We live in a bad news world filled with relentlessly disturbing headlines – war and crime, poverty and pandemics, racism and oppression, mass murder and disaster. And we all experience discouragement in our personal lives as well – temptation and regret, pain and suffering, failure and disappointment, decline and death. Though the world is overflowing with bad news, the message of Jesus is bigger and brighter than all of it, giving us hope in the midst of every negative experience of our lives. It’s always good news!

Life doesn't always go well. It certainly doesn't always go as we plan. You wanted that relationship to work out, but it ended. You thought you were getting the promotion, but your boss told you that you are underperforming. You were counting on God to heal, but he didn’t. You had a dream, but some of your life feels a bit more like nightmare. At times, the world seems very unfair, doesn’t it? When we don't feel loved by God, when we feel let down, and are struggling to trust him, it is important to hear from the Lord. We need the message of Jesus when all is not well with our soul.

Church is people, organization and gathering. Christians are the church, we organize into local churches, and it is right and good to say, “I’m going to church today,” when you are headed to a worship service. So, what is God’s design for our gatherings? Can we just do whatever we want, or does he have some guidelines for how we do church. According to the Bible, God has a blueprint for worship that includes welcoming sinners, singing his praise, praying, giving, taking communion, reading the Scripture, and preaching.