Sermon Podcast

Elder Team member Terry Szymanski is back in the pulpit for the third time in 2025 to bring us a topical sermon about struggles with doubt among the people of God. After sharing precious and personal good news about the recent birth of his first granddaughter, Terry centers his message on John the Baptist in Matt. 11:1-15: “Our Response to Doubts” (vv. 1-3); “Jesus’ Response to Our Doubts” (vv. 4-...

Pastor Brent brings us his final Advent sermon in the book of Ruth. This precious OT book features Boaz as a type of Christ; Ruth as representative of Gentiles being graciously brought into the family of God; and the genealogy of King David which foreshadows the genealogy of Jesus Christ (see Matt. 1:1-17). This final passage has “Hope for Renewal” (vv. 13-17) and “Hope for a King” (vv. 18-22). Go...

On this third Sunday of Advent, Pastor Brent brings his fourth sermon in the book of Ruth. By way of introduction, Pastor Brent reminds us that the purpose of giving gifts is relational, costly, and caring on the part of the giver—all ultimately reflecting Jesus’ sacrificial love in redeeming us. In this longest passage in our Advent 2025 sermon series, Pastor Brent preaches that “Redemption is Re...

Pastor Brent brings us the third of five Advent sermons in the book of Ruth. He opens with an illustration of the life of Susanna Wesley, who through may hardships and trials committed herself to daily Bible reading, prayer and journaling and raised two giants of the Christian faith, John and Charles. Similarly, the hardships of Ruth 1 have led to “God’s Providence” in Ruth 2:1-7; “God’s Favor” (v...

We continue our Advent series in Ruth. Pastor Brent’s opening illustration focuses on a family from within our congregation, the Killams, who are faithfully enduring painful trials. This leads into Ruth 1:6-22, where the word “return” is repeated 12 times, reflected in this sermon’s outline: “Returning Home” (vv. 6-7); “Returning or Turning?” (vv. 8-18); and “Returning Empty” (vv. 19-22). Key less...

On this pre-Thanksgiving Sunday, Pastor Brent begins our 2025 Advent sermon series in the book of Ruth. Key theological themes in Ruth include Suffering and Pain; Trust and Commitment; Redemption and Restoration; and Unworthy and Worthy. In this opening passage, Pastor Brent sets the stage with “Troubles” (vv. 1-2) and “Tragedy” (v. 3-5). A key to this passage is that “God’s lovingkindness, his wi...

It’s time for some good news! After investing seven weeks focusing on the bad news of human sin in Rom. 1:18-3:20, Pastor Brent shifts gears to the glorious GOOD NEWS—the gospel—in Rom. 3:21-31. This foundational passage for the Christian faith defines “Righteousness Given” (vv. 21-26) and “Boasting Taken Away” (vv. 27-31). In addition to reviewing common objections to Christianity and the two dan...

Pastor Paul tackles the last in a series of “bad news” passages which began with Romans 1:18 and continues through 3:9-20. We are all sinners, whether unrighteous or self-righteous. The hard truth in this text is that we are all under “The Power of Sin” (v. 9); we all experience “The Pervasiveness of Sin” (vv. 10-18); and we all know the clear verdict of our condition through “The Perspective of S...

Pastor Brent opens this week’s sermon by quoting Matt. 5:17-20. This sets the stage for his examination of Rom. 3:1-8: “Is God’s Promise of Salvation Conditional or Unconditional?” (vv. 1-4); “How is This Fair?” (vv. 5-6); and “Why Does It Matter How I Live?” (vv. 7-8). The gospel destroys both legalism and license, as both the conditional and unconditional are fulfilled in Christ! Because Jesus p...

Rounding out our 3rd week in Rom. 2, Pastor Brent opens with Matt. 23:25-28 and a convicting illustration that salvation precedes true moral and behavioral change. He then preaches on “Self-Righteousness of Moralism” (vv. 17-24); “Self-Deception of Moralism” (vv. 25-27); and “Solution to Moralism” (vv. 28-29). Within his three main sections, Pastor Brent also outlines “Symptoms of Moralism” (false...

Pastor Brent continues in “The Glorious Gospel,” our year-long sermon series in the Book of Romans. Ch. 2 continues unfolding the bad news—and the good news—of the judgment of God. After Pastor Brent sets up this passage with v. 5, we see “Criteria for Judgment” (vv. 6 -11); “Conditions for Judgment” (vv. 12-15); and “Cure for Judgment” (v. 16). God is just in His judgment because all people are c...

On the same morning as his commissioning, Associate Pastor Paul Arneberg preaches from Romans 2:1-4. After his introduction glorifying the Lord for His guidance and will in bringing him and Wendy to this area, church, and role, Pastor Paul outlines this passage as follows: “No Excuse” (v. 1); “Inescapable Truth” (vv. 2-3); and “Contempt or Repentance?” (v. 4). Using the Parable of the Pharisee and...

Pastor Brent Kompelien leads the commissioning of Paul Arneberg as Associate Pastor at New Life EFC. Comments by elders Ernest Stellingwerff, Glenn Olson, Scott McCall and Terry Szymanski are included. The Elders and other ministry leaders gathered around Paul and his wife, Wendy, to commission him to this new role which, as written in the Elders’ letter, “…will bring greater intentionality to Pau...

Continuing in our 2025-2026 series, Pastor Brent reminds us that the Book of Romans is all about the gospel, which includes the bad news. Building off of the thesis statement of 1:16-17, this week’s passage focuses on unrighteousness, and the next three messages will focus on self-righteousness (2:1-29). Pastor Brent’s opening illustration from The Prodigal Son (Luke 15) reminds us that both unrig...

Having covered the thesis statement of Romans last week (1:16-17), Pastor Brent now focuses on three powerful verses that serve to introduce Rom. 1:21-2:29. In 1:18-20, we see “God’s Wrath” (v. 18); “God’s Revelation” (vv. 19-20a); and “God’s Righteousness” (v. 20b). All are sinners, whether through rebellious unrighteousness (1:21-32) or pharisaical self-righteousness (2:1-29). We are dead in our...

In the third week of our Romans series scheduled through late 2026, we’ve arrived at the letter’s thesis statement. Pastor Brent explains “What the Gospel Does” (v. 16); “What the Gospel Is” (v. 17a); and “How the Gospel is Received” (v. 17b). Among his key lessons, he asserts that this short passage is intensely practical, driving us to trust in the power of God much like an ice skater (regardles...

Pastor Brent continues our new series by reminding us of the overview of the gospel as seen through the entire Book of Romans. The gospel: REVEALS our sin and God’s righteousness (ch. 1-4); TRANSFORMS us into a new humanity (ch. 5-8); FULFILLS the OT promises to Israel (ch. 9-11); and UNIFIES the church under Christ (ch. 12-16). After defining what faith is and what faith is not, Pastor Brent outl...

Pastor Brent launches a sermon series on The Letter of Paul to the Romans. With breaks for Advent 2025 and Summer 2026, this series will last 15 months and focus on “the gospel of God" (Rom. 1:1). After overviewing this masterpiece written by the Apostle Paul through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Pastor Brent walks through the first seven verses: “Gospel Call” (v. 1); “Gospel Message” (vv. 2...

Pastor Brent wraps up our 17-week Summer in the Psalms series with Psalm 145. Old Testament scholar James Mays describes this psalm as “the overture to the final movement of the Psalter,” and Psalms 145-150 are symphony of praise to the LORD! The theme of Psalm 145 is testimony: testifying to God’s work, who He is, and what He has done. This acrostic poem of the entire Hebrew alphabet is a “Guide...

Back in the pulpit for the first time in 15 weeks, Pastor Brent brings the penultimate message in our Summer in the Psalms series. After recapping his sabbatical with a few examples of adventures with his family, he opens Psalm 133 and describes “What Unity is Not” (neither harmony nor uniformity), “What Unity Is” (founded, focused, and fixing our eyes on Christ), and “Why Unity is Important”. Pas...

The last in a series of 11 different preachers spanning 14 weeks through Pastor Brent’s sabbatical, New Life welcomes Carlton Harris, acting president of the EFCA. Drawing on his 46 years as a husband, father, grandfather, and church leader, Carlton offers fatherly wisdom from a shepherd’s heart through Psalm 51. After a personal introduction, Carlton welcomes back Pastor Brent and admonishes the...

Psalm 121 is precious to many people who love the Lord and love Psalms, which preacher Paul Arneberg prays applies to all who are listening. Paul shares personal stories from his recent and distant past of how the Lord has powerfully used Psalm 121 in his own life and through three women who died in faith in Christ. The second in a series of 15 “songs of ascent” sang by ancient Jewish pilgrims jou...

Frank Lanier is the Director of Leadership Development for the North Central District of the EFCA. In this message, Frank begins with his family background and a personal announcement that he and his family are soon leaving the NCD for a church planting call in his home state of North Carolina. After overviewing Psalm 119 as an acrostic of the entire Hebrew alphabet and highlighting several terms...

Just three weeks into his retirement from four decades of service through and to the EFCA as pastor, president, and TEDS president, Kevin Kompelien preaches God’s Word in Psalm 62. While Kevin purposefully avoided any “Brent stories,” he offered heartfelt appreciation to New Life EFC for loving Brent and his family these past seven years (and counting) and sending him on his current sabbatical. Ke...

Halfway between Memorial Day and Labor Day 2025, Paul Arneberg reminds New Life to keep reading Psalms as we continue our summer sermon series. After exploring the phenomenon of singing (by angels, birds, people, and in films), Paul highlights three themes from Psalm 96: “Sing to the LORD” (vv. 1-6); “Ascribe to the LORD Worship and Reverence” (vv. 7-9); and “Share the LORD by Declaring His Glory,...