The Journey Church Houston Podcast

What does it mean to follow Jesus in a world that often feels hostile to faith? In this opening message of our Faithful in Exile series through 1 Peter, we explore Peter's call to Christians living as "elect exiles"—people whose ultimate citizenship is in God's coming kingdom. If you've ever wrestled with suffering, felt out of place, or wondered how the gospel speaks to the pressures of everyday...

Have you ever felt like you're searching for something more—more purpose, more peace, more hope—but never quite finding it? In John 8:12, Jesus makes one of the most astonishing claims in all of Scripture: "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." In this message, we explore what Jesus meant by calling Himself the Light of the Wor...

When evil appears to be winning, how can we have hope? As we conclude our series through Daniel, we come to one of the Bible's most sobering, and hope-filled, visions. Daniel sees the rise of a future self-exalting ruler, a time of unprecedented trouble, and what appears to be the triumph of evil. Yet beneath the chaos, God is still sovereign. The final victory of evil is not actually the triumph...

How can we prepare for suffering before it comes? In Daniel 10–11, God gives Daniel a remarkable vision of future kingdoms, political upheavals, spiritual conflict, and persecution. Yet the purpose of the prophecy is not merely to satisfy our curiosity about the future. It is to prepare God's people to remain faithful when suffering comes. One of the central messages of this passage is that God do...

How do you find hope in a world marked by suffering, injustice, and brokenness? In Daniel 9, we encounter one of the most significant prophecies in all of Scripture. As Daniel prays for the restoration of Israel, God answers with a glimpse into His greater plan, a plan to deal with sin, bring everlasting righteousness, and fulfill His promises through the coming Messiah. In this message, Pastor St...

When the world feels unstable, how can we remain steadfast and unshaken? In Daniel 8, God gives Daniel a vision of rising and falling kingdoms, powerful rulers, persecution, and suffering yet to come. At first glance, the vision seems troubling. But beneath the chaos is a reassuring truth: God is sovereign over history. The rise and fall of empires, the struggles of God's people, and even the dark...

When the world feels unstable, where can we look for hope? In Daniel 7, the prophet Daniel receives a dramatic vision of beastly kingdoms rising from the sea, arrogant rulers opposing God, and a future marked by suffering and uncertainty. Yet above the chaos sits the Ancient of Days on His throne, and to the Son of Man is given an everlasting kingdom that will never be destroyed. In this message,...

What happens after we die? Is the Christian hope simply escaping to heaven—or something far greater? In this final session of our “Nicene Creed: Foundations of the Christian Faith” Discipleship Class, Pastor Mace Perez explores one of the most beautiful and often misunderstood truths of Christianity: “We look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the age to come.” Together, we consider...

What do we do when what is right and what feels easiest don’t line up? In Daniel 6, we encounter the familiar story of Daniel in the lions’ den. But beneath the surface is a deeper invitation to lives of quiet, steady faithfulness in a world constantly pulling our hearts in different directions. Daniel’s courage wasn’t built in a single dramatic moment. It was formed through years of ordinary obed...

What happens when powerful rulers come face to face with the God of heaven? In this sermon from Daniel 4–5, we explore the rise and fall of Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar and the ancient story behind the phrase “the writing is on the wall.” Through dreams, pride, judgment, and restoration, the book of Daniel reminds us that history is not random and our lives are not ruled by fate or chance. There...

What does the Holy Spirit actually do—and how does His work become real in our lives today? In Session 10 of our Nicene Creed: Foundations of the Christian Faith Discipleship Class, Pastor Steven Hiller explores the ministry of the Holy Spirit in and through the Church. The Spirit is not distant or abstract—He is actively speaking through Scripture, forming a people, and drawing us into the realit...

What do you do when doing the right thing actually makes life harder? In this message from Daniel 3, Pastor Mace Perez walks through one of the most well-known accounts in Scripture—the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—and shows us that it’s not ultimately about escaping the fire… but about who is with you in it. We all face pressure, uncertainty, and fear—moments where we don’t control th...

What comes to mind when you hear “Holy Spirit”? For some, it feels mysterious… even confusing. Is the Spirit a force? A feeling? Just God’s presence? Or is He something more? In this session of our Nicene Creed: Foundations of the Christian Faith Discipleship Class, Pastor Mace Perez helps us slow down and look carefully at what the Creed—and more importantly, Scripture—actually says about the Hol...

What happens when everything that feels strong starts to fall apart? In this episode, Pastor Mace Perez walks through Book of Daniel chapter 2 and helps us wrestle with a question many of us feel but don’t always say out loud: Where can I find a foundation that won’t collapse when everything else does? Comfort, success, relationships, health, financial stability—these things can look secure in the...

What if the future isn’t something to fear—but something to hope for? In this episode, Pastor Mace Perez teaches from the Nicene Creed on the return of Christ—what it means that Jesus will come again in glory, judge the living and the dead, and establish a kingdom that will never end. These ideas can feel confusing or even unsettling. But Scripture presents them as good news. Walking through passa...

Something about the world we’re living in feels different. Many people sense it, even if they struggle to find the right words to describe it. The Bible has a word for that experience: exile. In Daniel 1, we meet a young man taken from his home and immersed in a new culture with different values and expectations. Rather than responding with hostility or compromise, Daniel lives with wisdom, humili...

What is Jesus doing right now? We often think about what Jesus did—his birth, his death, even his resurrection. But the Nicene Creed invites us to consider something we often overlook: what Christ is doing today. In this session from our Nicene Creed series, we explore three defining movements of Christ’s ministry: He rose. He ascended. He is seated. This isn’t just theology for the classroom—it’s...

Life feels unsettled right now—political division, global conflict, constant change. It’s easy to wonder: Who’s really in control? Is history just chaos? Where can I find hope and peace? In this opening message from our series in the book of Daniel, Pastor Mace Perez invites us into the story of a young man taken into exile under a powerful empire—and into a truth that changes everything: history...

What if Easter isn’t the end of the story? We often think of the resurrection as the grand finale—Jesus dies, and then He rises. Death defeated. Hope restored. And that’s true. But the Gospel of Mark tells the story differently. It ends not with celebration, but with tension…with fear…with people who don’t know what to do next. Almost like the story isn’t finished yet. In this Easter message from...

How do you know when someone truly loves you? It’s not just in what someone says—it’s in what they do. And the clearest expressions of love are often the most costly. In this episode, Pastor Mace Perez continues our Nicene Creed series by exploring the meaning of Christ’s death: that He “was crucified… suffered… and was buried… for us.” Far from abstract theology, these words point to real histori...

On Palm Sunday, Jesus enters Jerusalem to the shouts of “Hosanna!”—hailed as the long-awaited King and the fulfillment of God’s promises. But the crowd’s expectations didn’t fully match His mission. In this message from Mark 11:1–11, we explore The King Who Came to Suffer—how Jesus reveals Himself as the true King, not by conquering through power, but by giving His life. The Triumphal Entry offers...

What does it really mean that God became human—and why does it matter for your life? In Session 5 of our Nicene Creed class, Pastor Steven Hiller explores one of the most profound and central claims of the Christian faith: the incarnation of Jesus Christ. This isn’t abstract theology—it’s the heart of the Christian Story. From the first promise in Genesis to the humility of Christ in Philippians,...

What if the biggest battles in your life aren’t the ones you can see? In this sermon from Ephesians 6:10–24, Pastor Mace Perez explores the reality that behind so much of the confusion, discouragement, and division we experience, there is a deeper, unseen spiritual conflict. But instead of calling us to fear, the apostle Paul calls the church to stand—together—in the strength that God provides. Dr...

What does it actually look like when the gospel begins to change someone’s life? It’s easy to look spiritual for an hour on Sunday. But what about the other 167 hours of the week? What would the people closest to us—our spouse, our kids, our coworkers, or our classmates—say about our character and our faith? In this sermon from Epistle to the Ephesians 5:22–6:9, Pastor Mace Perez explores what the...

What does it mean to live as children of light in a dark world? In this sermon from Ephesians 5:1–21, we explore the Apostle Paul’s call for Christians to live out their identity in Christ. Writing to new Gentile believers, Paul reminds them—and us—that the Christian life begins with who we already are in Christ. Through Jesus, we are united to Him in salvation and united to one another in His Chu...