BHBC :: Rockford Campus

Do you find yourself asking God more often for what you want, or thanking Him for what He has already given you? Don Denyes jumps back into our Storytellers series in Luke with a story that highlights a characteristic that should mark our lives.

How can we live in a world of chaos, suffering, and disillusionment with hope, joy, and peace? The closing paragraphs of Luke's gospel start with the disciples in the chaos and disillusionment of Jesus' death and end with them filled with joy and worship. What makes the difference? In our last week of The Greatest Story series, Ben Phebus unpacks these paragraphs and points our hearts to the answer.

Have you ever heard a story too good to be true, then found out that it WAS true? This Easter Don Denyes shares the best part of The Greatest Story. What seemed like nonsense to a band of discouraged disciples, set the world on fire with the hope of the resurrection!

When Jesus entered Jerusalem it was to shouts of praise! The people called Him King and cried out, “Hosanna! Save us!” How quickly their shouts turned to “Crucify Him!” This week, Don Denyes looks at this stark change and invites us to focus not on the crowd, but on our Savior and the love He displayed for us on the cross.

How much would you endure to help someone? In part two of The Greatest Story, Stu Quackenbush explores the excruciating reality of the coming hours for Jesus, as He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane. He had every reason to walk away, but He didn't. He faced it all for you.

The final week leading up to Jesus' crucifixion began with crowds welcoming Him as a king. Don Denyes kicks off a 5-week Easter series exploring the significance of this moment as Jesus turned His focus to what lay ahead.

As our culture continues to become more and more socially isolated, the biblical model of community seems more and more foreign. Don Denyes continues our Storytellers series with three of Jesus' teachings that invite us to pay attention to ourselves so we can better serve and love others.

Living like Jesus means living counterculture. Everywhere you look people are stepping over each other to get ahead, competing with their neighbors to have the best stuff, and cutting corners to achieve the “easy life.” Don Denyes looks at another story Jesus shared with His disciples that helps us better understand what He means that “The first shall be last.”

God wants our hearts! We sometimes go through the motions, but miss the point. Ben Phebus looks at an interaction between Jesus and the Pharisees in Luke and reminds us that loving God and loving others, isn't just about following rules. It first requires humility and repentance.

It's hard to look in the mirror and see our faults and shortcomings. Yet to truly grow as a Christian, we need to humbly confess our sins, repent, and accept the love that God so freely gives. Stu Quackenbush examines the response of the older brother in the second half of The Prodigal Son story to help us see what it takes to truly know the love of the Father.

Don't you wish that God wrote proof of His existence on a neon sign somewhere, so no one could miss it? Louie Konopka takes us on a journey through several different passages of Scripture to show us that God truly is right here with us. If we look for Him, we can't miss Him!

Have you ever found something that you thought was gone for good–maybe a set of keys or ring that has sentimental value? Don Denyes shares an incredible parable in our Storytellers series, that reminds us just how deeply we are loved and about the JOY God has every single time someone who is lost, is found!

Perseverance pays off! If you give up halfway up the mountain, you'll miss the amazing view from the top. Don Denyes reminds us in our next section of Luke, that following Jesus is not easy. We must count the cost, prepare our hearts, and remember that we don't walk the road alone. The cost of discipleship is great, but the reward is worth it!

When was the last time you were invited to dinner? How about an eternal dinner? Don Denyes opens the next parable in our Storytellers series, inviting us to have a heart of humility, hospitality, and hope in response to God's invitation. How will you respond?

Jesus' heart is for us! He endured the cross because of His confidence in the Heavenly Father's plan and because of His great compassion for us. Don Denyes continues our series in Luke with a story of an encounter Jesus had with a Pharisee, and encourages us to follow Jesus' example as we live on mission for Him.

The topic of Hell is neither popular nor comfortable. As Stu Quackenbush continues our series in Luke he helps us discover how even something so challenging points to the love and open arms of Jesus.

What do a seed, yeast, a viral video, or a small fire all have in common with the gospel? Don Denyes looks at two parables in our next section of Luke and encourages us to be diligent in spreading the gospel. Our work is not in vain.

Have you ever had to make a choice to do what was right, instead of what was expected? Don Denyes opens the next section in our Luke series and shares a story where Jesus had to make that exact choice in the midst of controversy.

The new year is the perfect time for a fresh start. It is good to reflect on the past while we project toward the future. Don Denyes invites us to consider Paul's perspective in Philippians 3 as we set goals for 2025.

O come, let us adore Him! Christmas is the most wonderful time of year, yet can be difficult for so many who are hurting. Don Denyes and Stu Quackenbush share the HOPE we have in knowing that Jesus, our Emmanuel, is both with us and for us! Invite a friend and come lift your candle high, as we sing, dance, and worship Jesus Christ our Lord!

What does it really mean to have “God with Us?” Does it change our day to day activities, the way we interact with family and friends, or how we handle difficult situations? Stu Quackenbush opens our two week mini-series Emmanuel, God with Us and invites us to consider the impact of Jesus' birth on our whole lives. 

Have you ever been surprised and wished you knew what was coming, so you could have been better prepared? Steve Welch continues our series in Luke and reminds us that we alredy know how the story ends. While we wait for Jesus' return, we have work to do!

What keeps you up at night? Are you worried about your future, your kids' future, or maybe the state of the world? Dr. Don Denyes jumps back into our Luke Storytellers Series and helps us trade our worldly perspective for a heavenly one.

Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to slow down and reflect on God's provision. Sounds good, right? Yet, if we were honest, how often do we believe that what we have or have accomplished, is because of OUR hard work? Do we truly give God the credit He deserves? Dr. Don Denyes takes us back in Scripture to 1 Chronicles to help us have a right view of true gratitude.

Do you sometimes find it hard to say you are sorry or admit when you are wrong? Humility is hard. Dr. Don Denyes opens the book of Philippians and encourages us as we strive to become more like Jesus.

Are you sad, frustrated, or overwhelmed with something in your life right now? Have you prayed about it? As Stu Quackenbush continues our Storytellers series in Luke, he invites us to bring our needs to God in prayer. Even if God chooses not to answer the way we hope, we will still be secure in our loving Father's arms.

Who has hurt you? Who do you distrust? Are you at war with anyone in your heart? That person is your neighbor. As Stu Quackenbush explores the parable of the Good Samaritan, we'll see one of the most radical calls on our lives as Christinas–we are to love even our enemies. Jesus loved first and we are to “do likewise.”

The pressures of life! As soon as you read that, what came to mind? Maybe you have one big thing that consumes you or maybe a long list of them that keeps you from engaging more fully in our mission to always make disciples. Ben Phebus continues our series in Luke and invites us to follow Jesus' example to step away to pray and commune with God, so we can be refreshed and ready.

Life is about choices. One of the biggest ones we face each day requires us to decide if we will serve others or serve ourselves. Trent Heaton explores the next section in our Luke series and invites us to consider what it means to pick up our cross daily and follow Jesus.

When you are in need, who do you call–your parents, your best friend, or do you cry out to Jesus? How do you feel when someone sees your need and responds? As Stu Quackenbush continues our Storyteller series in Luke, he shares the story of Jesus' miraculous provision, the impact His compassion had, and encourages us to follow Jesus' example and show compassion to others.

Do you find yourself praying for a miracle? How do you respond when the answer is different than what you desired? In part two of this teaching, Stu Quackenbush continues to dive into the true purpose of miracles; exploring their place in our faith-walk today and reminding us that we have been given hope, not from the possibility of a miracle alone, but from the God of Miracles Himself.

Jesus' ministry was marked by miracles. There are still miracles today. Have you experienced one personally? Have you prayed for one that never happened? Stu Quackenbush explores our next section in Luke and reminds us of the ultimate miracle–the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ that saves us from our sin.

Who is Jesus to you? Is He your Lord and Savior or just a legend with no real impact on your life? Ben Phebus continues our series in Luke and invites us to see who Jesus really is, as well as the power He has over sin and darkness.

When life gets tough, where do you turn? Do you rely on your own abilities or knack to solve problems? Or do you turn to Christ? Stu Quackenbush continues our Storyteller Series in Luke and reminds us that we can trust Jesus, knowing that He will either calm the storm or sit with us in the boat as life crashes around us.

Those who have ears, let them hear! Sounds easy enough, right? Yet there are so many things in our lives that can keep us from hearing or seeing the good news God has for us. Stu Quackenbush relaunches our Storyteller series in Luke with a teaching on the parable of the soils, and helps us open our hearts to receive God's gifts.

How many of us looked at the calendar and gave a little sigh of relief knowing that we have Monday off? Yet God's plan for work is crucial in how He created, calls, and provides for us. Trent Heaton opens the book of Colossians and explores the ways we can bring glory and honor to God through our work.

What IS Baptism? And why does it matter? Ben Phebus explores the connection between the profound gift of grace and our obedient response through action.

When the anxieties and trials of life come, where do you turn? Trevor Hunt shares a lesson from Paul as we close out our summer series, A Cross Shaped Life, and looks at the invitation we have to not be anxious, but take everything to God in prayer and find peace in Christ Jesus.

The world screams for our attention every day and according to a recent study, 90% of what it is screaming though the media is negative. It's so easy to get down or depressed if we keep our eyes on the world. Instead, Louie Konopka encourages us in our summer series to stay focused on what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy.

What is the “good life” and how do you know if you are living it? The world's answer looks a lot different than what Paul calls us to in Philippians 3. Trent Heaton unpacks what it looks like to leave everything behind, for the sake of knowing Christ!

Any famous athlete or musician can tell you that talent can only take you so far. You have to invest, day after day, into becoming great. Ben Phebus continues our summer series and shows us that the Christian life is not so different. You are saved the moment you accept Christ as your Savior, but it takes diligent discipline to transform our old lives into ones that look more like the greatest of all time, Jesus.

What comes to mind when you think about humility? Is it a person in your life who showed you grace when you wronged them, a boss who shared credit for a new product, or maybe a famous athlete who gave glory to God for their success? Andrew Bauer continues our summer series in Philippians and points us to the greatest example of humility ever known, Jesus Christ.

What does it look like to allow the gospel to shape your life? What if your life doesn't look like you expected? Stu Quackenbush kicks off our summer series, A Cross Shaped Life in the book of Philippians to help us rest, refocus, and examine how Christ is calling us to live.

Sometimes the last thing we want to do during a trial or difficult time is praise God. Brian Webster shows us how praising through the Psalms reorients our hearts under God's authority and gives us a biblical framework for understanding ourselves as we live in this world created by our loving God.

When is the last time that you felt strong, overwhelming emotion over God's gracious, undeserved, and life-altering love for you? Stu Quackenbush continues our Storyteller's series in Luke and points us to how understanding the depth of mercy we have received, supercharges our passion for Christ and energizes our worship of Him in all that we do.

We all struggle from time to time with doubt. Life's circumstances can really throw us for a loop and cause us to question God. We aren't alone. Even those who saw Jesus' miracles firsthand, questioned Him when things didn't go the way they expected. Steve Welch shares the grace Jesus offers, even when we stumble and doubt.

God asks a lot of questions in the Bible. That's not because He doesn't know the answers, but because people learn much better from what they say or discover instead of what they are just told. Gary Heim shares a practical teaching from Proverbs on how to pursue others with questions that communicate genuine care, interest, and invite deeper connections.

Has someone in your life shown you compassion? Maybe a kind word or deed when you were hurting? Andrew Bauer invites us to follow Jesus' example from Luke 7 and be a light in this dark world by sharing the words and love of Jesus to those around us in need of a Savior.

What is faith and how do you know if you have it? How do you choose to trust, even in the midst of the storms of life? Ben Phebus continues our series in Luke with a story about someone unexpected, who had enough faith to cause Jesus to marvel!

The storms of life are coming. If you aren't in the midst of one now, just wait. Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble, but take heart. I have overcome the world.” Stu Quackenbush continues our Storyteller's series in Luke and challenges us to dig deep and build our lives on the only solid foundation, Jesus Christ.

We are rescued people, saved from condemnation through the blood of Jesus Christ. Yet in this broken fallen world, it can be hard to remember the forgiveness we've received and extend it to others. Ben Phebus offers encouragement from Luke 6 as we seek to love the way Jesus loves.