The Rim Church

Even in His final moments on the cross, Jesus paused to see, honor, and provide for His mother, revealing the deep personal care He extends to each of us today. Through Mary’s journey of surrender and faithfulness, we’re reminded to honor the mothers and spiritual mothers in our lives by truly seeing them, valuing them, and recognizing them as image-bearers of God.

In this teaching, we explore how healings and miracles—from the signs and wonders of the Old Testament to the miracles of the New Testament and the gifts of the Holy Spirit—point beyond themselves to something greater. They are signposts of the Kingdom of God, giving us a glimpse today of what will one day be fully revealed.

What if God still speaks today—not distantly, but personally—and invites us to hear His voice for the sake of others? In this episode, we explore 1 Corinthians 14 and the gift of prophecy as a Spirit-led practice meant to strengthen, encourage, and comfort, challenging us to listen, test, and boldly share what God may be saying to build up His people.

Jesus teaches in John 16 that it’s actually better for Him to leave so the Holy Spirit can dwell within us, empowering us to live the Christian life from the inside out rather than through our own effort. The Spirit convicts, guides, and reveals Jesus to us, inviting us into a daily relationship where transformation comes not from striving, but from His presence within.

We are invited to move beyond confusion about the Holy Spirit to discover Him as a personal, divine friend—not a force to control, but someone to walk with daily—transforming how we relate to God and experience true intimacy with Him. Rooted in Acts 1:1–8, we explore His person, promise, and power, reminding us that He holds us securely, empowers us to be witnesses, and invites us into an ongoing, everyday relationship with His presence.

The resurrection in Matthew 28 isn’t just ancient history—it’s a living invitation to “come and see,” where Mary Magdalene and the other Mary show us that God meets ordinary, broken people in their grief and transforms them through an encounter with the risen Jesus.But this invitation always leads to a calling—when we truly encounter Christ, we’re changed and sent to “go and tell,” carrying both the comfort and the commission of the resurrection into a hurting world.

We are invited to move beyond cultural cynicism and rediscover authentic celebration of God, drawing from Palm Sunday to show how rhythms of worship and remembered testimonies—like the resurrection of Lazarus—fuel genuine, heartfelt response. Rather than manufactured emotion, we’re called to fight forgetfulness and respond honestly to God’s ongoing work in our lives with gratitude, expression, and awe.

This message invites us into the uncomfortable yet freeing practice of confession—not just admitting what we’ve done, but honestly naming what’s happening inside us and bringing it into the light before God and others. As we resist the temptation to minimize, deny, or redefine sin, we discover that Jesus is our advocate and that true healing comes through honest confession within a community marked by grace and truth.

This sermon explores what it means to be human in an age of AI, tracing the story from Genesis to the Tower of Babel to show our ongoing temptation to replace dependence on God with self-made solutions. It reminds us that true formation comes not through information or artificial companionship, but through intimacy with the Holy Spirit—embracing the tension of waiting, praying, and trusting as we live out our calling in relationship with God and others.

This message asks a piercing question: if we stop accomplishing things, are we still valuable? Walking through Mark 2:23–28 and the rhythm of creation in Genesis, it reminds us that God designed us to work from rest, not for rest, and that true Sabbath invites us to trust Jesus’ finished work rather than striving to prove our worth.

Jesus’ 40 days in the wilderness in Matthew 4 reveal that the desert is not a place of abandonment but a space of transformation, where distractions fall away and we learn to hear God’s voice more clearly. In seasons of solitude, loss, or Lent, the wilderness invites us to stop numbing our loneliness and instead discover that our deepest hunger is ultimately a thirst for God’s presence.

Matthew 25’s parable of the ten virgins teaches that faithful waiting for Christ means cultivating a personal life of prayer that cannot be borrowed or sustained by others. Through the example of Jesus in Gethsemane, we are invited into persevering, surrendered prayer that forms our hearts, keeps our spiritual lamps burning, and prepares us to remain faithful even in the long wait.

Mark 9 reveals the paradox of faith and doubt living side by side in the human heart, captured in the desperate father’s prayer, “I believe; help my unbelief.” The passage reminds us that spiritual power does not come from past success or self-reliance, but from humble, ongoing dependence on God through prayer.

This message invites us to enter Lent as a meaningful and intentional season—not merely a religious obligation—following Jesus, who after His baptism was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, succeeding where Israel failed and securing a victory we now share through our new identity in Him. During these forty days, Lent becomes an opportunity to turn from distraction toward deeper communion with God through practices like fasting, prayer, and Scripture meditation, not as legalism or perfectionism, but as a shared rhythm that helps us live more fully into who we already are in Christ.

This exploration of Titus 3 reveals that salvation isn’t just a past moment, but an ongoing work of healing, restoring, and making us whole—freeing us from sin’s penalty, power, and ultimately its presence. As children of God who are still becoming heirs, we’re invited to leave behind orphan ways of living and lean into the Father’s transforming love through the shaping work of the Holy Spirit.

This message from Titus 2 confronts the dangerous gap between what we claim to believe and how we actually live, reminding us that when our lives don’t reflect Jesus, we misrepresent God to the world. Yet the hope is this: we don’t change through willpower, but by first receiving God’s grace, which empowers us through the Holy Spirit to live transformed lives that make our faith believable.

We are challenged to confront the gap between what we say we believe and how we actually live, reminding us that real faith is formed through firsthand encounter with Jesus, not just consuming Christian content. The good news is that Jesus meets us in that gap and, by His grace and Spirit, empowers us to move from spectators to participants whose lives reflect the gospel we profess.

Worship isn’t something we start—it’s something we step into. Drawing from Revelation 4, this message invites us to see Sunday gatherings as joining the nonstop worship already happening in heaven, where our response flows not from performance, but from seeing Jesus clearly and entering God’s presence through the finished work of Christ.

As we step into a new year, this message from Genesis 22 asks a simple but powerful question: what do you really worship, and what do your everyday choices show you trust most? Through the story of Abraham and Isaac—and how it points to Jesus—we see that worship isn’t just about singing, but about choosing trust over control and discovering that God Himself is the greatest gift.

This Christmas reflection traces humanity’s darkness from Genesis to the present, revealing Jesus as the Light who doesn’t rescue us from afar but enters our depths, takes our place, and becomes the solid ground beneath our feet. It calls us to release the false driftwood we cling to and live in hope between Christ’s first coming and His promised return, trusting the One who is both our substitute and our rescuer.

At Christmas, we discover that love is not shallow or convenient but deeply personal and profoundly costly, revealed through the Incarnation—God with us. In Jesus, God draws near and pays the ultimate price for us, inviting us not only to believe we are truly beloved, but to live transformed by that same self-giving love toward others.

This Advent reflection explores the tension between the biblical call to rejoice always and the very real experience of pain and depression, pointing us to Psalm 16:11 where true joy is found in God’s presence. Rather than denying suffering, we discover that joy is not a feeling to chase but a Person we encounter—Jesus, who meets us in our vulnerability and walks with us through the mess.

This message reminds us that peace isn’t something we can buy or manufacture—it’s a Person, the Prince of Peace, who offers true shalom that makes us whole. By exposing the lies we believe, the sin we hide, and the pain we avoid, it invites us to come to Jesus Himself—the only One who can heal what’s broken and give us real, lasting peace.

This message invites us to explore Advent hope through the stories of Zechariah and Elizabeth and of Mary and Joseph, showing how their impossible promises, honest questions, and seasons of waiting reveal the depth of personal, messianic, and eternal hope. It reminds us that God includes us in His purposes—not ignoring our needs but meeting them through community, Scripture, and the rhythms that root us in Jesus’s story, even when our prayers feel unanswered.

The Book of Ruth closes by showing that redemption isn’t something we create for ourselves, but something God provides—costly, relational, and rooted in real time and space. In Ruth 4, Boaz’s redemption of Naomi and Ruth points us to Jesus, whose love not only saves us but shapes generations, inviting us into a relationship that transforms our lives and others’.

This message explores Ruth 3 and the profound Hebrew idea of hesed—God’s covenantal care expressed through sacrificial love—revealing how His faithful provision meets us in seasons of waiting, uncertainty, and need. Through Ruth, Naomi, and Boaz (a foreshadowing of Christ), we’re challenged to trust God’s daily care and to extend His comfort to others as we first learn to receive it ourselves.

Ruth 2 shows God’s heart for outsiders through Ruth’s encounter with Boaz, who goes beyond obligation to offer protection, dignity, and hesed love. The story challenges us to welcome those unlike us, revealing that God’s favor comes not from what we’ve done but from who He is—and inviting us to make room at our own tables.

In Ruth 1, we see Naomi’s bitter return to Bethlehem and Ruth’s bold declaration of faith reveal what it means to come back to God when life has fallen apart. Through their story, we’re reminded that God’s covenant love welcomes us home—not when we have it all together, but right in the midst of our grief and surrender.

This message reminds us that Jesus isn’t just coming someday—He’s already on His way, and that reality should shape every choice we make. Drawing from Revelation 22 and 1 Corinthians 3, it challenges us to live faithfully now, knowing that while salvation is by grace, the quality of our lives will echo into eternity.

In this message from John 4, we explore Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman and how it reveals His heart to cross barriers and meet us in our deepest need. We're reminded that the living water He offers satisfies far beyond what the world can give, inviting us to let Him transform our hearts from the inside out.

This message dives into Acts 2:42–47, showing how the early church’s way of living flowed from truly knowing Jesus’ sacrificial love. It invites us to do the same—to live changed lives that are honest, open, and full of grace, so others can experience God’s love through us.

We’re exploring our mission to share the gospel and our lives with everyday people until Christ returns—the good news that Jesus came to rescue us from sin, death, and despair, bringing forgiveness for our past, purpose for our present, and hope for our future. As we remember how He came to bring good news to the poor and set the captives free, we’re challenged to love others enough to step into the “water” and share this life-changing message with them.

Are we truly embracing our calling as ambassadors for Christ? This message from 2 Corinthians 5 reminds us that all who are in Christ are new creations with a ministry of reconciliation, called to be God’s co-workers—compelled by the fear of the Lord and the love of Christ—to share the gospel in our everyday lives, even when we feel discouraged, knowing that God is still working behind the scenes.

We’re reminded from 1 Thessalonians 2 and Acts 17 that opposition in our faith doesn’t mean we’re outside God’s will—often it means we’re right in the center of it, just as the early disciples faced persecution yet boldly shared the gospel. As people entrusted with the good news, we’re challenged not only to proclaim it but to live it authentically, offering both the gospel and our lives in a way that demonstrates our hope in Christ

We explored the spiritual power of remembering as Moses calls the Israelites—and us—to recall the wilderness, God’s faithfulness, and our own tendency to forget. By reframing the wilderness as a place of intimacy and dependence on God, it challenges us to see our struggles not as punishment, but as training grounds for deeper faith.

Have we truly grasped the profound meaning of baptism? More than a ritual, it is a transformative experience of identity, reality, and mystery—uniting us with Christ in His death and resurrection, reminding us through Matthew 28 and Romans 6 that we are beloved children of God called to live as new creations.

In our journey of faith, we often struggle to share the good news of Christ, but Luke 12 gives us three keys to overcome hesitation: cultivating a healthy fear of God that brings boldness, trusting the Spirit’s guidance over our own scripts, and living with urgency in light of Christ’s return. These truths challenge us to step out in faith, trusting God to equip us so we can confidently and authentically witness to His transformative work in our lives.

We are challenged to examine our hunger for God’s presence, reminding us through Pentecost in Acts 1–2 that revival begins where people are repentant, obedient, and ready for His fire to fall. We’re invited to renew our desperation for Him, creating space in our lives to become altars prepared for His transforming presence.

In our journey of faith, we’re called to cultivate a secret place with God—a private space of intimacy and transformation rooted. This isn’t about quick or performative spirituality, but consistently meeting with Him, allowing His presence to deepen our love and shape us into His image. The question is: are we willing to make room in our busy lives to meet with God?

This message explores what it means to contend with singleness, not just be content in it. We were reminded that singleness is not second-class, but a unique opportunity to reflect the sufficiency of the gospel. Together, we wrestled with questions of loneliness, sexuality, and purpose—keeping our eyes on Jesus and His coming kingdom.

We are invited to shift our focus from relationship mechanics to the deeper truth found in Ephesians 5—that marriage is a reflection of Christ’s relationship with the Church. It reminds us that our identity is rooted in being imitators of God, and that pursuing Christ above all else naturally transforms every relationship in our lives.

This sermon on biblical dating highlights Genesis 2 and reminds us that dating is not a destination but a process of discerning covenant, marked by clarity, boundaries, and devotion to God. As we navigate modern relationships, we’re encouraged to seek wisdom from Scripture, be led by the Spirit, and rely on our faith community for guidance and accountability.

In this week's message from the "Make Room" series, we explore what it means to welcome Jesus into the most intimate areas of our lives—specifically, the bedroom. Centered on John 8:1–11, the story of the woman caught in adultery, we’re reminded of Jesus’ radical grace and His invitation to transformation over condemnation. This sermon challenges us to move beyond shame, legalism, and cultural distortion, and instead embrace the healing, redemptive intimacy that Christ offers.

We’re invited to reconsider how entertainment shapes our hearts—moving from distraction to deeper connection with God. In Luke 15, the Father’s joy reminds us that God delights in our delight when it draws us closer to Him. Spirit-led leisure becomes a way to grow in love, joy, and lasting peace.

This message challenges us to slow down and examine how the noise and busyness of life may be choking out God's voice, drawing from the Parable of the Sower and the story of Mary and Martha. We're invited to create space in our lives to nurture our spiritual growth by choosing the "one thing necessary"—sitting at Jesus' feet.

This week’s message challenges us to rethink what “enough” really means. Drawing from Matthew 6:19-34, we’re reminded to store up treasures in heaven and follow God’s blueprint, not our own. It’s a call to seek first the kingdom of God, trust in His provision, and view life through the lens of eternity. True fulfillment doesn’t come from more stuff—it comes from letting Jesus be enough.

Repentance is Jesus' first and ongoing invitation—not just a mindset, but an action that restores intimacy with God. Through confession, restitution, and transformation, we’re called to return to our first love and stay in relationship with Christ.

In this message, we’re invited to reexamine our view of God through the lens of Jesus, who reveals the true nature of our Heavenly Father. Drawing from Genesis 35 and the story of Benjamin’s renaming, we’re reminded that God is not distant or harsh, but caring, consistent, and close—offering us healing, identity, and a renewed foundation for faith.

On Sunday, Kelly unpacked seven key themes that reflect how God relates to us as our Father—compassion, counsel, correction, confidence, celebration, challenges, and consistency. These themes gave us a powerful picture of how we can create homes where children feel safe, encouraged, and truly loved.

We start this new sermon series with exploring the heart of Jesus through the story of the bleeding woman in Mark 5. Her encounter with Jesus shows His willingness to be interrupted, His care for the outcast, and His readiness to step into messy situations. When He calls her “Daughter,” it’s a moment of deep healing, love, and belonging. Pastor Mike Craft invites us to reflect on how we’re called to do the same—especially for vulnerable children in the foster care system. Are we willing to be interrupted for them? To make space in our lives and homes for those the world often overlooks?