Open Door Church Official Podcast

What if the biggest changes in your life started with the smallest acts of obedience? In the final message of our "Stories Jesus Told" series, Pastor Stephen Mizell explores two of Jesus' shortest parables—the mustard seed and the yeast—and reveals a powerful truth: God's Kingdom often grows through small, consistent acts of faithfulness rather than spectacular moments. Whether you're struggling w...

What foundation are you building your life on? In this message from our "Stories Jesus Told" series, John Lassiter explores Jesus' parable of the wise and foolish builders from Matthew 7:24-27. Through personal stories, practical application, and biblical truth, this sermon challenges us to move beyond simply hearing God's Word and begin living it through obedience, spiritual disciplines, and fait...

In this message from our "Stories Jesus Told" series, Keven Daughety explores Jesus' story of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10 and challenges us to rethink what it truly means to love our neighbor. Through this parable, Jesus pushes beyond the idea of doing the bare minimum and calls His followers to live with compassion that costs something. This sermon examines how easy it is to avoid getting invol...

The Power of Persistence | Stories Jesus Told | Pastor Stephen Mizell What do you do when heaven feels silent? In this episode of the Stories Jesus Told series, Pastor Stephen Mizell explores the Parable of the Persistent Widow in Luke 18 and challenges us to stay faithful in prayer even when answers feel delayed. This conversation-centered teaching dives into spiritual disciplines, perseverance,...

In this message from our series The Parables of Jesus , Pastor Stephen Mizell walks through the Parable of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15 and explores the realities of family tension, rebellion, resentment, grace, and forgiveness. Whether you're waiting on a prodigal, carrying pain from fractured relationships, or trying to hold your family together through difficult seasons, this message offers hope...

Forgiveness is one of the hardest things we're called to do—and one of the most important. In this message, Pastor Stephen Mizell walks through Jesus' parable of the unmerciful servant in Matthew 18 and unpacks the real cost of holding onto unforgiveness. What feels like control can actually become a prison—draining your joy, affecting your relationships, and keeping you stuck in the past. This co...

Mental health and anxiety are realities many people are carrying—but what if some of what's overwhelming us isn't just what's happening around us… but what's growing within us? In this message, Pastor Stephen Mizell explores the Parable of the Sower with a focus on the thorny soil—revealing how worry, distraction, and the constant pursuit of more can quietly choke out the peace God is trying to gr...

What has God placed in your hands — and are you actually using it? In this message from our  Stories Jesus Told series, Pastor Stephen Mizell unpacks the Parable of the Talents and challenges us to stop being "display only" Christians. Whether you feel like you only have one talent or you're paralyzed by fear, this message will call you to dig it up, dust it off, and put it in the game. KEY TAKEAW...

Have you ever gotten frustrated watching someone else receive a blessing you felt they didn't earn? In this first message of our new series Stories Jesus Told , Pastor Stephen Mizell unpacks the Parable of the Vineyard Workers from Matthew 20 — and what it reveals about God's scandalous, unmerited grace. Whether you've been following Jesus for decades or you're just now getting over, this message...

It all comes down to this moment. In this powerful Resurrection Sunday message, Pastor Stephen Mizell unpacks why the resurrection of Jesus isn't just a tradition or a good story—it's the foundation of everything we believe. If the tomb is empty, it changes your past, your present, and your future. This message will challenge what you believe about Jesus and invite you to experience His power—not...

What happens when praise turns into pressure? On Palm Sunday, the crowd welcomed Jesus as King with shouts of "Hosanna!"—but just days later, many of those same voices cried out "Crucify Him." In this message, Pastor Stephen Mizell challenges us to examine the tension between our expectations of Jesus and the reality of who He truly is. Are we following Jesus… or just our expectations of Him? 🔑 K...

What are you expecting from Jesus? As Easter approaches, Kevin Daughety challenges us to examine a question many of us never stop to ask: Are we seeking Jesus for what He can give us—or for who He is? Looking at the feeding of the 5,000 in John 6, this message exposes how easy it is to chase provision while missing transformation. Jesus invites us into something deeper—a relationship that requires...

What if the happiest people in life aren't the ones with fewer problems—but the ones who know their purpose? In the final week of our Four Cups series, guest speaker Chris Hodges , founding pastor of Church of the Highlands , walks through the four promises God made in Exodus 6:6–7 and how they reveal the spiritual journey God has for every believer. From salvation to freedom to purpose and ultima...

n Week 3 of the "Four Cups" series , Pastor Stephen Mizell explores the Cup of Redemption from Exodus 6:6–7 . Before the Red Sea parted… before the miracles… God made four powerful promises to His people. In this message, we focus on the third promise: "I will redeem you." Redemption isn't just about being forgiven—it's about restored value and discovering the purpose God created you for. God does...

In this message from our Four Cups series, Pastor Stephen Mizell teaches how God not only brings us out of bondage — He also works to remove bondage from within us. Drawing from Exodus 6 and the promise "I will free you," this sermon explores how true freedom is a process shaped by renewed thinking, healing, and community. If you've ever felt saved but still stuck, this message will help you under...

What if the first miracle God ever did for His people wasn't parting the Red Sea — but simply letting them know He knew them? In this first message of our new series The Four Cups , Pastor Stephen Mizell unpacks the ancient Passover tradition rooted in Exodus 6:6-7 and shows how God's four promises — "I will bring you out, I will free you, I will redeem you, I will take you as my own" — are a road...

This week's message concludes our 7-week series through the book of James, exploring what it truly means to live an integrated faith—where what we believe actually shapes how we live. Pastor Stephen Mizell challenges us to embrace the long game of discipleship through three essential characteristics: patience, prayer, and persistence. Mature faith doesn't burn bright and fade fast—it stays, it pra...

Not all wisdom is created equal. In this episode, Pastor Stephen Mizell from Open Door Church in Edenton, NC, tackles one of the most critical questions facing believers today: Where is your wisdom coming from—and where is it taking you? Continuing the Integrated series through the book of James, Pastor Stephen unpacks James chapters 3 and 4 to reveal the stark difference between earthly wisdom an...

If you want to know where your life is headed, listen to what's coming out of your mouth. Join Pastor Stephen Mizell for this week's message from James 3 about the incredible power of our words to direct, destroy, and diagnose our lives. In this online-only service (due to weather), we continue our journey through the book of James, exploring how faith moves from belief to behavior. This week, we...

Is your faith alive? In this week's message from our "Integrated" series, Pastor Stephen Mizell examines James 2:14-26 and challenges us with a simple truth: a faith that doesn't act isn't alive. Join us as we explore what it means to close the gap between what we say we believe and how we actually live. This isn't about judgment—it's about diagnosis. Just like a doctor identifies health issues to...

What if the church's biggest problem isn't hatred, but the subtle ways we treat people differently? In this week's message from our "Integrated" series, Pastor Stephen Mizell confronts a truth that hits closer to home than we'd like to admit: we all have prejudices. Drawing from James 2, this sermon challenges us to examine how we show favoritism—whether based on wealth, appearance, motivation, or...

What if the biggest lie you'll ever hear isn't from the culture, the media, or even the enemy - but from yourself? In this week's message from the book of James, Pastor Stephen Mizell tackles one of the most common problems in the church today: we're information-rich but obedience-poor. Drawing from James 1:19-27, Pastor Stephen uses the powerful metaphor of a mirror to show how God's Word reveals...

Start your year with powerful insight into how God uses pressure to refine your faith! In this first message of our new series "Integrated," Pastor Stephen unpacks James 1:1-18 to reveal why trials aren't meant to break us—they're meant to complete us. Discover the difference between testing and temptation, learn why God allows difficulties in your life, and find out how endurance develops through...

In this week's Advent sermon, Pastor Stephen Mizell challenges us to rethink everything we thought we knew about love. As we light the fourth Advent candle, discover why love isn't just a warm feeling or sentimental decoration—it's a Person you meet and a divine action that changes everything. Drawing from 1 John 4:7-12, Pastor Stephen unpacks the profound truth that God doesn't just love—He IS lo...

Are you struggling to find joy this Christmas season? In this week's message, Pastor Stephen Mizell cuts through the shallow happiness of the holidays to reveal what real joy actually is—and where it comes from. Through the lens of Mary's Magnificat prayer in Luke 1, discover how a teenage girl facing scandal, fear, and uncertainty chose to magnify God instead of her overwhelming circumstances. Th...