Being shaped by hardship - Nader Sahyouni

Jesus doesn’t give cheap words about life; he speaks about actual life, which we all know is not always easy. None of us need some pseudo-religious authority-figure claiming that we can find perfect pleasure and wealth and be forever free of suffering if we just do x, y, or z. In fact, a life following Jesus can include more hard things than most lives, but perhaps that's a good thing. Because Jesus encourages us to face hard truth and not run from it, to embrace it and let it shape us into someone better.

2 Corinthians, MatthewVincent BrackettSeptember 25, 2017Things that have changed my lifeComment

Why (and why not) to do hard things at Jesus' encouragement - Vince Brackett

Jesus 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...

Luke, Mark, MatthewVincent BrackettSeptember 18, 2017Things that have changed my lifeComment

This always works, except when it doesn't - Kyle Hanawalt

People who try their hardest don't always get rewarded. And people who seem to cut corners or take advantage of others sometimes do get rewarded. Is life meaningless? Or do we need to double down and be perfect in order to succeed? The Wisdom writings of the Bible (particularly the books of Proverbs & Ecclesiastes) can offer us balance, nuance, and a starting point for meaningful experiences of prayer when we feel overwhelmed by such questions.

Ecclesiastes, ProverbsVincent BrackettSeptember 11, 2017Things that have changed my lifeComment

Tell me about your church - Vince Brackett

Generally when people talk about faith or God, it divides people - along religious, cultural, or social lines. Obviously, any of us, if asked about this church, would want to avoid that pitfall and say something sensible and helpful that represents this church well. But how? A parable from Jesus about wheat and weeds and thinking about the difference between a circle and a dot can help...

MatthewVincent BrackettSeptember 4, 2017Things that have changed my lifeComment

Why our country needs the Bible right now - Kyle Hanawalt

The Bible was written by and for oppressed minorities. People of privilege can miss this and therefore miss a great deal of the meaning behind the Bible's many writings. In light of the white supremacy, hate, and prejudice we have witnessed in our country this past month, we need just such an oppressed-minority voice to guide us.

PsalmsVincent BrackettAugust 28, 2017Things that have changed my lifeComment

Stories About Prayer - Anna Cruz

BLV prayer team leader, Anna Cruz, shares stories about prayer from her life, from the Bible, and from others in our community.

LukeVincent BrackettAugust 7, 2017Comment

Ask, Seek, Knock... And Expect Good News - Vince Brackett

"Why am I still single?" • "Why can't I catch a break?" • "How could this happen?"... What do you avoid asking God about because you're afraid you'll be dissatisfied with the response or get bad news?... Jesus teaches us to not avoid but engage our unsatisfied curiosities with him, and to expect GOOD news in response!

MatthewVincent BrackettJuly 31, 2017The Sermon on the Mount Comment