River Valley Church Podcast

What does it mean to be meaningfully connected to a local church? In our All In series, we’ve talked about belonging, gathering, and growing. This week, we turn to another essential part of following Jesus together: GIVE In 2 Corinthians 8:1–9, Paul points to the remarkable generosity of the Macedonian churches - believers who gave joyfully even in the midst of hardship and poverty. Their generosi...

What does it actually mean to grow spiritually? In Ephesians 4:11–16, Paul shows us that becoming more like Jesus was never meant to happen in isolation. God uses His people to shape, challenge, encourage, and mature one another. In this message from our ALL IN series, we explore the difference between spiritual infancy and maturity, why we need Christian community to grow, and what it looks like...

“What does it actually mean to belong to a local church?” This is the big question we're asking in our 5-week series, ALL IN: A Sermon Series on Belonging to the Body of Christ.  In Hebrews 10:19–25, we’re reminded that following Jesus has an “us” built into it. We need people who will encourage us, carry burdens with us, remind us of what’s true, and love us enough to spur us toward love and...

Jesus never intended us to follow Him—or love our neighbors—alone. In John 17, Jesus prays that His followers would be united so that the world might see and believe. Our unity isn’t just good for the church; it’s part of our witness. In this final message from The Art of Neighboring , we explore how ordinary acts of neighboring become something powerful when practiced by an entire church. We may...

Neighboring can get messy. Loving our neighbors sounds simple - until our neighbors frustrate us, disappoint us, or hurt us. Jesus calls His followers not merely to desire peace, but to become peacemakers . In this message from The Art of Neighboring , we explore what it looks like to pursue peace when relationships get messy: praying before reacting, taking the first step toward reconciliation, a...

We often think loving our neighbors means looking for ways to serve, help, and give. But healthy relationships require something else too: the humility to receive. In John 13, Peter is eager to follow Jesus, but uncomfortable allowing Jesus to wash his feet. His response reveals something many of us experience—giving can feel easier than receiving because receiving requires vulnerability and depen...

What motivates the way we love our neighbors? In Week 4 of The Art of Neighboring , we explore the difference between having an ulterior motive and an ultimate motive . As followers of Jesus, we genuinely desire for others to know Christ—but our neighbors should never feel like projects or spiritual checkboxes. Looking at Jesus' encounter with Zacchaeus in Luke 19:1–10, we see a Savior who mo...

In Week 3 of our The Art of Neighboring series, we explore one of the biggest barriers to loving our neighbors well: Fear . Most of us aren't afraid to wave or learn a name... we're afraid of what comes next. What if the simple act of sharing a meal or opening our home could become one of God's primary ways of changing lives? Looking at Jesus' interaction with Levi in Luke 5:27...

Why is it so hard to know our neighbors? For many of us, the biggest obstacle isn't a lack of desire - it's a lack of margin. In Luke 10:38–42, Jesus' interaction with Mary and Martha reminds us that hurry and distraction can crowd out what matters most. Before we can love our neighbors well, we must first learn to slow down, be present with Jesus, and make room for the people He&ap...

What if one of the greatest opportunities to follow Jesus is waiting just outside your front door? In the opening message of our new series, The Art of Neighboring , we explore Jesus' words in Luke 10 and discover that loving our neighbors isn't just a nice idea—it's central to what it means to apprentice ourselves to Jesus. Through the Great Commandment, the Parable of the Good Sam...

What does it mean to be invited into the Kingdom of God? In this guest message, Steve Aldrich unpacks Jesus' parable of the Great Feast from Luke 14, revealing the incredible invitation God extends to all who will come. Through this powerful story, we're reminded that the Kingdom of God is not reserved for the deserving, but is a gracious invitation offered to the overlooked, the broken,...

After twenty weeks in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus leaves us with one final question: What will you do with His words? In the closing message of A Different Way , we explore Jesus' powerful illustration of the wise and foolish builders (Matthew 7:24–29). While two houses may look identical from the outside, only one survives the storm because of what lies beneath the surface. This message i...

This week in A Different Way , we come to one of the most unsettling passages in the entire Sermon on the Mount. Jesus says, "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven..." These are people who know the right words, have strong emotions, and are active in religious activity—yet Jesus says, "I never knew you." What does authentic faith...

Not every road leads to the same destination. As Jesus brings the Sermon on the Mount toward its conclusion, He presents a series of stark contrasts: two gates, two roads, two kinds of prophets, two kinds of trees, and two kinds of fruit. Behind each image is the same question: Which way will you choose? In this message from Matthew 7:13–20, we explore Jesus' invitation to enter through the n...

In this message from our A Different Way series, we explore the meaning of the Golden Rule and discover how Jesus takes an ancient principle and turns it into a radical call to active love. Rather than simply avoiding harm, followers of Jesus are called to intentionally pursue the good of others. Through biblical teaching, practical examples, and gospel-centered application, we’ll see how the Gold...

In this message from A Different Way , we explore Jesus’ invitation to persistent prayer in Gospel of Matthew 7:7–11. What does it really mean to ask, seek, and knock—and why doesn’t God always answer prayer the way we expect? Together, we look at prayer as an expression of dependence on a good Father who gives what we truly need, even when the answer is “wait,” “no,” or something better than we i...

What did Jesus actually mean when He said, “Judge not”? In a culture where “no judgment” is seen as the ultimate virtue, many assume Jesus was calling us to never challenge, confront, or speak truth into someone’s life. But is that really what He meant? In this message, we unpack one of the most misunderstood teachings of Jesus in Matthew 7:1–6. You’ll discover the difference between harmful, self...

We live in an anxious world—and many of us feel it daily. In Matthew 6:25–34, Jesus speaks directly into our worry, not with quick fixes, but with an invitation to trust our Heavenly Father. Continuing our series A Different Way , this message explores how anxiety is often tied to what we worship—and how Jesus redirects our hearts toward the Kingdom.  This isn’t about ignoring anxiety, but learnin...

Guest speaker Jeff Ebert unpacks Jesus’ teaching on money, priorities, and the heart in Matthew 6:19–24. In a culture chasing more, Jesus calls us to something better—eternal treasure over temporary gain. Through the themes of security, focus, and devotion, we’re reminded that money makes a good servant but a terrible master. Where is your treasure—and what is shaping your heart? ✝️ RIVER VALLEY C...

Fasting is more than a health trend—it’s a spiritual practice that Jesus assumed His followers would embrace. In this message from Matthew 6:16–18, we look at how fasting reveals what’s going on in our hearts and helps us refocus on what matters most. Jesus challenges the idea of performative faith and invites us into something deeper: a private, authentic relationship with our Father. ✝️ RIVER VA...

In this message from Matthew 6:5–15, we take a fresh look at the Lord’s Prayer—one of the most familiar teachings of Jesus—and rediscover its power to shape our lives. Rather than a prayer to simply recite, Jesus gives us a pattern that forms how we relate to God, align with His kingdom, depend on Him daily, and walk in forgiveness. If prayer has ever felt routine or reactive, this message invites...

What does Jesus say about giving, generosity, and our motives? In this message from Matthew 6:1–4, we explore Jesus’ warning against performative faith—doing good deeds to be seen by others rather than for the glory of God. As we continue our A Different Way series through the Sermon on the Mount, this teaching challenges us to examine the “why” behind our obedience. Jesus shows that it’s possible...

Most people today are skeptical of the resurrection - like it sounds too good to be true. But what if the offer of Jesus isn’t a scam… but the greatest reality in history? In this Easter message from Matthew 28:1–10, we explore how the resurrection is both rational and personal,  grounded in real evidence and inviting you into a brand new life with God. ✝️ RIVER VALLEY CHURCH "Practicing the...

What if you could see Jesus and yet, still miss Him? On Palm Sunday, the crowds shouted “Hosanna!” as Jesus entered Jerusalem… but just days later, they cried, “Crucify Him.” In this message from Mark 11:1-11, we explore how Jesus revealed Himself as King—just not the kind people expected. ✝️ RIVER VALLEY CHURCH "Practicing the Way of Jesus Together." 📲 FOLLOW US Website: http://www.riv...

What if the most radical evidence of following Jesus isn’t how we treat our friends… but how we respond to our enemies? In Week 9 of our A Different Way series through the Sermon on the Mount, we explore one of Jesus’ hardest teachings: “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” In a world that runs on retaliation, resentment, and self-protection, Jesus invites us into a completely...