Each year the community that we call, Tap Room Tuesdays picks a local organization to support at the end of the year. This year, we are gathering donations for the Brick Elementary Food Pantry and the Lincoln Clothes Closet. If you would like to donate anything to the cause, you can drop things off on our porch until December 16 or you can order from Amazon and ship them to me: Amazon List

Here are the items that we are collecting:

Advent begins today.

Advent is a season of waiting, hoping, and trusting. We wait again for the coming of Christ. We hope that in Christ’s coming all things will be made new. We trust that faith will one day become sight.

Each year we return to particular passages to ponder in light of this season of hopeful waiting. This year is no different. We will reflect and hope and pray.

As I grow older, I’m finding something new stirring in my soul. When I was younger, Advent brought a sense of excitement. It was a spiritual challenge to imagine—again and again—what it might feel like if Christ had not yet come. The philosopher Peter Rollins practices something he calls Atheism for Lent, and for a time I tried to take on a similar mindset during Advent.

But now something new has sprouted in me. The only word I have for it is longing.

You can listen to the full audio of the sermon here: Lives Hidden With Christ I have a confession to make: I am not a details guy. Details and I don’t always get along. I’m more of a “big picture” person—an idea guy. When I plan my preaching calendar, I don’t sit down with a spreadsheet and map out every Sunday months in advance. I usually wrestle with God, asking, “Where are you leading us next?"

Sometimes, this lack of planning gets me into trouble. But occasionally, by the grace (or sovereignty) of God, I stumble into the perfect passage for the perfect moment.

You can listen to the full audio of the message here: Lives Hidden With Christ - Appearance

How do you really know that you are walking with Jesus? How do you know that you are truly saved and following the narrow path? This is a hard, essential question.

For many of us, the answer we grew up with was a list of rules—explicit or implied. Don’t dance, don’t drink, don’t chew, and definitely don’t associate with those who do. We internalize these boundaries, believing that obedience to the rules equals authentic Christianity.

My father-in-law often tells a story about a preacher who made him feel that everything he enjoyed—playing cards, having an occasional drink, even slipping up and saying a bad word—was a sin. The message was clear: if you were having any fun, you couldn’t be a true Christian.

We crave assurance. We want to know that we are following Christ’s way, and to get that feeling of security, we create rules.

You can listen to the full audio of this message here: Lives Hidden With Christ - Reality How do we know what is real? In an age where digital “baloney” flies about everywhere—from our social media feeds to online articles—discerning truth has become a constant challenge.

We are flooded with fabricated content. You might see a quote from a public figure that perfectly aligns with your preconceived notions, so you automatically believe it. But what about the increasingly popular (and deceptive) trend of manufactured positive stories?

For the full audio of this message listen here: Lives Hidden With Christ - Forgiven

Last week, we began our exploration of Colossians chapter 2, specifically verses 9-12, where Paul speaks of a circumcision not done by human hands—Christ removing our sinful nature, or the “old man.” This concept is deeply connected to this week’s passage, verses 13-15, which form one continuous, profound thought.

There is simply too much truth here to unpack all at once, so this week, we focus on the remarkable work of God as Paul writes:

“When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness which stood against us and condemned us. He has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross." (Colossians 2:13-15, NIV)

This is the Word of God. Let’s wrestle with what Paul means when he says, “When you were dead."

For full audio you can listen here: Lives Hidden With Christ - Fullness

I have a simple, yet profound, question for you to consider: What truly fills you up?

What is that activity, experience, or acquisition that leaves you with a deep, satisfying sense of “I am whole, and I am full?”

For many of us, the chase for this sense of satisfaction comes to dominate our lives. We are constantly seeking to fill an inner void—a feeling of emptiness that is, perhaps, innately human.

You can listen to the full audio here: Lives Hidden With Christ - Rooted

We continue our series in Colossians by looking at Colossians 2:6-8:

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world, rather than on Christ.

Here, Paul gets to the heart of why he wrote this letter. The church was wrestling with what he calls “empty philosophies” rooted in “human traditions” and the “elemental spiritual forces of this world”—ideas that were beginning to capture their attention and pull them away from Christ.

You can listen to the full audio message here: Lives Hidden With Christ - The Goal This morning, we’re diving into a passage I love: Colossians 2:1-5. And frankly, one of the things I love most about it is that it’s one of those rare places where the Apostle Paul finally decides to be clear!

You can listen to the full audio of the message here: Lives Hidden With Christ - The Mystery

In our ongoing study of Colossians, we arrive at a profound and challenging passage at the end of chapter 1. We’ve spent several weeks in this book, and as we come to verses 24 through 29, we find the Apostle Paul laying out a message that is as uncomfortable as it is beautiful. It’s a passage that challenges our modern ideas of faith, leadership, and community.

Is it possible to have constructive conversations with people with whom you disagree these days? That’s a question I’ve been wrestling with for a while now. It’s also a question many have asked me. For over a decade, I’ve tried to create space for these kinds of conversations on Tuesday nights at a local bar. Is it possible? Absolutely! But that declarative statement requires nuance and further explanation.

Let me begin with a story.

Listen to the full message here: Lives Hidden With Chris - Reconciled

We live in a world that seems to thrive on having enemies. Everywhere we turn, someone is telling us who we should hate, who is coming for us, who we must fear. And what’s the expected response? Hate them back. Strike before they strike you. This is the way of the world.

But for those of us who follow Jesus, we are called to be in the world but not of it. We are called to look different—to respond differently.

If you would like to listen to the full audio of this message you can do so here: Lives Hidden With Christ - The Fullness of God

We are continuing our study of Colossians, and today we come to one of the most stunning passages in all of Scripture: Colossians 1:15–20. This short paragraph is overflowing with Christology—that $10 word that simply means “the study of Christ.” In just a few lines, the Apostle Paul gives us a breathtaking portrait of who Jesus is.

Yesterday, September 10, 2025, we once again witnessed horrendous acts of violence in our country. There was a school shooting in Colorado. There was also what appears to be a politically motivated assassination. Earlier this year, our country saw a representative from Minnesota assassinated, apparently for political reasons. There was also the assassination of a CEO of a large health insurance company. In all three cases, people from across the political spectrum condemned the violence. Yet there were also voices, from both sides, arguing in the most appalling ways that those assassinated “got what they deserved.”

I wish any of this were surprising or shocking. None of it is.

You can listen to the full audio of this message here: Lives Hidden With Christ - The Spiral

When was the last time you learned something new? Maybe it was a skill, a hobby, or simply a new piece of knowledge. Whatever it was, you probably started with the basics—the fundamentals.

My son grew up playing baseball, and I quickly learned how important fundamentals are. Even as he advanced, practice always included hitting off a tee, fielding ground balls, and playing catch. What struck me is that professional athletes—the best in the world—still return to the fundamentals. They never move past them, but they also don’t stop there. The fundamentals are the foundation upon which the rest of the game is built.

That truth applies not only to sports, but to every area of life, including our spiritual lives.