Orchard Hill Church

Jesus said that life in the Kingdom of his Father is often the polar opposite of how life works in the world around us. This kind of teaching was hard for Jesus’ original listeners to understand, and it is equally hard for followers today. We are always deeply tempted to go-with-the-flow and to live as everyone else lives. As we approach this season in our country where a pandemic rages, racial strife is rampant and a contentious election looms, it is more important than ever that the church, and all who follow Jesus, revisit Jesus’ upside-down Kingdom ethics. And not just revisit them, but commit to practice them in our everyday lives. Now, as always, we are called to live out the seemingly nonsensical teachings of Jesus as a sign of faith, as a sign of trust, and as a sign to the world of the beauty and power and sheer goodness of the Kingdom of our God.

Jesus said that life in the Kingdom of his Father is often the polar opposite of how life works in the world around us. This kind of teaching was hard for Jesus’ original listeners to understand, and it is equally hard for followers today. We are always deeply tempted to go-with-the-flow and to live as everyone else lives. As we approach this season in our country where a pandemic rages, racial strife is rampant and a contentious election looms, it is more important than ever that the church, and all who follow Jesus, revisit Jesus’ upside-down Kingdom ethics. And not just revisit them, but commit to practice them in our everyday lives. Now, as always, we are called to live out the seemingly nonsensical teachings of Jesus as a sign of faith, as a sign of trust, and as a sign to the world of the beauty and power and sheer goodness of the Kingdom of our God.

Jesus said that life in the Kingdom of his Father is often the polar opposite of how life works in the world around us. This kind of teaching was hard for Jesus’ original listeners to understand, and it is equally hard for followers today. We are always deeply tempted to go-with-the-flow and to live as everyone else lives. As we approach this season in our country where a pandemic rages, racial strife is rampant and a contentious election looms, it is more important than ever that the church, and all who follow Jesus, revisit Jesus’ upside-down Kingdom ethics. And not just revisit them, but commit to practice them in our everyday lives. Now, as always, we are called to live out the seemingly nonsensical teachings of Jesus as a sign of faith, as a sign of trust, and as a sign to the world of the beauty and power and sheer goodness of the Kingdom of our God.

Jesus said that life in the Kingdom of his Father is often the polar opposite of how life works in the world around us. This kind of teaching was hard for Jesus’ original listeners to understand, and it is equally hard for followers today. We are always deeply tempted to go-with-the-flow and to live as everyone else lives. As we approach this season in our country where a pandemic rages, racial strife is rampant and a contentious election looms, it is more important than ever that the church, and all who follow Jesus, revisit Jesus’ upside-down Kingdom ethics. And not just revisit them, but commit to practice them in our everyday lives. Now, as always, we are called to live out the seemingly nonsensical teachings of Jesus as a sign of faith, as a sign of trust, and as a sign to the world of the beauty and power and sheer goodness of the Kingdom of our God.

Jesus said that life in the Kingdom of his Father is often the polar opposite of how life works in the world around us. This kind of teaching was hard for Jesus’ original listeners to understand, and it is equally hard for followers today. We are always deeply tempted to go-with-the-flow and to live as everyone else lives. As we approach this season in our country where a pandemic rages, racial strife is rampant and a contentious election looms, it is more important than ever that the church, and all who follow Jesus, revisit Jesus’ upside-down Kingdom ethics. And not just revisit them, but commit to practice them in our everyday lives. Now, as always, we are called to live out the seemingly nonsensical teachings of Jesus as a sign of faith, as a sign of trust, and as a sign to the world of the beauty and power and sheer goodness of the Kingdom of our God.

Jesus said that life in the Kingdom of his Father is often the polar opposite of how life works in the world around us. This kind of teaching was hard for Jesus’ original listeners to understand, and it is equally hard for followers today. We are always deeply tempted to go-with-the-flow and to live as everyone else lives. As we approach this season in our country where a pandemic rages, racial strife is rampant and a contentious election looms, it is more important than ever that the church, and all who follow Jesus, revisit Jesus’ upside-down Kingdom ethics. And not just revisit them, but commit to practice them in our everyday lives. Now, as always, we are called to live out the seemingly nonsensical teachings of Jesus as a sign of faith, as a sign of trust, and as a sign to the world of the beauty and power and sheer goodness of the Kingdom of our God.

Jesus said that life in the Kingdom of his Father is often the polar opposite of how life works in the world around us. This kind of teaching was hard for Jesus’ original listeners to understand, and it is equally hard for followers today. We are always deeply tempted to go-with-the-flow and to live as everyone else lives. As we approach this season in our country where a pandemic rages, racial strife is rampant and a contentious election looms, it is more important than ever that the church, and all who follow Jesus, revisit Jesus’ upside-down Kingdom ethics. And not just revisit them, but commit to practice them in our everyday lives. Now, as always, we are called to live out the seemingly nonsensical teachings of Jesus as a sign of faith, as a sign of trust, and as a sign to the world of the beauty and power and sheer goodness of the Kingdom of our God.

Jesus said that life in the Kingdom of his Father is often the polar opposite of how life works in the world around us. This kind of teaching was hard for Jesus’ original listeners to understand, and it is equally hard for followers today. We are always deeply tempted to go-with-the-flow and to live as everyone else lives. As we approach this season in our country where a pandemic rages, racial strife is rampant and a contentious election looms, it is more important than ever that the church, and all who follow Jesus, revisit Jesus’ upside-down Kingdom ethics. And not just revisit them, but commit to practice them in our everyday lives. Now, as always, we are called to live out the seemingly nonsensical teachings of Jesus as a sign of faith, as a sign of trust, and as a sign to the world of the beauty and power and sheer goodness of the Kingdom of our God.

Jesus never promised his followers that life on earth would be easy. In fact, he promised exactly the opposite. The uncertainty and turbulence we are facing right now do not shock or surprise God in any way. In fact, the early church started and thrived in turbulent times. We can, too. Followers of Jesus are called to face uncertainty with courage, perseverance, humility and hope. These are not optional; not add-ons to the Christian life. These traits are the very core of our faith. We need them now more than ever.

Jesus never promised his followers that life on earth would be easy. In fact, he promised exactly the opposite. The uncertainty and turbulence we are facing right now do not shock or surprise God in any way. In fact, the early church started and thrived in turbulent times. We can, too. Followers of Jesus are called to face uncertainty with courage, perseverance, humility and hope. These are not optional; not add-ons to the Christian life. These traits are the very core of our faith. We need them now more than ever.

Jesus never promised his followers that life on earth would be easy. In fact, he promised exactly the opposite. The uncertainty and turbulence we are facing right now do not shock or surprise God in any way. In fact, the early church started and thrived in turbulent times. We can, too. Followers of Jesus are called to face uncertainty with courage, perseverance, humility and hope. These are not optional; not add-ons to the Christian life. These traits are the very core of our faith. We need them now more than ever.

Jesus never promised his followers that life on earth would be easy. In fact, he promised exactly the opposite. The uncertainty and turbulence we are facing right now do not shock or surprise God in any way. In fact, the early church started and thrived in turbulent times. We can, too. Followers of Jesus are called to face uncertainty with courage, perseverance, humility and hope. These are not optional; not add-ons to the Christian life. These traits are the very core of our faith. We need them now more than ever.

Outdoor Church - Alice Shirey by Orchard Hill Church

The days ahead of us this fall look nothing like the days of last fall. The world ahead is not like the world behind us. There is loss, fear, uncertainty, anxiety and grief. Our plans change. But we need not panic. God has not abandoned us. God is with us. Moving forward, we can learn from the early church leaders who were scattered by persecution and suffering. In them - we find vision that can help us let go of the past and embrace new challenges as we learn to adapt and thrive in the life Jesus promises those who will follow him.

The days ahead of us this fall look nothing like the days of last fall. The world ahead is not like the world behind us. There is loss, fear, uncertainty, anxiety and grief. Our plans change. But we need not panic. God has not abandoned us. God is with us. Moving forward, we can learn from the early church leaders who were scattered by persecution and suffering. In them - we find vision that can help us let go of the past and embrace new challenges as we learn to adapt and thrive in the life Jesus promises those who will follow him.

Often, when we study people from the Bible, we feel as if we are studying larger-than life figures, people who are not at all like us, people who are extraordinary. Whether or not we recognize it, this can make us feel as if God can’t work through us because our lives are too “ordinary.” But what if God loves to work through ordinary people? What if God’s best work is often done in the quiet of our ordinary days, through ordinary activities, ordinary moments, ordinary relationships? What if the ordinary is actually - in the Kingdom of Jesus - truly extraordinary? We look forward to exploring many of the ordinary people from the pages of Scripture, through whom God did extraordinary things throughout history. We hope this series, (Extra)ordinary, will inspire each and every one of us that no moment is simply ordinary when God is involved! We may be ordinary people, but we worship, and are empowered by, an extraordinary God!

Often, when we study people from the Bible, we feel as if we are studying larger-than life figures, people who are not at all like us, people who are extraordinary. Whether or not we recognize it, this can make us feel as if God can’t work through us because our lives are too “ordinary.” But what if God loves to work through ordinary people? What if God’s best work is often done in the quiet of our ordinary days, through ordinary activities, ordinary moments, ordinary relationships? What if the ordinary is actually - in the Kingdom of Jesus - truly extraordinary? We look forward to exploring many of the ordinary people from the pages of Scripture, through whom God did extraordinary things throughout history. We hope this series, (Extra)ordinary, will inspire each and every one of us that no moment is simply ordinary when God is involved! We may be ordinary people, but we worship, and are empowered by, an extraordinary God!

Often, when we study people from the Bible, we feel as if we are studying larger-than life figures, people who are not at all like us, people who are extraordinary. Whether or not we recognize it, this can make us feel as if God can’t work through us because our lives are too “ordinary.” But what if God loves to work through ordinary people? What if God’s best work is often done in the quiet of our ordinary days, through ordinary activities, ordinary moments, ordinary relationships? What if the ordinary is actually - in the Kingdom of Jesus - truly extraordinary? We look forward to exploring many of the ordinary people from the pages of Scripture, through whom God did extraordinary things throughout history. We hope this series, (Extra)ordinary, will inspire each and every one of us that no moment is simply ordinary when God is involved! We may be ordinary people, but we worship, and are empowered by, an extraordinary God!

Often, when we study people from the Bible, we feel as if we are studying larger-than life figures, people who are not at all like us, people who are extraordinary. Whether or not we recognize it, this can make us feel as if God can’t work through us because our lives are too “ordinary.” But what if God loves to work through ordinary people? What if God’s best work is often done in the quiet of our ordinary days, through ordinary activities, ordinary moments, ordinary relationships? What if the ordinary is actually - in the Kingdom of Jesus - truly extraordinary? We look forward to exploring many of the ordinary people from the pages of Scripture, through whom God did extraordinary things throughout history. We hope this series, (Extra)ordinary, will inspire each and every one of us that no moment is simply ordinary when God is involved! We may be ordinary people, but we worship, and are empowered by, an extraordinary God!

Often, when we study people from the Bible, we feel as if we are studying larger-than life figures, people who are not at all like us, people who are extraordinary. Whether or not we recognize it, this can make us feel as if God can’t work through us because our lives are too “ordinary.” But what if God loves to work through ordinary people? What if God’s best work is often done in the quiet of our ordinary days, through ordinary activities, ordinary moments, ordinary relationships? What if the ordinary is actually - in the Kingdom of Jesus - truly extraordinary? We look forward to exploring many of the ordinary people from the pages of Scripture, through whom God did extraordinary things throughout history. We hope this series, (Extra)ordinary, will inspire each and every one of us that no moment is simply ordinary when God is involved! We may be ordinary people, but we worship, and are empowered by, an extraordinary God!