Whether you are previously married, aren’t yet married, never want to be married, or are happily married there is one thing that you probably have in common with everyone else: marriage comes with certain expectations. We all have a picture in our minds of what marriage is, what it isn’t, and what it should be. Maybe you’ve been hurt, let down, or frustrated. Maybe you are in a place of incredible fulfillment, but not without learning some painful lessons along the way. Regardless of your personal circumstances, what the Bible says about marriage might surprise you ... and offer you a new sense of hope.

Between all of life’s distractions and responsibilities lies a desire within each one of us to do something big, to make a difference, and to leave our mark. It is a human thing to want to do a significant thing. Many of us want to leave this world better than we came into it. This should especially be true for those of us who have put our trust in Jesus Christ and are seeking to obey, follow, and represent him. The Bible clearly teaches that the only way to have a “giant” impact in the lives of others is to be generous in every way with our time, energy, and resources. As Christians, we should hold our possessions loosely and be willing to sacrifice everything because we serve a God who gave everything for us. The gospel message cannot be understood or applied without a spirit of generosity. One of the defining marks of the very first church in the book of Acts was generosity. Together, through each of their combined efforts of generosity they built a movement ignited by God that still has momentum today. And now it’s our turn. During the month of March, we are going to go on a journey together to see how we are to follow the example of Jesus to become generous giants.

We can all lose sight of what matters most. The church is no different. Jesus stated very clearly the mission of the church without weighing it down with many details. The Bible is largely silent on the form, style, and philosophy of ministry we should take, but is extremely vivid in what we are to be about. So we establish our plans to carry this out; however, over time someone’s good idea becomes a “sacred cow.” When that happens, the form often becomes more important than the focus. The Corinthian Christians had already started down that path when Paul writes this very straightforward letter to bring their attention back to where it belongs. In doing this, he provides some of the richest theology in the entire New Testament. We’re going “cow tipping” together and tip some of the sacred cows that can so easily take us off course and distract us from the mission Jesus so passionately commissioned us to carry out.

God has been good to us over the years. Literally thousands of lives have been changed, families have been impacted, and the Gospel has been advanced through this local expression of God’s one global church called Traders Point Christian Church. In recent years, we’ve been dramatically blessed with growth and influence beyond what any of us ever anticipated. As we celebrate this and give God alone the glory for it, the danger now is to settle. In an effort to protect what we’ve got, we’ll be tempted to stop trusting, stop risking, and stop moving forward in faith. The Gospel is urgent. The need is clear. The command of Jesus is unmistakable. This is no time to circle the wagons ...

Join us New Year’s Day, Sunday, January 1, 2012, at 9 or 11 a.m. for a message titled, “What Will Define You in 2012?”

We can all lose sight of what matters most. The church is no different. Jesus stated very clearly the mission of the church without weighing it down with many details. The Bible is largely silent on the form, style, and philosophy of ministry we should take, but is extremely vivid in what we are to be about. So we establish our plans to carry this out; however, over time someone’s good idea becomes a “sacred cow.” When that happens, the form often becomes more important than the focus. The Corinthian Christians had already started down that path when Paul writes this very straightforward letter to bring their attention back to where it belongs. In doing this, he provides some of the richest theology in the entire New Testament. We’re going “cow tipping” together and tip some of the sacred cows that can so easily take us off course and distract us from the mission Jesus so passionately commissioned us to carry out.

Christmas Eve

Gather your family and friends to celebrate Jesus’ birth with carols, candlelight, and a moving Christmas message of hope. All are welcome at Christmas Eve services on Saturday, December 24, at 4:30 and 6:30 p.m. Child care will be offered for children up to 36 months of age. Please note that the Sonshine Room will be open during the 4:30 p.m. service only.

Christmas Day

On Sunday, December 25, there will be one service from 11 to 11:30 a.m. Children are welcome at this casual family gathering in The Worship Center. Please note: this is a family service; no children or student ministries will take place.

New Year's Day

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You can tell a lot about a person by the kind of shoes they wear. Some shoes make bold fashion statements while others are more reserved. Some shoes advertise a sport or activity while others are worn for function only. What do your shoes say about you? A common phrase you hear often is: If we were in their shoes then we might see things differently. It really is true. Our capacity to love others like Jesus expands when we slip on their shoes and take a look at the world from their perspective. We’re going to take some time to do this. In the coming weeks we will try on the shoes of various people who encountered Jesus. People with real issues, questions, struggles, hopes, and dreams and then walk away from each of them as they walked away from Jesus … changed. 

The Gospel is strikingly clear: Jesus saves us by grace through faith. And yet, this beautifully simple message can so easily become complicated to the point that it is no longer recognizable. The concept of grace is vast, deep, and wide. It is unexpected, undeserved, and uncommon. Grace-filled Christianity has the power to bring transformation into any life, anywhere, any time. Grace-less Christianity has the power to sour, harden, and embitter life. In the book of Romans, Paul goes out of his way to communicate that grace is as expansive as the ocean. This August, come ready to swim in the oceans of God’s grace.

* Original painting used in graphic by Lauren Church

Jesus once said, "Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks." This is another way of saying that we really don't say anything accidentally. There is no such thing as "letting words slip." If it made its way out of your mouth, then it has been brewing in your heart. Most of the time, we get it all backwards. We think that if we can clean up our speech, then that will somehow make us a better person. As it turns out, the best way to clean up your speech is to clean up your heart. This July we'll be talking about some of the most common ways our tongues get us into trouble and how Jesus can ultimately change the way we speak by transforming our lives.