"Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David," declares the prophet Zechariah! (Luke 1:67-69) Join pastor Brian Pursley for a message of hope and redemption on this Christmas Eve. Jesus alone would live perfectly. He alone would fulfill the prophecies of a coming savior. He alone would come and establish a spiritual kingdom, as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. What a blessing to share in the great gift of salvation together! Merry Christmas from the Lakeside family!

We're better together! Join pastor Brian Pursley as he reminds us how each member of the church body is vitally important and valuable. Should the ear envy the role of an eye? Or the hand envy the role of the foot? Like it says in 1 Corinthians 12:26, "If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together." We encourage you to consider how your unique personality and gifting could bless others around you!

"...whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. (2 Corinthians 9:6) Join pastor Brian Pursley as he shares the biblical principles about giving money to the Church. Scripture is clear: the Lord loves a cheerful giver. Furthermore, where our treasure is, our heart will be also. Let us give, therefore, placing total trust in God to provide for us spiritually and physically. After all, the heart behind our gift matters more than the amount, for God is able to bless His children any way He sees fit.

Despite the craziness, confusion, and chaos of the world, we have a lasting hope in the body and blood of Jesus Christ! Join pastor Brian Pursley as he details the importance of the Church's two ordinances: baptism and Communion. Jesus' own words encourage His people to partake of these ordinances; in baptism, as a public declaration of faith, and in Communion, as a remembrance of His sacrifice. May we honor His selfless servanthood and sacrifice by following His instructions in these matters.

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another." (John 13:34) Join pastor Brian Pursley as he teaches on sacrificial love. Jesus instructs His disciples to lay down their lives for one another, just as He did. The Church, also, is instructed to love people in radical ways. After all, Jesus continues, saying, "By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35)

We exist to help people move one step closer to Jesus and reach those far from him. As a church this is our main focus and everything we do is planned and evaluated by this overarching mission. Join us for Mission as we detail principles from Scripture which highlight why this focus is so important to who we are as a church, how it helps determine what we engage in, who we’re hoping to connect with, and why it matters so much. 

Daniel's spirit was anxious within him, alarmed by the visions he had. Join pastor Brian Pursley for the prophetic conclusion of The Soul & Society in Daniel chapter 7. After seeing visions of terrible beasts, Daniel prophesies about the true King of kings and Lord of lords, Jesus Christ, saying, “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed. (Daniel 7:13-14)

The king declared to Daniel, "May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!" Join pastor Brian Pursley for the deadly conclusion of Daniel chapter 6 and the story of the lion's den. Imagine Daniel, a faithful servant of many kings and faithful servant of God, is sentenced to death simply for praying. Even so, Daniel trusted God's sovereignty such that he was able to become a great witness to king Darius. May we serve God continually, elevating His desires over our own, even risking death, just like Daniel did.

What would you do if it was illegal to pray? Join pastor Brian Pursley for the first half of a story that would see Daniel put in great danger all because of his faith. Daniel refused to conform to the cultural and legal expectation that he would pray only to king Darius because his convictions would not allow him to disobey God. When high officials in the kingdom discovered Daniel praying, they reported him to king Darius. This crime bore the penalty of death, but God was working miraculously to preserve his servant. Join us next week to hear the fascinating account of Daniel in the lions' den!

"Mene, mene, tekel, parsin," meaning, "You kingdom has come to an end, you have been measured and found wanting." Join pastor Brian Pursley for the sobering conclusion of Daniel chapter 5. Pride positions us against God every single time, and Belshazzar was no exception to the rule. King Belshazzar has chased after pleasure and power while neglecting to honor the true King. Let us learn a solemn lesson from the mistakes of the Babylonian king Belshazzar, the man who neglected to honor God, despite being given every opportunity during his reign.

There is nothing new under the sun, and chasing pleasure will lead to emptiness, just like it always has. Join pastor Brian Pursley for his sermon on the first half of Daniel chapter 5. The Babylonian king was caught up in a cycle of pleasure, just like many rich and powerful people have been, but he is given a message from God. It's the literal writing on the wall, predicting his fate. Join us next week for Daniel's interpretation of this dramatic omen!

"O King Nebuchadnezzar, change your ways, show mercy, and swallow your pride!" exclaims Daniel. Join pastor Brian Pursley for the dramatic conclusion of Daniel chapter 4. Do we, like Nebuchadnezzar, lose sight of the fact every good and perfect gift comes from God? Do we, in our pride, credit our own effort or ingenuity when things go well? It's easy to get caught up in self confidence when life is good, but we must desire God as much as we desire His blessings. Let us never take those blessings for granted.

God's power is at work from generation to generation, so don't lose heart! Join pastor Brian Pursley as he tells the story of King Nebuchadnezzar's next prophetic dream. Once again, Daniel is able to both explain the dream and it's spiritual significance. Though Nebuchadnezzar was greatly prosperous, he was also prideful. His dream was a warning. Would king Nebuchadnezzar repent and avoid judgment? Come back next week and find out from the second half of Daniel chapter 4!

"If you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. Who is the god who shall deliver you?" (Daniel 3:15) Join pastor Brian Pursley as he recalls the amazing testimony of three young men in Babylonian captivity. When we are faced with a moment like they were, torn between gaining favor with the world and doing what is right, how should we respond? These three men gave an excellent response, saying, "O king, we have no need to answer you in this matter. Our God is able to deliver us from the fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king." (Daniel 3:17)

When you come upon an impossibility in life, keep this at the forefront of your mind: there is a God who can do the impossible. Join pastor Brian Pursley as he describes the One who can do that which is beyond all experts, professionals, and superheroes. No mystery is beyond God's understanding and no miracle beyond His power. What a blessing that we, His Church, can be counted among His children like Daniel was. Though he found himself in a hostile land, Daniel was never forsaken by God. And if God provided miraculously for His child in Babylon, He can provide for you today.

May the chaos around us never dictate how we live our lives. Our life choices must be informed by God's Word and motivated by our faith in Him. Join pastor Brian Pursley as he emphasizes the importance of dependence on God in trying times. Like when Daniel faced great danger at the hand of the king's captain, we might face any number of physically or spiritually dangerous circumstances in our lives. Will you follow the example of Daniel, putting your faith in God, or will you fall away?

Sometimes doing the right thing costs you. Sometimes evil wins. Sometimes the things we think turn out to be wrong. Sometimes the people we’re close to betray us. Sometimes we lose everything. Sometimes we get an opportunity we never dreamed we’d get. Sometimes people change. Sometimes God doesn’t seem fair. Join us for The Soul & Society as we explore the book of Daniel and focus on how to live no matter the circumstances we face and the principles we need to develop to honor God each and every day of our lives.