the Cross Orlando

An Advent week-two reflection on the theme of peace, drawn from John 14:25-27 and Jesus' promise of the Holy Spirit as helper and the gift of his peace, featuring a conversation with guests Carol Forrest and Brian Carlson.

An Advent week-one reflection on the theme of hope, centered on Romans 5 and the certainty of standing in grace and rejoicing in suffering, featuring a conversation with guests Carol Forrest and Brian Carlson.

An Advent message on the Christmas story in Luke 2, noting that the traditional "innkeeper" is not actually mentioned in Scripture, and contrasting the powerful Caesar Augustus with the humble, anonymous setting of Jesus' birth.

An Advent message on Joseph in Matthew 1, examining Matthew's genealogy of Jesus through Joseph (compared with the genealogy in 1 Chronicles), and how Matthew presents Jesus as the son of David from a Jewish perspective.

A conversational message on Bezalel in Exodus 35, whom God filled with his Spirit and skill to craft the tabernacle, featuring an interview with Carol Forrest and Brian Carlson reflecting on God filling artists with the Spirit and being the source of beauty.

The first Sunday of Advent, continuing the theme of God working through people, this message looks at Mary in Luke 1 and the angel Gabriel's announcement, reflecting on how God chose a young woman from the humble town of Nazareth to bring the Messiah into the world.

A conversational message on Joseph in Genesis 41, where Pharaoh elevates him over Egypt after he interprets the dreams, featuring an interview with Carol Forrest and Brian Carlson reflecting on using one's gifts and how Pharaoh's generosity to Joseph mirrors God's generosity toward us.

On the last Sunday of the church year, and continuing the series on God working through people, this message looks at the story of Zacchaeus in Luke, reflecting again on how God chooses to accomplish his work through ordinary people rather than acting alone.

Continuing the series on God working through people, this message walks through the book of Jonah, whom God calls to go to Nineveh, exploring Jonah's reluctance and how God accomplishes his purposes through a prophet who would rather flee.

A conversational message on the story of Noah in Genesis 6, featuring an interview with Carol Forrest and Brian Carlson reflecting on why God used a flood and an ark, Noah's perseverance amid ridicule, and the ark as an image of salvation and the church.

Continuing the series on God's calling, this guest-preached message tells the story of Joshua, set against the covenant with Abraham and Moses' commissioning of Joshua in Deuteronomy 31 to "be strong and courageous" and lead Israel across the Jordan into the promised land.

Continuing the series on God's calling, this message looks at the prophet Jeremiah, beginning in Jeremiah 1 and referencing his complaint in chapter 20 about a calling he could not escape ("a fire in my bones"), exploring callings that feel inescapable.

A conversational message on Genesis 1:26-28 and humanity being created in the image of God, featuring an interview with Carol Forrest and Brian Carlson reflecting on what bearing God's image means and that God creates each person intentionally out of love.

Esther 4: Esther

A conversational message on Jesus and Peter walking on the water in Matthew 14:22-33, featuring an interview with Carol Forrest and Brian Carlson reflecting on Peter's impulsive faith, fear, and Jesus immediately reaching out to save him.

Continuing the series on God's calling, this message turns to 2 Samuel 6 and the story of David, reflecting (after Gideon) on how God works through people's own initiative and desires, picking up David's life after his fame for defeating Goliath.

Continuing the series on God's calling, this message tells the story of Gideon in Judges 7, where God reduces Gideon's army from thousands to just 300 to defeat the Midianites, so that Israel would know the victory came from God, not their own strength.

A conversational message on the Great Commission in Matthew 28:16-20, featuring an interview with Carol and Brian Carlson about their questions on where to "go," what worship looks like amid doubt, and how Jesus commissions the disciples even when some doubted.

Continuing the series on God's calling, this message looks at Exodus 31 and God calling Bezalel by name and filling him with the Spirit and craftsmanship to build the tabernacle, exploring how God entrusts his work to ordinary people and their gifts.

Continuing the series on God's calling, this message begins the story of Joseph in Genesis 37 and following, reflecting on how God chooses to work his purposes through people over time rather than acting alone, even when it seems inefficient.

Part of the series on God's calling, this guest-preached message walks through the story of Noah in Genesis 6-7, examining how God sees the wickedness of humanity, feels regret and compassion, and acts through the flood, and how Noah responds to God's call.

Continuing the series on God's calling, this message looks at Genesis 1:26-28 and humanity being made in the image of God and given dominion, exploring why God entrusts his work to people, as seen in the Great Commission on the hill of Galilee.

Beginning a new multi-week series on being called by God, this message opens with the messy realities of the early church (Paul, Apollos, and the Ephesian disciples in Acts 19) and the Great Commission, exploring what it means to be called by God for his work.

The final message in the core values series, focusing on "peace," draws on Joshua 5 (the commander of the Lord's army before Jericho) and Jesus' words in Matthew 10:34 about not bringing peace but a sword, exploring what biblical peace truly means.

Part of the core values series, this message turns to the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5, focusing on Jesus calling an ordinary crowd "the salt of the earth" and "the light of the world," following the Beatitudes.