"Who’s your daddy?"  In the vast world of parenting, great dads come few and far between. Like Joseph, these men know that great fathering is a life-long commitment to faith and family. This week's chapter of The Christmas Story is a rally cry for all men to rise up and reclaim the purpose of their created masculinity: FOR THE CHILDREN.

Sleepless nights and star-less skies - life transitions can be downright painful. They uproot us from our accustomed patterns and throw us into strange lands and uncomfortable accommodations. Yet, as Joseph experienced, these painful circumstance are often the very place where the divine touches the human - allowing God to bring new life and greater possibilities. Experience our next chapter in The Christmas Story as we find strength in the face of adversity: faithpains

Christmas is Jesus' birthday, but what do you give a Savior who seemingly has about everything he needs? In the gospel of Matthew, Jesus gave us his"grown-up Christmas list" - "inasmuch as you do it for the least of these brothers and sisters, you do it for me." The gospel isn't good news until it’s good for everybody - so join us this weekend in worship as we experience the next chapter in The Christmas Story: A Gift to the World.

The Christmas Story begins in a quietly remarkable way. Embedded inside the genealogy of Jesus Christ is name after name of very human, misshapen, broken people. The amazing truth of this first chapter is that God actually loves and uses very broken people. Aren't you glad? It's a reason to worship- so come, join us as we embrace the Advent season - and rediscover Jesus for the very first time. Chapter One of The Christmas Story; broken people

"Seek first God's kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." -Jesus What does it mean to demonstrate a kingdom priority? Aligning right relationship with right action in everything we do--including our money matters. This weekend at the Ginghamsburg and Fort McKinley campuses we will travel the final leg of our Odyssey together as ...Kingdom Investors.

"Living simply so that others might simply live" is much more than a slogan we glibly repeat. It's an intentional, self-imposed lifestyle initiated by exposing ourselves to the words of Jesus and a world of need. " ...if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones …truly I tell you, that person will certainly be rewarded."Come together this weekend on the Ginghamsburg and Fort McKinley campuses as we discover new destination sites  - travelling together on the Odyssey journey: Power of Simplicity

Got money?  It's tough to stay on the upside in a downsized economy, and yet that’s what makes Jesus' "money message" so countercultural. In Matthew 6, Jesus assures us that life is more important than food, and the body more important than clothes...  Join us this weekend in worship at the Ginghamsburg and Fort McKinley campuses for the first of Jesus' radical teachings about the money matters in our lives: Redefining Wealth.

A decision to follow Jesus doesn't eliminate fear from our lives. Ostracism, rejection and fatigue are all very real consequences of faith boldly proclaimed. Join us in worship at both Ginghamsburg and Fort McKinley campuses this weekend as we explore visions, dreams and self esteem — and ultimately discover the missional identity that can overpower our fears: NO COMPROMISE.

One thing is sure—while on this journey we will face conflict, and nothing about conflict feels good. Yet always seeing life through a different lens, Jesus cautioned his disciples to not let resistance derail them. “Everyone will hate you because of me, but those who stand firm to the end will be saved.” Join us as we put a new lens on conflict- and explore moving past the resistance to resurrection.

Most of us come to Christ in pursuit of a more peace-filled way of life... but Matthew chapter 10 asserts that to know Christ is to step into hazardous and sometimes dangerous work. And it's only as we move courageously forward that we can know life on the highest plane possible. Join us this weekend at both the Ginghamsburg and Fort McKinley campuses as our Odyssey calls us to be RISKTAKERS... persevering into Christ's mission and purpose in the world.

Charlie Brown said it best: "I love mankind, it's people I can’t stand!" ...and we can all relate. Life could be so serene were it not for those pesky relational challenges- so it's a great gift that in Matthew chapter 10 Jesus speaks out to offer divine wisdom designed to keep our lives DRAMA FREE!

Early pioneers taught us "how the west was won" - not by hauling every possible possession across the country, but by journeying forward with just the essentials. Now, 200 years later, people of the western world still struggle with the addiction of acquisition--a subject Jesus addressed long ago in Matthew chapter 10. You are invited to join the journey this weekend at both the Ginghamsburg and Fort McKinley campuses as we study Jesus’ packing principles…"You don’t need a lot of equipment. You ARE the equipment!" ODYSSEY: Travel Light

CALLED and SENT. The mission is clear, but what's the message we're called to deliver? Jesus' script was not an intellectual belief system or a focus on biblical truth alone, but rather the active, life-relevant presence of the Holy Spirit: "the kingdom of God has come near."

Apostle - one who is sent on an epic mission, a spiritual quest of restoring brokenness, resurrecting hope, reaching both the outcast and the downcast--declaring confidently and demonstrating boldly that the kingdom of heaven is near. Join Pastor Mike Slaughter at the Ginghamsburg Campus and Pastor Dave Hood at Fort McKinley as we discover that responding to THE CALL also means being SENT. ODYSSEY: SENT

One thing is clear. Jesus commissions his followers – not to the couch or the comfortable places of life - but to chart the course of serious discipleship, gifted with just enough power to make them dangerous… ODYSSEY: a long and adventurous journey.

September turns a corner in our life-rhythm. Moving into a new season of mission we present ourselves afresh to God as living sacrifices, ready to work for kingdom purposes in the days ahead. LIVE THE LIFE: It's LABOR Day!Join us at Ginghamsburg's Main Campus as we celebrate the best of summer and prepare ourselves for the fullness of fall.

Land developers tell us there are three keys to ensuring a successful building project: location, location and... location! Jesus said exactly the same thing in his famous "message on the mount": a well-constructed life must be securely built on the best location possible - the solid rock of Jesus Christ.  Go beyond intellectual assent of faith towards a radical movement that names Jesus as Lord - asking God to empower us to LIVE THE LIFE: WISE BUILDERS.

Who are you watching? Life's best lessons are not taught but caught -and our time on earth is much too short to waste for lack of wisdom. In this week's message, Jesus cautions us to go for character over charisma, and to soak in as much as possible from people whose lives bear the fruit of great character.

ALMOST doesn’t count except in horseshoes and hand grenades – right? Jesus confirmed that very truth when he cautioned his followers never to take shortcuts to LIVE THE LIFE. When it’s all said and done, nothing short of a daily, devoted relationship with Jesus will cut it. Anything less is ALMOST CHRISTIAN.

Jesus promised us "life to the full" but some of us are directionally challenged- looking for LIFE in all the wrong places. Matthew 7 calls us away from the couch of our mis-directed lives to an aggressive pursuit of the reality of this God-dream:  Ask -  Seek - Knock. Find your own way into connection and community at both our Ginghamsburg and Fort McKinley campuses this weekend as together we experience Jesus' life-giving words from his Sermon on the Mount, a powerful call to LIVE THE LIFE.