We are listening to the Kingdom parables of Jesus, listening to his view of life and the world, and asking “how will it end?” This is a series about ultimate destinies, but rooted in present conditions and realities. The kingdom of God comes, but has also begun. This past weekend we considered the story of [...]
No one lights a lamp and then covers it with a washtub or shoves it under the bed. No, you set it up on a lamp stand so those who enter the room can see their way. We’re not keeping secrets; we’re telling them. We’re not hiding things; we’re bringing everything out into the open. [...]
The kingdom of God is always part mystery (it comes to us at odd angles and takes us by surprise), and always part practical action (there is something ordinary and at hand that we can do). Perhaps the first and most practical “kingdom” action we can take is to listen intently to the words and [...]
He said to them, “Therefore every teacher of the law who has been instructed about the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.” [Matthew 13:52] We continue our series on Jesus’ parables with this piece to add: the kingdom of [...]
God, don’t just watch from the sidelines. Come on! Run to my side! (Psalm 71:12, Message Bible) Have you ever lost something you valued, only to find it again? Of course you have, and it is a happy moment. I have a stainless steel travel mug I have lost at least 3 or 4 times, [...]
“How can we picture God’s kingdom? What kind of story can we use? It’s like a pine nut. When it lands on the ground it is quite small as seeds go, yet once it is planted it grows into a huge pine tree with thick branches. Eagles nest in it.” With many stories like these, [...]
January was a month devoted to thinking about — and praying from — the essence of our Christian faith. We hope that our Westside Creed has become more meaningful to you through the process. As we end this series, we realize this month’s teaching is a call to a beginning, to move from the position [...]
At Westside King’s Church we have made it an annual tradition to begin each new year with days of prayer. This has now become part of our annual rhythm, one of the ways we stay committed to a vibrant, clear and focused Christian life. We know that Christian life must be lived out in active [...]
We have been reviewing the essence of Christian faith this month through our series Seeking the Radical Middle: a Westside Creed. You can find the creed at our website (wkc.org/aboutwkc/whatwebelieve). This past Sunday we talked about the Holy Spirit, the third member of the Trinity, whom someone once called the shy part of God. What [...]
For the month of January we are considering what it means to be faithfully Christian, to embrace the big idea of Christianity without feeling the need to be a special brand. In fact, we are interested in the possibility of being non-branded Christians — “mere Christians” to borrow the title of CS Lewis’ famous book. [...]
It’s time to stop and worship. The long month of busy preparations are nearly over. Family and friends and church community are ready to gather. Decorations are in place, gifts are wrapped, food is prepared. The moment comes — after all of the distraction, after all of the busyness, after all of the build-up — [...]
This Christmas at Westside we have decided to shine the light on the life, rather than the birth of Jesus, the man rather than the baby. Of course we do celebrate Christmas as God’s entrance into the world. But at the same time, it is possible to become over-sentimental about that, to miss the biggest [...]
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