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Outreach

Go Love (Luke 7:36-50) Chris Altrock – November 5, 2017

Solving the Puzzle of Me

Eleanor Oliphant is the main character of a book by Gail Honeyman.[1] She is raised by an abusive mother. As an adult she reacts to the pain of the childhood abuse by withdrawing socially and spending her weekends behind closed doors in her small apartment drinking vodka.

After a particularly depressing weekend in which she almost dies from alcohol poisoning, Eleanor comes to her senses:

My life, I realized, had gone wrong. Very, very wrong. I wasn’t supposed to live like this. No one was supposed to live like this. The problem was that I simply didn’t know how to make it right…no one had ever shown me the right way to live a life, and although I’d tried my best over the years, I simply didn’t know how to make things better. I could not solve the puzzle of me. [Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman]

The Bible is full of people like Eleanor. People who aren’t sure how to live a life. People who can’t solve “the puzzle of me.”Read More »Go Love (Luke 7:36-50) Chris Altrock – November 5, 2017

Go Contribute to the Poor (Rom. 15:22-29) Chris Altrock, Ron Wade – April 30, 2017

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22 This is the reason why I have so often been hindered from coming to you. 23 But now, since I no longer have any room for work in these regions, and since I have longed for many years to come to you, 24 I hope to see you in passing as I go to Spain, and to be helped on my journey there by you, once I have enjoyed your company for a while.

25 At present, however, I am going to Jerusalem bringing aid to the saints. 26 For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem. 27 For they were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have come to share in their spiritual blessings, they ought also to be of service to them in material blessings. 28 When therefore I have completed this and have delivered to them what has been collected, I will leave for Spain by way of you. 29 I know that when I come to you I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ. (Romans 15:22-29 ESV)

 

For years Paul has been trying to get to Rome, as part of his effort to get to Spain. Paul’s work in the east has reached a tipping point and he’s ready to head west to Spain. But he wants to stop in Rome on the way. He wants to stop there for two reasons. First, to enjoy the company of the Christians in Rome. Second, to give them a chance to help him on his journey to Spain.Read More »Go Contribute to the Poor (Rom. 15:22-29) Chris Altrock, Ron Wade – April 30, 2017

Go China (Acts 13) Chris Altrock & Hunter Deng – November 20, 2016

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9 Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews. 20 But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists also, preaching the Lord Jesus. 21 And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord. 22 The report of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23 When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose, 24 for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord. 25 So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26 and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians. (Acts 11:9-26 ESV)

            When suffering or pain knock on the front door of our lives, most of us just want to know two things: 1) “How long are you staying?” and 2) “What can I do to make your say shorter?” Simply put, we hate pain. But Luke, the author of this book called Acts, reminds us that sometimes positive things are born from pain.Read More »Go China (Acts 13) Chris Altrock & Hunter Deng – November 20, 2016

Go: Growing From One to the World (Jn 6:51) Chris Altrock, John Chen, David Ralston, Lawana Maxwell – May 8, 2016

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The World

Jean Piaget was a Swiss psychologist. His research is foundational for the way we understand how humans grow up. I majored in psychology in college and studied Piaget. He believed that we mature through four stages. I want to quickly describe those four stages. I want to just focus on one aspect of those stages – the way the children slowly move from just being concerned about themselves to also being concerned about others in the world around them.Read More »Go: Growing From One to the World (Jn 6:51) Chris Altrock, John Chen, David Ralston, Lawana Maxwell – May 8, 2016