You cannot have a Hall of Faith without the heroine, Esther. Hebrews only mentions a fraction of those in the Hall, and surely what God did for His people through Esther is one for the record books. Join us this weekend as we peer inside the turning point for Esther and the people of Israel as they were unwittingly about to be massacred. Esther’s r…

Those who have gone before us leave a legacy of faith. Even the book of Hebrews lists the who’s who of the faithful. What are the requirements for being included among those with extraordinary faith and how does that differ from halls of fame we’ve created? Join us this summer as we look at the giants of faith and how we can learn from their accomp…

One minute you think everything in life is going as it should and then a storm hits. It can feel like it will last forever, even though you know it won’t. Join us as we discover what we are to learn from storms, and God’s presence in the midst of them. Acts 27:13-38 13 When a gentle south wind began to blow, they saw their opportunity; so they weig…

What is the point of trials? What do we learn by reading Paul’s trials as he seeks to share the Gospel? There is a purpose to the trials in the book of Acts and in our lives. Join us this weekend as we understand how our trials become our testimonies! Acts 26 26 Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.” So Paul motione…

We are all worshipers. Every day we worship. Paul encountered a group of worshipers who had every god under the sun represented, even an unknown one. The question is, who do we worship? Join us as we learn to worship as embodied people Jesus the Messiah. Acts 17:22-34 22 Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “People of Athens…

When becoming a member of an organization, there are often rules and regulations that keep some groups out, while allowing certain groups in. Jesus’ death and resurrection changed everything, but some of the disciples didn’t get the memo. Just as Jesus changed the qualifications for being a disciple, the church also needs to change in order to refl…

This week is Confirmation Sunday! Come celebrate all that God has done and continues to do in the life of our 13 students who have journeyed through the confirmation experience this year. This is not only a huge step in these students’ faith journey, but an opportunity to celebrate God’s faithfulness as a church. Watch HereWatch on Facebook / YouTu…

From Genesis to Revelation, we read about God’s people following the Spirit’s lead. We see in the book of Acts that the Holy Spirit is poured out on the church at Pentecost, but do we live lives filled with the Holy Spirit? What are the barriers to walking with the Spirit every day? Join us this Sunday as we reflect on finding and following the Hol…

The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ changed everything. When everything is turned upside down from what you know, it is hard to orient to the new way of Jesus. Peter experiences this firsthand in a powerful vision, while affirming the new paradigm through an unlikely vessel. Join us as we learn to practice the way of Jesus, who has turned ev…

“Isn’t this the person who used to [insert negative trait], but now they are a completely different person?” One of the greatest compliments a disciple can receive is the change in them witnessed by family, friends, neighbors, and strangers. Join us as we look at one of the greatest transformations of the early church and what it means for us as di…

The early church disperses into the surrounding region, not of its own volition, but because of widespread persecution. What they find in the midst of this dispersion are people who are ready to receive the good news Jesus has to offer. Today, the church is as scattered as ever, but are people ready to receive the good news? Join us as we learn fro…

In the places we go, the things we buy, everything has a cost. As the disciples spread the good news of Jesus they began to experience the cost of following Jesus. But what is the cost of following Jesus today? Join us as we explore the cost of our discipleship to Jesus. Acts 7 7 Then the high priest asked Stephen, “Are these charges true?” 2 To th…

The new community of Holy Spirit-filled disciples flipped the world upside down with their radical reorientation around the way of Jesus. They were devoted to: teaching, fellowship, prayer and breaking bread! Join us this week as we explore the core values of the transformed early church and what we can learn about how to be a community today! Acts…

Jesus had promised the Holy Spirit would come, and the disciples waited for its arrival. When the Spirit arrived, it arrived in power and changed the course of the church in one day! So what does that mean for us? Was that experience of the Holy Spirit just for those disciples? Join us as we seek to understand the role of the Holy Spirit in our liv…

The disciples had been with Jesus, they were formed to become like Him, and then it was time to do what Jesus did. But, what does that look like without Jesus? How could we do what Jesus did? How do we spread the message of Jesus to our neighbors and community? We still have the same questions the disciples had. The book of Acts is the second volum…

Easter morning we celebrate the risen Jesus, who conquered sin and death! What do we do, though, for those of us who struggle with our unbelief? What does Easter offer the curious, the doubters, and the faithful? It is a call to come and see. Join us as we explore the implications of Jesus’ call to his disciples and us to take notice of his wounds!…

This week we consider the last words that Jesus spoke right before he took his last breath. These words are especially significant when we consider that just one week prior, Jesus entered into Jerusalem heralded as king. In the midst of Palm Sunday and in anticipation of Holy Week leading into Easter, we consider this one simple question from the c…

What was so important about Jesus’ thirst that it needed to be recorded for us to hear? To hear Jesus’ cry of thirst is to understand the suffering He was enduring. Join us as we explore the living water that Jesus offers for our suffering and thirsty souls. John 19:28-30 28 Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scriptur…

Jesus’ final declaration from the cross to the people was, “It is finished.” In this pronouncement, Jesus is saying so many things about his life, his work on the cross, his ministry, and his calling on earth. Come and explore this joyous assertion that Jesus is victorious over sin and the implications for how we now live in light of God’s victory.…

Matthew 27:46 may be the most honest and weighty OMG in history—“…and Jesus cried out with a loud voice, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’” With the help of God’s Holy Spirit, we will sit with this difficult ‘last word’ of Jesus from the cross. Matthew 27:46 46 About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli,[a]lem…

This week, we continue our Lenten journey from the cross to the tomb as we explore Jesus’ last words, “Woman, behold your son,” and to his disciple, “behold your mother.” These are words Jesus spoke to his mother, Mary, and his disciple, John. These words are a message of compassion, provision, and a new relationship forged in faith. This Sunday we…

As we enter this Lenten season, we journey with Jesus from the cross to the tomb. In the final hours of His earthly time, as Jesus was dying, He spoke seven times from the cross. Last words can be very revealing. Jesus’ last words of forgiveness, salvation, relationship abandonment, distress, triumph and reunion enable us to look into eternity and …

This week we conclude our series, “The Power to Change,” as we reflect upon how change can actually last for a lifetime. The roadmap to change prescribed by our culture is one of “trying harder” or “giving that little extra…” While that might work in some capacities, Jesus prescribes a different roadmap for lasting change: one rooted in changing ou…

Our worship might not seem like it needs to change, but God wants more than just our worship; He wants our lives. In this prophetic word from Amos, God makes it clear that He is not pleased with the Israelites worship and wants their righteousness and justice along with their worship. Come and reflect on what God wants our worship and our lives to …

It’s great to have a routine or rhythm for our days, but when it gets too comfortable or too routine, our world around us often gets smaller. However, when we shift our focus off ourselves and our comfort zone, instead looking to God and his fullness, he reorients us to his purposes. Join us as we explore where Jesus may be desiring to shift your f…

This week we continue in our series, “The Power to Change,” as we consider the ways in which change actually occurs. From the very beginning, God was focused on relationship with creation, even in the midst of brokenness and uncertainty. This week, we will explore the ways in which relationship will always be the vehicle for reconciliation in our l…

The power to change begins with surrender and repentance, both corporately and personally, but deepens with trust when the wheels fall off. Deuteronomy 8:1-10 1 Be careful to follow every command I am giving you today, so that you may live and increase and may enter and possess the land the Lord promised on oath to your ancestors. 2 Remember how th…

As we look to God and the world around us, where do we even begin to make a positive change? We can try harder and make more plans, but will they amount to anything? Instead, Jesus reorients us—changing our relationships, priorities, and even our worship. He is the Power to Change. Watch HereWatch on FacebookWatch on YouTube Watch on Facebook Watch…

As we set our intentions and resolutions for the New Year, or choose a word to guide us to new possibilities, are we actually setting ourselves up for disappointment or failure? What if, instead of declaring these ideas to God, we sit before him, listen, and maybe ask a different question? Join us as we are challenged into moving out of our heads, …

Joy bursts onto every scene of the nativity story in scripture. It is the shared experience of all who are encountering the good news of Christ’s birth. The shepherds hear the declaration of this great joy from angels, and this changes their lives. They encounter God’s glory around them; explore the meaning; experience God with them; express their …

Peace is a word we throw around during the Christmas season. We sing carols that talk about a peaceful time where a baby was born in Bethlehem, but the peace that Jesus brought was not a platitude. It was a new order: God’s shalom and God’s kingdom. Come as we celebrate Peace Sunday this Advent and learn more about God’s shalom that leads us to His…

Before the birth of Christ, there were almost 500 years of waiting for a sign or word from God. Yet the faithful clung to the promise of and hope for the Messiah. Today, do we rush into the holiday season and the finish line called Christmas morning or do we intentionally slow down and look for the ongoing promises of God? Join us Sunday as we expl…

In the midst of the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, it’s easy to lose sight of the simple truth of Christmas—the extraordinary gift of God’s love. As we enter the season of Advent, we embark on a journey of anticipation. Come with us as we unwrap the layers of hope, peace, joy, and love that Jesus brings to our lives through the ultimate g…

Worry is something we all deal with on some level, and in response, humans have come up with tools like breathing exercises and mindfulness techniques to help us cope. Yet as Christians we receive this simple command from Jesus: “Do not worry.” How can we live in step with the way of Jesus if our lives are filled with worry? Come this week as we di…

This week, we welcome Rev. Peter Sung as our guest speaker! Pastor Peter serves the PacNW Conference and the ECC/SSC as an executive coach and organizational psychologist. Watch through FacebookWatch through YouTube The post The Only Thing That Counts appeared first on Pine Lake Covenant Church.By Pine Lake Covenant Church

This week, we welcome Rev. Dawn Taloyo, Associate Superintendent of the PacNW Conference, as our guest speaker! Ephesians 1:3-14 Praise for Spiritual Blessings in Christ 3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4 For he chose us in him before the c…

As Jesus continues to reorient people to the Kingdom of God in the Sermon on the Mount, He calls out the people’s heart condition. Jesus is not only fulfilling the law, He’s calling out the truth of our own heart conditions. Join us as we explore the way Jesus reshapes us, even in our anger, to be more like Him. Matthew 5:21-26 21 “You have heard t…

We talk about darkness in the world, but darkness is just the absence of light. As disciples, what role do we play as the light of the world in our present lives? Join us as we understand our identity and purpose as light to the world. Matthew 5:14-16 14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people …

After Jesus had finished his initial address to the gathered crowd, he looked at the disciples and charged them with what? To be salty! Now that has loaded meaning in our culture today, but for Jesus it was pretty clear. Join us as we explore the first responsibilities of Jesus’ disciples who are to go forth from this teaching as the salt of the ea…

Jesus calls all of us to be his disciples. That means we are transformed by being with and becoming like him, and then doing what he did. But what does that look like? We need look no further than Jesus’ first teaching to understand the nature and character of Jesus and, thus, us as his disciples. Join us as we learn to live “The Way of Jesus” ever…

When Jesus called his disciples, he invited them to come and see! That is only half the story! What happened next in the lives of the disciples was preparing them for what was to come. What was to come? Join us as we live into our call as disciples to “come and see, and I will make you fishers of people.” Matthew 4:18-25 Jesus Calls His First Disci…

Who are you becoming? We might not often stop and reflect on who we are now, and who we are aiming to become. As the talmidim of Jesus, we are called to become like Jesus through intentional practices that transform us from the inside out. Join us as we learn the life call to become like Jesus. Luke 6:39-40 39 He also told them this parable: “Can t…

In the Gospels, Jesus calls people to follow Him. It’s not just a mental belief in Him, but a transformative call to apprentice our lives after Him. But what does that really look like? What does apprenticing after Jesus mean 2000 years after He first called His disciples? Join us as we learn that the call to be the Talmidim (the Hebrew word for a …

Vision Sunday is an opportunity to celebrate what we’ve seen God doing in the past year and to anticipate how He might be working through and around us in the coming year! Come this weekend as we cast a vision for what defines us as a community who desires to find and follow Jesus, together! Matthew 22:36-40 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest comma…

How many of us have been hurt by people talking about us behind our backs? As disciples of Jesus, we have been called to bring life not death. Join us as we learn how to talk to—not about—one another. Proverbs 18:8 8 The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to the inmost parts. Watch on YouTubeWatch on Facebook Watch on Facebook …

Fibs. Kidding. Half-truths. Funny business. To pull the wool over someone’s eyes. Each of these are the nice ways to say someone is lying. Join us as we explore what our lies say about us and about God. Ephesians 4:21-25 21 when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22 You were taught, with reg…

Our words have power; power to bring life and to bring destruction. Criticism isn’t always bad, but partnering with the enemy’s critical spirit leads to sin and death. Once we know who we are and whose we are, we can love our neighbor as ourselves, walk in the path God has set for us, and build one another up with our words. Ephesians 4:29 29 Do no…

Whether it’s by complaining, criticizing, gossiping, or lying, our mouths can cause a lot of problems. Words can beat us down and lift us up. They wound and they heal. And the right words at the right time can be exactly what we need to hear—or what we need to say. Let’s find the right words together in a new series, My Big Fat Mouth. James 3:1-12 …

Top Secret documents are for a few eyes only. If you are on the outside, you might feel at the mercy of those with the top secret information. This weekend, Paul is going to open up the Top Secret file for how to have a JoyFULL life, and it is going to be a not-so-top secret anymore. Come as we learn the secret to living a JoyFULL life. Philippians…

If you were to brainstorm the top 5 stressors in your life right now, what would make the list? Finances? Work/employment? Relationships? Family/parenting? We live in a culture that is wrapped in stress and anxiety, yet Paul’s charge at the end of Philippians is to ‘not be anxious about anything.’ These words seem improbable, even impossible when w…