Recreate Church

In the World to Win the World Today, Pastor Michael is preaching about being in the world to win the world.  In this episode, Jesus will speak to the reality of our dual citizenship: heaven and earth. The timeframe of this lesson is about 48 hours before Jesus is crucified on the cross. The leaders at this point were sick of Jesus because he was a light that would take away their control.  These l...

Honor God With Your Vineyard. Today, Pastor Michael is discussing a parable Jesus taught about workers in a vineyard. He had just had an encounter with religious elites, those who should have been the most excited about Jesus, but they did not like Jesus at all!  The zealots did not recognize that the power and authority that they had was not for their own benefit; it was to help people! The templ...

Embrace Your New Identity Today, Pastor Michael is continuing the study of Ephesians, a letter of instruction given to believers by Paul.  Paul talks of the old person versus the new person in Christ.  The challenge before you is to embrace your new identity. Paul is stating here that you will have times when the old you comes back, and it will take focus to live your life in a new way.  Seek the...

Not Who I Used to Be Today, Pastor Michael is talking about how new life in Jesus is truly new.  The old person creeps in occasionally, though!  The big idea for this series is that the old man has no place in the new life.  In Ephesians, Paul is talking to people in Ephesus and warning them that now that they know Jesus, they can’t go back and live how they used to live.  We live in tension betwe...

New Man, New Understanding Today, Pastor Michael is doing some brain work (you’ll love his example!); the basic meaning is that to believe in Jesus is to become a new man (person). First thing, the New Testament teaches that a relationship with Jesus is the ultimate eye-opener.  Some things cannot be understood until you trust and have a relationship with Jesus.  Next, Paul mentions not to be ‘cal...

New Man, New Mind.   Today, Pastor Michael is talking about the end of the year and the beginnings associated with a fresh, new year. This is the time of year folks say, “New Year, New Me,” and is this really true?  Michael today is talking about “New Man, New Mind”, as Jesus develops a new mind in us as His followers, a more fitting resolution for new beginnings. The original name of our faith wa...

The Night Before the First Christmas. Today, Pastor Michael is preaching on Christmas Eve, and that’s special all by itself!  So where was Jesus on Christmas Eve?  In the womb of Mary! But where was Jesus before that?  When did he come into existence?  Was it when He was conceived?  Or before? Six Truths About Jesus BEFORE Bethlehem: Jesus was pre-existant. He was there before time existed.  Befor...

God With Us. Today, Pastor Michael introduces us to Beverly Burton of the Peacemaker’s School of Petit-Goave, Haiti.  Her message is incredibly inspiring, being in their tenth year of school in a country that is lawless and run mostly by gangs.  Her message makes anyone appreciate the luxuries we enjoy in this country, but we can always do more to help folks in Haiti.  Please pray for Beverly’s mi...

Joy to the (Messed Up) World. Today, Pastor Michael is talking about our current world where the stress and the struggle can pile on!  Christmas amps it up, with all the shopping crowds and noise.  If only life weren’t so full of chaos! So, we should strive for inner peace: true joy is inner contentment despite outer conflict.  How can we have this?  How can we get this? Jesus = Joy!  If you want...

Jesus vs The Authorities Today, Pastor Michael is in the heart of a quiet forest with a cold stream meandering through, and two soldiers in shining armor move forward to a figure, standing in plain wool clothing and a wicker basket with large fish in it.  The man is whistling as he’s swinging a bamboo pole, and he’s fishing in the ROYAL POND!  He’s trespassing on the King’s land.  The man, however...

What's Been Taking the Air Out of Your Prayers? Today, Pastor Michael is talking about forgiveness and regular daily forgiveness, an essential part of any relationship that lasts.  And the big part here is the relationship of forgiveness to our prayers. The main idea of the day is, “Unforgiveness takes the air out of your prayer!”  If you realize there is something unforgiven between you and anoth...

God Meets You Where You Are. Today, Pastor Michael turns over the reigns to Billy Huneycutt, who is doing his “The Potter” sermon.  This, coincidentally, cannot be fully appreciated as audio only, so we’re linking to his sermon a year ago here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuBI82gXXkE ; here, you can get a visual of what he’s doing.  Verses can be found in John 8 and Jeremiah 18.  Scripture quo...

Move the Mountain. Today, Pastor Michael summarizes the sermon: “Prayer moves mountains, and the first mountain that must move is in me.” Today’s story takes place three days before His crucifixion.  This is two days after the Triumphal Entry and one day when He ran the money changers out of the temple.  In that table-turning story, Jesus encountered a fig tree, found no fruit, and cursed the tree...

The Fruitless Tree Today, Pastor Michael discusses when you thought something would help you, but it didn’t.  A time when Jesus found a fruit tree that didn’t grow fruit.  An obscure story that surrounds a famous story, but the fruitless tree withers whether it be a fig, a nation, or you and me.   This is one day after Jesus entered Jerusalem, and He knew deep down that the folks therein did not u...

The Expectation of Transformation Today, Pastor Michael is talking about how disappointment can be rooted in expectations that weren’t matched with reality.  Having expectations rooted directly in the Word of God is central to a vibrant, joy-filled life with Jesus.  Picking up in Mark, Jesus is in a crowd following him, based on an expectation that did not rely on reality. The right expectation is...

God’s Plan for Church Leaders Today, Pastor Michael’s subject is church leadership.  The New Testament calls these leaders “elders”.  Elders, shepherds, and overseers are our keywords today.  Elders lead by wisdom, love, stewardship, and trust. A shepherd is someone who shepherds or cares for God's flock. In our churches today, we typically call them pastors. The overseer directs and guides.  Thes...

The Scandal of The Cross (Lord’s Supper Service) Today, Pastor Michael tells the story of Hosea, a prophet who married a prostitute.  This is, needless to say, an untenable situation for Hosea, yet he loved her and never gave up on his wife’s infidelity.  He loves and cares about her, always bringing her back home.  We’re used to the idea that love is conditional; one has to meet a certain standar...

The Freedom of Letting Go. Today, Pastor Michael is covering the story of a man who had to let something go that was the most crucial thing he had.  Freedom is found when we learn to let go. We are following Jesus as they make their way from Galilee in the north to Jerusalem in the country’s center.  They are going to celebrate Passover.  Nearly everyone went to Jerusalem and would go through Jeri...

Greatness is in Service Today, Pastor Michael is talking about service.  Greatness is not in being served; it’s in serving.  During this time, Jesus’ expression has changed and is totally transfixed.  He tells his disciples that The Romans will kill him and that on the third day, He will rise.  Jesus prophesied both His death and resurrection.  James and John go to Jesus and ask Him to let them si...

With God, All Things Are Possible Today, Pastor Michael is turning over the reigns to Billy Huneycutt.  Billy reads from the Gospel of Mark, where a man runs up to Jesus and falls on his knees before him, asking, “What must I do, good teacher, to inherit eternal life?”.  Jesus counsels the man that no one is good but God alone and that he knows the commandments.  The man replied that he had done a...

His Performance, Your Acceptance Today, Pastor Michael is talking about how “acceptance must be earned,” an idea that we pick up at a young age, teaching us that we must perform at a certain level.  Living in a world where our acceptance is based on our performance, most folks believe God must love us similarly: that we must meet the standards and the requirements. God’s acceptance of us cannot be...

The Subject I Wanted to Skip Today, Pastor Michael is talking about one of the most painful experiences in life…divorce.  Hard topic to cover but Michael’s going there!  Jesus is heading towards Jerusalem and telling his disciples he’ll be arrested and crucified.  The disciples still don’t get the overall picture, but the Pharisees are back with even more “not getting it.”  And they bring up the q...

Salt and Fire. Today, Pastor Michael is talking about how Christianity isn’t always an easy path to follow.  God will bring good from the things that test us.  Michael’s memory jingle for the day is “Tribulation is transformation. Integrity is Influence.”  That’s what today’s message is all about! Jesus mentions salt and fire in today’s verses in Mark, and it is said, “salted with fire”.  The fire...

Cut Off What Cuts You Off From God Today, Pastor Michael discusses Jesus’ teaching on cutting off (symbolically / hyperbole) things that cause sin and lead to spiritual separation.  Here, Jesus tells His followers to cut off limbs that lead to sin, for example, their hand, if it causes them to sin.  Jesus is not teaching mutilation; He is teaching that sin originates in the heart.  One can lose a...

W-A-T-E-R Today, Pastor Michael is departing from his study of the book of Mark and talking about baptism and its meaning. We’re in Acts today, in the early days of the Christian movement, a few years after the Resurrection, when most of the believers were centered in Jerusalem.  An angel of the Lord comes to Philip, tells him to head to Gaza, and doesn’t tell him why. But he IS an angel, and Phil...