Have you ever wondered what it takes to have a “successful” life? This question is often evaluated by such things as: my level of happiness, how much money I have, fulfillment in my job, if I feel liked/accepted by others, how much I feel in control of my life, how my kids are functioning, how well I’m getting along with my spouse, and the list goes on and on. In short, many of the ways we define ...  Read More

Below are Pastor Ben's sermon notes from this past Sunday, in case they may be helpful for further study. Intro: (1) first big section of Leviticus is about sacrifices — cannot overemphasize that the penalty for our sin is death (2) difference between Israelite and pagan sacrifices (cf. Psalm 50:12-13) (3) first big sacrifice is the burnt offering (cf. v.3) — daily offering offered every morning a...  Read More

The Bible is comprised of two primary covenants: the old covenant and the new covenant. This is actually where we get the names Old Testament and New Testament, for the Old Testament describes life for God’s people under the old covenant, and the New Testament describes life for God’s people under the new covenant. The covenants are similar in that they are both based on grace. Just as we did not ...  Read More

Did you have a best friend as a child? Riding bikes around the neighborhood, playing games, climbing trees, sleep overs, chasing lightning bugs after dark (I am probably telling my age!). Many of you can remember fun times with a best bud or a BFF. For some, those are special memories.Today, we live in a culture where friend can mean anything from “adding someone to your list of contacts on a soci...  Read More

Life is about relationships. Relationship is the state of being connected—to God, people and the world. One God-given relationship that’s important is between parents and children. As parents, we have the opportunity to lovingly connect with our children and ultimately point them to Christ. One thing I remember doing as a parent was figuring out ways to “tie strings” to my children’s hearts—to mak...  Read More

As noted in the sermon on Ephesians 2:11-22, one of the primary ways that the transformation of the gospel is displayed in our lives is by our love for those who are different than us. Sadly, this does not often seem to be a priority when it comes to things we’re looking for in a church. One scholar notes that three motivations typically drive our church selection/participation: the desire for com...  Read More