A message from the series “O Christmas Tree.” It can be hard for us to know how to navigate the complex experiences of the holidays. For some, it’s a time of great joy; for others, struggle and sadness. Advent offers us a unique avenue into these spaces by inviting us to confront pain and disillusionment with hope. How can we wait in the bright sadness for God’s arrival?
Continue readingMessage: “Christmas Lights” from JR. Forasteros
A message from the series “O Christmas Tree.” Christmas lights are one of our most beautiful symbols of the season. But as the prophet Micah points out, light reveals and purifies. In our preparation for Christmas, God wants to purify us, get us ready for Jesus’ coming. Will we respond? Or will we hide?
Continue readingMessage: “The Christmas Branch” from JR. Forasteros
A message from the series “O Christmas Tree.” At the beginning of the Advent season, we ask what hope looks like. In a world that craves peace on earth and goodwill for all people, a world that is far from those dreams, how do we hope? Jeremiah invites us into his model faithful presence in a hurting world – one that invites us to look for God right where we’re hurting. That’s hope.
Continue readingMessage: “Pilgrim 2021” from JR. Forasteros
A message from the series “Church of Theseus.” Churches serving or doing missions work often feels paternalistic. How do we serve those outside the church, how do we love those outside the church, in ways that respect them as equally God’s image-bearers? The model of the ancient pilgrimage can help us imagine a better way to meet others – as students who can help one another know God better!
Continue readingMessage: “Transformation 2021” from JR. Forasteros
A message from the series “Church of Theseus.” Too often, faith is reduced to an intellectual exercise. But Jesus pressed for transformation, change so dramatic it was described as ‘resurrection’ or ‘rebirth’. What does it look like for us to pursue this sort of new life here at Catalyst in the coming year?
Continue readingMessage: “Diversity 2021” from Sonya Brown
A message from the series “Church of Theseus.” Diversity – it’s a buzzword, a trend these days. Every church claims to value diversity. So why do churches so often fail to reflect even the diversity of our communities? And how do we pursue an authentic diversity that moves beyond tokenism and trends to get to the heart of Jesus’ good news for our world?
Continue readingMessage: “The Strength to Love” from JR. Forasteros
A message from the series “Journey to Love.” Love comes easy to some of us. But for a lot of us, being more loving is really hard. It’s scary to be more vulnerable. To risk reaching out. But the thing about love is that it is inevitable. If we just keep going, we’ll find it. So how do we find the strength to love?
Continue readingMessage: “Love Changes the World” from Debbie Reese
A message from the series “Journey to Love.” What does love look like in public? As Dr. Cornel West says, it’s justice. How can we love well, in public? What does it mean to say that love changes the world?
Continue readingMessage: “Divine Love” from JR. Forasteros
A message from the series “Journey to Love.” Party of what’s so challenging about seeking out love is that we’ve been told God is love, but have so many unloving images of God. Jesus helps us to see who God is and how God loves us. And as we connect to Jesus, his love transforms how we engage the people we encounter.
Continue readingMessage: “Barriers to Love” from JR. Forasteros
A message from the series “Journey to Love.” What keeps us from being more loving? Proverbs has a list of seven things God hates – and God hates them because they’re barriers to having more love in our lives. How do we spot these barriers? And what do we do to root them out?
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