This sermon, The Way of Becoming, preached on May 11, 2025 at Christ Community's Shawnee Campus, dives deep into 2 Peter 1:5–9. It’s the third message in the five-part "Becoming" series, exploring the spiritual formation of Christlike character.

I unpack:

• How the eight virtues listed by Peter are not a checklist, but a pathway of transformation.
• Why becoming like Jesus requires both effort and grace.
• The difference between a fruitless faith and a fruitful one.

This message also reflects my own experience preaching back-to-back Sundays for the first time, shaping how I now approach sermon prep. I hope this helps you not just believe in Jesus—but become like Him.

Preached on May 4, 2025 at Christ Community’s Shawnee Campus, this sermon explores the deep question at the heart of the Christian life: What does it mean to be a good person—and how do we actually become one? Drawing from 2 Peter 1:1–4, I invite you to consider not only what virtue is, but how the beauty and power of Christ form us into good people.

📖 In this message, I unpack:

• Why modern definitions of goodness fall short.
• How God’s divine power gives us everything we need for life and godliness.
• The difference between knowing about Jesus and truly knowing Him (epignōsis).
• How beholding Christ’s beauty transforms us into His image.

We don’t become like Jesus by accident. We become what we behold. So the Christian call is not just to obey rules—but to be captivated by the glory and goodness of Christ.

📖 Key Passage: 2 Peter 1:1–4
🎧 Listen and reflect: Am I captivated by Jesus in a way that’s actually changing me?

This lecture, "An Eschatology of Hope, delivered as part of the Believe Core Class at Christ Community’s Shawnee campus, reframes the study of the end times through the lens of hope. Rather than focusing narrowly on debates about hell or the timing of Christ’s return, this session presents a broad biblical vision of God’s unfolding plan from Genesis to Revelation.

I unpack:

• What eschatology really means and why it matters for today.
• How the Bible’s storyline is a story of hope from beginning to end.
• Why fear-based approaches to end-times theology miss the point.
• How a hopeful eschatology shapes daily Christian life.

📖 Key Resource: Evangelical Convictions (2nd Edition)
🎧 Listen now: How can hope in Christ's victory transform your life today?
👉 Share this episode with someone needing encouragement about the future.

This sermon, "Jesus Invites, preached on April 13, 2025, at Christ Community’s Shawnee campus, marks the climax of the "Who Do You Say That I Am? series on the Gospel of Mark. Preaching from Mark 8:27–9:1, the message focuses on Peter’s confession of Jesus as the Christ and Jesus’ invitation to take up the cross, lose our lives for His sake, and find true life in Him.

I unpack:

• The pivotal moment when Jesus is first confessed as the Messiah.
• The shocking call to follow Jesus through death to true life.
• What it means to lose your life for Christ’s sake.
• How discipleship reshapes our hopes, dreams, and identities.

📖 Key Passage: Mark 8:27–9:1
🎧 Listen now: What does it mean to accept Jesus’ invitation to the cross?
👉 Share this episode with someone ready to explore true discipleship.

This lecture, "The Doctrine of the Church (God’s People), delivered as part of the Believe Core Class at Christ Community’s Shawnee campus, explores the identity and mission of the church. Using a surprising illustration from the TV show House*, the session challenges cultural cynicism and calls believers to embrace their role as part of God’s redeemed and sent community.

I unpack:

• What the Bible teaches about the church’s identity and mission.
• How the church reflects God's character to the world.
• Why cynicism and isolation distort the church's beauty.
• How belonging to God’s people shapes everyday life.

📖 Key Resource: Evangelical Convictions (2nd Edition)
🎧 Listen now: What does it mean to truly belong to the people of God?
👉 Share this episode with someone who needs a fresh vision of the church.

This sermon, "Jesus Provides, preached on March 23, 2025, at Christ Community’s Shawnee campus, displays Jesus' compassion and miraculous provision. Preaching from Mark 6:31–52 as part of the "Who Do You Say That I Am? series, the message highlights how Jesus meets physical and spiritual needs and calls His followers to trust His sufficiency.

I unpack:

• Jesus' compassion for the hungry and weary.
• How the feeding of the 5,000 reveals the heart of God.
• Jesus’ power over nature through walking on the sea.
• Trusting God's provision in seasons of exhaustion and fear.

📖 Key Passage: Mark 6:31–52
🎧 Listen now: Where do you need to trust Jesus' provision today?
👉 Share this episode with someone who needs encouragement to trust God's care.

This lecture, "The Doctrine of Christ’s Atonement and Our Response, delivered as part of the Believe Core Class at Christ Community’s Shawnee campus, unpacks the central Christian teaching of the cross. Focusing on how Christ’s atoning sacrifice brings unexpected victory, the message calls students not just to understand the cross intellectually but to respond to it with their lives.

I unpack:

• What Christ accomplished through His death on the cross.
• Why the cross looked like defeat but was actually victory.
• The meaning of substitution, sacrifice, and victory in atonement.
• How we are called to respond to the atonement with faith and worship.

📖 Key Resource: Evangelical Convictions (2nd Edition)
🎧 Listen now: How should you respond to Christ’s victory on the cross?
👉 Share this episode with someone needing a fresh look at the hope of the gospel.

This sermon, "Jesus Liberates," preached on March 2, 2025, at Christ Community’s Shawnee campus, proclaims Jesus’ unrivaled authority to free people from evil. Preaching from Mark 5:1–20 as part of the "Who Do You Say That I Am?" series, the message highlights Jesus’ power to liberate even the most hopeless cases and restore dignity and purpose.

I unpack:

• Jesus' supreme authority over demonic forces.
• The compassion of Christ for the isolated and tormented.
• The complete transformation that comes from encountering Jesus.
• Our mission to proclaim the freedom Jesus gives.

📖 Key Passage: Mark 5:1–20
🎧 Listen now: How does Jesus' authority bring liberation into your life?
👉 Share this episode with someone seeking hope and deliverance.