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grow your faith.

Jesus has given us a clear understanding of what it means to be his disciples. We pray these resources will help you develop your understanding of who Jesus is and his purpose for your life!

Jump ahead to what's most helpful to you by clicking one of these steps!

Say Yes to Jesus

To begin a journey with Jesus you need to say yes to Jesus.
The gospel, or "good news," is the message that God loves us and has provided a way for us to have a relationship with him through his son Jesus Christ. John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." This verse tells us that God loved us so much that he sent Jesus to die on the cross for our sins so that we could have eternal life with him. Romans 6:23 says, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." This verse tells us that because of our sins, we deserve death, but God has given us the gift of eternal life through Jesus. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast." This verse tells us that salvation is a gift from God, not something we can earn through our own efforts or good works. To receive this gift of salvation, we must put our faith in Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Romans 10:9-10 says, "If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved." Through faith in Jesus and confessing him as Lord, we can have the forgiveness of sins and eternal life.

Baptism

Baptism is an important step in one's faith journey as a believer in Jesus Christ. It is a public declaration of one's decision to follow Jesus and a symbol of the cleansing of sins through His death and resurrection. In baptism, we identify with Jesus in his death and resurrection, and become a part of his body, the Church.
Scripture tells us that Jesus himself was baptized as an example for us to follow. In Matthew 3:13-17, we read of Jesus' baptism by John the Baptist, "Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, 'I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?' Jesus replied, 'Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.' Then John consented. As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, 'This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.'"
In Acts 2:38, we read of Peter's instruction to the people on the day of Pentecost, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."
Baptism is not only a symbol of our faith and commitment to Jesus, but it also demonstrates the cleansing of sins and the receiving of the Holy Spirit. In Romans 6:4, we read, "We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life."
It is a sacrament that marks the beginning of a new life in Christ, a new creation, and a member of the body of Christ. It is a public declaration of one's faith and a powerful symbol of the transformative power of Jesus Christ in one's life.

Small Groups

Small groups are an essential part of developing one's faith, providing an environment for growth, support, accountability and service. They allow believers to come together and understand the Bible better, apply its teachings in their everyday life, and support each other in their faith journey. They also provide an opportunity for service to one another and to the community.Scripture such as Acts 2:46-47, Hebrews 10:24-25, and James 2:14-17 emphasizes the importance of small groups in building strong, supportive communities of believers.

The bible in a year reading plan!

Spend Time With Jesus This Week

1 Week in the Gospel of John by Christopher Carpio
One Week in the Gospel of John. In this devotional you'll read through the life of Jesus Christ. A perfect devotional for a new or old believer as you reflect or learn about the life of your savior. Reflection and Prayer prompts included for each day.
A Journey Through the book of Romans. In this devotional you'll read through the whole book of romans by the end of the week. Deepening your understanding of sin, grace, and salvation through reflective questions and prayer prompts.
Biblical Community 7 day Study by Christopher Carpio
In this Study you'll be learning what God has to say about the importance of growing with fellow believers by your side.
In this study you'll be going through the book of 1 Peter with a focus on how Faith, suffering, and living out your purpose all collide in our relationship with Jesus.
Prayer 101 by Christopher Carpio
Prayer 101 provides you with a 7 day devotional that will help to deepen your understanding of Jesus' teachings on prayer. This devotional focus on providing time each day to practice the lessons Jesus gives us about prayer.

Book Recommendations

The following are Books that Pastor Chris has read and believes are beneficial to spiritual growth.
You'll notice a tag that identifies what season of life the book is best suited for.

The Common Rule

Practical Spiritual Formation 16+
Book Description
Habits shape us more than we shape them. The modern world imposes numerous invisible habits that make us anxious and exhausted. We crave the peace of the gospel but are addicted to technology and worn out by routines. Since these habits are nearly invisible to us, we need a solution.
The Common Rule suggests practicing a rule of life to align habits with beliefs, offering four daily and four weekly habits to transform our lives. Justin Earley provides practical steps, like an hour of phoneless presence daily or a weekly conversation with a friend. These habits are meant to be practiced in community and have brought hope to people from all walks of life.
By adopting these practices, you can find the freedom and rest that come from aligning your life with the teachings of Jesus.

Garden City

Understanding how any occupation can build the kingdom 16+
Book Description
In Garden City, John Mark Comer gives a surprisingly countercultural take on the typical "spiritual" answer the church gives in response to questions about purpose and calling. Comer explores Scripture to discover God's original intent for how we're meant to spend our time, reshaping how you view and engage in your work, rest, and life.
In these pages, you'll learn that, ultimately, what we do matters just as much as who we are. Garden City will help you find answers to questions like:
  • Does God care where I work?
  • Does he have a clear direction for me?
  • How can I create a practice of rest?

Restless Devices

Digital Discipleship - Growing a healthy relationship with our phones 16+
Book Description
Today's digital technologies shape our attention, boundaries, and relationships, even affecting our connection to God. While they offer benefits, they also make us feel exhausted and permanently connected. Resisting these digital influences can seem futile.

Sociologist Felicia Wu Song examines the impact of digital ecosystems on our lives, combining insights from psychology, neurology, and sociology with theological reflection. She asks:

- What kind of people are we becoming with personal technologies?
- Who do we really want to be?

Song explores the subtle control of the digital age, the values in our apps, and the economic systems driving our habits. She offers pathways for meaningful resistance through Christian traditions, emphasizing human worth, embodiment, relationality, and time, along with practical experiments for change.

The Sacred Search

Perfect for those dating
Book Description
You will be encouraged to think beyond finding your “soul mate” and instead adopt a more biblical search for a “sole mate”—someone who will walk with you on your spiritual journey.
 
Thomas asks, What if we focused on why we should get married more than on who to marry? What if being “in love” isn’t a good enough reason to get married? And most of all, what if God designed marriage to make us holy more than to make us happy?

The Intentional Father

For Fathers
Book Description
Self-initiation is killing our young men. Without strong mentors, boys are walking alone into a wilderness of conflicting messages about who they should be as men. It's no wonder that our sons are confused about what the world expects from them and what they should expect of themselves.

The Intentional Father is the antidote. This concise book is filled with practical steps to help men raise sons of consequence--young men who know what they believe, know who they are, and will stand up against the negative cultural trends of our day. Jon Tyson lays out a clear path for fathers and sons that includes specific activities, rites of passage, and significant "marking moments" that can be customized to fit any family.

It's not enough to hope our sons will become good men. We need them to be good at being men. This book shows how fathers, grandfathers, and other male mentors can lead the way.

The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert

Reaching the LGBTQ Community
Book Description
Rosaria, by the standards of many, was living a very good life. She had a tenured position at a large university in a field for which she cared deeply. She owned two homes with her partner, in which they provided hospitality to students and activists that were looking to make a difference in the world. In the community, Rosaria was involved in volunteer work. At the university, she was a respected advisor of students and her department's curriculum.

Then, in her late 30's, Rosaria encountered something that turned her world upside down--the idea that Christianity, a religion she had regarded as problematic and sometimes downright damaging, might be right about who God was. That idea seemed to fly in the face of the people and causes that she most loved. What follows is a story of what she describes as a train wreck at the hand of the supernatural. These are her secret thoughts about those events, written as only a reflective English professor could.