FIRST Champaign-Urbana

The time is winding down as the narrative picks up in the Gospel of John. As we turn to chapter 18, the hours and events will begin to fly by as the passion of Jesus is displayed. Up first is the betrayal event that kick starts Jesus' journey to the Cross.

If you could have anyone praying for you, who would you select? A beloved family member or mature friend might make the top of the list… but what about Jesus, Himself? As we head back into John 17 this week, we not only see Jesus' prayer, but the topic of His prayer shifts to His heart for all people!

Most scholars and theologians agree that John 17 is the most sacred and genuine prayer in all of Scripture. Sometimes referred to as “The High Priestly Prayer” or the “Jesus Prayer,” it's hard to argue with that sentiment. So, by having a glimpse into the intimate heart of Jesus' prayer life, what can we learn about how it applies to our life of prayer?

As Jesus inches closer to the Cross, he prepares His disciples for the sorrow and grief they will face. While our grief is very real, He assures us it's temporary. Even in life's storms, we're not fighting for victory—we're riding with it already in our boat.

Easy to understand? Sure. Simple to live out? Not even close. When it comes to following Jesus, there may not be another other “subject” more complex, confusing, or contemplative than the person of the Holy Spirit. As we continue our series through the Gospel of John, we look at the person, power, and purpose of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus has a lot to share with his disciples before his death... and not all of it is easy to hear. The call to follow Jesus is the invitation to both love and hate—to love God and be hated for it—to love our neighbors and be despised by the World. But what does it look like to truly love like Jesus in the face of hatred and persecution? Join us this Sunday to find out!

What good is a laptop without its charger? Or a bouncy house without its air-blower? As we continue in our series through the Gospel of John, Jesus tells us a parable with a similar no-duh answer : what good is a branch that doesn't bear fruit? We explore Jesus' metaphor of the vine and branches to understand the spiritual journey of growth, pruning, and fruitfulness.

How do you know if someone truly loves Jesus? True love for Christ is not just an emotion—it's expressed in obedience, and in that obedience, we experience the abiding presence of the Father, Son, and Spirit. Join us as we discover what it truly means to live in communion with the One who never leaves us.

The night before the cross, Jesus revealed the Father to His disciples—and He still does today for all who trust in Him. Join us as we explore five powerful revelations that change everything.

You live life long enough to realize nothing ever seems to go as planned. We recognize that sometimes it's our fault, sometimes there's another to blame, and other times - that's just life! Regardless of why troubles come our way, getting through them is always needed. As we continue through the Gospel of John, Jesus gives us the cure for a troubled heart.

We have endless songs about it. We have hundreds of movies about it. We have all forms of art expressing it. The “it” is love. Love is not only everywhere, it's arguably the deepest yearning for all people. As disciples, we are called to do one thing more and better than everything else - love! But let's be honest, it feels loaded at times to “love” well and rightly. Join us as we seek to discern what love truly is and how we can go about extending it to others.

What's been the most radical act of kindness you've experienced? Maybe it was the generosity of a family member or the selflessness of a stranger, either way - it probably left a mark in you, for good reason. As we continue in our study through John, we see one of the most radical acts of love and the purpose behind it all.

Transformation is a powerful process that reflects profound change, much like a caterpillar becoming a butterfly. When we embrace this idea of change in our lives, we discover that transforming faith goes beyond mere belief; it is a life-altering relationship with God. This faith empowers us to shed past limitations and embrace a new identity. Just as the caterpillar's metamorphosis reveals its potential, our journey of faith unveils the incredible possibilities that arise when we allow God to work in us.

Once all the promos, trailers, and build up are over - it's time for the show! While the teasers may give you a taste of what is to come, nothing compares to the actual event. As we continue our study through John, Jesus reveals what all the precursors were about for the “time has (finally) come” to see what all the fuss has been about.

Over the past decade, Hollywood has begun to embrace the idea of an ‘anti-hero.' A “hero” who breaks the mold of conventional hero-type figures. Stories filled with characters like Jack Sparrow, Walter White, or The Punisher have something that catches our attention. But what if the “hero” is just completely unforeseen - do we have a name for that person?

What is the most vibrant expression of love you've ever received in your life? Maybe it was an engagement ring, a personal letter, or award of recognition. Now flip it, if you had to express your love towards someone in the most obvious and tangible way possible - what would you do?

Queue Taylor Swift… “Haters gonna hate, hate, hate…” That phrase is fairly common in our society today as it could refer to someone who doesn't like you all the way to someone plotting against you. But, have you ever had a hater who literally plotted to take your life? Jesus did! Join us as we continue our study through the Gospel of John and take a look at a few different responses to who Jesus was.

There are a few things you can count on in life - and one of them, whether we like it or not, is pain and trial. Spending any time on this earth, we quickly learn it never goes the way we would hope or plan. In this message, we wrap up one of the most popular stories in the life and ministry of Jesus and learn about how to get through life's toughest moments.

They say there are only two certainties in life—death and taxes. And while Jesus doesn't promise that His glory will shine through taxes, He proclaims the opposite about death. As we continue our series, I Am: The Gospel of John, we lean into how, in Jesus, death doesn't have to be the end.

While we cannot change anything about Jesus, we let our thoughts, wants, needs and desires do that anyways, do we not? At some point or another, all of us have some sort of view or desire of Jesus that could very well not match up to who He really was. Picking up where we left off in our study through the Gospel of John, we see how Jesus handles people who want Him to be someone He's not.

There's an old saying, “You can't get runover by a truck and not be changed!” Well, we believe the same to be true as generous disciples of Jesus. If we become RELENTLESS in our pursuit of Jesus, surrendered in our discipleship and generosity, then the transformative impact will be undeniable. We will see Spirit-led fruit in the changing of marriages, relationships, parenting, evangelism, and more as we grow deeper in our love and dependency for Jesus.

There is an urgency of souls in our church, homes, and community at large. And while we cannot take the Gospel to every single person - we are going to try! But - in order for us to make it more probable and possible, there is a burden we need to release. We won't bury the lead - we believe the time is now to become a debt-free church! Not to build a bigger building or spend it on ourselves, but to match the urgency of souls who need Jesus and to leave an unmistakable Kingdom footprint in our community.

“Go and make disciples of all nations…” This was Jesus' last command to the apostles. We desire to be a church where we make Jesus' last words our first work. A church that does not make disciples who make-disciples is not a church at all. We will not back down or shy from this Great Commission, and that is why it is the vital seeds we desire to plant in the life of our church for now and forever more.

What would it take for our church to see a move of God like never before? What would it take for you to see a move of God in your life? While we might not all answer that question the same - we do know it all centers around planting seeds before God to see an abundant Kingdom harvest. Join us as we announce and cast the vision for the future of FIRST!

5 Commitments for 2025 by First Christian Church Champaign

There are countless amounts of infamous gifts in Christmas movies, but one stands above them all! (And no, we're not thinking of the ‘Jelly of the Month Club'). The funny thing is, in all these movies, every gift is depicted as falling short of what truly is the reason for the season.

A high-powered gal from the coast returns to her seemingly insignificant small town in the Midwest in the heat of an ever so stressful time in her life. Looking to regain some sensibility or purpose, she instead finds what she's been looking for all along… If this plot sounds familiar, there's dozens that follow this script on that one “channel”. However, sometimes knowing what's going to happen next is the just peace of mind we need.

Nothing will stop the tenacious love and drive one mother has for her son. She will cross countries via plan, bus, and van - all to be reunited with her child. We agree, there's nothing quite as powerful when a Father and child are reunited once again.

He's everyone's favorite elf! Full of joy, holiday spirit, lots of sugar, and nothing ever seems to get him down. And while he might be a little disillusioned, Buddy the Elf shows us all the unique power and joy of a child-like faith.

The Mid-life crisis is defined as: an emotional crisis of identity and self-confidence that occurs in early middle age. Basically, it's someone trying to hear from God about their purpose in life. Maybe you or someone you know is or is about to enter into that stage of life. Some solve it with career changes or new toys. but what if we told you there is a much more impactful way to Hearing From God, and how He desires you to leave an impact beyond yourself.

Have you ever seen the video of the cat who thinks it's a duck? That's the power of our community. The people we are around the most has the ability to transform our beliefs, actions, and sometimes even our identity. In week 3 of Hearing From God, we look to the most transformative way we hear from Jesus.

Have you ever been in a conversation with someone, and then you catch yourself not actually listening - just waiting for you turn to talk? If we're honest, we've all done that before. Not only that, we would all probably agree it's not the best way to have a relationship with someone we love. This week, we dive into the a way of Hearing From God that develops our love and trust for Him.

Every communication between two parties requires intentionality on both sides. In the most basic function, someone has to speak, and another has to listen! And while some things can get lost in translation, hearing clearly from someone is best when we listen directly to their voice. In week one of Hearing From God, we look to the most clear way to hear God's voice.

At some point when we were all younger, we were introduced to the power of compound interest. Whether through the original Indian parable or the “magic penny,” there's a power behind investing early, and often. The same goes with our finances as disciples of Jesus because we can steward God's resources for a purpose that lasts.

What's bigger - 9 or 10? No, this isn't a trick question or start of a joke… sort of. While we know 10 is bigger than 9, in the Kingdom of God - 9 reigns over 10. There is something about a tenth that matches the heart of God we are all called to emulate. So, let's see where this idea of a tenth comes from and what to do with it.

Did you ever butt your way into a conversation that didn't involve you and you were met with - “Hey! Mind your own business!” Well, when it comes to talking about God and money, almost all of us feel that way. Yet, God and the Bible understand that money is important and a very big part of our lives. In week 1 of this series, we look to see how God sees money, our hearts, and how they connect.

From The Bachelor to Love Is Blind, our society is infatuated with people chasing after “the one.” However, marriage is so much more than just finding Mr. or Mrs. Right, right? What if the focus was less on hoping to not fall out of love, and more about choosing the things for a strong relationship?

We know children are a gift. However, they don't come with a manual; and not to mention they're all different! If you're a parent, new parent, soon-to-be parent, or hope-to-be one, knowing how to parent well is a daunting role. We know it requires a lot of pre-decision - but in what ways is best?

It's one of the most Googled questions of all time: What should I have for dinner? Vitally important, right? It's researched closely with questions about love, the meaning of life, and knowing God's will. When it comes to pre-deciding to live as a disciple, it's not just a good question, rather foundation to know and follow.

Whether those habits are good, bad, or somewhere in-between, our habits are what we consistently do - usually without thinking. So, looking at what you consistently do, what would you say is the trajectory of your life? health? Marriage? And most importantly, spiritual growth?

Time for a reality check: Your favorite candidate will win or lose based on how our country votes this November. However, the church can win or lose based on our behavior between now and then. While your vote on a ballot matters, how we act as disciples matters even more.

Sams or Costco? Coke or Pepsi? Cubs or Cardinals? There are a lot of opinions out. And despite most of them, we still live at peace with one another. So, why is it as soon as the conversation turns Red or Blue, does all that seem to go out the window? For Week 1 of United, we look at the one thing to keep in mind that should help all disciples remain focused on the main thing.

Have you ever thought of yourself as a sheep? Well, look out because Jesus is calling us out as sheep in this one! Do we share any common characteristics with sheep - and, if so, what does that mean for us and how we live our lives?

Of your five senses - which would you least want to lose? Statistically, 70% of people say the ability to see would be the worst sense to lose. For this week's passage, we look at a fairly popular story where someone gets the ability to see for the first time and the transformation(s) that happen as a result.

It's one thing to get a nickname… it's another thing to dub yourself! So, what if someone you knew labeled themself as the GOAT? You'd probably think they're either delusional or completely full of themselves, right?!?! But - what if they were right?

As we go through school, we learn new things all the time. From new equations to new historical figures, our minds are adjusting to fresh information. However, what does it take to change your mind? In fact, when was the last time someone changed your mind about something important? In our series through the Gospel of John, we look at how Jesus went about changing people's minds - and hearts - about Himself.

Riddle: I can only live where light is, but I die if the light touches me - what am I?... A shadow! The power of light is known to us on a daily basis. It regulates our sleep, provides food for our food, keeps us warm, allows us to see, and more. So, if someone claimed to be able to do all that - would you believe them?

From microwaves to plumbing to the internet, just because we don't *exactly* know how something works doesn't mean we don't benefit from it. The same can be said of grace in our faith journey. We might be able to give a definition, but how it exactly works is somewhat of a mystery to us. This week, we see how grace works over our lives.

Who is Jesus? At this point in John's gospel, people are starting to make decisions about who they think Jesus is, and dividing lines are being drawn. "Is He just a prophet?" "Is He the Savior?" "Is He just a normal person making bold claims?" So, who is He to you? Join us this Sunday as we continue studying the Gospel of John together.

As we have journeyed through the Book of John, one thing has been clear—everyone has an opinion about who Jesus is. But who does Jesus say that he is? As we come to “the last and greatest day” of the Festival of Booths in John chapter 7, we get an answer, where Jesus takes a stand, literally, and declares something that changes everything. What does he say? And how does it impact us? Join us this week to find out!

Have you ever wondered why people argue about who Jesus really is? As we continue in Chapter 7 of the Gospel of John, opinions fly, debates heat up, and confusion reigns. This week, we dive into the chaos and discover the reasons behind the divided reactions to Jesus. Get ready to explore the powerful truth that challenges perceptions and calls us to decide: Who is Jesus to you?