The early church grew almost entirely off of the preaching of individual believers. Today, a sermon is a polished, 40 minute talk given by an educated professional member of the clergy. In the New Testament, it was a bold declaration by all kinds of common Christians that Christ was the risen Lord. To “proselytize” or preach in order to convert someone is looked down upon in today’s world. But what does a commitment to sharing the good news of Jesus look like for us in Portland? The word “witness” helps us see that the gospel goes forward through preaching and actual lived demonstration of God’s grace.

Desmond Tutu’s memoir is titled “No Future Without Forgiveness,” and sums up a key message for Christian living. So long as we call Jesus our Lord, we will be asked about the ways in which we give and withhold forgiveness. Our relationship with God is inextricably linked to our own relationship with our grudges. In a world of cancellation and social media juries, how do Christians offer the healing gift of forgiveness? And how much can we forgive?

God intended his community to be a multi-ethnic one. Michelle Jones preaches on why God wants that and how we can cultivate that in our church.

The book of Acts said of the church that they gave in such a manner that there “was no needy person among them.” When we consider this inside our modern capitalistic and individualistic society, it seems impossible. But what might God be asking us to grow in? The early church was marked by radical generosity, especially towards those in need. How might generosity become a defining feature of a local church?

What is necessary for great ministry to happen? We could list many things like prayer, discernment, courage, and community. But what about money? Every great work of God—in Scripture, in church history, and across the globe right now—has behind it “gospel patrons,” people who supply the financial resources necessary for the work of the gospel. Our world understands and is obsessed with consumeristic and capitalistic visions of investment. Christians have a larger vision for their possessions as they reject the worship of “mammon” (possessions) and embrace generosity.

Dr. Nijay Gupta challenges us to live out the values of the one true God. The church lives a different culture, and we should come across as strange and inviting in the way we interact in the world. By looking at the uniqueness of Christ as described in Philippians, we can see the uniqueness of his church.

In his famous passage on “the foolishness of the cross,” Paul says that the message of Jesus frustrates both Jew and Gentile. For the community deep inside the story of Scripture and the community outside of it, Jesus’ cross was called “a stumbling block”—literally, “a scandal,” in the original Greek. What makes Jesus so scandalous to ideological and religious categories?

What does it mean to be seen by God? This Easter Sunday, we look at the way Jesus meets us in life and truly sees us. He is the living God who is present and seeking us out. 

Michelle preaches on Palm Sunday in anticipation of Easter.

God’s people are called “a royal priesthood, a holy nation” (1 Peter 2:9). Jesus called his followers to a citizenship of the kingdom of heaven and the earliest church fathers gave their allegiance to Jesus before their country. What does it mean to be a nation of Jesus followers inside a nation like America? And how do we live as responsible and courageous citizens of both?