Santa Maria Foursquare Church

Strong at Home

We've all found that home is the new hub for our lives! But if home-life isn't strong, it negatively impacts everything. In this new "Strong at Home" series, we're tracing the story of Nehemiah, who was used by God to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Along the way, we'll be discovering how to inventory our homes, then restore and rebuild anything that's started to crumble around us.

Distracted or Directed

Life is full of distractions — especially over this past year! But God doesn't call us to live distracted lives. And he's given us his word to provide us with the direction we need to live on purpose. Pastor Gary unpacks five questions to help us see if we're directing our lives around God's word.

Unplugged: The Spiritual Power of Fasting

When faced with painful hardship — like a gut-punch to the soul — the temptation is to give up or give in. But the way of Jesus is to get after it in faith. And one of the most consistent ways believers over the centuries have chosen to "get after it" is with prayer and fasting. Fasting is a season of unplugging from other power sources to more fully plug in to Jesus.

This message is a call to join the Santa Maria Foursquare Church family in fasting and prayer for the next 21 days, from Monday, January 11 through Sunday, January 31. More resources are available on our church website: sm4.org.

The Lord's Prayer

At the start of a new year it's always good to ask: What should I be focused on now? Today we're asking that question through the lens of the Lord's Prayer — looking at what Jesus calls us to, and what he richly provides.

Who Am I?

Stuck at Home for Christmas Part 2

Beto and Amelia were headed for divorce. They were stuck in addiction and habits that had them bound up and miserable — until they invited Jesus into their story!

Stuck at Home for Christmas Pt 1

There's a longing in all our hearts for a place called home — where we know we truly belong. The strange thing about this crazy year is that we're stuck at home. And we're not happy about it! But what if we could make new discoveries from someone else who was stuck at home — new insights that could change our perspective and ignite a new appreciation for Christmas in 2020? Let's dive in!

Positively Joyful

In a year like 2020, where is there room for JOY? We could ask Paul the same thing when he wrote the book of Philippians. He was in prison and being persecuted — yet over and over he wrote about joy! Let's take a look at what he said and see if we can change our focus this Christmas.

Positively United

In a year that's been filled with division, God's Word speaks of a different possibility, one where we're called to walk together in unity. And it's not that we're to all be the same or think the same — but when it comes to Jesus and his redemptive work, we're to be united.

Positively Content

In todays message Positively Content, Pastor Gary Howse speaks to us about how we can be content as we run to the Father in every situation that we come across.

Positively Thinking

Today Pastor Kathy Howse spoke on Positively Thinking. Positively thinking will bring change to our minds by aligning our thoughts with God’s thoughts.

Positively Peaceful

Today Pastor Tim shares from one of the most powerful Scriptures about the peace of God. In Philippians 4, Paul wrote, "the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." In that passage, Paul gives us four clues about how we can become people who experience God's peace.

Positively Civil

We're in a year that can be described as absolutely UN-civil. People are cynical, angry, and even hostile. So why would God want his people to be civil? In Philippians 2, Paul answers that question and points to how we can be positively civil, even in times of real challenge and difficulty.

Positively Humble

What does it mean to be Positively Humble? It sounds so counter-cultural — because it is! It's the way of Jesus; the way God's people are called to live for others. Discover how to be humble by following the example of Jesus from Philippians 2:5-11. He chose to serve, to take on a new identity, and to be obedient to God's call. And we can too!

Becoming the Church: A Fearless Community

Pastor Gary Howse finishes our series in the book of Acts by journeying with the Apostle Paul into his final season of ministry. Paul had been called by the Lord to head to Jerusalem even though he was told time after time that hardship awaited him there. Paul's life teaches us that faithful obedience will bring about a fearlessness that can't be stopped! 

Positively Selfless

What does it mean to be Positively Selfless? It sounds so counter-cultural — because it is! It's the way of Jesus; the way God's people are called to live for others. Discover why selflessness is the greatest characteristic of strength, and how we can begin a more selfless lifestyle today.

Positively Losing

We're continuing our series in the book of Philippians, today in Chapter 3, where Paul talks about winning through losing. Everything he'd based his identity upon before he met Jesus had to be thrown out in order to gain something incredibly better!

Positively Winning

We started a new series today called, "Positively," that's through the letter of Philippians. In this letter, the Apostle Paul is writing to his friends about many things that the world views as negative, but God says are positive. Today we're taking a new look at what it means to win — and it may surprise you — because as God's people, we can win no matter what happens! 

Becoming the Church: A Community that Follows God – Part2

The decisions we make shape the outcome of our lives. So how can we know if we are making choices that are following where Jesus is leading? Often He leads us through a process of discernment — and in Acts 15 we find the church doing four things to discern the right answer to a difficult question — things we can do as well as individuals and as a church. 

Becoming the Church: A Community that Follows God - Part 1

If the church is nothing else, it must be a community that follows after God! But how does Jesus lead us? How do we know it’s God who is calling us to take a certain path? In this first of a two-part message, we're looking at two distinct ways God led the Apostle Paul: supernaturally (through God's voice) and naturally (through the voices of other people). We have much to learn through Paul's stories of following after God!