The Prodigal Son

Pastor Bill Bush · Jul 22, 2025

The common belief that a godly home guarantees godly kids is a distortion of Proverbs 22:6, which is a principle of wisdom, not a binding promise. Pastor Bill and Carrie argue that the true goal of Christian parenting is to raise children who genuinely seek God — not merely children who behave well. Good behavior without a transformed heart is 'goodliness,' not godliness. Parents are called to faithfulness, not perfection, and must model authentic God-seeking themselves, surrender control, stay present, and trust that God loves their children even more than they do.

Pastor Daniel Goulding · Aug 5, 2019

In Luke 15, Jesus tells three parables — a lost sheep, a lost coin, and two lost sons — to reveal that every person is lost, whether through obvious rebellion or hidden self-righteousness. God's response to lostness is not anger but reckless, pursuing love: a father who runs down the road to embrace a broken son before he can even finish his apology. Worth before God is never earned through work or religious effort; it is received through spiritual rebirth. The invitation of the gospel is simply to stop, admit we are lost, and let the Father bring us home.

Pastor Tim Beal · May 21, 2018

Using the parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15, Pastor Tim builds the case that our stories do not begin at sin but at creation, where God formed each of us with intentionality and love. Because we were sons and daughters before we ever ran away, grace is not something we can outsmart or outrun. When we return to the Father, we return to a celebration — and for those already in the family, the call is to stop missing that party by extending the same undeserved grace to others that God so lavishly extends to us.