New City Fellowship Sermons: Recent Episodes
Pastor John Houmes
Sermons from New City Fellowship | Pastor John Houmes | #GodsBlendedFamily | NewCityHH | Hollywood, FL
Jesus says, “I am the light of the world.” Today Pastor John and the Togo Mission Team will share with us how they shared and experienced this light in Togo.
Thanks to guest speaker Pastor Mike Veitz as he explores John 13:33-14:6, where Jesus declares Himself as 'the way, the truth, and the life.' We're reminded that our ultimate destination is not just a place, but a person - Jesus Christ. The passage invites us to consider what true paradise means, not as a physical location, but as eternal communion with God. We're challenged to examine our hearts: do we eagerly await this heavenly reality, or are we too attached to worldly pleasures? The message encourages us to refocus on Christ, understanding that He is not merely showing us the way, but He is the way. This truth calls us to make a decision about who Jesus is in our lives - not just a good teacher, but Lord and Savior.
I am the Good Shepherd, John 10
Can something be both brutal and beautiful at the same time? Is it possible for something to be gruesome...and good?
When Jesus says "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep", he is saying exactly that.
Expect to be encouraged as Pastor John unpacks John 10. You'll hear about a skydiving incident that went haywire, the intimacy we have with Jesus, and why our political candidates aren't our greatest hope.
Do-It-YourselfJohn 10:1-10 Have you ever done a DIY (do-it-yourself) project? How did it go? The problem with DIY projects is that you don't know you did it wrong until it's done wrong. And even worse, we have no one to blame but ourselves, because we did it ourselves. While we can laugh at some of our home project disasters, maybe we should think more deeply about how DIY translates into other areas of our lives, like spirituality. Are there any parallels? Over the next two weeks, we'll explore Jesus' statement in John 10 where he compares us spiritually to sheep. If we can humble ourselves to realize we can't do-it-ourselves, we will find a spirituality in Jesus that can handle all our flaws and idiosyncrasies.
When It Doesn't Go How It's Supposed To Go
John 11
Life doesn't stick to the plan, does it? When Jesus tells his dear friend, Martha, "I am the resurrection and the life", it is in a moment where things are not going how they were supposed to go. Her brother just died, and she had warned Jesus it was going to happen. But Jesus' "lateness" to the death shows that life isn't really about things going how they're supposed to go. Rather,when life doesn't go how it's supposed to go, we can face life (and death) with certain hope.
Ephesians 3:1-13
In a world fraught with division and fear, we're reminded of God's grand plan for unity through the gospel. Ephesians 3:1-13 reveals the 'mystery' of God's intention to create a new tribe, transcending cultural and ethnic boundaries. This new family in Christ isn't just about individual salvation, but about forming a community where former enemies become brothers and sisters. We're challenged to look beyond our comfort zones and tribal instincts, recognizing that our greatest commonality is our need for God's grace. As we embrace this gospel-made tribe, we become living testimonies to God's wisdom and greatness, showing the world and even the spiritual realm the power of reconciliation through Christ.
“I am the bread of life,” Jesus told them. “No one who comes to me will ever be hungry, and no one who believes in me will ever be thirsty again." If you really reflect on this statement, its at least a little awkward. It could even seem arrogant. No customer who has ever come to our business leaves dissatisfied.No woman who goes on a date with me ever wishes she didn't.No fan that comes to see our sports team play ever wishes they didn't. I mean, its bold, right? Yet, Jesus says it...that he can satisfy our hunger.
In John 15:1-17, we encounter Jesus' powerful metaphor of the vine and branches, emphasizing our need to remain connected to Him. This passage reminds us that our true identity isn't found in our accomplishments, others' approval, or even our relationships, but in being chosen and loved by Jesus. Despite our unworthiness, He calls us friends and invites us into an intimate relationship. Our role is to abide in Him daily through prayer and Scripture, allowing His love to flow through us and produce fruit. This fruit is primarily characterized by sacrificial love for others, mirroring Christ's love for us. As we reflect on this teaching, we're challenged to make Jesus our first priority and to let His love transform our interactions with others.
Guest Pastor Jimmy Dodd explores the power of community, perseverance, and faith as exemplified in the story of Nehemiah rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. We learn that no task is too menial when it is done in service to God, and that opposition does not necessarily mean we are outside of God's will. Ultimately, we are reminded of the extravagant grace and unconditional love God has for us, despite our flaws and mistakes.
John 2:1-11
What can we learn about prayer from Jesus' first miracle of turning the water into wine? Pastor Craig Brown will be talking about drawing closer to Jesus through prayer.
Luke 12:13-34 Da-duh. Da-duh. Do you know those terrifying musical notes from Jaws? What makes sharks so scary is that we can't see them and don't know where they are. It is kind of like life's problems. We know they're out there, but we hope they don't find us! Thinking about this can bring worry and anxiety. How do we live a life of faith instead of living in fear of the sharks of life finding us? Pastor John will explore Jesus' comforting words to His disciples in Luke 12.
Luke 9:23-27 & 57-62
Following Jesus is beautiful and breathtaking, but it can also be grueling and tiresome. Weary travelers on the path of Jesus may secretly admit to wanting to quit or forge an easier path.
But Jesus reminds us that the path IS hard. His path to us involved Him carrying a cross, and our path in following Him involves a cross as well. But as we relearn Jesus' reasoning, we find fresh motivation to continue on the path. In this sermon, you'll hear why loss is gain, how to reprioritize family around Jesus, and what made Pastor John almost quit a hiking trip.
Acts 2:1-13Jesus promised the coming of the Holy Spirit, but what would that mean for the early church and what does it mean today? New City member/Chaplain Chris Curtis will bring our message this Pentecost Sunday.
Many moms, women (and people in general) wonder if they matter, and if showing up every day matters.Pastor John will open up an often skipped over passage (Luke 8:1-3) to explore how, even when women feel stretched, feeling small, or insignificant, they matter.
Don't be like Judas. Don't betray Jesus! John 13:21-30 Simple enough. But if we think that is the only thing we can get out of Judas' betrayal of Jesus at the last supper, we'll miss an opportunity.The first opportunity we'll miss is to learn from the darkness in Judas. How did he get to the point where betraying Jesus made sense?We'll also miss the opportunity to see the light of Jesus' love for Judas, right up until the last moment.
John 14:1-7, Guest Speaker - Pastor Chan Kilgore
As we navigate through the thicket of life's uncertainties, from job insecurities to the complexities of personal relationships, this conversation serves as a candid reflection on the universal quest for acceptance and justification. We share personal stories, including my family's own struggles with anxiety, and how embracing both faith and sometimes medication can be an act of grace. Discover how our intrinsic longing for belonging and validation can be fulfilled through the redemptive love of Jesus Christ.
Luke 18:9-14 What's the most common factor in marriages that dissolve? What's the acceptable, even justified, attitude to have towards your political opponents? What's so easy to see in other people, but tough to identify in yourself? Contempt. Despising or looking down on something about others. On Sunday, we'll explore the contours of contempt from Jesus' parable of the Pharisee and tax collector.
The Office character, Ryan Howard, said, "I want guidance. I want leadership. But don’t just, like, boss me around, you know? Like, lead me. Lead me…When I’m in the mood to be led.” Do we ever approach Jesus the same way? Pastor John looks at Jesus' call to "follow me" from Peter and Matthew's experience in Luke 5.
Guest Preacher/New City Member Chris Curtis
Today we will continue our sermon series Transformed by looking at the people Jesus encounters in Luke 5 and how experiencing forgiveness is transformative. How have you been forgiven? Our radical reaction to being forgiven of our sins is to join with Jesus' followers and glorify God.
"Elmo is just checking in! How is everybody doing?"In January of this year, the X/Twitter account for Elmo checked in with his followers. Elmo wasn't ready for the hopeless responses. It turns out, no one was doing well.Is there hope in the hopelessness? Resurrection Sunday says "yes", there is incredible hope. It is a hope that has evidence, a hope that shows God isn't distant from the hopeless, and a hope that you can personalize.
On Good Friday at TY Park, we reflect on Jesus, the Sinless Sacrifice. You'll hear about "which one was not like the others" and how someone gave their life for John's dad.
Hosanna! Today is Palm Sunday. What a complicated moment the first palm sunday was. Jesus was celebrated with Hosanna's as he entered the city of Jerusalem sitting low on a donkey. By Friday the crowds would be yelling "crucify him" as he was cast out of the city and lifted high on a cross.
We all suffer. Is it arbitrary or can we find purpose and hope in suffering? Jesus knew He would face suffering and death when he rode into Jerusalem. Through the lens of Jesus’ suffering, we will explore that our suffering is not without meaning in God's grand design and that Jesus understands our pain.
In John 4, Jesus meets a woman who’s life is a mess. She is a spiritual outsider who does everything she can to avoid dealing with her shame. But Jesus takes her to the bottom and meets her there with the kind of grace that transforms her life.
What's your agenda for Jesus? Like what do you want him to do for you? We all have things we pray about asking Him to work for us.But do you know that Jesus already has an agenda for Himself? He has a mission he is trying to accomplish. And his agenda is to involve you!Join us as we look at Jesus' agenda: Grace for you. Grace beyond you. We will be in Luke 4:14-30.
What do a Pharisee and a prostitute have in common? Debt. Unpayable debt. Robert Kent Hughes says: “If you are unable to pay, it does not matter how great the debt is…This doesn’t mean that men and women cannot improve themselves or their character to some extent, but rather that they cannot wipe their status as debtors - sinners.” Pastor John starts our new series "Transformed: Encounters with Jesus in the Gospel" by opening Luke 7 and a very awkward social situation. You'll understand how seeing your sin, rather than minimizing it or maximizing other's sin, is a key to enjoying Jesus.
As we look back on our sermon series and the choices we want to make as a church, we can easily feel overwhelmed and “at capacity.” But stepping into choices of formation is more about being something than merely doing something. And when we examine our capacity to be full or energy and love, we realize that we don’t have the resources in ourselves. But God… This will be a special interactive sermon designed to help us reflect, pray and receive fresh encouragement on what we are called to this year as a church.
We often achieve an identity in order to belong. But Christianity is completely different.
We all want a church where we belong to people we bond with deeply. But is the church ONLY that? Or is the church called to not only bond and belong to one another, but blend across lines we wouldn't normally cross. Jesus is in the business of bringing people from all tribes, tongues and nations into one people in the church. In our polarized moment, are we living our lives on board with his vision? Or do we just want church to be with "our" people?
Love is...a feeling? our duty? something we fall in?A quote from the movie "Dan In Real Life" says, "..Love is an ability."That quote isn't far from how the Bible talks about love. Love is a SUPERNATURAL ability...In this fourth sermon in the series "Formed to Flourish", Pastor John talks about "love" the mark of the Christian.
Fewer and fewer people are prioritizing "church". Many find fulfillment and meaning elsewhere and say they just don't need church. Some find attending church inconvenient, or just get out of the rhythm of it. Some have experienced the mess that church can be, and just don't have the energy. Those things are all real. The book of Hebrews was written to a group of people tempted to avoid the church gathering because of the persecution and loss of status it would bring. And even in the face of that very real hardship, the author of Hebrews encourages the people "Choose the Church Gathering". Don't let your reasons keep you from worshiping Jesus with the people of Jesus. Join us as Pastor John explores the power, purpose and pledge of people choosing the church gathering.
What has the greatest weight in your life? We are all pulled to live our life towards something greater than ourselves that we think will bring the fullest life possible. Maybe that's a career, an identity or status, or an experience. Those things form us as we pursue them for a full life. As followers of Jesus, we are called to give Jesus the greatest weight in our life. This is called 'worship'. Join us as we explore what it means to Choose to Worship Jesus in all areas of our lives.
What is bringing you joy?
Sometimes anxiety, a sense of duty, or being constantly distracted can crowd out Gospel joy in our lives.
BUT...Jesus cares about joy, is coming after you with joy, and cares about YOUR joy.
Gather with us as we start our new series FORMED TO FLOURISH: Choose the Path to Thrive.
Happy New Year! Can you believe it’s 2024!? On the first Sunday of the year, Pastor John will recap 2023 and share the vision for New City in 2024.
Today we reflect on 2023 and stories of God’s goodness and mercy throughout the year in lives of our congregants.
What does Christmas mean? Richard Beck says that the arrival of Jesus means we come finding ourselves already loved. What does this simple truth mean for us today?
"Incarnation" by Richard Beck
I arrived to find myselfalready loved.
A forgiveness preceding, exceeding my first crime and my last.
A prior mercy, a predestined grace.
Anticipating my shame a welcome offered,
a healing before the pain.
I had imagined it to be my task to close the distance between us, to cross the chasm, scale the height.
My fault dictating my duty, though futile and impossible.
But I looked up hearing the angels sing to find You already here.
Life is hard and circumstances constantly change. But yet the Bible tells us that you WILL rejoice! How can we have joy in the midst of hardship and uncertainty? Guest speaker Brad Schmidt unpacks John 16:16-24 and brings us the good news that we can have the perfect joy that Jesus offers.
advent #joy #rejoice #joyfulheart #christmas #jesus
Jesus promised the church to give us a supernatural peace that is radically different from what the world promises. A lasting peace. A complete peace. A peace that goes beyond our understanding. How do we get that kind of peace?
What is hope?
One author called it "wishing for adults". Is hope naivety about the darkness of the world?
Or something much more powerful.
Join Pastor John as he explores the hope of Advent.
Due to technical difficulties, their is no video on this sermon and the sound quality is low. Our apologies.
advent #hope #adventhope #john1 #sermon #christmastime
New City ministry partner Pastor Macklann Basse from Togo, West Africa preaching from Ephesians 5:15-20.
As the people of God return from exile to Jerusalem, then find they still have problems, they're still sinful & rebellious, and they're not really home. This week we conclude our series "Faith for Exiles" by exploring themes from Ezra and Nehemiah. We'll learn how faith for exiles means longing for something beyond this world for our ultimate hope.
Prayer, pride and plans. In Esther part 2, we learn the dramatic conclusion of the story, as well as learn how God operates behind the scenes for the benefit of his people.
Do you know how many times God shows up in thet ten chapters of Esther? None. Zero. Not once. Because of this, many have wondered if the book of Esther even belongs in the Bible. But in age where God seems absence, the absence of God speaks volumes for how to walk through cultural exile in a broken world.
Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Is this verse a personal guarantee of God's blessing? Or is it a reminder of something greater when we don't see the blessing? Join us this Sunday as Pastor John unpacks Jeremiah 29.
On New City's 7th anniversary celebration at a public park, Pastor John opens up 1 Peter 2 to prep two people for baptism and show how crazy the Gospel is for God's people living as cultural exiles.
The idea of having FAITH has become ambiguous. Today we will be looking at Daniel 3 to explore how authentic faith makes you go against the grain because of true knowledge of the character of God.
We are continuing in our series Faith for Exiles wrestling with questions such as...how can we live with faith in an often hostile and unfamiliar culture? And how can we live in joy when on foreign soil?We will be looking at Daniel 1:1-8, Psalm 137:1-4, and 1 Peter 2:9-12.
Thank you to our guest speaker Josh Olmann who kicked off our new sermon series. Josh preached from Genesis 50:14-20 in the story of Joseph. Joseph's life embodies what it means to be an exile and a reflection of the exile in Christ who came to save the life of many.
Due to a power outage during the worship gathering, this is an abbreviated version of Josh’s full message.
The Gospel (re)defines relationships by creating a culture of unity. This "oneness" is rooted in our togetherness in Jesus and plays out as the people of God embrace certain actions and impulses.
NT Wright says, "God wants real people, not puppets. The renewal of life he offers, in the sphere of marriage as everywhere else, will come through the willing, intelligent obedience of wholehearted women and men who think out what it means to be loyal to God and to other people, especially to their marriage partner, and who take steps to put it into practice."
Explore Matthew 19:1-12 with us as we see what Jesus' words have to do with divorce, gender and even same sex attraction!
marriage #relationships #christianliving #christianity #jesus
Friends...it is amazing that Jesus calls us this. The Bible also shows us that friends are necessary in the Christian walk!
Proverbs 18:24 "One with many friends may be harmed, but there is a friend who stays closer than a brother."
Are you longing for the good life? Do you think when you reach the next season or stage of life that THEN you’ll be living the good life?
This Sunday, Pastor John is opening God’s Word to discover that the good life isn’t about getting to the next stage or status but that by cultivating a relationship with Christ in the current status, you ARE living the good life.
What is sex for? Many would say it is a natural appetite, like a hunger that needs to be satisfied. Others think it is for self-expression or connection.
Talking about sex, author Jonathan Grant says, "The cruel irony is that contemporary men and women view intimate relationships as essential to their personal identity, but they struggle to commit themselves fully to these same relationships." We see sex as vital to who we are, yet we struggle with the place of these sexual relationships in our lives.
Tune in as Pastor John opens up several passages to explore the gift of sex that comes out of God's creative genius.
COMMITMENT. How does that word make you feel?
Some people cherish it. Some people long for it. For others, it can be uncomfortable or even scary. This Sunday, we will be in Ephesians chapter 5 in continuation of the series That They May Be One by looking at God's perfect design for commitment in marriage.
Do you know a person? To know another human means you have to learn how to forgive, because everybody has faults and makes mistakes. But when friends, spouses and family hurt us, how do we heal? Pastor John will open up the story of Joseph to looks at relationships and forgiveness.
While we know the best relationships are unselfish relationships, we struggle to get past “me” to “we”. Pastor John unpacks God’s design for relationships.
marriage #relationships #ephesians5 #spiderman #harrisonscottkey #timkeller #selffulfillment
Have you ever asked... Is heaven real? Does everyone go there? Is this life on earth all there is? How can I know about eternity? Today guest speaker Chad Virtanen will be closing out our Apostles Creed series..."I believe in the life everlasting. Amen." We will be looking at verses in the books of John, Hebrews, and Revelation.
eternity #eternallife #ibelieve #apostlescreed #cslewis #vacation #goofymovie
Have you ever wondered what path in life would lead you to ultimate fulfillment? Jesus fulfilled His Father’s request by giving His life for the good of people. We can experience ultimate fulfillment bydoing the same. We can follow His example, by sacrificially giving of ourselves to others. When we do this, we can experience the joy that comes from living a life of service and true purpose. Service is the only way to discover true and lasting fulfillment. Join us as guest preacher Cody Gilliard inspires and challenges us to avoid selfishness, embrace a servant status, and trust in the Lord’s strength. Ultimate fulfillment is found in the church's answer to Jesus' call to serve others.
Forgiveness is all about mending broken relationships, with God and with one another. Do you need to forgive or be forgiven? This week Chris Curtis is leading our service and will explore Matthew 18:21-35 in continuation of our series in the Apostles Creed. Let’s learn what forgiveness is and how to practice it in our lives.
forgiveness #freedomfrombitterness #forgiveothers #beforgiven #lesmiserables #letsmakeadeal #ibelieve #apostlescreed
How dare you judge me?!? We live in a strange, polarized time where no one likes being judged, yet everyone believes there are people out there that need to be judged. In the midst of that, the Bible claims that Jesus as the Judge is good news. How could that be?
judgement #apostlescreed #samssushi #theoffice #Angela #tupac #selfrighteousness #judgementalpeople
You'll see how Christianity offers unique resources for hope, hear about Pastor John's problem with the 1972 Dolphins perfect season, and how our culture's system of self-creation and expressive individualism leaves life's biggest question unanswered.
hope #resurrection #1corinthians15
Learn more about New City.
When God loves somebody, he blesses them, cares for them, gives his affection to them...AND disciplines them.
But as soon as we hear the word "discipline", we get squirmish. But should we?
Pastor John opens up Hebrews 12 to explore how God is committed to train us, and that shows his great love for us.
discipline #hebrews12 #training
Discover how Jesus “suffered well”, even in His undeserved suffering under Pontius Pilate, He didn't avoid it He embraced it, reconciled us to God and granted us the opportunity to partake in His suffering and glory. We too should not avoid our suffering but rejoice in our suffering with Him, partaking in His glory & triumph.
But what do we believe about the Holy Spirit? Pastor John continues our series in the Apostles Creed as we celebrate Pentecost Sunday. You'll hear about what makes the best movies, D-Day from WW2 in 1944, and why our culture no longer knows how to disagree. #pentecost #apostlescreed #HolySpirit #united #YuvalLevin
The Apostles' Creed says that Jesus ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of God. But what does that mean for us...as we get out of bed each morning? Pastor John explores the ascension of Jesus. You'll hear a tribute to Tim Keller, why picking up our phones first thing in the morning sets us up for a bad day, why the remembering the ascension every day can change how we live. #ApostlesCreed #TimKeller #TheAscension #AscensionDay #TheRightHandofGod #KingJesus #JustinWhitmelEarly #RobertMurrayMcCheyne #comparison #reality
On Mother's Day, we'll take a break from the Apostles' Creed to explore how Mary praised God at the news that she would give birth to the Son of God. #mothersday #themagnificat #praiseGod #mothers
You ever had a slow car driving in front of you, got frustrated by their ambivalence and said, "MAKE A MOVE!" As broken people living in a broken world, we often look at the chaos, evil and pain and assume God is ambivalent. We cry out, "God, make a move!" Today Pastor John opens up Luke 1 to explore the phrase from the Apostles' Creed, "conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary" and how it is the big move that God has made. #apostlescreed #luke1 #virginmary
Many Christians believe that Jesus is God's only Son, but struggle to define what that means. Today we'll explore who Jesus thought he was and what that means for us. #apostlescreed #sundayworship #godsonlyson #ourlord #jesusislord #jesuschrist
Ricky Gervais believed in God, until the existence of God didn't make sense to him anymore. Many are with Ricky. Still, over 50% of the US population are "religious remixers". They are spiritual but not religious or belong to a religion but disregard much of it. Does belief in the Christian God even make sense anymore? The first line of the Apostles Creed says, "I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth..." Pastor John unpacks why belief in God IS believable, how God is knowable, and that God is near. #rickygervais #religiouspluralism #apostlescreed #postchristian #taraisabellaburton #belief #blindfaith #atheism #spirtualbutnotreligious #SBNR #julianbarnes #Goddid #creation #bigbang #islam #hinduism #jesuschrist
Is belief mean "blind faith"? Is it a heart thing or head thing? Pastor John examines the first and most frequent words of the Apostles' Creed: "I believe..."
ApostlesCreed #faith #IBelieve #Perpetua #Roots #spiritualformation #trevinwax #aspen
Many ask, "Is the resurrection believable?" But today we reframe the question, "Is the resurrection worthy of your belief?" The resurrection story of Jesus of Nazareth is unbelievable, and yet worthy of our belief. Explore the story with us. #Easter #resurrection #Sunday #easterSunday #resurrectionSunday #emptytomb #Jesus
It is hard to think that a payment for sin to God could be the most important thing to know about God, but that's exactly what the Apostle Paul says about Jesus' death on the cross. In this Good Friday sermon, we revel in what Jesus has done for us and God the Father's love for us. #goodfriday #Jesus #love
Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey on Palm Sunday. Jesus' choice to ride on a donkey conveyed a message of humility and peace. We can learn from His example and consider what we are communicating to the world today. What are we communicating in our world today?
In an age of "follow your heart", we forget to ask, "what forms my heart?". Today we'll open Mark 4 and explore Jesus' parable of the sower to help us better understand heart formation. You'll hear about the musical "The Greatest Showman", a heart-aware atheist, and some choking hazards.
Everyone of us is walking through something. A trial, difficulty, or challenge. Why would a good and just God allow us to suffer? Suffering...why? Is it karma, survival of the fittest? Should we just toughen up? Or figure out how to escape? In today's message, Pastor John opens up John 9 where Jesus disorients how we think about suffering. #suffering #John9 #pain
Who are you? That's not a simple question to answer. But most of us answer that question under the premise of an achieved identity. That is, things we do. Titles we have earned. The way we try to control people's perceptions. But Christianity offers something fundamentally different to people: an identity that is not achieved, but received.Pastor John opens up John chapter 1 to explore the ministry of John the Baptist and the calling of Jesus' first disciples. You'll hear about the actor who played every historical figure but just wanted to be himself, why ordinariness is freeing, and what it looks like to walk in a received identity.
Most of us think greed is a bad thing. Yet, most of us wouldn't say we ourselves were greedy. Jesus tells us to be hyper-vigilant against greed. So is it that we are doing a good job of not being greedy, or that we just don't know what to look for? Pastor John opens up Luke 12 to explore greed, anxiety and shadows. #greed #treasure #wealth
God is disorienting you, He is disorienting you to reorient you into His Plan, Purpose and Will concerning your life. Embrace God’s Plan to reorient your life.
We all agree there is real and terrible evil out there. Yet there is so little moral consensus on what that evil is. There are so many cries for justice, yet no one can seem to agree on what it looks like and who needs it. We look at politics, and agree it is poisoned, but can't find common ground on who poisoned it. As we look out into the world, we see good guys and bad guys. And maybe that's part of the problem. As we continue our series REORIENTING/RENOVATING, we'll explore a story that Jesus tells meant to disorient us on our view of the good guys/bad guys. #goodguysbadguys #mercy #justice
We all have longings, desires and dreams. But have you ever asked what is underneath those things? Pastor John opens up John 4, the story of the Samaritan woman at the well, to explore our spiritual thirst. #spiritualthirst #john4 #womanatthewell
Is Christianity first a spiritual search? Getting a little religion? Or even committing to change?As we start a new series "Reorienting/Renovating", we'll look at the story of Nicodemus in John 3. When he comes into contact with Jesus, he is completely disoriented about what spirituality really is. #John316 #Nicodemus #spirituality
If you went to a party for someone, and someone brought and gave the guest of honor all their money and assets, would it be awkward? Today Pastor Mark explores how Jesus is worthy of everything. #worthy #worship
Worship, pray and hear how we believe God is leading us to seek a greater worship of Jesus in 2023. #relocation #newcity #greaterworship
“Do you want me to become a Christian?” What would you do if someone asked you that question? Pastor John opens up acts 26 to see how Paul responds when put under pressure about his faith. #conversion #worship #sundayworship
Is worship a genre of music? Or something more?Reflecting on the response to Damar Hamlin, Pastor John opens up Romans 12 to explore how worship re-orients.
Gather with us as we hear stories of God’s faithfulness in 2022!
testimonySunday #hope #goodness #grateful #deliverance
As human beings, we struggle to see the true significance of things. But the claims of Christmas in Bethlehem are worth our time to stop and consider its significance. As we explore its significance, you’ll hear about people who passed over the artwork of the street-artist Banksy and how Salt Bae was jockeying for significance.
christmaseve #worship #significance
Immanuel means “God with us”. The great story of the Bible is God’s pursuit of being with human beings, and we see that magnified in the Christmas story. Gather with us as Mark Lebrun opens up Isaiah 7, an ancient passage about a prophecy to King Ahaz to explore Advent hope.
Godwithus #advent #hope
The people walking in darkness…Do you ever feel like the darkness in this world is TOO normal? Have this underlying suspicion that everything is not the way it is supposed to be?
As we continue in Isaiah 9, we explore “Jesus, the Light of the World”. You’ll hear about Pastor John’s late night fights with a car, the battle of Helms Deep, and how Advent givese us hope in the darkness.
advent #light #hope #Isaiah9 #helmsdeep #Gospelpreaching #Jesus #lightoftheworld
What are you willing to do to get some peace? How far will you go? What will you try? We spend most of our lives trying to GET peace.
During Advent we are reminded that we are given peace. It comes to us. It is for us. When the angels sing to the shepherds, they say, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth PEACE to those on whom his favor rests."
Gather with us as we explore how Jesus is the Prince of Peace.
peace #Isaiah9 #advent
Christmastime provides a needed distraction and escape from the busyness, trials and even the darkness of our world. Butif Christmastime is only an escape, are we missing what it is really about? Gather with us as we start our Advent season, and Pastor John open Isaiah 9 to explore light shining in darkness.
advent #christmastime #isaiah9 #hope
How do you see it? We often think Samson's story is about his strength, but behind that is a mindset that says "I see it how I see it. I want what I see. I will live my truth."
Explore the story with us!
samson #liveyourtruth
Check out the series in Judges:
https://www.newcityhh.com/blog/judges-fall-22
Have you ever felt like someone didn't get you? As the people of Israel descend further and further into chaos, we see that they really don't get God. And neither does the judge Jephthah that is chosen to lead them.
judges #idols
Have you ever seen the movie Dumb and Dumber?
There's this great line where Jim Carrey's character asks a woman, "What are our chances?"
She says, "Not good." He responds, "Like one in a hundred."
She grimaces, "More like one in a million."
He smiles and says, "So you're telling me there's a chance."
Carrey's character flips the script on the story.
In Judges chapter 8, Gideon flips the script on God's story and makes it all about him. Do we ever do the same?
How would you live if you had confidence you wouldn’t fail? We are all looking for self-confidence, a feeling that "I can do this!" But what happens when we can't? Today we look at pt 1 of the story of Gideon, a man marked by fear and doubt.
confidence #gideon #commitment
God Fights the Battle (Judges #4) Life is always a battle. That's not all it is. But the battle is always there. Do you resonate with this? As Christians, we have enemies of the world, the flesh and the devil. So no wonder life is always a battle. But the good news is that God is in the battle, and he will win. As we open up Judges 4 today we'll see how God delivers Israel through Deborah and Barak, and how he delivers the battle to them, because God fights the battle.
God Fights the Battle (Judges #4) Life is always a battle. That's not all it is. But the battle is always there. Do you resonate with this? As Christians, we have enemies of the world, the flesh and the devil. So no wonder life is always a battle. But the good news is that God is in the battle, and he will win. As we open up Judges 4 today we'll see how God delivers Israel through Deborah and Barak, and how he delivers the battle to them, because God fights the battle.
We all need deliverance, but God loves to use the unlikely to deliver. Watch as Pastor John unpacks Judges 3 with Othniel and Ehud.
judges #deliver #weakness
We all need deliverance, but God loves to use the unlikely to deliver. Watch as Pastor John unpacks Judges 3 with Othniel and Ehud.
judges #deliver #weakness
Worship can wreck us. Worship is a religious word, but everybody worships something. As we open up Judges chapter 2, we see that Israel had a worship wreck. Why did they wreck? In this sermon, you'll learn why worshiping anything but God can lead to major life catastrophe, but how God's grace is the path home.
worship #wreck #blackbox #judges2
Worship can wreck us. Worship is a religious word, but everybody worships something. As we open up Judges chapter 2, we see that Israel had a worship wreck. Why did they wreck? In this sermon, you'll learn why worshiping anything but God can lead to major life catastrophe, but how God's grace is the path home.
worship #wreck #blackbox #judges2
Ever seen the movie, "He's Just Not That Into You" ?
Being whole-hearted in a relationship with a half-hearted person is tough. It is clarifying to admit, "That person is just not into me."
Half-heartedness plagues us all, both towards us and in us. As we start a new series in Judges, we'll see that the people of God were half-hearted towards God and his commands. They thought they were in with God, but they weren't just that into Him.
What lessons does that have for us today?
hesjustnotthatintoyou #judges #half-hearted #obedience #judges1
Ever seen the movie, "He's Just Not That Into You" ?
Being whole-hearted in a relationship with a half-hearted person is tough. It is clarifying to admit, "That person is just not into me."
Half-heartedness plagues us all, both towards us and in us. As we start a new series in Judges, we'll see that the people of God were half-hearted towards God and his commands. They thought they were in with God, but they weren't just that into Him.
What lessons does that have for us today?
hesjustnotthatintoyou #judges #half-hearted #obedience #judges1
You just got to believe?...in what? Jay Kim says that we often think of hope as "wishing for adults". But hope is very different than wishing and even optimism. So what is it?As we conclude our series "For the Life of the World", Pastor John opens up Romans 8 and 1 Peter 1 to explore how the Christian faith offers resources for hope.
hope #optimism #manifesting #blindfaith #death #fear #negativethoughts #jaykim #wish #iwish #wishing #allthingsnew
What is truth? Is it "my truth"? A quest to control the political narrative? In our day of personalized spirituality and fake news, it is hard to know what is true.
As we continue our series, "For the Life of the World", Pastor John opens up John 18 to a dialogue between Jesus and Pilate to explore how Christian truth brings flourishing to humanity.
truth #whatistruth #reality #sexuality #voiceofjesus #truthclaims #john18 #thetruth #youcanthandlethetruth
Is Christianity good for the life of the world? A 2017 poll revealed that more than half the people surveyed thought religion is the problem. Certainly Christians and churches have had massive failures. But is that the whole story?
Pastor John opens up Romans 14:17 to explore how Christianity (and Christians) are good for the life of the world.
Full Rebecca McLaughlin Video: https://youtu.be/iuxYslYJ12s
Learn more about New City: www.NEWCITYHH.com
Christianity #religion #good #goodness #joy #peace #sexuality #cypher #mentalhealth #Romans1417 #datapoints #miroslavvolf
In a world full of brokeness, evil and ugliness, does Christianity offer beauty for the life of the world?
Pastor John opens a passage from Isaiah to talk about the beauty of the Gospel against the backdrop of brokenness in our world.
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/NewCityFellowshipChurch
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/newcityhh/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/newcityhh/
beauty #brokenness #isaiah #beautiful #gospel #isaiah61 #isaiah62 #theorange #orange #auschwitz #purpose #restoration #ruin #humanity #human #reality
In Cody's last Sunday at New City, he echos Jesus' words about freedom to the church.
You'll hear about the price of sin, the power of sin, and a bag full of drugs.
freedom #free #jesus #sin #power
Links: https://www.instagram.com/newcityhh/
https://www.facebook.com/NewCityHH
www.NEWCITYHH.com
“I will not….”
Did you ever have to write sentences in school when you got in trouble? Maybe you figured out a shortcut when you wrote the sentences to make it easier. If so, there wasn’t any wisdom gained from the correction. Rather the wisdom was in getting around the instruction.
That’s often how our hearts work. But God’s instruction isn’t busy work. His commands don’t get in the way of our best life. His correction isn’t about shame. Rather, it’s all about the deep desires He has for us and our intimacy with Him.
On this Father’s Day, Pastor John opens up Proverbs 3 to explore God’s Fatherly wisdom.
wisdom #shame #fathersday #fathergod #proverbs #sundayworship #busywork
Have you ever been in an emergency situation? Where something goes wrong and your surroundings are not working for you, but against you? And you're just trying to make it out in one piece?
That's the context of the believers that Peter writes to in 1 Peter 4. But Peter gives them three principles to remain spiritually alive: embrace your place, edit your priorities and entrust your position.
worstcasescenario #suffering #embraceyourplace #priorities #position
With the explosion of “spirituality” in western society, more and more people are seeking to connect to something bigger than themselves.
Today people engage in spiritual practices with the hopes of connecting with a spirit that would guide them to a life of meaning and purpose.
Cody shares a message about the historic event when God poured his Spirit out on humanity.
Join us as we explore the question, “What does this mean?"
spiritualbutnotreligious #spirituality #holyspirit #pentecost #Acts2
Jesus said, “You will be my witnesses.”
However, sometimes witnessing to family members and close friends can be the most frightening task for a witness. The history of brokenness among family and friends can sometimes discourage Christians from witnessing.
Cody shares how God’s Program and Power enables us to fulfill our purpose as Gospel witnesses.
witness #acts18 #power #powerfortheprogram
Everyone is looking for power. Power for self-transformation, power for healing, power to liberate. The Ephesian church was concerned about spiritual power as well, and the Apostle Paul had a very comforting message for them: King Jesus is seated in the heavens in power, and you're seated with him.
To celebrate the Ascension of Jesus, Pastor John opens up Ephesians to explore the power of King Jesus.
“There is no greater rule than Christ’s; there is no authority that can thwart his purposes; there is no power that can withstand his; there is no dominion that can prevent his advance.” Sinclair Ferguson
theascension #ascension #power #spiritualpower #kyrieirving #sage #kingjesus
Where is the Church? As we survey our culture's darkness and decay, we shouldn't be surprised. The question is not "why is the culture so broken?" but "where is the church in the darkness?" Pastor John opens up Jesus' teaching on salt and light to explore how the church can be in the midst of the mess making a difference for the Kingdom.
saltandlight #thechurch #jesus
"You better behave in God's house!!!" Did you ever get in trouble with your mom for acting up in church? The Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy that the people in his church weren't acting right.
But it wasn't about behaving in the church building. Rather, it was how the people of the church were called to live as God's house.
In today's sermon from 1 Timothy 3:14-16, you'll hear about Pastor John getting in trouble in church, why its an error when people don't live out their faith because of the hypocrisy of other Christians, and how people burned 6 million dollars worth of books because they started following Jesus.
beingthechurch #godshouse #1timothy3 #behave #conduct #christianconduct
We are all micro-scoping something. A microscope takes something small and it makes it bigger. Our hearts are wired for worship, and so they microscope things like money, pleasure, freedom, our appearance and status. Our hearts try to make them bigger than they really are, and then we are left unsatisfied.
Jesus calls people to himself, and to find life and satisfaction in him. This is worship. But then the church is called to telescope Jesus. We are called to show how great, grand and beautiful he actually is. The Church is a people FOR worship.
There’s lots of talk about the church:
-going to church.
-critiquing the church.
-choosing a church.
But what about "being the church"?
In the series “Being the Church”, we’ll talk honestly and reveal the real. We’ll cover the failures of the church and the responding deconstruction movement. We’ll also renew the roots by getting to the core of what it means to be the church from God’s perspective. Gather with us as we start with what the church fundamentally is: a people.
thechurch #godspeople #livingstones #deconstruction #1Peter5
What are you pursuing for life, joy and peace? Everyone is pursuing after these things, but the pursuit is often elusive. Even when we get our fingers around life, joy and peace, we have to work hard to keep it.
The Christian faith is incredibly unique, because it says that in the resurrection of Jesus, life, joy and peace PURSUES US.
Gather with us as we explore the risen Jesus' pursuit of us.
Easter #life #resurrection
Jesus Christ. Many think Christ is his last name. But it is actually a formal title meaning Messiah. But although it is how the world knows him as Christ, Jesus shied away from the term. But Jesus' being the Messiah is really what his trial is all about.
GoodFriday #Messiah #Jesus
https://www.newcityhh.com/blog/jesus-is-the-christ-goodfriday22
Life is full of important questions:
Who will I marry? How do I get past this pain? What is going to happen next in my life?
Some of our questions get answered. Some of them don't. And some of them lead to deeper questions.
As we prepare for Holy Week, we are reminded to ask the big question, "Who is Jesus?"
As Jesus enters into Jerusalem riding on a colt, he is celebrated by the crowds arriving for Passover. Those crowds see him and ask, "Who is this?"
PalmSunday #questions #KingJesus
The Bible teaches that Jesus was human. Not God pretending to be man. But truly and fully God, and truly and fully human. And like every human, Jesus was from a place. Like every human, Jesus had a way he referred to himself. But unlike every human, Jesus suffered for the rest of humanity.
Learn about Jesus from Nazareth, the Son of Man who suffered to the point that he was beyond recognition.
The church is radically dependent on Jesus. But we don't always know it or live it. Prayer is the mechanism by which we depend on God for everything. Guest speaker Pastor John Thompson of Kainos Church ATL opens up Acts to show us the power of a praying church.
prayer #Acts #power
We live our lives looking to fill our hearts. But we often come up empty. David's pattern of worship in Psalm 63 shows us that worshiping God is not just eating vegetables because we have to. Rather, engaging our God truly fills our hearts.
worship #satisfied
We wish we didn't find ourselves stuck in sin. But we all have been there. How do we get out of our sin and back to God? Cody opens up Psalm 51 and explores David's three steps back to God after he committed adultery and murder.
backtoGod #stuck #psalm51
Will we have the same friends? Will we still be a man or woman? Will we be married?
When we talk about the resurrection of our bodies, it is hard to imagine what it will be like. Pastor John opens up Jesus and Paul’s teaching to explore how your resurrected body will be you, but it won’t be the same you.
resurrection #bodies #1Corinthians15 #resurrected #humanbody #humanity #death
Did Jesus say anything about homosexuality or gender? Many think not. As we continue our series, Pastor John opens up Matthew 19 to explore “Sexed Bodies: Jesus and Gender”
sexuality #human #jesus #genderidentity #gay #ssa #matthew 19
Bodies…fit, aging, attractive.
Bodies…black, white, brown.
Bodies…male, female.
What do our bodies say about who we are?
To answer that, we have to ask a deeper question: What does God say about our bodies and our identity?
Pastor John explores this question in our second sermon in our Following Jesus with our Bodies series.
authenticself #sexuality #temple
Our bodies give us messages like pain, pleasure and arousal. We get messages about our bodies from advertisements, our doctors or what people say.
But what does God have to say about our bodies. In the first of four sermons, Pastor John explores what it means to be fearfully and wonderfully made.
bodies #fearfullyandwonderfullymade #imageofgod
The last few years have been challenging, but the Lord has helped us. Pastor Macklann Basse, church planter and movement leader in Togo, West Africa, opens up 1 Samuel 7 to encourage us.
WestAfrica #AfricaMissionwithNations #LomeTogo
addiction #africa #missions #togo #1samuel7
What do you do when you want to give up? When you want to quit following Jesus? When you're stuck between a rock and a hard place and there doesn't seem a way out? Cody opens up Psalms 142 when David is stuck in a cave to explore what he did when he wanted to give up.
trials #psalm142 #david
The effects of sin have left us traumatized, broken people living in a broken world. But God is a God of healing and restoration. As we grow in our relationship with him, he meets us in our brokenness and heals us with his love. Today Pastor John opens up Paul's prayer in Ephesians 3 to explore "Healing to Wholeness".
healing #gospel #trauma
Did you know that nearly 50% of adults in the United States experience loneliness weekly? That means you're not alone in feeling alone. But it also means we need some answers to this challenge many of us are facing.
In this message, Pastor John explores different Scriptures for our second Focus 2022 Theme: Blending to Belong.
lonely #loneliness #belong
Do our prayers do anything? If we're honest, we wonder that. As the Spirit of God lives in us, we are drawn to pray. But we struggle with it, right?
Today we look at our first area of focus for this year: "praying the Word". Rather than mustering up the strength to pray, we're going to look to Jesus. He invites us into prayer, inspires our prayers, and even prays for us.
prayer #focus #2022
This year we'll be focusing on three areas for our church. But before we dig deep in those areas, we'll remember God's faithfulness for what He did in 2021.
Pastor John opens Ephesians 1 to talk about God's power working in us and our focus areas for 2021: Bible reading and outreach.
2022goals #godisgood #biblereading
Pastor Cody ends the year by looking ahead with hope to the new city.
revelation21 #newcity #newyear
Peace on earth? Really? In the midst of long COVID testing lines? Violence in our cities? And a loneliness epidemic during the holidays?
On Christmas Eve, Pastor John explores the angel's proclamation about peace on earth from Luke 2. We'll see that the Christian faith offers us incredible resources for peace, even when our world is falling apart.
ChristmasEve #Luke2 #peaceonearth
Have you ever been put in a box? Not a literal box. But had someone know part of you, but not all of you?
As the Apostle John writes to Christians fifty years after Jesus' life and ministry, he encourages them not to put Jesus in the box of prevailing spiritual ideas. John wants believers to have a relationship with Jesus, but with Jesus as He is, not Jesus in a box. Jesus came relationally so he could be known as he is. And he came to be known as he is so you could be in relationship.
1John1 #relationship #advent
Have you ever seen the list of invitees to a party and thought, "I'm not gonna go. No one going to the party is like me"?
When Jesus came into the world, no one was like him. Everybody was a sinner, a rebel against God. Yet, Christ Jesus came to save sinners. As we explore this theme in 1 Timothy 1, we'll see that understanding this completely changes the way we view ourselves.
sinners #Advent #1Timothy1
When something bad happens, do you ever ask, “God, what did I do to deserve this?”
If so, then we usually ask, “What can I offer you to get out of this?” But that type of thinking produces guilt-ridden, timid living.
In our second Advent sermon, Pastor John opens up Hebrews 10 to explore how Jesus offering himself as a sacrifice enables us to live boldly before God.
offering #f260 #guilt #sacrificialsystem
If you could gain any super power, what would it be?
It isn’t hard to think about gaining a special skill or ability. But what if you had to give one up? What if you didn’t gain a special strength, but had to give up one you already possessed? Why even bring that up? Who wants to lay aside the best thing about them?
Pastor John opens up Philippians 2 to explore how Jesus humbled himself to come.
humility #humbleness
How do you "hack" gratitude?
Many people open their eyes to material blessings God has given them. But the Apostle Paul's hack is to see unseen spiritual realities. That's what makes his heart thankful.
Pastor John will open Colossians 1 to explore how the Gospel gives us endless resources for thankfulness.
gratitudehack #lifehacks #colossians1 #spiritualrealities
Has your experience of following Jesus been more about sitting in an individual seat on Sunday mornings? Or being face to face with others around the family table?
As we celebrate our 5th Anniversary, Pastor John opens up an often skipped over passage (Romans 16) to help us root deeper in the Gospel and each other. The family table is foundational to our faith.
Romans16 #familytable #thetable #tablefellowship
We talk a lot about faith in our culture, but what is it? Faith in the universe? Faith that things are going to work out okay?
Cody opens up Romans 4 to unpack what faith really is for the follower of Jesus.
faith #believe
Ever feel like God is missing? Because the world is so broken and our lives are so painful, we often feel like God isn't real or if He is, He's hiding. Pastor John explores Romans 1:16-32 to see how God is actually revealing himself to humanity, but not in the way that we would assume.
Atheism #agnosticism #Revelation #Romans1 #sin #desire #sexuality #julianbarnes #doubt #deconstruction
Check out New City at www.NewCityHH.com or https://linktr.ee/newcityhh
Is God working? Sometimes it is hard to see where He is.
As we wind down our Message on the Move series, Pastor John explores God working to start the church at Philippi through the lens of a famous verse. You'll hear about one funny family activity, reflect on the danger of the spirit world, and be encouraged to see God's word afresh.
Godisworking #Acts16 #Philippi #remotecontrol
Have you ever been on the outside looking in? Ever been excluded from participating? The Ethiopian eunuch would have found himself on the fringe when he went to the temple in Jerusalem to worship. In this sermon, we hear how the message of the Gospel includes the excluded but also moves us to the outside.
You'll hear about a follower of Jesus' primary identity and how kids go crazy for pinatas.
Learn more about New City:
www.NEWCITYHH.com
identity #ethiopia #nubia #eunuch #temple #identitymarker #acts8 #phillip #Gaza #thefringe
When were followers of Jesus called "Christians"? Not until the Gospel began breaking barriers between different people in Antioch.
Dr. Greg Perry of Third Millennium Ministries shares from Acts chapter 11. You'll hear about the first time Greg was called a hurtful name and what the early Christians did when they were kicked out of the synagogue.
Antioch #Acts11 #ThirdMill #ThirdMillMinistries #GregPerry #EarlyChristians #Gospel
Everything is “awesome”. Yet we aren’t in awe of anything. In today’s sermon, you’ll hear about how God was working in the early church and how He is working today. You’ll learn about the 2.5 billion Christians worldwide and “the most evil man in the world”.
Video Version:
https://youtu.be/y_tsodSYoo4
Acts8 #awe #awesome #gospel #themostevilmanintheworld #generalbuttnaked #liberia #civilwar #acts7 #Stephen #Phillip #Peter #John #simonthemagician #samaria #samaritans #worldwide #christianity #2.5 #JoshuaBlahyi
Have you ever done something that went against popular opinion? Have you ever done something that went against your own logic?
When God calls Peter to go to Cornelius' house in Acts 10, it doesn't make sense to him. But Peter's perspective is going to be shifted to understand the Gospel is great than he previously thought, and breaks down barriers between people.
As Pastor Cody speaks from Acts 10, your own perspective will grow as you think about how God treats people impartially and has no favorite nation. You'll also hear about Cody's fifth grade perm.
Acts 10 #Peter #Impartiality #BrianPiccolo #Cornelius
Learn more about New City at www.NEWCITYHH.com
Witnesses of the Message: Acts 1
Chris Curtis asks three important questions of Acts chapter 1.
themessage #witnesses #Acts1
The Main Message: The Lame Beggar (Acts 3)
We talk a lot about "our faith". What is the main message of our faith? Is it have to do with our specific church? With the kind of people we are? With getting a better life from God?
Today Pastor John will open up Acts 3 to clarify "The Main Message". You'll hear about Peter and John's encounter with a lame man at the temple, and how to get a kid to eat their vegetables.
themessage #faith #Acts3
Hearing With Your Heart: The Parable of the Sower (Mark 4)
The message of Jesus going out to people's hearts is like a farmer throwing seed onto soil. Have you ever wondered why certain hearts hear the message of Jesus in different ways? Pastor John kicks off the series "Message on the Move" by exploring the parable of the sower from Mark 4.
You'll hear about John's honey neighbor, the mosquito tone, and questions to ask if you're deconstructing the Christian faith.
deconstruction #deconstruct #christianity #mark4 #parableofthesower #gospelmessage
Love...it is more than a feeling. Jesus commands us to love in action. But how do we find the power to love? By believing. Cody continues our series "The Four" by opening up Jesus' words from John 15. There we learn to believe that Jesus' love has changed our identity, purpose and love for others.
purpose #love #sacrifice #agape #lastsupper #Covidchurch
Are you the right kind of person? There's something in our hearts that tells us we are. We're the right kind of person because? Fill in the blank. And those other people? Well, they're the wrong kind of people because _____.
Jesus tells a story about a Pharisee and a tax collector. The story exposes our self-righteousness about ourself and contempt for others. In this sermon, you'll hear about the one attitude to avoid in marriage, how an olympian hit the target but scored zero, and how we're all wrong about being right.
mercy #Luke18 #self-righteousness #pharisee #taxcollector
Watch on Youtube: https://youtu.be/TVQ9PwjQ2t4
Have you ever gone the wrong way? When Jesus comes on the scene, he calls people to see what direction they are going. Pastor John explores the story of the rich, young, ruler from Mark. You'll hear about a time Pastor John saw someone running the wrong way, how riches work in the kingdom of God, and how counter-cultural discipleship really is.
Some think they can change themselves. Others say they are acceptable as they are and don't need to change. But this simple truth confounds us all: Jesus changes people.
As we start off our series "The Four", Pastor John looks at Matthew's story of being called as a disciple by Jesus. You'll hear about Lil' Wayne, the problem with religion, and a time someone was too messy to be helped by John.
Because Jesus has saved us we are part of God's blended family. While many feel comfortable being part of God's family, they feel less comfortable being called a representative of Jesus to the world. But that's exactly what we are, ambassadors of Christ to the world. As we close out our CHARGED series, Pastor John opens up 2 Corinthians 5 to show us how Paul owns being a representative of Jesus, and calls us to own it as well. You'll hear about your new identity in Christ, your new relationship with God, as well as the time Pastor John was made to dance in front of hundreds of people at a water polo tournament.
According to Acts 1:8, Jesus has charged His church in two ways: He charged the church by giving them the Holy Spirit which empowers the believer. Jesus has also charged the church with a command "be my witnesses." He has given the church the power for one reason – to keep the command.
Pastor Cody explains that although promised power Christians often struggle with keeping the command. In this sermon, you will see that Jesus intended for His message to flow through us and into the lives of other people. But there is something that seeks to block the flow.
For this reason, Paul tells the Colossian Church to pray that God would open doors for the word.
Join our Guest Preacher Winston Miller as he leads the 2 part of our CHARGED Sermon series : The Great Commission, where we discuss how Jesus has empowered us and promised to be with us as we make disciples. Winston discusses Jesus' Complete Authority , Jesus' Clear Instructions, and Jesus' Comforting Presence while looking into Acts 1:8, 2:1-4 (ESV).
“Being a disciple of Christ does not begin with something we do, it begins with something Christ did.”
We are believers today, because of the charge Jesus gave to His disciples and their faithful commitment to preach the word (Act 1:18). Jesus has give every believer the same charge.
However, many Christians have become distracted. You may find yourself swimming in information overload, what outlets should influence our thinking, what books to read, and what Authors to trust.
Follow Cody as he breaks down the many directions that promise fulfillment and talk about how Paul charged Timothy to Preach the Word.
Join us as we explore the Prayer of Daniel in the final sermon of, "The Call of the Prophets." series. We explore the ME mindset and how to think of WE, while becoming better disciples of God and still practicing self care.
This week as we continue our series "The Call of the Prophets", we talk about the Prophet Ezekiel and hope. Have you ever been hopeless? God's call to Ezekiel comes in the midst of the hopelessness of death, exile and division. Pastor John Explores how God gives hope in hopeless times, and breathes life into the dead. He also discusses Christian Eriksen collapsing during the Eurocup and how he was brought back to life in a lifeless situation.
Many people know one serse in Jeremiah :Chapter 29 Verse 11. It is a verse full of hope and promise. Yet the rest of the book is pretty dark. Pastor John frames 29:11 in the context of Jeremiah's call to God's people in exile. You'll hear about fortune cookie theology, waht is means to be Christians in South Florida and a time Pastor John was really ready to come home.
God is making all things new and transforming this broken world into a new creation. But how do sinners participate in this plan of redemption? Cody opens up Isaiah 6 and explores Isaiah's call to ministry.
We began this week in a new series called ‘The Call of the Prophets”. This week Pastor John takes us through the story of the prophet Hosea whose message to the people of Israel was God’s displeasure at their disobedience.
This week’s sermon reminds us that, in spite of our sins, God always finds a path for the redemption of his people.
Where did Jesus go? What did he leave for his followers? We’ve spent the last six weeks reviewing the heart of Christ, really trying to understand how Jesus wanted out hearts to be. It is fitting that we end the series with the Pentacost, the coming of the holy spirit.
Pastor John helps us understand why Jesus’s departure from the world was actually a good thing for his followers and helps us understand the role the Holy Spirit has in our lives as followers of christ.
We think about Jesus’s birth we think of him coming to save us from our sins. But what does it mean for us that Jesus ascended in to heaven?
This past Thursday, the Church celebrated the ascension of Jesus Christ. Guest Pastor Cody talks with us about what it means to have Jesus preparing heaven for us and what it means to have him seated at the right hand of the father.
Human nature is to draw away from things that we fear. When we look at our sins and our failures, it is natural to also draw away from God, who we know hates these things.
In Pastor John's teachings today, he explain why it's important to draw towards God instead of away from him. In fact, not only should we not pull away, but we should use our reverence of God to draw ourselves closer to him.
Cold-hearted. Lion-hearted. Hard-hearted.
We’re used to hearing people talk about hearts. But there’s only one place in all of Scripture where Jesus talks about his own heart.
In Matthew 11, Jesus says that he is gentle and lowly of heart. Pastor John explores what this has to do with church hurt and frustration with organized religion.
Everyone is pursuing happiness, but Jesus is pursuing joy even if it costs him. What is this great joy he is pursuing? Pastor John opens up Hebrews 12:1-2 to continue our series on The Heart of Christ.
When we sin and struggle, does Jesus look at us with disdain and frustration? Or some other look? Cody unpacks Hebrews 4:15-16 to show how Jesus understands, and how he helps.
Have you ever made eye contact with someone who needed help? Once you lock eyes, you feel an obligation to show compassion.
Pastor John opens up Luke 7. Jesus is not afraid to look at hurting people in broken situations because his heart is full of compassion.
After the past year, it is hard to get our hopes up. But the God behind the Gospel is a God of resurrection hope. He wants us to get our hopes up. Pastor John opens up 1 Corinthians 15 to point us to a certain, personal and future hope.
Some say it shows he is an unpredictable tyrant. Others say the cross doesn’t tell us anything about God. Pastor John opens up 1 Corinthians to show us how the cross tells us exactly who he is.
Riding into Jerusalem on a foal to cheers of triumph days before crucification and betrayal defies our common sense. We see Jesus continue to challenge worldly logic through continued paradoxical teaching in today’s Palm Sunday Sermon.
In our sermon titled, “The Paradox of Palm Sunday”, Pastor John highlights the strangeness of this behavior and helps us understand why Jesus didn’t behave the way we, or the people of the time would’ve expected.
As Jesus winds down the Sermon on the Mount, rather than giving a cheesy sales pitch, He draws a line in the sand. How we respond to the end of His sermon reveals how He is calling us to trust Him. In this sermon, you’ll hear about following Jesus even when the path looks choppy, the danger of trusting appearances and navigating the Haulover Inlet.
Our culture thrives on opinions and critiques of others.
How are followers of Jesus called to be different?
Pastor John unpacks Matthew 7:1-12 showing that Jesus does encourage us to speak the difference between right and wrong in our loved and the lives of others.
You’ll hear about humility, trying not to judge how people dress at Disney World and how we see God’s mercy most clearly.
It's not uncommon that we become so consumed with becoming who we think we should be and what we think we should have, that we become anxious and stressed.
In our 5th sermon on Living Greatly, Pastor John continues our study of how Jesus expects us to live. We are reminded that God doesn't want our focus to be on storing wealth or trophies or titles, but instead focused on doing the work of God.
Are your actions for you or are they for God? This week we continue our look at what it means to LIVE GREATLY. Guest Pastor Cody dives into Jesus's comments on the sermon on the mount warning against hypocrisy, warning against performing for God instead of living for him.
This week, our third week of our Living Greatly series, we’re looking at one of the most well-known, yet challenging commands from Jesus- “Turn the Other Cheek”.
While our fight or flight instincts tell us to stand up for ourselves, fight back and get revenge, Pastor John Houmes shares the lessons of Christ and the examples from Black History to show us the power and obedience behind those who choose to answer anger and hate with love.
We enter the second week of our series, Living Greatly, taking a look at our relationships with others. Specifically we look at how Jesus spoke about anger, desire and disingenuous attitudes in the book of Matthew.
Pastor John HOumes utilizes the colorful analogy of Pixar’s “The Incredibles” to demonstrate just how double-edged the saying of “Be true to yourself” can be. He then reaches back into Black history to introduce us to Charles Octavius Booth, a pastor during shortly after the Civil War, who helped us understand the importance of forgiveness over anger”.
This week we start a new sermon series called Living Greatly where we try to gain a better understand of the type of life God considers great for the people of his Kingdom.
We looked at the examples of Cyprian, a bishop from Northern Africa 200 years after Christ’s death, who embodied sincere love and character who encouraged his people not to say great things, but to live them.
Pastor John also helps us take a look at some of the practical ways we can demonstrate this godly character in today’s world.
Worshipping God is one of the cornerstones of the authentic church. It is our privilege to give thanks to the God who has given so much to us through our worship.
In our fifth week of looking at the characteristics of the Authentic Church, guest pastor Cody talks with us about what worship really means and why it has been distorted to cause unnecessary rifts in churches. He explains why worship isn’t our style of music or our Sunday habits so we can come back to the heart of what God wants from us.
We continue our journey in discovering the Authentic Church this week looking at the discipline of serving. Pastor John opens up several examples from the Bible where Jesus demonstrated and taught his disciples what it really meant to serve in God’s kingdom.
As we look to applying this in our daily lives, we look at examples of the types of spiritual gifts we’ve each been given and how we can use those to bless ourselves and others.
One of the cornerstones of the Authentic Church is the Authentic Prayer. This week, Pastor John Houmes brings us into the book of Ephesians and into the words of Paul to explore the history and power of prayer.
This sermons looks at prayer as our outlet for connecting with the Almighty. Through it we gain gain hope and wisdom that can bring us the richness of life that God desires for those in relationship with him.
As we look at what it means to be an authentic church, we realize that it’s anything but the easy road. Instead of calling us to surround ourselves with people who look and think the way we do, God’s authentic church approaches the concept of community in a much more inclusive way.
In this week’s sermon series on the Authentic Church, Pastor John Houmes describes the community known as the church. Not only what the church stands for but WHO the church is for too.
Our first sermon series of the year, Authentic Church, kicks off a year of growing our faith by really getting to know God and developing our authentic relationships with him.
Pastor John Houmes reminds us that to really get to know Jesus, we can’t pick and choose the parts of his story we’d like to apply to our lives. To really have an authentic relationship, we need the WHOLE story, and that whole story begins in Genesis when God created Heaven and Earth…
Join us as we start our year long Bible Study together!
Christmas 2020 is an altogether different experience than the Christmas's in the past. This year has put a stress on the hopes of many people.
As we come together to Celebrate the coming of our Savior, Pastor John Houmes takes a look at the hope he brings to this world. To you, right here and right now.
In the final sermon of our advent series, we wrap-up our understanding of Jesus’ second coming by looking at the gospel of Matthew where they compare the people of God to the beloved of a Groom.
Pastor John Houmes reveals that the second coming of Jesus will not be the same as the first. We are cautioned that there will be a reckoning during the second coming of Jesus and we must know how to prepare for that time.
What are you waiting for?
In this advent season, we are reminded that Jesus has come, but also that we are in a season of waiting for him to come again.
Pastor John Houmes takes this Sunday to explore the biblical foundations for waiting. Can we trust that God will fulfill his promise? Has he done it in the past? And most importantly for our daily application, what should we be doing while we wait?
Guest Pastor Brad Schmidt preaches our 3rd sermon of the Advent Series “Jesus our King”. In this sermon we read Revelation 22:1-11 where the City of Heaven is described.
When we think of getting close to God we might think of nature, but God thinks of drawing people into close community. Pastor Brad describes this vision for a community of people and how we can act as an example of a heavenly community on earth.
What does the light of Jesus bring us? Guest Pastor Brad Jones tackles our second sermon on the advent, the coming of Jesus. Why was Jesus needed? Can we find the reasons all the way back in the time of Moses? In this sermon we take a look at the tension that exists between a God the must punish sin and a God who is merciful and loving. We look at the old testament to understand the character of God. We look at Jesus, the light of the world, who comes to make it all possible.
What brings you hope this holiday season?
We are heading into a season where we celebrate the life of Jesus Christ and our forgiveness. But while we look back to Jesus's arrival on earth, we also look forward to the promise of his second coming.
Pastor John Houmes dives into the words of Peter and the promises Jesus made to come once again to the world. For Christians this is a reminder that we have a responsibility to prepare for that day.
Advent #SecondComing #Hope
Do our personal journeys matter more than the journey together?
Guest Pastor Jesse Carbo, Executive Director of City to City Miami and Pastor at Crossbridge Church takes us into our third sermon on the Undivided series "Unity, the Fruit of Maturity".
In this sermon we unpack some lessons of Ephesians to understand how God has called us to grow, not as individuals but as a family of God. He underscores the importance of the love and encouragement we are called to give one another so we can develop the unity of the church.
This Sunday, Pastor John preached on Matthew 5:13-16 where Jesus tells us “You are the salt of the earth… and You are the light of the world” .
We explore how Jesus talks to his disciples together and how we are saved together for God's purposes of preserving and doing good works.
You will be encouraged by hearing of the generations of Christians that have come before us to be salt and light in this world. And we imagine what God could have for us in the year to come.
In the midst of one of the most contentious, combative, and polarized seasons our country has ever faced lies one of the greatest opportunities for the Church in South Florida.
Guest Pastor, Winston Miller, kicks off this month’s series on Undivided by describing the role the church has in being a role model for unity and togetherness.
What should we expect from the world when we embrace the beatitudes? We’ve grown through Jesus’ teaching on the Beatitudes.
How will those around us respond to us becoming poor in spirit, being merciful and hungering for righteousness?
It might surprise us to hear that the world can be hostile towards Jesus and his followers, but that’s what Jesus emphasizes in the last beatitude. But if we’re willing to embrace his teaching on persecution, we find it is filled with hope.
Are you living as a peacemaker? Often we are peace fakers, those that pretend everything is okay when it is not. Or we are peace keepers, those that step into conflict with a heavy hand.
But Jesus says, “Blessed are the peace MAKERS”. What does he mean?
In this sermon on Matthew 5:9, you’ll hear about the last person who died in WWI, explore “no justice, no peace” and hear about a monk who stopped a fight between two gladiators.
We often hear the message, “Follow your heart”. But what does Jesus say about the heart? The sixth beatitude in our series is “Blessed are the Pure in Heart”. But what does a pure heart look like?
Continuing our series on the Kingdom Manifesto, Pastor John describes the role our hearts play in our daily lives.
You’ll hear a story about a sign language interpreter who started a revolution, why religious people often don’t have pure hearts, and how a heart is transformed from the inside out.
Nothing messes with our sense of what we deserve more than the call to show mercy.
This week we look at the beatitude of mercy. Matthew 5:7 says "Blessed are the merciful, for they will obtain mercy".
In today's sermon you'll understand what mercy is. You'll hear a surprising story of a concentration camp victim who fainted for an unexpected reason during a war crimes trial.
Continuing our series on the Kingdom Manifesto, Pastor John reveals why mercy is so unexpected in our culture and so powerful to our faith.
We are all spiritually hungry. How can you satisfy that hunger? In this week’s study of Jesus’ beatitudes, we take a look at another paradox: being hungry/thirsty while being satisfied at the same time. Pastor John reveals how this spiritual hunger and thirst for righteousness can bring humility and longing for a closeness with God. You’ll hear about how many different coffee combinations you can order at Starbucks, one of John Calvin’s greatest insights, and how we hide our spiritual hunger.
The kingdom of God often feels upside-down and backwards from the way the world works, especially when it claims that the meek are blessed.
Continuing our series on the beatitudes, we look at how radically different the kingdom of God's values are from those of society. Pastor John takes a look at Jesus' claim that "the meek shall inherit the earth". Does this mean we should be weak and timid...or something else?
You'll hear a story about a strange bike race, how our culture is often confused about humility, and how John Perkins models meekness.
meekness #thebeatitudes #blessedarethemeek #JohnPerkins #JohnMPerkins #humility #aristotle #ntwright #kingdomofgod #kingdommanifesto
Blessed are the...sad? Everyone is trying to find happiness and avoid the sad realities of life. So how could Jesus pronounce blessing on those who mourn? Pastor John continues our series in the Beatitudes. You'll hear about a judge who noticed his own sin more than a former prisoner's, why we struggle with the sadness of life, and what we can learn about God's comfort from the film Slumdog Millionaire.
TheBeatitudes #BlessedAreThoseWhoMourn #Comfort
What blessings has God given us? Whom did Jesus say was most blessed? Beginning our series, "Kingdom Manifesto", we take a look at the popular beginning of the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus describes those who are blessed. This section of the Bible is known as the Beatitudes and offers joy and a celebration of who we are and who we are becoming.
Will you use your voice? God calls us to speak up in the face of injustice. In our final sermon on the Skill Sets and Wisdom, we look at Proverbs 31. The passage urges us to use our voices for the marginalized and needy, even when it can be easy to look the other way. Pastor John shows us how relevant this passage is today, and how our voice is often co-opted by politcal partisanship. What injustices should we be standing against? Who needs our protection?
What does the Bible have to say about sex? How can we be wise in our sexuality? Pastor John continues the Skill Set series by looking at how to guard against unwise sexual decisions. Reading through Proverbs 5 & 7, we see how sexual encounters can cause ruin in a person's life and see what wisdom Solomon had for the young men of his time.
Does God want me to be happy? Should I follow my heart? Continuing our series on skill set of wisdom, Pastor John opens up Proverbs 4 and explores the connection between emotions, our relationship with Christ and what it means to guard our hearts.
Are you living wisely during this challenging season? How do you know if you’re living with wisdom? Pastor John kicks off our new series in Proverbs to talk about the foundation of wisdom.It can be easy to give up hope of being saved when the storms in our life are relentless.
Watch on YouTube
https://youtu.be/8MBtIFuj4u4?t=584 Watch on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/NewCityHH/videos/626726544647449
Follow New City:
Instagram: www.Instagram.com/NewCityHH
Website: https://www.newcityhh.com
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/NewCityHH
Support New City: www.NewCityHH.com/give
It can be easy to give up hope of being saved when the storms in our life are relentless. Guest preacher Brad Jones opens up Acts 27 to talk about the sovereignty of God, our actions, and the storms we may face in our life.
Watch on YouTube
https://youtu.be/_OKgmgOiM7I?t=1001 Watch on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/NewCityHH/videos/757331051748444/
Follow New City:
Instagram: www.Instagram.com/NewCityHH
Website: https://www.newcityhh.com
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/NewCityHH
Support New City: www.NewCityHH.com/give
What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus?
Guest preacher Martin Urquizo opens up Philippians 2 to talk about humility and love and how it relates to the gospel. Martin speaks of Jesus' ministry not as domineering or of power, but as one of servanthood and sacrificial love.
Watch on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9uRGnuZsEo Watch on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?v=2646311552290687&ref=watch_permalink
Follow New City:
Instagram: www.Instagram.com/NewCityHH
Website: https://www.newcityhh.com
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/NewCityHH
Support New City: www.NewCityHH.com/give
David doesn’t ask God to compare him to his neighbor. Instead, David asks God to search him and know him.
Guest preacher Chris Curtis opens up Psalm 139 and talks about the knowledge of God and the freedom in being fully known by God. Asking the Lord to search us can be a scary process, but it’s necessary.
Watch on YouTube
https://youtu.be/tx_N0ANWYZ8 Watch on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/NewCityHH/videos/2621097234796483/?extid=K8QGqqkb4YKqe9Vg
Follow New City:
Instagram: www.Instagram.com/NewCityHH
Website: https://www.newcityhh.com
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/NewCityHH
Support New City: www.NewCityHH.com/give
It’s ok to have doubts. In fact Jesus welcomes our doubts.
Looking at several passages in Matthew and Mark, guest preacher Chad Virtanen talks about how the Bible tells about doubters and that we never have to wrestle with our doubts alone.
Watch on YouTube
https://youtu.be/AiQtH0HZNuk Watch on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/NewCityHH/videos/1424741931070380/?extid=oGvHErTN4gv0vIwl
Follow New City:
Instagram: www.Instagram.com/NewCityHH
Website: https://www.newcityhh.com
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/NewCityHH
Support New City: www.NewCityHH.com/give
Jesus said, “Do this in remembrance of me” about the Lord’s Supper.
Looking at several different texts, Pastor John talks about how the supper is like a pair of glasses that helps us see God, ourselves, others and our future completely differently.
Watch on YouTube
https://youtu.be/8Iraj1sSXBk Watch on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/NewCityHH/videos/323116608710184/?
Follow New City:
Instagram: www.Instagram.com/NewCityHH
Website: https://www.newcityhh.com
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/NewCityHH
Support New City: www.NewCityHH.com/give
Is baptism a statement we are making to the world? Or promises God is making to us?
Pastor John opens up the Word to explore the promises in baptism. You’ll hear how baptism is like a wedding ring, why John the Baptist thought his baptism was temporary, and about one of the bravest Christians Pastor John ever met.
Watch on YouTube
https://youtu.be/VIK_vAZZSv4 Watch on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/NewCityHH/videos/2606091922998960/?
Follow New City:
Instagram: www.Instagram.com/NewCityHH
Website: https://www.newcityhh.com
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/NewCityHH
Support New City: www.NewCityHH.com/give
God says we are connected and belong to each other. So why does our felt experience tell us something different.
Pastor John opens up 1 Corinthians 12 to explore our connection in the body of Christ. You’ll hear about our culture of individualism, how our current racism problem should have been different, and why we belong to each other.
Watch on YouTube
https://youtu.be/M0p5e1uLH1c Watch on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/NewCityHH/videos/3109110915869463/
Follow New City:
Instagram: www.Instagram.com/NewCityHH
Website: https://www.newcityhh.com
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/NewCityHH
Support New City: www.NewCityHH.com/give
Are you doing enough for God? If you’re honest, you probably know you’re not. But Christianity isn’t based on what you do for God, but what He has done for you.
On Father’s Day, you’ll hear Pastor John talk about how God adopts us into his family, the power for living the Christian and why everything we do for God is based on what He has done for us.
Watch on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQa3DFpN8MI Watch on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=982224632217368
Follow New City:
Instagram: www.Instagram.com/NewCityHH
Website: https://www.newcityhh.com
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/NewCityHH
Support New City: www.NewCityHH.com/give
When Daniel Thorson went on a 75-day solo retreat starting March 13th, he had no idea everything that he was about to miss. When he emerged from solitude, he encountered a world gripped with anxiety.
The past three months have been unsettling. How do have steady hands, comforted hearts, and resolved minds in the midst of tragedy and injustice? Pastor John opens up Genesis 50 and Hebrews 11 to examine Joseph's faith in the promises of God.
Watch on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pEBap0-QMI&feature=youtu.be Watch on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/NewCityHH/videos/2604688023177920/
Follow New City:
Instagram: www.Instagram.com/NewCityHH
Website: https://www.newcityhh.com
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/NewCityHH
Support New City: www.NewCityHH.com/give
Jubilee was one year out of fifty were the Lord’s favor was exhibited in unusual ways among Israel. Jubilee was about freedom and restoration. And Jesus uses the themes of Jubilee to announce his mission in Luke 4.
What’s the significance for us today? In this cultural moment? You’ll hear about the church’s pastoral letter about George Floyd, the ridiculousness of pro wrestling, and how the early church’s application of Jubilee.
Watch on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-cS628gfBk Watch on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/NewCityHH/videos/284094175969545/
Follow New City:
Instagram: www.Instagram.com/NewCityHH
Website: https://www.newcityhh.com
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/NewCityHH
Support New City: www.NewCityHH.com/give
As the country mourns the murder of #GeorgeFloyd, the #COVID19 death toll hits 100K, protests speak out and riots erupt in the streets, Pastor John turns to hope in Romans 8, and the Apostle Paul asks you to describe your tears.
Watch on YouTube
https://youtu.be/ukkABMtk1cA?t=844 Watch on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/NewCityHH/videos/631379021057964/
Follow New City:
Instagram: www.Instagram.com/NewCityHH
Website: https://www.newcityhh.com
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/NewCityHH
Support New City: www.NewCityHH.com/give
Ascension Day was last Thursday. But what is the Ascension of Jesus? Does it matter?
Pastor John talks with Pastors Ian Thomas of The King’s Church Lakeland and Winston Miller of Grace Life Lauderhill about Christ’s ascension from earth to a heavenly throne.
Watch on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=PB7_sGsJbBM Watch on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/NewCityHH/posts/2883710778408434
Follow New City:
Instagram: www.Instagram.com/NewCityHH
Website: https://www.newcityhh.com
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/NewCityHH
Support New City: www.NewCityHH.com/give
Tension. Division. Injustice. Ahmaud Arbery’s death brings to light the deep divisions in our country. Is there any hope? What role does the church play in all this?
In our Sunday worship gathering, Pastor John opens Ephesians 2:11-22 to offer us some hope on God’s promises to us in the midst of this moment.
Watch on YouTube
https://youtu.be/9GoKnyGBWUM Watch on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/NewCityHH/posts/2863575193755326
Follow New City:
Instagram: www.Instagram.com/NewCityHH
Website: https://www.newcityhh.com
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/NewCityHH
Support New City: www.NewCityHH.com/give
Anxiety and fear loom large. Is the answer to build our kingdom for a little bit more security, adding more comfort, gaining more power and approval...or something else?
Pastor John opens Luke 12 where Jesus teaches that the answer to anxiety is to radically reorient your life around God's kingdom. To do this, you must recognize the false promises of building your own kingdom, and rely on God's care in His kingdom.
Watch on YouTube
https://youtu.be/7aDmAZ1CTDE Watch on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/NewCityHH/posts/2848729375239908
Follow New City:
Instagram: www.Instagram.com/NewCityHH
Website: https://www.newcityhh.com
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/NewCityHH
Support New City: www.NewCityHH.com/give
We are in a dark time. Is there light at the end of the tunnel?
Pastor John begins a new series by opening up 2 Peter 1, exploring the life of Adoniram Judson, and learning to believe the promises of God. You’ll find your faith is increased and you have new strength to persevere.
Watch on YouTube
https://youtu.be/1xzYZIujIAo Watch on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/NewCityHH/posts/2833302660115913
Follow New City:
Instagram: www.Instagram.com/NewCityHH
Website: https://www.newcityhh.com
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/NewCityHH
Support New City: www.NewCityHH.com/give
Tired? Low on energy? Not enough bandwidth to deal with life? When you tune into Jesus’ assurance, you’ll find your faith is restored and your love expands. Pastor John ends our series in John by looking at Jesus’ third post-resurrection appearance and the restoration of Peter.
Watch on YouTube
https://youtu.be/1xzYZIujIAo Watch on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/NewCityHH/posts/2818112574968255
Follow New City:
Instagram: www.Instagram.com/NewCityHH
Website: https://www.newcityhh.com
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/NewCityHH
Support New City: www.NewCityHH.com/give
Should our pain, failures and doubts keep us from living in light of the risen Lord Jesus? John 20 records the first eyewitnesses to the resurrected Christ, who see him in the midst of their pain, failures and doubts….and so can you.
Watch on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OArCv-W2vss&feature=youtu.be Watch on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/NewCityHH/posts/2802978619814984
Follow New City:
Instagram: www.Instagram.com/NewCityHH
Website: https://www.newcityhh.com
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/NewCityHH
Support New City: www.NewCityHH.com/give
This Easter fell in the midst of a chapter of our story. But if you know how the story ends, it changes how you live now.
Pastor John opens John 11 to show us how Jesus has already written the end of our stories, yet he’s also in the present story with us.
Watch on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6allbVSWRhI&feature=youtu.be Watch on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/NewCityHH/posts/2788661747913338
Follow New City:
Instagram: www.Instagram.com/NewCityHH
Website: https://www.newcityhh.com
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/NewCityHH
Support New City: www.NewCityHH.com/give
As Jesus talks to Pilate, we learn about his kingdom. He says his kingdom is not of this world. As the King who has come into the world, what does he mean?
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NewCityHH/videos/520332028683220/
Youtube: https://youtu.be/QMtptIx8sCk
Holy Week Resources: https://www.newcityhh.com/holy-week
Jesus’ high priestly prayer is for Christians today, but also reveals much about Christianity today.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NewCityHH/videos/828606520968058/
Youtube: https://youtu.be/Kj95duZuMck
Holy Week Resources: https://www.newcityhh.com/holy-week
There’s a lot of confusion about who the Holy Spirit is and what He does.
Pastor John continues through the Farewell Discourse by unpacking Jesus’ teaching on the Holy Spirit.
Youtube:https://youtu.be/yyvsNvaRT8U
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NewCityHH/videos/930652374059192/
Holy Week Resources: https://www.newcityhh.com/holy-week