the Cross Orlando

A conversational study of Israel at Sinai in Exodus 19, examining God's offer to make the people a kingdom of priests and a holy nation if they keep his covenant, and the interplay of grace and judgment in that conditional promise, featuring guests Carol Forrest and Brian Carlson.

Continuing the series on the church, this message turns to Abraham in Genesis 12, examining God's call to leave his homeland and the covenant promise to bless all families of the earth through him, as part of God's unfolding strategy to draw humanity back to himself.

The opening message of a six-to-eight-week series on what the church is, beginning in Matthew 16:13-18 with Peter's confession of Jesus as the Christ and Jesus' declaration to build his church, framed by reflections on denominational unity across diverse congregations.

Brian preaches on kindness from Luke 6:32-36, distinguishing genuine kindness from mere niceness and showing how loving enemies and doing good without expecting return reflects the character of God, who is kind even to the ungrateful and evil.

An Epiphany message on the wise men from Matthew 2, contrasting the magi's worship of the newborn king with Herod's tunnel-vision violence and his advisors who knew Scripture yet missed Jesus, warning against being too absorbed in our own agendas to see what God is doing.

Continuing the Christmas characters series, a message on Simeon from Luke 2:21-35, covering Jesus' circumcision and the covenant with Abraham, Mary and Joseph's temple sacrifices, and Simeon's Spirit-led recognition of the Lord's Christ.

A Christmas message on the shepherds in the nativity story from Luke 2, examining the context of shepherds keeping watch at night, the possible lambing season and sacrificial-lamb connection, and what their role reveals about Jesus' birth.

An Advent reflection on the theme of joy, drawn from Nehemiah 8:9-12 and the declaration that the joy of the Lord is the people's strength, given as a gift rather than earned, featuring a conversation with guests Carol Forrest and Brian Carlson.

An Advent reflection on the theme of love, exploring Paul's description of love in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 as a measuring stick fulfilled in Jesus, featuring a conversation with guests Carol Forrest and Brian Carlson.

An Advent week-two reflection on the theme of peace, drawn from John 14:25-27 and Jesus' promise of the Holy Spirit as helper and the gift of his peace, featuring a conversation with guests Carol Forrest and Brian Carlson.

An Advent week-one reflection on the theme of hope, centered on Romans 5 and the certainty of standing in grace and rejoicing in suffering, featuring a conversation with guests Carol Forrest and Brian Carlson.

An Advent message on the Christmas story in Luke 2, noting that the traditional "innkeeper" is not actually mentioned in Scripture, and contrasting the powerful Caesar Augustus with the humble, anonymous setting of Jesus' birth.

An Advent message on Joseph in Matthew 1, examining Matthew's genealogy of Jesus through Joseph (compared with the genealogy in 1 Chronicles), and how Matthew presents Jesus as the son of David from a Jewish perspective.

A conversational message on Bezalel in Exodus 35, whom God filled with his Spirit and skill to craft the tabernacle, featuring an interview with Carol Forrest and Brian Carlson reflecting on God filling artists with the Spirit and being the source of beauty.

The first Sunday of Advent, continuing the theme of God working through people, this message looks at Mary in Luke 1 and the angel Gabriel's announcement, reflecting on how God chose a young woman from the humble town of Nazareth to bring the Messiah into the world.

A conversational message on Joseph in Genesis 41, where Pharaoh elevates him over Egypt after he interprets the dreams, featuring an interview with Carol Forrest and Brian Carlson reflecting on using one's gifts and how Pharaoh's generosity to Joseph mirrors God's generosity toward us.

On the last Sunday of the church year, and continuing the series on God working through people, this message looks at the story of Zacchaeus in Luke, reflecting again on how God chooses to accomplish his work through ordinary people rather than acting alone.

Continuing the series on God working through people, this message walks through the book of Jonah, whom God calls to go to Nineveh, exploring Jonah's reluctance and how God accomplishes his purposes through a prophet who would rather flee.

A conversational message on the story of Noah in Genesis 6, featuring an interview with Carol Forrest and Brian Carlson reflecting on why God used a flood and an ark, Noah's perseverance amid ridicule, and the ark as an image of salvation and the church.

Continuing the series on God's calling, this guest-preached message tells the story of Joshua, set against the covenant with Abraham and Moses' commissioning of Joshua in Deuteronomy 31 to "be strong and courageous" and lead Israel across the Jordan into the promised land.

Continuing the series on God's calling, this message looks at the prophet Jeremiah, beginning in Jeremiah 1 and referencing his complaint in chapter 20 about a calling he could not escape ("a fire in my bones"), exploring callings that feel inescapable.

A conversational message on Genesis 1:26-28 and humanity being created in the image of God, featuring an interview with Carol Forrest and Brian Carlson reflecting on what bearing God's image means and that God creates each person intentionally out of love.

Esther 4: Esther

A conversational message on Jesus and Peter walking on the water in Matthew 14:22-33, featuring an interview with Carol Forrest and Brian Carlson reflecting on Peter's impulsive faith, fear, and Jesus immediately reaching out to save him.

Continuing the series on God's calling, this message turns to 2 Samuel 6 and the story of David, reflecting (after Gideon) on how God works through people's own initiative and desires, picking up David's life after his fame for defeating Goliath.