Liquid Church

At some point, every Christian hits a wall in their journey with Jesus-- a crisis that’s beyond your control. But in His mercy, God can use that wall or situation to transform your character to be more like Christ! In this message from Liquid Church’s Emotionally Healthy Spirituality series, Pastor Tim Lucas shares what to do when you hit a wall in your faith. Maybe your “wall” is a difficult divorce, the loss of a child, or a longing unfulfilled. Or maybe your spiritual wall is anxiety, depression, or a season where it just feels like God isn’t speaking. When crises and tragedies strike, our instincts sometimes are to go around the tough stuff. But Jesus leaves an open invitation to take his hand and journey through the wall and discover a closer, deeper, and more mature walk with Him. As you learn how to develop an Emotionally Healthy Spirituality in your life and relationships, we pray the Holy Spirit will spark a spiritual revolution of healing in your life and home. How To Break Through A Wall In Your Fa

Did you know? God’s choice to birth you into the family you grew up in has a huge influence on your life as a follower of Jesus. However, most Christians aren’t really aware of the ways their family dynamics impact them today. Think about it: Are you really aware of how your family dynamics impact you? In this message from Liquid Church’s Emotionally Healthy Spirituality series, Pastor Tim Lucas shares an example filled with hope from the life of Joseph in the book of Genesis. Joseph experienced three major traumas in his life that impacted him deeply. However, Joseph drew near to God and was empowered by God’ grace to put old patterns in the past and live a life set free to be who God created him to be. The truth is, there is no such thing as a perfect family - and Joseph’s family was anything but perfect! Whether you grew up in a positive family environment or not, we all have patterns and characteristics taught by our families of origin that we don’t want the next generation to repeat. We can show our fami

In this message from Liquid Church’s Emotionally Healthy Spirituality series, Pastor Tim Lucas shares 3 obstacles King David overcame, and that we too can overcome, to know ourselves and know God better. The reality is, many Christians fail to examine their interior thoughts, motives and fears. But, when you invite God into your inner life, you invite His Holy Spirit to speak to the depths of your soul. You need to know yourself - and who you were created by God to be - so that you may truly know God. When you take time to listen to God through prayer, silence, and reading the Scriptures, you develop a better sense of your identity as God’s beloved child. In this message, we look to the example of King David in 1 Samuel 17. David cut through obstacles of criticism from family, expectations from authority, and intimidation from his enemies, all so he could step into his God-given destiny. Along the way, David lived out a first-hand relationship with God, listening to God and using his unique, God-given gifts t

In this message from Liquid Church’s Emotionally Healthy Spirituality, Pastor Tim Lucas leads us to examine why emotionally unhealthy spirituality is a problem in our relationships with God and each other. Get ready: We’re taking a deep dive with Jesus under the iceberg of our lives to listen for the Holy Spirit speaking in the depths! You see, we're all made up of layers that exist beneath the surface of our lives - kind of like how 90% of an iceberg is hidden underwater. Below the surface lies our hidden motives, fears, jealousies, sadness and anger. This is the side that usually comes out in times of stress or pressure. However, instead of living emotionally unhealthy lives, Jesus wants access to us in this area of our lives so he can transform our inner world! This message takes a closer look at 1 Samuel 15 in the Old Testament of the Bible to identify symptoms of emotionally unhealthy spirituality in King Saul’s life. As you learn and take a closer look at your own life beneath the iceberg, don’t lose ho

In the Gospel of Mark, we see Jesus has an intense, emotional reaction when in Jerusalem for the Jewish festival of Passover. See, in Jesus’ day, the Temple was the place where Jewish people could come to be close to God and worship Him. However, instead of being a center for religious life, the Temple had become corrupt; It became a shopping mall where people were exchanging money and bargaining with each other. This is why Jesus had righteous anger - and it even triggered Him to overturn tables! In this message from Liquid Church, Pastor Tim Lucas asks us to make this Bible lesson personal: What tables need overturning in our own lives? What is distracting you from getting close to God and worshipping Him with your whole heart? This display of Jesus’ righteous anger shows us that he cared enough about our faith to clear a path for all to be with God. This message is the introduction to Liquid Church’s 8-week Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Groups Series. Don’t settle for a superficial faith that skims the

In the Gospel of Luke, we see Jesus tell his followers this: “The Harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the Harvest, therefore, to send out his workers into the field.” Jesus wasn’t a farmer, but he uses a farming analogy to tell his disciples, or ministry partners, that there are not enough people to do the work of the Kingdom. But instead of asking his disciples to work harder and take no breaks, he tells them that they should ask God through prayer to send out workers and volunteers to share the good news of the Gospel. At Liquid Church, we know ministry is best done in teams. Christianity is not a solo sport, and life is actually better in community. So, this Homecoming season at Liquid Church, we’re praying daily for God to send volunteers to serve on Dream Teams to rebuild our church and welcome new guests. We have a big goal to Saturate the State of New Jersey with the Gospel of Jesus Christ - and we can’t do that alone. To explore ways you can use your gifts and skills to serv

New Jersey was dealt a huge blow in September 2021 when Hurricane Ida swept through the state. There are so many families and neighbors hurting from the catastrophic flooding who are  wondering how they will survive this hurricane. But, this message is for everyone, because we ALL get rained on. We all have tragic moments that make us cry and question our faith - the very foundation we’re living on. It could be the Hurricane of Covid, an Economic Hurricane, a Racial Hurricane, and sometimes we get hit with one storm after another. But, let us assure you that through any storm, you can stand strong when the foundation of your faith in Christ is solid! How To Survive A Hurricane | Pastor Tim Lucas | Liquid Church #HurricaneIda #Survive #Rebuild #Reopen #FreshStart #Homecoming #LiquidChurch #Christianity #ChristianChurch

In this message from Liquid Church, Youth Pastor Jonathan Wilson shares that the bravery he sees in Generation Z takes them one step closer to changing the world. But how? We learn in the Old Testament of the Bible that Moses prepared Joshua to follow his God-given purpose of leading God’s people to the Promised Land. Likewise, today, every student is just one caring adult away from unleashing their God-given potential. We live in such a complex time that most adults instinctively want to protect the next generation from its dangers. But, we need to shift our perspective and realize that God has placed an explosive power and potential in Gen Z that has the ability to impact our world for the glory of Christ. That means Gen Z needs to be UNLEASHED upon the world - not shielded from it. Student Takeover | Pastor Jonathan Wilson | Liquid Church #GenZ #GenerationZ #Brave #Bravery #WorldChangers #StudentTakeover #Faith #God #Christianity #NextGen #LiquidChurch #JonathanWilson

As part of Liquid Church’s annual At The Movies series, in this message Pastor Kayra Montanez shares the spiritual themes for faith, patience, and pursuing dreams found throughout the movie In The Heights. Based on the musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Quiara Alegria Hudes, the film is a celebration of Latino and Latina culture in the U.S. and follows the hopes and dreams of a vibrant, tight-knit immigrant community in the Washington Heights, New York neighborhood. At The Movies is an annual series by Liquid Church where we explore the truths behind Hollywood’s greatest movies and TV shows. Scripture says that Jesus taught in parables, which were short stories that contained spiritual truths. We pray that this fun message series will help you connect to God’s word! "This message features short clips from the critically acclaimed film In The Heights, which was distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures and is in theaters and streaming on HBO Max. No copyright is claimed for In the Heights, and we assert that use of

As part of Liquid Church’s annual At The Movies series, in this message guest speaker Pastor Justin Kendrick from Vox Church shares spiritual themes found throughout the movie Soul. The animated movie’s story follows a middle school music teacher named Joe Gardner, who seeks to reunite his soul and body after they are accidentally separated before his big break as a jazz musician. At The Movies is an annual series by Liquid Church where we explore the truths behind Hollywood’s greatest movies and TV shows. Scripture says that Jesus taught in parables, which were short stories that contained spiritual truths. We pray that this fun message series will help you connect to God’s word! "This message features short clips from the critically acclaimed film Soul, which was released by Walt Disney Pictures and produced by Pixar Animation Studios. It is streaming exclusively on Disney+. No copyright is claimed for Soul and we assert that use of the short clips within this sermon is permissible under fair use principles

As part of Liquid Church’s annual At The Movies series, in this message Pastor Tim Lucas highlights spiritual themes found throughout the suspense thrillers A Quiet Place Part I and A Quiet Place Part II. While you may be skeptical thinking that thriller movies featuring aliens hunting a family from Upstate New York would be anything but scary... think again! From the family making sacrifices to save a tiny, defenseless baby, to elevating a young woman with a disability and even featuring an ultimate act of sacrificial love, there is so much to find when you watch these movies from a spiritual lense. Don’t be mistaken - this is a thriller, so it is an intense movie not suitable for young kids - but the overarching themes of family and faith, hope and sacrifice, and the bravery of risking your life to save people from desperate situations make these movies redemption stories. At The Movies is an annual series by Liquid Church where we explore the truths behind Hollywood’s greatest movies and TV shows. Scriptur

Nothing moves the human spirit like the stories we see on our screens!  But is there a spiritual point to what we watch? Take the Apple TV+ show Ted Lasso. In the show, main character Ted is an American football coach who takes on a new role with the English Premier League - which means now, he’s coaching soccer, and he knows nothing about it. In part 1 of Liquid Church’s annual At The Movies series, guest speaker Zach Taylor shares how main character Ted responds to all his critics, enemies and even his own team in a way that echoes the humility and compassion of Christ. In the face of opposition, Ted is kind, compassionate, forgiving, and truly cares for the team he coaches. While Ted’s fans, his team, and even the owner of the team think he is a joke, He doesn’t let criticism offend him. The truth is, when others hurt you or offend you, Satan, the enemy of your souls, would love for you to remain offended. Why? Because then, you’ll never actually become effective in sharing God’s love and the hope of

What’s keeping you from having peace of mind? Do worries and anxieties about your life or those you love weigh you down? The truth is, your life is always moving in the direction of your strongest thoughts, and you can’t have a positive life when you have a negative mind. In this message from part 4 of Liquid Church’s series, Mastermind, Pastor Kayra Montanez highlights how to have peace of mind by sharing the neuroscience at work and the spiritual ways God gives His children peace of mind. We turn to the words of wisdom the Apostle Paul shares with us in Philippians 4:7 to find that prayer should be our first defense when it comes to fighting for a peaceful thought life. Even when Paul was locked in a Roman prison, Paul knew that it is possible to have peace of mind that comes from God despite whatever life circumstances we find ourselves in. Whatever is keeping you from having peace of mind today, remember this: If it’s big enough to worry about, it’s big enough to pray about. While anxiety may come from a

Ever wonder how different people can respond to the same situation in seemingly opposite ways? The truth is, the lense through which you look at life changes the way you see the world. It’s all about your frame of mind. If you look at life through a negative filter, you’ll always see the worst. But, if you take captive your thoughts like the Apostle Paul calls Christians to do, you can start looking at life through the perspective of Christ. This is called reframing. But how exactly do you change your frame of mind when it comes naturally to you? In this message from part 3 of Liquid Church’s series, Mastermind, Pastor Tim Lucas highlights 3 practical steps we can take to reframe our relationships and challenging situations in life. In order to look at our circumstances with a Gospel perspective, we’ll need to start by thanking God for what didn’t happen. The truth is, some of God’s greatest gifts can be unanswered prayers! We can practice pre-framing, too, which is deciding how you’ll look at a situation in

Have you been living in a cycle of toxic thought patterns? The truth is, our brains can be a battlefield at times. However, you don’t need to submit to negative thinking. When anxiety, fear and depression hit, there is a way to healing and victory. Throughout the New Testament, the Apostle Paul teaches us that there is a renewal process for our minds. We really can retrain our brains away from toxic thoughts and meditate on positive thoughts that give life. In this message from part 2 of Liquid Church’s series, Mastermind, Pastor Kayra Montanez highlights 3 things we can put into practice to train our brains and change our lives. Replace your rut of negative thoughts by digging a trench of truth with God’s word. Then, write it, think it, and profess that truth until you believe it. It may take time and it won’t be easy, but when you follow this process, you will create new thought patterns that God will use to renew your mind and transform your life. Mastermind Series | Pastor Kayra Montanez | Liquid Church #

Too often we’re prisoners to our own thoughts: Those voices telling us to worry, that we aren’t good enough, or that we can’t ever change our behavior. Do you feel trapped by anxiety? Pastor Craig Groeschel says that “Your life is always moving in the direction of your strongest thoughts.” This means that what you think about the most can actually come out in your life. But, when we live in God’s truth, we can wage war on the toxic thoughts that hold us down. We can take captive our negative thoughts and replace them with God’s truth to win the war in our minds. In this message from part 1 of Liquid Church’s series, Mastermind, Pastor Tim Lucas identifies some of the mental strongholds that hold us back and offers a tool to break them. We pray that, through the healing power of Christ and some practical applications, this message helps you retrain your brain to become the person God designed you to be. Mastermind Series | Pastor Tim Lucas | Liquid Church #Thoughts #Anxiety #MentalHealth #Thinking #ThoughtProc

Do you feel like your passion for life has been stolen? Or has your passion for God and the cause of Christ faded? The truth is, the last year and a half took a lot out of us. When passion flees, that’s because passion is more of an emotional response that usually occurs when something is new or exciting. Zeal, on the other hand, is more of an energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of something meaningful, like a great cause or important objective. What passion neglects, zeal protects. In this message from part 5 of Liquid Church’s series, Renovate, guest Pastor Stephen Francis reflects on what happens after Nehemiah returns to Jerusalem after rebuilding the city’s walls. Upon his return, Nehemiah found that the temple of God had been neglected, and the people of Jerusalem had lost their spiritual fervor for the Lord. If you feel like your spiritual passion for God has disappeared, we pray this message from Pastor Stephen Francis will help you develop a zeal for God that does not fade. Renovate Series | Pastor Steph

Have you ever given up just before you completed a project? If not, have you ever been tempted to? The truth is, anytime you try to step out of your comfort zone and accomplish something great, you will likely face some kind of opposition. If you’re trying to renovate your life, it takes time and energy. If you’re trying to finish a race, you become tired and may feel defeated. Don’t throw in the towel just before the finish line. Instead, embrace the power of perseverance as you pursue your God-given goal. In this message from part 4 of Liquid Church’s series, Renovate, Pastor Tim Lucas reflects on Nehemiah’s journey to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem in just 52 short days. When progress on this massive project was going well, Nehemiah faced a series of opposition. While Nehemiah’s enemies tried to distract and discredit him, God gave Nehemiah discernment and perseverance to stay focused and complete the task at hand. Like Nehemiah, we can learn to say no to the distractions and temptations that come from the

If you have a God-given burden on your heart, at some point you will likely face opposition on the path to reach your goal. It is true that when God’s work is done, the devil doesn’t like it. The enemy of our souls, Satan, will do everything he can to try and stop you. We may face opposition from others who criticize us, or sometimes we face internal, spiritual opposition in the form of doubt, discouragement, and defeat. However, Nehemiah in the Old Testament of the Bible provides a great example for us of how we can stand up to opposition and persevere for the glory of God. In this message from part 3 of Liquid Church’s series, Renovate, Pastor Tim Lucas reflects on Nehemiah’s journey to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem in just 52 short days. Likewise, if you desire to renovate your world, whether it be your marriage, career, your health, etc… Take heart. Be encouraged. God is with you in the face of opposition. As you watch this message, we pray that you will be encouraged to stand strong, to courageously per

Do you have a God-given goal in your heart, but struggle to know when or how to start taking action towards it? In the Old Testament book of Nehemiah, we learn from an ordinary guy with extraordinary faith how he rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem in just 52 short days. Like Nehemiah, God is calling you to take action for the burdens he has given you. What is he asking you to stand up and do courageously? In this message from part 2 of Liquid Church’s series, Renovate, Pastor Kayra Montanez shares how you can begin taking action for the cause of Christ in your home, your world, your career, and in God’s church. We see that Nehemiah wasn’t a powerful man in his day - but he didn’t need to be the best. Rather, like Nehemiah, we just need to care the most to take action toward the goals God has placed on our hearts. As we renovate our worlds, we also need to lean on God for patience. We need to trust His perfect timing! Last, God-given goals require careful planning to reach them. You can pray AND plan as you let Go