Torrey Pines Church

Can we really trust the Bible? And is asking that question something Christians should be afraid to do? In week one of Asking for a Friend, Dr. Tim Scott kicks off a new series, creating space for honest questions about faith. Christianity doesn't require us to shut down our minds, stop asking questions, or pretend difficult questions have easy answers. Instead, we're invited to approach our questions with honesty, humility, and openness to where God might lead us. This week, we start with the Bible. What is it, where did it come from, and why have Christians trusted it for generations? Dr. Scott explores the Bible's internal consistency, historical connections, manuscript evidence, archaeology, and fulfilled prophecy as reasons Christians believe Scripture is credible, reliable, and trustworthy. But trusting the Bible is about more than winning an argument or accumulating knowledge. The goal isn't simply to know the Bible. It's to know the God it reveals. Scripture is meant to form us into the likeness of Jesus, serve as a mirror for our own lives rather than binoculars for judging others, and invite us into the story God is still writing. Bring your questions. Stay curious. And discover why we can trust Scripture while allowing its truth to challenge, shape, and transform us.

What changes when a church stops feeling like "their church" and starts becoming our church? In week three of I Love Our Church, Pastor Mingo Palacios closes the series by looking at generosity and how giving moves us from simply consuming to contributing to God's mission. Generosity isn't just about money. It's about our hearts, our trust, and recognizing how much we've already received from God. Generosity starts with gratitude. Romans 8 reminds us that God gave first, offering us the ultimate gift in Jesus. When we focus more on what God has already given us than on what we don't have, gratitude begins to change the way we live and give. Generosity also grows when we have a plan. Instead of earning, spending, saving, and giving whatever happens to be left, we're challenged to become intentional: give first, save intentionally, and then live on the rest. Whether you're ready to start giving, begin saving, deal with debt, or simply ask for help, the invitation is to take your next right step toward greater freedom and wise stewardship. And as Jesus teaches in Matthew 6:21, "where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." When we invest in God's Kingdom, our hearts follow. Our generosity connects us more deeply to God's mission and helps move us from saying "your church" to saying "our church." Grace is free. We don't give to earn God's love or our place in His family. We give because He has already been generous to us, and He invites us into a life of freedom, wisdom, generosity, and purpose.

Are you a fan of Jesus, or are you actively playing your part in His mission? In week two of I Love Our Church, Pastor Mingo Palacios challenges us to move from simply consuming church to committing and contributing. The church isn't an event or a building. Scripture calls it the Body of Christ, and every one of us has a part to play. Jesus isn't looking for fans sitting in the stands. He's calling faithful followers onto the field. So why do we serve? Because Jesus served us first and calls us to serve others. Where do we serve? Wherever we're gifted and wherever we're needed. God has given each of us unique gifts, not for ourselves, but to bless others and build up the Body of Christ. You aren't called to do everything, but everyone is called to do something. And serving doesn't stop at church. We're called to serve our families, our church, our communities, and our world. Ultimately, when we serve others in Jesus' name, we're serving Him. Our greatest motivation is remembering that Jesus first served us, giving His life so that we could live. Don't just be served. Find your role, use your gifts, serve others, and discover what happens when the church becomes not just a church you attend, but our church.

We were never created to do life alone.In week one of I Love Our Church, Pastor Mingo Palacios talks about the epidemic of loneliness in our world and the power of real, authentic relationships. Church was never meant to be a place where we simply attend. It’s a family where we can move from feeling like outsiders and spectators to knowing that we truly belong.From the very beginning, God created us for connection. When we engage in real relationships, we can live as God created us to live and love as Jesus called us to love. Following Jesus means moving beyond rows and into circles, sharing our lives with others, showing up for people, and creating spaces where others can feel seen and known.But relationships don’t happen automatically. Sometimes it takes choosing to be available, taking the risk of being vulnerable, joining a group, introducing yourself to someone new, or simply saying yes when it would be easier to stay comfortable. And when we take those steps, we may discover that we can be the cure we’ve been looking for.In a world where isolation is easy, Jesus invites us into something different: to receive His extravagant love and then love others the same way. Real relationships are the revolution Jesus started, and we’re invited to continue it.

When was the last time something left you in awe?In the final week of Pray First... and Always, Pastor Daniel Scotti explores the fourth simple prayer: Wow. Sometimes we experience something so beautiful, powerful, or unexpected that words fail us. All we can say is, “Wow.” And that sense of marvel and wonder can become a prayer.Through Psalm 8, we discover that we can marvel at who God is, what God has done, why God cares for us, and what God will do. Creation points us toward His glory, but even more remarkable is that the God who created everything knows us, loves us, and allows us to know Him personally.Even when life doesn’t feel worthy of a “wow,” we can hold onto the promise that the way things are is not the way things will always be. Revelation 21 gives us a picture of the day when God will make all things new, wiping away every tear and bringing an end to death, mourning, crying, and pain.Prayer isn’t only about asking God for help, thanking Him, or confessing our sins. Sometimes prayer is simply stopping long enough to recognize how great God is and respond with wonder: Wow.

Why is it so hard to say, “I’m sorry”?In week three of Pray First... and Always, Pastor Mingo Palacios continues through four simple prayers: Help, Thanks, Sorry, and Wow. This week, we look at SORRY and discover how confession can move us out of hiding and into the freedom, forgiveness, and healing God offers us.Pride, fear, justification, and shame can all keep us from being honest about the places where we’ve fallen short. But 1 John 1 reminds us that we don’t have to hide in darkness. When we confess our sins, God is faithful to forgive us and cleanse us.Confession means calling sin what God calls it, walking honestly with God and trusted people, and regularly turning back toward Jesus. We aren’t confessing to earn salvation again and again. We confess because we are already forgiven, and confession becomes a regular practice that cleanses our souls as we follow Jesus.There is mercy waiting on the other side of confession. Instead of hiding, justifying, or carrying our struggles alone, we can walk in the light and receive the grace God has already made available to us through Jesus.

What if gratitude is more than something we feel when life goes our way? What if it’s something we can actually learn to practice in every season?In week two of Pray First… and Always, Pastor Mingo Palacios continues our journey through four simple prayers: Help, Thanks, Sorry, and Wow. This week, we focus on THANKS and discover one of the biggest obstacles to gratitude: entitlement. The mindsets of “I want it now” and “I deserve more” can quietly rob us of joy and keep us from recognizing what God has already given us.Through Jesus’ story of the prodigal son and Paul’s words in Philippians 4, we learn that contentment isn’t something we either have or don’t have. It’s a path we can practice. We may not be thankful for every circumstance we face, but we can learn to give thanks to God in every circumstance, trusting that He is present and at work even in difficult seasons.Gratitude also means being quick to turn every blessing back into praise. Instead of taking the credit for what we have, we can recognize God’s faithfulness, live with open hands, and continually respond with thanks.When Jesus healed ten men with leprosy, only one came back to thank Him. The challenge for us is simple: Be the one. Be the one who keeps coming back to Jesus with gratitude for His love, His grace, and His faithfulness.

What if prayer didn’t have to be complicated? Sometimes we don’t have the perfect words, or even many words at all. Sometimes all we can say is, “Help.”In week one of Pray First... and Always, Pastor Mingo Palacios reminds us that the way we see God shapes the way we speak to God. Throughout this series, we’re using four simple words to help us grow in prayer: HELP, THANKS, SORRY, and WOW. We begin with HELP, learning that God invites us to bring Him specific needs through prayers of petition and to carry the needs of others through prayers of intercession.Through the story of the blind man calling out to Jesus in Luke 18, we see that we can come honestly and specifically to God with what we need. And even when His answer doesn’t look exactly like the outcome we hoped for, we can trust His character and continue bringing Him the desires of our hearts.We’re also called to pray for one another, carrying each other’s burdens and allowing others to help carry ours. Prayer isn’t about having the right words. It’s about knowing the God we’re talking to, a God who hears us, loves us, and loves to help.This week, wherever you find yourself, try starting with one simple prayer: God, help me. God, help them.

Every story has an ending, but the ending often reveals what the story was really about all along. As we conclude God Intended It For Good, Pastor James Grogan looks at the final chapter of Joseph's life and uncovers the truth that carried him through betrayal, suffering, success, and restoration.Joseph's story reminds us that unresolved guilt can distort our view of God's grace, but God's forgiveness is complete through Jesus. We also discover Joseph's "secret sauce": trusting that God is in control, believing He can use even painful circumstances for good, and living to help others through what we've experienced. Finally, Joseph challenges us to finish well by holding onto God's promises, even when we don't see their fulfillment in our lifetime.Whether you're walking through a season of waiting, carrying the weight of past mistakes, or wondering if God is still at work in your story, this message is a powerful reminder that He is faithful to every promise and is still working all things together for good.