Bozeman United Methodist Church Sermon Podcast

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...

Jesus for Everyone: Insiders and Outsiders Matthew 15:21–28 In this week’s message, Pastor Zach continues our  Jesus for Everyone  series with a challenging story of Jesus and the Canaanite woman. It’s an encounter that doesn’t sound like the Jesus we expect—silence, rejection, even harsh words—until persistence and faith break through the boundaries of who’s in and who’s out. What does this story...

This week at Bozeman United Methodist Church, we had the joy of welcoming Bishop Kristin Stoneking as our guest preacher during our 160th anniversary celebration. Preaching from Matthew 19:16–30, Bishop Kristin reminded us that the love of God is for everyone, and that following Jesus is a call to love deeply, give generously, and welcome widely. Drawing from her own ministry experiences, the hist...

We close our parables series with Jesus’ story of a landowner and day-laborers (Matthew 20:1–16). It’s harvest time, the hiring never stops, and at day’s end everyone receives the same wage. Fair? Scandalous? Or a window into God’s kingdom already among us? Pastor Zach explores how this parable reframes “fairness,” exposes how comparison steals joy, and reveals the persistence of grace—the God who...

Parables: The Wedding Party This week in our series on the parables, we turn to one of Jesus’ most unsettling stories—the wedding feast found in Matthew 22 and Luke 14. Unlike the mustard seed or the yeast, this parable bristles with tension, power, and even violence. Is God really like a king who burns cities and throws guests into the outer darkness? Or is Jesus showing us something deeper about...

Parables: The Leaven Luke 13:18–21 What does the kingdom of God really look like? In this sermon, Pastor Zach Bechtold invites us to explore one of Jesus’ shortest but most powerful parables—the story of the yeast. Just as a tiny bit of leaven can work its way through sixty pounds of flour, so too can small, unseen acts of love, grace, and forgiveness transform lives and communities. Drawing from...

In this sermon, Pastor Zach Bechtold reflects on Jesus’ parable of the mustard seed—a story so small it’s easy to overlook, yet so powerful it continues to shape how we see faith, growth, and the kingdom of God. Across the gospels, this parable takes on new shades of meaning: a seed planted in a field, a shrub in a garden, a shelter wide enough for birds to nest. Each telling reminds us that even...

Wine into Wineskins In this thought-provoking sermon, Rev. Fred Amborn draws from Josh Scott’s  Parables: Putting Jesus’ Stories in Their Place  to reframe one of Jesus’ most familiar — and often misunderstood — images. Moving beyond simple moral lessons, Rev. Fred invites us to see the parable of the wine and wineskins as a call to openness, flexibility, and transformation. When the Spirit is doi...

Grace That Transforms — Titus 3:12-15 In the closing verses of Paul’s letter to Titus, we find more than travel plans and parting words — we find a vision for how grace reshapes our lives and relationships. In this sermon, Rev. Fred Amborn unpacks the quiet power of these final lines, showing how the grace we receive is never meant to remain static. It moves us toward generosity, hospitality, and...

Titus 3 – A People Zealous to Do Good Preached by Pastor Mari-Emilie Anderson As Paul closes his letter to Titus, he paints a picture of who we are called to be: a people marked not by division or self-righteousness, but by mercy, humility, and a deep desire to do good. In this sermon, Pastor Mari-Emilie explores what it means to be “zealous to do good” in a world that often rewards the opposite....

In this episode, we continue our journey through the book of Titus and explore what it means to live a faith that doesn’t just speak—but shows up. Titus 2 challenges us with culturally complex instructions, yet beneath them lies a powerful vision for the church: a community shaped by grace, marked by integrity, and rooted in deep, intergenerational wisdom. Through Paul’s letter to a struggling you...

Episode Title: Titus – Setting Things in Order Series: Building the Church for the Future What kind of church are we building? What kind of people are we becoming? In this opening message from our series on the book of Titus, Pastor Zach invites us into Paul’s pastoral letter to a young leader tasked with shaping a faithful community in a messy world. Titus was left in Crete not just to hold thing...

Sabbath Keeping Isn’t for Wimps Guest preacher Vickie Wilkinson brings a bold and thoughtful word in our  A Holy Waste of Time  series. Drawing from Mark 4:35-41, she reflects on the tension between strict Sabbath laws and the liberating power of Jesus’ healing presence—even on the Sabbath. With honesty and depth, Vickie explores how true rest isn’t weakness, but a courageous act of faith. Sabbath...