1. God comes to us through the flesh and blood and spirit of Christ precisely where he promised to be manifest to us and for us.
  2. I’ve experienced firsthand the promise that God never leaves a congregation empty-handed.
  3. In the tumultuous sea of information, opinions, and ideologies that break over us each day, we hold fast to the anchor of our faith—Jesus, the true prophet.
  4. A pastor is sent to proclaim the unconditional grace of God, reminding us again and again that it is our Heavenly Father who reaches out to us in love through his Christ-won forgiveness, and not the other way around.
  5. While we wait in tribulation for our white robes (or pants) to be washed in the blood of the Lamb, we confess to one another our seen and unseen stains.
  6. Grace comes for every foolish, self-absorbed sinner, for every “Nabal,” and announces that there is one who has already taken it upon himself to shoulder all of our wrongdoing, paying the price for it through the sacrifice of himself.
  7. Everything in Scripture is God revealing himself to his people, you and me.
  8. Christ Jesus brings his word and presence to where you are and he is even willing to do so through the likes of your personally present pastor.
  9. The Parable of the Lost Sheep bursts through the confines of convention and demands that we embrace the messiness of life and the unpredictable ways in which God's grace and forgiveness operates.
  10. God's faithfulness is constant and consistent. It knows no season. His love for us doesn't fade with the summer sun.
  11. Prayer is not just about asking for things. It's about receiving what has already been given to us in Christ.