Liquid Church With Pastor Tim Lucas

Do you know what Advent is? It’s a 4-week season in the Christian calendar leading up to Christmas Eve! The word means “coming” or “arrival.” So, Advent looks back to the first arrival of Jesus – the birth of Christ 2000 years ago. But, Advent also looks forward to the second coming of Christ when Jesus will return as our Glorious King. That means you have a great reason to HOPE this Christmas season! At Advent, Christians all around the world are invited to do 3 things: slow down, clear the clutter in their hearts, and fall in love with Jesus all over again. If you don’t slow down, you may miss the joy and wonder of considering the miracle of Jesus coming to earth as a baby to save us. And after you slow down, take time to clear the clutter in your heart. Make room for Christ! Typically at Christmas we actually drift from Jesus, cluttering our calendar with work, shopping, and parties. Don’t let God get crowded out!  Then, take the time to worship fully! Worship isn’t just the singing of songs on Sunday. Wor

This Vision Sunday message will give you a glimpse into what God is calling Liquid Church to do in 2024. What we do today will matter in 100 years and for all of eternity. You can leave a legacy and our work begins today. As a church, we have four areas we want to focus on in 2024. The first is a focus on the Next Generation with the launch of a Pathways Learning Academy in our Parsippany building. This daycare will serve children from the ages of 0-5 Monday through Thursday. Our goal is to provide safe, high quality childcare based on the STEAM curriculum (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics). In addition we have a passion to introduce our littlest ones to a Bible-based, Christian worldview in a fath-friendly environment.  One of our second goals, also focused on the Next Generation, is to create a Summer Camp for kids, which we call Camp Rock. Our dream is to provide a world-class Creative Arts Camp for children aged 6-14 that is Christ-centered, Bible-based, and leverages the arts (music

Do you pray solo or with others? Matthew 18:19-20 says, “I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.  For where two or three gather in my name, there I am with them.” There’s something about the power of praying partners…..when believers come together, that wins the battle and brings the breakthrough!  You may feel like your prayers are not being heard or answered. You may even want to give up on praying, but that is the devil waging war against you because he knows you are praying with the power of heaven behind you. Praying partners are powerful people. Prayer is the key to victory.   Prevailing prayers are not casual prayers, like saying grace before a meal, praying when you are in trouble or crisis, or when you feel you are praying to impress others. Prevailing prayer is the authentic cry from the heart of God’s children. It is insistent and consistent prayers to God, who loves to answer the cries of His children. Watch this me

Have you ever thought about how the prayers you pray today will impact generations of your family to come? What will be the legacy you leave your children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and future generations? Legacy is to live in a way that outlasts us.  We must remember how powerful prayer is and not just pray for today. Don’t just pray for one family member to get saved….pray for your entire family to encounter Christ! Don’t pray for a better job, pray for your dream job! Don’t pray for enough money to pay the bills, pray for an abundance of resources so you can be a blessing to others! Don’t just pray for your kids before bed….pray for their future wives and husbands, and their kids, and their kids. Don’t just pray for your life…pray for your legacy! If you are going to have eternity in mind, you have to live with urgency. Life is short. Eternity is real. The time is now. As a Christian, we have people to help, a gospel to share and an impact to make! It does not matter how old you are to begin your

Do you feel worn out, tired, discouraged, or frustrated by a situation you are in and your prayers have not been answered? Don’t stop praying! You should keep praying through it and the walls will fall! The plans of God are revealed in the presence of God.  God does not give you marching orders until you fall to your knees in prayer. If you look at Joshua’s story in the Bible, we see that Joshua was hand-picked by God to lead His people after the death of Moses. God commanded him to cross the Jordan River to lead His people into the Promised Land, but the water was raging. Joshua fell to his knees and prayed, took a step of faith by putting a toe in the water and God stopped the rushing water based on Joshua’s faith. Is there a situation in your life that you need to trust God fully with? God can do the impossible. In fact, impossible situations are not intimidating to our God. The challenge is that you need to walk in faith, not by sight. If your situation does not change, it is often a clue that God is tr

Have you ever felt the power of prayer in your life? If not, has it discouraged you from continuing to pray? There is power in persistence and if you keep at it, you WILL see the rewards from doing so. So, today let us urge you to keep praying and to never give up! How much you pray is just as important as the words you pray, if not more so. The consistency of your prayer is as important as the content. We should be coming to God with audacious prayers without shame, over and over again. Keep seeking and keep asking over and over again. In the New Testament every major teaching includes at least one reference to praying with persistence. 1 Thesolonians 5 says pray without ceasing; Colossians 2 tells us to be steadfast in our prayers; Ephesians 5 instructs us to pray at all times and on every occasion; 1 Chronicles says to seek God continually. You may feel uncomfortable praying because it feels like you are constantly asking for things from God. When you look at God as your Father and not as a busy leader,

Do you have a strong prayer life? Are you bold? Are you strong? Do you pray with power and conviction? Your prayer life is the way to find a deeper connection with God and you can learn to be someone who prays with POWER! Before you step into God’s promises for your life, you have to understand that He will be with you every step of the way. No matter how big or small your problem is, or how high your mountain is, God will be walking alongside you. There are just two steps to take to position yourself to be used powerfully by God. The first is to consecrate yourself to God, which means to set yourself apart and be fully devoted to God. Consecration puts you in the position to see God work powerfully. Second, you must take a daring leap of faith. Remember that we only need faith the size of a mustard seed for God to move in powerful ways. Faith is taking the first step, even before God reveals the second step. Have the STRENGTH and COURAGE to trust that God has got you. The plans of God are only revealed in

Do you have a mountain in your life that you have to overcome? What do we mean by a mountain? Well, it’s a  situation that seems impossible and looks immovable! It’s too big… too heavy to carry… too steep to overcome on your own. What is your mountain? Maybe you want to start a family, but can’t conceive a child. You’re facing a mountain of infertility. Or maybe you have tried counseling and therapy, but now you’re now facing divorce. Or maybe your mind is just overcome every day with anxiety or depression. Whatever your mountain is, God can handle it! All you need is faith the size of a mustard seed and trust that God will get you through. A mustard seed is the tiniest known garden seed and is only 1 millimeter in diameter. But, Scripture teaches us that’s all we need. A tiny faith in Jesus can lead to miraculous outcomes and each of us overcoming seemingly insurmountable challenges. What we need to do is SEEK GOD! We need to pray to Him and seek His help and intervention in difficult situations. Watch th

Do you remember the first time you visited a church? Did you feel welcome? That answer could depend on the doorkeeper. In the times of the Old Testament (thousands of years ago), doorkeepers were people who stood outside of the Holy Temple. Now, this wasn’t a sought after job, because the further away you were from the inside of the temple, the less important you were considered to be.  At churches today, like Liquid, we still have doorkeepers. But, they serve a vital role and we hold them in high esteem. You see, our doorkeepers are the first people that welcome guests to church. Whether you serve on the parking team or the greeting team literally holding the door open for guests or making them feel welcome as they enter the service, how you interact with them can make the difference between a positive church experience or a negative church experience. The big picture here is that we hold the door open for others to meet Jesus. This is how serving at church makes a real difference in people's lives! T

Is time spent on your phone moving you closer to Jesus or further away? Our devices are discipling us and we have to find time to redeem the screen. The average American checks their phone 344 times a day, that’s once every 2.8 minutes. 89% of us check our phones as soon as we wake up. Spending any more than 3 hours a day on your cell phone makes you 378% more likely to suffer from weight gain and obesity, 158% more likely to suffer from depression and a staggering 680% more likely to suffer from a high level mood disorder. And this isn’t just about us, we need to make wise choices about screen time for our kids. And, guess what? Teenagers average 3.5 hours a day on social media. Every major study has shown that anything over 3 hours a day doubles a teenager’s probability of being clinically diagnosed with depression or anxiety, with 37% of teenagers reporting they have been bullied online. Right now, there is a mental health pandemic happening with our teens and young adults due to their increased online ac

Did you know there are 4 stages of parenting? These are based on the ages and needs of your children, and should shape HOW you’re parenting your kids. Ultimately, we want to win the HEARTS of our kids! Parenting isn’t about power and winning arguments - we’re shaping people, hopefully into kind, compassionate human beings who love Jesus. So, here are the 4 stages of parenting, where are you right now? Discipline years (ages 1-5) The days are long and hard! This stage is mainly about keeping the child alive and laying down the limits. For the first 5 years, you strengthen your child’s obedience muscles with consequences. Training years (ages 5-12) This is when you start explaining the WHY behind the rules of life. You train while you explain and help them practice good choices and turn them into habits.   Coaching years (ages 12-18) This is when you coach more than correct, because your kids are gaining independence. And this is a time when you really want to focus on winning hearts and not arguments. 

Regardless of what kind of family you grew up in or find yourself in now, a fresh start is possible and you are not doomed to make the same mistakes your parents did. So, what are the TWO things that every family needs? Love AND Discipline. Together, these two ingredients will help families flourish. And there’s a reason for that. They are the twin qualities of the heart of God Himself! The goal of loving discipline is that when kids break your trust, they repair the relationship. It’s not a punishment for breaking the rules. It’s about fighting to repair damaged relationships. Loving discipline makes a child better. Punishment rarely makes a kid better, but it often makes them bitter! So, what’s your parenting style? Do you lean toward being permissive and all about love? Or do you lean toward perfectionism and discipline? Typically, we’re biased based on what was modeled to us.  Watch this message from Pastor Tim and ask yourself: What gifts did your parents give that you want to keep?  What mistakes did th

When we see our names in unlikely places, it can spark something in us that makes us feel recognized or like someone sees what we have to offer. Today, brands like Spotify, Tik Tok and Nike have figured out the power of personalization and participation in reaching the next generation - Gen Z. These kinds of innovations matter to the local church because we want to invest in the faith of the Next Generation. As a church, we want the teenages and young adults of Gen Z to know that they are seen by God and the Church, made in the image of God, and that they have something to offer! If you think brands are innovative at reaching Gen Z, know that Jesus had the original power of personalization and participation all the way back in the 1st Century! For example, take a look at Jesus' followers, the Apostles. Jesus saw potential young followers like Matthew, who had the odds stacked against him: He was a tax collector and cheated people out of money. Matthew was flawed, but Jesus saw past his challenges to bring

This message features short clips from the critically acclaimed film Oppenheimer, which was released in theaters in 2023 by Universal. No copyright is claimed for Oppenheimer, and we assert that use of the short clips within this sermon is permissible under fair use principles in U.S. copyright law. Liquid Church is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, specifically, a non-denominational Christian Church, and the purpose of using this media is non commercial in nature. We’re all seeking a way to control the world around us… and we see this theme throughout the Summer blockbuster hit, Oppenheimer. The movie Oppenheimer explores the messy inner depths of humanity as they face the threat of global annihilation. It’s a dark, messy, existential biopic following the life of J. Robert Oppenheimer, played by Cillian Murphy. Oppenheimer was a theoretical physicist known as the father of the atomic bomb. He was the director of the top-secret Manhattan project that produced the world’s first atomic bombs that would be dro

This message features short clips from the critically acclaimed film Barbie, which was released in theaters in 2023 by Warner Bros. Pictures. No copyright is claimed for Barbie, and we assert that use of the short clips within this sermon is permissible under fair use principles in U.S. copyright law. Liquid Church is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, specifically, a non-denominational Christian Church, and the purpose of using this media is non commercial in nature. The basic plot of “Barbie'' is simple: Life exists in two parallel universes, Barbie Land and the Real World. Barbie Land is full of harmony, it’s fun, and it’s immaculately designed. Then there’s the Real World, which is rife with duplicity, resentment, sexism, and corporate greed. Barbie’s story is a nod back to Adam and Eve, who live in paradise before disobeying God and eating the forbidden apple. Adam and Eve unleashed sin and we’re still living that reality today! But, here’s the good news. Though Adam and Eve must leave paradise,

This message features short clips from the critically acclaimed film The Covenant, which was released in theaters in 2023 by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures. No copyright is claimed for The Covenant, and we assert that use of the short clips within this sermon is permissible under fair use principles in U.S. copyright law. Liquid Church is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, specifically, a non-denominational Christian Church, and the purpose of using this media is non commercial in nature.  The movie The Covenant tells the story of a US Military Leader and his Afghan interpreter during the war in Afghanistan. This movie is fascinating, because in some ways this relationship mirrors our relationship with God. It begins as transactional, but in the end, it looks a lot more like a covenant. In this message, Pastor Bryan Roe challenges us by asking three questions to assess our relationship with God.  #1) Whose intel are you trusting? Are you trusting what the world says or what the Word says? Are you following you

This message features short clips from the critically acclaimed film Jesus Revolution, which was released in theaters in 2023 by Lionsgate. No copyright is claimed for Jesus Revolution, and we assert that use of the short clips within this sermon is permissible under fair use principles in U.S. copyright law. Liquid Church is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, specifically, a non-denominational Christian Church, and the purpose of using this media is non commercial in nature.  It’s time for a new generation to rise up in revival! And that’s one of the big takeaways that we see in the movie, Jesus Revolution. Every generation is searching for something. We all have this God-shaped hole in our heart, which is a desire to be loved and accepted, and to know that we have worth. The problem is: Every generation tends to look in the wrong places, like the mainstream culture. We try to accumulate money and wealth. Or in the counterculture, turning to drugs and sex. But, the freedom everyone wants is only found in Je

We need to shift our perspective on what it means to share our faith. We are called to tell the story of how Jesus changed our life. So, what’s your story? What have you overcome? What’s important to you? Who is your family? There was once a time when you weren’t in church, so how did you meet God and how has He changed your life? God wants to use YOUR STORY to impact someone else’s story!  The purpose of being a Christians isn’t to sing songs, watch sermons, and stay out of trouble. The purpose of being a Christian is to persuade others into the Kingdom of God. Now, you may have some excuses for why you don’t want to share your story with others. Maybe you’re nervous because you don’t believe you have what it takes. Maybe you think this would be imposing your beliefs on others. Or sharing your story feels uncomfortable. If that’s you, then this message will give you the guidance you need to tell your story with confidence. Watch this message from Pastor Todd Crews, and learn how to tell your story in 3 steps

When Jesus talks about the reason He comes to Earth, it involves eating and drinking. In the Gospels, Jesus is either at a meal, headed to a meal, coming from a meal, or talking about meals. Plus, almost 75% of Jesus’ parables center around food, wine, or drink. At the center of Jesus’ mission was a MEAL!  So, what does this have to do with you? This week you need to discern who God is calling you to share a meal with. Who is He asking you to bless by building a relationship with them? It could be anyone: an acquaintance at the gym, a member of your book club, the mom you see each morning at school dropoff. Jesus doesn’t want you to save the people around you, but He does want you to know and serve them. Your biggest obstacle might just be your calendar. Those vacation plans, swim lessons for the kids, and a crazy work schedule. But, when we withhold our time from the people around us, we are communicating to the world that we value our calendar more than the calling God has given us to bless others. Don’t ho

Have you ever wondered: “Does God really still speak to people? Or, "How do I know when I should follow a nudge from God and take a risk to talk with someone about Jesus?” You are not alone! Here’s the great news: God still speaks today through the Holy Spirit. And, when you set out to bless your neighbors, God will actually give you directions on what to do and who to reach out to!  We are learning how to be people who BLESS others. First, we start with prayer, asking God for directions. And when we get them, we better listen! You should expect God to give you nudges, whispers, or promptings to engage people who are far from Jesus. So, when you feel the nudge to sit next to that lonely girl in summer class, follow it. When you feel the nudge to introduce yourself to the new family across the street or invite your coworker over for dinner, take action! The reality is that people are more ready to learn about Jesus than you realize.  But, you have to begin with prayer and then you have to be willing to li