Willow Creek Community Church holds to a core belief that people matter to God. They matter to us, too. With an understanding that Jesus Christ came to earth to seek and to save that which was lost (Luke 19:10), But Jesus went beyond a mere rescue mission; he transformed lives. Jesus came to redeem this broken world, and it is on this core belief that Willow has built its mission statement: to turn irreligious people into fully devoted followers of Christ. Willow is committed to carrying on Christ's mission by reaching out to those who are far from God, coaching those who follow Christ by equipping them for their spiritual journey, and unleashing unprecedented levels of compassion and justice into our broken world. Weekend messages are a key component in reach out to others and encouraging and inspiring them along their spiritual journey.
Have you ever lost anything? Something really precious? Something of such worth that you’d do anything to get it back? Jesus had a lot of things to say about lost things. Two of his stories have captured the minds and hearts of people for centuries. One story tells about a child who lost his way and wondered whether he’d ever be welcome home again. That child finally went looking for a way to come home. Another story tells about a sheep who wandered off and the shepherd left the whole flock to find the one. That shepherd went on a rescue mission for that sheep. These stories are Easter stories because they help us begin to grasp the unfathomable truths of what Jesus did, the cataclysmic lengths he went to to welcome us and bring us home. No matter how far we’ve wandered, we’re always welcome. And no matter the cost, God is relentlessly pursuing. Easter is a celebration of when Jesus made a way for us all to find our way home.
