Category: attitudes

• The Greatest Gift

  Read Mark 12:38-44 October 31 is Reformation Day. What does this mean? This is the day Martin Luther nailed the 95 Theses to the front door of Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany. This is the beginning of the Protestant Reformation. Reformation. Every 500 years, or so, the Church goes through a process of “reforming” to […]

  Ryan Stratton

  11/02/2021

  arrogance, attitudes, awakening, belief, believe, belonging, bible, Christian Life, Christianity, church, community, compassion, disciples, faith, God’s grace, good news, gospel, hypocricy, Jesus, Jesus Christ, leadership, Martin Luther, mercy, methodism, methodist, ministry, trust, Truth, uncategoried, Uncategorized, worldview, Worship, writing, youth ministry

  compassion of Jesus, God raises up people, know Gods love, love God, love people, Mark 12:38-44, praise God, Protestant Reformation, reformation of the church, Trust Jesus, widows mite

• God Leads

  Click here to read 1 Samuel 17. These are the stories that capture our imagination and restore hope. Rudy, The Karate Kid, Cinderella Man, Million Dollar Baby…these are all stories where the “wrong person” wins. But these stories stick with us. Why? Because of who wins! We love for the underdog to win. Why? I […]

  Ryan Stratton

  06/22/2021

  anxiety, attitudes, awakening, believe, belonging, Bible, bible stories, bible study, character, Christian Life, Christianity, church, devotionals, disciples, faith, God, God’s grace, God’s promises, good news, holy life, holy living, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, leadership, legacy, mercy, methodism, methodist, ministry, miracles, mission, motivations, preach, preaching, trust, Truth, Uncategorized, Worry, Worship, writing, youth ministry

  1 Samuel 17, Christian life, David and Goliath, faith in Christ, God leads to victory, Good News of Jesus Christ, Jesus changes everything, rooting for the underdog, transform the world, underdogs win

• Transformed Thinking

  I realize it has been some time since I last posted here. Recently I finished reading the book “Winning the War in Your Mind” by Craig Groeschel. I found this to be a great book, especially for this time in my life. One of the things I have noticed, lately, is how we keep our […]

  Ryan Stratton

  03/17/2021

  attitudes, belief, bible, Christian Life, Christianity, example, faithful, God, God’s grace, God’s promises, humanity, Image of God, Jesus Christ, mercy, methodism, methodist, mindset, ministry, miracles, thankful, thinking, thoughts, transformation, uncategoried, worship, writing

  changing our life, changing your thinking, Christian life, focus on God, God’s work in the world, Good News of Jesus Christ, live differently, loving God, what is God doing?

• Rahab: The Past Does Note Define You

  How would you describe yourself before coming to faith in Jesus Christ? How is that different from your life now? What do other people think about you? Do your family and friends see something different and new in you since you began to follow Christ? Even if you have be “in church” your whole life, […]

  Ryan Stratton

  08/04/2020

  anxiety, attitudes, awakening, belief, Bible, bible stories, bible study, born again, Christian Life, Christianity, church, disciples, faith, glory to God, God, God’s grace, God’s promises, good news, gospel, grace, home, Jesus, Jesus Christ, legacy, Life, mercy, methodism, methodist, ministry, new life, preach, preaching, redeemed, Relationships, revival, Spiritual transformation, transformation, Uncategorized, Worship, writing, youth ministry

  fall of Jericho, following Jesus, Jesus changes everything, Jesus defines you, Joshua 2, keeping your word, know who you are, know your worth, new life in Jesus, overcoming the past, people can change, People like us, Rahab the prostitue, story of redemption, trusting Jesus

• Noah: Nobody’s Perfect

  There are movies and books and stories that we allow to speak to our hearts. We fall in love with the characters and root for them, or want what’s coming to them to happen. The stories we seem to pay more attention to add to our notion that life is all about us. One of […]

  Ryan Stratton

  07/21/2020

  anger, attitudes, belief, Bible, bible stories, bible study, character, Christian Life, Christianity, church, confrontation, Creation, disciples, eternal life, evangelism, Failure, faith, forgiven, glory, glory to God, God, God’s grace, God’s promises, good news, gospel, grace, holy, holy life, holy living, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, leadership, learn, Life, methodism, methodist, ministry, mission, people pleasing, perfection, plan, planning, priority, purpose, relationships, rest, sin, trials, trust, Truth, Uncategorized, wisdom, Work, worship, writing, youth ministry

  Genesis 6, in Christ alone, Jesus is the way truth and life, live a holy life, narrow is the gate, noah and the flood, noah found favor in the eyes of God, nobodys perfect, perfection in Christ, Trust in Christ

• Discovering God through the Book of Jonah (Part 1)

  

  What can we learn about God through the short Old Testament book of Jonah?

  Ryan Stratton

  10/09/2019

  attitudes, belief, believe, bible, bible stories, bible study, calling, Challenges, character, Christian Life, Christianity, confession, devotionals, disciples, eternal life, faith, glory to God, God, God’s grace, good news, gospel, Identity, Image of God, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Life, Love, mercy, methodism, methodist, ministry, mission, plan, power, proclaiming Christ, reconciliation, revival, trust, Truth, worship, writing, youth ministry

  bible study on Jonah, book of Jonah, discovering God, Jonah chapter 1, Jonah the prophet, knowing God, mowing the lawn, running from God, Who is God

• Why Study the Old Testament?

  Does the Old Testament have any authority for the Christian believer today? Why should we even try to study the Old Testament? This is actually something I have dealt with in a couple of my contexts. Some of the people say they only want to talk about that God is love and this is all […]

  Ryan Stratton

  05/17/2019

  Apostle Paul, attitudes, belief, bible, bible stories, bible study, Christian Life, Christianity, church, conversion, disciples, eternal life, evangelism, example, faith, faithful, glory to God, God, God’s grace, God’s promises, good news, gospel, grace, holy, holy life, holy living, Holy Spirit, humanity, Jesus, Jesus Christ, leadership, learn, Life, Lord, Love, mercy, methodism, methodist, mindset, ministry, miracles, mission, Prayer, revival, Savior, Spirit, Spiritual transformation, testimony, transformation, trust, Truth, Worship, writing, youth ministry

  Authority of the Old Testament, Gods word for us today, knowing the bible, learning our life story, reading the bible, sayings of JEsus, trusting God, trusting God’s plan, what does the Bible say, why study the Old Testament, word of God

• Victory Over Goliath

  

  We all have “giants” in our life that attempt to hold us back from the life God has designed for us. Some of our giants include fear, anger, rejection, comfort, addiction. Join us for this 7-week sermon series as we understand some of the “giants” in our lives and how they can be overcome because […]

  Ryan Stratton

  03/05/2019

  anxiety, arrogance, attitudes, belief, believe, belonging, bible, bible stories, bible study, Challenges, character, Christian Life, Christianity, church, conflict, confrontation, control, disciples, faith, faithful, faithfulness, family of God, Forgiveness, freedom, freedom in Christ, glory to God, God, God’s grace, God’s promises, good news, gospel, grace, holy life, holy living, Holy Spirit, humanity, judgement, leadership, Life, mercy, methodism, methodist, ministry, miracles, mission, power, praise, pray, preach, preaching, proclaiming Christ, redeemed, relationships, sin, Sinners, struggles, success, suffering, Truth, uncategoried, worship, writing, youth ministry

  all powerful God, apple podcast sermons, Christus Victor, David & Goliath, David & Goliath sermons, David and Goliath, facing giants, facing opposition, Jesus has won, living in freedom, preaching freedom, preaching grace, preaching the gospel, United Methodist Church, victory over Goliath, victory over sin

• Grasshopper Syndrome

  

  We have all felt as if the mission we were/are called to do is too big. How we handle our perceptions of the mission/task will be a big indicator of how it turns out. There is a great story, in the Bible, at the end of the book of Numbers chapter 13. Moses had sent […]

  Ryan Stratton

  11/09/2018

  attitudes, belief, believe, bible, Christian Life, Christianity, church, comfort, facing challenges, Failure, faith, faithful, fear, glory to God, God, God’s grace, God’s promises, good news, gospel, grace, Holy Spirit, invitation, Jesus, Jesus Christ, leadership, methodism, methodist, mindset, ministry, mission, Spirit, Spirit led, trials, trust, uncategoried, Worry, Worship, writing, youth ministry

  difficult journey, God can do the impossible, God sized dreams, God sized plans, nothing is impossible with God, numbers 13, power of the Holy Spirit

• Loving to Life Pt 3

  

  SMALL GROUPS One of the things I love about moving to a new area is getting to know the people. As we learn about the people, we learn their stories, their passions, their hopes and dreams for the future. We also have opportunities to learn more about who they are as a person, what their […]

  Ryan Stratton

  07/16/2018

  attitudes, awakening, belief, believe, belonging, bible, Christian Life, Christianity, church, disciples, evangelism, example, faithful, fruit, glory to God, God, God’s grace, God’s promises, good news, gospel, grace, harevsting, Jesus, Jesus Christ, judgement, leadership, Life, Love, mercy, methodism, methodist, ministry, mission, motivations, pastor, planning, pray, prayer life, prepare, revival, sharing, transformation, trust, Truth, uncategoried, Worship, writing, youth ministry

  bible study groups, brigning life, developing relationships, learning about people, living life together, loving to life, moving as a pastor, moving to a new church, power to transform, sharing life together, small group ministry, trusting God