First Champaign-urbana

Would you love to be able to go back in time and invest into companies like Amazon or Apple before anyone else did? Imagine the payout you would have today! Even though we can’t go back in time to reinvest into a company, today we can invest in our current finances with the lens of an eternal value. Our earthly resources can be invested for an eternal gain with the right wisdom.

This week we're looking at David's life and the Proverbs that show us that there are friends that we all need. There is wisdom in wanting the best friendships possible. Let's discover together what Godly friendships can look like in our lives.

Sometimes it’s hard to make sense of everything we’ve experienced in life—the good, the bad, the ugly. To start 2019, let us look back to move forward. With some fresh perspective it’s possible to see God’s presence in the dark times and the good times alike. When we take that perspective forward, that’s called wisdom.

Christmas Eve message at First Christian Church Champaign-Urbana, Illinois.

All stories eventually read The End But when one volume is finished, another begins. With the chance for a heart of wisdom in which to live Have you been moved to take a step in learning to give?

What the Grinch thought he wanted was all of the stuff. “If I get it all,” he thought, “finally I’ll have enough!” Yet despite his achievements, his life seemed a bore, So he turned elsewhere, to a satisfaction that offered much more.

For all the townspeoples' work that had been done, How many toys were left? Well, none— The Grinch had gone and grinched all their things, But even without, the Whos chose to sing.

With a heart transformed from two sizes too small, The Grinch’s story proves there’s hope for all. And if he can accept the truth of Christmas within, What do you think of the Christmas story—dear kids, women, and men?

As a community of faith, we want our rallying point to be the work of Jesus. The cool part is that none of our reasons for belonging to FIRST are the same. We all have different backgrounds, histories, and events that led us to where we are at today. Join us as we lean into sharing some faith stories to celebrate what God is doing in the lives of our church.

The best stories are the ones that we experienced first-hand. It’s easier for us to tell a story about what happened to us then it is to recount the events of someone else’s life. Plus, our stories get even better when they are about something impactful. So, shouldn’t the story of our faith be shared with great passion and excitement? This week we will hear a story of life-change as it lays out an example for how each of us can prepare to share our journey of faith.

If someone has ever told you about a life changing event, there’s a good chance they told you the story of what happen and not just the baseline facts. We share the story of the drive to the hospital for the child that was born or the time they went to that concert and got pulled up on stage. Why is that? Well, it’s because stories matter and details make stories stronger. On Sunday we will turn the page to revealing the power of stories, just like the ones Jesus told.

Our world is full of stories. From novels to movies to comics, stories have the ability to stir different emotions within us. Have you ever noticed every story follows a similar outline? There’s a setting, a problem, a climax, and a resolution. What if the best way to view the Bible is not so much of a bunch of little stories put together, but rather one big story with a central point?

"One and done" and "One hit wonder" are phrases that signify a great impact for a moment or a season. Often times when we hear this we think of a band who had only one major hit song or a team who wins a championship, never to win it again. Lucky for us, the church is not a "one hit wonder" and consistently does good for people and their communities. Are you in?

There's no person so small and insignificant that they can't bless their community. So, how can we move our communities to restoration? When a lot of us think of what it means to lead, we think about our position. But what matters most is our posture.

When the going gets tough, the tough...are hard to find. A lot of us struggle to see things through and finish things out. But opposition is a part of our growth. How we endure struggles and hardship can determine whether or not we will finish the task that God has called us to.

To experience heartbreak is painful. Having an unshakable heartache can feel intolerable. The burden can become our purpose in life, our motivation to respond, or our reason to change the world around us. What if the aching in our heart is more than heartburn? What if the burn is what our heart yearns for? The restoration of our communities and people is one of God’s burning passions. Is it yours?

When we look around our communities, we can see woundedness and brokenness. A better community doesn’t just happen. Wishful thinking can't stand on its own. It requires this burden for change and the motivation to be a catalyst, but most of all it starts with a heart for our community.

What does it really mean to help somebody grow? How do you know when to press in, and when to hold back? When we truly live life together, and are genuinely there for one another, God puts us into the perfect type of community. A community that spurs each other on and grows together allows us to become the people God created us to be.

“You’re with me, but are you really with me?” Have you ever felt like that about someone close to you? Sometimes we can unintentionally communicate that we aren't fighting for the ones we claim to love. How so? Well, sometimes simply being present isn’t enough. We need to have each other’s backs too.

“I love my church!” Of course we want everyone to say that, but what does that even mean? Does it mean we love the messages, we love the music, or maybe we just love what our church has to offer our kids? Those aren't bad reasons, but at its heart, “I love the church" should mean one thing first and foremost—that we love people.