Truth on the Trail with Dr. Pete Pawelek

Is your home simply a place where you live, or could it become a place where God works? In this message from Acts 16, Pastor Pete looks at the remarkable story of Lydia, whose simple invitation, "Come and stay at my house," became the beginning of something far greater than she could have imagined. Discover how biblical hospitality is much more than entertaining guests. It is making room for peopl...

What do you do when two godly people disagree? Many people believe that mature Christians never experience conflict. Acts 15 tells a different story. Paul and Barnabas, two of the greatest missionaries in history, had such a sharp disagreement that they parted ways. In this practical message from Acts 15, Pastor Pete explores what biblical maturity really looks like when conflict is unavoidable. Y...

Have you ever wondered why God miraculously rescues one believer while another suffers or even dies? In Acts 12, James is executed, Peter is imprisoned, and an evil king seems to be winning. Yet by the end of the chapter, Peter is free, Herod is dead, and the Word of God is spreading faster than ever. What changed? In this powerful message from our The Ones series through the book of Acts, Pastor...

Everybody loves the idea of compassion… until compassion becomes costly. In Part 8 of The Ones, Pastor Pete walks through Acts 11:27–30 and shows how the early church in Antioch responded to a coming famine with sacrificial generosity and gospel-centered compassion. This message explores: Compassion Sees, Compassion Shares, and Compassion Sends. Along the way, we examine the powerful true story of...

What if one encouraging person could change the course of someone’s entire life? In Acts 11 we meet Barnabas, the “Son of Encouragement,” a man who saw the grace of God when others only saw flaws, failure, and fear. While many believers rejected Saul because of his past, Barnabas encouraged him, invested in him, and helped shape the man who would become the Apostle Paul. Humanly speaking… without...

Saul of Tarsus was the last person anyone expected God to save. He hunted Christians, ravaged the church, and marched against Jesus Christ. Yet on the road to Damascus, everything changed. This is not just Saul’s story. It is a story about the power of the gospel and the greatness of God’s grace. The man who once tried to destroy the church would eventually: preach Christ across the known world, p...

What do you do when life falls apart? In Acts 8, the early church faces intense persecution, loss, fear, and uncertainty. Stephen has been killed, Saul is ravaging the church, and believers are scattered everywhere. From the outside, it looks like defeat. But God was not destroying His church, He was deploying it. Through the story of the early church and the incredible true story of Henrietta Kin...

What gives ordinary people the courage to stand boldly for Jesus in a world that pushes back against truth? In Acts 4, Peter and John face pressure, threats, and opposition for proclaiming the resurrection of Jesus Christ — yet they refuse to stay silent. Boldness is born from being with Jesus. The early church had no political power, no cultural influence, and no worldly security, but they were f...

In Acts 2:41–47, the early church is filled with awe as they witness God moving among them through salvation, transformation, and deep fellowship. Spirit filled people are awestruck people. The early believers were not captivated by personalities, performances, or programs. They were captivated by God Himself. His presence. His power. His people. The same Jesus who transformed hearts in Acts 2 is...

What if the life God called you to live is one you were never meant to live on your own? In Acts 2:1–4, the disciples are filled with the Holy Spirit and move from confusion to calling. Eternal life is an enabled life. You can’t live the life God calls you to without the Spirit He provides. The gospel is clear: Jesus lived, died, and rose again so you can be forgiven and filled with His Spirit. Ha...

Here's a truth for you...God isn’t impressed by the amount you give. He’s moved by the heart you give it with. Through the striking contrast between John D. Rockefeller, the wealthiest man of his era, and a nameless widow with two tiny coins, this sermon explores what true worship looks like in the area of generosity. You’ll discover that biblical giving isn’t about wealth; it’s about worship, fai...

Here's a truth for you...God isn’t impressed by the amount you give. He’s moved by the heart you give it with. Through the striking contrast between John D. Rockefeller, the wealthiest man of his era, and a nameless widow with two tiny coins, this sermon explores what true worship looks like in the area of generosity. You’ll discover that biblical giving isn’t about wealth; it’s about worship, fai...

Pastor Pete explores one of the most foundational truths in all of Scripture: you were created in the image of God. Long before you took your first breath, God designed you with purpose, identity, and value so that your life would display Him to the world. Using the simple idea of a “selfie” as a modern illustration, this sermon walks through Genesis 1:26–28 and unpacks what it really means to be...

Pastor Pete explores one of the most foundational truths in all of Scripture: you were created in the image of God. Long before you took your first breath, God designed you with purpose, identity, and value so that your life would display Him to the world. Using the simple idea of a “selfie” as a modern illustration, this sermon walks through Genesis 1:26–28 and unpacks what it really means to be...

Pastor Pete explores one of the most foundational truths in all of Scripture: you were created in the image of God. Long before you took your first breath, God designed you with purpose, identity, and value so that your life would display Him to the world. Using the simple idea of a “selfie” as a modern illustration, this sermon walks through Genesis 1:26–28 and unpacks what it really means to be...

What do you do when life doesn’t make sense? In the opening chapter of Acts, the disciples find themselves in a moment of uncertainty. Jesus has ascended. The mission is clear, but the map is missing. They are waiting, wondering, and navigating a season of confusion. Sound familiar? In this message, we walk through Acts 1:12–26 and discover how the earliest believers handled confusion and how we c...

In this message, Pastor Pete launches the Magnify series by exploring the power of partnership in the mission of God. Using the legendary “20‑Mule Team” as a vivid illustration, he shows how extraordinary things happen when ordinary people are harnessed together for a common purpose. Drawing from Nehemiah 4:15–23, this sermon unpacks three essential partnership principles that apply to every area...

In this message, Pastor Pete launches the Magnify series by exploring the power of partnership in the mission of God. Using the legendary “20‑Mule Team” as a vivid illustration, he shows how extraordinary things happen when ordinary people are harnessed together for a common purpose. Drawing from Nehemiah 4:15–23, this sermon unpacks three essential partnership principles that apply to every area...

In the final message of our “Unwavering” series, Pastor Pete explores Job 42:12 and the surprising truth revealed at the end of Job’s story: God is far more committed to shaping a holy life than simply giving us a happy one. After a season of unimaginable suffering, Job’s life is restored, not because God owed him something, but because holiness had been formed in him. Job discovers that true bles...

In the final message of our “Unwavering” series, Pastor Pete explores Job 42:12 and the surprising truth revealed at the end of Job’s story: God is far more committed to shaping a holy life than simply giving us a happy one. After a season of unimaginable suffering, Job’s life is restored, not because God owed him something, but because holiness had been formed in him. Job discovers that true bles...

In this powerful passage from Job, we see a man who has walked through unimaginable suffering finally encounter God in a way that changes everything. In Job 42:1–6, Job responds to God not with more questions, but with humility, awe, and surrender. After demanding answers, Job realizes that God’s wisdom is beyond human understanding. He confesses that he spoke of things too wonderful for him to kn...

In this powerful passage from Job, we see a man who has walked through unimaginable suffering finally encounter God in a way that changes everything. In Job 42:1–6, Job responds to God not with more questions, but with humility, awe, and surrender. After demanding answers, Job realizes that God’s wisdom is beyond human understanding. He confesses that he spoke of things too wonderful for him to kn...

In this message, we look at Job 23:1–5 and the raw honesty of a man desperate for answers from God. Job cries out from a place of deep pain, longing for the chance to bring his case before the Lord. He isn’t running from God—he’s running to Him, even when God feels distant. This passage reminds us that faith doesn’t mean pretending everything is fine. It means being real with God, seeking Him when...

In this message, we look at Job 23:1–5 and the raw honesty of a man desperate for answers from God. Job cries out from a place of deep pain, longing for the chance to bring his case before the Lord. He isn’t running from God—he’s running to Him, even when God feels distant. This passage reminds us that faith doesn’t mean pretending everything is fine. It means being real with God, seeking Him when...

In Part 8 of our “Unwavering” series, Pastor Pete unpacks what it truly means to live a life that is centered not on ourselves, our emotions, or our convenience, but on the unshakable truth of God’s Word and the Gospel. Drawing from Job 13:2–5, this message reminds us that having the correct answer is far more important than simply having an answer. We explore what it looks like to be: Biblically...