Arbor Church

We're kicking off a brand new summer series: The Light We Walk In. Over the coming months, we'll journey slowly and reflectively through the letter of 1 John, allowing its ancient pastoral wisdom to not only inform us, but to form us. In this opening message, Pastor Ryan invites us to return to the heart of our faith — life with God, shared together — as we begin this transformative walk through John's letter.

As we close out the Work That Matters series, this episode takes a different approach. Pastor Ryan hosts a panel of everyday people sharing honest, personal stories about how faith shapes their experience of work. It's not expert advice—it's real-life wisdom from real-life journeys.

What if our everyday tasks are part of something eternal? In this message, Ryan explores how the overlooked and ordinary work we do might be exactly what God values most.

This Mother's Day, Ryan reflects on the often-overlooked work of caring for others—quiet, selfless acts that the world may miss but God celebrates.

Join Ryan as he continues our Work That Matters series, exploring when work gets frustrating and looking at Genesis 3.

New series! Ryan opens Work that Matters with a message from Genesis 1-2 on the origin of work and what it means for us as God's image-bearers.

Celebrate Easter at Arbor! This week, the story of the expectation-defying Jesus that we started almost two years ago reaches its conclusion with Jesus' triumphant resurrection from the dead, and the hope, invitation, and challenge it brings to us today.

In the space between the crucifixion on Good Friday and the resurrection on Easter Sunday, Alison reflects on how—even in this in-between moment—there were those who honored Jesus with a memorial as they prepared His body for the tomb.

It was nine o'clock in the morning when they crucified him. The inscription of the charge against him read, “The king of the Jews." – Mark 15:25-26 This week, guest speaker Garrett Shelp brings us towards the end of our time in Mark with a deep reading of Mark's account of Jesus' final hours.

Pilate asked Him, ‘Are You the King of the Jews?' He answered him, ‘You say so.' – Mark 15:2 As we near the end of our study in the book of Mark, the text reveals a showdown between two opposing kingdoms. As Jesus stands trial before Pilate, we see the kind of kingdom He represents.

Ryan takes us into the final stretch of Mark's Gospel, where we witness how the disciples respond to the stress and chaos of Jesus' final days in Mark 12:32-72.

In Mark 14:12-31, Jesus shares the Last Supper with His disciples, confronting them with the question: ‘What will happen to your faith when the pressure is on?'

From Mark 14:1-11, Ryan enters the final stretch of the Gospel of Mark, where a story of calculation, scheming, and betrayal unfolds around a beautiful act of extravagant love.

Ryan concludes our Change is Good series with a message for those of us who might be skeptical about the possibility of change because we've been stuck for so long. What do we do when we want to change … but don't feel like we're changing?

Endure your suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is there that a father does not discipline? – Hebrews 12:7 The word discipline brings up difficult feelings for some – it makes us think of pain, or abuse, or shame. Can discipline be good? Alison continues our series “Change is Good” with a message about the what, when, and how of God's discipline.

So then, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; what is old has passed away – look, what is new has come! – 2 Corinthians 5 Scott continues our series Change is Good with a message about the compelling love of Christ and what it means to be a new creation in Him.

Do not be conformed to this present world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may test and approve what is the will of God—what is good and well-pleasing and perfect. – Romans 12 This week, a message on what lasting change requires: not just resolve, but renewal.

As Arbor moves to two services for the first time in years, Ryan opens our new series Change is Good with a message on trials. They aren't fun, but … nobody ever developed unshakable faith through a life of comfort.

Blessed is the one… whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. – Psalm 1:2 Ryan concludes our series on Scripture by answering the question, ‘What is Scripture?' In this sermon, we explore how we can find delight in Scripture and how God uses it to transform us.

How do we build ryhtms with the Bible in a transformitive and sustainable way? Ryan discusses how scripture serves as a guide that continually points us to Jesus, and he offers practical steps for engaging with the Word more deeply in our daily lives.

Every scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness. – 2 Timothy 3:16 In the first installment of a three-part series, Ryan dives into the sometimes strange, sometimes hard but always impactful thing that is scripture.

Just as Abraham embarked on a journey of faith, Arbor Church is also on a path of following God. Join Ryan and the team as they reflect on the past year, explore where we are now, and share the vision for the year ahead.

In this special Christmas Eve message, Ryan Plantz shares about the shepherds who were chosen to be the first to hear the good news of Jesus' birth.

When we hear the Christmas story, we often imagine the innkeeper as the gruff proprietor of a commercial hotel, but … that's not really what – or who – he was. Today, Ryan shares the story of this man's radical hospitality.

This week in our Advent series, Ryan teaches from the story of the Magi in Matthew 2. Will we guard our small kingdoms or seek the true King?

This week, Alison continues our Advent series by looking at the character of Joseph, a man about whom little is written and who is often painted in the shadows of our nativity scenes. Why did God choose this man, a poor carpenter who would not have fared well on Tinder, to be the earthly father of Jesus?

We welcome the season of Advent with a series on some frequently overlooked characters in the story of Jesus' birth, starting with a message from Pastor Ryan about waiting: active waiting, passive waiting, and – like Simeon – waiting with God.

Where do the conflicts and where do the quarrels among you come from? Is it not from this, from your passions that battle inside you? – James 4 Today, Ryan closes our series on friendship with a message from James about one of the tougher aspects of friendship: conflict. What if we could learn to handle conflict in a way that actually strengthens our friendships?

Cultivating healthy friendships isn't rocket science – but it does take time. This week, Ryan shares practical tips for cultivating the friendships in your life by practicing wisdom, putting in the work, and preventing weeds.

Why would we spend time after the election season and before the holidays on … friendship? Ryan opens our new mini-series this week.

“But as for that day or hour no one knows it – neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son – except the Father. Watch out! Stay alert! For you do not know when the time will come.” – Mark 13:32-33 Today, Scott Hetherington teaches from Mark 13, and helps us find the main thing (which is also the plain thing) and the plain thing (which is also the main thing) in this difficult passage about the end times.

What is the greatest commandment? Garrett joins us to look at Mark 12:28-34 and this question that one of the teachers asks of Jesus.

In Mark 12:18-27, the Sadducees question Jesus about the resurrection, attempting to trap Him with a hypothetical scenario. Jesus responds by teaching that life after the resurrection is different, and affirms both the power of God and the reality of the resurrection.

We continue our series in Mark on The Life and Way of Jesus in Mark 11:11-26 with the fig tree and the temple.

In Mark 11:27-33, Jesus is questioned by religious leaders about His authority while teaching in the temple. Bryan Cobley is back as a guest preacher and challenges us to reflect on what might be preventing us from seeing Jesus for who He truly is.

Arbor is … a community that gathers together – following Jesus, growing in generosity, and going in love. Ryan closes our Arbor Is… series with a message about the distinguishing mark of the believer – love.

Arbor is … a community that gathers together – following Jesus, growing in generosity, and going in love. Ryana continues our Arbor Is… series with a message exhorting us to grow together in generosity with our time, our talents, and our treasure.

Arbor is … a community that gathers together – following Jesus, growing in generosity, and going in love. This week, we focus on what it means to follow Jesus as a community, by taking the simple steps of being with Jesus, becoming like Jesus, and doing what Jesus did.

Arbor is … a community that gathers together – following Jesus, growing in generosity, and going in love. As the fall begins and many of us return to more regular rhythms of life, Ryan opens our new series Arbor Is…. Each week we'll unpack another part of our identity together, and this week we look inward, towards our role as a community that gathers together.

Alison wraps up our How to get unstuck series on how community can help us stay unstuck with the love and help of those around us.

Regrets: we've all had a few. This week, Scott Hetherington speaks to us about living without regret, living with regret, and three ways we can get unstuck from regret. Plus, a guest appearance from a yeti!

And the people complained in the hearing of the Lord about their misfortunes, and when the Lord heard it, his anger was kindled. – Numbers 11 In today's passage from Numbers 11, the Israelites are very whiny, and God is not pleased with them. Why do we complain? Is there a right way to complain? Ryan answers these questions and more in today's message.

Is doubting the same thing as disblief? Is doubting always bad? Where do doubts come from? Ryan shares answers from John 20 and the story of the disciple Thomas – or, as you might know him, Doubting Thomas.

You must put away all bitterness, anger, wrath, quarreling, and slanderous talk – indeed all malice. – Ephesians 4:31 Ryan's back, with a message from Matthew 18 about getting unstuck from something we've all been stuck in – bitterness.

Guest speaker Luke Frank from Seattle's Union Gospel Mission continues our summer series Unstuck with a message on breaking free from apathy.

Solomon was the wisest man who ever lived, and yet he struggled with discontent; even with all his wisdom, wealth, and power, he found himself feeling empty. From both Solomon's early writings and his reflections in Ecclesiastes near the end of his life, Alison shares what we can learn from his journey to find contentment.

Self-reliance is reliance on one's powers and resources rather than those of others. In Bryan's final message before he departs on his next adventure, he shows us how to get unstuck from unhealthy self-reliance.

But while he was still a long way from home his father saw him, and his heart went out to him; he ran and hugged his son and kissed him. – Luke 15:20 Addiction is a powerful force that can leave us feeling stuck and alone. Ryan shares how the story of the Prodigal Son can help us find our way back to God's love and grace.

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Isn't there more to life than food and more to the body than clothing?" – Matthew 6:25 When anxiety rises, where we fix our focus determines whether we will fall apart – or find peace. Ryan opens our summer series Unstuck.

On this Father's Day, a message from Mark 10:46-52, on another healing of a blind man – and this man is one we can look up to as a shining example of how to follow Jesus.

They said to him, “Permit one of us to sit at your right hand and the other at your left in your glory.” But Jesus said to them, “You don't know what you are asking!" – Mark 10:37-38 Today, Ryan speaks about the hard truth that the Disciples confronted in Mark 10: how we so often prefer the security of the throne over the sacrifice of the cross.