In December of 1943, pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer was preparing to spend Christmas alone and separated from his family and friends. He was a prisoner in Nazi Germany awaiting trial for his participation in a plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler. He was tempted to lose hope. He wrote to his...
Written by Paul J. Batura Editor's Note The church has always been a place for those who are hurting or lost to meet Christ. That’s part of the vision for First Pres now, but it’s who we’ve always been. Often those who are lost feel the pull to the church even...
“Why is there a rock formation in the middle of my church?” I remember it was just about a year ago we were asking, “Why is there a tractor in the middle of my church?” Because it’s Christmas! Of course there’s a rock formation in the middle of the...
It’s going to be a chilly Thanksgiving week, but I hope your celebration of gratitude will not be delayed. The psalmist joyfully invites us to give thanks to the Lord, “For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations” (Psalm...
Are you creative? You might not think so, but God says you are. You were made in the image of a Creator, and you have something creative in you. A recent article in Christianity Today was entitled “Creativity Isn’t Just for Creatives.” Artists and songwriters and storytellers...
How do we remain Steadfast in Jesus when the world around us is slipping away? We are learning a lot from 2 Thessalonians. “We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and...
It was so encouraging to have Don Everts with us this last weekend. If you were in the Christian Life Conference you were even more inspired. Don talked about getting into spiritual conversations. We are more reluctant than we need to be. Barna research revealed that only 25 percent of...
Just as we see Christ meeting tangible needs as well as spiritual needs, we partner with organizations both locally and globally who share this vision of holistic gospel ministry. We volunteer with and financially support 20 non-profits in Colorado Springs who care for and empower the most...
Just before the snow storms hit, we did enjoy a beautiful Sunday of worship. At the close of the Humanize Me series, we took a minute to offer ourselves to the Lord in prayer, recommitting our lives to the Friend of Sinners. I pray in that moment, some gave their lives to Christ for...
Three beautiful things are about to happen this Sunday morning in worship. Beautiful things happen every time we gather for worship, but there are a few things that make this week special. First, we finish our series Humanize Me this week. It’s been a lot to think about. I have learned so...