KGF Church

It’s a try-out season for fall and winter sports? Di you try-out? Were you chosen? Or, perhaps you recall those school days when partners were picked. Were you one of those standing awkwardly waiting? Were you always chosen first? In John 15 Jesus makes a startling declaration to his disciples: you are chosen and appointed (John 15:16)! This might give a warm-fuzzy feeling of belonging, but it’s no participant ribbon! It is a call to a life of high responsibility; a life fully alive and on purpose! We’ve been looking at Jesus’ foundations for the fully alive, fruitful life in John 15: pruning, abiding, friendship with God. This week we round this up with the transforming power of being chosen and appointed. Phil Wagler Interim Pastor

The 1981 Walt Disney classic “The Fox and the Hound” taught me what friendship really was. Friendship, as portrayed in the film, was about loyalty to another, even if it means you have to fight a bear to save your friend or stand in the line of fire to protect them from a hunter. “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” - John 15:13 We know this intuitively, for it’s the very reason that “The Fox and the Hound” resonates with our hearts and is such a moving tale to this day. Join us Sunday to find out what being a friend of Christ means, and how God might be inviting us to deeper obedience in loving one another. See you then, Pastor Joel

Cut flowers. They look pretty, make a beautiful bouquet, but they cannot thrive.   Unplugged computer. It can survive for a time. A good battery makes a difference. But, it will die. The life fully alive as God intended requires remaining in the source. Made in God’s image, human beings can only flourish by remaining, as Jesus says in John 15, in Him. We are not meant to be cut flowers or unplugged devices, but fully alive. Who are you abiding in? What are you plugged into? Embracing with joy the challenges and assignments in our schools, workplaces, relationships, and city and bearing the fruit of God in a world looking for hope is our call and purpose. Exploring how we remain in the Source for such a momentous responsibility is where we’ll plant ourselves this Sunday. Phil Wagler Interim Pastor

My friend stood at the front of the class with the bungee cord hooked to his belt, the other end in the teacher’s hand. "Go ahead, walk forward", Mr. Brown instructed.  We chuckled nervously as he did so, and to his credit, he got a lot further than I thought he would. But as sure as bees make honey when the bungee cord reached its max, Don couldn't get any further. Just like bungee cords, there are things in our life that hold us back from moving forward, from being as productive as we can be. It could be circumstances, relationships, sinful patterns, whatever it is, Jesus promised that his Father, the gardener, would cut it out of our lives.  God is not content with fruitful, at least not in our passage from John 15. God wants us to be "even more fruitful" than we already are.  Wondering how that's possible? Me too. Let's discover together on Sunday! Pastor Joel  Associate Pastor of Community Life

Snow angels are one of the highlights of a kid's winter. Have you ever tried making a sand angel in the heat of a summer like this? Your body can leave a mark! This Sunday, we wrap up our series, "The Body," with the exploration of the mark the Body of Christ makes! How has the Body of Christ impacted your life? We'll hear some stories of that and seek to spur one another on toward the love and good deeds Jesus intends his body to be about in the world he loves!  Phil Wagler Interim Pastor

How is your love for the wideness and wonder of the Body of Christ growing? One of our goals in our series, "The Body," was to invite another pastor to share what the Spirit is doing in another part of Jesus's Body in our city. We're so pleased to welcome Jenny Toews from Willow Park Church - Downtown this week. Here's her teaser for our gathering this week...  Have you ever tried to micromanage God? “Sure, God. I’ll pursue that task, conversation, vocation. …but only if  ___.” Or maybe you’ve simply tried to remind God: “___ isn’t really for me.” These are examples of choosing to play it safe instead of positioning yourself for faith. Most of us would probably say that we want to be used by God, but sometimes, what we really want is to control how God may use us. Our text this Sunday includes Paul exhorting Timothy to “fan [his gift] into flame,” and I wonder… can we fan to flame and play it safe? How has that tension played out in your life? I'm excited to spend time with you and share how we’ve been stretched and shaped by these questions over at Willow Park Church – Downtown. See you Sunday! Jenny Toews Associate Pastor Willow Park Church - Downtown

The Body of Christ is made up every tribe, language, and ethnicity. The Body of Christ is made up of those with little or much money. The Body of Christ consists of another mixed human reality: those who are married and those who are single. The 2021 Canadian census revealed that 44.3% of the population is married, 12.6% were in a common-law relationship, and 43.1% were single. Single adults are close to outnumbering married people in Canada. This week we’re going to search scripture for how Jesus’s vision for the church he is building is to be the household of God where marriage and singleness are both honoured, celebrated, seen realistically, and intended to point in one great and glorious direction.

There are lots of expectations when it comes to the local church. It has a significant impact on our relationship with God and with each other. Every Christian’s desire is to be part of a healthy church, where Christ is the head of the church and the Holy Spirit is working in the lives of God’s people. But there are times when the church falls short. What makes an unhealthy church? Many of us notice or have experienced things in the church that we know are not in line with what we understand or even believe. It’s challenging. So, what makes a church unhealthy? Sunday, we will begin to unpack 4 signs of an unhealthy church. Each one has a significant impact on the local church. We will look at Scripture to gain God’s perspective and reflect on our current journey as a church.

The church is at its healthiest when every generation is connected, valued, and learning from one another. This Sunday, we will tag-team as we explore God’s brilliant design for meaningful intergenerational engagement within His Body. Drawing from Titus 2, we’ll see how the wisdom and experience of older believers and the passion and fresh perspective of younger believers work together to reflect Jesus and strengthen the whole church. You’ll be encouraged to see your place in God’s story and challenged to invest intentionally across generational lines. - Pastor Devan Scollon & Garth Walker

Acts 2:42-47; 4:32-5:11 & Matthew 6 If I were a rich man... All the things I could do if I had a little money... If I had a million dollars... This life, that's all that everybody care about man, money... I've got everything that money can't buy... Money. We need it. Think about it. Sing about it. Spend it. Give it. Share it. Waste it. Despise it. Love it. Use it. And sometimes, it uses us. The Bible, and Jesus in particular, talks a lot about money. God knows money and the things we treasure have an important place in being human, being a disciple, and being the body of Christ together for the sake of the world. Phil Wagler Interim Pastor

1 Timothy 3; Titus 1 Life is full of health tips. “How do I get healthy?” “How do I stay healthy?” “How do I know if I’m healthy?” and the worst part is, even if we do it all well, we’ll still die eventually. But this should not be the case for Christ’s Body, the Church. When a church is healthy we should see the evidence, and if health continues, the church will live on indefinitely, continuing to fulfill God’s purposes for years and even centuries to come! But what are the systems and practices that make and keep a Church healthy? This week we look at 3 of them together. See you Sunday! Pastor Joel Lise

Have you ever considered how your body speaks up? A pang of hunger just before dinner. A shot of pain when you step awkwardly. A shout when joy moves you. A giggle when something tickles. A tear when sorrow overwhelms. In a way this is similar to prayer - a response from the deepest parts of us to the world around us. This week we continue our series, “The Body”, with the critical topic, “The Body that Prays”. We have two special components to the weekend. A sunday message from guest speaker Dr. Roger Helland, Prayer Ambassador of the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada and author of Pursuing God’s Presence. The opportunity to practice what we preach by joining others of all ages in prayer walks throughout the city. The world is crying out, let us keep growing as a Body that prays. Phil Wagler Interim Pastor

What do you know about Jews in Kelowna? How do you interact with your Muslim co-worker? How do we live with a neighbour or friend who is opposed to "religion?" How do we seek the common good with those committed to other worldviews? What do the people in our community who do not share our faith in Jesus know about us as Christians? What do they conclude about us?  Christians have always lived in a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, multi-religious, multi-opinionated world. The church, the body of Christ, cannot avoid social life, but what does that look like? How can we seek social transformation that reflects the Kingdom of God? Read Paul's letter to Philemon before Sunday if you have just a few minutes, and come thinking about the social life we are part of in this complex world. Phil Wagler Interim Pastor

Psalm 67 How might our lives be enriched if we thought more about the Global Body of Christ? This Sunday, we’ll step beyond the walls of the local church and tune our hearts to the movement of God around the world. Using Psalm 67 as a backdrop, we’ll explore the “way of God” among the nations, seeing how His grace and saving power are transforming lives across cultures. Through stories from Brazil, the Philippines, Germany, and more, we’ll learn how believers in the Global Body are following the same Spirit to fulfill the mission we all share together. - Sam Dick, Regional Mobilizer for Multiply

Matthew 3:13-17 We love Baptism Sunday because it’s not just about individual stories of faith; it’s a powerful reminder of God’s ongoing work in our community. This week, we continue our series on Being the Body of Christ by exploring a surprising baptism: the baptism of Jesus. Why would Jesus, who had no sin, submit to baptism meant for sinners? What does His baptism reveal about God’s redemptive plan, the unity of the Trinity, and our place in His kingdom? Join us as we unpack this pivotal moment in Matthew’s Gospel and hear inspiring testimonies of new life and obedience. Pastor Devan Scollon

Matthew 20:20-28 Have you ever wondered that at a restaurant or while trying to navigate a phone call with a chatbot when all you want to do is talk to a human being? A healthy household, a healthy business, a healthy school, a healthy society - so much of life together depends on who is in charge and how they lead. What about the Body of Christ? Who is in charge? Who leads? What is leadership structured? What does Christian leadership focused on? How is leadership structured? What does Christian leadership look like so that the Body thrives for the glory of God. This Sunday, we will dive into these questions, without chatbots.   Phil Wagler Interim Pastor

Exodus 17:8-16 How does your garden grow? If you plant the best seeds but don't water them, will they produce? If you water and weed, but don't fight bugs and birds, will you have a bountiful harvest? How's your sports team doing? If you have the best players, but no coaching, practice, or team chemistry, will you win? If you're a baseball team with great hitting but terrible pitching, will you succeed? Producing a healthy garden or a successful team requires a variety of healthy components and practices. How is a healthy congregation formed? Congregations face unsettling seasons (as KGF has over the years), or times of renewal and wondering what's next (as we are). A healthy congregation depends on healthy church leadership, and healthy church leadership depends on the components and practices of a healthy congregation. To know Jesus and make Him known, it's crucial we learn about the realities of pastoral ministry and church leadership, and proactively invest in their health and well-being. How can church leaders be in partnership with the whole body, leading to their and our success? Join us this Sunday as Bob Armstrong, Executive Director of Oasis Ministries, brings decades of experience in supporting the development of healthy pastors and congregations. We will explore the realities of pastoral ministry and how we as a body can be a healthy congregation with healthy leaders. Phil Wagler, Interim Pastor

1 Corinthians 12 Ever feel like there’s a melody still within you, waiting to be played? Or have you ever wondered why some believers seem to be joyfully and effortlessly serve others well, while you (or someone you love) struggle and meander through life? This Sunday, we’ll journey through the biblical origins and importance of spiritual gifts. We’ll see God’s beautiful intention for His gifts in our own lives and within our body of believers. Find out how easy it can be to discover new joy and passion through the unique part that only you can play. Todd Ringness

Have you ever looked at one of the Kelowna’s sports fields, buzzing as they do this time of year with kids in neat uniforms, and asked, “Hey, what’s with all the teams?” Or, have you been to the food court, or walked through our beautiful downtown, and asked, “What’s with all the restaurants anyway?” In the same vein, have you scooted around the city, noticed all the church buildings and wondered, “Hey, what’s with all the churches?” If there is one body of Christ, why all the churches? Why the diversity, and at times disagreements? This weekend we raise these questions in our exploration of “The Body.” And, perhaps, we’ll see the church and our city differently. Phil Wagler Interim Pastor P.S. Here’s a challenge: count how many churches you see on the way to KGF on Sunday.

Ephesians 2:19-22 What does it really mean to belong to the Church? Is it just about showing up on Sundays or volunteering in ministry… or is there something deeper God has in mind? This week, we’ll explore a powerful vision from Ephesians 2:19–22: that we’re not just attendees — we’re citizens in God’s Kingdom, members of His household, and stones in a living temple where He dwells. Christ hasn’t just saved us from something, He’s saved us into something: a people, a place, a purpose. Whether you’re new or deeply invested, come ready to be reminded that God is building something beautiful, and it includes you. Pastor Devan Scollon