2024-11-03: It seems simple, but yet profound: The lives we live today are often a result of decisions we made yesterday (or earlier in our lives). Our relationships, our careers, our health, our successes, and our failures. What is true individually, is also true corporately. The experience of life together is the culmination of our past decisions…

2024-10-27: In one particular study when non-Christian people answered why they rejected Christianity the results showed the primary reason was the behaviour of Christians. The primary reason had nothing to do with what the Bible says, or teaches, or any conflict with other world-views. The perception and experience that people had with those who c…

2024-10-20: Let’s be honest, many people don’t want to be a Christian because it has so many rules and seemingly exclusive demands. "What about freedom?" "Why do things have to be so rigid and intolerant?" Our world has a very unique idea of what freedom is and unknowingly we have bought into it. Is it true that a lack of restraint is true freedom?…

2024-10-13: Join us this weekend for a ‘hot’ topic. We’re looking at the Problem of Hell. This seems to be, for many, a central barrier to trusting the God of the Bible (for both Christians and non-Christians). But just because we don’t like something doesn’t mean it isn’t true. With so many historical, cultural, religious, and biblical concepts of…

2024-10-06: "If God exists, and is all-powerful, all-knowing, and wholly good, why do evil and suffering exist?" More than any other question, this seems to be one that has made Christianity indefensible for many. It has been a major barrier for people to believe in the God revealed in the Bible. From John the Baptist to you and me, humans have bee…

2024-09-29: "The Bible is outdated." "The Bible isn't reliable." "The Bible is full of contradictions." "The Bible is a fabricated and edited document that was manipulated by people with a hidden agenda." "The Bible is just like every other religious scripture, it contains some truth but isn't any any more trustworthy than others." Have you heard s…

2024-09-22: Everyone has faith. The question of "faith" is a metaphysical question. "Meta" means after, or beyond. After physics, logic, reason we have to make a faith decision. And everyone, whether they can articulate it or not, has to put their faith into something or someone. The question is what do you put your faith in? This does not, however…

2024-09-15: In the modern world, religion is seen as a crutch for those who need a pacifier to help them get through life. Is God something that only desperate or uneducated people believe in? Is there any rational and scientific evidence that affirms a faith position? Are science and Christianity at odds? We might be surprised when we look at wher…

2024-09-08: Do you believe in Jesus beyond a shadow of a doubt? You shouldn't. Many of us have come to believe that we can't have faith and doubt. That leaves us with two options: faking it or never choosing to trust Jesus. Jesus began the movement of his kingdom with a bunch of imperfect doubters.Av SunWest Church

2024-09-01: God was never intended just to be something to "believe in". A relationship with God is something we can experience. Throughout our community God is transforming lives. Join us this week and be encouraged and inspired as we hear impactful stories of life change.Av SunWest Church

2024-08-04 God was never intended just to be something to "believe in". A relationship with God is something we can experience. Throughout our community God is transforming lives. Join us this week and be encouraged and inspired as we hear impactful stories of life change.Av SunWest Church

2024-08-25: Waiting for prayers to be answered can feel like waiting for the rain to fall, yet we are called to pray in all circumstances. How can we move beyond being people who pray, and become people of prayer? Like falling rain, prayer begins to produce a crop of forgiveness, healing, and community.…

2024-08-18: Across social media and in our own lives we see varying attitudes to wealth, power and suffering. What does James have to say about the attitudes we should have to wealth, power and suffering? We'll explore how godly attitudes give people a different way forward and help us fulfill our mission as a Church.…

2024-08-11: What’s your worldview? Did you know that your worldview serves as the lens through which you perceive reality, shaping your understanding of God, humanity, and your purpose in life? IN this message, we examine how our worldview influences our values, decisions, and actions -- often in ways we may not even realize.…

2024-07-28: We continue our Paparazzi series by diving into James chapter three, where we’ll learn how to live out our faith when the world is not only watching… but listening. The Apostle James doesn’t pull any punches when he describes the destructive power of our words. Many of our regrets stem from things we’ve said or failed to say. But if you…

2024-07-21: Have you ever gone the wrong way on a one-way street? It can be disastrous. What is dangerous in a vehicle is also hazardous in religion. This week we look at a simple little nuance that has an exponential life-changing effect. And if we miss it we may end up going the wrong way! Are you going the right way? Join us this week and find o…

Sticks and stones may break my bones... but words will never hurt me. An age-old saying that carries little truth. Words can break trust, hurt relationships, and lose jobs. They can hurt for a lifetime. The book of James has a lot to say about how we conduct ourselves in the things we say and how we practice our faith. Join us this week as we chall…

2024-06-30: There are cameras everywhere. iPhones, computers, traffic lights, surveillance cameras... not to mention the reality that the phone you're carrying tracks where you are going and listens to what you are saying. This is not a series about conspiracy theories. This is a series about the truth that it is increasingly difficult to live a do…

2024-06-23: Bruce and his wife Lisa live in Saskatoon, have been married 35 years, and have four adult daughters. Bruce pastored at Forest Grove Community Church for 21 years and has been the General Director of Multiply for the past two years. He loves to help connect the church locally and globally, and this week's message will focus on different…

2024-06-16: As we look back on this series, we have talked about why the church exists and what the church is all about, but we haven’t yet talked about how the church should be. Jesus set an example for the church to emulate. He showed us how to use whatever influence and power we might have in this world. Unfortunately, sometimes this is not the …

2024-06-09: Through history, more so than today, families often had a business. A business that would be passed on through the generations. Perhaps a farm, perhaps a service company, or a trade that was learned from the older generation. If one of the primary metaphors for the church is family, what would be the family business? What is the work th…

2024-06-02: People in church often talk about "living a full and meaningful life". But do you ever feel for all that talk your life just doesn't seem to match up? It feels too fast. Too mundane. Too much work. Not enough joy and peace. But what if Jesus was serious about this fulness of life and peace stuff? What if there was a gift waiting for you…

2024-05-26 We live in an undercurrent of aloneness, not enough-ness, and anxiousness both in our culture and the present paradigm of church. And yet the church was never supposed to be an event, building, or an institution. It was meant to be a family with a DNA of secure attachment. Interesting! When kids are seen, soothed, safe and secure they fl…

2024-05-19 Dinner time is when we can come together as a family and get caught up. We feel welcomed, we share experiences, and enjoy a common meal. It's a place where we feel like we actually belong, we are valued, and we find identity. The Lord's Table is one such meal. It is a time and a place where all arewelcomed to remember what our Lord Jesus…

2024-05-12 When we look around we can see that the distrust of institutions is at an all-time high. Many people are deciding that church as they know it "is not for them". We also live in an epidemic of loneliness, isolation, and anxiety. What if what people are looking for is the very thing the church was intended to provide? The church was never …

SunWest has, for many years, strategically partnered with Compassion Canada to help release children from poverty in Jesus’ name. We are joined this week by a Compassion alumni. Come and hear the story of life change that can happen when we do for the one what we wish we could do for the many. You may not be able to change the world, but you can he…

We’ve spent a few weeks looking at Cancel Culture and how the death and resurrection of Jesus should impact our postures as followers of Jesus. Last week we talked about confronting other followers of Jesus in a redemptive way. This week we will address the topic of how the church should impact and respond to other people, groups, and authorities i…

Last week we considered how condemning, shaming, and calling out is a reflection of cancel culture’s attempt to control others. This does not reflect the kingdom culture of Jesus. But the question remains, when someone is acting and living in ways contrary to God’s Kingdom how should we respond? This Sunday we begin a two-week response to that ques…

You can see what’s wrong with them. You know what people should have done and what they shouldn’t have done. You’ve been hurt and offended. At that point, you're at a crossroads. You can choose to walk in Kingdom Culture (the way of Jesus) or Cancel Culture (the way of the world). This week we look at one of the most well-known but least implemente…

For the last five years, this word (or at least what it represents) has dominated the cultural, religious, political, and personal landscape. Individuals, businesses, and people groups can get canceled in a moment. The result is a culture of fear-mongering, threats, power games, and crowd-pleasing. The playground where this bullying plays out is so…

Celebrate with us as we see the culmination of God's plan for eternal life for us all through the resurrection of Jesus and listen how this too was a sign of things to come foretold through the events in Bethany. He is risen indeed!Av SunWest Church

God's plan for the redemption of all people has been in place far longer than we at times imagine. Listen as we see how God foretold centuries before the events of Good Friday, through the Passover meal, the enduring sacrifice of Jesus as we reflect, celebrate, and discover more of what Easter means for us today.…

Have you ever made a wish? Did it come true, and was it everything you hoped it would be? A celebrity once said, "God punishes us by giving us everything we want." The children of Israel experienced this as they asked God for a king. God gave them their wish, but it didn't quite turn out the way they were thinking. Why was that? Are we any differen…

Where was God on Good Friday? Was he standing at a distance punishing Jesus? Was he turning his back on Jesus at his weakest moment? When Jesus spoke his last words, "My God, my God why have you forsaken me?", what was happening? Perhaps the key to understanding this world-altering mystery is found 1000 years before Jesus spoke those last words.…

The word gospel means good news. The good news that the Bible talks about was revealed through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. But Jesus revealed something profound after his resurrection…this good news was being revealed, foreshadowed, and talked about since the beginning of time. People just couldn’t see it until after the resurrectio…

The word gospel means good news. The good news that the Bible talks about was revealed through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. But Jesus revealed something profound after his resurrection…this good news was being revealed, foreshadowed, and talked about since the beginning of time. People just couldn’t see it until after the resurrectio…

The word gospel means good news. This good news was revealed through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. But Jesus revealed something profound after his resurrection…this good news was being revealed, foreshadowed, and talked about since the beginning of time. People just couldn’t see it until after the resurrection. As we head towards East…

Look at any movie, book, or painting and you are bound to encounter the human need for connection with other human beings. We are wired for relationships (friendships, romantic relationships, family relationships). This can lead to the assumption that our deepest longings are realized only when we complete the puzzle by finding that missing piece. …

Everyone has an invisible 'friendship code' that shapes, hurts, or helps our friendships. God wants to fix our friendship code and fasten it to Jesus...but how?Av SunWest Church

Look at any movie, book, or painting and you are bound to encounter the human need for connection with other human beings. We are wired for relationships (friendships, romantic relationships, family relationships). This can lead to the assumption that our deepest longings are realized only when we complete the puzzle by finding that missing piece. …

In our world today we can have same-day delivery, fast food, instant entertainment, instant communication with whomever we want, and a search engine or chat GPT to give us answers to any of our questions. We have all been shaped by this culture of speed, and because we want it, we assume it's good. But how has this shaped our faith? How has this sh…

Over the last couple of weeks, we have talked about Deconstruction, what it is, and why we get there. When Deconstruction is done well with the right motive it can be a source of tremendous growth in our lives. But how do we go about that “reconstruction” process? Join us this week and next as we look at how to reconstruct our faith well.…

Over the last decade the word Deconstruction has been used, claimed, and tossed around quite a bit. It is a word that is intended to describe someone's journey away from faith. But did you know that questions and doubts are a part of faith not an enemy of faith? Perhaps it’s our understanding of faith that needs to be deconstructed. Deconstruction …

Over the last decade the word Deconstruction has been used, claimed, and tossed around quite a bit. It is a word that is intended to describe someone's journey away from faith. But did you know that questions and doubts are a part of faith not an enemy of faith? Perhaps it’s our understanding of faith that needs to be deconstructed. Deconstruction …

It’s the time of year we’ve all been waiting for. In fact, the word Advent means waiting. Beyond the cultural parts of this season that we all wait for, there is a universal longing in every human heart that awaits the presence of God, purpose, eternity, rescue, and deliverance. Christmas is the story of God’s response to every longing heart. Come …

A wishlist at Christmas can tell you a lot about the person who wrote it. It can tell you about their dreams, goals and aspirations. It can also tell a lot about someone when they don’t get what’s on their list. But maybe when we don’t get what we want we’ll be more open to considering what’s on God’s Wishlist.…

2023-12-03 Wishlist - Part 1: Undeck The Halls, Pastor Dan Bergen byAv SunWest Church

Jonah is a story that has captured the imagination of children and adults alike throughout history. It’s the story of someone who ran from the call of God. It’s the story of a God who cared too much about a city to let that person run away from their call. The fact that Jonah wasn’t perfect didn’t stop God from using Jonah. We are Jonah.…

Jonah is a story that has captured the imagination of children and adults alike throughout history. It’s the story of someone who ran from the call of God. It’s the story of a God who cared too much about a city to let that person run away from their call. The fact that Jonah wasn’t perfect didn’t stop God from using Jonah. We are Jonah.…

Jonah is a story that has captured the imagination of children and adults alike throughout history. It’s the story of someone who ran from the call of God. It’s the story of a God who cared too much about a city to let that person run away from their call. The fact that Jonah wasn’t perfect didn’t stop God from using Jonah. We are Jonah.…