Knowing God With Heart and Mind

In this installment of the "When Life Breaks" series, Pastor Dan examines Job 28 to explore where true wisdom is found when life falls apart. While human intellect, science, and industry have accomplished extraordinary feats, Job reminds us that divine wisdom cannot be mined from the earth or produced through human achievement alone. Without God's wisdom, human knowledge can be used for either gre...

In a message focusing on the biblical book of Job, Pastor Dan challenges the traditional religious premise that good behavior guarantees prosperity and suffering is always a punishment for sin. By examining Job’s questions regarding why wicked individuals thrive while the innocent and poor suffer from societal injustice, the message deconstructs black-and-white worldviews and critiques the human t...

In this message from the "When Life Breaks" series, Pastor Dan delves into Job's profound sense of isolation and his cry for a true advocate. Sitting in the ashes of devastating loss and facing harsh judgment from comfortable friends, Job appeals beyond earthly courts to a heavenly witness. He calls out for a Goel—an ancient Hebrew kinsman redeemer who will step directly into his suffering and sta...

What do you do when life breaks and easy theological formulas no longer fit your reality? In this episode, we dive into Job 13–14 to explore one of the most honest and daring moments in Scripture. Facing immense personal calamity and the rigid accusations of his friends, Job refuses to curse God, but he also refuses to pretend everything is fine. Instead of putting on a mask of fake piety, Job tak...

In this message from the series "When Life Breaks," Pastor Dan explores Job Chapter 9 and addresses what to do when God feels silent, distant, or overwhelming. Responding to his friend Bildad’s simplistic claim that suffering is always the result of personal sin, Job acknowledges God’s absolute sovereignty and awesome power over creation, yet wrestles with how a mortal can approach a terrifyingly...

When life breaks, well-meaning words often add a heavy burden to those already in pain. In this message from our When Life Breaks series on the Book of Job, Pastor Dan Sinkhorn explores the dialogue between Job and his friend Eliphaz to uncover a vital truth: kindness must always precede explanation, diagnosis, and correction. Why are we so quick to prioritize being right over listening deeply? Jo...

In this message Pastor Dan explores the necessity of expressing raw grief and spiritual despair. By drawing parallels between the national mourning of 2001 and the biblical lamentations of Job, Pastor Dan states that vocalizing one's pain is a profound act of faith rather than a sign of weakness. The speaker emphasizes that Job’s refusal to curse God, despite his intense desire for his own life to...

This sermon, delivered by Pastor Dan Sinkhorn as part of the series "When Life Breaks: Honest Questions About Pain, Fairness, and Finding Footing," explores the "ministry of presence" and the profound value of quiet companionship in moments of overwhelming grief. Drawing from the Old Testament book of Job, the message focuses on how we should respond to others during their deepest times of sufferi...

We all have a day when life changes without warning — the sudden 2:00 a.m. phone call, a unexpected medical diagnosis, or a life-altering loss that leaves us wondering what just happened. In those moments, it feels as though the soundtrack of our lives has abruptly stopped. In this foundational episode, Pastor Dan Sinkhorn launches the series "When Life Breaks: Honest Questions About Pain, Fairnes...

In this message Pastor Dan explores the final themes of the "Hero Makers" series, using Matthew 9 and Ephesians 4 to show how the church should move people from passive attendance to active discipleship. It emphasizes Jesus' compassion for the harassed, the need to pray for and raise up equipped laborers, and the biblical roles that equip the saints for ministry. The message outlines practical, st...

In this episode from the "Hero Makers" series, Pastor Dan celebrates recent community outreach—Vacation Bible School, a Back to School Bash, and more—and explains how the church is called to be a means of Gods grace by serving others. Using Luke 10 (the sending of the 72), he urges believers to go "two by two," offer the peace of Christ, form small discipleship bands, and become catalysts for chan...

Pastor Dan discusses Paul’s message about freedom in Galatians 5. He frames Christian freedom as freedom from the old law and freedom to live by the Spirit, not the flesh, producing the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, and self-control. Pastor Dan connects this spiritual liberty to civic freedom, urges small covenant groups for accountability and sanctification, and invites the Christians to j...

This message marks the ninth anniversary of Pastor Dan's leadership at Shiloh Church, reflecting on the providential timing of assigned theme for the day. Drawing on the biblical metaphor of new wine and old wineskins, Pastor Dan argues that the congregation must remain flexible and adaptable to survive. He highlights the shifting demographics of the local community, specifically noting the need t...

Bethany, a pastor's kid for 30 years, reflects on Father’s Day and 2 Timothy 2:1–2, showing how faith is passed on through relationships rather than programs. She shares personal lessons learned in the parsonage—empathy, discernment, humor, boundaries, and resilience—and urges believers to invest in others so faith continues from one generation to the next.

This message encourages a return to intimate discipleship by contrasting the modern obsession with megachurch success against the Wesleyan model of small groups. Pastor Dan uses the biblical account of the Road to Emmaus to illustrate how Jesus prioritized personal, transformative encounters over large crowds. By emphasizing the historical Methodist structure of societies, classes, and bands, the...

In this episode, Pastor Dan explores the idea of being "hero makers": people who, shaped by Christ's victory, are called to make disciples rather than seek personal glory. Using Matthew 28, Acts 1, and Romans 12, the message urges listeners to undergo a slow, daily transformation—renewing their minds, embracing sacrificial living, and multiplying Christ's work by investing in others.

Pastor Dan reflects on Romans 12:1-2 and launches the "Hero Makers" series, encouraging listeners to notice and nurture God’s work in others. He shares his personal journey of calling from childhood curiosity to vocational ministry, illustrating how God often uses ordinary moments and people to shape leaders. The episode invites listeners to listen for God’s voice, discern callings, and become her...

In this message, Pastor Dan explores Acts 2:1–24, explaining Pentecost’s Jewish roots, its reversal of the Tower of Babel, and how the Holy Spirit enabled people to hear the gospel in their hearts and minds. The message emphasizes that spiritual gifts exist to proclaim Jesus, encourages openness to the Spirit, and invites listeners to receive and share God’s love.

Pastor Dan draws living water from Ephesians 5 and Acts 2 and explores the Holy Spirit as a constant, life-changing presence rather than a temporary high. He contrasts being "under the influence" of alcohol with being filled from beneath by the Spirit, calling listeners to steady rhythms of worship, gratitude, and community. Drawing on the Walk to Emmaus movement and the early church's devotion, t...

This episode of the Familiar Stranger series explores the Holy Spirit as a close companion whose voice often comes as a gentle whisper—easy to miss in the noise of daily life. Using Elijah’s encounter in 1 Kings 19 and the image of divine ‘frequency’ and dialect, the message shows how scripture, community, and solitude help us recognize God’s tone. Practical guidance is given for cultivating liste...

Pastor Dan continues the Familiar Stranger series as we explore how the Holy Spirit transforms believers from the inside out by producing fruit (love, joy, peace, patience, etc.) and distributing spiritual gifts according to God’s will, drawing on Galatians 5 and 1 Corinthians 12. Using vivid metaphors (a high-performance car, bread and cup at communion), the message encourages humble readiness fo...

What if the Holy Spirit isn't the hall monitor you've been hiding from, but the Helper who's been trying to set you free? In John 16:8-15, Jesus reveals something revolutionary: the Spirit's conviction isn't meant to shame you into hiding like Adam and Eve in the bushes. It's meant to liberate you like the Prodigal Son running home. The Spirit nudges you because He's intimate with you—He knows the...

It is interesting to let Google's Notebook LM with Gemini listen to the sermon recording and then generate a conversational "deep dive". Once you get past the scary and amazing technology that produces two believable voices in conversation, there is surprising insight and extraction. We share this one because it can serve as an additional aid to your journey with the Holy Spirit. 

This episode explores Ezekiel 37:1-14 and the work of the Holy Spirit (Ruach) in bringing life and order to chaos, using the image of dry bones to show how God methodically restores and revives. Pastor Dan invites listeners to welcome the Spirit into their lives, join small groups for spiritual growth, and trust the patient, step-by-step process of renewal.

In this sermon Pastor Dan marks the beginning of a six-week series focused on understanding the Holy Spirit as a distinct person rather than a vague power or force. Using Tyler Staton’s book, The Familiar Stranger, as a structural guide, the speaker encourages the congregation to move beyond an "almost Christian" life by surrendering to God's presence. The text emphasizes that while the Trinity re...