Time of Grace With Pastor Mike Novotny

Pastor Mike and Amber Albee Swenson are back with a preview of the new upcoming sermon series, "Revelation." They dive into the book of Revelation, a book many Christians avoid out of confusion or fear. But instead of avoiding it, Pastor Mike and Amber discuss how you should approach it: with the end in mind. Be comforted by how your story ends so you'll know how to begin each day and live the rest of your life.

Where do yo...

What does Easter mean for your life? It's not just a story. It's an event, Pastor Mike says, that changes you—regardless of your baggage or brokenness. Seeing how Easter changes you starts with seeing how Jesus has always shown up for you.

Where do you turn to overcome feelings of worthlessness, fear, depression, or anxiety?  Your self is the last place you should look. But God’s help . . . that’s a different story. In Ambe...

Why should you celebrate Communion? What is Communion? For starters, Jesus gave us two miracles in Communion, or the Lord's Supper. And, Pastor Mike says, if you realize what these two miracles are, you will see and understand the greatest gift the universe has ever known.

Where do you turn to overcome feelings of worthlessness, fear, depression, or anxiety?  Your self is the last place you should look. But God’s help . . ....

Are you a confident person? Actually, the more important question according to Pastor Mike is: Do you consider yourself a spiritually confident person? Becoming a confident follower of Jesus starts with understanding the needs of your body and your soul.

Where do you turn to overcome feelings of worthlessness, fear, depression, or anxiety?  Your self is the last place you should look. But God’s help . . . that’s a different...

What do you do when life gets scary? Do you question God and wonder if he’s working for your good? Can your faith withstand the trials? Pastor Mike teaches that if you know who Jesus is, you can have a peace that goes beyond understanding, even in your troubles. And knowing Jesus starts with recognizing these four keys about his identity.

Do you feel out of place in this world, wondering how to follow God in a godless cult...

In this Behind the Series episode, Pastor Mike and Amber Albee Swenson give you a glimpse at the new sermon series, “Jesus Can.” They talk about the big idea—how you can't, but Jesus can—by looking at the real-life implications of Jesus’ miracles and teachings, diving into topics like finding peace in chaos, building confidence amid uncertainty, and understanding the significance of the Lord's Supper and Easter.

About ...

How do we know if God is speaking to us or if it's just us feeling and thinking what our own hearts want to hear under the guise of "God told me"? Throughout the Bible, God spoke in different ways to different people, using a burning bush, a whisper, visions, even a talking donkey. How does God speak to us today? Pastor Mike teaches how God promised to speak personally to each of us.

To help you stay rooted in God's Word, w...

"Self-care" simply means to care for one's self. And in today's world where so many people deal with burnout, self-care has become a trending topic. But how do we care for ourselves without falling into the danger zone of thinking of ourselves too much and not honoring God? What does God say about work and rest and how to find a balance? Pastor Mike teaches two big ideas that can help us be right where God wants us to be.

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"Do not judge" is one of the most quoted passages in modern times. Because, culture tells us, who are we to judge others when we're not perfect either? But, Pastor Mike says, as counterintuitive as it seems, the Bible actually tells us to judge. Pastor Mike walks us through the Bible's teaching on judgment, giving us four parts on how to judge the right way.

To help you stay rooted in God's Word, we'd like to offer you a n...

Just because we feel something doesn't make it right. So when we say that "love is love," what we're really doing is instinctively applying the terms and conditions of what we think love should be. But, Pastor Mike challenges, are we really qualified to define and impose those limits? Pastor Mike opens up the Bible to see what God says about love—to straight people, to gay people—and about how hard love is.

To help you stay...

Our modern culture proudly tells us to "be you"—because we're all different from one another and should embrace our uniqueness. But what does God think about "be you"? Does he want us to be true to ourselves? To look inside and to live that out? Pastor Mike says according to the Bible, God says, "Be you!" — but with an asterisk.

To help you understand how to love like God, we have a new book called A Better Love: God's Love...

Everyone loves someone. The challenge is loving everyone—that means not limiting your love to just those in your inner circle or who treat you well. Jesus calls you to that standard—to imitate the God who loves different people—and to serve your friends, enemies, and everyone in between.

To help you understand how to love like God, we have a new book called A Better Love: God's Love Transforms You by Dr. Paul Kelm. This boo...

Love is costly and sacrificial—that's why it's often difficult to experience and give love. So if you want more love in your relationships, Pastor Mike says, there are three important things you need.

To help you understand how to love like God, we have a new book called A Better Love: God's Love Transforms You by Dr. Paul Kelm. This book cuts through the confusion on how the world views love, and shows you how to find your...

What is love, really? The way we tend to define it may surprise you in its limitations. In this new series, Pastor Mike helps you explore how the Bible defines love and see that its simple definition has the power to change your relationships with your family, your neighbors, and even your enemies. And it starts with knowing that love starts with God.

To help you understand how to love like God, we have a new book called A ...

Get a sneak peek at Pastor Mike's upcoming new message series, "Love Well." He sits down with Amber Albee Swenson—Time of Grace writer, blogger, and podcaster—to talk about the big ideas behind the series. Listen in as they discuss the definition of love, how love can be costly, and the challenges of loving everyone—especially your enemies.

We live in a world that constantly tries to define us by our greatest achievements, ...

To discover your role in God’s goals for you in this new year, you must first be able to answer this question: Who are you? Do you know your part in the mission to share about God's love? This message will help you find and understand your place, while reminding you that the answer to the question, "Who are you?" is actually less about you and more about what Jesus did for you.

We live in a world that constantly tries to de...

Good spiritual health for this new year means knowing your purpose. But if you're unsure what that purpose is, don't worry—the Bible tells you in no uncertain terms what your great purpose is. Pastor Mike unpacks what Jesus said to help you fulfill your purpose.

We live in a world that constantly tries to define us by our greatest achievements, or our worst failures.  But who does God say we are?  In Unshakable: Finding You...

A new year means new goals . . . but not just any goals. Pastor Mike helps you push the reset button to think beyond the usual physical health goals and instead focus on your spiritual health. This message looks at the first of three components to good spiritual health: priority. Are you doing things in your life that matter most to God? Are your priorities his priorities? How do you know? The good news is that Jesus actua...

Don't start the new year with just regular goals that focus on physical health. Instead, look at goals that help you with spiritual health.

That's the focus of Pastor Mike's new sermon series, "Reset." Join Pastor Mike and Amber Albee Swenson as they preview the new series, while somehow also incorporating talk of their favorite '90s jams, how Amber successfully played matchmaker, and each of their spiritual gifts.

Pastor Mi...