The Branch Church

Branch crew/friends. If you are coming from the Lewisville area or north and down I-35 to either campus Sunday morning, please note the following for tmrw Sunday, Sept 8th. See you tmrw for our new series!

The Texas Department of Transportation will close I-35E in Lewisville in both directions from Valley Ridge Parkway to Fox Avenue at 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday nights through 11 a.m. Saturday and Sunday mornings. Crews will remove the two northern lanes of the FM 1171/Main Street bridge.

The most important election of our lifetime is when we elect to follow Jesus. There’s not an area of our life that’s to go untouched by that election. Sometimes, though, it’s a real quandary as to how exactly that fleshes itself out in certain areas of life. Our relationship with government and politics is one of those areas. READ THIS WEEK'S UPDATE: https://mailchi.mp/thebranch.org/lets-go-there

We kick off our series on faith, politics and the kingdom of God this coming weekend. Bring a friend! This past weekend was a Labor Day “soft launch” of it. If you missed it, check it out here.

Let’s Go There: Intro “Intercession and Election Infection“ 9/01/24 This weekend, we're laying the groundwork for a new series that officially kicks off next weekend. To set the stage, we're starting where the apostle Paul di...

Election infection. This weekend will be a “soft launch” to our new series beginning September 8th – “Let’s Go There: Faith, Politics, and The Kingdom of God.” Come ready to worship, engage, and read I Timothy 2:1-8 in advance. READ THIS WEEK'S UPDATE: https://mailchi.mp/thebranch.org/election-infection

https://youtu.be/Cu9xUaX0lAU?si=mKxsLdQK6vQWaBG5

The Story: Ch. 31 “Apocalypse Now“ 8/25/24 This weekend, our journey through The Story concludes with the book of Revelation and how it speaks to believers facing persecution and cultural seduction, b...

This weekend, we’ll cross the finish line of The Story reading plan through Scripture. 31 weeks! And we’ll do it with the fireworks of Revelation. I’ll attempt to wrap my arms around the whale of Revelation in one message. Let’s do this!

READ THIS WEEK'S UPDATE HERE: https://mailchi.mp/thebranch.org/its-a-zoo-out-there

https://youtu.be/IT3Pj4tbK5s?si=SunuZHXAUwQsw_fz

The Story: Ch. 30 “Paul in the VUCA“ 8/18/24 In the penultimate weekend of The Story, the Apostle Paul navigates challenging circumstances on his journey to Rome and beyond.Learn more about Rooted and r...

Have you ever been on a boat or a ship and said to yourself, "This trip is taking forever"? If you have, you'll identify with a story from Acts 27-28 this weekend as our journey through The Story reading plan continues. Life has its share of twists, turns, and detours. We wind up in places we never imagined. READ THIS WEEK'S UPDATE: https://mailchi.mp/thebranch.org/boat-trip

My eyes fell on this sign in a yard as I was walking early this morning. Somebody’s child is venturing into kindergarten this year in our neighborhood school. A milestone moment. All three of my adult sons went through kindergarten in that very same school.

This weekend in our services, we’ll take a few moments to pray for teachers, coaches, administrators, counselors, etc…as well as our kids! Don’t hesitate to invite someone you know who... READ THIS WEEK'S UPDATE HERE: https://mailchi.mp/thebranch.org/a-milestone-moment

I’m glad to be back in the saddle this weekend after a break from preaching this month. I missed you! I look forward to reflecting on Chapter 28 of The Story with you (Acts 1-10, 12). READ THIS WEEK'S UPDATE: https://mailchi.mp/thebranch.org/back-in-the-saddle

Like so many, I was sobered by the assassination attempt on Donald Trump, the tragic death of a bystander, and the injury of others this past Saturday. Acts of violence and words of violence are not the way of our King. They weren’t on January 6, 2021, they weren’t on Saturday or in the days since, and they won’t be tomorrow. READ THIS WEEK'S UPDATE FROM CHRIS:

Not Uncharted Territory Greetings! Though I’m on sabbatical for this month, I’ve still thoroughly enjoyed keeping up with so many different stories of what God is doing among us – from the word and testimonies of missionaries we support in our global efforts, to an incredible Kids Camp last week, to new baptisms amon...

This coming weekend, I’m looking forward to unpacking a story from our readings in the gospels this week. The title for our readings in The Story has been “No Ordinary Man.” Truth! There had to be some days for the disciples where they wondered, “Am I going to die today?” They were terrified more than once. Jesus is our friend, no doubt. But He’s way more than that, as well. READ THIS WEEK'S UPDATE: https://mailchi.mp/thebranch.org/a-few-things-for-the-weeks-ahead

Our final weekend in the Old Testament as we follow The Story reading plan is this week! Read Chapter 21 which contains excerpts from the books of Ezra and Malachi. Pay attention to the priest Ezra, and we’ll consider the help and hand of the Lord in our lives! READ THIS WEEK'S UPDATE: https://mailchi.mp/thebranch.org/got-any-gopher-wood

Be wary of equating God's silence with God's absence. The story of Esther is a great illustration of this. We'll dive into it as our journey reading through the Bible continues this weekend. Read Chapter 20 of The Story and come ready to engage! READ THIS WEEK'S UPDATE: https://mailchi.mp/thebranch.org/silence-doesnt-mean-absence

Our interns for Branch Kids and Branch Youth have arrived for the summer. Let’s welcome them to the team! READ THIS WEEK'S UPDATE: https://mailchi.mp/thebranch.org/unfinished-projects-around-the-house

Tomorrow, we'll reflect on the story of Daniel as our journey through The Story continues. Hunter Wheatcraft (FB campus) and Josh Brake (VR campus) will lead our time in the Word. We'll also take a few moments to remember and honor mothers. I also think of women in the body of Christ who are spiritual mothers to many. READ THIS WEEK'S UPDATE: https://mailchi.mp/thebranch.org/great-days-in-may

Have you ever been a captive audience? That's what the people of God are in the books of Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Lamentations. Together, these books tell a story that all of us will find ourselves in sooner or later. Chapter 17 of The Story is coming up this weekend! I look forward to unpacking it with you! READ THIS WEEK'S UPDATE: https://mailchi.mp/thebranch.org/captive-audience

”Shake Well Before Using” – it’s on the label of most salad dressings. It’s also true for many people that God uses. They are shaken well before they are used mightily. This is the case with Isaiah. There are wake-up calls, and there are shake-up calls. We’ll be in Chapter 16 of The Story this weekend and considering one of the readings out of Isaiah together. READ THIS WEEK'S UPDATE: https://mailchi.mp/thebranch.org/shake-well-before-using

When was the last time you rode a roller coaster? This week, we'll ride one with the prophet Elijah as we reflect on Chapter 15 of The Story, which contains Scripture from the Kings narrative, Hosea, and Amos. We'll talk about bleeding for the gods and the God who bleeds for us. READ THIS WEEK'S UPDATE: https://mailchi.mp/thebranch.org/riding-the-roller-coaster

There’s such a thing as a spiritual eclipse. Things get in between God and us. This weekend, we’ll be drawing from the book of I Kings in Chapter 14 of The Story. It’s about a time when God was eclipsed by idolatry in the lives of His own people, and the role leaders played. This part of Scripture offers challenging lessons, practical wisdom, and, as always, the revelation of Jesus. READ THIS WEEK'S UPDATE: https://mailchi.mp/thebranch.org/what-a-week

What a weekend.... There are some amazing stories behind a few of the baptisms we witnessed. Like the pictures of icebergs in the water - the biggest parts of the stories are “underneath the water line” that most don’t know or see. Every now and then, we get glimpses, and it’s breathtaking. READ THIS WEEK'S UPDATE: https://mailchi.mp/thebranch.org/tip-of-the-iceberg

"God raised this Jesus from the dead, and we are all witnesses of this." (Acts 2:32)

The explosion of the Jesus-movement was not fueled out of respect for a dead leader. It was ignited by a resurrection nobody saw coming.

Easter is not about the proclamation of a philosophy or creed. It's the recognition of an event in history that has implications for our understanding of Jesus and, consequently, ourselves.
READ THIS WEEK'S UPDATE: https://mailchi.mp/thebranch.org/the-main-event

David’s takedown happens when he’s got time on his hands. Some of our greatest battles come when we’re not where we are supposed to be and we’ve got time on our hands. 😬

While the answer isn’t always to be busy, it does involve being intentional and God-conscious with the time on our hands.

Before long, David would exchange the time on his hands for the body of Bathsheba, and in the end, sit down to a banquet of consequences.

But God won’t leave David alone – He’ll send for him.
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In the latter part of 2 Samuel (from Chapter 12 of The Story), we cover some dark and difficult chapters from David’s life.

👀 Watch The Story: Ch. 12 "Full Send" on YouTube -

The Story: Ch. 12 "Full Send" 3/24/24 This weekend in The Story, we come to some dark and difficult chapters from King David’s life.Join us next weekend at The Branch Church and invite your frien...

One of the things I love about reading through The Bible is seeing things I’ve never seen before. In our reading this past week of Chapter 12 of The Story, I was struck by 2 Samuel 18:8, which speaks of men in a battle, and more were swallowed up by the forest than the sword. What exactly happened there? There’s actually a sermon in there, but I’ll have to save it for another time. READ THIS WEEK'S UPDATE: https://mailchi.mp/thebranch.org/swallowed-up