Christ Church Evangelical Covenant

Buckle Up (Pastor Vann Trapp)

How many times have we heard it said, or maybe even said it ourselves, "That's your truth, not mine." And it is true, we all see truth differently at times. But does that mean that every approach to truth is equal? Jesus seemed to imply that there was only one truth framework that truly led to freedom, one true path that led to life, and only one true God who could rescue us from all the deception and wrong thinking that can really get us into trouble at times. That's why Ephesians tells us to buckle up with the belt of truth - God's truth.

An Unseen World (Pastor Vann Trapp)

We live in two worlds simultaneously: one physical, the other spiritual. The one is filled with physical beings and objects that we understand well and navigate with our five senses and “common sense.” The other is filled with spiritual beings and realities and has a war raging every moment of every day. But often, we haven’t taken the time to train our spiritual senses or godly wisdom to the same degree that we have our physical senses. So, we are blindsided spiritually. We need to be aware of this spiritual world and our place in it in Christ.

Vision (Pastor Vann Trapp)

Pastor Vann shares about vision for the upcoming year and provides an update on the process of developing values over the past year.

Devoted to Design (Pastor Vann Trapp)

What does it take to be a healthy Jesus community? When we look to the beginning of the Church, we find four things. So, what does it mean to be devoted to the apostle’s teaching, fellowship, the breaking of bread, and prayer? What does it mean to be devoted to God’s design?

Tailor-made for Us (Pastor Vann Trapp)

The Body of Christ is the community of God's people. When we figure out the roles and the parts that we are supposed to play in God’s community, we learn more about how He has gifted and called us. Ephesians talks about five unique pieces that make up the whole of the church, and that drive us to rely on him and each other while we pursue the mission he has set before us. What are those pieces? Let’s talk about it.

The Fabric of the Universe (Pastor Vann Trapp)

From the beginning of the Creation account and throughout the Bible God talks of Himself as “Us”? At first, it sounds strange. But when we look around this universe in which we live, we see that it makes perfect sense. Relationship, connection, collaboration, and synergy are all around us. And that should give us a clue about what it means for us to live in a way that reflects “the image of God.” Being part of an “us” is an essential part of being alive. And being a part of His “Us” is an essential part of living life as He intended. There’s a We in the Weave of the Fabric of the Universe.

Home or Abroad (Pastor Vann Trapp)

Jesus said twice in Luke 15 that all of heaven celebrates when just one person turns back to God. Do we share in this joy that reflects God’s own joy over His wondering children when they return home? If we don't, are we the one who is truly home, or have we wandered away from the Father even though we stayed in His house?

Including the Kitchen Sink (Pastor Vann Trapp)

Even the everyday details of our lives should remind us of the grace God has shown us. For the prodigal son, every time he looked down and saw the shoes on his feet, he remembered what his father had done; every time he had a meal (whether it was a party or not), he remembered what his father had done; every time he did business in his father’s name, he remembered what his father had done. The reality is that those things in our lives that do not have “God stories” and “grace stories" attached to them tend to become idols that draw us away from God rather than toward Him.

Home Economics (Pastor Vann Trapp)

God’s grace doesn’t always make sense to us; especially when we have to apply it in our own circumstances. One of the places we see this most clearly is when it comes to forgiveness. Sure the father forgave the prodigal son. But how are we supposed to keep forgiving people without just simply being taken advantage of? How can we keep forgiving people for the same thing without simply becoming enablers of their bad behavior… which is only going to hurt them over the long run? What does it even mean to forgive someone seven times, let alone seventy times seven times? And how does this help move forward what God is trying to do in this world and in our lives?

The Best Seat in the House (Pastor Vann Trapp)

God’s grace is always over the top. It starts before we even turn to Him. The love He shows while we are still at odds with Him is what gets our attention, and His abundant kindness leads us to turn our hearts back to Him. But then, it just keeps coming. Once we do come home, when we have nothing to offer Him, He gives us the best robe, the ring of His authority, shoes of freedom, the name as His child, and the prized calf to celebrate with. God’s grace is over the top. It’s hard to believe sometimes. But it is where we live now.