We all want the same things—something to give our lives to that will make a difference, someone to share our lives with, and a belief system that makes sense of why life is so hard. Christianity and secularism both offer solutions to these problems but with dramatically different results.

This week, join Pat Morley to explore why leading an unexamined life is so dangerous, how it happens, and what you can do about it.

We’re excited to kick off a new series on The Man in the Mirror book. In this message, Pat Morley is tackling the “rat race”—the endless pursuit of a moving target that so many men are caught up in. For many of us, that includes the man staring back when we look in the mirror!

But any good business plan begins with a description of the current environment, so we’ll start by identifying the five “rat traps” that ensnare men. Then we’ll take a look at another race—a better race: “the race marked out for us.”

Finally, we’ll explore practical ways we can add spiritual calories to our diet so that we can finish the race marked out for us strong.

Tomorrow we're wrapping up our series on how God speaks to men by exploring how He wants to speak through us.

We'll consider how we can apply everything we've learned so far in order to become His messengers, and why that matters for millions of men—men like Pat Morley, who became a follower of Jesus because a few men simply invited him to tag along and watch how they lived.

Join us in the morning to delve into what made that so irresistible, and what it might look like for you to practically live each day as an ambassador through whom God can speak. It’s going to be a great day!

There’s a certain reassurance in watching the steady rise and fall of the ocean’s tides, isn’t there? The rhythm reminds us that, no matter how unpredictable life feels, something greater is holding it all together.

In the same way, the sovereignty of God—His supreme authority and control over all things—offers us a profound comfort. Although the world may seem chaotic and broken, God’s hand is never far from the details of our lives or the story of humanity.

This week we hear from special guest Ronn Read on how understanding this deep truth transforms our trust, perspective, and hope in the face of uncertainty.

For our annual Christmas message, join Patrick Morley for a brainstorm about how Jesus might have described coming to earth as a baby, the details of how it happened, and how he made sure his story was preserved for us. Merry Christmas!

How Jesus Might Describe His Birth

Luke 2:1-16, 3:23-38; Matthew 1:1-218

QUESTIONS:

1. What is most interesting, perplexing, or troubling to you about the way in which Jesus came into the world?

2. Why was it important for Jesus to have Joseph as his human father?

3. What events have made Jesus more important, intriguing, or special to you during this past year?

4. As a group, close by praising and thanking Jesus for his love, grace, mercy, and provision to save the world and you.

If you are a father, you know how much you pray, hope, and even ache for the wellbeing of your children in every area—their faith, relationships, emotions, career, finances, health, sense of identity and purpose, ability to overcome destructive behaviors or conquer loneliness, and so much more.

That’s what our heavenly Father wants for His children too. We are made in His image.

So why, then, is life so hard so much of the time? And what should our stance be when our circumstances are good? Join Pat Morley tomorrow for satisfying answers that will put your mind at ease, as well as practical ideas to help you interpret your circumstances.

There is a comfort to driving by a little, creaky, still-standing country church on a Sunday morning, wouldn’t you agree?

In a way it's like us. For reasons we can only imagine, the body of Christ—His church—though deeply flawed and far from perfect, is and always has been God’s primary and most effective voice to share the hope of the gospel to a wary but watching world.

Join Pat Morley as we spend some time thinking more deeply about how God speaks through the church:

• Across the ages.
• In the body.
• To the world.
• For your family.

It’s going to be a great day!

Reflection and Discussion

1. Do you have a high or low view of the church, and why? (If you have a low view of the church right now, can you agree, “The church has many critics, but no rivals”?)

2. How has the church effectively shared God’s voice:

• Through the ages? (e.h. Julian, “impious Christians!”)
• In the body?
• To the world?
• For your family?

3. What are the Founder’s wishes for you, and why, according to Matthew 16:18 and Hebrews 10:25? How do you want to respond?

It takes a man to teach a man how to be a man. Jesus knew this. That’s why He gave us such a highly reproducible model of the way He taught men, and the Apostle Paul totally got the message—we need equippers. Join us as we explore Paul’s explanation of the crucial role equippers play in God’s process of building strong, spiritually mature men who are fully alive in Jesus.

Pat Morley will also give you practical advice on how to wisely choose whom you will allow to equip you—and how to become an equipper yourself (or a better one)! Be careful who you let speak into your life; the consequences are huge.