Bill Berger.org

Hey, All Saints!

I'm excited to share a few things with you!

#1 - We started our "After Eden" series on Sunday and I am quite sure it prompted many conversations. We received some very honest and sincere questions for our Q & A forum on June 4th at 6pm. As we gain an understanding of the biblical view of sex, it will certainly be something that will be controversial as we live in the white water rapids of our culture. My hope is that there will be new insights, healing and hope from this conversation.

#2 - This Sunday, we are continuing our After Eden series talking on the subject of singleness. We have many singles in our community and I felt it would be important to look at the biblical view of singleness. If you are married, I am sure you know some singles. This talk will be good for everyone. We have a guest speaker helping with this topic. Actually, our guest speaker will be doing a little carry over from last week, I know she will bring some fabulous insights. So, please join me in listening to Sue Berger bring her perspecitive and biblcial understaning to our conversation this Sunday. (That name might sound familiar) ;)

#3 - I am so excited about 7 All Saints'ers who have completed the Starting on the Mission class! I am honored and humbled by people who desire to be on mission in Seattle, All Saints and the world. We are going to offer our next class in the fall. Go ahead and sign up now on your Connect card, website or via the app.

#4 - Please join us for our monthly prayer meeting this Wednesday, May 30 at 7pm. I beleive that a praying church is powerful, and it is always good when we pray with each other.

#5 - Where are you serving? All Saints is partnering with some amazing help agencies in Seattle and there is room for you to help out. Currently, we have a team that serves at New Horizons and we are about ready to lauch a new team at Sacred Heart. Contact life@believedoubtseek.org if you need more info. Also, we have many places that need vounteers within the All Saints community, from nursery to greeters! Find a place and get in the game! That's what being on mission is about.

See you Sunday!

Tar Heel Nation

My friend and colleague, Richard Dahlstrom posted a very thoughtful blog on the unfortunate vote in North Carolina. You can read it here.

Hey, All Saints!

I have a few things I want to share with you.

#1 - I am so grateful to Ron Jacobson for speaking on Sunday. You can listen to the message in case you missed it. Thank you so much, Ron.

#2 - We have another great guest speaker this Sunday, Jim Henderson. Jim is a friend and is really a blast to listen to. Jim's topic, "A New Kind of Christian Woman." He will be interviewing a local business woman in our congregation, Kaye Straight. It will be a great time and I want to encourage you to bring a few friends.

#3 - We are beginning the Starting on the Mission Class this Wednesday night at 7pm in the loft. This is a great way for you to connect with All Saints Church, learn about what All Saints' believes and the focus of our mission. You will also learn where you can serve and get on the mission. Join us!

#4 - We are beginning a new series on May 20th called After Eden. We are going to explore what the Bible has to say about Singleness, Marriage and Sex. My prayer is that this series can bring healing, hope and confidence to everyone. We face a barrage of messages about all three of those subjects; I speak to many broken and hurting people about those very issues. Join us and bring a friend or two.

#5 - Have you downloaded our App yet? Get it here.

See you Sunday!

Hey, All Saints!

Hey All Saints, I have a few things I want to share with you. 1. I am sure there are questions you may have about the forgiveness talk. I know it is such a tough thing to deal with and even tougher to actually live out. I am praying you are able to make steps toward forgiveness and forgiving. I have been praying for you all week. 2. I am really proud to have Ron Jacobson do the speaking this Sunday. Ron is a professor at Northwest University in Kirkland, he is a great guy and I am positve you will enjoy what he has to share. On Mother's day, we will have Jim Henderson. Jim is the author of the book, Jim and Casper go to church. He has a new book, The Resignation of Eve, it is excellent. These guys are fantastic,  bring a friend for both.  3. We are starting a new series called, After Eden, (May 20, 27 and June 3). We are going to deal with the biblical view of marriage, singleness and sex. It is really important to me that we get a biblical view of what it means to live as a married person or a single person and how we manage sex in both of those relationships. We are going to host q & a forums May 27 and June 3 from 6 - 7:15 pm. We encourage you to engage this series. 4. Where are you serving? What are you passionate about? What does All Saints believe? Why do we talk about the city so much? Where is your place at All Saints? These are questions that we address in the Starting on the Mission class beginning May 9, 7pm in the loft. This 3 week class is a great way for you to get on the mission with All Saints Chruch and discover the what, why and how of everything we do. You can sign up via the app, web or connect card.  5. We are planning some opportunites for All Saints'ers to get out and serve in neighborhoods around the city this summer. Be looking for ways you can do that in the coming weeks. 

This Sunday - "Forgiveness"

We are talking about what forgiveness is and literally how to make it real in our heart. To forgive is one of the greatest gifts we can give to someone, especially ourself.

“To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you.”
― C.S. Lewis

I am hopeful that this will set many of us free from the pain and anguish of a bitter, unforgiving heart. See you Sunday, 9:30 or 11.

Hey, All Saints!

I have a few things for you.

#1 - I enjoyed our music this past Sunday. What a great time of reflection and contemplation. The stories behind the hymns we sang were both moving and great reminders of God's grace when life's terrors arrive at our door step. Thank you to our music team for putting so much thought into that music time.

#2 - A couple thoughts on the message. (side note - we had a glitch in the recording of the message so there will no podcast this week).

- Christianity is more than picking up an ethic or a philosophy, it is becoming a completely new person. It is a power and a new life.

- There is no practical help in Christianity unless all of it's true.

- Unless you have a horizon beyond your present life span, unless there is a truth beyond feelings, there is no basis for heroism or courage in this life.

- We can have courage because God loves us in Christ, because we have approval that our life is simply to honor the one that has honored us. And that means we can handle anything. We can all say to:

Our Heart – with all your performance driven anxiety…shut up.

The World – with all of your changing opinions…you don’t terrify me anymore.

To Death – you can’t take away anything from me that makes me who I am.

#3 - We are really excited about our classes that are going to be offered beginning in May.

Starting on the Mission (SOTM) begins May 9 at 7 pm in the loft at All Saints Church. You can sign up online, the connect card or the concierge desk.

Journey begins May 6, 9:30 am in the loft at All Saints Church.

#4 - This Sunday we will be wrapping up our series in I Corinthinas 15. We are talking about Forgiveness and the secret to a guilt free life is belief in the resurrection. It's going to be a great day of healing for many people, I am anticipating some deep work going in our souls.

#5 - I am so proud of All Saints for the incredible outpouring of love and belief in the fact that All Saints has a global reach! We raised $10,701.40 for the One Day to Feed the World. We crushed our goal of $10k. Thank you so much for being such a generous church. I want this to be our reputation, generous and giving. These are traits that change people and make a city better. THANK YOU!!!

#6 - We are planning our upcoming series for the summer and fall. In the Spring/Summer we are going to spend six weeks talking about marriage, singleness and sex. I look forward to helping us all see what healthy and mature relationships look like according to the Bible. In the summer/fall we are going to spend time in Ephesians looking at the role of the church. It will be empowering for us to see what role we play in our neighborhoods and cities, also how we take serving, giving and loving to extravagant levels.

#7 - Life Groups are ramping up for our Summer semester, look for details that will be coming very soon. Any questions or interest in being a life group facilitator? Shoot an email to lifegroups@believedoubtseek.org or let us know on the contact card this Sunday.

#8 - Join us for prayer tonight (Wednesday, April 25 at 7pm in the auditorium).

All Saints Church, you are putting a dent in the world by introducing the people of Seattle to the abundant life of Jesus. I am proud to be serving you and serving with you.

See you Sunday!

This Sunday - "Shattered Heroes"

We are looking at I Corinthians 15 and examing the life of the Apostle Paul. What inspired him? Where did he get the courage to handle the dangers of travel, the rejection of friends, the wrath of the Romans?

Here are a few questions for you to consider:

These questions are for anyone, we understand that not all that come to All Saints Church are believers, we welcome all who believe, doubt and seek.

Do you see yourself growing in fearlessness?  Are you terrified by rejection, failure, humiliation and what people think?

This question is for Christ followers:

Are you afraid of what people might think of you if you identify yourself as a Christ follower?

There is something for everyone! We are talking about heroes. What does it mean to have courage? Come hear stories of courage through classic Hymns. We are going to hear and sing the stories that inspired these tunes.

Join us this Sunday at All Saints Church, 9:30 or 11.

Some Magic and Larry - the basics

Here is a glimpse of the two best ballers ever to play the game. And, it supports my illustration from last Sunday!

 

What's your mission?

This Sunday we are working out of Genesis 3. The questions of the day are: what are you living for? What is your mission? Not necessarily your life statement, but the very thing that motivates you and gives you passion and joy? Does your mission in life prepare you for anything?

It is a lie to to think we can decide our own meaning. This is what culture says, we can decide our own way of life. I'm not sure that is really true. Jesus made it his mission to crush the lie that we are all we need. When our mission is serving Jesus, we discover exactly who we are.

Yeah, you should probably come check this out.

See you Sunday.

 

 

This Sunday - "The Lie"

This Sunday we are continuing our series, Lent - Surprised by Grace. We are going to look at Genesis 3:1-9. Here are some highlights:

• We believe a lie that has gripped humanity since the beginning, the lie that says we are not on God's radar.
• If you want joy, hope, get out of depression, a life of greatness…the most important thing for you and me to do today is to get a deeper grasp of the nature and depth of our sinfulness.
• The Bible tells us that unless we understand sin we will not understand our self.
• We have a hard time believing God cares, God is good...all the time!
• God went on a search for all of us, the most expensive search in history. 

We look forward to seeing you this Sunday at 9:30 or 11.