Refuge Church Ojai Valley

As It Happened | The Story of Ruth and So Much MoreHave you ever looked back on something in your life and realized that what felt like an accident might have been something more? A moment. A meeting. A door that opened. A place you just happened to be. Ruth found herself in a field that belonged to Boaz. As it happened. But what looked ordinary was part of a story much bigger than Ruth could see. This week, are looking at the story of Ruth—a story of loss and redemption, of ordinary people being woven into God's extraordinary plan. Because maybe God is doing more in your story than you can see right now. As it happened… and so much more.
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If you've ever opened Scripture and thought, “I have no idea what I'm reading right now,” you're not alone.
The Bible is a big story—and sometimes it can feel overwhelming to know where you fit into it. But what if we stepped back and saw the whole picture? From creation and the fall, through the story of Israel, all the way to Jesus, the Church, and the promise of a new creation, Scripture is telling one unified story.
And it all points to Him.
This week, we continue Did God Really Say? and explore how to approach God's Word with confidence, clarity, and a fresh perspective—learning not just to read the Bible, but to understand what it means for our lives today.
#DidGodReallySay #RefugeChurch #GodsWord #TheBible #InOjaiAsItIsInHeaven

From the very beginning, the enemy has planted the same question in our hearts: "Did God really say?" It's a question that still shapes the way we think, live, and follow Jesus today.
This week, our Associate Pastor, Derry Brooks, begins a new series exploring the Bible—not just as an ancient book, but as the living Word of God. Together, we'll discover why Scripture can be trusted, why it still speaks today, and how God's truth transforms every part of our lives.
Join us as we learn to recognize His voice above all the others.
 
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What do you do when God shows mercy to someone you wouldn’t? As we close Modern Day Jonah, we arrive at one of the most surprising endings in Scripture — not a story about a city changed, but a prophet confronted by the mercy of God. Because God is always in the pursuit business. Always in the mercy business. Always in the renewal business. The hard question isn’t whether God will show mercy. The question is whether we’ll receive it… and extend it. What if the places God is calling you, the people around you, and even the parts of your own story you’d rather avoid… are actually where He wants to bring healing? Join us as we close the series and consider the question God asks Jonah: “Do you do well to be angry?”

What if your rescue was only the beginning? Jonah’s story could have ended with grace in the fish. Instead, God spoke again: “The word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time…”
This week we look at the God who rescues, restores, and sends.
Because the Gospel was never meant to stop with us. Your past doesn’t disqualify you. Your failures don’t remove your calling. We never outgrow our need for grace — we simply learn to carry it into more places. You are rescued to be a rescuer. Join us as we continue Modern Day Jonah.
 
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Have you ever felt completely qualified one moment… and completely unqualified the next? Jonah knew what it meant to hear God’s voice. He also knew what it meant to run from it. This week we continue our "Modern Day Jonah" series and step into one of the most honest moments in Scripture — the place where Jonah finally stops running, finds himself with nowhere left to look, and remembers the Lord. What happens when we find ourselves stuck? When our plans fail? When we realize we can’t rescue ourselves? Jonah discovers something we all need to hear: grace isn’t something we earn, negotiate, or deserve. It’s a gift. Join us as we explore what it means to stop striving, look toward the cross, and discover that salvation belongs to the Lord. Listen. Look. Then live.

Most of us know Jonah as the prophet who ran from God.
But beneath the surface is a story about a man who struggled to trust God's heart—for others and for himself. The truth is, nobody is above running.
We run from difficult conversations, difficult people, difficult callings, and sometimes from the very places where God wants to meet us.
But when we run from God, we don't just leave behind our purpose—we leave behind the presence we were created for.
Join us as we launch our new series, Modern Day Jonah, and discover how the story of Jonah ultimately points us to a better Prophet, a better Savior, and a God who never stops pursuing us.
No matter how far you've run, His grace can still find you there.

We all worship something.
The question isn't whether we're worshippers—it's whether we're giving our worship to someone truly worthy of it.
As we conclude our 1 > 99 series, we'll explore how an encounter with the living God changes everything. When we see God for who He truly is, our minds are renewed, our hearts are transformed, our priorities shift, and our lives begin to tell a different story.
Worship is more than singing songs on Sunday. It's surrender. It's trust. It's recognizing that we are not the hero of the story—Jesus is.
Join us as we discover what happens when we stop asking God to fit into our plans and instead allow Him to reshape every part of our lives.
#1GreaterThan99 #Worship #RefugeChurch #InOjaiAsItIsInHeaven

We all long for connection, purpose, and a place to belong. But the kind of life Jesus offers isn't found by simply being around people—it's found by walking through Him.
This week in our 1 > 99 series, we're exploring how Jesus, the Good Shepherd, invites us into a community marked by protection, healing, purpose, and real relationships. In a culture that often settles for isolation, distraction, or surface-level connection, Jesus calls us into something deeper.
What does it look like to stay spiritually alive? How do we keep Jesus at the center when other things compete for our attention? And what happens when God uses community not just to comfort us, but to challenge us, heal us, and help us grow?
Join us as we look at the invitation Jesus extends to each of us through the doorway of His grace.
#1GreaterThan99 #Community #GoodShepherd #RefugeChurch #InOjaiAsItIsInHeaven

Does truth actually exist? In a world full of “your truth” and “my truth,” we’ll look at what Scripture says about THE truth — Jesus himself — and what it means to be a church that refuses to compromise on it. We’ll explore how to find truth, take refuge in it, wield it as a weapon in spiritual battle, and share it with the lost sheep around us in a way that is both bold and loving. Whether you’re searching for truth or ready to help someone who is, this message is for you.