Faith Unfiltered

What Belongs to God | Genesis 1:26–27 & Matthew 22:15–22 What if Jesus' famous words about Caesar and the coin are really about us? In this sermon, Rev. Anna Dickson explores one of Jesus' most well-known teachings through the lens of Genesis, where we learn that every person is created in the image of God. When Jesus asks whose image appears on a Roman coin, he invites his listeners to think beyo...

The Shape of Freedom | Proverbs 3:3–8 & Galatians 5:1, 13–26 What does it really mean to be free? In this sermon, Rev. Dr. Lewis Galloway reflects on Paul's letter to the Galatians and the surprising truth that Christian freedom is not the absence of responsibility but the freedom to become the people God created us to be. Through stories of everyday faithfulness, reflections on the Fruit of the S...

God's Big Idea | Genesis 12:1–4 & Galatians 3:19–4:7 What if God's vision for the world is bigger than we imagine? In this sermon, Rev. Dr. Lewis Galloway explores the promise God made to Abraham and Sarah, the freedom Christ offers through grace, and the remarkable invitation to become part of God's family. From the very beginning, God's purpose was never limited to one people or one place. Throu...

A Faith That Lives in You | 2 Timothy 1:1–7 In this special installation service sermon, Rev. Dr. Millie Snyder reflects on Paul's words to Timothy and the faith that was nurtured in him through family, community, and the care of those who walked alongside him. Whether we inherit faith from those who came before us or discover it later in life, this message reminds us that faith is rarely formed a...

Tax Collectors and Sinners | Matthew 9:9–13 In this sermon, Rev. Lucy Baum reflects on one of the most surprising moments in Jesus' ministry: the calling of Matthew the tax collector. When Jesus invites Matthew to become one of his disciples and then shares a meal with tax collectors and sinners, those around him are scandalized. Why would a teacher who speaks about the righteousness of God choose...

Why are we so fascinated by the end of the world? In this Moment with a Minister, Rev. Rob Spach reflects on apocalyptic thinking, the stories we tell about the future, and how faith can help us move from fear toward wonder, hope, and deeper trust. Here's Rev. Rob.

The One and the Many | Ephesians 4:1–7, 11–16 & John 17:1–11 In this Trinity Sunday sermon, Rev. Dr. Lewis Galloway reflects on one of Jesus' final prayers for the church: that his followers "may be one." Drawing from Ephesians 4 and John 17, this message explores the mystery of Christian unity and the work of the Holy Spirit in bringing diverse people together as one body in Christ. Using images...

Heart Surgery | Joel 2 & Acts 2 In this Pentecost sermon, Rev. Dr. Lewis Galloway reflects on the story of Pentecost and the radical transformation that takes place when the Holy Spirit gives us a new heart. Drawing from Joel 2 and Acts 2, this message explores repentance not as guilt or shame, but as a turning — a reorientation of the heart toward God and toward one another. Through baptism, comm...

The Stranger at the Table | Genesis 18:1–15 & Philemon 1–25 In this sermon, Rev. Dr. Lewis Galloway reflects on the deeply Christian practice of hospitality — not simply welcoming friends or familiar faces, but extending love to the stranger, the outsider, and the forgotten. Through the story of Abraham and Sarah welcoming mysterious visitors beneath the trees of Mamre and Paul's appeal for Philem...

In this sermon, Rev. Dr. Lewis Galloway reflects on Paul's image of the gospel as a treasure carried in "clay jars." Through scripture, storytelling, and deeply human examples, we are reminded that God has always chosen ordinary, imperfect people to bear extraordinary grace. Again and again, God works through those who feel unprepared, wounded, weak, or unsure—from Moses and Isaiah to the disciple...

What if faith isn't something you have to manage… but something that grows? In this week's sermon, Rev. Lucy Crain reflects on the familiar words about the fruit of the Spirit and invites us to hear them not as a checklist to achieve, but as a gift to receive. Through a personal story about stepping into something that felt overwhelming, we are reminded how easy it is to believe we have to get eve...

Tough Love | Youth Sunday Sermon | Matthew 5:43–48 On Youth Sunday, the youth of First Presbyterian Church of Charlotte lead us in a powerful reflection on what it means to practice "tough love."  

Reborn to the Ordinary | Sermon | Luke 24:13–35 In this Easter season, we turn to the story of the road to Emmaus, where two disciples walk alongside the risen Jesus without recognizing him. In Reborn to the Ordinary , Rev. Anna Dickson reflects on this familiar and mysterious story, inviting us to consider how Christ meets us not only in moments of clarity and joy, but in the ordinary rhythms of...

Doubting Thomas | Sermon | John 20:19–31 What if doubt isn't the opposite of faith—but part of the journey toward it? In this sermon on the story of Thomas in John 20:19–31 , we look again at a disciple often remembered only for his doubt. But Thomas isn't asking for anything the others didn't receive—he's asking a deeper question about trust. We are often taught to think of belief and doubt as op...

Life Before Us | Easter Sermon | Matthew 28:1–10 What if the resurrection is not only about what happens after we die—but about the life set before us right now? In this Easter sermon, Life Before Us , Dr. Lewis Galloway reflects on the story of the women at the empty tomb, who arrive expecting death but are met with something entirely different. Their assumptions are shattered as they hear the wo...

Shaking the City | Palm Sunday Sermon | Matthew 21:1–10 What happens when Jesus enters a city—and everything begins to shift? In this Palm Sunday sermon, Shaking the City , Dr. Lewis Galloway reflects on Jesus' entry into Jerusalem, where celebration and expectation quickly give way to something deeper. The crowds shout "Hosanna!" , but beneath the surface, the whole city is stirred—unsettled, eve...

In today's video devotional, Rev. Anna Dickson reflects on the quiet, surprising ending to Jesus' triumphal entry: after the fanfare and palm branches, he simply returns to Bethany for the night. Rather than claiming power, Jesus chooses presence — resting, sharing meals, and tending to his companions before facing what lies ahead. Today's devotional invites us to do the same, remembering that bef...

Set Free for This? | A Sermon on Wilderness, Thirst, and Honest Faith What do you do when faith doesn't feel like it's working anymore? In this sermon, Set Free for This? , Rev. Anna Dickson reflects on Exodus 17:1–7 , where the Israelites, newly freed from Egypt, find themselves in the wilderness—thirsty, frustrated, and wondering, "Is the Lord among us or not?" Rather than dismissing their compl...

In today's video devotional, Rev. Lucy Crain reflects on the story from John's Gospel as a Lenten invitation to self-examination — urging us to resist judgment, acknowledge our need for mercy, and receive grace as a gift that transforms. The focus shifts away from the woman's sin and toward our own hearts, inviting us to live with deeper humility, compassion, and trust in God's grace. Subscribe to...

Boundless | Fifth Sunday in Lent What happens when we discover that God's compassion extends far beyond the people we expect? In this sermon, we explore the often-overlooked story of Hagar and Ishmael , a story of abandonment in the wilderness and the God who hears the cry of the forgotten. Again and again throughout Scripture, God's mercy reaches beyond the boundaries humans create. Through the s...

In today's video devotional, Rev. Lewis Galloway discusses how Jesus blessing the children becomes a lens for reflecting on God's habit of reversing human values. Where the world overlooks the small and powerless, Jesus stops, gathers the children close, and offers blessing and belonging. This act echoes a broader biblical theme in which God lifts up the lowly and calls care and attention to those...

Holy Waste | A Sermon on Extravagant Grace What if the most meaningful acts of faith look wasteful to the world? Reflecting on 1 Kings 17:7–16 and Luke 7:36–50 , this sermon explores how God's grace moves us beyond careful calculation into lives of generous love and gratitude. In this sermon, Holy Waste , Rev. Dr. Lewis Galloway reflects on moments when faith calls us beyond practicality into some...

In today's video devotional, Rev. Anna Dickson reflects on the woman who interrupts a Pharisee's dinner to anoint Jesus with tears and costly perfume, crossing every social and religious boundary along the way. While others see only her sin and impropriety, Jesus receives her honest, unguarded love as a beautiful gift and blesses her without hesitation. Her bold vulnerability becomes a picture of...

Bread for All | From Scarcity to God's Abundance Is there ever enough? In this sermon, Bread for All , Rev. Dr. Lewis Galloway reflects on Exodus 16:2–4, 9–15 and Mark 6:32–44 , where God feeds the Israelites with manna in the wilderness, and Jesus feeds thousands with only a few loaves and fish. Both stories begin in places of worry and scarcity — people who are hungry, tired, and unsure whether...

In today's video devotional, Lucy Baum reflects on Jesus' compassion for the crowd and the surprising abundance that unfolds in a deserted place. While the disciples see only scarcity and send people elsewhere, Jesus calls them to trust what they already have and share it. Whether through miracle or generosity, God turns small offerings into more than enough. The story reminds us that God's grace...