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Dane Lewis

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So far Dane Lewis has created 132 blog entries.

The Anguish and Joy of Waiting

This sermon is based on Luke 1:5-18. SERIES OVERVIEW: Christmas is a time of waiting. It’s a time of anticipation and hopes and dreams. Everyone loves waiting for Christmas. Life is also a time of waiting. But this waiting is a time of delay and fear and doubt and uncertainty. Everyone hates that kind of waiting. Ask anyone: waiting is the worst. But strangely enough, most of the Bible focuses on people who were up to their necks in waiting. People waited for children, for deliverance, for a land, for peace, for justice, for God’s kingdom, for a ray of hope, for restoration, for the Messiah, for forgiveness, for promises to be fulfilled and even for God. And most of those people hated waiting just like we do. Here’s the thing: most of the time, we see absolutely no value in waiting; but most of the time, God sees huge value in waiting. Not because he delights in making us

By |2018-12-08T22:49:14+00:00December 2nd, 2018|Categories: Sermon, Waiting for Christmas|Tags: , , , |
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The Thanksgiving Perspective

This sermon is based on Matthew 10:5-8. SERIES OVERVIEW: I think we would all agree that Thanksgiving is a great once-a-year holiday. I think we would also all agree that it would be a terrible thing if it became an every-week occurrence. Think of all those turkeys, the relatives you would have to see every single week and all the weight you would gain week after week after week (but it may be worth it for an apple pie a week). Now, think if thanksgiving were a daily occurrence. What a headache that would be! But that’s Paul’s dream. In Thessalonians (1 Thess. 5:18) he says, “Give thanks in all circumstances.” And when Paul says “All circumstances,” he really means even more than every day; he means multiples times each day! But nothing would make Paul happier, because he knows what Robert Thomas says: “The true victories in life are won by Christ followers who

By |2018-11-28T17:19:48+00:00November 25th, 2018|Categories: Sermon, The Thanksgiving Perspective|Tags: , , , |
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The Thanksgiving Circumstance

This sermon is based on 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. SERIES OVERVIEW: I think we would all agree that Thanksgiving is a great once-a-year holiday. I think we would also all agree that it would be a terrible thing if it became an every-week occurrence. Think of all those turkeys, the relatives you would have to see every single week and all the weight you would gain week after week after week (but it may be worth it for an apple pie a week). Now, think if thanksgiving were a daily occurrence. What a headache that would be! But that’s Paul’s dream. In Thessalonians (1 Thess. 5:18) he says, “Give thanks in all circumstances.” And when Paul says “All circumstances,” he really means even more than every day; he means multiples times each day! But nothing would make Paul happier, because he knows what Robert Thomas says: “The true victories in life are won by Christ followers who

By |2018-11-24T15:02:49+00:00November 18th, 2018|Categories: Sermon, The Thanksgiving Perspective|Tags: , , |
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REthinking Church

This sermon concludes our series, REthinking Church, and is based on Colossians 3:12-14. SERIES OVERVIEW: Once upon a time there was a church that changed the world, but that was a long time ago. It was a church characterized by love, by unity, by compassion, by prayer and by social engagement. It was the place where God’s grace was always on display and quite tangible. Today, church is different. Shane Claiborne once said, “The church is like Noah’s ark. It stinks; but if you get out of it, you’ll drown.” I think many people would agree. We need the church, but it’s hard to love the church. How did we get so far off track? More importantly, how can we rediscover those principles that made the New Testament church so vibrant and alive? REthinking Church asks us as a church to evaluate our spiritual health and hopefully will give us a vision to hear God’s call anew to

By |2018-11-14T19:00:05+00:00November 11th, 2018|Categories: REthinking Church, Sermon|Tags: , , |
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2018 Annual State of the Ministry Message

On the occasion of the 16th anniversary of River's Edge, it's our privilege to have our annual "State of the Ministry" message where we reflect on the previous year and consider God's challenge for the year ahead. This sermon is based on Micah 6:8. SERIES OVERVIEW: Once upon a time there was a church that changed the world, but that was a long time ago. It was a church characterized by love, by unity, by compassion, by prayer and by social engagement. It was the place where God’s grace was always on display and quite tangible. Today, church is different. Shane Claiborne once said, “The church is like Noah’s ark. It stinks; but if you get out of it, you’ll drown.” I think many people would agree. We need the church, but it’s hard to love the church. How did we get so far off track? More importantly, how can we rediscover those principles that made the

By |2018-11-06T14:36:38+00:00November 4th, 2018|Categories: REthinking Church, Sermon|Tags: , , |
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Called to Grow

This sermon is based on 1 Corinthians 9:24-27. SERIES OVERVIEW: Once upon a time there was a church that changed the world, but that was a long time ago. It was a church characterized by love, by unity, by compassion, by prayer and by social engagement. It was the place where God’s grace was always on display and quite tangible. Today, church is different. Shane Claiborne once said, “The church is like Noah’s ark. It stinks; but if you get out of it, you’ll drown.” I think many people would agree. We need the church, but it’s hard to love the church. How did we get so far off track? More importantly, how can we rediscover those principles that made the New Testament church so vibrant and alive? REthinking Church asks us as a church to evaluate our spiritual health and hopefully will give us a vision to hear God’s call anew to be his people, his church in our

By |2018-10-31T18:51:43+00:00October 28th, 2018|Categories: REthinking Church, Sermon|Tags: , , , |
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The Ministry of Serving

This sermon is based on 1 Peter 2:9-12. SERIES OVERVIEW: Once upon a time there was a church that changed the world, but that was a long time ago. It was a church characterized by love, by unity, by compassion, by prayer and by social engagement. It was the place where God’s grace was always on display and quite tangible. Today, church is different. Shane Claiborne once said, “The church is like Noah’s ark. It stinks; but if you get out of it, you’ll drown.” I think many people would agree. We need the church, but it’s hard to love the church. How did we get so far off track? More importantly, how can we rediscover those principles that made the New Testament church so vibrant and alive? REthinking Church asks us as a church to evaluate our spiritual health and hopefully will give us a vision to hear God’s call anew to be his people, his church in our

By |2018-10-25T07:08:22+00:00October 21st, 2018|Categories: REthinking Church, Sermon|Tags: , , , , |
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The Ministry of Prayer

This sermon is based on James 5:13-16. SERIES OVERVIEW: Once upon a time there was a church that changed the world, but that was a long time ago. It was a church characterized by love, by unity, by compassion, by prayer and by social engagement. It was the place where God’s grace was always on display and quite tangible. Today, church is different. Shane Claiborne once said, “The church is like Noah’s ark. It stinks; but if you get out of it, you’ll drown.” I think many people would agree. We need the church, but it’s hard to love the church. How did we get so far off track? More importantly, how can we rediscover those principles that made the New Testament church so vibrant and alive? REthinking Church asks us as a church to evaluate our spiritual health and hopefully will give us a vision to hear God’s call anew to be his people, his church in our

By |2018-10-17T19:01:10+00:00October 14th, 2018|Categories: REthinking Church, Sermon|Tags: , , , |
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The Ministry of Encouragement

This sermon is based on Hebrews 10:24-25. SERIES OVERVIEW: Once upon a time there was a church that changed the world, but that was a long time ago. It was a church characterized by love, by unity, by compassion, by prayer and by social engagement. It was the place where God’s grace was always on display and quite tangible. Today, church is different. Shane Claiborne once said, “The church is like Noah’s ark. It stinks; but if you get out of it, you’ll drown.” I think many people would agree. We need the church, but it’s hard to love the church. How did we get so far off track? More importantly, how can we rediscover those principles that made the New Testament church so vibrant and alive? REthinking Church asks us as a church to evaluate our spiritual health and hopefully will give us a vision to hear God’s call anew to be his people, his church in our

By |2018-10-10T17:55:44+00:00October 7th, 2018|Categories: REthinking Church, Sermon|Tags: , , |
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Encouraging Conversations

This sermon is based on 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17. SERIES OVERVIEW: Once upon a time there was a church that changed the world, but that was a long time ago. It was a church characterized by love, by unity, by compassion, by prayer and by social engagement. It was the place where God’s grace was always on display and quite tangible. Today, church is different. Shane Claiborne once said, “The church is like Noah’s ark. It stinks; but if you get out of it, you’ll drown.” I think many people would agree. We need the church, but it’s hard to love the church. How did we get so far off track? More importantly, how can we rediscover those principles that made the New Testament church so vibrant and alive? REthinking Church asks us as a church to evaluate our spiritual health and hopefully will give us a vision to hear God’s call anew to be his people, his church in

By |2018-10-03T15:04:43+00:00September 30th, 2018|Categories: REthinking Church, Sermon|Tags: , , |
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Meaningful Conversations

This sermon is based on Ephesians 4:29. SERIES OVERVIEW: Once upon a time there was a church that changed the world, but that was a long time ago. It was a church characterized by love, by unity, by compassion, by prayer and by social engagement. It was the place where God’s grace was always on display and quite tangible. Today, church is different. Shane Claiborne once said, “The church is like Noah’s ark. It stinks; but if you get out of it, you’ll drown.” I think many people would agree. We need the church, but it’s hard to love the church. How did we get so far off track? More importantly, how can we rediscover those principles that made the New Testament church so vibrant and alive? REthinking Church asks us as a church to evaluate our spiritual health and hopefully will give us a vision to hear God’s call anew to be his people, his church in our

By |2018-09-26T13:45:20+00:00September 23rd, 2018|Categories: REthinking Church, Sermon|Tags: , , , |
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Called into Community

This sermon is based on 1 Thessalonians 5:14-15. SERIES OVERVIEW: Once upon a time there was a church that changed the world, but that was a long time ago. It was a church characterized by love, by unity, by compassion, by prayer and by social engagement. It was the place where God’s grace was always on display and quite tangible. Today, church is different. Shane Claiborne once said, “The church is like Noah’s ark. It stinks; but if you get out of it, you’ll drown.” I think many people would agree. We need the church, but it’s hard to love the church. How did we get so far off track? More importantly, how can we rediscover those principles that made the New Testament church so vibrant and alive? REthinking Church asks us as a church to evaluate our spiritual health and hopefully will give us a vision to hear God’s call anew to be his people, his church in

By |2018-09-19T18:55:53+00:00September 16th, 2018|Categories: REthinking Church, Sermon|Tags: , , , |
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Called To Be the Church

This sermon begins our series, REthinking Church, and is based on Romans 12:9-16. SERIES OVERVIEW: Once upon a time there was a church that changed the world, but that was a long time ago. It was a church characterized by love, by unity, by compassion, by prayer and by social engagement. It was the place where God’s grace was always on display and quite tangible. Today, church is different. Shane Claiborne once said, “The church is like Noah’s ark. It stinks; but if you get out of it, you’ll drown.” I think many people would agree. We need the church, but it’s hard to love the church. How did we get so far off track? More importantly, how can we rediscover those principles that made the New Testament church so vibrant and alive? REthinking Church asks us as a church to evaluate our spiritual health and hopefully will give us a vision to hear God’s call anew to be his

By |2018-09-15T21:07:04+00:00September 9th, 2018|Categories: REthinking Church, Sermon|Tags: , , |
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The Hope of the Covenant

This sermon concludes the series and is based on Genesis 9:8-13. SERIES OVERVIEW: Water, water everywhere, God destroys the world he loves in a blink! Water, water everywhere Explain all of this and tell me what to think! Let’s face it, the flood narrative is hard to understand.  Kids love it because it involves animals marching two-by-two and rainbows and an epic sea voyage.  What’s not to love?  But geologists frown upon it because they see no confirmation anywhere for a universal flood.  And that evidence is hard to dismiss.  But some theologians still hold fast.  They even build life-size arks in Kentucky (admission is only $48!). But other theologians just shake their heads.  For them a myth is as good as a denial.  Giants and world annihilation, a curse and a promise, animals and offerings, unchecked evil and an unleashed chaos, a righteous Noah and a naked Noah, an ark and a new beginning – the story of

By |2018-09-08T22:50:20+00:00September 2nd, 2018|Categories: Sermon, Water Water Everywhere|Tags: , , |
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The Promise

This sermon is based on Genesis 12:1-3. While this sermon does not deal directly with the flood, it provides a needed context for the next sermon in this series, as well as a valuable overview of how God is a promise-keeping God. SERIES OVERVIEW: Water, water everywhere, God destroys the world he loves in a blink! Water, water everywhere Explain all of this and tell me what to think! Let’s face it, the flood narrative is hard to understand.  Kids love it because it involves animals marching two-by-two and rainbows and an epic sea voyage.  What’s not to love?  But geologists frown upon it because they see no confirmation anywhere for a universal flood.  And that evidence is hard to dismiss.  But some theologians still hold fast.  They even build life-size arks in Kentucky (admission is only $48!). But other theologians just shake their heads.  For them a myth is as good as a denial.  Giants and world annihilation,

By |2018-08-22T11:09:22+00:00August 19th, 2018|Categories: Sermon, Water Water Everywhere|Tags: , , |
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The Bible and the Flood

This sermon is based on Genesis 6:9-20. SERIES OVERVIEW: Water, water everywhere, God destroys the world he loves in a blink! Water, water everywhere Explain all of this and tell me what to think! Let’s face it, the flood narrative is hard to understand.  Kids love it because it involves animals marching two-by-two and rainbows and an epic sea voyage.  What’s not to love?  But geologists frown upon it because they see no confirmation anywhere for a universal flood.  And that evidence is hard to dismiss.  But some theologians still hold fast.  They even build life-size arks in Kentucky (admission is only $48!). But other theologians just shake their heads.  For them a myth is as good as a denial.  Giants and world annihilation, a curse and a promise, animals and offerings, unchecked evil and an unleashed chaos, a righteous Noah and a naked Noah, an ark and a new beginning – the story of Noah and the Flood

By |2018-08-15T16:27:05+00:00August 12th, 2018|Categories: Sermon, Water Water Everywhere|Tags: , , , |
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A Flood of Salvation

This sermon is based on Genesis 6:5-8. SERIES OVERVIEW: Water, water everywhere, God destroys the world he loves in a blink! Water, water everywhere Explain all of this and tell me what to think! Let’s face it, the flood narrative is hard to understand.  Kids love it because it involves animals marching two-by-two and rainbows and an epic sea voyage.  What’s not to love?  But geologists frown upon it because they see no confirmation anywhere for a universal flood.  And that evidence is hard to dismiss.  But some theologians still hold fast.  They even build life-size arks in Kentucky (admission is only $48!). But other theologians just shake their heads.  For them a myth is as good as a denial.  Giants and world annihilation, a curse and a promise, animals and offerings, unchecked evil and an unleashed chaos, a righteous Noah and a naked Noah, an ark and a new beginning – the story of Noah and the Flood

By |2018-08-07T14:25:22+00:00August 5th, 2018|Categories: Sermon, Water Water Everywhere|Tags: , , |
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Why, not When or Where or How

This sermon serves as an introduction to this new series and is based on Genesis 6:1-8. SERIES OVERVIEW: Water, water everywhere, God destroys the world he loves in a blink! Water, water everywhere Explain all of this and tell me what to think! Let’s face it, the flood narrative is hard to understand.  Kids love it because it involves animals marching two-by-two and rainbows and an epic sea voyage.  What’s not to love?  But geologists frown upon it because they see no confirmation anywhere for a universal flood.  And that evidence is hard to dismiss.  But some theologians still hold fast.  They even build life-size arks in Kentucky (admission is only $48!). But other theologians just shake their heads.  For them a myth is as good as a denial.  Giants and world annihilation, a curse and a promise, animals and offerings, unchecked evil and an unleashed chaos, a righteous Noah and a naked Noah, an ark and a new

By |2018-07-31T15:29:52+00:00July 29th, 2018|Categories: Sermon, Water Water Everywhere|Tags: , , , |
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Truly Great Parents

This sermon is based on Luke 1:46-55. SERIES OVERVIEW: Parenting is impossible, and nothing is more impossible. And, at the same time, nothing is more important or more wonderful. And kids are great (unless they are being impossible, which they tend to be, oftentimes). Now, for impossible times like this, what we need is the Bible. But the Bible is not a “How-to Manual” that gives five-easy-steps to parenting success. Instead, the Bible speaks grace into our lives so that we have hope in times of need. And the Bible gives us principles so that we can have a clear vision for what’s important in life. And the Bible inclines our hearts to wisdom so we can learn to navigate life. And the Bible gives us plenty of examples of bad parenting so we can learn from their mistakes (and yes, it also gives us a sufficient number of examples of good parenting, too). See, being

By |2018-07-27T20:54:04+00:00July 22nd, 2018|Categories: Sermon, The Errant Parent|Tags: , , |
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Truly Errant Parents

This sermon is based on 1 Samuel 2:22-25. SERIES OVERVIEW: Parenting is impossible, and nothing is more impossible. And, at the same time, nothing is more important or more wonderful. And kids are great (unless they are being impossible, which they tend to be, oftentimes). Now, for impossible times like this, what we need is the Bible. But the Bible is not a “How-to Manual” that gives five-easy-steps to parenting success. Instead, the Bible speaks grace into our lives so that we have hope in times of need. And the Bible gives us principles so that we can have a clear vision for what’s important in life. And the Bible inclines our hearts to wisdom so we can learn to navigate life. And the Bible gives us plenty of examples of bad parenting so we can learn from their mistakes (and yes, it also gives us a sufficient number of examples of good parenting, too). See,

By |2018-07-27T20:54:21+00:00July 15th, 2018|Categories: Sermon, The Errant Parent|Tags: , , , |
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