Bozeman United Methodist Church Sermon Podcast

What does faith look like after Easter? In this opening sermon of our new series,  Holy Ordinary: Meeting God After Easter , we turn to  Micah 6:6–8  and the simple, challenging call at the heart of discipleship: to do justice, embrace faithful love, and walk humbly with God. “Faith in Motion” reminds us that following Jesus is not just about what we believe, but how we live each day. Grounded in...

On Easter morning, we arrive at the tomb with the women of Luke 24:1–12, carrying spices, grief, love, and all the weight of what has been lost. In this Easter sermon from the  Everything in Between  series, we explore the sacred tension of  grief and hope  and discover that resurrection does not show up after grief is finished, but right in the middle of it. Even when we are confused, uncertain,...

On this Palm Sunday message, we continue our Lenten series  Everything in Between  by stepping into Luke’s telling of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem and exploring the sacred tension between shouting and silence. As the disciples raise their voices in praise and the Pharisees demand quiet, we are invited to consider what faithful discipleship looks like in moments that call for witness, truth-telling,...

In this week’s  Everything in Between  series, we turn to Luke 19:1–10 and the story of Zacchaeus to explore the sacred space between  mercy and righteousness . What happens when Jesus meets us not after we have everything figured out, but right in the middle of our mess, our harm, and our hope for change? In Zacchaeus, we see that mercy and righteousness are not opposites to be chosen between, bu...

In this week’s message,  Everything In Between: Lost & Found , we turn to Luke 15:1–7 and the parable of the lost sheep to discover that God’s grace is never as black and white as we might imagine. As the tension of Lent builds, this sermon explores how Jesus responds to grumbling not with argument, but with a story of relentless love, joyful searching, and heaven’s celebration when the lost a...

In this week’s message from the Lenten series  Everything in Between , Pastor Zach reflects on one of the most challenging spiritual rhythms many of us face: the space between  rest and growth . In Luke 13:6–9, Jesus tells the story of a fig tree that hasn’t produced fruit. While the owner is ready to cut it down, the gardener asks for more time—time to loosen the soil, nourish the roots, and tend...

Everything In Between: Faith & Works Luke 10:38–42 Are you a Mary or a Martha? For generations, we’ve treated this story like a personality test — choosing sides between sitting at Jesus’ feet or setting the table. But what if Jesus isn’t asking us to pick a side at all? On this Second Sunday of Lent, we step into the sacred space between faith and works. Right after telling the lawyer to “go...

Everything In Between: Stranger & Neighbor Luke 10:25–37 We live in a world where neighbors can become strangers — not because we’ve moved farther apart, but because we’ve drawn clearer lines. Lines of ideology. Lines of comfort. Lines of difference. In this first Sunday of Lent, we step into the sacred tension between stranger and neighbor through Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan. When a...

Every Day Wonder: You Know Me Psalm 139:1–10 Last week in  Every Day Wonder , we practiced noticing—discovering that God often works through simple, ordinary moments. But this week we turn the lens inward. If God is that present in the world… what does that mean about how God sees us? In Psalm 139, we encounter a breathtaking truth: we are fully known and fully loved. Not the curated version. Not...

Everyday Wonder: God Works Through Simple Things So often we assume that if God is going to do something meaningful, it must be big, loud, and obvious. But Scripture tells a different story—one where God works through sticks and flour, oil and bread, whispered prayers, and simple acts of trust. In this sermon, we step into the story of Elijah and the widow at Zarephath (1 Kings 17:8–16) and discov...

The Rhythm of Doing Good: Generosity Acts 4:32–37 What does generosity really mean—and why does it matter for our faith, our community, and our well-being? In this sermon, we conclude our stewardship series  The Rhythm of Doing Good  by turning to the early church in Acts, where generosity flowed naturally from lives shaped by resurrection grace. Far from a story about guilt, pressure, or selling...

What does it mean to grow in faith when the world feels heavy and our souls feel tired? In week two of our stewardship series,  The Rhythm of Doing Good , we turn to Jesus’ words in John 15: “I am the vine; you are the branches.” Growth in discipleship isn’t a straight line—it’s a rhythm of pruning, blooming, and learning to remain connected to the One who gives us life. In this message, we explor...

What if gratitude isn’t just something we  feel —but something we  practice ? In week one of our stewardship series  The Rhythm of Doing Good , we begin with  Gratitude: The Starting Point of Every Journey . In  Luke 17:11–19 , Jesus heals ten men, but only one returns to give thanks—and he’s the one no one expected: a Samaritan. This story invites us to see gratitude as more than polite words. Gr...

Baptism of Jesus (2026): Why Does Baptism Matter? | Mark 1:9–11 Why does baptism still matter—especially if you don’t remember yours, or aren’t sure what comes next? In this sermon, we turn from the communion table to the baptismal waters and follow Jesus into the Jordan River. Drawing from Mark’s simple yet powerful account of Jesus’ baptism, we explore how baptism is not something we do to prove...

Generation to Generation: We Keep Seeking Matthew 2:1–12 On Epiphany, we follow the Magi—outsiders, seekers, and Gentiles—who notice a star and choose to follow it, even when they don’t fully understand where it will lead. Their journey reminds us that faith is not something we simply inherit or complete, but something we live, embody, and continue to seek together. As our  Generation to Generatio...

Generation to Generation: We Can Choose a Better Way What does joy look like when life is uncertain, plans fall apart, and the road ahead isn’t clear? In this Advent sermon, we explore joy not as loud celebration or shallow happiness, but as a quiet, faithful choice—one that has the power to reshape how we move through the world. Drawing from Isaiah’s vision of a desert bursting into bloom and Jos...

Generation to Generation: God Meets Us in Our Fear Luke 1:26–38 In the second week of Advent, we light the candle of Peace and hear again the angel’s words to Mary:  “Do not be afraid.” But how do we hold onto peace when fear feels far more familiar? In this sermon, Pastor Zach explores the story of Mary — a young woman whose life takes an unexpected turn when God calls her into something she neve...

Generation to Generation: There’s Room for Every Story — Hope Matthew 1:1–17 | Advent Week 1 This Advent, we begin a journey through the stories that carried hope forward — generation to generation — all the way to Jesus, and now to us. In Matthew’s Gospel, the story of Christ doesn’t begin with angels or shepherds, but with a long list of names. Some we recognize. Most we don’t. Yet each one play...

We Believe: The Resurrection of the Body and the Life Everlasting Luke 17:20–22 In this final installment of our  We Believe  series, we explore the last two profound lines of the Apostles’ Creed:  “the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.”  These ancient words point us not only toward the hope we hold for the end of life, but toward the very real, very present work of God happening...

We Believe: The Forgiveness of Sins Psalm 103:9–12 “As far as the east is from the west— that’s how far God has removed our sin from us.” Forgiveness sounds simple when we say it in the Creed:  “I believe in the forgiveness of sins.” But living it out? That’s where it gets complicated. In this week’s message, Pastor Zach unpacks what it means to truly believe in forgiveness — not just as an abstra...

We Believe: The Church and Communion of Saints” In this All Saints Sunday message, Pastor Zach continues the  We Believe  series, exploring what it means to proclaim,  “I believe in the holy catholic church and the communion of saints.” Through the words of the Apostles’ Creed, we’re reminded that the Church is bigger than any building or denomination—it’s the universal body of Christ that stretch...

We Believe: The Trinity Scripture:  John 1:1–14 This week we begin a new series —  We Believe  — exploring the foundations of Christian faith through the words of the Apostles’ Creed. In this first message,  We Believe: The Trinity , Pastor Zach unpacks what it means to believe in God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit — three expressions of one divine love. From creation to inc...

Jesus for Everyone: Meeting Jesus in Our Time John 20:1–10 As we close out our  Jesus for Everyone  series, we turn to the resurrection story — not on Easter morning, but in the middle of October — to remind ourselves that resurrection isn’t confined to one season or Sunday. Throughout this series, we’ve seen Jesus meet people right where they are — in grief, in fear, in doubt, in hope — and today...

In this episode of  Jesus for Everyone , Pastor Zach Bechtold invites us to take a closer look at one of the most familiar — and most misunderstood — meals in all of Scripture: the Last Supper. Rooted in the Jewish Passover, this sacred gathering wasn’t just a meal; it was a story of liberation, faith, and community retold around a table filled with meaning. And in that ancient story, Jesus does s...

Jesus for Everyone: Healing Luke 8:40–56 In this week’s message, Pastor Zach explores two powerful encounters of healing—Jairus’ daughter and the woman who had been bleeding for twelve years. Both stories reveal that Jesus’ healing is not about sin, blame, or ritual purity, but about dignity, agency, and life restored. Together, we’ll reflect on what true healing looks like—not just physical, but...