A Life Worth Living
Faith Unfiltered
A Life Worth Living | Jeremiah 15:15–21 & Philippians 1:1–11, 27–30 What keeps us grounded when life feels uncertain? In this sermon, Rev. Dr. Lewis Galloway reflects on Paul's letter to the Philippians and the prophet Jeremiah, exploring what it means to live a life rooted in faith, strengthened by community, and worthy of the gospel. Along the way, Lewis introduces a striking idea: that we can suffer from a kind of spiritual amnesia—forgetting who we are, where we've come from, and the God who has remained faithful through every season. Drawing on stories from everyday life, the...
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What Belongs to God
Faith Unfiltered
What Belongs to God | Genesis 1:26–27 & Matthew 22:15–22 What if Jesus' famous words about Caesar and the coin are really about us? In this sermon, Rev. Anna Dickson explores one of Jesus' most well-known teachings through the lens of Genesis, where we learn that every person is created in the image of God. When Jesus asks whose image appears on a Roman coin, he invites his listeners to think beyond taxes and politics. If the coin bears Caesar's image and belongs to Caesar, what about those who bear God's image? This message is a reminder that our deepest identity is not found in what...
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The Shape of Freedom
Faith Unfiltered
The Shape of Freedom | Proverbs 3:3–8 & Galatians 5:1, 13–26 What does it really mean to be free? In this sermon, Rev. Dr. Lewis Galloway reflects on Paul's letter to the Galatians and the surprising truth that Christian freedom is not the absence of responsibility but the freedom to become the people God created us to be. Through stories of everyday faithfulness, reflections on the Fruit of the Spirit, and the wisdom of Proverbs, Lewis explores the difference between a life driven by self-interest and a life shaped by God's Spirit. Too often, we think of freedom as the ability to do...
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God's Big Idea
Faith Unfiltered
God's Big Idea | Genesis 12:1–4 & Galatians 3:19–4:7 What if God's vision for the world is bigger than we imagine? In this sermon, Rev. Dr. Lewis Galloway explores the promise God made to Abraham and Sarah, the freedom Christ offers through grace, and the remarkable invitation to become part of God's family. From the very beginning, God's purpose was never limited to one people or one place. Through Abraham and Sarah, God promised a blessing that would extend to all the families of the earth. Generations later, Paul reminds us that in Christ we are no longer separated by status,...
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A Faith That Lives In You
Faith Unfiltered
A Faith That Lives in You | 2 Timothy 1:1–7 In this special installation service sermon, Rev. Dr. Millie Snyder reflects on Paul's words to Timothy and the faith that was nurtured in him through family, community, and the care of those who walked alongside him. Whether we inherit faith from those who came before us or discover it later in life, this message reminds us that faith is rarely formed alone. It grows through relationships, belonging, encouragement, mentorship, and the steady presence of people who help us recognize God's work in our lives. Drawing on memories of Sunday School...
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Tax Collectors and Sinners
Faith Unfiltered
Tax Collectors and Sinners | Matthew 9:9–13 In this sermon, Rev. Lucy Baum reflects on one of the most surprising moments in Jesus’ ministry: the calling of Matthew the tax collector. When Jesus invites Matthew to become one of his disciples and then shares a meal with tax collectors and sinners, those around him are scandalized. Why would a teacher who speaks about the righteousness of God choose to spend time with people who seem so clearly in the wrong? As the story unfolds, we discover that Jesus is asking a deeper question than we might expect—not simply who belongs, but what mercy...
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What Do We Mean by “Apocalypse”?
Faith Unfiltered
Why are we so fascinated by the end of the world? In this Moment with a Minister, Rev. Rob Spach reflects on apocalyptic thinking, the stories we tell about the future, and how faith can help us move from fear toward wonder, hope, and deeper trust. Here's Rev. Rob.
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The One and the Many
Faith Unfiltered
The One and the Many | Ephesians 4:1–7, 11–16 & John 17:1–11 In this Trinity Sunday sermon, Rev. Dr. Lewis Galloway reflects on one of Jesus’ final prayers for the church: that his followers “may be one.” Drawing from Ephesians 4 and John 17, this message explores the mystery of Christian unity and the work of the Holy Spirit in bringing diverse people together as one body in Christ. Using images of Earth seen from space, stories from history, and reflections on contemporary culture, Rev. Galloway invites us to consider the difference between unity and uniformity. Christian...
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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...
info_outlineReborn 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 don’t. And yet, this story reminds us that Christ is still with us—teaching, nourishing, and walking beside us, even when we are unaware.
Through story, humor, and honest reflection, we are invited to see that faith is often sustained in community, in shared memory, and in the simple act of continuing forward together.
This is Easter faith—not only in moments of celebration, but in ordinary time.
Preached at First Presbyterian Church of Charlotte on April 19, 2026.