Vineyard Church | Weekly Update February 4, 2026

Hello Vineyard Fam!

I hope you are kicking off February well... Even though that rat Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow on Monday, and like the coward he is, went back into hiding like a punk. That groundhog is lying to himself if he thinks he is safe in that hole of his! 

Speaking of lies, one of the quiet lies we absorb over time is that spiritual growth is mostly about effort. Try harder, be better, and do more.

That lie doesn’t just discourage people who are new to faith, it exhausts people who have followed Jesus for years. If the Christian life is mostly about willpower, then most of us are failing… or faking.

But our series Following the Way keeps pressing us back into a different story.

The Gospels have reminded us that Jesus is not just information to learn, but a way of life to follow. We have seen belovedness before obedience, and have been invited out of private faith into visible following. Last Sunday showed the Kingdom breaking in with healing and freedom, and now, as we step deeper into the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus begins shaping the kind of people who can actually live that Kingdom life.

Here’s the part we can’t miss this week as we dive into the beatitudes: The Beatitudes aren’t a checklist for the spiritually impressive; they’re a description of what life looks like when someone is rooted in God: Not fruit you force, fruit that grows.

This raises a challenging question, one that might be the most important question we can ask in this series: Where am I actually rooted?

Not where do I want to be rooted or where I say I’m rooted, but what is feeding my soul day after day?

We know that we can’t be rooted in hurry and expect peace. We can’t be rooted in comparison and expect joy. We can’t be rooted in outrage and expect gentleness. We can’t be rooted in control and expect trust... But if we are rooted in Jesus; slowly, quietly, over time… something begins to happen.

We become the kind of person who can be poor in spirit, who can mourn without despair, who can be meek without weakness, and who can hunger for righteousness without self-righteousness. This kind of life doesn’t come from pressure; it comes from presence.

Here are Three Practices for This Week that are not “do more for God” exercises, they’re re-rooting practices. Small, but serious.

1) The Two-Minute Honesty Practice

Once a day, pause and ask: “What is my soul feeding on right now?” Then name it without judgment. Is it news, noise, scrolling, stress, approval, hurry, Jesus? Honesty in self-evaluation is the first act of transformation.

2) The One-Sentence Prayer

Throughout the day, pray this quietly: “Jesus, teach me to stay close.” Think of this prayer as like turning your face toward the sun again and again.

3) The “Root Check” Reset

Pick one moment each day (morning coffee, commute, lunch, bedtime) and attach one small rhythm:

• read 5 verses slowly
• sit in silence for 60 seconds
• pray for one person
• write one sentence of gratitude

You’re not trying to become impressive; you’re practicing intentional presence.

Along my journey with Jesus, I’ve learned that most people don’t avoid spiritual growth because they don’t care, they avoid it because they feel stuck. They want a deeper life with God, but they’re unsure where to start. They’ve tried and stopped. Tried and stopped. Or they’re overwhelmed by spiritual disciplines that sound inspiring… but don’t actually fit real life.

That’s exactly why we’re launching a Stay Churchy Spiritual Rhythms Small Group.

This Stay Churchy group is a space to slow down and build simple, life-giving spiritual rhythms together. We’ll practice approachable ways of reading Scripture, praying, and ordering our lives around God’s presence, not through pressure or perfection, but through shared practice and grace. This group isn’t about doing more for God, it’s about learning how to stay close to Him in real life.

If you’ve ever thought: “I want to grow but I don’t know how.” “I’m inconsistent and I’m tired of feeling guilty.” “I want real spiritual habits that actually stick.”

This group is for you. Not because you’re behind, but because Jesus is inviting you closer. Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is stop trying to grow alone.

The Kingdom Jesus brings is real. It heals what’s broken, it forms ordinary people., and it grows best in people who are rooted. This week, don’t aim for intensity, aim for connection. Aim for staying close and staying churchy my friends!

Have a great week, see you on Sunday!

 
Adam Greenwell
Lead Pastor
Vineyard Church
www.billingsvineyard.org