This Sunday, we have the joy to hear God's word preached by Pastor Mike Brooks, Associate Pastor of Hope Fellowship Church in Cambridge. Mike and his wife, Paige, are from Georgia and moved to the Boston area from Kansas City in the Spring of 2022. They love all things New England and Boston, and are involved as foster parents and fostering advocates here in Boston.
For many, the New Year is a time for setting goals and aspiring to greater success, particularly at work. As Christians, how should we approach our work? How do we avoid the temptation to laziness while also making sure we don't put all of our identity into our work? The book of Proverbs has much wisdom to offer us.
2024 is like a book full of empty pages. What will the story of your year be? Who determines the book of our life--the decisions and outcomes? This month, we're considering some typical New Year's sayings and weighing them against the wisdom of God's word in the book of Proverbs.
What are your New Year's resolutions? This season is a time where many reflect on the previous year and consider how they might change and grow in the next year. This month, we'll consider some typical New Year's sayings and weigh them against the wisdom of God's word in the book of Proverbs.
People all over the world are looking for glory—in experiences, careers, relationships, knowledge, and in God. But where do we find true glory? The Apostle John points us to the eternal Word made flesh—Jesus Christ who came in glory and with grace.
There were centuries of preparation and prophecy leading up to the first advent of Jesus. On this third Sunday of Advent, we consider how we might prepare for Jesus—not only in light of his first advent, but looking ahead to when he comes again.
This week is the second Sunday of Advent, and advent is all about the coming of Jesus. But who is he? For the rest of the season we'll dive deeply into the identity of our savior from the Gospel of John's prologue. This Sunday, we'll consider him as God and Creator, Life and Light.
The gospel impacts every area of our lives. As we continue in Ephesians this Sunday, the Apostle Paul applies his exhortation to submission in two significant places—our home and our work. We'll see how our union with Christ transforms our relationships with our parents and our bosses.
We have an incredible privilege this Sunday to hear from Neel and Chalor Roberts, missionaries to Thailand. Neel preached on the freedom only Christ provides. Neel joined Ruggles back in 1984 and was sent as a missionary from our church to Thailand with OMF in 1987. In 1993, he married Chalor, who is Thai and a graduate of Phayao Bible Institute. Chalor works with Shan Migrant Children in Mae Sai and Chiang Rai in North Thailand. Neel supervises Christian workers in the Upper Mekong Region.
It's tough to follow Jesus when we're surrounded by people who don't—particularly when it comes to issues concerning sexuality. How can we faithfully live as light in the darkness? That's what our passage is all about this week.
How do people change? How do you change? Make a new year's resolution? Finding a new experience? Turn over a new leaf? In our passage this Sunday, we'll see more specifically how a Christian's union with Jesus Christ transforms our identity and enables us to live together as "members one of another."
What makes a church grow? Is it up to the pastor or a specific music style or a kind of program? We come this Sunday to a significant transition in Ephesians. From "grace in" to "grace out" or generally, from teaching to application. How does our union with Christ work out into unity with one another? And this Sunday, how does our union with Christ grow us in maturity together?
The Apostle Paul has, so far in Ephesians, offered an incredible vision of how God's grace in Christ saves his people and unites them in the church. Yet the reality often falls short of this beautiful picture. We need God's help to live this out! How? That's what this Sunday's passage is all about.
This week, we welcome Pastor Timothy Craig, Assistant Pastor of Redeemer Fellowship Church in Watertown, to serve us with God's word. Timothy is from New Hampshire and earned degrees in art from both UNH and BU. He first trusted Christ in his late 20s, completed seminary, and has served in San Francisco, Chile, and Mexico, before returning to New England in 2021 to serve at Redeemer. Timothy is also an artist, painting and selling paintings everywhere he goes.
Last week, we saw how the power of God is at work in Christians as individuals, saving us from God's wrath by raising us up through our union with Christ. This week, we'll consider the other area where God's word points us to see his power at work: the church.
Ephesians 1 ended with a glorious declaration of God's immeasurable saving power at work in our world. But when we look around at the death and sadness and ungodliness the world today, sometimes it's hard to see evidence of God's power. Where do we see God's power at work today?
What do you pray about most? As we continue in our sermon series in the book of Ephesians, we move from praise (last week) to prayer. The Apostle Paul prays that the church in Ephesus—and Ruggles—would know Jesus better: his hope, our value, and his power.
It's a new year in Boston. Thousands of people have moved into the city with plans for their education, career, and future. It's likely you also moved to Boston at some point with a plan. But what about God's plan? Have you ever wondered—or worried—about God's plan for your life? We being a new sermon series in Ephesians this Sunday. We'll see the "mystery" of God's plan for us revealed, and why it should bring us incredible joy.
Zephaniah gives us a vivid picture of God's character—both his justice and joy. After two weeks of judgment-focused prophecy, the book concludes with a passionate song of joyful praise. In this final passage, we will see the purpose of God's judgment and mercy: that we might sing to him, and with him, in joy forever.
We continue our sermon series through the book of Zephaniah. In chapter 2, we'll see that even though the Lord may use the nations surrounding Israel as instruments of his judgment, they are still accountable to him for their sin. God's justice falls universally on all people, including us.
