
Hosted by Northwest Vineyard Neighborhood Church · EN

Continuing the Lenten series "Participating," Hannah Engebretson explores how we navigate the "thorns" in our lives—those persistent points of pain, weakness, or affliction that we desperately want removed. Drawing from 2 Corinthians 12, Hannah looks at the Apostle Paul's experience of pleading with God for relief, only to receive the answer: "My grace is sufficient for you." By reflecting on her own season of physical brokenness and the "suffering of God" found in the Lenten journey, she challenges the idea that we must be "fixed" to be useful to the Kingdom. Instead, she invites us to participate in God's grace by re-engaging with our stories and trusting that His power is made perfect not in our competence, but in our weakness. For more information about the church, please visit northwestvineyard.org.

Continuing in the "Participating" series and the season of Lent, Pastor Scott Engebretson explores the difficult invitation to participate in the suffering of Christ. Using a humorous story about "yak milk" in Nepal to illustrate how we often expect one thing but receive another, Scott dives into the story of Simon of Cyrene from Luke 23. He discusses the reality that the "cross" is often something forced upon us unexpectedly—through grief, health crises, or brokenness—rather than something we choose. Drawing from the prayers of Jesus in Gethsemane, Scott encourages the community to move from "not my will" to "your will be done," reminding us that while we don't choose the moment of our suffering, we can choose to participate in its redeeming power. For more information about the church, please visit northwestvineyard.org.

Continuing the "Participating" series during Lent, Pastor Scott Engebretson uses the survival show Alone as a backdrop to discuss how we navigate the "wilderness" of life's hardships. Drawing from John 16, Scott explores the inevitable "labor pains" of the world and how Jesus prepares his disciples for the trouble ahead. He highlights three ways we are called to participate when life gets hard: by waiting faithfully, by weeping and mourning honestly rather than bypassing pain, and by resisting the urge to scatter or isolate. Ultimately, Scott reminds us that because Jesus has overcome the world, we never have to navigate our physical, spiritual, or emotional troubles alone. For more information about the church, please visit northwestvineyard.org.

Kicking off the new series, "Participating," and entering the season of Lent, Pastor Scott Engebretson looks at the reality of temptation and the "death spirals" we often find ourselves in. Using the story of Jesus in the wilderness from Luke 4:1-13, Scott highlights how the enemy targets our most basic needs, our desire for protection, and our hunger for power. He explores how Jesus resisted these temptations not through sheer willpower, but by being led by the Spirit and anchored in Scripture. Scott invites the community to participate in the new life Jesus offers—reminding us that while the enemy tempted Jesus to throw Himself down for show, Jesus chose to lay Himself down in Jerusalem to seek and save the lost. For more information about the church, please visit northwestvineyard.org.