We've all seen a movie when a superhero has to decide whether to use their special power. There's one reason they take action--concern for the person who needs it. Similarly, the more someone loves the people of the church, the more willing that person will be to use their gifts for the good of their church. In this Scripture, we find a description…

There are many kinds of spiritual gifts and we all have a unique combination of them. That can make it difficult to know which ones the Holy Spirit has given to each disciple. This message will provide an overview of the different spiritual gifts and practical guidance for people to discover how they are uniquely gifted by God to be a part of His w…

BridgePointe 2022 Christmas celebration.By Jared Cowgur

When it comes to spiritual gifts, people can drift to two extremes--they can think they don't need the gifts of others or they can think that no one needs the gift they have. Using the image of a body with many parts, this Scripture teaches that every disciple of Jesus has a gift that is important to the church. And every person needs the rest of t…

Many people within the church don't realize that they are uniquely gifted by God to participate in His work through the church. Others have an idea of how they're gifted, but still haven't yet realized their full potential. In this introduction to spiritual gifts, we will learn where they come from, who get them, and what purpose they have in our l…

Because of their commitment to Jesus, disciples bring His Kingdom to earth by living with a purpose. God created us with a desire for purpose and there's no greater one to live for than helping people enter the Kingdom of God and experience its renewal here on earth. This purpose extends into every part of life--work, school, family, community. The…

Because of their commitment to Jesus, disciples bring His Kingdom to earth by offering what they have to make earth more like heaven. Money is an incredible resource God has entrusted to us for this purpose. For a disciple, giving begins with the church because it represents God's presence and purpose on earth. Generosity is also expressed by respo…

Because of their love for Jesus, disciples do their part to build up His church. The church is not a building or a service but a people who are united by their commitment to Jesus. The best way to strengthen other disciples is through deep, meaningful relationships. People often wait for others to initiate relationships. But a core practice of a di…

Because of their commitment to Jesus, disciples do their part to build up His church. The church will be healthier, stronger, and more effective when each person finds a way to use their time and talent to serve others in the church. There are countless ways to do this-- hospitality, prayer, ministry teams, leadership, meeting needs, etc. We each h…

Disciples live with Jesus as King, giving Him full authority over their lives. There are so many other things in our lives that divide our attention and demand our allegiance. We need a regular rhythm of worship with our church to help us keep Jesus as the highest priority and authority in our lives. This worship gathering can best serve its purpos…

Disciples live with Jesus as King, giving Him full authority over their lives. This allegiance is established not by power or force but by love. Jesus has demonstrated His love for us and He wants us to trust Him to lead us into life at its best. This kind of dependence and allegiance happens one day at a time. Jesus taught that our relationship wi…

God's love never fails. He never gives up on the possibility of life with His people. He continues to initiate, promise, and pursue. No matter how far someone runs from God, there's always a way back. No part of Scripture makes this more clear than the prophets of the Old Testament. God's promises find their fulfillment in Jesus, who assures us of …

Sin is the greatest and only threat to our relationship with God. Not only does the offensiveness of sin break the relationship, the guilt of sin can often keep us from coming back to God to reconcile the relationship. Even long before Jesus, God offered forgivenss to His people so that they could live with God. Through Jesus' life and death, God f…

It is often the pain in our own lives or the problems in the world around us that make us feel like God is not close. But the times actually provide a unique opportunity to experience God's presence. For the people of Israel, God most powerfully revealed His presence when things were at there worst. They came to know God as the One who is always wi…

How can I be sure that God really loves me? Is it really possible to be close to God? The Bible begins and ends with a picture of God delighting in being to His people. And at the center of the story is what God was willing to do to make that possible. God loves each person so much that He came from heaven to earth as Jesus, Immanuel, so that all w…

Each of us deeply desires for our lives to make a difference. Jesus tells us that the difference He wants us to make is bringing the Kingdom of Heaven into this world, right where we live. Jesus described the coming of His Kingdom as a harvest, which makes us wonder how we can bring a good harvest by the end of our lives. Jesus reveals a secret abo…

We live close to a lot of people--those who are next door, at workspace, in your family, and all along your way. In Scripture, these people are called neighbors. Jesus tells a shocking story to show that one of the best ways to bring His Kingdom to earth is by being a good neighbor to the people close to you. Jesus challenges each of us to not look…

Money is a powerful resource in our world. It can be used for great good, terrible evil, or nothing at all. Jesus spoke often about money not only because it affects our hearts but also because it can be used to bring His Kingdom to earth. People who follow Jesus should manage their possessions differently than the rest of the world, for the good o…

Forgiveness might be the most difficult thing Jesus asks us to do. It's also one of the most powerful ways the Kingdom of God breaks into our world of sin, brokenness, and pain. Even the first disciples were shocked at the kind of forgiveness Jesus expects from His followers. So, Jesus told a story to help us see that our ability to forgive others …

God unconditionally, relentlessly loves every person. God wants His people to possess and demonstrate that love to others. God especially wants us to share His passion and urgency for those who are still far from Him. Jesus confronted religious leaders who thought some were too far away to be brought back to God. Jesus urged His followers to love t…

We know and feel that the world is not as it should be. Our hearts long for something better--a world of compassion, peace, kindness, grace, and joy. Jesus announced he was bringing a new reality into the world--His Kingdom is coming. This new reality is what our world needs and our hearts long for. Jesus said it comes through His people who live d…

We have this one brief life to live. We were made to find satisfaction in God and yet our hearts are so prone to chase after the things of this world. How do we make sense of life under the sun? We all need wisdom and understanding. Even that is a pursuit that can take God's place in our lives. But when we seek God and His wisdom, it gives us the p…

In this world, money equals opporutnity, comfort, security, power, status, and more. How we pursue and use money often reveals that we value it more than all else. We can't help but believe that more money will bring us more satisfaction. Ecclesiastes offers a sober warning from the richest person in history--like everything else under the sun, mon…

We spend so much of our lives getting ready to work and going to work. What we do is often the first thing people know or ask about us. For so many reasons, we look to work to give meaning, value, and significance to our lives. Yet, work is never complete and we are never fully satisfied with it. Even when our work results in accomplishments, affir…

We all want to be happy. It is a basic human instinct, and the primary motivator for nearly every decision we make in life. This strong desire drives us to seek happiness in so many ways. Yet, if we are honest, happiness feels so fragile and illusive. Whether we seek it in entertainment, leisure, relationships, sex, or accomplishment, we're always …

Everything in life is temporary, like smoke in the wind. Even when things last, the satisfaction we get from them doesn't. Every experience of pleasure, leisure, achievement, or affirmation is followed by an almost instantaneous desire for more of that thing. So, naturally, we strive to get more of it. And so begins the chasing after the wind. In t…

Jesus chose baptism as a distinct practice that would identify us as His people. Christians throughout history have responded to the Gospel with belief & baptism. For those who haven't been baptized yet, this message is an invitation to consider it's significance, and for those who have already been baptized, it's an encouragement to let your bapti…

Our pride is the biggest threat to our love for God. When we imagine ourselves to be independent or self-sufficient, we push God away. In one of the final scenes of David's life, in the face of God's anger over sin, David seeks to find comfort and security in his own strength. God exposes this sin, which is costly to David and Israel. Our pride is …

How do we respond when confronted with our sin? None of us want to be defined by our worst and weakest moments. What really defines us is not those moments, but how we respond to them. David, who loved God with his whole heart, still deeply sinned against God. But in his love for God, he responded to that sin with humble repentance. For us, this is…

David shows unexpected, undeserved kindness to someone who could attempt to compete with him for the throne. This is first an incredible picture of God's mercy toward us in Jesus, who welcomes the weak, the power, the powerless, and the disloyal to eat at the King's table. When we have received such love, we also ought to show compassion to those a…

The presence of God is no ordinary thing. It deserves our reverence, awe, and worship. When we recognize that our sin could have kept us from the presence of God, we should be filled with joyful worship that God has given us His presence once again.By Keith Cabral

How do we respond to people who hurt us or have it out for us? Do we look for every opportunity to get even? Or will we choose mercy and kindness, even when it is costly to us? David faced this decision on several occasions and showed mercy to the one who chose to be his enemy. When our hearts are full of love for God, His love flows through us eve…

When we love God and desire to live for Him, we constantly need the wisdom, guidance, and peace of God that is only available to us through prayer. Because David loved God with his whole heart, he prayed to God about the difficult decisions he faced. Whatever decisions we face, large or small, should be approached with prayer to the God we love and…

The battle between David and Goliath isn't really about a little guy and a big giant. Instead, it's about a big challenge and an even bigger God. Faithfulness to God required David to do something far beyond his own ability. Faith is like that for us, too. Eventually, we'll encounter a challenge, a decision, or a change that is just too risky or co…

When God chose a leader for His people, God cared only about their heart. Only David, of all people in Scripture, was described as a "man after God's own heart." It didn't matter that David wasn't strong, impressive, or experienced because he loved God first and most. We are tempted to evaluate ourselves based on things that people see--skills, str…

This message will go live Sun, 6/25/23 One of the core questions we face is what we will let rule over our hearts and lives. Through His kindness, power, and love, God has shown Himself to be a good and faithful King. But the temptation is strong to put ourselves or something else in that highest place. God wants to have our whole hearts and warns …

By Bob Miller

We don't often think of what we want to be true of our lives at the end of them. But it is both healthy and helpful to gaze ahead to the end of our days to consider what is most important to us. For Paul, he found peace and contentment in being faithful to the end. Each of us have a unique part in the story of the Gospel. We can't control what part…

Jesus sent his disciples out as His witnesses to the ends of the earth. 30 years later, Rome is evangelized and the Gospel has outposts across the entire ancient world. This happened through ordinary people who were empowered by the Spirit and obedient to God, one step at a time. Our cumulative obedience will result in a Gospel harvest that will fa…

Paul had a deep desire to take the Gospel to Rome. He was focused on that, while not missing the Gospel opportunities right in front of him. Likewise, we should have a vision for who we want to see impacted by the Gospel and commit to sharing it with them. And at the same time, be open to unexpected opportunities God gives to share the Gospel along…

In our culture, it is common for people to judge harshly those who follow Jesus. Our character and reputation matter. If our lives were on trial, what would be revealed about the Gospel? It is the simple, quiet acts of faith that we choose day-by-day that result in a life that is blameless and faithful in the end.…

Elizabeth provides an example of faithfulness to God. Her story invites us to be faithful, when life is full of disappointment, when life is full of delight and when others are full of doubt. When our lives are marked by the same kind of faithfulness, the Gospel will take ahold of us and come into the world through us.…

God is sovereign. He is working for our good and the advance of the Gospel. He can use whatever we are going through to draw us closer to Him and provide unexpected opportunities for people to see and hear the Gospel through us. God is always with us and we need to listen for His voice so we can see how He is working even when it's hard.…

When following Jesus is difficult or costly, it is helpful to go back to the love you felt from Him at first. Remembering and retelling God's first work in our lives keeps our faith fresh and invites others to find life in Jesus as we have. When we share our story respectfully, honestly, and humbly, people can see the power of the Gospel through us…

No one can be faithful to Jesus without personal sacrifice. Jesus modeled it and told His disciples to expect the same. Choosing faithfulness to Jesus and His mission will bring us closer to opposition and sacrifice. It will also bring us closer to Jesus, who suffered in every way. To remain faithful to the end, we must be prepared for the cost of …

This is the first message in the third part of our study of Acts. We look back at the book of Acts and see that Jesus sends His people to be His witnesses by the power of the Holy Spirit. The opposition we experience will test our devotion to Jesus and our dedication to His work. By the power of the Spirit, we can resolve to be faithful to God unti…

By Jared Cowgur

We have a discomfort with silence. We feel it in conversation, when we are with people, even when we are alone. We fill every empty space with noise--music, podcasts, shows. Even when there's not noise, we're usually plugged into some technology that is still bombarding our minds. The result is that we are anxious, distracted, and disconnected from…

Have you ever noticed that Jesus never seemed to be in a hurry? He never seemed stressed or anxious. In a world dominated by hurry, stress, and anxiety, wouldn't you love to know His secret? Jesus exerted control over His life and always lived with margin--empty space--in life. We fill every space on our calendar with busyness. And the result is th…

In this special service, BridgePointe commemorates its tenth birthday by celebrating what God has done among us and looking to future.