Beyond the Storybook

Most of us grew up hearing a cute tale about animals marching two-by-two into a big boat, Noah’s Ark. But the actual biblical account is much deeper and more complicated. It's not a bedtime story for kids. It's a raw, powerful narrative about humanity, sin, and the intricacies of God's relationship with the world who rejects Him.

Don’t you love how slow-paced our world is? How nobody's ever in a hurry? How happy everyone is waiting in long lines?

If you caught that sarcasm, you know the reality: We live in a fast-paced, restless, dissatisfied world. There's always something better to pursue, always something more that might finally make our lives complete. When someone asks how we're doing, we often either pride ourselves on being busy or complain about it. "You wouldn't believe my week - I had to do this, this, and this!"

Don’t you love how slow-paced our world is? How nobody's ever in a hurry? How happy everyone is waiting in long lines?

If you caught that sarcasm, you know the reality: We live in a fast-paced, restless, dissatisfied world. There's always something better to pursue, always something more that might finally make our lives complete. When someone asks how we're doing, we often either pride ourselves on being busy or complain about it. "You wouldn't believe my week - I had to do this, this, and this!"

When a pastor starts talking about giving we might find ourselves automatically rolling our eyes. Perhaps we wonder why churches keep talking about money when faith is free. Maybe we question how giving our resources away might actually be good for us. In any case, Jesus is very concerned about what our giving reveals about the kind of people we are.