River Valley Christian Church

In January 2019, River Valley Christian Church will merge with Southeast Christian Church to become the Southeast Christian Church River Valley Campus. On December 30, we hosted a Celebration Service to look back at how God has blessed our community for 21 years and to look forward to what He will do in 2019 and beyond. Listen as Senior Minister Brandon Braun and many others share memories of the last 21 years at River Valley.

Selected Quotes: The good news of the New Testament is that there is nothing you can do to have peace with God. God himself will come down to provide the peace. Our Mighty God will be our Prince of Peace. So no matter what today holds, or what the future holds, there is peace for us because we know how the Prince of Peace will eternally establish peace.

Louie Giglio: “God is not the reflection of your earthly father; He is the perfection of your earthly father.” "God is not some distant, unreachable deity. He is right here in the midst of everything." "He knows what we need even before we ask."

Selected Quotes: "Passage after passage of Scripture reaffirms this truth. Jesus didn’t just look like God. Jesus didn’t just sound like God. Jesus was God. The baby in the manger is the God of the Universe!" "Whatever you are facing this Christmas season, the baby in the manger can handle it. Give it over to Him."

Selected Quotes: "It may be dark... but One is coming who will bring light into the darkness, hope to the hopeless." "The Holy Spirit guides us by leading us to the truth of God's word." "If you want to hear the guidance the Wonderful Counselor gives you, then feed your mind the right stuff...anchor yourself in God's Word regularly."

Selected Quotes: "Leaders are a gift from God placed among us and over us to help lead us to God’s design for our lives and for this church." "The love Jesus has for us is greater than any other love. The hope we cling to because of Him is better than any other hope. The salvation available through His blood is better than anything we could ever imagine. Jesus is better."

Psalm 111 (from The Message) Hallelujah! I give thanks to God with everything I’ve got— Wherever good people gather, and in the congregation. God’s works are so great, worth A lifetime of study—endless enjoyment! Splendor and beauty mark his craft; His generosity never gives out. His miracles are his memorial— This God of Grace, this God of Love. He gave food to those who fear him, He remembered to keep his ancient promise. He proved to his people that he could do what he said: Hand them the nations on a platter—a gift! He manufactures truth and justice; All his products are guaranteed to last— Never out-of-date, never obsolete, rust-proof. All that he makes and does is honest and true: He paid the ransom for his people, He ordered his Covenant kept forever. He’s so personal and holy, worthy of our respect. The good life begins in the fear of God— Do that and you’ll know the blessing of God. His Hallelujah lasts forever! "We have a God who smiles down on us; a Father whose heart for us, is love -- a smile that comes in the form of abundant grace and mercy where we need it most -- strength and peace and his faithful presence, no matter what we face. All of this gives us reason to BE thankful, to SING thankful, and to LIVE thankful."

We exist to help families find and follow Jesus. Visit us at rivervalleychristian.org for more information on how you can get connected at RVCC.

"When our life is rooted in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, it doesn't just change us now. It also changes our future." "The work of Jesus isn't just to save your soul from hell. It's also to renew and restore everything. All of what God has made will be transformed because of what Jesus has done."

Selected Quotes: In the places we feel most different, Jesus comes in and makes us one. When we are intentional about living out our unity, that’s when the world most clearly sees Jesus is in us, among us, and working through us. We don’t love from a place of perfection, but from recognizing how dependent we are on Jesus’ love.

Selected Quotes: "In a world of shaking and unsteady kingdoms, we have received an eternal kingdom." "If Jesus, through his death, has brought an unshakable kingdom, then let’s live like it." "Our response to Jesus is to live the better way He offers us."

Selected Quotes: “We are not in this by ourselves. We have come to be a part of a new community.” “When the temptations of this world come knocking at my door, I remember that Jesus has promised me something better than those things.” “He cannot be shaken. Therefore, we cannot be shaken."

Selected Quotes: "It doesn’t matter where you’ve been, or what you’ve done, or how far away you’ve gone. God wants YOU to be a part of life, with him." "Life [with God] isn’t marked by ease and comfort, but trust."

Selected Quotes: "We have a Good, Good Father whose ultimate goal is our good." "It’s not your sin that shapes you, it's not your past or your problems that define you, it’s your identity as a follower of the One who Begins & Ends All Things." "As we look to Jesus, we find the strength to move forward."

Selected Quotes: "God has spoken to us through His Son. We see who He is through Jesus." "Faith demands nothing less than wholehearted obedience to God. If we don’t have faith in God’s authority, then we don’t have faith at all." "Faith isn’t about having great success or fortune. Faith is simply about being faithful." ________________ Would you like to support River Valley Christian Church? Visit our website at rivervalleychristian.org and click 'Give' to enroll in online giving.

We exist to help families find and follow Jesus. Visit us at rivervalleychristian.org for more information on how you can get connected at RVCC.

Selected Quotes: "Sin is about more than a list of Do’s and Don’ts; it’s ultimately a matter of how you live.” “Sin is ultimately where we get love wrong.” “When we don’t love God right, we also have a hard time loving others the way we should."

We exist to help families find and follow Jesus. Visit us at rivervalleychristian.org for more information on how you can get connected at RVCC.

Selected Quotes: "The promise for a better covenant is initiated by God, not by us." “Obedience isn’t just about obedience. It’s about love. It’s not about 'Do you know the rules?' The real question is: 'Do you know and love the God of the Universe?’” "The work that has been done by Christ is so good that it will never change. It is so perfect that there is no improving on it. It is so effective that there is no need for anything else. There is nothing God has done in Christ that He could do any better."

“When we are far from God, we are far from hope. But when Jesus brings us near to God, we come near to hope." “Our hope is grounded in the fact that we’ve been restored to the one relationship we were made for.” “All of life changes when we are brought near to God."

Selected Quotes: “One of the reasons we need to gather as God’s people, is that: we need to be reminded where our confidence lies; we need to regularly hear and speak and remember: Our faith and trust and hope are in no one but Jesus.” “Jesus is the one who holds onto us when we aren’t sure what is next; when we don’t know what tomorrow holds.” “Our confidence isn’t in the fact that we are somehow immune to the hail; our confidence is in who is with us in the Storm."

On Sunday, August 12, 2018, Senior Minister Brandon Braun and his wife Beth shared the news that Brandon was recently diagnosed with leukemia. Listen as they share a bit of what they're anticipating in the next few months.

Selected Quotes: “The Old Testament stories help us form the alphabet so that we can see the poetry God is writing in Christ." “If our sin and our shame is ever going to be covered up, God is going to have to do it. He clothed our nakedness in the Garden. He clothes us with righteousness in Christ." "The Old Testament finds its meaning and purpose in Jesus. The Bible finds its meaning and purpose in Jesus. All of history finds its meaning and purpose in Jesus."

We exist to help families find and follow Jesus. Visit us at rivervalleychristian.org for more information on how you can get connected at RVCC.

Selected Quotes: "When you feel like giving up, keep going. When you feel like letting go, hold on. When you feel like all hope is lost, keep trusting. When you feel like you don’t have what it takes, remember that it depends on God’s strength, not yours. When you don’t see a reason to go on, remember why He called you in the first place.” “It is God who works in us. He’s the One who helps us stand firm. He’s the One who keeps us going. So, we hold onto His Word. We hold onto Him. We trust that He’s enough to get us through.” "Faith is worth it. Patience is worth it. We persevere because we know that God will do what He’s promised to do." "God did what He promised for Abraham, and He’ll do what He’s promised for us. So, we endure. We persevere. We remain faithful. Because we know God is faithful. We know He’ll do everything He’s promised to do. God blessed us with Jesus, and He will continue to bless us through Jesus. Just cling tight to Him."

Selected Quotes: "GROW = KNOW + SHOW" "We’re not growing in maturity because we’re not living out what we know." "Could it be that God has taught us something that we have yet to put into practice? We’re sitting at the table wanting another meal and God wants us to get up and actually go do something with what we’ve been given.” "Spiritual growth requires active obedience."

We exist to help families find and follow Jesus. Visit us at rivervalleychristian.org for more information on how you can get connected at RVCC.

Selected Quotes: “We can stand firmly because Jesus stood firmly." “When you pray, you are praying to One who understands you." “The Bible isn’t merely meant to be studied. It is meant to be lived."

Selected Quotes: "If you hear God telling you to do something today – if you know of a change He wants you to make in your life – don’t procrastinate. Spiritually speaking, procrastination leads to petrification. [Procrastination} hardens your heart. [Procrastination] makes you look back with fondness on your old life. Seek obedience today.” “Obedience reminds us that God’s ways are better.” "The promise of the Gospel is a promise of rest. It’s the promise that you don’t have to strive anymore. It’s the promise of grace, that God is giving you something you don’t deserve, something you could never earn. The Gospel lets you rest in Christ’s work."

EDITORS NOTE: At the 17:25, our sermon recording was interrupted. We were able to capture the remainder of the sermon from a different audio source, but we lost 3-4 minutes of the sermon. When the recording picks back up, you can hear Brandon discussing how God's house is characterized by obedience. He cites Hebrews 3:1 just before the audio resumes: “Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession…” Selected Quotes: “The house of god is characterized by the holiness of God.” "Most disobedience comes down to an issue of distrust. We don’t trust God to be who He is or to do what He’s promised to do. If you are in a season of disobedience to God, it means you are distrusting Him in some way. Confidence and hope look like obedience.” “We take care of God’s house by taking care of one another."

Selected Quotes: "This isn’t just a salvation Jesus declared with His words. He declared salvation with His blood. He declared salvation with His resurrection." "What you are facing doesn’t surprise Jesus. He’s not caught off-guard. There is nothing outside of His control. " "Jesus knows our suffering. Jesus knows our pain. When God put on flesh and walked this earth, He didn’t give Himself a life without suffering. He experienced everything we experience. "

So many things in this world fail to live up to their hype. Advertisements promise us more than their products can ever really deliver. Our hopes and dreams very rarely seem to come true. Our best laid plans fall apart in the midst of the chaos of day-to-day life. Even our heroes can leave us feeling disappointed and disillusioned. More often than not, we find ourselves feeling let down when our expectations don’t match up with our reality. Things hardly ever seem to be as good as we want them to be. The New Testament book of Hebrews, however, reminds us that there is something — or rather, Someone — who will never let us down. He always delivers on His promises. He never leaves us feeling disillusioned. He not only meets his hype, He exceeds His hype! Verse after verse in Hebrews reminds us that Jesus is better than anything we could ever imagine. He is better than our heroes. He is better than our hopes. He is better than our dreams. He is better than anything this world has to offer. There’s never been anyone like Him and there will never be anyone like Him. In all of history — and in all of creation — He stands alone. As we walk through the book of Hebrews together over the next couple of months, we’ll see what makes Him so unique and why He is worth believing. More importantly, we’ll be reminded of the three words that can change our lives for the better: Jesus. Is. Better. Selected Quotes: "The thing we need most in this world – the thing we need more than we need food to eat or water to drink – is forgiveness. We need purification because sin is our biggest issue. Our sin has been comprehensive and catastrophic in its effects and consequences.” "God is invisible, but if you could see Him, He would look like Jesus." "The Gospel teaches us that God came down into our mess to save us. And He did that through the person of Jesus."

Selected Quotes: "Pursuing God’s heart means wanting to be like Him." "He’s not just the God of the past; He’s the God of the present. He’s not just the God of the present; He’s the God of eternity. God is living and active. He’s at work today." "God is alive today, which means that God is available today."

Selected Quotes: "Great sin can start with small steps." "Sin always costs more than you imagined.” "The answer isn’t to run from our sin, but to run TO a Savior whose grace meets us right where we are. "

Three Characteristics of True Worship: 1) True Worship Revolves Around God 2) True Worship Requires Sacrifice 3) True Worship Reorients the Worshipper Selected Quotes: "Worship begins and ends with God." "The heart of worship is about the heart." "When we focus on God and sacrifice for His glory, we will be changed." "Worship that doesn’t cost you something isn’t worship at all. "

Selected Quotes: "Disunity will happen on its own. Division will happen over the course of time. It doesn’t need our help." "Just because you are right doesn’t give you the right to be a jerk." "We can’t thrive as a people if we are committed to fighting each other." "Let's stop fighting with each other. Let's fight for each other."

This clip is an excerpt from our service on 4/29/2018. You can find the full message in "Week 4 | David The Humble" on our podcast feed.

Selected Quotes: "Humility isn’t about seeing yourself as worthless; it’s about seeing others as worth more.” "When we live in pride, we are always concerned with what other people think about us. When we live in humility, we recognize that God’s opinion matters more.” "Letting God calculate your life is the very foundation of humility." Series Info: Throughout Scripture, King David is described as a man after God’s own heart. Chasing after God was David’s life pursuit. He sought after the heart of God with a passion most can’t even come close to matching. He chased God’s heart out onto a battlefield where he met the giant Goliath. He chased God’s heart into Jerusalem, where he found the throne God designed specifically for him. He chased God’s heart in worship, leaving behind a book of Psalms that inspires people even to this day. In (almost) everything he did, King David pursued the King of the Universe. So, what does that mean for us? Sure, we may not be kings, but our pursuit isn’t all that different from David’s. We want to know God. We want to chase God’s heart. What does that look like in our day? How can we be sure that we are pursuing and chasing God’s heart with all of our heart? In our eight-week sermon series, “Pursuing God,” we’ll see what David has to teach us about our own pursuits. As we look through David’s life, we see an honest picture of what it really means to pursue God in the messiness of life. In our trials and triumphs, in our sorrows and our celebrations, we can chase after God just like King David did. The best part is that when we pursue God in that way, we find out He’s the One who’s been pursuing us all along!

We exist to help families find and follow Jesus. Visit us at rivervalleychristian.org for more information on how you can get connected at RVCC.

Selected Quotes: "When online relationships take priority over real friendship, the result is usually more loneliness and isolation, not less." - Scott Sauls "If you just discard people when they let you down, you will have no friends." "Love, as an emotion, can wax or wane. Being committed to love is different." "Don't just love. Commit to loving each other." "Our humble submission to God reveals itself in our humble submission to others." Series Preview: Throughout Scripture, King David is described as a man after God’s own heart. Chasing after God was David’s life pursuit. He sought after the heart of God with a passion most can’t even come close to matching. He chased God’s heart out onto a battlefield where he met the giant Goliath. He chased God’s heart into Jerusalem, where he found the throne God designed specifically for him. He chased God’s heart in worship, leaving behind a book of Psalms that inspires people even to this day. In (almost) everything he did, King David pursued the King of the Universe. So, what does that mean for us? Sure, we may not be kings, but our pursuit isn’t all that different from David’s. We want to know God. We want to chase God’s heart. What does that look like in our day? How can we be sure that we are pursuing and chasing God’s heart with all of our heart? In our eight-week sermon series, “Pursuing God,” we’ll see what David has to teach us about our own pursuits. As we look through David’s life, we see an honest picture of what it really means to pursue God in the messiness of life. In our trials and triumphs, in our sorrows and our celebrations, we can chase after God just like King David did. The best part is that when we pursue God in that way, we find out He’s the One who’s been pursuing us all along!

Throughout Scripture, King David is described as a man after God’s own heart. Chasing after God was David’s life pursuit. He sought after the heart of God with a passion most can’t even come close to matching. He chased God’s heart out onto a battlefield where he met the giant Goliath. He chased God’s heart into Jerusalem, where he found the throne God designed specifically for him. He chased God’s heart in worship, leaving behind a book of Psalms that inspires people even to this day. In (almost) everything he did, King David pursued the King of the Universe. So, what does that mean for us? Sure, we may not be kings, but our pursuit isn’t all that different from David’s. We want to know God. We want to chase God’s heart. What does that look like in our day? How can we be sure that we are pursuing and chasing God’s heart with all of our heart? In our eight-week sermon series, “Pursuing God,” we’ll see what David has to teach us about our own pursuits. As we look through David’s life, we see an honest picture of what it really means to pursue God in the messiness of life. In our trials and triumphs, in our sorrows and our celebrations, we can chase after God just like King David did. The best part is that when we pursue God in that way, we find out He’s the One who’s been pursuing us all along!

Selected Quotes: "God isn't looking for a kingly stature; He’s looking for a kingly soul. It’s not about height; it’s about heart." "Here’s the good news: God judges you by the heart. Doesn’t matter what you look like. Doesn’t matter how you dress. Doesn’t matter what your BMI is. He sees through make-up. He isn’t impressed by fancy clothes. God sees straight through to the heart. He sees what’s happening on the inside." "David was chosen by God because he chose God." "We pursue Him because He pursued us." Series Intro: Throughout Scripture, King David is described as a man after God’s own heart. Chasing after God was David’s life pursuit. He sought after the heart of God with a passion most can’t even come close to matching. He chased God’s heart out onto a battlefield where he met the giant Goliath. He chased God’s heart into Jerusalem, where he found the throne God designed specifically for him. He chased God’s heart in worship, leaving behind a book of Psalms that inspires people even to this day. In (almost) everything he did, King David pursued the King of the Universe. So, what does that mean for us? Sure, we may not be kings, but our pursuit isn’t all that different from David’s. We want to know God. We want to chase God’s heart. What does that look like in our day? How can we be sure that we are pursuing and chasing God’s heart with all of our heart? In our eight-week sermon series, “Pursuing God,” we’ll see what David has to teach us about our own pursuits. As we look through David’s life, we see an honest picture of what it really means to pursue God in the messiness of life. In our trials and triumphs, in our sorrows and our celebrations, we can chase after God just like King David did. The best part is that when we pursue God in that way, we find out He’s the One who’s been pursuing us all along!

Pursuing God | 4.8.2018 | rivervalleychristian.org/pursuing

Selected Quotes: “Notice that Jesus doesn’t yell at Thomas. He doesn’t chastise this doubting believer. Instead, He simply gives the proof. He shows the nail-scarred hands.” “Don’t let your doubt dominate you. Don’t let it hide in the darkness. Get it out there. Admit it to God. Ask questions. Look for answers. If you do nothing else, offer up this prayer. 'I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!’” (Mark 9:24) “We are here to help one another. When I doubt, I have people around me to support me. More than that, they can help me wrestle with my doubts. What God is doing in your life reminds me that God is still working even when He seems absent in my life. That’s part of why we’re together as a church." Series Info: Most people today find it easy to be skeptical. How could we not be? We all know what it’s like to be let down. We’ve all experienced the pain of disappointment when things didn’t work out quite the way we thought. So, we tend to take everything we hear with a grain of salt. We hedge our bets so that we can keep from having our hopes destroyed. We tell ourselves that a little bit of skepticism can be a good thing. We don’t want to be naive. We don’t want others to take advantage of our gullibility. We don’t want to let our guard down only to get hurt again. And yet, the problem arises when we take this same attitude of skepticism and apply it to faith. We can read the promises in the Bible with a mindset of skepticism that keeps them from feeling real. We can come into the church with an attitude of skepticism that keeps us from true community. It’s hard to trust God when you’re always expecting to be let down. It’s hard to get to know others more deeply when you always have your guard up. Either our skepticism and our faith will learn how to be compatible, or they can eventually become combustible. As we approach the Easter season, we’re going to spend a few weeks looking at the Bible’s ultimate skeptic — the disciple known as “Doubting Thomas.” In the weeks leading up to the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, Thomas showed himself to be quite the skeptic. He had some trouble wrapping his mind around what God was up to. Looking at his doubts and disbeliefs can give us a window into our own skepticism. How do we balance faith and doubt? How can we let go of our skepticism and hold tight to our Savior? Perhaps we can see the answers to those questions a little differently once we see them through the eyes of the original skeptic.

One King, Three Audiences. Listen as we study how each of Jesus' three audiences on Good Friday revealed something about his character and purpose.

What is the church? What role can the church play in today's world? What is RVCC called to be in Oldham County? Listen to this message from February 5, 2017 as Brandon unpacks what and who the people of God are called to be. This message is from "Day One" - a 5-week series from January/February 2017 - that explored "the basics" of what it means to be a church that follows Jesus. You can find the entire series by scrolling back through our podcast feed.

In the fall of 2017, we spent 5 weeks celebrating 20 years of RVCC's ministry to Oldham County and examining the values that define who we are and what we do as a church. Listen to this message from October 8, 2017 as Brandon casts vision for how God is leading us to be his faithful witnesses to our community.

Wondering what we've been praying for in 2018? Listen to this message from New Year's Eve 2017 as Brandon helps us look back on 2017 and look forward with expectation for what God will do in 2018.

Selected Quotes: "You see, the way to life isn’t a roadmap; it’s a relationship. It’s not about following a program; it’s about knowing a person. It’s not about who we need to become; it’s about who Jesus already is.” "Jesus doesn’t say 'Get up here on my level.' He says 'I will come to get you.'" "Jesus doesn’t say 'Find your own way.' He says, 'I am the Way.'” "What we find in Jesus is that God comes down the mountain to get us. He doesn’t leave us to carry the load. He comes to get us. He carries the load for us." Series Preview: Most people today find it easy to be skeptical. How could we not be? We all know what it’s like to be let down. We’ve all experienced the pain of disappointment when things didn’t work out quite the way we thought. So, we tend to take everything we hear with a grain of salt. We hedge our bets so that we can keep from having our hopes destroyed. We tell ourselves that a little bit of skepticism can be a good thing. We don’t want to be naive. We don’t want others to take advantage of our gullibility. We don’t want to let our guard down only to get hurt again. And yet, the problem arises when we take this same attitude of skepticism and apply it to faith. We can read the promises in the Bible with a mindset of skepticism that keeps them from feeling real. We can come into the church with an attitude of skepticism that keeps us from true community. It’s hard to trust God when you’re always expecting to be let down. It’s hard to get to know others more deeply when you always have your guard up. Either our skepticism and our faith will learn how to be compatible, or they can eventually become combustible. As we approach the Easter season, we’re going to spend a few weeks looking at the Bible’s ultimate skeptic — the disciple known as “Doubting Thomas.” In the weeks leading up to the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, Thomas showed himself to be quite the skeptic. He had some trouble wrapping his mind around what God was up to. Looking at his doubts and disbeliefs can give us a window into our own skepticism. How do we balance faith and doubt? How can we let go of our skepticism and hold tight to our Savior? Perhaps we can see the answers to those questions a little differently once we see them through the eyes of the original skeptic.

The Bible says that we are "blessed" in our places of weakness. How can this be? Listen as Brandon unpacks how God transforms our ideas of strength and weakness. This excerpt can be found in "Defeat" from our "A Skeptic's Guide to Easter" series. This sermon was preached at RVCC on 3/18/2018.

Selected Quotes: "The number one objection to faith isn’t evidence; it’s experience. It’s suffering. And our suffering casts a long shadow over our faith.” "Jesus has a habit of showing up in the places of defeat.” “The cross - a symbol of death and defeat - became a symbol of the greatest victory.” Series Preview: Most people today find it easy to be skeptical. How could we not be? We all know what it’s like to be let down. We’ve all experienced the pain of disappointment when things didn’t work out quite the way we thought. So, we tend to take everything we hear with a grain of salt. We hedge our bets so that we can keep from having our hopes destroyed. We tell ourselves that a little bit of skepticism can be a good thing. We don’t want to be naive. We don’t want others to take advantage of our gullibility. We don’t want to let our guard down only to get hurt again. And yet, the problem arises when we take this same attitude of skepticism and apply it to faith. We can read the promises in the Bible with a mindset of skepticism that keeps them from feeling real. We can come into the church with an attitude of skepticism that keeps us from true community. It’s hard to trust God when you’re always expecting to be let down. It’s hard to get to know others more deeply when you always have your guard up. Either our skepticism and our faith will learn how to be compatible, or they can eventually become combustible. As we approach the Easter season, we’re going to spend a few weeks looking at the Bible’s ultimate skeptic — the disciple known as “Doubting Thomas.” In the weeks leading up to the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, Thomas showed himself to be quite the skeptic. He had some trouble wrapping his mind around what God was up to. Looking at his doubts and disbeliefs can give us a window into our own skepticism. How do we balance faith and doubt? How can we let go of our skepticism and hold tight to our Savior? Perhaps we can see the answers to those questions a little differently once we see them through the eyes of the original skeptic.