In 2026, we’re taking on the commandment that Jesus called the greatest

In 2026, we’re taking on the commandment that Jesus called the greatest—but we won’t settle for clichés or shallow answers. What does it really mean to love God with everything we are, to love our neighbors in a fractured and polarized world, and to love ourselves in a way that is holy, not selfish?

We will get real about love—naming why it’s so difficult to give or receive it. Fear, shame, anxiety, pride, and even misplaced humility can sabotage us. Whether we avoid love because it feels too vulnerable or twist it into control, guilt, or performance, Jesus calls us beyond all of that into a love that is freeing, costly, and transforming.

Along the way, we will grapple with tough questions: What happens when “loving yourself” requires undertaking deep inner work, or seeking the guidance of mental health professionals? What happens when humility becomes self-erasure, or when self-confidence tips into pride? Where is the balance that sets us free?

And we won’t stop with the self. We will push into what it means to love people together—to build authentic community in a culture of division, to stand firm in compassion when outrage feels easier, and to embody a love so radical that it reflects the heart of God. Our prayer is that we will not only understand the greatest commandment but live it—risking real, vulnerable, transformative love in every direction: upward, outward, and inward.

The Greatest Commandment: Love God. Love People. (Love Self)

Enemies of the Heart: Unmasking the Lies that Keep Us From Love

We live in a world that talks endlessly about love, yet so often we feel anything but loved or loving. Beneath the surface of our lives lurk hidden enemies that quietly erode our ability to experience genuine love and extend it to others. In this series, we will strip away the lies these enemies whisper: that our past defines us, that vengeance brings peace, that more is never enough, and that someone else’s blessing is our loss.

Scripture reminds us that love is not a shallow sentiment, but the very heartbeat of God, revealed in Jesus Christ. Jesus not only redefines love but also offers us a way out from the chains of these heart-enemies.

Together, we’ll discover how the transforming power of Christ can heal our hearts, enabling us to live as people set free to love God, love others, and love ourselves.

Ash Wednesday

What is Ash Wednesday? Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, the 40 Days leading up to Easter. Lent is a season of reflection and repentance as we prepare for the sacrifice of Jesus. Because Jesus spent 40 days in the wilderness, we spend 40 days considering our own need for the work of the cross. At Ash Wednesday service, we receive ashes on our head or hand as a sign of our mortality. These ashes come from the Palm Sunday branches which were burned from the previous year.

Scripture reminds us that love is not a shallow sentiment, but the very heartbeat of God, revealed in Jesus Christ. Jesus not only redefines love but also offers us a way out from the chains of these heart-enemies.

Together, we’ll discover how the transforming power of Christ can heal our hearts, enabling us to live as people set free to love God, love others, and love ourselves.

Ash Wednesday

Every day, a battle is fought in our minds: in the quiet churn of worry, the weight of anxiety, the shadows of fear, the ache of past wounds, and the questions that won’t let us go. Too often, the church has told us to “just pray harder” or “have more faith,” leaving many to struggle in silence. But what if God’s Word actually invites us to bring these battles into the light? 

During Lent, the season leading up to Easter, we’re stepping into a bold challenge: to take Every Thought Captive. We’ll explore what it means to love God, love others, and—maybe hardest of all—love ourselves. Along the way, we’ll confront the stigma around mental health and discover how God renews our minds and hearts.

The journey won’t be easy—but it will be honest, healing, and filled with hope.  Despair is never the final word, because the risen Christ makes all things new—including us.

Holy Week - The Road To Easter

During Holy Week, we remember the final and defining week of Jesus earthly ministry.  Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday when Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey and people began to wave palm branches as a sign that the Messiah had come.  On Maundy Thursday, we celebrate the Last Supper when Jesus gathered with his disciples and shared a cup and bread and told them it was his body and blood for them.  On Good Friday, we honor Jesus sacrifice on the cross and the way he suffered on our behalf.  Finally, on Easter we celebrate his resurrection.  Because Jesus defeated death, pain and suffering will never have the last word in our lives!  The things that happened during Holy Week define who we follow and who we are as Christians.

March 29
Palm Sunday
Cantata at 9am

March 29 –
Palm Sunday
Cantata at 9am

April 2
Maundy Thursday
at 6:30pm

April 3
Good Friday Service
at noon

April 5
Easter Worship
at 9am & 11am

Unfiltered: Letting Grace Restore What Ego Distorts

Every mirror tells a story—but not always the truth. Some days, the reflection feels larger than life: confident, polished, even untouchable. Other days, the glass shrinks us down: every flaw exaggerated, every failure magnified. The fight between ego and humiliation plays out in the mirror every day, leaving us unsure of who we really are. But grace offers a new reflection.

In Christ, we discover a truer image—one not warped by pride or cracked by shame but restored by God’s love. When we learn to see ourselves through the eyes of grace, we begin to see others differently too.

Join us as we look into the mirror with honesty and hope, to confront the lies of ego and self-doubt, and to embrace the freedom of living as God’s beloved.

10 Words: Ancient Wisdom, Modern Freedom

Long ago, on a mountain wrapped in fire and cloud, God spoke ten words that thundered across the wilderness. Words that carved a people out of chaos, words that promised a new way of life—a life of freedom, faith, and love. Centuries later, another Teacher climbed a hill, not to repeat those words, but to embody them. With parables on His lips and healing in His hands, Jesus revealed the Ten Words were never about cold rules but about a Kingdom where love rules.

In a world obsessed with self and restless for meaning, these ancient words echo still—calling us to tear down idols, honor life, speak truth, and find rest for our souls.

They are not relics of the past; they are the soundtrack of freedom for today.

Suggested Sunday School or Small Group curriculum to go along with the sermon series.

  • Wrestling with Doubt: Finding Faith by Adam Hamilton (6 sessions)
    Includes videos and leader guide
    This resource can be accessed on amplifymedia.com
  • Untangling Faith: Reclaiming Hope in the Questions Jesus Asked by Amberly Neese (6 sessions)
    Includes videos and leader guide
    This resource can be accessed on amplifymedia.com
  • The Worry-Free Parent by Sissy Goff
    Includes video and workbook
    This resource can be accessed on raisingboysandgirls.com/courses
  • Don’t Give the Enemy a Seat at Your Table by Louie Giglio (6 sessions)
    Includes videos and leader guide
    This resource can be purchased on Amazon or online.
  • Winning the War in Your Mind by Craig Croeschel
    Includes workbook (no videos)
    This resource can be purchased on Amazon or online.

LENT (starts Feb 15):

  • Embracing the Uncertain by Magrey R. deVega (6 sessions)
    Includes videos and leader guide
    This resource can be accessed on amplifymedia.com
  • Unafraid: Living with Courage and Hope in Uncertain Times by Adam Hamilton (5 sessions)
    Includes videos and leader guide
    This resource can be accessed on amplifymedia.com

 

SUMMER SERIES (May 17-July 19):

  • Words of Life: Jesus and the Promise of the Ten Commandments Today by Adam Hamilton (10 sessions)
    Includes video and workbook
    This resource can be accessed on amplifymedia.com

NOTE: If you need help accessing or purchasing curriculum email seniorpastor@firstchurchenid.com

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Enter access code: PHNLRS and click verify.
On the next screen enter a name, email address, create a password and click “Start a Free Membership”
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