Casas Church

About Faith: Living Water/March 1, 2026/Glenn Barteau

Jesus consistently challenged religious systems that excluded people, instead inviting everyone to come to Him for spiritual fulfillment. In John 7, He declared that anyone who is thirsty can come to Him and drink, offering living water through faith rather than religious ritual. When encountering a man born blind, Jesus shifted focus from asking why suffering happens to partnering with God in bringing healing and hope. Faith is about relationship and trust with Jesus, not following rules perfectly. We're called to include others rather than exclude them, using our gifts to partner with God in bringing His love into the world.
 

Love Our City Celebration/February 22, 2026/Glenn Barteau

When Jesus was asked about the greatest commandment, He didn't just say to love God - He added that we must love our neighbors as ourselves. These two commandments are inseparable, showing that loving God and loving people are two sides of the same coin. Being a good neighbor means seeing people as individuals who matter to God, and finding opportunities to partner with local organizations is a good way to take a step toward loving others. 

The Real Test - Week Three/February 15, 2026/Glenn Barteau

Many people confuse genuine faith with blind devotion or unquestioning belief, but real faith is actually taking what you know about God and stepping into what you don't know. Abraham's story in Genesis 15 illustrates this perfectly. It shows that faith isn't about our performance or ability to control outcomes, but about trusting God's character and faithfulness. When you know God's heart for you - that He sees you, loves you, and wants to bless you - you can step into uncertainty with confidence.

The Real Test - Week Two/February 8, 2026/Ryan Kramer

Many people hesitate to trust Christianity because they've experienced conditional love from Christians that felt more like judgment than genuine care. Jesus' parable of the Good Samaritan challenges us to examine whether our faith is authentic or just false advertising. The story reveals that loving your neighbor means showing mercy to anyone in need, regardless of their background or beliefs. The real test of faith isn't what we say we believe, but whether our actions demonstrate genuine, unconditional love. When people consistently experience this kind of authentic love from believers, it helps them trust that Christianity might actually be the real thing.

The Real Test - Week 1/February 1, 2026/Seth Kreimeyer-Kelly

It can be a struggle to put faith into practice despite having extensive knowledge about Jesus. James 1:22 challenges us to be doers of the word, not just hearers. The difference lies in moving from being a student who accumulates knowledge to being a maker who transforms that knowledge into action. Instead of asking how well we did, we ask what we made. Makers pay attention to daily opportunities, take what they know about Jesus, and put it into practice - reflecting on their growth, not perfection.

Walk Worthy - Week Four/January 25, 2026/Ryan Kramer

In our algorithm-driven world, we’ve grown used to filtering out everything that doesn’t match our preferences. Paul calls us to something radically different. In Ephesians 4, he tells us to “bear with one another in love,” using the Greek word anechomai, which means to be patient with and accept others as they are. It’s about learning to live with others when they are difficult, different, or don’t think like we do. Following Jesus means resisting the urge to demand people change to fit our preferences and instead learning to love them as they are. 

Walk Worthy - Week 3/January 18, 2026/Ryan Kramer

Sometimes life can feel like one giant group project where we didn’t get to pick our teammates. Combine that tension with short emotional fuses, and we can easily lash out at the people closest to us - the people we love most. We aren’t the only ones to face this - Paul’s letter in Ephesians discloses that the early church faced similar tensions that we do today. What if there were a way to create space between what happens to us and how we react? We learn about three powerful ways to lengthen our fuse and transform relationships.

Walk Worthy - Week Two/January 11, 2026/Ryan Kramer

Paul's letter to the Ephesians reveals that walking worthy isn't about earning our value through good behavior, but living from the security of knowing we're already worthy because of Christ. True humility flows from being anchored in God's love rather than seeking worth from external sources like achievements or approval. Christ-centered humility, combined with gentleness, creates unity in families, churches, and communities by allowing us to contribute to healing rather than division.

Walk Worthy - Week One/January 4, 2026/Glenn Barteau

It can be a struggle sometimes to comprehend the concept of “walking worthy” in our calling. It can be interpreted as an aspirational challenge that only creates feelings of inadequacy, which can lead to cycles of comparison, judgment, or division within Christian communities. In Ephesians, Paul was addressing an early church that struggled with unity among diverse believers. The key is understanding the difference between aspirational worthiness and intrinsic worthiness.

The Values That Make Us/December 28, 2025/Glenn Barteau

Life throws unexpected challenges our way, but having clear personal values provides a foundation for navigating any situation with confidence. Values are more than beliefs - they're principles important enough to actually affect how you live. Jesus demonstrated this when he chose to eat with tax collectors and sinners, living out his core value of mercy despite criticism. To discover your values, start with a comprehensive list, narrow it down through comparison questions, and observe which ones consistently show up in your decisions. Don't choose values you think you should have; choose the ones that authentically reflect who God made you to be.