This Sunday we will be continuing our new teaching series, "Future Church". Michael De Selm will be teaching on the mission of the church, different types of love, and what it tangibly looks within a church community (1 Corinthians 13). We hope you can join us!
Pack-a-backpack Sunday
On August 8th, we will be serving our local community through packing school backpacks for the less fortunate in the city of Allentown. Travis Ross will also be speaking on the importance of our church body using its different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. We hope you can join us!
Freedom Starts Today Series: Freedom To Submit
On August 1st, we will be hearing from Safe Place Ministry's Bethann Miller, and the act of freely submitting to God in order to be made well.
The "Freedom Starts Today" series is inspired by the 90 day devotional (of the same name) by John Elmore. This book encourages us to practice confession and repentance daily, in order to live lives worthy of our calling. We hope you can join us!
Freedom Starts Today Series: Freedom From Trauma
On July 25th, we will be hearing from Riverbend Lead Pastor, Joseph Velarde. Joe will be teaching through 1 John and how we find freedom from trauma through continual trust in Jesus Christ. The "Freedom Starts Today" series is inspired by the 90 day devotional (of the same name) by John Elmore. This book encourages us to practice confession and repentance daily, in order to live lives worthy of our calling. We hope you can join us!
Freedom Starts Today Series: Freedom From Suffering
On July 18th, we invite you to hear from Keith Kaeppel, leader of "The Climb" Youth Ministry. Keith will be teaching through Philippians 4 and how freedom through suffering leads to contentment in Christ. The "Freedom Starts Today" series is inspired by the 90 day devotional (of the same name) by John Elmore. This book encourages us to practice confession and repentance daily, in order to live lives worthy of our calling. We hope you can join us!
Freedom Starts Today Series - Freedom From Shame
On July 11th, we invite you to hear from Riverbend Worship Leader, Michael De Selm. He will be sharing about freedom from shame, and the ministry of reconciliation.
The "Freedom Starts Today" series is inspired by the 90 day devotional (of the same name) by John Elmore. This book encourages us to practice confession and repentance daily, in order to live lives worthy of our calling. We hope you can join us!
Freedom Starts Today Series - Freedom Through Dependence
July 4th we hear from our creative arts pastor, Christopher Dean. He will be sharing his personal story of transformation and freedom by God's power.
The "Freedom Starts Today" series is inspired by the 90 day devotional (of the same name) by John Elmore. This book encourages us to practice confession and repentance daily, in order to live lives worthy of our calling. We hope you can join us!
*Within today's sermon there is a clip from season 2 of "The Chosen". We strongly encourage you to watch BOTH amazing seasons of this series for FREE at www.thechosen.tv/app
The Pursuit of Greatness - The Great Commandment
Audio was originally recorded at Riverbend’s Sunday Gathering on June 13th, 2021.
Run Your Race Series - Finishing Well
Riverbend Gathering Audio originally recorded on May 30th, 2021. “Finishing Well” is the conclusion of the Run Your Race Series - a study on Hebrews 12 - 13.
Run Your Race Series - Remember, Consider, Imitate
This week speaker Matt Kay continues through the book of Hebrews (13:7-18) - Teaching on the importance of remembering, considering, and imitating the author and perfecter of our faith, Jesus Christ.
Run Your Race Series - Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow
This week Pastor Travis continues through the book of Hebrews, teaching through 13:1-7.
Run Your Race Series - Unshakable
Throughout the Bible, we hear of the voice of the Lord is powerful- that when God speaks, all of creation is subject to His will. Psalm 29 focuses on this power and majesty of the voice of the Lord- it breaks the cedars, it flashes forth fire, it shakes the wilderness. The author in Hebrews points to this and says that God’s voice will “shake” or “consume” that which is temporary, so that what is permanent (“unshakeable”) will remain. We are reminded to stay sensitive to that voice, and to focus our worship on that which is truly worthy, rather than that which will be burned away. None will be more worthy than the center of this unshakeable kingdom, God Himself.
Run Your Race Series - Unqualified vs. Qualified
Mount Sinai, where Moses received the ten commandments, was a place where the people were rightly introduced to the fear of God in light of His holiness and justice. However, in Hebrews, the author makes the point that we no longer stand in the shadow of Mount Sinai, but in the shadow of Mount Zion. Here, we are not confronted with our sin but where our sin is covered in the righteousness of Christ. We are free to joyfully run the race set before us, qualified to win because ofJesus qualifications on our behalf.
Run Your Race Series - Inheritance
This week, Pastor Travis continues through Hebrews 12 - teaching through the story of Esau, and the importance of understanding the value of our inheritance.
Run Your Race Series - Training Day
An encouragement to us as we run the race of faith is that we are a child of God. He is our Father. He provides for us what we need, and loves us more fully than we would imagine. But as a Father, he gives discipline- hardships that He allows to enter our lives. He does not do this callously or menacingly, but He does this from a place of closeness and deep relationship. He has our best interests at heart as he delights in us as his children who have been made righteous in His eyes through what He gave for us in Jesus.
Run Your Race Series - Eyes On Jesus
The great men and women of faith from the Old Testament are a “cloud of witnesses” that inspire us to run a race of endurance as we pursue the righteousness of God and wait for His promises. But, we have something that those who came before do not have- Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 11). He went to the cross to assure us that God does know our struggles intimately and cares for us infinitely. And our faith is not in vain because he rose and is victorious against sin, that chasm which had separated us from the righteousness of God and his promises.
Defining Moments Series - Suffering
The usefulness of faith is not so much defined by how good a person is at practicing that faith, but instead by the object of the faith. When the object of our faith is Jesus, the one who fulfills a better resurrection, even the most severe sufferings of this life are endurable. This is possible because this faith asserts that sin, leading to eternal and final suffering, doesn’t have the last word in our story. Instead, this faith in Jesus knows of a victory over sin and death, a victory that we specifically reflect on during this week leading up to Resurrection Sunday.
Defining Moments Series - Faithfulness and Fruitfulness
Hebrews 11 is often called the “Hall of Faith”, looking at the people of God in the past and explaining how they did things that, on the surface, didn’t make sense. They do this because they have a confident assurance in who God is, they have placed their faith and hope in the right One. And even though there are failures, this faith that tethers their heart to the God who conquers all, justifies them. And today, we all through faith are able to be justified in spite of our failures through Jesus whom God sent for us.
Greater Than Series - Is There Hope For The Church?
This Sunday we will conclude our teaching series, "Greater Than" as Elder Drew Dolan will teach through Hebrews 10 - unpacking the Hope of the Church, the Beauty of the Church, and the Hope for the Church.
Greater Than Series - Once And For All
The concept of covenant is further expanded on here in chapter 9. One of the things that this new relationship with God through Christ does is to clear our conscious and to free us to serve him. The sin that clings closely to us has been dealt with once and for all, and through this God shows he loves us and he will not forsake us.