Participating: The Reality of Resurrection
Northwest Vineyard
On this Easter Sunday, Pastor Scott Engebretson concludes the "Participating" series by exploring the world-changing reality of the Resurrection. Scott contrasts the "simulated wonder" of illusions—like those performed by magician Harris III—with the tangible, historical truth of the empty tomb in Luke 24. He challenges the idea that the Resurrection is merely a metaphor or a "beautiful story," arguing instead that because Jesus is physically alive, we are invited to participate in a new future. Scott encourages us to stop spending our "what ifs" on the regrets of the past and start...
info_outline
Participating: The Art of Waiting
Northwest Vineyard
In this installment of the "Participating" series, Pastor Scott Engebretson tackles our cultural aversion to waiting. Drawing from Jason Farman’s Delayed Response, Scott notes that in our world of instant gratification, we often view waiting as "dead time." However, looking at the transition from the suffering of Holy Week to the hope of the Resurrection, he argues that waiting is actually a sacred space where God works. Exploring Romans 8:22–27, Scott discusses how the Holy Spirit participates in our lives by interceding for us with "wordless groans" when we are at our weakest. He invites...
info_outline
Participating: The Way of the Suffering Servant
Northwest Vineyard
Continuing the "Participating" series as we approach Holy Week, Pastor Scott Engebretson shares a deeply personal reflection on the tension between the "so much more" of God's power and the reality of human suffering. Drawing from Matthew 27, Scott walks through the harrowing details of Jesus’ mockery and crucifixion, inviting the community to look closely at the "Man of Sorrows." He explores the difficult prayer of the Apostle Paul in Philippians 3:10—the desire to know Christ not only in the power of His resurrection but also in the "fellowship of His sufferings." Scott reminds us that...
info_outline
Participating: Strength in Weakness
Northwest Vineyard
Continuing the Lenten series "Participating," Hannah Engebretson explores how we navigate the "thorns" in our lives—those persistent points of pain, weakness, or affliction that we desperately want removed. Drawing from 2 Corinthians 12, Hannah looks at the Apostle Paul’s experience of pleading with God for relief, only to receive the answer: "My grace is sufficient for you." By reflecting on her own season of physical brokenness and the "suffering of God" found in the Lenten journey, she challenges the idea that we must be "fixed" to be useful to the Kingdom. Instead, she invites us to...
info_outline
Participating: The Weight of the Cross
Northwest Vineyard
Continuing in the "Participating" series and the season of Lent, Pastor Scott Engebretson explores the difficult invitation to participate in the suffering of Christ. Using a humorous story about "yak milk" in Nepal to illustrate how we often expect one thing but receive another, Scott dives into the story of Simon of Cyrene from Luke 23. He discusses the reality that the "cross" is often something forced upon us unexpectedly—through grief, health crises, or brokenness—rather than something we choose. Drawing from the prayers of Jesus in Gethsemane, Scott encourages the community to move...
info_outline
Participating: In the Midst of Trouble
Northwest Vineyard
Continuing the "Participating" series during Lent, Pastor Scott Engebretson uses the survival show Alone as a backdrop to discuss how we navigate the "wilderness" of life's hardships. Drawing from John 16, Scott explores the inevitable "labor pains" of the world and how Jesus prepares his disciples for the trouble ahead. He highlights three ways we are called to participate when life gets hard: by waiting faithfully, by weeping and mourning honestly rather than bypassing pain, and by resisting the urge to scatter or isolate. Ultimately, Scott reminds us that because Jesus has overcome the...
info_outline
Participating: The Way Out of the Wilderness
Northwest Vineyard
Kicking off the new series, "Participating," and entering the season of Lent, Pastor Scott Engebretson looks at the reality of temptation and the "death spirals" we often find ourselves in. Using the story of Jesus in the wilderness from Luke 4:1-13, Scott highlights how the enemy targets our most basic needs, our desire for protection, and our hunger for power. He explores how Jesus resisted these temptations not through sheer willpower, but by being led by the Spirit and anchored in Scripture. Scott invites the community to participate in the new life Jesus offers—reminding us that while...
info_outline
You Are Here: Cultivating a Hunger for Prayer
Northwest Vineyard
In the concluding episode of the "You Are Here" series, Pastor Scott Engebretson discusses how we navigate the distance between where we currently are and where we want to be as a community. Using the analogy of "You Are Here" maps found in malls and airports, Scott highlights the importance of spiritual orientation. He shares a personal conviction that God is inviting Northwest Vineyard into a season of deeper intimacy through prayer. Exploring Luke 11:1-13, Scott breaks down the Lord’s Prayer not just as words to recite, but as a framework for honoring God as Father, Provider, and...
info_outline
You Are Here: Stepping into the Flow
Northwest Vineyard
In the third week of the "You Are Here" series, Pastor Scott Engebretson shifts the focus from the communal church to the individual, asking the challenging question: "Where have you dammed up your life?". Using the history of dams as a metaphor, Scott explores how we often inadvertently cut off the flow of God's presence, leading to spiritual stagnation. He emphasizes that your personal life with God is vital to the health of the entire community. Drawing from Acts 2 and 1 Peter 1, Scott discusses the "means of grace"—outward actions like teaching, fellowship, communion, and prayer that God...
info_outline
You Are Here: The Work of the People
Northwest Vineyard
Continuing the "You Are Here" series, guest speaker RJ Owen—a User Experience Designer by trade—explores the concept of liturgy, literally defined as "the work of the people". Using a humorous illustration of a confusing "high-design" bathroom sink, RJ argues that while the Vineyard is a "low church" with a thin, variable liturgy, we still participate in a set of inherited practices. Drawing from 1 Corinthians 14, he examines how the Apostle Paul instructed the chaotic Corinthian church to balance spiritual gifts with order. RJ challenges the idea that we must feel "inspired" to worship...
info_outlineReturning to the "Creating Space" series, Pastor Scott Engebretson contrasts our culture's desire to "chase momentum" with the biblical call to slow devotion. Focusing on the story of Simeon in Luke 2:25-33, Scott explores how Simeon sustained his faith during the centuries of silence between the Old and New Testaments, proving that intimacy with God is possible even in the dark. He defines devotion not as legalism, but as a "careful regard for Kairos"—an attentive waiting for God's timing. Drawing illustrations from Michael Jordan's "love of the game" and the prayer habits of the early church in the Didache, Scott challenges listeners to establish rhythms of prayer to navigate the waiting and recognize the "consolation of Israel" when He arrives.