Why me? What now? These are the questions real life generates all the time. They are not easy questions and anyone offering easy answers just doesn't come off as credible. How comforting to find that the bible speaks to these questions yet doesn't offer quick answers, rather, a way forward.
This Sunday at Storyline's Gathering Mike Gathright continued our examination of Genesis and how God's story of the beginning takes our real questions seriously without answering them easily.
Think of all the effort we put in to our image - what others think of us - really, what we want others to think of us? Is it possible all of this effort is not only futile but also detrimental? The bible seems to think so.
This Sunday at Storyline's Gathering Mike Gathright continued to explore the book of Genesis and the incredible way it frames our image issue and a way forward.
Some things are so True they go beyond literally accurate or our ability to explain, describe or measure. Truth like this stretches us into symbolism, metaphor, music, poetry and art. For too long the bible has been judged as either literally true in every detail or of no worth at all. Maybe it is time to look at it like a great painting, to listen to it like a beautiful piece of music, to consider as an incredible work of art - could looking at it this way reveal things to us, about us and life and God, that are difficult to see otherwise?
This Sunday at Storyline's Gathering, Mike Gathright continued our exploration of the bible as a source of grace, inspiration and hope.
There is always something. Something in our life, about our life, maybe even about us that we want to change. Why is it so difficult?
Last Sunday we discovered it is pride that gets in our way and humility that changes the equation for change because it opens us up to God's grace.
This Sunday morning at Storyline's Gathering Mike Gathright explored a source of Grace that we often overlook in our life and the unexpected ways it can empower change.
January marks the beginning of the new calendar year, but really September is when everything kicks off. Vacations end, school starts, football begins - this year we even have an election this Fall.
Storyline is so excited about what we are going to consider together this year. Mike Gathright kicked off a brand new series of talks that will help us get the most out of this fresh start!
Last week at the Gathering, Wes Reith gave a compelling argument for how we could understand and engage with salvation: it’s a process NOT an objective... but what now? What is the process of the process? If that is true, then what are we supposed to do?
This week at the Gathering, Paul Knapp dove deeper into the process of salvation and give us a more objective understanding of what it could look like to live a life of faith.
Humans have a bizarre propensity for objectives--we absolutely love them. We love achieving, we love succeeding, and we love how it makes us feel. But what happens when we fail? Or--what happens when the most important things we encounter turn out not to be objectives at all?
This Sunday at Storyline, Wesley Rieth spoke on what an objective is, what it isn't, and how Jesus saw objectives. Mike Koch and the band performed songs by Kacey Musgraves, Swtichfoot, and David Ramirez.
At Storyline we believe in the transformative power of story and the blessing that comes from sharing them. This Sunday we had the privilege of hearing stories from some of our Storyline friends.
We spend a lot of time and effort, much of it below the surface of our awareness, trying to figure out who we really are. Because our identity not only defines us, it guides us.
Maybe this is why the story of the life of faith in the bible is so surprising. We assume the bible is all about telling us what to do when really it is much more interested in suggesting to us - who we are!
This Sunday at Storyline's Gathering Mike Gathright considered the revolutionary and radical vision that Jesus has of our identity.
Figuring out who we are, personally and communally, is not something we think about often. But life has a way of begging this question. What now? What next? Why? The answers to basic questions like these are grounded in our identity. Who we are.
This month at Storyline's Gathering we've been considering the topic of identity; Sunday Mike Gathright continued this discussion by revisiting Jesus's view of the identity of His community.
Some things must be discovered and experienced - they can't just be learned or explained. Identity, who we really are, is one of those things. Jesus was very interested in people knowing His identity - and their own - but He seemed to want more for us than just the right answer. Why?
Last Sunday Mike Gathright explored Storyline's identity...this Sunday Mike Wyble focused in on our personal identity...how can we discover who we really are? And how does that discovery change life for us?
In large part the identity of an object and even a person is wrapped up in its design - what it is for. Jesus seemed to think people and communities were designed on purpose - and FOR a purpose - that have a dramatic impact on our identity, how we see ourselves and one another.
This Sunday at the Gathering Mike Gathright looked at Storyline's design, and what we are for. If you have struggled to explain what Storyline is to some of the people in your life (and we all have!) - this Sunday helps to describe it.
Some subjects are just taboo. Religion used to be the most controversial, now it is politics. But a close third is money. We don't talk about it in polite company and frankly, we rarely talk about it even with those we are closest to...why?
Jesus spoke about money a lot because he knew it is a tremendously powerful force in our life. This Sunday at Storyline's Gathering Mike Gathright explored the unique perspective Jesus has on our money and our hearts.
Has anyone ever given you something before you asked for it...maybe even before you knew you needed it, or wanted it? Jesus said God often works like that.
What might life look like if we believed it?
This Sunday at Storyline's Gathering Mike Gathright and John Williams looked at the beauty and transformational power of God's generosity toward us.
Sometimes its eavesdropping, sometimes it is innocent, but we have all been in a situation where we have over heard something. It can be uncomfortable, embarrassing even.
At least one time, Jesus taught in a way that many people would over hear him. It wasn't to make anyone uncomfortable or embarrassed, he did it to change their lives. And it did!
This Sunday morning at Storyline's Gathering Mike Gathright looked at the genius and grace of Jesus as he taught something that could only change you...if you OVER heard it.