Pictures of the Kingdom | The Soil

Text: Luke 18:1-8 (NRSV) Teacher: Mandi Paszek Jesus tells the Parable of the Persistent Widow so that his disciples would “pray always and not… lose heart.” Mandi Paszek explores how our ability to persist in prayer is connected to how we view the character of God—and our willingness to let ourselves be reshaped by the experience of prayer.

Text: Matthew 22:1-14  Teacher: Josh Wilson 

Text: Matthew 13:1-23 Teacher: Josh Wilson Jesus’ Parable of the Soils invites us to consider the receptivity of our hearts. Pastor Josh explores how these soil types show up in our souls and exhorts us to cultivate hearts that are fertile places for the Kingdom of God to grow.

Text: Matthew 13:44-46  Teacher: Christine McEvoy, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship  Guest teacher Christine McEvoy uses Jesus' parables of The Hidden Treasure and The Pearl of Great Price to describe not only what the Kingdom of God is like—costly, precious, and deeply worthwhile—but also what kind of people are found in the Kingdom—those who have been captured by its goodness and respond with great joy. How will you prioritize the Kingdom of God today?

Text: Matthew 13:31-33 Teacher: Josh Wilson The Kingdom of God is like… a mustard seed? Pastor Josh shows us that God uses unassuming things to generate unprecedented results and challenges us to grapple with the tendency to abandon our integrity in the effort to achieve our goals.

Text: Luke 15:1-10 Teacher: Rashad Clemons Pastor Rashad begins a new series on the Parables of Jesus. Does God condemn us for our lostness? Rashad invites us to meet the God who relentlessly pursues us until we are found. 

Text: John 20:11-18 Teacher: Josh Wilson Did you know there’s an Easter Egg in the Easter story? Pastor Josh takes us on a hunt to reveal how John’s reference to “the gardener” helps us make sense of the resurrection and our own stories too.

Text: Philippians 4:10-13 Teacher: Josh Wilson   “I can do all things!” Pastor Josh takes on the most misunderstood text in Scripture, explaining how God gives strength to receive our limits.

Text: Philippians 3:16-4:9 Teacher: Josh Wilson What comes first: Behavior or belonging? Pastor Josh invites us beyond shame-driven striving into a journey of transformation where we live from our identity imitating others who model the character of Christ.

Text: Philippians 3:7-14 Teacher: Steve Coble, Renewal Church of Chicago Guest Pastor Steve Coble preaches about how God's gift of righteousness in Christ frees us from striving for our worthiness, and instead invites us into a joyful journey of being formed more and more by the truth of our belovedness.