Bourbon United Pentecostal Church: Recent Episodes
Bourbon UPC
Sermon podcasts from the United Pentecostal Church in Bourbon, IN. For more information visit us at bourbonupc.org. You can also follow us on Facebook by searching for Bourbon United Pentecostal Church.
What if Pentecost is far bigger than we have ever allowed ourselves to imagine? This message from Pastor Matt Cottrill on Sunday, August 2nd, 2026 takes us on a sweeping journey through Scripture, from the foot of Mount Sinai to the upper room in Jerusalem, to reveal one breathtaking truth: God has always been moving closer to us. We trace the progression of His dwelling place, from a mountain surrounded by boundaries that no one could cross, to a tabernacle covered in rough animal skins but filled with gold and glory on the inside, to a temple so saturated with His presence that trained priests could not even stand to do their jobs. Each stop along the way was not the destination. Each was simply the next step in a story that was always building toward something more personal, more intimate, more transformative. The central insight here is that God never changed His desire, only His address. And the final address He chose was not a building made of stone or wood or gold. It was the human heart. First Corinthians 3:16 captures this staggering reality, reminding us that we ourselves are the temple of God and that His Spirit dwells within us. That changes everything about how we see ourselves, how we face our days, and how we carry His presence into every room we walk into. We are not ordinary people simply surviving. We are carriers of the living God.
On Sunday, July 19th 2026, Dylan Cottrill's message centers on a truth that transforms how we view our spiritual stumbles: we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. Drawing from 1 John 2:1-2, we're reminded that while we should strive not to sin, when we do fall, we're not abandoned to shame and guilt. Our Savior serves as our defense attorney, and remarkably, He Himself was the sacrifice for our sins. The sermon beautifully illustrates this through the story of Joshua standing before God in filthy garments while Satan accuses him, only to have the Lord rebuke the accuser and clothe Joshua in clean robes. We discover that confession isn't about informing God of something He doesn't know—it's about agreeing with what He's been saying all along and turning away from what separates us from Him. The crimson worm symbolism is particularly striking: just as this creature willingly climbs a tree to die so its offspring can live, nourished by its crimson substance, Jesus willingly ascended Calvary so we could have new life through His blood. The prodigal son's story reminds us that when we 'come to ourselves' and take even one step toward the Father, He runs to meet us, removing our shame and restoring our position as His children. This isn't a message about staying down—it's about the courage to rise again, knowing we have an advocate who understands our struggles and fights for our souls.
What does it truly mean to be a fruit bearer in our Christian walk? This teaching by Steve Hoese on Wednesday, July 15th 2026 draws us into Galatians 5:22-23, challenging us to examine whether our lives display the authentic evidence of the Holy Spirit dwelling within us. While speaking in tongues is the initial physical evidence of receiving the Holy Ghost, the fruit of the Spirit represents the daily lifestyle evidence that transforms our character and witnesses to the world. The message uses a vivid illustration of branches connected to a tree—some alive and flourishing, others cut off and withering—to show us that we cannot manufacture spiritual fruit through our own efforts or willpower. Just as a branch must remain connected to the trunk to receive nutrients and produce fruit, we must stay connected to Christ through daily prayer, fasting, and communion with God. The teaching weaves through each fruit—love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance—showing how they are intricately woven together like a tapestry. When we pull one thread by failing in one area, the entire image of Christ we're meant to portray begins to unravel. This calls us to ask ourselves: if a stranger observed our lives without knowing we attend church, what clues would tell them we have the Holy Ghost? Our daily walk, not just our Sunday smile, reveals the authenticity of our faith.
On Sunday, July 12th, 2026, Pastor Matt Cottrill's message centers on Psalm 126, exploring the profound connection between remembrance and worship. The core spiritual lesson revolves around how easily we can lose our sense of wonder about what God has done in our lives. When Israel was in Babylonian captivity, they hung their harps on willow trees—not because the Babylonians destroyed their instruments, but because they chose to stop singing. This becomes a striking metaphor for our own spiritual journey. How many of us still possess the ability to praise God, yet we've allowed life's disappointments, responsibilities, and trials to silence our worship? The message challenges us to remember our first encounter with Jesus—the moment of repentance, water baptism, and receiving the Holy Ghost. When we truly remember, not just intellectually but emotionally and spiritually, our joy naturally returns. The text beautifully illustrates that when God turned Israel's captivity, they were like people who dreamed—the breakthrough seemed too good to be true. Their response was spontaneous laughter and singing, so genuine that even the surrounding nations noticed and declared that the Lord had done great things for them. This teaches us that authentic praise isn't manufactured emotionalism; it's the natural overflow of gratitude for what God has accomplished in our lives. When we stop taking our salvation for granted and actively remember where God brought us from, the shout returns, joy returns, and our witness becomes undeniable to a watching world.
This message by Assistant Pastor Dillon Meadway on Wednesday, July 8th 2026, draws us into a vivid illustration of two trees standing in vastly different conditions. One tree stands near a river, firmly planted with roots that drink continuously from flowing water, bearing fruit in season and maintaining vibrant leaves. The other tree stands just far enough away from the water source to appear alive on the outside, yet slowly hollowing out from within, surviving on occasional trickles but never truly thriving. This imagery from Psalm 1 becomes a mirror for our spiritual lives, challenging us to examine where we have planted ourselves. Are we rooted directly in God's Word, in His love, and in Christ Himself? Or have we drifted just far enough away that we maintain the appearance of spiritual life while slowly withering inside? The message confronts a sobering reality: we can attend church faithfully, maintain outward religious practices, and still find ourselves spiritually malnourished because we've rooted ourselves in self-focus, worldly pursuits, or comfortable distance from God's presence. The call here is urgent yet hopeful, reminding us that being rooted in the right place is not a burden but a privilege, and that God desires to see us flourish far more than we desire it ourselves.
On Sunday, July 5th 2026, Pastor Matt Cottrill's message draws a compelling parallel between America's Declaration of Independence and our need for spiritual independence from sin and bondage. While we celebrate 250 years of national freedom, we're challenged to examine whether we've become spiritually complacent despite our religious liberty. The sermon centers on Ephesians 6:10-13 and 2 Chronicles 7:14, reminding us that our battle is not against flesh and blood but against spiritual forces of darkness. The heart of the message lies in understanding that true freedom isn't the ability to do whatever we want, but the power to do what is right and serve God wholeheartedly. We're confronted with the uncomfortable truth that many Christians want Jesus as Savior but not as Lord, desiring blessings without obedience and heaven without holiness. The call to humble ourselves, pray, seek God's face, and turn from our wicked ways isn't just for the lost world—it begins with us, the church. This message challenges us to declare our own independence day from addiction, bitterness, fear, pride, and every chain that binds us, reminding us that the same God who delivered Israel from Egypt and raised Jesus from the dead can set us free today.
On Wednesday, July 1st 2026, Dylan Cottrill's message draws us into the sobering reflections of King Solomon in Ecclesiastes, where he looks back on a life of unprecedented wealth, wisdom, and worldly success only to declare it all meaningless—like chasing after the wind. We're confronted with a challenging truth: Solomon had everything the world could offer, yet he missed what mattered most. He built houses, planted vineyards, amassed wealth beyond measure, and denied himself no pleasure, but at the end of his days, he realized he had been chasing emptiness. The message uses a compelling illustration of unwrapping gift boxes—we climb over relationships, sacrifice prayer time, and bulldoze our spiritual foundations to reach what we think will satisfy us, only to find the box empty. Meanwhile, the gift God offers may not look as flashy, but it contains eternal treasures: joy in His presence, crowns of life for those who endure, and riches that moth and rust cannot destroy. We're reminded that our children are watching, learning from what we prioritize, and that we have a sacred responsibility to instill in them the truth that seeking first God's kingdom is the only pursuit that won't leave us empty-handed. The call is urgent: stop waiting until the sunset of our lives to learn what Solomon learned too late.
This powerful message from Bishop Mark Cottrill on Sunday, June 28th 2026 takes us into one of the most dramatic moments in King David's life, found in 1 Samuel 30, where he returns home to find his city burned, his families captured, and his own men ready to stone him. Yet in this darkest hour, God speaks three transformative words: pursue, overtake, and recover all. What's striking is that David only asked if he should pursue and overtake the enemy, but God's answer went further—He promised complete restoration. This reveals a profound truth about our spiritual walk: God's promises are always bigger than our prayers. Too often, we settle for merely acknowledging our problems or even confronting them, but we stop short of the full victory God intends for us. Whether we're struggling with broken relationships, lost joy, financial stress, or the need for salvation itself, we cannot afford to give up too easily. The message challenges us to move beyond victim mentality and remember our identity as children of the King of Kings. David didn't just sit in his burned city weeping—he encouraged himself in the Lord, prayed for direction, and then took action. The result? He recovered everything the enemy had stolen, plus the spoils of his enemies. Our recovery begins inwardly before it manifests outwardly, which is why David went to prayer before battle. This sermon calls us to complete obedience, to give God our full voice in worship and prayer, and to fight for the abundant life Jesus promised—not just survival, but total restoration.
On Father's Day, Sunday, June 21st, 2026, Pastor Matt Cottrill explores of the Prodigal Son from Luke 15 and challenges us to examine the direction our feet are taking us—toward God's house or toward a far country of compromise and spiritual distance. The message unpacks the devastating reality that the far country always begins with a 'give me' mentality, where we seek God's benefits without truly desiring relationship with Him. We're reminded that sin is a terrible advertiser, showing us the party but hiding the pig pen, displaying pleasure while concealing emptiness. The transformative moment comes when we 'come to ourselves' and realize that even the lowest place in the Father's house is better than the greatest promise the world offers. The Father's response to our return isn't suspicion or coldness, but compassion—He runs toward us, embraces us in our filth, and restores our identity with a robe, ring, and shoes. Those shoes represent a critical question for every believer: where are our feet taking us? Are we walking toward holiness or drifting toward compromise? The call isn't just to feel bad about where we are, but to actually arise and walk home. True repentance means getting up and doing something about our spiritual condition, not just lamenting it. This Father's Day message extends beyond biological fathers to every person who needs to return home to the Father who is watching the road, waiting to celebrate our arrival.
This message from Tony Fishel on Wednesday, June 17, 2026 centers on the concept of raising an 'Ebenezer' - a stone of remembrance that declares 'thus far the Lord has helped us.' Drawing from 1 Samuel 7:12, we're challenged to reflect on our spiritual battles and recognize that we've made it this far not by our own strength, but solely through God's faithfulness. The teaching walks us through Israel's devastating defeat when they treated the Ark of the Covenant like a lucky charm rather than honoring their relationship with God, losing 30,000 men in the process. This sobering reality reminds us that religious activity can never substitute for genuine relationship with the living God. Before victory could come, Israel had to repent, remove their idols, and humble themselves in prayer. The transformation is remarkable - what human effort couldn't accomplish, God's thunder achieved in a moment. Samuel's stone became a permanent testimony that sparked conversations across generations. We're encouraged to create our own 'Ebenezers' through journaling, sharing testimonies, or simply remembering and recounting God's faithfulness. The message culminates with a beautiful reminder that every blessing, every answered prayer, every victory traces back to one source - the God who has helped us thus far and will continue to carry us forward.
On Sunday, June 14th 2026, Joe Lake takes us deep into the familiar story of David and Goliath, but with a transformative twist that challenges us to look beyond the giant in the valley. We discover that defeating external enemies is only the beginning of our spiritual journey. The real battle often continues long after the visible giant falls—in the wounds we carry, the relationships that hurt us, and ultimately in surrendering our own will to God. Drawing from 1 Samuel 17-30, we explore how David faced three distinct giants: the obvious enemy Goliath, the painful betrayal of King Saul who should have been his protector, and finally his own internal struggle when everything was stripped away. The message reveals that our private victories matter more than our public ones, and that daily communion with God prepares us for battles we don't yet see coming. We're reminded that hurt people hurt people, and unless we allow God to heal our wounds—especially those inflicted by other believers—we'll remain trapped in cycles of pain that prevent us from fulfilling our purpose. The challenge before us is clear: we must stop guarding our wounds from the very God who wants to heal them, and we must learn to hold onto Jesus alone, releasing our grip on everything else, even good things, so that He can truly be our shepherd.
This message by Dylan Cottrill from Sunday, June 7th 2026 centers on God's unbreakable covenant of peace with His people, drawing from Isaiah 54:7-10 where God promises that His kindness will never depart from us. We're reminded that just as God made a covenant with Noah never to destroy the earth again, He has established an eternal covenant with us through Christ's blood. The sermon confronts the oppressive spirits of anxiety, depression, fear, and shame that plague our modern world through constant media bombardment and negativity. Yet we're called to remember that we have authority over these spirits through the Holy Ghost. The illustration of Stephen being stoned while looking up to see Jesus standing at the right hand of God becomes our model—instead of focusing on the chaos around us, we can look beyond the temporal to the eternal. The peace Christ offers isn't fragile or dependent on earthly circumstances like job security or financial stability. Rather, it's a supernatural peace that passes all understanding, one that meets us in impossible situations where logically we shouldn't have peace, yet we do. This covenant isn't something we signed but something sealed by Christ's blood, and it gives us the authority to evict every intruder—every oppressive spirit—that has tried to claim ownership of what belongs to God.
This message from Gene Smith on Wednesday, June 3rd 2026 challenges us to do something many of us avoid: look honestly in the mirror of God's Word and examine our hearts. Drawing from Psalm 139:23-24 and 2 Corinthians 13:5, we're confronted with the uncomfortable truth that while we're quick to judge others, we often fail to examine ourselves. The sermon uses the metaphor of a mirror throughout, reminding us that just as a physical mirror reveals every imperfection, blemish, and unwanted hair, God's Word acts as a spiritual mirror that exposes our motives, intentions, pride, and hidden sin. The foundation metaphor is particularly striking: just as a building's foundation must be properly prepared and mixed, our spiritual foundation—our heart—must be right with God. We can look perfect on the outside, attend church, say the right things, and perform religious acts, yet if our hearts harbor bitterness, unforgiveness, or pride, we're spiritually bankrupt. The message calls us to move beyond surface-level Christianity and allow God to search us thoroughly, not to shame us but to transform us. When we get our hearts right, everything else—holiness, love, obedience—flows naturally. This isn't about forced compliance but about falling so deeply in love with Jesus that change becomes inevitable and authentic.
Bishop Mark Cottrill's message from Sunday, May 31st, 2026 centers on the transformative story of Jacob wrestling with an angel in Genesis 32, exploring how our struggles and wounds can become testimonies of victory rather than marks of defeat. We're confronted with a profound truth: everyone carries some kind of limp—whether physical, emotional, or psychological—from the battles we've fought in life. The sermon identifies ten major stressors that can create lifelong emotional damage, from death and divorce to addiction and betrayal, yet challenges us to choose between victim and victor mentality. Jacob's experience teaches us that our scars don't disqualify us from God's purpose; instead, they become evidence that we've wrestled through the night and emerged changed. The most compelling insight is Jacob's refusal to let go until he received a blessing, demonstrating the kind of tenacity we need in our own spiritual battles. This message reminds us that the strongest testimonies come not from those who never struggled, but from those who kept walking after the struggle, limping their way into victory. We're called to be examples for the next generation, showing them what perseverance looks like when we refuse to let hardship define us as victims but instead allow it to refine us as victors.
In this exploration of Luke 10:38-42 with Joe Lake from Wednesday May 27th 2026, we discover what it truly means to position ourselves at the feet of Jesus. Mary understood something profound that Martha missed in her busyness: there is one need and one need only. While Martha was distracted with serving, Mary chose to sit at the Master's feet, positioning herself in the place of humility and readiness to hear. This isn't just about choosing worship over work—it's about discerning the right time for the right action. The sermon challenges us to examine how well we're hearing God's voice in our daily lives. Are we so consumed with doing things for God that we've forgotten to be with God? The message traces the concept of faith through Hebrews 11, revealing that faith isn't merely intellectual belief but total reliance on God. From Abraham to Moses to the heroes of old, we see that faith means hearing God's voice, positioning ourselves to receive His instructions, and acting on them—even when we don't see the full picture. The challenge is clear: we must learn the spiritual discipline of meditation and listening, sitting quietly enough to let God speak. In our modern era of constant noise and instant access, we've lost the art of being still. Yet this is where transformation happens—at His feet, in the quiet, letting go of everything behind us and reaching forward to what God has promised.
This powerful message from Pastor Matt Cottrill on Pentecost Sunday, May 24th 2026, takes us into the heart of Pentecost, reminding us that God's desire has always been more than just dwelling with us or among us—He wants to dwell within us. Through Acts 2:1-4, we discover that the 120 people in the upper room weren't chosen because they were perfect or had everything figured out. They were ordinary people with backgrounds, issues, and questions, yet the fire of the Holy Ghost sat upon each of them. This reveals a profound truth: God doesn't require our perfection before He pours out His Spirit. What He seeks is hunger, willingness, and surrender. The message traces the theme of fire throughout Scripture—from Moses at the burning bush to the continual flame on the tabernacle altar to Elijah on Mount Carmel—showing us that fire represents God's presence, holiness, and transforming power. But here's the crucial point: while God provides the original fire, we have the responsibility to maintain it. Just as the priests had to tend the altar daily, we must be intentional about protecting our spiritual fire from the distractions, compromises, and noise of modern life. This isn't about legalism; it's about loving God's presence too much to allow anything that might dull our hunger for Him. When we truly walk in the Spirit, resisting sin becomes natural because we're consumed by something far greater than any temptation this world offers.
This teaching from Gene Smith on Wednesday, May 20th, 2026 takes us deep into Luke 6:27-36, where Jesus challenges us with one of the most radical commands in Scripture: give expecting nothing in return. At the heart of this message lies a profound truth about the human heart itself. Jeremiah 17:9 reminds us that the heart is deceitful and desperately wicked, yet God promises in Ezekiel 36 to give us a new heart and a new spirit. This isn't about a heart transplant, but a heart transformation. The teaching explores how everything we say and do flows from the condition of our hearts, and how often we give with hidden strings attached, expecting recognition, repayment, or control. The ultimate example is found at Calvary, where Jesus gave His life for murderers, thieves, and liars without any conditions. He didn't negotiate with humanity or demand anything in return. When we allow God to search our hearts like David did in Psalm 139:23, He reveals areas we didn't even know needed healing. True kingdom living means loving our enemies, doing good to those who hurt us, and releasing everyone who never apologized. This isn't weakness; it's the strength that comes from reflecting God's own nature of unconditional love and grace.
Tony Schuh's message from Wednesday, May 13th 2026 confronts us with a sobering question: when Christ returns, will He find faith on the earth? Starting with the Tower of Babel, we're reminded that humanity's oldest temptation is to meet God on our own terms rather than His. Those ancient builders didn't want to escape a flood—they wanted to avoid being scattered, directly disobeying God's command to fill the earth. They built a temple at the top of their tower, declaring where and how God could meet them. How often do we do the same today, insisting that God accommodate our schedules, our preferences, our comfort zones? The contrast with Abraham is striking. When God called him to leave everything familiar, Abraham simply departed. His faith wasn't passive belief—it was active obedience. When asked to sacrifice Isaac, Abraham trusted that God would keep His promises, even if he couldn't see how. This is the faith that was counted as righteousness, the kind that moves mountains and changes history. As we face an increasingly deceptive world—one where AI can fabricate reality and signs and wonders may confuse even the elect—we must anchor ourselves to Scripture. The disciples died horrific deaths for what they witnessed. Countless believers throughout history endured torture rather than renounce a Christ they never physically saw. Their faith was based on testimony and the unchanging Word of God. That same Word, preserved with miraculous continuity across thousands of years and multiple authors who couldn't communicate with each other, is our foundation. The question isn't whether deception is coming—Scripture promises it is. The question is: will we have the faith to recognize truth from lies when everything around us seems convincing?
On Wednesday, May 6th, 2026 Matt Harvey's message takes us on a transformative journey from the suffocating grip of anxiety to the liberating embrace of divine peace. At its heart lies 1 Peter 5:7-9, which calls us to cast all our cares upon God because He cares for us personally and intimately. What makes this teaching particularly compelling is its honest acknowledgment that anxiety is not a sign of weak faith, but rather proof of our humanity. We see this truth reflected in the lives of biblical heroes like Elijah, who called down fire from heaven yet later hid under a tree asking God to end his life, and Peter, who walked on water but began to sink when fear took over. The message presents three practical steps that form a pathway from worry to peace: Release (casting our cares on God), Replace (praying with thanksgiving instead of worrying), and Renew (fixing our focus on God's faithfulness). The profound truth here is that God doesn't shame us in our lowest moments; instead, He meets us there with rest, provision, and restoration. This isn't about pretending everything is fine or waiting until we feel peaceful before we trust God. Rather, it's about choosing trust as the pathway to peace, recognizing that peace is not dependent on our circumstances changing, but on our connection to the One who never changes.
On Sunday, May 3rd 2026 Pastor Matt Cottrill's message centers on our divine calling to change the atmosphere wherever we find ourselves through genuine, unrestrained worship. Drawing from Mark 14:3-9, we explore the story of a woman who broke an alabaster box of precious ointment over Jesus while others sat in familiar comfort, criticizing her extravagant display. The core revelation here is profound: God is complete within Himself, needing nothing from us, yet He created us with the specific purpose and capacity to respond to His presence. Our praise is not about sustaining God's identity but about aligning ourselves with our created purpose. The woman's act of breaking—not just opening—the box represents total surrender, releasing what we cannot take back or control. While those closest to Jesus sat unmoved by familiarity, this desperate woman changed everything through her unrestrained response. We learn that desperation will always respond where familiarity remains silent. The challenge before us is clear: we cannot wait for perfect circumstances, right feelings, or ideal moments to worship. Like Paul and Silas who praised in chains before the earthquake came, we must understand that we do not wait for the atmosphere to change—we bring the atmosphere with us. Our breakthrough exists on the other side of our worship, and we are chosen to be atmosphere-changers in our homes, workplaces, and communities through the power of uninhibited praise.
On Wednesday, April 29th 2026 Pastor Matt Cottrill's teaching draws a crucial distinction between two of God's most profound attributes: mercy and grace. While we often use these terms interchangeably, they represent distinct yet inseparable works in our spiritual journey. Mercy is God withholding what we deserve—the judgment and condemnation our sins have earned. Grace, on the other hand, is God giving us what we don't deserve—righteousness, relationship, and transformation. The study anchors itself in Psalm 103:17-18, revealing that God's mercy spans from everlasting to everlasting, existing before our first sin and extending beyond our last failure. Yet this mercy comes with a covenant requirement: obedience to God's commandments. The teaching powerfully illustrates how mercy rescues us from the pit of sin, but grace then rebuilds us into vessels of purpose. Through the story of the woman at the well in John 4, we see this dynamic in action—Jesus exposed her past without condemning her person, then offered her living water that would transform her future. This is the sequential work of mercy and grace: mercy addresses our past, grace establishes our future. For anyone struggling with shame, past failures, or feelings of unworthiness, this message offers profound hope. Our history may be deep, but God's mercy is deeper. Our past may be strong, but His grace is stronger.
On Wednesday, April 22nd, 2026, Pastor Matt Cottrill challenges us to examine the sharpness of our spiritual walk through the lens of Hebrews 2:1, which warns us to give earnest heed to what we've heard lest we let it slip. The central question posed is both convicting and necessary: Are we as spiritually sharp today as we've been in previous seasons? The message uses the brilliant illustration of a knife that becomes dull through daily use without intentional sharpening—we don't notice the gradual loss of edge until we need precision cutting. Similarly, our spiritual sensitivity can dull over time through routine without intentional engagement. We can still attend church, still worship, still agree with truth, yet lose the razor-sharp conviction that once pierced our hearts. The danger for mature believers is that depth becomes optional rather than essential. We begin to function without pressing forward, maintaining without pursuing deeper things. What once set our souls on fire now only brushes the surface. This isn't about rejecting truth—it's about failing to grow in truth. The call is clear: we need consistent, intentional sharpening through daily engagement with God's Word, not just hearing but applying what we learn, transforming information into formation that reshapes our lives.
On Wednesday, April 15th 2026, Tony Fishel takes us deep into Numbers 13, where twelve spies were sent to scout the Promised Land. While all twelve saw the same incredible blessings—grapes so large it took two men to carry them, land flowing with milk and honey—only two came back with faith. The contrast is striking: ten spies saw giants and felt like grasshoppers, while Caleb and Joshua saw God's promises and chose faith over fear. This ancient story confronts us with a challenging question: what are we focusing on in our own lives? Are we magnifying our problems or magnifying our God? The Israelites had witnessed the parting of the Red Sea, manna from heaven, and water from a rock, yet they still doubted when faced with giants. We learn that what we continually speak reveals what we truly believe. Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and when we rehearse our defeats instead of declaring victory, we feed fear instead of faith. The call here is clear: we must choose to be like Caleb and Joshua, standing alone if necessary, holding onto God's promises even when the majority speaks doubt. Our neighborhoods, workplaces, and daily interactions are our Promised Land, our mission field where God wants to work through us if we'll just replace fear with faith.
This powerful message from Bishop Mark Cottrill on Sunday, April 12th 2026 confronts us with an urgent reality: we are living in unprecedented times where prophetic events unfold before our eyes daily. Drawing from Matthew 24, we're reminded of the three crucial questions the disciples asked Jesus about the destruction of the temple, the signs of His coming, and the end of the world. The sermon emphasizes that we have the unique privilege of witnessing these prophecies come to life through modern media, seeing wars, earthquakes, pestilence, and societal breakdown happening in real-time. Yet amidst this chaos, Hebrews 6:18-19 offers us an anchor: hope that is set before us, described as both sure and steadfast. The message challenges us to move beyond mere intellectual knowledge of scripture to allowing God's Word to transform our daily lives. Just as a seed must be planted to grow, the Word must take root in our hearts. We're called to pray out loud, not because God needs it, but because we need the focus and commitment it brings. The Acts 2:38 message of repentance, baptism in Jesus' name, and receiving the Holy Ghost remains as relevant today as it was 2,000 years ago. This isn't a time for passivity or good intentions; it's a time for action, for purifying ourselves, and for running to God with everything we have. The hope of heaven should make us the happiest people on earth, rejoicing even as we feel the winds of tribulation blowing around us.
Joe Lake's exploration from Wednesday, April 8th 2026, takes us deep into Psalm 22, the very passage Jesus quoted from the cross when He cried out, 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?' We discover that this wasn't just a random expression of anguish, but a deliberate reference to an entire messianic psalm that prophetically describes the crucifixion in stunning detail. The teaching unveils the ancient context of spiritual warfare that surrounded Israel, particularly the region of Bashan—a place associated with pagan worship, false gods, and demonic activity. We learn that the 'bulls of Bashan' mentioned in Psalm 22 weren't merely animals, but represented powerful spiritual forces aligned against God's people. Yet the psalm doesn't end in defeat—it transforms into victory, declaring that all nations will bow before the Lord. This reminds us that even when we feel surrounded by overwhelming opposition, God has already secured our victory. The cross wasn't just about forgiveness; it was a cosmic triumph over every power of darkness. When we understand the full context of Christ's suffering and resurrection, we gain confidence that no matter what surrounds us, we serve a victorious God who has already won the war.
On Sunday, April 5th 2026, Pastor Matt Cottrill's message takes us beyond the familiar Easter story to confront the weight of what actually happened at Calvary and the empty tomb. We're reminded that Jesus didn't die for some anonymous crowd of sinners; He saw each of us individually, carrying our specific failures, shame, and rebellion as He hung on that cross. The cross reveals both the ugliness of our sin and the magnitude of divine love. What makes this even more profound is that while we were yet sinners—before we cleaned ourselves up or proved ourselves worthy—Christ died for us. The resurrection wasn't just God's happy ending to a tragic week; it was heaven's answer breaking into earth's deepest problem, declaring that sin, death, hell, and despair would not have the final word. When those women came to the tomb expecting to mourn, they found it empty. That stone wasn't rolled away so Jesus could get out—He didn't need that. It was rolled away so witnesses could look in and see that death couldn't hold Him. This same resurrection power speaks to the dead places in our lives today, whether that's a prayer life that's become mechanical, a conscience dulled to sin, or dreams that seem buried. The gospel calls us not merely to admire Christ but to identify with Him through genuine repentance, baptism in Jesus' name for the remission of sins, and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost. We serve a God who isn't intimidated by our dead conditions or impossible situations—He steps into them and begins to revive.
This message from Pastor Matt Cottrill on Wednesday, April 1st 2026, takes us deep into Revelation 22 and challenges us to move beyond momentary encounters with God into a lifestyle of constant flow. The river of living water that John saw—crystal clear and proceeding from the throne—isn't just a future heavenly feature. It represents the Holy Spirit dwelling within us right now. We're called to transition from simply being saved to becoming a source, from receiving to flowing. The tragedy of the Israelites leaving Egypt physically but carrying Egypt in their minds mirrors many believers today who've left the world but still think like slaves rather than sons. The trees beside the river bearing fruit every month remind us that there's never a season where we shouldn't be producing something for the Kingdom. Pressure isn't meant to stop the river—it's meant to prove our source. When our source is the Spirit rather than circumstances, relationships, or feelings, we continue flowing even in difficult seasons. This isn't about perfection but about repentance and confidence in the finished work of Christ. His blood was enough to purge our sins completely, and when we truly grasp this truth, condemnation loses its grip and boldness rises. We're not meant to be buckets constantly needing refilled but wells with an internal spring that flows outward to touch others.
What would we do if we only had five days left? This powerful question cuts through every distraction and brings our priorities into sharp focus. Pastor Matt Cottrill on Sunday, March 29th 2026, draws from John 12:12-13 and the events of Palm Sunday, we're confronted with the reality that Jesus entered Jerusalem knowing exactly how much time He had remaining—just five days until the cross. While crowds celebrated with palm branches and shouts of 'Hosanna,' Jesus walked forward with intentional purpose, fully aware of what awaited Him. This message challenges us to examine how we're living right now, because whether through death or the rapture, our time is uncertain. James 4:14 reminds us that life is but a vapor, appearing for a moment and then vanishing away. The tragedy isn't just that we waste time—it's that we live as though tomorrow is guaranteed when eternity could interrupt this very moment. If we truly believed time was short, everything would change: our worship wouldn't be reserved, our obedience wouldn't be delayed, and our surrender wouldn't be partial. We wouldn't wait for convenient seasons like Felix did, trembling under conviction yet postponing his response. The call isn't for someday obedience—it's for right now. Today is the day the Lord has made, and it's our opportunity to repent, to be baptized in Jesus' name, to be filled with the Holy Ghost, and to live with eternity in view.
This exploration by Tony Fishel on Wednesday, March 25th 2026, of the ancient Aaronic blessing from Numbers 6:24-26 reveals that we serve a God who doesn't just wish us well from a distance, but actively bends down to enrich our lives. These 32 words, spoken over 3,400 years ago, carry the same transformative power today. The Hebrew word 'barak' teaches us that when God blesses, He's not simply offering good wishes—He's positioning Himself to prosper every area of our existence. But the blessing doesn't stop there. God doesn't just bless us and walk away; He 'keeps' us, using the Hebrew word 'shamar,' meaning to guard like a shepherd watches his flock or a guard protects treasure. When we understand that God's face shining upon us represents divine acceptance and unlimited access to His throne, we realize we're living under royal favor. His grace isn't merely unmerited favor—it's supernatural ability working within us to accomplish what we cannot do alone. And the peace He offers? It's shalom—wholeness, completeness, harmony even in life's storms. When we speak this blessing over others, we're not manipulating God; we're aligning ourselves with what He already desires to do. Archaeological evidence shows ancient Israelites carried these words on tiny scrolls as daily reminders of God's favor. Perhaps it's time we reclaim this practice, speaking life over our families, workplaces, and circumstances, transforming our culture one blessing at a time.
In a world suffocating under pressure, we discover an ancient weapon that still breaks chains today: praise. This message by Pastor Matt Cottrill on Sunday, March 22nd, 2026 confronts our modern reality head-on, acknowledging the crushing weight of anxiety, endless digital distractions, and global instability that characterizes our generation. Yet it reveals a profound truth from 2 Chronicles 20:22, where Israel's battle shifted not after victory, but the moment praise began. We learn that praise is not merely a reaction to blessing, but a declaration of faith before breakthrough arrives. The powerful imagery of a man trapped under earthquake rubble, too weak to shout but persistent enough to tap with one hand, illustrates that even our smallest expressions of praise reach heaven when offered consistently. This message challenges us to examine what we reach for first each morning, exposing how we've been trained to feed constantly on the temporal while starving spiritually from the eternal. The call is clear: praise is not about our feelings or circumstances, but about who we serve. When we praise from a place of pressure rather than waiting for comfort, we create a dwelling place for God's presence where darkness cannot dominate, anxiety loses its strength, and strongholds crumble. Our praise confuses the enemy because it defies natural logic, and when expressed corporately as a unified body, something even greater shifts in the spiritual realm.
This teaching by Bishop Mark Cottrill on Wednesday March 18th 2026 centers on a profound truth we often overlook in our daily struggles: God already knows what He's going to do in our situations before we even recognize there's a problem. Drawing from John 6:5-13, where Jesus feeds the multitudes with five loaves and two fish, we discover something remarkable in verse 6—Jesus asked Philip how they would feed the crowd 'to prove him, for he himself knew what he would do.' This reveals that God sometimes orchestrates circumstances not because He's uncertain, but because He wants to see how we'll respond. Will we trust in our limited resources and human understanding, or will we acknowledge His unlimited power? The disciples focused on what they didn't have—enough money, enough food—while Jesus had already prepared a miracle. How often do we do the same? When financial pressures mount, health challenges arise, or family problems seem insurmountable, we fixate on the impossibility rather than on God's ability. The teaching challenges us with a critical question: What is God trying to teach us through our current trials? Every problem we face is an opportunity for God to demonstrate His faithfulness, but only if we pass our situations through His hands first, acknowledging Him in all our ways. The symbol shared—God is greater than our highs and lows—serves as a daily reminder that our Heavenly Father transcends our best and worst days, waiting to perform miracles when we trust Him completely.
This message from Gene Smith on Sunday March 15th 2026 centers on a transformative truth: the difference between knowing OF someone and truly KNOWING them. We explore how our relationship with Jesus moves from distant awareness to intimate connection through personal encounter. The sermon draws from Matthew 14:18-21, where Jesus feeds five thousand people with just five loaves and two fish, demonstrating that when we truly know the Man who multiplies miracles, impossibilities become opportunities. The woman with the issue of blood becomes our example—she didn't just hear about Jesus, she pressed through every obstacle with determined faith to touch Him. Her twelve years of suffering ended not through distant belief, but through personal contact. We're challenged to examine our own faith: are we merely acquainted with Jesus, or do we KNOW Him as our healer, provider, and deliverer? The message reminds us that knowing Jesus personally changes everything—our pain, our circumstances, our future. When we can declare 'I know a man' rather than 'I know of a man,' we step into a realm where healing isn't just possible, it's present. This isn't about secondhand religion; it's about firsthand relationship with the One who still heals today.
In this message from Wednesday March 11th 2026, Pastor Matt Cottrill challenges us to move beyond mere salvation into the fullness of relationship with God that Jesus died to provide. Drawing from Revelation 15 and Hebrews 10, we're confronted with a profound truth: many of us are saved but have never fully entered into the abundant life Christ purchased for us. The imagery of rivers of living water flowing from believers isn't just poetic language—it represents the Holy Spirit actively moving through our lives in such power that it touches everyone around us. Yet how many of us are living with barely enough spiritual vitality for ourselves, let alone overflow for others? The message traces our journey from ankle-deep experiences with God to swimming in the depths of His Spirit, where we lose control and allow Him to direct our path completely. We're reminded that the river represents a living, flowing, vibrant relationship—not a stagnant memory of receiving the Holy Ghost years ago. The challenge is clear: Are we content with shallow Christianity, or are we willing to dive into the deep waters where God's Spirit carries us beyond our comfort zones into supernatural living? This isn't about religious activity but about confidence in approaching God, destroying the lies that keep us from His presence, and allowing truth to remove the condemnation that makes us hide like Adam in the garden.
In a world that constantly tells us the church is dying, this message by Pastor Matt Cottrill on Sunday, March 8th 2026, reminds us of an undeniable truth: we are part of an overcoming, victorious church that cannot be defeated. Drawing from Ephesians 3:11-21 and Romans 8:34-39, we're challenged to see ourselves not as survivors barely holding on, but as conquerors operating in supernatural power. The statistics are striking—while secularism grows in some places, Spirit-filled Christianity has exploded from one million believers in the early 1900s to over 600 million today. This isn't about human strength or worldly influence; it's about the power of the Holy Ghost working within us. We're reminded that hardship doesn't mean God has abandoned us—tribulation, distress, persecution, and even death cannot separate us from His love. The church wasn't created by human councils or edicts; it existed in the mind of God before the foundation of the world. When we truly grasp this identity, we stop living in defeat and start walking in the authority Jesus gave us. We have power to cast out devils, to speak with new tongues, to lay hands on the sick—not through our own ability, but through the name of Jesus. The question isn't whether we'll face battles, but whether we'll recognize the victory that's already ours.
John Faulkner's message from Wednesday March 4th 2026 confronts us with one of Scripture's most sobering warnings: the reality that many who believe themselves to be saved will hear Jesus say, 'I never knew you.' Drawing from Matthew 25's parable of the ten virgins, we discover that the issue was never about oil or preparedness in a superficial sense. The Greek translation reveals something far more devastating—when the door was shut, it signified compassion withdrawn, mercy no longer accessible, and a bond decisively severed. The foolish virgins weren't rejected because they lacked oil; they were rejected because they lacked relationship. They were acquainted with the bridegroom but weren't part of his life. This theme echoes throughout Matthew's gospel three times, and when God repeats Himself, we must pay attention. The message challenges our comfortable Christianity, reminding us that believing about Jesus is not the same as knowing Him. We can attend church, serve faithfully, even prophesy and cast out demons in His name, yet still hear those terrifying words: 'Depart from me.' The path forward is clear: genuine repentance, water baptism in Jesus' name, receiving the Holy Spirit, and cultivating an authentic, daily relationship through prayer, Scripture, worship, obedience, and service. Our names in the Lamb's Book of Life depend not on religious activity but on intimate relationship with the Savior.
We often throw around the word 'love' without truly understanding what we mean by it. This powerful exploration of 1 Corinthians 13 by Tony Schuh on Wednesday, February 25th 2026, reveals a truth that challenges our modern assumptions: love is not just love. The Greek language gives us five distinct words for what we simply call 'love' - from eros (romantic passion) to philia (friendship) to storge (familial affection) to philaudia (self-love) and finally to agape (sacrificial, unconditional love). This teaching unpacks why Paul uses 'charity' in the King James Version - because agape love costs us something for the benefit of another. We discover that even our most impressive spiritual gifts, our prophecies, our faith to move mountains, and our generous acts of charity mean absolutely nothing if they're not rooted in agape love. The sobering reality is that we can do all the right things - give to the poor, serve faithfully, operate in spiritual gifts - yet if our motives are about building our own reputation or seeking transaction rather than transformation, it profits us nothing. This message calls us to examine our hearts honestly: Are we loving others to build God's kingdom or our own? Are we withholding affection when we don't get what we want? The litmus test is clear: love suffers long, doesn't keep records of wrongs, doesn't seek its own, and never fails. Our relationships - whether in marriage, friendship, or church - are meant to reflect this costly, sacrificial love that mirrors how Christ loved the church.
In this message from Sunday, February 22nd, 2026, Gene Smith0 confronts us with an uncomfortable truth: we can attend church, sing worship songs, and even serve in ministry while still living in spiritual complacency. Drawing from Isaiah 14 and Hebrews 2, we're reminded that ignoring such great salvation comes with eternal consequences. The sermon challenges us to examine whether we've been playing church rather than truly surrendering to God's will. Like children at recess who must eventually answer the bell, we're living in a season where playtime is over. The message references sobering examples from Scripture—Nadab and Abihu who offered strange fire, Ananias and Sapphira who lied to the Holy Spirit, and even Judas who walked with Jesus yet never truly changed. These accounts remind us that partial obedience equals full disobedience, and that God sees beyond our religious performances into the true condition of our hearts. The armor of God mentioned in Ephesians 6 isn't meant for playgrounds but for spiritual warfare. We're called to put away excuses, distractions, and comfortable Christianity, recognizing that we're not walking into parking lots when we leave church—we're walking into battlefields. This message urges us to search our hearts, reconcile with our brothers and sisters, and stop playing games with a holy God who is coming back for a church without spot or wrinkle.
This powerful message from Matt Harvey on Wednesday, February 11th 2026, invites us to examine what we're carrying in the metaphorical bags of our lives. Drawing from Hebrews 12:1-2, we're challenged to identify the weights and sins that slow our spiritual journey. The sermon uses relatable imagery of everyday carry items and how they change with our circumstances, yet we often hold onto things that no longer serve us. The distinction between weights and sins is crucial: weights aren't necessarily sinful, but they're unnecessary burdens like social media addiction, old mindsets, material attachments, or unresolved grief. Meanwhile, sins like bitterness, unforgiveness, and resentment actively poison our souls. The beautiful invitation of Matthew 11:28-30 reminds us that Jesus offers to share our yoke, making our burdens light when we partner with Him. The imagery of oxen yoked together illustrates how we're meant to work alongside Christ rather than struggling alone. We're called to run our spiritual race with patience, keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus like a tightrope walker maintains focus on their destination. The challenge is clear: what weights are we clinging to that Jesus is asking us to release? What sins are we harboring that prevent us from running freely? When we lay these down, we discover the freedom and rest that comes from yoking ourselves to Christ.
This powerful message from Aaron Lane on Sunday, February 8th 2026, confronts us with a profound truth: we all carry a debt we cannot repay. Drawing from 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, we're reminded that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit and that we've been bought with a price—the precious blood of Jesus Christ. The sermon explores the ancient practice of slavery to help us understand our spiritual condition: we were once slaves to sin, bound by chains we couldn't break, trapped in a debt that would take eternity to repay. But here's the beautiful paradox—when Christ freed us from sin's slavery, He didn't leave us to our own devices. Instead, we became servants of righteousness, voluntarily surrendering to a Master who loves us unconditionally. The message challenges us to examine whether we're truly living as freed people or still acting like slaves to our old nature. Through the story of the two thieves crucified alongside Jesus, we see that even in our worst moments, even when we're undeserving, Jesus extends grace and promises us paradise. The call is clear: repentance, baptism in Jesus' name, and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost aren't just religious rituals—they're the pathway to true freedom. We're invited to stop asking 'What does this do for me?' and start asking 'How can I serve?' because servant leadership is the highest calling we can embrace.
Have you ever wondered why the plan of salvation isn't just a random formula, but rather a profound pattern woven throughout all of Scripture? This powerful teaching from Wednesday, February 4th 2026, Trace Schuh takes us on a journey through the blood, water, and spirit—three witnesses of God on earth that appear from Genesis to Revelation. We discover that what happened on the Day of Pentecost wasn't Peter making up new rules, but rather him recognizing an eternal pattern that stretches back to Noah's ark, the Exodus from Egypt, Elijah's confrontation with the prophets of Baal, and even the layout of the tabernacle itself. Each instance reveals the same divine blueprint: death (blood), burial (water), and resurrection (spirit). When we repent, get baptized in Jesus' name, and receive the Holy Ghost, we're not just following religious tradition—we're literally walking in the footsteps of Christ himself, participating in His death, burial, and resurrection. This message challenges us to see that our salvation experience isn't isolated to the New Testament but is the fulfillment of God's redemptive plan that has existed since the foundation of the world. It's a reminder that we can teach our doctrine from the entire Bible because truth doesn't contradict itself—it echoes through every book, every story, every shadow pointing to the ultimate reality of Jesus Christ.
In this powerful message from our second session on Sunday, February 1st 2026, Pastor Matt Cottrill takes us into Acts chapter 20, where we encounter a story that speaks directly to our moments of spiritual exhaustion. We find ourselves in Troas, where Paul preaches until midnight to believers who have gathered for worship. In this ordinary church service, something extraordinary happens—a young man named Eutychus, sitting in a window, falls asleep and plummets to his death. But this isn't a story about failure; it's a revelation about God's grace in our weariest moments. The sermon unpacks the profound symbolism of midnight—not just as a time on the clock, but as a spiritual condition where our faith is tested without reinforcement. It's that space between promise and fulfillment, where we've prayed, obeyed, and stayed faithful, yet answers seem delayed. The window where Eutychus sat represents our tendency to lean when we're tired—not abandoning faith entirely, but repositioning ourselves just enough to feel comfortable. We stay in the room but pull back emotionally and spiritually. The beautiful truth emerges: when Eutychus fell, Paul didn't condemn him but embraced him, and God restored his life. This teaches us that God doesn't abandon people who lean too far or fall in their weariness. Midnight never has the final word—it's always followed by morning, and it's often where God prepares resurrection. This message calls us to recognize that being weary doesn't mean we've failed; it means we're human, and God's grace meets us exactly where we are.
In a world that never stops shouting, we're challenged to examine whether we're being informed or inflamed by the constant noise around us. In this message from Wednesday, January 28th 2026 Pastor Matt Cottrill draws from Romans 12:2, where we're reminded that awareness and conformity are vastly different—we can observe the world without absorbing its spirit. The powerful imagery of thermostats versus thermometers reveals our true calling: we're not meant to merely reflect the temperature of our culture's outrage and fear, but to set the spiritual temperature of every room we enter. The sobering truth emerges that what we consume repeatedly becomes what we believe, and when we allow news cycles to disciple us more than God's Word, fear replaces faith and outrage replaces intercession. Through scriptures like James 1:19-20 and Proverbs 15:1, we're confronted with the reality that our public expressions—especially on social media—can either draw searching souls toward Christ or become stumbling blocks that quietly close hearts. The message isn't about ignoring current events, but about filtering everything through the lens of one eternal question: Will this help someone find Jesus? When we choose grace alongside truth, kindness over sarcasm, and love over being right, we become the light that doesn't argue with darkness but simply transforms it by existing.
This message from our service on Sunday, January 25th 2026 challenges us to examine the foundation upon which we're building our lives. Joe Lake draws from Jesus' parable of the wise and foolish builders in Matthew 7, we're confronted with a sobering truth: storms are inevitable, but survival depends entirely on what we've built upon. The sermon uses the striking imagery of La Jument lighthouse in France—a structure that has withstood over a century of violent Atlantic storms because it was built on solid rock. Just as that lighthouse keeper nearly lost his life when a massive wave struck, we too face moments when everything around us seems to be collapsing. The central question becomes: are we merely hearing the Word of God, or are we actually doing it? Cultural Christianity has taught many to believe that right doctrine alone saves us, but Jesus clearly stated that wisdom comes from both hearing and doing. When David wrote repeatedly in the Psalms about God being his rock, his fortress, his hiding place, he wasn't speaking from a palace—he was writing from caves and wilderness, from places of desperation and pursuit. His understanding of God as an unmovable foundation came through lived experience, not theological theory. We're called to be students of the Word, not just casual readers, allowing Scripture to marinate in our hearts until it oozes out naturally. When our hearts become overwhelmed—and they will—we need friends who will lead us to the Rock that is higher than ourselves, not gossip about our struggles or kick us when we're down.
Dylan Cottrill's message from Wednesday January 21st, 2026
In this powerful message, we confront a sobering reality: we live in a generation experiencing a spiritual famine of God's Word. Drawing from Amos 8:11-13, we're reminded that God warned of a coming famine—not of bread or water, but of hearing His Word. Today, despite having unprecedented access to Scripture, we're witnessing this prophecy unfold in our own time. We own multiple Bibles, yet studies reveal that over half of American Christians have read less than half of Scripture, and a third never open it outside of church. This isn't just about statistics; it's about survival. The Word of God is described throughout Scripture as living, breathing, powerful—sharper than any two-edged sword. It's a lamp unto our feet, a light unto our path, and literally the difference between spiritual life and death. When we neglect this precious gift, we walk into confusion, just as Deuteronomy 28 warns. We seek peace in entertainment, comfort in self-gratification, and answers in everything except the very pages that contain God's breath. The challenge before us is clear: will we commit to hiding God's Word in our hearts, allowing it to guide every step, every decision, every moment? This isn't elementary—it's essential. Our theme for the year, 'I must decrease as He increases,' starts right here, with opening the Book and letting it transform us from the inside out.
Pastor Matt Cottrill's message from our second session on Sunday, January 18th 2026.
At the heart of this powerful message lies John the Baptist's profound declaration: 'He must increase, but I must decrease.' This isn't resignation—it's radical alignment with God's kingdom principles. We're challenged to understand that spiritual authority doesn't come through self-promotion or visibility, but through surrender and obedience. The sermon draws us into the miracle of the loaves and fishes, revealing that the true miracle wasn't the multiplication of food—that was easy for Jesus. The miracle was a young boy's willingness to surrender his lunch. As long as those five loaves and two fish remained in the boy's hands, they stayed insufficient. But placed in Jesus' hands, they became the seed of abundance. This teaches us a stunning truth: God doesn't multiply what we hoard; He multiplies what we release. We're invited to examine our lives and ask what we're clutching tightly when God is asking us to let go. The message confronts our modern addiction to noise, entertainment, and constant stimulation—particularly through social media—that drowns out the voice of God. We're called to a lifestyle of fasting, not as ritual but as mastery over our flesh, creating space for spiritual sensitivity. The vision for this season isn't about doing more; it's about becoming less so Christ can become more in us.
Pastor Cottrill's message from our Church From Home service on Wednesday, January 14th 2026
This powerful message confronts us with a penetrating question: what happens when we become so focused on what's above us that we miss what's right in front of us? Drawing from the humorous tale of Sherlock Holmes and Watson losing their tent while stargazing, we're challenged to recognize when our spiritual covering has been stolen. The core revelation centers on Matthew 17:21, where Jesus explains to his frustrated disciples that certain spiritual battles require more than experience or knowledge—they demand the covering of prayer and fasting. We discover that when carnality rises, disunity spreads, complacency settles, and holiness slips, we don't need new programs or better strategies. We need to rebuild what has been lost: our covering through prayer and fasting. The message weaves through Joel's call to sanctify a fast, Psalm 133's declaration about unity, and the Acts church's pattern of prayer preceding power. Perhaps most striking is the call from John 3:30—'He must increase, but I must decrease'—reminding us that God's greatest work happens not when we do more, but when we surrender more. This isn't about religious performance; it's about recognizing that flesh cannot conquer flesh, and strongholds aren't pulled down with carnal weapons. We're invited into a posture of holy desperation, where hunger pains become reminders of our hunger for God's presence and power.
Bishop Mark Cottrill's message from our second session on Sunday, January 11th 2026
What does it mean to build for the next generation? This powerful message challenges us to see beyond our immediate needs and recognize that we stand on the foundation laid by faithful believers who came before us. Through the story of Jacob's well in John 4, we discover a profound truth: the woman at the well encountered Jesus at a place that had been providing refreshment for 1,700 years. Jacob dug that well through solid limestone, four feet wide and 150 feet deep, by hand—a labor of sacrifice that blessed countless generations. He had no idea that centuries later, the Messiah himself would sit at that very well and offer living water to a broken woman who would then evangelize an entire city. This teaches us that our faithfulness today—our worship, our giving, our commitment to holiness and Acts 2:38 truth—isn't just for us. Every time we pray at the altar, every offering we give, every moment we choose godliness over worldly compromise, we're digging a well for future generations. We're preserving something precious so our children, grandchildren, and people we'll never meet can encounter Jesus. The question becomes deeply personal: What are we building that will last? Are we creating cisterns that leak and fail, or are we digging deep wells of faith that will provide living water long after we're gone? Our legacy isn't measured by what we accumulate but by what we pass down—a heritage of prayer, worship, and uncompromising devotion to God's truth.
Pastor Matt Cottrill's message from Wednesday, January 7th 2026
This powerful message confronts us with a fundamental truth that transforms how we approach Scripture: God has never struggled to speak—the struggle has always been whether we will truly listen, believe, and obey. Drawing from Hebrews 4:12, we're reminded that the Word of God is living, active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating beyond our outward behaviors to expose the true condition of our hearts. The central challenge presented here is that we live in an unprecedented age of access to biblical teaching, yet obedience has become increasingly selective. We can sit in services for years, hear countless sermons, and remain fundamentally unchanged if our hearts are closed. The message drives home that transformation doesn't come from mere exposure to truth—it requires receiving, believing, and acting upon what we hear. Using James 1:22 as a cornerstone, we're warned against the dangerous self-deception of being hearers only and not doers. Every time the Word is preached, we stand at a crossroads: our hearts will either soften or stiffen, yield or resist. The convicting reality is that delayed obedience is still disobedience, and if we're the same spiritually as we were ten years ago, something is desperately wrong. This isn't about religious performance—it's about allowing God's Word to have free access to shape, correct, and direct every area of our lives with the urgency of today.
Pastor Matt Cottrill's message from our second session on Sunday, Jan 4th 2026
This message confronts us with an uncomfortable but liberating truth: keeping Christ at the center requires more than admiration for the cross He hung on—it demands we climb onto our own. Drawing from Galatians 5:24, we're reminded that those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. This isn't advanced Christianity reserved for spiritual elites; it's basic ownership of who controls our lives. The sermon challenges our modern tendency to love grace while avoiding death, to want resurrection power without crucifixion process, to seek blessings without brokenness. We're confronted with the reality that our flesh—that fallen nature insisting on self-rule—has no redeeming potential. It doesn't need improvement, therapy, or motivation; it needs execution. The flesh presents itself as reasonable, even spiritual, convincing us that small compromises are harmless and that God understands our humanity. But Scripture is clear: if we live after the flesh, we will die. This message calls us beyond behavior management to heart surrender, beyond prayer as a ritual to prayer as reordering authority. The invitation isn't to perfection but to daily, deliberate crucifixion—a process that's slow, public, and painful, yet produces the most powerful life imaginable. When the flesh is silent, the Spirit speaks clearly. When appetites are crucified, prayer carries weight. This is the path to true freedom.
The eighth lesson in Pastor Cottrill's series, "The Book of Acts" from Wednesday September 17th 2025
Valerie Carter's message from the Indiana District Section Two Ladies service on Friday, September 5th 2025
Assistant Pastor Dillon Meadway's message from our Fresh Oil Service on Sunday, August 31st 2025
The seventh lesson in Pastor Matt Cottrill's series "The Book of Acts" from Wednesday, August 27th 2025
The sixth lesson in Pastor Matt Cottrill's series "The Book of Acts" from Wednesday, August 20th 2025
Stan Gleason's message from our 100th Anniversary celebration on Sunday, August 3rd 2025
Assistant Pastor Dillon Meadway's message from our second session on Sunday, July 6th 2025
Pastor Matt Cottrill's message from our second session on Pentecost Sunday, June 8th 2025
Our youth service from Sunday, May 18th 2025 featuring speakers Kloei Leal, Caiden Amsden, and Simeon Lake
The fifth lesson in Pastor Matt Cottrill's series "The Book of Acts" from Wednesday, May 7th 2025
The fourth lesson in Pastor Matt Cottrill's series "The Book of Acts" from Wednesday, April 23rd 2025
The third lesson in Pastor Matt Cottrill's series "The Book of Acts" from Wednesday, April 2nd 2025
The second lesson in Pastor Matt Cottrill's series "The Book of Acts" from Wednesday, March 5th 2025
Assistant Pastor Dillon Meadway's message from our second session on Sunday, February 23rd 2025
First Lady Brandie Cottrill's message from our second session on Sunday, February 9th 2025
The first lesson in Pastor Matt Cottrill's series "The Book of Acts" from Wednesday, February 5th 2025
Assistant Pastor Dillon Meadway's message from our second session on Sunday, February 2nd, 2025.
Assistant Pastor Dillon Meadway's message from our Church of Home service on Sunday, January 12th 2025
Assistant Pastor Dillon Meadway's message from our second session on Sunday, January 5th 2025
Assistant Pastor Dillon Meadway's message from our first session on Sunday, October 27th 2024.
Jesse Arthur's message from the Indiana District Section 2 Youth Rally on Friday, October 18th 2024
Assistant Pastor Dillon Meadway's message from our first session on Sunday, July 28th 2024
Assistant Pastor Dillon Meadway's message from our first session on Sunday, July 7th 2024.
Assistant Pastor Dillon Meadway's message from our first session on Sunday, June 23rd 2024
Assistant Pastor Dillon Meadway's message from our first session on Sunday, June 9th 2024
First Lady Brandie Cottrill's message from our Mother's Day service on Sunday, May 12th 2024
Assistant Pastor Dillon Meadway's message from our first session on Sunday, May 5th 2024
Assistant Pastor Dillon Meadway's message from our first session on Sunday, March 17 2024
Assistant Pastor Dillon Meadway's message from our first session on Sunday, March 3rd 2024
Assistant Pastor Dillon Meadway's message from our second session on Sunday, February 18th 2024
Jeremy Moore's message from our second night of revival on Wednesday, January 24th 2024.
Assistant Pastor Dillon Meadway's message from our first session on Sunday, September 10th 2023
Briawna Clanton and Luke Sharp's message from our Youth Led Service on Sunday, August 27th 2023
Assistant Pastor Dillon Meadway's message from our first session on Sunday, July 2nd, 2023
Assistant Pastor Dillon Meadway's message from our second session on Sunday, June 11th 2023
EJ McDougall's message from our first night of revival from Wednesday, February 22nd 2023
Pastor Matt Cottrill's message from our Catalyst service on Saturday, January 21st 2023
Pastor Matt Cottrill's first lesson in his series "Cross My Heart" from Wednesday, January 4th 2023
Pastor Matt Cottrill delivers part five of his series from Wednesday, November 2nd 2022
The fourth part of Pastor Matt Cottrill's series on Prayer from our first session on Sunday, October 23rd, 2022
The third part of Pastor Matt Cottrill's series on Prayer from our second session on Sunday, October 16th 2022
The second part of Matt Cottrill's series on Prayer from our first session on October 9th 2022
Pastor Matt Cottrill gives us direction as we begin our first session of intercessory prayer. From August 28th 2022
Part 8 and final sermon of Pastor Matt Cottrill’s series “The Sermon on the Mount” from March 16th, 2022
Part 7 of Pastor Matt Cottrill’s series “The Sermon on the Mount” from February 23rd, 2022
Part 6 of Pastor Matt Cottrill’s series” The Sermon on the Mount” from December 22nd 2021
Part 5 of Pastor Matt Cottrill's series "The Sermon on the Mount" from November 28th 2021
Part 4 of Pastor Matt Cottrill's series "The Sermon on the Mount" from October 27th 2021
Pastor Matt Cottrill's message from the Indiana Section 2 Youth Rally on Friday October 22nd 2021
Part 3 of Pastor Matt Cottrill's series "The Sermon on the Mount" from October 20th 2021
Part 2 of Pastor Matt Cottrill's series "The Sermon on the Mount" from October 13th 2021
Missionary to Bolivia, Robert Dame, presents his burden and delivers our Sunday evening message from October 3rd, 2021
Richard Fox's Wednesday evening message from the Focus on the Family Series on June 2nd 2021
Richard Fox's Wednesday evening message from the Focus on the Family series on May 19th 2021
Evangelist Tim Pedigo's Sunday morning message from the last day of our revival, May 9th, 2021
Evangelist Tim Pedigo's Friday night message from the third night of revival services, May 7th, 2021
Evangelist Tim Pedigo's Thursday night message from the second night of revival services, May 6th 2021
Evangelist Tim Pedigo's Wednesday night message from the first night of revival service, May 5th 2021
Richard Fox's Wednesday night message from April 28th 2021 in the Focus on the Family Series
Quinton Amsden, Karah Nelson, Nate Amsden, and Dillon Meadway share testimonies and devotions during our Youth Service from February 21st 2021.
Part Two of Pastor Matt Cottrill's Series "Man From Macedonia" series from January 20th 2021
Part 3 of Pastor Matt Cottrill's series "A Matter of the Heart" from December 16th, 2020
Part 2 of "A Matter of the Heart" series from Pastor Matt Cottrill on December 9th 2020
Pastor Matt Cottrill's conclusion of the series "A Season of Change" from November 24th, 2020
Part 3 of Pastor Matt Cottrill's Series entitled "A Season of Change" from November 18th, 2020
Missionary to Bangladesh, Frances Day's Wednesday evening message from November 4th, 2020
Part 2 of Pastor Matt Cottrill's Series entitled "A Season of Change" from Wednesday, October 21st, 2020
Pastor Matt Cottrill Cottrill's Sunday evening message from October 18th, 2020
*Due to a technical issue only the audio is available for this sermon.
Part 1 of Pastor Matt Cottrill's Series entitled "A Season of Change" from Wednesday, October 14th, 2020