Riverwood Church - Waverly, IA: Sermons

When a typical person faces doubters or haters, the natural reaction is to want to insult or hurt the person back. But is this the reaction a Jesus-follower should display? Join us as Pastor Erin Bird walks us through Mark 6:1-6 as we learn how to live like Jesus when faced with doubters, mockers, and haters.

In case you haven't noticed, our world is really divided. We are arguing about masks, race, politics, and boneless chicken wings. What our world needs (besides more chicken wings!) is for Jesus-followers to step out of the arguments and begin loving people like Jesus loved people. In this week's sermon, Pastor Erin Bird walks us through Mark 5:21-42, looking at two miracles where we discover how J...

In our current political and cultural climate, the lives of certain people don't seem to matter. Some Republicans don't seem to think certain Democrats are worth much of anything. Some Black Lives Matters adherents don't think too highly of Trump supporters. And many Twitter users are ready to cancel anyone who doesn't agree with them 100%. In Mark 5:1-20, Pastor Erin Bird shows us that anyone who...

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Ed Pavelec, one of the elders of Riverwood Church, completes our "Summer of Psalms" sermon series with an encouraging message from . Listen in to learn how to "taste and see that the Lord is good!"

The world is open and exposed, yet the Lord provides us a place to hide. Ed Pavelec teaches from Psalm 91, that we are safe and secure in God's sovereign protection. Listen in!

One of the Bible’s central themes is the worship of God! In this week's message, Worship Leader Jake Epley will walk us through , a praise psalm that teaches us the basics of praising God for who He is and what He’s done.

What does it mean to love the Bible? Guest Speaker Shane Klein teaches on , sharing perspective on the psalmist's love for God's Word and how we ought to as well!

Launch Sermon PlayerGuest Speaker, Shane Klein, teaches from Psalm 147 as part of our “Summer of Psalms” series.

At his lowest point, King David fell into terrible sin, was confronted by God's word through the prophet Nathan, and had to repent of his disobedience. His poignant expression of contrition in Psalm 51 can serve as a model for the Jesus-follower when he or she falls short of God's standards. Guest Speaker Jacob Tews leads this study of Psalm 51, looking in detail at its context and application for...

These are complicated times. We live in a difficult, confusing, and often frustrating age, and more now than ever does the world desperately need households led by godly dads. Guest teacher and Minneapolis church planter Patrick Ray shares a Father's Day message from , as well as insight on #BlackLivesMatter, police reform, community well-being, and how we as Jesus-followers ought to respond in li...

Do you ever find yourself seeking a rest from life's daily grind through things like Netflix, YouTube, disc golf, or even drinking coffee?   In this week's message, Matt Townsley walks us through which shows us that God is our protection, provider, and power.  If you a desire to seek true rest from the stressors of this world, listen in to know what it means to "be still" and know a God who loves...

This will be our first Sunday back for in-person gatherings! While we are excited to be together again, most of us have undoubtedly been through some turbulent times. To some extent, we've all encountered loss, grief, frustration, and suffering within the span of these last few months. In this week's message, Worship Leader Jake Epley will walk us through , a lament that teaches us that in the mid...

Have you ever wondered what the Bible says about work?  Is it wise to put in 40 hours and be done?  Is working overtime punishment or pleasing in the eyes of God? In this week's message, Matt Townsley walks us through showing how overconfidence and overworking can lead to an unfulfilled life.  So, if you have a desire to work at home or in the office in a way that honors God, listen in!

The parable Jesus tells in Mark 4:21-25 is often referred to as "The Parable of the Lamp." But as you'll hear in this sermon from Pastor Erin Bird, the gospel story of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus is the lamp to the parables.

In this week's passage, Jesus surprises his listeners (and us, the readers) by declaring that true family isn't the one you're physically born into, nor is it the racial group you identify with, nor is it even our best friends at work or on a sports team. Rather, Jesus declares that true family comes through the gospel. To hear more, listen in as Pastor Erin Bird walks us through Mark 3:20-35.

We all long to be chosen. To be selected by a team, company, or that special someone feels like we have worth, and value, and are loved. So you can imagine when Jesus chose His twelve disciples, those twelve guys were on top of the world. But in truth, to be chosen by Jesus is actually very, very humbling. Why? Listen in to discover how the calling to follow Jesus is a humbling event, and yet a mo...

Ever thought you knew the words to a song, but it turns out you were singing it all wrong? Some of the Jewish leaders of Jesus' day thought they knew how to do thing likes fasting and observing the Sabbath, but turns out they were off the mark. In this week's message, Pastor Erin Bird walks us through Mark 2:18–3:6 showing how we are much like the ancient Jewish leaders who were off in their under...

What should a healthy church look like? And how do we trust God when He doesn't give us what we want? These are two questions that strangely get answered in a story about a healed paralytic. If you've ever asked yourself either of these two questions, listen in as Pastor Erin Bird walks us through Mark 2:1-12.

Too often, Americans will read a Bible story and "insert" themselves into the story. For instance, when we read the famous story about David and Goliath, we imagine ourselves as David, slaying the "giants" in our lives. But when we twist a Bible story into a personal story, we actually rob the story of having greater power in our lives. This week, Pastor Erin Bird walks us through Mark 2:1-12, sho...

In Mark 1, we see Jesus begin to become famous, but it wasn't for being rich, or for being attractive, or even for displaying talent in a sport or art form. His fame came from a display of authority. This is good news for you! Because His authority means He is with you, He cares for you, and is still in control in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. Listen in as Pastor Erin Bird challenges us to...

First words matter. Whether in a speech or a job interview, your first words set the stage for what is to come. Mark strategically waited until verse 15 of his Gospel account on the life of Jesus to let us hear Jesus speak for Himself. And the first words we hear from Jesus have the potential to change your life.

All humans are tempted, the question is, what will you do when tempted? Even though He was fully God, Jesus was also fully human during His time on earth. So just like you, He was tempted. Through the gospel accounts of Mark and Matthew, we discover how Jesus faced temptation and managed to never give in.