What happens when the good things in our lives become the things we expect to give us life?

In this companion episode of Built for Durango, Bob and Pastor Tommy Perry continue the conversation from Acts 17 and Tommy’s sermon on idolatry. Their discussion moves beyond the obvious idols of money and possessions into more uncomfortable territory: work, marriage, family, relationships, routines and even the pursuit of a particular lifestyle. None of those things are inherently bad. The problem begins when we ask them to become something they were never designed to be — our source of identity, security and life.

Bob and Tommy return to Paul’s encounter with the truth-seekers of Athens, a city filled with people searching for the next idea that might finally provide the answers they wanted. Paul’s message was radically different: stop trying to manufacture meaning for yourself and discover the God who already made you. In Him, our relentless striving for relevance, identity and satisfaction can finally give way to something more enduring.

That makes ancient Athens surprisingly relevant to modern Durango. People come here seeking something too — adventure, natural beauty, fresh air, relationships, freedom and a different kind of life. But even living in one of the most beautiful places imaginable can't satisfy every need. When the adventure becomes routine and the realities of life intrude, we're confronted with the same question the Athenians faced: Where are we actually looking for life?

The invitation remains the same: Stop making, and be made. Stop asking your work, relationships, routines, recreation — or even Durango itself — to give you what only God can provide. Let Jesus make you new, and then enjoy those good things as gifts rather than asking them to become gods.