Acts 17:23-34
God came close to us so that we could come close to Him.
We will be thinking and talking about how big is God and how far He is, what He did to come close to us and how I can get closer to Him.
Collaboration in Community
Acts 6:1–7
No one can do it all. Collaboration is an important part of living in community and contributing to society. It allows us to work together to seek the good of our community and expand the reach of the gospel message as we live and serve in the here and now.
God's Offer to You
Luke 18:1-30
It’s free!! Most of us hear that and wonder, “what’s the catch”? Maybe you’ve heard the saying, “If it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is.” Well, come this Sunday to hear about an offer that is truly free to everyone. *Spoiler alert – it has to do with Jesus!
Second Corinthians
A diplomatic outpost? Quarreling? Reconciliation? It sounds like something you might read in today’s news headlines. The Apostle Paul has a lot to say about it and, more importantly, his words directly apply to us today as a followers of Jesus. Come learn the why, the how and the what this Sunday as we dig into 2 Corinthians 5.
Mission Accomplished
This week Trevor Marshall reflects on Genesis 2:1-3:
"Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array.By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done."
Breakfast with Jesus
Pastor Candidate Mike joins us again to focus on the first part of a familiar passage - John 21:1-14. This Sunday the focus will not be on the restoration of Peter, but on the meal that was shared - Breakfast with Jesus - and how that meal represents the kind of relationship Jesus wants to have with you and me.
Join us as we dig deeper into God's Word to learn about that breakfast and learn about opportunities to see Jesus in our daily lives.
The Lordship of Jesus
Pastor Candidate Mike joins ICP for his first Sunday in Prague and dives into one of his favorite passages in Philippians 2:1-11. Listen in as he explores Christ's Lordship.
Dead People Stay Dead. Or Do They?
Dead people stay dead. Or do they?
1 Cor 15:1-8
He is risen! This Sunday we focus especially on the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This is one of the essential differences between Christianity and the world’s religions. Two questions we will think about together: (1) Did Jesus really rise from the dead? And (2) Does it matter?
[TL:DR - It does. Tune in to find out why!]
Jesus our Messiah
Matthew 21:1-17
This Sunday we will begin to prepare our hearts for next week’s celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead as we consider Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem. His bold claim to be Israel’s true king sets in motion the events of that week and points us to several truths that remind us that there is no one like Jesus!
The Cactus Church - Faithfulness to the Gospel: The Foundation
1 Thess 2:1-4
We are often around relatives, colleagues, neighbors, friends, and others who do not know Christ. We naturally want to see them come to know Christ, but we may struggle to steer the conversation that way or get through the gospel. God does not expect us to be or eloquent or obnoxious; he does expect us to be faithful. He enables us to share, blesses our faithfulness, and does what only he can do in the hearts of people. What does faithfulness to the gospel look like? We get a good picture from 1Thessalonians chapters 2 & 3, where Paul describes faithfulness in terms of having a foundation in the gospel, of living consistently with the gospel, and continuing to encourage those who respond.
The Cactus Church - Radically Changed by the Gospel
Radically Changed by the Gospel
1 Thess 1:8-10
Most of us would like to change something about ourselves – maybe alter our appearance or break a bad habit. We may also desire deeper change and wonder it is possible. In the gospel, the answer is a resounding yes. As we continue in 1Thessalonians we see that in Christ real change - radical, profound, lasting change in desires, character, and attitude is possible, even inevitable. Paul gives us a beautiful picture of this with his description of the deep changes that took place in the lives of the Thessalonians. We need a clear understanding of this for our own spiritual health and the health of the church.
The Cactus Church - Sustained by a Sovereign God
1 Thess 1:4-7
Even without the vivid reminders from current events, we know that life is uncertain and that we have very little control over what happens. How do we endure? Our faith, love, and hope in Christ keep our lives grounded in a good and sovereign God. This week, God willing, we will see this in 1Thessalonians 1 as Paul continues his theme of gratitude for what God has done for the Thessalonian believers and how they responded.
The Cactus Church - The Church in Christ
The Church in Christ
1 Thessalonians 1:1-10
To thrive in the difficult seasons of life we need to understand our relationship to Christ. This is true for each of us, and it is true for us together as a church. Scripture describes this several ways; this Sunday we will consider together the opening verses of 1 Thessalonians and what it means to be “in Christ” and how that is reflected in our lives (spoiler alert: faith, hope, and love).
The Cactus Church - The Chaotic Beginning
Acts 17:1-10
As I (Preston) prayed about where our attention should be focused after Proverbs, I felt drawn to Paul’s letters to the Thessalonians. This church faced great hardships from its beginning, but - like a cactus thrives despite being in a hostile environment - the Thessalonian church thrived despite the hardships. We must be able to do the same thing, for we live in tumultuous times. We will begin by looking this week in Acts 17 at the church’s chaotic beginning, and we will see the foundation Paul laid and the challenges they faced.
How to Overcome Rejection
Rev 2:8:11
Persecution and resistance to the gospel is almost to be expected in today’s world. Let’s join David Packer in investigating the letter to the church at Smyrna and gain additional understanding in this passage.
Gaining a Heart of Wisdom: Wisdom, Wonder and the World
Today we will dive into Proverbs 30 and find that inanition to wisdom, there is a sense of wonder (and a series of warnings) about the world. Join us as we continue our study through Proverbs to gain a heart of wisdom.
The Glory of God Revealed in Christ
Do you think that if God were to come to earth it might look like an Avengers movie? Join us and our special guest Simon Marshall to explore the Glory of God revealed in Jesus Christ.
The Glory of God Revealed in Creation
Psalm 8
We have a special guest speaker and our old friend Simon Marshall (UK) preaching this Sunday on Psalm 8. Learn how the beauty of creation reflects David’s song “Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!”
Job - Making the Right Choices While Life Doesn't Play by the Rules
Job is a very good man who is a part of the ‘wisdom literature’ in the book of Job. After detailing the places that wisdom can’t be found - he provides information, and an archetype for multiple New Testament authors to transcend his suffering, to lament, and to bring glory to God in his daily life.
Gaining a Heart of Wisdom - Wisdom and Relationships
We’ve seen it many times in our study of Proverbs—wisdom is not about how much information we possess but about what we love and desire. It’s no surprise that wisdom has a profound effect on all our relationships. Besides working relationships, which we looked at last week, Proverbs describes other important relationships—friends, neighbors, husband-wife, and parent-child. Trusting God’s wisdom is essential for these relationships to be healthy and fruitful.