How do you want to be remembered? More specifically, how do you want to live in light of the reality that there is nothing new under the sun and that everyone will eventually be forgotten by the generations that come after? YIKES! And yet, what if there is actually an incredible feeling of hope and a clear sense of direction that emerges from this …

The book of Ecclesiastes may look discouraging and hopeless on the surface -- "Life is meaningless!" -- but it also offers incredible guidance, hope, and encouragement for those that look beneath the surface. Most of all, it helps us to navigate the challenge of living this life when this life doesn't make sense, feels unfair, or brings incredible …

As we come to the topic of Good Friday, we're forced to confront a final set of expectations that must be redefined - namely that we can avoid death and still have new life. This is one of the most difficult truths to embrace in the life of a follower of Jesus, and we invite you to join Lee and Jon as they discuss how to practically and helpfully e…

One of Jesus' last prayers was that we would be one -- with each other and with Him. In other words, He was reminding us that we need "WE"...and not just sometimes. We need Him all the time! And we need to be in union with others all the time! To do that, however, we need to redefine our expectations around what "WE" is supposed to look like. So, p…

"We often don't realize we have wrong expectations until they are unmet." This is especially true in our relationship with Jesus. There are the things we know about God and then there are the things we believe in our heart about God. And when there is unresolved tension between those two, we will often miss out on the life to the full and the life …

Every so often an age-old question gets a new, helpful answer. This week, Faith Forward is tackling "how to reach the next generation" -- and while the answer is probably not what you expect, it has the potential to profoundly shift the way you engage with the younger people around you. So, pull up a chair and join Mike and Jon as they share some i…

It's the final episode of the series, and we're wrestling with the reality that the WAY we do something and WHY we do it matters more than WHAT we do. Being devoted to prayer is critical. Being wise in how we live among others is vital. Speaking graciously and attractively is essential. Yet, WHY we do those things and the WAY we do them matters eve…

There are many challenging sections of Scripture, and Colossians 3:18-25 is certainly one of them. How do we love Jesus more than ourselves when it comes to living as wives and husbands or children and parents? And how do we need to see both the context of that culture and the larger context of Scripture as a whole so as not to misuse Paul's words …

We agreed last week that the challenge is not so much "do I love Jesus?" but rather "do I love Jesus more than I love myself?". Paul says that, because of the work of Jesus, we are a new creation -- a new creation that needs to set aside some things and put on some others. This week, join Brian and Jon for a helpful and revealing conversation on wh…

The problem isn't so much "loving Jesus" as it is "loving Jesus more than we love ourselves." Often, the greatest barrier to experiencing the life to the full that Jesus died and rose to give us -- is us. But not in a performative way, and not in a way that focuses on shame or guilt or lack of effort. It's about compatibility. Jesus transformed you…

If Jesus is greater than everything else, then nothing else could possibly be needed in order to have a deeply satisfying life with God. Yet, throughout history and even today, we've often tried to supplement Jesus with things that seem offer more of what we want. Join Brian and Jon as they walk through the perceived allure of some classic "Jesus s…

You live in the midst of an epic story, and knowing your place in that story is more important than you may realize. It's important to know WHO the hero and the villain are in your story, but it's even more important to know HOW to interact with them. Join Lee and Jon for a helpful and practical discussion on experiencing Jesus as the center of you…

If Jesus is going to be the center of my life, I have to truly let Him be who He is. This week, Brian and Jon clarify what it means to let Jesus be the hero of my story -- not just one time for all time, but each and every day of my life. This media was produced by Christian Fellowship Church 44505 Atwater Drive Ashburn, VA 20147 1.703.729.3900 cfc…

If Jesus is going to be the absolute center of my life, it's important that I know the reason WHY He deserves to be there. Knowing the reason why, however, is only part of the process. The second part is ACCEPTING Him as the center of my life -- greater than anything else. Join Brian and Jon for a helpful and reflective conversation on the WHY of J…

Jesus is at the center of everything and is meant to be at the center of everything. But if we're being honest, is that truly the position He holds in my life? Is He at the center, or is one of several competing interests? Do I go to Him only when I need Him, or do I live a holistic life with Him? Join Brian and Jon for a practical and honest conve…

The start of a new year is a wonderful time for reflection on the past and goal-setting for the days ahead. It's also an important time to remember and renew our commitment to the most important things. When it comes to the life of a Christian, the most important thing is this -- His presence. Nothing else comes close. As you start your new year, j…

How do we not just practice the ritual of Advent, but experience the fullness of Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love during this Christmas season? Join Brian, Lee, and Jon for the first-ever Faith Forward episode recorded with live audience interaction.By Brian Bales, Jon Ackerman, Lee Towns

As we approach the holiday season - and Thanksgiving in particular - Pastor Lee invites us to think differently about the power of thankfulness. Not only that, but we also need to think differently about both the depth of our neediness and our resistance to having our needs met by God. However familiar you are with the topic of thanksgiving, this e…

In this final Off-brand Jesus episode, we look at what Jesus was focused on above all else -- the reconciliation of God's sons and daughters with Himself. More specifically, we're looking at HOW to live as shrewdly AND innocently as Jesus did while pursuing that ultimate goal. How do we go as sheep sent among wolves? Join Brian and Jon for the fina…

The off-brand of "tribalism" has been particularly noteworthy in the 21st century, but it's been wreaking havoc in the lives of believers since Jesus walked the earth. It seems to offer comfort, connection, and rightness, but it actually stunts our spiritual growth and leaves us living an immature faith. Intrigued? Join Brian and Jon for an honest …

This week's Off-brand topic is a recurring challenge for followers of Jesus - how to represent both grace AND truth. Whether situationally or in general, finding the balance of grace and truth has confounded all of us at one time or another. But what if balance isn't the goal -- what if it's being FULL of grace and truth? Intrigued? Join Brian and …

This week's "off-brand" is one of the more obvious at first glance, but also one of the most insidious and unrecognized in our daily life. Materialism is not just the desire for money or "stuff" -- it's the insistence on providing for comfort, security, and safety on my own turns. It's the belief that I can arrange for the abundant life. So, whethe…

This week's off-brand may be a new one for some people -- the off-brand of Universalism. It's hard enough to wrestle with the tension between God's desire for His children's salvation and the consequences for those who reject His invitation. But we can easily slip into an off-brand when we misunderstand the role God calls us to play in this process…

The trap of self-sufficiency is an easy way to succumb to an off-brand version of life with God. Self-sufficiency can feel mature, considerate, efficient, and even somewhat noble -- but it's a trap nonetheless. it traps us into believing that we don't need God or can work around Him. It can also convince us that we're supposed to do things FOR God …

Legalism is one of the most attractive and insidious off-brand versions of Jesus. Attractive because it seems to offer control over and safety from the unpredictability of God and other people. But it's insidious at its core because it attempts to recreate God as we would prefer Him and encourages us to view ourselves and others as we would like th…

There are many ways to end up with an "off-brand" life with Jesus -- accepting less than life to the full in order to be more comfortable and less challenged. In this week's episode, Lee and Jon tackle one of the sneakiest and most common causes of the off-brand life: selfishness. How do we overcome our deep-seated desire to make our life -- and Go…

We've accepted an "off-brand Jesus" when we accept less than life to the full in order to be more comfortable and less challenged. What does that look like when it comes to judging and judgementalism? Join Brian and Jon for a deeper look at why we often leap to critique or else avoid speaking truth at all. More importantly, listen in as we talk abo…

Off-brand products have the appearance of the real thing but lack the true quality or benefit of the original. Similarly, we have often settled for less than the true quality and benefit of Jesus because the alternative promised to cost us less or be close enough. How do we discover the places in our life where we've accepted an off-brand substitut…

Jesus taught about "forgiveness" on several occasions, and almost every time the teaching was accompanied by a story. As we've mentioned over several weeks, Jesus uses parables to help us understand that we don't understand as well as we think we do -- and this is especially true when it comes to forgiveness! Join Brian and Jon for the last episode…

If the parable of the four soils can be applied to sanctification as well as salvation, how do we become good soil? How do we cultivate a heart that listens and understands and receives truth in a way that produces a harvest of 30x, 60x, or even 100x? Join Brian and Jon for a practical and honest conversation about both cultivating our own hearts a…

Why did Jesus tell so many stories? What was the point of using parables that often left His audience more confused than before? What does Jesus want us to learn from these stories about Himself, about us, and about the Kingdom of God? Join Brian and Jon for an encouraging, humbling, and helpful conversation on the parables of Jesus.…

We finish this series on the names of God with one of the more hopeful and more confusing of His identities -- Healer. Jehovah Rapha can and will restore us from sickness, injury, mental and emotional calamity, and even death...and yet not always when or how we want Him to. How can we know God as Healer in a way that cultivates connection and hope …

"The good shepherd" may be one of the most well-known names for God, but despite its familiarity we don't always know how to engage with Him in that capacity. What does it really mean for me to be a sheep and Him to be my shepherd? Join Brian and Jon for a rich, surprising, and deeply practical conversation on learning how to truly BE sheep.…

Saying that God is our "helper" just doesn't quite capture the significance of knowing Him as "Ezer." Jehovah Ezer is the one who rescues, who saves, who is strong and comes through when no one and nothing else can. Do you know Him that way? And how does knowing God as "ezer" change the way we interact with Him? Join Brian and Jon for a helpful and…

Peace may be one of the things we ask for most often from God...both for ourselves and for those around us in pain or distress. And in most cases, when we ask God for peace, we ask Him to remove or resolve difficult circumstances. But what if God means something more when He offers us peace? Come join Brooke & Jon Ackerman as they offer some practi…

God wants us to know Him as provider. He IS the provider! And at the same time, there are moments in life when we question the way that God provides. We'd like Him to just give us what we want when we want, but thankfully, our God is always after more than we could ask for or imagine. So how can we learn to walk with God when He's not providing as …

This might be the most difficult and the most culturally loaded of the names of God that we'll discuss in these 9 weeks. Jehovah Shaphet. God is Judge. The judgement (or the judgementalism) of God is one of the most polarizing aspects of faith in our world both in and outside of the church. Each one of us has a different internal reaction to the co…

When God introduces Himself with a name, it's an invitation to know Him more personally. But what do we do with the name "Kanna," the name that means God is jealous? What is God jealous of? Better stated, what is God jealous FOR? Once again, we find ourselves in a place of needing to unlearn things about God so that we can connect with Him as He tr…

The names of God are powerful, not only because they show us what He's capable of but also because they show us who He is. When God introduces Himself with a name, it's an invitation to know Him more personally. But sometimes that means we need to do some unlearning first. So join Brian and Jon as we look at the Scottish poet, George MacDonald's, t…

When God answers prayers, it sometimes creates more worry than excitement. It only took the Israelites 6 weeks to start thinking that slavery in Egypt was preferable to freedom in the wilderness. They suddenly found themselves face to face with a much bigger and more real God than they had ever personally experienced. What happens when God starts a…

Reaching the next generation is entirely dependent upon how we see the next generation. We need a clear understanding of what they need and - just as important - what they already have to offer. When Jesus said to make disciples, that includes kids. And God's desire to work through people includes working through kids. It's a "both-and" conversatio…

To commemorate the 100th episode of the Faith Forward podcast, we asked you to share the stories of what God has been doing in your life. THANK YOU to those who sent in video, audio, or email in celebration of God's faithfulness. And THANK YOU for your commitment to growing closer to Him day by day! We hope you enjoy these stories!…

In this final episode on developing "transformational community," we're looking at how to grow it...and be grown in it. It can only happen over time, and only as each member commits to growing from the inside-out - becoming more vulnerable and transparent. It's challenging and disruptive, but the rewards are beyond imagining.…

In this second episode on developing "transformational community," we're tackling the potential traps that arise as we engage others in deeper levels of relationship. Whether it's fearing to risk, struggling with authenticity, lacking discernment, or not trusting God's heart, there are a variety of ways the enemy can foster disruption and division …

The Biblical call to be "in community" is not a geographic or demographic statement. Rather, it's a life of being deeply known by others - and knowing them. It's sacrificially engaging in the lives of others - and letting them sacrifice for you. It's hard to find that kind of community and harder still to maintain it, but it's essential to our spir…

One of the primary - and most powerful - ways we will ever know God, love others, and experience the Kingdom is through the discovery, development, and deployment of our spiritual giftings. So how do we do that? Join Lee and Jon for a passionate and practical discussion on uncovering the gifts God has placed in us and beginning to practice them in …

When it comes to the challenge of loving others, the challenge often has less to do with our knowledge and more to do with our preferences, our authenticity, and our willingness to obey. The good news is there's hope! And some practical suggestions to get at the heart behind the struggles. So join Brian and Jon as they share practical ways to invit…

We need to live like EVERYONE is worthy of serving and loving. But what does that actually mean in our day-to-day? And what gets in our way...sometimes without even realizing it? As we kick off 2024, join Brian and Jon as they share stories and suggestions for loving others that can bring real transformation in the world around us.…

Sustaining a life with God is...hard. Sustaining growth, connection, closeness is hard. It requires intentionality. It requires a plan. And a successful plan will involve more than just more activity. As we conclude this series on Something Greater, join Brian and Jon for some helpful steps in cultivating a life with God that helps us to experience…

There's a difference between living life for God and following God God's way. What would it look like to allow God to reorder our life - to put Himself at the center - to be the sole object of our focus - to be the recipient of our first and best - to lead us willingly into divine appointments? Join Lee Towns and Jon Ackerman as they offer practica…