Something special happens when a church grows not just in numbers, but in faith, in generosity, and in love for Jesus and others. Weeds spring up overnight. Oak trees take decades. It’s easy to get caught up in the routine—attending worship, going to Bible study, praying before meals—but every once in a while, God gets our attention and invites us to pause and ask: What kind of people are we becoming? Who will talk about our impact on them for Christ in the next generation?
Over the next few weeks, we have the opportunity to reflect on that question in a real and tangible way as we become who Christ created us to be:
- A reset in how we think about generosity
- An introduction to Lent, yes, March 5 (Ash Wednesday) will be here before you know it. Anyone planning a Shrove Tuesday Pancake Feast? Send me an invite, please.
- A Lenten season designed to deepen our faith and correct some of the ways we may have misunderstood God
If you’ve ever felt like your faith could use a jump start, this season is the perfect time to step in and experience what God is doing.
This Week February 23 – A Generosity Reset: Changing How We See Giving
Have you ever had someone’s generosity stop you in your tracks? Maybe a friend covered your meal unexpectedly. Maybe you received a gift at just the right moment.
Generosity changes people—not just the ones receiving, but the ones giving.
This Sunday, we’ll be walking through 2 Corinthians 9:6-15, where Paul encourages the church in Corinth to give not reluctantly or out of guilt, but joyfully, freely, and with faith.
The early church didn’t see generosity as something extraordinary—they saw it as normal. Their resources weren’t trophies of personal success but tools for God’s work in the world.
Jesus talked about money more than almost any other subject—not because He needed people’s wealth, but because He knew that where our treasure is, our hearts will follow(Matthew 6:21).
So here’s the challenge:
- What would it look like to reset your generosity?
- What would change in your life if giving was the first thing on your budget, not the last?
- What if generosity wasn’t a burden, but a doorway to a fuller life?
Paul reminds us that giving isn’t transactional—it’s transformational. It’s not about losing something; it’s about participating in what God is doing.
If you’ve never tried stretching your generosity, consider this:
- Take a 90-day generosity challenge. Give at a level that stretches you and see what happens.
- Do one act of radical generosity this week. Pay for someone’s meal. Leave an over-the-top tip. Give to someone who can never repay you.
- Pray for a shift in your heart. Ask God to help you see generosity not as an obligation but as joy.
This Sunday, we’ll explore how generosity can reset our witness, our faith, and our joy. You won’t want to miss it.
LENT 2025 – Breaking Up with the Wrong God: A Lent That Matters
Lent is not about going through the motions. It’s about refocusing our hearts on what’s true—finding our True North again.
This year, we’re spending Lent tackling something most of us have struggled with at some point: misunderstanding God.
For the first three weeks, we’ll be confronting common misconceptions about God that push people away from faith:
- The Transactional God – “If I do good, I get good. If I mess up, God is out to get me.”
- The Absent God – “Where is He when life falls apart?”
- The Angry God – “Is He just waiting for me to fail?”
Then, we’ll turn the corner and rediscover the real Jesus:
- The Jesus Who Runs Toward You (The Prodigal Son)
- The Jesus Who Welcomes Your Doubts (Faith isn’t the absence of doubt—it’s trusting through it.)
- The Jesus Worth Following (Palm Sunday: Who is the real Jesus we are invited to follow?)
If you’ve ever wrestled with questions about who God really is, this Lenten journey is for you.
Let this be a season of renewal. Let’s step away from empty routines and step into a deeper, truer, and more vibrant faith.
Three Simple Invitations for This Season
As we move into this next season together, here’s what I’d encourage you to do:
- Invite someone to join you. Someone in your life needs this. A friend. A coworker. A family member. Who could you text right now and invite?
- Pray for God to send us people. Ask Him to bring those who need to hear the Gospel. Pray for guests. Pray for those who are searching.
- Engage deeply in this season. Don’t just go through the motions—expect God to change your heart, renew your faith, and fill you with joy.
Something special happens when a church leans into what God is doing in their midst. Let’s walk this road together.
Together, becoming new creations in Christ,
Pastor Mark
Lenten Worship Schedule 2025
Transfiguration Sunday – March 2
Sermon Title: Mountaintop Moments and Monday Morning Reality
Big Idea: Faith is forged in the everyday struggles of following Jesus, not just in spiritual highs.
Ash Wednesday – March 5
Sermon Title: The Great Exhaustion: Why Life Feels So Heavy (and What to Do About It)
Big Idea: Returning to God brings renewal to our weary souls.
Lenten Series 1: Breaking Up with the Wrong God (Weeks 1-3)
Focus: Identifying and rejecting three common distortions of God.
Week 1 – March 9
Sermon Title: What If Faith Isn’t a Business Deal?
Big Idea: Many people think of God as someone who rewards good behavior and punishes bad. But what happens when life doesn’t go according to that formula?
Week 2 – March 16
Sermon Title: Where Is God When Life Falls Apart?
Big Idea: Some see God as distant and uninvolved, especially when prayers seem unanswered. If God cares, why does He seem silent?
Week 3 – March 23
Sermon Title: Is God Mad at Me?
Big Idea: Many think Christianity is about avoiding God’s wrath and keeping Him happy through good behavior. But is God really out to get us?
Lent Series 2: Rediscovering the Real Jesus (Weeks 4-6)
Focus: Replacing false views of God with a clearer vision of Jesus.
Week 4 – March 30
Sermon Title: The Jesus Who Runs Toward You
Big Idea: Many people believe their past disqualifies them from faith. But Jesus doesn’t define us by our failures—He invites us home.
Week 5 – April 6
Sermon Title: Can I Still Believe If I Have Doubts?
Big Idea: Jesus never turned away people with doubts—He invited them closer.
Week 6 – April 13 (Palm Sunday)
Sermon Title: The Jesus Worth Following
Big Idea: At the end of our searching, we find that Jesus is still our best hope.
Join us each Sunday as we journey together through Lent, rediscovering who God truly is and what it means to follow Jesus. AND invite someone.
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