Fir Road Christian Church

Peter writes about our living hope.

Though we sing about a silent night that ushers in Christs Birth, we read in Revelation that in the spiritual realm the night was anything but silent.

Christmas Carols hold a special place in our hearts and minds during the Christmas season.  This week we look at the story behind Joy To The World to discover its deeper meaning and how we can have Joy even in the challenges of this season.

 In chapter 12, Nehemiah leads the Israelites on a march of joyful praise and worship to the temple, along the way we learn the purpose of worship through their approach to worship.

Nehemiah leads the Israelites in the signing of a covenant to God to live holy lives, and give Him their best.

God is amazing.  When we pray to him humbly - admit our failures and repent of our sins, he shows us his compassion, mercy and grace time and again.  In Nehemiah chapter 9, we see God's amazing love extend to the repentant nation of Israel.  

Nehemiah and the rest of Israel are challenged by the reading of God's Word, it sparks a revival.  If you want to experience a spiritual revival too, make a commitment to read God's word.

In Nehemiah chapter 2 we learn how he took time to rest and pray before his investigation, getting cooperation, and showing the determination to push forward with the project despite opposition.

Who is someone that God would put someone in your life that is 'Far from Him, but close to you." or someone that 'Is hurting that you can help".  Our challenge was to B.L.E.S.S. your neighbors. (Begin to Pray, Listen to them, Eat with them, Serve Them, Share God love and Story with them)

Self-control is a crucial trait for Christians to develop in their lives. As followers of Christ, we are called to live a life that reflects the values and character of our Savior. This gift is the ability to control one's thoughts, actions, and emotions. We as Christians need to develop it if we want to live a life that is pleasing to God. 

This weeks message focuses on the Fruit of the Spirit, Faithfulness.  We are reminded that people are faithful to those they trust.  And we were encouraged and challenged to be as Faithful to God as Moses was as we live out of lives guided by the Holy Spirit.

This week we learned how God is a patient with us because of his love for us and his desire to have everyone come to salvation.  It should be our desire extend that patience to others.

In a world that longs for peace, where is it to be found? As followers of Christ, our lives should be ruled by peace—but that is often not the case.

Instead of pursuing the Happiness the world has to offer we should be pursuing the Joy God offers through the Holy Spirit. 

Our missionary Gregory Ohrenberg, representing Pioneer Bible Translators from Vanuatu delivers an insightful message about the process he went through to translate the passage on baptism from Romans 6.  

Tom Nutt from GNPI brought our message for our missions emphasis month on the topic of Others.  A great reminder that we can experience J.O.Y. when we put Jesus and Others before ourselves.  Good News Productions International has used that philosophy to teach people around the world about Jesus.

VERYTHING IN SCRIPTURE POINTS TO JESUS -  AND BECAUSE OF THAT EVERYTHING IN OUR LIVES SHOULD POINT TO JESUS AND THAT SHOULD FIND WAYS THAT OUR WOLRD TO POINTS TO JESUS TOO

This week we look at the final level of Transforming Discipleship.  The challenge Jesus leaves his followers three imperatives : Go, Baptize, Teach.  All things we are challenged to continue to do today as Disciple Makers.

In Mark 8 Jesus, in what is one of the most challenging steps in discipleship, asks his disciples to advance to the next level (four) of following him, to deny themselves and take up their crosses. 

When Jesus called his disciples they put their lives into the hands of a skilled master everything changed for them as they EXPERIENCED A  Transformational Discipleship process like nothing ever experienced before.

This week our Youth Minister Nathan Elston takes a closer look at the Shema.

IN THE SECOND LEVEL OF TRANSFORMING DISCIPLESHIP JESUS USED THE “COME AND FOLLOW ME”  METHOD TO REACH PEOPLE. He called people Ready to observe AND IMITATE who JESUS WAS. 

Jesus used different levels of disciples making. Today we look atN THE FIRST : THE “COME AND SEE” METHOD.  USED TO REACH SEEKERS HUNGRY TO FIND OUT WHO JESUS was AND ANSWERING THE QUESTION: IS JESUS REALLY THE LONG-AWAITED MESSIAH.

One day a year we are reminded that following the darkness of Good Friday is Easter Sunday. Easter Sunday is a day of reminder for us that there is hope that can be found in the darkness.

God has chosen the church to be part of something amazing.  The growth of his kingdom through us. As a church we have the opportunity to create something better together. A place where we are intentionally grafting people into the loving relationships that God desires, so that we can contribute to the growth of God's kingdom.

God created us with the needs of Affirmation, Adoration and Attention.  This week we look at why those needs are not being met by todays current culture and how our church will be better when we are able to meet those needs in our church family.

God desires us to grow in community because he knows that his church is better together in heart mind and soul. This week we look at two more things that destroy relationships and two things that build them up.

God desires us to grow in community because he knows that his church is better together in heart mind and soul. This week we look at two things that destroy relationships and two things that build them up.

Our lives were designed to be community projects. We weren't created to be independent, autonomous, or self-sufficient. We were made to live in a humble, worshipful, and loving dependency upon God and in a loving and humble interdependency with others. This week we look at how our lives are better together.

Guest Speaker Chris DeWelt

Early Christians were challenged to show their faith through by what they did. THIS IS AN EXPECTATION THAT CONTINUES FOR US TODAY. GOD DESIRES FOR PEOPLE TO GO OUT AND INVITE ANYONE AND EVERYONE TO RESPOND TO THE GOSPEL MESSAGE.

As we cultivate our Faith, we have to learn that God is waiting for his children to dream of solutions to the problems in the world. And maybe God wants to use you in a way you've never, ever even thought. To use you to make a significant difference in the world in some part of the world. In this message we are challenged to pray and ask God “What's Next?'

Your life is actually shaped by your commitments. We become whatever we are committed to. If you don't commit yourself to anything you become nothing in life. You're shaped by your commitments. To make an eternal difference I must join with others on mission. God has a life mission for your life and you can only do it in the context with others.

Today we learn about God's laws of planting and harvesting. We are called to plant seeds every day and every where. If you ignore the laws of sowing and reaping in your life it's going to hurt you. It will harm you. If you wisely use the laws of sowing and reaping in your life you're going to be blessed by it.

WE ALL HAVE TO MAKE THE CHOICES OF HOW WE WILL LIVE OUR LIVES : With just 24 hours in a day, but countless options and opportunities of how to use them. In all our decisions we need to remember that God has given us this life, and we have the responsibility to live it out the best way possible.

In the story of the feeding of the 5000, Jesus uses an unsolvable problems to do miracles. He has the capability to turn a little into a lot. Thats true in our lives too, and like the boy in the story, we just have to give him what we have and let him multiply it. ++ This week we concluded our service with a Cultivate Faith Campaign presentation. ++

God desires for us to take steps in Faith that keep us growing, sowing, and going. THESE STEPS OF FAITH ARE FOCUSED ON TRUSTING IN GOD because God has a plan and a purpose for us and we believe that God is going to do his will in us.

In last weekend's message, Jacob Taylor taught how to see with eyes of faith instead of eyes of fear. Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

This week we look at the gift of Jesus that God gave to us. Of all the things God could have given to us - he gave us Jesus - because our greatest need is forgiveness and salvation. Jesus is the only gift that gives us those.

The concluding message of this series where we've discovered the secrets of how God sees our treasures and wants us to use them to be a blessing to us and to others. We take the time to look at our standard of living and our standard of giving.

In Matthew 6:19-24 Jesus teaches us to store up for ourselves treasures in heaven. And ultimately people who spend their lives moving away from their treasures have reason to despair. And those who spend their lives moving toward their treasures in heave have reason to rejoice.

The example of giving in 2 Corinthians 8:1-5 teaches us that giving is an evidence of God's grace in our lives and how we can have an abundance of Joy when we live out the Treasure Principles

We start off this Series by examining our approach to money and possessions, which is central to our spiritual lives. Jesus reminded us that whatever treasures we store up on Earth will be left behind when we leave and whatever treasures we store up in Heaven will be waiting for us when we arrive.”

"The Parables of Jesus" This week we looked at a parable of the net where Jesus teaches about about real results of what will happen one day when the time comes for everyone to be gathered, and separated into those who are part of the kingdom and those who are not.

This week we looked at a parable of the leaven in Matthew 13:33. In it Jesus uses the illustration of the rising bread to teach about the growth of God's kingdom. We learn from it, several different characteristics of what we should expect God's kingdom to do and how we can be part of it.

This week we looked at the parable of the midnight visitor; that contrasts how people view and respond to our ‘ask's' to how God views and responds to our ‘ask's'. God wants to give us the good gifts we ask for. We also look at the greatest gift we should be asking God for.

This week we look at the Parable of the Growing Seed in Mark 4:26-29. It is a reminder that God's Kingdom will experiences uncontainable growth. And as his kingdom workers there is a key for us to be part of that growth.

This weeks message we continue to look at our vision of Growing Together and how through Tending Needs of others we can be the church that is humble and hospitable in the ways God desires us to be.

As a church our vision statement is Growing Together. One way that we are going to be intentional about growing together is through the idea of CULTIVATING ROOTS. It's our vision to have a church that develops deep rooted disciple makers through careful attention and training.

As we look to the future of the church we lay out the vision of being intentional about grafting people into our church family through care and connection.

In this message we explore the example of serving others Jesus established during his ministry. We also look at the reasons we place an emphasis on serving our community as a community of believers.