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April 16, 2026 • 2 Minute Read
Women's Ministry Update
Will we be found faithful? We are in the heart of our spring Bible study series, "Rooted," and week 6 through the book of Ruth does not disappoint. This Tuesday, we're sitting with Ruth 2 – the moment Boaz notices Ruth gleaning in the fields and says, "I've been told all about what you have done." Her faithfulness was seen, even when she thought no one was watching. There is so much in that for us. New faces are always welcome. Bring your friend or family member. Printed study guides are available at the door, and you can jump in at any point in the series. Many women have joined mid-series and said they wished they'd come sooner. If you've been on the fence, Tuesday is your week.Sign Up Here We're thrilled to spotlight Dr. Kezia Addo, one of our Women's Ministry small group leaders, who just successfully defended her doctoral dissertation in public health last week. Kezia, you have juggled leadership, study, family, and faith with extraordinary grace. We celebrate you. Volunteer need: We're looking for women with hospitality gifts to help coordinate light refreshments for our Tuesday evenings. It's a small role with a big impact. You’re suited to do this. 📅 Women's Bible Study – Tuesday, March 24, 6:30 PM in Room 104 Upcoming: Women's Spring Brunch – Saturday, April 19, 10:00 AM in the Fellowship Hall. Tickets available at lifeabundant.la/women.
April 16, 2026 • 2 Minute Read
Family & Kids Ministry Update
Spring has sprung 🌸 Spring Carnival is this Saturday and we could not be more excited! We still need about 10 volunteers to help run game booths and assist with face painting from 9:30AM setup onward.Sign Up Here Many hands make light work, and honestly, it's one of the most fun mornings of the year. Bring sunscreen. Our Sunday Kids Church curriculum this month is walking through the story of David. We’re talking about courage, failure, grace, and restoration. Big themes, told in ways that actually land for a 6-year-old. Parents, ask your kids about it on the drive home! This week's lesson focuses on 1 Samuel 16:7, "The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." We're teaching our kids early that they are seen and valued for exactly who they are. We also want to spotlight one of our incredible volunteers, Rosa Mendez, who has served in the 4-year-old classroom every single Sunday for the past three years. Rosa, you are the definition of faithful. Our kids light up when they see you walk through that door. Thank you. Is God calling you to take your next step? Join Rosa’s team and start volunteering today. Coming up: Easter Sunday kids programming registration opens April 1. Spots fill fast – mark your calendar.
April 16, 2026 • 2 Minute Read
Men's Ministry Update
We sharpen each other This Thursday, Men's Brotherhood meets for the second session of our spring series, "Present" – Being the Man You're Actually Called to Be. Last week's conversation about emotional availability in friendships and marriage hit harder than most of us expected. Several guys stayed an extra hour just to keep talking, and the conversation has continued throughout the week. That's what belonging to this group is all about. This week we're opening up Proverbs 27:17, "As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another." We'll be asking honestly: who is sharpening you right now? And who are you sharpening? These aren't easy questions for men who've been taught to go it alone, but they're the right ones. We want to spotlight Tony Guerrero, who quietly organized a work crew of eight men last Saturday to help a widowed church member repair her fence and repaint her front door. No announcement, no social media post — just men showing up. Tony, that's the kind of leadership that changes a neighborhood. Volunteer need: We're looking for two or three men with construction or handyman skills to join our rotating Home Help crew, which serves elderly and single-parent households in our surrounding community once a month.Sign Up Here 📅 Men's Brotherhood – Thursday, March 21, 6:30 AM
Room 201 (yes, we meet at 6:30 AM. Yes, coffee is provided. Yes, it's worth it.) Upcoming: Men's overnight retreat – April 25-26 in Angeles National Forest. Registration now open at lifeabundant.la/men.
April 16, 2026 • 10 Minute Read
Blog Post
Nobody has a perfect family. We know that. But there's a difference between knowing it and feeling it, especially on holidays designed to celebrate what yours was supposed to look like. You scroll through social media and see curated perfection. You sit at the dinner table and feel the weight of everything that was never said. And somewhere in the back of your mind, a question lingers: What do you do when your family is broken and the culture keeps pretending perfection is the goal? Here's the truth that changes everything: God is not looking for perfect families. He's looking for purpose-filled families. And the distance between those two realities is where healing begins. The Family Was Always the Plan From the very beginning, God designed the family as the primary environment for growth, identity, and belonging. Genesis 1:28 records that after creating humanity, God blessed them and said, "Be fruitful and increase in number, fill the earth." Family was not an afterthought. It was the mechanism. And this isn't just a theological claim. Neuroscience and psychology continue to confirm what Scripture has always taught. People who grow up in healthy family environments are less likely to struggle with substance abuse, have lower incarceration rates, experience greater relational satisfaction, and demonstrate stronger emotional resilience. If that feels discouraging because your family wasn't healthy, stay with this. The same Bible that affirms the power of family also tells the unfiltered truth about how messy families really are. Four Generations of Dysfunction Genesis chapters 30 through 40 trace four generations of one family: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. And if you read their stories, you'll find yourself thinking, "This is really messed up." It is. The Bible doesn't sugarcoat it. It doesn't put its heroes in stained glass. It exposes the brokenness we all recognize. Adam blames Eve. Cain kills Abel. Abraham sleeps with his wife's servant. Isaac favors one son over the other, breeding rivalry and competition. Jacob, whose very name means "deceiver," lives up to it. And Joseph, at the end of the family line, is sold into slavery by his own brothers. Through these four generations, the patterns repeat: favoritism, deception, rivalry, manipulation, passive-aggressive behavior, distorted intimacy. Sin doesn't just separate humanity from God; it fractures families, turning intimacy into blame, siblings into rivals, and homes into battlegrounds. The cycle doesn't break until Joseph. And what Joseph did to reverse the curse his family passed down is the blueprint for every one of us still carrying the weight of what was handed to us.Subscribe To These Posts When Your Family Has Failed You, God Has Not Abandoned You The most remarkable thread running through Genesis is this: God's love is not dependent on your family's dysfunction. God made a promise, and no amount of generational brokenness could nullify it. Abraham failed. God was still with him. Jacob was a deceiver. God was still with him. Hagar was cast into the desert by the very people who used her. God showed up and said, "I am with you." Joseph was betrayed, enslaved, falsely accused, and thrown into prison. God showed up and said, "I'm still with you." Your family background may explain who you are, but it does not have to define who you become. When you read the genealogies in Genesis, name upon name, generation upon generation, God's faithful, loving covenant remains. When God makes a promise, not even your family's dysfunction can rob you of it if you lean into it. God even changed the names of these patriarchs to reflect His transforming work. Abram, meaning "father," became Abraham, "the father of many nations." Jacob, "the deceiver," became Israel, "one who wrestles with God." When you let God do His work, He transforms what looks broken into something beautiful. The Soil of Your Heart Think of it like gardening. If the soil of your life has been deeply compacted by the weight of what happened to you, if it's been stripped of nutrients because no one ever told you "I love you" or "you matter," if toxins have been poured in through words that poisoned your heart, then no wonder nothing grows. Maybe you've been trying to grow really good things. You want to be a good parent, a good provider. You want to show up when it matters. But the soil has been hardened by circumstances you didn't choose. The good news is that God is the great Gardener. If you let Him, He'll begin to till the soil again, softening it so that air and nutrients can be poured in, so that light can penetrate the dark places, and good fruit can grow. The Crucible That Refines You Joseph's story reads like a crucible. A crucible is a container that withstands intense heat. You place raw ore inside it, ore covered in debris, dirt, and impurities. As the heat rises, everything melts. The pure metal sinks to the bottom while the impurities rise to the surface. A skilled refiner scrapes away everything that doesn't belong until only the pure design remains. You and I were created in the image of God. The circumstances of life may feel like they've buried that image. But God uses the crucible of experience not to destroy you, but to refine you. The heat turns up not to break you, but to reveal who you were always created to be. If you skip the process, you get a weakened version. It might look like gold on the surface, but under pressure, it crumbles. Joseph grew up in an environment of survival of the fittest. But he chose generosity. He grew up surrounded by rivalry and pain. But he chose forgiveness. When he stood before the brothers who had sold him into slavery, now the second most powerful man in Egypt, he had the opportunity to continue the family curse or break it. And he looked at them and said, "What you intended for harm, God intended for good." Healing Must Interrupt What Dysfunction Repeats The patterns in Genesis are unmistakable. A father favors one son. Rivalry erupts. Deception follows. Manipulation takes root. And then the next generation inherits it all. The question every generation faces is the same: Will I repeat the pattern that was passed on to me, or will I, with God's help, break it? No matter your family background, there are things that happened to you that should have never happened. But if you let God heal you, He can transform it. That's the story of Joseph, and it can be yours, too. As you look at your own family experience, consider: What did your family teach you about conflict? About love? About generosity? These things may explain who you are, but they don't have to define you. And the harder question, especially for parents and grandparents: What patterns am I carrying forward, and where might God be inviting healing? When my wife and I were first married, we had to work through a lot of crucible experiences. We dealt with conflict in completely different ways. My way of dealing with conflict is to say it straight up. You're not going to have to guess what I'm feeling or thinking. Hers was the opposite. She saw conflict as something negative to be avoided. You can imagine how well that went until we made a decision: How are we going to define, as a family, how we deal with confrontation? How are we going to handle generosity and parenting? We had very different ideas, and we had to work through them with God's help to create a new way forward. How to Build a Healthy Family Today If you recognize these patterns and you want something different, here's what I've learned practically in my own life about becoming the parent and family member God has called me to be. Choose Presence Over Perfection Your kids don't need you to be perfect. They need you to be present. It's in being present that the beautiful transformation takes place. You can't script it or plan it. You're just there. When my kids started playing sports, I made a commitment to coach them. Not to be overbearing, but so we could experience everything together. Dance recitals, awards, birthdays. Sometimes it was around a dinner table where we chose to be present, no phones, looking at each other, talking about things we maybe didn't want to talk about. Sometimes it was at bedtime when we would just pray, not out of religious obligation, but out of inviting the presence of God into that moment. "Train up a child in the way that they should go" (Proverbs 22:6). It's embedded into what family is. You don't have to be perfect. You just have to be there. Speak Blessing Instead of Cursing Many of you know the pain of words that were spoken over you. You're dumb. You're ugly. You'll never amount to anything. You're worthless. When those words are spoken into a child's life, they plant seeds that harden the soil. It is never justified to curse your children. Never. Instead, learn to speak blessing. Maybe you'll be the first one in your family line who actually expresses "I love you" on a regular basis, not because someone earned it, but just because. Maybe you'll be the first to speak truth that isn't visible yet: "I see something in you that you don't see in yourself. You are worthy. You are loved. You matter." If you don't know what to say, read the promises of God over them. You are a child of the living God. You are fearfully and wonderfully made. God has a plan and a purpose for your life. When you begin to speak life instead of death, it will break a curse. Practice Repentance and Forgiveness Some of you might need to stand in front of a mirror and say the words: "I was wrong." That is not weakness. That is breaking a curse. I do this now as a grandfather. My grandkids call me Papa. And sometimes I'll say, "Papa shouldn't have done that. I'm sorry." You're modeling something. You're breaking something. You're building something. Invite God Into Everyday Life It doesn't have to be weird. Just begin to talk about what God is doing in you and how you're trying. That was maybe the greatest gift my family gave me growing up. They invited God into most everything we did. And inviting God into everyday life begins to shape and form the people around you. You Don't Have to Come From a Healthy Family to Create One You don't control what happened to you, but you do choose how you see it. And that choice shapes everything that follows. In a world that's increasingly lonely, where abandonment and rejection are common experiences, we need to fight for each other. We need to create spaces of belonging, not spaces where you have to think a certain way or behave a certain way before you're welcomed in. You belong because you were created in the image of God. Jesus said, "They will know you are my disciples by how you love one another" (John 13:35). No one has ever been won over by a slick argument. But people have been transformed because someone chose to love them. Today could be the day of transformation. The day you decide, with God's help, to believe that He is present with you and that you will be present with your family. You can't fix what's broken on your own. Only God can do that. But you can keep showing up, keep loving, keep speaking blessing, and keep inviting God into that space. You are loved. You belong. Your family story, however broken or beautiful, is not beyond God's redemptive grace. And with His help, you can create a different kind of family, one marked by presence and blessing, repentance and forgiveness, belonging and hope.
April 16, 2026 • 2 Minute Read
Student Ministry Update
It’s been a week. Middle schoolers, high schoolers – we SEE you. This has been a heavy week for a lot of our students, and Youth Group on Friday is going to be a safe, low-pressure space to breathe, laugh, and talk about real stuff. We'll have food, we'll have some genuinely terrible icebreaker games, and we'll have real conversation. Want to talk to someone before we meet? We’re here. This week's topic is "What do I do when God feels far away?" We're spending time in Psalm 22 – a psalm that opens with "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" – and sitting with the honest, uncomfortable truth that doubt and faith can coexist. No easy answers. Just honest conversation. We also want to celebrate Jaylen Morris, a 10th grader who just got accepted into a competitive summer engineering program at UCLA. Jaylen, we've watched you work for this and we are so proud of you. This community is in your corner. 📅 Friday, March 21, 6:30 PM
📍 The Warehouse (Youth Wing, Side Entrance) Parents – our spring parent info night is Tuesday, April 8. We'll share what we've been teaching, where we're headed, and how you can stay connected to your teenager's spiritual life without losing your mind. We'll also have a counselor on hand to talk through what's showing up emotionally and socially for teens in LA right now. Details coming soon.
April 16, 2026 • 7 Minute Read
Devotional
Weekly Devotional – March 19, 2026 "Words For The Valley: A Journey Through Psalm 23" Before You Begin Find a quiet place if you can. Put your phone face down. Take three slow breaths. This devotional is not meant to be rushed – it's meant to be inhabited. Read it the way you'd walk a familiar path you haven't taken in a while: slowly, noticing what's changed in you since the last time you were here. Psalm 23 is probably the most recognized passage in all of Scripture. Most of us have heard it at funerals. Many of us learned it as children. And precisely because it is so familiar, it can slide past us without landing. Our goal this week is to read it slowly enough that it surprises us again. Read the Psalm Aloud The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil, for you are with me;
your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil.
My cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. A Word to Open David wrote this psalm. The same David who killed a giant, committed adultery, ordered a man's death, and wept so hard over his son that the Bible says the ground was wet. David was not a man who wrote about God from a comfortable distance. He wrote from inside the mess of a full human life. That matters for how we read this. Psalm 23 is not a greeting card. It is a battle-tested testimony from a man who had learned - slowly, painfully, joyfully - that God could be trusted. Every line is earned. Moving Through the Psalm "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want." Notice that David doesn’t say "The Lord is a shepherd" or "The Lord is the shepherd." He says my shepherd. This is personal. This is a claim. Sheep don't belong to shepherds in the abstract, they belong to a specific one who knows their name, knows their tendencies, knows which ones wander. Pause and ask yourself: Do I relate to God as my shepherd, or as a shepherd in general – present for everyone but perhaps not particularly attentive to me? The promise that follows - I shall not want - is not a promise of abundance in the way we sometimes read it. It is a promise of sufficiency. The sheep under a good shepherd's care lack nothing they truly need. Not nothing they want. Nothing they need. That is a different and deeper promise. "He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters." A shepherd has to make sheep lie down. Sheep are anxious animals. They will graze past the point of exhaustion if not guided to rest. The green pastures and still waters are not accidental. They are chosen by someone who knows that rest is not weakness. Rest is part of the plan. How often do we resist the places God leads us to rest? How often do we mistake stillness for inactivity, or quietness for being left behind? Spend a moment in this image. Where are your green pastures right now? Where is God trying to lead you to still water, and are you following, or are you still grazing? "He restores my soul." The Hebrew word here - nephesh - is sometimes translated as soul, but it means something closer to the whole self. Your inner life. Your sense of self. Your aliveness. He restores my aliveness. This is a pastoral word for exhausted people. And if you are here in this prayer group on a Thursday morning, there is a reasonable chance that life has taken something from you recently. Grief, disappointment, overwork, worry, loss. The promise of this line is not that God will prevent the depletion. It is that he is in the business of restoration. He gives back what life takes. Pray this line over yourself today: Lord, restore my soul. Say it slowly. Say it more than once. "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me." This is the hinge of the psalm. Everything before it is pastoral and gentle. Here, the landscape changes. The valley is real. The shadow is real. David does not pretend it isn't. But notice the grammar: I will fear no evil. Not I do not feel afraid. Not the valley isn't dark. The commitment to not fear is an act of the will, grounded not in circumstances but in presence. For you are with me. That's the whole reason. Not because the valley is safe. Because he is there. This is the verse for whoever in our prayer group is in a hard place right now. You don't have to pretend the valley isn't dark. You only have to remember you are not walking through it alone. "You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies." This image has always struck me as almost defiant. God does not remove the enemies before sitting David down to eat. He sets the table anyway. In the middle of opposition, in the middle of threat, there is a feast. There is provision and dignity that the enemies cannot touch. Whatever is pressing in on you right now - fear, opposition, uncertainty, a relationship that's causing pain - God is not waiting for it to resolve before he feeds you. The table is already set. What would it look like to receive God's provision today, even in the middle of what's hard? "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life." The word translated follow here is closer in the Hebrew to pursue – even chase. Goodness and mercy are not timidly trailing behind us. They are in pursuit. All the days of my life. Not just the good ones. Not just the ones where I feel worthy of being followed. This is grace at its most relentless. We do not have to earn God's goodness chasing us down. We only have to stop running from it. Closing Prayer Father, you are our shepherd. We confess that we often act like sheep who think they know better – wandering past the green pastures, resisting the still water, grazing until we are empty. Restore our souls today. Lead us through whatever valley we are walking through and remind us that your presence is the point, not the absence of the valley itself. Set a table for us in the middle of our hard places. And let us feel, even today, the goodness and mercy that is chasing us down. We are yours. Amen. For Further Reflection This Week Read Psalm 23 once each morning this week – slowly, one verse at a time. Journal on this question: Which line of this psalm do I need most right now, and why? Pray the psalm over someone in your life who is in a dark valley, and speak their name into each verse. Our Thursday Morning Prayer Group meets weekly at 7:00 AM in The Prayer Room, Building B. All are welcome.Share Your Prayer Request
April 16, 2026 • 3 Minute Read
Pastoral Letter
I met God the other night while I was washing my car. I made the mistake of buying a black car. In fact, we have two black cars. It’s not an objective mistake in the sense that black cars are worse than any other colour car by any meaningful metric. The nature of black paint, however, is that it almost never looks clean. Any spot of water, dirt, or pollen (of which there has been plenty lately) seems to be accentuated on a black canvas, and frankly, is a glaring sore to my eye. That’s just me, that’s how I’m wired. You likely don’t care too much if your car is spotless or not and that’s good for you - sincerely, it’s good for you. I’m wired differently though, but thankfully I’m also inclined to enjoy washing my car by hand. So I took a look at the forecast to see how long my labour would be worth, and with nothing but clear skies in sight I set out to wash the car. Our kids were asleep, the evening was clear and cool, it was serene. With supplies in hand I made my move towards the driveway and there was God, waiting to met me. There’s a monkish way of moving through the world called liber mundi - “the world as a book”. It’s a way of living that moves slowly through the created cosmos, with eyes and ears open and attentive to see a story revealed through creation, as if it were a book to read. For us Christians, we believe that the world is the Lord’s, and it is a very reflection of his image. A revelation of sorts. God met me in the driveway in the stillness of being dedicated to one singular task, outside of the office and the home, and in the quiet of the evening. Without any external output or stimulus (and even without my AirPods in my ears plugging up my senses from the world around me), I was able to perceive and receive the peace of God while kneeling in soapy water on the tarmac. I’m not great at this way of living, and I wouldn’t even go as far as suggest that I’m good at it - but I’m trying. I’m trying to see glory in potato flowers and dandelions. I’m hoping to move on my feet and my pedals more often than I do on rubber powered by cylinders. I’m attempting to listen to less information (podcasts, sermons, etc.) and listen more to friends, family, and foes. I’m learning that the world is a book. I want to read it. Grace and peace,
Pastor Johnny
April 16, 2026 • 3 Minute Read
Weekly Update
Welcome to the weekly roundup 👋 This is your one-stop spot for everything happening in our church family. From kids to adults, small groups to special events, here's how you can get connected over the next seven days. Sunday, October 19th 9:00 & 11:00am Worship Gatherings - Join us for Sunday
service in person or online. Kids Ministry - Age-specific programming during both services Youth Small Groups - Meeting after the 11:00am service in the Youth Room Monday, October 20th Women's Bible Study - 7:00pm in Room 204 Prayer Gathering - 8:00pm online via Zoom Tuesday, October 21st Young Adults Gathering - Coffee, teaching, and discussion at 7:00pm in the Cafe Wednesday, October 22nd Midweek Worship & Prayer - 6:30 pm. in the Sanctuary. Kids Midweek Club - Games, music, and Bible stories (ages 4-11) Thursday, October 23rd Men's Breakfast & Devotion - 7:00am at the Fellowship Hall. RSVP Here so we make sure we have enough food! Choir Rehearsal - 7:30pm in the Sanctuary Friday, October 24th Community Outreach Night - Serve with us downtown at 6:00pm. If you want to ride-share, let us know. Saturday, October 25th Youth Retreat Kickoff - Meet at the church at 10:00am for departure. Upcoming Events Trunk or Treat - Sunday, October 26th a 5:00pmNew here? We'd love to connect. This Week's Message "Called by Name"
Pastor Debbie Walker | John 10:1–15 What does it mean to be truly known – not just seen, but known? This week Pastor Debbie takes us into the heart of John 10 and the radical intimacy of a God who calls each of us by name. Whether you're in a season of clarity or one of deep searching, this message is for you. Watch last week’s sermon 👇Watch OnlineSubscribe To Our Podcast Community Prayer We carry each other through the spiritual practice of prayer. Here's what our community is lifting up this week: 🙏 David & Lena Reyes – David begins chemotherapy this week. Believing for strength, peace, and full healing. 🙏 The Nguyen Family – Grieving the loss of Grandma Rose, who went home to be with the Lord on Monday. May they feel surrounded by love. 🙏 Our College Students – Spring finals season is here. Wisdom, rest, and perspective over pressure. 🙏 Our City – For the families still displaced after the January fires — continued provision, housing, and hope. Submit your own prayer request here. Giving Your generosity makes our work in this city possible. We’re so grateful for you. New to our community? No pressure. Today, just be our guest.Give Now Here Stay Connected 📩 Subscribe to this Collection to get these updates delivered directly to your inbox. 📸 Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. 💬 Pastoral care or questions? Connect with us here. Services: Saturdays at 5:00 PM · Sundays at 9:00 AM & 11:30 AM
4200 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90029 Next Week: "Even Here" – Psalm 139:7–12
See you soon ☀️
April 16, 2026 • 5 Minute Read
Weekly Prayer Update
A Word Before We Pray Prayer is not a last resort at Life Abundant – it's a first response. Every week this update goes out as an invitation: to slow down, to intercede, and to remember that we are not a collection of individuals navigating life separately. We are a body. What affects one of us affects all of us. Thank you for praying with us. "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." – Philippians 4:6 🙌 Follow-Up From Last Week – Giving Thanks Before we bring new requests, we stop to celebrate what God has done. These are updates from prayer requests our community lifted up last week: David & Lena Reyes – David completed his first round of chemotherapy on Friday. The medical team reported that he tolerated the treatment better than expected. David's own words: "I felt carried. I don't know how else to describe it." We keep praying for full healing, and we give thanks for every person who interceded this week. The Nguyen Family – The family wanted us to share their gratitude for the outpouring of love following Grandma Rose's passing. Meals, cards, and phone calls came from all over the congregation. Son-in-law Thomas wrote to us: "We didn't feel alone for a single moment. That's because of this church." Please continue to hold them as they move through the weeks ahead, when the initial wave of support often fades. College Students / Spring Finals – Several of our college students checked in this week. The prayers were felt. A few specific notes: Jaylen Morris aced his midterm. Sophia Tran submitted her senior thesis. Marcus Webb - who had been considering dropping a class due to anxiety - decided to stay enrolled and finish strong. Keep lifting our students up through finals season. Pico-Union Neighborhood Drive – Last week we prayed over the logistics and the volunteers. God showed up. Over 400 lbs of food collected, 180 hygiene kits assembled, and as many of you have now heard, a man named George is visiting church this Sunday for the first time in 30 years. Pray he feels at home the moment he walks through the door. 🙏 This Week's Prayer Requests For Our Congregation: 🙏 Elena Sousa – Elena was admitted to Cedars-Sinai on Tuesday following a cardiac event. She is stable and in good spirits, but facing a procedure later this week. Pray for a successful outcome, for peace that surpasses understanding, and for her husband Roberto who is by her side. 🙏 The Patterson Family – James and Nicole Patterson are walking through a painful season of marital difficulty. They have courageously asked for prayer and are committed to working through this together. Please hold them with gentleness and without judgment. Pray for healing, honesty, and hope. 🙏 Pastor Andre Williams – Andre lost his father unexpectedly on Monday morning. He is taking bereavement leave through next week. Please pray for his family as they grieve and make arrangements. Cards can be dropped at the Welcome Table and will be passed along. 🙏 Sofia Castillo – Our Women's Ministry Director is navigating an immigration matter affecting a close family member. Pray for a just resolution, for Sofia's peace of mind, and for the countless families in our congregation and city facing similar uncertainties. For Our City: 🙏 Fire Recovery – Families in Altadena and Pacific Palisades are now eight weeks out from the January fires. The news cycle has moved on, but their need has not. Pray for sustained support, for housing solutions, and for the mental health of children who are still displaced and processing trauma. 🙏 Our Unhoused Neighbors – As temperatures drop this week, pray specifically for the safety and dignity of those living on the streets of Skid Row, Pico-Union, and across our city. Pray for our outreach team as they serve on Saturday. 🙏 Local Schools – Several LA Unified schools in our neighborhood are navigating staff shortages and increased student anxiety. Pray for teachers, counselors, and administrators who are stretched thin and showing up anyway. For Our Global Partners: 🙏 Pastor Hernán & Iglesia Viva, Medellín – Rapid church growth is a blessing and a strain. Pray for wise leadership, Spirit-led delegation, and genuine rest for a team that is pouring themselves out. 🙏 Hope Community Kenya – As the new classroom block opens, pray for the 140 children who will walk through those doors. Pray for the teachers, for the families, and for the seeds of faith being planted in Mathare Valley. How to Receive Prayer Every request we receive is treated with care and confidentiality. You can receive prayer in our community both in-person and online. In-Person – after each service, there’s an open invititaion to receive prayer from a prayer leader near the front of the church. The folks that you rub shoulders with in your seats are also more than willing to pray with you right where you are. Online – we can still stay connected when we’re apart. Submit a prayer request here online at anytime. A real pastor is on the other end of the line.Share Your Prayer Request
August 18, 2026 • 6 Minute Read
Reach One - Love is the Language
Summary In part three of the "Reach 1" series, this week focuses on the foundational role of love in sharing faith with others. The central message is simple but profound: before you open your mouth, open your life. Drawing from John 13:34-35 and 1 John 3:16-18, the challenge is for the believer to love their "one" (a person they are praying for and building a relationship with) in ways that are visible, costly, and genuine. The most common mistake in outreach is to lead with sharing the gospel with only words and not demonstrating the gospel in every action and thought towards others; made visible through love. Love is defined, not as a feeling, but as a decision rooted in agape, a self-giving, sacrificial, unconditional love that contends for the highest good of others in every situation. This love expresses itself through justice, truth, and grace. Using a personal story about a pastor named Steve Nicholson who invested in him during a painful season of failure, Pastor Jon illustrates how practical, costly acts of love open doors in people's hearts toward God. The conclusion is clear: people are not argued into the kingdom of God, they are loved into it. Intro Prayer Heavenly Father, thank You for bringing us together today. As we open Your Word and reflect on what it means to truly love the people around us, we ask that You soften our hearts and open our eyes. Remove any distractions or preconceived ideas we may have brought into this room. Speak to each of us in the way we personally need to hear from You today. May this time together not just be about gaining knowledge, but about being transformed by Your love so that it flows freely through us to others. In Jesus' name, amen. Ice Breaker Think of a time when someone did something unexpectedly kind for you. What did they do, and how did it make you feel? Key Verses John 13:34-35 1 John 3:16 1 John 3:17-18 Leviticus 19:18 Questions A little girl named Ruth asked a question: 'If God is bigger than us and lives inside of us, wouldn't He show through?' How would you honestly answer that question about your own life right now? Agape love is described as love that 'contends for the highest good in every situation until it is present tense.' How does that definition challenge or expand the way you normally think about love? Jesus called love a commandment, not a suggestion. What is the difference between treating love as a feeling you wait for versus a decision you make? How does that shift change the way you approach relationships? 'The most common mistake in outreach is leading with the message before the life behind the message is visible.' Have you ever experienced this, either as the person sharing or the person receiving? What happened? John 13:35 says the world will know we are Jesus' disciples by our love for one another. What do you think the people around you, especially your "one," would say about the love they see in your life and in this church? Love is described as expressing itself through justice, truth, and grace. Which of these three comes most naturally to you, and which one do you find most difficult to live out? Why? Steve Nicholson, who loved Pastor Jon through a painful season with a phone call, a plane ticket, a prayer meeting, and a teapot. What stands out to you about that story, and what does it teach you about what love actually looks like in practice? Think about your "one." What do you know about what they are currently carrying? What is one specific, practical, and possibly costly act of love you could offer them this week? Life Application This week, choose one person in your life, your "one," and take a step toward loving them in a way that costs you something. Start by slowing down enough to ask them a real question, such as "How are you really doing?" or "How is your soul?" Then listen without trying to fix anything. Based on what you hear, identify one specific act of love you can offer, whether that is bringing a meal, following up on something they mentioned before, sitting with them in a hard moment, or simply showing up. Let the love you extend this week be visible, intentional, and rooted in a genuine desire for their highest good. Key Takeaways If God truly lives in us, His love should be visible to the people around us before we ever say a word about our faith. Jesus raised the standard of love from 'love your neighbor as yourself' to 'love one another as I have loved you,' a sacrificial, unconditional agape love that has no limit and never gives up. Love is not a feeling to wait for but a commandment and a decision. It is the primary witness we bring to the world, and it is the proof that we are disciples of Jesus. Love expresses itself in three visible ways: justice (showing up for the overlooked), truth (honest and genuine care), and grace (continuing to show up even when it is not earned). People are not argued into the kingdom of God. They are loved into it. Practical, specific, and costly acts of love open doors in people's hearts toward God. Ending Prayer Lord, thank You for this time together and for the reminder that love is not just a nice idea but the very proof of Your presence in our lives. We confess that we often move too fast to notice the needs of the people right in front of us. Slow us down. Open our eyes to what our "one" is carrying. Give us the courage to ask the deeper questions and the patience to truly listen. Fill us with Your agape love, the kind that contends for the highest good of others even when it is costly, even when it is not returned. May the people in our lives see something in us that they cannot fully explain outside of You, and may that draw them closer to You. We trust You with the pace and the outcome. In Jesus' name, amen.
August 14, 2026 • 5 Minute Read
Reach One- Partner With God
Summary This sermon, part of a series on sharing faith naturally, focuses on Acts 8 and the story of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch. This passage especially illustrates that God is already at work in the lives of people around us, and our role is simply to notice what He is doing and join in. Philip did not follow a program or a script. He followed the Holy Spirit's specific prompting, asked one good question, and started where the man already was, leading to the gospel reaching the ends of the earth. Through the story of Philip and a personal story about a college roommate named Timmy, Pastor Jon paints a picture of organic, relational, friendship-based evangelism. The key posture is not manufacturing spiritual conversations but paying attention to what God has already been doing in someone's life. We are called to be bridges, not converters, trusting that God has been preparing the people around us long before we ever showed up. Intro Prayer Heavenly Father, thank You for bringing us together today. As we open Your Word and discuss what it means to share our faith naturally and relationally, we ask that You open our hearts and minds to what You want us to receive. Help us to set aside our own agendas and truly hear what Your Spirit is saying to us as a group. Give us eyes to see what You are already doing in the lives of the people around us, and give us the courage to join in. We trust You, Lord. Lead this conversation. In Jesus' name, amen. Ice Breaker Think of a time when a random or unexpected conversation turned into something meaningful. What happened, and how did it make you feel? Key Verses Acts 8:26-40 Isaiah 53:7-8 Isaiah 56:3-5 Deuteronomy 23:1 Questions God was already at work in the Ethiopian eunuch long before Philip arrived. Can you think of a time in your own life when you could look back and see that God had been preparing you for something before you even realized it? Philip received a very specific prompting from the Holy Spirit to go to a particular road and approach a particular chariot. How do you personally recognize or discern the nudges of the Holy Spirit in your everyday life? We often have random intruding thoughts that we dismiss, but some of those might actually be the Holy Spirit prompting us. How do you tell the difference, and what would it look like to act on those promptings more often? Philip asked just one simple question: 'Do you understand what you are reading?' Why do you think one humble, curious question can be more effective than a prepared presentation or a rehearsed pitch? We are described to have the posture of salt and light as joining a conversation that is already happening rather than imposing one. What does that look like practically in your relationships with people who are not yet connected to faith? In the story about Timmy, Pastor Jon said he just joined in what God was already doing, and so did Emma. What barriers, fears, or habits keep you from joining in what God is already doing in the lives of people around you? 'You are a bridge. Bridges do not decide who crosses. They just connect two places.' How does thinking of yourself as a bridge rather than a converter change the way you approach sharing your faith? Who is your 'one'? What do you already know about what God might be doing in that person's life, and what is one practical step you could take this week to pay attention and show up for them? Life Application This week, choose one person in your life who is not connected to a church community. Pray daily and ask God, 'What are You already doing in their life, and how can I partner with You?' Then take one simple step toward them. Send a text, make a call, or ask them one deeper question like, 'How are you really doing?' Do not overthink it and do not wait for the perfect moment. Just show up, listen well, and trust that God has been preparing them long before you arrived. Key Takeaways God is already at work in the people around you. Your role is not to manufacture spiritual moments but to notice what He is doing and join in. The Holy Spirit gives specific promptings and directions. Paying attention to those nudges, rather than dismissing them, is central to living a life of organic, relational witness. One good, humble, curious question can open a door far more effectively than a rehearsed presentation or a confrontational approach. Effective witness starts where the other person already is, listening to the questions they are actually asking and meeting them there rather than imposing a script. You are a bridge, not a converter. Your job is to connect people to Jesus and trust Him to do what only He can do in their hearts. Ending Prayer Lord, thank You for this time together and for the reminder that You are already at work in the lives of the people around us. We confess that we often overthink it, hold back out of fear, or wait for a perfect moment that never comes. Forgive us for that, and give us fresh courage. Help each of us to carry the posture of Philip into our week: open eyes, give us attentive hearts, and a willingness to ask one good question. We lift up our 'ones' to You right now. You know their names, their stories, and the questions they are quietly carrying. Go before us, Lord, and prepare the way. We trust that You have been working in their lives long before we ever thought to pray for them. Use us as bridges, and may the people we love find their way to You. In Jesus' name, amen.
August 4, 2026 • 6 Minute Read
Reach One - You Don't Have to Be Weird
Summary This sermon opens a new series called "Reach 1," focused on helping everyday Christians share their faith in natural, relational ways. The pastor addresses the three most common fears that keep believers silent: looking weird, not knowing enough, and damaging relationships. Rather than promoting a scripted program or formula, the message calls people to simply be who they already are in Christ, because Jesus declared His followers to be salt and light, not as a goal to strive toward but as a present reality to live out. The theological foundation of the series is that God is already at work in the lives of the people around us. Our role is not to manufacture spiritual conversations or pressure anyone, but to notice what God is already doing and join it. The pastor challenges each person to identify "their one," a specific person in their life who is not connected to a church, and to commit to building a genuine relationship, loving that person like Jesus, sharing their personal story of faith when the time is right, and eventually inviting them into community. The goal is a relationship with intention, not a campaign or a program. Intro Prayer Heavenly Father, we come together grateful for the truth that you are already at work in the world around us. As we open your Word and discuss what it means to be salt and light, we ask that you quiet our fears and open our hearts. Holy Spirit, speak to each person in this group in the way they most need to hear today. Let this time not just be about information, but about transformation. Show us who you are calling us toward, and give us the courage and the love to step into that. In Jesus name, amen. Ice Breaker What is one food that you think tastes completely different without salt, and why does salt make such a big difference to it? Key Verses Romans 10:14 Matthew 5:13 Matthew 5:14 Questions Pastor Jon named three common fears that keep Christians from sharing their faith: looking weird, not knowing enough, and damaging the relationship. Which of these fears resonates most with you personally, and why? Jesus declared in Matthew 5:13-14 that His followers ARE salt and light, not that they should try to become salt and light. How does that distinction change the way you think about sharing your faith? Pastor Jon said that God is already at work in the lives of the people around us, and our job is simply to notice what God is doing and join it. How does that idea shift the pressure you might feel about evangelism? Think about the story of the neurologist named Nick in the coffee shop. What moment in that story stands out to you most, and what does it teach you about stepping through awkwardness? The pastor said that sometimes "I don't know" is one of the most beautiful things you can say to someone who has a hard question about faith. Do you agree with that? Why or why not? The "Reach 1" approach is described as organic, relational, and friendship-based rather than scripted or programmed. What does a relationship with intention look like practically in your everyday life? The pastor suggested praying differently for the people we care about, shifting from "Lord, save them" to "Lord, show me what you are already doing in their life." How might that kind of prayer change the way you see and interact with your one? Is there a person whose face came to mind during this sermon as your one? Without sharing more than you are comfortable with, what feels like the most natural next step you could take toward that person this week? Life Application This week, identify one specific person in your life who is not connected to a church community and write their name somewhere you will see it every day, whether on a card on your fridge, in your Bible, or as a note on your phone. Then do one simple, no-agenda thing to show up in their life. Send a text, invite them to coffee, or follow up on something they mentioned recently. No script, no pressure, just salt showing up. Pair that action with a new kind of prayer: ask God to show you what He is already doing in that person's life and to help you notice the open doors. Key Takeaways Jesus declared His followers to be salt and light right now, as a present reality, not as a future goal to work toward. You already are what you are called to be in Christ. The number one reason most Christians do not share their faith is not theological but social. Fear of being awkward, pushy, or weird keeps people silent, but awkwardness is almost always on our side and not as threatening as we imagine. God is already at work in the lives of the people around you. Your role is not to start something new but to notice what God is doing and simply join it. You do not need a theology degree, a script, or all the answers to share your faith. You only need your own story of what God has done in your life. The Reach 1 challenge is about choosing one specific person, loving them like Jesus, sharing your story when the time is right, and inviting them into community. It is a relationship with intention, not a program or a campaign. Ending Prayer Lord, thank you for this time together and for the reminder that you have already gone ahead of us into the lives of the people we love. We confess that fear has sometimes kept us quiet when your love in us was meant to shine. Today we choose to say yes to being salt and light, not in our own strength, but because that is who you have already made us to be. We lift up our ones to you right now. You know their names, their struggles, and the exact work you are already doing in their hearts. Give us eyes to see it, courage to step into it, and love that feels genuine and real to the people around us. May your kingdom grow through ordinary people who are simply willing to show up. In Jesus name, amen.
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