Augustana Podcasts

Sermon Title: Better Late Than Never. Preacher: Deaconess Claire Schoepp. Preaching Text: Matthew 21:23-32. As we wrap up our series, "Imperfect: How God's People Change the World," we explore a story that is only found in Matthew's gospel. As we'll see, for Matthew, belief is shown in action and hypocrisy should be challenged. Far too often, our words and deeds don't match who we want to be or wh...

Sermon Title: Grumbling Because of Grace. Preacher: Pastor Jason Bryan-Wegner. Preaching Text: Jonah 3:10-4:11 & Matthew 20:1-16. It’s great to worship with you today! We’re continuing our series: Imperfect: How God's People Change the World. We often put unrealistic expectations on ourselves and others. And when those expectations drive us, it can lead to feeling left out or thinking someone...

Sermon Title: Putting Faith into Practice. Preacher: Pastor Jason Bryan-Wegner. Preaching Text: Matthew 14:22-33. We’re kicking off the fall with a worship series called, Imperfect: How God's People Change the World. This series will help us see the many ways followers of Jesus have always been imperfect, and how God used them (and us) any way. Throughout the Gospels, the disciples misunderstood J...

Sermon Title: The Crowd. Preacher: Deacon Stephanie Anderson (spoken by Pastor Jason Bryan-Wegner). Preaching Text: John 19:4-16. In this final week of our Villains of the Bible series, we shift away from villains whose wrongdoing is easy to recognize and confront a more troubling reality: the destructive power of the crowd. evil often advances not because of a few powerful people, but because man...

Sermon Title: The Devil. Preacher: Intern Pastor Nathan Adu-Gyamfi. Preaching Text: Matthew 4:1-17. As we near the end of our series, Villains of the Bible, today we meet a villain whose voice has echoed from generation to generation: the Devil. In Matthew 4, Jesus enters the wilderness immediately after hearing the Father declare, “This is my Son, the Beloved.” Then comes another voice: “If you a...

Sermon Title: The Crown. Preacher: Pastor Jason Bryan-Wegner. Preaching Text: Matthew 14:1-12. During this series on Villains of the Bible, a thread is emerging about how certain characters use power. Pharaoh used power to enslave a people he feared would overtake his nation. David used power to seize a married woman as something to possess, and had her husband murdered. Power itself is not the vi...

Sermon Title: The Hero. Preacher: Deaconess Claire Schoepp. Preaching Text: 2 Samuel 11:1-18, 26-27 & 2 Samuel 12:1-14. As we continue our sermon series on Villains of the Bible, today we meet David, a most beloved king of the Israelite people. He's known as "a man after God's own heart." David began as an underdog and even suffered at the hands of an unjust king, but he grew up to be the hero...

Sermon Title: The Pharaoh. Preacher: Deacon Stephanie Anderson. Preaching Text: Exodus 5. As a part of our sermon series on Villains of the Bible, today we meet Pharaoh, the powerful ruler of Egypt who becomes increasingly threatened by the flourishing of the Israelite people. His fear leads to oppression, violence, and suffering. Pharaoh is a villain, but he is also a mirror: showing us what can...

Sermon Title: The Serpent. Preacher: Pastor Jason Bryan-Wegner. Preaching Text: Genesis 3:1-7. Every great story needs a great villain. Imagine Star Wars without Darth Vader, The Lion King without Scar, or Batman without the Joker. The Bible is no exception. Inside we find epic, unforgettable stories with equally unforgettable villains who do terrible evil in the sight of God and humanity. Yet, so...

Sermon Title: I Am the True Vine. Preacher: Deacon Stephanie Anderson. Preaching Text: John 15:1-17. We all know what it's like to feel stretched thin, disconnected, or worn down. So much of life often is spent trying to hold things together - our relationships, our responsibilities, our faith. In today's Gospel, Jesus offers a simple image that speaks directly to those experiences: "I am the vine...

Sermon Title: I Am the Good Shepherd. Preacher: Pastor Jason Bryan-Wegner. Preaching Text: John 10:11-18. We gather as a community today to worship the God of all creation, be reminded of who we are in light of the cross, and whose we are in Christ. Wherever you have come from, and whatever you bring with you from your life into this time, we pray that you experience the grace of the Good Shepherd...

Beyond the Pulpit: Jesus Connects Us What do our youth volunteers get out of a week at Vacation Bible School? A lot. Come listen in on a conversation between Deaconess Claire Schoepp and Augustana's VBS 2026 Skit Team. In between laughter, SC, Will, and Porter share about their process for writing the skits and what they learned along the way. If you listen closely, you can also hear them share ab...

Sermon Title: I Am the Light of the World. Preacher: Intern Pastor Nathan Adu-Gyamfi. Preaching Text: John 8:12-20. Today we continue our summer sermon series, “I AM: Life with Jesus,” exploring the powerful “I AM” statements in John’s Gospel. Last week we heard Jesus declare, “I Am the Bread of Life.” Today Jesus makes another remarkable claim: “I Am the Light of the World.” In a world filled wit...

Sermon Title: I Am the Bread of Life. Preacher: Deacon Stephanie Anderson. Preaching Text: John 6:25-39. This weekend we begin our summer worship series "I Am: Life with Jesus", exploring the powerful “I am” sayings in John’s Gospel alongside the stories our children discovered during Vacation Bible School. In a world that offers countless promises about what will satisfy us, Jesus offers somethin...

Sermon Title: Sabbath Feasting. Preacher: Pastor Jason Bryan-Wegner. Preaching Text: Deuteronomy 14:22-29. We are concluding the Keeping the Sabbath Wholly series today. Throughout the last few weeks, we’ve taken a deeper look at both the command and the freedom of centering Sabbath in our lives as a way to connect with the rhythm of God’s time. This final week, we look at the ways God weaves cele...

Sermon Title: Sabbath Embracing. Preacher: Intern Pastor Nathan Adu-Gyamfi. Preaching Text: Isaiah 56:1-8. What flourishes requires intentionality. Farmers know it. Healthy relationships prove it. Today, we hear how God built that same intentionality into creation through the gift of Sabbath. As we worship, may we embrace God’s rhythm of remembrance, trust, and renewal.

Sermon Title: Sabbath Resting. Preacher: Deacon Stephanie Anderson. Preaching Text: 1 Kings 19:1-12. In a world of constant striving, God offers the gift of Sabbath - not just pausing, but trusting, resting, and delighting in God. In 1 Kings 19, Elijah moves from triumph to exhaustion in the wilderness. There, God meets him with rest, nourishment, and a quiet voice. As we continue our sermon serie...

Sermon Title: Sabbath Ceasing. Preacher: Pastor Jason Bryan-Wegner. Preaching Text: Philippians 4:4-9. We begin a new worship series today called Keeping the Sabbath Wholly. Sabbath is an underutilized spiritual practice in our culture. We are a people on the go. We fill schedules full to overflowing. We have a hard time saying no. We let our calendars run us, rather than us run our calendars. God...

Sermon Title: The Galilean Authority. Preacher: Intern Pastor Nathan Adu-Gyamfi. Preaching Text: Matthew 28:16-20. Today’s Gospel takes us to a mountain in Galilee after the resurrection. The disciples gather before the risen Christ carrying both worship and doubt. And there Jesus declares: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” Yet the authority of Christ does not look like...

Sermon Title: The Sustaining Breath of the Spirit. Preacher: Pastor Jason Bryan-Wegner. Preaching Text: John 20:19-23. Today is Pentecost. This is the third high holy day of the Christian calendar. But it doesn’t get the fanfare of Christmas and Easter. However, it is just as important as its more celebrated holiday siblings. Pentecost marks the point at which God’s Holy Spirit is given to followe...

Sermon Title: Sent with Great Joy. Preacher: Deacon Stephanie Anderson. Preaching Text: Luke 24:44-53. Today we celebrate two holy moments woven together: Ascension of Our Lord and Confirmation Sunday. In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus blesses his disciples and sends them out with joy, trust, and purpose. As we celebrate our confirmands affirming their baptismal promises, we remember that this is not the en...

Sermon Title: Getting Ready to Take on the World. Preacher: Pastor Jason Bryan-Wegner. Preaching Text: John 14:15-21. Spring is a season of transition. Today in worship at 9:45 am, we honor and bless those in our church who are preparing for the transition beyond high school. This milestone brings with it significant changes for families and for our congregation, as we prepare to send them into a...

Preacher: Intern Pastor Nathan Adu-Gyamfi. Preaching Text: John 14:1-14. Sermon Title: Not Every Road Leads Home. As we continue to reflect on the works of Christ and the power of His resurrection, in this Easter season, the Gospel of John brings us into a moment of uncertainty. Jesus speaks to His disciples as their world is about to change. And into their fear, He says: Do not let your hearts be...

Preacher: Deacon Stephanie Anderson. Preaching Text: John 10:1-10. Sermon Title: The Voice That Leads to Life. In this Easter season, we continue to live into the promise of resurrection - new life breaking through in unexpected places. Today, Jesus names himself as both shepherd and gate, the one who calls us, gathers us, and leads us into abundant life. In a world full of competing voices, we ar...

Preacher: Pastor Jason Bryan-Wegner. Texts: John 20:11-18, Luke 24:13-35, Matthew 28:16-20. This morning, we celebrate the joy of Christ’s resurrection through music. The Hymn Festival practice of worship is a uniquely Lutheran tradition, developed and promoted by Minnesota based Lutheran organists throughout the mid-20th century. This unique style of worship has now spread across the globe. The c...