Spiritual Legacy - Rev. Vicki Harrison with Miriam Swanson
New Hope Tampa Bay Sunday Sermon Podcast
Release Date: 05/06/2025
New Hope Tampa Bay Sunday Sermon Podcast
This week we begin our new series Use Me: Beauty in the Broken with a powerful message about the disciple Simon Peter. Pastor Roberto reminds us that God doesn’t wait for us to be perfect before calling us—He meets us in our mess and shapes us into vessels for His mission. Peter’s story is deeply human. A fisherman turned apostle, he was impulsive, passionate, courageous, and flawed. He walked on water and then sank in doubt. He declared loyalty to Jesus, then denied Him. But through grace, repentance, and restoration, Peter grew into a steadfast leader of the early church. This message...
info_outlineNew Hope Tampa Bay Sunday Sermon Podcast
This week’s message dives deep into the reality of encountering the Holy Spirit—not just as a comforting presence, but as a God who challenges, equips, and sends. Dr. David Wilkinson, who holds doctorates in both physics and theology, brings a unique lens to Pentecost and the person of the Holy Spirit. With warmth, wisdom, and global perspective, he explores how the Spirit is not merely an abstract idea or a reserved experience for the ultra-spiritual, but the personal presence of God with us—here and now. In his message, Dr. Wilkinson makes four key observations: Encountering the Holy...
info_outlineNew Hope Tampa Bay Sunday Sermon Podcast
The Holy Spirit is not a reward for spiritual elites—it is a gift promised by Jesus the moment we believe. This week, Pastor Vicki teaches from Ephesians 1 and John 16, focusing on what it means to be sealed by the Holy Spirit. A seal represents ownership, protection, and permanence. When we say yes to Jesus, the Spirit marks our lives, offering assurance, conviction, guidance, and power. This message invites listeners to reflect: Where are you in your understanding and experience of the Holy Spirit? Are you skeptical, uncertain, or longing for more? The Spirit isn't meant to be a mystery we...
info_outlineNew Hope Tampa Bay Sunday Sermon Podcast
What do fire and the Holy Spirit have in common? In this Pentecost message, Pastor Roberto explores how fire—something humans never invented but simply discovered—mirrors the arrival of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2. As the apostles gathered, they were filled with the Spirit, and tongues of fire appeared above them. It was the spark that ignited a movement. Just as fire was the foundation of civilization, the Spirit is the foundation of the Church. Fire brings energy, motion, and creativity. Pentecost wasn’t a revival moment—it was a birth moment. Pastor Roberto invites us to ask:Are we...
info_outlineNew Hope Tampa Bay Sunday Sermon Podcast
What Are You Waiting For? This week’s message focuses on the meaning and significance of baptism, through the lens of Acts 22:6–16—Paul’s account of his transformation and baptism. Pastor Vicki begins by asking a personal question: What has been your experience with baptism? In Scripture, baptism is a powerful and public response to the saving work of Jesus—a visible expression of new life and a covenant made with God. Across multiple passages (Acts 2, 8, 16, and 22), we see a consistent pattern: when people meet Jesus, they respond with immediate, wholehearted obedience. Baptism is...
info_outlineNew Hope Tampa Bay Sunday Sermon Podcast
This week’s message centers around a vital question for the church family: Are we intentionally leaving a legacy that honors God and makes a lasting spiritual imprint on the next generation? Pastor Vicki opens with Deuteronomy 6:4-9, reminding us that forming a spiritual legacy is a sacred calling: loving God with all our heart, soul, and strength—and passing that love down to our children in our daily rhythms. She also highlights Deuteronomy 4:9, which challenges us to be mindful not to forget what we’ve seen God do—and to intentionally teach it to our children and grandchildren. The...
info_outlineNew Hope Tampa Bay Sunday Sermon Podcast
Faith That Leaves a Legacy: Passing The Baton Graduation Sunday at New Hope is always something special—and this year is no exception. We celebrate not just academic accomplishments, but the faith journeys of our students and the spiritual impact of their families, mentors, and the church community that have walked with them every step of the way. High school senior Brindley Rhodes kicked off our message by sharing her testimony of transformation, how her individual faith matured into shared community after years of praying for meaningful connections. She reminded us that we are not just...
info_outlineNew Hope Tampa Bay Sunday Sermon Podcast
In this heartfelt Mother’s Day message, Pastor Betty Bricker explores the spiritual legacy of motherhood—both biological and spiritual—through the story of the mother of James and John in Matthew 20:20-23. Known as the "sons of thunder," these disciples had a bold and passionate mother who approached Jesus with an audacious request: that her sons sit at His right and left in His kingdom. While the request may seem brash, Pastor Betty encourages us to look deeper. This mother’s actions reveal a powerful truth: she prayed for her sons to be part of God’s kingdom and to have an active...
info_outlineNew Hope Tampa Bay Sunday Sermon Podcast
Scripture: Deuteronomy 6:4–9, Deuteronomy 4:9, Mark 10:13–16 Pastor Vicki Harrison opens our new series, Faith That Leaves a Legacy, with a powerful message on what it means to pass on our faith to the next generation. She challenges us to think beyond material inheritance and instead consider the spiritual mark we leave on our children, our church, and our community. Drawing from Deuteronomy, Pastor Vicki reminds us that God calls His people to impress His commands on their children—not casually or occasionally, but as part of daily life. In Mark’s Gospel, we see Jesus welcome and...
info_outlineNew Hope Tampa Bay Sunday Sermon Podcast
This week at New Hope, Pastor Vicki challenges us with one of the most crucial questions of all: what does it really mean to follow Jesus? We explore Mark 8:31-38, where Jesus openly shares that following Him means more than simply believing — it means denying ourselves, picking up our cross, and giving Him full authority over our lives. It’s not the comfortable road many of us might imagine. Jesus doesn't promise an easy life, but a true life — one that goes against the grain of self-centeredness, pride, and worldly values. Pastor Vicki reminds us that sometimes we’re tempted to...
info_outlineScripture: Deuteronomy 6:4–9, Deuteronomy 4:9, Mark 10:13–16
Pastor Vicki Harrison opens our new series, Faith That Leaves a Legacy, with a powerful message on what it means to pass on our faith to the next generation. She challenges us to think beyond material inheritance and instead consider the spiritual mark we leave on our children, our church, and our community.
Drawing from Deuteronomy, Pastor Vicki reminds us that God calls His people to impress His commands on their children—not casually or occasionally, but as part of daily life. In Mark’s Gospel, we see Jesus welcome and bless children, making it clear that they matter in the Kingdom of God.
The message features a video interview with Miriam Swanson, Global Student Mission Leader and Director of Fusion USA. Miriam shares insight on what young adults today are longing for: not perfect programs, but people. Real connection. Authentic love. Presence over performance.
Pastor Vicki reflects on the church’s responsibility to walk alongside young people. She shares personal stories, including how difficult it was for her own children to find churches that welcomed them during college. Her reminder is clear: one person showing up can make all the difference.
This week’s takeaway: the next generation doesn’t need another polished event—they need someone who cares. Leaving a spiritual legacy starts with showing up, speaking life, and living the Gospel with humility and love.
Discussion Questions
-
What is the role of the church for the next generation?
-
What are some practical steps you can take to reach youth and young adults?
-
What are some challenges the church faces as we seek to reach the next generation?
-
What does it mean that presence is more important than programming? How did Jesus exemplify this?
-
What might we need to let go of in order to reach both the lost and the next generation for Jesus?