On Sunday, Pastor Josh Rhodes reminded us of an often-overlooked truth: suffering for our faith is not just something Jesus warned us about but something He shared in, for our sake. As Christians, we’re called not only to endure hardship but to see it as an honor—a mark of our shared identity with Christ. This truth can deepen our understanding of …

I know what you are thinking. They misplaced a podcast. Don't worry. This was very intentional because in our recent episode of Glass Half Full, a separate podcast produced by the Ridge that brings joyful and uplifting content for your month, we gave a sneak peak of something new coming to the Ridge Weekly Podcast. Listen to this fun episode and fi…

Pastor Josh continues our "Anchored" series, teaching from 1 Peter 4:12-19. In this talk, we'll explore the significance of suffering for our faith and discover how enduring hardships for Jesus is honor—echoing the sacrifice He made for us.// Verses and message notes: www.theridge.church/notes // Join us online or in person Sundays at 9a + 11a: www…

When Pastor Josh said, "Holy living starts at home," it struck a chord in me. As he mentioned, home is where our guard is let down. As long as no one else sees the chaos, we can hide our weaknesses from the world by downplaying or justifying them. We often walk out of church on Sunday as if God stays at the church—but that is not the case; God know…

Walking us through 1 Peter 3:1-7, Pastor Josh reminds us that if we desire to live holy, God-honoring lives in public as citizens or employees, we must first honor God in our closest relationships in our homes.// Verses and message notes: www.theridge.church/notes // Join us live online or in person Sundays at 9a + 11a: www.theridge.church/live…

This past Sunday, Pastor Josh taught from 1 Peter 2 how, as “citizens of heaven, we are to live honorably as citizens of earth.” I couldn’t help but think of the Olympians representing their countries in Paris this summer. Whether hailing from Germany, Spain, Greece, or the USA, they temporarily resided in Paris and, while there, represented their …

Pastor Josh dives back into 1 Peter, looking at chapter 2 to show us how to live out our faith in a way that honors God and those in authority, even in times of disagreement or opposition as followers of Jesus.// Verses and message notes: www.theridge.church/notes // Join us live online or in person Sundays at 9a + 11a: www.theridge.church/live…

Given the absolute destruction Hurricane Helene has caused, my mind has been flooded with hopelessness for the past week; yet, amid the storm and beyond, many beautiful stories of hope existed. As powerful as it was, Hurricane Helene did not have the final say. In the same way, the trials and suffering we face in this life do not have the final wor…

Pastor Josh kicks off "Anchored," a journey into the book of 1 Peter to help us discover how Christ and His Word give us strength to face life's storms. This week, Pastor Josh dives into 1 Peter 1:3-12, reminding us that our hope in Christ gives us strength, resilience, and joy when facing trials and tribulations.// Verses and message notes: www.th…

People flourish, and organizations thrive when they have great leaders. Ultimately, Jesus is the leader and head of the Church, but He also established a need for local church leaders. On Sunday, Pastor Tim talked about the qualities of a Godly leader for the church. The most important quality is the leader’s character.…

Sharing his final message as our Senior Pastor, Pastor Tim concludes our "Running the Race" series by discussing four essential qualities of a pastor and commissioning our new Senior Pastor at The Ridge, Josh Rhodes.// Verses and message notes: www.theridge.church/notes//Join us live online or in person Sundays at 9a + 11a: www.theridge.church/live…

When I was about four or five, my neighbors invited me to church. They would allow me to go with them to church whenever I wanted. They were being the hands and feet of Jesus by showing me that I was important to God. My neighbors' simple invitation to church has impacted my life throughout my school years and even today.…

Diving back into the book of Titus, Pastor Josh teaches us about six qualities of a church family that, when lived out, help us become the kind of community God intended. // Verses and message notes: www.theridge.church/notes//Join us live online or in person Sundays at 9a + 11a: www.theridge.church/live…

Where do you want to grow? Where is your life's foundation? Growing with God takes planning, diligence, and effort. It isn't just about hearing a message on Sunday; it's about digging deeper into His Word daily for a sound foundation.על ידי Chestnut Ridge Church

Continuing our "Running the Race" series, Pastor Josh teaches that the goal of the Christian life is growth and shares three key aspects of spiritual growth. // Verses and message notes: www.theridge.church/notes//Join us live online or in person Sundays at 9a + 11a: www.theridge.church/liveעל ידי Chestnut Ridge Church

When presenting the Gospel to young children, we often use a gift box to signify that God gives us the gift of Jesus. A few weeks ago, one of the four-year-olds turned to his leader and said, “I hate to tell them this, but Jesus is too big to fit in that box!” Often, we place Jesus in a small box in our lives. In the craziness of life, we don’t app…

Pastor Tim leads us through Titus 2:11-13, showing us three reasons why the gospel is the most important message ever. // Verses and message notes: www.theridge.church/notes//Join us live online or in person Sundays at 9a + 11a: www.theridge.church/liveעל ידי Chestnut Ridge Church

As you read through the book of Titus and really the entirety of the Bible, you can learn who God is, what He’s like, His attributes, and quite frankly, what He is not like. However, we often miss out on getting to know God as we read our Bibles because we don’t read our Bibles with the intention of getting to know God. See, the Bible functions in …

Pastor Tim dives into the book of Titus to kick off our new series, "Running the Race," uncovering five attributes of God that we can learn from reading this New Testament book.// Verses and message notes: www.theridge.church/notes//Join us live online or in person Sundays at 9a + 11a: www.theridge.church/live…

This past Sunday, our church celebrated Pastor Tim Haring and what God has done through him over almost 40 years. Pastors Matt Santen, Seth Broadhurst, and Josh Rhodes shared about Pastor Tim’s faithfulness, but the overall theme was how much love Tim has. Our calling may not be to leave everything to start a church like it was for Pastor Tim, but …

Are we so resistant and fearful of change that we are blinded to the miraculous things God has in store? God wants to do something new right now in each of our lives, but we need to trust Him. Instead of relying on ourselves, we must have faith in God's promises and eyes to see past our current fears and doubts to whatever path He opens.…

Change can bring all sorts of emotions and responses—some of excitement, some of grief, and some in between. Pastor Josh joins us for "Seasons" to help us navigate these emotions as we enter a new season by giving us insight into what God says about change and how we can prepare our hearts to handle it well. // Verses and message notes: www.theridg…

Comparison often breeds covetousness, the desire for what others have. This desire can quickly spiral into discontentment, causing us to question God's provision and goodness. But covetousness is a thief of joy. It blinds us to the blessings we already possess and sows seeds of bitterness in our hearts.…

Wrapping up our "Ten" series, Student Ministry Director Andrew Archer leads us through the Tenth Commandment, teaching that our hearts are restless until they find rest in Christ. // Verses and message notes: www.theridge.church/notes//Join us live online or in person Sundays at 9a + 11a: www.theridge.church/live…

Lies trip us up. Many of us have told lies in the past and were terrified they would be exposed one day. As part of our "Ten" series, Pastor Tim unpacks the Ninth Commandment with the reminder that the truth really does set us free.על ידי Chestnut Ridge Church

Stealing is one of these things we like to adjust in our own eyes how severe the sin is because of the value of what we are stealing or who we are stealing from. We might think lightly of a kid stealing a candy bar because of how small the item is. We might not think much of lying on our taxes because "the government takes enough of our money." How…

When it comes to honesty, the little choices we make matter. Little things can actually be a big deal; little compromises reveal what we are really like. In this talk, Pastor Tim discusses the Eighth Commandment—do not steal—and reveals why integrity matters.//Verses and message notes: www.theridge.church/notes // Join us live online or in person S…

We live in a world where doing what feels right rather than doing what is right is applauded. This commandment deals with morality. Those principles concerning the distinction between right and wrong or good and bad behavior. Let us call adultery what it is… It is sin.על ידי Chestnut Ridge Church

Pastor Tim challenges us not to play with fire by engaging in lust and adultery, emphasizing the importance of the Seventh Commandment. //Verses and message notes: www.theridge.church/notes // Join us live online or in person Sundays at 9a + 11a: www.theridge.church/liveעל ידי Chestnut Ridge Church

The loss of my cousin has taught me the importance of compassion and forgiveness. I have learned to extend grace to others, recognizing that life is too short and fragile. Each day is a true gift and pushes me to cherish my relationships more and more. Our lives have a purpose so much greater than we know, and even amidst pain and loss, we can rest…

Have you ever struggled to communicate with someone who has a different perspective than you do? Pastor Tim wraps up our "Truth Is" series by sharing five guiding principles to help us speak the truth with love.// Verses and message notes: www.theridge.church/notes // Join us live online or in person Sundays at 9a + 11a: www.theridge.church/live…

Andrew asked a pointed question toward the end of his talk. "Am I living a life worth honoring?" As a parent, I have tried to emulate for my children what my parents did for me—care, nurture, protect, teach, discipline, and love. Now that my kids are adults, how would they answer that?על ידי Chestnut Ridge Church

Student Ministry Director Andrew Archer joins us for another week of "Ten," discussing the Fifth Commandment and what it means to honor our fathers and mothers.//Verses and message notes: www.theridge.church/notes // Join us live online or in person Sundays at 9a + 11a: www.theridge.church/liveעל ידי Chestnut Ridge Church

Rest is something that we all crave and need. Because of our society, we are almost afraid to seek rest for fear that someone will see us as lazy and unwilling to give more of ourselves than is really needed. However, God knows that the renewing of life is through the leading of Jesus day-by-day. This journey to rest is purposeful and brings about …

Pastor Tim walks us through the Fourth Commandment and urges us to keep the Sabbath day holy by sharing three compelling reasons to observe it. //Verses and message notes: www.theridge.church/notes // Join us live online or in person Sundays at 9a + 11a: www.theridge.church/liveעל ידי Chestnut Ridge Church

Do you ever find that when you’re sitting in church, and the pastor makes a great point, you immediately think of someone you wish could be hearing the message? By doing this, we are missing a vital step in Jesus’ process to encourage others to walk in the truth. However, when we begin in the mirror and look at the log in our eyes, we will understa…

Pastor Josh joins us for another week of "Ten." Looking at the Third Commandment found in Exodus 20:7, he shares three practical applications that can help us keep God's name holy. //Verses and message notes: www.theridge.church/notes // Join us live online or in person Sundays at 9a + 11a: www.theridge.church/live…

How has our culture influenced you? Have you downloaded Instagram? Is there a desire in you to climb the corporate ladder or have a beautiful home that HGTV would want to visit? These things are in and of themselves evil or sinful. However, we must be aware that the world has the habit of trying to infiltrate our hearts, convincing us it’s more imp…

Continuing in our new series, "Ten," Pastor Josh takes a closer look at the Second Commandment and challenges us to tear down the idols in our lives and love God. //Verses and message notes: www.theridge.church/notes // Join us live online or in person Sundays at 9a + 11a: www.theridge.church/liveעל ידי Chestnut Ridge Church

During the second week of our “Ten” series, Pastor Tim pointed out that if God has His proper place, everything else will fall into place. If putting God first seems overwhelming, begin by counting your blessings. When we place God first, it does not mean the path will be shorter or easier, but you will be far wiser and find peace in knowing you ar…

What does it mean to give God the proper place in our lives? Continuing in week two of "Ten," Pastor Tim looks to the First Commandment and focuses on three characteristics of those who understand it: we will love God above everything else, "fear" God and obey Him, and serve (worship) God with our time, talents, and resources.//Verses and message n…

Our new series, “Ten,” began on Sunday, and Pastor Tim made the point that the Ten Commandments are not the way of salvation but reveal the path that leads to an abundant, rich, and satisfying life. This message made me think of how it’s easy to make small compromises that can escalate into larger ones. Something that “won’t hurt just this once” ca…

Pastor Tim kicks off a new series about God's amazing gift of the Ten Commandments called "Ten" and shares five surprising observations we can learn from them.//Verses and message notes: www.theridge.church/notes // Join us live online or in person Sundays at 9a + 11a: www.theridge.church/liveעל ידי Chestnut Ridge Church

As I have grown in my relationship with the Lord, there have been times when remembering God’s faithfulness has come in great sorrow. It is important to realize that God’s character is often seen through the many circumstances of life. Being able to experience this deep abiding love is foundational to knowing who God is, what He has done, what He w…

Executive Pastor Bruce Lane joins us with a message called "Remember." By exploring God's identity, works, and promises, we will rediscover some important truths God wants us to remember and not forget.//Verses and message notes: www.theridge.church/notes // Join us live online or in person Sundays at 9a + 11a: www.theridge.church/live…

On this Baptism Sunday, Pastor Tim shares the three biggest reasons why we encourage people to get baptized.//Verses and message notes: www.theridge.church/notes // Join us live online or in person Sundays at 9a + 11a: www.theridge.church/liveעל ידי Chestnut Ridge Church

The problem the religious leaders were facing was that they had allowed their hearts to become so callous that when they looked at the man with the paralyzed hand, they did not see an image bearer of the highest God, a person with inherent value and worth, someone worth listening to and loving. They didn't even really see the man, but rather, saw h…

Is your heart hard towards God or anyone around you? Pastor Tim wraps up our "I Do, but Do I?" series by encouraging us to evaluate ourselves and humbly ask God to soften our hearts.// Verses and message notes: www.theridge.church/notes // Join us live online or in person Sundays at 9a + 11a: www.theridge.church/live…

Withholding forgiveness was poisoning me and the hope for my new relationships. Realizing this and offering forgiveness was downright painful. It required a total surrender and trust that God knows best. If you are struggling with forgiveness, try starting where I did—pray for the desire to forgive. Remember, only God is truly capable of offering f…

This week, Pastor Tim looks to Luke 7:36-45 to remind us that when we extend forgiveness and grace to those who have wronged us, it cultivates love in the heart of the other person toward us.// Verses and message notes: www.theridge.church/notes // Join us live online or in person Sundays at 9a + 11a: www.theridge.church/live…