Because you give, the gospel is reaching communities around the world. Last month, 13 CityRise team members traveled to Wiesbaden, Germany, to serve alongside Immanuel Baptist Church and host a Vacation Bible School for the very first time.

What began as a new opportunity to serve quickly became a meaningful week of ministry, fellowship, and gospel-centered connection. Forty-two children participated in VBS, where they experienced Bible teaching, worship, activities, and the opportunity to learn more about who Jesus is and what it means to follow Him. Most importantly, 10 children became new believers!

The team’s ministry extended beyond the children’s program. Each morning, the team provided a Bible study specifically for parents, creating another opportunity to share God’s Word and encourage families. Team members also participated in outreach prayer, intentionally connecting with people in the community and praying for their needs.

The team was also able to encourage and strengthen the local church through Christian fellowship. Serving alongside Immanuel Baptist Church provided an opportunity to build relationships, share in ministry, and encourage local believers as they continue faithfully serving their community.

This first VBS in Wiesbaden is a reminder that God can use a willing team to open doors for the gospel. The impact of the trip reached children, parents, church members, and the community—and the 10 new believers are a beautiful testimony to God’s work.

Dear Church Family,
 
With schools in full swing again, many of us are returning to those familiar schedules. Wednesdays will soon be active across our campuses, new classes and studies are beginning, Community Groups are gathering and growing, and there are many opportunities to connect, learn, serve, and grow together. (Just check out our cityrise.org/fall page!)
 
All of those opportunities point to the truth that we were not created to follow Jesus alone. Throughout Scripture, God continually draws His people into community. We worship together, pray for one another, encourage one another, carry burdens, celebrate joys, serve side by side, and help one another remain faithful.
 
Hebrews 10:24–25 reminds us, “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together . . . but encouraging one another.”
 
A few weeks ago, I encouraged us to cultivate a culture of invitation, to consider who God may be prompting us to invite to “come and see.” In that same vein, I also want to encourage each of us to consider where we ourselves are connected.
 
Maybe that means returning to a Community Group after a summer away. Maybe it means joining a Bible study or class for the first time, serving alongside others in a ministry. Or maybe it means simply making the decision to be more intentional about the relationships God has already placed around you.
 
Interestingly, the importance of genuine human connection has also been part of the conversation surrounding The AI Revolution this month. Technology can increasingly help us communicate, create, analyze, and accomplish work more efficiently. But greater capability does not lessen our need for wisdom about what technology should assist us with—and what we should deliberately keep human.
 
Our final night will be this coming Monday with Dr. Laura Murray, but the conversation will continue this fall with a special Lunch & Learn on October 1. Dr. Jeff Frey, who joined us for the first night of The AI Revolution, will return for AI + Human Intelligence: Working Smarter Without Becoming Less Human. He will offer practical guidance for using AI in real-world work while also helping us think carefully about what should be automated, what should be augmented, and what should remain distinctly human. You can sign up now to receive the save-the-date information.
 
Whether in our homes, workplaces, classrooms, neighborhoods, or church family, we need one another. My prayer as this fall begins soon is that we would become more deeply connected to our Lord and Savior and to the people He has placed around us.
 
 
Expecting Greater,
Pastor Roger

When Jesus returns, He does not close the story. He begins a new chapter of it. Scripture describes a thousand year era, often called the Messianic Age or the Millennial Kingdom, in which Jesus physically rules from Jerusalem, the promises made to Israel come due, creation starts to heal, and nations stop training for war.

If you have ever wondered what happens when Jesus returns, the Bible is more specific than most of us expect. Here are seven features of that age, each one anchored in a passage you can read for yourself.

1. Jesus Physically Returns and Establishes His Kingdom
The return is physical, and it comes before the millennium rather than after it. Zechariah 14:4-9 and Revelation 19:11 give the picture, and Zechariah's language is geological: "On that day His feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives that lies before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives shall be split in two from east to west by a very wide valley, so that one half of the Mount shall move northward, and the other half southward."

The passage keeps going, and it captures two events at once, the battle of Armageddon and the inauguration of the Messianic Age. "Then the Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones with Him. On that day there shall be no cold or frost, and there shall be a unique day, which is known to the Lord, neither day nor night, but at evening time there shall be light."

Notice that phrase, "a unique day." Whatever else is true of that age, it will not run on the rhythms you and I currently know. The passage closes with living water flowing out of Jerusalem toward both seas, continuing in summer as in winter, and this declaration: "The Lord will be king over all the earth."

2. God Keeps Every Promise He Made to Israel
The millennium fulfills the covenants, particularly the Abrahamic Covenant, the Davidic Covenant, and the New Covenant.

The Abrahamic Covenant
God promised Abraham land, descendants beyond counting, and blessing to all nations through his lineage. The Messianic Age is the full realization of that promise, not a spiritualized substitute for it.

The Davidic Covenant
God promised David that his descendants would rule on his throne forever, and Jesus, as the descendant of David, fulfills that covenant by reigning as king. You already know the passage, because it shows up every Christmas and in Handel's Messiah. Isaiah 9:6-7 says, "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore." That is the kingdom coming and the will of God being done, exactly as we pray for it.

The New Covenant
The Messianic Age is also when God fulfills the New Covenant with Israel, giving new hearts, forgiveness of sins, and nearness to Himself.

Does Israel Still Matter in God's Plan?
Let me say a word here, especially to young adults. One of the pastors in our city reached out and asked me what I was seeing in how young adults view the nation of Israel. I told him what I have observed, which is that they have been shaped heavily by social media and they carry real and severe frustration with the secular state of Israel.

So, hear me carefully. Israel remains a massive part of God's plan even if you disagree with the government of Israel and its actions. I do not agree with everything my own government does, so I certainly will not defend everything a foreign nation does. That is a separate question from the covenant. The promise God made to Abraham, "I will bless those who bless you" in Genesis 12:3, is eternal and unconditional. You would be wise to read what Scripture actually says about Israel, about what will take place there, and about how Jesus will rule and reign from there. Whatever a given administration does, be a person who blesses the people of Israel and the Jewish lineage, because God blesses those who bless Israel.

What Israel needs is a heart transplant, and that is precisely what God promises in Ezekiel 36:24-28: "I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God."

The first shall be last. The gospel went first to the Jew, then to the Gentiles, and most Jewish hearts have been hard through the centuries. Romans 11 says that all Israel will be saved after the gospel goes out to the nations, after the tribulation, when they cry out for Messiah's salvation. Then He comes, and the heart transformation happens. That transplant belongs to the Messianic Age.

3. Jerusalem Becomes the Center of the World
Jerusalem will be the political and spiritual center of the earth, the seat from which Jesus rules. Isaiah 2:2-4 describes it this way: "It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be lifted up above the hills, and all the nations shall flow to it. And many peoples shall come and say, 'Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that He may teach us His ways and that we may walk in His paths.' For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide disputes for many peoples, and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore."

Read it literally and there is a geographic change involved. The city of God already sits high on a mountain, and at the coming of Jesus it rises higher still. Then the nations come, because this becomes the political and spiritual center of the world, and people from every nation arrive to learn from the Lord. Global peace is the result. Micah 4:1-4 says the same thing, nations streaming to Jerusalem to be taught by God, and weapons reforged into tools.

4. Worldwide Peace and Righteousness Finally Arrive
Think about the prayer again. Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven, as Matthew 6:10 puts it. That is peace and righteousness on a global scale, because Jesus reigns in righteousness. Isaiah 11:1-9 describes a future in which Messiah judges rightly, and the peace extends past human society into the animal kingdom.

I have a specific reason to look forward to that part. The neighbors behind us and I share a back fence. We both have dogs, and we also have possums that visit. When one of those possums starts across, my dogs go nuts, then the neighbors' dog joins in, and there is this whole choir of barking. I cannot wait for the Messianic Age.

Look at what Isaiah 11:6-9 promises: "The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together, and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze; their young shall lie down together, and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder's den. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea."

That is the Millennial Kingdom, and you and I get to experience it.

5. Creation Is Partially Restored
The curse on creation is partially lifted in that age, which produces abundance, productivity, and renewal across the earth. Isaiah 35:1-7 speaks of deserts blooming and wilderness turning fertile, and that flourishing symbolizes the restoration of the natural world. Romans 8:18-22 shows the other side of it, creation groaning right now, crying out for liberation from the effects of sin.

6. People Live Long Lives and Real Prosperity Returns
People in the millennium will live long lives and enjoy unprecedented prosperity, though mortality still exists. This is renewal, not yet the final state. Isaiah 65:20-25 describes people reaching old age, enjoying the fruit of their own labor without fear, alongside that same peace running through nature.

7. The Nations Bring Tribute to Jesus in Jerusalem
Gentile nations will come to Jerusalem and pay tribute to Jesus. Zechariah 8:22 and the verses that follow describe many peoples from all nations seeking the Lord and asking to be led by the people of Israel. Psalm 22:27-28 anticipates the same outcome, all the nations turning to the Lord and acknowledging that He rules.

Where to Go From Here
Seven features, one direction. Jesus returns physically, God keeps His word to Israel, Jerusalem becomes the world's center, peace and righteousness govern the globe, creation begins to heal, life stretches long, and the nations bow.

Take the passages one at a time and read them for yourself. Zechariah 14, Isaiah 9, Ezekiel 36, Isaiah 2, Isaiah 11, Isaiah 35, Isaiah 65, and Zechariah 8 were written to be studied, not skimmed. And the next time you pray "Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven," know exactly what you are asking for.

This blog is based on the message shared by Senior Pastor Dr. Roger Patterson at our CityRise West U Baptist campus on Sunday, Aug. 16, 2026. Check out the full message below!

Dear Church Family,

We have had two tremendous nights of The AI Revolution, and I am grateful for the conversations that have continued well beyond our time together on Monday evenings. Tonight at 6:30P, we continue with Peter and Misty Phillip and a particularly timely topic: The Trojan Horse of The Digital Age: Why Christians Must Discern AI.

Peter and Misty bring years of experience at the intersection of technology, business, and faith. Tonight they will help us consider the importance of discernment as artificial intelligence becomes increasingly embedded in our lives, workplaces, churches, and culture.

If you are an entrepreneur, business leader, professional, or simply someone trying to understand these changes through the lens of faith, I hope you will join us in person at CityRise Bellaire. Come ready to learn, ask questions, meet others navigating many of the same issues, and continue building the kind of community we hoped these evenings would create.

And if you cannot be with us in person, join us live for free through GLU, the God Loves You Network. You can watch on your phone or tablet, or search for GLU on your smart TV or streaming device, download the app, and search for The AI Revolution.

We have only two nights remaining in this series. Whether you join us at Bellaire or through GLU, I hope you will be part of tonight’s conversation. And make sure to invite a friend, coworker, or someone in your professional network to join you!


Expecting Greater,
Pastor Roger

Because you give, 28 students and seven adult leaders recently traveled to Belize for CityRise’s seventh-annual mission trip, continuing a long-standing relationship that has already produced incredible spiritual fruit.

For seven years, CityRise students and adults have traveled to Belize to lead Vacation Bible School and share the love of Christ with children and families. What makes this friendship especially meaningful is seeing how God has used these trips to create a lasting legacy in the local church.

At Ebenezer Evangelical Church, children who attended VBS seven years ago have grown up in their faith and are now serving the church themselves. Some of those same children who once sat and listened during VBS are now leading worship each Sunday. Their stories are a beautiful reminder that ministry is about more than what happens during one week—it is about investing in lives and watching God continue that work for years to come.

The team also expanded its reach this year by implementing a second VBS in a different town. This new opportunity allowed the team to support an additional church with which Pastor Pedro is connected, extending the impact of the trip to another community. Through VBS, the team was able to come alongside local believers and help them reach children and families in their area.

The Belize mission trip is a wonderful example of how giving to CityRise helps equip the next generation to live on mission. Students are not only learning about serving others; they are actively participating in God’s work around the world. At the same time, long-term collaboration with local churches provide opportunities for continued discipleship and ministry long after a mission team returns home. The students are making an eternal impact in Belize.

Dear Church Family,

We are halfway through The AI Revolution, and I am grateful for the response we have seen over these first two Monday nights.

More than 200 people have joined us in person each week, with hundreds more watching through the livestream and replays. While these numbers are great, it’s even more encouraging to witness conversations taking place—about artificial intelligence, certainly, but also about faith, leadership, work, humanity, and how followers of Jesus can approach such rapid technological change with wisdom rather than fear.

Lauren Jefferson, organizer and host of The AI Revolution, describes it this way:

“It has been remarkable to see CityRise engage so deeply with this topic. Dr. Jeff Frey and Dr. Tour have opened vital conversations about faith, technology, and humanity—shifting our focus toward discernment and Kingdom impact. I’m eager for everyone to join us for these final two nights.”

Dr. Jeff Frey opened the series on August 3 by helping us consider human intelligence, emotional intelligence, and wise leadership in an increasingly artificial world. This past Monday, Dr. James Tour brought the perspective of a renowned scientist and committed follower of Jesus to some of the larger questions surrounding technology, knowledge, and our understanding of the world.

One of our hopes for this series has also been to create a place where entrepreneurs, business leaders, professionals, and others navigating these changes can learn together, build relationships, and consider how emerging technology can be used thoughtfully and faithfully.

And we're not finished yet!

This coming Monday, August 17, Misty and Peter Phillip, founders of Trilogyworks and authors of The Trojan Horse of the Digital Age and Upskill or Die: Thriving in the AI Revolution, will help us think about digital transformation, discernment, and how Christians and the Church can engage a changing technological landscape rather than be left behind.

Then, on our final night, August 24, Dr. Laura Murray—a faculty member at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, founder of CETA Global Inc., and Head of Global Mental Health at Google—will help us explore the intersection of artificial intelligence, technology, and mental health.

If you have not joined us yet, you haven't missed your opportunity. Bring a friend, coworker, or someone in your professional network. Bring your questions. Come ready to listen, learn, and continue the conversation.

And if you cannot be with us in person, you can join us live through GLU.

Artificial intelligence will continue to shape the ways we work, communicate, create, lead, and relate to one another. My hope is that these evenings help us become people who engage those changes with wisdom, discernment, and a desire to honor Christ in the opportunities before us.

I hope you will join us for these final two nights! Learn more at cityrise.org/ai.


Expecting Greater,
Pastor Roger

The marriage supper of the Lamb is the wedding celebration described in Revelation 19, where Jesus the groom is joined to His church, the bride. If that language feels foreign, it is because almost none of us have been to a wedding like the one John's first readers had in mind. Understand how weddings worked in first-century Judaism and the passage opens up, starting with the price the groom paid.

Why the Bible Calls the Church the Bride of Christ
You and I in the church are called the bride of Christ. There is marriage language woven through the New Testament. When Paul writes in Ephesians 5 that husbands are to love their wives the way Christ loves the church, and that wives are to respect their husbands, he says plainly that he is speaking of a mystery, and that the mystery is Christ and the church.

So, the interchange between husband and wife on one hand and Christ and the church on the other is baked into the New Testament. Here in Revelation 19, that thread arrives at a wedding feast.

Weddings in first-century Judaism unfolded in three phases, and every phase tells you something about Jesus.

Phase One: The Covenant, the Dowry, and the Cup
The first phase was entering the covenant, the betrothal. We tend to read that as engagement, but it was more than engagement. The covenant actually got established.

Here is how it worked. The groom had to step up. He went to his bride-to-be's home, he had dinner with her father, and he brought a dowry for the right to take her hand in marriage.

I have two sons and a daughter, so let me tell you: if you want to marry my daughter, you had better bring a high price. Do not come with anything less than your best. There is no negotiation. If you want her hand in marriage, it is going to cost you a great deal.

So, what was the dowry Jesus paid? His own blood. He paid it to redeem us, to purchase us, and to enter into a covenant relationship with us.

After the covenant meal came the cup. There was a special chalice, probably the one a mother had set aside years earlier while telling her daughter she was not to touch it, because it had been set apart for this one purpose. They brought that chalice down, filled it with wine, and the groom and the bride both drank from the cup of the covenant.

Then the groom looked at her and said, "I am going away to prepare a place for you, and I will come again to receive you to myself, so that where I am you may be also." That is the same language Jesus uses in John 14 when He tells His disciples He goes to prepare a place for them.

Phase Two: The Groom Builds the Wedding Chamber
With the covenant established, the groom entered the second phase. He went home and began building the wedding chamber onto his father's house, constructing what would become their wing of the family home.

And you know that young man was eager. He was throwing it together as fast as he could. His father would walk in and say, stop. Start over. Understand what you are doing here. This is where your wife is going to live. We had better build this right. So, the father gave guidance while the son did the building, and he built it onto his father's house.

Here is the part that matters most. The son could not go get his bride until his father said so. It was not the groom's timetable. It was at the father's word. But when the father said, son, you are now ready, go get your bride, he sent out what amounted to a mass text message. All right, boys, get ready to roll. Bring your trumpets. Be ready to shout. Bring lamps. We are getting the bride tonight.

They often went in the middle of the night, to surprise her and sweep her off her feet. They shouted, they sounded trumpets, they sang, they rejoiced, and they marched through the town. People heard it and knew: somebody is getting married.

What Was the Bride Doing While She Waited?
It was never all on the groom. Once the covenant was established, the bride had responsibilities of her own.

Anytime she left the house, she wore a veil. That veil communicated something about her identity. It said, I am in a covenant relationship. I am set apart, I am taken, and I belong to another, someone who paid a high price to be in relationship with me. My wedding ring does the same work today. It tells anyone who looks that I am in a covenant relationship with my amazing bride.

She also had to stay ready. She kept her lamps ready in case he came at night, and she was making herself ready the entire time, because he could come at any moment.

Phase Three: The Wedding Feast
When the procession arrived, they whisked her away. The bride and groom went into the wedding chamber and consummated the marriage. The next morning, the wedding feast began.

It ran seven days. Seven days of singing, dancing, eating, drinking, feasting, and celebrating two families becoming one. This was the marriage supper, and for the families involved it was the highlight of their lives up to that point.

Why This Picture Matters
So, why walk through all of that? Because this is the picture the gospels teach.

We have a groom who paid a high price to enter into relationship with you and me, and He paid it with His own blood. He said, I am going to prepare a place for you, and I will come again and receive you to Myself. He told His disciples that in His Father's house are many rooms, that if it were not so He would have told them, and that He goes to prepare a place. One translation calls them mansions. I do not know what it will look like.

What I do know is the price. Jesus went to the cross and took the wrath of God upon Himself. The wrath stored up for sin was poured out on God's only Son. 2 Corinthians 5:21 puts it this way: He who knew no sin became sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. There is no better deal going in all the world.

We come by faith, receiving that gift. Yes, Lord, thank you that you paid this high price to be in covenant relationship with me. By His blood our sin is forgiven. Our trust rests in the cross and in the fact that He rose from the dead. And there is a coming celebration.

In the meantime, what is happening right now? You and I are delivered, veiled, set apart, waiting, expectant, trusting, and believing, knowing that the groom is coming for His bride at any point. And we are to make ourselves ready.

What Does "Fine Linen, Bright and Pure" Mean in Revelation 19:8?
One of the ways we make ourselves ready is right there in the text. Revelation 19:8 says, "It was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure, for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints."

It is incredible to think about. The fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. Did you know that you and I get to pick out our wedding attire for that great celebration?

Dr. G.K. Beale makes two observations about the bride's clothing here. First, it is fine linen, bright and pure, and the linen is identified as the righteous deeds of the saints. Second, the text notes that the bride has prepared herself. Beale reads that against the backdrop of ancient Jewish weddings, where after the betrothal, at which point the couple was already legally married, the bride continued living in her father's house and prepared herself while awaiting her husband's arrival at a future date to bring her to his house. The bride of the Lamb is clearly preparing herself for this extraordinary moment, and Beale notes that the white linen represents two matters bound tightly together: human faithfulness and good works on one side, and on the other, the vindication and acquittal accomplished by God's judgment against the enemy on behalf of His people.

Here is the idea. Because we have been acquitted by Jesus, because He paid the high price so that our sin would be forgiven through His death on the cross, we now live lives set apart to Him, given to good deeds that bring Him glory.

Saved to Serve, Never Saved to Sit
None of that is a back door to earning salvation. We have been saved by grace through faith, not of ourselves. It is the free gift of God, not the result of our work, so no one can boast (Ephesians 2:8-9). But look at the very next verse. Ephesians 2:10 says we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works that He prepared in advance for us to do.

We are saved to serve. We were never saved just to sit. We serve the purposes of God in our families, on our streets, in our apartment complexes, in our dorm rooms, in the marketplace, at the office, in the classroom, and on the athletic fields.

As we do those good works, we are being fitted for something. That service is part of the adornment we will be wearing at the wedding feast.

Where to Go From Here
The marriage supper of the Lamb is the celebration a covenant has been moving toward all along. A groom came, paid a high price with His own blood, and promised to return and receive His bride to Himself.

If you have received that gift by faith, you are part of that bride. The covenant is established. The place is being prepared. The word will come from the Father. And in the meantime, you get to make yourself ready, which happens through the good works He prepared in advance for you to do.

So, the question is a practical one: what good work has God already put in front of you, right where you live and work and study, that you could take up this week?

This blog is based on the message shared by Senior Pastor Dr. Roger Patterson at our CityRise Bellaire campus on Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026. Check out the full message below!

Dear Church Family,

What a great beginning we had last Monday night to The AI Revolution! I am grateful for everyone who joined us at CityRise Bellaire and those who watched online as Dr. Jeff Frey helped us begin this month of important conversations.

Tonight at 6:30P, we continue with our own Dr. James Tour who will speak on Building New AI Computational Devices and the Downstream Moral Implications.

Dr. Tour will explore the development of new AI computational devices and the moral implications that may follow—questions that invite followers of Jesus to think carefully about wisdom, responsibility, and faithful engagement with rapidly advancing technology.

I hope you will join us tonight at CityRise Bellaire. One of our goals for these evenings is not only to learn together, but also to build community among entrepreneurs, business leaders, professionals, and others who are navigating these changes in their work and leadership. Come ready to listen, ask questions, and connect with others who are thinking seriously about many of the same opportunities and challenges.

And remember, you do not have to be in the room to be part of the conversation! The AI Revolution will again be livestreamed tonight for free through GLU, the God Loves You Network app. Watch from your phone, tablet, or TV.

Whether you join us at Bellaire or through GLU, I hope you will be part of tonight’s conversation—and consider inviting a friend, coworker, or fellow business leader to join you.


Expecting Greater,
Pastor Roger

Because you give, fourteen members of CityRise had the opportunity to serve in Honduras earlier this summer, bringing both compassionate medical care and the hope of the gospel to hundreds of people.

Throughout the week, our team collaborated with local ministries to host a medical clinic and Vacation Bible School, meeting both physical and spiritual needs in the community. While medicine opened the door to conversations and care, prayer remained at the heart of every interaction. Each patient who came through the clinic was not only treated medically, but was also prayed for by members of the team, reminding them that God sees them, knows them, and cares deeply about every part of their lives.

By the end of the trip, more than 640 people had received medical attention through the clinic. For many, this was a rare opportunity to receive healthcare, encouragement, and prayer all in one place. Whether providing medicine, listening to stories, or offering a simple word of hope, our team witnessed firsthand how God works through acts of compassion to draw people to Himself.

At the same time, the team welcomed 530 children to Vacation Bible School, where they experienced the love of Christ through Bible lessons, worship, games, and fun activities. The laughter and excitement throughout the week created opportunities for meaningful conversations about God's love and the life-changing hope found in Jesus.

Most importantly, God moved in powerful ways. During the week, 22 people made decisions to place their faith in Christ. We celebrate each of these salvations, knowing that every number represents a person whose life has been forever changed by the gospel.

Dear Church Family,

August in Houston may not feel like fall is any closer, but the rhythms of the next season are certainly beginning. Students are returning to school in Houston on Monday, regular gatherings across our ministries will recommence in the near future, and many of us are reconnecting with neighbors, coworkers, classmates, and friends after the summer.

This time of year gives us a natural opportunity to cultivate a stronger culture of invitation.

When Philip told Nathanael about Jesus, Nathanael responded with skepticism. Philip did not argue with him or try to answer every question. He simply said, “Come and see” (John 1:46).

We might sometimes assume that people aren’t interested in church or that they’ll just come when they’re ready. Yet many people are waiting for someone they know and trust to invite them. A sincere invitation can open a door for someone who is searching for community, returning to church after time away, or beginning to ask deeper questions about faith.

An invitation is also about more than asking someone to attend a service. It means making room for them: offering to meet them when they arrive, sitting with them, introducing them to others, helping them feel at home. Christian hospitality begins before a guest enters the building and continues long after the service ends.

Our Fall Kickoff will be an especially good opportunity to extend that kind of invitation. On Sunday, August 16 at our West U Baptist and Bellaire campuses, we will gather in the gyms during Community Group meeting times to celebrate the season ahead, connect with one another, and learn more about Community Groups, serving opportunities, discipleship, and the many ways we can participate in the life of our church.

At Bellaire
9:30A & 11:00A • Bellaire Gym

At West U Baptist
9:45A • West U Baptist Gym

Prayerfully consider one person you could invite. It may be a neighbor, a coworker, another parent from school, someone new to Houston, or someone you haven’t seen at church in a while.

You don’t need the perfect words. You can simply say, “Come with me and see.”
Let’s be a church family known for noticing people, opening doors, making room, and inviting others to come and see what Jesus is doing.


Expecting Greater,
Pastor Roger


P.S. Make sure to join us this Monday evening (at CityRise Bellaire or online through the GLU app) for the second night of The AI Revolution with Dr. James Tour and his topic, Building New AI Computational Devices and the Downstream Moral Implications. Learn more at cityrise.org/ai.

Who will be in heaven? According to Revelation 7:9, a crowd so large that no one can count it, gathered from every nation and from all tribes and peoples and languages, "standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands."

If you have ever quietly wondered whether the story of Jesus was really meant for people like you, whether your language or your background or your corner of the world sat somewhere outside its reach, this verse is the answer. The crowd John sees is not narrow. It is global.

A Crowd No One Could Number
Look at the language in that verse. Every tribe, every nation, every people, every language. This is not casual phrasing. Seven different times in the book of Revelation you find this same pattern of all tribes, all peoples, all languages, and all nations. The order shifts, but the pattern holds. Seven times, because we are meant to understand something about the reach of the gospel. It goes to all the nations.

Jesus said as much in Matthew 24:14, that the gospel would go out to all the nations, and then the end would come.

So, the gospel has gone out. Many have been saved from all over the world. Every ethnic group, every language group, and every category of human identity will be found around that throne.

Babel Was the Original Fracture
What makes this scene remarkable is what happened in the first book of the Bible.
At a place later called Babel, people gathered to build a tower up to heaven so they could be like God. They had one common language, and they used that unity to rebel. Genesis 11:1 records that "the whole earth had one language and the same words." Then verses 8 and 9: "So the Lord dispersed them from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city. Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth, and from there the Lord dispersed them over the face of all the earth."

This is where God scatters the nations. He changes their languages as an act of judgment. From that day forward there have been language barriers, ethnic divisions, and cultural struggles. Babel was the original fracture.

Revelation 7 Is That Fracture Permanently Healed
Revelation 7:9 is the image of Babel undone.

Ephesians 2:14 says that Christ breaks down the dividing walls of hostility through the cross. That is why people from all over the world, and right here in our own homeland, can gather together as one in Christ now, in spite of cultural divisions and language barriers. The reason is Christ's cross, which reconciles us to Himself.

What we experience in part now becomes permanent there. Every language that was divided at Babel stands together before the throne, not silenced, but unified in one declaration. Notice what they say: "Salvation belongs to our God."

Will We Still Have Our Own Languages and Cultures in Heaven?
Yes. That is what makes the scene so striking.
John does not see a crowd that has been flattened into sameness. He sees people from different languages. The multitude is not homogeneous. There is a beauty gathered around that throne, distinct peoples still recognizable as themselves, all of them saying the same thing about the same God.

The Promise God Made to Abraham Ends Here
This scene is also the fulfillment of a promise made to one man in a tent. Genesis 12:3 says, "and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."

Revelation 7 is where that promise lands. Gathered around the throne, people from every language, tribe, tongue, and people group stand there as descendants of Abraham.

That is no accident. It was the plan from the very beginning, because God made a promise, and He cannot and will not break His promises.

Who Can Stand? Look at the Posture of the Crowd
Revelation 6 ends with a question that hangs in the air: who can stand?

Then notice the posture of this multitude. They are standing before the throne. They are not cowering from the wrath of the Lamb. They stand before the throne of grace in white robes with palms in the air.

What Are You Doing With the Time You Have?
That posture raises a question for the rest of us. What are we doing with the time we have on this earth to advance the story of Jesus and the Great Commission, so that other people would come to know Him? People from every language, tribe, tongue, and nation.

What are we doing with our lives so that our friends, our family members, our neighbors, and our coworkers can also stand?

Are we giving our time to go on mission? Are we supporting the missionaries who have been sent out from us, making sure they have the resources, the encouragement, and the prayer they need? Are we participating in these things with the time God has given us, or are we leaving our talent buried and quietly assuming somebody else will get it done?
We have a window of time. The gospel goes to all the nations, and then the end will come. Let us use the time we have.

Romans 10:14-15 presses the same point. How can they hear unless someone goes, and how can anyone go unless they are sent? How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news. Your effort matters. Being a partner in the Great Commission matters.

Why Missions Will One Day Be Finished
John Piper, in his book Let the Nations Be Glad, argues that missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. As he puts it, "missions exists because worship does not." He grounds that in the nature of God rather than the ambition of people, and he says that when this age is over and the countless millions of the redeemed fall on their faces before the throne of God, missions will be no more. It is a temporary necessity. Worship abides forever.

Where to Go From Here
Who will be in heaven? A crowd too big to count, from every nation, tribe, and language, standing in white robes before the Lamb.

What a privilege we have in this season, in this fascinating moment in the history of the world, to advance the gospel of Jesus. It is a global crowd gathered around that throne, and the people in your life can be part of it.

So, give your time to going, to sending, to supporting the missionaries already sent, and to praying for the friends, family members, neighbors, and coworkers you want standing in that crowd.

This blog is based on the message shared by Senior Pastor Dr. Roger Patterson at our CityRise West U Baptist campus on Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026. Check out the full message below!

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