Jesus' followers always have questions. Just when it seems they're coming to grips with Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection, forty days after Easter Jesus slips into heaven and out of sight. The disciples are still looking, asking, and waiting. But! Jesus is still sending, filling, and helping those who keep walking the Way. Will we keep going with…

Jesus says that he is the vine and his followers are the branches. So if his disciples want to bear fruit, they need to "Abide" in Jesus -- drawing on his life, love, and power to flourish (John 15). Then, Jesus deepens and focuses this invitation, now telling his followers to abide in "his love." If there is one area in which to build a life and m…

What difference does the resurrection make in my life today? We understand the grand victory over sin and death theologically but how do we experience this victory practically? For one answer, we go back in time to Jesus' final message to his disciples called the "Farewell Discourse." Jesus invites his friends to "Abide" in him as he abides in the …

Let's go on a journey with two people who are grieving, questioning, and trying to find hope. There we find Jesus is already there, ready to walk and talk with us. We journey inward and find our eyes and hearts opened, and we journey outward to tell the story to our neighbors.Scripture Focus - Luke 24:13-34Cleopas and the unnamed disciple left on E…

John 21 is a post-credits scene that rolls after the Gospel story ends in chapter 20. This dream-like sequence of fishing, breakfast, and a walk on the shore wraps up the loose end hanging over Peter's story. Does Peter get another chance after denying Jesus? What about us when we fail? Do we have a chance to hear Jesus' voice and come back to the …

Mary ran and told the others that Jesus had risen. Peter and John ran and looked into the empty tomb. Now we find the community locked in a room on Easter evening wondering two things: 1) are we on trial next? and 2) what will Jesus do next? Well, Jesus surprises them. Everyone, that is, but Thomas. So, what happens in the week in between those Sun…

He is risen! And the surprise and amazement of 3 women leaps off the page. They didn't expect to find an empty tomb. Instead, they expected the heavy stone to remain in place. Who can move the immovable? Who can lift this darkness? Who can raise the dead to new life? These questions loom over Mark's cliffhanger ending. But no matter... because we, …

On Palm Sunday, the Hosanna song and the freedom symbols converge upon the shoulders of a peaceful king. This convergence creates a conflict of unmet expectations because where Jesus is, people come with their longings and expectations. We do too. We can't help it. But maybe the bigger question looming at the beginning of Holy Week is this: how is …

A group of foreigners says to a disciple, "Sir, we want to see Jesus." Here these seekers on the outer edge look to the center of the Jesus movement hoping to find... what, exactly? Maybe a miracle? A new teaching? A dramatic event? What they find instead is a mysterious response from Jesus who knows that his moment is drawing near.NOTES --// SCRIP…

Jesus re-centers the center of his people's world in one of the most famous scenes in the Gospels. What is Jesus trying to demonstrate as he turns over tables and kicks out the livestock in the Temple? Where and when does all this happen --and why does that matter so much? We explore these questions and more as we consider the ways *we* need to mak…

The Transfiguration in Mark 9 is a pivotal moment in the ministry of Jesus. It marks a shift in the middle of the story from popularity to confrontation, from success toward suffering. And yet, at the top of a mountain, Jesus' inner circle gets a glimpse of who he truly is. It's a moment shrouded in mystery but loaded with meaning. But more than an…

Lent is a season to re-center our hearts, habits, and lives on God. We begin this 40-day season at the beginning of Jesus' ministry. When Jesus was baptized, he heard a voice call him "Beloved" as the Spirit confirmed his identity. In many ways, our journey with God doesn't really begin until *we* hear the voice God say to us, "You are my dear chil…

Lent is a season to refocus our mind, heart, and habits on our life God. Our Lent focus this year is "Re-Center"—to realign our lives, hearts, and habits back to God, our Center. Ash Wednesday sets the tone for Lent by reminding us of our frailty and inviting us to return to God through the practices of giving, praying, and fasting.…

We wrap up our annual Core Practice series with "Bring Peace." To bring peace is to partner with God in the work he's doing to bring freedom and flourishing to all people. This practice involves the little ways in which we serve our neighbor to the larger mission to declare and demonstrate the reign of God on earth as it is in heaven. In Luke 4, Je…

How is it even possible to follow Jesus, love neighbors, and grow disciples? We must create the space for God to do the work in our lives that we cannot do on our own. In our fourth core practice, we commit to make time for God and others for transformational relationships to grow.Scripture Focus: Luke 6:12-13 and Luke 22:38-46Jesus shows the disci…

Our third Core Practice is “Grow Disciples” and you could say that this is our “Great Commission” (Matthew 28.16-20) practice as a church. We want to be intentional in how we invite others into a relationship with Jesus and grow together. Because the truth is that disciples are lifelong learners growing more and more into the image of Jesus. In the…

Read the Gospels and see a picture emerge of Jesus in indiscriminate proximity to his neighbors. But Jesus isn't just near those who are ostracized or marginalized, Jesus engages with them, creating a geography of grace. Jesus is routinely surrounded by the poor and powerless, the disciples and doubters, the sick and suspicious. We see in his life …

Every year The Neighborhood Church pays special attention to our 5 Core Practices. These practices are how we intend to live our life with God together. So, more than just "values" or "ideals" -- these 5 intentions are meant to be lived (hence the name "practice"). If you are interested in TNC or if you are a longtime partner in our mission and min…

An "Epiphany" is a sudden realization or recognition of something. In the Church, Epiphany is the day when Christians celebrate the recognition of Jesus as Messiah. In many cultures it's also called "Three Kings Day" because Epiphany has long been associated with the visit from the Magi, or traditionally speaking, "The Three Wise Men." What makes t…

30 weeks before Bethlehem and 30 years before Jesus announced Good News in Nazareth -- two expectant mothers met in joyful celebration. Mary, the mother of Jesus, erupts in a song that has been sung, shouted, and whispered in churches, monasteries, and concert halls all over the world. Mary's song is a revolution song that envisions the reordering …

A lot of well-meaning Christmas plays smooth out or gloss over much of difficulty, anxiety, and humility of the nativity. We know about the journey and the "no vacancy" signs that seemed to abound -- but do we recognize the beauty in the midst of the difficulty? Let's light a candle in the darkness and draw near to the manger to find a God who show…

The theme for the third week of Advent is Joy. In our world and in our lives, we might be tempted to believe that joy is a limited resource or that there's nothing we can do to manufacture more of it. And in some ways...that's true. Because more than anything we can muster on our own, joy is a response. In this message we eavesdrop on an encounter …

We continue the season of Advent by focusing on Peace. Fear and conflict are part of the human experience. Are we to try and avoid these realities, or deny their effect on us, or crumble under the weight of it all? The Good News is we have a Savior who solves this problem for us. In this week’s story, we see Mary embodying true peace as a faithful …

We begin the season of Advent by focusing on Hope. Advent is a season of waiting and wonder -- will God show up? Will darkness give way to light? Hope is the expectation of God's good end so our answer is "Yes." But every year we prepare for Christmas by aligning ourselves with those who longed for the Messiah's (the chosen King of Israel) arrival …

We are a story-telling and story-shaped people. We tell stories to make sense of who we are and where we fit in the world. But as people of faith, we find that our stories fit within God’s larger story of blessing, promise, and purpose. This message wraps up this series by running through the famous “Hall of Faith” chapter in Hebrews. Hebrews 11 an…

Reading the book of Genesis might start to feel less like a morality tale and more like a reality tale--we find imperfect people with dysfunctional relationships making sketchy decisions. But what else do we see? We find a gracious God who is always faithful to keep his promise even when his people aren't perfect. So if God can partner with someone…

Listen as we share stories of some of what God has done in us and through us in the 7 years since becoming The Neighborhood Church.Various tarafından oluşturuldu

Esther is a book of the Bible fit for a hit Netflix series. It has drama, mystery, and many twists and turns. Esther found herself in a unique but risky position to help save her people from annihilation…how did this happen and what would she do? How does this story help know God better and live a life of those who “love their neighbors”.We looked …

Our guest preacher is Dr. Bob Hyatt, Director of Equipping and Spiritual Formation for the Ecclesia Network (ecclesianet.org). We begin a new series called "Faith of Our Forerunners" where we explore the lives of those who pioneered and exemplified a life of trust in God. This week's focus is Abraham and the dramatic story recounted in Genesis 22.…

What if we prayed a really, really big prayer? Would we be prepared to partner with God if and when he answers it? In this message we offer this big prayer: "God, help us to become the most loving church in Garland." How might we prepare and practice living out the kind of love God calls us to? We explore some answers in 1 John with a couple big id…

There's an old saying that goes like this, "If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans!" Well, Nehemiah prays, plans, and swings for the fences... and God doesn't laugh -- God says "Go for it!" Was it easy? No. Was it exactly how he planned? No way. (Kinda like how some technical things went during this, our first night in our new space!) B…

We collected questions during our series “After Life: What’s Next and Why it Matters Now.” Here are the responses to those questions as we wrap up the series.Adam Wood tarafından oluşturuldu

What words or images come to mind when you think about the "End of the World"? Is what comes to mind fire and destruction or renewal and restoration? American Pop Christianity has distorted and misunderstood Biblical teaching of Christ's return. In this message we use 3 images to help us explore the imagery the Biblical authors use to point us towa…

Resurrection is the emphasis of Christian hope that has been de-emphasized in American Pop Christianity. Maybe it's because of all the well-meaning funerals that speak of dearly departed souls on heavenly clouds. Maybe it's because of well-meaning Easter sermons that preach more about the victory of the cross than the mystery of the resurrection. W…

Hell fascinates and frightens a lot of people. Whether or not you grew up in Sunday School or under a "fire-and-brimstone" preacher -- American Pop Christianity is the water we swim in. It’s a version of Christianity that’s fascinated and obsessed with the afterlife. The only problem is that the Bible isn't. We get a few glimpses of life after deat…

We begin our "After Life" series with heaven. Everybody wants to go to heaven (cue old country song) but everyone has different ideas of what heaven will be like. Where the Bible only gives us a glimpse of what’s “After Life”—pop culture and popular ideas have filled in the rest of the picture. Where do we start? What is the focus of Christian hope…

Coming to the end of Acts 20 is like coming to the end of the second movie of an epic trilogy. There is closure to some things but ultimately, the showdown of the final episode still looms. Paul is on a farewell tour as the second large section of Acts closes. Paul encourages, blesses, and reminisces. But as the frequent flyer miles continue to rac…

What happens when a church gets a city's attention? What happens when it affects their wallets? What does this have to do with *our* wallets? Listen to this wild scene in Acts 19 as the transformed lives of the Way transform their city... and upset the status quo.NOTES --// SCRIPTURE FOCUS -- Acts 19.23-41// 2 QUICK CONFLICT PRINCIPLES --1. Sometim…

We're moving! We've been so grateful for our current partner and place and now we're moving to a space that's much more "our own." Listen to the "Why's," the "What's," and the Q&A at the end.Adam Wood tarafından oluşturuldu

Consider this Interlude a "Clip Show" highlighting some of the dramatic scenes in the story of Acts. When we step back from the miles we've journeyed along "The Way," we can see that Acts is a story of movement -- geographically, socially, and theologically. And, in many ways, our lives are a story of movement too! Consider how far you've traveled …

This dramatic (and wild) scene in Acts 19 pulls back the curtain on some of the mysterious powers of light and darkness at work around us. Though we may not experience this kind of miracle or oppression every day, we should ask ourselves "what *is* the power at work in my everyday life?" What's giving me life and moving me forward? Am I connected t…

Philosopher Simone Weil said that "Attention is the rarest and purest form of generosity. Isn't this true in an increasingly distracted society moving from one thing to the next? How might our relationship with God and others grow if we were to cultivate our attention to the one in front of us? In this brief message, we're invited to explore Moses'…

We meet a group of believers who have only caught the first few episodes of the Story God is telling through the Holy Spirit. In fact, these disciples have never even heard of the Holy Spirit! There's something we can learn from a community that's open and eager to respond to the fresh wind of God in their midst. Can we say the same for the Church …

Sometimes our education and training, as good as they may be, are not quite adequate for the job we eventually need to do. We need mentors, support, and continued education to prepare us for the task at hand. So it is with our understanding of the ways of the LORD and doing His work.//Scripture Focus: Acts 18:24-28//Apollos was highly educated and …

Have you ever "Heard from God?" Maybe that sounds too mysterious or rare. Maybe it's an everyday occurrence. Maybe it's somewhere in between and you've had an experience that's brought you clarity, guidance, or reassurance. This is what happened to Paul and it can happen to us.// SCRIPTURE FOCUS -- Acts 18.1-23// Acts is the story of how the Good N…

We collect dots of meaning and purpose as we search for significance at different life stages. Questions surface like, "Who am I becoming?" "How will I prioritize my time?" "What can I do to make a greater contribution?" You have, will, or are searching for meaning -- but what is it that really gives shape to the story of your life? Paul engages wi…

We're dipping back into our on-again-off-again series in the book of Acts. This time we're picking up the story in chapter 17. Paul encounters a group of faithful believers in God who have collecting "dots" of meaning but who refuse to believe that Jesus is the one who connects the dots of God's story. Will we see Jesus as the one who connects the …

Rainer Bantau brings a 35,000 ft. view of the book of Habakkuk with a contemporary application. Habakkuk's world is full of violence and confusion (sound familiar?). Yet throughout his raw yet reverent conversation with God, Habakkuk remains confident in God's goodness. Are we able to say that God is really good "all the time"? Habakkuk invites us …

Pentecost is a Jewish festival that became the setting for the Church's birthday. It's the day that the Holy Spirit--who was always present--became resident within the people of God. The scene is dramatic, strange, and exciting. Festival-goers couldn't help but take notice and ask the question "What does this mean?" Well...what *does* it mean? And …

It's not a matter of "If" the storms will come but "When." Only then will the foundation of your life reveal whether or not its capable of weathering the struggle and suffering life throws at us. In the conclusion of Jesus' most famous sermon we find a stark choice -- build your life on living Jesus' teaching or lay another foundation. Which way is…