Evanston Vineyard

As we close our series, we look at the strange nature of Biblical signs. Noah got an olive branch, Moses a burning bush, the Israelites a cloud by day and fire by night. But King Ahaz? He got the strangest sign of all – and it's good news for the entire universe. The post BRIGHT VALLEY, PT. 4: first appeared on Vineyard.

Advent is a valley, the time between the first coming and the second. Valleys, at least in part, happen because of leadership crisis. We are more or less facing one now. And Israel was in the same predicament. But out of the shorn stump of Jesse comes a branch, a root, a shoot that will […] The post THE BRIGHT VALLEY, Pt. 2: The Branch of Peace first appeared on Vineyard.

It's the first Sunday of Advent, that time in the church calendar when we remember the first coming of Jesus and look forward to his return. We're following along the lectionary in the Book of Isaiah and we begin with the solid, lasting, durable nature of Biblical hope. Indeed, it's more solid than a mountain. The post BRIGHT VALLEY 1: Hope is a Mountain first appeared on Vineyard.

To close out our “Come, Holy Spirit” series, today we consider how to go out into the world and embody the Spirit everywhere we go. This means we become people who are both naturally supernatural, and people who have the Spirit indwelled in them. How do we do this? By being vessels filled with the […] The post Come, Holy Spirit, Pt 7: Walk by the Spirit first appeared on Vineyard.

Why sometimes people aren’t healed and why we should keep praying. The post Come, Holy Spirit, Part 6: Following Jesus Into Healing first appeared on Vineyard.

Believers in Jesus cohabitat with a powerful new roommate: The Holy Spirit. The Spirit not only gives us power to change, but makes the Gospel real to our hearts so that we become a strange kind of people: people who love radically and live in freedom. The post Come, Holy Spirit, Pt. 5 : The Holy Spirit Makes Us Strange first appeared on Vineyard.

Our focus on the Person and the Work of the Holy Spirit continues with the often misunderstood sign and wonder of the Kingdom: tongues. What is it? Can everyone do it? Should we seek it for ourselves? The post Come, Holy Spirit, Pt. 4: Tongues first appeared on Vineyard.

Many of us are so hungry to hear God’s voice, but we have no idea how to go about it. The Apostle Paul shows us how in 1 Cor. 14! Join us as we explore this chapter. The post Come Holy Spirit, Pt. 3: Prophecy first appeared on Vineyard.

Guest speaker Dr. Jordan Seng on the ministry of faith. The post Come, Holy Spirit: The Mountain wants to move first appeared on Vineyard.

Today we answer two essential questions: Who is the Holy Spirit? Why is it desperately important for us to know him? We're looking at three different episodes of the Spirit in the Scriptures to help us. The post Come, Holy Spirit! Pt. 1: Introduction first appeared on Vineyard.

The story of God’s people includes the story of being in wilderness places with few signs of life and little hope. Yet the very presence and glory of God is found there. What does it mean to be formed as God’s collective people in this context? The post Together: Formed in the Wilderness first appeared on Vineyard.

Nearly single person who has summitted the mountain of personal achievement wants more. Why? Because fulfillment is found in the surprising reality of togetherness. The post Together, Pt 1: A Feverish Wanting first appeared on Vineyard.

Today's message is a conversation between pastors Jess Sales and Keva Green, with special guest Angie Wezsley. Angie is the Executive Director of ProGrace, an organization helping Christians re-frame abortion as a Kingdom issue, not a poltical one. This Gospel centered conversation explores a “third way” response to abortion, one that recognizes the inherent dignity, […] The post A Conversation on Abortion first appeared on Vineyard.

While the world would teach us that peace is an inner state achieved through the capacity of an individual, Jesus gives us the good news that Peace is a Person, and his name is the Holy Spirit. The post Unwinding Anxiety: Peace is a Person first appeared on Vineyard.

Last week, we tackled the gracious words of Jesus in Matt. 6: If we seek his kingdom, we'll get the King. This week, we drill down into the “seeing” of Matthew 6. How does seeing aid the seeking? And how does seeing, then, help us to unwind anxiety? The post Unwinding Anxiety: Seeing is Seeking first appeared on Vineyard.

Our world is choked by chronic anxiety. With love and compassion, Jesus steps into the fear and uncertainty and tells us, “Do not be anxious!” “Do not be afraid!” “Do not let your hearts be troubled!” Let's dive in to the Sermon of the Mount to see how these commands are laden with promise, not […] The post Unwinding Anxiety: The Cure first appeared on Vineyard.

Message by: Adam Russell The post Installation of Senior Pastor Ted Kim first appeared on Vineyard.

In this week’s sermon, we look at the example Jesus sets for how we can renounce our fears and walk through things that make us anxious. We look at how we can embrace the future with our heads held high, knowing that no matter how frightening it may seem, we will not have to walk […] The post SPIRITUAL PRACTICES: Renouncing Fear first appeared on Vineyard.

Don’t be deceived: there is power in our praise because our praise to God always brings forth His presence. Praise to God has nothing to do with the place or performance, and all to do with our posture. Nothing to do with our worship, and everything to do with the worshiper! The post Spiritual Practices: Praise + Worship first appeared on Vineyard.

What does it look like to practice “horizontal” or communal spirituality? How can we develop outward spiritual habits? It starts with a solid relationship with our caring Father. The post Spiritual Practices, PT 8.- Habit of Relationship first appeared on Vineyard.

By the evidence of the thousands of photos we carry around, we are a people who love to remember. How can we not only remember our travels but the amazing things God has done in our lives? Why is this important? Tune in to hear how recalling what God has done in the past can […] The post SPIRITUAL PRACTICES, PT. 6: Remembrance first appeared on Vineyard.

In this week’s sermon, we look at Jesus’ teaching on giving.  We explore how cultivating simplicity and generosity is good for our souls, contributes to other’s flourishing, and is an investment in God’s current and coming Kingdom. The post SPIRITUAL PRACTICES: Cultivating Simplicity + Generosity first appeared on Vineyard.

Jesus treasured the Scriptures and discovered his mission in them – and so can we. Reading Scripture allows us to uncover the person of Jesus, which is the primary way we can embody His practices and values. The post SPIRITUAL PRACTICES: Engaging with Scripture first appeared on Vineyard.

There are many theories out there on how we change. Even in the Christian world, churches operate on differing theories of change. We learn today where we believe deep change actually happens in us. The post SPIRITUAL PRACTICES: A CHANGE OF HEART first appeared on Vineyard.

As we close our series on the parables of the Kingdom, we learn that the Kingdom is a party. Parties are a central reality of Jesus' Kingdom. Will you accept the invitation? The post PARABLES OF THE KINGDOM: THE WEDDING BANQUET first appeared on Vineyard.

Jesus' Baptism: The Ultimate Act of Humility  The post EVANSTON VINEYARD first appeared on Vineyard.

The parable of the workers and their wages teaches us that Grace is both beautiful and offensive, depending on your perspective. Whether you are among the First or the Last the invitation is to receive God's invitation to Love and Joy. The post PARABLES OF THE KINGDOM: Workers in the Vineyard first appeared on Vineyard.

The King of love has extravagant forgiveness for us. But we are also called to do the same. How can we? What help do we have? The post PARABLES OF THE KINGDOM: “THE UNMERCIFUL SERVANT” first appeared on Vineyard.

How precious is the Kingdom of Heaven to you? Is it valuable enough that you'd be willing to walk away from everything you know in pursuit of a life with the Risen King? The post PARABLES OF THE KINGDOM: TREASURE + PEARL first appeared on Vineyard.

What is the Kingdom of God? It turns out, it's such a big, expansive reality that Jesus used a lot of stories to help us understand it. These stories are called parables and we're spending the next five weeks looking at them. First up: the mustard seed and leaven. The post PARABLES OF THE KINGDOM: The Seed + Leaven first appeared on Vineyard.

This third sermon in our Saved series deal with the last part of our Gospel summary: Jesus, the crucified king of love is making all things new. When Jesus was raised from death he ascended as King! That means he reigns, and that the reign of death won’t last. Jesus is making a new world […] The post SAVED PT. 3- All Things New first appeared on Vineyard.

Last Sunday we introduced a one sentence Gospel that we believe makes better sense of the entire story of Jesus and what it means to be saved. This week, we talk about the present reality of the that salvation. The post SAVED, PT. 2: “Work Out Your Salvation” first appeared on Vineyard.

This Easter Sunday we are digging into the magnificent, dense chapter on resurrection by the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 15. There is hope in here for every single person. We also interrogate the one sentence Gospel of “Jesus died for our sins.” The post SAVED, Pt. 1: The Resurrection of the Son of God first appeared on Vineyard.

Many of us are probably familiar with the most common reasons for baptism: 1) It's commanded; 2) Jesus himself was baptized; 3) It's a public profession; 4) It's entrance into the community of believers. But the Apostle Peter in his first letter gives us another, massively important reason that we need to hear. The post Remember Your Baptism first appeared on Vineyard.

Some God encounters are sweet, while others are confrontational and arresting. We'll explore how Jesus uses a series of important events to turn the light on for Saul and how he even uses others to play a role in Saul's purpose discovery, healing and salvation.  The post A HOLY CONFRONTATION first appeared on Vineyard.

We end our journey in James, a book that has been lanced through with brutal honesty, on a high note. Three hopes, all located in healing: our bodies matter, the Lord will raise us up, and pray for each other that we may be healed. The post THE BOOK OF JAMES, PT. 10 – HEALING first appeared on Vineyard.

James tells us that the reality of the kingdom transforms the way we think about money and allows us to live patiently. The gospel makes us generous as we patiently wait Jesus’ good kingdom. The post THE BOOK OF JAMES, PT 9 -THE KINGDOM, MONEY + PATIENCE first appeared on Vineyard.

Arrogance distorts how we see ourselves and our relationship with God. James reminds us that a life with Jesus is a life of dependence.  The post THE BOOK OF JAMES, PT 8- A REBUKE OF ARROGANCE first appeared on Vineyard.

The first ten verses of chapter 4 are a master class on desire. How do we direct our desire? How do we heal our desires? James shows us how. The post THE BOOK OF JAMES PT.7- DESIRE first appeared on Vineyard.

Some people say James is the New Testament version of the book of Proverbs. If James has some wisdom to share with us, what does he mean when he talks about two kinds of wisdom, and how does that apply to life? Let's find out. The post THE BOOK OF JAMES PT.6- TWO KINDS OF WISDOM first appeared on Vineyard.

As one preacher puts it, “if we can master the tongue, we can master our lives.” Yet James tells us, “no one can tame the tongue.” So how does the healing of our tongues actually happen? The post THE BOOK OF JAMES PT.5- THE TONGUE first appeared on Vineyard.

Exploring some of James' most direct and unabashed exhortations to followers of Christ to put their faith into action.  The post THE BOOK OF JAMES PT. 4- FAITH IN ACTION first appeared on Vineyard.

What does it mean to love your neighbor? In James 2:1-13, we learn that the early Christians struggled with favoritism and silos within the church, just like our society today. James helped the church to break down walls by changing their glasses and loving others in action. The post THE BOOK OF JAMES PT. 3- NO FAVORITISM first appeared on Vineyard.

The second half of James 1 includes 3 distinct instructions that act as “life rings”. These were intended to help the people of James’ day as they faced trials. In the same way, they help us now cling to who God is and what He calls us to do. The post THE BOOK OF JAMES PT. 2- EXTENDING LIFE IN HARD TIMES first appeared on Vineyard.

In our world, friendship has become disposlable. But Jesus tells us that friendships might be THE most important relationships we can have; in fact, he seems to elevate friendships above all other relationships in John 15. How do we practice spiritual friendship at the Vineyard? Listen to find out. The post THE SPIRITUAL PRACTICE OF MEMBERSHIP first appeared on Vineyard.

Today we start a new series through the book of James. James dives right in and teaches us that in the Kingdom where Jesus is Lord, even trials bring good and perfect gifts. The post THE BOOK OF JAMES PT. 1 – “TROUBLE'S GONNA COME…' first appeared on Vineyard.