The Steel City Church

What's actually holding you back from a real, powerful connection with God? In this opening message of the Grow series, Pastor Chris Richards digs into Matthew 13:53–58 — the moment Jesus returns to his hometown of Nazareth and is met not with wonder, but with rejection. And the result? He did few miracles there because of their unbelief. The greatest obstacle to enjoying connection with God i...

Nobody puts "be persecuted" on their vision board. But Jesus ends the Beatitudes with exactly that promise — and calls it the blessed life. In this message from Matthew 5:10–12, Pastor Chris Richards brings the Happy Life Series to a close with a question every follower of Jesus eventually has to answer: Will you choose the Kingdom even if it costs you the approval of the world? Using th...

What if peace is more than the absence of conflict? In a world filled with division, outrage, fractured relationships, and constant tension, Jesus makes a surprising declaration:“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.” (Matthew 5:9)In this message from The Happy Life series, we discover that biblical peacemaking is far more than keeping the peace or avoiding difficult co...

Are you exhausted, burnt out, and running on empty — but can't seem to stop? In this standalone message from Matthew 11:28–30, Zakk Roberts unpacks one of the most radical invitations Jesus ever made: "Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."But what does Jesus actually mean by rest? It's not a vacation. It's not a nap. It's something far deeper. Zakk walks us...

Are you fully devoted to God — or is your heart divided? In this message from Matthew 5:8, Pastor Chris explores the sixth beatitude: "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." Using the vivid imagery of water filtration, we unpack what it truly means to have a pure heart — not a perfect heart, but an undivided one. Drawing from Isaiah 52–53, we discover four movements towar...

We live in a world wired for revenge. But Jesus says the blessed life — the happy life — belongs to the merciful. In this Mother's Day message from Matthew 5:7, we unpack what mercy actually is, why it's so costly, and why it's the native language of the Kingdom of God. Hint: it's not just withholding punishment — it's moving toward people with loyal love and gracious action. T...

Do you know what you're actually hungry for? In this message from Matthew 5:6, Tyler Abernathy unpacks the fourth beatitude: "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled."We all have desires — for satisfaction, security, relief, and pleasure. But Jesus isn't just talking about wanting good things. He's announcing that the truly happy lif...

Who gets the good life? The world says it belongs to the influential, the successful, the impressive. But Jesus says something completely different. In this message from Matthew 5:5, Pastor Chris unpacks one of the most misunderstood beatitudes: "Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth."Meekness isn't weakness. It isn't timidity or insignificance. It's something...

What if true happiness isn’t found in avoiding pain—but in meeting God within it? In this message from The Happy Life series, we explore Jesus’ surprising words in Matthew 5:4:“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.”Our culture teaches us to avoid grief, numb pain, and chase comfort. But Jesus turns that vision upside down. The people we assume are furthest from the “happy life”—...

Everyone is chasing the happy life—but what if we’ve been defining it all wrong? In this powerful message from Matthew 5 and Luke 15, we explore Jesus’ shocking statement:“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs.”That doesn’t sound like happiness…until you understand what Jesus meant. Through the story of the Prodigal Son, this sermon reveals the tension between the wor...

What did Jesus really mean when He said “It is finished”? And what does the resurrection prove about your life today? In this powerful Easter message, we walk through the tension from Palm Sunday to the cross—and ultimately to the empty tomb. The same crowd that shouted “Hosanna!” later cried “Crucify Him!”—revealing a tension that still exists in all of us. But on the cross, Jesus declared one wo...

On Palm Sunday, the crowds praised Jesus as King—but just days later, many would reject Him. Why? Because passionate praise does not always equal accurate worship. In this message from Matthew 21, we explore the tension between what people wanted Jesus to be and who He actually is. The crowds expected a political hero and immediate rescue—but Jesus came for something deeper. This sermon unpacks th...

What if your faithfulness to God is being shaped by the way you see Him? In this sermon from Matthew 25, Pastor Chris walks through Jesus’ Parable of the Talents and shows how our view of God determines our faithfulness. Some people are motivated by fear, anxiety, and paralysis. Others are moved by joy, trust, and a desire to honor the One they love. That tension sits at the center of this powerfu...

What does it mean to be truly prepared? Few feelings are worse than realizing you’re unprepared for something important. Whether it’s an exam you forgot about, a flight you’re about to miss, or a life-changing moment you knew was coming but failed to prepare for, the pit in your stomach is unmistakable. In this message from our Hosanna to Hated series, we explore Jesus’ Parable of the Ten Virgins...

In this message, Jacob Creighton walks through Jesus’ parable of the wedding feast in Matthew 22:1–14 and confronts us with a sobering and beautiful truth: the kingdom of heaven is a feast you don’t want to ignore. Jesus tells a shocking story of a King who prepares an extravagant wedding feast for His Son, sends out invitations, and is met with indifference, rejection, and even violence. But the...

Why do people go from praising Jesus to rejecting Him? In Matthew 21:33–46, Jesus tells the shocking Parable of the Wicked Tenants—a story about people who wanted the benefits of God’s kingdom without submitting to God’s authority. This message kicks off our Hosanna to Hated series, exploring how the crowds who once shouted “Hosanna!” would soon cry out “Crucify Him.” The tension is still real tod...

Jesus doesn’t start with a command—He starts with identity. In Matthew 5:13–16, Jesus looks at ordinary people and declares, “You are the salt of the earth…You are the light of the world.” Not you might become. Not try harder to be. You are. And throughout our FORMED series we’ve been learning this: abundant life is becoming who we already are in Christ. This week we turn toward the why: we are FO...

Transformation doesn’t happen by accident. It happens through practice. In Matthew 6:1–18, Jesus doesn’t dismiss spiritual practices—He rescues them. Generosity. Prayer. Forgiveness. Fasting. These aren’t religious performances meant to impress others. They are quiet, countercultural practices that keep us present on the Potter’s wheel. In this message from our FORMED series, we explore how abunda...

Most of us love forgiveness — especially when we’re the ones who need it. We love the relief of a clean slate. We love canceled debt. But what if forgiveness was never meant to stop there? What if forgiveness isn’t just about being released… but about being reshaped? In Matthew 18:21–35, Peter asks Jesus the question we’ve all wondered: “How many times do I have to forgive?” Jesus answers with a s...

What does it really mean to live in the freedom Christ has already given us? In this message, we explore how many believers can be fully forgiven yet still feel “held captive” by shame, guilt, and fear. Through Galatians 5, Genesis 3, and the powerful restoration of Peter in John 21, we see that freedom is not something we earn—it’s something we receive through Jesus. Pastor shows how shame, guilt...

Can simply being with Jesus change your life? In Week 3 of our FORMED series, we explore Acts 3–4 and see how two ordinary, untrained men—Peter and John—healed the lame, proclaimed boldly, stood firm in persecution, and lived with a courage and peace that left the world in awe. What made the difference? They had been with Jesus. This week’s message reminds us that spiritual formation isn’t just ab...

What if the greatest threat to abundant life isn’t rebellion—but settling for almost? In Mark 10:17–22, a man who seemingly has everything runs to Jesus with the question we all ask:“What must I do to inherit eternal life?”But instead of giving him a checklist or a self-help plan, Jesus exposes something deeper. The issue isn’t behavior—it’s formation. Every one of us is being shaped by something...

What if salvation is more than a destination—what if it’s an invitation into life right now? In this kickoff to our new series FORMED, we look at the story of Zacchaeus in Luke 19 and confront a sobering truth: many of us love Jesus, sincerely follow Jesus… and still feel stuck, reactive, tired, or unchanged. But the promise of Jesus isn’t just forgiveness for the afterlife—it’s transformation for...

On this Christmas Eve, Pastor Chris Richards invites us to reflect on a simple but searching question: What are you really looking for? Drawing from the story of the Magi in Matthew’s Gospel, this message explores the deep human impulse to search—for meaning, fulfillment, success, joy, and hope. The Magi were accomplished, respected men who studied the stars, yet an extraordinary sign in the sky l...

In this message from our Songs of the Women series, we reflect on the life and song of Mary—a young, humble servant chosen by God to carry the Savior of the world. From Luke 1:46–55, Pastor Chris Richards explores Mary’s response to God’s astonishing call. Though confused, disturbed, and fearful, Mary anchors herself in a timeless truth: the word of the Lord never fails. Rather than resisting or d...