Pastor Jeff examines Jesus's parable of the Pharisee and tax collector in Luke 18, exposing the danger of self-righteous pride in the Christian life. We discover that the Pharisee's confidence in his own performance blinded him to his need for God's mercy, while the tax collector's humble confession—"God, have mercy on me, a sinner"—highlights a right posture before God. We learn that a right heart posture isn't boosted by spiritual achievements but humbled by an accurate view of our sin and God's holiness. We are challenged to examine our own hearts for self-righteousness and come before God with empty hands, ready to receive his mercy.

Pastor Jeff Manion begins our new sermon series, The Parables, by exploring the stories Jesus used to reveal deep spiritual truth. We see how Jesus used everyday images—torn garments and old wineskins—to show that his kingdom is something entirely new, not a patch on an old way of life. We discover that Jesus consistently defied expectations and called people to follow him rather than simply add him to their existing plans. This message challenges us to examine whether we've been trying to fit Jesus into our lives or truly surrender our lives to him. Following Jesus is about being transformed from the inside out.

Pastor Aaron Buer concludes our Powerful Prayers series by exploring Paul's prayer for the believers in Colossae found in Colossians 1:9–14. Through this message, we discover four characteristics of a worthy life that we can pray over the people we love. We're reminded that the strength and fruit we long for don't come from within ourselves but from remaining connected to Jesus and his Word. This message challenges us to consider how we pray for the people we care about and gives us a powerful biblical model to do so. Ultimately, we see that living a worthy life is only possible because God has already qualified us through the redemption and forgiveness found in Jesus.

Pastor Aaron continues our Powerful Prayers series by exploring Daniel's heartfelt prayer in Daniel 9, showing us how to grow in prayer throughout every season of life. We discover that Daniel's prayer life deepened through decades of faithfulness, beginning with Scripture meditation that shaped his conversations with God. We learn that effective prayer corrects our vision, helping us see both God's holiness and our need for forgiveness, while seeking God's honor above our own reputation. We are challenged to make prayer a consistent rhythm like Daniel did, while allowing Scripture to shape our conversations with God.

Pastor Jeff Manion continues our Powerful Prayers series by exploring Paul's heartfelt prayer in Philippians 1:9-11, focusing on love that overflows in Christian community. We discover that Paul doesn't just instruct believers on how to behave in relationships—he prays for God to transform their hearts with abounding love guided by knowledge and insight. We learn that loving difficult people well requires divine wisdom to discern what each situation needs, and that our love for others must flow from our deep understanding of Christ's sacrificial love for us. We are challenged to pray for others to grow in love and ask God for discernment in challenging relationships

Pastor Aaron continues our Powerful Prayers series by exploring King Solomon's temple dedication prayer in 1 Kings 8. We discover that Solomon begins with adoration, declaring "there is no God like you" before bringing any requests, showing us that worship reorients our hearts toward God's infinite worthiness. We learn that prayer should include confession of sin, thanksgiving for God's faithfulness, and supplication for our needs—all grounded in God's gracious character.

Pastor Jeff Manion continues our Powerful Prayers series by exploring King Jehoshaphat's desperate prayer when facing an overwhelming enemy in 2 Chronicles 20. We discover that God sometimes allows us to reach the end of our own strength so we will fully depend on him, admitting honestly "we do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you." We learn that faith grows in everyday moments of seeking God, not just crisis situations, and that the battle ultimately belongs to the Lord. We are challenged to fix our eyes on God daily, respond with faith instead of fear, and remember to praise him before, during, and after difficult seasons.

Pastor Aaron continues our Powerful Prayers series by exploring Hannah's raw, honest prayer in 1 Samuel 1-2. We discover that spiritual maturity isn't about composing ourselves before approaching God but bringing our unfiltered grief to him, trusting that he can hold what we cannot carry. We learn that Hannah's lament teaches us to pour out our hearts honestly in deep anguish, while her song of hope declares God's power to lift the lowly.