Christ Community Church (Brazil, IN)

How many of us have held onto a belief we thought was the truth, but later realized we were deceived? At the start of this sermon, Pastor Joshua shares a story of when he thought that an opinion he had was truth, but he later realized that he was deceived! Just like he was deceived about something, there are many people that are caught in true deception in our world. And in this sermon, we begin d...

Have you ever met someone who just had to get credit for everything, no matter how small? Now... How often are we the very ones that want all the credit? Maybe at work, when something goes wrong, and we’re the ones who find the solution, we make sure to tell everyone about it a few times—just so they know we saved the day! Or maybe we’re at work, and someone compliments an idea that ended up worki...

How many of you have ever prayed out of pure desperation? Maybe it was when your car wouldn’t start, and you had to be somewhere important, or when the washing machine broke down right in the middle of a laundry day crisis. You try everything you can think of to fix it—turning it off and back on, checking connections, maybe even giving it a good kick—but nothing works. Finally, in desperation, you...

When it comes to prayer, being in sync is important if we want to be effective!

Has anyone ever struggled with being pessimistic? The state of the world today can cause us all to maybe become a little pessimistic... We used to be hopeful, thinking things would get better, but after years of political division, moral decline, and instability, it’s hard to stay optimistic. The darkness and chaos of the world seem overwhelming at times, and many of us are tempted to just brace o...

Have you ever thought something was the enemy, only to find out later you were completely wrong? But how often do we think we know who the enemy is, only to find out we’ve been fighting the wrong battle? It’s so easy to do, isn’t it? We can get laser-focused on one thing, convinced it’s the source of all our problems, but later realize we missed what was really going on. And let’s be honest—especi...

How many of you have ever tried to cook a new recipe but found out halfway through that you were missing a key ingredient? Maybe you were making cookies and realized you didn’t have any baking soda. Or you were prepping to grill burgers and forgot the hamburger buns. It’s frustrating to be missing ingredients, isn’t it? You can’t move forward without the essential ingredients you need for a recipe...

How many of you have ever tried to get something done around the house, but couldn’t because of all the stuff in the way? Maybe it’s cleaning out the garage, but you keep tripping over tools. Maybe it’s trying to vacuum the living room, but the floor’s covered with laundry. Or maybe you’re trying to cook dinner, but the kitchen counters are piled high with clutter, making it impossible to find spa...

Have you ever tried boarding a plane without your boarding pass. Good luck with that if you ever try. Or have you ever tried to get into an exclusive event without your ticket? You could be the biggest fan of the sports team or musician playing, but without that proof in hand, you’re stuck on the outside. Whether it’s membership cards, tickets, or IDs, proof of belonging is essential everywhere. T...

Isn't a nice thing when people show us hospitality? It makes us feel valued and welcomed, creating a sense of belonging. But is it important for followers of Jesus to show others hospitality? Our passage in this sermon is Acts 10:17 -33. We see a powerful example of Christlike hospitality. Peter in this passage shows the Gospel in action by being hospitable. We will see Peter open his home and...

You know how we all have those foods we just can't stand? The kind that, no matter how many times people tell you, "You just haven’t tried it the right way," you’re convinced it’s never going to be good? For Pastor Joshua, it was mustard... And he share a story in his introduction about how hen came to actually enjoy mustard. But it’s funny how we can be so sure about something and t...

Have you ever faced a situation that seemed utterly impossible? Maybe it was a medical diagnosis that offered no hope, a relationship that seemed beyond repair, or a dream that felt completely out of reach. Whatever it may be... There are so many situations in our lives that seem impossible. And in those moments, we often feel powerless and defeated, wondering how we could ever see a way through....

Have you ever been a part of a good support system? Pastor Joshua shares a story at the beginning of this sermon on how he had a support system that helped him learn some new things! But support systems may remind us of the critical role community plays in our spiritual journeys... And in this sermon, we dive into Acts 9:19b-31. In this passage, we see the early church acting as a vital support sy...

Have you ever found out about something that completely changed the way you do something? Some of us remember the glorious days of the 90’s where we would go to a store called Blockbuster to find VHS tapes or DVDs to rent. We’d take them home, watch them, (if it was VHS, make sure to rewind them), and then take them back. But now, we have digital streaming services like Prime Video that have forev...

Have you ever experienced a sudden prompting to do something out of the ordinary, but you weren't sure why? Maybe it was a sudden thought to check on a neighbor... or it was a feeling to call an old friend... or to take a different route home... or to lend a helping hand to a stranger. These promptings can feel mysterious and powerful. But could it be that in many of these moments, it is the H...

How many of you have ever encountered things that are counterfeit? Whether it be NFL jerseys, Oakley sunglasses, Louis Vuitton purses, or even money? Our culture today is overrun with counterfeit products — they look like the real thing, but they’re cheap imitations. And you see, counterfeit may work fine in some areas of our lives, but when it comes to our faith, counterfeit simply doesn’t work....

In both the pages of Scripture and in real life there are people who want a deeper relationship with God. What set them apart? Was it just a special “zapping” by God? Or was there something they did? Can we experience more of Jesus if we want to? Is there anything we can do to go deeper in our walk with God? In this sermon, we take a pause from our verse by verse expedition through the book of Act...

We all have things in our lives that bring us joy. For some of us, the rolls at Texas Roadhouse with that cinnamon honey butter brings us joy. For some of us, going to the beach on a vacation during the summer brings us joy. For some of us, reeling in a big fish on the end of a baited hook brings us joy. But for many people, simply spending time with loved ones, achieving a personal goal, or enjoy...

Have any of you ever known someone (and it could be yourself) that has transformed their identities based on different hobbies that they have taken on? For example, you may know someone that has taken on running, and they have changed their diet, daily routine, and even their wardrobe to fit their new identity. We also see this with some people that dive into the world of Harley Davidson. They sta...

Have any of you ever been to a famous landmark and felt a sense of awe and wonder? Maybe it was a towering cathedral, a majestic mountain, or a serene beach at sunset. When we find ourselves in these types of special places, we can quite often feel closer to something greater than ourselves. It’s as if we feel closer to God in those places. Now... Have you ever felt like you needed to be in a spec...

Have you ever watched the show "Shark Tank?" In this show, entrepreneurs walk in with their business ideas, hoping to convince the sharks (who are millionaires) to invest. The most famous investors were Mark Cuban, Kevin O’Leary, Daymond John, Lori Greiner, and more. The sharks listen carefully, assessing whether these ideas from the entrepreneurs are worth their time and money. Some pit...

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you felt completely out of control? At the start of this sermon, Pastor Joshua shares a funny story of where he was in a situation where he felt completely out of control! But in a more serious sense, we’ve all had moments where we felt completely out of control, unsure of where our next step would lead or how we would make it through. Maybe for so...

Does anyone remember the "BE LIKE MIKE" ad from the 90’s? “Like Mike If I could Be Like Mike Like Mike Oh, if I could Be Like Mike” This was the anthem for many kids during the 90’s, “I wanna be like Mike.” But all of us when we were kids had someone that we wanted to be like when we grew up. Now, in a spiritual sense, who is it that we should strive to be like? Our goal as Christians sh...

Have you ever had a moment when your shoes felt tighter than they used to? Or have you had that moment where you realized your favorite shirt doesn’t fit anymore? And it’s not that our shoes or shirt shrunk... It’s that we grew! You see, growth is a natural, healthy part of life. But it’s not always comfortable, is it? When our kids are growing, they can tend to have what the medical experts call...

Back in 2010, LeBron James chose to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers to join the Miami Heat. LeBron was born and raised in Cleveland and was drafted in 2003 by Cleveland, the year that he joined the NBA. It was a story that only seemed possible in a movie. But in 2010, LeBron announced that he would be leaving Cleveland to join the Miami Heat. When he announced that he was leaving Cleveland, he chose...