Woodstock City Church

Jesus’s kingdom is not advanced by force, but over time through transformed lives. We are invited to participate in its expansion.

The fight of faith is about becoming more like Jesus, not about defeating enemies.

To participate in the kingdom of God is to surrender our hearts to the rule and reign of God.

The term "Christ" was originally a royal title meaning "Anointed One" or “King,” not a name. And the message of the Gospel is not just about personal salvation, but about aligning with the reign of Jesus as King.

If we re-center our faith around the arrival of a King rather than a ticket to heaven, we will discover why his arrival and his kingdom is good news for all people.

Just as the apostle Paul wrote to the Jesus followers in Ephesus, you were made for something more than yourself. You are God’s workmanship, and you’ve got something to offer God’s Kingdom.

There is a direct relationship between following in the way of Jesus and unleashing our potential for good.

Since the very beginning, God has been illuminating the darkness. And with the birth of Jesus, God was proclaiming to the world, “Let there be light.”

The lineage of Jesus is full of people with stories that would make anyone blush, including the likes of King David and Lot’s daughters. But in spite of jaw-dropping choices people made, God’s purposes marched forward.

Rahab is one of a few people in the lineage of Jesus that wasn’t Jewish — she was a Canaanite. Not to mention, she was a prostitute. But neither of those things kept her from being used by God in an incredible way.

The story of Judah and Tamar is probably not one we would have mentioned if we were the ones telling the back story of Jesus’s ancestors. However, many times God’s story highlights the unlikely and the undeserving.

No one likes unsolicited advice, but at times it feels like God gives a lot of it. This Sunday we’ll hear about the power of saying yes to direction, regardless of whether we asked for it.

Life’s challenges are inevitable, but choosing to trust God during those tough times can be transformative. It’s when we are faced with struggle that our faith is exposed and can be strengthened.

While we can't predict when miracles happen, there is a posture we can take that increases the chances of God doing a supernatural work within us.

Our circumstances don’t define how God feels about us. So how do we navigate those circumstances when we don’t get the miracle?

Miracles are at God’s discretion to further God’s purposes.

The miracle of the universe is the foundation of our faith in God, but a different miracle is the foundation of our faith in Jesus.

Serving people with different lived experiences is one of the primary things God uses to fine-tune our worldview.

We are all uniquely gifted to play a part in the story of God. And every part is indispensable.

The intention and desire of Jesus for his church is that we would be a difference and make an impact.