Message by Will Herron - Jesus was the master of illustration and parable. And He uses such a story in Luke 11 to communicate the nature of God and the nature of prayer. Cultural insights are helpful to understand what Jesus is telling us, as is looking at the characters and their actions. From all of it, we learn that God wants us to come to Him with honesty and boldness and with an understanding of His heart. Scripture referenced: Luke 11:5–13

Daniel Chapter 2: When Daniel was faced with the impossible—when his very life was in jeopardy—he prayed. And God answered. He provided Daniel with revelation. He gave Him the meaning of King Nebuchadnezzar's dream, which was a prophecy foretelling future events. This situation and prophecy from 2500 years ago is still applicable to us today. It (along with a whole lot of other Bible verses) teaches us the first thing to do is to pray—not to figure it out or fix it on our own, but to ask God. And Nebuchadnezzar's dream reveals the new heaven and new earth—what is to come. In that, we know there is no future in pain. There is no future in evil. That should change how we live in the present. Message by Pr. Mike Van Rees Scripture referenced: Daniel 2

Daniel: Chapter 1 - The kingdom of Judah is conquered, and Nebuchadnezzar, the Babylonian King, takes more than the nation's treasures. He takes its people. Not all of them, just some—the best. He takes them and immerses them in the culture of Babylon, teaching them its language and literature. Why? So they would forget the customs and culture from where they came and assimilate to their new surroundings, which would mean forgetting their God and opposing His ways. But one of those exiles resolved to be different. Daniel decided he would not compromise. He would not conform. He would remain a man of conviction and faith. Here and now, we are living in a Babylon of our own. How can we live in this world but not be of this world? How can we live like Daniel? Message by Pr. Mike Van Rees Scripture referenced: Daniel 1

Daniel: Hope in/for a Hostile World - To fully understand what God is telling us in the book of Daniel, we need to understand Babylon and that begins in Genesis 11. One world language allowed engineers to engineer and builders to build. It allowed for the creation of an architectural feat—the tower of Babel. And it allowed for something harrowing. Those involved were working and achieving and living to create an identity and something on which to base their worth other than God. Sound familiar?

A Message from Julie Wiemann - Even the smallest, seemingly innocent crack can ruin a foundation and cause what was built to crumble. No one is immune to or exempt from trials in this life. Life is hard. Life is painful. And we crack. But as we deal with the cracks, our foundation is repaired, and our faith remains sure—it won't be reduced to rubble. As we apply what Jesus teaches us and live as He instructs, we remain firm and secure.

Minor Prophets: Joel - The book of Joel isn’t as it seems, at least not how the first four verses read. Yes, the wages of sin are still death—and not just physical death, but death of integrity, character, trust, relationship, even preferred future. Sin has consequence, yes. Yet sometimes God allows those consequences to get our attention. He uses them to change things and to change us so He can use us for His good and His glory.

Minor Prophets: Haggai - The issue in Haggai isn't one of wealth or the misuse of it. It's not about time or how it Is spent. It's not about trying harder or doing more. It's a heart issue. God is teaching the Israelites that their priorities should be based on what they treasure most, which should be God and their relationship with Him. Just like them, we should be so captivated by God's love and provision that we want to obey Him and serve Him—that we want to love Him back and bless others.

Minor Prophets: Zechariah - Just like the Israelites, we are called to shine. And just like them, we are surrounded by darkness. We live in a culture that more often than not advocates the opposite of what Jesus taught. Culture says love things; Jesus says love people. Culture says seek happiness; Jesus says seek holiness. Culture says indulge yourself; Jesus says deny yourself. Culture says consume; Jesus says give. Culture says if you want to find yourself, get high, drunk, or get more; Jesus says lose yourself, give yourself away, find yourself in Him. It's possible. This vision of Zechariah tells us how.

Encounter Sunday: Mike's Story - Through Mike's story, the value of community is apparent. For him, it's meant sustained recovery—a brotherhood who supports him, makes sure he's on the right path and that he's going in the right direction.

Encounter Sunday: An interview with Kayla Routson - Our Encounter interview with Kayla Routson shares what it is like to do life in community—where church is home. At The Ridge, she found where she belongs.