Valley Creek Church

Most of us think that we're pretty secure, but what are we secure in? In this message from Dawson Shields, we learn from the life of Moses that anything we place our security in other than Jesus is misplaced trust, but we can overcome insecurity with humility.

Have you ever felt left out or overlooked? Have you ever felt like your life is just not that significant? In this message from Caleb Chapple, we see how King David was a person just like us who struggled through feeling insignificant and show us through his life how to overcome it.

Looking out for ourselves seems logical, but what if it's really just selfishness in disguise? In this message from Karrie Johnston, we talk about the story of Ruth and how we were made to overcome selfishness by becoming servants.

When was the last time you thanked God for a trial you had to overcome? It can be hard to be grateful when we're in pain, but trials shape us into who we were created to be. In this message, Pastor Jason Hillier kicked off a new series about overcoming unbelief. In order to overcome, we must believe that we can because God is writing His story in our lives.

Living like Jesus with peace, joy, and self-control can feel unattainable, but we can all live like Jesus if we live the lifestyle of Jesus. In this message from Pastor Jason Hillier, we walked through putting together a summer practice plan and choosing one spiritual practice to focus on. This will help us not just hope to be godly, but train ourselves to be godly.

We were never created to be afraid, but so many of us live our lives in fear. In this message from Pastor John Stickl, we see that God's love is the antidote to fear and we can begin to live free when we experience God's good will for us.

What are you worried about? What troubles your heart and mind? To worry is to be consumed about what might happen to me; love is to be confident about Who (Jesus) is for me. In this message, Pastor John Stickl reminds us that we are loved by God, and His love frees us from worry. Jesus wasn't worried because He lived loved, and so can we. It starts by simply receiving the love of the Father today!

What if you didn't have to spend another minute of your life trying to prove yourself or earn love? What if you believed you were loved just for who you are? In this message from Pastor John Stickl, we discuss how to move from the knowledge of God to experiencing Him and we learn that our core identity isn't based on what we do, but who we are - beloved sons and daughters.

The cross answers the question of whether we are loved, but are we living like that's true? This message from Pastor John Stickl starts a new series where we explore how to live in the freedom of believing that we're unconditionally loved by God.

The deepest question in the heart of every human – the deepest question in each of us – is, "Am I loved?" And when we know we're loved, it changes everything. So, the question this Easter is are you living like you're loved?

The best way to understand someone's character and heart is seeing them when they are under pressure. In this message by Pastor John Stickl, we look at the seven statements of Jesus on the cross. Each statement reveals His compassion for our suffering when He was suffering Himself and His heart for us.

We're not just a church for a weekend–we're a church for generations! In this message, Pastor John Stickl reminds us that we are a family on mission, and each of us is Jesus' outreach strategy. So, let's continue growing in having a passion to reach new people, pursue new encounters, and raise up new leaders. It's time to let some wild things grow in this season because to experience a harvest means it might get a little messy.

It's really easy to create a vision, but it's a lot harder to actually accomplish it. This weekend, Pastor John Stickl gave us an update on where we are as a church after our Missional Move commitment and a framework on how we can journey well together.

So many of us believe the lie that we're insignificant people doing insignificant things. But God wants to remind us that we matter and so do our choices. This weekend, Pastor Jason Hillier showed us through scripture that our lives have a ripple effect and we have a responsibility to the people around us.

Jesus is doing a good work in you. The question is, are you aware of it? This weekend, three of our next gen communicators told us about what God is teaching them in this season. There's so much to learn from each other as we become a movement of hope!

Sometimes life can move so fast that we forget to simply pause, to breathe, to rest in the joy and presence of God. So, this weekend, we're taking a Selah – an interlude where we pause, breathe, rest in God. In this experience, we worship and walk through the Father's Heart that answers the questions: Who am I?, Who is God?, and Why am I here? How are you resting in the joy and presence of God today?

As we commit to go on mission, we're reminded that Jesus has already gone on mission for us. He created a future for us that didn't exist so that we could be with God. In this message, we wrapped up our Missional Move: Create the Future series with a Commitment Weekend.

Have you ever thought about why you're here? Or why we should be part of the Church? Or why God gave us money? These are the fundamental questions we should be thinking about as we enter the next season of creating the future together. In this message from Pastor John Stickl, we explore all these questions in light of the three Missional Move: Create The Future commitments.

When we can't see the future in front of us with clarity, we're reminded that faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. In the message from Pastor John Stickl, we're told the story of Jonathan and his armor-bearer. They moved forward in faith, even though they were uncertain about the future – just like God calls us to do today.

We were created to create the future. It's our purpose. In this message by Pastor John Stickl, we continued talking about Missional Move: Create The Future. This missional move is not for us, but for the good of others and the glory of God. As we step out in faith, we're reminded that creativity demonstrates wisdom, is evidence of a spirit-filled life, and is an act of spiritual warfare.

The first thing God tells us about Himself is that He's a creator. "In the beginning, God created." So, what kind of future are we creating for others? In this message from Pastor John Stickl, we learned where God is leading us in the next five years. God created us to create, and God is waiting on us to create the future that doesn't currently exist for the good of others and the glory of God.

Story is how we know who we are, what we are, where we are, when we are, and how to move forward. You can't create the future with God without knowing where your story aligns with His bigger story. In this message from Pastor John Stickl, we were reminded of our story – an incredible journey of faith and God's grace. May this story inspire us to go create the future together!

Does the way we're living allow us to become the people we want to be? And while many of us would say "no", the good news is that Jesus offers us a different way. In this message from Pastor John Stickl, we walked through the core principles of our A Different Way series so we could design a practice plan that will allow us to become disciples of Jesus together.

We are passionate about the presence of God! In this worship-filled experience, we focused on giving Him all the glory. God has given us songs – anthems of our house – to awaken our hearts to what He is doing in our cities, our church, and in our hearts. During this service, we surrendered our hearts to God and let Him renew and refill us as we worshipped Him together.

Most of our new year resolutions are about seeking better health, better, finances, or a better life for ourselves. What if this year we focused on seeking Jesus? And not just seeking Him, but living our lives like He is real and He is always with us? During this service, we start 2025 together worshipping and focusing on Jesus.

Jesus is the light of the world, and He calls us lights of the world, too. So, what better way to prepare for Christmas than praying together? In this experience, we walked through specific ways we can pray for the people in our lives and the cities we live in. We're so excited to meet with God at our Christmas services!

Christmas is the celebration of the moment when Jesus became one of us so He could save all of us. It's a powerful reminder that God doesn't do salvation from a distance. In this message, Pastor Jason Hillier shares about Immanuel, the name of Jesus that means God with us. This season, may we remember that not only is God with us, but He will also never leave us, and He is for us. Jesus came down so we could be with Him forever.

How do you define peace? It's something we all desire, but how do we experience peace in our every day lives? In this message, Pastor Jason Hillier reminds us that peace is not a feeling; it's a person named Jesus. The Prince of Peace (Jesus) offers us His peace at any time. Peace is not the absence of conflict, it's the presence of Jesus.

Slowing down to reflect on what we've been learning is a powerful way to respond to what God's been saying. It takes time to process new revelation, so we've created some space to go through our Season 4 notes from "A Different Way" and create a summary statement about everything we've been learning together.

In order to follow someone, you need to agree with the direction they're going and then move in that direction. When we follow Jesus, we do the same thing. In this message, Pastor John Stickl explores the last spiritual practice of confession (agreeing with God) and repentance (acting on that agreement) and how they are God's love expressed in our lives.

We would all say that we want to be generous people, but how does God's Word define generosity? In this message, Pastor John Stickl walks us through what Scripture says about generosity - how to define it, how to recognize it, and how to practice it in our daily lives.

Jesus' entire life was spent practicing service. If we want to follow Him, we will take on the nature of a servant, just like He did. In this message, Pastor John Stickl walks through how the life of Jesus was arranged around the practice of serving and how we can follow Him in expressing love through service.

By looking at Jesus, we can see the depth of what real community looks like. We see that Jesus intentionally pursued and invited people into a community that lived life together and wasn't transactional, but transformational. In this message, Pastor John Stickl breaks down the definition of community and how Jesus shows us how to practice community in a different way.

Throughout Season 3 of A Different Way, we learned about the practices of prayer, fasting, sabbath, silence & solitude, and simplicity. These practices aren't religious obligations; they're means of grace. In this experience, Pastor Jason Hillier walks us through taking some time to recap and review our Season 3 notes, reflect on what the Holy Spirit has been saying to us, and write out our summary statement for Season 3. May Jesus continue to be our one thing as we do what Jesus did so we can do what Jesus did and live a different way!

What if the things we spend our life seeking are the very things that rob us of the margin to enjoy those things? What if our lives are just too complicated to be disciples of Jesus? In this message, Pastor John Stickl breaks down the practice of simplicity and how it helps us arrange our lives in a way where we can seek God first. We learn that Jesus practiced simplicity which gave Him the margin to respond to what God was doing in Him and through Him – and we can too.

Our lives are arranged around constant noise, but our souls crave peace. Jesus invites us to live a different way by engaging in silence and solitude. But silence and solitude is so much more than “quiet time”! In this message, Pastor John Stickl reminds us that the practice of silence and solitude trains us to live with peace in the midst of chaos and positions us to hear God's whisper.

Most of us believe that busyness is just part of life and that, the more busy we are, the more successful we are. But, what if we've gotten it backwards? What if we're missing out on the life of freedom God has for us? In this message, Pastor John Stickl teaches us that the Sabbath is not just a spiritual practice, but a command designed for our good. It's not a rule to follow, but a gift to receive. We learn that the Sabbath is designed to help us rest from work so that God can work in us. God has given us a Sabbath day each week to rest and enjoy the life He has given us.

Fasting is a practice that can feel so archaic in our modern day but is actually very strategic. It's the ancient path that has been practiced by the people of God for thousands of years. Fasting is one of the most relevant and necessary practices because it reminds us that we are not sustained by the world but by God alone. In this message, Pastor John Stickl walks through the practice of fasting. We learn that fasting is abstaining from food in order to seek God; we fast from food to feast on God. We see from the life of Jesus that He begins His ministry and finishes His life with the practice of fasting, and fasting didn't make Jesus weak, it made Him strong. We also learn that our reward for fasting is more of God, and sometimes we have to abstain from the things of the world in order to remind ourselves we are sustained by God. So, how is God inviting you to arrange and rearrange your life around the practice of fasting rather than our flesh or this world?

What is prayer? What if it's more than just asking God for things? What if it's more than just a religious exercise? What if prayer was simply being aware of God? In this message, Pastor John Stickl shares that prayer is talking with God about the life we're living together. We learn that prayer is intimacy and authority, it's relationship and rulership, and it's communion and commissioning. We learn that prayer is living in the present with God. Jesus, teach us to pray!

Today we wanted to start Season Three of A Different way with a blackout experience by intentionally removing several service elements we love like lights, videos, and a full band to make Jesus the One thing we focus on. In this experience, Pastor John Stickl walks us through a teaching about gold shields and bronze shields from 1 Kings 10-14 and 2 Chronicles 9-12. We learned that bronze is a picture of man, but gold is made by God. Bronze is a form godliness without any power; it's trying to fight our battles on our own. Gold represents the glory of God; it represents us letting God fight our battles. So, what bronze shields are you carrying around that God wants to replace with His gold shields? Do you have the courage to lay down your bronze shields, lift up your head, fix your eyes on Jesus, and receive God's gold shields for your life? It's time to go from bronze living to a golden lifestyle in Jesus' name! It's time for a different way.

Do we really want to change? If we want to live like Jesus, we first have to decide we want to be His disciples. If we want Jesus's health, we need to first build our life around Jesus's habits. In this message, Pastor John Stickl recaps Season One of our A Different Way series by reminding us that a disciple is a student of Jesus who is training to be like Him. The spiritual practices/disciplines – the lifestyle of Jesus – opens us up to be fully immersed into the love of the Father, the grace of the Son, and the power of the Holy Spirit. We can't change ourselves, only Jesus can change us. But before He will, we have to first answer His question, "Do you want to get well?"

Do you like the direction your life is going? If we want to do the things that Jesus did on-the-spot, we first have to do the things Jesus did behind-the-scenes. Before we jump into Seasons 3 and 4 of A Different Way this fall, we revisited the first message in our series to again ask ourselves, who am I becoming, and who do I want to become? We are all being molded and shaped into the image and likeness of someone. Is it Jesus? In order to do the things that Jesus did, we need to do the things that Jesus did. This doesn't happen on it's own or simply by "trying" – it happens through training and practicing. Jesus, help us be open to a different way!

In this upcoming season, are you going to choose your routine, or are you going to let your routine choose you? In this message, Pastor John Stickl invites us to prepare our hearts for the fall by asking us who we need to forgive, what we need to grieve, and where we need to obey. There is a race that God has marked out for each of us, and His grace gives us everything we need to run it. Let's look to Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, to help us identify where we need to forgive, grieve, and obey so we can be free to run our race this fall unhindered!

What is church? Why does it matter? And why are you here? It all comes back to Jesus because our view of Jesus will determine our view of the church. The more clearly we see Jesus, the more clearly we see everything else. In this message, Pastor John Stickl helps us re-focus on who Jesus is and what He's done for us, he gives us a couple definitions of the church, and he reminds us of who we are as Valley Creek Church. The church was, is, and always will be Jesus' idea, so, Jesus, have Your church!

Unbelief asks, "What if...?" But unwavering faith says, "Even if...!" In this message, Pastor Becca Reynolds reminds us that our feelings can never lead us into the future God's creating for us... only faith can! Both fear and faith require us to believe in something we can't see. Are you going to choose to let fear of the unknown keep you stuck in the past? Or are you willing to trust that, in God, there is always more? Don't let your belief in bad circumstances become stronger than your belief in a good God! Wherever God is taking us is better than where we've been. Can you believe that is true for your life, regardless of your circumstances?

Are you aware that God is with you wherever you go? In this message, Caleb Chapple, one of our Central Students Directors, teaches us how we can learn from how Joshua led the people of Israel to defeat giants and claim the Promised Land. God's presence is the greatest change agent in the universe, and it's what allowed Joshua and the Israelites to be victorious! But remember, if God didn't go with them, then the desert would have been no different than the Promised Land, and the same is true for us! That dream job, team, school, or relationship without God is still a desert, but when we acknowledge and cling to God's presence, even in the absence of those things, we find joy and freedom! The question isn't, "Is God with me?" The question is, "Am I aware that He already is?"

Who defines your needs? The world, the news, social media, your friends? When God and His Word defines our needs, we can trust that He will always give us what we need to be who He's called us to be and do what He's called us to do. In this message, Justin Lanham, one of our Student Directors, reminds us that God is a good Father, and we can trust Him to meet our needs! And the truth is, what we need from God is really what we want in life – freedom, joy, peace, strength, and breakthrough! So are you letting the world or God's Word define your needs?

Twice a year, we take intentional time to celebrate and then to rest. This helps us stay healthy, refreshed, and focused on the goodness of God! In this experience, leaders from all our campuses came together to worship, pray over each other, celebrate God's goodness, and declare God's promises over our lives. Church isn't a building, it's a family! Jesus has done so much for us, and through unity, we show Him our gratitude.

God didn't create us for worry! In this message, our Next Gen Pastor, Dave Scriven, teaches us that worry is a choice, and when we choose to worry about anything, it's robbing us of a kingdom life full of peace and joy. In Matthew 6:33, Jesus invites us to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, promising us that, when we do, He will provide for us. The enemy wants us to live in a constant state of worry, fear, and control, because when we worry, we're paralyzed. But Jesus can – and wants to – carry what's worrying us! So, what are you worried about? Where is Jesus inviting you to seek Him first?

Trusting in God is a foundational part of being a disciple of Jesus. But, how often do we trust ourselves more than we trust God? In this message, Sebastian Mancillas, our Central Students Director, reminds us that trust and doubt can't coexist. If we try to control everything in our lives, then we're not able to surrender to Jesus. When Jesus called His disciples to follow Him, they didn't understand everything He was asking of them, but they still trusted and believed that, as they walked forward in obedience, He would provide understanding. The same is true for us! We don't understand first, then follow. We follow, and trust God to give us understanding. Where is God inviting you to trust Him with all your heart?

In times of trouble, we may have heard someone tell us a promise from Romans 8:28, that God works all things for His good – and He does! – but do we believe that? In this message, Dawson Shields, one of our Student Directors, looks back at the life of Paul and Joseph to remind us that God never promised us a life of constant ease and enjoyment, but He does promise us that He will always be at work on our behalf. When we look at our lives through God's perspective, we can see how He can use every situation in our lives to mold and shape us more into the image and likeness of Jesus!