In our experience, setting aside questions of "In vs. Out" doesn't make faith matter less, it makes faith matter more -- it frees our faith to become about the things that really matter most in life, like our topic this week: justice. How does Jesus lead us into participating in justice? By pursuing equity (rather than equality) and by giving dignity (never taking it away).
Read MoreJesus has some hard, countercultural-feeling encouragements for people, like "give to anyone who asks" or "give up your status". Should we follow Jesus out of duty or courage? Or, as Jesus himself instructs, should we follow him because he has our good health in mind? Isn't that a bit self-interested, Jesus? Maybe not...
Read MoreBLV prayer team leader, Anna Cruz, shares stories about prayer from her life, from the Bible, and from others in our community.
Read MoreIt's hard work emotionally and psychologically to navigate the families we came from and their impact on us personally. Jesus has lots of help.
Read MoreFor this talk Vince wants you to remember double what you usually remember from his talks, so he made it a multimedia presentation... Even better, maybe he should take a page from Jesus in Luke 10: Maybe the best way to learn is to be empowered.
Read MoreIf we want alive and lasting spiritual fulfillment (and not just a passing experience of faith that's nice but nonetheless fades), Jesus tells us to "seek first the Kingdom of God" -- in other words, set our sights higher than just our own selves, and look to participate in the grand, all-of-history-spanning story of all life. This Kingdom of God story, it seems, is as relevant as ever in light of current events.
Read MoreA reflection on Christmas from Co-Lead Pastor Kyle Hanawalt
Read MoreThe Magnificat (the Song of Mary, the mother of Jesus) is a window into one of the foundational values behind our community -- the desire to experience the lasting & world-impacting promises of softening our hearts over the deceptively short-term protection of hardening our hearts.
Read MoreMaybe the definition of following Jesus in any city or neighborhood (whether Nakuru, Kenya or the Brown Line area in Chicago) is bringing life to that city or neighborhood by disrupting harmful, cynical, disconnecting status quo structures with love, acceptance, and care for the most vulnerable.
Read MoreJesus' famous story of "the Good Samaritan" suggests that "neighboring" comes with a personal cost, but the experience of feeling stirred to compassion and led by God is so life-giving and worth it... (TRANSCRIPT ONLY)
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