Christ Church Stories
When Faithfulness Comes at a Cost
What should we expect when we choose to follow Jesus? This blog explores Christ's surprising promise to those persecuted for righteousness. Discover why faithfulness sometimes brings opposition, how to respond with joy rather than bitterness, and why the eternal promises of God's kingdom make following Jesus worth the cost.
Peace Is More Than the Absence of Conflict
Peace is more than the absence of conflict. Through Jesus' words in the Beatitudes, Rev. Josh Landen explores the difference between keeping peace and making peace, showing how Christ reconciles us to God and calls us to courageously pursue reconciliation with others, even at personal cost.
What Does Your Heart Want Most?
What does your heart want most? Jesus’ promise that the pure in heart will see God invites us to examine what has captured the center of our lives and discover how Christ cleanses, transforms, and gives us a heart increasingly set on Him.
Why Mercy Doesn't Come Naturally (And How Christ Gives It Anyway)
When We Stop Fighting for Control
What if real strength is found in surrender? When Jesus says, “Blessed are the meek,” He isn’t calling us to weakness or passivity. He is inviting us into a life where our strength, influence, words, and need for control are surrendered to Him. Discover the surprising freedom and peace that come when we stop fighting for our own way and learn the meekness of Christ.
When Sorrow Leads to Joy
What if the sorrow we try hardest to avoid is actually the doorway to freedom? Jesus declares, “Blessed are those who mourn,” revealing a godly sorrow that takes sin seriously, leads us toward repentance, and opens our hearts to the forgiveness, comfort, joy, and peace only God can give.
How to Experience a Joy the World Can’t Provide
What if the path to a truly flourishing life begins by admitting how much we need God? Jesus opens the Sermon on the Mount with a surprising invitation: come with empty hands, surrender your self-sufficiency, and discover the riches of His Kingdom.