After two chapters of addressing specific problems and test cases, Paul now turns to the positive ideals of sex inside of marriage. His comments are still corrective, instructive, and serve to protect hearts and set people free today. And although his primary target is clearly married couples, there is within these short verses a powerful and liberating word for singles, a subset of the church family that is often forgotten and overlooked.

The Corinthian Christians believed that God cared deeply for the souls and spirits, but had no concern for their physical bodies. In Paul’s correction, we get a glimpse of the tremendous plans and purpose God has for our bodies.

Wrapped in a statement about God's Kingdom, Paul identifies a host of wayward paths that many of the Corinthians formerly walked. And this ancient collection of pointed statements, properly understood and applied, remains vital truth for us today. Three short verses of text will allow us to dive into a timely conversation that has existed for thousands of years. And rather than a one-sided tirade, we will keep it a conversation… with God Himself.

Interim Teaching Pastor Scot Pollok shares responses to many questions that have been submitted in our series, particularly in regards to this past Sunday's sermon, "The Truth About Change"

01:30 What version of bible does Scot use on Sundays?

02:55 Can someone who is single fully image God?

07:01 What about sincere Christians who willfully sin without conviction or repentance?

10:50 What is asked of those in a same sex marriage before they can become a Christian?

13:13 Can you offer some apologetic, relational and conversational help for talking with people who are hostile to Christians?

17:10 What do I do as a public school teacher when I am asked to present things against my beliefs?

20:57 Tell me more about the controversy around the Greek word for homosexual?

25:18 What about Jonathan and David's relationship in the Old Testament?

Few things are as desperately needed today as the recovery of the ancient practice of Sabbath — a full day, every week, set aside to stop, rest, delight, and worship.

Within Paul’s discussion of Sex and Sexuality — God’s Beautiful Gift — he drops a powerfully instructive and timely word on the distinctive of the local church that is perhaps the most dismissed, and at times the most abused. In doing so he builds on Jesus’ powerful words and offers a brilliant guide for the church’s response to church sin. And it’s way better than mere conflict resolution.

We arrive at the second great subject in 1st Corinthians; a layered discussion of how the church in Corinth is facing corruptions of God’s Beautiful Gift: sex within the marriage of husband and wife. Join us for a timely and very personal conversation on this powerful topic.

A Gospel-survey identifying our need for a Good Shepherd to embark on a rescue mission to welcome us back home.

A Gospel-survey identifying our need for a Redeemer to liberate us from bondage to sin.

Unimaginable shock and despair lingered over a silent Sabbath day. But the dawn of Sunday morning brought with it an equally unimaginable truth. Jesus has risen from the dead. Come see Him. Behold His scars. Everything has changed.

We meet the seething crowd for Passover in Jerusalem so long ago, craning our necks to see the man everyone is talking about, the Great Miracle Worker, Healer, Prophet and Fulfiller of Prophecy, Jesus of Nazareth. He is humble and riding on a donkey as He enters the Temple. Behold Your King. 

As Paul wraps up his plea against division in the Church, popular cultural lies and Jesus-truth continue to collide. Paul speaks in a deeply personal, Fatherly tone, with masterful encouragement, reminders and warnings that the Church still desperately needs today.

Our maturity in Christ is determined by what we receive, not by what we earn.

Jesus is the unshakeable foundation of the Church, and it’s up to us to decide how we will build upon His finished work. We are His holy temple — a people called to build, knowing that He dwells with us.

Reach's founder Brian McCormack, delivers his final words as Lead Pastor and says "goodbye for now", after over 10 years of faithful leadership in our region.

Who do we belong to? Spiritual maturity is shown by a right understanding of belonging and allegiance. While the world says, “My tribe is my god, and to it I devote my entire self,” a Spirit-reliant person says “God is my tribe, and to him I devote my entire self.”

We are more like the Corinthians than we might expect; especially in our unexamined promotion of beauty, eloquence, power and popularity. In this ancient but relevant text, Paul contrasts these values with the mysterious “depths of God,” revealing that God’s wisdom leads Him to wildly different pursuits and tactics. We would be wise and fulfilled to follow His lead in seeking true spiritual depth.

God’s plan to save the world: a message it will call foolish, delivered by people it will call foolish. This way there will never be any confusion who should get the credit as all things are made new. So, we resist all temptations to boast in ourselves, and seize every opportunity to boast in him instead.

Corinthian “wisdom” was an arrogant clog in the hearts and minds of many in ancient times and still is today, preventing some from seeing the power and wisdom of God on a cross — the controversial idea that seems “foolish” to the watching world but is, in reality, the truth at the very heart of real freedom and joy.

In Corinth, divisive cultural norms had found their way into the church. Sadly, similar dynamics are still common 2000 years later. Good news — there is a Name glorious enough to unite even the most diverse groups of people.

As we begin a brand new series on Paul’s first letter to the Corinthian church, we take a moment to explore the background and context in order to see why this ancient letter remains so powerfully relevant today and how Paul’s opening prayer can still form an immovable anchor point for the journey of our soul.

Every movement needs a compelling, factual story about why and how change must happen.

Our story is: God is reaching out to you.

When we are reminded that we are not infinite, there are two things we must do — find greater hope, and live with greater purpose.

No matter if you’re coming to the end of the year in celebration or in grief, let’s come to the Lord to reflect on 2022 so that we can intentionally move into the new year.

Why in the world would the Father give us the extravagant gift of the Son? Our need must be great. His love must be great. And our shared mission must be great.

Joy to the world, the Lord has come, let earth receive her King.

O come, O Branch of Jesse's stem, unto your own and rescue them! From depths of hell Your people save, and give them victory over the grave.

Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace! Hail the Sun of Righteousness! Light and life to all He brings, risen with healing in His wings.

Chains shall He break, for the slave is our brother, and in His name all oppression shall cease.

If we are meant to be fed by the Word of God, too many churches are malnourished. Hear the Lord inviting you to feast, and answer.

Reach needs spiritual mothers and fathers who are confident in their true identity and willing to usher others into their their own.

Through his appeal to Philemon, Paul reflects the heart of the Gospel: a debt owed that could never be paid, Christ’s mercy in redeeming us of that debt, and the call to do likewise.

It’s not enough to merely obey. If there is no joy in our obedience, we miss the point entirely.

Christian, there are unimaginably good things within us because of our faith in Christ. When we experience the knowledge of these truths, our life together is supernaturally energized. So, do you know them?

Paul’s letter to Philemon is packed with the many implications of the Gospel on our relationships. Even the introduction paints a picture of what “Church” is supposed to be.

Colossians began with a massive honor of Christ in Chapter 1, and ends with a massive honor of Paul’s fellow laborers in Chapter 4. The Gospel flourished and changed lives in the early church as a result of sacrificial laborers who gave their lives to this work.

When Christ comes to bear on a life, he tends to move from one’s heart, into one’s home, and ultimately into one’s neighborhood.

If the Bible teaches that the blood of Jesus makes peace possible in every area of life, then nothing is left unaffected by this reconciliation. God gets in our business — he’s not just concerned with how we live publicly, but with our personal and private lives, namely, our households.

Instead of the ways we have learned to “Forgive & Forget,” Jesus calls us to a radical form of “Forgive & Remember.”

Scripture commands us to always be putting our sin to death. We start by asking a simple question: are we fixed on things above, or things on earth?

Jesus died without your participation to offer you an invitation into his gift of grace. So, why live as if you're still in bondage to earning?

In the middle of Colossians 2, Paul’s attention is shifts from building the case for the supremacy and centrality of Christ, toward guiding the church at Colossae into true connection to Christ as the unrivaled head of their lives. Who’s head? And whose head should you be connected to?

Through baptism, we die with Christ and are raised to new life with Him — the One who triumphed over sin and death.

Paul labored and suffered in his ministry to the Christians in Colossae because he longed for their spiritual maturity. We are invited to do the same.

While sin separated us from God, Christ reconciles us back to God through his peace-making sacrifice on the cross. Our reconciliation is contingent upon remaining grounded in this hope.

The supremacy of Jesus over both the cosmos as well as his people, should result in his sufficiency. His preeminence is just a mere theological concept, unless it confronts our idolatries.

As Christians increase in knowledge of God, their lives will be marked by discipleship to him based on their identity in him.

(Our apologies for the audio issues in this week's recording.)

The Gospel produces faith in Christ, love for our neighbors, and hope for eternity.

(Our apologies for the audio issues in this week's recording.)

There’s a difference between knowing something and having wisdom for how to apply what you know. Knowledge is about obtaining information, but wisdom knows how to use it. This week, Pastor Sean from Reach Everett will unpacked James 1:5-8 and talked us through how we can seek wisdom and find it in God.

(Our apologies for the audio issues in this week's recording.)

To live into the reality that we have been adopted as children of God, we must learn to acknowledge God's work in the past, participate in his anticipation of the future, and learn to live like our new Father. What will your adopted life look like?

What is spiritual warfare? What do we do when the influence of evil seems overpowering? Dr. Gerry Breshears gives us powerful biblical truth about how to have practical spiritual authority over darkness.

Every believer in Jesus Christ has been given spiritual gifts by the Father. These gifts are unique, Spirit-supplied abilities, filled with Divine power, intended to support and build up the Church to fully accomplish its mission in the world.

How we speak is a dead giveaway as to who we are. What is the language we — the Body of Christ — might speak to show the wonders of God?

We have the joy of serving a fair and generous God who gives us undeserved grace.

The community of Jesus is made up of brothers and sisters of diverse ideologies, political beliefs, ethnicities, statuses and backgrounds. Together, we are one Big Family. To move beyond tolerance into thriving unity with one another, we must look to the Word and Love of Jesus.

In response to our most anxious moments, the spiritual disciplines of prayer, yielding, and scripture meditation can teach us practical peace.

Even when we may endlessly pour into others, let's discover how God's true posture towards us brings true healing.

In the midst of a reactive-world, Jesus models how we might practice “a non-anxious presence.”

Pastor Brian McCormack shares ten lessons learned during the ten years since Reach was planted.

“Either sin is with you, lying on your shoulders, or it is lying on Christ, the Lamb of God.” – Martin Luther

The King of Glory returns to Jerusalem, though not as the king the people wanted, but the one they needed - as the Passover Lamb.

It can be hard to place our foremost hope in the return of Jesus. Learning to await his second coming unlocks joy and confidence many of us have not experienced before.

In a culture of false narratives, Scripture provides the true and better story we all long for.

Testimony goes up, out, and down. Telling the story of God's work in our lives glorifies Him, encourages and stirs up those around us, and directly confronts the kingdom of darkness.

God’s heart for the nations was introduced in Genesis, re-launched in Jesus, came to fruition in Acts, and culminates in Revelation. What’s our role in that mission today?

God calls us to give him everything we have. Our dollars, and our days. As we learn to practice generosity, God multiplies it all for his glory, our joy, and the good of our city.

Prayer is an invitation to join Jesus who is already interceding for us. While it might be hard to believe that He still hears our prayers, He helps us in our unbelief!

There is only one conclusion to make about a God who writes a story where his Spirit comes to dwell within — He is whole-heartedly committed to being near to you. And if He is always near, "hopeless" does not exist.

God calls his peoples to be witnesses of his marvelous kingdom — to be a light to the ends of the earth.

Too many Christians are passionate about the Gospel, and excited about their church, but somewhere between confused and apathetic when it comes to the Kingdom. Some words straight from the King can remedy this problem.

A dead historical figure has nothing to offer you. A God who is alive means there is always hope.

There is change waiting for those who have the humility to start (or start over) at the beginning. When we look at the beginning of God’s story, we find the foundations needed for building a life of joy and purpose.

Jesus has initiated a new and living way, inviting us to follow him in community.

In a world that is constantly vying for our attention and time, research shows that Christians are more stressed and anxious than ever. But Jesus invites us to slow and take his lifestyle instead.

Emilie McCormack closes 2021 with an encouragement from God's promises in Scripture.

The King wants to dwell with his people.

The good news brought great, unexpected joy of unexpected royalty to unexpected recipients, with an unexpected end to the story.

On the day of Christ's arrival, angels make their famous declaration; "Peace on earth." Experiencing the three aspects of this peace — with God, in the Church, and with all people — is the gift we long for.

The word ‘faith’ is widely used, despite lacking a universally agreed upon definition. Biblical faith has two essential ingredients — sincere belief, and obedient action. Focusing on the latter just might be the way out of the doubt you’ve been walking in.

A people in darkness of seen a great light. Receive it, and share it.

In order for the Church to survive, we must stay humbly rooted in Scripture, remaining urgent and bold as we preach the Gospel, and doing it ALL with patience and humility.

We want his kingdom to come and his will to be done, in Seattle as it is in Heaven. When we use words to see this happen, we call it evangelism. When we use our deeds, we call it justice.

The Father is seeking worshipers who worship in spirit and in truth. Culture is bankrupt in spirit and in truth. When the will of God is aligned with the needs in our cities, there is profound opportunity. But before we can bring what is needed, we must first receive what we need.

Paul prescribes four things to his readers as he closes his letter to the Galatians he loves so much:
Carry one another. Sow to the Spirit. Don't give up. Boast in the cross.

Every follower of Jesus will experience the paralyzing effect as the desires of our flesh battle with the desires of the Spirit. The answer is not trying harder; but tapping into a supernatural resource outside ourselves.

The cross is offensive. You will be tempted to make it less offensive. Don’t — or you will empty it of its power.

In contrast to much of our day and age, biblical Freedom is not living life without limits, always able to do whatever we want. Freedom is the ability to live within the commitment of love.

To hammer home his plea for us to live in the freedom Christ has provided for us, Paul uses some familiar Old Testament names to make an important point. When we make the effort to learn the stories behind the illustration, we might just find the healing we’ve been looking for.

(This sermon from "No Other Gospel" was preached on September 19th and was accidentally left unpublished.😊)

As strange as it sounds, people often give up freedom to go back to slavery. What should we do when people we love are doing this? And what's the proper response when you realize YOU are doing this very thing?

We used to be slaves. But God sent HIS son, so we could BE sons. Now we are heirs with an eternal inheritance, and the downpayment we get to enjoy NOW is the Holy Spirit.

The purpose of the Law was to separate God's covenant people from the rest of world, to be a light to the nations through the promise of Abraham. Without understanding the Jewishness of Jesus, we rob ourselves of joy, create Gospel perversions, and rob God of His Glory.

To free us from the curse, Christ became a curse for us. Beneath the scandal of this concept is deep assurance, and a glimpse of two things God cares about far more than we realize.

When Paul first mentions the Holy Spirit in his letter to the Galatians, he makes foundational declarations for our understanding of God to rest upon. Chief among them: our god is a god of miracles, and our faith is either supernatural or superficial.

Justification is all about being declared righteous, and getting to enjoy complete acceptance from God and God’s people. The “cross-shaped” gospel is the good news that Jesus has torn down what used to divide us — from God, and from one another.

Hypocrisy is deeply hurtful, highly contagious, and a hindrance to the gospel. So, we take it seriously by giving and receiving loving correction as needed.

When false teachers and false gospels come after your freedom, don't submit for even a moment. Cling to the freedom you have in the grace of Christ.

“What has Jesus changed about your life? Where in your life do you see an ongoing need for change?” Paul’s dramatic-change reveals the true gospel. Meeting Jesus is the beginning of a slow, imperfect walk toward Jesus, until we see Him face-to-face.

It's impossible to be a people-pleaser and a servant of Christ at the same time. The delight God wants for us is sabotaged when we seek the approval of people instead of resting in the approval that is already ours through the Gospel. Time for a heart check.

When Paul hears the churches in Galatia are being drawn away from the Gospel of grace, he channels his deep concern into a passionate plea to cling to the good news of Jesus. When voices distorting the Gospel rise up in our own lives, we must rise up as well.

Jonathan Rainey, chaplain for the Seattle Seahawks and UW football team, joins us to bring a word on "The Church Seattle STILL Needs". In June of 2019, Jonathan delivered us a powerful message on the kind of church Seattle needs, encouraging and equipping Reach to play its role in what God is doing in Seattle.

Jeremy Vallerand tells the story of Reach's partnership with Rescue:Freedom, a non-profit he leads, focused on ending sex trafficking around the word. Then he shares how Jesus, through the Gospel, invites all of us to experience freedom from the oppression of sin in our lives.

Nick Shafto shares his final words to us as part of the Reach staff: legacy does not hang upon your ability to execute the extraordinary, but to be fiercely committed to the ordinary.

If you are passionate about people being saved, disciples being made, and cities being served, you should be passionate about church planting — whether you ever plant one yourself or not.

A large part of our vision is to be a church that serves our city. Not just one city, but every city where God has placed us. We are wildly committed to serving the hurting and marginalized, and we send people to do the same all around the world. You can expect Reach to be a place that consistently aims our arrows out, so we can be the church that our community actually needs.

Worldly leadership seems to be all about commanding. In contrast, Biblical leaders lead by equipping, inspiring, empowering, unifying, exemplifying, caring, and overseeing. They teach, shepherd, correct, rebuke, encourage with great patience. Listen as Reach elder, Dr. Gerry Breshears, joins us to share about our vision to see leaders trained.

If there’s one thing that must be true of a faithful church, it’s that it must be a community where people learn to follow Jesus whole-heartedly. When Jesus commanded us to make disciples, it was for all of us, and it was for our joy.

We are committed to being a church where those far from God are brought into God’s family...all the time. To see people saved we must know why people need saving — and we must be aware of the habits and attitudes that will stand in our way.

The Apostle John decides the best way to close his masterpiece is to complete the story of Peter. As Jesus speaks into his life he also speaks into ours. As we finish over two years in this gospel we are reminded — these stories are just a glimpse of all Christ did, and is yet to do in the season to come.

For centuries, the Apostle Thomas has been known for his moment of doubt. A closer look at his place in scripture reveals a man of conviction worthy of imitation. May we doubt and believe like Thomas, and may we never reduce others to their biggest mistakes — for Jesus has not done so with us.

We are a “both/and” church. And nowhere is this more essential than in our commitment to Spirit AND Truth. Our desire to share the gospel of forgiveness will amount to nothing if we are not walking in the fullness of the Holy Spirit.

False narratives can be hard to shake — they must be replaced by a better story. When we humble ourselves, draw near, truly see the resurrected Jesus, and believe, that better story intersects with our own...and we are never the same.

This Good Friday we shared in a special time together as a number of different faces from the Reach family guided us through the Stations of the Cross, as we reflected and meditated on Jesus' sacrifice through scripture and song.

When Jesus is placed in the tomb, it seems like all hope is gone. But God does his best work in such times, and he uses minor characters to make major impact in the story of redemption.

No matter who you are, Jesus is better and the good news of his Gospel is greater than you could ever imagine. Pastor Brian McCormack recently spoke at Reach College Group, using a whiteboard to walk us through the 5S Gospel framework. You're going to want to watch the video with this one.

Our apologies for the audio issues.

Everything changes when you look at Jesus on the cross, and instead of seeing something offensive, you see rescue and love.

One of the last things Jesus says on the cross is “it is finished”. What does this mean? What was finished? Who was it for?

[From our first in-person Sunday in a year]

While in unimaginable pain, Jesus still uses the few words he has left to care for others. The takeaway? No matter who you are, there is a place for you at the foot of the cross.

Jesus walked over 3,000 miles in his ministry — but it’s the final 2,000 feet that will be the most difficult, and the most important — for they will lead him to the cross.

If Jesus endured abuse of all kinds, he is uniquely equipped to care for you in the wake of the harm you have experienced in your own life. As we wrap our minds around the public torture Christ endured many thoughts and emotions surely swirl. But chief among them is this life-changing truth — by his stripes we are healed.

When Jesus is brought before Pontius Pilate, his exchange with the Roman governor is loaded with meaning. Like Pilate, when we find ourselves before the truth of Jesus, we have a choice to make -- the crowd or the cross.

As Jesus is arrested and subjected to a shady sequence of interrogations, Peter tries to follow him...but from a distance. The results are disastrous. Apparently distance leads to denial. We must follow him closely.

If you've experienced betrayal, rest assured that Jesus knows what you're feeling. Still, even in the midst of betrayal, he shows us that his kingdom will come in ways completely contrary to the those of the world.

On the last night of his life, Jesus asks his father to do 3 things for his followers — protect us, sanctify us, and unite us. If we remember these prayers, we’ll also remember we are not alone, change is possible, and hope is bigger than division.

As Jesus begins to pray on the final night of his life, 3 things appear to be on his mind -- the GLORY of God, the AUTHORITY of God, and ETERNAL LIFE by knowing God. When we orient our thoughts and actions around these same ideas, things change.

The divine call to be a peace-maker is always difficult, but especially in the wake of indefensible acts. Remembering what following Jesus is (not) about, asking ourselves where our hope is, and choosing to reflect the heart of God in the midst of the madness provides a starting point as we process a heart-breaking week.

As we look back on an unexpected year, and forward to another one that's sure to have its own challenges, Pastor Brian brings us an encouraging word on what it means for God to hit reset in our lives, our church, and our world.

As people finishing one hard year and staring down the likelihood of another, what hope does God offer us? “Yes, you will have suffering in this world. But take heart — I have conquered the world.” In these words we don’t just find our hope, but also our purpose as a church for the season to come.

Is it possible you don't pray because you think God doesn't love you? The certainty of Gods love for you, makes the mystery of prayer hopeful. The uncertainty of Gods love for you, makes the mystery of prayer hurtful.

As we approach the end of the year, there are no shortage of reasons to feel disheartened and discouraged. Why can we choose hope in such a difficult season? Jeff Bethke reminds us of our place in God's story and points to five truths we can cling to that empower us to take heart, regardless of the season and especially in this one.

There is a joy that can replace our sorrow and wipe away our pain. Forever. We take hold of such joy as we see Jesus for who he is, and serve others as he does.

In the midst of troubling circumstances, we can take heart because we have been given a Guide who has gone before us and will lead us in the truth.

When people are experiencing real pain, “Don’t worry, be happy” is not helpful. God doesn’t ask us to ignore our hardships. He joins us in the midst of them.

For Christians facing opposition while on mission with Jesus, there is some very good news in this passage -- Jesus sends the Holy Spirit to show people in the world the things they need to repent of. Pro tip: never stop asking the Spirit to do the same for you.

In John 16 Jesus is all the more intentional to equip his disciples for his absence, and for the opposition they will face. He foretells the hardship to come, but makes it clear he will be with them every step of the way. He says the same to us today -- no matter how dark things get.

In a culture that treats busyness like a badge of honor, committing a day every week to intentional rest looks somewhere between irrational and insane. But when we remember Jesus has already done the work that matters most, our rest becomes worshipful, joyful, and the very thing we need.

In a culture of indulgence, excess and self-reliance, fasting might be the most counter-cultural thing we can do. It’s time to make room.

Silence and solitude is essential to a thriving spiritual life. Our culture places such little value on this practice that it can be one of the harder ones to make space for. However, when we obediently place ourselves before God we are able to experience the forming power of becoming like Christ.

Scripture is a tool God has given us to connect with Him. If we are going to be people who remain in Jesus, we must learn how to use it. Pastor Jason teaches us how to pray through scripture and shares how this practice has impacted his life.

There's no way to abide in Christ without abiding in his Word. And many of us still don't. What if we actually wanted to? And what if we actually did?

If we love like Jesus it will be messy, it will be hard, and it will be full of joy. To love others like Jesus, we have to act like him. How do we model truth and love like Jesus did?

If abiding in Jesus and bearing fruit feels impossible, you’re right. We can’t do what we’ve been called to do without divine assistance. Luckily, there’s a helper committed to teaching, reminding and guiding us.

Reviewing John 15 as a whole reveals the 3-fold command that helps us bear much fruit. Bottom line: there is no way forward without pruning. It will be painful, but it will be worth it.

Immediately after equipping his followers to love one another, he prepares them to be hated. It's our job to make sure we are being opposed for the right reasons, and to remind each other why we can be confident in the face of opposition.

The command to love one another seems simple enough, and the news that Jesus loves us with the greatest love possible is a game-changer, but what do we do when we are being held back by our hurry, our worry, and our fury?

Loving God and loving others is not at odds with obeying God. Jesus Himself is the example for us to follow of what it looks like to be in the world and not of it.

Fruit is the accumulation of our character, conduct, attitudes and actions. Rob Faucette leads us through John 15:4-8 outlining what it means to bear fruit and to abide in Jesus.

The process of spiritual formation flies in the face of modern culture. Jeff Bethke helps us see how God intends us to be sustained contributors in our world, rather than burnt-out producers.

When Jesus is moving you into a new season, he makes sure you know what your source of life is. First step: admitting the things you are currently trusting that will never deliver.

This Independence Day weekend we have a short video devotional for you to watch at anytime as we celebrate and study the meaning of freedom together.

The best gifts we can give to our seniors are also the best reminders we can give to ourselves.

The difficulties of the COVID-19 quarantine in 2020 took a toll, especially on those of us dealing with anxiety and depression. Here, Licensed Mental Health Counselor and pastor Joshua Loy discusses anxiety and depression with compassion and care to help you learn to hear from God and practice hope in the midst of these struggles.

Josh Loy is part of the Reach Staff. He received his Master of Arts in Counseling from Western Seminary in Portland, and received undergraduate degrees in Youth Ministry and Bible from Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. He's also the Director of Counseling Recovery and Chaplain at Eastside Academy, where he's counseled at-risk teens for 8+ years.

Sometimes it’s necessary to pause and truly recognize what God has already done to take the next step in front of you.

Pastor Brian McCormack, along with Dr. Thomas Beavers (a pastor in Birmingham, Alabama), were recently interviewed by Pastor Scot Pollok of Forefront Church. Listen to this conversation in the wake of George Floyd's death and the international outcry that's followed, they discuss racial reconciliation, protests, privilege, and the Church's role in reconciliation.

In the midst of one of the most contentious cultural moments in recent memory, how does God address our doubts around peace even being possible? He gives us 7 encouragements straight from the Gospel of John, and pushes us to see and share the suffering of others — the same way Jesus did for us.

In the midst of one of the most contentious cultural moments in recent memory, how does God address our doubts around peace even being possible? He gives us 7 encouragements straight from the Gospel of John, and pushes us to see and share the suffering of others — the same way Jesus did for us.

The Trinity is not an abstract proclamation about God. It is an intimate invitation into the very life of God. Joshua Ryan Butler helps us gain a deeper understanding of the Trinity and its implications for our lives.

The Spirit-filled life is not about wanting something more THAN Jesus; but about wanting more OF Jesus. The Holy Spirit is the helper we need to obey God with love, and share God with boldness.

Our good friend, Jonathan Rainey (chaplain, Washington Huskies / Seattle Seahawks) shares an incredibly encouraging word about the power and practicalities of prayer, especially prayer in the midst of doubt.

Sometimes major lessons come through minor characters. Philip, a rarely mentioned apostle, shows us that regardless of our doubts, change is possible in the knowledge of Jesus.

Is heaven real? Is Jesus the only way to get there? Pastor Britt unpacks beautiful truths about what's to come to give us hope right where we are.

What is the proper way to think about doubt as a person trying to grow closer to God? A quick survey of scripture shows two things: empowerment to be honest about the doubts you experience, and a God who pursues us in the midst of our doubts.

"Is Jesus God?"
"Christianity seems too complicated."
"What if I've been hurt by Christians in the past?"
"I tried already, and failed."

Our God is not intimidated by doubts and questions like these. As we continue studying the final night of Jesus' life, we see Jesus ramping up the compassion and the clarity for his closest friends...the same way he wants to for you.

For all of human history, people have been wrestling with the big questions of life — questions about death, freedom, isolation and meaning. In dark seasons like the one we face in the era of COVID-19, that wrestling becomes all the more common. How do we find the hope we all long for? By listening the right voice.

Pastor Brian McCormack interviews Rich Perez, a Pastor in New York City during the time of the Coronavirus crisis.

Why would Jesus invite someone into his inner-circle that he knew would betray him? There are several answers to that question, and they all center around things He wants YOU to know. If Jesus can use the darkest night in history to bring about ultimate good, you get to praise him in the midst of whatever darkness you face.

Jesus breaks from all expectations of a rabbi on Passover to do something typically only done by the lowliest of servants — he washes his disciples’ feet, and commands them to do the same for others. Before we can do what Jesus did, we must know the 3 things he knew that empowered him to love to the uttermost.

Who is Jesus? Why did he come? Is there hope for me? Do my decisions matter? How can I have eternal life?

Some see but don’t believe. Others say they believe, but don’t speak up. We are a church that does all three — especially when those around us are hungry for hope.

The loyal love of God. Our relentless trust in God. Our commitment to the mission of God. On our first day of gathering online, we highlight these three things by featuring several trusted voices of hope from within our church family.

United Conversations are candid and compelling expansions on important topics introduced in our 2020 series, Reach United. Listen in as everyday folks from Reach share their perspective and their story as they follow Jesus.⁣⁣

Mixing things up a bit, as our host Joseph Sanchez takes on the roll of the interviewee and his wife Erin Sanchez interviews him! Joseph and Erin are a biracial married couple and parents to two incredible children Jael and Elijah. The Sanchez family has been members of Reach for over 2 years. Listen in as Erin lovingly guides this conversation and helps Joseph open up about his life as a biracial Mexican American.

United Conversations are candid and compelling expansions on important topics introduced in our 2020 series, Reach United. Listen in as everyday folks from Reach share their perspective and their story as they follow Jesus.⁣⁣

As our United Conversations continue, we dive in to the lives of David and Sandy Jeong. David and Sandy are a Korean American couple and parents to two beautiful daughters, Lucy and Rosie. The Jeongs have been attending Reach for about 2 years now and are members of the Leadership Council. We're taking a moment to dive in, address, and possibly debunk some hard hitting stereotypes as David and Sandy graciously guide us through their story.

United Conversations are candid and compelling expansions on important topics introduced in our 2020 series, Reach United. Listen in as everyday folks from Reach share their perspective and their story as they follow Jesus.⁣⁣

This episode we spend time with Rob and Lisa Faucette. They have been at Reach for over 4 years and you may recall Rob preaching a few powerful sermons on a Sunday morning. Rob and Lisa are a interracial married couple and parents to two wonderful children, Taya and Malachi. We look forward to listening in on how life, church, the Gospel, and parenthood is experienced by a biracial family as we continue in our Reach United Conversations.

United Conversations are candid and compelling expansions on important topics introduced in our 2020 series, Reach United. Listen in as everyday folks from Reach share their perspective and their story as they follow Jesus.

Our first episode is with Lawrence Daniels. Lawrence has been around at Reach since nearly the beginning. He’s a husband, dad, and a volunteer with a national suicide prevention hotline. We’re eager to hear his personal and sometimes gut wrenching story growing up as a Hispanic Christian as we continue to hear from diverse voices in Reach United.

Jesus tells us that his soul is troubled—but instead of stopping there, he doubles down on his relationship with God and says, “Father, glorify your name.”

Megan unpacks this text and challenges us to show our cards, bet big, and invite God to rain his presence down on us no matter what we’re walking through.

Culture says it’s all about you. Christ says deny yourself, pick up your cross, and follow me. In dying to ourselves daily we experience more joy than we thought possible.

How do you "see" Jesus? In John 12, Some Greeks who were looking for Jesus stand out against the gospel narrative as unusual in the political landscape of the time. In a culture where there was separate "worship" for the Gentiles at the Jewish temple, these men were a picture of all who want to know God. As these Greeks request to see Jesus, his response is that in order to rightly see him, you have to see his death, burial, and resurrection.

When you are considering a difficult journey, you must know two things: why you must go despite the difficulty, and how to take your first steps.

If Dr. King were alive today, we can assume he would rejoice in the progress that’s been made since his “I Have a Dream” speech, but he would certainly not turn a blind eye to the long road yet to be travelled. Sometimes God calls us to ditch the script of the expected, and take a closer look at who we are, where we’re from, and how we live.

Pastor and humanitarian Eugene Cho joins us to kick off Part 1 of Reach United: The Gospel & Race.

We can't just talk about Samaria. Like Jesus, we have to walk through Samaria. Everyone loves the idea of reconciliation until we realize that reconciliation involves: confessing, confronting, truth-telling, repenting, dismantling, forgiving, and bridge-building.

But as Jesus shows us in his interaction with the woman at the well, real relationship matters to him and therefore, must matter to the people of God, no matter the cost.

God's various gifts are handed out everywhere. Everyone gets in on it and everyone benefits. All kinds of things are handed out by the Spirit to all kinds of people! That's how we get to be the church and reach the city.

What if you’re already living into the purpose you're searching for, and you just haven’t had the eyes to see it?

It’s possible to be in the right place, at the right time, saying the right things, all with a heart that is far from God. We must know who the king is, and what we need saving from most.

It is often forgotten that Lazarus ends up on the Chief Priests' hit list after Jesus raises him from the grave. Apparently living a resurrected life makes you a threat to some. Live such a life anyway.

The value you place on Christ will determine how you interact with Him. Watch how beautiful things happen when your affections line up with the value of Jesus.

* this sermon of Rob’s is largely inspired by John Piper’s thoughts on the passage.

When an unexpected source proclaims the most important part of the Good News, we are forced to answer a crucial question — “How will we respond to the irrefutable power of Jesus?”

God's "hesed"-Love is an anchor for our souls. It will hold us. Our response to that love is simply to take hold of it and embody it. Listen as Pastor Jason Chudnofsky and men from the our church reflect on all God did this weekend.

Stop. Before you say that, or do that, or tweet that about your fellow Christian, remember you have the same father, and your foremost allegiance is to the same kingdom. Now carry on.

What would change if you believed the truest thing about you is that you are made in the image of God? That ALL humans are? A lot would change. We’re banking on it.

Jesus raises Lazarus from the grave, and lands the first blow in his battle with death. The knockout punch will come soon after when he himself rises. Nothing will ever be the same.

We so often forget that Jesus entering our pain is often part of the good news. We don't just have permission to grieve, we are called to.

Sometimes God waits until all earthly hope is gone to do his thing, so there is no confusion who is working. Jesus' question to Martha is the same question he poses to you: "Do you believe?" Make sure you're not holding back your "yes".

If resurrection is true...if it’s really possible...if life can spring forth where only death has been...everything changes.

Plenty of things will come against you in this life hoping to separate you from the God who loves you. None of them will succeed. Your shepherd, your father is too strong for that.

We are constantly overwhelmed by all kinds of voices. Thankfully, Jesus is eager to silence the voices that are not from him, and reveal himself as the one who can lead, feed, protect, and save us.

Righteousness. Justice. Kindness.

They might be all you need to know.

Jesus didn’t simply settle for physical healing for the blind man, he pursued him for his spiritual healing too. These verses show us that Jesus has a perfect record of finding the people he goes looking for and begs us to see ourselves in the story.

The testimony of the blind man Jesus healed equips us for what to expect and what to do when our life-changing encounter with Jesus is met with skepticism, accusation, and rejection—both externally and in our own thoughts.

Jesus meets a man out on a walk with his friends and shows he can heal anyone, anywhere, in their body or their Spirit.

Jesus challenges the faith of his audience by giving evidence of what true, saving faith looks like.

Jesus pulls no punches when addressing those who do not yet believe in him; the stakes could not be higher. Still, he calls all of us to look to the cross and believe in the one we see.

Jesus is constantly declaring who he is with the words "I am..." When Jesus says "I am the light of the world", He is declaring His power to bring hope and healing to every bit of darkness in your life through His great rescue.

When Jewish leaders catch a woman in the act of adultery and bring her to Jesus, they try to trap him with two options. Jesus then flips the script (as he often does), showing the woman a third way of grace and truth.

If you believe in Jesus, the Spirit will flow from deep within you. This is not optional, nor is it conditional. Are we open to allowing the Spirit to move in and through us in new ways? Are we aware of what’s at stake if we don’t?

Jason Chudnofsky teaches on how to trust what God says about you more than what your experience or circumstances say about you.

The crowd around Jesus begins to wonder: "Could this man really be the Messiah?"

A wrong view of purpose, power, or practice can keep us from having a true perspective of Jesus...which is the most important thing in the world. Jesus is urging you to see him as He truly is, and to experience his life-changing truth as you choose to trust him through obedience.

We asked our friend, Jonathan Rainey to bring a message about the kind of church Seattle needs, and how Reach can play its role well as God does his work in Seattle. The powerful simplicity of what he said will encourage and equip you.

Jesus’ brothers reflect some of our own questions for God. Jesus models for us what it looks like to trust God’s voice and God’s timing even amidst the pressures of the world around us.

Many leave Jesus looking for easier words. The faithful are called to remember that only Jesus has the words of eternal life, and also to remember: Jesus was rejected, and if we follow him wholeheartedly, sometimes we will be too.

Jesus says "I Am the Bread of Life. All who see the son and believe in him will have eternal life." Just like the crowd, we hunger for the wrong bread. Jesus is the bread that will satisfy.

Storms of hardship are part of life. Jesus sees us in them, comforts us in them, and uses them to reveal how he is God, He is Good, and He is here

Jesus is constantly inviting us into seemingly impossible missions for the benefit of those in need. How will we respond? Hopefully we will do so with trust and expectancy, placing our faith in the great Provider.

When we consider the stories of the Prodigal Son and the Apostle Peter alongside each other, the same truth emerges — we are closest to home when we are closest to Jesus.

Our friend, Eugene Cho lays out the very heartbeat of Reach by declaring a big gospel and inviting us to embrace both the Great Commission (make disciples) and the Great Commandment (love your neighbor).

For centuries philosophers have been asking “what is the meaning of life?” Where are we to find purpose? What should we live for and die for? What if God’s great purposes in the world are to be adopted as our own? And what if the joy we long for becomes a reality as we do so?

Our culture is full of people who are both wildly successful and profoundly unsatisfied. For some reason we all buy into the lie that power, and performance, and excess, and indulgence will quench the thirst deep within us.⁣

And we all remain thirsty throughout these pursuits. Are we willing to consider the possibility that satisfaction comes not in the acquisition of things or the performing of works, but in the knowledge of a particular person?⁣

For many of us, our most hopeless moments happen as we reflect on our inability to make meaningful changes in our lives. Addiction feels too strong, and fear too real for us to keep hoping to become something different, something better.⁣

What would change if we were to come face-to-face with a supernatural power that was committed to championing the process of bringing meaningful change into our very hearts? Answer: Everything. Everything would change. Starting with us.⁣

Everyone takes their turn going through hardship. If there is power to strengthen us for our journeys through dark times, surely we’d all like to know. Good news: Jesus sustains. He’s more committed to you than you are to Him.

Everyone is enslaved to something, and some things all of us are enslaved to. We need a redeemer who can remove guilt, alleviate fear, defeat evil, and conquer death. So, can we be set free? Yes, because Jesus Saves.

Sometimes it’s important to pause, reflect on all we’ve learned, celebrate stories of God’s faithfulness, and agree together on the path God has called us to walk in unity for the season to come. This year’s journey to Easter will be different than any before. We’re going to do all we can to create spaces of safety, risk, and joy so MANY can hear the Good News of Jesus.

The story of the Prodigal Son is really a story of a father who creates a space of safety, risk, and joy for his kids. Through the Gospel, God invites all of us into such a space. Our mission is to create such spaces for others.

The Apostle John is the perfect person to write a biography of Jesus. In his story we find reasons to hope and footsteps to follow.

Happy snowy Sunday! There are no gatherings today, but here's a short devotional to help facilitate a time of scripture reading and fellowship in your home.

Discussion questions:
1. Have you embraced your freedom in Christ?
2. How much are you consuming and for what purpose?
3. What opportunity - small or large - do you have to serve someone this week?

What happens when Jesus is not the center of our lives? What are we to do when we realize He isn’t in His rightful place? This passage doesn’t just pose the questions, it provides the answers. He’s provided the map of how people get lost — it’s on us to follow it back home.

It all comes down to this: Jesus is either God, or He’s not. If He is, He gets everything we have and everything we are.

Many avoid authority at all costs, believing that total autonomy is the path to joy. But the authority of Jesus is marked by love, and submitting to it with our entire lives is where satisfaction is found.

God commands us to rest so we can experience true rest in Him and His Gospel. Yet most of us insist on grinding 7 days a week. What does our refusal to slow down reveal about our hearts? More importantly, what joy are opting out of when we sidestep God’s call to remember the Sabbath?

Our theology of healing should serve everyone in the multitude — those who experience miraculous healing, and those who don’t.

Many of us will start pursuing goals and changes to start the new year. First, let's pause and reflect on key things the Bible taught us this year to keep our hearts attentive to how God would have us plan ahead.

Receive. Rejoice. Remember. Repeat.

Just like Mary.

What feels impossible this Christmas? As we study the "first impressions" of Jesus in each Gospel, we see how his arrival shows us that nothing is impossible with God.

In a tender encounter with a woman used to being on the fringes, Jesus reveals an incredibly important truth — the satisfaction we all seek is found only in Jesus....knowing Him, and making Him known.

Ben Malcolmson, assistant to the Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll (and husband to our very own Brittney Malcolmson), shares his story with Reach. Ben shows us that if we walk in obedience to God's will, he will work great things through even small acts of faithfulness.

Within these verses lies the secret of life that no one sees coming — fullness of joy does not come from the pursuit and exaltation of self, but in the denial of self. When John the Baptist says “I must decrease, he must increase” he flips contemporary culture on its head…and invites us to follow him into true satisfaction.

“For God so loved the world that He gave his only son…” These words are the most well-known in the entire bible for good reason. Believe them, and the result is eternal life.

Jesus says we all must be born again. It is only through His life, death, and resurrection that we are able to enter the Kingdom of God.

Our greatest good and deepest joy come through nearness to God. When Jesus cleanses and replaces the temple, he declares himself to be the only means by which we can experience life-changing closeness to our creator.

The first miraculous sign Jesus performs in the Gospel of John is spectacular at first glance, and even more profound as one looks deeper. As hundreds of gallons of water change to wine, we discover the new way change is designed to come into our lives in the ways that matter most.

Dr. Gerry Breshears helps us get practical, using the biblical example of Elijah to show us how to respond to depression and anxiety. Includes live Q&A immediately after the message.

We start our conversation on mental health by establishing a shared vocabulary, declaring shared convictions, and pointing to a shared hope.

As we come face to face with Christ’s purpose, we also discover our own. We all want to witness greater things — that happens as we follow Jesus on his mission.

God is community. God invites us to community, so that we’d start communities.

Jesus calls all us to follow him, with all we are. A life of all-encompassing response is a life of true worship.

Discussion Questions:
How do you make an effort to be with Jesus? To become like Jesus? To do what Jesus did?
What might following cost you? Do you believe He’s worth it?

Jesus is the Good News. In John 1 we see many names and titles attached to Jesus, each one enlarging our understanding of who He is and what He’s done. Come and See Jesus...every angle of Him.

Discussion Questions:
Which of the names/titles attached to Jesus in John 1 resonated with you most?
Is Jesus your lamb? Your teacher? Your king?

As we wrap up our nine month study through Ephesians, it's important that we remember what we've learned and take next steps toward obedience.

The prologue to John’s Gospel is a masterpiece. When John introduces Jesus as “The Word made flesh” he is making a declaration much larger than one would initially realize. He is changing the way humanity thinks. He is changing the course of history. And he might just be changing your life.

Discussion Questions:
* How do you currently deal with the fear and anxiety that tries to take over when you think about the certainty of death? How does this awareness affect how you live?
* If God is indeed calling you to “Come and see,” what specifically might he be wanting to show you in this season?


Recommended Reading:
And He Dwelt Among Us — A.W. Tozer
A collection of Tozer’s sermons on the Gospel of John. Could be a great devotional supplement as we journey through John.

A Brief History of Thought — Luc Ferry
The book on philosophy written by French atheist referred to in this sermon. We obviously don’t endorse his conclusions, but if you’re looking to dive deep and sharpen your convictions, this could be helpful.

God has equipped us with the Sword of the Spirt to stand firm in the finished work of Christ.

Even if you know salvation is important, it’s very possible your understanding of it is way too small. Being saved is not just a past-tense truth — it’s the promise of change for the present, and the certainty of hope for the future.

What is faith? How is it meant to be our shield? And how do we take it up?

The armor of God makes it clear that believers are called to "stand", even in the midst of spiritual warfare. God makes our standing possible by providing for us the shoes of the gospel of peace–the only foundation that makes us ready for whatever may come our way.

Righteousness is meant to protect what’s most vital and central in our lives. But to understand righteousness biblically and embody righteousness practically there are 3 people you need to know.

Our enemy is dangerous, and our mission is great, so God equips us for the battle we find ourselves in. What’s at the center of God’s armor? The truth of who Jesus is, what He has done, and who He says we are.

Paul’s words to slaves and masters in 1st Century Rome were paradigm shifting in every way. Those same words have more implications for our lives today than we would expect as we follow the great emancipator, Jesus Christ.

The call to honor our parents and raise up our children has more implications than we think. With the Holy Spirit’s help, our families will be the most powerful thing the world takes notice of as we strive to demonstrate and declare the love of Jesus.

Submission and headship are some of the most controversial words in the New Testament, yet they are central to the dynamics of a healthy marriage, and a joyful relationship with Christ himself.

God says, “Don’t get drunk on wine...be filled with the Spirit.”
Let’s dive in, shall we?

Why is sexual sin such a big deal to God? Is there hope for change in an area where freedom seems hopeless? If so, how are we to fight?

All of us are united by the universal need to change, to become the true selves God created us to be. We demonstrate we are all-in with this process as we check our heads, hearts, tongues and hands, and invite God to work change into our entire lives.

What are God’s plans to build up the church in maturity and unity? He won't leave us to figure it out alone. He provides grace and gifts for every season.

What is “calling”? How do we live worthy of the calling we have received?

We often settle for knowing more about God rather than experiencing him. We want a vibrant relationship — his goodness working in and through us, especially as an anchor for life’s most challenging seasons.

The Spirit of God working through the people of God is plan A for achieving the mission of God...and there is no plan B.

How does God work in a person’s life, and in a community’s life? He tears down, and he builds up.

Stop looking at peace as a commodity to acquire. Start looking at it as a person to know.

It’s no accident that a long section of Ephesians about unity starts off with a command to remember. Forgetful Christians do not experience true unity, and do not carry such unity into the world. We must be a remembering people...together.

The way of grace can be expressed in three words: It is finished.

Jesus' resurrection is good news—out of great love for us, he brings life into places where we expect to only see death.

Before we can see the cross as something done for us, we must see it as something done by us. As we acknowledge the depth of our sin, we experience the fullness of His love.

We all need to be reminded of who and what we were before grace came to bear on our lives. Then and only then are we able to truly rejoice in what Christ has done.

Many of us view the world through the lenses provided by the culture we live in. To see Ephesians for what it is, to see reality for what it is, we need to make room in our worldview for an unseen realm, and unseen beings. As our perspective gets bigger, so will our understanding of our King who reigns over all things.

Of all the things Paul could pray for his Ephesian readers (and for us millennia later), he prays that the Father would give us more of the Spirit, that we might know God more. In an ever-deepening knowledge of God we receive hope that can be found nowhere else, an inheritance of infinite value, and power greater than every enemy.

Far too many people are ignorant to the incredible gifts and blessing that are rightfully theirs as sons and daughters of the King. You have been given a priceless inheritance, and the Spirit is your guarantee that it will not be taken from you.

At the center of God’s heartbeat is his desire to see us experiencing unity — with him, and with one another.

Anyone can be redeemed. Anyone can be forgiven. Terrorists can become pastors. Sinners can become saints. Simply put, grace wins.

The words that lie at the center of the Reach family are Gospel, Worship, Community, and Mission. An understanding of adoption is required to live them out well.

The implications of these three verses have sparked much debate for centuries, but the simple act of reading them slowly and intentionally should lead us into awe. Simply put—he has made us family.

Praise. Praise the Father. Praise the Father who has blessed us.

It’s tempting to breeze through the introduction to a book or letter. But the truth within the first two verses of Ephesians is more than enough to change everything.

If we can trust Him with the eternal, we can trust him with the present. What God says, God will do.

True love goes first, true love sacrifices. We see this in both the love that comes to us, and the love that goes through us.

Jesus came to undo all that’s broken and twisted in the world we know, bringing victory and redemption to his children.

Sin does its best to separate us from God, but In Christ we find an advocate, our righteousness, and our propitiation. Simply put, we can experience nearness with God — and that changes everything, starting with us.

God is light. Behold the light, believe in the light, be changed by the light, so you might be the light.

An introduction to the First Letter of John:
1 . Jesus is real.
2. Only fellowship with Him and his people leads to eternal LIFE and fullness of joy.

A proper view of Heaven leads to a passion for the life to come, and deep-seated purpose in our lives today.

One day you will stand before the judge. Are you confident as you consider what will happen on that day? You can be.

There are many implications of Christ’s return, but we must wrap our minds around this simple, wonderful truth — one day the fullness of his presence will be here…with us…forever. What emotions does that stir up in you? Your answer reveals much about where your hope is.

Throughout the story of God, his heart for blessing ALL the peoples of the earth is on full display. Our heart must reflect His heart.

Wherever you are, be there on purpose. At the intersection of the Great Commission, the Cultural Commission, and the Greatest Commandment we find our mission — to be a church for the city.

The message is simple:
There is enduring hope. For you.
There is invincible joy. For you.
In Jesus.

The Gospel is the story of God’s generosity towards us. To follow Jesus is to commit to living out his vision of a generous life. Answering the call to give more of our time, talent and treasure is a matter of discipleship, and ownership.

Throughout the entirety of the scriptures God is consistently passionate about the glory of His name. Our lives should be characterized by the same passion. If we are truly people living for the name of Jesus, we will refuse to live for the glory of any other name — the name of any other god, any human name, or our own name.

Brian was invited to speak at Northwest University on the scriptures—what they are, if we can trust them, and why and how we should read them.

You have a role in the story of God. You'll need a new heart with new desires and a new power source to play it well. How convenient and glorious that God provides those very things through Jesus.

We show a 10-minute featurette from the film The Heart of Man and discuss its Gospel themes and stories with the writer and executive producer, Jason Pamer.

Followers of Jesus should be known for the peace they exhibit in the midst of hardship and suffering, and committed to caring for others as they endure storms of their own.

People of conviction are those who have been thoroughly convinced something is true, as evidenced by their actions, regardless of the cost. Such are the people God uses most to do His work in the world. Such are the people we will be.

Why should I pray? How should I pray? What should I pray for? These questions are some of the most important we will ever ask in our walk with God. By exploring a key prayer at the dawn of the church, we look for answers to each of these, in the hope that we would all be compelled into a deeper level of commitment and passion in our prayers to a loving and sovereign Father.

Jesus invites each of us into a personal relationship, but He doesn’t stop there. He invites us into a family, and he saves us a seat at the table. It’s at the table we discover one of the greatest gifts He’s given us this side of heaven: each other.

To be the Church God has called us to be, we must be devoted to the Word of God. Our identity. Our joy. Our weapon. The Scriptures provide us all of these things if we are willing to read, receive, and obey them.

Too often the Holy Spirit is relegated to the back seat, and the consequences are significant, to say the least. To be the family of faith we have been called to be, the Spirit must take the wheel.

It the Gospel is really "good news", then why do statements like "for God so loved the world" often seem cliché? Maybe we've missed the grandeur these familiar words aim to reveal. Maybe God's love is better than we realize.

In a matter of a few days, Jesus saves us from our sin, he saves us from the fruit of sin, and he sends us out with good news for everyone.

When Jesus shows up to Jerusalem just days before his death, the kingdom shows up with him...but in a way no one expected.

Through a series of parables, Jesus lays out a call to humility. Through his entire life and death, He demonstrates it. To follow Him, we must embody it.

How far is Jesus willing to go to save us?

The call is to live sent. Know the call. Count the cost. Check your heart. And GO.

In the midst of our physical, emotional, and spiritual brokenness, Jesus desires to be our healer. But how do we maintain hope when healing hasn't come yet? As we fix our eyes on Him, we begin to realize a greater plan is at work—one that results in our ultimate healing.

Just when it seems all hope was lost... Jesus comes to fulfill the promises of God to His people. Good News is proclaimed to the hopeless, sick are healed, slaves go free. Things will never be the same. We will never be the same.

Jesus is calling you from something, to something, for something. The real question is this…are you ready to leave it all behind and actually follow Him?

As we experience trials in life, the question often becomes, “Does God really have a plan in all of this?” Through the story of Daniel, we’ll see how the fruit of faithfulness results in God’s glory, and inevitably, our joy.

Rightly understanding the wrath of God helps us to fully appreciate the unrivaled supremacy of his glory and the great cost he paid in order to ransom his people.

If you struggle with having the ability or the desire to live as you've been called to, you have a heart problem. Good news: those who believe get a new heart.

Two years ago the people of Reach raised $130,000 to build a safe house with Rescue:Freedom International in Central India. Those dollars built a new house that over 70 women and children now call home. We had the chance to celebrate the opening of the home with Easo and Leela, the founders of the rescue home, on their first trip to America. We also heard the story of how God called them out of comfort, and into mission—and how they’ve experienced more joy than they ever thought possible as a result.

Jesus rose from the grave. Yes, that's crazy. But if it's also true, it changes everything.

Through David the King, we get a glimpse of the King of Kings, who will make good on all of the promises God makes to his people throughout His story. To know peace and joy is to know the King.

In between David the Victor and David the King, we find David the Outlaw. It's in this unexpected, difficult season of his life that we learn what it means to be one "after God's own heart".

Have you ever felt like you were in a battle you just couldn't win? David's fight with Goliath seemed hopeless, yet his victory proved otherwise—foreshadowing Christ as our ultimate victor.

In the book of Ruth, God is hardly even mentioned. Still we see he isn’t intimidated by bad beginnings, is always behind the scenes, and invites the unexpected into a greater story.

This week, Josh Butler joined us and spoke on a different topic at each gathering, taking us through the topics of his book: "The Skeletons in God's Closet".

Part 3: We often hear “God can’t stand the presence of sin,” but is it true? Does God back away when we mess up for fear of being tainted? We’ll explore how we get it backwards: our problem in the biblical story is not so much that God can’t stand the presence of sin, as sin that can’t stand the presence of God. We’ll look at what this means for the role of the Law and the centrality of love, in God’s redemptive pursuit of our world.

This week, Josh Butler joined us and spoke on a different topic at each gathering, taking us through the topics of his book: "The Skeletons in God's Closet".

Part 2: Many people struggle with the violence of the Old Testament, and particularly the apparent genocide of Canaan. We’ll take a closer look at these passages to confront some popular caricatures, revealing not only that these passages do not depict genocide, but even moreso that they are surprisingly a great source of hope for our world today.

This week, Josh Butler joined us and spoke on a different topic at each gathering, taking us through the topics of his book: "The Skeletons in God's Closet".

Part 1: Many struggle to make sense of Israel’s sacrificial system in the Old Testament. It can seem anachronistic and even barbaric today, leaving some wondering whether this is a malevolent God who needs his pound of flesh in order to be satisfied. In this session, we’ll take a closer look at sacrifice, to see how it points us to the goodness of God, the gift of life, and a gratitude that can set us free. We’ll explore how to talk about it with others in a way that ultimately points to Jesus.

God promised for hundreds of years that He would bring His people into the Promised Land, but the one who would lead them there has died. Will God keep His promise and bring them rest in the Promised Land? What about His promise to us? We find the answers to these questions in the life of Joshua.

God isn’t just mighty to save—He’s also faithful to sustain. The second half of Exodus shows how God provides sustenance, protection, victory, and presence as He continues the ongoing rescue of His people.

The story of the Exodus is the clearest picture of the Gospel we will see in the Old Testament. Slaves go free, and God proves himself faithful (yet again).

There are many lessons to be learned from the life of Joseph. God is close in suffering. He is the author with authority over all things. He takes what is meant for evil, and uses it for good. Believe these things and everything changes.

Nearly all of our favorite characters in the Bible, while remembered for their heroism, walk with a tainted past. Can God really use broken, messed up people for His purposes? This week, we explore the life of Jacob—a man whose wrestling with God led him to confront his past and discover a bright new future.

The story of Abraham initiates God's plan of redemption through a promise called a covenant, but it also points the future hope of a Savior. As believers we are called to trust in our Savior in order to know this incredible hope.

After the Fall, the rest of God's story is about two things: God getting His kids back, and the coming of the "He". The story of Noah shows us humanity's downward spiral, the horror of sin, and a flicker of hope right in the middle of the darkness.

There are some common questions that all of humanity asks. How did this all start? Where did it go wrong? Is there any hope to be found? We find the answers at the beginning of God's story.

What exactly is the Bible? Can we trust it? Do we have the right books? What does it mean that the Bible has authority? Gerry Breshears of Western Seminary walks us through these important questions as we prepare to launch our year in the story of God. Includes an extended Q + A.

Every New Year conversations swirl around the ideas of priorities and commitment. Jesus doesn't pull punches when he addresses these things, making it clear that the cost of discipleship is high, but the rewards are beyond anything we can imagine...if we will step into our place in God's story.

Jesus didn’t leave the reason for his coming a mystery. He explicitly declares why he came many times over in the scriptures. Investigating these declarations empowers us to live generously as He did.

Our ability to be generous is only driven by an understanding of the gift that Jesus is. When we receive him, know him, and follow him, we’re invited to be part of a generous kingdom.

Jesus was born into a long line of unexpected, seemingly unqualified leaders. The good news of his arrival is for all people, even those who have been historically excluded. There's room for everyone—for you—at the table.

1 Peter reminds us that hope is not an experience to long for, but it is a person and his name is Jesus.

Jesus was a storyteller. He was also the hero in the most important story ever told. So we're certain that story matters to Him. On Story Sunday we heard stories from our church family and discussed the power story has to transform church culture and our lives.

The conclusion to the Sermon on the Mount reveals the heart of God—that of a Father who desperately wants His children to come home and is willing to call out the false paths, false prophets, false assurance, and false foundations that try to keep us from the fullness of life that is only found in His presence.

For our final Sunday before Election Day, Jackie Hill Perry joined us as we walked through the words of Christ about how we are called to interact with our family under the king, those who oppose the king, and our Father who is the king. No judgment, no hypocrisy, all grace.

To watch our Forum on Sex & Spirituality with Jackie, find the Forums button on the Home tab.

Since God is after our hearts, He doesn't just care about our good works, but also the motives behind them. When Jesus commands us to give, to pray, and to fast, He does so in hopes we will hand Him the parts of our lives that don't belong to Him yet.

Jesus has some counter cultural things to say about what we are to do with the two hardest types of people in our lives—those who do us wrong and those we call our enemies. What He says isn't easy, but it gives us the key to perfection in this life.

Jesus leaves no rock unturned as he looks for parts of our lives that don't fully belong to him yet. His words about divorce reveal how highly he views marriage, and how desperately he wants the world to get a glimpse of his love via husbands & wives.

Jesus wants your heart—so he cares deeply about "invisible" things like anger and lust that try to fast-track you toward destruction and judgment. Sometimes hard hearts need to hear hard things, but the hope is bigger than the burden is heavy.

Bring what is lacking. Preserve what is decaying. Dive into the mess. Illuminate the darkness. This is the calling we share.

The Beatitudes serve as a flawless introduction to the Sermon on the Mount. They are a profile of what a community committed to living as citizens of God's kingdom looks like.

Some things have changed, but what's really important is what never will—the call to actually do what Jesus has called us to.

Whether you realize it or not, you need a shepherd—someone stronger than yourself to protect you and provide for you. Psalm 23, perhaps the most famous of all the psalms, delivers the great news that God wants to be the shepherd you need.

Worship is not about you. Only when we embrace the command to encourage one another and make much of God through song do we tap into the joy God has waiting for us as we sing.

We can find sweet delight in the good words of our good God in every situation of life. This psalm shows us how.

Out of the seed of envy, rebellion grows. This powerful psalm shows us how the presence of God makes true change possible.

What in your life do you treasure most? In Psalm 63, David treasures God as though he is the difference between life and death, both the source and the focus of his joy.

Our friend Adrian Wright, pastor of Anchor Church in Johannesburg, South Africa, unpacks the bigness of the Gospel, and shares several monumental gifts that are ours “in Christ.”

Edward Sumner from REST (Real Escape from the Sex Trade), shares about the work being done to stop commercial sexual exploitation in the Seattle area. In a situation that seems beyond redemption, hope refuses to believe the voice of the dominant culture.

Krist Wilde, Pastor of Capital Church in Boise, Idaho, shares a message on the importance of thankfulness in all circumstances.

This Sunday we took time to address the sense of pain, anger and hopelessness surrounding the events in our nation. Brian and Steve are joined by Detective Jon in an honest conversation about race, police and hope.

If our identity is built on the approval of others, we will find ourselves vulnerable to rejection and repetitive heartache. Jesus teaches us how to build a foundation that sustains and satisfies.

We all have a standard of what's good and right, but what happens when we fail to live up to that standard? If "to err is human" then what do we do to fix it?

An unexpected experience with the cross can change everything. Despite being written centuries before Christ, Psalm 22 paints a vivid picture of what Jesus endured on our behalf to secure our rescue.

When faced with a season of suffering, we can either lean towards cheap grief or lean into God. He will turn our valleys of weeping into an oasis for others.

Psalms 1 & 2 are the introduction to the book as a whole, pointing us toward timeless truths to orient our very lives around.

In the closing portion of Paul's letter to the Philippians, we unpack two of the most popular verses in all of scripture and discover the secret of contentment in all situations.

In his addressing of a specific broken relationship between two disciples of Philippi, Paul lays out commands to obey, facts to believe, and promises to trust as we pursue peace in our lives together.

The Good News calls for us to live in a peculiar way—we are to be a people who make an impact in this life by focusing on the life to come.

All Paul wants is to have the deepest knowledge of Jesus possible, by any means possible. Is that your desire?

Which of these is the core message of Jesus; falling in line or falling in love? Paul paints a picture for the everyday Christian that obeying Jesus is full of joy.

True humility leads to true unity, which leads to God getting the glory He deserves and us getting the joy we long for.

There are a few verses in the bible that shine a light on the very heart of what a life following Jesus is to be about. This is absolutely one of those verses. "______ is life." How would you fill in the blank?

Would you expect suffering to bring about more boldness and a confidence in Jesus? Paul writes about a faith that grows even as he struggles with living out some of Jesus’ most difficult truths.

In Paul's prayer for the believers in Philippi we find our purpose as a church: To love Jesus, by knowing Jesus, and be changed by Jesus, for the glory of Jesus.

God specializes in shining light into darkness and conquering death with abundant life. If he really has risen, there is always hope. Always.

Before we can see the cross as something done for us, we must see it as something done by us. As we acknowledge the depth of our sin, we experience the fullness of His love.

Jesus sends his followers to go into the world to be his ambassadors of hope and reconciliation. God gets glory, the world gets healing, and we get joy.

Following Jesus isn’t just your ticket to Heaven and means to true change. Knowing him and being known by him is the most satisfying thing in the universe, because his steadfast love is better than life itself.

Can people really change? Your answer to that question has more implications than you think. The very good news is that Jesus brings change into our lives — so we should know how He does it, and how to be all-in with the process.

What if Jesus is more committed to you than you are to him? If he really is a good shepherd who never loses sheep, you can rest in his love for you — regardless of the darkness you're walking through.

Jesus came to seek and save the lost — everyday people who need an answer for the brokenness around them and a hope for redemption.

Brian and Josh kick off "Reach, Season 2" by sharing what's changing, what's staying the same, and how we will go deeper and wider in the years to come.

As we finish the Lord’s Prayer, we are reminded that God will give us everything we need for a life of purpose, and protect us as we step out to be a part of what He’s doing in the world.

The Lord's prayer might be the most frequently spoken collection of words in the history of human language. But rarely do we pause to reflect on them and the power they hold. Perhaps we should try just that...

In our final dive into the book of Acts, we see the sovereignty of God, the faithfulness of Paul, the power of the Holy Spirit, and the continual spread of the Gospel…all the way to Rome. The big question: what do we do now? The big answer: go deeper, spread wider.

Paul’s final instructions to church leaders and friends he’ll never see again are a simple and potent blueprint for us to reflect on living the life of a disciple of Jesus.

When Paul finally makes it to Ephesus, God has prepared everything for transformation to sweep across the province. Sometimes what seems like God’s “no” is actually him saying “Yes, but not yet."

In Corinth, Paul makes new friends, makes new disciples, and receives an encouraging vision from Jesus himself. What does it all mean for us? We don't have to be afraid...because God is with us.

While in Athens, which is similar to Seattle in many ways, Paul shows us what it looks like to engage, serve, and love a city engulfed in idolatry.

The Incarnation is the foremost of God's many declarations that he is committed to us experiencing the power, intimacy, and healing of his presence.

The Incarnation is a model for mission, showing us that Jesus came for those who don't have it all together.

The idea that God would become man is crazy and scandalous, but also true and foundational to the entirety of our faith.

Paul and Silas are accused of “turning the world upside down.” Can the gospel empower followers of Jesus to really live that way?

Paul and his friends encounter three people who need God’s grace. Can the gospel really change them? Can it change us?

Feel like all the doors are slamming shut? Keep praying, keep grinding, don't give up.

In answering this question, the scriptures reveal the heart of our Father, who isn’t out to steal from us, but rather to protect us from the things that are doing just that.

Jesus teaches that our hearts are found where we keep our treasure. Here’s the question: is money what we worship, or how we worship?

Before we can live sent, we've got to be clear about who we are and what we have to say. Our message is grace.

As Paul completes his journey, his primary goal becomes all the more clear; equipping believers for life and leadership in the Kingdom. This is not only Paul's heartbeat, but also the heartbeat of Reach.

Identifying, destroying, and replacing the idols we worship instead of Jesus should be central in the life of our church family...and joyfully so.

For some of us, the call to mission is “Will you go?” For most of us, it’s “Will you stay?”

Sharing the good news of Jesus is the primary activity of a missionary. In Antioch Pisidia, Paul delivers a sermon that clarifies the gospel we are to believe and the gospel we are called to carry to others.

The Holy Spirit sends Paul and Barnabas on the first missionary journey. Like many of us, they're still rookies just learning to tell others about Jesus.

It's always good to pause and celebrate what God has already done before diving into what you hope he's going to do next. Includes stories of God's faithfulness, a financial snapshot of the church, a glimpse of what's coming this Fall, and a call to be a people of steadfast love.

Our friend Ryan V. shares his heart for the gospel and it's power to bring change.

Our friend Jevon Washington takes us through a story of God's provision in the desert, and shows us the provision He offers us today.

The 2nd church in our history, Antioch, gives us a glimpse of what it looks like to give selflessly and mature.