Santa Maria Foursquare Church

Easter 2019 — RISE!

The very same power that allowed Jesus to RISE from the dead is available to us today. It empowers us to RISE: out of defeat, into new life, and to a new destiny! Join us as we look at how Peter, one of Jesus' closest followers, came to see this at work in his own life. 

The Ways of Jesus Pt 22 - John 19

Leading up to Jesus' crucifixion, he has an encounter with the Roman governor, Pilate. What is at the heart of their conversation is the lordship of Jesus — could He really be THE King? While his heart was answering YES, his actions communicated something very different. Pilate wrestled with the same thing we do today: is Jesus truly our Lord?

The Ways of Jesus Pt 21 - John 18

In John Chapter 18 Jesus is struck — once physically by an official, but several other times in ways that were much more painful and personal by those who were rejecting His ways. In this pre-Easter season, we reflect on where we have also rejected Jesus and His ways. In the words of the theologian, John Stott, "Before we can begin to see the cross as something done for us, we have to see it as something done by us."

Contending Pt 8 - Praying in the Spirit

Praying in the Spirit is to pray in agreement with God’s word and will. And while praying in the Spirit includes the use of a spiritual language — the gift of tongues — there's much more to learn about this powerful way we can contend in prayer!

CLICK HERE to download notes from this message. 

Contending Pt 7 - Activating a Life of Prayer

Every time we pray, we're declaring that Jesus is here, He is good, and He is Lord. In this message, we discover that out of those biblical realities flow many different kinds of prayer. It's likely there's a certain kind of prayer that fits with your unique personality  — so run with that. But we can also become prayer-adventurers, who bravely explore new ways to pray!

CLICK HEREfor notes from this message. 

CLICK HEREfor the "Praying the Word" resource. 

Contending Pt 6 - Overcoming Obstacles

If contending in prayer was easy, we'd all be doing it! But let's face it — there are obstacles to developing a life of prayer. Three of the biggest obstacles are our brains, brokenness, and busyness! Learn how we can move past these barriers on our way to becoming prayer revolutionaries. 

Contending Pt 5 - How Can I Pray Continually?

Jesus did it and taught us to do it as well: always be praying. One of the keys to contending in revolutionary prayer is to learn to pray continually, inviting God into every life circumstance in real time. In this message, we explore not only why this is important, but how it's possible. 

CLICK HEREfor a handout for this message. 

Contending Pt 4 - Do I Have Enough Faith?

What happens when my prayers aren't answered? Is it because I don't have enough faith? Enter the story of Acts 12 — one filled with persecution, death, prayer, miraculous breakthrough, and even disbelief. It's the story of people like us who are learning that prayer is where faith and real-life collide. 

Contending Pt 3 - The Language of Prayer

For followers of Jesus, prayer isn't just something we do occasionally when we're especially thankful or desperate. Prayer is the primary language of our faith and our love. Do you want to grow in your faith and intimacy with Jesus? Grow in your life of prayer!

CLICK HERE to download a handout from this message.

Contending Pt 2 - Shaping the Future

Why pray? If God is sovereign and above all things, what difference could my prayers make? Over and over again, Scripture tells us that our prayers literally shape the future. That's why Jesus taught us to contend in prayer for God's will to be enacted here on earth, just as it is in heaven. But His will isn't only for our circumstances to be changed through prayer — He wants us changed us as well!

Contending Pt 1

Prayer is never meant to just be "nice," or the repetition of religious words. Prayer is always meant to be revolutionary: a spiritual activity that causes radical change. As we contend in prayer, we are giving voice to our audacious hope: Jesus is Lord — He is above all things and greater than any issue we're facing. That reality changes everything!

CLICK HERE for a handout from this message. 

All In - Empowered

When Jesus gave His greatest command — to go ALL IN with our love for God and others — he knew we wouldn't be able to do this in our own strength. All humanity has experienced pain and sin that's left us broken. So, "He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit" (Titus 3:3-6). The Holy Spirit provides the empowerment we need to go ALL IN, as people who are moving from brokenness to wholeness in Jesus! 

All In - Together

In last week's message from "Jesus Week," we looked at Jesus' call to go ALL IN with all we are — heart, soul, mind, strength, and relationships. But as we look at Scripture, we come to understand this is not something we're to do alone. We're called to go ALL IN, together with others. 

Jesus Week: Intro

Our mission as followers of Jesus is to become more and more like Him. And when Jesus gave us the Greatest Commandment, He provided a blueprint for doing that very thing: by loving God fully with our heart, soul, mind and strength, plus loving others as well. Over these next days we're stepping into Jesus Week, as we're asking God to redeem, realign and reignite each facet of our lives. Find details and additional resources here: sm4.org/jesus-week

Finish Strong

Dan Russell is a world renowned wrestler, Olympic coach and author. Along with his wife, Joy, they bring a message of faith, hope and love — and how to avoid the distractions that keep us from finishing strong! 

Surrounded by Glory

For many, Christmas has become nothing more than a tiresome ritual. Can the joy be restored? Perhaps a key is to experience the same glory of the Lord that shone around the shepherds that first Christmas night. It terrified them for a moment — but this unexpected, different and supernatural glory, became the source of great joy and inspiration. May it be the same for us! 

The Ways of Jesus Pt 20

Our annual "Christmas Culture Sunday" where we join both our congregations together to worship in English and Spanish. John 17 was a perfect passage for this gathering as we looked at Jesus' prayer for UNITY in His followers. 

The Ways of Jesus Pt 19

In John 16, Jesus tells His followers that it was for their best if He were to go, because then He'd send the Holy Spirit to them. It likely didn't seem like the BEST scenario to them at that moment! But in Chapters 14, 15 and in 16, Jesus was teaching them about the incredible ministry of the Holy Spirit — and in this message we explore what He taught. 

The Ways of Jesus Pt 18

In John 15, Jesus declares that He is the true vine and that we are his branches. We're told to "remain" in Him and expect to be "pruned" for fruitfulness. Kaelyn Mossholder explores this passage and shares from her own life how to abide in Jesus. 

Bob Kilpatrick: Story and Song!

We welcome Bob Kilpatrick for a joyful time of story and song! Bob is an author, global music minister, and writer of dozens of songs, including "In My Life Lord, Be Glorified."