Orchard Hill Church Blog
Explore. Grow. Engage.
Ask a Pastor Ep. 32 - God's Will, OT vs. NT God, Book of Revelation
This episode our Senior Pastor, Dr. Kurt Bjorklund, talks with Director of Men's Ministry, Mike Hatch, about God's will, how God in the Old Testament is different from the New Testament and what the Book of Revelation is all about.
Unexpected Jesus #5 - Is Faith Private?
Dr. Kurt Bjorklund looks at John 1:35-51 and what it means for us to share our faith with those around us.
Ask a Pastor Ep. 31 - Remarriage, Spanking your Children
This episode our Senior Pastor, Dr. Kurt Bjorklund, talks with Director of Young Adult Ministry, Josiah Leuenberger about remarriage in the bible and spanking your children.
Unexpected Jesus #4 - What Does Jesus Do?
Dr. Kurt Bjorklund looks at the next portion of the Gospel of John to examine John's choice of words in explaining who Jesus was and his role in our lives.
Superhero Saviors
What is it about these movies that have captured the attention and heart of so many people? I believe that the fantasy world of superheroes Marvel has created, is acting as a window to the soul of humanity.
Ask a Pastor Ep. 30 - Meditation, Thankfulness in Hard Times, Singleness
On this episode of Ask a Pastor our Senior Pastor, Dr. Kurt Bjorklund, talks with Director of Kids' Ministry, Emily Roberts, about mediation, being thankful in hard times, and singleness.
Unexpected Jesus #3 - What Does God Expect?
Dr. Kurt Bjorklund looks at the end of the prologue section of John 1 and what is revealed of God's expectations of us and how we try to go about meeting them.
Turn Your Maybe Into Yes
I have much to learn about our great God, but for me there is no “maybe” in knowing the Truth. God wants me/us to live in the “Yes!” of knowing Him.
Unexpected Jesus #2 - Who are God's Children?
Dr. Terry Thomas, professor of Biblical Studies at Geneva College & part-time Teaching Pastor at Orchard Hill, looks at our relationship with light and dark and how we enter into a relationship of adoption with a Father God.
Why I Pray
Prayer is a vital part of the way I practice my faith on a daily basis, but it wasn’t always that way. If you’ve been in the church for any length of time, you’ve likely heard someone talk about the importance of prayer - and that’s for good reason!
Ask a Pastor Ep. 28 - Infant vs. Believer Baptism, Sleepovers with No Sex
This episode our Senior Pastor, Dr. Kurt Bjorklund, talks with Director of Young Adult Ministries, Josiah Leuenberger, about Orchard Hill Church's stance on baptism and having sleepovers with no sex.
Unexpected Jesus #1 - Is God Silent?
Kicking off a new series diving into the Gospel account of John, Dr. Kurt Bjorklund looks at the meaning of "the Word of God" and how God speaks into our lives.
My Love/Hate Relationship with Netflix’s Tidying Up
I’m currently in the throes of a love/hate relationship with the Netflix show, Tidying Up. The question that was nagging me was this: if I’m willing to upturn every square corner of my home because of a TV show, will I be equally convinced to do the same to my daily calendar based on the truth I find in the Bible?
In Hell There Is No Music (Psalm 6 Devotional)
As far I can see in the Bible, in Hell there is no music. Throughout scriptures, we read of music in heaven. Job said the morning stars sang together in worship of God. We read of musical instruments in heaven. The 24 elders in Revelation didn’t just have crowns, but harps. And they sang to the Lord.
Satisfaction in 2019
The Rolling Stones had a song entitled “I can’t get no satisfaction.” What the song implies is probably what many of us feel on a consistent basis: try as we might, much of life leaves us feeling unsatisfied!
New Year's Resolutions
I write this blog from a condo on the beach of the Gulf of Mexico. Do not be too jealous. I’ll spend New Year's Day driving my family of five 988 miles. I promised myself I would not make New Year’s Resolutions this year. That’s cliché. Instead, I came up with 4 things that I am resolving to do in 2019.
Oh, Christmas Tree!
Yesterday I told my wife, Lisa, I can’t stand our Christmas tree. Technically there is nothing wrong with it, I just think it looks like a messy Christmas ornament yard sale. As I looked upon the mess of ornaments hanging all over our tree, like a badly organized garage sale, it hit me - this looks a lot like God’s love for us.
What I Saw When the Light Went Out
Advent: a time of waiting for the arrival of the Christ Child, the Light of the world. We decorate our world with lights that brighten the darkest time of year...
Christmas Questions
Christmas is a time of great joy. Many of us look forward to this holiday season all year long. However, we often forget, even as Christians, why Christmas is so important. Humanity is asking the same questions that it did back then—Who am I? What's my problem? How do you fix it?
The Savior Enters the Story
Did you know that “Jesus" was one of the most common names in Israel at the time of Jesus Christ’s birth? Naming their sons “Jesus” was a way of expressing their hope in God’s promise. Someone was coming to rescue them.