Riverbend Youth

What if one of the simplest ways to reconnect with God is to… touch grass? We live surrounded by screens, pressure, comparison, busyness, and constant stimulation. Sometimes our souls need a reset. In this message, we explore how getting outside, slowing down, and paying attention to God's creation can become a spiritual discipline that leads us back to wonder, worship, peace, and trust. Psalm...

What if the reason you feel so overwhelmed isn't that you're doing too little—but that you're being pulled in too many different directions? Grades. Friendships. Family. Sports. Social media. Expectations. Trying to fit in. Trying to be a good Christian. Trying to figure out who you're even supposed to be. Jesus has something to say about that. In Matthew 11:28–30, Jesus invites us...

Our students were given the chance to ask Pastor Dave ANYTHING—and he had no idea what questions were coming. So instead of a normal sermon, we handed our senior pastor a stack of anonymous questions submitted by students and let him answer them on the spot. And these weren't exactly easy questions. Students asked about:• Why does God allow suffering, earthquakes, and cancer?• If God knows the...

What are you still holding on to? Bitterness? Resentment? Hurt.? Anger? Sometimes the things we refuse to let go of take up more space in our hearts than we realize. In this message, D$ uses the story of Joseph and his brothers to explore what it looks like to forgive, even when the apology never comes. Joseph had every reason to hold onto resentment, yet when he finally came face-to-face with the...

What does it actually mean to be adopted into God’s family? In Romans 8, Paul says that we have not received a spirit of slavery and fear, but the Spirit of ADOPTION...the Spirit that reminds us that we are God’s children. But if we’ve been adopted by God, what should that change about the way we live? In this *BIG CHURCH EXCLUSIVE* message, Reyn explores what it means to live with the heart of th...

Why does God allow suffering? In this episode of  The Christian Call , Lillie and Stella have an honest conversation about one of the hardest questions Christians—and especially teenagers—can ask:  If God is loving and powerful, why does He allow us to experience pain, loss, loneliness, disappointment, and suffering? Drawing from their own experiences with family struggles, loneliness, friendship,...

What if someone paid a debt you could never afford to pay? In 2016, John Oliver and "Last Week Tonight" purchased $15 million of medical debt owed by 9,000 people—and then erased it. Thousands of people who woke up owing money suddenly owed nothing. That story gives us a picture of something even bigger: what Jesus has done for us. We carry debts in all kinds of ways—not just financially...

What do you do when someone hurts you? It’s easy to hold onto the anger, resentment, and bitterness—especially when you feel like you have every right to be upset. But what if holding onto that hurt is actually keeping you trapped? In Ephesians 4, Paul tells us to “get rid of all bitterness” and instead choose kindness, compassion, and forgiveness. Delaney challenges us to recognize how bitterness...

What is RBYouth really all about? As we look ahead to another year of ministry, we’re going back to the heart of why we do what we do. Every event, Sunday, Bible study, small group, discipleship opportunity, social post, and crazy youth group activity has a purpose. Our mission is simple: DISCOVER. DEEPEN. DEPLOY. We want students to discover the good news about Jesus, deepen their faith and relat...

What does the Bible actually mean by  purity ? Purity isn't just about what you do—or how you look on the outside. Biblical purity starts in the heart. Jesus cares about our motives, our thoughts, our character, and what's happening beneath the surface. In this message, we explore  1 Timothy 4:12 , Matthew 5:8, Proverbs 4:23, Psalm 24, and 1 John 1:9 to discover what it really means to liv...

What is faith... really? Hebrews 11 is one of the most famous chapters in the entire Bible, but it's often misunderstood. In this message, we walk verse-by-verse through the "Hall of Faith" to discover what Biblical faith actually looks like—and why it's still worth living today. You'll learn from the lives of Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Moses, Rahab, and many others w...

What if we've been using the word "love" completely wrong? We say we love tacos... and we love our families. Those obviously aren't the same thing. So what did Jesus actually mean when He commanded us to love one another? In this message, we unpack the biblical meaning of love through 1 Corinthians 13, explore the Greek words for love (eros, phileo, and agape), and discover why J...

You are an example whether you realize it or not. In this message, D$ challenges students to rethink what it means to follow Jesus in everyday life. Using Jesus’ words in Matthew 5 about being the “salt of the earth” and the “light of the world,” we learn that our choices, actions, and attitudes represent something bigger than ourselves. Your conduct matters. The way you treat people matters. The...

What if one of the most powerful forces in your life isn't your talent, your grades, or your influence—but your WORDS?In Week 1 of our summer series, "The Example," we explore the first challenge from 1 Timothy 4:12: "Set an example for the believers in speech."Using a shocking story of Marie Antoinette, the powerful imagery of James 3, and the teachings of Jesus, we discov...

Have you ever looked at someone else's life and suddenly felt worse about your own? Maybe they seem prettier, smarter, more athletic, more popular, or more successful. In a world filled with social media, comparison has become one of the biggest struggles facing students today. In this powerful message, Stephanie explores what the Bible says about comparison through the story of Peter and John...

In this powerful and deeply personal conversation, Beverly shares her journey through the unimaginable loss of her only daughter, Tatiana, who died by suicide in 2016.With remarkable honesty, Beverly opens up about grief, faith, mental health, and the lessons God taught her through her darkest season. She discusses how loss reshaped her identity, how she found hope when life felt impossible, and w...

How do we know Christianity is the right religion? In the first episode of our new series,  The Big Questions , Lillie sits down with Sofi from RBYouth for an honest conversation about faith, doubt, grace, and what makes Christianity unique. Together, they explore questions that many students wrestle with: • Why does religion matter? • What makes Christianity different from other faiths? • Is it o...

If Jesus made us “new creations”… why do we still mess up? In this sermon, we unpack:-What it really means to be “in Christ”-Why old habits are hard to let go of-Paul’s brutally honest struggle in Romans 7-How identity changes behavior-Why your failures don’t define youYou may not be who you want to become yet…But through Jesus, you are no longer who you were.-2 Corinthians 5:14–21-Romans 7:15–25Y...

Pain has a way of making us question everything. Why do terrible things happen? How can a good God exist in a world filled with tragedy, loss, anxiety, rejection, and suffering? And what if the struggles we face today are actually shaping who we become tomorrow? In this message, we explore the tension between faith and hardship through Scripture, church history, psychology, and real life. From Dav...

Stress. Pressure. Anxiety. Spiritual battles. If you’ve ever asked, “God, why is this happening to me?” — this message is for you. In this sermon, we explore: Why following Jesus doesn’t always make life easier David & Goliath in a completely different perspective How God uses pressure to build strength The science of “hormesis” and spiritual growth Why your current battle may actually be prep...

What if the reason you feel stuck in sin… is because you're trying to escape it the wrong way? Using a simple finger trap illustration, D$ breaks down a powerful truth from the Lord’s Prayer and Romans 5: 👉 Pulling away from God in your struggle only traps you deeper 👉 Drawing closer to Him is where freedom begins In this message, we explore: Why confession is so difficult The difference bet...

What do you do when you pray… and nothing changes? After losing two of my closest friends, I found myself asking questions I never thought I would:Where was God? Why didn’t He answer? What’s the point of praying? In this message, we walk through Philippians 4 and uncover what God actually promises—and what He doesn’t. Because maybe prayer isn’t about getting God to fix everything…Maybe it’s about...

Have you ever caught yourself trying to sound “better” when you pray? Like saying what you think God WANTS to hear instead of what you’re actually feeling? In this message, D$ gets real about something we all struggle with—treating God like a new friend we’re trying to impress. From awkward first friendships to curated versions of ourselves, she draws a powerful connection to how we approach praye...

Spiritual warfare isn’t always obvious—but it’s real, and it’s closer than you think. In this episode of the Christian Call Podcast, Lillie sits down with Dylan to talk about what spiritual warfare actually looks like in everyday life—from comparison on social media to feeling distant from God, battling negative thoughts, and struggling with identity. They break down how to recognize when you’re u...

We talk a lot about prayer in church… but what happens when it feels like it doesn’t work? What do you do when you’ve prayed for healing—and it didn’t come? When you believe in God, but still wrestle with doubt? When you feel like you’re carrying more than you were meant to? In this message, we look at James 5 and 1 Peter 5 and wrestle with the tension between what Scripture says about prayer and...