New Beginnings Lutheran Church

We spell prayer, “t.a.l.k.” Prayer is just talking. But we often feel deficient in our prayer lives. Wanna learn how to pray better? Jesus only begins one prayer saying, “Pray like this.” If you want to know how, this prayer will show you.

The history of the world is a salvation story. This metanarrative overlays every other detail we are told or tell ourselves. It defines our dreams, whether waking or sleeping. Every plotline culminates here.

There is no way to understand the human world without stories. They fill our newspapers, court records, sports events, political debates, playgrounds, private thoughts, and public conversations. The Bible frames our stories.

Our experiences shape our conversations--the stories we tell each other and ourselves--and we want these tales to work in our favor. These stories have power to shape our lives and change them.

Stories are what make our societies possible, and impossible. Stories make us or break us. Conspiracy theories and disinformation serve a purpose--they satisfy our hunger for order. The truth will actually set us free.

The wedding invitations have been sent. Are you on the invite list? Have you RSVP'd? Will you be in attendance?

Are you sitting in your proper place? Do you know your place? “Those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Stories are caught as much as taught. A dark power in some stories spreads fast and leads to division and distrust. But our storytelling can also be harnessed as a narrative force for good.

A story-war has been waged--since before history began--to control your mind. Big-businesses and governments can only dream of the narrative Deathstar seeking to grip your imagination and rob you of you.

Who are you? How you answer that question depends on the stories you tell yourself. Stories frame our sense of self. Inside our heads, the self-talk storifies our lives, but knowing our backstory will save the plot!

Got a boat? If so, too bad for you! Everyone who heads to the lake this weekend is going to miss-out. Sure, you may be able to stream the content later, but it won’t be the same.

Want a better perspective on Jesus? Climb a tree! Sounds like a bad joke, but when you become a follower of Jesus, you’ll do anything to see Him more! And your life will invite others to see Him too!

Need a miracle? Pray. Hungry? Pray. Sick? Pray. Need help? Pray. And learn that God provides through bakers, dentists, doctors, educators, and even politicians! That’s just a partial list of all the miracles God provides for us.

Here is one of my favorite movie quotes: a woman says, “I don’t believe in the devil.” a man replies, “Well, you should. He believes in you.” We'll be reading from different sections of the gospel of Mark to stretch our grasp of unseen realities also under Jesus’ dominion.

What are you most afraid of? To quote an old children’s show: “God is bigger than the boogie man!” Jesus rose up, larger than the disciples’ greatest fear—greater than the windswept sea—and showed who He is.

Most people know the story of the prodigal son. And for Jesus followers, most of us identify with the prodigal son. But that wasn’t the association Jesus was seeking in His story. Jesus had another goal in mind, and it’s important that we get it … for our own good.

Is there any relationship between sickness and sin? How would you feel if you were sick and someone indicated it was a result of disobedience in your life? I wouldn’t be surprised if you punched that person in the nose! But what if that person was Jesus?

If we had to guess whom Jesus would commend, we’d probably look for spiritually superior people; Jesus chose the “poor in spirit.” We’d identify people who rejoiced in the midst of losses; Jesus chose those who mourn.

Fishing is boring. Now catching! That’s fabulous! We fish in order to catch, if you think about it. Some fish are harder than others to net, but not for Jesus. Jesus loves catching and there’s just one kind of fish He wants to catch.

Doesn’t it shock you that the disciples abandon everything to follow Jesus? They left their livelihoods and families to become homeless followers of a vagrant, Jewish rabbi.