Journey Church - Maine

The original message of Jesus was so compelling that everyone who heard it wanted it to be true. Maybe the version you've heard isn't as captivating. If Jesus truly came with an invitation that left no one out, wouldn't you believe it was really good news?

It's tradition. The Christmas movies we watch every year bring us back to the joy and hope and laughter we long for. Join us as we view some of our favorite Christmas movies through the lens of the greatest story ever told.

Being grateful for someone is an emotion we can all relate to. But gratitude is not just an attitude, it's something that needs to be expressed.

Everyone likes to win. After all, that's why we play games. But how do we win the games of life? In this conversation, we'll explore all the games we play and how to ensure we win the most important game of all.

Hurting someone because they hurt you doesn't end the cycle. It perpetuates it. And it makes you look like the person you dislike.

Last week we focused on not giving in to the temptations of this world to rectify the struggle we face in this world. What should we do in light of not giving in? We can run away from temptations, but can we run to?

We all hate to wait. That's why, in part, we struggle with heaven. Sure, it sounds great, but that isn't helping our life be great, especially when it isn't going well here. What should we do when we aren't sure we can wait? The apostle Paul has an idea.

It's all too easy to be frustrated with the world around us. We tend to blame people and organizations for all our negative emotions, but the real problem is brokenness. The world is broken. We are broken. What's worse is that we can't fix it. Where can we place our hope when everything feels hopeless? The Apostle Paul seemed to know.

You never know what's coming. So how do you prepare? How do you keep your soul when it feels like everyone around you is losing theirs?

The person you are has been shaped by those who have loved you and those who have hurt you. Maybe it was your mom or your dad or your coach or a teacher. Others' behavior toward us has a lasting impact. And Jesus understood this so well that his most urgent command to his disciples was about how they should treat each other. Yet it seems Jesus' concern with how we behave has been distorted over time into a debate about what we believe.

Looking for loopholes comes naturally. Whether it's eating all of our vegetables or being home by curfew, no one has to teach us that there is a difference between the letter of the law and the spirit of the law. In a Jewish culture where rules trumped reason, Jesus had a new perspective on rules and loopholes.

Jesus embodied the tension between grace and truth. Churches and Christians should too, but they tend to swing toward one or the other. It's easy to be a church of truth or a church of grace - to be conservative or liberal. But when churches take either of those routes, we can sense that something is wrong, something's missing.

The early Christians in Rome did not have it easy. They were persecuted, blamed for crimes they didn't commit, even fed to lions. Yet Jesus painted an encouraging picture of their circumstances; he said they were "the salt of the earth," and "the light of the world." While they were simply trying to stay alive, Jesus was saying that they had been strategically placed by God. Could this be true of your life and your circumstances too?

Without intending to, Christianity won the West. It toppled the Roman Empire. And it did so without raising a sword. What was the secret of the early church's influence? And where did we go wrong? Discover the secret and a lesson about judging others. This may be exactly where the church has gone wrong. . .

The words used to describe Christians today often bear no resemblance to the one word Jesus wanted his followers to be known for. What would it look like if, for one day, we got it right? What if we as Christians embodied this one word? What if our behavior was so consistent with this word that folks around us were drawn to us - and to God.

"Christian" is a brand that can be good, bad, attractive or repelling. It's a loaded label no matter whom you ask. But where did the word come from? And did it come with instructions?

Church can seem full of traditions. While those traditions are important, the meaning sometimes gets lost in the symbolism. In this message, we'll look at a church tradition that goes back thousands of years and talk about why we believe a public declaration of a private decision is still relevant today. We'll also hear stories of people who have declared that they've decided to follow Jesus…which changes everything.

If there's a gap between where you are and where you wish you were, this simple principle can close that gap.

When it comes to getting from where you are in life to where you want to be, this one thing can set you on the right course.

God's wishes for our lives can cause a fight-or-flight response in us. But this one thing can help us break through our fears and live life to the full.

We've all made wishes about our lives. But what does God wish for you?

When life blows up... what do you do next? Hint: it's not what you'd expect.

Do you ever ask yourself the question: "If God really is good, shouldn't things be getting... better?" So what do we do when they aren't?

Does it ever feel like it's just one thing after another? For a lot of us, it feels like the hits keep on coming. How do you keep your faith in the midst of it? Discover how you can defeat discouragement in this season and the ones to follow.

While we have different styles, it's vitally important that we appreciate each others' style so we grow in unity and not division. Our unity gives the message of Jesus credibility to the world and shows that God loves us all and is for all of us no matter our style, no matter our story. We are better together!

The Bible says there is one way to God and that's through the person of Jesus. Because it is so important to connect with God. There are a few staples for connecting with God, one of which is Scripture. In the Bible, Paul says that the word of God should live abundantly in us. Sean encouraged us to publicly expose ourselves to the word and privately give it time to soak in. We can interact publicly, privately, and personally with the word of God!

More often than not, we are too connected to connect with God. This world keeps us from spending time with Him, but we need to connect with Him. Talking to God in prayer is a vital way we can grow a relationship with God, just like you need to talk to your friends in order to invest in your friendships. In Luke, God teaches us that there are four main principles for good prayer life: disconnect to connect with God, pray personally, pray persistently, and pray expectantly. God gave us these suggestions instead of a script to remind us that there is not a formula to pray the perfect prayer.

In Gary Thomas' book, Sacred Pathways, the nine spiritual styles discussed. It is important that we understand our spiritual temperament, because knowing how God has wired us could actually help us more effectively draw near to God. We hope that through this series, you can get a clearer picture of God’s unique design in your life and how that allows you to draw near to Him.

Sometimes you think you can’t make a dent in the problems the world is facing. And besides, you feel like you barely have enough to live on yourself. As a result, many of us often feel indifferent toward the situation others face, and our response is usually a response of inaction. Is there another way? Can something make a difference?

We all want to win. After all, winning is better than not winning. In a game a win is defined, but life is not a game. And winning in the most important areas of our lives isn’t always clear. So, how do we win?

"Stop Going to Church"—and start being the Church. This one-week message from Craig Groeschel will lovingly but boldly urge people to become involved in their church by serving, giving, being in a LifeGroup, etc. It's so important to the health of the Church that we be people who are plugged in to God and community, so use this message to engage your church in stronger biblical community.

When Jesus died, hope died along with him. No one was planning to keep this new movement going, because, after all, it seemed Jesus wasn’t who he had claimed to be. Immediately following the crucifixion, there were no Christians, because there was no Christ. But then something happened.

We all have embarrassing moments we can laugh about—later. There are shameful moments that we would give anything to undo. But while our pasts remind us, they don’t have to define us.

Many times, our faith deteriorates as our circumstances deteriorate. When that happens, our faith is quickly overcome by fear, and the future looks dark. The apostle Peter experienced this, and he temporarily fled his faith in Jesus.

From an early age, we learn quickly to look for loopholes in the rules. We try to figure out what we can get away with and still be okay. We tend to take this same mindset into our relationship with God, but it doesn’t work. When we opt for loopholes and workarounds, we find ourselves in a category no one wants to be in: hypocrites. Jesus calls us to move beyond loophole religion.

Whether it’s school, sports, or religion, when we focus only on the rules, it can be difficult to remember the overall purpose of something. Jesus reminds us that when we focus so much on the letter of the law, we may forget why the law was written in the first place.

Jesus ignored certain religious protocols. He claimed to have authority to forgive sin. He was uncomfortably comfortable with unrepentant sinners. In this message, we hear about three encounters that showed Jesus came to reverse the order of things.

Change isn’t easy, but it isn’t impossible, either. Starting a few small Habits can change how you see yourself today and transform you into the person you want to be tomorrow.

Many times we read the Bible for application, inspiration, or direction. However, there are times when the author wants to simply point the reader to a big idea, an idea that fits together with God's grand story. In the gospel of Mark, we read about Peter's experience with Jesus that led Peter to believe in one big idea: the kingdom of God is near, and everyone is invited to participate.

We often read the Bible for application, inspiration, or direction. However, there are times when the author wants to simply point the reader to a big idea—an idea that fits with God's grand story. In the Gospel of Mark, we read about Peter's experience with Jesus that led Peter to believe in one big idea: the kingdom of God is near, and everyone is invited to participate.

What if our faith was characterized by fearlessness, humility, confidence in Jesus, and love of others? Imagine how that would change the world around us.

We see daily news reports about violence and terrorism. The world can feel like a dangerous place. Surrounded by uncertainty, it's difficult not to be afraid. But Jesus offers us another option.

If you have ever volunteered to do something for which you felt totally unqualified, then you already know what an experience like that can do for your faith. One of the primary ways God grows our faith is through personal ministry.

Prayer is just talking to God...right? Maybe prayer is more than just us "talking"; more than persuading God to give us what we want...

Life is too precious to just sit around. Every day we have a decision to make about how we are going to spend our time. For many of us, time never seems to slow down. We have no idea how we’ll fit it all in. What if there was one thing you could do every morning that would affect everything else? What if there was one thing you could do that would be time well spent?

Every generation of Jesus followers is responsible to ensure the news of the Christian faith stays true to the original. So are you good news? What if you’re the only news someone gets?

The original message of Jesus was so compelling that everyone who heard it wanted it to be true. Maybe the version you’ve heard isn’t as captivating. If Jesus truly offered an invitation that left no one out, would you consider it really good news?

People close to Jesus were convinced they had met good personified. So they documented the story. They were convinced it wasn’t just for a nation or for a generation, but for all nations and every generation. This was good news, great joy, for all people—perhaps especially for those of us who aren’t all that good.

When we see someone we care about make bad decisions, we can either confront them about it or hope someone else does. Many times we opt for the latter, under the guise of being kind, not wanting to interfere, or waiting for them to ask for our input. But we should ask ourselves: are we really being kind, or are we letting fear, discomfort, or indifference be the boss of us?

All of us walk through life with occasional fear. And it’s not always a bad thing. Fear is a byproduct of our ability to think about what might happen in the future, and it can protect us from harm. However, living with too much fear can cause us to be self-absorbed, distracted, and overly protective. But the good news is this: You don’t have to be afraid even when there’s something to be afraid of.

When we feel anger, our emotions tell us it’s 100 percent someone else’s fault. But James, the brother of Jesus, has something different to say. When we take a step back and acknowledge what the problem really is, anger will no longer be the boss of us.