Advertise on podcast: Redemption Church Plano Texas

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Others leave you empty. Here is a biblical way to love people without becoming their source of life. Get the Free Field Guide Explore Haunted House You know the feeling when one relationship starts taking more than you know how to give. The calls, the crisis, the guilt, the pressure – and somehow it still never feels like enough. If you love someone but feel yourself getting drained in the process, this conversation is for you. Watch & listen Hear the full message. Listen on: Spotify Apple Podcasts Listen to the message How to Deal With Draining Relationships Prefer audio? Listen here or download the MP3 for later. Your browser does not support the audio element. Download MP3 Watch on YouTube Resources Use these printable resources to follow along, review the message, or keep working through the ideas during the week. Download the Draining Relationships Handout Download the Preaching Outline The real-life problem When helping someone starts consuming you Not every difficult relationship is unhealthy. Some people are grieving. Some are overwhelmed. Some are immature, stuck, or walking through a genuinely hard season. But some relationships become a repeated pattern of crisis, guilt, emotional dependence, pressure, or rescue. You keep giving. They keep taking. Over time, the relationship starts consuming your peace, time, energy, and attention. There is a difference between loving somebody and being consumed by somebody. The name on the phone Sometimes the warning sign is not a dramatic blowup. It is the feeling you get when their name appears on your phone. You tense up before you answer because you already know what is coming: need, crisis, guilt, or emotional weight. That does not automatically make the person bad. But it may reveal a pattern that needs wisdom and a boundary. Is this relationship draining you? Pay attention to repeated patterns, not just one hard day. Someone may genuinely need support. But when the same pattern keeps repeating, wisdom means noticing what is happening. Constant crisis Their emergencies repeatedly become the center of your life. Guilt and pressure You feel manipulated whenever you try to create healthy space. No responsibility You keep carrying choices and consequences that belong to them. You feel depleted You regularly leave conversations anxious, resentful, or emotionally empty. Unlimited access They expect immediate availability and ongoing rescue. Your life shrinks The relationship crowds out your family, peace, calling, and time with Jesus. Free field guide Could this pattern be hiding in your life? The Haunted House Field Guide to the Monsters Within helps you identify unhealthy patterns, turn on the light with Scripture, and choose one honest next step. Get the Free Field Guide See the Full Series Exodus 18 You can do a good thing

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If your life feels stuck in wake up, work, scroll, repeat, Jesus calls you to wake up, think, and choose a better way. Get the Free Field Guide Download Message Handout The autopilot problem Are you running your life – or just reacting to it? A lot of people are not lazy. They are just stuck in a loop. Wake up. Work. Scroll. Handle stress. Sleep. Repeat. That is what autopilot feels like. You are moving, but not really choosing. You are active, but not always intentional. Jesus did not come to make you a better zombie. He came to wake you up and lead you into real life. Haunted House – Week 1 Zombie: Mindless Living Wake up. Think. Choose. Follow Jesus beyond autopilot. Get the Free Field Guide Download Message Handout Download Preaching Outline Listen and download Listen: How to Stop Living on Autopilot Your browser does not support the audio player. Download MP3 Spotify Apple Podcasts Download Message Handout Download Preaching Outline Watch the message Zombie: Mindless Living Autopilot check What is running your life? Autopilot is useful in the right places. It becomes dangerous when you stop noticing who or what is making your choices. Your scheduleYou stay busy without asking whether what fills your calendar actually matters. Your phoneYour attention keeps getting handed to whatever buzzes, scrolls, or flashes next. Your habitsYou repeat yesterday because it is easier than deciding what tomorrow should become. Other peopleYou react to demands, expectations, and urgency instead of choosing from purpose. You can be moving without really living. That is the Zombie problem. Motion is not the same thing as direction. Wake up. Think. Choose. Ephesians 5:14-16 gives a simple picture of intentional living. Wake up to what is happening. Think carefully about how you are living. Choose to make the most of the opportunity in front of you. 1 WAKE UP Notice what has become automatic. Where have you drifted, numbed out, or stopped paying attention? 2 THINK Do not let the next notification, emotion, or demand decide for you. Wisdom requires attention. 3 CHOOSE Opportunity becomes meaningful when you intentionally act on what matters. Zombies react. Disciples choose. The difference is not whether things happen to you. The difference is whether every new thing gets to decide what you do next. Reactive living waits for the next thing to happen. The phone buzzes, so you grab it. Pressure rises, so you panic. Someone gets upset, so you change direction. Reactive living lets the moment become the boss. You are active, but you are not necessarily choosing. Proactive living decides before the moment arrives. You decide what matters before the pressure hits. You decide what gets your attention before the notification arrives. You decide who you are following before the crowd starts moving. That is what discipleship looks like in everyday life. One next step Make your choice specific enough to live. A vague intention is easy to forget. A clear next step gives your decision somewhere to go. S – SpecificWhat exactly will I do? M – MeasurableHow will I know I did it? A – AchievableCan I actually do this? R – RelevantDoes this fit what Jesus is calling me to do? T – TimelyWhen will I do it? Example: Instead of “I need to pray more,” try “For the next seven mornings, I will spend ten distraction-free minutes with God before I open social media.” The interruption that changes everything Jesus calls us beyond the life we inherited. The fishermen in Matthew 4 knew their nets. They knew their routine. They knew what tomorrow was supposed to look like. Then Jesus said, “Come, follow me.” Following Jesus is not simply adding religion to an automatic life. Following requires attention. It means letting Jesus interrupt routines, redirect priorities, and lead you somewhere you would not have gone on autopilot. You can’t follow Jesus on autopilot. The nets could give a routine. Jesus gives life. John 6:68 records Peter’s answer to Jesus: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” Routine can organize life. It cannot become the source of life. That is why this is bigger than productivity or self-help. Jesus did not come to make you a better zombie. He calls you awake, asks you to think, and invites you to choose to follow Him. Try this prayer from Psalm 139:23: “Search me, God, and know my heart.” Ask God to show you where you are living by habit instead of faith. Don’t sleepwalk through the life Jesus died to give you. Pick one place where you are on autopilot. Wake up to it. Think about what matters. Choose one obedient next step. Free resource Find the monster hiding in your house. The Haunted House Field Guide helps you look honestly at mindless living, draining relationships, addiction, the past, materialism, isolation, rebellion, and more. Start with yourself. Let Scripture speak. Choose one honest response. Get the Free Field Guide Frequently asked questions What does living on autopilot mean? It means moving through important parts of life mainly by habit, pressure, distraction, or reaction instead of deliberate thought and choice. Are habits bad? No. Helpful routines can free attention for important things. The problem comes when we stop examining whether our habits are taking us where we actually want to go. How can I stop living on autopilot? Begin by noticing one area of drift. Slow down enough to think, decide what matters, and choose one concrete next step instead of trying to overhaul your entire life at once. What does following Jesus have to do with intentional living? Jesus repeatedly calls people to follow Him. Following requires attention, response, and direction. You cannot follow Jesus on autopilot. Where is Redemption Church in Plano? Redemption Church meets near the corner of Independence Parkway and Park Boulevard in Plano, Texas. We meet inside Disciples Christian Church at 2001 Independence Pkwy, Plano, TX 75075. Sunday service is at 4:30 PM. A note from Pastor Chris I’m glad you made it this far. If you’ve read this far, there’s probably something here that connected with your life. Maybe you see an area where you’ve been living on autopilot. Maybe you have a question about Jesus, faith, or what your next step should be. You do not have to figure that out by yourself. Feel free to text me your questions. I’d be glad to hear what you’re thinking and start a conversation. Text Pastor Chris You are invited Experience Haunted House at Redemption Church in Plano. Join us Sunday at 4:30 PM. We meet inside Disciples Christian Church at 2001 Independence Pkwy, Plano, TX 75075, near the corner of Independence Parkway and Park Boulevard. Plan Your Visit Get Directions

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Church hurt is real. But the failure of Christians is not the same thing as the character of Christ. Explore what Jesus says about hypocrisy, healing, forgiveness, and hope. Explore Valid Faith30 Honest Questions An honest question worth investigating What do you do when the people who were supposed to show you Jesus are the ones who hurt you? Church hurt can come through hypocrisy, gossip, spiritual abuse, failed leadership, or a church culture that protects its reputation instead of protecting people. Sometimes the wound is public. Sometimes it is deeply personal. Jesus is aware of this. He has addressed it. Church hurt is real. But do not confuse the failure of Christians with the character of Christ. Watch · Listen · Learn · Download Go deeper with the message. Watch the message, listen to the audio, or use the handout and outline to keep working through the Scripture and ideas from this week. Download Handout Preaching Outline Video and MP3 will be added here when they are available. Apple Podcasts Spotify Three things Jesus shows us about church hurt 1. Jesus confronts it. Jesus confronted religious people who knew the language of faith but neglected justice, mercy, and faithfulness. 2. Jesus shows us a better way. Matthew 18 calls us to go directly to one another instead of talking about one another. 3. Jesus can heal what Christians hurt. Healing does not mean pretending it never happened. It means bringing the hurt to Jesus, who never failed you. Jesus confronted religious hypocrisy Matthew 23:23 NIV “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites!… you have neglected the more important matters of the law – justice, mercy and faithfulness.” The Greek word hypokritēs was connected to the idea of an actor – someone playing a part. Hypocrisy is not simply failing. We all fail. The deeper problem is learning to play Christian while refusing to let Jesus change how we actually live. Does my life match the God I claim to know? Can we be right and still misrepresent God? John Calvin and Michael Servetus remind us how ugly this can get. People can care more about being right theologically than being like Jesus. They argued over theology, but the people who claimed to defend truth became willing to destroy a man made in the image of God. Their actions contradicted the God they claimed to defend. That is the warning: you can win the theological argument and still lose the character of Christ. We can disagree without dishonoring. Jesus shows us a better way Matthew 18:15 NIV “If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you.” Jesus’ instruction is simple: go to them. Not everybody else. Not the comment section. Not the unofficial investigation committee. Give people a chance to hear, explain, repent, and restore. We should not talk about each other. We should talk to each other. When the people closest to Jesus become the obstacle Mark 5:27 NIV “When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak.” The woman had suffered for twelve years. She heard about Jesus and tried to reach Him. Yet the people closest to Jesus were physically between her and the One she desperately needed. The obstacles between her and Jesus are the people closest to Jesus. Our attitude, judgment, gossip, denominational pride, hypocrisy, or need to always be right can make it harder for hurting people to reach Jesus. Our calling is the opposite: do not become the obstacle. Help people get to Jesus. Jesus can heal what Christians hurt Healing does not mean pretending something did not happen. It does not mean calling wrong right, or trusting someone who is unsafe. But the person who hurt you is not Jesus. Do not confuse the failure of Christians with the character of Christ. Galatians 5:22-23 NIV “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” Faithfulness to Jesus should show up in the way we treat people. It is possible to go from hurt to healed because of Jesus. A note from Pastor Chris Glad you checked this out. If church hurt is part of your story, I want you to know this: Jesus is still worth reaching for. If you want to ask a question or tell me your story, text me directly. Text Pastor Chris · 469-467-8111 What’s next? Haunted House – The Monsters We Let Live Within A new series about the old monsters we have kept around too long. This October, identify what has been haunting you, learn a strategy to deal with it, and start moving forward. Explore Haunted House

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Christianity makes an enormous claim: a dead man got back up. Instead of asking you to borrow somebody else’s faith, this message asks you to look at the evidence for yourself, including what sources outside the Bible can and cannot tell us about Jesus, His crucifixion, and the earliest Christian resurrection claim. Watch the MessageExamine the Evidence Chris Fluitt – September 20, 2026 – Redemption Church, Plano The question at the center of Christianity Did Jesus really rise from the dead? That is not a small question. Christianity stands or falls on it. So instead of asking you to simply believe what Christians say, let’s look at the evidence. What do historians tell us about Jesus? How early did people claim He was alive again? Who said they saw Him? And what explanation best fits what we know? You do not have to be afraid of the questions. Follow the evidence. Did Jesus really rise from the dead? The resurrection is a question worth examining. Watch + Listen Watch or Listen to the Message Listen to the Message Prefer to listen? Stream the full Valid Faith Week 3 message below. Your browser does not support the audio player.Apple PodcastsSpotify The question underneath the Easter story What evidence is there that Jesus rose? “Of first importance”: Christ died for our sins, was buried, was raised, and appeared to witnesses. 1 Corinthians 15:3-5 1. Jesus entered history The message points beyond the New Testament to Josephus, Tacitus, Pliny, Suetonius, and Lucian as references connected to Jesus and early Christianity. 2. Jesus was crucified Tacitus, a Roman historian critical of Christianity, connects Christus, Pontius Pilate, and execution. 3. Christians worshiped the crucified Jesus Pliny reports Christians singing to Christ “as to a god,” while the Alexamenos graffiti mocks worship of a crucified God. 4. Resurrection was proclaimed early Paul says he passed on what he had received. The resurrection claim is presented as early Christian proclamation, not a story added centuries later. 5. Named people claimed they saw Him Peter, the Twelve, more than 500, James, and Paul are named in 1 Corinthians 15:5-8. 6. Frightened followers became public witnesses The disciples move from fear and scattering to publicly proclaiming that God raised Jesus from the dead. History outside the New Testament Is there evidence for Jesus outside the Bible? Yes. The evidence for Jesus does not begin and end with the New Testament. Roman and Jewish historians who were not Christians wrote about Jesus, His crucifixion under Pontius Pilate, the movement that followed Him, the worship of Christ—and even His resurrection. That matters. These are historical witnesses outside Scripture, written by people who were not Christians. They give us historical evidence that can be examined alongside the testimony of the New Testament. History gives us evidence. We investigate that evidence, weigh it honestly, and decide what best explains it. So what evidence do we have for Jesus? What does Tacitus tell us? Tacitus was one of Rome’s important historians—and he was certainly no Christian advocate. Writing around AD 116, he records that Christus suffered the “extreme penalty” during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of Pontius Pilate. That is significant independent testimony to the crucifixion. Anyone who argues that Jesus never died on the cross has a mountain of historical evidence to overcome. The crucifixion isn’t simply something Christians wrote in the Bible; a hostile Roman historian records Christ’s execution under Pilate. What does Josephus tell us? Josephus was a first-century Jewish historian. Writing in Antiquities around AD 93–94,

https://youtu.be/451XDwxqyfE?si=X9Sgw4V9nffqfwZ5 Follow along with us! GRAB 30 HONEST QUESTIONS 30 real questions, short/simple answers….God, science, Bible, suffering, doubt, church hurt… Grab one for yourself. Share one with your friends. Intro – Jonathan Hiesberger ME: My name is Jonathan Hiesberger. I’m from Waco, TX. Born and raised. I went to Waco High School. That’s where I met Pastor. School teacher by profession, Year 23 of teaching high school SPED/Math. Pray for our teachers!! My faith is HUGELY important to me. God has done great things in my life. There have been battles. One thing I’ve learned through trials/struggles I NEED THE WORD OF GOD IN MY LIFE. People who haven’t known me very long might be surprised -Dark times -Negative mindsets -Anxiety, Depression… -Worry, fear The only thing that sees me standing? God’s Word. God’s Word has sustained me through all these battles, but I have had to hold on to and not doubt God’s word. Through these storms I had to learn to REALLY trust God’s Word. Maybe today you might be wondering “can I really trust God’s Word? We are living in an age where we are having trouble trusting the voices of authority speaking into our lives. -People no longer trust traditional institutions -Trust in media is at an all time low -AI deepfakes and content that looks real but is not. -Church leaders. People are asking: “Who can I trust?” That distrust reaches the Bible itself. DO AMERICANS TRUST THE BIBLE? -Only 36% of Americans say the Bible is accurate in the principles it teaches. –1 in 5 Americans believe the Bible was written to control or manipulate people. That is a big divide. People are asking questions like: “Has it been changed?” “Who decided what went in it?” “Was it written to control people?” People are basically asking: “Can I trust the Bible?”  TRUST is a BIG ISSUE – That is why I named this message…  Valid Faith Week 2: Can I Trust the Bible? Scriptures and Reliability If you have been struggling with this, you’re not alone. I see many Christians who are wrestling with this topic. Social Media. It’s ok to ask the questions. It’s ok to engage with the evidence. After today, I believe I can show you there is a REASON for your HOPE. 1 Peter 3:15 NIV I want to give you some reasons for your hope. I want to talk to you about why God’s Word is trustworthy.  We know the Bible says that it is reliable The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.” – Isaiah 40:8, NIV God’s Word is here and it’s not going anywhere The Lord said to me, “You have seen correctly, for I am watching to see that my word is fulfilled.” – Jeremiah 1:12, NIV God is active in watching over and superintending His Word.  Luke 1:37, NIV: “For no word from God will ever fail.” Angel Gabriel testifies that God’s word is UNFAILING. What does all this mean? God has declared that His Word is Reliable. Think of things in your life that are reliable.  Whether things or people, You feel like you can put COMPLETE trust in them.  God’s Word is even MORE reliable. God’s Word is Reliable Because of the Preserved Witness of the Early Church The scriptures we have in your New Testament – Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, the letters of the apostles including Paul Jesus words, Jesus’ teachings Who witnessed these things? Those who walked with Jesus, saw His miracles, saw His death, burial, and resurrection. Apostles – trusted eyewitnesses wrote gospels and Letters – received in the churches, shared in the churches, copied, copied again They handed this collection of writings down to us and testified that it was really the writings of inspired men of God who Jesus had spoken with and spent time with.  If you want to know what they witnessed, it is written in YOUR bible. They saw the early things that happened in the new testament church and they wanted you to know. God inspired them to write those things for your benefit. We can trust the Bible because of their testimony. God’s Word is reliable because it is preserved in  Greek manuscripts  Ancient versions in different languages Quotations outside the Bible Manuscripts are simply ancient documents (papyrus, parchments) Plants/animal skins                  Scrolls/Books Mentioned copies before Bible original written in ancient Greek Maybe 100? Maybe 500? More than 5,800 Greek New Testament manuscripts exist. These range from small fragments to nearly complete Bibles. 5,800! They wanted to get the WORD to as many people ASAP But not everyone spoke Greek More than 18,000+ additional manuscripts exist in other ancient languages. Old Latin Aramaic Syriac Coptic Armenian Ethiopian Gothic The Early church wanted to bring the saving message to the WHOLE WORLD and we have the manuscripts to prove it. BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE! People liked to write about Jesus. They lived in a hostile, pagan world and were defending their faith. Writers outside the Bible provide more than one million quotations from the New Testament. 1,000,000 quotations in the years immediately following the apostles.  Imagine something we hope never happens – imagine all the manuscripts disappear – all the Greek, ancient versions, etc We would still have Bible. Why?  These quotations are so extensive that scholars have argued that virtually the entire New Testament could be reconstructed from them, with fewer than a dozen verses being exceptions. The New Testament Has Extraordinary Historical and Manuscript Evidence large quantity of ancient manuscripts ALSO early date of biblical manuscripts.  We have manuscripts and manuscript fragments go back very close to the time of the original writings- to the life of Jesus and the apostles Compare that to other ancient writings Herodotus’ History – we have 8 manuscripts 1350 years after they were written Julius Cesar’s Gallic Wars – 10 documents 900 years later Tacitus’ Historys and Annals – 9 manuscripts 750 years later New Testament: 5800+ manuscripts Fragment: 30-50 years after original Most of NT: 150 years after original All of NT: 250 years after original The New Testament has far greater manuscript attestation than other ancient literature. If manuscript quantity and age alone disqualified the New Testament, virtually all ancient historical writings would face the same problem. If you don’t have the Bible, you don’t have anything. If you doubt Jesus existed, how can you believe in Julius Ceasar? Modern scholars don’t doubt that Jesus existed.  We have more copies than any other ancient work. PERIOD. What about the 1 in 5 people that manipulate? BUT how do we know it hasn’t changed over time? The fact there is all these manuscripts show it hasn’t changed.  If there was huge changed we would see it in the manuscripts If I had time I could go into detail about the very early fragments,  Very early Greek copies, so autographs are even early Found in different lands from which they are written And they are the same as what is in your Bible! Not the telephone game That’s not how the Bible came to you. Thousands of manuscripts received from the churches they were written to being copied Found in completely different countries and lands With the most Ancient agreeing with the later manuscripts which agree with your Bible What would it take for the Bible to have been changed? Impossible to change all the manuscripts. Geographic diversity, all the versions, quotations, manuscripts not even yet discovered Are you seeing how silly this argument is? Who decided what books to put the Bible in the first place? Canons – early church documents that point to what books were accepted and which books were not This is HUGE – we have the witness from the early church showing which books they considered trustworthy; which books to die for if Roman soldiers showed up Early Christians memorized entire books of the New Testament (Egypt and other places it was a requirement to be in the ministry) Muratorian Canon – AD 170 Perhaps oldest known list of most of books of NT List of “Accepted” books and “Rejected” books All 4, Gospels, Acts, Jude, 1 John, another epistle of John, Revelation, and epistles of Paul accepted Accepted books were written by apostles or people who knew apostles Shows us that Early Christians already had a belief about what WAS and what WAS NOT scripture.  Probably written several hundred years after the apostles?? So the church can figure out how to control people, right??? Wrong! This is still when Christians were being killed for their faith They were trusting on Jesus and depending on His Word just to make it. Muratorian fragment preserved in Milan, Bibliotheca Ambrosiana, Cod. J 101 sup. EARLY CHRISTIANITY DID NOT ACCEPT OTHER BOOKS Only one NT book we don’t know who author is Gospels of Peter and James, 3rd corinthians, epistle to laodocians, etc OLD TESTAMENT We have manuscripts in Hebrew and Aramaic, and also in Greek of the Old Testament. The Masoretic Text is the authoritative Hebrew and Aramaic textual tradition preserved by Jewish scribes called the Masoretes.  We also have the Septuagint, which is the Greek Old Testament. Jews carefully copied and standardized the Hebrew Scriptures. Until recently, The oldest known complete copies of the Hebrew Bible go back to 900-1000 AD. Although Jews were very careful in the copies, one might still try to raise doubt.  UNTIL what is arguably the greatest find in modern archaeology: The Dead Sea Scrolls Support the Reliability of the Old Testament Discovered beginning in 1947 in caves near the Dead Sea at Qumran. 3 Bedouin shepherds discovered ancient scrolls hidden in the caves. 15,000 texts, 40% of which are copies of Biblical texts There is a scholarly consensu

https://youtu.be/NRFfI32X2q0?si=z8U0gQp64SvlXiqX Follow along with us! If faith is TRUE… it should survive investigation. Next few weeks – questions Christians sometimes get nervous about. Real. Reasonable. Can stand under pressure. Series Outline September 13: CAN I TRUST THE BIBLE? September 20: DID JESUS REALLY RISE FROM THE DEAD? September 27: CAN I STILL TRUST JESUS AFTER CHURCH HURT? 3 asks: 1. COME WITH QUESTIONS. 2. BRING A FRIEND WITH QUESTIONS. 3. GRAB 30 HONEST QUESTIONS. 30 real questions… short/simple answers… God, science, Bible, suffering, doubt, church hurt… Grab one for yourself. Share one with your friends. I DO NOT WANT A BORROWED FAITH Pastor… Bible… church most of my life… eventually I have to ask: Do I believe because I was TOLD? Or because I believe it is TRUE? Borrowed faith… from parents… pastors… denomination… culture… Works UNTIL life hits: death… unanswered prayer… hard question… church hurt… NOT WANT A BORROWED FAITH. I want to discover a Valid Faith. What about you? Can you relate? THE QUESTIONS ARE REAL 29% of U.S. adults are now religiously unaffiliated — identifying as atheist, agnostic, or “nothing in particular.”(Pew) 60% of unaffiliated say questioning religious teachings is an extremely or very important reason they are nonreligious. (PEW) 42% of American adults say they have deconstructed the faith of their youth. Among Christians, 37% say they have deconstructed the faith they grew up with. (Barna) DECONSTRUCTION: Taking apart the faith you inherited and reexamining what you believe.   Good and Bad to this… -sometimes good, true beliefs get discarded along with the things that genuinely needed to be questioned. We are dealing with… ANCIENT FAITH IN A MODERN WORLD. People wrestle -science/evolution/evidence… Genesis… miracles… morality… ancient Bible… That is why I am calling this message: Valid Faith Week 1: Must I Turn My Brain Off to Be a Christian? Your questions are real. They deserve DEEPER THOUGHT – not less. There is a tension between Reason & Faith Compartmentalize – Brain vs Heart. Think vs Feel What if God’s Word shows us a better way? 1 Peter 3:15 NIV Peter assumes: HOPE… and a REASON for that hope. Think about your Faith! REASON IS NOT THE ENEMY OF FAITH. Connect to the reason you have hope. Hebrews 11:1 NIV HOPE = WHAT I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO. FAITH = TRUSTING GOD WITH THAT HOPE. Faith = TRUST. So… WHO ARE YOU TRUSTING – AND CAN HE BE TRUSTED? STRIP IT ALL AWAY Christianity makes MANY claims. Not all equally central. Christians disagree: Genesis/age earth… baptism… free will… spiritual gifts… end times…  SECONDARY ISSUES… Important? In varying degrees, YES. The reason for my hope? NO. STRIP THEM AWAY FOR NOW  Strip away denomination… political tribe… worship style… theological labels…  WHAT IS LEFT? Better question… Who is left? JESUS. Who are you trusting and can He be trusted. Christian faith = trusting HIM. IS JESUS TRUSTWORTHY? This leads us to God’s Word.. Then let us reason through God’s Word… not panic at questions. REASONING EXERCISE #1 – WHY SOMETHING RATHER THAN NOTHING? Old question. Answer? God created or Big Bang? How did the universe come to be? Hebrews 11:3 NIV Visible world made from what cannot be seen. Visible made from invisible. Faith teaches this… Science teaches this… Modern science: atoms/subatomic realities… invisible building blocks under visible matter. SCRIPTURE REVEALED A TRUTH SCIENCE LATER STUMBLED UPON about 1800 years later. Faith explains how there is a universe. Science explains how there is a universe. But WHY is there a universe? Why matter? energy? laws? universe? WHY PEOPLE? HEARTS? SOULS? DREAMS? Science can describe HOW. (mechanism) Science can’t describe WHY. (purpose) Faith explains HOW & WHY. Mechanism & purpose. REASONING EXERCISE #2 – WHAT MAKES EVIL, EVIL? Child abuse… trafficking… torture… not just “I dislike it.” ACTUALLY WRONG – EVIL. WHY? If we are only matter, chemistry, cells, impulses, and survival instincts… what makes one set of impulses good and another set evil? Science can describe what happens in the brain. Science can describe behavior. Science can describe what helps a species survive. But science by itself does not tell you: CHILD ABUSE IS EVIL.   WHY? FAITH SAYS MORAL TRUTH IS REAL BECAUSE IT IS GROUNDED IN A MORAL GOD. More questions like this? Short. Simple. Start investigating. I saw this pop up on facebook… Jackman: If you put Buddha, Jesus Christ, Socrates, Shakespeare, Arjuna, Krishna at a dinner table together, I can’t see them having an argument. Nice thought… all welcome… acceptance… but THINK DEEPER. JESUS DID NOT COME JUST TO TAKE A SEAT AT THE TABLE. Everyone at table died. Jesus died too… JESUS DIED FOR EVERYBODY AT THE TABLE. And Christianity says HE ROSE. Jesus is different.  NOT JUST A TEACHER. CAN JESUS BE TRUSTED? One follower had to decide that for himself… Thomas Followed Jesus… HOPE. Jesus dies… DISAPPOINTED / hope crushed. Friends: “We saw Him.” Trouble TRUSTING them. “Unless I see…” Thomas investigates. Jesus meets him in it. Jesus shows up… stretches out hands… invites him to investigate. John 20:28 NIV Notice what Jesus does not do… -No lecture. -No guilt trip. -No turning away. Imagine – Jesus standing their… open arms. What do you even do with all of this? PRACTICE 3 STEPS: REASON → TRUST → HOPE 1. COME WITH YOUR QUESTIONS Do not bury them. NAME them. Ask them. 2. INVESTIGATE – DO NOT ASSUME Science disproved faith? Bible changed? Genesis impossible? All religions same? → LOOK CLOSER. 3. KEEP COMING BACK TO JESUS Not every question carries equal weight. Who is Jesus? What did He claim? Is He trustworthy? We want to help you take these steps. What if we stripped everything in religion away until we were just left with Jesus? “Is that all you need?” “YES.” Strip away denomination… politics… labels… possessions… ability to answer everything… WHAT IS THE REASON FOR THE HOPE YOU HAVE?  IS IT JESUS? Other questions matter. But underneath it all… JESUS IS THE CENTER. IF THIS IS TRUE… Jesus cannot be one more thing in the cart. JESUS IS NOT SOMETHING I ADD TO MY LIFE. HE BECOMES THE CENTER. He is the center… I follow. …shame loses grip. …I serve others… forgive others. VALID FAITH SHOULD CHANGE THE WAY I LIVE. IS JESUS WORTH TRUSTING? 1. If so… PRAY “God, I do not have all the answers, but I believe You are worth the search.” 2. IF so… START A CONVERSATION Connection Card / text me / 30 Honest Questions. Let us reason together. 3. If so… TAKE ONE STEP TOWARD JESUS Investigate 30 honest questions. Come back. Bring a friend. Trust Jesus. Return to Jesus.

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Check back here for both, or explore the message below. Download the Message Handout If you want to grow spiritually, stay connected to Jesus—and do not try to figure out every next step alone. Real spiritual growth is not just about learning more. It is about receiving life from Jesus, letting Him change you, and becoming someone who helps other people grow too. Your growth is Godward and outward. That means a good next question is not only, “What do I need from God?” It is also, “Who can help me grow—and who might God want me to help?” Why Do I Still Feel Stuck Spiritually? We have more information than ever: Google, YouTube, podcasts, books, AI. But information is not the same as direction. You can listen to a hundred people talk about faith, marriage, parenting, money, or purpose—and still feel unsure about what to do next. Most of us do not only need better information. We need real people: someone to encourage us, challenge us, pray for us, and help us take the next step. We have closed much of the information gap, but we have widened the relationship gap. Spiritual Growth Moves Godward and Outward “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5 NIV Godward: stay connected to Jesus You do not have to manufacture a better life by yourself. Stay connected to Jesus. Learn from Him. Trust Him. Talk honestly with Him. Let His words reshape your thinking. Let His grace meet you where you are. He is not just part of your growth plan. He is the source of life. Outward: let your growth bless someone else A healthy branch does not exist just to become a stronger branch. It bears fruit. What Jesus is producing in you should eventually bless somebody else. Your growth should not stop with you. You May Be Somebody Else’s Fruit Think about the people who helped you. Somebody prayed for you. Somebody encouraged you. Somebody taught you. Somebody gave you an opportunity. Somebody believed you could become more. Somebody refused to give up on you. You may be somebody else’s fruit. Their faithfulness to Jesus eventually touched your life. Now the question becomes: Who is growing because God has worked in me? Barnabas Became a Bridge Barnabas is one of the most powerful examples of this in Scripture. His real name was Joseph, but the apostles called him Barnabas, which means “son of encouragement” (Acts 4:36). Encouragement became so consistent in his life that it became part of his reputation. Then Saul came to Jerusalem. Before Saul became the Apostle Paul, people knew him as the man who had persecuted Christians. Even after Saul encountered Jesus, the believers were afraid to trust him. “But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles.” Acts 9:27 NIV Barnabas did not change Saul. Jesus changed Saul. Barnabas did not call Saul. Jesus called Saul. Barnabas did not give Saul his gifts. God did. But Barnabas became a bridge. Other people backed away. Barnabas stepped closer. He used his relationship, credibility, encouragement, and opportunity to help Saul move forward. He saw what Jesus was doing in Saul when others could only see Saul’s past. Sometimes people can become an obstacle to someone else’s next level. Barnabas chose to become a bridge instead. Pick Your Player Two 1. Who is a few steps ahead? Where do you want to grow—marriage, parenting, money, career, faith, leadership, life? Who do you know that is living with wisdom and character in that area? Ask them: “Can I learn from you?” You do not need to make it strange or overly formal. Invite them to coffee. Ask a question. Listen. Learn. 2. Who is a few steps behind? What have you already learned? What have you survived? What has God taught you? You do not have to be an expert. You just have to be willing to help. Maybe someone needs your encouragement, your listening ear, prayer, an introduction, an opportunity, or a reminder that their past is not the end of their story. Mature people use what they have to help somebody else grow. 3. Push Start Do not leave this as a good idea. Name the area where you want to grow. Name the person who is a few steps ahead. Name the person you might be able to help. Then start the conversation. Your next level may start with a text, a coffee, a prayer, or an invitation. Get Unstuck with the Free 21-Day Game Plan The Level Up 21-Day Game Plan is a simple, Scripture-centered guide to help you get unstuck, reconnect with Jesus, make your next move, and help someone else grow. It takes just 5–10 minutes a day. Request My Free Game Plan Explore the full Level Up series Frequently Asked Questions Can I grow spiritually by myself? Your relationship with Jesus is personal, but it was never meant to be isolated. We grow as we receive from Jesus and walk with people who encourage, challenge, and help us keep going. How do I find a Christian mentor? Choose one area where you want to grow. Look for someone whose character you respect. Start simply: ask them to coffee and say, “Can I learn from you?” Do I need a formal mentor? No. A formal program can help, but many of the best mentoring relationships begin w

https://youtu.be/-eLldQOmJBE?si=JjktdUScsMLukx9A Follow along with us! Let me tell you something about me… Before pastor – music I remember working hard at music. Playing a lot. Practicing a lot. Putting in the time. But there were seasons where I was not really getting better. I was mostly playing what I already knew how to play. YOU SHOULD NOT WANT TO HEAR A MUSICIAN PRACTICE. Real practice is going to be riddled with mistakes. A musician who is really practicing pushes to the edge of ability. • Faster than comfortable. • Attempting what you cannot quite do yet. • Pushing the boundaries of error. GROWTH HAPPENS AT THE EDGE OF YOUR ABILITY. If you never make mistakes, maybe you are only repeating what you already know & NOT growing. At some point I had to stop merely playing and start stretching. WE WANT TO GROW, BUT OUR MOVES DON’T ALWAYS MATCH We know where we want to get better. Career. Money. Health. Relationships. Faith. But knowing where you want to go is not the same as making the moves that get you there. Let’s talk CAREER: 30% of workers say they need more education or training to get ahead. Yet 47% of those workers took no additional training in the previous year. They know they need a new level. But nearly half made no new training move. Let’s talk MONEY: For every $100 Americans have after taxes, we are currently saving less than $3. We know homes are expensive. …Emergencies happen. …Retirement is coming. We want a different financial future. But do our financial moves match it? Let’s talk HEALTH:  Only 1 in 4 adults meet both the aerobic and strength-training guidelines, while obesity remains around 4 in 10 adults. These numbers have barely budged over the last 10 years. We have watches, apps, trackers, smart scales, programs… But new tools don’t automatically create new moves. Career. Money. Health. Different areas. Same tension. We know what we want. We may even know what needs to change. But wanting change is not the same as making change. A new level requires a new move. And that is why I want to talk to you today about a message called: SAME MOVES = SAME LEVEL. If I keep making the same moves, I should not be surprised when I keep ending up on the same level. Maybe what needs to change is not the dream. Maybe it is the move. And this is not just a modern problem. The Bible gives us a picture of people who were moving, working, traveling — but still ending up in the same place. Israel had been circling the same territory for a long time. And eventually God stepped into the pattern and said two words that some of us may need to hear today: LONG ENOUGH. Deuteronomy 2:3 NIV “Then the LORD said to me, ‘You have made your way around this hill country long enough; now turn north.'” Israel was moving. But they were moving in circles. Then God says: LONG ENOUGH. And then God gives them a new move: NOW TURN NORTH. Not just stop. Change direction. THREE MOVES THAT BREAK THE PATTERN 1. RECOGNIZE THE PATTERN Patterns become normal. “This is just what I do.”  “This is just how it always goes.” Romans 12:2 NIV “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” What pattern keeps producing the same result? You cannot change what you refuse to recognize. If you are stuck… there is a pattern. Do you recognize it? 2. LET GOD RENEW YOUR THINKING Romans 12:2 tells us to RENEW OUR MIND. Different moves often begin with different thinking. • Maybe I can change. • Maybe it is not too late. • Maybe failure is not final. • Maybe God has more for me. THINK NEW THOUGHTS!  BECOME BRAND NEW! 2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” Jesus changes us and makes us brand new. Your old pattern does not have to become your future. 3. MAKE A DIFFERENT MOVE Eventually insight has to become action. James 1:22 NIV “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.“ Not a perfect move. Not a giant move. A next move. A different result may require a different move. Israel had to do this… You have to do this… APPLY IT TO YOUR STUCK PLACE 1. Recognize your pattern – Where are you stuck? Marriage. Career. Business dream. Education. Health. Finances. Faith. Relationships. Name the stuck place. 2. Let God into that place. Do not divide your life into “spiritual” and “everything else.” God can help you with your marriage, your job, your career, your education, your health, and your future. There are people all over this room who can testify: God helped me there. Invite God into the place where you feel stuck. Let Him renew the way you think about it. How? Pray honestly. “God, this is where I’m stuck. Show me what I’m not seeing.” Open Scripture. Ask, “What does God say about this situation, this fear, this habit, this decision?” Get wise people involved. Talk to someone mature who knows God and knows you. Let God renew your thinking by changing what you’re listening to, believing, and repeating. 3. Make a different move this week. • Start the business research. • Call the school. • Schedule the workout. • Have the conversation. • Create the Bible-reading time. • Go to the Connect Group once. • Ask for help. WHAT WILL YOU DO DIFFERENTLY THIS WEEK? A new move does not have to be huge. It just has to stop repeating the move that keeps you stuck. JESUS – THE ORIGINAL PATTERN BREAKER Humanity had a pattern: SIN -> FAILURE -> DEATH. Generation after generation. Under the old covenant there was another repeating pattern: SIN -> SACRIFICE -> RETURN AGAIN. Hebrews 10:3-4 NIV “But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins. It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.” The repeated sacrifices kept pointing to the same problem. We needed a new move. John 3:16 NIV “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son…” God made the new move. He sent Jesus. Jesus stepped into the pattern of sin and death. He died. He rose. Hebrews 10:10 NIV “We have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” JESUS BROKE THE PATTERN. If you want to break the deepest patterns in your life, start with the One who broke the deepest pattern of all. Believe the gospel. Receive Jesus. Repent – turn toward Him. Take your next step in Him. We do not want church to simply be: hear a good message, feel encouraged, go home, have a nice week. We want to be a church where people actually move. • People come to Jesus. • Marriages get healthier. • You experience success in business, education, and God given calling. • People discover purpose. • People join community. • People step into things that stretch them. • People stop circling the same mountain. THIS IS WHY we are a church that takes next steps. CALL TO ACTION: Stop Circling the Mountain! 1. MAKE YOUR MOVE Where am I stuck? What am I going to do differently this week? Write it down. Make it specific. 2. START A CONVERSATION Use the connection card. Jesus. Baptism. Connect Group. Serving. Help. Next steps. Do not stay stuck trying to figure it out alone. 3. COME PRAY Some patterns are bigger than willpower. Bring the stuck place to God. Let somebody pray with you and stand with you. This does not have to be another lap around the same mountain.

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-webkit-text-fill-color:#efff00 !important; } .section.dark [style*="#02a9d6"], .section.dark [style*="#19d3ff"], .dark [style*="#02a9d6"], .dark [style*="#19d3ff"] { color:#19d3ff !important; -webkit-text-fill-color:#19d3ff !important; } .section.dark [style*="#efff00"], .dark [style*="#efff00"] { color:#efff00 !important; -webkit-text-fill-color:#efff00 !important; } LEVEL UP · WEEK 1 · REDEMPTION CHURCH PLANO Finding the Courage to Try Again How to find courage to move forward when failure, fear, or disappointment has left you stuck. You know something needs to change. You may even know your next move. But after a hard season, staying where you are can feel safer than trying again. What if there is more promise & power available than you have walked in? Watch · Listen · Follow Along Choose how you want to jump in. VOLUNTEER: EMBED YOUTUBE SERMON HERE Full message video goes in this space. VOLUNTEER: ADD BLUBRRY / POWERPRESS AUDIO PLAYER HERE Download Pastor Chris Fluitt’s Sermon Outline Download the Finding the Courage to Try Again Follow-Along Handout 21-Day Game Plan Don’t just agree with the message. Make a move. The free LEVEL UP 21-Day Game Plan gives you Scripture, reflection, prayer, and one practical next step each day. Get the Free 21-Day Game Plan Promise vs. Possession There was more promise than possession. God’s promise to Abraham and Israel was bigger than a single moment on a map. Scripture describes the promised territory from several angles — and Joshua was told to move into what God had placed in front of him. Genesis 15:18 “To your descendants I give this land…” The promise stretches from the Wadi of Egypt toward the Euphrates. Joshua 1:3–4 “I will give you every place where you set your foot…” Joshua is told to move into territory stretching from the wilderness and Lebanon toward the Euphrates and the Mediterranean. God had put more in front of them than they had actually walked in. Could there be more of God’s calling, purpose, courage, obedience, and power available than I am presently walking in? The point isn’t the geography. The point is the gap between PROMISE and POSSESSION. For Further Study Six passages that describe the boundaries Genesis 15:18–21 Wadi / River of Egypt to the Euphrates; the peoples of the land are named. Exodus 23:31 Red Sea to the sea of the Philistines; desert toward the Euphrates. Deuteronomy 1:7–8 Hill country, Arabah, lowlands, Negev, coast, Lebanon, and Euphrates. Deuteronomy 11:24 Wilderness to Lebanon; Euphrates toward the western sea. Joshua 1:3–4 Wilderness, Lebanon, Euphrates, land of the Hittites, and Mediterranean. Numbers 34:1–12 A detailed description of Canaan’s allotted boundaries — a narrower, more specific boundary description. These passages describe the promise and the allotted land from different angles. The sermon uses them as a study trail, not as a modern political boundary claim. Promise of Power There may be more power available than I have walked in. Don’t just TRY HARDER. DEPEND DEEPER. PRAY BEFORE YOU PUSH. MOVE WITH GOD, NOT JUST GRIT. Acts 1:8 Jesus tells His followers they will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on them, and that power will propel their witness outward. What Acts Shows Us Bold witness. People coming to faith. Healing. Deliverance. Transformed lives. Churches planted. Ordinary people empowered by God. Zechariah 4:6 “Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit.” The question Not whether you can manufacture a stronger version of yourself — but whether you will move with the presence and power God provides. JOSHUA 1 Three moves forward. You don’t need to possess the whole territory today. You need the next faithful move. 01 Move On Joshua 1:2: “Moses my servant is dead.” God is not finished. Stop letting yesterday make today’s decisions. What do you need to leave behind? 02 Get Ready

https://youtu.be/aTcDz0tbYPQ?si=646GOQiIUi–rn1H Please welcome our guest speaker for today, Sean Alexander!

https://youtu.be/GK7UkSHEMYs?si=5C8AUT4tfAAFPaQQ Follow along with us! Back-to-school season is here. At our house… A start date A schedule A supply list A clear destination School comes with a supply list. Life usually doesn’t. It comes as: An opportunity A decision An open door A relationship An unexpected change A question I cannot answer I know what it is to wonder: Is this opportunity from God? Is this a step of faith—or a distraction? Should I move—or wait? What if I choose wrong? Their next is school. But I have a next too—and I don’t always know what it is. DO WE KNOW WHAT COMES NEXT? We all have decisions in front of us. Stay in this job—or take the other one? Move—or remain? Date this person? Marry this person? End this relationship? Go back to school? Start the business? Retire? Step through the door—or wait? We have more options than ever—but more options have not given us more clarity. CHOICES WITHOUT DIRECTION 47% of Americans feel ill-equipped to make the decisions in front of them. 31% delay decisions as long as possible. 33% regret decisions they have made. 47% regret opportunities they failed to take. Source: HSBC, Seizing Uncertainty study (2024), U.S. sample. We are afraid to move because we might choose wrong. We are afraid to stay because we might miss something. We get stuck between the fear of failure, the fear of regret, and the fear of missing out. So we research. Overthink. Ask everyone. Replay every possibility. We pray—and wonder whether we heard God or ourselves. What if I miss God? What if this door closes? What if I waste years? What if I choose the wrong person? What if I end up in the wrong place? So how do we decide what is next? How do we move forward without knowing every outcome? How do we make the next season count? Let’s look to God and His Word. “As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew.”  —Matthew 4:18 NIV Peter and Andrew were fishing. Their career Their routine Their income Their plan Then Jesus stepped into their ordinary day. “Come, follow me, and I will make you out to fish for people.”  —Matthew 4:19 NIV Jesus did not give them: A five-year plan A salary guarantee A detailed itinerary Every possible outcome Jesus gave them Himself. They didn’t know what was next. They knew who to follow. The Jesus Game Plan1. “COME, FOLLOW ME” Before Jesus told them what they would do, He settled who they would follow. We want Jesus to tell us: which job, city, person, opportunity, door? Jesus begins with a better question: “Will you follow Me?” “I am the way and the truth and the life.”  —John 14:6 NIV Jesus does not merely point toward a way. Jesus is the way. The first decision is not what we will do.The first decision is who we will follow. Before choosing the job—choose the Lord. Before choosing the relationship—choose the Lord. Before choosing the destination—choose the Lord. Jesus cannot be one option among many. He is the One through whom every other option must be evaluated. 2. “I WILL MAKE YOU” Jesus did not only tell them to follow. He promised: “I will make you.” We ask: “Where am I going?” Jesus also asks: “Who are you becoming?” A new job with the same broken character won’t create a new life. A new relationship with the same patterns won’t create a healthy future. A new city with the same unhealed heart won’t create freedom. Changing where we are will not change who we are. Jesus forms us along the way. That is discipleship. Learning His words Practicing His way Receiving His correction Becoming like Him Allowing Him into every part of life Following Jesus is not one more burden added to an already crowded life. Jesus reshapes every part of life from the inside out. Jesus doesn’t only help you find what’s next.Jesus makes you ready for what’s next. Want to become a better father? Follow Jesus. Want to become a better husband or wife? Follow Jesus. Want to become healthier in body, mind, soul, and spirit? Follow Jesus. Want to become a better leader, employee, friend, or neighbor? Follow Jesus. The greatest thing Jesus may do next is not change where you are.It may be changing who you are. Jesus teaches patience, sacrifice, truth, forgiveness, faithfulness, humility, self-control, rest, community, and purpose. Following Jesus does not guarantee an easy life or that every plan works exactly as expected. Jesus forms us into people who can faithfully face whatever comes next. 3. “FISH FOR PEOPLE” Jesus gave them a purpose bigger than themselves. Culture tells us to choose what gives us more money, comfort, recognition, control, and happiness. Those things are not automatically wrong—but they are not big enough to build a life around. “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”  —Matthew 6:33 NIV Jesus gives us a better question: “How can this next season serve God’s purpose?” Love God? Grow in faith? Serve others? Help someone find Jesus? Become more like Christ? The job we think is next cannot forgive our sin. The relationship we think is next cannot heal our soul. The success we think is next cannot give us eternal life. The opportunity we think is next cannot promise to stay when life falls apart. Do not become so focused on what is next that you miss Jesus now. The best next step is the most faithful step. JESUS MEETS PETER AGAIN Peter followed Jesus—but Peter also failed. He denied Jesus three times. Jesus was crucified. Jesus rose from the dead. Peter found himself asking again: “What’s next?” Jesus met Peter on the shore. He restored him. He gave him purpose. “Follow me!”  —John 21:19 NIV The first call was: “Follow Me.” After Peter’s greatest failure, the call was still: “Follow Me.” Your past wrong decisions do not disqualify your future with Jesus. The cross paid for our sin. The resurrection proves failure does not get the final word. Jesus can forgive. Jesus can restore. Jesus can redirect. Jesus met him… restored… watch what happens next. “Lord, what about him (John)?”  —John 21:21 NIV “What is that to you? You must follow me.”  —John 21:22 NIV Peter wanted to know someone else’s next. Jesus brought him back to his own discipleship. We will never discover our next by copying someone else’s. Their marriage Their career Their success Their timeline or calling Jesus says: “What is that to you? You follow Me.” “Will you follow Me?” Jesus never answered every question Peter had. He answered the question beneath all the other questions: “Will you follow Me?” Jesus is not asking: Did you enjoy this message? Do you agree with the denomination? Would you like to add a little religion to your life? At some point, listening must become movement. Prayer must become surrender. Faith must become obedience. You may not know the entire plan.But you can decide who you will follow. CALL TO ACTION — WHAT WILL YOU DO NEXT? 1. COME TO JESUS Some of us do not need another plan. We need new life. Your first next step is Jesus. “Jesus, forgive me. Save me. Become Lord of my life. I choose to follow You.” Come receive prayer today. 2. NAME WHAT’S NEXT Take the note card. At the top, write: WHAT’S NEXT FOR ME? Write the decision, question, fear, or season in front of you. Job? Relationship? Health? Family? Calling? A door you’re afraid to walk through? Something you need to leave behind? Name it. Stop allowing it to remain a cloud of anxiety. Put it into words. 3. MOVE TOWARD JESUS On the other side of the card, write: HOW WILL I MOVE CLOSER TO JESUS? Write one clear step: I will pray about this every day. I will read the words of Jesus. I will obey what Jesus has already shown me. I will ask a mature believer for wisdom. I will forgive. I will be baptized. I will get connected. I will serve. I will start a conversation today. Don’t only ask: “What should I do next?” Ask: “How can I follow Jesus next?” Then take that step this week. Bring the card with you. Come to the altar. Let us pray with you.

https://youtu.be/57iZXKNEbBE?si=MCWIqEWFfPNI9RAx Welcome I have been on vacation in Galveston. And apparently, I can turn a vacation into work. Plan mode:WhatWhenWhere How do we make the most of the day? I am still organizing. Still managing. Still trying to get things done. And while I am doing all of that, I am resisting the temptation to sneak in some church work. Just answer one message. Check on one problem. Get ahead on one thing. It is strange. I can be away from work and still feel guilty for not working. But somewhere between the plans, the ferry, the beach, and everything else, I realized:Sometimes the hardest work of rest is trusting that everything will be okay while I stop. Maybe you know this feeling. You finally sit down, but your mind… You take the day off, but your phone… You go on vacation, but part of you remains at work. VACATION ANXIETY 63% of workers feel anxious when they do not check work-related messages while on vacation. More than half of us cannot even leave work without worrying about what is happening while we are gone. What am I missing? Who needs me? What is piling up? What will I have to deal with when I return? We may not be doing the work. But we are still carrying the work. Because underneath our busyness is a belief we rarely say aloud: If I stop, something may fall apart. We say God is faithful. But we still feel responsible for keeping everything moving. We say God is in control. But releasing control makes us nervous. We say the world does not revolve around us. But sometimes we live like it might stop spinning without us. That is what makes true rest difficult. Rest asks us to trust God with what is happening while we are not watching. With the message we did not answer. With the problem we could not solve. With the person we cannot control. With tomorrow’s work. With the outcome. We do not struggle to rest because we have too much work. We struggle to rest because we have trouble trusting what happens when we stop. This is such a big deal, that is why we are calling this message: YOU NEED TO REST TO DREAM AGAIN God has a lot to say about what happens when we stop, release control, and trust Him with what we cannot manage. And one of the clearest examples is the story of Jacob. Jacob was the grandson of Abraham, the son of Isaac, and the man God would later rename Israel. But when we meet Jacob here, he is running for his life. His brother Esau wants to kill him. He has somewhere to go. He needs to keep moving. But then the sun goes down. “When he reached a certain place, he stopped for the night because the sun had set.”—Genesis 28:11 NIV He is running for his life, but he has to stop. Not because he has arrived. Not because the danger is gone. Not because he has a plan. Jacob stops because it is dark, and he cannot keep going. Jacob did not plan to stop there. There was nothing special about the location. No reservation. No shelter. No comfortable bed. No spiritual retreat. It simply became too dark to continue. And that is different from spiritual rest. Sometimes our bodies stop because they are exhausted. Sometimes circumstances stop us. Sometimes sickness stops us. Sometimes darkness falls, and we have no choice but to admit: I cannot do anything else tonight. Jacob had stopped moving. But that did not mean Jacob had stopped carrying everything. His brother was still angry. His future was still uncertain. His family was still broken. The road was still long. The problems did not disappear because he lay down. “Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep.”—Genesis 28:11 NIV People sometimes talk about Jacob using a rock as a pillow. But the text is not describing comfort. This was not a relaxing evening. Jacob was not thinking about luxury. He was alone, exposed, exhausted, and uncertain. He could not fix his past. He could not control his future. He could not keep traveling. So Jacob slept. Jacob had his own direction. He was headed toward Harran. He was trying to escape his past. He was trying to figure out his future. WHEN DID JACOB RECEIVE GOD’S DIRECTION? Not while Jacob was making a plan. Not while Jacob was working. Not while Jacob was solving a problem. Not while Jacob was negotiating a deal. Not while Jacob was building his future. Jacob received God’s direction while he slept. And while Jacob could do nothing about his future, God showed him that his future was already in God’s hands. “He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.”—Genesis 28:12 NIV Jacob was inactive. God was not. Jacob had reached his limit. God had not. Jacob could not see the road ahead. God could already see generations. Jacob stopped working. God kept working. That does not mean work is unimportant. God honors effort. God calls us to faithfulness. God created us to work, build, serve, lead, and contribute. But we must never confuse God honoring our effort with God needing our effort. God honors our effort. God does not need our effort. God was working before Jacob woke up. God was working while Jacob was asleep. God was working in places Jacob could not see. God was preparing a future Jacob could never have produced through his own strength. That is the trust underneath real rest. Rest is trusting that God is still working when I am not. We work because God has given us responsibility. We rest because God remains in control. “He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.”—Psalm 121:4 NIV When I sleep, God does not sleep. When I stop watching, God does not stop watching. When I reach my limit, God has not reached His. When I have done everything I can do, God is still able to do what only He can do. God does not need my constant supervision. Some of us believe in God. We just keep trying to supervise Him. We pray, and then we keep checking. We surrender, and then we take it back. We say God is in control, but we remain anxious unless we are personally managing every detail. But if God needs me to keep everything together, then God is not God. And if I can keep everything together, then I do not need God. That is the uncomfortable question beneath our inability to rest: DO I NEED GOD OR NOT? Because rest is a declaration. God is God. I am not. God is the provider. I am not. God is the healer. I am not. God is our peace. God is our victory. God is the One who watches over us. These are not abstract religious titles. They become real in the places where we reach our limit. I work hard, but God is my provider. I seek treatment, but God is my healer. I make wise decisions, but God is my peace. I stand faithfully, but God is my victory. I make plans, but God directs my steps. I plant. I water. But God gives the growth. (1 Corinthians 3:6–7) I participate in what God is doing. I do not replace God. And this is exactly what God wanted Jacob to understand. Jacob did not need to know every detail of the road ahead. He needed to know who would be with him on that road. So God said: “I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go... I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”—Genesis 28:15 NIV God did not hand Jacob a detailed map. God did not answer every question. God did not immediately repair Jacob’s family. God gave Jacob something deeper than a plan. God gave Jacob His presence. “I am with you.” “I will watch over you.” “I will not leave you.” Jacob had been worried about where he was going. God declared: I am already there. Jacob had been worried about what would happen. God declared: I will watch over you. Jacob had been worried about carrying his future. God declared: Your future rests in My hands. And after hearing all of this, Jacob woke up with a completely different understanding of where he was. He had gone to sleep thinking it was just a random place on the road. He woke up realizing God had been there the entire time. “When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, ‘Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.’”—Genesis 28:16 NIV Jacob thought he had stopped at a random place. There was no temple. No altar. No sacred building. No religious sign. It was simply the place where the sun went down. But Jacob woke up and made a declaration: “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven.”—Genesis 28:17 NIV Jacob called the place Bethel. BETHEL MEANS “HOUSE OF GOD.” Bethel is not meant to be only a specific place—a latitude and longitude. Bethel is a declaration: God is in this place. God was there while Jacob slept. God was there before Jacob noticed. God was there in the uncertainty. God was there on the road. God was there in the dark. God was there at the place Jacob never planned to stop. Jacob then took the stone, set it upright as a pillar, and poured oil on it. The stone that marked his discomfort became a marker of God’s faithfulness. Jacob’s journey was not over. His family was not restored yet. He still had years of struggle ahead of him. But he got up from that place with something he did not have before. He knew he was not alone. REST IS A DECLARATION God is here. God is watching. God is working. God will still be God when

https://youtu.be/9oSyCc1wrGY?si=L7FeKEkjucR__PkO Please welcome our guest speaker for today, Sean Alexander, as he shows us the power in the hope of wating!

Rest Mode Activated — Week 2 When You Feel Burned Out Burnout is more than being tired. It is what happens when life keeps demanding output, but your body and soul are running low. This message continues our Rest Mode Activated series and looks at Elijah’s story in 1 Kings 19. Download the Handout Download the Preaching Outline https://youtu.be/k70meSz4FVM?si=4oEHBM22ujuWSE1T Series Connection Rest Was Built Into Creation In week one, we saw that rest was built into creation before sin broke creation. Rest is not weakness. Rest is part of God’s design. But what happens when we ignore that design? What happens when we keep burning the candle at both ends until we are burned out? That is where Elijah’s story helps us. In 1 Kings 19, Elijah is not spiritually lazy or careless. He is a faithful prophet who has carried too much for too long. Message Summary Elijah’s Burnout Story Is Found in 1 Kings 19 Elijah had just experienced one of the greatest victories of his ministry. Fire fell from heaven. The power of God was on display. But right after that victory, Elijah ran, isolated himself, collapsed under a broom bush, and prayed, “I have had enough.” Sometimes burnout does not come after failure. Sometimes it comes after carrying too much for too long. “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.” 1 Kings 19:7 NIV How God Restores God Meets Burned-Out People With Grace God cares for Elijah’s body with sleep, food, and water. God meets Elijah’s soul with a gentle whisper. God reconnects Elijah to purpose and people. This is good news for anyone who feels like the journey is too much. God cares about the real needs of your life. Your body matters. Your soul matters. Your connection with God’s people matters. Three Ways God Restores the Burned Out 1. God cares for the body. Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is receive care: sleep, food, water, help, and rest. 2. God meets the soul with His whisper. When the noise of life is loud, the whisper of God can reach places nothing else can. 3. God reconnects us to people. Burnout pushes us into isolation, but God restores us through His presence and through His people. The Invitation Receive from Jesus When life is too much, we do not just try harder. We receive from Jesus. Jesus carried what we could not carry. He carried our sin, sorrow, shame, and suffering. He died and rose again so we could receive grace, forgiveness, direction, and His Spirit. Bring your burnout to Jesus. Receive care. Hear His voice. Connect with God’s people. Text Pastor Chris Download the Handout

https://youtu.be/VsMuQLTBdig?si=WfsVcE1itMTg3VZm Phone acting strange. Slow. Apps freeze. Battery drains. Tap something. Nothing happens. Before you replace it... Before you take it to the store... One simple thing you try. Restart Power it down. Give it a reset. -fixes things you did not even know were running in the background. That is what I think I need. So many tabs open in my mind. Work tabs. Family, Money, Relationship, Church, Regret... Our new series is about a reset… Stop grinding, start growing. This series is not about doing nothing. It is about learning a better rhythm. Resetting the way we live. We need a rest, not just for our bodies, but our souls. Am I the only one in need of a rest and a reset. We are feeling this more and more. Not just physically tired. Soul tired. Mind tired. Emotionally tired. Spiritually worn down. We lie down, but we do not always shut down. Body stops - Mind keeps running. TIRED BUT WIRED STATS 57% of Americans say they would feel better if they got more sleep. Nearly 4 in 10 adults have trouble falling asleep three or more nights a week. 50% adults have trouble staying asleep three or more nights a week. People are projected to spend over $90 billion on sleep aids in 2026. And here is what this means. We are exhausted, and we are having trouble resting. Our bodies are tired. Our minds are wired. Our souls are carrying more than we were created to carry. We are not just staying up too late. We are lying down with too many tabs open in the background. So what do we do? Do we buy a better mattress? Do we take pills to help us sleep? Maybe. Physical things matter. But what if God wants to show us something deeper? What if we do not just need better sleep?What if we need a better rhythm? So let’s look at what God shows us about rest. When Scripture talks about rest, it is not just giving us a sleep tip. It is showing us a way to live. God gives rest as a rhythm, a reminder, and a relationship. This is what I want to show you today. 1. God built a rest rhythm into creation. Genesis 2:2 NIV By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. God rested. Not because He was tired.Not because He was weak.Not because creation drained Him. God rested because He was showing us a rhythm. On day 7 Rest existed… but sin didn’t exist.Before sin, there was rest. Rest was built into creation before sin broke creation. Rest is not weakness.Rest is not laziness.Rest is not failure. Rest is part of God’s design. God built work into creation.God also built rest into creation.We need both. God gives us rhythm. Work. Rest. God built rest into the creation week. Are you building rest into your work week? Not just collapsing when you cannot keep going. Not just stopping when your body forces you to stop. 2. God commanded rest because we forget. Exodus 20:8 NIV Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Notice the first word. Remember. God says remember because He knows… we forget. We forget we are not machines.We forget we are not slaves.We forget we are not the Savior.We forget God is God, and we are not. Israel had been slaves in Egypt. Their lives were measured by production. Make more bricks.Meet the quota.Keep going.No rest.No identity beyond what they could produce. Then God rescued them. And one of the first things God taught them was how to stop. Not because stopping is laziness.Because stopping is freedom. You may think: I am not a slave. True. But a lot of us are not living free. We are not slaves, but we are not living free. We still measure our worth by production. How much did I get done?How many people need me?How much did I handle? But God says: Remember. Remember who you are.Remember you are not a slave.Remember you are loved. 3. Relationship with Jesus gives the rest religion cannot. By the time Jesus comes, some people had turned rest into another burden. They took God’s gift and made it heavy. They took something meant to restore people and turned it into a religious scorecard.  Religion can give you rules.Religion can give you pressure.Religion can give you guilt.Religion can give you one more thing to manage. Religion cannot give your soul rest.A relationship with Jesus can.Mark 2:27 NIVThe Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. Jesus says rest was made as a gift. Then Jesus goes even deeper. Matthew 11:28 NIV That is the heart of Christ’s message. Jesus does not say:Come to more pressure.Come to more guilt.Come to more pretending.Come to religious performance. Jesus says: Come to me. Tired people are invited.Burdened people are invited.Overwhelmed people are invited.People who look fine but feel worn down are invited. Jesus does not shame tired people. He invites tired people. And He says: I will give you rest. A mattress can help your body.Medication may help your sleep.A day off can help your pace. But only Jesus can give rest to your soul. Because the deepest rest is knowing:I am loved by God.I am forgiven by God.I am held by God.I am led by God.I am not alone. God gives rest as a rhythm, a reminder, and a relationship. So what do you do? Do not just hear a sermon about rest. Practice a reset. 1. Build rest rhythm into your week. Do not wait until you crash.Do not wait until everything is finished.Do not wait until life gets easier. Where can I build rest into my work week? Start where you can start.Not a legalistic rule. 2. Remember what you keep forgetting. God said remember because we forget. What do you need to remember? You are loved.You are not God.You are not a slave.You belong to God. Pick one truth this week.Write it down.Put it somewhere visible. 3. Close one tab with Jesus. What tabs are open in your soul? Work tab.Money tab.Family tab.Fear tab.Regret tab.Control tab.People-pleasing tab. This week: close one tab with Jesus. Name it.Pray it.Release it. What would happen if we became people who lived from rest instead of depletion? Not lazy.Not checked out. But Rested. Present. Peaceful. Homes less frantic. Relationships more present. Church serving from overflow instead of exhaustion. City seeing people who look different from the grind around us. Remember these words from Jesus. Matthew 11:28 NIV Call to Action: Start Your Reset 1. Come pray. Tired? Burdened? Overwhelmed? Aware you need Jesus? Do not carry it out the same way you carried it in. Bring it to Jesus. 2. Start a conversation. Connect cards - Not paperwork… a conversation and a start. 3. Take one reset step this week. Build rest into your week. Remember what you keep forgetting. Close one tab with Jesus. 6Stats source note: Gallup, “Americans Sleeping Less, More Stressed” (Apr. 15, 2024); National Sleep Foundation, 2025 Sleep in America Poll.