Some of us feel like we have an intensely personal relationship with God. Others of us feel that God is distant and remote from us. What makes the difference? In this sermon we’ll study the story of a spiritual seeker who discovered the secret of living close to God. The lessons she learned 4,000 years […]
Author Archives: Jeff Miner
Verbs, Nouns, and God
What does grammar have to do with understanding God? Turns out, everything! This sermon looks at three great spiritual seekers who discovered a new word for God that may revolutionize your basic understanding of who God is and what God wants from you.
Stairway to Heaven
Every time we look up at the night sky or hold a baby or lose a loved one to death, something inside us senses, There must be something more. Instinctively, most of us are spiritual seekers. We want to find and know God; we want to understand and live meaningful lives. But where do we […]
The Unpardonable Sin
In one of the most intriguing passages in the Bible, Jesus asserts that every sin can and will be forgiven. . . except one. In today’s sermon we’ll explore what that one sin is, why it’s so different from other sins, and the practical lesson we’re supposed to learn from all of this.
Something Old, Something New
We live in a polarized culture. Some of us love that which has been; we’re called Conservatives. Some of us love that which is to come; we’re called Progressives. So which was Jesus? You might be surprised! From his example, we can learn how to better navigate the same divide in our culture.
What’s Wrong With This Picture?
The life of Jesus was so compelling, ordinary people were drawn to him like a magnet. By contrast, most people today have a very negative impression of Christians. What happened? Where did we go wrong? We’ll take a careful look at what it means for us to be Jesus in the world. It’s probably not […]
Crazy
Life is like a pressure cooker. The stress often threatens to take us apart bit by bit. Amidst all the craziness, how can we keep our sanity? Better yet, how can we keep our serenity? This week’s vivid gospel story offers important clues.
The Way We Were
There is a constant tension between the comfort of the familiar and the adventure of the unknown. Most of us tend to prefer the comfort of the familiar — to the point that we easily get stuck, resist change, and sometimes long for the past. In today’s scripture, Jesus challenges us to “let go” and […]
Jesus’ Prescription For Positive Living
Bad things happen every day. Often it’s people who disappoint us, and we get so upset. Other times, it’s not people, but our circumstances that seem impossible and make us feel helpless. Either way, staying positive is a constant battle. Becoming negative is so easy. Jesus faced the same challenges, but triumphed over them. How? […]
Weird People
Have you ever felt boxed in, like you can’t be genuinely yourself because others might think you’re weird? And how many times do we do the same thing to others — imposing our expectations on them, or even on God? In the Bible, some of the most stunningly effective characters were the “weirdest.” This sermon […]
Equilibrium
Life pushes and pulls us in many directions. It’s easy to get wobbly and out of balance. Jesus faced the same push and pull — all the same tests we do — yet managed to keep his center. How did he do this?
Imagine
In this sermon we ask ourselves what God may be trying to do in the world today, and how our church fits into that big picture. As we do so, Pastor Jeff will share an exciting announcement about our future.
Not What I Expected
Life has a way of throwing us curve balls — unpleasant, unexpected surprises. In such times, how do you react? Some tend to fall apart, while others survive and thrive through the crisis. What makes the difference? This sermon examines how Jesus’ Father and Mother reacted to all the disruptions surrounding his birth.