"PRACTICING THE WAY"

This Spring we are studying Matthew 5-7 and examining Jesus' teachings on what it means to live as transformed followers of His Way. As we work through this series we will be focusing on practical ways to implement Jesus' commands as we strive to apply and practice Jesus' way in your own lives. 

"SABBATH"

This week we're looking at the practice of sabbath - setting aside a day for rest and worship for the purpose of intentionally pursuing intimacy with God and taking a break from our work. Spend time listening to the following podcast, in which our lead pastor Calvin Wisen and Pastor John Mark Comer from Bridgetown Church in Portland, Oregon discuss the 'what' and the 'why' of practicing sabbath. After that, take some time to review the Practicing Sabbath PDF guide (linked below) and begin to integrate this life-giving practice into the rhythm of your life.

"FASTING"

This week we're focusing on the practice of fasting – abstaining from food for a set period of time to intentionally focus on prayer. As a church, we will be fasting from Tuesday evening (June 12th) to Wednesday evening (June 13th) and intentionally using the times when we'd normally be focused on eating to instead turn to God in prayer.

As we go through this fast together, we've created four video resources to help guide you through the day. Each video will provide specific direction as to why we're fasting and what to be praying for – we hope you'll join us in this day of intentional prayer as we seek God and remind ourselves of His continual blessings in our lives.

"BIBLE READING"

"SILENCE AND SOLITUDE"

One of the trends we see throughout Jesus' life is the priority He put on disconnecting from the busyness of life to spend time alone with His Father God. In our culture today silence is all but obliterated by the constancy of schedules, the never-ending noise of technology, and the interconnectedness of our lives.

In this video, four of our staff members discuss the struggle of practicing Silence and Solitude in their personal lives and give some helpful tips on how to get away from the noise of life to spend intentional time with God. 

• Discussion Markers – 
  • 1:20 – Why does unplugging and spending time in silence and solitude with the Lord seem to be so elusive in our lives?
  • 05:38 – What are we sacrificing when we neglect this discipline in our lives?
  • 10:51 – How can you practice discipline when you’re a busy mom with kids?
  • 13:30 – How do you make silence and solitude not a legalistic "I have to do this" thing, but a "this is fuel for my soul" thing?
  • 17:38 – Has there been a time in your life where you really feel like the Lord has met you in a moment of silence with him?
  • 23:45 – How can I practically start to practice silence and solitude in my life today?