This world can be full of pain, heartache, and brokenness. But there’s good news: God’s rescue plan isn’t done yet. This week, Pastor Jason concludes our series, From Garden to City, with a discussion of how Jesus will finish redeeming all things by creating a new Heaven and new earth, where we will join Him. Our bodies and our world will be completely healed, and Christ Himself will wipe away every tear from our eyes. In the new Jerusalem, almighty God will dwell among us. Since we have this hope of eternal glory in Jesus, we can live free of fear. Not even death can separate us from our Savior. Our response should be one of joy and celebration! Jesus has already won the ultimate victory, and He will finish the rescue plan that He started. All who believe in Him will join Him, but those who do not believe will be separated from Him. He is coming soon, so today is the day of salvation!

When we come to faith in Christ, we become part of God’s family, but what does that mean? What rights and responsibilities do we have as children of God? This week, Pastor Connor continues our series, From Garden to City, focusing on the idea that God has called us to join His plan to rescue the world from sin and death. Believers in Jesus have a new identity as children of the King, a new mission to spread the Kingdom, and a new family, as people who belong to the Kingdom. God calls each of us to be an ambassador for Christ, regardless of our skills or gifts. He equips us to be brave people who are waiting for future glory, and who reach out to invite others into that same glory. God wants to use you to reach your neighbors, coworkers, family, and friends with the good news of Jesus!

Jesus is the pivot point in God’s big story. Before His birth, prophets foretold His coming. After His ministry on earth, the church continually taught one another about Him and looked forward to His return. This week, Pastor Connor continues our series “From Garden to City” with a look at Jesus and the way that He brings salvation. Jesus is God, the eternally existing creator and sustainer of all things. He became human and dwelt among us, sharing in our sorrows and pain. He is the salvation that was promised to humanity from the very beginning, the sole solution to our problem of sin and death. He bore the penalty for our sin once for all in His body on the cross. Jesus is enough to save us, and we can add nothing to His work on our behalf. Faith in Him is the only way to God. He alone is our path away from the brokenness of sin back into a relationship with God.

This week, Pastor Jeremy continues our series, “From Garden to City,” with a look at the covenants God made with His people in the years between Adam and Christ. Like the covenant in Eden, the Mosaic covenant was one where God dwelt among humans and gave them land to rule and extend His rule. In both covenants, disobedience led to expulsion from the land and death. And just as Adam and Eve violated the covenant of Eden, the people of Israel violated the covenant of Moses. But God is faithful, and remains faithful even when we’re unfaithful. His good plan to deliver humanity could not be thwarted by our rebellion, and in Christ, He provided the ultimate atonement that the Mosaic covenant foreshadowed.

God created the first humans to be in fellowship with Him, then placed them in a perfect garden with everything they needed. So what went wrong? This week, Pastor Connor begins our new sermon series, From Garden to City, with a look at humanity’s biggest problem. When Adam and Eve rebelled against God in the garden of Eden, they set an example that every one of us has followed. They sinned against God, got separated from Him, and were stuck in their miserable new home outside the garden. Death entered the world because of their disobedience. But even in the midst of this great curse, God already had a plan to save and restore His beloved people.

How do we pick which songs to sing on Sunday morning? This week, Pastor Jeremiah and Pastor Connor conclude our two-part series, “Called to Worship,” with a look at that question. Song selection is a vital part of the teaching ministry at TBC, so all of our songs are evaluated to be sure they’re Biblical, singable, memorable, and transformative. Our songs serve many purposes, ranging from praise and adoration to reflection and response. Some songs are more “vertically” focused, with an emphasis on God’s nature, while others are more “horizontal,” focusing on our response to the truths we see in Scripture. In every case, our aim is to love God and grow closer to Him, and singing together is tremendously helpful in pursuing that aim.

We sing in church every Sunday, but why? This week, Pastor Connor and Pastor Jeremiah team up for the first week of a special two-part series, “Called to Worship.” They take us through several passages that instruct us to sing praise to God, to let the word of Christ dwell richly in our hearts through music, and to encourage one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. The Lord designed music to shape our hearts, teach us truth, and unite us with our sisters and brothers in the church. So singing isn’t just an extra activity on Sunday; it’s a vital part of how God is forming His people.