selves and God’s sustaining love. In quiet reflection, we learn to let go of self-reliance, cultivate dependence on Him, and discover a renewed inner peace. To embrace silence and solitude is to step into the life Jesus modeled—a life shaped by prayer, awareness, and intimate communion with the Father.
Jeremiah’s Lament – Jeremiah 20:14–18
Rather than numbing our pain or hiding it behind polite spirituality, Scripture invites us to bring our grief, anger, and confusion honestly before God through the practice of lament. When pain is brought to speech in prayer, it no longer traps us in silence but becomes a pathway toward truth, compassion, and hope. Lament keeps our relationship with God alive in the middle of suffering, reminding us that the God who heard Jeremiah—and even Jesus on the cross—still hears our cries today.
Practicing Confession – 1 John 1:5-10
In a culture where confession often feels shameful, unnecessary, or deeply private, Scripture invites us to see it differently. John reminds us that God is light, and that walking in the light means honestly acknowledging our sin rather than hiding or denying it. Far from being a doorway into shame, confession becomes the place where we experience Christ’s ongoing forgiveness, cleansing, and restored fellowship with God and one another.
The Wilderness Temptation — Matthew 4:1-11
During Lent, we are invited to confront the reality of sin—not merely as obvious wrongdoing, but as the subtle impulses and lies that distort our trust in God and neighbor. Reflecting on Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness, we explore how the enemy works primarily through deception, tempting us to distrust God, test God, or pursue good ends apart from God. Yet where humanity has failed, Jesus remains faithful, resisting temptation through trust in the Father and deep grounding in Scripture.
The New Adam — Romans 5:12-17
In a culture shaped by radical authenticity, naming sin can feel judgmental or outdated—but Scripture insists that something is deeply wrong in us and in the world. Sin is not merely rule-breaking; it is rebellion, soul-sickness, disordered desire, and corrupted culture—an inheritance from Adam that we cannot fix ourselves. Yet in Jesus, the new Adam, grace overcomes sin, offering not condemnation but transformation and a new life.
Prayers of Contemplation — 1 Kings 19:9-13
In a world filled with constant noise, distraction, and internal pressure to stay busy, learning to listen can feel unfamiliar and uncomfortable. In Elijah’s story on Mount Horeb, God does not meet him in the wind, earthquake, or fire, but in the sound of sheer silence—a gentle reminder that God often speaks most clearly in stillness. Like Elijah, our own fears and inner narratives can grow so loud that we struggle to recognize God’s voice, even when He is near. Prayers of contemplation invite us to slow down, quiet the noise, and rediscover the reality that God is always speaking, gently calling us to rest, attend, and listen.
Prayers of Persistence — Luke 11:1-13
In a culture that often treats prayer as a transaction, Jesus invites us into something deeper: persistent prayer as a way of life. Drawing from Luke 11, scripture reframes persistence not as wearing God down, but as remaining with a loving Father who eagerly gives the Holy Spirit to his children. Persistent prayer is less about controlling outcomes and more about growing in intimacy, surrender, and attentiveness to God’s presence. As we keep asking, seeking, and knocking, we are formed into people who know God, trust his goodness, and live attuned to the Spirit.
A Community Reflection on Minnesota — Leviticus 19:33-34
In response to recent events in Minneapolis, we as a church consider what faithful Christian witness looks like in moments of fear, violence, and public unrest. Drawing from Scripture’s consistent call to love the foreigner, honor the image of God in every person, and resist evil with good, we explore the Christian’s relationship to the state and the limits of political authority under God. Rather than offering policy prescriptions, we are called to courage shaped by Jesus—loving neighbors without exception, naming injustice with humility, and engaging the world through prayer, discernment, and suffering love.
Prayers of Thanksgiving — Luke 17:11-19
We often confuse gratitude with positivity, treating thanksgiving as something to perform rather than a way of truthfully relating to God. In Luke 17, Jesus meets ten men in their suffering, and one returns in thanksgiving—not because everything is resolved, but because he recognizes who Jesus is. This return reveals that thanksgiving is more than acknowledgment of a gift; it is worship that trusts God’s presence even while healing is still unfolding. The invitation is not to deny pain, but to practice a gratitude that returns to God, holds suffering honestly, and receives the deeper wholeness Christ offers.
Prayers of Intercession — Romans 8:22–27
In a culture that is deeply spiritual but often wary of organized religion, we recognize that prayer can easily become detached from real presence and action. Drawing on Paul’s letter to the Romans in Chapter 8, we are invited to see intercessory prayer as more than words—it is a way of standing with others in their pain and bringing that pain before God. We see this calling fulfilled in Jesus Christ, the true mediator who intercedes for us and restores humanity’s original vocation.
Teach Us to Pray — Luke 11:1-4
In a season where prayer often feels confusing, disappointing, or out of reach, the disciples’ simple request—“Lord, teach us to pray”—remains our own. Jesus responds not with performance or perfection, but with an invitation into trust, presence, and relationship, addressing the barriers of disappointment, distraction, and discipline that so often shape our prayer lives. Through the Lord’s Prayer, we learn that prayer is both structured and flexible, honest and hopeful, rooted in God’s care for our daily needs and His desire to set the world right.
Love — Matthew 1:18-25
In a world marked by overwhelming suffering and compassion fatigue, it is easy to respond to pain with apathy and distance. In Matthew 1, Advent reveals a different way as God’s agape love draws near through Joseph’s obedient protection, Mary’s faithful surrender, and Jesus’ vulnerable presence as Immanuel. Rather than remaining distant, God enters human suffering fully, inviting us to resist indifference and embody a love that protects, trusts, and stays close to those within our reach.