Keystone Habits + Sunday Morning Resources

TCC • January 7, 2022

We began a new series on Sunday on HABITS: Small steps, big change. I’ve been anticipating this series since I picked up a copy of a great book called Atomic Habits by James Clear. I get to unpack some of the theory behind habits in my message this Sunday. One of the key ideas behind habits is that there are habits that we engage in, without thinking about what we’re doing, like brushing our teeth or shaving. That’s how our brain functions to keep us from being overwhelmed by all the decisions we would be making each day if everything we did was new and untried. At the same time, there are certain “keystone” habits that we must purposefully choose to add to our lives if we are going to reap the fantastic benefits they offer.


The top keystone habit based upon surveys done by thousands of Followers of Jesus is Bible Engagement. Specifically engaging with the Bible at least four days per week. Mark Hadley, our Spiritual Growth Pastor, laid a great foundation for us on Sunday with his practical message on developing a habit of Bible Engagement. His own personal work in spiritual formation that was visible inspires us all to grow.


The fruit and results of this habit are staggering. Bible Engagement draws us more deeply into relationship with God and others, grows our confidence in God’s promises, and empowers us to make steps with God and fulfill His Kingdom purposes in our lives. Honestly, you can’t know God without knowing His Word.


But Bible Engagement also helps us in areas that aren’t necessarily spiritual. Surveys show that Bible Engagement improves marriages, relationships, mental health, careers, finances, character, and decision making. The Center for Biblical Engagement released the results of their survey of over 400,000 people, and they discovered that people who engage with the Bible regularly are less lonely, have fewer destructive thoughts, have reduced anxiety, abuse alcohol and substances less, and were less likely to struggle with issues of self-worth and value.


You can see the great benefits of this habit. Do you want to have these things be true for you? Let me encourage you to watch Mark’s message from Sunday. Here’s a link to watch it. After that, log on to our website and look for our Bible Reading plans section or just click here. Once you’ve decided to engage with the Bible consider joining a Life Group, where you can be with others like yourself who are seeking to engage with the Bible. Also, make sure to be at church (or watch online when you can’t be here in person) and make sure to listen intently and seek to hear what God is saying to you in His Word. When we sing, listen for the references to Biblical concepts and quotes and engage in a new way. Finally, learn to pray God’s Word back to Him and ask Him to help you develop this keystone habit. As Mark said on Sunday, “When you engage with God’s Word, you align with God’s heart.”

 

Here are some upcoming opportunities to SHARE LIFE and SPREAD HOPE to our family and community. 

 

FAMILY SNOW DAY – Saturday, January 8. A few weeks ago, it didn’t look like this even could happen because of a lack of snow. Well, now after our snowpocalypse, we have an abundance. Join our families for a fun day. Please follow all safety signs as you enjoy the snow.


LIFE GROUPS are open NOW for the winter/spring semester. Make sure to stop by the SHARE LIFE table in the lobby and let us help you find a group that fits you! You can also find out more on our website. 

 

THRIVE UNLEASHED – January 14-15. This is an amazing winter retreat for junior high and high school students. See the website to register. 


BABES WHO BRUNCH – January 15, 11:00am-12:30pm. This is for young women to gather for relationship, a potluck-style brunch, a speaker who focuses on a specific topic that will help you grow, or a fun activity or craft. Please bring a brunch dish to share with everyone. Free childcare will also be available. Get ready to eat some brunch, have some fun, learn, grow spiritually, and make new friends!

 

THIS SUNDAY, we continue our series HABITS: Small steps, big change. Folks, I’m excited to walk through some of the core ideas behind the power of habits this week. If you want to make changes in your life, please make sure to be with us in person this week as we talk about Healthy Habits.

 

Here are the links you’ll need to prepare for Sunday’s Service: 


   

Joyfully living everyday life on mission in intimacy with Jesus and others,

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Brand: New – Why the Old Way No Longer Works + Sunday Morning Resources

By TCC • August 1, 2025
This weekend, we’re continuing our Brand: New series by looking at why the “Temple Model” of religion, with all its rules, rituals, and spiritual scorecards, is incompatible with the brand-new covenant of grace Jesus came to give us. Paul says it best in Galatians 5: “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. ” But for many of us, letting go of old ways of earning God’s love feels almost impossible. We like the idea of grace… but we still want to “pay what we can.” This Sunday, we’ll see why Jesus’ new covenant isn’t just an upgrade to the old system. It’s a completely different way of life. Bring a friend and join us as we discover how freeing and powerful this brand-new movement really is. Here are some helpful resources to get you ready for the weekend: Message Notes and Study Guide Weekly Spotify Playlist Children's Ministry Student Ministry See you Sunday.

The Benefit of Doubt and a Chance to Make a Difference + Sunday Morning Resources

By TCC • July 18, 2025
This Sunday, we wrap up our Beyond Doubt series, not because the questions have run out, but because they never will. Doubt isn’t a detour from faith; it’s part of the path. So we’ll end where we began: exploring how our honest questions can actually lead to deeper trust in God. We’ll look at one of the psalms of lament and discover how engaging our doubts can strengthen a resilient, grounded faith. Also, don’t forget that our Hope for Nevada County Backpack Giveaway is just one week away! We’re excited to bless local families with the tools their kids need to start school strong, but we’re still in need of several key supplies: • 1" binders • 70-page spiral notebooks • Pencils (both regular and mechanical) • Colored pencils • Glue sticks • Scissors • Highlighters Please choose one or more items, purchase multiples of them and bring them with you to church on Sunday or have them shipped directly to the church. Click here to find out more about the event. Thank you for being a church that shows up for our community in real, practical ways. Here are some helpful resources to get you ready for the weekend: Message Notes and Study Guide Weekly Spotify Playlist Children's Ministry Student Ministry See you Sunday.

Living on a Prayer + Sunday Morning Resources

By TCC • July 11, 2025
Prayer. It’s something many of us struggle with and long to understand better. What is it really for? Does it actually change anything? And how do we pray when we’re not sure what to say? This Sunday, as part of our Beyond Doubt series, I’ll be joined by Pastor Dan Prout, who heads the California Prayer Coalition. Dan has spent decades leading prayer efforts in our region and across the state, and I can’t think of a better guide to help us wrestle with some of our biggest questions about prayer, including, “Does prayer change God’s mind?” and “If God already knows what’s going to happen, why should we pray at all?” I hope you’ll join us for this honest, encouraging, and practical conversation. And if it leaves you wanting more, Dan will also be leading this week’s Grow University session to help you take the next step in your prayer life. Click here for details on that midweek conversation. Finally, we are two weeks away from Hope for Nevada County, our countywide back-to-school effort to help struggling families prepare for the start of the school year. We have all the backpacks, but what we really need are back-to-school supplies to fill those backpacks: pencils, mechanical pencils, glue sticks, binder paper, pens, 2-pocket folders, 1" binders, 70-page spiral notebooks, colored markers or pencils, scissors, dry erase markers, and highlighters. You can purchase multiples of one of these items and drop them off at church by Sunday, July 20 or just have them shipped directly to the church. Click here to find out more about the event. Here are some helpful resources to get you ready for the weekend: Message Notes and Study Guide Weekly Spotify Playlist Children's Ministry Student Ministry See you Sunday.

At the End of All Things: A Conversation about End Times and What Follows + Sunday Morning Resources

By TCC • June 27, 2025
Last Sunday, we had a candid and meaningful conversation about death and the afterlife. I’m so grateful for the wisdom Gregory Ingram shared with us — and for the space we had to grapple with honest questions about such a tender topic. I know for many, that conversation stirred up even more questions, which is why I’m excited that Gregory will be continuing the conversation in July as part of Grow University . Click here for details. This weekend, we’ll explore a couple of important topics we didn’t have time to fully address. With so much happening in the world — especially in the Middle East — it’s natural to ask, “Is this it? Are we living in the End Times?” We’ll also wrestle with another big question: "If Heaven is real, what about Hell? Why would a loving God send anyone there?" Pastor John will guide us through these difficult, but important questions as we continue our Beyond Doubt series. You won’t want to miss it. Here are some helpful resources to get you ready for the weekend: Message Notes and Study Guide Weekly Spotify Playlist Children's Ministry Student Ministry See you Sunday.

A Big Week at TCC — and a Big Topic This Sunday + Sunday Morning Resources

By TCC • June 20, 2025
What a week it’s been! Our campus has been filled with laughter, learning, and life-changing moments as over 270 kids enjoyed an amazing week at Vacation Bible School. Meanwhile, more than 50 students have been away at youth camp, growing in faith and friendship. A huge thank you to every parent, volunteer, and leader who made these incredible experiences possible! Speaking of investing in the next generation, with all the Father’s Day excitement, we almost forgot to mention that last week marked 20 years since we moved into our current building! This milestone comes at a perfect time — together, we just crossed the $100,000 mark toward our Investing in the Future campaign. I know I haven’t talked much about it (I really don’t like talking about money), but we’re trusting God to help us raise a total of $600,000 to repair our roof, façade, and HVAC so our building remains a safe, welcoming place for decades to come — and to help build a church for a growing community in Uganda. To learn more or join in, click here . This Sunday, we’ll tackle one of life’s biggest questions: What really happens when we die? Do we go straight to Heaven , or do our souls wait until Jesus returns? What will eternity actually be like? Will it be an endless worship service in the clouds — and will we know our loved ones when we get there? To help us explore these questions, I’ll be joined by Gregory Ingram, director of Anew Day and a former hospice chaplain with nearly 20 years of experience walking alongside people in their final days. You won’t want to miss this meaningful conversation. I’m so grateful to be on this adventure of following Jesus together. Here are some helpful resources to get you ready for the weekend: Message Notes and Study Guide Weekly Spotify Playlist Children's Ministry Student Ministry See you Sunday.

Is God Really a Good Father? + Sunday Morning Resources

By TCC • June 13, 2025
This Sunday is Father’s Day, and we know it can stir up all kinds of emotions. For some, it’s a day of gratitude and great memories. For others, it’s more complicated. That’s why we’re asking a big question this weekend: Is God really a good Father? Because let’s be honest, some of what we read in the Old Testament can make God seem angry, distant, or even harsh. But what if those difficult passages are meant to be read through the lens of Jesus, the Son who came not to protect us from the Father, but to show us who He truly is? We’ll explore some of those tough questions honestly and discover a clearer picture of God’s heart. Plus, we’ll celebrate Communion together as a tangible reminder that in Christ, we are fully loved and fully welcomed home. Here are some helpful resources to get you ready for the weekend: Message Notes and Study Guide Weekly Spotify Playlist Children's Ministry Student Ministry See you Sunday.

The Problem of Suffering + Sunday Morning Resources

By TCC • June 6, 2025
The single most asked question we got was some form of the following: If God is good, why does He let us suffer? Maybe you’ve asked it in a hospital room, or in the middle of a sleepless night. Maybe you’re asking it right now. If so, you’re not alone. It’s one of the deepest and most difficult questions of faith, and we’re facing it head on this weekend as we continue our Beyond Doubt series. We’ll explore what the Bible says about suffering and how viewing it through the lens of Jesus can shift our perspective. It won’t erase the pain, but it may help us see that God has not abandoned us in it. In fact, He may be closer than we ever imagined. If your heart is heavy or your hope feels thin, come. Let’s seek God’s presence and peace — together. Here are some helpful resources to get you ready for the weekend: Message Notes and Study Guide Weekly Spotify Playlist Children's Ministry Student Ministry See you Sunday.

The Bible’s Rosetta Stone – A Conversation You Won’t Want to Miss + Sunday Morning Resources

By TCC • May 30, 2025
This Sunday, we’re continuing our Beyond Doubt series with a conversation I’ve been really looking forward to. I’ll be sitting down with Dr. David Timms, Dean of New Testament and Leadership at Jessup University to talk about how we make sense of the Bible as a whole. More specifically, we will discuss the lens which he suggests best brings the whole of Scripture into focus and reveals the heart of God most clearly. It’ll be an honest, thoughtful conversation about questions many of us have had — especially when different parts of the Bible seem to paint very different pictures of God. David has a gift for making deep theology accessible, and I think you’ll find his insights both challenging and encouraging (his accent is pretty awesome, as well). If you’ve ever struggled with how to read Scripture or wondered how it all fits together, this one’s for you. Here are some helpful resources to get you ready for the weekend: Message Notes and Study Guide Weekly Spotify Playlist Children's Ministry Student Ministry Can’t wait to share it with you,

Twisted Scripture: How to Read the Bible Responsibly + Sunday Morning Resources

By TCC • May 23, 2025
This Sunday, we’re continuing our Beyond Doubt series with a crucial follow-up to last week’s message on trusting the Bible. Now that we’ve established what the Bible is, we’re turning our attention to how we read it — because let’s face it, the Bible has been used to justify both beautiful and terrible things. So how do we make sure we’re interpreting it responsibly? We’ll talk about why context matters, how our personal lens can unintentionally distort God’s Word, and why a single verse — ripped out of its context — can be twisted to say almost anything. You’ll learn a practical, easy-to-remember approach to reading the Bible faithfully and responsibly — not just devotionally. If you’ve ever struggled with conflicting interpretations or felt unsure about how to make sense of the Bible, this message is for you. Together, we will discover how to let God’s word shape us — without being reshaped by us. Here are some helpful resources to get you ready for the weekend: Message Notes and Study Guide Weekly Spotify Playlist Children's Ministry Student Ministry See you Sunday,
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