Faith & Works (James 2:14-26) | Esther Chang

Faith & Works (James 2:14-26) | Esther Chang

Which matters more in the spiritual life: what we believe, or what we do? How do we understand the importance of action in the life of faith? Join us as we explore the controversy between faith and works and examine the metaphor that James gives for how to understand the relationship between what we do and what we believe. We will then examine the illustrations James gives us in this passage to look at three different checkpoints for our faith: does our faith change how we live? Do we take risks in faith? Do we move towards those in need?

Move Toward to the Vulnerable | Joanna Bartel

The call and challenge of James can hit hard: "show no favoritism." Actually it goes a little further than that: "you are inclined to show favoritism to the rich person, so instead Christ follower, intentionally move out of that mindset and care for the widow, care for the orphan, care for the one who has no status or wealth or power".The way of Jesus asks us to live in a specific way, in a way that makes us present to the outsider, that asks us to befriend the lonely, to feed the hungry, and to care for the vulnerable in our midst.

Trials & Temptations | Adam Hendrix

The struggles and trial that will come into every life should not be waved away, and we should not pretended they don't exist. However there is a way to view the trial that sets our eyes on something further back, something beyond the affliction, something that will transform us in the midst of the struggle to be a people of abiding joy!

Extraordinary in the Ordinary | Adam Hendrix

Often we have the tendency to zoom past our ordinary, mundane moments of work to get to the exciting, extraordinary things. But what if each of these moments were actually taking place on holy ground? Part of rethinking work is the chance to experience every mundane work moment as a burning bush moment.

Work As Art | Adam Hendrix

In our culture, work can be overly consumed with getting the product or outcome completed with the utmost efficiency. We can be tempted to shortcut the struggle of work in order to get our tasks done. But the Bible gives us a vision of God as a creator who works with great attention and care. God is an artist who imbues the universe with beauty and wonder. If we are made in the image of God, this means we are created to work with care and attention like him. Like an artist.  What would it look like to work not just for outcomes, but to allow the Spirit of God being more beauty than needed into all spaces of the world.