Heart Surgery
Faith Unfiltered
Heart Surgery | Joel 2 & Acts 2 In this Pentecost sermon, Rev. Dr. Lewis Galloway reflects on the story of Pentecost and the radical transformation that takes place when the Holy Spirit gives us a new heart. Drawing from Joel 2 and Acts 2, this message explores repentance not as guilt or shame, but as a turning — a reorientation of the heart toward God and toward one another. Through baptism, community, worship, and the power of the Spirit, ordinary people are invited into a new way of living together. From stories of literal heart surgery to young people inspired to change the world,...
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The Stranger At The Table
Faith Unfiltered
The Stranger at the Table | Genesis 18:1–15 & Philemon 1–25 In this sermon, Rev. Dr. Lewis Galloway reflects on the deeply Christian practice of hospitality — not simply welcoming friends or familiar faces, but extending love to the stranger, the outsider, and the forgotten. Through the story of Abraham and Sarah welcoming mysterious visitors beneath the trees of Mamre and Paul’s appeal for Philemon to receive the runaway slave Onesimus “no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother,” we are invited to see how the gospel reshapes human relationships and creates...
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Hidden Treasure
Faith Unfiltered
In this sermon, Rev. Dr. Lewis Galloway reflects on Paul’s image of the gospel as a treasure carried in “clay jars.” Through scripture, storytelling, and deeply human examples, we are reminded that God has always chosen ordinary, imperfect people to bear extraordinary grace. Again and again, God works through those who feel unprepared, wounded, weak, or unsure—from Moses and Isaiah to the disciples and the early church. The power of the gospel does not come from polished appearances or human strength, but from the presence of Christ shining through fragile human lives. This message...
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Rooted in the Right Place and Space
Faith Unfiltered
What if faith isn’t something you have to manage… but something that grows? In this week’s sermon, Rev. Lucy Crain reflects on the familiar words about the fruit of the Spirit and invites us to hear them not as a checklist to achieve, but as a gift to receive. Through a personal story about stepping into something that felt overwhelming, we are reminded how easy it is to believe we have to get everything right—to keep everything thriving on our own. But fruit isn’t forced. It’s grown. Drawing on Galatians 5 and Psalm 1, and the image of a tree planted by living water, this message...
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Tough Love
Faith Unfiltered
Tough Love | Youth Sunday Sermon | Matthew 5:43–48 On Youth Sunday, the youth of First Presbyterian Church of Charlotte lead us in a powerful reflection on what it means to practice “tough love.”
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Reborn to the Ordinary
Faith Unfiltered
Reborn to the Ordinary | Sermon | Luke 24:13–35 In this Easter season, we turn to the story of the road to Emmaus, where two disciples walk alongside the risen Jesus without recognizing him. In Reborn to the Ordinary, Rev. Anna Dickson reflects on this familiar and mysterious story, inviting us to consider how Christ meets us not only in moments of clarity and joy, but in the ordinary rhythms of our lives—on the road, at the table, and in the midst of confusion and uncertainty. Faith is not always constant or easy to see. Sometimes we recognize God’s presence clearly, and sometimes we...
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Doubting Thomas
Faith Unfiltered
Doubting Thomas | Sermon | John 20:19–31 What if doubt isn’t the opposite of faith—but part of the journey toward it? In this sermon on the story of Thomas in John 20:19–31, we look again at a disciple often remembered only for his doubt. But Thomas isn’t asking for anything the others didn’t receive—he’s asking a deeper question about trust. We are often taught to think of belief and doubt as opposites. But in reality, both are shaped by uncertainty, and both require something more: trust. And trust, by its very nature, makes us vulnerable. In this message, we explore: The...
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Life Before Us
Faith Unfiltered
Life Before Us | Easter Sermon | Matthew 28:1–10 What if the resurrection is not only about what happens after we die—but about the life set before us right now? In this Easter sermon, Life Before Us, Dr. Lewis Galloway reflects on the story of the women at the empty tomb, who arrive expecting death but are met with something entirely different. Their assumptions are shattered as they hear the words: “He is not here… he has been raised.” This message invites us to consider how our own assumptions—about what is possible, about how life turns out, and about what God will or won’t...
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Shaking the City
Faith Unfiltered
Shaking the City | Palm Sunday Sermon | Matthew 21:1–10 What happens when Jesus enters a city—and everything begins to shift? In this Palm Sunday sermon, Shaking the City, Dr. Lewis Galloway reflects on Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, where celebration and expectation quickly give way to something deeper. The crowds shout “Hosanna!”, but beneath the surface, the whole city is stirred—unsettled, even shaken. This message invites us to consider what it means for Jesus to enter not just a city, but our lives. In this sermon, we explore: The difference between celebration and true...
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Lenten Devotional March 29
Faith Unfiltered
In today’s video devotional, Rev. Anna Dickson reflects on the quiet, surprising ending to Jesus’ triumphal entry: after the fanfare and palm branches, he simply returns to Bethany for the night. Rather than claiming power, Jesus chooses presence — resting, sharing meals, and tending to his companions before facing what lies ahead. Today’s devotional invites us to do the same, remembering that before we confront difficult work, we, too, must be grounded in grace, relationship, and the steady care of God. Subscribe to daily devotionals sent to your inbox every morning in Lent at...
info_outlineHeart Surgery | Joel 2 & Acts 2
In this Pentecost sermon, Rev. Dr. Lewis Galloway reflects on the story of Pentecost and the radical transformation that takes place when the Holy Spirit gives us a new heart.
Drawing from Joel 2 and Acts 2, this message explores repentance not as guilt or shame, but as a turning — a reorientation of the heart toward God and toward one another. Through baptism, community, worship, and the power of the Spirit, ordinary people are invited into a new way of living together.
From stories of literal heart surgery to young people inspired to change the world, this sermon reminds us that spiritual transformation does not happen simply by trying harder, but by learning to trust more deeply in the work of God within us.
Again and again, Pentecost breaks open closed doors, dismantles fear, and builds bridges between strangers. The Holy Spirit creates a community where people from every language, nation, and background are welcomed together in Christ.
Before Pentecost, the disciples gathered in fear behind closed doors. After Pentecost, the church became an open community filled with courage, joy, and hope.
This is God’s theater of operation — where anyone and everyone can receive a new heart.