Naked & Unashamed
What would it be like?
To feel no need to hide.
No need to manage what you think of me.
No need to pretend to be something I'm not.
To feel seen... and safe.
To be naked and unashamed...
Week 1: Naked & Unashamed
Neuroscientists, Moses, and the Apostle Paul agree: Other people are the problem... and the solution. Both. If you let other people see you for who you really are, they might hurt you. (They probably will.) But it's also true that other people are the solution. The only way to undo what has been done to you is with the help of other people. They must see you for who you really are. Hmm. What do you do with that? And what does Jesus have to do with that? That's what we'll explore in this message.
Week 2: 3 Years and 219 Hours
3 years. When someone shows up at our church, that's how long we expect them to stay before a new job, a new house, or some life transition moves them away. 219 hours. According to a 2019 study from the University of Kansas, that's about how long it takes to develop a close friendship. Our vision to be a church where life transformation is normal seems to keep bumping into these two numbers. Deep life transformation requires deep relationships, and deep relationships requires time... which is the one thing we never seem to have. So what does this mean for us?
Week 3: The (Often Overlooked) Benefits of Suffering With Others
Both biologically and Biblically, we have reason to believe that humans need to suffer. Not horrifically, but some. Stress, hardship, trials. These are necessary for your growth and development. If you want to fully become who you are created to be, you have to suffer, and you shouldn't do this alone. You need to suffer with other people. In this message, we'll explore how suffering with others is celebrated(?!) by the Biblical authors as a sure way to become more like Jesus and find the life that is truly life.
Week 4: Forgiveness
Forgiveness is a community affair. Our extending it or withholding it, doesn't just impact us; it impacts everyone around us. Jesus gives us a pattern to follow that helps us experience the freedom that comes from a life of extending grace toward those that hurt us.