Two Cities Church - Fresno/clovis, Ca

When the ideal is hard to attain, it's tempting to just lower the bar and redefine the ideal. This can be especially true when it comes to Jesus' teachings about family, which many of us have already fallen short of. In this message, Andy Stanley explains why aiming for God's ideal is still worth it, even when our reality makes reaching it impossible.

We all want autonomy. We all want to be in charge of our own destinies. It's good to be king. That desire is natural, but it's also problematic because it can cause us to drift toward isolation. We need the forced, sometimes uncomfortable, structured relationships that groups provide. You need community and somebody in community needs you.

Originally, "baptism" was not a religious concept. Yet over time, baptism has become an exclusively religious idea - one that even rouses deep emotion and controversy. In this message we will unpack baptism, from its birth with John the Baptist to its modern equivalent. If you are a follower of Christ and baptism is still on your "to-do" list, this message may be the nudge you need to finally go public.

Have you ever had a bad church experience? Did it drive you away or just drive you crazy? You are not alone.

Have you ever had a bad church experience? Did it drive you away or just drive you crazy? You are not alone.

Have you ever had a bad church experience? Did it drive you away or just drive you crazy? You are not alone.

Have you ever had a bad church experience? Did it drive you away or just drive you crazy? You are not alone.

Have you ever had a bad church experience? Did it drive you away or just drive you crazy? You are not alone.

Give me liberty or give me death. . . Let freedom ring. . . Free at last. . . . . . echoes of a nation figuring out freedom. From the beginning, the need for and the inalienable right to freedom have shaped our nation's path. Freedom can have a high price and a darker side, but maybe the balance is in God's Word. Find out more in this Independence Weekend message.

All religions point to three things: you ought to . . . you don’t . . . you’re toast. Religion is all about following the rules, but Jesus had something different in mind. He calls us to follow him, not the teachings of the church—follow first and obey later.

Sin is not my master. I am dead to sin but alive to God. If we’re dead to sin, if sin isn’t our master, how do we live that out? Living as a slave to sin takes no initiative on our part. What does it look like to live without sin as master over our mouths, our eyes, our minds, our insecurities, our appetites?

We all want to do what’s right all the time, but we sometimes we end up doing what we don’t want to do. It seems unavoidable. If we can’t even live by our own standards, how are we supposed to live by God’s? In this message, Andy Stanley explores what the Apostle Paul wrote about God’s grace and Jesus’ power over sin in our lives.

It’s difficult to solve a problem when you don’t understand what’s wrong to begin with. Many of us have been trying to solve the problem of “us” for a long time. Some of you have lost friends, family, or jobs because you couldn’t solve you. Some of you have paid someone good money to solve you. But what if the real problem is that you don’t know what the problem is?

The church isn't for people with a common interest, it's for people with a common problem. It's for people who are asking these questions: Is there a God? Does he know my name? And if so, where do I stand with him? Together we explore the idea that we can make a significant impact... together through our service in the local church.

Technology is an expression of our creativity as human beings made in the image of God. But, we can be enslaved by the unrestrained, uncritical embrace and use of it. You’re invited to explore how we can use that God-given creativity to tame technology and leverage it for a healthy lifestyle.

In part three we talk about being authentic in your relationships. Are you sharing your highlight reel or are you being real?

In part two we talk about the idea of being present in your life and relationships.

Technology is an expression of our creativity as human beings made in the image of God. But, we can be enslaved by the unrestrained, uncritical embrace and use of it. You’re invited to explore how we can use that God-given creativity to tame technology and leverage it for a healthy lifestyle.

Do unto others. Love is patient, love is kind. Turn the other cheek. It's easy to appreciate Jesus' teachings. But then the Bible writers tell us that he rose from the dead. And a man rising from the dead is harder to believe; for some, it's so hard to believe that they cherry-pick the teachings and refute the resurrection. In this message we talk about the truth about Jesus' life and death that Paul says is "of first importance."

Isn’t it funny how two people can look at the same situation and come up with two completely different conclusions? Think about Easter. It will be here soon. For some people, the Easter story is about the incredible truth of the most inclusive, welcoming, amazing message the world has ever known. For others, the holiday is tainted by the belief that God is disappointed in them. People who believe God is disappointed in them, drift away from him. But what if God isn’t disappointed? What if he’s a rescuer? What if he wants us to run toward him instead of away from him?