Restoration Church

In the aftermath of the resurrection, a small band of disciples are called beyond the borders of their comfort and culture and into the mission of God. Out of this mission, a new kind of family takes root: an eclectic and empowered community called the Church. Together in the power and presence of God, they’d find a new identity and calling: witnesses. (Acts 1:1-11)

Are we left to figure this out on our own? That was the question running through the minds of the disciples in the final hours before the crucifixion – and it’s a question we may have pondered, too. But Jesus gives a promise for the journey ahead: the persistant presence of a God who not only walks with us, but fights for our wholeness. (John 14:15-21)

In John 14, Jesus makes a clarifying and galvanizing statement: He doesn’t simply have the way or teach the way, that He is the way. Two thousand years later, this invitation to know Him as ‘the way’ is still an invitation into the kind of life and abundance we’ve been promised. The question is this: will we receive it? (John 14:1-14)

We are bombarded and frequently overwhelmed on all sides by voices that sound authoritative and compelling – and many of those voices claim to speak on behalf of God. So how do we discern what is genuine? Better yet, how do we hear His voice for ourselves? This weekm we’re talking about what it means hear His voice – as well as unpacking some healthy guardrails for helping us discern together. (John 10:1-10)

In the early hours of the morning, two disciples leave Jerusalem headed to a small town. In the death of Jesus, they’d lost their friend, their future, and their hope. It was a crisis of faith – a crisis that mirrors the same moments of doubt and disillusionment we so often face. So how can we find our faith again after the ground gives way and our life falls apart? (Luke 24:13-35)

Easter is not an event. It’s a season – a feast that both celebrates and continues the reality of the resurrection in our ordinary lives. In this second week of Easter, we explore the tension between the hope we profess… and the difficult days we often live through. How can we understand the tension of faith, and in spite of what we see around us, find joy? (1 Peter 1:3-9)

The resurrection of Jesus is the turning point of history. So what are we to make of the empty tomb? This week, we’ll explore the scope of God’s renewal that began that first Easter morning – a work that we’re invited to join as a sign of our hope. (John 20:1-18)

They wanted the soldier on a warhorse. Instead, they’re met by the Prince of Peace, riding on a donkey. This Sunday, Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday – a day that always challenges us to consider where our salvation lies. (Matthew 21:1-11)

There are all sorts of names and descriptions for God throughout the Bible: Savior, Lord, King… but in John 11, we meet God in a way we might not expect: as our friend. Sunday, we see how Jesus’ friendship with Mary, Martha, and Lazarus help us see how he shows up in our lives, too. (John 11:1-45)

We’ve all gone through seasons in our story that feel like “the valley of the shadow of death.” Moments that feel like the darkness is overwhelming. And when we find ourselves here, the question is clear: where is God? And what is He like? This week, we look to a familiar and powerful passage to help us meet “The God of the Valley.” (Psalm 23)