Fed and Formed by the Word of God
Believers, families, and churches are fed and formed by the reading and teaching of the Word of God.
Nehemiah 8:1-8
Shaping a Humble, Quiet Soul
God invites us to hope in Him by shaping souls that are characterized by humility and quiet calm.
Psalm 131
Understanding the Sacraments
A sacrament is a special symbol given by God to His people that, when received in faith, serves as a sign and seal of His promises to us, functions as a means of grace to strengthen us, and through which we testify of our faith in Him and His promises.
Romans 4:11; 1 Corinthians 10:16-17; Romans 6:3-4
The Hidden God Who Saves and Rules
Though God often hides His face, He has not hidden His heart. He rules by providence and reveals Himself in Jesus Christ, who showed us the face of God and supplied grace and love enough to save the world.
Isaiah 45:15
Grace for the Outcasts
Luke 15 is an invitation of grace for the outcasts and a warning for the insiders. It’s not about morality (just do the right thing), and it’s more than God’s pursuit of us (but not less), it’s a warning meant to inspire us towards repentance, joy, and embracing a grace for the outcasts.
Luke 15
Scandalous Grace
The Friend of Sinners is a scandal to the self-righteous, but the only hope for those who know their shame and seek forgiveness.
Luke 7:36-50
When Mercy Feels Unfair
God’s mercy often challenges our sense of fairness, but it also enables us to align our hearts to His.
Jonah 3-4
The Glory of the New Covenant
What the Old Covenant demands, the New Covenant promises to accomplish in God’s unmerited covenant people through Christ’s sacrifice and priestly intercession for them.
Hebrews 8:8-12
A Glorious Prayer
Jesus prays that God would have glory through him, so that God’s people can have eternal life.
John 17:1-5
Surrendered
Surrender is a voluntary act of the will to submit every part of our life to God, trusting Him as Father, Savior, Comforter, and King.
Philippians 3:3-11
Christ at the Center
All works are done through Christ who fills our thirst.
John 19:28-30
What is Freedom?
Freedom is the ability to live in accord with human nature as created by God, which was marred by sin but is restored in Christ and revealed in Scripture.
John 8:31-36
The End of the World (As We Hope It)
The end of the story isn’t chaos, but Christ — and in Him, we have a sure and glorious hope.
Revelation 21:1-8
Spring Training
Spiritual health and growth require practicing spiritual rhythms – periodic seasons of stripping away some things to give greater focus to seeking God through prayer.
Luke 4:1-2, 14
Persevering Through Trials
With Faith in Christ, we can persevere through any trial. Christ is our foundation to have patience, endurance, and steadfastness.
James 1:2-18
Press on Towards the Goal
We must press on to grow in our salvation because Jesus has made us His own; we strive for this because it is our duty and our greatest pleasure.
Philippians 3:12-16
Thanksgiving Rest
God created us with a need for rest, which the curse and our culture have magnified, and we should use Thanksgiving as a chance to receive God’s gift of rest.
Genesis 1:31-2:3
The Peace Of Judgement
Judgement is real, judgement is satisfying, and judgement is elevating. Jesus as the judge is a delight.
Matthew 25:31-46
Living as Dual Citizens
Christians are citizens their country, but their primary citizenship is in heaven and this primary citizenship determines how they live as citizens of the country of their earthly life.
1 Peter 2:9-12
Leaving Success for Significance
In our journey through life, we often find ourselves at crossroads where we must choose between pursuing worldly success and embracing a higher calling. The story of Simon Peter’s encounter with Jesus by the Sea of Galilee offers a powerful illustration of this pivotal moment.
Luke 5:1-11
Greater Love Has No One
Jesus emphasizes the greatest commandments: to love God and to love our neighbors. Genuine love always involves sacrifice, mirroring Christ’s ultimate act of laying down His life for us.
Matthew 22:34-40; John 15:13
The Missionary Heart of God
We become the most like Jesus when we join the missionary heart of God to move out, into the unknown, to be a blessing to Bay Ridge and beyond.
Genesis 11:27-12:3
Way to Worship
Scripture tells us a lot about worship, but how do we become true worshipers of God? And why is it so important as Christians to participate in worship?
John 4:19-26
The Meaning Opportunity
Everyone has faith in something, we are all believers in something. This raises questions though. How we think about meaning and purpose drive our behavior and inform our thinking. But we fool ourselves if we put faith in things that aren’t true; and fail to adequately address the doubts we all have whatever we believe.
John 18: 33-38
Jesus Is the Victor
All of creation is under a curse and subject to constant evil which leads to suffering and death. But Jesus has won a monumental victory over Satan, sin, suffering and eternal death, and followers of Christ can live boldly and rejoice in knowing that they have eternal life and freedom from the antagonists of God.
Revelation 20:15-22:7; Genesis 3:1-19