In this teaching, we hear Pastor Mike talk about forgiveness. Ephesians 5:1 says we should imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. If we are children of the forgiver, we are called to be forgivers. If a parent is good, the children will imitate the parent. That’s why we’re called disciples. Disciple means follower.

What is the cross a symbol of? Forgiveness. If you want to follow Christ, you forgive like He forgave. If our goal is to be like Christ, we forgive like He forgave. Take up your cross. It’s a sacrifice for the Kingdom.

Fresh Start Week 1 Teaching Text

Matthew 6:14-15

¹⁴ “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. ¹⁵ But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Did you like this message, Fresh Start Week 1? Check out more of our Sunday teachings here.

In this teaching, we hear Pastor Mike talk about how the New Testament is a balancing act. It’s constantly telling us that goodness can’t save us. The law can’t save us, BUT we should be good because we’ve been saved and what does goodness look like? Well, that’s simple: Extravagant Love The entire law of Scripture can be summed up in one word: love. If you want to know if an action is right or wrong, ask yourself, Is it loving?

No Shave November Week 4 Teaching Text

Galatians 6:11-17

Paul’s Final Advice

¹¹ Notice what large letters i use as i write these closing words in my own handwriting.

¹² Those who are trying to force you to be circumcised want to look good to others. They don’t want to be persecuted for teaching that the cross of Christ alone can save. ¹³ And even those who advocate circumcision don’t keep the whole law themselves. They only want you to be circumcised so they can boast about it and claim you as their disciples.

¹⁴ As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross,^[a] my interest in this world has been crucified, and the world’s interest in me has also died. ¹⁵ It doesn’t matter whether we have been circumcised or not. What counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation. ¹⁶ May God’s peace and mercy be upon all who live by this principle; they are the new people of God.^[b]

¹⁷ From now on, don’t let anyone trouble me with these things. For I bear on my body the scars that show I belong to Jesus.

Did you like this message, No Shave November Week 4? Check out more of our Sunday teachings here.

In this teaching, we hear from Pastor Mike as he talks about how we should not focus on the approval of people but on the approval of God. The idea of winning the approval of God is tricky though because our salvation is not contingent on our works. There is nothing we can do to be saved by Jesus.

When we start to believe that we can sanctify ourselves by being good enough, we end up like the Pharisees trying to earn the approval of religious people. So let’s remind ourselves “God Saved you by his grace when you believed.” Ephesians 2:8. God did it. You can’t do it. The Israelites tried it for millennia and now we’re trying. We Can’t. The gospel is called good news because God can and He did. Jesus was perfect for us? His righteousness saves us. Not ours.

No Shave November Week 1 Teaching Text

Galatians 1:10-12

¹⁰ Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.

¹¹ Dear brothers and sisters, I want you to understand that the gospel message I preach is not based on mere human reasoning. ¹² I received my message from no human source, and no one taught me. Instead, I received it by direct revelation from Jesus Christ.

Did you like this message, No Shave November Week 1? Check out more of our Sunday teachings here.

In this teaching, we hear from Pastor Mike as he talks about resolving conflict. The ability to resolve conflicts is evidence that someone is a child of God and the good news is, we actually have an incredibly helpful outline in Scripture about how to handle conflict. Watch or listen and learn how Jesus teaches us to resolve conflict.

Acts Week 7 Teaching Text

Acts 15:4-10 and 19

⁴ When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and elders, to whom they reported everything God had done through them.

⁵ Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to keep the law of Moses.”

⁶ The apostles and elders met to consider this question. ⁷ After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: “Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. ⁸ God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. ⁹ He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. ¹⁰ Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear?

¹⁹ “…It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.

Did you like this message, Acts Week 7? Check out more of our Sunday teachings here.

In this teaching, we watch some scenes from a movie called Yesterday. It’s a modern day parable of inspiration, grace, and faithfulness.

At The Movies 2022 Week 3 Teaching Text

Luke 5:29-32

29 Later,  Levi held a banquet in his home with Jesus as the guest of honor. Many of Levi’s fellow tax collectors and other guests also ate with them. 30 But  the Pharisees and their teachers of religious law complained bitterly  to Jesus’ disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with such scum?” 31 Jesus answered them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. 32 I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.”

Did you like this message, At The Movies 2022 Week 3? Check out more of our Sunday teachings here.

In this teaching, we watch some scenes from a less well-known movie than we usually do, but it is a powerful movie called Mass. It’s about a mass shooting that happened in an elementary school, and it’s a powerful example of forgiveness, reconciliation, and grace.

At The Movies 2022 Week 2 Teaching Text

Matthew 5:23-24

²³ “So if you are presenting a sacrifice^[a] at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, ²⁴ leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.

Did you like this message, At The Movies 2022 Week 2? Check out more of our Sunday teachings here.

This week Pastor Mike uses movie clips from Let Him Go.

Teaching Text

John 5:1-9

13Then someone called from the crowd, “Teacher, please tell my brother to divide our

Afterward Jesus returned to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish holy days. ² Inside the city, near the Sheep Gate, was the pool of Bethesda,^[a] with five covered porches. ³ Crowds of sick people—blind, lame, or paralyzed—lay on the porches.^[b] 5 One of the men lying there had been sick for thirty-eight years. ⁶ When Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time, he asked him, “Would you like to get well?”

⁷ “I can’t, sir,” the sick man said, “for I have no one to put me into the pool when the water bubbles up. Someone else always gets there ahead of me.”

⁸ Jesus told him, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!”

⁹ Instantly, the man was healed! He rolled up his sleeping mat and began walking! But this miracle happened on the Sabbath,

Learn more about At The Movies 2021 teaching series HERE.

Be sure to drop your kids off at New Life Kids so they can experience a kid-friendly At The Movies 2021 where Pastor Darci will base her teachings on a theme from famous kid-friendly movies.

Did you know you can see what your child will be learning each week during New Life Kid’s At The Movies 2021 by going here?