South Hills Idaho

We all have certain things we care about more than others. Everyone's got their own goals, dreams, interests, and obsessions. But we each tend to value whatever makes us feel valuable. The catch is--most of us have had moments where we finally got our hands on whatever invisible trophy we'd been angling for and realized it just wasn't worth the journey. The GOOD THING we'd been obsessed with became a BAD THING because it stole focus from a BETTER THING. Which is devastating. So, how do you prevent a lesser pursuit from becoming your top priority? What would it look like to organize your life around the pursuit of a more fulfilling set of trophies? What would those even be? What might it look like to truly adopt God's priorities?

We all have certain things we care about more than others. Everyone's got their own goals, dreams, interests, and obsessions. But we each tend to value whatever makes us feel valuable. The catch is--most of us have had moments where we finally got our hands on whatever invisible trophy we'd been angling for and realized it just wasn't worth the journey. The GOOD THING we'd been obsessed with became a BAD THING because it stole focus from a BETTER THING. Which is devastating. So, how do you prevent a lesser pursuit from becoming your top priority? What would it look like to organize your life around the pursuit of a more fulfilling set of trophies? What would those even be? What might it look like to truly adopt God's priorities?

We all have certain things we care about more than others. Everyone's got their own goals, dreams, interests, and obsessions. But we each tend to value whatever makes us feel valuable. The catch is--most of us have had moments where we finally got our hands on whatever invisible trophy we'd been angling for and realized it just wasn't worth the journey. The GOOD THING we'd been obsessed with became a BAD THING because it stole focus from a BETTER THING. Which is devastating. So, how do you prevent a lesser pursuit from becoming your top priority? What would it look like to organize your life around the pursuit of a more fulfilling set of trophies? What would those even be? What might it look like to truly adopt God's priorities? Find out this Sept. at South Hills.

We all have certain things we care about more than others. Everyone's got their own goals, dreams, interests, and obsessions. But we each tend to value whatever makes us feel valuable. The catch is--most of us have had moments where we finally got our hands on whatever invisible trophy we'd been angling for and realized it just wasn't worth the journey. The GOOD THING we'd been obsessed with became a BAD THING because it stole focus from a BETTER THING. Which is devastating. So, how do you prevent a lesser pursuit from becoming your top priority? What would it look like to organize your life around the pursuit of a more fulfilling set of trophies? What would those even be? What might it look like to truly adopt God's priorities? Find out this Sept. at South Hills.

What if we rediscovered the love and unity possible; even in the midst of the most chaotic environments and extreme differences? 

What if we rediscovered the love and unity possible; even in the midst of the most chaotic environments and extreme differences? 

What if we rediscovered the love and unity possible; even in the midst of the most chaotic environments and extreme differences? 

What if we rediscovered the love and unity possible; even in the midst of the most chaotic environments and extreme differences? 

If there is a thoughtful Creator who designed the world to work a certain way, most of us would want to know what it is. We’ve all known or seen people do all kinds of things because “God told them to.” But did He? Does God actually speak? If so, what’s He saying? And does He talk to regular people? Because the world is a really noisy place, so how would you even hear Him if He did? These are great questions. Join us during the month of July for honest, thoughtful conversations as we tackle it all together.

If there is a thoughtful Creator who designed the world to work a certain way, most of us would want to know what it is. We’ve all known or seen people do all kinds of things because “God told them to.” But did He? Does God actually speak? If so, what’s He saying? And does He talk to regular people? Because the world is a really noisy place, so how would you even hear Him if He did? These are great questions. Join us during the month of July for honest, thoughtful conversations as we tackle it all together.

We all know stories or have seen documentaries about people who claim to have heard from God. Most of them weren’t just convinced God wanted them to know something, but DO something, and the ‘somethings’ are all over the place—adopt a baby, launch a non-profit, fight an addiction, pass a law, start a commune, or bomb a building. Most of us have our fair share of suspicion. Did God really tell these people to do these things? That can’t be true. But I guess it’s possible he said something to some of them. After all, the bible has stories about people hearing from God. How do you know if something is from God or not?

We all know stories or have seen documentaries about people who claim to have heard from God. Most of them weren’t just convinced God wanted them to know something, but DO something, and the ‘somethings’ are all over the place—adopt a baby, launch a non-profit, fight an addiction, pass a law, start a commune, or bomb a building. Most of us have our fair share of suspicion. Did God really tell these people to do these things? That can’t be true. But I guess it’s possible he said something to some of them. After all, the bible has stories about people hearing from God. How do you know if something is from God or not?

We all know stories or have seen documentaries about people who claim to have heard from God. Most of them weren’t just convinced God wanted them to know something, but DO something, and the ‘somethings’ are all over the place—adopt a baby, launch a non-profit, fight an addiction, pass a law, start a commune, or bomb a building. Most of us have our fair share of suspicion. Did God really tell these people to do these things? That can’t be true. But I guess it’s possible he said something to some of them. After all, the bible has stories about people hearing from God. How do you know if something is from God or not?

Knowing where you came from brings into focus who you really are and how you got that way. Our culture is interested in this, maybe more than ever. When we meet people, we impulsively ask them where they’re from. We love movies that revolve around the origin story of a character. We map our family trees. We ship our spit off to companies to tell us the ancestry of our genetic code. When you open the Bible, the beginning of Scripture is about how we began. It’s our origin story. But maybe not in the way you might think. What does this ancient piece of poetry that opens the story of us and God tell us about the bigger picture of who we are and what we’re made for?

Knowing where you came from brings into focus who you really are and how you got that way. Our culture is interested in this, maybe more than ever. When we meet people, we impulsively ask them where they’re from. We love movies that revolve around the origin story of a character. We map our family trees. We ship our spit off to companies to tell us the ancestry of our genetic code. When you open the Bible, the beginning of Scripture is about how we began. It’s our origin story. But maybe not in the way you might think. What does this ancient piece of poetry that opens the story of us and God tell us about the bigger picture of who we are and what we’re made for?

Knowing where you came from brings into focus who you really are and how you got that way. Our culture is interested in this, maybe more than ever. When we meet people, we impulsively ask them where they’re from. We love movies that revolve around the origin story of a character. We map our family trees. We ship our spit off to companies to tell us the ancestry of our genetic code. When you open the Bible, the beginning of Scripture is about how we began. It’s our origin story. But maybe not in the way you might think. What does this ancient piece of poetry that opens the story of us and God tell us about the bigger picture of who we are and what we’re made for?

Knowing where you came from brings into focus who you really are and how you got that way. Our culture is interested in this, maybe more than ever. When we meet people, we impulsively ask them where they’re from. We love movies that revolve around the origin story of a character. We map our family trees. We ship our spit off to companies to tell us the ancestry of our genetic code. When you open the Bible, the beginning of Scripture is about how we began. It’s our origin story. But maybe not in the way you might think. What does this ancient piece of poetry that opens the story of us and God tell us about the bigger picture of who we are and what we’re made for?

When there’s something we can’t seem to make ourselves do or stick to, we assume it’s because we lack inspiration. We go on the hunt for an uplifting story, an encouraging word, or motivational quote to get us going. But all of us have things we feel inspired to do but never quite get around to. Is it that we don’t want it bad enough, aren’t focused, or don’t quite see its significance? But some of what we’d argue is most important, we still can’t seem to prioritize. So, what’s the problem? Is it that we need more or different inspiration? Is that we need a better, more compelling “why”? Or is there another ingredient we might be missing? What are successful people not telling us? Is there a magic recipe for resilience? If so, what is it?

When there’s something we can’t seem to make ourselves do or stick to, we assume it’s because we lack inspiration. We go on the hunt for an uplifting story, an encouraging word, or motivational quote to get us going. But all of us have things we feel inspired to do but never quite get around to. Is it that we don’t want it bad enough, aren’t focused, or don’t quite see its significance? But some of what we’d argue is most important, we still can’t seem to prioritize. So, what’s the problem? Is it that we need more or different inspiration? Is that we need a better, more compelling “why”? Or is there another ingredient we might be missing? What are successful people not telling us? Is there a magic recipe for resilience? If so, what is it?

When there’s something we can’t seem to make ourselves do or stick to, we assume it’s because we lack inspiration. We go on the hunt for an uplifting story, an encouraging word, or motivational quote to get us going. But all of us have things we feel inspired to do but never quite get around to. Is it that we don’t want it bad enough, aren’t focused, or don’t quite see its significance? But some of what we’d argue is most important, we still can’t seem to prioritize. So, what’s the problem? Is it that we need more or different inspiration? Is that we need a better, more compelling “why”? Or is there another ingredient we might be missing? What are successful people not telling us? Is there a magic recipe for resilience? If so, what is it?

When there’s something we can’t seem to make ourselves do or stick to, we assume it’s because we lack inspiration. We go on the hunt for an uplifting story, an encouraging word, or motivational quote to get us going. But all of us have things we feel inspired to do but never quite get around to. Is it that we don’t want it bad enough, aren’t focused, or don’t quite see its significance? But some of what we’d argue is most important, we still can’t seem to prioritize. So, what’s the problem? Is it that we need more or different inspiration? Is that we need a better, more compelling “why”? Or is there another ingredient we might be missing? What are successful people not telling us? Is there a magic recipe for resilience? If so, what is it?

Christians have a reputation for getting cornered by a logical argument, responding by quoting a cryptic Bible verse, and then celebrating as if they won the fight. Is that what the Bible’s for? Is quoting Scripture some sort of untouchable trump card? Are there certain situations where ancient instructions don’t make sense in our modern context? If so, which ones? Are we even allowed to ask that question? How did Jesus treat Scripture? And as His followers, how should we read it and what are we supposed to do with it?

Christians have a reputation for getting cornered by a logical argument, responding by quoting a cryptic Bible verse, and then celebrating as if they won the fight. Is that what the Bible’s for? Is quoting Scripture some sort of untouchable trump card? Are there certain situations where ancient instructions don’t make sense in our modern context? If so, which ones? Are we even allowed to ask that question? How did Jesus treat Scripture? And as His followers, how should we read it and what are we supposed to do with it?

Christians have a reputation for getting cornered by a logical argument, responding by quoting a cryptic Bible verse, and then celebrating as if they won the fight. Is that what the Bible’s for? Is quoting Scripture some sort of untouchable trump card? Are there certain situations where ancient instructions don’t make sense in our modern context? If so, which ones? Are we even allowed to ask that question? How did Jesus treat Scripture? And as His followers, how should we read it and what are we supposed to do with it?

Bunnies, eggs, chocolate, and …a cross? It seems like we all know the Easter story by now, but what if we’re still missing something? Is it possible for us to be surprised by the events of Holy Week? Is there a chance that misunderstanding something from way back then could be an obstacle for us today? Join us as we rediscover Palm Sunday and Easter at South Hills.

Bunnies, eggs, chocolate, and …a cross? It seems like we all know the Easter story by now, but what if we’re still missing something? Is it possible for us to be surprised by the events of Holy Week? Is there a chance that misunderstanding something from way back then could be an obstacle for us today? Join us as we rediscover Palm Sunday and Easter at South Hills.

A lot of people call themselves Christians. But what does that word mean anymore? Is it just a way to reference a tradition we grew up in or a community we loosely belong to? Is it a set of beliefs that get us into heaven or a set of behaviors we commit to here on earth? Is it possible to be a Christian and live like an Atheist?  Does God really need a say in the way we approach everything - from ethics to economics? Maybe we see him having an opinion on morality, but money?

How would Jesus answer these questions?  And how might his answers surprise, challenge or inspire us?

A lot of people call themselves Christians. But what does that word mean anymore? Is it just a way to reference a tradition we grew up in or a community we loosely belong to? Is it a set of beliefs that get us into heaven or a set of behaviors we commit to here on earth? Is it possible to be a Christian and live like an Atheist?  Does God really need a say in the way we approach everything - from ethics to economics? Maybe we see him having an opinion on morality, but money?

How would Jesus answer these questions?  And how might his answers surprise, challenge or inspire us?

A lot of people call themselves Christians. But what does that word mean anymore? Is it just a way to reference a tradition we grew up in or a community we loosely belong to? Is it a set of beliefs that get us into heaven or a set of behaviors we commit to here on earth? Is it possible to be a Christian and live like an Atheist?  Does God really need a say in the way we approach everything - from ethics to economics? Maybe we see him having an opinion on morality, but money?

How would Jesus answer these questions?  And how might his answers surprise, challenge or inspire us?

A lot of people call themselves Christians. But what does that word mean anymore? Is it just a way to reference a tradition we grew up in or a community we loosely belong to? Is it a set of beliefs that get us into heaven or a set of behaviors we commit to here on earth? Is it possible to be a Christian and live like an Atheist?  Does God really need a say in the way we approach everything - from ethics to economics? Maybe we see him having an opinion on morality, but money? 

How would Jesus answer these questions?  And how might his answers surprise, challenge or inspire us?

There’s an old nursery rhyme that goes, “first comes love, then comes marriage.” You know the rest. Although, I guess technically it starts with two people sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G. Which brings up a lot of questions. Doesn’t fifteen feet up an oak feel like a dangerous place for a makeout? Also, who came up with this sequence of events? But at least there’s some order to it. Who knows how relationships work anymore? With an anonymous hook up a single swipe away, we’ve never had more opportunities for, but less of an understanding of love. Is long-term romance even realistic anymore?

What if there were better places to look for answers than nursery rhymes, reality shows, and app reviews? And what if the wisdom awaiting you had the ability to give you access to what everyone’s after?

There’s an old nursery rhyme that goes, “first comes love, then comes marriage.” You know the rest. Although, I guess technically it starts with two people sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G. Which brings up a lot of questions. Doesn’t fifteen feet up an oak feel like a dangerous place for a makeout? Also, who came up with this sequence of events? But at least there’s some order to it. Who knows how relationships work anymore? With an anonymous hook up a single swipe away, we’ve never had more opportunities for, but less of an understanding of love. Is long-term romance even realistic anymore?

What if there were better places to look for answers than nursery rhymes, reality shows, and app reviews? And what if the wisdom awaiting you had the ability to give you access to what everyone’s after?

There’s an old nursery rhyme that goes, “first comes love, then comes marriage.” You know the rest. Although, I guess technically it starts with two people sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G. Which brings up a lot of questions. Doesn’t fifteen feet up an oak feel like a dangerous place for a makeout? Also, who came up with this sequence of events? But at least there’s some order to it. Who knows how relationships work anymore? With an anonymous hook up a single swipe away, we’ve never had more opportunities for, but less of an understanding of love. Is long-term romance even realistic anymore?

What if there were better places to look for answers than nursery rhymes, reality shows, and app reviews? And what if the wisdom awaiting you had the ability to give you access to what everyone’s after?

“There’s an old nursery rhyme that goes, “first comes love, then comes marriage.” You know the rest. Although, I guess technically it starts with two people sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G. Which brings up a lot of questions. Doesn’t fifteen feet up an oak feel like a dangerous place for a makeout? Also, who came up with this sequence of events? But at least there’s some order to it. Who knows how relationships work anymore? With an anonymous hook up a single swipe away, we’ve never had more opportunities for, but less of an understanding of love. Is long-term romance even realistic anymore? 

What if there were better places to look for answers than nursery rhymes, reality shows, and app reviews? And what if the wisdom awaiting you had the ability to give you access to what everyone’s after?

Ever struck by how confident, connected, & comfortable certain people seem, and think to yourself, “That’s not how my life & relationships feel at all. Are they really as close & happy as they appear, or is it all for show? And if they are, why aren’t I?” Is there something wrong with you? And if so, what & why? Are you destined to live a life of disconnection, or can you experience the closeness you crave?

Ever struck by how confident, connected, & comfortable certain people seem, and think to yourself, “That’s not how my life & relationships feel at all. Are they really as close & happy as they appear, or is it all for show? And if they are, why aren’t I?” Is there something wrong with you? And if so, what & why? Are you destined to live a life of disconnection, or can you experience the closeness you crave?

Ever struck by how confident, connected, & comfortable certain people seem, and think to yourself, “That’s not how my life & relationships feel at all. Are they really as close & happy as they appear, or is it all for show? And if they are, why aren’t I?” Is there something wrong with you? And if so, what & why? Are you destined to live a life of disconnection, or can you experience the closeness you crave? 

South Hills Idaho - The Perfect Place for Imperfect People

Myrrh was from a plant that had various uses, but primary ones were for healing wounds and embalming the dead. While this may seem like an odd baby gift, it was symbolic of the role Jesus would play as a prophet who would say and do things that would create tension – ultimately leading to his death. Jesus’ actions, teachings, and way of living always stirred up controversy, because he gave voice to the silenced, healing to the sick, valued the outcast, and challenged the comfortable. The gift of myrrh was an ancient way of saying; “buckle up – it’s going to be a bumpy ride.”

Frankincense was burned as incense in a temple, a way to shield the priest from the direct presence of God. When the magi gave this gift, it was symbolic of Jesus becoming our High Priest; no longer a distant human surrounded by ritual and untouchable by the masses, but a baby, born in a manger and surrounded by both family and strangers alike. Through the vulnerability of Christ, we can be fully vulnerable in our relationship with God.

Gold has always been linked to royalty; the ultimate symbol of kings. So when the Magi brought gold to honor Jesus, they were proclaiming him king. King Herod was “disturbed” when he heard about this newborn king of the Jews, and Matthew tells us that all Jerusalem was disturbed also. Herod was paranoid about anyone taking power from him or challenging his throne, but he couldn’t even begin to imagine that Jesus was not only king of the Jews, but ultimately the King of Kings. While we can all agree that Herod was evil in many ways, he was right in understanding that the arrival of this new King would change everything.

We've all seen our fair share of posts where someone brags about how #BLESSED they are. It usually involves a photo of them wearing, doing, driving, eating, or going somewhere enviable and expensive. Is that it?  Is being blessed basically getting what you want and having more than you need? Or is it something bigger, better, and broader? Jesus talked a lot about what it means to live a blessed life. He seemed to think it ought to be our primary pursuit. What did he mean by that? Does his definition match ours? What does being blessed look and feel like? How does someone access it? And why do so many people choose not to do it?

We've all seen our fair share of posts where someone brags about how #BLESSED they are. It usually involves a photo of them wearing, doing, driving, eating, or going somewhere enviable and expensive. Is that it?  Is being blessed basically getting what you want and having more than you need? Or is it something bigger, better, and broader? Jesus talked a lot about what it means to live a blessed life. He seemed to think it ought to be our primary pursuit. What did he mean by that? Does his definition match ours? What does being blessed look and feel like? How does someone access it? And why do so many people choose not to do it?

We've all seen our fair share of posts where someone brags about how #BLESSED they are. It usually involves a photo of them wearing, doing, driving, eating, or going somewhere enviable and expensive. Is that it?  Is being blessed basically getting what you want and having more than you need? Or is it something bigger, better, and broader? Jesus talked a lot about what it means to live a blessed life. He seemed to think it ought to be our primary pursuit. What did he mean by that? Does his definition match ours? What does being blessed look and feel like? How does someone access it? And why do so many people choose not to do it?

We've all seen our fair share of posts where someone brags about how #BLESSED they are. It usually involves a photo of them wearing, doing, driving, eating, or going somewhere enviable and expensive. Is that it?  Is being blessed basically getting what you want and having more than you need? Or is it something bigger, better, and broader? Jesus talked a lot about what it means to live a blessed life. He seemed to think it ought to be our primary pursuit. What did he mean by that? Does his definition match ours? What does being blessed look and feel like? How does someone access it? And why do so many people choose not to do it?

We all want happy, healthy relationships - especially with those closest to us.  Easier said than done.

As it turns out - making real relationships work is real work.  It can feel a bit like putting together a puzzle that's missing pieces and never quite looks like the picture on the box.

Ever wonder if the pieces you're working with even go with the puzzle you're trying to complete?  What do great relationships look like?  What if you've hardly seen any healthy ones up close?  And once you get a glimpse of what you want, what's the best way to start putting that picture together?

These are the questions we're going to tackle this October!

We all want happy, healthy relationships - especially with those closest to us.  Easier said than done.

As it turns out - making real relationships work is real work.  It can feel a bit like putting together a puzzle that's missing pieces and never quite looks like the picture on the box.

Ever wonder if the pieces you're working with even go with the puzzle you're trying to complete?  What do great relationships look like?  What if you've hardly seen any healthy ones up close?  And once you get a glimpse of what you want, what's the best way to start putting that picture together?

These are the questions we're going to tackle this October!

We all want happy, healthy relationships - especially with those closest to us.  Easier said than done.

As it turns out - making real relationships work is real work.  It can feel a bit like putting together a puzzle that's missing pieces and never quite looks like the picture on the box.

Ever wonder if the pieces you're working with even go with the puzzle you're trying to complete?  What do great relationships look like?  What if you've hardly seen any healthy ones up close?  And once you get a glimpse of what you want, what's the best way to start putting that picture together?

These are the questions we're going to tackle this October!

We all want happy, healthy relationships - especially with those closest to us.  Easier said than done.

As it turns out - making real relationships work is real work.  It can feel a bit like putting together a puzzle that's missing pieces and never quite looks like the picture on the box.

Ever wonder if the pieces you're working with even go with the puzzle you're trying to complete?  What do great relationships look like?  What if you've hardly seen any healthy ones up close?  And once you get a glimpse of what you want, what's the best way to start putting that picture together?

These are the questions we're going to tackle this October!

We all want happy, healthy relationships - especially with those closest to us.  Easier said than done.

As it turns out - making real relationships work is real work.  It can feel a bit like putting together a puzzle that's missing pieces and never quite looks like the picture on the box.

Ever wonder if the pieces you're working with even go with the puzzle you're trying to complete?  What do great relationships look like?  What if you've hardly seen any healthy ones up close?  And once you get a glimpse of what you want, what's the best way to start putting that picture together?

These are the questions we're going to tackle this October!