Orchard Hill Church Blog
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Why Do We Celebrate Christmas Anyway?
Have you ever wondered if Christians should really celebrate Christmas traditions like stockings and gift-giving? In this post, Will Stevens explores the surprising Christ-centered origins of these customs and reveals why they point us back to the ultimate gift—Jesus himself.
Christmas Eve 2025
In this Christmas Eve message, Dr. Kurt Bjorklund challenges our familiar assumptions by showing from John 8:36 that Christmas isn't a religious event—it's the announcement of freedom through Jesus Christ. Whether you've walked the straight and narrow your whole life or wandered far away, discover how the gospel offers real freedom from fear, pretending, and the exhausting treadmill of trying to earn God's love.
Family Caroling - Two Gifts
In this message from Matthew 18:21-35, Dr. Kurt Bjorklund explores how God's extravagant forgiveness—canceling a debt we could never repay—should transform how we respond to those who've hurt us. Discover why refusing to forgive others reveals we may not fully grasp the incredible gift of grace we've already received through Jesus Christ.
The Power of Invitation: Stories of Connection and Community
Emily DeAngelo shares how a simple airplane conversation led to life-changing connections, reminding us that invitations have the power to transform lives and build community. Discover how you can embrace the art of invitation this Christmas season and create meaningful moments that reflect Christ's love.
Family Caroling - Waiting
Wexford Campus Pastor Russ Brasher shares the anticipation the Christmas season brings as we celebrate the greatest gift from God.
Message and Music - Humble King
Senior Pastor Dr. Kurt Bjorklund and Adult Ministry Pastor Bryce Vaught share how God chose to be incarnate in a small, humble child.
Christmas Eve 2023
Senior Pastor Dr. Kurt Bjorklund shares the salvation message that Jesus is the Messiah for all creation for all eternity.
Message and Music - Son of God/Son of Man
Dr. Kurt Bjorklund and Kathy Schmitt share the biblical meaning and stories behind the two names of Jesus, "Son of God" and "Son of Man”.
Is There a Reason to Give Thanks this Holiday Season?
As we approach the holiday season with Thanksgiving and Christmas, our culture reminds us that this is the “hap, hap, happiest” season of all! These holidays are to be celebrated with family and friends. Yet, the stressors around the holidays can make them very difficult.
From Gloom to Glory
Are you ready for Christmas? I don’t just mean do you have all your gifts bought, wrapped, and sent. I don’t mean do you have all your Christmas cookies baked and iced. I don’t mean do you have your Christmas cards sent. Rather, are you spiritually and emotionally ready for Christmas?
Great Christmas #3 - The Great Inclusion
Dr. Kurt Bjorklund, Emily DeAngelo, Katie Thomas, and Jenna Bajuszik each teach on the startling history of some women God chose to include in the ancestry of Jesus the Messiah.
Great Christmas #2 - The Great Illusion
Dr. Kurt Bjorklund talks about three illusions we can have about ourselves during the Christmas season as he teaches from a passage in Matthew 7 where Jesus surprisingly tells those who think they have done works in His name, "I never knew you."
Great Christmas #1 - The Great Gift
Senior Pastor Dr. Kurt Bjorklund teaches on John 3:16-18 explaining how great it is to both receive and give the hope of the world.
Christmas Eve 2021 - 3 Trees
Senior Pastor Dr. Kurt Bjorklund teaches about three major trees mentioned in the Bible and what each means for us this Christmas season.
Why is Jesus’ Birth so Important to Christians?
The reality of Christmas is astonishing if you think about it. The God of the universe became a human being. If you’ve been a follower of Jesus for a while, the reality of Christmas and the Incarnation may not hit you all that hard. But it is an essential part of God’s plan for the world.
What is Christmas?
Senior Pastor Dr. Kurt Bjorklund asks, "What is Christmas?" in hopes of sharing God's truth for all mankind during the Christmas season.
Disconnected Christianity
Dr. Kurt Bjorklund looks at the beginning of Jesus' ministry in Luke 4, his fulfillment of Scripture from Isaiah 61, and how we can become disconnected from the mission of Jesus.
The Message and Music of Christmas (O Holy Night)
Dr. Kurt Bjorklund and his wife, Faith, examine the traditional song "O Holy Night" and provide historic biblical and social commentary leading up to the birth of the Messiah.
Conspiracy of the Religious
Strip District Campus Pastor Joel Haldeman tells a tale of the Magi and Herod the Great from the second chapter of the Gospel of Matthew.
The Sacred Revealed in George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker
For 15 years now, my family has experienced George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker every Christmas season. Each time we see The Nutcracker, we are reminded how this story on the stage points to the overarching meta-narrative of Christmas – God’s divine intervention into human brokenness.