 At the heart of every person lies a deep, persistent hunger. It's a craving that drives us—not just toward food, but toward approval, comfort, success, and control. This hunger is not a flaw in our design, but an intentional feature, pointing us toward something—or rather someone—greater than ourselves. In John 6:26–35, Jesus challenges our understanding of satisfaction and invites us into a new kind of fullness.
The crowd in John 6 had just seen a miracle. They had been fed by Jesus with loaves and fish, a moment of divine provision. But instead of seeking the One behind the miracle, they chased the miracle itself. They came demanding more signs, more proof, more performance. How often do we do the same? We seek God’s hand before we seek His heart. We want what He can give us, rather than who He is. But Jesus doesn’t indulge that mindset—He lovingly redirects it. He tells them, “I am the bread of life,” and with that, He reorients the conversation from temporary satisfaction to eternal sustenance. As a church, we recognize that belief is not about bargaining with God. It’s not “Jesus, I’ll follow you if…” but “Jesus, I’ll follow you because You alone are life.” True belief means building our lives around His truth, not just acknowledging it with our minds. Jesus wasn’t offering them daily bread like Moses once did. He was offering Himself—the true Bread from Heaven, the source of everlasting life. The crowd asked for more food, but what they truly needed was a relationship with the Giver of life. The message of Jesus invites us to examine our expectations. Are we approaching Jesus just to fix our circumstances, or are we coming to know Him as the only One who can truly satisfy our souls? When we reduce faith to a transactional relationship, we miss the transformational one that Jesus offers. Christianity is not primarily about blessings or breakthroughs. It is first and foremost about following the crucified and risen Son of God. It also challenges us to aim our ambitions higher. We live in a culture that equates satisfaction with accumulation—more money, more success, more attention. But even when we get what we’ve been chasing, the hunger returns. The satisfaction is short-lived. Jesus invites us to invest our energy in things that last, to crave eternal life found in knowing Him—not just the good gifts He gives, but the goodness of His presence. Lastly, we are called to trust His truth. To believe in Jesus is to place the full weight of our lives on His promises, His person, and His work. It means choosing to live as if He really is who He says He is. It’s in that ongoing relationship—daily returning to Him, daily depending on Him—that we find true fullness. Like the manna in the wilderness, Jesus is not a one-time fix. He is our daily bread. If you’re new to faith, or even if you’ve walked with Jesus for years, this is a fresh invitation. Come to Him not for a product, but for a person. Don’t settle for temporary relief when eternal life is available. Jesus is not just a supplement to your life—He is the source of life itself. And when you come to Him, you will discover what we’ve found again and again: nothing can fill you like Jesus. - Adapted from sermons preached across our 3 campuses on 5/25/25.
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Have you ever noticed how being thirsty changes everything? When our bodies lack water, thirst quickly becomes the loudest need. Nothing else matters until that craving is satisfied. Yet, beneath the physical thirst is a deeper, often ignored reality: a soul-level thirst that no drink, no achievement, and no distraction can truly quench. This spiritual thirst is something every human carries, whether we recognize it or not. Just as our bodies need water to survive, our souls long for something more—something only Jesus can satisfy.
In John 4, we see this truth illustrated through the story of a Samaritan woman who came to a well, simply trying to get through another day. She was tired, worn out, and carrying deep emotional wounds. But in the middle of her routine, Jesus met her. What seemed like an ordinary moment—a request for a drink of water—quickly turned into an extraordinary encounter. Jesus wasn’t just asking for a drink; He was offering her living water that would satisfy her soul in a way nothing else ever could. This passage reminds us that Jesus intentionally goes where others avoid. While cultural norms, prejudices, and personal discomfort kept most people from interacting with Samaritans, Jesus went straight through Samaria. He chose not to avoid the awkward, messy, or different. Instead, He sat down at the well, tired and thirsty, to connect with someone everyone else overlooked. That same intentional love is extended to us today. Jesus meets us in our brokenness, without shame, offering grace and truth in a way that heals. The woman at the well had spent years trying to satisfy her soul’s thirst with temporary solutions—relationships, distractions, and the hope that “maybe this time will be different.” Yet, none of it worked. Like her, we often turn to things like success, relationships, entertainment, or even good things like community and service, hoping they’ll fill the void. But these wells always leave us coming back empty. Only Jesus offers a spring of living water that never runs dry. One of the most beautiful moments in this story is how Jesus responds to her brokenness. He doesn’t flinch at her past. He doesn’t shame her for her mistakes. Instead, He names what’s broken with compassion and invites her into something better. Jesus gives her both truth and love—truth that reveals the source of her emptiness and love that assures her she’s still wanted and seen. This kind of encounter changes people. It changed her, and it can change us too. After encountering Jesus, the woman’s priorities shifted. She left her water jar behind—the very reason she came to the well no longer seemed so important. Instead of hiding, she ran to tell others about the one who truly satisfied her soul. Her story became a testimony of transformation. The people who once dismissed her could not ignore the evidence of a real encounter with Jesus. Jesus invites us to consider the wells we’ve been going to in search of satisfaction. Are we still thirsty after chasing things that the world promises will fulfill us? Jesus offers us the same invitation He extended to the woman at the well: to drink deeply of the living water He provides. When we discern our true thirst, repent of the things that keep us empty, indulge in His presence, nurture authentic community, and share our stories with others, we discover a satisfaction that the world’s temporary fixes can never match. Our prayer as a church is that we would stop going back to empty wells and instead embrace the living water Jesus offers. He alone satisfies what the world intensifies. Today, may we accept His invitation, lay down our empty jars, and experience the soul-deep fulfillment found only in Him. - Adapted from the messages preached at our 3 campuses on 5/18/25.  At Walloon Lake Community Church, we have been on a transformative journey since 1898—a journey rooted in faith, sacrifice, and the relentless pursuit of God's mission. From our earliest days in the village of Talcott, built by hands and hearts committed to spreading the gospel, our church has grown into a thriving spiritual family. As we step into a new season with gratitude for our 126-year legacy, we are taking intentional time to reflect on the six core values that define who we are and guide everything we do.
First and foremost, Jesus is our everything. He is not a side note or an accessory to our faith—He is the foundation of our lives. In Him, we find justification, sanctification, and one day, glorification. Every word we teach, every song we sing, and every mission we pursue is centered on Jesus. As Colossians 3 reminds us, our real life is hidden with Christ in God. That’s why we are determined to lift Him highest and point others to Him above all else. We also believe that prayer is our power. It’s not just a practice—it’s our lifeline. In every gathering, decision, and private moment, we seek God’s guidance and strength. Prayer is how we invite the resources of heaven into the needs of earth. Whether it’s a churchwide prayer event or a quiet cry for help, we acknowledge our dependence on the Lord and His ability to do what we cannot. Community is another essential part of our DNA. Family is our framework, and we are convinced that we grow better together. Church is not a building or a program—it’s a spiritual family. God designed His people to live in unity, to bear with one another, and to be transformed through imperfect relationships in His perfect grace. We are deeply committed to being the kind of church where everyone belongs, even when it's messy. Scripture is our source. We believe the Bible is inspired by God and completely sufficient for life, faith, and ministry. It’s not just a book we study—it’s the foundation upon which we build our lives. God’s Word instructs, corrects, equips, and leads us through every season. As a church, we commit to teaching and living out the truth of Scripture with courage and clarity. Love is our lifestyle. We aim to love others with the same radical, sacrificial love that we have received from Jesus. This means that grace isn’t reserved for the polished—it’s offered freely to the broken, the searching, and the struggling. We want to be a church that loves without conditions, not just when it’s convenient or popular, but as a way of life in every season. Finally, outreach is our objective. Lost people matter deeply to Jesus, and therefore they matter deeply to us. We are not content to keep the hope of the gospel to ourselves. Whether it's through local service, global missions, or simply extending an invitation to a friend, we are committed to making space for everyone to meet Jesus here. Even if it gets messy or uncomfortable, we believe that’s exactly where grace thrives. These six values aren’t just ideals on a page—they are the heartbeat of our community. They shape how we live, how we serve, and how we love. As we move forward together, we do so with the confidence that when we live with sanctified purpose, our lives have power—and when we live with shared purpose, our church has power. Let’s continue to be transformed so that we can be a transforming presence in our world. - Adapted from the sermon preached at our Walloon Lake campus on 5/4/2025. |
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These posts are adapted from our pastors' weekly sermons.
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