How do you live faithfully in a society that not only disagrees with you but is determined to redefine you? The ancient story of Daniel chapter 1 has inspired generations to engage culture with an enduring faith and uncompromising resolve. The result is a faith that doesn’t simply survive culture but shapes it.

Local stories are stories of God's grace at work in the lives of those who are a part of Local Church St. Pete. We want to highlight his activity and celebrate his grace.

Where do you start when “God” is a generic word or when truth is determined by the individual? What do you say when it seems like people have heard it all before? Acts 17:16-34 brings us face to face with those questions. It’s a much-needed introduction to the God of Creation as the passionate seeker who has made a way for us to seek and know him.

Many struggle to find meaning in the work that they do. A job can feel purposeless, or become simply a way to survive and pay the bills. But in the first two chapters of Genesis, we see a description of work that will both challenge our misconceptions and give us renewed purpose.

If you’re going to stay the course and make it to the end, you need to be properly equipped and empowered to do it. That’s true of any journey, but it’s especially true when it comes to faith in Jesus. The letter of Hebrews closes with a deeply personal prayer request for God to equip and empower. Imagine all the resources to do what God has called you to do and all the energy to be who God is called you to be. That’s the request, and now it’s ours to make.

Instead of doing it all on your own, imitate those who are faithfully following Jesus. Instead of embracing the soupy spirituality of our culture, stand firm on the unchanging truth of Jesus. Instead of drawing boundary lines around certain areas of your life, go “all in” and make a clean break from anything holding you back. In this final appeal, Hebrews 13:7-17 calls us to a lifestyle of imitation, identification and sacrificial praise – a countercultural way of life that keeps Jesus front and center.