The Hero Complex

Pastor Sean reflects on our deep desire to be heroes in our own stories—whether through success, beauty, influence, or achievement. But what if true purpose is found not in grand gestures, but in the small, everyday moments of faith? Through scripture, personal stories, and a prayer for daily surrender, Pastor Sean invites us to step away from self-centered striving and rest in the reality that we are already fully loved by God.

Ending the Hustle: Finding True Worth in Christ

Are you tired of constantly striving for more, only to feel like it's never enough? In this inspiring sermon, we explore what it means to end the hustle for worthiness and embrace God's grace. Through relatable stories, biblical wisdom, and the powerful contrast between Mary and Martha in Luke 10, we uncover the truth that our value isn’t in what we do—but in who we are in Christ. Join us as Pastor Chris shares how the freeing reality that there is nothing we can do to make God love us more or less. Be encouraged, find rest, and rediscover the joy of simply being in His presence.

On Common Ground | The Book of Acts

Pastor Chris continues our series on Acts with stories and readings from Paul's time in Athens. He encourages us to be loving, empathetic followers of Christ, especially in the complex, divided and chaotic world we live in.

References

Acts 17:16-18

16 So Paul found himself alone for some time in Athens. He would walk through the city, feeling deeply frustrated about the abundance of idols there. 17 As in the previous cities, he went to the synagogue. Once again, he engaged in debate about Jesus with both ethnic Jews and devout Greek-born converts to Judaism. He would even wander around in the marketplace, speaking with anyone he happened to meet.

18 Eventually he got into a debate with some Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. Some were dismissive from the start.

Acts 17:22-32

Paul: 22 Athenians, as I have walked your streets, I have observed your strong and diverse religious ethos. You truly are a religious people. 23 I have stopped again and again to examine carefully the religious statues and inscriptions that fill your city. On one such altar, I read this inscription: “TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.” I am not here to tell you about a strange foreign deity, but about this One whom you already worship, though without full knowledge.

24 This is the God who made the universe and all it contains, the God who is the King of all heaven and all earth. It would be illogical to assume that a God of this magnitude could possibly be contained in any man-made structure, no matter how majestic. 25 Nor would it be logical to think that this God would need human beings to provide Him with food and shelter—after all, He Himself would have given to humans everything they need—life, breath, food, shelter, and so on.

26 This God made us in all our diversity from one original person, allowing each culture to have its own time to develop, giving each its own place to live and thrive in its distinct ways. 27 His purpose in all this was that people of every culture and religion would search for this ultimate God, grope for Him in the darkness, as it were, hoping to find Him. Yet, in truth, God is not far from any of us.

28 For you know the saying, “We live in God; we move in God; we exist in God.” And still another said, “We are indeed God’s children.” 29 Since this is true, since we are indeed offspring of God’s creative act, we shouldn’t think of the Deity as our own artifact, something made by our own hands—as if this great, universal, ultimate Creator were simply a combination of elements like gold, silver, and stone.

30 No, God has patiently tolerated this kind of ignorance in the past, but now God says it is time to rethink our lives and reject these unenlightened assumptions. 31 He has fixed a day of accountability, when the whole world will be justly evaluated by a new, higher standard: not by a statue, but by a living man. God selected this man and made Him credible to all by raising Him from the dead.

32 When they heard that last phrase about resurrection from the dead, some shook their heads and scoffed, but others were even more curious.

Others: We would like you to come and speak to us again.