Being Broken by God

James Rochford

2 Corinthians 4:1-18

Paul addresses the timeless issue of Christian suffering and how we should respond. Although we often wish that God would bless us by removing suffering, the truth is, often we are blessed through suffering, which enables us to grow spiritually and experience God's closeness in a unique way. As we persevere through suffering in faith, our "outer man" becomes broken, allowing God's light to shine forth from within.

Faithful is He Who Calls You

Mike Sullivan

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

Paul ends his letter to the Thessalonians by praying for them--asking God to sanctify them, and reminding them that God is faithful to do what He has promised. God has also promised to sanctify us, and while He is the one who does the work, we have an active role to play as well.

Reflecting the Light of God

Dennis McCallum

2 Corinthians 4:1-18

When people first meet Christ, part of God lives inside of them. Why then do Christians go on sinning? How do people become more Christ-like? The answer is in the breaking down of the outer man. God oftentimes uses circumstances and suffering to lead His followers into becoming more and more like Christ.

Elisha Joins Elijah

Jim Leffel

1 Kings 19:19-21

Elisha is going to replace Elijah. Good leaders look to replace themselves. This was Jesus's method and it should be the church's method as well. God uses people to build His church. This teaching covers discipleship, growing with God, and also the importance of finishing the race well.

What was Meant for Evil, God Uses for Good

Joke Van Opstal

Revelation 21:3-4

Being a Christian does not exempt anyone from suffering. No matter how many good things we may do for God, we will still experience suffering, because suffering is not the result of God's punishment on us. Suffering is a tool for our sanctification, to help us grow and develop stronger character. As we grow to know our God, we see that his picture is much bigger than ours, and he is weaving a story through our suffering to bring about good, though we may not see it in the midst of our trials. We have a choice to make in how we respond when faced with suffering: we can give up in bitterness or hold fast to the Lord's promises and His eternal hope.

The Waiting is the Hardest Part

Liz Sweet

Psalms 130:5

Waiting is an inevitable and frustrating part of life, and the Christian life is not exempt. Though we often short circuit what God wants to do through our waiting, waiting is necessary. This is in part because God is sovereign and knows what is best far beyond our own perceptions. This means that He also has His own timing. We often yearn for growth and change but they take time, as does forming a deeper relationship with our Creator. As we examine reasons why we are called to wait, and who the God is that calls us to wait, we can arrive at a confident hope in our Lord.

Winning Men in a Culture of Passivity

Doug O'Malley

James 4:17

The statistics exposing the passivity of men in our culture are grim, and the church is by no means exempt. Passivity is a lack of action or response, a sin of omission. This workshop provides practical resources for challenging Christian men in this area, ranging from conversations we should ensure we are having, to group ethos changes, to suggestions of how to help motivate them towards God. Jesus wants to draw all men to himself, and we should fight diligently to win men into lives devoted to Christ.

Created for Good - Restoring Hope in Our Christian Lives

Brian Adams

Katie Adams

Romans 7:24-25

The fear of falling from grace can at times cripple us, especially when we see other spiritual leaders fall. But while we are capable of evil, we have been created for glory. God created us for good, and he offers his comfort for the fearful. By observing the transformation of the apostle Peter we see a model of grace's power to provide hope and change. In fact we see powerful transformations scattered across the Bible! These examples and truths give us hope in our own Christian lives.

Overcoming Anger and Bitterness

Joey Francisco

James 1:20

Joey Francisco teaches a breakout session on understanding what anger is, what the Bible says, and how we can navigate our responses to it. Sometimes our anger is legitimate, and it's important to process through our thoughts and actions. \r\n\r\n