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Study Guide: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1p-Y_Lt9Ojz6oeAzD2O1EeWK-DwZn0qxkA_k80s1_LNo/view When our team wins, it's "we." When they lose, it's "they." But fans aren't in the game. On All Saints Day, Pastor Scott asks an honest question: are you a fan of the church, or family? The New Testament calls every believer a saint - not a special class of the holy dead, but ordinary, messy people set apart by grace. Walking through 1 Corinthians 12 and Ephesians 4, Scott shows that belonging to the body of Christ is given, not earned, and that every part has a role. This isn't a call to fill a volunteer schedule. It's an invitation to ask where you are - in a season of rest, healing on injured reserve, or comfortable in the stands - and to get out of the stands and onto the field. Timestamps 0:00 Turn to 1 Corinthians 12 1:10 All Saints Day (Hallowmas) 2:11 Honoring the saints who went before us 3:13 Sports fans: "we" when we win, "they" when we lose 3:53 Fans aren't in the game 5:00 Are you part of the body of Christ? 5:15 Fan or family? 6:01 A messy church called saints (1 Cor 1:2) 6:39 What is a saint? 7:38 The temple of the living God 8:21 Sit, Walk, Stand 9:11 Called to be who you already are 9:42 A royal priesthood (1 Pet 2:9) 10:13 Reformation Day and ministry for every believer 10:56 Saints are always plural 11:20 Saints, not sinners 12:31 One body, many members (1 Cor 12:12-13) 13:16 Belonging is given, not earned 14:05 You can't resign from the body 14:53 God arranged the members 15:23 Saved to something 15:57 Why do so many of us just watch? 16:24 A fan attends, a participant contributes 16:56 Time, talent, and treasure 17:16 Consumer Christianity 17:38 Receiving vs. consuming 18:12 When one member suffers 18:48 The 80-20 rule 19:39 Has the church asked too much? 20:34 You are more important than a program 21:23 Questions for introspection 22:19 Have I misunderstood what church is? 22:58 Comfortable with being uncomfortable 23:52 Players on injured reserve aren't fans 24:52 Get out of the stands and onto the field 24:59 This isn't about volunteering 26:15 Are you plugged into the life of the church? 26:53 Attending and slipping out 27:18 Roles in a small church 28:58 Church is more than a sermon 30:21 Growth Groups 30:42 Love God, Grow Together, Change the World 31:42 Growing or just hanging out? 32:20 Family, not a clique 33:42 Ephesians 4:11-12 33:59 Leaders equip, the saints do the work 35:17 Equipping means mending 35:44 Until we all attain maturity (Eph 4:13) 36:13 Busy isn't healthy 36:37 Martha and knowing when to rest 37:42 Simple, not half-hearted 38:09 Each part working properly (Eph 4:16) 38:54 By this all people will know (John 13:35) 39:56 A great cloud of witnesses (Heb 12:1) 40:11 The Hall of Faith 41:00 Now we are running our race 41:11 Y'all are the body of Christ (1 Cor 12:27) 42:09 Called to be the body, not to watch it 42:40 Closing prayer Scripture References: 1 Corinthians 1:2 | 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 | 1 Peter 2:9 | Ephesians 4:11-16 | Matthew 4:21 | John 13:35 | Hebrews 11 | Hebrews 12:1 #AllSaintsDay #BodyOfChrist #1Corinthians12 #Ephesians4 #ChurchFamily #BibleStudy #SundaySermon #HavenCommunityChurch #HoustonChurch #OldTownSpring

Study Guide: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vQ9L4h9wm2jrPgmApCz7fegqq-gayxQila0hx1RFmSg/view Should Christians celebrate Halloween? Scott doesn't hand you a rule. He hands you one question: what - or who - are you seeking through it? Walking through 1 Corinthians 8-10, Scott shows how Paul holds two things together: idols are nothing, and demons are real. Ignore the spiritual realm and you'll end up fighting the visible enemy instead of the real one. Fear it and you'll be paralyzed. But a believer has been transferred into the kingdom of God's Son, and the enemy has no authority over you. From there, Paul gives the Corinthians three tables, not one rule: the temple (refuse it), the marketplace (receive it), and your neighbor's table (lay your freedom down for their sake). The difference between wood and witchcraft is what you're seeking through it. Timestamps 0:00 - Turn to 1 Corinthians 8-10 and study guide QR code 0:14 - Opening prayer 1:06 - Why so many Halloween sermons? 1:51 - A pagan holiday with Christian roots 2:14 - All Hallows' Eve and All Saints' Day 2:46 - A chance to talk about the spiritual world 3:40 - Not telling you what to think - one question instead 4:28 - Ignore it and get blindsided, fear it and be paralyzed 4:50 - Dropping in on 1 Corinthians 8-10 5:37 - Is the spiritual realm really real? 6:03 - 1 Corinthians 8:4 - an idol has no real existence 6:37 - 1 Corinthians 10:20 - what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons 7:09 - Paul is quoting Deuteronomy 32:17 7:34 - Daniel 10 and the prince of Persia 8:11 - Spiritual powers behind political powers 8:54 - The mailer that went viral 10:25 - Genesis 3:1 - "Did God actually say?" 10:51 - The enemy's first move wasn't force, it was suspicion 12:01 - Ignore the spiritual realm and you fight the wrong enemy 12:22 - So should we be afraid of it? 12:52 - 1 Corinthians 8:5-6 and the Shema 13:56 - Psalm 24:1 - the earth is the Lord's 14:11 - Colossians 1:13 - transferred into the kingdom of his Son 14:41 - The enemy has no authority over a believer 16:20 - Faith isn't the absence of fear 16:40 - So where's the line? 16:57 - 1 Corinthians 10:12 - a warning for the confident 17:38 - Flee from idolatry 17:49 - Isaiah 44 - the same block of wood 19:03 - Just wood until somebody worships it 19:30 - Deuteronomy 18:10-11 - seeking answers from other sources 20:33 - Playing with a Ouija board as a kid 21:40 - Mediums, tarot cards and horoscopes 21:56 - Some things have more than one use 23:05 - 1 Corinthians 10:21 - the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons 24:00 - You can't sit at both tables 24:29 - So what does this mean for Halloween? 24:44 - Paul's three tables 24:58 - Table one: the temple - refuse it 25:39 - Jack-o'-lanterns and deciding for yourself 26:31 - Table two: the marketplace - receive it 27:13 - Table three: your neighbor's table 27:55 - "This has been offered in sacrifice" 28:47 - Not because someone told you it's wrong 29:34 - 1 Corinthians 8:7 - a weak conscience 30:37 - When your kid thinks they did something wrong 31:19 - God wants our hearts 32:15 - If you think it's wrong, for you it's sin 33:07 - For some, it isn't just wood 34:24 - All things to all people 35:27 - The difference between wood and witchcraft 36:38 - Romans 14:4-6 - who are you to pass judgment? 38:18 - Can you celebrate to the glory of God? 38:44 - 1 Corinthians 10:31 - do all to the glory of God 39:40 - Don't roll your eyes, don't condemn 40:33 - 1 Corinthians 2:15-16 - we have the mind of Christ 40:59 - You don't have to live afraid 41:27 - Closing prayer Scripture References: 1 Corinthians 8 | 1 Corinthians 10 | Deuteronomy 32:17 | Daniel 10 | Genesis 3 | Deuteronomy 6:4 | Psalm 24:1 | Colossians 1:13 | Isaiah 44 | Deuteronomy 18:10-11 | Romans 14:4-6 | 1 Corinthians 2:15-16 #Halloween #1Corinthians #SpiritualWarfare #ChristianLiberty #BibleStudy #ChristianSermon #SundaySermon #HavenCommunityChurch #HoustonChurch #AllHallowsEve

How long do children have to obey their parents - and what are parents actually responsible for? Preaching through Ephesians 6:1-4, Luke looks at what it means for children to obey and honor, why Paul warns parents not to provoke their children to anger, and what it looks like to raise "adults in training" who grow into wise, independent, godly adults. Along the way: three damaging parenting patterns, five principles for parenting well, and an open mic where parents from our church share what they have learned. Timestamps 0:00 Why preaching on parenting is humbling 1:05 The family as a gift - and what happens when it breaks 2:05 What children feel in unhealthy homes 3:00 Young people searching for identity and belonging 3:46 A personal story - when my dad left 4:50 The ideal: a healthy father and mother 5:25 Ephesians 5 - the household code and marriage 7:09 What "home" really means 7:54 Reading Ephesians 6:1-4 8:58 "Obey" - what hupakuo means 9:25 How long do kids have to obey? 10:41 The bullet ant coming-of-age ceremony 12:00 No clear transition to adulthood in America 12:50 Why "how long does authority last" misses the boat 14:00 Children are adults in training 15:04 Obedience is not a bludgeon 16:00 Paul speaks directly to children 17:36 Obey vs. honor 18:46 Honoring parents you cannot obey 19:39 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger 21:37 The dominating style of parenting 22:28 The abusive style 23:24 The absent style 24:20 Stop and look at yourself first 25:22 Parents exist to serve their children 26:37 "Discipline and instruction" defined 28:03 How do we parent this way? 29:09 1. How you live matters more than what you say 30:16 What hypocrisy really means 31:50 Why you do it matters 33:29 2. Children need to know how much you care 35:22 3. Humility is key 37:05 Welcoming your children's ideas 38:21 4. Growth is essential 40:24 5. Teach your children the Bible 42:47 Open mic: parents share their wisdom 43:35 Compassion on yourself when you mess up 45:10 Pick your battles, listen when they're small 46:39 A rehab therapist on family dynamics 49:00 How children come to see God 50:18 Repair matters more than perfection 51:12 A mother of five on generational influence 56:02 Convictions - letting adult children go 58:07 Do not give up on your children 59:04 Closing encouragement - not shame 60:12 The mountain analogy 60:54 Closing prayer Scripture References: Ephesians 6:1-4 | Ephesians 5:21-33 | Exodus 20:12 | Matthew 6 (referenced) | Luke 15 (referenced) #HavenCommunityChurch #Ephesians #Parenting #ChristianParenting #Family #Fatherhood #Motherhood #Sermon #BibleStudy #Faith

Study Guide: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1tgEGGfQtS4i4kUbfadk1bA9pzJ13tI60Qus-f7uyhQY/viewDaniel read a promise about going home after 70 years, so he prayed and confessed - and the angel Gabriel interrupted with something far bigger. What do you do with God's promises, and what if God's plans are bigger than you could ever imagine? Back in the Apocalyptic Writings series, we walk through Daniel 9 without turning it into a seminary class.The message opens with a personal story about wanting to escape a hard church season, and how changing locations never changed the heart. From there we follow Daniel through Jeremiah's 70 years, his prayer of confession, and Gabriel's answer: seventy sets of seven, language that echoes the year of Jubilee multiplied by ten. We look at the Day of Atonement connection, the anointed one who is cut off, and how Jesus announced the lasting Jubilee in Luke 4 by reading Isaiah 61. It ends with a direct question: where are you trying to find freedom without dealing with the sin underneath?Timestamps0:00 - Welcome and why Daniel 9 is a tough chapter1:07 - Opening prayer2:31 - A personal story: wanting out of a hard church season3:58 - Changing locations didn't change me4:40 - God wanted to change me, not my situation5:04 - What do you do with God's promises?5:24 - Daniel 9:1 - Babylon falls and the Persians take over6:08 - Israel in exile: Assyria, Babylon, and Jeremiah 25:127:33 - Jeremiah 29:10-14 - plans for welfare, a future, and a hope8:39 - Discipline, not punishment: a father's love9:41 - Daniel's response: prayer, fasting, and confession10:25 - Daniel's prayer of confession (verses 4-19)11:30 - Why pray if God has already promised?12:12 - "Your kingdom come" and "Come, Lord Jesus"12:58 - Two wrong ways to handle God's promises14:00 - Agreeing with a promise vs. praying it back to God15:27 - Gabriel interrupts Daniel's prayer15:50 - What if God's plans are bigger than you can imagine?17:38 - Gabriel arrives at the time of the evening sacrifice18:21 - "You are greatly loved" - confess it, then leave it there19:50 - Daniel 9:24 and the seventy weeks20:56 - "Weeks" means sets of seven21:58 - The year of Jubilee in Leviticus 2522:41 - Seventy sevens: 490 years23:23 - A Jubilee of Jubilees24:07 - The Day of Atonement and the six promises of verse 2425:39 - God's plan to deal with sin26:00 - Daniel 9:25 - the anointed one, Cyrus, and rebuilding Jerusalem27:47 - Daniel 9:26 - the anointed one is cut off28:31 - The covenant, the end of sacrifice, and the fall of Jerusalem29:14 - Other views and the study guide29:55 - More than predictions: what is God communicating?30:58 - Jubilee: the exile that never really ended31:41 - Jesus reads Isaiah 61 in Luke 433:06 - 2 Corinthians 6:2 - now is the day of salvation33:30 - Where are you trying to escape without dealing with the sin underneath?34:31 - Name it, confess it, and nail it to the cross35:40 - Jesus was cut off - and invites us home36:27 - Daniel prayed for 70 years; God was working on 49037:09 - You are greatly loved37:32 - Ephesians 3:20-21 and closing prayerScripture References: Daniel 9 | Jeremiah 25:12 | Jeremiah 29:10-14 | Leviticus 25 | Isaiah 45:1 | Isaiah 61 | Nehemiah 9:36 | Luke 4 | 2 Corinthians 6:2 | Matthew 6:9-13 | Revelation 22:20 | Ephesians 3:20-21#ApocalypticWritings #Daniel9 #SeventyWeeks #Jubilee #BibleStudy #ChristianSermon #SundaySermon #HavenCommunityChurch #HoustonChurch #VerseByVerse

Study Guide: https://www.canvaqr.com/RGUQJe4lSm When Jesus refused to turn stones into bread, he wasn't just resisting temptation - he was becoming the bread. On Communion Sunday, Luke and Scott devote a whole sermon to bragging on Jesus through Matthew 4:1-11. Matthew tells the story of Jesus with the whole Old Testament in the background: out of Egypt, through the waters, into the wilderness. Where Israel failed for 40 years, Jesus stands faithful for 40 days - and that's an act of God's grace, not a shaming of Israel. We walk through the three temptations (bread, the temple, the kingdoms of the world), look at the difference between God's testing and the devil's, trace the line from the wilderness to the garden of Gethsemane, and arrive at the Lord's table. If you're in a season of testing right now, this one is for you: the Father is with you, and he will carry you through. Timestamps 0:00 - Welcome and study guide QR code0:28 - Communion Sunday: why we're devoting a whole sermon to it0:55 - Communion as one of four things the early church devoted itself to1:20 - Bragging on Jesus: tying the message to communion1:31 - Matthew 4:1-11 begins - led by the Spirit into the wilderness2:24 - Two bookends of Jesus' ministry: the wilderness and the garden2:58 - Why testing was integral to his mission4:31 - Matthew has the whole Old Testament story in mind5:12 - Jesus fulfills the story of Israel6:02 - Not shame on Israel - an act of God's grace6:44 - Israel's calling: the blessing of Abraham to all nations7:59 - Matthew's parallels: Pharaoh and Herod, out of Egypt8:56 - Through the waters of baptism, into the wilderness9:25 - Israel's 40 years vs. Jesus' 40 days11:38 - Adam and Eve in the garden - Jesus is tested in both places12:09 - "If you are the Son of God" - the first temptation13:42 - "Man shall not live by bread alone" - Deuteronomy 815:17 - Two kinds of testing: the devil tests and God tests17:27 - Sometimes life is just hard - and sometimes it's our own choices17:52 - God brings good through every test18:25 - Will we keep trusting God when we're tested?19:09 - The second temptation: throw yourself down19:52 - The devil quotes scripture - Psalm 9120:17 - A shortcut to being revealed as Messiah without the cross21:19 - The third temptation: the kingdoms of the world21:45 - Israel's idolatry and the golden calf23:26 - A kingdom without the cross23:55 - Matthew 28: the mountain where all authority is given25:38 - Three tests: physical needs, self-preservation, power26:42 - He refused the bread so he could become the bread26:53 - Manna and our daily bread28:16 - John 6: "I am the bread of life"29:32 - What it means to feed on Jesus30:21 - The cup of blessing - the garden of Gethsemane31:24 - Matthew 26:38-39: "Let this cup pass from me"32:08 - Tempted three times, praying three times32:21 - He overcame the bread and the cup so we could partake33:12 - The battle for our deliverance began in the wilderness33:47 - The tempter keeps coming back: Peter and the cross34:23 - N.T. Wright on embracing the way of the cross35:25 - Two things to remember at the table35:47 - Going through a time of testing right now?36:34 - Luke 4: out of the wilderness in the power of the Spirit37:02 - Hebrews 4:14-16 - a high priest who sympathizes with our weaknesses Scripture References: Matthew 4:1-11 | Deuteronomy 8 | Deuteronomy 6:13 | Psalm 91 | Hosea 11:1 | Genesis 12 | John 6 | Matthew 26:38-39 | Matthew 28:16-20 | Luke 4 | Hebrews 4:14-16 #Communion #TheFaithfulSon #Matthew4 #BibleStudy #ChristianSermon #SundaySermon #HavenCommunityChurch #HoustonChurch #VerseByVerse #BreadOfLife

Study Guide: https://www.canvaqr.com/RGTvM1iO_JWhat if the most countercultural part of Ephesians 5 isn't what wives are told, but what husbands are told? In the third and final sermon of our marriage series, Luke walks through Ephesians 5:21-33 from an equality and leadership viewpoint, tracing how everything Paul has said so far in the letter builds to this passage. He covers mutual submission, what "head" could mean (source, prominence, or authority), why the Christ-and-church analogy can't be stretched too far, and how Paul's language about nourishing and cherishing would have turned first-century marriage upside down. Luke is upfront that he and Scott land in different places on headship, and that faithful Christians do too. The message closes with a word for single people and a set of questions for married couples.Timestamps0:00 - Welcome: the third and final sermon on marriage0:21 - Scott and Luke have different takes on headship - and why we shared both0:52 - Luke's lens: equality and leadership - and it's okay to disagree1:19 - Why you can't jump straight to Ephesians 5:221:47 - Ephesians 1-3 recap: the spiritual lottery, dead in sin, made alive in Christ3:24 - The new humanity: put off the old, put on the new4:27 - Combined study notes from Scott's and Luke's sermons5:03 - Ephesians 5:1-2: be imitators of God, walk in love5:35 - What is love? A commitment to act for another's well-being6:36 - Does this include husbands and wives?7:09 - What does the word "submit" bring up for you?7:47 - Mutual submission as the outflow of love8:34 - What mutual submission looks like in the church10:01 - Who is commanded to submit to whom?10:49 - 1 Corinthians 7: Paul's countercultural statement on authority in marriage12:56 - Ephesians 5:22-24 read aloud13:18 - The absence of a command doesn't mean the calling doesn't apply13:55 - Paul in the Roman world: the man as supreme ruler of his home15:20 - What does "head" mean? Authority, source, or prominence17:17 - The Christ-and-church analogy isn't absolute18:22 - A bridge too far: "if he says it, it's as if God said it"19:26 - Luke's take: source or prominence, and why the flow of the passage matters21:00 - The head is the one who serves - Jesus and the rulers of the Gentiles22:19 - Submission doesn't give a husband ground to demand anything23:10 - Ephesians 5:25-30: husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church24:35 - Why Paul's charge to husbands was revolutionary26:03 - Domestic language: nourish, cherish, and Christ as servant28:14 - "If headship only benefits you, you aren't doing it right"28:27 - Ephesians 5's picture of masculinity29:04 - The golden rule in marriage: treat her as you would want to be treated30:03 - Why husbands love their wives: we are members of Christ's body31:00 - The big takeaway: it all flows from what Jesus does for us32:56 - A word to single people: you reflect Christ in your own way35:12 - Challenge to husbands and wives: does your marriage reflect mutual submission?36:01 - Questions for married couples: honor, harmony, patience, kindness36:58 - What marriage reveals about who you really are38:16 - Repentance, forgiveness, and trying againScripture References: Ephesians 5:21-33 | Ephesians 5:1-2 | Ephesians 1-3 | 1 Corinthians 7 | Genesis 2:24#Ephesians5 #Marriage #MutualSubmission #BibleStudy #ChristianSermon #SundaySermon #HavenCommunityChurch #HoustonChurch #VerseByVerse #BiblicalPreaching

Study Guide: https://www.canvaqr.com/RGTC-KQpYk Have you ever looked at someone with an enormous amount of power and wondered who could possibly stop them? Daniel 7 answers that question with beasts, a courtroom in heaven, and a Son of Man who receives a kingdom that will never end. Continuing the Apocalyptic Writings series, this message walks through Daniel's fever-dream vision of four terrifying beasts rising from a chaotic sea - the same four kingdoms from Daniel 2, seen this time from a different angle. A small, loud-mouthed horn rises among them and speaks great things, oppressing God's people, until a courtroom scene in heaven brings it all crashing down. Then comes the turning point: a Son of Man, riding the clouds like only God can, is given a kingdom that will never end - and he shares it with his people. This message traces that vision all the way to Jesus, and lands on an honest, unshielded truth: knowing how the story ends doesn't always make the middle feel good, but the kingdom already belongs to us. Timestamps 0:00 - Welcome: bouncing between two series, back in Apocalyptic Writings 1:06 - Have you ever looked at someone with too much power and wondered who could stop them? 1:38 - Recap: Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 2, given rule over everything 2:23 - Nebuchadnezzar's boast on the roof - and the voice from heaven 3:00 - Driven into the wilderness, becoming beastly - the man who ruled beasts becomes one 3:35 - Now in Daniel 7 - powerful beastly figures oppressing God's people 4:03 - Evil may prevail for a time, but only as long as God allows 5:03 - Context: Belshazzar running Babylon, Daniel now in his 70s 6:06 - What apocalyptic literature means - highly symbolic, a fever dream 6:39 - The four winds stirring the great sea - the sea as chaos 7:21 - Four beasts rise from the sea - the same four kingdoms as Daniel 2 16:34 - The court scene: the Ancient of Days, thrones, books opened 16:48 - Not the final judgment - but the same courtroom pattern 17:23 - Books opened for the beasts, later for humanity 17:56 - The Lamb's Book of Life - the book of mercy and grace 18:30 - The little horn's fate - the beast killed, its body destroyed 19:15 - These beasts aren't just empires - spiritual forces behind them 19:53 - Why Revelation rolls all four beasts into one 20:14 - Verse 13: the kingdom belongs to the Son of Man 20:20 - Daniel sees one like a son of man coming on the clouds 22:02 - Only God rides on the clouds in the Old Testament 22:30 - Jesus quotes this vision of himself at his trial - and Caiaphas tears his robe 23:05 - Matthew 24:30 and Matthew 28:18 - Jesus claiming Daniel's vision 24:32 - The Son of Man shares his kingdom with his people 25:01 - Verse 18: the saints of the Most High receive the kingdom forever 33:50 - 70 AD as a shadow, pointing beyond itself to something more 34:08 - The dragon has yet to be destroyed, but was defeated at the cross 34:41 - The kingdom is already ours - not just promised for later 35:26 - Daniel gets the full interpretation - and still walks away shaken 36:00 - Knowing the ending doesn't make the middle feel good 36:42 - No one promised an easier life - but a hope and a future 46:22 - We are the body of Christ - not individually little Christs 46:45 - The Voltron picture - many parts, one organism 47:15 - Why the enemy fights the church being the church, not just gathering 48:05 - Colossians 1:13 - delivered from darkness into the kingdom 48:35 - Already, but not yet - the kingdom belongs to us now 49:50 - Closing charge: endure and keep moving forward Scripture References: Daniel 7 | Daniel 2 | Daniel 4 | Revelation 20 | Revelation 1:5 | Revelation 17:14 | Matthew 24:30 | Matthew 28:18 | Mark 14:62 | Colossians 1:13 | Ephesians 2 #Daniel7 #ApocalypticWritings #SonOfMan #BibleStudy #ChristianSermon #SundaySermon #HavenCommunityChurch #KingdomOfGod #HoustonChurch #VerseByVerse

Ephesians 5:21-33 - What Does "Head" Really Mean? Scott's Perspective on MarriageStudy Notes: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pQlqvMde_yQz5Lqx_tq0Ew9lYXfO3BmgBOIhfdW2jEA/edit?usp=sharingLast week Luke preached his view of one of the most debated passages in Ephesians. This week, Scott takes 40 minutes to offer his own perspective - not as a rebuttal, but as an honest, gracious dialogue between two pastors who land a little differently on this text. Scott walks through what the Greek word for "head" (kephale) actually means, why he doesn't think it's simply reducible to "source," why Paul never once tells a wife to "obey" the way he tells children and slaves to, and what a biblical picture of masculinity actually looks like - one built on sacrifice, initiative, and tenderness rather than domination. This is a model for how Christians can disagree on secondary issues while staying fully unified on the gospel.Timestamps0:00 - Welcome: three Scotts in the room this morning0:38 - Reading Ephesians 5:15-33 for context3:49 - Why Scott is offering a different perspective from Luke's message last week5:16 - On disagreement: "I love dialogue, not debate"6:56 - The biggest mistake husbands make reading "wives submit"13:55 - Soft complementarian and egalitarian views can look nearly identical15:00 - Verse 21 as a hinge between the whole church and household relationships17:19 - Referencing Luke's Aristotle quotes from last week18:02 - Paul strips out the "ruling over" language but keeps the pairs intact19:27 - What does "head" (kephale) actually mean?19:36 - The "source" argument - and why Scott finds it compelling but incomplete20:35 - Whatever headship means, Jesus has to define it20:54 - Equality and headship are not opposites - 1 Corinthians 11:331:07 - What true masculinity is not - the "macho man" caricature31:52 - Ephesians 5's picture of masculinity: strength, sacrifice, tenderness32:34 - Women can embody these virtues too - not assigning them exclusively by sex32:58 - The gospel trajectory - Luke's point from last week33:21 - Women were the first to discover the resurrection - an early elevation33:45 - Why slavery wasn't immediately abolished, but the seeds were planted34:55 - Could the same trajectory apply to male and female roles?35:07 - Scott's one hesitation: marriage is rooted in creation, unlike slavery36:46 - The real question: what's cultural baggage vs. a creational distinction?37:31 - Whatever you believe about headship, Paul gives no one permission to be selfish38:19 - Husbands: does your wife experience safety, sacrifice, and service?38:30 - Wives: does your husband experience honor, support, and partnership?39:02 - The gospel is not calling us back to male domination39:41 - Redeeming marriage into an image of Christ and the church39:50 - Closing prayerScripture References: Ephesians 5:15-33 | 1 Corinthians 11:3 | Genesis 2#Ephesians5 #Marriage #Headship #BibleStudy #ChristianSermon #SundaySermon #BiblicalPreaching #Complementarian #Egalitarian #HavenCommunityChurch #HoustonChurch #VerseByVerse

Ephesians 5:21-25 - Wives, Husbands, and the Household Code Paul Turned Upside DownEvery Christian eventually runs into this passage - and it tends to generate strong opinions fast. In part one of a two-part series, Luke tackles one of the most debated passages in the New Testament: Ephesians 5:21-25, the wives-and-husbands passage. Rather than rushing past the disagreement, Luke lays out two views held by good, faithful Christians, walks through actual first-century "household codes" written by philosophers like Aristotle for context, and makes the case that Paul wasn't reinforcing the culture of his day - he was quietly subverting it. Scott closes with a few thoughts of his own, previewing some places where he and Luke see this passage a little differently, to be unpacked further next week. Honest, well-researched, and refreshingly humble about a passage that doesn't always get handled that way.Study Guide: https://www.canvaqr.com/RGSANMvBs3Timestamps0:00 - Introduction: Luke on changing his mind over the years1:59 - Turning to Ephesians 5:21-33, beginning a two-part series2:58 - Ephesians 5:21-25 read aloud4:06 - Two views introduced: the "male leadership" view and the "equality in leadership" view5:21 - Luke and Scott both acknowledge they land differently on this passage15:40 - Foundational principle 1: Genesis 1-2 as the Eden ideal16:06 - Foundational principle 2: the gospel undoing what went wrong at the fall18:22 - Neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female - what Paul actually means20:35 - Why didn't the early church immediately abolish slavery?28:08 - Applying the same logic to marriage and household hierarchy29:39 - Reading actual first-century household codes from Aristotle32:04 - Paul's household code and how it subverts the norms of the day33:39 - Verse 21 as the header verse for everything that follows42:25 - What submission does not mean - no obligation to obey harm43:23 - Luke's summary: a foundation for equality, not male dominance44:18 - Scott shares a few of his own differing thoughts45:48 - 1 Corinthians on being divided over which teacher you follow46:19 - Haven as a safe place to wrestle with hard passages46:33 - Some parts of scripture are shallow enough for a child, deep enough to drown an elephant48:32 - Preview: unpacking differences and finding unity next weekScripture References: Ephesians 5:21-25 | Genesis 1-2 | Galatians 3:28 | 2 Corinthians 5:17 | 1 Corinthians 1#Ephesians5 #Marriage #BibleStudy #ChristianSermon #SundaySermon #BiblicalPreaching #VerseByVerse #HavenCommunityChurch #Complementarian #Egalitarian #HoustonChurch

Hebrews 1:1-4 - Jesus Is Better (Even When Life Doesn't Feel Like It)Filling in for Scott while he's out sick, Brandon steps up for his second sermon - and tackles one of the most quietly profound questions a Christian can ask: what do we actually mean when we say Jesus makes things "better"? Working through Hebrews 1:1-4, Brandon traces the book's central argument that Jesus is better than the prophets, better than the angels, better than Moses, better than the high priest, and better than every sacrifice that came before him. But the sermon doesn't stop at theology - it presses into the honest tension so many believers feel: if Jesus is better, why doesn't life always feel better? Drawing on Hebrews 11 and 12, this message reframes faith not as guaranteed better circumstances, but as continuing to trust God regardless of the outcome - because Jesus is better than any and every circumstance we face.Timestamps0:00 - Welcome: Scott's out sick, Brandon steps up for sermon 2.02:29 - Turning to Hebrews 1:1-43:12 - Hebrews 1:1-4 read aloud3:56 - Why Hebrews has no listed author4:40 - The letter jumps straight into Christology - no greeting, no introduction6:44 - Early heresies about who Jesus really was9:00 - Six things the opening verses reveal about who Jesus is13:06 - Why the basics matter most when we're under the most stress13:49 - Jesus as the ultimate high priest, better than the Levitical priests15:23 - Hebrews 3:3-5 - worthy of more glory than Moses17:15 - The question: what does "better" really mean?17:22 - Life doesn't necessarily get easier when you follow Christ19:07 - What the original audience of Hebrews may have been facing20:45 - The shadow and the person - what the Old Testament pointed toward27:21 - The promises actually listed in Hebrews 1 - and what's missing28:11 - Notice what it doesn't promise: riches, health, a happy family29:02 - Hebrews 11 - faithful people who had both victories and suffering30:05 - Maybe faith isn't measured by the outcome you wanted30:42 - Hebrews 12:1-3 - run the race with endurance33:04 - Sometimes the job doesn't get better, the diagnosis doesn't change33:37 - Reframing the question: is Jesus still better, even when circumstances aren't?33:51 - Jesus is better than the prophets, angels, Moses, the high priest, the sacrifices35:09 - Don't assume Jesus has stopped being better when life doesn't feel betterScripture References: Hebrews 1:1-4 | Hebrews 3:3-5 | Hebrews 11 | Hebrews 12:1-3#Hebrews1 #JesusIsBetter #BibleStudy #ChristianSermon #SundaySermon #GuestSermon #BiblicalPreaching #VerseByVerse #HavenCommunityChurch #Faith #Perseverance #HoustonChurch

Ask the Pastor Anything: Dreams, Nephilim, God's Plan, and Feeling Alone in Your FaithFive questions, no scripts, and two pastors doing their best to give honest, biblical answers on the spot. In this Ask a Pastor episode, Scott and Luke tackle a genuinely wide range of questions submitted by the congregation - how to know if a dream is from God, whether imperfection should keep someone from getting baptized, the Nephilim and (yes) Bigfoot, whether God has one hidden plan you have to decode for your life, how to make decisions when you don't get a clear sign, and one of the harder ones - what to do when you feel completely alone in your faith with no community around you. Honest, a little funny at times, and refreshingly humble throughout.Timestamps0:00 - Welcome and how Ask a Pastor works2:10 - Question 1: How do you know if a dream is from God?10:13 - Question 2: Does imperfection disqualify you from baptism?16:24 - Question 3: What about the Nephilim and Bigfoot?30:49 - Question 4: Does God have a hidden plan you have to figure out?54:13 - Question 5: What do I do if I feel completely alone in my faith?Books & Resources MentionedThe Unseen Realm - Michael S. Heiser (the scholarly work behind the Nephilim discussion)https://www.amazon.com/Unseen-Realm-Recovering-Supernatural-Worldview/dp/1577995562The Screwtape Letters - C.S. Lewis (referenced regarding how believers can underplay or overplay the devil's role)https://www.amazon.com/Screwtape-Letters-C-S-Lewis/dp/0060093668The Book of Enoch (referenced with the caveat that it's ancient Jewish literature, not scripture)https://www.amazon.com/s?k=book+of+enochBibleProject (referenced multiple times as a study resource for the Old Testament and the "meditation literature" approach to reading scripture)https://bibleproject.com#AskAPastor #HavenCommunityChurch #BibleQA #ChristianPodcast #FaithQuestions #Nephilim #Baptism #GodsWill #ChristianCommunity #HoustonChurch #BibleStudy #FaithJourney

Daniel 2 - The Statue, The Stone, and The Kingdom That Never FallsStudy Guide: https://www.canvaqr.com/RGQXBq8IV2In April 2003, the world watched a 40-foot bronze statue of Saddam Hussein get pulled to the ground in Baghdad. Throughout history it's the same story - kings build monuments to their own glory, and eventually every one of those statues falls. That's exactly the scene Daniel walks into in Babylon, except this time the statue is in a king's dream, and only Daniel can tell him what it means. The real story isn't about Babylon's power. It's about a kingdom that starts as a small stone, brings down every empire that stands in its way, and never stops growing.Timestamps0:53 - Turn to Daniel chapter 21:02 - Apocalyptic literature series recap2:04 - The fall of Saddam Hussein's statue in Baghdad3:31 - Context: Daniel is a captive in Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar4:34 - What Daniel 2 answers: kingdoms rise and fall, God's kingdom prevails4:55 - Nebuchadnezzar's crisis: a troubling, vivid dream5:30 - The impossible demand: tell me the dream, not just the interpretation7:10 - The king orders all the wise men killed9:00 - Daniel asks for time and turns to prayer10:00 - God reveals the mystery to Daniel in a night vision12:00 - The dream: a great statue with a head of gold14:00 - Head of gold: Babylon15:00 - Chest and arms of silver: the Medo-Persian Empire17:18 - Belly and thighs of bronze: Greece17:34 - Legs of iron: the Roman Empire17:51 - Feet of iron and clay - materials that won't mesh18:16 - Different theories on what the feet represent19:23 - Verse 44: God's kingdom that will never be destroyed20:21 - What Daniel and Nebuchadnezzar couldn't fully see - Jesus was coming20:54 - Jesus' death, resurrection, ascension, and the Spirit poured out21:38 - A kingdom of shalom for all who enter21:59 - Back to the feet of the statue - pastor's own interpretation23:04 - Iron and clay: a nation that looks strong but is deeply divided23:48 - Only God's kingdom truly unifies - Revelation 7:924:33 - What kind of personal kingdom are you building?28:00 - Nebuchadnezzar's later confession in Daniel 430:54 - The right response isn't trying harder - it's surrender31:38 - The Christian life is a life of surrender32:16 - Nebuchadnezzar's confession: God of gods and Lord of kings32:43 - Real spiritual powers behind the scenes33:37 - Ephesians 6:12 - our struggle is not against flesh and blood36:06 - Horoscopes, tarot, Ouija boards - none of them are harmless36:46 - Scripture doesn't call them fake - it calls them forbidden37:50 - No throne is outside God's authority38:30 - Closing: how is God speaking to you today?Scripture References: Daniel 2 | Daniel 4 | Daniel 10 | Ephesians 6:12 | Revelation 7:9#Daniel2 #ApocalypticLiterature #KingdomOfGod #BibleStudy #ChristianSermon #SundaySermon #Nebuchadnezzar #BiblicalPreaching #VerseByVerse #HavenCommunityChurch #Surrender #Prophecy #HoustonChurch

Ephesians 5:7-21 - Making the Best Use of the TimeA speedrunner takes a 40-hour video game and finishes it in 36 minutes. No wasted movement. No side quests. One purpose, executed with total focus. That image is what sparked this week's anchor verse: "Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil." Picking up in Ephesians 5:7-21, this message covers walking as children of light, three practical antidotes to sexual sin that go deeper than "just stop," what it actually means to be filled with the Spirit, and the three contrasts Paul uses to show us what wise living looks like. Verse 21 closes the passage and quietly sets up everything Paul is about to say about marriage, family, and relationships.Study Guide: https://www.canvaqr.com/RGPvFYHZV3Scripture References: Ephesians 5:7-21 | Ephesians 5:1-2 | Genesis 2-3#Ephesians5 #MakingTheBestUseOfTheTime #FilledWithTheSpirit #BibleStudy #ChristianSermon #SundaySermon #WalkInTheLight #BiblicalPreaching #VerseByVerse #Discipleship #HavenCommunityChurch #Ephesians #WisdomAndFaith #ChristianLiving #HoustonChurch

Ezekiel 37:1-14 - When Hope Runs DryScott opens with a personal confession: he's a chronic overthinker who replays conversations for days, rewrites texts three times before hitting send, and wonders constantly if he's been misunderstood. He probably always will be. And that admission becomes the on-ramp to one of the most hope-filled passages in all of Scripture. When Ezekiel 37 opens, Israel isn't just discouraged - they're convinced it's over. Their bones are dry. Hope is lost. They are cut off. Into that moment, God gives Ezekiel a vision of a valley full of dead bones and asks the question that changes everything: "Can these bones live?" This message traces the Hebrew word Ruach - wind, breath, spirit - all the way from Genesis 1 through Ezekiel to Jesus' conversation with Nicodemus, lands on the "already, not yet" theme that runs through all of Scripture, and closes with one of the most honest pastoral invitations in this series yet. Scripture References: Ezekiel 37:1-14 | Ezekiel 37:24-28 | Ezekiel 36 | Genesis 1:2 | John 3 | Acts 2 | 1 Thessalonians 4:13 | Revelation 21-22#ezekiel37 #DryBones #CanTheseBoneslive #Ruach #ApocalypticLiterature #BibleStudy #ChristianSermon #SundaySermon #AlreadyNotYet #Hope #HolySpirit #BiblicalPreaching #VerseByVerse #HavenCommunityChurch #HoustonChurch

Ephesians 5:3-6 - What God Actually Says About Sex (And Why It's Not What You Think)Most of us grew up with one of two messages about sex: either it's shameful and dangerous, or there are no real limits as long as nobody gets hurt. But Paul in Ephesians 5 stakes out a third path - one that actually makes sense. In this 15th message of the Ephesians series, we take a close, honest look at what the Bible actually says about sexuality. That includes tackling the legacy of purity culture, unpacking the broad Greek word pornea from the ground up, tracing God's design through Genesis, Malachi, and 1 Corinthians, wrestling honestly with homosexuality, and asking the question most people actually want answered: why does God care so much about this in the first place? No shame, no shouting - just an honest attempt to understand what God's design is and why it's actually good. Scripture References: Ephesians 5:3-6 | Genesis 2:22-25 | Malachi 2:14-16 | Mark 10:6-9 | Hebrews 13:4 | 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 | Romans 1#Ephesians5 #BiblicalSexuality #SexualPurity #BibleStudy #ChristianSermon #SundaySermon #PurityCulture #WhatGodSaysAboutSex #BiblicalPreaching #VerseByVerse #HavenCommunityChurch #Ephesians #Marriage #GodDesign #HoustonChurch