There is no story in the Bible that has been weaponized more in the service of harm and exclusion than the story of Sodom and Gomorrah. This we, as we celebrated Pride together as a community, Josh took us into the context of this story which helped us discover what is really going on. Can this story be deweaponized? Is it possible that the interpretation many of us inherited misses the real meaning of the story? Listen in as we explore that and more!
Read MoreThe first people Jesus invited to follow him were fishers. When they met Jesus they dropped their nets, docked their boats, and left everything to follow him. Have you ever wondered why? Why did Jesus start with fishers? Why did they immediately follow him? What is going on in the background of this story? The answer to that last question is a WHOLE LOT! In this sermon Josh takes us into the first century context of this story which opens up its meaning, and the meaning of Jesus, in surprising ways!
Read MoreThis Sunday we jumped back into our Bible Stories for Grown-Ups series by talking about the story of the three Hebrew boys and the fiery furnace from Daniel chapter three. What does this story mean in its context? What challenges or comforts does it offer to us in our own context? Josh discusses all that and more in this sermon!
Read MoreThis Sunday Lead Pastor Josh Scott and Founding Pastor Stan Mitchell were together in conversation. Here's a preview of their discussion:
Inclusion is the very heart of the Gospel. So in this Pride Month, as the specific matter of LGBTQ+ inclusion is top of mind and heart, we are reminded of an even deeper reality…and that is that we are, all of us, included…that we are all a part of one another…whether we recognize that union or not. And so, as Christianity continues it's reckoning with the specific issue of LGBTQ+ inclusion, it must necessarily face the underlying roots of its greatest failure here…and that is the sin of religious exclusivism.
Read MoreThis Sunday we were excited to welcome William Stell to GracePointe! William was joined by GP Founding Pastor, Stan Mitchell, for a discussion around his recently released book, "Born Again Queer: A History of Evangelical Gay Activism and the Making of Antigay Christianity."
Read MoreThis week, we returned to our Bible Stories for Grown-Ups series just in time for Pentecost. On the Christian calendar, Pentecost marks the arrival of the Holy Spirit and is often celebrated as the birth of the Church. While the central Pentecost story is found in Acts 2, there is far more happening beneath the surface than we often realize.
In this sermon Josh Scott explores the depth, beauty, and challenge of this powerful story—and we consider what it might mean for our lives and communities today.
Read MoreThis week we continued our Bible Stories for Grown-Ups series by looking at the story of Ruth. This teaching follows the drama of Ruth, Naomi, and Boaz through loss, risk, and unexpected grace, all to discover how ordinary acts of faithfulness can open the door to extraordinary, transformative possibilities. We also explored how the story of Ruth challenges our own current moment, too.
Read MoreThis week we began a new series called Bible Stories for Grown-Ups. The idea behind the series is simple: Many of us were offered interpretations of the Bible as children and, either implicitly or explicitly, told that we had the right "answers" and that faithfulness meant keeping and repeating those interpretations for our whole lives. But that isn't how anything really works, is it? As we mature into adulthood and beyond, we take what we were taught as children--about math, science, etc--and expand our understanding as we grow. Shouldn't we do the same with the Bible? Our first sermon in this series explores the contentious relationship between two brothers, Jacob and Esau. What does their story have to say to us as grown-ups?
Read MoreThis week we were excited to welcome our Founding Pastor, Stan Mitchell, to our gathering! It's always a meaningful time when Stan is with us, and this was no different!
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