Pastor Brad Bergman

Palm Sunday is when Jesus entered into Jerusalem riding on a donkey while a massive crowd of people cheered and waved palm branches in worship. Within days, the same city that worshipped and welcomed Jesus would turn and reject Him. Palm Sunday is not just a historical event. It is a mirror. It reveals who Jesus is and, if we look closely, it will show us how we should respond to Him.

When God receives our first and our best in all three areas, it shapes how we live, how we make decisions, and how we love others. Faith that costs nothing rarely transforms us. Giving God our first and our best costs something, but it produces a life aligned with His priorities.

We don’t have to carry everything. We don’t have to fix everything. We don’t have to make it all work. God invites us to place His responsibilities in His hands and trust that He is willing and able to carry them.
Karl Martin is the author of the leadership book The Cave, The Road, The Table, and The Fire, in which he introduces a helpful metaphor: that everyone has four bags in life.

What if every encouraging thought actually made it out of your mouth? Too often we hold back, assuming people already know they’re appreciated or fearing it might feel awkward. But when we remove that filter, encouragement has the power to strengthen relationships, transform workplaces, energize churches, and give people the courage to live out their calling. Even the simplest words can breathe life into someone’s day and ripple through entire communities with lasting impact.

So, Does God Really Love Me? Yes. Absolutely. Eternally. Passionately. Personally.
God’s love for you is not a vague idea. It’s not based on how you feel. It’s not earned. And it’s not going anywhere.
It’s proven through adoption. He chose you. He forgave you. He gave you a new name, a new identity, and a permanent place in His family. And now He calls you to live like a loved child, not like a spiritual orphan.
So, when doubt creeps in and you hear that old whisper, “Does God really love me?” come back to this truth:
You are chosen. You are forgiven. You are renamed. You are secure. You are eternally loved.
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God. Because that is what we are.

Jesus finished His conversation with the disciples with these words: “In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) The trouble is real, but so is the promise. Jesus is reassuring us that, despite the struggles and challenges we face, He has defeated sin, pain, death, and every kind of evil. His victory triumphs over the worldly troubles that we face.

Advent points us to the incredible truth that joy is not a fleeting emotion, but a steadfast assurance found in Christ. His joy anchors us in life’s storms, sustains us in our waiting, and invites us to celebrate God’s goodness. This Advent season, may we continually open our hearts to the joy of our Saviour.

Imagine this. You’re at the Vancouver International Airport during the busy travel season. All around you are people rushing this way and that as they head to their gates and connecting flights. Everyone seems to be moving throughout the terminal with ease… but you can’t seem to keep up because you’re loaded down and struggling with

Vancouver is one of the world’s most beautiful cities, but it suffers from so much loneliness and isolation. The answer to the problem is the church. That’s why we spend so much time emphasizing the need to join one of our small groups. You need to surround yourself with spiritually healthy people to be healthy yourself. Paul knew that besides his companions, he had people regularly praying for him. This gave him the strength to keep going and it can do the same for you. It would be such a tragedy if you regularly came to church and no one ever prayed for you!

Encouragement is powerful. More than that, as Christians, we are instructed to encourage each other until Jesus returns (Hebrews 10:25), and we want our community to foster and perpetuate a culture of encouragement. It’s so much better than the alternative! I want to be in an environment where people are building each other up, not tearing them down.