wired

Revolutionize your spiritual growth by understanding how the brain works. Learn the roles of the brain's left and right sides and how they're both critical to experiencing lasting, full-brain transformation.

How Do People Grow? [Part 1]

Pastor Chris Voigt

September 11, 2022

This week we’re beginning a new sermon series called Wired – Brain Science & Spiritual Growth. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be taking a look at the amazing way that God has wired our brains for growth and what we can do to cultivate the healthy soil we need to thrive as God intended!

Understanding how God has created our brains will enable us to experience greater, deeper, and more lasting transformation as followers of Jesus. And that’s what we’re all about... becoming more like Him. It’s an incredible journey. We’d love to have you join us!

Joy [Part 2]

Pastor Chris Voigt

September 18, 2022

For all the talk and singing and scripture about joy that is deeply embedded in our faith, a lot of Christ followers neglect to let it show on their faces!

Organization guru, Marie Kondo is known for asking “Does it spark joy?” when helping people decide how to declutter their home or work environment. The implication is that our joy is fueled by the things around us, the stuff we’ve acquired. When it no longer sparks joy, get rid of it and find something new. And if you look at the spending habits of people all over the world, it’s easy to see that most people have bought in (pun totally intended) to that idea... that stuff is where we find our joy. But I beg to differ.

We are in the second week of our series Wired: Brain Science and Spiritual Growth. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be taking a look at how the brain works and the four ingredients that are essential for effective spiritual transformation. This week we are talking about joy. Real joy...where it comes from, how we get it and how we increase it. And just so you know, it’s not available on Amazon.

Hesed [Part 3]

Pastor Chris Voigt

September 25, 2022

This is the third week of our series Wired: Brain Science and Spiritual Growth. We are learning some fascinating things about how God designed our brains and the way our brains impact our spiritual development. We’re also learning how to cultivate the kind of mental and emotional environment that fosters deep spiritual transformation. Last week we talked about joy. This week it’s all about love. Not your run-of-the-mill, everyday, “I love bacon” or “I love those shoes” or even, “I love the Oregon Ducks,” kind of love. This is an incredibly strong, super “sticky” kind of love... a kind that creates unbreakable bonds between people. It’s called “hesed.” And it’s a love like no other.

Group Identity [Part 4]

Pastor Chris Voigt

October 2, 2022

We are in week 4 of our series, Wired: Brain Science and Spiritual Growth. Over the past few weeks, we’ve been looking at how God designed our brains and how that design impacts our spiritual growth. We’ve learned about two essential nutrients that we need for living a transformed life and this week we’ll be looking at a third: group identity. Even in a culture as fiercely independent and individualistic as ours is, we all have a deep desire to belong, to be part of something bigger than ourselves, to identify and affiliate with others. And those with whom we choose to identify, shape who we become in profound and powerful ways. I invite you to join us as we take a look at the power of group identity and how it impacts how and who we grow to be.

Healthy Correction [Part 5]

Pastor Chris Voigt

October 9, 2022

Sooner or later, we all need input as we navigate the challenges of life. Having the benefit of another’s perspective can help us figure out which way to go, what step to take, what correction to make, if we’re willing to listen.

We are wrapping up our series, Wired: Brain Science and Spiritual Growth this Sunday. Over the past few weeks, we’ve been looking at how God has wired our brains for character formation, and the conditions we need to cultivate in our lives, in order for us to increasingly align the core of who we are with the character of Jesus. This week, we’re looking at the last of four essential nutrients for effective character formation: healthy correction. It’s the kind of input we all need. The kind
that’s rooted in joy, saturated with hesed, and flourishes in a strong community. It’s something we all want – whether you know it or not.