Thrive in the Decline with Pastor Josh Cougle

Job is surrounded by friends who accuse him of deserving his pain... he pushes back, as over and over, they tell him what God thinks of him. Job teaches us that there's no substitute for the word of God in our lives.

Studies show people who really believe in God, like enough to go to church regularly, and who have a robust belief in the afterlife, do a lot better on a number of mental health issues... why? Job shows us what kept him going through through the worst situations imaginable.

In Job 3, we see Job unmask his pain, cursing the day of his birth after losing everything. His raw lament—honest grief expressed to God—teaches us that faith isn't hiding sorrow but bringing it to Him. Through Job’s story, we learn God knows our pain, inviting us to lament like Jesus did, trusting in His love. Whether facing loss, anger, or despair, your story isn’t over. Lamenting fosters intimacy with God, transforming suffering into a bridge to deeper faith, hope, and communal support, pointing us to Jesus’ redemptive suffering.

Discover the courage of faith in our sermon on membership and trials. Explore Job's unwavering trust in God amidst loss, inspired by stories like the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste. Learn how suffering refines faith, drawing from Job’s resilience and modern examples of perseverance. Join our church family today!

Week 1 of "From Riches to Rags: The Story of Job" examines why good people suffer, drawing from Job’s trials. Through Job 1:1-12 and Psalm 23:4, discover how to trust God in pain, finding hope and faithfulness amid life’s challenges, as Job’s story points to Jesus’ redemptive suffering.