Luke 18:23-25 Have you ever been in a situation where you thought you knew the answer or the outcome ahead of time, just to be left in disbelief? What you thought was going to be said or happen actually turned out to be the opposite? It's like playing a team that you have zero doubts about losing against, just to be mistaken and beaten. That feeling is a shot to the heart and an utter shock. I say...  Read More

Luke 18:19-22 When I was a child, I loved building things with my erector set. A box full of possibilities. The set included different sized metal beams, gears, wheels, nuts, bolts, and a battery powered electric motor. I would spend hours attempting to build different items. From buildings with pulley systems, to cars that ran with the small motor. One day the battery died and I didn’t have a rep...  Read More

Luke 18:18 It’s the ultimate question: WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO? We live in a culture of “doing.” From work to hobbies to extracurricular activities with our children, we are always “doing” something. I remember when my kids were little, we were going in every direction. From soccer to Upward basketball to AWANA to school parties to youth group, we were running hard … “doing” a lot. Sometimes as a par...  Read More

Week 5Main Point and Overview: There is hardly a larger watershed moment in the Bible than the story of the “Rich Young Ruler!” By the world’s standards, he had it all, yet he knew something was missing in his life. When encountering Jesus, he looked for some answers to his greatest spiritual questions. Like much of culture today, people have questions. They are looking for hope, but are they will...  Read More

2 Corinthians 5:17 It’s funny how God pulled me into serving in youth ministry thirty years ago. As the owner of a 15-passenger van, the youth pastor of the church quickly sought me out. You see, he had planned a New Years Eve scavenger hunt and needed more transportation and more drivers. Next thing I knew, I was driving a dozen students around on a chilly winter’s night as they searched for snow...  Read More

Ephesians 6:10-13 When watching most action movies, the entire plot leads up to one thing; the battle. Sometimes there are multiple scenes of fighting, but that is the nail-biting, most anticipated part of the movie. Typically, you see how the characters prepare themselves for said battle. You also see how they respond during the battle. Finally, you see the aftermath of the battle; how it affecte...  Read More