The Holy Spirit is all around us, but is still the most overlooked and misunderstood member of the trinity. Learn to be in step with the Holy Spirit as we explore His work among the early believers of the faith and in present day.
The process of becoming more like Jesus is a holy and mysterious process. It involves far more than beliefs; it touches everything in our lives. There are practices, holy habits from the life of Jesus, that his followers have used over the centuries to create time and space to be transformed by God's Spirit. We are exploring a misunderstood, powerful and yet rarely practiced habit: fasting.
It often seems like there is nothing harder than having to wait long stretches for God to answer our prayers or make himself known. Where is he when we need him the most? What are we supposed to do in the meantime? January is a perfect time to explore what God is doing as he prepares HVC for a new season. To gain perspective, let's take a look at four biblical accounts of people whose faith came alive as they waited for God's direction and action. One thing is always for sure: the wait is always worth it!
More important than gifts, pictures, phone calls, or mementos at Christmas, is simply being together. Personal presence is what matters most. In the same way, the Bible is about the personal presence of God in our lives not just about ethics, ideas, or theology. It is the core theme of the Bible from the very beginning, and you can trace it all the way through the Old Testament to its climax at Christmas. That is why one writer has said that “‘With’ is the most important word in all of Scripture and all of theology.” This Advent we trace the story of Immanuel, God with us.
What does it mean to be citizens of God's kingdom AND of a nation on earth, at the same time? Few issues are more fraught, challenging or divisive today than political ones; we have an obligation to exercise wisdom in our civic responsibility. For “election season” we will briefly explore what it means to live at the intersection of two worlds.
The explosive beginning of Christianity is one of the most significant developments in history, as well as one of the most unexpected. New movements are usually short-lived. How did a small Jewish sect capture the imagination of the Gentile world in such a short time, especially in the face of hostility, prejudice and political pressure from without, and internal strife and burgeoning needs from within? The way the early church grew and spread is instructive as we face similar challenges today. Take a look at the beginnings of the worldwide “Jesus Movement” in the book of Acts.
Good leaders remind people about what is most important. They sound a warning when needed and don’t get distracted by tangents. At the end of his life, a member of Jesus’ inner circle – Peter - passes along words of wisdom for God’s people facing challenges that resonate even today. These final words of hope and challenge are from one of Jesus’ most memorable and significant apprentices.
If you’ve ever gone into a theater during the middle of an unfamiliar movie, you know how hard it is to understand the movie without knowing how it begins. The same is true of our lives. Whether we realize it or not, everyone is living out of some kind of “story,” some fundamental understanding of the universe: how it came to be, where it is going, who we are, what has gone wrong, etc. Needless to say, we are living in a culture with many competing stories. In the midst of this age - as in every age - the Bible declares itself to be the True Story, and the beginning of that story is the foundation for understanding everything else.
Whether in fiction or real life, one’s dying words to family and friends rightly receive special attention. What might someone want those closest to them to remember and to live? We have such an account in the life of Jesus - an extended farewell address where he effectively says goodbye to his closest followers. In this Lenten season we will look at the upper room discourse, Chapters13-17 of the Gospel of John.
Bigger, better, faster, further- the pace and scale of our lives is relentless and exhausting. Our time saving devices and technologies add complexity to our lives rather than simplify them. Where can we find room and space for God in such cluttered, hurried lives? Together we will learn to stop, with an intentional, weekly day of rest and worship called the Sabbath.
