It's a Mad, Mad World
So much of the world around us seems mad – as in angry – and mad – as in even, at times, crazy
Politics
September 16, 2018 • Randy Hageman
Mid-term elections are approaching, and politics seem to get uglier and more mean-spirited with each new campaign season. But, disciples of Jesus need to consider our role in politics. Should we just give up and withdraw from participating, or go along with it all, or does Jesus point us to a different approach? Though the lines probably aren’t that simple, we’ll see today that Jesus and the Bible actually have a lot to say about how his disciples are to view politics.
Toxicity
September 9, 2018 • Randy Hageman
The world around us encourages to take short-cuts that short-circuit the way God intends us to live. Those short-circuits can lead us into dark places in our lives, where we’re enslaved to sin and struggle with things like anger, bitterness, sadness, and depression. It can lead to an unhealthy downward spiral in our lives, as the Book of Judges shows us. Yet, God calls us to remember His ways and His works in our lives to get back on track and experience His best.
Denial
September 2, 2018 • Brandon Deitz
Denial: Have you ever felt like things are so out of hand that you just want to cut your own pathway to anywhere but here? We've all felt it. We shut down, we shut out, we numb out, we check out.... the list goes on. Our responses range from addiction to distraction but God has called you and I to something greater. He has equipped us to overcome, to lean into the madness and live life to the fullest!
Anger & Hatred
August 26, 2018 • Randy Hageman
There seems to be a spirit of anger and hatred pervasive in our culture today. Whether in politics or social media or at work or in schools, anger seems to be rampant and even out of control. How can disciples of Jesus Christ be “in the world, but not of it”? How can we be Christ’s ambassadors? How can we avoid failing into the mire, and, instead, be used by Christ to becomes agents of kindness and love? Today we’ll see how God’s Word can help us.
Schools and Violence
August 12, 2018 • Randy Hageman
As schools prepare to begin, the reality of violence in and around our schools continues to be real. Santa Fe brought it home to us in the Bay Area. How can we be “in the world, but not of it”? How can we be Christ’s ambassadors for reconciliation? How can we find peace while sending our kids off to school, or going to work in one ourselves, or living in a world haunted by violence? God’s Word shows us how to persevere and even experience God’s peace!
In the World, But Not Of It
August 5, 2018 • Randy Hageman
It’s A Mad, Mad World So much of the world around us seems mad – as in angry – and mad – as in even, at times, crazy. We see it in relationships, on social media, in politics, at work and at school. How are disciples of Jesus supposed to live in the midst of this? Do we join in the fray, or does God’s Word point us to a better way? Let’s explore how God calls Christians to live in “a mad, mad world.” Part 1 - In the World, But Not Of It How are disciples of Jesus called to live in “a mad, mad world”? Do we withdraw, do we attack, or something else? One answer Jesus alludes to, is to be in the world, but not of it. Yet, that seems somewhat cryptic. What does that mean? What does it look like in our lives, and what difference would it make? Today we’ll explore these questions to begin to discover a working plan for living in “a mad, mad world.”