Of all the things we say in the Lord’s Prayer, this might be the one that sound strangest to our ears.  We don’t talk that often about hallowing things today.  This morning, we’ll think about what it means to hallow God’s name and why...

Many of us struggle with prayer.  We’re not sure what to say, we stumble over our words, and sometimes we even forget to pray.  Jesus knew this would happen.  And that’s why He spent time teaching His followers how to pray. ...

We finish up our series on the characteristics of God by talking about what, for many of us, is His most important characteristic—He is full of grace.  It’s wonderful to know that God is powerful and all-knowing and unchangeable and just, ...

Last week, we talked about how God is just in all that He does and in every judgment that He makes. This morning, we’re going to think about what it means for us to be people who seek justice in our lives and in our communities. - Pastor Ron Ko...

You’ve heard it a lot.  You’ve probably said it a time or two.  “It’s not fair!” we say and then follow up with what isn’t fair.  “Why did she get a bigger piece of cake?” or “I deserved the promotion more than they did!” We all ...

We live in a world where everything changes. No matter how hard we try to make something last, nothing does. Except God. He is who He always was and who He always will be. He is always the same. And that’s good news. - Pastor Ron Kool

What does it mean that God is all knowing? It means He knows every inch of His creation perfectly. Nothing catches God by surprise because He gives life, definition, and purpose to everything around us. Psalm 139 tells us there’s one thing God ...

Our understanding of what God is like can make a huge difference in our lives.  If we don’t know He is merciful, we will live in fear.  If we don’t think about His holiness, we won’t be committed to being holy.  This morning, we’...

Some of the best news in the Bible is that our failures are not final.  God doesn’t just cancel us and move on to someone or something else.  Our God specializes in restoring people who have blown it.  This morning, we’ll see how...

The disciples of Jesus had not done very well with the crucifixion of Jesus.  They had run away and denied even knowing Him.  And when He rose again, they weren’t exactly quick to grasp what had happened.  Jesus comes to them and...

John 11:17-27In each of His “I AM” statements, Jesus addresses a human problem.  He said He was the Bread of Life that would satisfy our hunger. He said He was the Light of the World, to guide and protect us in the darkness. This mo...

Pastor Arek O'Connell delivers this Good Friday message.

From a human standpoint, those coming to arrest Jesus had all the power and were in control.  They had larger numbers, weapons, and the power of Rome behind them.  They will “succeed” in arresting Jesus, but only after Jesus has shown...

An important question we need to ask frequently in life is, “What’s the real root of the matter here?” Whether it be in navigating relationships, making business decisions, or making plans for the future. As we consider what it means for Jesus ...

We live in a world where we have, it seems, way too many choices. Do we choose this career or that career?  Do we live here or do we live there? At times it can feel overwhelming and we may feel lost in a sea of choices. In the midst of al...

We don’t like it when people ask for too much.  It just doesn’t seem right. They should be happy with what they have. But this morning we’re going to look at a story in which Jesus says that the problem with us sometimes is not that we ask...

Kirk Kingsley leads this week's class on the Spiritual Discipline of Silence and Solitude.

Of all the animals we might want to be compared to, a sheep is probably the worst.  If you call me a tiger or a lion or a bear, I’m happy.  They’re strong, fast, tough.  Sheep, on the other hand, are weak and defenseless and not ...

A belief that is very popular in our world is that there are multiple ways to find and connect with God. However, John is going to make it clear that there is really only one way in and one way out, through the door… and that door is Jesus. - P...

Kristin Hileman leads the second part of "Evangelism and Sharing Your Story." In this Intro to Spiritual Disciplines class, you'll hear testimonies from 3 different women and how an act of sharing the gospel has had a generational impact.

In a recent survey, over 50% of the adults responding admitted that they were afraid of the dark.  And they had good reasons—some said they were afraid of what can be hiding in the dark. Others pointed out that statistically more crimes ha...

When we think of Jesus, we tend to think of Him in one of two ways.  On the one hand, we see Him as the gentle shepherd, kind and compassionate.  On the other hand, we also see Him as God Almighty, controller of all creation. This mor...

Pastor Arek O'Connell discusses Evangelism and the importance of Sharing Your Story at Hillside's Intro to Spiritual Disciplines class.

James has one more challenge for those to whom he is writing—when someone who had been walking with Jesus wanders from the truth.  James knows that there are times when people are going to drift or walk away.  His call to us is, at on...

James has been full of practical advice for living in troubled times. He’s called us to be faithful and make sure our faith shows itself in works.  He’s called us to watch our tongues and how we spend our money.  As he gets ready to c...