New Community Church: Recent Episodes
BRANDON & HANNAH BALDWIN
Welcome to the New Community Podcast. It's our hope that this content inspires you and helps you take your next steps in your faith journey. Find out more about New Community at www.thenewcommunity.church
In this episode, Pastor Hannah begins a new sermon series for the summer entitled Running With The Giants. Throughout the series, we'll be studying some "giants" of the Old Testament and exploring what lessons they would want to teach us if they ran one lap of our faith journey with us.
In this episode, Pastor Hannah closes out our Asking For A Friend series with a message on how we can forgive others who have wronged or hurt us.
In this episode, Jason Helmlinger addresses some aspects of stress and anxiety in our lives, and points out how we can seek the Lord even in the midst of anxious moments.
In this episode, Pastor Brandon kicks off one of our favorite annual series, Asking For A Friend. During this series, we'll look at some of the most asked questions from our community through the lens of the Bible.
In this episode, Pastor Hannah closes our Mindsets series with a message on living contently in the knowledge that God is always walking with us.
In this episode, Pastor Brandon continues our Mindsets series with a message on living in the victory of Jesus Christ in our lives.
In this episode, Pastor Hannah encourages us to put away the mindset of "never enough", and turn to the One who is always enough. After the message, stick around for a very special announcement regarding some next steps in the life of New Community Church (32:27).
In this episode, Pastor Brandon opens up a new sermon series about how our mindsets can shape our daily lives, and how we can start to live with more Kingdom-focused mindsets.
Jesus IS alive! In this episode, Pastor Brandon teaches on the power of the resurrection, and how Jesus is still able to bring dead things back to life today.
In this episode, Pastor Hannah shares why Jesus called Himself the Bread of Life, as we close out our I AM series.
In this episode, Pastor Brandon continues our I AM series, with some thoughts about what Jesus meant when He referred to Himself as the Light of the World, and what His call was for us to follow Him in that way.
In this episode, Jason Helmlinger teaches us about what Jesus meant when He referred to Himself as "the Vine".
In this episode, Pastor Hannah introduces a new series, all about the significance of the "I am" statements Jesus makes, and what those statements mean with regards to who He is in our lives.
In this episode, Pastor Brandon finishes our brief series on the weight our words carry.
In this episode, Pastor Hannah delivers the first message in a two part mini-series on measuring the impact our words have on our lives and the lives of those around us.
In this episode from our Super Bowl Sunday service, Pastor Brandon finishes our Pre-Decide series with a message on finishing well and not quitting when we feel like throwing in the towel.
In this episode, Pastor Hannah teaches on a crucial faith principle: sowing freely back into God's Kingdom, using what He's freely given to us.
In this episode, Pastor Brandon asks us to consider the boundaries in our lives, and to Pre-Decide that we'll honor God when temptations rise.
In this episode, Sam Rogers encourages us to say "YES" to God consistently, so that we can live out the full life God has for us.
In this episode, Pastor Hannah discusses the importance of being obedient to the Lord's prompting.
In this episode, Pastor Brandon kicks off a new series about the decisions we make on a daily basis, and how the right decisions can help us live the life we really want tomorrow.
Join us in this episode as Pastor Hannah shares some of her insights about the light of Christmas!
In this episode, Pastor Brandon continues our holiday series with a message on the true peace that passes all understanding.
In this episode, Pastor Hannah continues our Christmas series with a message about love and forgiveness.
In this episode, Pastor Brandon kicks off our holiday series for the year, where we'll rediscover the reason for the season and celebrate God's deep love for us all.
In this episode, Pastor Brandon wraps up this series on Nehemiah with a word on servant leadership and how to give sacrificially for others.
In this episode, Pastor Hannah reminds us to keep a close eye on what's important and to use discernment with distracting voices.
In this episode, Pastor Brandon continues our Nehemiah series with a word on faithfulness in the face of adversity.
In this episode, Pastor Hannah teaches about the visions, burdens, and dreams we are called to carry.
In this episode, we celebrate THREE years of New Co, all that God has done through those 3 years, and all that's to come!
In this episode, Pastor Brandon closes out our All About That One series by reminding us how impactful reaching even one person with the love of Jesus can be.
In this episode, Pastor Hannah continues our series on reaching the ONEs around us, and reminds us of the purpose of doing so.
In this episode, Pastor Brandon teaches on ways to reach the world around us, wherever they are in their faith journey, as we continue in our All About That One series.
In this episode, Pastor Brandon kicks off a brand new series all about reaching the ONEs around us in our personal lives, in our church, and in our community.
In this episode, Pastor Hannah closes out our 15 Days of Prayer series with a reminder to continually seek the Lord, that we might see revival in our homes and communities.
In this episode, Dr. Mancari, longtime friend of New Community Church, joins us to teach on planting seeds of life to influence the community and world around us.
In this episode, Pastor Brandon kicks off one of our favorite recurring series, 15 Days of Prayer, with a message about readying our hearts and minds to be fertile ground for God to move in mighty ways.
In this episode, Pastor Hannah wraps up our Summer On The James series with James' thoughts on praying big prayers from a position of deep faith.
In this episode, Jason Helmlinger unpacks James' words on seeking wisdom from heaven, as he delivers the next message in our Summer On the James series.
In this episode, Pastor Brandon continues our study in the book of James with a message on the power of our words.
In this episode, Pastor Hannah continues walking us through the book of James, with a reminder of the power that listening before speaking can have in our relationships and lives.
In this episode, Pastor Hannah encourages us to heed James' words about "facing trials of many kinds", and about what we can do to maintain our sense of true joy in who God is in the midst of hard situations.
In this episode, Pastor Brandon kicks off our new series, Summer On the James, where we'll take a deep dive into the book of James and learn how we're called not only to believe differently, but to live differently.
In this episode, Pastor Brandon closes out our Holy Shift series with a message on what it means to be fully immersed in the Holy Spirit.
In this episode, Sam Rogers teaches us how the gospel and the Holy Spirit are now an inseparable part of our identity in Jesus.
In this episode, Pastor Brandon teaches on allowing the Holy Spirit to guide us toward the will of God and the heart of Jesus.
In this episode, Pastor Hannah talks about the closeness and depth of relationship we are meant to have with the Holy Spirit, and the gifts that pour out of that relationship, as we continue our Holy Shift series.
In this episode, Pastor Brandon teaches on God's plan for the Holy Spirit to intersect with our lives, to become a helper and a comforter to us.
In this episode, Pastor Hannah delivers a word in a new series titled "Holy Shift", where we discuss how the Holy Spirit is the key to pivoting towards the life God always intended for us to have.
In this episode, we close out our Asking For A Friend series with a message from our Worship Director, Dorrall Price, on how to approach seasons of waiting that God has placed us in.
In this episode, Pastor Brandon continues our Asking For a Friend series by answering a question regarding dealing with difficult interpersonal relationships with those around us.
In this episode, Pastor Brandon invites us to wrestle with an age-old question: "How can I believe in God AND science?"
In this episode, we're kicking off our post-Easter series, Asking For a Friend, where we answer YOUR questions about faith! This week, Pastor Hannah takes a look at the question "Why didn't God answer my prayer?"
In this episode, we celebrate the resurrecting power of Jesus with a timely Easter message from Pastor Brandon.
In this episode, Pastor Hannah teaches on some of the last words Jesus ever spoke to His disciples leading up to His death and resurrection. We have the same call that Jesus gave His disciples: to abide in Him so that we might all bear fruit.
In this episode, Pastor Brandon kicks off a brief sermon series based on the final words of Jesus Christ leading up to His death and resurrection.
In this episode, our friend, Pastor Shawn Franco, closes out our GOALS series with a message on the "one job" we've all been tasked with, in relation to our family dynamics.
In this episode, Sam Rogers delivers the next installment of our GOALS series with a message on what honor looks like, both in relationships and in the eyes of Jesus.
In this episode, Pastor Hannah continues our GOALS series with a message about deeper connection in our relationships.
In this episode, Pastor Brandon kicks off a new series called #GOALS, where we'll be discussing the importance of healthy relationships for our lives.
In this episode, Pastor Hannah closes out our Battle Ready series with a message on the power the Word of the Lord can have in our lives.
In this episode, Pastor Brandon continues our Battle Ready series with a message about the Helmet of Salvation's importance within the concept of the "full armor of God".
In this episode, Dr. Jay Leroux delivers a message about strengthening our faith and our hope for what God has already said He will accomplish, as we continue in our "Battle Ready" series.
In this message, Sam Rogers reminds us to live with an urgency about the Gospel and those who need to know Jesus.
In this message, Pastor Hannah discusses the importance of taking up the breastplate of Righteousness, in order to guard your heart from the enemy's advances.
There's spiritual battles happening all around us, and if we don't have stability from a strong core, we can be easily swayed when those trials come; But the truth is what ultimately stabilizes us for battle. This week, Pastor Brandon reminds us it's important to secure your core with the truth about Jesus, about your calling, and about the lies in your life.
Every day we face trials, tests, and battles. But, God hasn’t left us unequipped to face spiritual warfare on our own. He has given us everything we need to move through life with victory on every side. Join us to discover how to live a life of victory, as we kick off a new series together regarding our spiritual readiness!
In this episode, join us for our Christmas Eve service, as we reflect on the celebration of our Savior's birth!
Jesus had 20 silent years of training and growing before He began His ministry, and yet the Father’s first words after His baptism were “This is my son, in whom I am well-pleased.” Just like Jesus, God invites us to find our identity not in what we do, but in who we are. This week, Pastor Hannah reminds us to seek the One who gives us our identity.
When Jesus was born, people came from far away to honor Him. We all know the story of the three wise men who were given a vision from God, but their journey to find Jesus took time. The same can be true for us; it’s not that we don’t have the right vision - it’s that we often misinterpret the timing and true purpose of that vision. This week, Pastor Brandon reminds us that when we aren’t sure what’s next, we can still always give God our hope, our pursuit, and our worship.
Often when we walk through a valley, we can feel distant from God. In the "valley" is where we feel our pain and our sadness most deeply. Even in those lower moments, we can remember this: although we get to enjoy God on the mountaintops, we get to know Him more intimately in the valleys. This week, Pastor Hannah talks about allowing Jesus to reframe the valley for us.
We live in a world where NOW is the norm - instant gratification runs rampant. But still we find ourselves in daily situations where we're forced to wait, and some of those waiting periods carry more weight than others. We may wonder, "Why is God making me wait in this season?", but scripture reminds us that just because God feels silent, it doesn’t mean God is absent. This week, Pastor Brandon encourages us that even while we are waiting, God is still working.
Only one thing in life is truly a sure thing: we already know how the story ends when it comes to our faith in Jesus. And when you have the end in mind, you don't need to worry; you can focus on what matters. To close out our series on the Gospels this week, Pastor Brandon dives into the gospel of Matthew, where Jesus affirms that He is coming back for us, so we can live our lives with assurance and with purpose.
Sometimes, we can start to feel drained by the things in our lives that require our time and energy - like we're just running on empty. But that's not the life God has in store for us; He has a life in store us where we can continuously be filled up with His Spirit. This week, Pastor Hannah takes us into the Gospel of John, where we discover that the tomb was made empty so our lives don’t have to be.
Do miracles still happen today? The gospel of Mark records many of the miracles of Jesus. This week, Pastor Brandon reminds us that Jesus is still working miracles today, and He wants to mark each of our lives with miracles.
The Gospel of Luke is the gospel of prayer. Jesus was never hurried, busied or distracted, and He invites us to follow the WAY to life into a rhythm of rest. This week, Pastor Hannah continues our series on the Gospels with a message all about applying what Jesus modeled for us to our own lives.
In our culture, it is not hard to hear bad news.But just because there’s a lot of bad news that gets pushed, there is also good news. Jesus came to bring the good news, and we are called to share this message with the world. Come and discover the good news of Jesus: He came, He died, He rose again, He Ascended, and He’s coming back!
God has used New Community to help so many ONES experience the full life of Jesus: knowing God, finding freedom, discovering purpose, making a difference. But the best is yet to come; God is calling us to make this house a home. This week, Pastor Brandon and Pastor Hannah share some exciting news about what God is calling New Co. to next!
There are many different ways to worship God, and one of those is to worship Him together in a community of believers. When we do that, it strengthens our unity in Him and creates connectivity between the Lord and His people. This Sunday, Pastor Brandon kicks off our 15 Days of Prayer series with a focus on worship.
Often, society tells us how we are supposed to view gender roles both in and outside of marriage. But the Bible paints a picture for us that's very different from the one society provides, and the scripture's methods definitely look countercultural today. This week, Pastor Brandon closes out our Ephesians series by delivering a Word about mutual submission between a man and woman.
As believers, we are called to let Jesus take control of our lives as He guides and directs us. He is to be the head of all we do, and in this message, Sam Rogers tells us how we can step out in acts of faith to lead and be led by those around us, as we pursue Christ further.
We've all faced times where someone has, intentionally or unintentionally, spoken a lie about who or what we are. Truthfully, God has called us to rise above those lies, and live our lives in a way that is worthy of the calling He's placed upon us. Paul reminds us in Ephesians that we are called for a purpose, and that we are to wear that purpose as an identity, rooted in who God has created us to be. Join us this week as Pastor Hannah continues in our Ephesians series.
God’s eternal vision includes a "we" not just a "me". Being committed to His church is about being committed to God’s story of redemption, freedom, unity and purpose in the church. Join us this week, as Pastor Brandon continues in our Ephesians series.
As we continue in our Ephesians series, we can look deeply at each of the themes the book references to get a fuller understanding of how we are to live our lives as believers. One of those themes is one that's a common thread throughout all of scripture: the concept of grace. This week, Pastor Hannah talks about the importance of God's grace being our defining feature.
From the beginning, God had his mind made up about the life He was calling us each to individually. Sin created a gap between us and God that destroyed the potential for God's original design, but through Jesus we have a chance to experience this new life again. This week, Pastor Brandon walks through the first chapter of the Book of Ephesians to remind us of the calling and purpose God has for each of us today.
It's easy to feel like we have a right to hold onto what we have. But the Bible explicitly tells us this is not the case; we were bought with a price, and everything we have is ours to steward. So what does living generously look like in that context? This week, Pastor Brandon explains how even small steps of generosity can have a huge impact on the Kingdom, and on our hearts.
Here's a question: Have you ever lied in an attempt to prove that you can be trusted? Sometimes we’re willing to cross moral boundaries inwardly to keep from looking bad outwardly. But when we’re more concerned about our reputations than our integrity, we eventually damage both. This Week, Pastor Brandon continues our Dear Prudence series with a word on protecting our integrity at all costs.
Sometimes you know what’s coming next—a graduation, a new job, a wedding, a new baby, or a retirement. But even when you know what’s next, how do you make sure you’re prepared for what’s next? This week, Pastor Hannah continues our series in Proverbs with a passage that encourages us to be wise in seeing and avoiding dangerous paths in our lives.
The book of Proverbs is filled with Godly wisdom that can keep us moving in the right direction. In Proverbs, it is specifically mentioned that our relationships can have an enormous influence on the direction of our lives. So what do we do when those relationships are leading us somewhere we don’t want to end up? Join us this week as Pastor Brandon discusses the company we keep, as we kick off a new sermon series, Dear Prudence.
As believers, there are certain things we know the Lord asks of us and we learn how to follow Him daily. But sometimes we have questions about what we "can and can't" do as a Christian. And although there's nothing inherently bad about those questions, Paul posited to the early Church that they just might not be the right questions. This week, Pastor Brandon uses Paul's letters to make the case for some better questions for us to ask.
There are hard questions in life that seem to have no answers. Loss, disappointment, disasters; all things we experience in our world, and yet it feels like there's no reason for them sometimes. In those times, it's important to know God's heart for us in the midst of our grief. This week, Pastor Hannah shares a Biblical perspective on carrying grief in our lives today.
If you've ever felt tired, weary, or as though there's never enough time in the day, you're a lot like...well, most of us, really. We've all been there - and it can be utterly draining. It's also not a weight God wants us to carry; He makes it clear in His Word that we need rest. And not just physical rest, but rest in who He is and who we were created to be in Him. This week, Sam Rogers encourages us to allow God to take some of the weight we feel off our shoulders so that we can rest fully in Him.
In this day and age, it seems like everyone has no shortage of opinions on any given topic. Sometimes those opinions can turn into criticism from outside voices in our own lives. In those instances, it's important to run every voice of input through the proper, Spirit-driven filters, as we intentionally listen for what aligns with God and His voice in our lives. This week, Pastor Hannah shares some of the scriptural tools we can reference, as we seek to learn which critical voices to allow in healthy doses, and how to handle those influences that don't belong.
Sometimes in life, we feel pain caused by situations involving those who claim to follow Jesus. Unfortunately, even the most devout Christ-followers are still human at best, and are still capable of causing us deep hurt, whether intentionally or unintentionally. So how do we respond in moments where the ones hurting us are the same ones who God directly instructs to love us or even lead us? This week, Pastor Brandon addresses that question as we look at some Biblical instructions for how to deal with instances of hurt caused by believers.
You asked, and we're going to try to answer, as we kick off a new series based on questions from the community here at New Co! This week, we discuss the thoughts and feelings that surround being offended by someone, and recognize that God doesn't want us to just remain with those feelings. Join us, as Pastor Brandon explains how we can best handle these instances according to God's Word.
This Easter Sunday, we celebrate the resurrection of the true risen savior. He came to live and to die for our sins, but most importantly, He came to rise again from the grave, and Christianity hinges on that single point. Join us as Pastor Brandon makes the case that the reality of our faith rises and falls on the truth of Jesus' resurrection.
Jesus came to this world in the form of a man for one purpose: to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins so that we might spend eternity with God in Heaven. This week, Pastor Brandon speaks on the period of time leading up to Jesus' death and what it means for us today.
Jesus performed signs and wonders, the likes of which the world had never seen before: Healing the blind, raising the dead, and freeing the captive. He is still working miracles today. This week, Pastor Brandon shows that through Jesus' very first miracle, we discover the path to seeing God’s miracles in our own life.
The teachings of Jesus have literally changed the world as we know it. However, what made him stand out was that he perfectly modeled what he taught. Jesus did not come to earth just to die; He came to teach us how to live. This week, Pastor Hannah kicks off a new series that dives into who Jesus REALLY is. There are a lot of opinions about who He is, but He still asks us the most important question: “Who do you say I am?”
The concept of Unity is something Christ-followers have always been taught the importance of. Jesus' earliest disciples knew that with no unity, there was no hope of keeping God's people united. In those days, the Apostle Paul was a devout advocate for unity in the body of Christ, and he wrote letters to the churches of the time regarding how they could achieve unity in Jesus. This week, Pastor Brandon takes a look at one of Paul's letters to the church at Ephesus that teaches on the level of honesty that true unity requires.
We were all created in God's image, and as such, we all are wonderfully made for a purpose. Sometimes, it isn't easy to see the value someone else brings to our circles, but we are called to honor one another as image-bearers of the Lord. This week, Pastor Brandon invites us to take steps towards celebrating the value of people who are different than us.
Most of us are constantly striving to love and be loved, whether we recognize it or not. Sometimes we can be let down by what our image of "love" is. So how does God define love in His Word, and how do we show that type of Christ-like love to those around us? This week, Pastor Hannah reminds us that real love, like that of Jesus, is always unconditional.
The Word of God says that where no vision exists, the people perish. Too often, we give up when things get difficult due to lack of vision. But God has a clear direction laid out for each of us for success, and that's the vision He designed us to live in, as individuals, in our relationships, and as a community. This week, Pastor Brandon and Pastor Hannah teach on how vital it is to walk in unity with regards to vision in our relationships.
In one of his letters to the early church, the Apostle Paul directly encouraged them to imitate the humility that Jesus showed during His time on earth. Paul posited that, because they had been made one with Christ, they were to also be united together in valuing one another above themselves. The same is true for us today; division is all around us, and the only way to remain united is to humble ourselves before one another, as Christ humbled Himself before us. This week, Pastor Brandon speaks on how unity truly begins with humility.
Insecurities can creep into just about every aspect of our lives and shape our responses, sometimes without us even recognizing the hold they have over us. But God strongly desires to meet us in the midst of our insecurities; He doesn't ask us to "fix" them before we can enter His presence or let Him use us to our full potential. This week, Pastor Brandon closes out our Breaking Free series with an encouraging word on not being bound by insecurity.
It can be easy to fall into patterns of "checking the boxes" of religion without even realizing it. But Jesus didn't come to start a church or a religion; He came to show grace, save souls, and demonstrate the Father's immense love for us in the process. This week, Sam Rogers delivers a message to remind us of how that same love can free us from the bondage of religious rules and performance-based Christianity.
An addiction is anything that we don’t want to do, but we cannot stop doing. We are all human and need help in overcoming strongholds and addictions at some point in our life. This week, Pastor Brandon reminds us that even though these addictions tell us lies, we can overcome them by putting God first and saying no to our flesh.
If our freedom comes from truth, then our bondage comes from a lie. One of the greatest lies we can all wrestle with is the lie of isolation. This week, Pastor Hannah breaks down how this lie can wreak havoc in our lives and three questions we must be willing to wrestle with in order to break free.
It's easy to feel helpless in unhealthy patterns that bind us. But Jesus said in one of His teachings that if we abided in His Word, we would be His followers and know truth - and that truth would be able to set us free. If our freedom comes from the truth, that means our bondage comes from a lie. Therefore, the process of breaking free is taking back our thought life, identifying the lie, and replacing it with God’s truth. This week, Pastor Brandon takes a look at Jesus' teaching mentioned above, and dives into how we can apply it to our own lives.
Jesus affirms that we can know and recognize God’s voice directly. God speaks through Scripture primarily, and God also speaks to us through His Spirit. This week, Pastor Brandon helps us discover how we can learn to know and recognize God’s voice.
Looking back on his 30 years as the founding pastor of a church, Tim Celek shares his experience in how God answered some of his prayers. In his message, he shares how some of the biggest answers to his prayers didn't come right away; one of the prayers he prayed most persistently, God took 11 years to answer. In our culture, we tend to want things, and we want them now - but that's not often how God works. This week, our guest speaker delivers a Word of encouragement on persistently praying both as a church, and as an individual.
Since we were little, most of us have had high anticipation for what Christmas tends to bring. Gifts, family, food, and a renewed sense of joy in the hope that Christ brings are high on the list of things we can often count on when Christmas comes around. But what happens on December 26th and beyond, when those warm feelings aren't always as easy to feel? This week, Pastor Brandon talks about the joy we can find in the waiting, knowing that God's promise of hope lasts all year long.
This year, we had the opportunity to experience our first Christmas Eve service together as a church! Take a listen as Pastor Brandon gives some perspective on the importance of the gift of our Savior's birth.
The story of Jesus' birth is one of genuine hope and true joy. After the shepherds met Jesus, they spread that news of great joy with others. This week, Pastor Brandon uses their story to exemplify how we can do the same, bringing joy to others through generosity.
In life, it can be easy to be offended. What’s difficult is looking past an offense and choosing to love the person on the other side of it. Jesus didn’t call us to be right; He called us to be loving. This week, we take a look at how we can choose to forgive the way God forgives our sins, as Pastor Hannah invites us to learn to live at peace with others instead of living offended.
It's the Christmas season, which is truly a time to celebrate, but that can feel difficult when it feels like so much has been missing this year. And when what’s missing becomes greater than what’s present, weariness sets in. But Jesus came to bring hope to our weariness, freedom from our battles, restoration of our purpose, and fulfillment to our lives. This week, Pastor Brandon reminds of the most important part of this season: Jesus truly is good news of great joy for a weary world.
God reminds us frequently in His Word of how our lives are be lived a certain way, in order to love and serve one another and honor Him. On the subject of our bodies, His Word is very clear on what our response should be: to FLEE from anything that separates us from Him regarding our bodies. This week, Pastor Brandon talks about the importance of creating margin in the ways we view and treat our bodies, both within and outside of relationships to others.
Whether you're a saver or a spender, or you have a little or a lot, we all interact and have a personal relationship with money. Sometimes without even realizing it, that relationship can quickly turn into one that controls us, instead of the other way around. This week, Pastor Brandon shows us how Jesus framed money and possessions for us, so that we might put away our desire for "more" and experience deep satisfaction and fullness in Him.
With so many things pulling at us in our daily lives- careers, commitments, relationships, etc.- there's virtually no way to fit everything in, not to mention having any semblance of time to be filled back up. When the schedule becomes too full, it's time to decipher what things need to be set aside to make way for what should take priority. Scripture teaches us to be wise in light of our time- saying no to what’s good so we can say yes to what’s best. This week, Pastor Brandon teaches on the calling God has for us to create margin in our lives, so that we can maximize and prioritize the things that He deems most important.
Margin is the amount of a resource that is available beyond what is necessary. The best things in life are found in the margins: margins in time, money, relational capacity, etc. As we kick off a new series this week, Pastor Brandon points to a passage in Luke that reminds us to create room for the important at the expense of the urgent.
While not all pain is FOR a purpose, purpose can be found in all our pain. Some of the things we've all been through did not happen on purpose, but God can take those things and use them for a purpose - to draw us closer to Him, for example. This week, Pastor Brandon talks about finding purpose on the other side of painful, disappointing life experiences.
We've all experienced pain in some way during the course of our lives, and comfort can be hard to find on our own. That's why God invites us into His presence even more deeply during our most difficult times. With Him by your side, you can pick up the pieces of disappointment and move forward. This week, Pastor Brandon discusses how God desires for us to move forward from mourning to comfort.
Sometimes the weight of disappointment is so heavy that it shatters our ability to see clearly and stops us in our tracks. When that happens, God gives us permission to feel broken, but God does not want us to feel broken and alone- He wants to be with us in our brokenness. This week, Pastor Hannah and Pastor Brandon share some of their experiences with pain and disappointment, and point us to the hope on the other side of that as they kick off our new series: SHATTERED.
The day is FINALLY here!! Our second New Community campus is officially open, and we can't wait to see all that God will do in and through this new space. To kick things off, we hear from Pastor Brandon as he teaches on the opportunity before each of us to answer the call that Jesus has given. This week's message is a great reminder of how our posture affects our perspective.
We've been talking a lot through this series about what it looks like to be all in with God and His plans and purposes for our lives. We've ultimately learned that being all in simply means just that: we have to be FULLY in with surrendering every aspect of our lives to the Lord. But there is an invitation that goes along with that surrender; an invitation for living a truly whole and fulfilling live in Christ. This week, Pastor Brandon teaches on the promises that come along with accepting God's invitation to go ALL IN with Him.
We are CELEBRATING New Community Church's ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY!! God has done amazing things during this first year of our church launching, and we know He's already got so much more in store. This week, Pastor Hannah and Pastor Brandon guide us as we simply take time to celebrate God's goodness in this past season, and they reflect on how this is only the beginning of God's dreams coming to fruition for our church community!
During His ministry on earth, Jesus consistently made a point of doing things that were countercultural if it meant showing love, invitation, and acceptance to those around Him. He didn't surround Himself with a righteous bubble, but instead took time to break bread and build relationships with broken people (like you or me). This week, Pastor Brandon discusses how we can follow Jesus' example in this, by taking time to be intentional with those around us.
Jesus gave us the only perfect example of a life built fully around serving those around Him. When He washed His disciples' feet, it was a radical action for Him to take, culturally; yet He still did it to show that He would do anything out of love for those who would carry His message after He was gone. What would it look like for us to serve those around us with that level of passionate counter-culture in today's day and age? This week, Pastor Hannah teaches how a life lived with no regrets is a life lived for who’s next.
JESUS. If He is not lord of all, then He is not lord at all. Not half. Not a portion. Not some. The gospel costs nothing, but it demands EVERYTHING. When it comes to following Jesus, it’s all or nothing. This week, Pastor Brandon kicks off a new series by discussing the need to pick up our cross daily and follow Christ with all that we have.
Scripture gives us many examples of how to truly seek the heart of the Lord in our prayer lives. One such example is that of a man named Jabez in the Old Testament. This week, Pastor Brandon dives into the prayer that Jabez prayed to God, and discusses how we can apply his prayer to our own lives and stories to draw closer to God's heart.
Prayer is certainly a multifaceted element of our spiritual lives. There are many things to pray for, and many ways to pray for them. We have the privilege of inviting prayer into every situation, and this week, Pastor Brandon and Pastor Hannah give some insight on making prayer our first response instead of our last resort.
We all have needs and wants to pray for individually, and it can be easy to make those things the focus of our prayers when we take time to pray to God. But there is so much more than just us coming to God with our requests. Jesus gave us a very specific model of how we should pray that focuses on having a genuine relationship with God, rather than only coming to Him with our needs. This week, Pastor Hannah uses that model to give us some great instructions for praying to God out of our relationship with Him.
Throughout this series, we've been taking a look at some specific principles that we can apply to our lives, so that we can experience everything that God designed for us. This week, Pastor Brandon gives some perspective on the importance of the culture and environment we surround ourselves with and how those things shape our reality.
Have you ever thought deeply about what love requires? What does it mean to "walk in the way of love"? This week, Pastor Brandon poses these questions from a scriptural perspective, and challenges us to ask ourselves a question in return: "What does love require of me?"
Being made in His image, God calls us to honor one another, because it is glorifying to Him. But how do we intentionally show honor to those around us in a world that is so consistently dishonoring? This week, Pastor Hannah touches on this exact matter and gives helpful scriptural references we can use as reminders of the importance of honoring even in the face of dishonor.
If someone asked you to name the most brilliant person to ever live, you'd probably come up with someone like Einstein or one of his scientific contemporaries. But what would you think if someone suggested another option to answer that question: Jesus. This week, Mike Godzwa explains why he believes Jesus is the most brilliant and effectively strategic man to ever walk the earth.
Some decisions have extraordinary impact in our life- "which college to choose?", "which job to take?", "which community to live in?", to name just a few. What do you do when scripture and wise counsel still leave things unclear? This week, Brandon breaks down a helpful principle for getting God’s input when making critical decisions.
God's plan always has a purpose. And the blessing He wants us to experience through Jesus is ultimately so that others may be blessed by us. In this teaching, Hannah and Brandon break down 5 simple ways that you and your family can bless those in your life who are disconnected from God.
Pastor Brandon and Pastor Hannah are back from Belize, and they have exciting news and stories to share! This week, we get to hear some of the ways God is at work in another country, as well as hear of opportunities to serve and be a part of what He's doing in Belize.
From a Biblical perspective, we are all called to give of ourselves. God is deserving of our all, including our time, talents, and finances. This week, Pastor Brandon delivers a Word on the importance of giving back to the Kingdom and how simple and fulfilling that truly is.
It can be easy for us to hesitate before moving into something we feel God may be calling us to. We usually want to wait for the "right time" or "perfect moment". But sometimes God calls us to move and we need to be ready to bravely rise to the challenge then and there, fully expecting God to meet us on the other side. This week, Pastor Brandon recounts a story in scripture of a man who did just that, and challenges and encourages us all to bravely go where our faith is leading us.
It can be easy to pray small, mundane, "safe" prayers. But God is in the business of making us braver, not safer. He wants us to step out in faith in big ways with our prayers to Him. Ask yourself this: does the size of your prayers match the size of your God and His power? This week, Pastor Hannah points us toward the importance of praying prayers that demonstrate the full power and glory of God.
In one of Jesus' most famous parables, He gives an illustration of how passionately God cares for and about those who do not know Him. Jesus' depiction of His relentless pursuit of our hearts is a charge to us to follow in leading our loved ones to the heart of God. This week, Pastor Brandon discusses the Parable of the Lost Sheep and applies it to the "Ones" around us.
When it comes to decision making, the sad reality is human nature often isn't in line with God's vision for our lives. In our flesh, we desire things outside of His plan for us that can cause us to grow distant from Him. With Jesus at the center of our decision making process, however, we have the opportunity to walk into new life, in step with God's ideal plans! This week, Pastor Brandon shares some of his experiences with decisions that shaped parts of his life and how the Lord intervened in those areas to bring him true freedom and fulfillment.
As humans, we have a tendency to feel things very deeply. Unfortunately, some of those feelings can control us and move us to places we never meant to go. But God gave us feelings to move us into closer relationship with Him. This week, Pastor Brandon discusses our feelings from the viewpoint of God's original design, and even uses Jesus' emotions during His physical time spent on earth as an example of the power of our feelings. From deep sorrow and anger to abounding love and joy, our feelings can ultimately help us know God and love Him more.
Toxic thoughts, depression, anxiety - our mental health has been aggravated by this chaotic world. But we shouldn't settle into this mental mess as if it's just our new normal. The road to healthier thoughts may be easier and shorter than you think. This week, Pastor Hannah kicks off a new sermon series all about taking charge of every thought to cleanse our minds.
"What is the meaning of life?" This age old question can be answered simply, if we look closely enough at scripture: God wants to redeem us, so we can find real fulfillment in Him and make a difference for His Kingdom. As we close out our Hello Possible series, Pastor Brandon delivers some insight on God's desire to restore us to our true purposes.
In this day and age, it's so easy to be wrapped up in bondage and not even realize it. How can we possibly get to a place of freedom, and what do we do once we're there? This week, Pastor Brandon teaches on God's heart for us to find true, everlasting freedom in Him, and the tools He offers us to find victory over bondage in our day to day lives.
HE IS RISEN, INDEED! As we celebrate the miraculous resurrection of Jesus this Easter, Pastor Brandon gets at the heart of what that sacrifice truly means for us. Join us as we hear about how Jesus' victory over death transforms our lives and frees us from our bondage.
We're all seeking fulfillment in our lives, but we can get sidetracked by how we define fulfillment. So how do we get to that true "life to the full" that we hear about in scripture? This week, Pastor Hannah points us in the right direction in getting to Jesus' answer to that question.
To kick off a new series, this week Pastor Brandon talks about the promises of God. Join us as we take a closer look at God's heart and vision for us to be unified and connected with Him and the importance of the promises in His Word.
God wants to help us repair and restore our broken relationships, but he also wants to help us build healthy, whole ones. In this teaching, Brandon walks through three commitments we can make to build life-giving relationships.
When someone wrongs us, it's easy to harbor the negative feelings we feel about the situation, perhaps longer than we should. So how do we move forward and process those feelings in a healthy way? Pastor Hannah and Pastor Brandon tackle that question by discussing the importance of forgiveness, both for the offender and the offended.
Most of us have struggled at one point or another to find the right ways to repair a broken relationship with someone else. Reconciling can feel a little awkward or messy, especially when we're the ones in the wrong. So where do we even begin? This week, Pastor Brandon leads us through scripture that provides some context and language for making our relational wrongs right, just as God intends for us to do.
Relationships of all kinds can be tricky to navigate. We've all experienced hurt from someone we were in a relationship with - maybe a romantic partner, a family member, or a coworker - and we've probably done some of the hurting as well. But where do those conflicts come from at their core, and how do we move forward? This week, Brandon discusses God's heart for bridging the gaps in our relationships, and how we can take steps towards reconciliation.
This week, join us as former NFL player Sam Rogers shares his powerful story of patience, perseverance, and learning to trust God fully. Sam tells about his NFL journey, how it helped him see the Lord working in his life, and how it taught him to surrender his plans to Him.
What word comes to mind when you think of the Holy Spirit? Unfortunately, many people say things like cautious, confused or even cynical. But Jesus promised He was something good and worth trusting. He took the Holy Spirit seriously and the first community of Jesus followers took Him seriously; therefore so should we. To finish out our Acts 2:42, Hannah and Brandon talk about who the Holy Spirit is and the purpose behind this promise.
People have worshipped God for thousands of years. We can look to the first followers of Jesus for an example of how they expressed their deep devotion to Him. This week, Brandon discusses the words Jesus spoke about the way we are to follow after the Father's heart. Matthew 15:8
Relationships have so much potential in your life. The problem, however, is that we've all had bad relationships. In Part 3 of this series, Hannah and Brandon discuss God's desires for your relationships and how we can build meaningful relationships at New Co. through Small Groups. John 13:34-35.
During week 2 of this series, we're looking at one of the four priorities that undergirded the early church, as detailed in Acts 2:42. During this weeks message, Brandon tackles the question of what the early Christians valued the Scriptures so much, and why you should too.
What does it look like to build a new community of faith? Fortunately the very first community of Christian followers went through this and took note of some important pillars that marked their community. This week kicked off a brand new series diving deeper into those priorities, and today Brandon's message centered on the priority of prayer. Discover what could change in your life if you chose to Pray First. Acts 2:42; 1 Thessalonians 4:116-18.
So many of us have been waiting for 2020 to be over, but we're not so sure 2021 is going to look that different. Instead of praying for change on the outside, it's time to start praying for change on the inside. During this message Brandon and Hannah lay out a vision for how to do that as individuals and as a new community. Philippians 2:14-16
Christmas only happened, the Light of the World was only born as a baby, because of a yes. God was looking for many people to say yes to carrying His Light into His World, but He started with Mary. Join us as we ease-drop into her story and the moment that changed her life forever. Luke 1:22-28
The promise of Christ is the promise of Joy. But let's be honest- its hard to have joy when you're exhausted, warn down, and surrounded by darkness. Besides- is joy really strong enough to carry me through those moments or just blind optimism in the face of them. Listen in to discover the truth about the joy God offers because of Jesus.
Bringing Light into Darkness is one of the biggest themes of God's activity throughout the entire Bible, but its also one of the best ways to understand why God sent His Son to be the Christ. This week, Hannah helps us better understand God's invitation to "Let there be Light."
Christmas brings up a lot of questions- sometimes shallow questions (should i buy them a fruitcake this year?) and sometimes significant ones. When God sent us the Light of the World, He sent the answer to some of our most significant questions. Join Brandon and Hannah as they shed light on the answers foretold in the prophecy of Isaiah 9:6.
The Living Hope Jesus offers is not only worth trusting, its worth sharing. To conclude this series, Hannah and Brandon give us practical steps we can take to be prepared to share this hope with others.
The biggest opponents to your hope are not on the outside of you but on the inside. This week, Brandon addresses one of the greatest enemies to your hope: worry.
When Jesus came, he redefined hope from a temporary perspective into an eternal perspective. He redefined hope from a hope that would fade to a hope that is living and present. In today's teaching, you'll discover the full expression of hope Jesus offers you for your yesterday and your tomorrow.
A lot of people’s hope is resting on who comes out on top November 4th. What if there was a better, greater hope? What if hope never had to go up for election again? Jesus makes some pretty significant claims about the hope He offers. But how can we know His hope is worth trusting? This week kicks off a 4-part series seeking to answer that very question.
To conclude our series, Pastor Hannah and Brandon teach together on the attitude of an Unshaken Life.
In Part 3 of our series, Unshaken, Hannah Baldwin exposes the battleground where most of life's struggles are won or lost, and how to overcome.
During Week 1 of Unshaken, we discovered that you can experience an Unshaken Life, and that life is built on the foundation of knowing God. But how do you make sure you keep building in the right direction? We may know how to start, and we may have a picture of where things should end up, but how do we ensure to stay on track in the middle? This week, we look to answer that question by studying a very common, but often misunderstood, teaching of Jesus.
Times of shaking reveal what you're standing on, and we all know 2020 has been a year of the shakes. So how firm is your foundation?This week we kick off a 4-part teaching series called Unshaken where we are asking the questions, what does an unshaken life look like and is that kind of life even possible? Listen to find out.
We've all had moments that have shaped us, some for better and some for worse. Sometimes those moments can leave us bent, forever unable to straighten back out to the way we used to be. But what if there could be a moment that changed everything again? That's a big question that requires something significant to back it up. But what if that's what Jesus is all about?