The Wild Strength of a Servant

“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” - Mark 10:45

He could have crushed the world between His fingers. He spoke to storms like a man talks to his dog—Quiet now—and the seas went still. Demons? They scrambled for cover when He showed up. The sick were healed, the blind saw again, and even death had to back down when Jesus called a name.

He had more power in His whisper than all the empires combined, and yet—He washed feet. That’s not weakness; that’s wild, untamed strength restrained by love.

In a world that snarls and snaps for dominance, where men hoard power like wolves over a carcass, Jesus flipped the whole game upside down. He walked in, calm as dawn, and made it clear: Greatness isn’t grabbing the highest seat—it’s kneeling at the lowest one.

The Servant-King came not to take, but to give. Not to be served, but to serve. And that wasn’t a pose. It wasn’t PR. It was the very marrow of who He was.

And then He walked to the cross.

Don’t ever let anyone tell you that servanthood is soft. It takes more guts to lay down your life than to take someone else’s. It takes more fire to lift the burdens of others than to carry your own pride like a badge.

So, when you walk into your day—into the chaos of home, the grind of work, the noise of the world—walk like Jesus. Carry towels, not titles. Look for the broken and the overlooked. Ask not what this place owes you, but what you can pour out of yourself for the glory of God. Because the Lion of Judah came wrapped in the humility of a lamb—and He calls you to do the same.

That’s not just a calling; that’s an adventure!

Pastor Mark’s sermon is going to be powerful this Sunday at 10:30 AM. Please join us.

Your friend for the rest of my life,

Pastor Tim White

Living in Resurrection Power

“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead…” Ephesians 1:18–20 

Hope is a beautiful word—but at Easter, it becomes something more. It becomes sacred.  

This is the season of blessed hope—not wishful thinking or vague optimism, but a living, breathing force rooted in the greatest miracle of all time: the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  

Hope is not passive. It doesn’t sit quietly in the corner and whisper “maybe.” Hope rises up. It rolls away stones. It shouts into tombs. Hope is what tells us, “This is not how the story ends.” 

It is hope that keeps a grieving parent putting one foot in front of the other.

It is hope that stirs the addict to believe that tomorrow can be different.

It is hope that whispers to the lonely, “You are not forgotten.”

It is hope that declares to the world: Love has won. Death has lost. Jesus is alive. 

And here’s the extraordinary truth of Easter:

The same power that raised Christ from the dead now lives in you. Not a lesser power. Not a symbolic gesture. The same mighty strength. 

Which means…

You can rise from what tried to bury you.

You can love again after heartbreak.

You can believe again after disappointment.

You can breathe again—even when life has knocked the wind out of you. 

This Easter don’t just remember the resurrection—live in it. Walk in that power. Stand in that light. Hope with all your heart. 

Please join us this Easter Sunday as Pastor Mark speaks to the hope we were made for—the hope we desperately need. Let your soul be filled again. Let your spirit rise. 

Your friend for the rest of my life, 

Pastor Tim White

Wrapped In God's Smile

“They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, ‘Hosanna!’ ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ‘Blessed is the King of Israel!’” - John 12:13

Born in suffering yet wrapped in a smile. That’s the story of every child who’s ever drawn breath on this earth. Bringing a baby into the world is painful—but oh, the joy that follows. The tears. The laughter. The smile that says, “It was worth it.”

Jesus understood this rhythm of pain and joy. Just before entering the deepest suffering of his life, what did he do? He planned a party. A city-wide, nation-shaking celebration—filled with immigrants, families, and strangers all shouting and smiling because Jesus was with them.

Do you have time in your life for a righteous blast of celebration? Remember the joy when the Seahawks won the Super Bowl? A million people lined the streets. Now picture the celebration we’ll have when the Mariners finally win the World Series! But even those pale in comparison to the Palm Sunday celebration. Because all of heaven was rejoicing, too.

If Disney can throw a good fireworks show, just imagine what the God who invented the Big Bang and supernovas can do when He celebrates.

And on earth? Peasants danced. Roman soldiers smiled. Gladiators stood in awe. Children leapt. Tax collectors climbed trees to see. Bakers handed out free samples. Elders’ eyes twinkled. Water fights broke out. All because Jesus was there—with them, right now.

Maybe that’s the lesson we need in these hard times: Celebrate anyway. Rejoice, not because all is easy, but because Jesus is with us: born!

This Sunday, Jesus will be with us again. The donkey will be a delightful surprise. Kids will wave palm branches. The Spirit will lift our hearts. And I’ll be preaching: Born in Suffering—But Wrapped in a Smile. Because the smile of God—that tender, powerful, poetic smile—is still shining on you today.

Please join us, in person or online.

Your friend for the rest of my life,

Pastor Tim White

The Path to Greatness

“But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest.
Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, ‘Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.’” — Mark 9:33-35

One insight—one bold, out-of-the-box idea—can change the world. Jesus was the ultimate disruptive innovator. Long before the world celebrated visionaries, He redefined greatness in a way that still challenges us today.

At the core of human ambition lies a simple, timeless question: Who is the greatest? The disciples were debating it 2,000 years ago, but let’s be honest—it has probably been argued since the beginning of time. I can almost imagine Adam bragging to Eve that he was the greatest golfer on Earth. And Eve, without missing a beat, reminding him that he was also the worst golfer on Earth.

The debate rages on: Who is the GOAT—Michael Jordan or LeBron James? Tom Brady or Patrick Mahomes? Greatness is a conversation we never seem to outgrow.

Jesus, however, doesn’t ignore the question. Instead, He flips it upside down. In what might be history’s most radical teaching, He declares: If you want to be first, you must be last. The greatest is the servant of all. Think about how this message must have resonated with the overlooked, the struggling, the ones who never felt like they could measure up. What a relief! What a revolutionary idea! Jesus’ words shattered the exhausting pursuit of being “the best” and instead offered a new vision—one where humility, service, and love define true greatness.

Before Socrates made the Socratic method famous (he lived from 470–399 BCE), Jesus was already using questions to provoke thought and transform minds. His teaching wasn’t just philosophical—it was life-changing. It set hearts on fire and redefined human purpose.

So, what does greatness look like in your life? What principles guide your choices? Jesus invites us to rethink everything. The true path to greatness isn’t about being the best, it’s about being a servant.

I hope you’ll join us this Sunday at 10:30 AM, in person or online. Pastor Mark, the master communicator that he is, will be talking about this idea in such a way that it will set us free. It’s too good to miss.

Your friend for life,

Pastor Tim White 

Confession of Faith

“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Messiah.” —Mark 8:29 (NIV)

You may not think of yourself as a person of faith, but I challenge you—every single one of us makes confessions of faith every day.

Some might say, “But what if I don’t have faith?” Ah, but you do. Faith is woven into the fabric of our lives. When a father looks at his child and says, “You have an incredible gift for art”—that is a statement of faith, a belief in their potential. When a friend shares a photo that stirs something deep within us, that, too, can be a confession of faith—a moment of recognizing beauty, connection, and meaning.

Jesus asked His disciples the most important question of all: “Who do you say I am?” Their answers varied, but Peter made the ultimate confession: “You are the Messiah.” It was a moment of clarity, of trust, of faith.

Throughout our lives, we have countless moments where we make our own astonishing confessions—what we believe about others, about ourselves, and about God. The question is, when it comes to Jesus, what will your confession be?

This Sunday, Pastor Linda will be unpacking this powerful passage, Mark 8:29-34. She is a beloved teacher at Washington Cathedral, and I encourage you not to miss it.

Your friend for life,

Pastor Tim White

The Heart Exam

“Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites as it is written: ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.’ You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.” —Mark 7:6-8

Have you ever seen that commercial where a wife tells her husband they’re expecting their first child, but he isn’t really listening? Instead, he’s distracted by a commercial he just heard and suddenly yells out, “Hey Joe!” to a plumber. His wife, in disbelief, asks, “Are you kidding me? You’re going to do this right now?” It’s funny because it’s so true—we all get caught up in the immediate and forget what really matters. Paul reminds us: “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” —2 Corinthians 4:18. 

It’s so easy for the unimportant to rise above the important in our lives. Jesus even warned that some will come to Him saying, “Lord, we did this in Your name,” and He will have to tell them, “I never knew you.” (Matthew 7:23) The word religion literally means “to bind down,” but faith in Jesus Christ is meant to set us free. It’s not just about listing the things we’ve done for Him—it’s about knowing Him personally.

This Sunday, Pastor Mark will share an inspiring message on how to bring our faith to life by building a deeper, more authentic relationship with God.

Your friend for the rest of my life,

Pastor Tim White

The Joy of Solitude

Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”—Mark 6:31

Life is noisy. Our schedules are packed, our phones constantly buzz, and the world never seems to slow down. Even Jesus and His disciples felt this. They were surrounded by crowds, people pressing in, needs piling up. It got so busy that they didn’t even have time to eat! But, in the midst of the chaos, Jesus didn’t say, “Push through!” or “Work harder!” Instead, He said, “Come with me to a quiet place and rest.”

Jesus knew something we often forget: solitude isn’t loneliness—it’s renewal. Stepping away from the noise isn’t avoidance, it’s strength. When we take time to be alone with God, we aren’t escaping life; we’re recharging for it.

The world tells us that productivity is what matters. But Jesus reminds us that presence—especially in His presence—is where true life is found. In solitude, we hear His voice more clearly. In stillness, we find His peace.

So today, don’t be afraid of the quiet. Don’t run from solitude—embrace it! Let it be the place where you meet God, where your soul is refreshed, and where joy is restored. Take a deep breath. Find your quiet place. And hear Him say, “Come with me and rest.”

Your friend,

Pastor Tim White

The Power Within

That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” - Mark 4:35

I don’t believe in Boredom! My mom would say that all the time and she was radical about it. In a world that God created everything in spectacular fashion, life is a precious gift there is no time for boredom. My mom would say if you were bored you are lazy!

Jesus was a breath of fresh air everywhere he went. After a hard day he suggests to his disciples, let’s go someplace new, refreshing, motivating. Let’s go to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. So, they did! They hopped in a boat and other boats followed; as a group they were on the move to the other side of the Lake. While on the way a huge storm came up. Everyone thought they were going to die until someone pointed out Jesus was sleeping in the back of the boat. When they woke him. He stood up and said, “peace be still” and the storm immediately calmed down.

Life was an adventure with Jesus around. There is no room for boredom when Jesus is around. And where is he? Right here with you!

What if I told you that the answer to all our problems is right here beside us? Maybe the most startling news ever announced is that God is not 90 billion light years away but instead is right here waiting for your sincere relationship with him. 

This week our dynamic Pastor Mark is preaching on the Power Within. Don’t miss it.

Your friend for the rest of my life,

Pastor Tim White

Lent can be fun!

“Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.” - Matthew 4:1-2

Lent is a season of forty days, mirroring Jesus’ time in the wilderness. It is a time of fasting, prayer, and reflection—a journey not just toward Easter, but toward deeper communion with Christ. The wilderness is a place of testing, but it is also a place of preparation.

Pastor Mark’s favorite season of the year is Lent. He loves it because it’s a quiet season where we focus on our personal relationship with Jesus. And he is right—the church calendar was slowly formed over the centuries by believers who came before us. In the first century, much of the church followed the Jewish calendar because most believers were Jewish. By the second century, celebrating Easter had become widespread. In the fourth century, Lent became a globally recognized season, as the church focused on the disciplines of Jesus. Growing closer to Jesus means doing the things He did.

Jesus entered the wilderness filled with the Spirit, and though He faced temptation, He emerged ready for His ministry. Likewise, our Lenten journey is not about proving our strength but about discovering our dependence on God. When we fast—whether from food, distractions, or sinful habits—we are reminded that we do not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4).

The Call to Repentance and Renewal

Lent also calls us to repentance. In Joel 2:12-13, God says: “Return to me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Rend your heart and not your garments.” True repentance is not just about outward actions but about the condition of our hearts. What in our lives has taken the place of God? What are we clinging to that we need to release? Lent is a time to lay down our idols, our distractions, and our burdens at the foot of the cross.

The Path to the Cross

Lent is not just about self-denial; it is about preparing our hearts for the resurrection. Every step of this journey draws us closer to the cross, where Christ’s ultimate act of love was displayed. The suffering of Good Friday gives way to the victory of Easter Sunday. In the same way, our sacrifices in this season are not an end in themselves but a means of drawing near to Christ, sharing in His sufferings so that we might also share in His resurrection (Philippians 3:10-11). For many of us, we grew up celebrating the seasons of the church. They hold joyous memories where children were actively involved in church life. Let’s embrace Lent in a meaningful way this year.

I’m also excited to share that Pastor Mark’s childhood pastor from Kenya will be here to preach for us. Maybe he’ll share some stories about Pastor Mark’s younger days! Join us this Sunday at 10:30 AM, either online or in person—we look forward to seeing you.

Your friend for the rest of my life,

Pastor Tim White

Families Can Be Great!

Then Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see him. They stood outside and sent word for him to come out and talk with them. There was a crowd sitting around Jesus, and someone said, “Your mother and your brothers are outside asking for you.” Jesus replied, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” Then he looked at those around him and said, “Look, these are my mother and brothers. Anyone who does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.” Mark 3:31-35

Some of the most wonderful experiences in life happen within a family! Yet, heartbreakingly, the opposite is also true some of the deepest wounds we carry come from family or from what we thought was family.

Jesus and His followers ignited a revolution that reshaped the very concept of family. They understood how deeply we need nurturing relationships, a place where we belong and are known. Jesus, more than anyone, recognized that so many people walk through life carrying a painful void—a missing father, a missing mother, a missing child or grandparent. These absences leave wounds, but God designed us for relationships that heal and restore.

As followers of Christ, we are called to build strong individual families and an even a greater family—the family of God. Some people fear churches that describe themselves as family, and understandably so. History is filled with misguided cults that have twisted the idea of spiritual family for control, financial gain, or worse. But despite these distortions, the truth remains: the Church is meant to be the family of God (Ephesians 2:19, Romans 8:16, 1 John 3:1).

When a church truly becomes a family of families, it cannot help but grow. Why? Because being part of a healthy, loving family is one of the most basic human needs. The Church at its best is a place where no one stands alone—where love, encouragement, and belonging transform lives.

This Sunday, we have the privilege of hearing from one of the most inspirational pastors in the United States. Pastor Mark Nsimbi will be speaking at Washington Cathedral at 10:30 AM, both in person and online across multiple platforms. If you’ve ever heard Pastor Mark, you know how uplifting and powerful his words are. Let’s not miss this appointment with encouragement!

Your friend for the rest of my life,

Pastor Tim White