Nature is beautiful.  In some of us, nature has the ability to put our souls at rest and ground us in ways that feel restorative.  From epic hikes through national parks to just relaxing in the backyard or at a park, it feels good to be outside.  God designed some truly wonderful creatures, feelings, and experiences.God also placed unique aspects in nature that can be physical manifestations of Hi...  Read More

God practiced Sabbath, a weekly rhythm of 6 days of work and 1 day of rest. God gives this rhythm of life to us as a gift and commands us to keep it. We are not created for 24/7 work, but instead we are made to rest. Burnout so often happens when we do not live as we were created to live. But, recently a friend confessed to me, “Matt, if we aren’t supposed to do anything on the Sabbath, then what ...  Read More

This week, I talked with some friends who are part of The Gathering. They shared how difficult the past week has been. They have a young-adult kid who currently receives medical care for gender dysphoria. This spring, legislation has been moving through the Missouri state congress that would bar minors who experience gender dysphoria or identify as trans from receiving similar healthcare. The Miss...  Read More

CoreGroup Guide | Burnout - Week 2Welcome!Last week Pastor Matt began our sermon series called Burnout: Rest and the Power of Going Dark. We learned that burnout is defined as a state of emotional, spiritual, mental, and/or physical exhaustion. But at the end of the sermon, Matt suggested that, “Burnout is not really about overworking; it’s about an unhealthy rhythm of living.” In other words, bur...  Read More

Week 1 Discussion GuideIn 2021, U.S. tennis star Naomi Osaka made headlines at the French Open not for her performance, but for what she did off the court.  At that time, Osaka was No. 2 in the world's tennis rankings and was one of the highest paid athletes.  It is safe to say that tennis was a passion for Osaka.  In a step that seemed to be out of nowhere, Osaka just started skipping obligated m...  Read More

God’s desire is that we create lives that we don’t want to escape from. And yet many of us have a weekly rhythm of life that wears us down and tires us out. In the past year 77% of people in the U.S. report experiencing burnout – at work, at home, and in their relationships. Burnout is not a medical diagnosis but is popularly used to describe a general state of exhaustion – emotionally, mentally, ...  Read More