The Vail Church Podcast: Recent Episodes
The Vail Church
Paul’s visit to Athens demonstrates how believers are called to engage the world with both compassion and conviction. Rather than ignoring the culture around him, Paul recognized its spiritual need, connected with people where they were, and faithfully proclaimed the truth of the gospel. Effective mission requires seeing people through God’s eyes, communicating with wisdom and grace, and remaining theologically grounded. The good news is that Jesus came not because God needed our help, but because we desperately needed His.
God’s guidance is not always revealed through open doors. Sometimes He directs our lives by closing them. Paul’s journey in Acts 16 shows that what appears to be rejection or delay may actually be God redirecting us toward a greater purpose. As we submit our plans to the Lord, remain sensitive to His leading, and embrace the unexpected opportunities He provides, we discover that God faithfully orders our steps according to His perfect will.
Paul’s ministry in Athens demonstrates how followers of Jesus are called to engage their culture with wisdom, compassion, and biblical truth. Rather than avoiding people with different beliefs, Paul met them where they were, connected with their questions, and faithfully proclaimed the gospel. His message reminds us that God is not dependent on what we can do for Him. Instead, He lovingly provides what we need most through Jesus Christ. The gospel is not about God needing our help, but about God making His salvation available to all who will receive it.
The gospel tears down the barriers that divide people and creates a new family united in Christ. Through Peter’s encounter with Cornelius and the growth of the church in Antioch, God reveals that His grace is for every nation, ethnicity, and background. While human nature tends toward favoritism, avoidance, and division, the cross creates a new identity that is greater than any earthly distinction. A multicultural church is a powerful testimony to the reconciling work of Jesus and His desire to unite people as one body.
Pastor Lance challenges the way we evaluate life by exposing three dangerous miscalculations many people make. First, defining the “good life” by wealth or comfort leads to emptiness, because true life is found in a rich relationship with God, not possessions. Second, assuming we have unlimited time blinds us to the brevity and urgency of life. Third, living as though this world is all there is ignores the eternity God has placed in our hearts. Scripture calls us to live with clarity, intentionality, and eternal perspective. When our values align with God’s truth, our decisions become simpler, and our lives more meaningful.
The role of the Holy Spirit is powerful in the life of every believer. The Spirit convicts hearts of truth and empowers Christians to live as witnesses for Christ. A Spirit-empowered life means allowing Him to motivate obedience, direct our steps, guide our words, and counsel us with God’s truth. As we surrender and set our “sails,” the Spirit provides the power and direction for faithful living and effective ministry. Ultimately, the same Spirit who works in us today will one day raise us to new life in the resurrection.
Salvation is not simply turning over a new leaf but experiencing a new birth through the Holy Spirit. While religion focuses on outward behavior, the gospel brings inward regeneration and true transformation of the heart. Through Christ, believers are justified and freed from the penalty of sin, and through the Spirit, they are sanctified and freed from its power. Every believer faces a daily choice: walk in the flesh or walk in the Spirit. Lasting spiritual fruit does not come from human effort but from living in step with the Spirit, where true freedom is found.
We explore the biblical truth of the Trinity, revealing that God is one in essence and three in Person: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Scripture shows the distinct yet unified roles of each Person, emphasizing that the Holy Spirit is not an impersonal force but fully God, with knowledge, emotion, will, and voice. The Holy Spirit initiates salvation by convicting hearts and secures salvation by sealing believers with God’s promise. Through the Spirit, believers experience the ongoing grace of Jesus, the love of the Father, and intimate fellowship with God. The Trinity is not just doctrine to understand, but a relationship to experience.
This message centers on the unchanging nature of God and the deep security that comes from His faithfulness. In a world marked by instability, shifting values, and unreliable promises, God stands as the one constant. Scripture shows His faithfulness in creation, in the fulfillment of His plans, in the keeping of His promises, in the character of Christ, and in His enduring commitment to His people. Even in moments of temptation and weakness, God remains faithful and provides a way forward. Because of His unchanging character, believers can walk in freedom from their past, faith in the present, and hope for the future. God’s faithfulness becomes the foundation for a life of confidence, worship, and trust.
Pain is an unavoidable part of life, but how we respond to it shapes our spiritual journey. Instead of numbing or avoiding our wounds, Scripture invites us to mourn honestly, receive God’s comfort, and allow Him to redeem our suffering. Through His Word, our prayers, and the presence of the Holy Spirit, God meets us in the darkest moments and uses our pain to bring comfort and hope to others.
Lifequakes are not meant to be faced alone. From the beginning, God designed us for community, knowing that we need one another, especially in seasons of pain and disruption. Scripture shows that not every voice is helpful, but true, biblical community lifts, supports, and walks alongside one another. As followers of Jesus, we are called not only to seek community, but to become the kind of community others can lean on when life begins to shake.
Lifequakes are the unexpected moments that shake our lives and change our direction. Scripture reminds us that life is filled with seasons, some joyful and some painful, but all under God’s care. Even in disruption, God is at work developing perseverance, shaping our character, and bringing beauty in His time. As we lean into eternity and trust His purposes, devastation can become a pathway to transformation.
Prayer is more than a religious habit. It is a pathway to God’s glory and our joy. Jesus teaches that we can approach God with boldness, persistence, and confidence in His goodness. Like a loving Father, God delights in giving good gifts to His children. When we ask, seek, and knock, we discover a God who responds with generosity, power, and grace beyond what we can imagine.
Prayer flourishes when it is rooted in dependence rather than self-reliance. Scripture reveals how common obstacles like distraction, selfish motives, and unresolved conflict can weaken our prayer lives. God invites us into prayer marked by confidence, honesty, persistence, and patient trust. As we learn to strive against what hinders prayer and strive for deeper dependence on God, we grow in a healthier, more vibrant relationship with Him.
Prayer is not about performance or perfect words, but about relationship. Jesus invites us to pray from a place of knowing who God is and trusting His heart toward us. Through the Lord’s Prayer, we see a rhythm that first centers us on God’s glory and rule, then honestly brings our daily, relational, and spiritual needs before Him. When prayer flows from reverence, surrender, and trust, it becomes powerful and effective.
God’s Word is not just a book we are required to read, but a gift we are invited to delight in. Scripture is living, God-breathed, and preserved with purpose, shaping both our faith and our daily lives. Though God’s truth can sometimes be uncomfortable, it is always trustworthy, sufficient, and powerful to accomplish what He intends. As we commit to learning and living God’s Word, we discover a foundation that stands forever.
Jesus stepped out of heaven and into humanity so that humanity could find its way home to God. From the Magi’s journey to Bethlehem, we see how God reveals Himself through creation, through His Word, and ultimately through His Son. True worship begins when we respond to God’s light with obedience, joy, and gratitude, offering our lives in response to the grace we have received.
God’s promises act as a compass, guiding us home to Him. By remembering His faithfulness in the past, trusting His presence in the present, and holding onto His hope for the future, we find confidence for the journey even when the road is difficult. Scripture reminds us that our present struggles are not the end of the story, because we were created for more than this broken world can offer.
God speaks comfort to His people by revealing Himself as a gentle and faithful Shepherd. Though we are prone to wander, Jesus gathers, carries, heals, and leads His sheep with compassion and care. As the Good Shepherd, He knows His people by name, lays down His life for them, and promises security, restoration, and eternal hope for all who follow His voice.
Jesus came as the promised Branch from the line of Jesse, bringing God’s light into a world walking in darkness. His light reveals our need, shows us the way back to God, and ultimately defeats sin and evil through His sacrifice. As those who now live in His light, we are called to walk in love, reflect His goodness, and let God’s light shine through our lives to the world.
Salvation is more than a single moment. It is a work God has completed, is continuing, and will one day fully perfect. Through justification, sanctification, and glorification, God rescues us from sin’s penalty, power, and presence. Scripture points us toward a future where our souls, bodies, relationships, and home are made new, pain is erased, and we live forever in the presence of the Lord.
Sanctification is the lifelong work of God shaping us to become more like Jesus. Struggle is not a sign of failure, but evidence that transformation is happening. Though we are constantly being formed by stories, habits, relationships, and environment, Jesus invites us to place ourselves where true change can occur. Our growth is sustained by grace, not perfection, and God promises to finish the work He has begun in us.
Justification is the good news that we are declared right with God through faith alone, not by effort or performance. Jesus’ righteousness is credited to us fully and permanently, giving us assurance that does not waver when our faith feels weak. Freed from fear, guilt, and condemnation, we are invited to live from grace, walk in freedom, and tell the story of what Jesus has done in our lives.
God’s final plea to His people is both simple and gracious: return to Him. Through confession, repentance, and re-direction, God invites us away from what cannot save and back into His restoring love. When we turn toward the Lord, He promises healing, renewal, deeper roots, and lasting fruit. The call is clear, the promise is sure, and the choice is ours.
This message calls us to honestly evaluate where we are in our spiritual journey and recognize how easily we can drift or rebel away from God. Through the words of the prophets and the story of returning to the Lord, we are reminded that God invites us to stop, seek His direction, and turn back to Him today—not someday. True wisdom is found in humble repentance, renewed dependence on God, and walking faithfully in His ways.
Scripture reveals God as a faithful and compassionate Father who loves, teaches, provides for, and patiently pursues His children. Though His people often resist and wander, God’s heart remains tender, choosing mercy over wrath. Ultimately, the Father calls His true Son, Jesus, to bring final salvation and restore us to peace and grace through faith.
God is not distant or demanding, but invitational, calling His people into a love-fueled relationship with Him. Through Hosea, we see that surface-level faith and religious routine cannot bring real change. God desires hearts marked by loyal love, repentance, and dependence on Him. Though we reap the consequences of what we sow, the good news of the gospel is that through Jesus, we receive grace we did not earn and righteousness we did not produce.
God’s charge against His people is not a lack of religion, but a lack of relationship. True faith is marked by knowing God’s Word, living in truth, practicing steadfast love, and pursuing wholehearted devotion. Scripture calls us to measure our lives by truth, love, and deep knowledge of God, not surface-level belief. Like a marriage, our relationship with God is meant to endure through joy and pain, forming us into mature, faithful people for His glory.
Hosea opens with a startling picture of how seriously God takes unfaithfulness and how deeply He loves His people. Through Hosea’s life and the names of his children, God reveals that sin fractures relationship, not just rules. Yet even in judgment, God speaks words of restoration and hope. Though our unfaithfulness is real, God’s mercy promises a future where scattered, unloved, and rejected people are welcomed back as His own.
In a world full of competing voices and shifting ideas, Jesus declares that He came to testify to the truth. Scripture warns that uninformed faith is vulnerable to deception, calling believers to be grounded, prepared, and thoughtful. Apologetics is not about winning arguments, but about lovingly and confidently pointing people to the hope we have in Christ. When truth is held with humility, gentleness, and courage, it becomes a powerful witness to the gospel.
Jesus calls His followers to live as salt and light in the world, bringing influence not through platforms, but through presence. One of the most powerful ways we live this out is through intentional hospitality, opening our homes, tables, and lives to others. When our hearts are open and our love is genuine, God uses ordinary rhythms, shared meals, and faithful living to make the gospel visible and compelling.
The front porch represents a posture of openness, where we see people, invite them in, and trust God to transform lives. In the story of Zacchaeus, Jesus notices, welcomes, and restores someone others had written off. When we live with that same posture, our homes, tables, and everyday interactions become places where grace is experienced. As we practice presence, make space, and trust God, He uses ordinary moments to accomplish extraordinary transformation.
This message contrasts two ways of living: the “back deck” life of privacy and self-focus, and the “front porch” life of openness, community, and mission. Scripture calls believers away from selfishness, laziness, and imbalance, and toward a spiritually renewed heart marked by availability, intentionality, and sacrificial love. Every follower of Jesus is invited to live with a “front porch” posture, making space for others and spreading the fragrance of Christ in everyday life.
True generosity flows from love, not guilt. This message explores how relational generosity means opening our hearts, homes, words, lives, and hands to others. As we reflect Christ’s love through vulnerability, hospitality, encouragement, transparency, and service, we become channels of blessing that reveal God’s care to the world around us.
Generosity begins in the heart, not in the wallet. When we cling tightly to our resources, we can become trapped by them, but God invites us to live openhanded lives that reflect His grace. Paul’s example of the Macedonian churches shows that generosity flows from a transformed heart, not from abundance. As we give cheerfully and trust God with what we have, our generosity becomes a testimony that brings glory to Him and blessing to others.
True blessing is found in a generous life, not in the accumulation of possessions. Jesus teaches that contentment, trust in God’s provision, and an eternal perspective free us from greed and open our hearts to generosity. When we recognize that everything we have comes from God, we begin to redefine wealth as being rich toward Him. The ultimate example of this generosity is Jesus, who became poor so that we might become truly rich in Him.
God specializes in helping broken people bounce back. Through Jesus’ restoration of Peter, we see that failure is not the end of the story. God pursues us with grace, removes our condemnation, focuses on our restoration, and gives us meaningful purpose again. No matter what lies in your past, God offers hope, healing, and a future shaped by His love.
In one of His final moments before the cross, Jesus prays a deeply personal prayer for Himself, His disciples, and all future believers. He asks the Father for glory, protection, maturity, mission, unity, and a future home with Him. This prayer reveals the heart of Jesus and the priorities He has for His people. It reminds us that we are deeply loved, prayed for, and called to live in unity and purpose for the sake of the world.
Jesus reminds His followers that the world’s rejection of Him will also bring opposition to those who follow Him. Yet believers are not left alone, because the Holy Spirit empowers them to endure pressure, stand in truth, and boldly bear witness. Instead of trying to blend in, disciples are called to live with courage, faith, and conviction, trusting the Spirit to sustain them in a hostile world.
Jesus describes Himself as the true vine, reminding us that real spiritual fruit comes only from staying connected to Him. God lovingly prunes our lives through trials and growth, and He provides the power we need to bear fruit. Obedience is not about legalism, but about love, joy, and friendship with Christ. As we remain in Him, our lives become fruitful, meaningful, and centered on loving others.
God is the Father of compassion who meets us with comfort both now and forever. Jesus promises a future home with Him, while also giving the Holy Spirit to strengthen, guide, and assure us in the present. True peace is not the absence of struggle, but the presence of God walking with us through it. In every season, we can trust His comfort, His guidance, and the hope of our eternal home.
Worldly love often centers on self, but godly love is marked by humility and sacrifice. Jesus demonstrated the true nature of love when He washed His disciples’ feet and ultimately gave His life for them. He calls His followers to live with that same selfless posture, serving others and reflecting His heart. When we love as Christ loved, our lives become a powerful witness to the world.
This message explores how true faith in Jesus requires more than simply seeing Him; it requires listening to His voice and following Him. Through the story of the blind man and the teaching of the Good Shepherd, we learn that spiritual sight comes to the humble, while the self-confident often miss Jesus entirely. Real faith is marked by recognizing His voice, trusting His leadership, and worshiping Him as the only way to life.
Jesus did not come merely to meet temporary needs, but to offer Himself as the true bread of life. He invites us into a relationship of faith, not just religious activity, calling us to trust Him as the source of eternal life and lasting satisfaction. His message forces a choice: will we be casual admirers or committed followers? Like Peter, we are invited to recognize that Jesus alone has the words of eternal life.
This sermon emphasizes that believers are divinely designed for good works that God has prepared for them in advance (Ephesians 2:8-10). It highlights how God equips His people with skills, passions, and resources to fulfill their calling, using biblical examples like Bezalel (Exodus 31:1-3) and Moses (Exodus 2-4).
This sermon explores the biblical foundation of work, showing that God Himself is a worker and has designed work with dignity and purpose. It emphasizes that work is a non-negotiable part of life, requiring honesty, diligence, and patience. Wisdom teaches us to be industrious, honor our responsibilities, and ultimately work as if serving the Lord. Through scripture, the message encourages a Christ-centered perspective on labor, recognizing both the challenges and the blessings that come from faithful and ethical work.
This sermon reflects on Joseph’s final interactions with his brothers, highlighting themes of grace, forgiveness, and God’s providence. Joseph reassures his brothers that fear and guilt should not override God’s mercy, showing that suffering can be transformed for good. The message emphasizes trusting in God's justice rather than seeking revenge and resting in His promises. Ultimately, it points to the believer’s true hope—not in earthly life, but in eternal life with God, as demonstrated through Joseph’s unwavering faith in God’s future deliverance.
This sermon explores the powerful moment of Joseph’s revelation to his brothers, emphasizing that God’s purpose prevails even through betrayal and suffering. Joseph reframes his past pain through the lens of divine providence, showing that reconciliation is not just about forgiveness but about restoration. The message highlights the radical nature of God’s grace—offering blessing where punishment was expected. Ultimately, it calls us to recognize our own need for grace and to trust in God’s plan for redemption, as He works all things for good.
This sermon explores the process of relational reconciliation through Joseph’s encounter with his brothers in Genesis 42. The message emphasizes that true reconciliation requires both repentance and the acceptance of grace, mirroring the Gospel.
It highlights three key steps:
Confronting the Guilty – Joseph challenges his brothers, forcing them to face their past actions.
Admitting the Sin – The brothers acknowledge their wrongdoing, showing the necessity of confession and repentance.
Accepting Grace – Despite their guilt, Joseph provides for them, illustrating how God's grace restores and redeems.
This sermon focuses on how to honor God’s plan for influence in our lives by following Joseph’s example. It highlights four key principles:
Work Ethic – Joseph diligently served and prepared during Egypt’s years of abundance.
Strategic Wisdom – He implemented an effective plan to store food for future need.
Perseverance Through Suffering – Joseph saw God’s purpose in his hardships.
Servant Leadership – He provided for others, foreshadowing Christ as the Bread of Life.
Ultimately, the message encourages faithfulness, wisdom, and trust in God’s redemptive plan.
This sermon discusses how God's promises and plans unfold through imperfect people, using the stories of Abraham and Joseph. It highlights that God's plan is carried out through trials, grace, and the transformation of individuals. Joseph's obedience and selflessness demonstrate how grace leads to proactive actions, even in the face of adversity. God's use of trials and grace ultimately guides individuals to fulfill their purpose and serve others. The sermon emphasizes the importance of walking faithfully with God, even in challenging circumstances, to bring about His kingdom plan.
This sermon highlights the virtues of a godly attitude in overcoming victimhood in unfair situations, exemplified by Joseph’s interactions with Pharaoh's officials. Key lessons include selflessness (noticing others’ struggles), humility (giving glory to God), integrity (doing right even when it's hard), and understanding that trials are part of God's preparation for His plan. Joseph’s faith and actions, despite his unfair imprisonment, show how God uses challenges to refine our character and prepare us for greater purposes, ultimately leading to His glory.
This sermon highlights Joseph’s faithfulness in the face of temptation, emphasizing how his commitment to doing what’s right led to personal suffering. Despite being wrongfully accused and imprisoned for rejecting his master’s wife’s advances, Joseph’s integrity and persistence in resisting temptation were key. The sermon encourages the use of conviction, persistence, and wisdom (like running from temptation) to maintain moral integrity, even when faced with hardship. It also underscores that God's presence remains with us in our trials, just as He was with Joseph in prison.
This sermon focuses on Joseph's early life, highlighting the favoritism from his father, Jacob, which led to hatred and jealousy from his brothers. Joseph's dreams further fueled their envy, leading to his being sold into slavery. Despite this, God's providence is shown as Joseph’s life parallels that of Jesus, who also descended from a place of honor to suffer for a greater purpose. The sermon underscores the destructive power of jealousy, the consequences of generational sin, and the hope in God’s redemptive plan.
This sermon emphasizes how God is deeply involved in every moment of our lives, encouraging us to stop taking our time, relationships, opportunities, and eternity for granted. It presents four challenges: focusing on the present rather than "someday," investing in people over productivity, choosing to be a contributor instead of a consumer, and building treasures in God's kingdom. The sermon concludes by urging us to make changes today that will align with hearing, “Well done, good and faithful servant,” on the final day.
The NT letter of Ephesians has been called, “Paul’s third-heaven epistle,” the “Alps of the New Testament” and “the crown of Paul.” Sitting in prison, Paul wrote this letter to anchor the church amidst turbulent times and it provides some of the richest doctrine and application around the Person of Jesus Christ, His church and Christian living. Join us as we kick off a new year walking through the longest sentence in Scripture that makes up about half of the first chapter. We will find great encouragement from two of the most powerful prayers found in Paul’s writings. We will see how the gospel works its way out in our spiritual lives as we grow in maturity. We will explore premiere passages on the critical topics of marriage, parenting and spiritual warfare. It will be 10 weeks of working through Ephesians with the goal of growing more anchored in Christ!
Craig and Lenée Smith give an update on their family. Sermon was previously recorded on April 26, 2020.
The apostle Paul. One of the most colossal figures in all of Christian history. He was a converted terrorist; inspired author; courageous missionary; powerful teacher; and patient mentor. He survived assassination attempts, imprisonments, beatings and shipwrecks all the while inventing new language and concepts for faithfully translating Jesus’s story for the Gentile world. His New Testament letters occupy fewer than eighty pages but have generated more content, sermons, Bible studies, and dissertations than any other writings from the ancient world. God used this one man to turn the world upside down for Jesus in his generation. Join us for a dynamic summer series on the life of the apostle Paul.
Happy Mother's Day to all our TVC moms! What would we do without you?!
Today, Pastor Craig kicks off a new series called "Rooted".
Roots provide a foundation and stability. Roots provide nourishment and development. Roots allow for growth that goes deep, wide, up and out. As Christians, we are called to grow our spiritual roots in Christ. Colossians 2:6-7, “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” Perhaps now more than ever, we need to be rooted. Join us for this encouraging and challenging Spring series – it’s time to deepen our roots.
Now more than ever people find themselves anxious and worried. Covid-19 has generated a ton of fear because of the loss of control in our lives. More laps are being taken on the Worry-Go-Round than ever before. The English word, “worry,” comes from an old German root, “wurgen.” It means “to choke” or “strangle.” Worry brings about spiritual, mental, emotional and sometimes even relational strangulation. We need help. We need comfort. We need assurance. We need truth. We need the Lord and His wisdom. He can set us free. Invite a friend and join us for an online mini-sermon series as we explore Biblical principles for anxious minds.
Happy Easter Vail Church! Many of our friends sent a quick video saying hello, and it's super fun to see everyone smiling. Our Easter message is online, check it out!
Join us as we reflect on the events of that Friday long ago. Jesus paid it all for us!
If possible, we would love for you to join us at 7:00pm tonight to worship with us. Pastor Craig is preaching, Nick Bergquist facilitates a reading of the Nicene Creed, Mike Sadler guides us through communion, and Nick, Beth and Micah are leading us in worship.
Pastor Craig Smith gives his sermon entitled, "His Love" in the "Son of God - Son of Man" series.
Nick Carleton, Beth Swearingen and Nick Larkins lead us in worship.
Pastor Craig Smith speaks about the anointing of Jesus in week 3 of the "Son of God - Son of Man" series.
Nick Carleton, Laura Miller, Micah Branscomb and Nick Larkins lead two songs in worship.
The second week of our "Son of God - Son of Man" is now available! Nick Bergquist shares his message entitled, "Jesus' Claims". Nick Carleton, Beth Swearingen and Micah Branscomb play a couple worship songs to get it started.
It’s that time of the year. Turn on the radio, take a trip to the mall, or simply stroll down the isles of Walmart, and you’re likely to hear familiar songs about Jesus’ birth playing in the background. Though we call them “Christmas Carols,” they really are Christmas hymns celebrating the gift of a Savior to the world. And yet, because they are so familiar to each of us, we can oftentimes skip right over the profound message in the music. Each text and tune brings with it a deep and meaningful truth that reminds us of the love of God sent to us in the gift of His beloved Son Jesus. Do you heart it? Join us for a four-week Christmas Series TVC-style!
White noise can be defined as background noise that drowns out sound or as meaningless distractions and commotion. In other words, white noise steals the attention from the important things and places it on the useless things. Sadly as Christians, we sometimes allow the white noise of the world to distract us from the spiritual priorities that God has called us to. Join us for a seven-week series that will encourage and challenge us to prioritize our lives around that which has eternal value and significance.
Of all of the great saints in Scripture, more material is devoted to the life of King David than any other. His life is an open book for all to read and contemplate from beginning to end. He is one of the most celebrated figures in the history of Israel and Christianity even though he was a man of great contrast. He was wholeheartedly devoted to God, yet he committed some of the most serious sins recorded in the Bible. He was a mighty military conqueror, yet he couldn’t conquer himself. And still, David is the only person in the Bible of whom God describes as being, “a man after God’s own heart.” (1 Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22). King David, through it all, leaves us an example of a passionate love of God and points us to the greater King, Jesus Christ. In his story we find our story.
The city of God was in ruins. The people of God were in ruins. It was a time of desperation and humiliation for Israel. But that all changed when the tragic news reached the ears of one man serving as an exile in a Persian King’s court. That news would wreck his heart and compel his feet into action. And through this one man, God would launch a redemptive kingdom effort to rebuild His city and restore His people. This is the book of Nehemiah.