Time to Thrive!

There’s something powerful about watching a group of people rally around a common purpose. Whether it’s a team, a family, or a church, when individuals commit to something bigger than themselves, something beautiful begins to take shape. That’s what this next sermon series is all about.

This Sunday, we're beginning the series Thrive Together: All In on Faith, Unity, and Growth, and it's rooted in one of the most powerful books in the New Testament—Ephesians. This letter from the Apostle Paul is full of truth and encouragement, written to help believers understand what it means to be the Church. Not just attend church. Not just go through the motions. But to be the Church—alive, united, and thriving.

So what does it take for a church to thrive? Paul gives us a framework, and over the next several weeks, we’re going to unpack it together.

Faith: Our Foundation

Ephesians starts by reminding us of who we are in Christ. Before we talk about church strategy or ministry programs, we need to come back to this core truth: our identity isn’t something we earn—it’s something we’ve been given. And in this, Ephesians is natural follow-up from The Journey.

In Christ, we’ve been chosen, adopted, redeemed, and sealed with the Spirit. That’s the foundation of our faith, and it's what allows us to thrive not just as individuals, but as a body. Healthy churches are made up of people who are deeply rooted in the Word, anchored in faith, and confident in who they are because of what Christ has done.

Unity: Our Calling

From the very beginning, Paul makes it clear that the Church isn’t just a collection of believers—it’s a united people, brought together by the work of Jesus. We weren’t saved to live out our faith alone. We were saved into a family.

Being a family is about every member doing their part to build up the body. It’s about forgiveness, humility, patience, love, and commitment to each other, not just when it’s easy, but through the hard things of life as well.

As we study Ephesians, we’re going to talk about what unity really looks like in a thriving church—not just in theory, but in everyday relationships. Because when we thrive together, we reflect the heart of Christ to the world around us.

Growth: Our Purpose

A thriving church isn’t just united—it’s growing. And we're not talking about size, but maturity, in impact, and in love. Paul doesn’t just challenge the church to be a family—he challenges us to represent Christ to our community.

Growth happens when we take personal responsibility for our faith and for discipleship. When we serve. When we give. When we submit to teaching. When we speak truth in love. This series isn’t about checking boxes—it’s about stepping into the fullness of the life God is calling us to live. Together.

I believe God has something important for us in this series. Not because I think we're unhealthy...far from it. But because I see God moving in and around us. God is getting ready to do something amazing in our community through Mt Olive, and Ephesians is the perfect series to encourage us, unify us, and equip us for whatever that is.

So whether you’ve been here for years or you’re just beginning to explore what church is all about, this is a perfect time to jump in.

We’re all in this together. And it’s time to thrive.