Village Heights Podcast

When it comes to money we like to act as if its not a big deal. Well, at least until you don't have any. If you really want to see somebody's level of faith, take away their wealth and riches. If we are not careful our happiness can become dependent on our amount of wealth. Does that make us evil? No. We actually live in a culture that is constantly telling us we need more wealth and things to be happy. Jesus revealed this to us with the Rich Young Ruler. Wealth or "lack there of" can be the BIGGEST clutter between us and Jesus. Being a Sacred Minimalist when it comes to wealth is one of the most difficult and most rewarding thing you will ever do.

Baggage is something we all have. The differences in our baggage is how much we carry. After carrying large amounts we find our limits. Instead of letting some go we end up passing it on for others to carry... This is what develops and characterizes our relationships. God designed relationships to function in a certain way. He never meant for them to become cluttered by passing around our unnecessary baggage. Being a Sacred Minimalist in our relationships means simplifying and focusing on what matters most.

There are things in life we struggle with on such a frequent basis it becomes something normal. One of those things is judgement. Too often we judge others based on the smallest things. It's a vicious cycle that weighs us down because its a responsibility we were NEVER meant to carry. Jesus gives us clear direction on judgement and helps us minimize the baggage we carry because of it. Confronting this aspect of our lives is a great first step in becoming a Sacred Minimalist.

When you hear the word "Minimalism" it doesn't sound like something we want... Mainly because it gives you the impression of downsizing. Truthfully minimizing the things in our lives can be the best thing for us. When we have too much of something it can be hard to enjoy the things we really like. The concept is the same in religion too. Jesus is actually a minimalist. He came to help us minimize our lives so we can have a better relationship with God. Jesus showed us how to become a Sacred Minimalist.

Food is a very important aspect to a humans life. Its a need of sustenance and social interaction. No matter where we go or do a meal is a part of the experience. Our enjoyment of that moment hinges on what is being served and how that meal is being served. We always want to leave our guests satisfied and wanting to come back for more. That very aspect is one that Jesus tapped into to illustrate the importance of our relationship with God. If Jesus is the bread of life, then the Church is the table in which that meal is served. The questions are, how well are we serving that meal and who are we inviting to the table?

When we are kids our imaginations run wild at night. We conjure up creatures lurking in our closets and under our beds. These imaginary creatures kept us up all night... As adults we know those things are not real and dismiss them. However, there are some real things that rob us of our slumber as adults. It's the real thing that goes bump in the night. Do we keep letting it steal our Z's? Luckily, Jesus knew we would have this struggle and gave us the solution.

One of the mistakes humans make is thinking relationships can be perfect with an equation of actions. There has to be intention behind those actions or it will not have the effect we want. Actions are a vehicle to communicate the love we have for somebody. We can find ourselves in a ritual of actions and being frustrated because the end result it not what we want. Just the same, our relationship with Jesus is not accomplished by our actions. His grace is free to those who have faith. Its in that faith we find the love that compels us to action. At Village Heights our mission is "Faith Compelling Love and Love Compelling Faith".

On October 16th Village Heights celebrated it's 1st Anniversary! Just a year ago everything was vision and now its a reality. It's ironic to start a new Church when the Christian Church has existed for 2,000 years. The power of what Christ did for us on the cross is what makes that irony a truth. Still this day Jesus is taking old things and making them new again. We celebrate what God has done and we look forward to the future of Christ working through Village Heights. In Jesus we are New.

Are you a fan flip flops? Who isn't right?! They are the only shoe I know of named after the sound they make... They can be a bit loud, but we love them for their ease and comfort. There is nothing wrong with that at all! However, if you want to be a trail blazer or athlete, flip flops would be a poor option. In life we tend to treat our circumstances the same way. Instead of being intentional in our direction we tend to take the flip flop option. Tragically we treat our churches with the same decision making. The result is churches that are ineffective at being the trail blazers they were meant to be. Village Heights works hard to be a trail blazing community and not a flip flop church. Will you join us?

There is a big difference between "giving" and being "generous". When we look for opportunities to excel is using our time, talent, and treasures for the benefit of others, we get to experience audacious generosity. And, it is through our generosity that others see Christ.

Community is one thing we as humans crave more than we realize. It usually takes moments in our lives where we are alone in an unknown environment to become fully aware of our need for community. For the Church today it is paramount that we not only provide a source of community in the lives of Christ followers, but that we are the community. 

Apples are pretty amazing. Their origins are pretty unique and valuable to humans. They taste good, look good and preserve well. However, apples would be nothing without its seeds. It all begins with good seeds. Just the same, individuals and organizations must have good seeds to produce a desirable product. At Village Heights our seeds are important to us. Our first seed is Christ.

In life there is an order to things. Sometimes its a natural order and other times its our own order. Just the same, God's design of the Body of Christ has an order. Paul outlines it for us in his letter to the Corinthians. Everybody has a place and purpose in the church. You and I were designed with our gifts not to gloat, but to serve others.

Ambidexterity is quite the phenomenon that's impressive at parties. Even though having this gift is visually amazing the real magic is happening inside the brain. The complementing nature the two halves of the brain must have is a truly efficient relationship. Just the same, its phenomenal what the Church can achieve when the body of Christ cultivates a complementing nature with all the members available. How we treat the other members of the body is very important to how great the Church can be.

Do you have insecurities? Don't worry, we all do. They especially reveal themselves when we compare ourselves to others. This is a human defect that can be very disruptive to our lives. When working together to achieve something, there is really no room for comparing. Paul addresses this illogical human condition with the Corinthians. Good news, there is hope for us all.