Church of the Lakes Ohio

In this episode of Kingdom Conversation , Pastor Robby Strock sits down with Congregational Care Minister Chris Mertz to discuss the heart behind Church of the Lakes' Congregational Care Ministry. Discover how this dedicated team brings Christ's love through visits, prayer, encouragement, and compassionate support to those facing life's joys and challenges. Whether you're looki...

Sermon Outline Focus: The greatest battles in our lives are often not around us—but within us. Every conflict ultimately asks one question: Who is sitting on the throne of my heart? I. Every Conflict Reveals Competing Kingdoms (vs. 1-3)       Conflict often exposes deeper desires.       A good desire becomes dangerous when it becomes a ruling desire.       Conflict is often the smoke; idolatry is...

Kingdom Conversation – Mid-Year Kingdom Check-In How are we doing halfway through our journey of embracing a Kingdom Mindset? In this special mid-year episode of Kingdom Conversation , Pastor Robby Strock and Pastor Jared Priset reflect on the first six months of Church of the Lakes' 2026 theme: Living with a Kingdom Mindset . Together they revisit key teachings from the Sermon on the Mount,...

Sermon Outline Focus: What comes out of our mouths reveals who rules our hearts. I. The Tongue Possesses Enormous Power         Small words can have massive impact.         Words can heal or wound, build up or tear down.         Before speaking, posting, or commenting, ask: Is it True? Is it Necessary? Is it Kind?         “The tongue is a small part of the body, but it boasts great things.” (James...

Sermon Outline Focus: Kingdom faith is visible. Real faith does not merely profess Christ. it reflects the Gospel. I. Kingdom Faith produces action. (James 2:15–17)       Faith moves toward people in need.       Compassion is evidence of genuine faith.       Jesus didn’t merely SAY He loved us – He moved toward us.       “Faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.” — James 2:17 II. Kingdom Fait...

Sermon Outline Focus: Kingdom wisdom rejects favoritism by loving all people, showing mercy to all people, and serving all people. I. Love All People      Favoritism judges outward appearance      God looks at the heart      Love your neighbor as yourself II. Show Mercy to All People      Mercy over judgment      Everyone belongs at the table      Respond to need, not status III. Serve All People...

Sermon Outline Focus: Real Kingdom wisdom is not merely hearing God’s Word, but humbly receiving it and faithfully living it out. I. What Clouds the Windshield?         Speaking before listening         Anger before understanding         Pride before humility II. What Cleans the Windshield?         A teachable spirit         Meekness and humility         The implanted Word III. What Do We Do Once...

Welcome to the launch of Kingdom Wisdom, Church of the Lakes' newest sermon series exploring the practical and transformative teachings of the Book of James. In this episode of Kingdom Conversations, Pastor Robby Strock and Pastor Jared Priset introduce the historical background, purpose, and key themes of James, a letter that challenges believers to live out their faith with authenticity and...

Sermon Outline Focus: God uses trials not to destroy our faith, but to develop mature, surrendered, Kingdom people. I. Trials develop our faith (James 1:2-3)           Trials reveal what we are truly trusting in.           Pressure exposes foundations.           God often meets us in the fire, not around it.           Can you say, “Even when I do not understand, I will trust the character of God.”...

Join Pastor Robby and Pastor Jared for this special Kingdom Conversation as they wrap up the Citizens of Heaven sermon series — a journey through the book of Philippians. In this episode, they reflect on Paul’s powerful message of joy, perseverance, humility, and Kingdom-minded living while facing suffering and imprisonment. Together, they discuss what it means to live as citizens of Heaven while...

Sermon Outline Focus: Peace and contentment are not found in perfect circumstances, but in the presence and sufficiency of Christ. They are Kingdom fruit produced through trust and surrender. I. Kingdom Peace is rooted in the presence of Christ (Philippians 4:4–7)        “Rejoice in the Lord always…”         Peace is rooted in Christ, not circumstances.         Anxiety grows when we try to control...

Here’s a polished podcast description you could use for the Kingdom Conversations episode about Royal Family Kids Camp: Kingdom Conversations welcomes special guest Matt Ritzert for an inspiring and heartfelt discussion about Royal Family Kid Camp and the life-changing impact it has on children in foster care. Hosted by Pastor Robby at Church of the Lakes, this episode explores how RFKC creates a...

Title: Citizens of Heaven – Pressing Toward the Prize Focus: Because of Christ, believers endure faithfully, live as citizens of heaven, and await the return of their Savior with hope. Scriptures: Philippians 3:12-4:1 I. Press On Toward Christ Paul presses forward despite failure and hardship Endurance comes from remaining fixated on Christ We are to pursue the heavenly prize rather than earthly c...

In this episode of Kingdom Conversations , Pastor Robby sits down with Nicole Bowman from Hope Bridge, a ministry dedicated to supporting foster families, adoptive parents, and single mothers throughout Ohio. Nicole shares the heart behind Hope Bridge and how their team is working to disrupt cycles of dysfunction through practical care, spiritual encouragement, and community support. From providin...

Sermon Outline Focus: True confidence before God is not built on what we achieve, but on what Christ has accomplished. In Philippians 3, Paul calls us to lay down self-reliance and find our righteousness in Jesus alone. I. Where does your confidence come from? Effort? Morality? Success? Christ alone?        Tim Keller: “The default mode of the human heart is self-salvation.” II. Misplaced Confiden...

This week on Kingdom Conversations , Discipleship Pastor Robby Strock and Lead Pastor Jared Priset open the mailbag for a special episode inspired entirely by the children of Church of the Lakes. From fun and lighthearted questions to deep faith-filled conversations, this episode explores some of the biggest questions kids ask about God, the Bible, church, and life itself.   Together, Pastor Robby...

Sermon Outline Focus: Because of what Jesus has already done for us, obedience is not how we earn salvation—it’s how we reveal that God is at work within us. As citizens of Heaven, we shine in a dark world when our surrendered lives reflect His grace, truth, and joy. I. Obedience is the outworking of what God has done in you (vv. 12–13)        We don’t work for salvation—we work it out.        Sal...

 In this episode of Kingdom Conversations , we continue our Grace 6:8 series with a powerful twist. Pastor Robby interviews Maggie Priset, who offers a deeply personal look into life as a foster sibling. Through real-life experiences, Maggie shares both the challenges and the joys of opening her home and heart to children in foster care, and the unique responsibility she feels to reflect the love...

Sermon Outline Focus: True greatness in God’s Kingdom is not found in elevating yourself, but in humbling yourself to serve others. When we follow Jesus—who laid His life down for us—we discover a better way to live and a greater purpose to pursue . I. The Tension        Social media Influencers        Culture says: Be seen. Be known. Build your name. We equate influence with              importan...

Kingdom Conversations – Grace6:8 & the Heart of Foster Care In this episode of Kingdom Conversations , Church of the Lakes invites you into a powerful and deeply personal conversation centered on living out a Kingdom mindset through foster care ministry. Pastor Robby sits down with special guest Meredith Priset, (Pastor Jared's wife) a licensed foster parent who is an integral part of the...

Sermon Outline Focus: Kingdom perspective sees hardship not as an obstacle, but as an opportunity for the gospel to advance. What feels like a setback to you may be a setup for the gospel. I. God Uses Hardship to Advance the Gospel         “What has happened to me…has really served to advance the gospel” (v. 12)         Paul doesn’t deny hardship – he reinterprets it         Joseph: what was meant...

In this episode, Pastor Robby sits down with Pastor Jared to introduce our sermon series, “Citizens of Heaven: A Journey Through the Letter to the Philippians.” Together, they explore the background, purpose, and powerful themes of Paul’s letter—unpacking what it truly means to live with a Kingdom mindset in a world pulling us in the opposite direction. This conversation dives into real-life quest...

Sermon Outline Focus: Joy is not found in our circumstances, but in our identity as citizens of heaven. As we move from consuming church to participating in the gospel mission, we discover the deep and lasting joy of the Kingdom. I. Gospel Partnership Produces Joy (“Partnership in the gospel…” vv. 3-5)         We are called to participate, not just attend         Joy is found in shared mission (RF...

About This Episode In this special episode of Kingdom Conversations , Pastor Jared and Pastor Robby bring the Altar’d Lenten series to a powerful close by reflecting on the ultimate altar in Scripture—the Cross of Jesus Christ. Throughout this conversation, they revisit the biblical theme of altars as sacred places where people encounter God and are forever changed. Together, they explore what it...

Sermon Outline Focus: Because of the cross, we have died with Christ; because of the resurrection, we have been raised with Christ. Now, by the power of His Spirit, we are called to walk in newness of life as people of His Kingdom. I. The Waddling Ducks (Soren Kirkegaard) II. Movement 1 – YOU DIED (Identity)        Because of the cross and the blood of Jesus:        Your sin, guilt, shame, and old...