Detroit Church Podcast: Recent Episodes
Detroit Church
Detroit Church is a multicultural, multigenerational church planted in the heart of Detroit. Led by Sonny Smith, we exist to join Jesus on mission in this great city, making All Things New! For more information visit our website at http://www.detroitchurch.com
The completion of a task is not the completion of God’s purpose; what God builds must also be guarded and stewarded.
God’s people must discern and resist distractions that seek to pull them away from His calling.
Godly leaders use their influence to serve others rather than themselves, reflecting the character of God.
God’s work is hindered when His people exploit one another, but strengthened when justice and compassion prevail.
God calls His people to labor faithfully while remaining spiritually alert in a world filled with opposition.
Opposition is often evidence that God’s work is advancing, and faith enables His people to persevere despite resistance.
God accomplishes extraordinary restoration through ordinary people who faithfully embrace their part in His work.
When God places a burden on His people, He provides the opportunity, courage, and resources needed to act in faith.
God awakens His people to what is broken so they will seek Him before attempting to fix it.
When Jesus transforms a life, He sends that person back into their community as a living testimony—and sometimes an entire city awakens.
When Jesus transforms a life, He sends that person back into their community as a living testimony—and sometimes an entire city awakens.
God doesn’t just transform individuals—He orchestrates moments that shift the future of the church. Cornelius’ conversion becomes a doorway for Gentiles everywhere.
Disclaimer: We apologize for the sermon audio being low. Please turn the volume up on your device.
When God transforms a heart, He often transforms a home—and that home becomes a strategic center for gospel impact in a city.
A church that believes Christ is supreme lives prayerfully, speaks wisely, and partners faithfully in God’s mission.
Christ’s supremacy reorders authority and relationships so that every role is lived under His lordship.
When Christ rules our hearts, His character reshapes our relationships, our worship, and our everyday lives.
Because Christ is risen and reigning, believers are called to live from a new identity shaped by resurrection power.
True freedom and holiness are found in union with Christ, not in rules, rituals, or self-made religion.
Through the cross, Christ decisively defeated sin, death, and spiritual powers, securing complete victory for His people.
A stable and growing Christian life comes from being deeply rooted in Christ, not from chasing new spiritual experiences.
The supreme Christ reconciles sinners to God and then matures them for faithful participation in His mission.
Jesus Christ is supreme over all things because He created all things, sustains all things, and reconciles all things through His cross.
Spiritual maturity is revealed not by spiritual hype but by a life shaped by gospel wisdom, endurance, joy, and gratitude.
A Christ-ruled life begins with surrendering our personal crowns, and flourishes into producing visible fruit: faith in Him, love for the saints, and hope stored in heaven.
The secret place is where God forms us, shaping our desires and refining our character as He teaches us how to walk intimately with Him.
God invites us into His presence, exposes what keeps us out, and provides what we lack so we can truly enter.
Neglecting what God is building leads to exhaustion, but aligning with His work brings renewed strength and joy.
A life aligned with God’s Word remains rooted, resilient, and fruitful, no matter how disordered the world becomes.
Disclaimer: During the recording we experienced some sound issues. Please be patient with us as work through them.
Disorder around us exposes the disorder within us, and Jesus calls us to realign our lives by seeking His Kingdom first
Paul’s final exhortations challenge us to live courageously, lovingly, and faithfully as the body of Christ.
Because Christ is risen, we who are saints know our future resurrection is certain, our present suffering is not final, and our faith is not in vain—we are still standing.
The resurrection of Jesus is not just true. It changes everything — our faith, our future, and our lives right now.
Order in worship must flow from submission to God’s Word, not cultural norms, personality types, or personal preferences.
When the saints gather, spiritual gifts are meant to build up the whole body—not create chaos, comparison, or confusion.
God designed His church with divine order, diverse gifts, and a distinct purpose—not for competition or clout, but for love and edification.
Holy Spirit gives every saint a flava—different gifts, one source, all for God’s glory and the body’s good.
We are in a season where Jesus is calling us out individually and corporately out of our complacency, brokenness, sin, and into the freedom He provides.
Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, called to honor God in purity.
Disclaimer: This episode is being released out of sequence and features the message from our June 8th service. It comes after the Above the Law episode and before Legacy of a Father.
A faithful father leaves a gospel legacy not just by preaching truth, but by living it with boldness, tenderness, and integrity.
Saints should not live beneath their calling by handling spiritual matters with worldly methods.
He is the God who sees the invisible loads in our life that the world cannot see: the despair and fears, the way you give Him everything, the grief you carry, the pain, the hidden hopes and dreams. And He cares for us.
Saints are called to build their lives on the foundation of Christ with eternal wisdom, recognizing that all things belong to God and that true wisdom is found in Him alone.
Saints are called to build their lives on the foundation of Christ with eternal wisdom, recognizing that all things belong to God and that true wisdom is found in Him alone.
Spiritual growth is hindered when carnal saints allow division and immaturity, as true kingdom work is not about human leaders but about God, who gives the growth.
True wisdom comes not from human understanding but through the revelation of Holy Spirit, who enables the saints to comprehend the deep things of God and live according to His will.
The power of the gospel lies not in human wisdom or eloquence, but in the demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that our faith rests in God alone.
Hype divides, but the gospel unites; and when we elevate human personalities, preferences, and platforms over the power of Christ, we create unnecessary division in the church, and nullify the cross.
God’s wisdom, displayed in the message of the cross, confounds human wisdom and strength, revealing that true salvation and boasting belong only in the Lord.
God called His saints into fellowship with Christ, enriching and strengthening them by His grace, and ensuring their faithfulness until the end.
Jesus' Gospel is the voice of the Father calling us home—into relationship with Him and fully alive, unleashed for His mission.
Jesus' Gospel is the voice of the Father calling us home—into relationship with Him and fully alive, unleashed for His mission.
Collective revival sparks our journey—keeping the momentum means transforming that shared awakening into daily personal discipleship through learning, obedience, and service.
Fearing the Lord shapes our character, producing a hatred for evil and a love for righteousness.
The fear of the Lord compels us to live a life of reverent worship and awe, honoring Him with our whole lives.
The fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom and understanding, leading us to a life aligned with God’s truth.
Fasting isn’t just skipping meals—it’s choosing to feast on God instead. As we step into 2025, we’re filled with anticipation for how God will lead us and move among us in the year ahead. To prepare our hearts and align ourselves with His purposes, we’re starting the year with a 14-Day Consecration.
🌿 Why We Fast: It’s not about checking a religious box. Fasting shifts our focus from what satisfies temporarily to the One who satisfies eternally. This year, our theme is “Awestruck: Living in the Fear of the Lord.” Together, we’ll cultivate a holy fear—a deep, reverent awe of God—that transforms how we live, love, and worship.
🌿 What to Expect: Let’s be real—fasting isn’t easy. But through the discomfort, God works, bringing clarity, conviction, and a deeper awareness of His voice. During this fast, we’ll seek His presence daily through worship and prayer, both virtually and in person.
🌿 The Benefits: Fasting is more than spiritual; it’s holistic. It rewires your heart, sharpens your focus, and reminds your body that it doesn’t call the shots—God does. Let’s prepare to live 2025 fully surrendered and united in awe of our holy God.
📅 14-Day Consecration Details:
- When: January 6 - 19, 2025
- Theme: “Awestruck: Living in the Fear of the Lord”
- What’s Ahead: Prayer times, locations, and fasting instructions will be announced soon—stay tuned!
This fast isn’t about deprivation; it’s about devotion. It’s about longing for more of Him than what this world offers.
Unto us, Jesus’ birth is the announcement of peace for a broken world, bringing not only inner peace but also reconciliation between God and humanity.
Unto us, Jesus is called Everlasting Father, reflecting His eternal care, protection, and love for His people; and while distinct from God the Father, He embodies fatherly care for His followers.
Unto us, Jesus is not only the gentle Savior; He is the Mighty God, whose power sustains all creation and overcomes the forces of darkness.
Unto us, in a world desperate for direction, God sent the ultimate counselor—Jesus—through the incarnation, offering perfect wisdom and guidance, leading us into truth and life.
Thanksgiving gives us a foretaste of heaven, where the redeemed will eternally celebrate Christ’s victory, feast in His presence, and join all creation in giving thanks to God for His salvation, justice, and eternal reign.
Thanksgiving calls us to clothe ourselves with Christlike virtues, letting gratitude guide our hearts and actions daily, as we live in peace, unity, and worship, always giving thanks to God in everything we do.
Thanksgiving is not just an act of gratitude, but a key expression of worship, as we joyfully enter God’s presence with praise, acknowledging His goodness, faithfulness, and steadfast love
Drawing from the powerful themes of faithfulness, repentance, and perseverance found in the seven letters, Jesus calls us to reflect, repent, and integrate these truths into our lives and communities.
Jesus exposes their lukewarm spirit, inviting them into repentance and promising deep, intimate fellowship with those who conquer.
Jesus acknowledges their love and perseverance but condemns their tolerance of immorality. He calls for repentance and promises those who overcome a share in His authority.
Jesus praises their steadfastness in His name but confronts their acceptance of false teachings. He urges them to turn away and avoid impending judgment.
In the face of persecution, Jesus champions their faithfulness, reminding them of their true spiritual wealth and promising the crown of life to the victors.
Jesus celebrates their perseverance but challenges them for letting their first love fade. He calls them to rediscover their initial passion and devotion.
Jesus’ preeminent, eternal revelation captivates us, as His heart and power impart guidance to the church both in that moment and this one.
Kingdom citizens must align their allegiance with God's truth and righteousness, avoiding hypocrisy and idolatry that lead others astray.
The Kingdom of God calls us to be peacemakers and endure persecution with righteousness, even in the face of jealousy and opposition.
Citizens of God's Kingdom demonstrate their allegiance through faithful stewardship and justice, using their resources and authority to serve others and honor God.
Citizens of God's Kingdom must embrace childlike faith and innocence, rejecting the corrupt and idolatrous practices that harm the vulnerable.
In God's Kingdom, true greatness and allegiance are shown through selfless service and integrity, in stark contrast to the selfish ambition and abuse of power seen in the world.
Citizens of God's Kingdom must turn away from sin and idolatry, demonstrating their allegiance through holiness and transformation in Christ.
True citizens of God's Kingdom demonstrate their allegiance through genuine obedience to His will, not merely through outward actions or false worship.
As citizens of God's Kingdom, our allegiance must be to Christ alone, avoiding the idolatry and worldly desires that lead us away from His righteousness.
Students will understand that Faith is not a one time decision or event at baptism; rather, it is submitting to a new way of life where we surrender to Christ's leadership and give him our full allegiance as ones set apart for His Glory.
Believers should expect attack from Satan's kingdom and be ready to do spiritual battle.
As disciples are commissioned to proclaim the gospel, the enduring impact of Christ's resurrection and the unstoppable kingdom enters a new era.
Jesus’ resurrection isn’t just a divine magic trick. His resurrection is an invitation to a new life with His Spirit that starts the day you and I surrender to Him as Lord.
Amidst the sorrowful scene of Jesus' burial, faithful women stand as witnesses to His death, emphasizing the enduring impact of devotion and the continuity of God's redemptive plan.
The dramatic darkness and final cry of Jesus on the cross signify the profound significance of His sacrificial death, bridging the gap between humanity and God with transformative power.
As disciples, we get to forsake our glory and know this very King that submits to the agony and mockery of the cross will also be exalted above every other name.
Earthly authority clashes with divine sovereignty as Jesus, the innocent King, willingly bears the weight of human sin and rejection.
Peter's denial of Jesus underscores the fragility of human loyalty and the profound grace of Christ's forgiveness.
Jesus is given into the hands of evil men so that the hand of the evil one himself might never have authority over us.
In anticipation of Resurrection Sunday, we’re excited to announce the release of a new podcast with the first episode titled ‘The Long Kiss Goodnight.’ Join in as we delve into some of the most fascinating betrayals, both locally and abroad, exploring this theme through culture and history. It’s premiering this Friday on all major podcast platforms.
Our Servant King guides us back into fellowship and away from denial, despite our tendency to turn our eyes away from Jesus.
Every time the Lord’s Supper is celebrated, evil is present, but so is the body and blood of Jesus, through which all evil will ultimatley be overcome.
In this teaching, we explore motives, agendas and expectations of those on the pages as well as our own as we ask, “what is the aroma of my own life?” Our big ideas to remember: worship begins with surrender, worship doesn’t hold anything back, and worship is never wasted!
Disciples are to be ready for Jesus' unexpected return by staying spiritually alert and diligent in faith.
Christ followers are to heed the warning about the coming tribulation and the importance of staying vigilant against deception
The Messsiah reveals His divinity, His displeasure, and His delight to His enemies, the crowds, and His disciples alike during the final week before His death.
Citizens of the kingdom of heaven are called to love God supremely and to love their neighbor unselfishly.
Jesus leads us to hold back nothing and give everything to God that's his, including us!
Christmas has a back, and ever since man's first act of disobedience God has been preparing His people to receive the coming of His Son, our Messiah, Jesus the Christ.
Christmas has a back, and ever since man's first act of disobedience God has been preparing His people to receive the coming of His Son, our Messiah, Jesus the Christ.
In a time where everyone seeks more power, Jesus presents himself as the Servant King who reconciles power and humility, choosing the sorrow of the cross over mistaken joy.
Seeing in God’s kingdom means that we know our need for mercy and that we trust Jesus to give us the mercy we need.
As believers understand Jesus' journey of suffering and death, we can better understand the path he asks us to walk with him.
Following Jesus may involve great personal cost, but it always results in great eternal gain.
This week we continue learning about the what the scriptures teach concerning Spiritual Gifts.
Jesus loves all children, and he lovingly calls all people to become like dependent children if they are to enter into His kingdom.
While marriage is a sacred covenant that is ideally only dissolved by death, there are no dead ends in following Jesus where hope and healing is available to all.
As trials play a critical role in our process of discipleship, we learn that the road to true greatness is found in following Jesus Christ.
We will fail, but God uses these failures to deepen our dependence upon Him, our faith in Christ, and our discipline in prayer.
We will fail, but God uses these failures to deepen our dependence upon Him, our faith in Christ, and our discipline in prayer.
We're learning what it means build on the foundation of sanctification with what the scripture says about Stewardship.
Just as healing often comes in stages, so does our growth in discipleship and spiritual understanding
Spiritual blindness is a dangerous conditions that results from a hardened heart of unbelief
The kingdom of God crosses all terrains and ethnic barriers, shaping our expectation of Christ centered abundance over fear of scarcity.
Jesus demonstrates his messianic authority over all by showing how salvation centers on Him alone, and not the receiver of the free gift.
Jesus calls us to live our lives not for how they appear externally to others but according to how they really are within.
It is not external things like food and drink that make a person “clean” or “unclean,” but the thoughts and actions that come from an evil and hard heart.
Even the greatest demonstrations of divine authority are missed when eyes of faith are dimmed by hard hearts.
Jesus’ mission of love and rescue is demonstrated not only in how he miraculously feeds us, but how he also uses the little we have to contribute.
Right behavior must accompany right belief, as a testimony and a witness of the One who has sent us.
Jesus uses our excruciating circumstances, imperfect Fatih, and his own divine timing, to lovingly teach us to believe in him over all else.
Father's Day at Detroit Church Featuring our friend and brother Pastor Norflette Shumake.
In a battle in the tombs, Jesus demonstrates that the strongest of the enemy’s entourage are no match for his liberating power and authority.
Amidst unpredictable seas, Jesus invites his disciples to abandon panic and despair and choose faith in the one who calms the waters.
In our human inadequacy, God involves us in the project of growing and flourishing his kingdom by his power at work, not ours.
In our human inadequacy, God involves us in the project of growing and flourishing his kingdom by his power at work, not ours.
Many do not perceive Jesus’s cross-shaped Kingdom, but for those who are attentive, the Kingdom is revealed more and more.
Living an enduring life of faithfulness and fruitfulness hinges on our the soil of our hearts, and our response to God’s word.
Jesus redefines the concept of family to include those who hear and do the will of God, regardless of biological ties.
Jesus' power comes from Holy Spirit and those who continue to attribute it to Satan commit the unforgivable sin of blasphemy against Holy Spirit, and face inescapable eternal suffering.
Jesus’ authority attracts crowds and invites followers, and draws opposition as He continues to expand His kingdom.
The resurrection is more than a past event, and a future prospect; it is a present reality constantly reshaping our paradigms of daily living.
As Lord of the Sabbath, Jesus releases us from legalistic pressure and frees us to joyful obedience.
The inbreaking of God’s reign under Jesus is a challenge to every other claim to power.
Just as Jesus trades places with the leper, he trades places with us so that we can be restored and brought into community.
Jesus demonstrates his Son-of-God identity by his authority over demons and his power to heal sickness.
Jesus bids us follow him into a journey full of adventure but not void of sacrifice and suffering.
Those who see that Jesus is the Servant-King, will take comfort when they pass through the Wilderness, knowing that Jesus has already been there and knows the way through.
Like John the Baptist, we live lives that point to the One who is greater: Jesus, the Messiah.
God calls believers to action by commissioning them to spread the gospel of peace throughout the earth
God calls believers to strategic places of society to bear witness to the reign of God on earth.
The person and work of the Holy Spirit, sent to us by Jesus, is the greatest gift that so many so often resist, yet he is our Great Helper towards the life that glorifies the Father.
In obedience to His Father, the Eternal Son has given Himself as a ransom for all, and even to this present day, continues to give of Himself to those who have placed faith in Him as Lord.
The right gospel is a gospel of grace that boasts in the cross and transforms us from the inside out, making us a new creation in Christ.
The gospel is central to what we both believe and bear, evidenced by the transformative work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
The right gospel is a gospel of grace that boasts in the cross and transforms us from the inside out, making us a new creation in Christ.
The gospel is central to what we both believe and bear, evidenced by the transformative work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
Through the gospel Christ has freed us from our sinful nature and empowered us to live lives consistent with the character of Holy Spirit.
Justification by faith produces obedience, and brings freedom, while the works of the law produce slavery and brings death.
Justification by faith produces obedience, and brings freedom, while the works of the law produce slavery and brings death.
Followers of Jesus have a freedom that is accomplished by the Spirit according to God’s promise.
Followers of Jesus have a freedom that is accomplished by the Spirit according to God’s promise.
When we seek fulfillment outside of the true Gospel, we find ourselves in slavery once again.
In God’s family, all who believe receive the Holy Spirit and adoption as sons and daughters.
In God’s family, all who believe receive the Holy Spirit and adoption as sons and daughters.
The gospel is offensive to human pride, because it announces there is nothing a person can do to earn God’s favor.
The gospel is offensive to human pride, because it announces there is nothing a person can do to earn God’s favor.
By faith, believers are justified through the completed work of Christ, and not our works.
By faith, believers are justified through the completed work of Christ, and not our works.
Gospel community calls us to realign when we get out of step with the truth of the gospel.
Gospel community calls us to realign when we get out of step with the truth of the gospel.
Although threats to the gospel abound, we hold fast to the truth of the gospel, prerserving it for generations to come.
Although threats to the gospel abound, we hold fast to the truth of the gospel, prerserving it for generations to come.
God calls, equips, and sends his people to preach the true gospel, not one of human invention.
God calls, equips, and sends his people to preach the true gospel, not one of human invention.
Watch out for false imitations of the gospel, because when we turn to a different gospel, we desert the one who called us.
Watch out for false imitations of the gospel, because when we turn to a different gospel, we desert the one who called us.
We were dead in sin, but because of the grace of God through the work of Jesus we can be saved by no effort of ourselves.
You can’t change events that happened, but you CAN change the story you are telling yourself.
As disciples of Jesus, we are exhorted to exercise faithfulness in all things, so that we stay ready for the Lord’s return.
As disciples of Jesus, we find our communal identity and mission in covenantal relationship with God.
A restored people and place are coming through Jesus Christ, for all people and places.
God confronts us at the center of our selfishness with warnings of his wrath to come so that we might hunger his Word above all.
Believe it or not, judgement on the unrighteous will
be fully executed; yet in His mercy, God executes wrath in a way that salvages a hope and a remnant among His covenent people.
God desires worship that produces justice and righteousness rather than meaningless religious show.
God is sovereign over nature and humanity, and establishment of righteousness on the inside, flows outward to justice for all people.
When God, out of His mercy, allows difficulty on His people, it is to cause them to turn from their sinful worship back to Him, before it is too late.
Common sense, equity, humanitarianism and a culture of honor become foreign to God’s people when they adopt the moral standards of the godless culture around them.
As divine judgement visits God’s own people, they will either become the products of fiery refinement, or be consumed in fiery wrath.
Even the godless nations who are found guilty of committing crimes against the LORD’s holy standards will be held accountable.
To reflect on the life of Eve, mother of all, in the context of God's ultimate plan of redemption through Jesus.
Just like in the life of Tamar, God can move even in the most horrific circumstances of abuse and exploitation, to bring about His ultimate plan of redemption.
The strong faith of Rahab teaches us how to live authentic, faith-filled lives for Jesus.
To reflect on life of Bathsheba, Queen Mother to Solomon, and how she goes from a voiceless victim to a valued voice in the kingdom.
Through the life of Mary, we can see the highest level of devotion offered to God: obedience.
While giving to advance the kingdom is a spiritual investment and an act of worship that brings spiritual reward and provision from God, true contentment is only birthed out of our complete satisfaction being in Jesus.
The mark of genuine Christ-Centered maturity is not the absence of conflict, but the ability to surrender to the True Protector of our peace.
Our calling is to follow those who are following Jesus, the greatest of all time, with a heavenly mindset as we anticipate His return and our ultimate transformation.
Intimately knowing Jesus is the greatest joy, determining the value of our relationship with everything else.
While Christ is our ultimate example, we also need Godly examples of Christ-like humility and service in the church.
God empowers us to work out our salvation as we strive to become a spiritually mature, holy community heading towards the future salvation God will bring to completion.
Linking arms with other Christ-followers produces deep gratitude, strength and redefines our joy for the mission.
As we move into 2022, we are learning to embrace God’s rest for us, while anticipating the great things He will do in us and through us. Our Big Rocks for 2022 are spiritual formation, safety and scale. Spiritual formation references how we further our discipleship efforts through Christian education. Safety is all about how we will continue to protect our community and gather safely in light of COVID-19. And finally, scale is about how we as Detroit Church will continue to grow together. Specifically, late last year we started a strategic planning process to refine how we will live out our vision of all things new. This process will be completed in 2022 and we hope our entire body will engage in it with us.
As we bring to God our whole selves, we create healthy space to properly encounter Him and others.
As God invites His people to draw near and receive His rest, we celebrate the good things He has done.
In an ever-changing world of chaos and noise, we are invited to come to the Savior who rests and gives rest beyond work, schedules, and goals.
Initiated in the beginning, described in Israel's formation as a people, and culminating in Christ, the gift of rest is woven beautifully through God’s plan for His people.
Built into the fabric of creation is God’s rhythmic flow of work and rest, perfectly positioning us after His divine pattern.
In an act of pursuant love, God enters time and space as a man, accomplishing the will of the Father, and restoring perfect fellowship with humanity.
The perfect distinction of God as separate from everything else in essence, nature, space and character is not only eternally celebrated around the throne of heaven, but in His creation, leading us to humility, reverence and worship.
The truth of God is the object and anchor of all trust and veracity, making Him perfectly reliable to see things as they really are, and worthy of our worship, from the inside out.
The justice heart of God is displayed as love and hospitality reveal His economy of order producing human flourishing.
The greatest act of love toward humans isn’t the giving of earthly goods, but when God gave Himself in Christ so that we might become reunited to Him in endless fellowship.
Beholding God's beauty in creation reveals his nature as the consumate artist and gives us a door into the heart of the gospel.
Earnest prayer is powerful and effective, and those who are sick and troubled, especially, should engage with God through the community in prayer.
The tongue is the best measure of Christian maturity because it is so powerful and naturally untamable and reveals the condition of one’s heart.
Good works signify the presence of true faith, and therefore claiming to have faith in the absence of works is invalid.
By having the proper attitude and asking God for wisdom, we are able to endure the trials of life, which are designed to bring us to maturity. Temptation leads to sin, and sin leads to death.
The sovereign God lavishes his steadfast covenant love upon Ruth and Naomi by not only providing a home and future family, but a celebration that gets the entire neighborhood talking.
Grace flows, even through the most scandalous lineages of rebellion, personal gratification and selfish gain, preparing a home for the homeless, and justice for the wronged, and redemption for everyone.
God demonstrates his amazing Loving-Kindness by providentially providing for and protecting His people who make their home in Him by faith through a Redeemer.
As hardship takes its toll, God's continued goodness in our lives is the reminder we need that changes our song from one of bitterness to blessing.
As hardship takes its toll, God's continued goodness in our lives is the reminder we need that changes our song from one of bitterness to blessing.
Jehovah works through chaos and tragedy to reveal his covenant love to us demonstrating that during the bleakest of times, He is working out the brightest of outcomes.
Now that we have recieved our spiritual armor, our practical response is not to wait around for something to happen, or crouch in a corner with our fists up; it is to preservere in prayer by making constant petitions to the source of our strength, our Father God.
The word of God is both an offensive and a defensive weapon, cutting through our thoughts and attitudes—internally producing change, and warding off the attack of our accuser.
Assurance of the finished work of Christ in accomplishing our past, present, and future salvation defends our minds against attacks of hopelessness, discouragment and doubt from the wicked one.
Faith is the greatest defensive weapon we have been given to ward off satans attacks, and fully embrace the promises of God.
As truth and righteousness are established inside of the warrior, the message of peace gets mobilized wherever the battle takes them.
Positionally, we have been made righteous through the finished work of Christ. We must be diligent to guard our heart from that which would undermine our confidence, our love, and our faith.
Just as the belt was an essential part of the soldier’s equipping, so also is God’s truth the only truth we can stand on, and because of it, stand against the lies of the enemy.
Firmly planted in our union with Christ, believers can only survive this war by taking advantage of the spiritual provision that God has equipped us with.
As Jesus’ followers, we have been enlisted in a spiritual war, where the cosmic conflict is waged in the invisible, spiritual realm but simultaneously fleshed out in the visible, physical realm.
Because we live in a fallen world, there is no escape from suffering; but as royals we can stand firm because our future glory is guaranteed by God of all grace.
Elders must follow the lead of the Good Shepherd in order to be a good shepherds in the local church.
God’s will is for his royals is to suffer like Jesus, so that we can experience the power of His love, and the presence of His Spirit, in unique ways now and in ultimate glory when Christ returns.
This audio is from our In Person Resurrection Sunday Service
Since Christ bore witness through His suffering and was vindicated, securing our salvation, we too, bear witness through suffering and trust God to vindicate us.
Since Christ bore witness through His suffering and was vindicated, securing our salvation, we too, bear witness through suffering and trust God to vindicate us
As Jesus’s royal subjects in the earth, we grow in humility and in outward expressions of love toward others, by remaining ready to share the hope we have, even in the midst of social scorn.
Marriage is God’s billboard on how to live royal, counter cultural, surrendered lives, through dignity, honor & fidelity.
Called to live distinctive lives in a contrasting culture, royals don’t simply follow Jesus despite suffering, but it is through suffering that we learn how to actually be faithful subjects to our royal King.
Our public faith is a pivotal witness to a watching world of the character of God, and that a submission doesn’t mean slavery but simply the recognition of God’s love and authority in our lives.
Through King Jesus, God is building a royal family who will bring glory to his name by living like the King and advancing his kingdom.
Christians grow spiritually as we put off malicious practices, desire God’s word, and walk in our royal DNA.
Followers of Jesus are already obedient children of God. Now they must live up to the royal assignment of who they are by setting their hope on Christ’s coming, being holy, fearing God, and loving one another.
Christians should rejoice in God’s salvation despite current sufferings, since these sufferings are all part of God’s plan for the elect, testified to by the Old Testament prophets.
God has spoken to us in the person and work of His Son, Jesus Christ, however the superiority of the new covenant brings greater judgement if we fail to heed his warnings.
Because Jesus has covenanted with God for us, we are to regularly and freely experience the joy of His presence.
When we don't properly deal with suffering, it becomes a source of bitterness, hindering us in the race to which we have been called.
Because He loves us, God our Father disciplines us so that we might run the race effectively, increasingly reflecting His character and enjoying His fellowship.
With Christ as our example, and with the spectatorship of heaven in our corner, followers of Jesus must endure to the very end.
Sonny and Sherita share a message about true Shalom and what it's means for us here and now.
Receiving the gospel is not just understanding an abstract idea but it is believing by faith that through Jesus, the glorious God of the universe is now pleased with us and declares peace into our personal lives forever.
Rather than bringing fear, which is the appropriate response to seeing the glory and greatness of God, the gospel proclamation of the angels is "great joy for all the people!"
All things necessary for our salvation are written in the Bible, but the gospel continues to reveal stories of Jesus’ glory and grace wherever the gospel is preached.
The resurrection is not only factual, it is transformative, changing us from the inside out.
Every single step on the way to the cross was planned and controlled by Jesus, proving that the Kingdom of God is in this world, and over this world, but not of this world.
As christians we have a propensity to turn away from and deny God in areas of our lives when our expectations arent met.
Jesus prays that the church would grow so much in love & unity, that the world would finally get it and believe in Him and His Father
As Christ followers, we don't pursue oneness for the sake of unity, we pursue it from the place of unity.
Holy Spirit has come to accomplish one thing, the Father's ultimate goal in the world (His glory) and our deepest longing (to be happy), which are one and the same, because God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him.
Abiding is Christ is not only our source of life, but the reason the world will hate us just like it hated Jesus
Abiding is Christ is not only our source of life, but the reason the world will hate us just like it hated Jesus
The only way to live as we were designed is to remain connected to Jesus no matter what happens.
The Holy Spirit’s arrival into our lives is not only a fulfillment of promise, but He comes to bring continual fulfillment in our every day walk.
Honest and Gospel-centered dialogue from Boyd White, Sonny Smith, Jerel Bland, and Norflette Shumake, about the purpose of Black Sunday.
Jesus revolutionizes everytthing with one new commandment—Love everyone like He has loved us.
John points out that seeing signs does not always lead to belief. We must be careful to avoid the seductive trap of man's "glory" and instead, be bold in our pursuit of HIS glory!
Seeing Jesus is the deepest longing of every heart and only accomplished through death.
In delayed fashion, the compassion of Jesus is revealed by a more glorious expression of divine power, expressed in divine wisdom, and divine timing.
Jesus’ poignant invitation into the beauty of belief also exposes the wonder-less-ness of unbelief.
Join us for an important conversation we’re calling “What Justice Looks Like.” This is a panel discussion featuring a few thought leaders, as we seek the justice heart of our Heavenly Father and live in the freedom of the whole gospel.
Satan kills, but Jesus is the only door to abundant life for all who enter through Him.
Conversations can create change. And frank conversations like this one between city and suburban, and black and white churches are sometimes difficult to digest, but long overdue. Check out a portion of the conversation between Bob Shirock (Pastor of Oak Pointe Church) and our very own Sonny Smith.
We are all born with a spiritual disablity, and in need of sight correction that we may truly behold his glory.
The gospel of grace is an unrelenting assault of light and truth against graceless religion.
Each person has an appointed time and must give an account for whether they believe and submit to Jesus, or deny and reject Him.
Jesus continues to reveal Himself as the only true source of satisfaction in this life and the only true hope of satisfaction in the next.
Jesus is the greater Moses leading his people in the greatest exodus of all, out of the bondage of sin and death, into the Land of Promise.
The Father has given Jesus authority over all, including death; and everyonee who hears and believes has life.
Jesus demonstrates His divine authority by not only meeting our expectations, but elevating them.
As witnesses we are not the focus, but we are here to help the Church get ready to receive her bridegroom.
Jesus flips our cultural and religious paradigms by inviting us to experience a new kind of birth, through a love that transforms us from the inside out.
Jesus the lamb, turns into Jesus the lion as He cleanses the temple of our hearts and opens our eyes to how religion robs us of true worship.
Jesus' glory is revelaed as he thinks about all that must be done to prepare for his own wedding day.
John reveals Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away sin, by first moving into the neighborhood.
In Jesus, God who always was reintroduces himself to his people, fully God, and fully man, revealing and fulfilling his ultimate promise.
Through prayer and fasting, heavens resources are revealed as battle forces are engaged to war on our behalf.
Through prayer and fasting, priorities are rearranged and generational destinies are secured.
Through prayer & fasting, our perspective is reframed, making way for God's desire to glorify himself and make his Son beautiful in our lives.
Through prayer & fasting, we are revived and realigned with heavens agenda in the earth.
True reform begins in the house of the Lord as God's people turn from wickedness and set themselves apart.
Jesus our Warrior has won the victory and the Church stands with him in the armor of God.
The Church’s submission to Jesus as Lord and center of our lives is the model for all Christian relationships.
Being fully clothed in Christ, we are called to live out our new identify with a distinct lifestyle from who we used to be and set apart from the world.
Being already blessed in the Beloved, the Body now grows into behavior that reflects how Christ is building His church.
In Christ and through the church, our unique cultural, ethnic and personal distinctions preach a cosmic sermon to our spiritual enemies.
The universal storyline of all existence hinges on these two words–but God–putting on display His gracious initiative and creative power.
We were made to live in wonder of God's eternal purpose, power, and privilege demonstrated through His church.
In Christ, we have already received everything that we ever need to be what He has called us to be.
A community conversation about the "tough questions" we must engage in the world around us.
Habakkuk shows us that the proper response to God’s words are faith and worship, which can console even our strongest apprehensions.
The hardest words to hear are the ones we least agree with. Habakkuk has to scribe what he’s wrestling to believe is true, solely on the word of the Lord.
In Jesus, the Shepherd-King, God executes deserved justice and underserved grace, making peace with God on our behalf, and empowering us by His Spirit, to walk humbly in His just and merciful ways.
God will finish what He started, judging and defeating sin, keeping His covenant promise, and ruling and reigning with His people forever.
God, in his covenant nature, responds to sin justly, and lovingly, by suffering at the hands of those he came to save.
In these uncertain and volatile times, true stablity is only found in becoming a new man in Christ.
Our worldly pursuits and accomplishments amount to nothing– apart from the love of God.
God invites his children to maturity by reproducing what He has put in us, into others.
When we stand with our brothers in times of trouble and despair, we truly reflect the heart of Jesus and reject satan's attempt to separate and isolate us.
It’s our responsibility to actively pay attention to our selfish desires which provoke us to break our covenant with our one true Savior Jesus.
Even when the unthinkable occurs, Jesus himself is our present refuge and future victory.
As we grow in grace, navigating life’s challenges and opportunities, true gospel change only happens from the inside out.
By dying, the God-Man proved his humanity. And by resurrecting, He not only proved His divinity but made possible every other resurrection.
At the crux of human history, the God Man suffers the worst injustice that creation has ever known, to demonstrate the greatest love the world has ever known.
Unconfessed sin in the heart of the Christian invite in satan, who is constantly looking for an opportunity for the God-Man to be betrayed.
The world as we know it is out of wack. The God-Man came to reveal the kingdom, setting in motion the original intent of the Father, starting within the hearts of people.
The God-Man came to love the father and show the love of the father by preaching, teaching and demonstrating the kingdom, healing the sick and oppressed.
When we understand our brokenness, and cast ourselves upon the mercy of Jesus, the result is forgiveness of sin, love, and eternal peace.
That the Word would become flesh and sleep among us not only demonstrates how he embraced the limits of his humanity, but how he was willing to deny himself of it, at the right time, to gain something greater.
The God-Man didn’t come to bring a period of political or social peace where everyone gets along– he came to bring inner peace by way of a radical disturbance to the ways of this world.
Fear God, and not man; for man looks on the outside, but God knows whats on the inside.
God calls the lost to Himself to save and to send, and when the God-Man speaks, we must listen.
More than religious duty or hopeful wishes, Jesus's prayer life was an outflow of His fellowship with His Father.
The long awaited Messiah arrives on earth as Prophet, Suffering Servant, and King for all of Creation to behold and worship.
When it came time for the beginning, the One who would eventually manifest as the God-Man was here creating and forming the worlds according to the will of the Father.
God is in control over all things past. He's in control over all things present. But it's His endgame that is especially strong.
As God responds to the human condition, Heaven and Earth responds in praised-filled adoration to God.
The arrival of the Messiah-King was nothing that was expected but everything it was intended to be
Each person must give an account for how they will respond to the gospel–as fan, foe or follower.
Never doubt God's sovereignty when the plan doesn't work, or when He seems to be missing from the story.
We can take courage that God's plan for our lives is not a game of chance, but found in the faithful reassurance of Jesus.
Discerning God's will in a particular situation isn't always easy. God desires that we walk so closely with Him, that we discern His guidance as we live in obedience to His Word, in dependence on His Holy Spirit.
Holy Spirit fuels his mission by empowering leaders in the church to serve like Christ, with humility integrity and faithfulness.
God loves to use major disturbances to create great awakenings, furthering the witness of the gospel.
In the face of opposition, God steps in with a promise of presence, protection and people.
When the message of the gospel is contextualized, it answers the most diverse and complex questions of the culture.
We are conditioned for comfort and convenience, however, God invites us into the mess of mission.