Sermons are listed below with the most recent sermons first. See the Sermons menu above browse by date, books of the Bible, speaker, and more. Check back often for updates.
There’s Hope for Closeted Jesus Followers
At first, Nicodemus is a secretive disciple of Jesus, but, after Jesus’ crucifixion, Nicodemus finds the courage to come out as a Jesus follower. Nicodemus’ story is good news for all of us in need of a second chance to respond to God’s calling to show up in love for others in need.
From Chaos to Community: A Stone of Hope
Watch guest speaker, Keith Snipes, deliver his message during our MLK Sunday worship service. Keith is a gifted actor, playwright, and orator and a community member of Govans’ Racial Justice Ministry Working Group.
Containing the Uncontainable
In our passage today John uses the symbols of larger stone water jars to invite us to reflect on the structures, rituals, and practices we use to help us find reliable connections to God. Even though we can never contain God, how would you express what you hope to contain when it some to the Spirit? What do you do in your life to give you regular access it?
Invitational Faith in a Religiously Plural World
John is clearly calling us to an invitational faith. To follow Jesus means to invite others to follow Jesus. Yet, we can struggle with this calling when we believe other faith traditions are equally valid to our own. We also know as individuals we are not any better than anyone else. So what can John teach us about sharing our faith today? Come and see.
Speaking Hope on Behalf of the Next Generation
God invited Ezekiel to participate in raising the dead in the valley of dry bones. The bones did not have to do anything to be worthy of resurrection. But Ezekiel was called, as we are, to speak love, truth, and hope on their behalf. This is also what we do when we baptize a baby.
For All the Ways We Live in Exile: A Hard and Hopeful Message
Jeremiah’s message to the Israelites in exile in Babylon is complicated, hopeful, and hard. He calls for acceptance and resistance. He calls us to the hard work of externalizing home in unhappy places. In response to the forces that keep pulling us apart, he calls on us to keep reaching back to each other and remaking home.
Hope in the Darkness – The Promise of a Savior
How can we find hope in the darkness during troubling times? How can we find the strength to walk in the light of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
What To Do When God Hates Your Worship
Amos has a strong and specific testimony about God’s feelings about our worship. In short, worship on Sunday with justice Monday-Friday is deeply troubling to God. How can we approach worship in a way that is less disturbing to God and transformative to us?
Being a Good Ancestor and not a Better Ancestor
Elijah wanted to be better than his ancestors and failed. He wanted to be more righteous, more zealous, more faithful. Then, over the course of his 40 days journey he discovered all he could do was do the best he could and focus not on generations past but on generations in the future. He could only try to be a good ancestor, not a better ancestor.
Nurturing a Shepherd’s Heart and an Open Heart
What did God see in David? We are told God does not look at outward appearance but looks at the heart. What qualities did God see in David’s heart? How can we nurture those qualities with us?
Holy Rumbling: Courage, Conflict, and Vulnerability
In our story this week, God calls Samuel and asks him to deliver harsh words of rebuke to his mentor Eli the priest. Watch Pastor Billy will reflect on how we can learn from Samuel’s example and have honest conversations ourselves that are grounded in courage and vulnerability.
How to Workout When You Don’t Have a Spiritual Elliptical Machine?
God used manna to train the Israelites to trust in God one day at a time. We don’t have manna today and we aren’t in the desert. How can we learn to trust God more? Through the disciplined practice of generosity and giving.