Connecting Church

What do you do when God calls you to move forward but you cannot yet see how it will work? In Joshua 3, God’s people stand at the edge of the Jordan River, facing fear, uncertainty, and the unknown. This message explores what bold faith really looks like. Not rushing ahead, but listening to God. Not chasing our own agenda, but following His lead. Not seeking comfort, but aiming everything for His...

Most of us believe in prayer, but many of us do not actually use it. We know we have access to God, yet we often live like we are on our own. In this message from Luke 11, Jesus teaches that prayer is not a last resort or a spiritual formality. It is bold, persistent, and deeply relational. This sermon explores what it means to stop building life on our own strength and start living with real depe...

Ready for Next | We Need Wisdom 📖 Proverbs 1:20–33 (CSB) As we step into a new year filled with unknowns, opportunities, and decisions, one question rises to the surface: How do we live wisely when we don’t know what’s next? In this message, we begin a new series called Ready for Next by looking at what the Bible says about wisdom in Proverbs 1. Scripture shows us that wisdom is not hidden or res...

What if real contentment has nothing to do with what you have, what you get, or what season you are in? In this message from Philippians 4:10–19, we explore what the Bible teaches about true contentment and why it cannot be built on gifts, circumstances, or success. Writing from prison, the apostle Paul shows us that contentment is not self-reliance but Christ-reliance. It is learned over time, st...

Every Christmas, we search for hope in lights, traditions, family moments, and the feeling of the season. But what happens when the season is heavy, the joy feels distant, and the darkness feels real. In this message, A Better Hope, we discover that true and lasting hope is not found in a feeling but in a Savior.    From Isaiah 9:2–7, we see how Jesus enters our darkness and brings real hope. Hope...

In today’s sermon, “Staying Confident,” we close our journey through the book of 1 John by exploring how believers can live with a steady, unshakable confidence in Jesus. Confidence rises and falls quickly in life — like a chess game gone wrong — but John shows us how to keep our spiritual confidence strong no matter what comes our way. We look at three key truths from 1 John 5:18–21: 1. Trust Jes...

In this sermon, Pastor Phil continues our “Living Certain” series through the book of 1 John by unpacking what spiritual confidence looks like in the everyday life of a believer. Confidence is easy to spot in sports, business, and personality, but what does confidence look like in your soul? John gives us clear marks of what confidence looks like and one of those is how you pray.  You’ll learn how...

Belief is everywhere in our culture. “Believe in yourself.” “Trust the process.” “Send good vibes.” But in 1 John 5:1-13 John shows us that belief only has real power when it is anchored in the right Person, Jesus Christ.  From this passage we see four key results of belief: 1) True belief empowers us to love and obey 2) Gives power for spiritual victory 3) Provides assurance in God's truth ...

What does real love look like? In this message from 1 John 4, we explore how love is not just something we do—it’s who we become when we abide in God. John reminds us that love identifies the believer, sustains us in daily life, and drives out fear. In this sermon, we unpack: Identification in Love — how our love for others reveals that we truly know God. Abiding in Love — how God’s Spirit perfect...

In a world full of scams, half-truths, and spiritual confusion, how can we know what’s real? In this video of our Living Confident series, Pastor Phil teaches from 1 John 4:1–6 about developing spiritual discernment learning to test what we hear and believe according to God’s truth.   Just like we’ve learned to spot fake emails or online scams, we need to recognize false ideas about God that sound...

Everyone talks about love. We celebrate it on wedding days, post about it on social media, and chase after it in a thousand different ways. But the Bible gives us a deeper, more durable definition of love. It shows us a love that still stands on a random Tuesday when life isn’t picture-perfect. In this message, we look at what real love looks like according to 1 John 3:11 -24  Real love rejects je...

What if what feels like victory is actually defeat in disguise? In this week’s message from our Living Certain series, Pastor Phil unpacks 1 John 3:4–10 and shows how sin often slips into our lives looking like a gift but carries destruction inside it. John reminds us that sin isn’t just breaking rules—it’s rebellion against God.  But there’s hope: Jesus came to demolish the power of sin and destr...

Technical Warning: We have some audio problems at a few spots of the sermon.  The sermon starts with some audio issues and at times throughout, but 90% is good and has been edited to the best of our ability. Overview: So many people chase confidence in the wrong places — through control, comparison, or constant achievement — and end up exhausted instead of secure. In this message, Pastor Phil shar...

In a world that constantly pulls at our hearts and bombards us with competing truths, how do we keep our faith steady and alive? In this message from 1 John 2:15–27, Pastor Phil teaches how to protect your heart so you don’t drift from Jesus. We learned three keys to protecting our hearts: 1) Guard Your Affections – Don’t love the world or the things that are passing away. 2) Stay Alert to Spiritu...

Anyone can buy a World’s Best Boss mug, but being the best boss is proven in how you lead, not what you hold. John says the same about faith. Christianity isn’t just a title; it’s seen in the way we live. In this message from our Living Certain series, Pastor Phil walks through 1 John 2:3–14 to show three clear signs of real faith: Walk in His Word — obedience that flows from knowing God. Love His...

Darkness brings confusion, fear, and brokenness, but God calls us to something better. In 1 John 1:5–2:2, the apostle John reminds us that God Himself is light and that true fellowship with Him means living exposed to His truth, honesty, and grace. In this message from our Living Certain series, Pastor Phil unpacks four actions to help you walk confidently with God even when we fall into moments o...

For 17 weeks we’ve journeyed through the book of 1 Samuel, watching Israel long for stability and put their hope in the wrong places. From the chaos of the judges to the leadership of Samuel, from Saul’s rise to his tragic fall, the story has been one long reminder: every false king will fail, but God’s true King will never fall.    In this final message from 1 Samuel 31, we see the cost of follow...

This week, we continued our series Longing for the Better King with a message from 1 Samuel 28:3–25 titled “Desperation Without Direction.” In one of the darkest chapters of Saul’s life, fear drove him to the wrong voices, sin led him to counterfeit answers, and God’s Word stood firm in judgment. Saul’s desperation shows us the danger of acting without God — but it also points us to the hope we ha...

What do you do when someone hurts you? When you’ve been mistreated, attacked, or falsely accused, the natural pull is to get even. In 1 Samuel 24, David has Saul trapped in a cave with the perfect chance to take revenge. Instead, he chooses mercy. In this message, Pastor Phil unpacks three marks of godly character when we’re wronged: 1️⃣ Resist the urge to retaliate 2️⃣ Show honor where it can be...

What makes a true friend? In this message, Pastor Phil walks through the powerful story of David and Jonathan’s friendship—a friendship marked by honesty, commitment, sacrifice, and trust in God. We’ll see: Why real friends give space for honesty How faithful friends choose commitment over comfort The courage it takes to stand together when it costs something The beauty of grieving and rejoicing w...

Jealousy doesn’t just make you bitter — it blinds you to God’s blessings. In 1 Samuel 18, Saul watches David’s success with suspicion instead of joy, and it begins to unravel his life. But there’s a better way. In this message, Pastor Phil unpacks three signs jealousy is stealing your joy — and shows how Jesus, the greater King, frees us to celebrate others, rest in God’s plan, and lean into His p...

We all face giants—fear, insecurity, grief, addiction—but what if the battle doesn’t depend on your strength? In this message from 1 Samuel 17, TJ walks us through the story of David and Goliath, not as a motivational tale of self-empowerment, but as a powerful reminder that God fights for His people. David didn’t defeat Goliath by size, strength, or skill—but by faith in a faithful God. We learne...

Week 11 – The King After God’s Heart | 1 Samuel 16 | Connecting Church Not everything that looks impressive is real. Have you seen the show Is It Cake? Bakers create hyper-realistic cakes that look like everyday objects. But there’s only one way to tell what’s real—you have to cut into it. That visual opens the door to 1 Samuel 16, where God makes it clear: He doesn’t choose leaders based on appea...

What happens when we rush ahead of God? In 1 Samuel 13, we find King Saul under pressure—afraid, impatient, and driven to disobedience. His fear caused him to forget God's promises. His impatience led him to take matters into his own hands. And ultimately, his disobedience cost him the future God intended. This message explores how fear, impatience, and self-reliance can drive us outside of G...

Life is full of seasons—some sweet, some difficult, but none of them last forever. Even good leaders and good seasons eventually come to an end. In 1 Samuel 12 , we see Samuel’s farewell and learn what it looks like to walk faithfully with God through life’s changes. In this message, we explore: - Why even good seasons don’t last forever - How to see God’s steady grace in every season - The danger...