Hickory Ridge-cast

We love to celebrate God's forgiveness for us. We'll sing about it, cheer for it, and put up art that reminds us of it. But when we need to forgive the people that hurt US? It's a whole different story. In this message, Pastor Justin unpacks why forgiveness isn't about letting someone else off the hook, but about finding real freedom for yourself. If you’ve been carrying hurt, replaying pain, or s...

Even for followers of Jesus, life can feel empty. We can look at our house, family, or health, and know from the outside, everything seems okay... but on the inside, we feel an emptiness. In this Easter message from the book of John, Pastor Justin explains that believing facts about Jesus isn’t the same as experiencing Him. We can believe that the tomb is empty, but it isn't enough. We need to ENC...

We’re quick to judge others. And we love to decide who deserves a chance and who doesn’t. But you know who doesn't operate like that? Jesus. In Luke 19, Jesus stops in the city of Jericho and chooses the last person anyone expected to eat and stay with... Zacchaeus, a corrupt and hated tax collector. If you’ve ever felt like you don’t measure up, this message from Mike Steinsdoerfer might just cha...

In this message from the book of Hosea, Pastor Justin talks honestly about something we don’t often think about; that there are things we do that actually tick God off. Yet even when we frustrate Him, or our hearts grow cold, God’s love keeps pursuing us and inviting us to return to a real relationship with Him. We pray this message encourages, inspires, and challenges you no matter where you are...

Our God has FEELINGS. He's more than an ethereal cloud, or distant deity... He's a Father. In this message, Pastor Justin shares that God is deeply personal and His heart is affected by how we live. God genuinely cares when we sin, walk away, or choose to follow something other than Him. This sermon also looks at how God sometimes lovingly disrupts our plans, using obstacles to redirect and protec...

Hosea is a story in the Bible full of scandal, sin, symbolism, and salvation. In part one of this three week series, Pastor Justin begins breaking down the first chapter of Hosea, and how it seeks to answer the age old question: "If anyone really knew me, deep down, my hidden thoughts, secret desires, failures, and emotions, would they really love me?" By exploring the book of Hosea, we'll come fa...

Here are stories of surrender, redemption, and joy, shared by Jim Forakis. Jim has served as the Executive Director of the Tennessee Valley branch of Adult & Teen Challenge for over 20 years. Using scripture and testimonies, we pray Jim's message will be an encouragement to you today!

As we close out this series on learning how to be more like Jesus, we have to touch on the idea of His heart. How does Jesus, and by extension, our Heavenly Father, feel about us? What emotions and plans does He have for us? Despite how we often feel about ourselves, the truth is God's heart towards us is caring, gentle, tender, and fiercely loving. If you've ever struggled with self-hatred, ident...

We all like to feel heard. To be understood. To know that someone really listened to us. And yet, so many of us struggle to be good listeners. Jesus is the greatest listener that ever lived, and if we're willing to learn from Him, we'll find a skill that is worth the effort to practice. Because listening done correctly can do more than just make someone feel good... it can save lives!

Have you ever felt stuck in your own thoughts? In this message, Pastor Andy Sileno explains how our thoughts shape our emotions, words, and actions... and why God wants access to our minds, not just our hearts. Through Scripture and practical insight, this message shows how prayer and truth create new pathways that lead to life and peace. You don’t have to be controlled by unhealthy thoughts. God...

What does walking with the Spirit look like? This sermon explores what it means to walk with the Spirit and to be led by the Spirit. In Luke 3 we saw Jesus submit to the Father and was affirmed by the Spirit stepping into his role as the Son of God.

The Bible has a lot to say about our words, and how we talk to other people! "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it and indulge it will eat its fruit and bear the consequences of their words." says Proverbs 18:21 So how do we talk in a way that shows others we are followers of Jesus? How do we learn how to talk like Jesus? In this message, Pastor Justin explores how...

What do you do when you’re doing everything you can and nothing seems to change? In this message, Pastor Justin speaks to anyone facing resistance, delay, or discouragement. This message isn’t about pretending life is easy or waiting passively for things to get better. Instead, it explores how real breakthrough often begins before conditions improve - through trust, action, and choosing to worship...

We use our hands for nearly everything we do. Work, play, creating, caring, designing, destroying... But while we're limited with how much we can accomplish with our OWN hands, there is no limit to what Jesus can accomplish with His hands. Jesus's hands offered forgiveness, blessing, and healing to the world around Him. And now, as His followers, Jesus invites us to do the same... and be His hands...

Tired of seeing life your way? The way that sees people as problems, situations as frustrations, and every outcome as an inevitable disappointment? As followers of Christ, we're called to see life differently. To see not with our eyes, but with spiritual eyes! In this message, Pastor Justin shows us how we can come into this year with a fresh perspective that is ready to see miracles, abundance, p...

What happens when one bad moment, one frustration, or one mistake starts to derail everything? In this message, Pastor Aaron shares a story with a powerful reminder: it’s not about the red lights... it’s about God’s presence. Drawing from Philippians 3, Isaiah 43, Hebrews 12, and John 10, this sermon challenges us to stop letting our past define us and start actively pursuing what God has placed i...

Jesus's mother, Mary, modeled how we ought to live; treasuring the present, holding onto God’s promises, and trusting that Emmanuel, God with us, is something we can continue to count on in the future. In this message, Pastor Justin reminds us that peace isn’t found after circumstances change, but when we seek God’s nearness, even in uncertainty. Instead of striving to control outcomes, we’re invi...

When the shepherds heard the news of Jesus’ birth, they chose urgency over hesitation. Once the angels spoke, the shepherds moved! In this message, Pastor Justin challenges us to see how God often works through ordinary people and everyday moments, calling us to respond quickly, step out in faith, and share the gospel - even when it's inconvenient. The heart of the message is a simple but challeng...

This message looks at Mary’s encounter with the angel and the way she surrendered her plans, expectations, and fears to God’s purpose. Pastor Justin teaches how real faith begins when we lay down control, and trust God’s Word over our feelings... even when His call disrupts the life we imagined. Often times these single moments of surrender can have amazing, life-changing, destiny-shaping, eternit...

In this message, Pastor Aaron looks at Joseph’s role in the Christmas story, and how he trusted God without having all the details... and how God challenges us to do the same. Even when obedience is costly, and when we don’t understand why, God uses our "yes" to shape our lives, restore hope, and write a new story far greater than we ever imagined!

In this message, guest speaker Mike Steinsdoerfer walks line-by-line through Psalm 23, showing how every phrase reveals something about the Shepherd who guides, restores, protects, and provides. Join us as we explore the struggles we all face, the fear that tries to overwhelm us, and the surprisingly deep peace that God offers when we learn to stay close to His presence. Whether you're currently i...

In this message, Pastor Justin walks us through Daniel 10 to show that God hears us the very first moment we pray, yet His answers often come after we wait. When waiting becomes exhausting, this sermon reminds us that God is working, warring, and speaking behind the scenes... even when we don’t perceive it. Learn how to worship instead of worry, war instead of whine, and posture your heart to be l...

What do you do when you’ve prayed, waited, and still haven’t seen what God promised? In this message, Pastor Justin teaches how to hold onto faith even in times of disappointment. Because in an age where our feelings are everything, the Bible teaches that God's power is greater than what we "feel" is true. We'll look at Abraham and Sarah’s story to discover the kind of trust that says, “God, I bel...

When David danced before the Lord, he didn’t care who was watching. His worship was real, raw, and completely undignified. In this message, Pastor Justin challenges us to stand out in a world obsessed with fitting in, to live unashamed of our faith, and to worship with boldness that refuses to bow to cultural pressure. If you’ve ever struggled with fear of judgment or the temptation to compromise,...

Every believer faces battles... some lifelong, some momentary. But God calls us to keep going despite the struggles! In this message, Pastor Andy shares how perseverance, community, and daily consistency anchor us when the world shakes. Through biblical truths and real-life stories, discover how you are sealed for a purpose, how you can grow through hardship, and can learn to trust that “the view...