How precious is the Kingdom of Heaven to you? Is it valuable enough that you’d be willing to walk away from everything you know in pursuit of a life with the Risen King?

What is the Kingdom of God? It turns out, it’s such a big, expansive reality that Jesus used a lot of stories to help us understand it. These stories are called parables and we’re spending the [...]

This third sermon in our Saved series deal with the last part of our Gospel summary: Jesus, the crucified king of love is making all things new. When Jesus was raised from death he ascended as [...]

Last Sunday we introduced a one sentence Gospel that we believe makes better sense of the entire story of Jesus and what it means to be saved. This week, we talk about the present reality of the [...]

This Easter Sunday we are digging into the magnificent, dense chapter on resurrection by the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 15. There is hope in here for every single person. We also interrogate [...]

Many of us are probably familiar with the most common reasons for baptism: 1) It’s commanded; 2) Jesus himself was baptized; 3) It’s a public profession; 4) It’s entrance into the community of [...]

Some God encounters are sweet, while others are confrontational and arresting. We’ll explore how Jesus uses a series of important events to turn the light on for Saul and how he even uses others [...]

We end our journey in James, a book that has been lanced through with brutal honesty, on a high note. Three hopes, all located in healing: our bodies matter, the Lord will raise us up, and pray [...]

James tells us that the reality of the kingdom transforms the way we think about money and allows us to live patiently. The gospel makes us generous as we patiently wait Jesus’ good kingdom.

Arrogance distorts how we see ourselves and our relationship with God. James reminds us that a life with Jesus is a life of dependence. 

The first ten verses of chapter 4 are a master class on desire. How do we direct our desire? How do we heal our desires? James shows us how.

Some people say James is the New Testament version of the book of Proverbs. If James has some wisdom to share with us, what does he mean when he talks about two kinds of wisdom, and how does that [...]

As one preacher puts it, “if we can master the tongue, we can master our lives.” Yet James tells us, “no one can tame the tongue.” So how does the healing of our tongues actually happen?

Exploring some of James’ most direct and unabashed exhortations to followers of Christ to put their faith into action. 

What does it mean to love your neighbor? In James 2:1-13, we learn that the early Christians struggled with favoritism and silos within the church, just like our society today. James helped the [...]

The second half of James 1 includes 3 distinct instructions that act as “life rings”. These were intended to help the people of James’ day as they faced trials. In the same way, [...]

In our world, friendship has become disposlable. But Jesus tells us that friendships might be THE most important relationships we can have; in fact, he seems to elevate friendships above all [...]

Today we start a new series through the book of James. James dives right in and teaches us that in the Kingdom where Jesus is Lord, even trials bring good and perfect gifts.

We come to the end of our Story of the Bible series today, and as we close, we’re looking at how the Scriptures end. What is the end of the story for the people of God? When it comes to the “end [...]

This week we explore how because of the gospel, Jesus is the fulfillment of all of the promises that God makes to the nation of Israel in the Old Testament. And we explore what the good news of [...]

What’s more new than a Baby Son instead of another version of Judas Maccabaeus? What’s more new than the Lord of Life changing everything when he returns? THIS is what Advent is truly about.

For those of us familiar with the story of Solomon, we often think of his reign as the height of Ancient Israel. But Solomon teaches us to hope for a better King.

Is the God of the Old Testament different than the God of the New? Or does the grace that we experience because of Jesus have ancient rooting? It does! Abraham’s story shows us how.

Life goes off the rails when we stop believing God is good and start worshipping idols, but Jesus is working to reverse the curse!

The Story of God is the story of us. How do we figure into the story? What is God’s intention for humankind? What does it mean to be “made in His image?”

The most beautiful Story in the Universe begins with Creation. This is where the story starts for you and me, too.

Our fifth value is doing restorative justice. We believe our church exists to partner with God to “restore” his intention for his good creation. Why is justice so important? What role do we play?

We believe that every person’s highest good is to become like Jesus. This sits at the core of our identity. This week, we answer the questions “Why is this so important to us?” and “How do we do it?”

This week, we explore our second congregational value, arguably the most important defining value of the Vineyard movement of churches. Acts 2 anchors this key distinctive.

This week we begin a new series on our congregational values. Our first value comes straight from the apocalyptic letter of Revelation: Worshipping the True and Beautiful God.

Jesus lived a radically simple life marked by few possessions and dependence on God, and His followers imitated him with abundant generosity for one another. What could it look like to practice [...]

Devotional prayer is a well-known but often taken-for-granted practice of the Christian life. Why is a life of devotional prayer important, and how does it affect us? What might a private prayer [...]

Jesus practiced radical hospitality and welcome toward strangers and people in need. We can follow His lead today by being people who open our homes and hearts to others.

Jesus was led by the Spirit to pray for people. We should too. Prayer is a gift that we give freely to anyone and anywhere.

In a culture that idolizes success and security, we are pressured to endlessly produce and desire more. How do we find rest in having and in being enough? What does God have to say about this?

Jesus loved the scriptures and we can too. By building the habit of reading scripture, we set the table for communion with God.

How did Jesus resist the constant pressure of the people’s demands during his life on earth? Through solitude and silence. We can do the same.

Letitia Suk on the spiritual practice of meeting God by ourselves, in a quiet place, to get some rest.

Today we begin a nine week series on spiritual practices that help us become like Jesus. In this introduction, Ted gives us a way to think about transformation.

Paul has great cause for celebration! Why? Because of the generosity of the church in Philippi. In these verses, we learn three important lessons about giving and flourishing.

Joy is meant to be nurtured, but how do we do it? What gets in the way of our joy growing and flourishing? We look at Philippians 4:4-7 for guidance.

 After spending five weeks in joy, we now come to a passage that answers the question, “Why is joy so hard to find?” The Apostle Paul gives us some helpful insight and a huge encouragement.

In Philippians 3 we see that joy comes from finding our identity in Christ: being marked by the Spirit, boasting in Christ, and placing no confidence in the flesh.

What are you building with your life? In this passage, Paul shows us how we can build something with our lives that will last beyond us and give us joy.

It can be hard to locate joy when life is difficult or in transition. Paul shows us where to locate our joy and how it sustains us.

Today we are beginning a new series in the book of Philippians. In this beautiful, uplifting letter, we find Paul full of joy. Why? Can we share in that joy, and if so, how? The first 11 verses [...]

In our liminal space, between what was and what will be, we are reordering our lives. Jesus helps Peter and us through this process with love and kindness. 

What does the miraculous catch have to teach us about the return with great joy? Much, as it turns out. The future and the past hold the sea. But Jesus calls us to the present, where he is on the [...]

As we return with great joy, there is room for our doubt and uncertainty. In fact, we can meet Jesus in our doubt and ask for His help. Thomas’s encounter with the risen Jesus shows us what’s possible.

Today we begin a new series looking at four episodes from the book of John of life after the resurrection. Can we return to life after Covid with “great joy”  as the disciples returned to [...]

Message to the church on the importance of God’s intervention.

The resurrection is not just for when we die, it’s present power for today. Luke 24 shows us four ways resurrection breaks into our present.

The Triumphal Entry demonstrates the “lifelong mismatch between what we think we need and what we need.” The Jews wanted another Judas Maccabaeus. They got Someone far better. That’s good news [...]

The parables of Jesus expand our imagination and vision for the kingdom of God. Watching the Father and his two sons, we see that God loves us so very much. He searches for us and rejoices when [...]

Jesus tells us how to avoid hypocrisy.

We get a glimpse at the real Jesus, and it’s glorious. How will we respond? Will we respond like Peter and put him in a shelter? Or will we let ourselves be surrounded by the cloud and “listen to him?”

Jesus tells us who He wants us to be and yet, we struggle to follow through. It is never too late to forge a new foundation with Jesus.

Jesus envisions a new community where there is no judgment; forgiveness and generosity flows with liberality; and we grow in dependence on one another as we take out planks and call out specks.

The challenge to love your enemies.

Today we begin four weeks on Jesus’ masterful Sermon on the Plain. What challenges and comforts are here for us in Jesus?

Jesus begins to assemble His team, the disciples in Luke chapter 5. And of course, as it is often the case with Jesus, we will find that who Jesus chooses and how He calls them to respond is [...]

This week we take a break from our Luke series to address the past couple of weeks in our nation’s capital.

The beautiful Kingdom of God. What is it? How do we receive it? This episode in Capernaum answers these two questions.

Jesus is on the side of the oppressed.

Today I’m reminded of how much we need the mercy and justice of Jesus. I’m reminded today of how much our world needs for him to be our leader. For Jesus to come fully into his kingdom…. Oh how [...]

As Jesus comes of age, He leaves His family for three days. His parents find him at the Temple and there is revelation of the person He is becoming. There is also a lesson for us here about [...]

Simeon and Anna’s witness orients us to Jesus’ mission in the world

God sent the angels to tell the best news in the universe to… shepherds? Glory and peace are for everyone, because of Jesus, including the most lowly.

Luke 2

How Christmas shows the tender mercy of our God.

In Luke 1:39-56, we see the news of new life settle into Mary and Elizabeth and they bear witness to the faithfulness of God. As they anticipate the new thing that God is doing in the world, they [...]

As Luke 1:26-38 shows, life can miraculously emerge from the overshadowing power of the Most High. And with it, comes hope.

We close our series with the practice of noticing and nurturing beauty. Jesus is the Beauty of God embodied. How do we notice His beauty and nurture through contemplation His beauty in our lives?

God created rest. Jesus invites us into rest. And yet, rest is not apart of the world around us. Practicing the Sabbath, reserving space for rest, allows us to give testimony to who God is and to [...]

What if we began to practice daily “being with Jesus through being with the least of these? “ Jesus tells us in Matthew 25 that it would upend our lives and change everything!

Dear Evanston Vineyard Church Family, By now, most of the country has voted and knowing who the next president of our country will be is only a matter of time. We’re holding our breath. This [...]

Life with the Holy Spirit should be a regular practice. -Steve Nicholson