Dear Church Family,

Tonight at 6:30P, we begin The AI Revolution: Four Nights with Global Experts on Technology, Mind, and Faith at CityRise Church | Bellaire.

Opening this series will be Dr. Jeff Frey with Human Intelligence in an Artificial World: AI, Emotional Intelligence, and Leading with Wisdom in a Changing World. Dr. Frey will invite us to look beyond the technology itself and consider how wisdom, emotional intelligence, and faithful leadership can help us navigate the changes already emerging around us.

I would love for you to join us in person tonight at CityRise Bellaire, but I especially want to make sure you know that tonight’s event—and every night of The AI Revolution—will be livestreamed free on mobile devices and TV through GLU, the God Loves You Network!

You can easily watch on your phone using the link below to download the GLU app:

Alternatively, for TVs and other streaming devices, search in your device’s app store for “GLU God Loves You,” download the GLU app, and search for “The AI Revolution” or our CityRise GLU channel.

Each night of The AI Revolution is also designed as a standalone event, so you are welcome to attend whichever sessions fit your schedule. Plus, the series is free and open to everyone, so consider inviting a coworker, friend, neighbor, or family member to attend or watch with you.

For the complete schedule, speaker information, frequently asked questions, and other event details, visit cityrise.org/ai.

I hope you will join us tonight, whether in person or through GLU!


Expecting Greater,
Pastor Roger

Because you give, lives were transformed in a remote region of Zambia through the faithful service of a mission team from CityRise. Eleven members of CityRise joined three team members from Judea Harvest to bring the hope of the gospel and the love of Christ to a community where access to medical care and biblical teaching is limited.

Throughout the trip, the team had the opportunity to serve both the physical and spiritual needs of the people they encountered. They hosted a medical clinic that cared for hundreds of individuals while also sharing the message of salvation with every person who came. In total, 332 people received medical treatment and heard the gospel, opening the door for conversations that pointed them toward the hope found in Jesus.

At the same time, the team led Vacation Bible School for local children, creating a joyful environment filled with worship, Bible lessons, games, and activities. More than 450 children attended VBS, where they learned about God's love in a fun and engaging way. Seeds of faith were planted in young hearts that will continue to be nurtured by local believers long after the team returned home.

God moved powerfully throughout the week. Forty-two people made professions of faith in Christ and three new believers publicly declared their faith through baptism. These decisions represent changed lives and the beginning of new journeys of discipleship within the local church.

One encounter especially reminded the team of God's perfect timing and relentless pursuit of every individual. A man suffering from medical needs and demonic oppression heard that the mission team was coming to the area. Determined to find help, he walked five hours to reach the clinic. There, the team was able to care for him medically, pray with him, and share the hope and freedom found in Christ. Before leaving, they connected him with local church leaders who will continue walking alongside him through discipleship and ongoing care. It was a powerful reminder that no one is beyond God's reach and that He often prepares hearts long before His people arrive.

Dear Church Family,

One of the joys within a season like this is seeing our Lord working through our prayers, planning, and generosity and seeing things take visible shape.

Pathways has always been about more than construction. As we move toward CityRise’s 100th birthday in 2028 and our next century of ministry, this three-year generosity journey is helping us honor the past, extend the gospel, and create lasting ministry impact. This summer, we have seen encouraging progress across several of our campuses.

At CityRise Bellaire, we have presented our proposed landscape improvement project to the city’s ZBA and are now awaiting its decision, which we expect in mid-August. Please pray that the Lord would grant favor, give wisdom to the city officials considering the plans, and clear the way for this project to move forward.
 
At CityRise Missouri City, work inside the main building is nearing completion as we prepare to worship in the new space this September. Construction on the parking lot has also begun, bringing us another step closer to making the expanded campus ready to welcome and serve our growing church family.
 
And at CityRise West U Baptist, construction on the Milton Street parking lot is well underway. We are also working to secure the remaining approvals for the Amherst Street project, which will expand our parking and provide a new playground for our preschool ministry.

It is encouraging to see these projects moving from being plans on paper to visible progress! We are grateful for every individual and family who has prayed, made a commitment, and faithfully given toward Pathways. As David prayed, everything we offer ultimately comes from the Lord and belongs to Him (1 Chronicles 29:16).

There is still an opportunity to join us. You can learn more, make a commitment, or give toward your Pathways commitment at cityrise.org/pathways.

Before I close, let me offer one final invitation to The AI Revolution: Four Nights with Global Experts on Technology, Mind, and Faith.

Artificial intelligence is already shaping the way we work, learn, communicate, create, lead, and care for one another. These conversations will help us approach those changes with wisdom, discernment, and faith. The series is open to the public, so please consider inviting a coworker, neighbor, student, business leader, educator, or family member to join you.

Beginning this coming Monday, August 3, we will gather for four free Monday evenings at 6:30P at CityRise Bellaire. Our guests will include Dr. Jeff Frey, Dr. James Tour, Peter and Misty Phillip, and Dr. Laura Murray. Learn more about our amazing speakers and the topics they will address at cityrise.org/ai.

Thank you for continuing to pray, give, serve, and prepare the way for the ministry God has placed before us.

We’ll see you on Sunday, Church Family!


Expecting Greater,
Pastor Roger

Have you ever wondered whether you could waste your life, even while doing everything right? It's an uncomfortable question, but according to the Bible, it's one everyone will eventually answer. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 5:10 that every believer will one day stand before what Scripture calls the judgment seat of Christ, and what gets evaluated there might surprise you. It's not a courtroom deciding whether you go to heaven. It's an inspection of what you actually did with the life you were given, and that life can still count as wasted even if you never did anything you would call sinful.

Will Christians Be Judged for Their Works?
Yes, according to 2 Corinthians 5:10, which says that everyone must appear before the judgment seat of Christ so that each person may receive what is due for what they have done, whether good or bad. Three words in that verse carry the weight of the whole idea.

The first is all. There is no exemption for seniority, title, reputation, or years of faithful service. The apostle Paul stands before that judgment seat. A brand new believer stands there too. Nobody skips the line.

The second is each. This is not a group evaluation. It is not a review of how well a generation of believers performed collectively, or how any single church or movement did. Each person gives an account individually, for their own life.

The third is bad, and it's the word most people misread. In the Greek, this is not the word for moral evil. It's the word phaulos, which means worthless, of no account, without lasting substance. So, at this evaluation, the question isn't whether you were a criminal. The question is whether you invested in anything that actually mattered. That reframes everything. This is not a virtue versus vice test. It's a test of substance versus a hollow life.

Paul's application, in the verse just before this one, isn't fear. In 2 Corinthians 5:9, he writes that whether at home or away, believers make it their aim to please Him. The phrase carries a competitive edge in the original language, describing an ambition to please Christ the way someone chases a goal they genuinely care about. Knowing his life would be evaluated didn't paralyze Paul with anxiety. It gave him a clear, purposeful reason to live well.

What the Parable of the Talents Reveals About Wasted Potential
Jesus told a story in Matthew 25 that pictures exactly this kind of evaluation. A master goes on a journey and entrusts money to three servants before he leaves: five talents to one, two to another, and one to the last. A single talent in that culture represented roughly twenty years of wages, so even the servant who received the least was trusted with a fortune.

When the master returns, he inspects what each servant did with what they were given. The first two had invested what they received and doubled it, and each one hears the same response: well done, come and share your master's joy. The third servant did nothing. He buried what he was given and returned it exactly as he received it, then blamed the master for being too demanding to risk anything for. He wasted an opportunity most people would consider life-changing, out of fear and neglect rather than any active wrongdoing.

Scripture elsewhere puts it plainly, in Hosea 4:6: people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge. Not necessarily for wickedness, but for failing to learn, grow, and actually use what they were given. That's the danger in the parable. The third servant wasn't corrected for committing a crime. He was corrected for wasting an opportunity through neglect.

What You Build Will Be Tested by Fire
1 Corinthians 3:12-13 adds another layer to this picture. Paul writes that whether someone builds their life with gold, silver, and precious stones, or with wood, hay, and straw, a day is coming when fire will test the quality of what they built and reveal it for what it truly is.

Fireproof materials like gold and silver don't fear the fire. They come through it purified, more valuable than before. These represent the parts of a life built by God's grace, for God's glory, with right motives. Wood, hay, and straw are different. Fire doesn't refine them. It consumes them. Here's the part that catches people off guard: these aren't necessarily sinful things. They can be sincere, busy, even outwardly religious activities done for self-promotion, human applause, or without any lasting spiritual weight. A person can stay extremely busy doing good-sounding things and still be building with the wrong materials.

The New Testament scholar Gordon Fee makes an important observation about this passage. The fire here isn't a purifying punishment that drags on. It's a single, all-revealing disclosure that shows the true quality of what was built, all at once. The test is never about how much someone did. It's about what kind of work it actually was.

Can You Be Saved and Still Suffer Loss?
According to 1 Corinthians 3:15, yes. Paul writes that if someone's work is burned up, they will suffer loss, though they themselves will be saved, but only as one who has come through fire. The salvation isn't in question. What can be lost is everything that person spent their life building on top of that foundation.

Charles Spurgeon described it as being like a man pulled alive from a burning building. He survives, but everything he thought was permanent and valuable is gone.

My brother told me about his father-in-law, Fred, who fell asleep for an afternoon nap while workers were doing electrical repairs in the house. A spark reached the insulation in the attic, and the house caught fire. Fred woke up in time to get out safely, but by the time it was over, plenty of things the family had treasured for years were ruined. The house didn't burn to the ground and could be repaired, but plenty was lost that would never be replaced.

That's the picture. The foundation, faith in Christ, holds. The person is safe. But what they built on top of that foundation, chasing their own agenda instead of His, can still be lost in a moment.

Living With Purpose Instead of Fear
None of this is meant to produce dread. The goal isn't to leave you anxious about a future evaluation you can't control. The goal is clarity. Every gift, every skill, every relationship, and every opportunity you've been given is meant to be invested, not buried out of fear or neglect.

You already have something worth investing. A story of change in your own life. A desire to help someone else. A skill nobody else in your circle has. The question the parable of the talents and the judgment seat of Christ both raise isn't whether you're a good person. It's whether you're actually using what you were given, or setting it aside out of fear, distraction, or your own agenda.

The day is coming when the quality of what you built will be tested. Some of it will hold. Some of it won't. That shouldn't paralyze you. It should focus you, the same way it focused Paul, on living with a clear, purposeful aim to please the One who gave you everything you have in the first place.

This blog is based on the message shared by Senior Pastor Dr. Roger Patterson at our CityRise West U Baptist campus on Sunday, July 26, 2026. Check out the full message below!

Exciting progress is happening across our CityRise campuses through our Pathways initiative! Every step forward represents more than construction—it represents creating welcoming spaces where people can encounter Jesus, build community, and grow in their faith for years to come.

This summer has been filled with important milestones, and we are grateful to share how God continues to open doors.

At our Bellaire campus, we recently reached an encouraging milestone by successfully passing the first hurdle in the city's approval process at the Planning and Zoning Commission hearing. While there are still important votes ahead, we are thankful for this positive step toward our landscape improvement project. Please continue praying with us that God would grant wisdom to city leaders and continue clearing the way for this project to move forward smoothly.

At our Missouri City campus, the vision is becoming reality as the building continues to take shape. Fresh paint is going on the walls, new flooring is being installed, and beautiful tile work is transforming the interior spaces. Outside, work is also ramping up as excavation begins for the new parking lot. With construction gaining momentum, we're excited to see these spaces come together to better serve our church family and the surrounding community.

Meanwhile, at West U Baptist, construction on the Milton parking lot is well underway, providing much-needed parking improvements. At the same time, we are working to secure final approvals for the Amherst portion of the project, which includes expanding parking and building a brand-new preschool playground. These improvements will help us better welcome families and create safe, engaging spaces for children to learn, play, and experience God's love.

Every milestone is possible because of the faithful support of people like you. Your generosity is helping prepare our campuses to serve future generations, strengthen our ministries, and create places where lives will continue to be transformed by the gospel.

Thank you to everyone who has already committed to the Pathways initiative. If you haven't yet had the opportunity to join us, there's still time to be part of what God is doing. We invite you to learn more about the vision and make your commitment by visiting cityrise.org/pathways.

Dear Church Family,

As summer begins to wind down and the fall semester draws closer, returning to familiar routines is not that far on the horizon. Schools will reopen, ministry calendars will fill, and our campuses will once again become busy with children, students, families, guests, and neighbors.

This is a good time to prayerfully consider where God may be inviting each of us to serve.

Serving is one of the ways we follow the example of Jesus, care for one another, live the gospel, and use the gifts God has entrusted to us. As Peter reminds us, “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace” (1 Peter 4:10).

This may mean continuing in a place where you have served faithfully for years. For others, it may mean returning after a season away or even taking a first step into something new.

As fall approaches, there will be meaningful opportunities to serve in ministry areas such as Kids, Students, ESL, Hospitality, Audio/Video, and many other areas across CityRise. These roles are different, but each one helps create an environment where people can encounter Jesus, grow in community, and feel welcomed.

I encourage you to pray about where the Lord may be leading you. You don’t need to have everything figured out before responding! Our CityRise Serve form is simply a way to let us know where you may be interested and to begin a conversation with one of our ministry leaders.

Speaking of serving and ministry, we are grateful for members of our church family who have been serving beyond our city throughout the summer. A mission team is currently ministering in Germany, and another team will travel to London tomorrow. I will be preaching at our West U Batist campus this Sunday and flying out to join them afterward. Please pray for safe travel, unity, wisdom, and fruitful opportunities to share the love and hope of the gospel of Christ.

Whether across an ocean or across a hallway, God uses willing people to accomplish His purposes. May each of us remain attentive to the places He has prepared for us to serve.

Have a great weekend, Church Family!


Expecting Greater,
Pastor Roger

Most of what you build in this life will not survive you. The career, the house, the accounts you have worked to grow, all of it eventually passes to someone else or simply fades. So, the real question is not how much you can accumulate, but what you can actually keep. Jesus put it plainly: store up treasure for yourselves in heaven. Not treasure that depreciates. Not treasure someone else can take. Treasure that lasts.

What Does It Mean to Store Up Treasures in Heaven?
Paul picks up the same idea in his letter to Timothy, urging believers to "do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share," thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life (1 Timothy 6:18-19). The phrase sounds abstract until you ask a simple follow up question: if you made a list of everything in this life that actually lasts forever, what would be on it? Not much. Nothing material survives. What lasts is spiritual, namely the soul. That reframes the whole idea. Storing up treasures in heaven is not religious activity for its own sake. It is investing in the one thing that outlives everything else: people's souls.

The Story Jesus Told About a House That Would Not Stay Empty
Jesus illustrated this with a story in Luke 14:15-24. A man once threw a great banquet and invited many guests, then sent word that everything was ready. One by one, the invited guests made excuses. One had just bought a field and needed to inspect it. Another had just bought oxen and needed to test them. A third had just gotten married and could not be bothered. Every excuse was tied to something ordinary, a purchase, a job, a relationship, and every excuse cost that guest a seat at the table.

When the host heard the excuses, he did not cancel the banquet. He sent his servant into the streets and lanes of the city to bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame. Even after that, the servant reported there was still more room. So, the host sent him out again, this time to the highways and hedges, with instructions to compel people to come in so that the house would be full.

That last detail is the point of the whole story. The host wants a full house. That is God's heart for heaven. He does not want empty seats. So, when Jesus talks about storing up treasure in heaven, He is describing the work of filling that house, of getting more people into it.

Why Evangelism Is the Real Treasure
That is the center of this teaching. The number one way to store up treasure in heaven is to invest in the things that get more people into heaven. Not generosity for its own sake, not religious performance, but the actual work of introducing people to Jesus. Serving, giving, and teaching only count as treasure in heaven when they move someone closer to knowing Him.

How to Actually Store Up Treasures in Heaven
The idea can stay theoretical unless it gets specific. Here is what that looks like in practice.
Start with the people already around you. Spend intentional time with your neighbors and coworkers, not as a project, but as a relationship, so that sharing the gospel with them becomes natural rather than forced. It is worth asking honestly whether you actually know the people next door, or whether the only interaction you have is watching a garage door go up and down.

Consider starting a small Bible study or prayer group where you already spend your time, including at work. One man moved to a new city, took a job at a manufacturing plant, and after a couple of weeks asked his boss if he could start a short prayer group before the shift began. The boss said yes. A group of coworkers started showing up 45 minutes early, and over time some of them came to know Christ.

Serve together as a family through a local mission partner rather than defaulting to a normal Saturday routine. Taking even one Saturday a month to serve locally, whether that means supporting refugees, helping single parents, or working alongside an anti-poverty ministry, turns an ordinary weekend into something that outlasts it.

If you have young children, consider supporting a child overseas through a reputable child sponsorship program. It gives your own kids a tangible connection to someone their age in a different part of the world, and an early picture of what it means to care about someone else's relationship with Jesus.

Closer to home, teach a class, disciple one person, or simply invest consistently in your local church. None of these require a platform or a title. They require showing up for people.

Where to Go From Here
Nothing material survives you. Not the accounts, not the house, not the career. The only thing you own that will actually outlive you is the impact you have on another person's soul. That is what Jesus meant by storing up treasure in heaven, and it is available to anyone willing to spend their time, attention, and relationships on getting more people through that door.

This blog is based on the message shared by Campus Pastor Ben Hays at our CityRise West U Baptist campus on Sunday, July 19, 2026. Check out the full message below!

Because you give, our summer of ministry began with a wonderful time of connection, encouragement, and spiritual growth through VBS+, a special three-day event designed for our legacy builders. Last month, around 100 people gathered to enjoy meaningful fellowship, engaging activities, and inspiring biblical teaching as we launched into an exciting season of ministry together.

Throughout the event, attendees had the opportunity to participate in a variety of hands-on crafts, share meals, and build deeper relationships with one another. The atmosphere was filled with joy as friends connected, new friendships were formed, and stories of God’s faithfulness were shared.

A highlight of VBS+ was the opportunity to learn from several of our pastors. Pastors Tim Yeager, Ben Hays, and Alberto Avila each led Bible study sessions that encouraged attendees to grow in their understanding of Scripture and deepen their relationship with Christ. Through their teaching, participants were challenged and inspired to continue pursuing God’s purpose in every season of life.

Events like VBS+ are about more than simply gathering together—they create opportunities for spiritual growth, meaningful connection, and encouragement within the church family. Our legacy builders play a vital role in the life of the church, and it was a joy to celebrate and invest in them as the summer began.

Dear Church Family,

I am grateful for the many ways God continues to provide for and strengthen our church family. This week, I am especially glad to share an encouraging answer to prayer from our CityRise West U Baptist Chinese congregation.

After a season of searching, we have called Richard Duan to serve as pastor of the Chinese congregation. Richard will officially begin serving as its regular preacher on Sunday, August 9.

Richard has a deep affection for people and longs to see individuals and families come to know Jesus personally, grow in their faith through meaningful relationships, and live out the gospel in every area of life. He will serve the West U Baptist Chinese congregation through worship, discipleship, and community outreach.

Together with his wife, Christina, Richard is committed to holistic discipleship that engages the mind, heart, and hands. They long to see Houston flourish through a growing movement of the gospel!

Several members of our Chinese congregation have been instrumental in bridging this leadership gap. We are grateful for the time, energy, and dedication they have each given to carrying this important part of our family while we were searching for their next shepherd.

This desire to help people know Jesus, grow as disciples, and live out the gospel in every area of life is also behind another important opportunity coming this August: The AI Revolution.

You have already seen information about this four-week Monday evening series at CityRise Bellaire. Artificial intelligence is no longer something distant or theoretical. It is already shaping how people work, learn, communicate, create, lead, and think about the future.

Some of these developments are exciting; others raise difficult questions about truth, ethics, human relationships, leadership, mental health, and the responsible use of technology.

As followers of Jesus, we do not have to respond with either fear or unquestioning enthusiasm. Scripture gives us a wiser posture: “Test everything; hold fast what is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21).

The AI Revolution will help us think clearly, faithfully, and prayerfully about one of the most significant technological shifts of our time. Throughout the month, we will hear from:

• Dr. Jeff Frey on August 3, discussing artificial intelligence, emotional intelligence, and wise leadership;
• Dr. James Tour on August 10, examining new AI computational devices and their downstream moral implications;
• Peter and Misty Phillip on August 17, addressing why Christians must practice discernment as AI increasingly influences our culture; and
• Dr. Laura Murray on August 24, exploring the relationship between people, technology, and mental health care.

These free evenings are open to the general public and will offer valuable guidance for anyone trying to navigate the growing influence of AI. Because many of these questions are already affecting workplaces, businesses, classrooms, ministries, and homes, the series will be particularly relevant for young professionals, entrepreneurs, business leaders, educators, parents, and others making real-world decisions about technology.

I also ask you to pray for these evenings. Pray that God will bring people from across our church and community who need thoughtful and trustworthy guidance. Pray that our speakers will communicate with wisdom and clarity, that the conversations will point beyond the capabilities of technology toward the enduring truth of God’s Word and the dignity He has given every person.

Please also consider whom you might personally invite. This is a meaningful opportunity to welcome friends, coworkers, neighbors, and others who may not ordinarily attend a church event but are searching for help as they navigate a rapidly changing world.

The AI Revolution will take place each Monday in August—August 3, 10, 17, and 24—at 6:30p at CityRise Bellaire. You can learn more at cityrise.org/ai.


Expecting Greater,
Pastor Roger

Is Christianity something you believe on a feeling, or something you can actually check? That question sits underneath every conversation about the resurrection, and it is exactly where Paul starts in 1 Corinthians 15.

Is There Real Evidence for the Resurrection?
Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:3-6 that he delivered, as of first importance, what he also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Peter, then to the twelve, then to more than five hundred people at once, most of whom were still alive when Paul wrote those words.

That last detail matters. Paul was not describing a private, unverifiable feeling. He was citing a creed, one of the earliest pieces of Christian tradition scholars have identified, a formal statement developed within just a few years of the crucifixion. So, this is not decades of legend slowly accumulating around a myth. It is eyewitness testimony formalized almost immediately after the events themselves.

New Testament scholars studying the historical case for the resurrection, skeptical or not, tend to concede three facts: Jesus died by crucifixion, His tomb was found empty, and His followers had experiences they were genuinely convinced were appearances of the risen Jesus. Put those three together and you do not land on a legend. You land on a claim people were willing to stake their lives on.

The Empty Tomb and 500 Eyewitnesses
Paul does not just assert the resurrection. He offers it up for cross-examination. When he says most of the five hundred witnesses were still alive, the implication is direct: go talk to them. Have the conversation yourself if you want to.

That is not how legends survive scrutiny. Legends stay vague, unattributed, safely out of reach. Five hundred named witnesses standing behind an event is something else entirely. It means Christianity is not a philosophy you evaluate in the abstract from a comfortable distance. It is a historical event you either believe happened or you do not, and Paul is handing you a file of evidence he considered of first importance.

What Does "First Fruits" Mean in the Bible?
In 1 Corinthians 15:20-22, Paul writes that Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. As by one man came death, so by one man has also come the resurrection of the dead. As in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.

The phrase "first fruits" is not just a nice image. It is a technical term. Under Jewish law, described back in Leviticus 23, the first fruits were the first sheaf of the harvest, brought to the temple. Everyone in that culture understood exactly what it meant. The first fruits were not a sample to admire and set aside. They were a legal guarantee that the rest of the harvest, already ripening in the same field, was on its way.

When Paul calls Jesus the first fruits, He is not putting Jesus in a category all His own. He is saying the harvest has already begun, and if you are in Christ, you are already ripening in that same field.

A 1,300 Year Old Seed That Still Bloomed
In 1994, a UCLA biologist named Dr. Jane Shin Miller received a handful of lotus seeds recovered from a dry lake bed in northeastern China. Radiocarbon dating placed them at roughly 1,300 years old.

Curious, she soaked one, cracked the shell, and planted it. Weeks later, against every reasonable expectation, it opened into a full flowering lotus, its petals as vivid as anything grown from seed that same spring.

Something that looked like nothing more than a dead husk for thirteen centuries turned out to be carrying life the entire time, waiting for the right conditions to rise. That is the shape of the first fruits guarantee. It is not wishful thinking attached after the fact to something that has already died. It is God's declared intention for exactly the kind of dormant, buried thing that looks, to every appearance, finished.

What the Resurrection Guarantees for You
There are only two people you can ultimately belong to, Paul says. The first Adam, through whom everyone inherits death. And the second Adam, through whom everyone in Christ inherits resurrection.

If Christ was not raised, Paul says plainly in 1 Corinthians 15:12-14, then the preaching is empty and the faith built on it is empty too. But Christ has been raised, and that changes what His resurrection means for the people who belong to Him. It is not a story admired from a distance. It is your own future, and according to Paul, it has already begun.

So, whatever this coming week holds, that is the ground underneath it. Not a feeling to talk yourself into, but a claim rooted in eyewitnesses, an empty tomb, and a harvest that has already started.


This blog is based on the message shared by Senior Pastor Dr. Roger Patterson at our CityRise West U Baptist campus on Sunday, July 12, 2026. Check out the full message below!

Because you give, we are celebrating an incredible achievement at CityRise: 44 baptisms in the first half of this year. Each baptism represents a unique story of God's grace, a life transformed by the Gospel, and a public declaration of faith in Jesus Christ.

Baptism is one of the most powerful moments in the life of a believer. It is an outward expression of an inward transformation—a testimony that God is at work drawing people to Himself. Thanks to your generosity, CityRise continues to be a place where people hear the Gospel, experience authentic community, and take meaningful next steps in their faith journey.

Among the many stories we have celebrated this year is a family of five who chose to be baptized in the same year. What a beautiful picture of God's faithfulness across an entire household. As parents and children publicly professed their faith side by side, the church was reminded of the lasting impact of discipleship within the family and the joy that comes when generations follow Christ together.

Another powerful story comes from a woman whose journey to baptism was marked by a remarkable encounter with God. She shared that she repeatedly experienced dreams in which God was calling her to follow Him and be baptized. As she sought to understand what these dreams meant, God continued to draw her closer to Himself. Eventually, she responded in faith, taking the step of baptism as a declaration of her commitment to Jesus. Her story serves as a reminder that God is continually pursuing people and working in ways that often surprise and inspire us.

These testimonies are just two examples of the many lives being changed through the ministry of CityRise. Behind every baptism is a story of prayer, relationships, discipleship, and God's transforming power. Whether through worship services, small groups, children's ministry, student ministry, missions opportunities, or personal conversations, God is using His people to point others toward Him. Together, we rejoice in these 44 lives and the many more stories still being written.

Dear Church Family,

It is good to be back with you.

I'm grateful for the time away on sabbatical, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to return to the rhythms of worship, ministry, and life with our church family. Time away can be refreshing, but it can also remind us how much we need the steady gifts God gives us week after week: time in His Word, prayer, worship, community, and the encouragement of the body of Christ.

All of us experience interrupted rhythms in different ways. Sometimes the interruptions are good and needed. Sometimes they come through travel, rest, or a change of pace. Other times, they come through hardship, loss, uncertainty, or events we never would have chosen. But in every season, the Lord is faithful to anchor His people.

So, when things shift, worship still anchors us.

That is one of the reasons why worship matters. We don’t gather because life is always predictable; we gather because Christ is worthy. We come together to sing, pray, open God’s Word, encourage one another, and remember that our lives are built on something stronger than our circumstances.

This week, I want to ask you to pray for the people of Venezuela after the recent earthquakes that caused significant damage and interruption in and around Caracas. We do not minimize tragedy, and we do not pretend that suffering is easy to understand. But we do believe God is not absent in the midst of it. He often works through the faithful presence of His people, including local churches who are already serving their neighbors with compassion and the hope of Christ.

Through Send Relief, the International Mission Board is partnering with local churches and Baptist leaders in Venezuela to help provide food, medicine, blankets, shelter, and other critical assistance to those affected. Please pray for families who are grieving, injured, or displaced, for rescue and relief workers, for local leaders assessing needs, and for Venezuelan churches as they serve their communities in Jesus’ name.

If you would like to give toward this response, you can do so through Send Relief here.

While we’re thinking of those abroad, we also give thanks for those in our church family who have willingly stepped out of their regular rhythms for the sake of the gospel. In the next few days, teams will be wrapping up mission trips in Zambia and Belize and traveling home, and other teams will be leaving for South Africa, Germany, and London. Please pray for safe travels, unity among each team, lasting impact through their ministry, and the continued expansion of God’s kingdom.

I also want to remind you about an important opportunity coming in August: The AI Revolution: Four Nights with Global Experts on Technology, Mind, and Faith.

Artificial intelligence is already changing the rhythms of our daily lives in the ways we work, conduct business, communicate, learn, create, and lead. These conversations in this series are designed to help us think wisely and faithfully about this rapidly changing world. Each Monday night in August, we will hear from trusted voices—Drs. Jeff Frey, James Tour, and Laura Murray, and Peter and Misty Phillip—and consider how followers of Jesus can live, work, and be enterprising with wisdom, discernment, and courage in a technological age.

You can learn more at cityrise.org/ai.

Church Family, whether our rhythms are restful, busy, interrupted, or uncertain, our hope remains steady because Christ remains steady. May we continue to gather, worship, pray, give, learn, and serve with hearts anchored in Him.

We’ll see you on Sunday, Church Family!


Expecting Greater,
Pastor Roger

Because you give, our Open Door ministry welcomed approximately 140 participants during the spring semester, continuing a legacy of connection, creativity, and care that has impacted lives for 55 years.

Open Door has long been a special place where individuals can gather in a welcoming and encouraging environment. This spring, participants enjoyed 13 different arts and crafts stations, providing opportunities to express creativity, learn new skills, and build meaningful friendships. Each week was filled with laughter, conversation, and the joy of creating together.

Open Door is about much more than arts and crafts. Through devotionals led by our pastors, attendees are encouraged in their faith and reminded of God's love and presence in their lives. These moments of spiritual connection continue to be a vital part of the ministry, offering hope and encouragement to all who attend.

One of the most meaningful aspects of Open Door is the opportunity to care for people beyond the walls of the program itself. Throughout the semester, attendees shared prayer requests and sought pastoral support, allowing our ministry team to walk alongside them through both celebrations and challenges. These ongoing connections extend the impact of Open Door far beyond the creative space and into everyday life.

As we celebrate five decades of Open Door ministry, we are grateful for the countless volunteers, leaders, and supporters who have helped make this ministry possible. Most importantly, we are thankful for your generosity. Because you give, Open Door continues to be a place where people experience community, encouragement, spiritual care, and the love of Christ.

Dear Church Family,

As we enter Independence Day weekend along with our Family Worship Service this coming Sunday on the July 5 (details at the end), there is much to give thanks for. We are grateful for the freedoms we enjoy, for the opportunity to gather in worship, and for the privilege of lifting our city and the world by generously giving the gospel of Jesus Christ.

At the same time, our church family is grieving this week.

Our CityRise family lost a dear friend and fellow laborer in ministry. Justin Sessum, a devoted member of our production team, passed away unexpectedly early Monday morning. Justin was one of the most humble, joyful, and diligent people you could ever meet. He consistently went out of his way to serve others, often serving without being asked.

You may not have always seen him, but you were blessed by his ministry. Justin could often be found in the background doing everything in his power to make sure the message of God’s Word reached everyone in the room and beyond as he was key to the success of our weekly livestream ministry. He served with a glad and generous heart for many years here at CityRise. And other than Jesus, he was also passionate about a few things: baking cake balls, the WWE, and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Justin’s celebration of life service will be 11A next Thursday, July 9, at CityRise West U Baptist, followed by a graveside service in Webster, Texas. It’s hard to describe the hole left in our hearts by Justin’s sudden absence, but we know he is worshiping in God’s presence today. Please join us in praying for his mother, his two brothers, and his extended family.

This Saturday, July 4, our nation will reach the remarkable milestone of 250 years since the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. For two and a half centuries, the story of our United States has included courage and sacrifice, blessing and burden, unity and division, achievement and struggle.

As Christians, we can give thanks for the freedoms we enjoy while also remembering that our ultimate hope is not in any nation, government, leader, or generation. Our hope is in the Lord.

Psalm 33 reminds us that “the counsel of the LORD stands forever.” Nations rise and fall. Leaders come and go. Cultures shift. Circumstances change. But God remains sovereign, faithful, holy, and good.

That truth should lead us to gratitude, humility, and prayer.

We give thanks for the freedom to worship, to open God’s Word, to teach the gospel in multiple languages to our children, to pray publicly, to send missionaries, to serve our neighbors, and to speak the name of Jesus. These are precious liberties, and we should never take them for granted. These freedoms are things to steward rather than merely enjoy.

We should also be compelled to pray more than ever. Pray for our city. Pray for our nation. Pray for those who lead and serve. Pray for peace, wisdom, justice, humility, and renewal. Pray that churches across our great land would remain faithful to the gospel. Pray that we would be grateful citizens, faithful witnesses, and generous servants.

And above all, let us give thanks to the Lord, whose kingdom is unshakable and whose grace has made us free in Christ.

We’ll see you on Sunday for Family Worship. Have a wonderful holiday weekend, and Happy 250th Independence Day, Church Family.


Expecting Greater,
Pastor Roger

Every wrinkle tells you something. Every ache in the morning, every diagnosis, every surgery that takes longer to recover from than it used to, all of it is sending the same quiet message: this body was not built to last.

That is not a reason for despair. According to the apostle Paul, it is actually a reason for hope.

In 2 Corinthians 5, Paul gives the church at Corinth, a community under real physical pressure and active persecution, a framework for understanding what is happening to their bodies and what is coming next. His opening line cuts straight to the point: "For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens."

Notice what Paul does not say. He does not say "we hope" or "we think" or "we wish." He says we know. That word is doing a lot of work. It is connecting believers to a settled promise of God, not a spiritual wish list.

This Body Is a Tent, Not a Home
Paul was a tentmaker by trade, and he knew exactly what he was saying when he reached for that image. A tent is useful. It keeps the rain off. It gives you a place to sleep. But it is fragile, temporary, and never meant to be permanent.

Growing up, camping trips meant pitching a tent in places like Garner State Park or Big Bend. My brother and I would spend our days fishing and hiking and exploring, and those trips were genuinely great. But no matter how much fun we were having, I never once confused the tent for my house. When the Texas heat turned it into an oven, I did not hang pictures and try to make it cozy. I did not call an air conditioning company. I knew we were going home.

That is the picture Paul is painting. Our physical bodies are the tent. And the same way a kid at a campsite knows the real house is waiting back home, Paul wants believers to know that this present body is not the final address.

He had said something similar just one chapter earlier, in 2 Corinthians 4:16: "Though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner person is being renewed day by day." The body is decaying. That is just true. But the inner person, the real you, is being renewed in the opposite direction. And in Romans 8:23, Paul adds that we "groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for the redemption of our bodies." The groaning is real. It is also temporary.

Paul is writing to people who are suffering physically. He is saying: the body experiencing the pain right now is the tent. The permanent dwelling is still ahead. Keep going.

The Groaning Is Not Despair
Back in 2 Corinthians 5, Paul picks up the image of groaning again, and it is worth sitting with for a moment. He writes that "in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling." This is not hopeless groaning. This is not the sound of someone who has given up.

This is the groan of someone who knows something better is coming.

Every funeral, every difficult diagnosis, every birthday that arrives with a new ache, all of these are reminders that the world is not the way it is supposed to be. Something in us recognizes that. And Paul would say that recognition is not a problem to fix. It is actually a sign of spiritual clarity. We were made for something more than this, and deep down, we know it.

Paul is not longing to become less human. He is longing to become fully what God intended him to be. Philippians 3:20-21 captures it this way: "Our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly wait for a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ. He will transform the body of our humble condition into the likeness of His glorious body."

That last phrase deserves some weight. The likeness of His glorious body. Whatever the resurrection body looks like in its fullness, the reference point is Jesus Himself.

What That Body Will Actually Be
What does the resurrection body look like? Honestly, we do not know everything. The Bible does not give us the dimensions or the specifics. Will everyone be the same height? What age will people appear? These are questions worth asking, and they are questions the text does not fully answer.

But here is what it does answer, and this is enough.

Free from pain. The body that is coming will never hurt. Not once. Not ever.

Free from disease. No diagnoses, no treatments, no prognoses. That vocabulary simply does not exist there.

Free from weakness. No deterioration. No decline. No waking up and feeling like you have less than you had yesterday.

Free from aging. Whatever that looks like in its fullness, the slow erosion that marks every human life will be gone.

Free from sin. Not just the consequences of sin, but sin itself. Gone.

That is the body Paul is pointing toward. Eternal, made by the hands of God, imperishable, clothed in glory. The details we cannot fill in do not diminish that picture at all. It is more than enough.

The Guarantee That Seals It
Here is the part that turns this from a beautiful idea into a settled confidence. At the end of 2 Corinthians 5:5, Paul writes: "He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee."

The word "guarantee" in the original Greek is arrabon, a down payment, a deposit, the first installment that legally obligates the full payment to follow. Paul is saying that the Holy Spirit living inside every believer right now is not just a spiritual presence. He is God's binding commitment that the full inheritance is coming.

God has not only built the eternal body. He has placed His Spirit within you as a guarantee that you will receive it. You can know it. Not hope for it with crossed fingers, not wish it were true. Know it.

So, when this body begins to slow down, when the tent starts to show its age, when the stakes are pulling loose and the fabric is wearing thin, you do not have to despair. This is not your final address.

You have a better home waiting. It was built by God, it has your name on it, and the deposit has already been paid.

The tent is temporary. The building is eternal. And the One who promised it does not break His word.


This blog is based on the message shared by Discipleship Pastor Robby Dobbs at our CityRise Bellaire campus on Sunday, June 28, 2026. Check out the full message below!

Pathways Story: The Power of Consistency

The road ahead to a new century of impact for our church involves investing in our facilities to make ministry more meaningful and accessible. But no matter what we do to our facilities, the power of ministry lies in the Holy Spirit working in our people to faithfully love and lead children, students, and adults. Lee Anne is a student ministry leader who has exemplified what it means to faithfully serve. Take a look at her story, and know that she is one of hundreds of leaders investing in our CityRise Church family, shaping the next generation of Christ followers.

Dear Church Family,

Despite its shifting and even slower rhythms, summer continues to give us meaningful opportunities to serve, pray, and stay connected. This week, VBS is taking place at CityRise Missouri City, and I hope you will continue praying for the children, families, volunteers, and leaders who are a part of this important week of ministry.

As I shared last week, my sabbatical has now officially begun, and I would be grateful for your prayers during this time. Please pray that the Lord would use these days for rest, renewal, reflection, and deeper dependence on Him. I am thankful for this church family and for the faithful leaders who will continue serving and shepherding well in the weeks ahead.

Today, I also invite you to begin praying and thinking ahead with me about a unique opportunity coming this August to serve our community as well as business leaders and entrepreneurs. Artificial intelligence is no longer something distant or theoretical. It is already shaping the way many people work, learn, communicate, create, lead, and think about the future. For some, that brings excitement and possibility; for others, it raises real questions about wisdom, ethics, relationships, truth, and what it means to be human.

As followers of Jesus, as well as leaders in the marketplace, we do not need to respond to a changing world with fear. But neither should we respond carelessly. We are called to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to think faithfully and biblically about the tools, ideas, and cultural shifts shaping our lives and the lives of our children and grandchildren.

That is why I am excited to share that this August, CityRise will host The AI Revolution: Four Nights with Global Experts on Technology, Mind, and Faith.

This four-week speaker series will take place on Monday nights in August and will feature gifted leaders and Christian thinkers helping us all consider artificial intelligence through the lenses of faith, wisdom, technology, leadership, morality, and human flourishing.

August 3 • Dr. Jeff Frey
Human Intelligence in an Artificial World: AI, Emotional Intelligence, and Leading with Wisdom in a Changing World

August 10 • Dr. James Tour
Building New AI Computational Devices and the Downstream Moral Implications

August 17 • Peter and Misty Phillip
The Trojan Horse of The Digital Age: Why Christians Must Discern AI

August 24 • Dr. Laura Murray
From Fragmented to Integrated: People, Technology, and a New Way to Think About Mental Health Care

Whether you are already using AI regularly, cautiously curious, deeply concerned, or simply trying to understand its vast impact, I believe these evenings will be worth your time.

More information, including speaker bios and topic details, is available at cityrise.org/ai.

I hope you will make plans to join us in August as we seek to think clearly, faithfully, and prayerfully about one of the most significant technological shifts of our time. I am grateful to be part of a church family that wants to engage the world with both conviction and compassion, confidence and humility, truth and grace.

I hope you will gather for worship this Sunday, Church Family!


Expecting Greater,
Pastor Roger

It's one of the most searched questions in Christian theology, asked by people sitting beside hospital beds, by people who waited too long to talk to a loved one about faith, and by people wondering whether their own past disqualifies them from God's grace: can someone be saved at the very end of their life?

The answer, according to Jesus Himself, is yes.

The Thief on the Cross: A Case Study in Last-Minute Grace
The story comes from the crucifixion account in Luke 23. Two criminals were executed alongside Jesus. One of them mocked Him. The other did something unexpected: he rebuked the first criminal, defended Jesus' innocence, and then turned to Jesus with a simple, desperate request.

Luke 23:42 records his words: "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."

That's it. No formal prayer. No years of faithful church attendance. No theological framework. Just a dying man, in his final hours, acknowledging that Jesus is King and asking to be included.

Jesus' response was immediate and unqualified. Verse 43: "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise."

One word carries enormous theological weight in that sentence: today. Not eventually. Not after some period of purification. Today, in your dying breath, you will be with me.

What This Tells Us About Deathbed Conversion
This exchange settles the question. Deathbed conversion is real. If you're wrestling with that, the argument isn't with any pastor or theologian. The argument is with Jesus Himself, because He said it plainly.

Look at what this repentant criminal actually demonstrated in those final moments. He feared God. He acknowledged his own guilt without excuses ("we are receiving the reward of our deeds"). He recognized Jesus' innocence and His kingship. And he asked, not for fairness, but for mercy. That is saving faith. It doesn't require decades of practice to be genuine.

This story is also a direct answer to what theologians call "salvation by grace alone through faith alone." The thief brought nothing to the table except his need. He had no works, no track record, no credentials. And Jesus said yes.

God's Grace Is God's Business
It's natural for people who have followed Christ faithfully for years to feel some friction with this. If you're honest, part of you might wonder whether it's really fair that someone gets the same outcome as a lifelong believer by praying a single prayer in their final hour.

Jesus addressed that reaction directly through a parable in Matthew 20. A vineyard owner hired workers throughout the day: some at sunrise, some at midday, and some in the last hour before quitting time. At the end of the day, he paid everyone the same wage. The workers who had sweated through the heat complained. The owner's response was straightforward: you got what we agreed on. My generosity toward others is not your concern.

The point is clear. God's grace belongs to God. He does not need our permission to extend it, and He is not answerable to us for how generously He distributes it. When it comes to salvation, we don't get to stand at the gate and tell someone they don't belong because they arrived late. God's grace is His prerogative, and He can be as extravagantly merciful as He chooses to be.

The better question to sit with is this: aren't you glad He was merciful to you?

Heaven Is Immediate for the Believer
Jesus' words to the dying criminal also address a second question people carry: what actually happens the moment you die?

2 Corinthians 5:8 is clear: "To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord." There is no waiting room. There is no intermediate state of purification. For the person who has placed their faith in Jesus, the last breath on earth is the first moment in His presence.

This is why Protestant Christians do not hold to the Roman Catholic doctrine of purgatory, which teaches that souls undergo purification after death before entering heaven. The Reformation was partly catalyzed by this very issue. In 1517, Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg. Thesis 27 specifically condemned the practice of selling indulgences, which were sold on the premise that money paid on behalf of the dead could release them from purgatory. Luther's objection was scriptural: Jesus said today. Not after a process. Not after payment. Today.

The immediacy is the point. Life, then death, then eternal life. No gap, no in-between.

This Is Not a Reason to Wait
Before someone uses this as a reason to delay taking faith seriously: Jesus' offer to the dying thief is not a loophole.

Living apart from God means missing out on real things. Joy rooted in purpose. Relationships shaped by grace. The experience of being genuinely useful in something larger than yourself. The fruit that comes from a life surrendered to God is not a reward held back until heaven. It starts now.

Paul addresses this directly in Galatians and Ephesians. Grace is not a license to test God's patience. The thief's story is evidence of God's mercy, not a strategy.

What the story does offer is this: no matter what you've done, no matter how late it feels, the door is not closed. The same Jesus who said "today" to a man dying beside Him says it to anyone who comes to Him with the same honest, desperate faith.

Whether someone believed as a child or believes in their final hour, heaven is the same immediate reality. That's the grace of God.

If You're Still Deciding
If you're reading this because someone you love is near the end of their life and you don't know where they stand with God, the thief's story is for you. It is never too late to ask.

If you're reading this because you've spent years keeping God at a distance and you're wondering whether you've waited too long, you haven't. The invitation is still open.

Jesus doesn't grade faith on tenure. He responds to honesty and need. That is exactly what the dying criminal gave Him, and it was exactly enough.


This blog is based on the message shared by Campus Pastor Ben Hays at our CityRise West U Baptist campus on Sunday, June 21, 2026. Check out the full message below!

Because you give, six men from CityRise had the opportunity to serve on mission in Honduras earlier this year, collaborating with local churches and communities to make a lasting impact both physically and spiritually.

During the trip, the team worked on several construction projects designed to strengthen ministry efforts in the area. One of the most significant accomplishments was helping build a new church, creating a dedicated space where people can gather to worship, grow in their faith, and reach their community with the hope of Christ for years to come.

In addition to supporting church construction, the team also had the privilege of serving a family in need by building a hygiene station. This practical project will help improve daily living conditions and provide an ongoing reminder of God's love expressed through the care and generosity of His people.

Beyond the construction work, the team invested deeply in leadership development and discipleship. Thirty church leaders attended a two-day discipleship training conference led by members of the CityRise team. Through biblical teaching, encouragement, and practical ministry training, these pastors and ministry leaders were equipped to continue discipling others and strengthening their local churches. The impact of this training will extend far beyond the conference itself as these leaders return to their congregations and communities better prepared to share the Gospel and shepherd those entrusted to their care.

Most importantly, God moved in hearts during the trip. We celebrate that one person made the decision to place their faith in Jesus Christ. Every mission trip reminds us that while buildings and projects are important, the ultimate goal is transformed lives through the power of the gospel.

Dear Church Family,

What a joyful week it has been across CityRise!

At CityRise West U Baptist, more than 300 children gathered each day for VBS: Illumination Station, learning about the light and hope of Jesus through Bible teaching, worship, games, crafts, and the faithful care of so many volunteers and leaders. At CityRise Bellaire, close to 180 middle school students gathered for VBX, filling the campus with energy, worship, friendships, and intentional time in God’s Word.

Before you enjoy more of the recap and photos below, I also want to remind our West U Baptist family that the Milton St. parking lot is now closed for Pathways construction. This will affect parking this Sunday, June 21. Please take a moment to review the parking map, and come ready to make room for guests, families, senior adults, and one another as we enter this season together.

Thank you in advance for your patience, flexibility, and hospitality. Even something as practical as parking can become one more way we serve one another well and welcome people warmly.

One of the greatest encouragements from VBS/VBX week was the gospel impact behind it all. Children heard the good news of Jesus, students were challenged to grow in their faith, and we even had the joy of celebrating baptisms as a beautiful picture of new life in Christ.

None of this happens without the Lord’s kindness and the faithful service of His people. Thank you to the dozens of volunteers, childcare staff, ministry leaders, and CityRise staff members who helped organize, teach, guide, welcome, serve snacks, lead games, comfort children, answer questions, and make each day flow so well.

Be sure to scroll to the end of this email for photos from VBS and VBX, where you can catch frozen glimpses of the joy God brought to our campuses last week.

And the summer ministry continues! Escuela Bíblica de Vacaciones, or EBV, has been going on all week at CityRise Missouri City Español, and next week CityRise Missouri City will host its VBS. Please continue praying for every child, student, volunteer, and family who has been or will be part of these weeks. Pray that the gospel would be received with open hearts, and that the light of Christ would shine clearly.

This Sunday is also Father’s Day, and although I will be away this weekend for a wedding, I hope you will take time to thank God for the fathers, grandfathers, spiritual fathers, and faithful men who encourage, lead, and bless our church family in so many ways.

On a personal note, my sabbatical will officially begin on Monday, June 22. I am grateful for the opportunity to rest, pray, and be refreshed, and I look forward to being back in the pulpit on Sunday, July 5, at CityRise Bellaire.

I am so grateful for what God is doing in and through our church family here at CityRise!


Expecting Greater,
Pastor Roger

There is a specific kind of fear that does not announce itself loudly. It just starts pulling at the edges of everything you have built, and one day you look around and realize the foundations are shaking.

That is exactly where the disciples were the night Jesus spoke the words recorded in John 14:1. Judas had just slipped out to betray Him. Peter had just learned he would deny the Lord before morning. Everything they had staked their lives on was unraveling in real time. And in the middle of that, Jesus looked at them and said, "Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me."

If anyone else had said that, it would have felt like a dismissal. But this was their Rabbi, their Teacher, their Lord.

A Word for People Who Know What Churning Feels Like
The Greek word behind "troubled" is tarassó: stirred up, churned like water, agitated into turbulence. It is a vivid image. Not a mild unease. Full turbulence.

What is striking is that John uses this exact word three times before this moment, and every time it describes Jesus Himself. At Lazarus' tomb, Jesus was troubled. Facing the cross, He said, "Now is my soul troubled." At the dinner where He announced His betrayer, He was troubled in spirit.

This matters. Jesus is not a motivational speaker telling you to think positively. He is someone who has been in the churning water. He has been tempted in every way. He knows the weight. And He still says: there is solid ground, and your heart does not have to stay in turbulence.

The solid ground He points to is not a plan or a roadmap through the next 72 hours. He simply says: believe in God. Believe also in Me. Either that is the most audacious claim ever made in a dinner room, or God was present at that table. Jesus is saying plainly that He and the Father are one. "If you had known me, you would have known my Father also," He tells them in verse 7. As Colossians 1 puts it, the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily in Jesus.
So, when Jesus says "believe in Me," He is not asking the disciples to trust a good teacher. He is inviting them to anchor themselves to the God who sits on the throne of heaven right now.

Heaven Is Not Just a Future Destination
This is where the sermon lands in a place most of us do not naturally go.

We tend to think of heaven as something we inherit someday, the place we go after life ends. But Psalm 11:4 says, "The Lord is in His holy temple; the Lord's throne is in heaven. His eyes see, His eyelids test the children of man." Heaven is not waiting for us to arrive. It is where God is ruling right now.

Psalm 103:19 says it plainly: "The Lord has established His throne in the heavens, and His kingdom rules over all." Over all. Not most things. Not the pleasant parts.

Psalm 2 opens with the nations raging, the foundations crumbling, chaos everywhere. And verse 4 says, "He who sits in the heavens laughs." Not a nervous laugh. Not the laugh of someone pacing and wringing his hands. God's response to chaos on earth is the settled laughter of a sovereign king who is not surprised by any of it.

There is an old story about a passenger ship crossing the Atlantic in a terrible storm. The hallways filled with panicking passengers, chaos rolling through the ship. The captain's daughter was asleep in her cabin. Someone banged on the door. She came out, heard the chaos, and asked one question: "Is my father at the helm?" Yes. "Then I'm going back to sleep." And she did.

Our King is on His throne. The storms are real. The chaos is real. The diagnosis is real. The marriage fracture is real. The job evaporating is real. All of it is real. And the one who sits on the throne of heaven sees all of it.

He Sees You
One of the most important things Jesus affirms in John 14 is not just that God reigns, but that His reign is not impersonal or distant. He sees you. He sees your work, your burdens, your concerns. He sees your children and your grandchildren. He is not pacing. He is not wringing His hands wondering what to do with your Tuesday afternoon or your 4 a.m. moment when you cannot sleep and cannot stop thinking.

If you walked in today with a churning heart, Jesus would say to you exactly what He said that night in the upper room: "Let not your heart be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me."

Not because your circumstances have changed. Because there is a throne, it is occupied, and the One who sits on it is not caught off guard by anything you are carrying.

What This Means for the Life You Are Living Right Now
This is not escapism. This is not the kind of spirituality that tells you to ignore what is hard and just feel better. The view of heaven that Jesus offers is grounding, not avoidance. It means that your pain is held within the rule of a king who has both the authority and the personal knowledge to meet you in it.

David's counselors told him to flee to the hills. The world has always had that advice ready: run, hide, relocate the problem. David did not run. He looked up. The Lord's throne is in heaven. He is ruling and reigning.

That is the posture available to you today. Not denying what is hard. Not pretending the storm is not real. Asking one question instead: Is my Father at the helm?

If He is, and He is, that changes everything about what happens next.


This blog is based on the message shared by Senior Pastor Dr. Roger Patterson at our CityRise West U Baptist campus on Sunday, June 14, 2026. Check out the full message below!

Because you give, VBS and VBX were an incredible week of faith, fun, and life-changing moments for more than 550 children and middle school students. Throughout the week, our campus was filled with energy, laughter, and excitement as kids and students gathered to learn more about God's love and grow in their relationship with Jesus.

Each day was intentionally designed to help participants encounter Christ in meaningful ways. Through engaging worship, biblical teaching, interactive activities, games, and small-group discussions, children and students were encouraged to deepen their faith while building lasting friendships with one another. They were also surrounded by caring volunteers and leaders who invested in them, modeled Christlike living, and helped create an environment where every child felt seen, valued, and loved.

One of the greatest joys of the week was watching spiritual growth take place in the lives of so many young people. As they learned about God's truth and experienced His love, many took important steps in their faith journey. The week culminated in a powerful celebration on Friday as seven children and students publicly declared their faith in Christ through baptism. Seeing these young believers take this step of obedience was a reminder of the eternal impact that can happen when a church comes together to invest in the next generation.

The impact of VBS and VBX extended beyond our campus as well. Throughout the week, participants were encouraged to think beyond themselves and learn about God's heart for the world. Together, the children and students collected more than $3,000 in offerings that will support CityRise missions. Their generosity will help share the hope of the Gospel with people both locally and around the world, demonstrating that no one is too young to make a difference for God's Kingdom.

Dear Church Family,

What a joy it has been this week to see our West U Baptist campus filled with children for VBS and our Bellaire campus filled with middle school students for VBX! These are some of the most joyful weeks of the summer at CityRise, with kids and students worshiping, studying God’s Word, building friendships, laughing together, and hearing again and again about the hope we have in Jesus.

I am so thankful for every volunteer, staff member, parent, and leader who has helped make this week possible. Would you join me in praying that the seeds planted this week will continue to grow for years to come? Moments like these remind us why creating welcoming and purposeful ministry environments matters so much.

Because you give, Wednesday nights at CityRise were a highlight of the week for dozens of children and families throughout the school year. Each week, more than 60 registered kids filled our campus with energy, excitement, laughter, and opportunities to grow in their faith.

The evening began with choir, where children explored the fundamentals of music, including notes, rhythm, and sound. More importantly, they learned how music can be used as an expression of worship. Through singing together, students gained confidence, developed new skills, and discovered meaningful ways to praise Jesus through song.

Following choir, kids participated in a variety of rotating clubs designed to engage their interests and encourage creativity, teamwork, and personal growth. In the culinary club, young chefs learned basic cooking skills while creating delicious treats and recipes. The crafts club provided opportunities for artistic expression through hands-on projects that inspired imagination and creativity. Meanwhile, the gym club kept kids active and energized through games, sports, and friendly competition that built both confidence and community.

One of the most impactful parts of the program was our monthly Missions Moment. During these special evenings, guest speakers shared stories about how God is working in communities both near and far. Children learned about different cultures, ministry opportunities, and ways they can participate in God's mission through prayer, service, and generosity. These moments helped broaden their understanding of the world and inspired them to live out their faith beyond the walls of the church.

Every Wednesday night was filled with opportunities for connection, learning, and spiritual growth. Through music, hands-on activities, meaningful friendships, and biblical teaching, children experienced the love of Christ in a welcoming and engaging environment.

Thank you for making these life-changing experiences possible. Your support helps create a place where children can have fun, build relationships, develop new skills, and grow in their walk with Jesus. The impact of these Wednesday nights extends far beyond a single evening, and we are grateful for the role you play in helping shape the next generation.

You have probably seen it happen. Someone you respect, someone whose life seemed together, shows up in a situation that makes no sense given everything you know about them. A pattern surfaces. A secret comes out. A choice gets made that leaves everyone around them confused and hurt.

What do you do with that?

Most people default to one of two extremes. They either look away and pretend nothing happened, or they pull back and let quiet judgment fill the space where support used to be. Neither of those is what the Bible calls us to do.

What It Means to Be "Caught" in Sin
In Galatians 6:1, Paul writes, "Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness."

The word "caught" is significant. It does not describe someone who calculated their rebellion. It carries the idea of being overtaken, surprised by something that moved faster than they could respond to. One scholar puts it this way: sin is like something they were running from, but it was faster and caught up to them.

That reframe matters. When a believer is caught by sin, they are often powerless in ways that are hard to see from the outside. They are confused, addicted, deceived, or overrun. Their actions stop lining up with the life you have known them to live. And underneath all of that is someone who desperately needs what only community can offer: people who will come alongside them and help carry the weight.

The Work of Restoration
Paul's instruction is not passive. He calls those who are spiritually grounded to actively seek to restore. The word "restore" here comes from the Greek practice of mending nets and setting broken bones. It is skilled, careful, sometimes uncomfortable work. A broken bone does not set itself.

This matters because restoration is not the same as rescue at arm's length. It is close-in work. It requires pursuing someone who may deflect, who may say "I'm fine" when they are not, who may push you away when you try to get close. The spirit-led person keeps coming. They have a heart to stay in it.

Galatians 6:2 ties this directly to love: "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." And what is the law of Christ? In John 13, Jesus says, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, just as I have loved you."

How did Jesus love us? He went to the highest expense. He lowered Himself, paid the ultimate price, and restored us to a right relationship with God the Father. That is the model. Love that costs something. Love that mends.

Gentleness Is Not Weakness
The instruction is to restore "in a spirit of gentleness," and that phrase is easy to misread. Gentleness does not mean silence. It does not mean softening the truth until it no longer cuts.

Sometimes restoration requires what Proverbs calls an open rebuke. "An open rebuke is better than hidden love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend." If someone you trust has ever come to you directly and said something that hurt in the short term but helped in the long run, you know what that looks like. The wound was the point. The goal was healing, not damage.

There are moments when a person needs to hear, clearly and without softening, that what they are doing is going to destroy them. That is still gentleness, because the intent is restoration. The spirit-led person adjusts. They start with a soft approach. When that is met with deflection or denial, they come a little harder, not out of frustration but out of love. The goal never changes.

The Warning for the One Doing the Restoring
Paul does not leave the helper off the hook. He includes a sharp caution in Galatians 6:1: "Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted."

This is easy to skip past, but it is one of the most practically important lines in the passage. When you get close to someone else's mess, something in you gets activated. The question is what.

Consider two responses to helping a couple work through a serious marriage problem.

The first response goes home afterward and says to their spouse, "I could never do something like that. I cannot believe how that person handled that." The second goes home and says, "I see how easy it would be to fall into that same pattern. God, protect our marriage."

One is conceit wearing the mask of concern. The other is humility that actually does the work.

Paul reinforces this in 1 Corinthians 10:12: "Let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall." The very act of keeping watch over yourself is a sign of humility. The arrogant person does not bother. The person living for themselves does not even get involved in the first place. When someone falls, they capitalize on it, use it to build themselves up, use it as evidence that they are doing better.

That is not the spirit of Christ. That is the opposite of it.

The Question Worth Sitting With
Before moving on from this, it is worth pausing and asking yourself something honest.
When you see a believer struggling in sin, what is your first instinct? Do you feel pulled toward them, or do you feel pulled away? Is your posture shaped by the love of the Spirit, or by the quiet comfort of comparison?

The person walking by the Spirit bears burdens. They restore. They stay humble enough to keep watch over their own heart while they do it.

That is what it looks like to the outside world to live a life led by the Spirit: not the absence of struggle around you, but a willingness to step into it with someone else, and the humility to know you are not exempt from it yourself.

The question is not whether someone you know will ever fall. They will. The question is who you will be when they do.


This blog is based on the message shared by Senior Pastor Dr. Roger Patterson at our CityRise West U Baptist campus on Sunday, May 31, 2026. Check out the full message below!