“I got this” is one of the most dangerous things a Christian can say.

Pastor Anthony continues the core-values series with Value #3: growing together. He opens with a story about a bathroom in Israel, where he walked in saying “I got this” and realized he should have asked a few more questions. From there he builds toward the point of Ephesians 4:11-16: Jesus grows us through one another to become more like Him.

He walks through three movements in the passage. First, put your faith to work. The Dead Sea has water flowing in and nowhere for it to flow out, so nothing can live there, and a faith that only takes in and never practices what it hears goes stagnant the same way. Second, Jesus is the standard, not the person next to you. That includes learning to say “I don’t know,” and to speak the truth in love instead of unloading your frustration. Third, find your people and play your part. Even the parts of the body nobody notices matter, and you can sit in a full room on Sunday and still be deeply alone.

The episode closes with a panel conversation on how to tell whether you’re consuming or practicing, how to measure spiritual maturity without comparing yourself to others or condemning yourself, and practical steps for building real community in the church.

Key topics: Growing together | Ephesians 4:11-16 | Putting faith into practice | Jesus as the standard | Truth in love | Finding your people | Spiritual maturity

Church of the Cascades | Bend, Oregon | Values series