New Series: Flipped

Have you ever had a moment that made you stop and think, "Wow, this changes everything"? Maybe it was finding out you didn’t make the team or that your parents were splitting. Maybe it was finding out you're good at something or bad at something you didn't expect. In these moments our lives change direction quickly. The funny thing is nearly everyone who met Jesus had one of those moments. They came in with a plan, a direction, an identity. And as soon as they spent any time with Jesus, those ideas were turned upside down. And, as we look at four of these stories, we find that an encounter with Jesus has the power to flip our lives as well.  Join us, beginning February 26th for this 4-week series.

New Series - MOVE

Beginning January 8th:

Movements are everywhere. "To write love on her arms", "Tom's Shoes", "Livestrong", "Habitat for Humanity", and the "End-It Movement"—all of those and hundreds more were created during our lifetime. In fact, one of the traits that this generation is known for is being the most cause-driven, the most movement focused in history. So which movements do we join? How do we start? And how do we move and serve in a way that really matters? Even if we aren't sure what we think about Jesus, we can learn something from Him about serving the community around us. By His example we learn to MOVE on behalf of others and KEEP MOVING to have a lasting impact.

Jordan Howerton Band Concert | Dec. 11th

We're incredibly excited to announce a FREE concert night with the Jordan Howerton Band - December 11th, 6-8pm.

You won't want to miss this night of Worship.  Check them out on their website, and join us that night from 6-8pm.

New Series: The Figher

All families fight. It’s inevitable. We fight to be heard. We fight to get what we want. We fight for things to be fair. And oftentimes, the fighting leaves us in worse shape than before we started. But what if fighting didn’t have to be such a bad thing? What if fighting could leave us better than when we started? Maybe, instead of fighting for everything we want, we change our focus. What if we fought for the relationship with our parents and our siblings instead of against them? If that is the case, maybe a good fight is just what we need!

The Prodigal [Devotional]

By Tim Walker

I hate to tell you this—but then again, you may have already noticed—but sometimes the good guys don’t come out on top. Sometimes the people who behave or do things they shouldn’t do seem to be the ones who get the most attention.

Like in a family, the kid who behaves the worst gets their parents’ notice.
The person who breaks the rules at school is the one people talk about.
The bad boy gets the good girl.
Are you following me?

It even happens at church, but in much more subtle way. We don’t necessarily celebrate the person who is leading a double life—acting one way at church, and the complete opposite at school and at home. We don’t talk about how great it is that a guy or a girl has decided to drop out of youth group and move in with a boyfriend/girlfriend, get drunk or develop a drug addiction. In fact, we preach about staying away from those things.

But when one of those people start coming back to church, or have a moment at camp or a youth group retreat that turns their lives around, we make a big deal about it. We have them tell their stories, tell what they’ve been through and why they are different now.

Maybe you’re sitting there listening to their story, and that is the furthest thing from your life. You don’t put yourself in those kinds of situation. You aren’t tempted at all to drink or take drugs. You don’t go to those parties. You believe in setting boundaries in your relationships. You read your Bible, pray, memorize Scripture and never miss youth group. And if you’re honest, you just don’t get it. You just don’t see how someone like that guy or girl could get so messed up. All they needed to do is what you do and they would be fine.

Maybe you even wonder, “They have such a dramatic story of what God has done. Maybe I should take drugs or drink or have sex so I can have a story like that too.” Okay, maybe not.

But sometimes being the good kid seems to equal being invisible. And when that happens, the “good kid” begins to look down on the so-called “bad kid.”  The “good kid” begins to think that he or she is better than the “bad kid,” that he or she is a better Christian, a better person—like Christianity is some kind of system of levels and grades.

If you haven’t caught on by now, that’s also the mentality of the older brother from the story of the lost son that Jesus tells in Luke 15.

You see, that son did all the right things. He obeyed his father. He stayed home and made good choices. He worked hard. He did everything he was supposed to do. But there was no party. No great celebration for him. The younger brother got all of that, the one who did the exact opposite.

But here is something you may or may not have noticed. The older son, well, he wasn’t so good. He wasn’t so great. It may have looked like he did all the right things on the outside—but on the inside it was a different story. He was bitter. He felt like he deserved more than his brother. And even though he may have never taken one step away from home, in many ways his heart was miles away from his father. So while he looked “good,” the reality is that he wasn’t so good—that the younger son and his older brother were both pretty messed up. And honestly, here is something else that may surprise you—we all are too.

I’m not trying to put you down. I’m not trying to discourage you. But even the “good kid” isn’t so good. He or she still sins. He or she isn’t perfect.

That’s why it’s such a big deal when someone has a moment on a retreat or at youth group, a moment when his or her life makes a change. Not because he or she decided to become a good kid, but because he or she realized that what was needed most wasn’t to be good, but to trust in the one who is good—Jesus.

Jesus wanted His followers to celebrate that truth, not only in their own lives but in the lives of others.

Because following Him isn’t about how good we become, but about how much we can trust in the only one of us who is truly good.

So what would it take for you to become someone like the loving father? What would it take for you to celebrate the return of those who drift away from God? From our church? From this youth group?

Who do you need to call?
Who do you need to let know that you haven’t forgotten about them?
Who do you need to invite to hang out?

Do it today. Let them know that you haven’t forgotten about them. Let them know that you haven’t written them off—that you still believe that God loves them and wants to be a part of their lives. And do so by showing that you want to be a part of their lives too.

And also, for yourself, realize what happens on the outside is just as important as what happens on the inside. You don’t have to go far from God to completely miss His heart. Because big party or not, celebration or not, the goal is to end up back at the heart of the Father.

© 2010 Orange. Used with permission. All rights reserved.

New Series: Post It

Let's be honest. We've all been guilty of painting a less-than-honest picture of ourselves or others through social media. But the Bible reminds us that what we say—whether on-line or in person—matters. How we talk about others, and ourselves, is important. And it all starts with what's inside our hearts. So where do you need to rethink what you say on-line? What things are you dealing with inside that need to stop showing up on your newsfeed? What do you need to do to become the person you want to be—not just the person you want everyone to think you are?

Random Video Thursday: What Does the Fox Say

Ever wondered what a fox says?  Now you know...