Hello Friends,

This week, we are continuing our two-part conversation called “Christ on My Right, Christ on My Left,” talking about the importance of community.

Last week, we discussed community in general, how God is a community within Godself (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), one God, three persons. As an overflow of this divine community, God’s heart has always been to create community. God calls out and forms community. We looked at the children of Israel as God’s called community for the sake of the world. We also saw how Jesus drew a community of misfits around Himself.

This Saturday, we will look at community in particular, the community of the Church. We will look at how the church is called to be something different in and for the world. We will look at the early Jesus movement in the book of Acts as well as part of Paul’s letter to the Philippian church. All along, we will be asking God to shape and form us into the Church that will bless the world.

Also, we will be celebrating with all of those who graduated this year! Please let us know if this is you!

Grace and Peace,

Preston Sharpe

Lead Pastor

Emmaus Road Church

“Community” has become a buzz word in church. But, what does real community look like? Is it just another way of saying “friendship” or an edgier version of the old church word “fellowship?”

If you haven’t noticed, there are other people in this world. We are not alone. As we go through life, we have a choice: are we going to look at this reality as an obstacle to overcome or as something intentional? Our God is Trinity, which means that within Godself, there exists a community. YHWH called a community to bless the world. Jesus called a community, however unlikely around Himself.

There is risk in community, but often the most beautiful things come with great risk.

Join us as we explore the implications on the call of community for our everyday lives.

Peace Be With You,

Preston Sharpe

Lead Pastor

Emmaus Road Church

Hello Friends,

This Saturday will be a really special time. Our good friends and long-time creative arts pastor Chris and Liz McLeod and their families (and Christa Moore!) will be in town. Chris will be leading our music and we will be dedicating their little Amelia.

This week, we are continuing our series “Christ All Around Me” by looking at “Christ Below Me”, recognizing the special gift that children are in the community of faith as well as the importance of the church as an intergenerational community. We will be looking at some of the significant things that Jesus said about children and Brad Smith will be leading a children’s sermon.

It will be a really fun and meaningful time. Hope to see you there!

Preston Sharpe

Lead Pastor

Emmaus Road Church

In the Genesis story, we see a God who creates out of nothing, out of chaos, raw material.

His creation is beautiful. And, within this beautiful creation, He calls out one creature, the human being to steward the creation, to “co-create”. Time and time again, we turn away from our call to co-create. We seek to dominate, manipulate, and control for our own benefit rather than taking up our call as image-bearers. Because of this, the image that is on us is broken. And, all of creation is broken.

But, the image of God in us is not extinguished. It is not thrown away. Creation is not in the dumpster. It is still there, although broken. Jesus came into our human experience, not only to repair that image, but to make it new. It is because of Jesus, the true “image of the invisible God,” that we are once again to take up our call as “co-creators.”

The Christian life, therefore, is more like a song than a checklist. It is a piece of art rather than a rote command. God composes the song, but we are called to play it out on the sheet music of our lives. The Christian life is more like a painting than an equation. The colors blend together to point to something beyond itself.

Join us on Saturday as we explore our call as “God’s poetry” for a broken world.

Peace Be With You,

Preston Sharpe

Lead Pastor

Emmaus Road Church

Hello, everyone! This week, we’ll be jumping into the next portion of our Directions Series. This week, we’ll discuss “Christ Above Us.” When we think of this direction, we think of God affirming his Creation. We think of Christ becoming human and sharing our experiences. We think of creation and re-creation. And we also ponder what our role is in God’s Creation, especially as co-creators in God’s plan of redemption. Join us Saturday and take part in the discussion!

We also want to get the word out about our next Open Meeting, which will take place Monday, April 23rd at 7PM in the Christ Church Sanctuary. This is a great time to make suggestions and present positive ideas to our church community. We’ll be discussing our current situation since our move from Boston Ave., as well as some bigger picture ideas. We hope that you can come out and lend your voice to our church’s vision!

Seth Asher, Associate Pastor

We are into the Easter season. Resurrection has changed the whole world. A new day has dawned. A new time has come. We had a great time celebrating the resurrection together last week. But, it should not end. We should live our whole lives oriented towards the reality of resurrection and new creation.

This week, we will continue our conversation about new creation in reference to the Christian witness. What does it mean to live as followers of Jesus in this new creation? In what ways do we carry Christ’s Spirit with us, and how does this lead us to be part of His healing for the whole world?

We are a resurrection people. We are to live in light of the new creation. Often, this means that the old way of living will be challenged and called out as we seek a new way forward.

We will look this week at John 20, Jesus’ appearance to the disciples. Also, a disciple named Thomas plays an important role in this story. Many of us are prone to skepticism. It can actually be a quite healthy thing. Let’s listen to this story of the skeptic who calls Jesus “Lord and God.”

Peace Be With You,

Preston Sharpe

Lead Pastor

Emmaus Road Church

Hello friends,

We have reached the most important week in the church calendar. If it were not for the events that are commemerated this week, we would not be followers of Jesus. I encourage you to seek God’s transformation as you live into this week. What does the sacrifice of Jesus mean for you? What does it mean for the whole world? What does it mean that new creation has dawned? How do we live into this new creation?

- Tonight, we invite you to join our host church (Christ Church) for their Maundy Thursday service at 6:30pm

- Tomorrow night, you have three different options: 5:30pm, Tenebrae service (focusing on the sayings of Jesus on the cross) at our parent church Sanctuary’s Tulsa campus; 6:30pm- Good Friday Service at Christ Church; 7:30pm- an identical Tenebrae service at Sanctuary’s Tulsa Campus

- Saturday morning- Holy Saturday service with Sanctuary at Veterans Park in Jenks (across from the Reasors), 6am. I (Preston) will be preaching at this short service.

- Saturday evening- Emmaus Road’s Easter celebration! Due to scheduling conflicts, we will be meeting at Sanctuary (Jenks campus), but it is an Emmaus Road service, 6pm.

Hope to see you there!

Preston Sharpe

Lead Pastor

Emmaus Road Church

April Fool’s Day is coming up. It is not a national holiday, but many cultures observe it in some form. April Fool’s is a time our playing pranks on other people. Sometimes they are silly, sometimes they are more sophisticated.

In many ways, Jesus death and resurrection could have been perceived as a “prank” by His followers. While God did not purposely mislead people in the same way as an April Fool’s joke, people certainly did not expect what was about to come. Jesus chose the way of suffering rather than the way of military strength.

This week we will observe “Palm Saturday.”, we will discuss our “expectations” for God and invite Him to surprise us, to subvert our thinking, and to challenge the counterfeits that we often pursue.

Hope to see you then!

Hello all,

We are past the half-way point of the season of Lent. We have been reflecting on our inner lives, seeking God’s heart for us. We have been walking through some difficult stories in scripture, and the discussion has been amazing. These stories cannot be entered into lightly. The way that we wrestle with them can actually form us in some really profound ways. We have struggled with the reality of suffering and what it means to give up everything for God.

We have quite a few opportunities ahead for Holy Week. Please be advised that our Saturday night Easter service will be held at the Sanctuary Jenks campus at 6pm.

This week, Ryan Boyls will be leading our teaching on Hebrews 5. It will be another thought-provoking discussion. Hope to see you there.

Peace Be With You,

Preston Sharpe

Lead Pastor

Emmaus Road Church

I hope that you are Lenting well!

This week, we are are continuing our series on the WTH moments in scripture. Looking at these passages can be really good for us. They force us to ask “Why?” Why are these stories in the Bible?

Often we are content with quick and easy answers, but the Christian life is neither quick nor easy. Life is messy.

God can handle our doubt, our struggles. We can ask questions.

When we learn to live in the messiness, it forms us. It shapes us.

In Genesis 22, we see the story of Abraham and Isaac. Abraham was asked to do the unthinkable, to give up his son. What do we do with that? How can that possibly speak to us today? Let’s discuss it together this Saturday.

Peace Be With You,

Preston Sharpe
Lead Pastor
Emmaus Road Church