Willow Creek Weekend Podcast

We want to eat healthy, but we grab the donut. We want to stay focused, but we grab the phone and mindlessly scroll. We commit to prioritizing our friends and family, yet work obligations continuously win out. We experience trauma or grief, but avoid it instead of healing from it. We pictured our life one way, but we’re living another reality. Our lives are filled with internal conflicts. Megan Ma...

What is worship? We often think of singing, the worship band, or worship artists that lead us through songs praising God. That is a part of worship–but not all of it! Worship can be a much larger part of our lives than we might think. It can be extended into our prayers, our service, and even through Christian meditation. Put simply, worship is a way to remember what God has done for us, to thank...

Christmas might not always be “the most wonderful time of the year.” For some, it really is wonderful. But for others, it can be the hardest time of the year. Mourning of the life we thought we’d have or experiencing the first holiday without a loved one—Christmas can be filled with more anxiety than joy. In the midst of the challenge, Luke 1:46–55 points us to Jesus—the Prince of Peace—who is mak...

We learn through imitation well into childhood. We acquire so much from our parents—for better or worse—and often view God through the lenses of those experiences. In Matthew 19:13–14, we see Jesus rebuking His disciples as they turn away eager parents longing for Jesus to pray for their children. Pastor Dave Dummitt reminds us that no matter our earthly experience, our Everlasting Father is the u...

When we think of the Christmas narrative, we don’t typically think of John the Apostle. Open to Chapter 1 of John’s Gospel; you won’t find any details about Mary and Joseph, shepherds, innkeepers, or a manger. Instead, John reminds us of God’s mighty power that brought the world into existence. This is a very different Christmas narrative, but it’s a powerful one! Pastor Shawn Williams dives into...

Where do you turn for advice? To your friends? Your family? Do you turn to the Internet or your therapist? There is a source greater than the sum of all the people and search engines we may turn to: Jesus, the Wonderful Counselor! Psalm 119:105 tells us how Jesus is the word and the lamp unto our feet. Megan Marshman focuses on Jesus as our Wonderful Counselor and reminds us that we have full acce...

Have you ever experienced moments that have made you think, “Nothing will ever be the same again”? The greatest “nothing will ever be the same again” moment in history began with the most mundane of events—the cry of a newborn baby, delivered in an obscure setting to two ordinary humans. And yet, the announcement of Jesus’ arrival was anything but mundane. Pastor Dave Dummitt dives into Luke 2:8-1...

Have you ever struggled to love someone who was different from you? What about loving someone who is in opposition with your really important beliefs and values? Luke 10:25–37 tells the story of a very unlikely stranger loving another very unlikely neighbor in need. Pastor Dave Dummit and Pastor Fabian Garza dive into the story of the Good Samaritan and remind us that God not only loves our enemie...

We often think we have to go somewhere far to help those in need, but what about those facing challenges in our own communities? Matthew 25:31–46 shows us how much God cares for the vulnerable and calls us to love them, too. This week Megan Marshman reminds us that the opportunity to love the vulnerable is closer than we think!

Does God love all people? Matthew 25:15–30 gives us a glimpse of His heart. Pastor Shawn Williams kicks off For God So Loves and shares how God’s plan for our lives includes loving those within our reach with God’s love and playing an active part in bringing tangible hope and peace to our friends, family, and neighbors in all spaces!

What would the world look like if the dominant leadership style was servant leadership? What would the country look like if the main interest of those in leadership positions—government, municipalities, schools, churches—were to out-serve one another and their constituents? Can you imagine it?  The heart of servant leadership is putting the needs of others ahead of your own while pursuing their go...

What does it mean to be a peacemaker, not a peacekeeper? Which one of those do you think requires the most courage? Abigail in the Bible shows us what real peacemaking can achieve; she saves the lives of her entire family! But puts herself at great risk to do so. Most of the time, being a peacemaker is much harder than being a peacekeeper; because it means sticking your own neck out on the line an...

When you think about the leaders in your life, be it your boss, a parent, teacher, governor, or president; do you wish for them to lead with hubris, or humility? Hubris leads a person to inflated self-importance, which in turn leads to pride and over-confidence. Humble leadership, as demonstrated by Moses in the Bible, necessitates a person putting others before themselves, and not relying entirel...

At a time when our world is so divided and strained, it’s important for us to remember that, as Christians, we’re commanded by God to pray for our leaders; no matter who they are, or if we like them! In the lead-up to the general election in the USA, we’re bringing you an important series about leadership, praying for leaders, and how we might incorporate some of the qualities that matter to God i...

It’s likely that at some point in your life as a Christian you have wondered how to pray. Perhaps it’s how to pray for something specific, how to pray a more powerful prayer, or simply “how can I pray to God and will He hear me?” When you have a relationship with God, just like any relationship, communication is an essential part of it. God wants you pray and speak to Him. Yes, He already knows ev...

When we think about all the religions in the world, what makes Christianity the one we want to be a part of? Perhaps you’re wondering if all religions ultimately teach about the same God - and how many gods are there? Don’t all religions basically teach about love and are equally good (or bad, depending on your POV)? There are so many questions. But that’s what we’re here to answer today: how Jesu...

What does the Bible say about sex? Let’s talk about it! American culture and the American church have missed the mark on what our sexuality is for and how to use it. From the falsely liberating sexual culture of the modern era to the condemning and damaging messages of purity culture, no wonder the students and young adults in our church are confused because, if we’re honest, a lot of Christian ad...

How familiar are you with the phrase “do as I say, not as I do?” Almost all of us have heard that said at least once, right?! Now how do you think you do with saying one thing but living another way? Think about how you present yourself to others and how you really live. Many people are critical of Christians, and for good reason. Christian hypocrisy is responsible for countless hurts to masses of...

Welcome to our new series, which seeks to shed light on and answer the hard questions kids and young people are asking about Christianity. We start with a question that is seen as divisive but shouldn’t be: What role do Christians play in justice, specifically in pursuing racial justice and racial equality?  Some people don’t feel this is an area Christians should be concerned about. But God creat...

Have you ever considered your spiritual gifts? Are you wondering what spiritual gifts even are?! God has given each person unique skills and talents, including you! But why has God given everyone spiritual gifts? So that you, and each person in the church, can contribute in unique and awesome ways to live out the mission–the purpose–of God’s Kingdom on earth. Pastor Dave explains why volunteering...

This week, we’re asking: What good is knowing the Good News if we’re not sharing it? We’re often hesitant to share our faith with others because it seems too hard or too tricky to navigate, or we worry about how we will be perceived. Pastor Dave shows us how we can practically begin sharing faith with those around us through the B.L.E.S.S. model; an easy-to-follow way to live out the “great commis...

New to Willow? Go here to find out more about our church and to see more great teaching: https://www.willowcreek.org/visit/ Do you want to discover new joy, set aside shame and guilt, and live relaxed in the midst of stress, mistakes, and fatigue? Sounds pretty good, right?! In the final week of our Summer Book Club series, we hear from our very own teaching pastor, Megan Marshman, who shares bril...

New to Willow? Go here to find out more about our church and to see more great teaching: https://www.willowcreek.org/visit/ We’re so excited to welcome best-selling author, transformational speaker and leadership coach, Ryan Leak! In our Summer Book Club series this week, Ryan teaches from his new book, How to Work with Complicated People. His book provides strategies for effectively collaborating...

It’s the first of our three-week Summer Book Club series, and we start off with author, preacher and Director of Theology and Research for Proverbs 31, Joel Muddamalle! We’re excited that Joel is with us to teach from his new book, The Hidden Peace: Finding True Security, Strength, and Confidence through Humility. We hear how Biblical humility can help you overcome insecurities and grow in self-aw...

Oh boy. Here we go. It’s the book of Revelation (strap in for a wild ride)! A dragon, a white horse, a beast or two, trumpets, a woman clothed in the sun—what is going on? Read the book of Revelation and without any context or understanding, it may seem like it was torn from an epic science fiction novel. Typically this leads to two approaches: 1) those who think of it as a blueprint for the futur...