Belay Church Podcast

In this message, Patty Durbin explores Matthew 23, where Jesus delivers one of His final public teachings—a fiery and passionate rebuke of religious hypocrisy. Like a protective mama bear, Jesus calls out the Pharisees for placing heavy burdens on people while refusing to lift a finger to help. He warns against valuing appearances over true heart transformation. With seven powerful "woes," Jesus s...

In this message, Pastor Paul unpacks Matthew 22, where the Sadducees, Pharisees, and Jesus himself all seek clarity on big theological questions. The Sadducees denied the resurrection, believing all God's rewards were in this life, while the Pharisees rigidly clung to rule-keeping. Jesus, however, makes things crystal clear: there is life after death, life is about loving God and people, and He is...

In this message, Paul Durbin unpacks Jesus’s parable of the wedding banquet (Matthew 22) and its powerful implications for our faith. Jesus describes a king inviting people to a great feast, but many ignore or reject the invitation. In response, the king opens the invitation to everyone—symbolizing God’s grace extended to all people. Paul emphasizes three vital steps in responding to God’s invitat...

In this message by Paul Durbin, we explore the idea of spiritual authority. Many of us unknowingly give authority to the enemy by listening to his lies instead of walking in the authority God has given us. Matthew 21 shows us that true authority comes from aligning with God in three ways: (1) aligning with His Word—knowing it and living it out, (2) aligning with His heart—trusting His goodness and...

In this message by Zack Brogden, we explore Jesus' triumphant entry, His cleansing of the temple, and His warning to remain fruitful. Jesus arrives not as a conquering king on a horse but humbly on a donkey—yet He comes with authority. When He sees the temple filled with greed instead of prayer, He overturns tables because God's house was meant to be a place for all nations. Jesus then curses a fi...

In this message by Paul Durbin, we explore expectations—our assumptions about life, fairness, success, and God. Matthew 20 highlights various perspectives: workers expecting fair pay, disciples expecting earthly power, and blind men expecting mercy. Jesus reveals that human expectations often fall short of God's kingdom realities. Paul walks us through three unhealthy expectations (Life will be fa...

In this message by Paul Durbin, we explore Jesus’s conversation in Matthew 19 with a rich young man asking, “What must I do to get eternal life?” The young man’s story reveals two things that don’t work for achieving eternal life: our own goodness and accomplishments. Jesus redirects him—and us—toward two essential truths: eternal life is only possible through God’s provision in Jesus, and it requ...

In this message, Paul Durbin explores Jesus’s teaching in Matthew 19 about the beauty of covenant relationships, particularly marriage. Jesus emphasizes that marriage is a union God glues and yokes together, modeled after His relationship with His people through the New Covenant. While humanity often defaults to substitutes like casual, contract-based, or “committed” relationships, these fall shor...

In this message by Christian Braly, we explore Jesus’s teachings from Matthew 18 on how forgiveness and reconciliation are at the heart of God's kingdom. As image bearers of God, we are called to reflect His love and character by addressing offenses directly, forgiving as God forgives, and pursuing restoration in relationships. Christian reminds us of the radical nature of forgiveness—modeled by J...

In this message by Kevan Ho, we explore two deeply intertwined themes from Matthew 18: our **hunger for greatness** and the **Father’s heart** for His children. Jesus redefines greatness as humility, surrender, and God-dependence, contrasting our culture’s self-centered, achievement-driven view. He calls for childlike faith—marked by vulnerability, receptivity to His love, and gratitude. But this...

In this message by Paul Durbin, we explore how to overcome fear and step boldly into God’s calling. Focusing on Matthew 17, Paul outlined four practical steps to conquer fear: 1) See Who Jesus Really Is—God incarnate who understands our struggles; 2) Understand What the Word Really Says—don’t rely on second-hand interpretations; explore God’s truth yourself; 3) Observe Where Jesus Really Goes—He w...

Belay’s Theme for 2025 is grounded in Isaiah 54:2: “Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes.” This call to EXPAND challenges us to examine areas of life where God is calling us to grow—in faith, responsibility, and reliance on Him. This expansion isn’t about physical growth but heart and perspective shifts. Thro...

Paul Durbin’s message examines the extent of God’s love using Ephesians 2:1–10 as a guide. Just as Elizabeth Barrett Browning counts the ways she loves in her famous sonnet, today’s question is, "How does God love us?" Through a deeper look at Scripture, we see seven profound ways God's love is expressed: He loves us in our sin, loves us when we don’t deserve it, loves us to life, loves us enough...

In this message, Christian Braly reflects on the significance of the Incarnation—the mystery of God becoming flesh in Jesus. The Incarnation reveals God’s profound love, justice, and mercy, bridging the gap caused by humanity’s sin and brokenness. It’s through Jesus that the invisible God is made visible, offering restoration, healing, and divine purpose to a world marred by sin. This message invi...

Paul Durbin’s message challenges us to consider how we, as followers of Jesus, can continue being sent like He was sent. In John 20:21, Jesus says, “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” The word “AS” points to the manner of Jesus’s mission and reminds us to reflect His example in how we live and love. Paul outlines four key actions to keep living missionally: Show Up (incarnate Jesus’s lo...

In this message, Paul emphasizes that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are for today and are meant to actively bless and empower the Church. Too often, our theology about spiritual gifts is shaped by negative experiences or disappointments rather than the truth of Scripture. But as the Bible teaches in 1 Corinthians 12-14, the Holy Spirit desires to equip believers with both purity (fruit) and power (...

Paul Durbin’s message explores the question: How do we develop the fruit of the Spirit in our lives? Using John 15’s imagery of the vine and branches, Paul emphasized that just as fruit grows through intentional care, believers grow spiritually through four key processes: Dying, Pruning, Abiding, and Considering. To grow the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), we must die to ourselves, allow...

Paul Durbin’s message explains that the Holy Spirit, often compared to a dove, plays key roles in the lives of believers. By breaking down the word DOVE, we understand that the Holy Spirit Draws us into relationship (with Jesus and other believers), Occupies and Overflows in our lives, Veers & Steers us through temptation and challenges, and Empowers us for service and mission. Each function of th...

In this message, Duane Henders shared about how our lives, like bread, are meant to be blessed, broken, and given to others. Drawing from Matthew 26, where Jesus breaks the bread and shares it at the Last Supper, Duane emphasizes that God loves to bless us, but He also desires to break us—not to harm, but to shape us for His purpose. Finally, we are "given" to others, becoming a vessel through whi...

In this message, Pastor Paul introduces us to the Holy Spirit, the often-misunderstood third person of the Trinity. The Holy Spirit isn't just a mystical force but a Person of the Trinity, actively working in the lives of believers. Throughout the Old Testament, the Spirit came upon particular people at appointed times for specific purposes, but after the resurrection of Jesus, we see the Holy Spi...

Kevan Ho’s message takes us through one of the most critical moments in the Gospels, when Jesus asks His disciples, "Who do you say that I am?" This isn't just a casual question—it’s deeply personal and confronts us all. Peter’s bold response, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God,” leads Jesus to declare that the church will be built on such a foundation. But Kevan also reminds us that f...

In this message, Paul talks about spiritual grit—not just the human determination that pushes us through tough situations, but a Holy-Spirit-fueled grit built on faith and reliance on God. Drawing examples from Scripture, we see that people who develop spiritual grit often go through difficult, "pit" seasons. The story of the Canaanite woman in Matthew 15 and Mark 7 shows a powerful example of hol...

In this message, Abbi Sulaski vulnerably shares her personal experiences with spiritual warfare, anger, and identity struggles, highlighting how they surfaced during different seasons of life. Through her journey, she discovered the power of quick obedience to God’s call, the role of community in her healing, and tools like fasting and prayer to push back against spiritual battles. Drawing from Sc...

In this message by Pastor Paul Durbin, we explore the question, What kind of giving fits? Looking through the lenses of tithing, freewill offerings, and almsgiving, Pastor Paul discusses the biblical foundations of each and how they align with God's design for generosity. Giving financially is not just transactional, but an act that builds up others and ourselves. Through the principles of giving...

In this message by Paul Durbin, we explore four responses that fit when God speaks or moves: speedy obedience, eager teachability, wholehearted belief, and baptism. Through the story of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8, we see powerful examples of these responses. Philip responded immediately to God's direction, and the Ethiopian showed an open, teachable heart, prompt belief, and a willi...