McKendree UMC (Lawrenceville, GA)

What happens when the harshest voice in our lives is our own? In this week’s Think Again sermon, we explore the difference between self-criticism and honest self-compassion, and ask a simple question: Does the voice in my head sound anything like the voice of Jesus? Through the story of Peter, we see that Jesus knows our failures fully and still calls us forward. The truth we are invited to embrac...

What do you do when you feel stuck, discouraged, or convinced that nothing you do will make a difference? In this first sermon of the Think Again series, we explore learned helplessness, Romans 12:2, and Jesus’ encounter with the man at the pool of Bethesda in John 5. I also share part of my own experience with depression and the way disappointment, comparison, and repeated setbacks can narrow wha...

Jesus tells his disciples to “go and make disciples of all nations.” On Africa Sunday, Rev. Dr. Rodrigo Cruz challenges the church to take all nations seriously. Drawing from his own multicultural family and ministry in diverse Gwinnett County, he reminds us that every person bears the image of God and that diversity is not an optional church program but part of the gospel’s vision. The nations ar...

Jesus sends his disciples into the world with more than a command to make connections. He sends them to make disciples—to carry God’s life-giving, love-giving grace into the world. In this sermon, we explore the final phrase of McKendree’s vision: Connecting all through Christ. Through Christ, people encounter a love that gives life, crosses boundaries, changes us, and sends us to participate in G...

Jesus told his disciples not only to make disciples, but to teach people to live what he had taught them. Faith takes shape through practices learned in community: worship, prayer, forgiveness, service, generosity, and love. But the group itself is never the destination. In this sermon, we explore how doing life together prepares us to live and speak our faith beyond the walls of the church.

Jesus entrusted the work of making disciples to eleven ordinary, imperfect people—some of whom still had doubts even as they stood before the risen Christ. In this sermon, we consider what that says about the people God chooses and the people the church is called to become. At McKendree, “People” means there is room for real people, with real stories, questions, gifts, and imperfections, to be par...

When Jesus asked his disciples that question, many compared him to prophets from the past. But Peter saw something more: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” In this sermon from Matthew 16, we explore what Peter recognized—and how Jesus continues to challenge our expectations about power, mercy, and the way God works in the world. This week’s breath prayers.

Rescue Me from Danger (Matthew 14:22–33) Will Jesus keep us safe? In a world that feels unstable — financially, politically, personally — it’s a question many of us carry. In this message, we turn to Peter and the story of walking on water to explore what “safety” really means. Peter steps out of the boat not because the storm has stopped, but because Jesus is there. When he begins to sink, his si...

On Ash Wednesday, we begin Lent by asking a simple but searching question: Am I in tune with the pitch? Drawing from Psalm 51, this sermon explores how drift happens gradually—through small compromises, unchecked desire, and silence where truth should speak. When David is confronted by Nathan, he finally hears how far off he has become and prays, “Create in me a clean heart, O God.” Like musicians...

(Acts 2:42–47; 2 Corinthians 3:17–18) We live in a time when everyone is certain. But certainty is not the same as discernment. In this final sermon of the series on hearing God’s call, we explore Paul’s words about the veil that can cloud our vision—and the promise that whenever we turn to the Lord, the veil is lifted. Discernment isn’t about being right. It is about being transformed into Christ...

Pastor Paula Dallas explores the call of God through the story of Saul’s encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1–15). Saul believed he was serving God, yet his life was redirected when Christ met him and revealed a new purpose. His transformation shows that God can use every part of a person’s story—strengths, failures, and experiences—for the sake of the gospel. Drawing connections...

On Pentecost, not everyone stood up like Peter—but everyone was speaking. In this sermon, we explore what it means to be uniquely gifted in a community where the Spirit is poured out on all people. Drawing on Acts 2, 1 Peter 4, and insights from Trevor Hudson, we reflect on spiritual gifts as part of discernment: not tools for status, but ways love becomes real. The question is not Do I have a gif...

Discerning God’s will isn’t about certainty. It’s about relationship. Drawing on 1 John 4, this sermon explores how discernment grows over time and how love for people, not fear, is the guide that helps us recognize God’s voice. A sermon handout is available on the show page.

What we believe about God shapes everything—how we listen, how we love, and whether others can hear good news through us. In this sermon on Acts 2:4–13, we explore how Pentecost is less about extraordinary gifts and more about transformed hearts. When God’s love becomes relationship rather than idea, it becomes audible to the world. See the Episode website for the handouts.

This sermon explores Jesus’ baptism and the gift of the Holy Spirit as signs of God’s deep desire to be with us. Pastor Cyndi reflects on baptism as God’s declaration of love—not something we earn—and on prayer as a turning toward God in trust. As part of a series on discerning God’s call, the message invites listeners to return to the water, remember who they are, and listen for God’s presence. M...

Too often people wonder whether God has a unique and personal call for them. And if so, how do we discern God’s call? Over the coming weeks, we will use Scripture and Trevor Hudson’s book, In Search of God’s Will , to listen for God’s call—together, prayerfully, and with active participation. We begin with what scripture says (and doesn't say) about whether each person has a unique call. See the E...