Ann Arbor Community Church Sermon Podcast
Ann Arbor Community Church is a multi-ethnic, multi-generational Christian community rooted in a centered-set approach to faith. We blend the vibrant faith of the historic Christian creeds with a thoughtful, engaged response to today’s culture. Whether you are filled with faith, full of questions, or somewhere in between, you belong here. https://a2communitychurch.org
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Spiritual Transformation: Simplification
09/08/2025
Spiritual Transformation: Simplification
Spiritual Formation: Simplification – Rev. Donnell T. Wyche - . Like us on or watch our livestream Sundays @ 11:00am - Summary: In this sermon, Pastor Donnell Wyche continues the church’s series on spiritual transformation by focusing on the practice of simplicity. At first glance, simplification seems straightforward—declutter, pare down, and reduce. But Pastor Donnell shows how true simplicity is one of the most difficult spiritual disciplines, because it directly confronts our fears, our desires, and our habits. Drawing from research on the modern American family and everyday examples, he highlights how our possessions weigh us down with hidden costs of time, energy, and anxiety—often leaving us more trapped than free. Through personal stories, including his own struggle with replacing an old car, Pastor Donnell illustrates how possessions can begin to own us rather than the other way around. He challenges listeners to examine their attachments—whether to cars, homes, clothes, technology, or even comfort—and recognize how easily these attachments drift into greed. Scripture reminds us that God has provided enough for all, but not enough for our greed. At the heart of simplicity lies the question: can we trust God with our lives, our security, and our meaning, instead of clinging to things that can never fully satisfy? Pastor Donnell also exposes how cultural forces—what he names “empire”—disciple us into consumption and dissatisfaction, teaching us that happiness comes through acquiring more. By contrast, Jesus calls us to seek first God’s kingdom and to live with contentment in God’s care. Practicing simplicity is not just about reducing possessions but cultivating an inner freedom and detachment that allows us to resist empire, make room for God, and experience the life of joy, peace, and trust that Christ offers.
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Spiritual Formation: Spiritual Friendships
09/01/2025
Spiritual Formation: Spiritual Friendships
Spiritual Formation: Spiritual Friendships – Pastor Hannah Witte - . Like us on or watch our livestream Sundays @ 11:00am - Summary: This week, Pastor Hannah Witte continued our series on Spiritual Transformation by exploring the gift and calling of spiritual friendships. Drawing from Scripture, she reminded us that God created us not only to walk with Him, but also to walk with each other. Over sixty times in the New Testament, believers are exhorted to “one another”—to love, encourage, confess, pray, and bear one another’s burdens. Spiritual friendships are not optional extras, but essential companions on the journey of becoming more like Jesus. Using the image of snap peas growing together in a garden, Pastor Hannah illustrated how our lives, like those plants, are meant to intertwine—supporting one another and bearing fruit together. Spiritual friendships take time, intentionality, and vulnerability, but they are worth the investment and the risk. Even when friendships are hard, Jesus modeled intimacy and commitment by calling His disciples not servants, but friends. If Jesus valued and risked friendship, so should we. Instead of just talking about friendship, Pastor Hannah invited the congregation to practice it. Groups gathered to read John 15:9–17 together and reflect on the good news of Jesus’ words. In a world marked by loneliness, suffering, and weariness, this was a moment to share, listen, and be reminded that the gospel offers hope, belonging, and strength for the journey.
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Spiritual Formation: Sabbath
08/25/2025
Spiritual Formation: Sabbath
Spiritual Formation: Sabbath - Pastor Hannah Witte - . Like us on or watch our livestream Sundays @ 11:00am - Summary: Pastor Hannah continued our Spiritual Transformation series by teaching on Sabbath as God’s generous gift of rest, joy, and worship. Framing Sabbath through Exodus 20:8–11, she emphasized that “holy” means set apart for a special purpose—and that time itself is the first thing called holy in Scripture (Genesis 2:3). Sabbath (from Shabbat) invites us to stop, rest, delight, and enjoy God, not as a legal burden but as wisdom that forms us into a people who live differently in a hurried world. She highlighted the biblical justice woven into Sabbath: everyone is included in God’s rest—children, workers, immigrants, even animals. Using a chiastic reading of Exodus 20, Pastor Hannah showed how the command centers on extending rest beyond ourselves so no one’s Sabbath comes at another’s expense. An on-stage conversation illustrated the longing and challenge many feel for real, regular rest—and the hope of sharing it widely. Pastor Hannah closed with practical guidance for beginning Sabbath at a humane pace: start small (a few hours or a morning), practice with others for accountability, plan lightly around the four filters (stop, rest, delight, enjoy God), and hold the practice with grace. Transformation costs more than insight, she noted, but Sabbath reorders our lives toward freedom, joy, and generosity—forming us into a community that both receives and extends God’s rest.
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Spiritual Formation: Confession and the Practice of Truth
08/18/2025
Spiritual Formation: Confession and the Practice of Truth
Spiritual Formation: Confession and the Practice of Truth - Jonathan Hurshman - . Like us on or watch our livestream Sundays @ 11:00am - Summary: In this week’s message, Jonathan Hurshman continued our series on spiritual formation by exploring the practice of self-examination and confession. Drawing from 1 John 1:5–10, he reminded us that spiritual disciplines are not ends in themselves but training that prepares us for life in God’s kingdom. Just as scales prepare a musician or physical training equips a hiker, confession opens us to the transforming work of the Spirit not as a mere transaction for forgiveness, but as a way of walking in light and truth with God and one another. Jonathan showed how confession is about “saying the same thing” as God agreeing with the truth of who we are, both in our brokenness and in our belovedness. He contrasted cultural distortions of truth, whether ignoring, weaponizing, or redefining it with the biblical call to authenticity before God. Confession, then, becomes a practice of freedom: it strips away pretense, unmasks the false self, and creates space for healing and growth in Christ. And when shared in trusted community, confession not only releases shame but also allows us to receive God’s forgiveness through the words of another believer. The sermon closed with practical invitations into this rhythm of truth-telling: breath prayers like “Search me, O God,” the Anglican prayer of confession, the daily examen, and courageous honesty when tempted to hide. As we practice self-examination and confession, we are trained to embrace the truth rather than fear it, to live as our real selves before God, and to become a community marked by mercy, honesty, and grace.
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Spiritual Formation: Scripture
08/11/2025
Spiritual Formation: Scripture
Spiritual Formation: Scripture – Hebrews 4:12 - Martha Balmer - . Like us on or watch our livestream Sundays @ 11:00am - Summary: In this second sermon of our Spiritual Formation series, Martha Balmer explores how Scripture can serve as a “structure” in our lives that enables the Holy Spirit’s transforming work. Building on Pastor Hannah’s message about surrender, Martha reminds us that transformation is ultimately about union with God—moving from separation to deep intimacy with Him. This is not merely about fixing what is broken, but about responding to God’s longing for us and allowing His presence to reshape us. Scripture, she explains, is not static words on a page; by the Spirit, it becomes living and active, drawing us into God’s story and shaping us from within. Martha weaves her own journey with Scripture into the message—from memorizing the 23rd Psalm at her grandmother’s knee, to seasons of disciplined daily reading, to times of spiritual dryness when group Bible study sustained her. She notes that simply reading builds familiarity, while deeper study provides discernment tools, but that both can lose vitality without prayerful engagement. True spiritual formation through Scripture, she says, comes when we approach it as a conversation with God, allowing Him to speak personally into our lives. She introduces two historic practices—Lectio Divina and imaginative meditation—as ways to read slowly, notice what stirs in us, respond to God, and rest in His presence. Through practical teaching, Martha explains how Lectio Divina’s four movements (read, reflect, respond, rest) and imaginative meditation’s sensory-rich engagement with biblical narratives can open us to God’s voice in fresh ways. Both methods require slowing down, noticing our assumptions, and trusting that the Spirit will meet us in the text. She encourages us to keep reading and studying Scripture, but to also adopt these prayerful approaches as “structures” that help us say yes to the Spirit’s work—positioning us, like the caterpillar in its chrysalis, for the kind of transformation only God can bring.
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Spiritual Formation: Paying Attention
08/04/2025
Spiritual Formation: Paying Attention
Spiritual Formation: Paying Attention – Romans 12 - Pastor Hannah Witte - . Like us on or watch our livestream Sundays @ 10:45am - Summary: In her first sermon as a pastor at Ann Arbor Community Church, Pastor Hannah Witte introduced herself with warmth, humor, and a powerful testimony of God’s transformative grace in her own life. She shared her journey from a non-religious upbringing in Columbus, Ohio to a life devoted to Christ, sparked by an invitation to a youth group and a deep encounter with God’s love. Framing her heart for ministry, she emphasized a longing to see all people recognize their belovedness, to participate in renewal in Ann Arbor, and to co-create a diverse, Spirit-empowered church. Rooted in Romans 12, Hannah invited the congregation to consider what it means to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. Using vivid metaphors—a smiling God delighting in our spiritual growth and the metamorphosis of a caterpillar into a butterfly—she challenged listeners to examine the rhythms shaping their lives. Transformation, she said, is not a matter of self-improvement but surrender, and the Spirit does the deep work as we create space through spiritual practices. As the church enters a month focused on spiritual formation, Pastor Hannah laid the foundation for a series exploring four time-tested practices: self-examination, scripture meditation, Sabbath, and solitude. Rather than being conformed to the world around us, we are invited to arrange our lives—like a cocoon—for the Spirit’s renewing work, becoming the people God created us to be. With honesty and hope, Pastor Hannah encouraged the community to pay attention and open themselves to God’s loving transformation.
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God at Work: When Justice Demands More
07/28/2025
God at Work: When Justice Demands More
God at Work: When Justice Demands More – Amos 5 - Rev. Donnell T. Wyche - . Like us on or watch our livestream Sundays @ 10:45am - Summary: In this final sermon of the God at Work in an Unstable World series, Pastor Donnell Wyche unpacks the powerful words of the prophet Amos, challenging listeners to reimagine justice not as courtroom judgment but as the flourishing of God’s creation. Drawing from Amos 5 and other prophetic voices, Pastor Donnell explains that God rejects worship when it is divorced from justice. Instead, true devotion flows from our participation in God’s passion for the marginalized, the oppressed, and the poor. Justice, in this vision, is not a religious add-on—it is the very heart of covenant faithfulness. Pastor Donnell urges the congregation to replace inherited notions of justice as punishment with a biblical view of justice as gardening—tending creation so that life can flourish. He reminds us that justice is about proximity, mutual care, and restoration. Whether it’s standing with someone in pain, cultivating dignity in our relationships, or transforming public systems with wisdom and love, we are called to be co-laborers in God’s garden. The sermon closes with a practical framework: immediate justice in our families and workplaces, proximate justice with our neighbors, and civic justice in the broader world. Rather than something reserved for the heroic few, justice is shown to be a daily, Spirit-led act of tending God’s creation—an essential, life-giving calling for every follower of Jesus.
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God at Work: When Hope Defies the Darkness
07/21/2025
God at Work: When Hope Defies the Darkness
God at Work: When Hope Defies the Darkness - Daniel 1 - Rev. Donnell T. Wyche - . Like us on or watch our livestream Sundays @ 10:45am - Summary: In this sermon, Pastor Donnell explores the power of hope in the face of despair, drawing from the story of Daniel’s exile in Babylon. He opens by acknowledging the pressure many of us feel—externally from our world and internally from fear, anxiety, and the urge to numb ourselves. While these responses may seem natural, Pastor Donnell argues they are ultimately unsustainable. What we truly need, he says, is hope: a deep, soul-anchoring confidence that God is still at work, even in the midst of instability. Daniel’s story is presented as a model for living with hope in an unstable world. Despite being stripped of his land, language, name, and freedom, Daniel refuses to assimilate or disappear. Instead, he chooses faithfulness, trusting that God is present even in Babylon. Pastor Donnell draws out Daniel’s quiet resistance: his refusal to eat royal food, his steadfast prayer life, and his unshaken identity. In doing so, Daniel becomes a witness to God’s power, even converting the hearts of kings through his hopeful trust in God’s presence and justice. Pastor Donnell concludes by reminding us that hope is not weakness—it’s a spiritual superpower. Like Daniel, we are called to bear witness in dark places, to resist despair, and to persevere in love and faith. He draws a powerful parallel between Daniel and Jesus, both unjustly sentenced, both placed in sealed tombs, both emerging alive by the power of God. With this, Pastor Donnell urges listeners: if you feel overwhelmed, abandoned, or like giving up, keep hope alive. In an unstable world, hope is how we endure, resist, and remain faithful.
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God at Work: When Faith Confronts a Broken System
07/14/2025
God at Work: When Faith Confronts a Broken System
God at Work: When Faith Confronts a Broken System – Rev. Donnell T. Wyche - . Like us on or watch our livestream Sundays @ 10:45am - Summary: In this powerful sermon, Pastor Donnell Wyche reflects on Jesus’ critique of the religious system in Mark 12 and the widow who gives all she has. Pastor Donnell challenges the common interpretation of this passage as merely a lesson in sacrificial giving and instead invites listeners to see the widow as a signpost of deep, radical trust in God. While Jesus condemns the corruption of the temple system, he lifts up the widow’s faith—not as a command to imitate her giving, but as an invitation to trust God with the same abandon and freedom. Her generosity is both a spiritual act and a quiet rebuke of the transactional, empty religion surrounding her. Throughout the sermon, Pastor Donnell weaves together biblical critique and personal reflection, reminding the congregation that God is not an idol to be bargained with but a living presence who desires relationship. He emphasizes that true faith is not rooted in performance but in love—a love that responds to need not because of expected return, but because of alignment with God’s heart. The widow’s act of giving everything she has is only possible because she believes someone (God) will care for her—and that kind of trust is freeing. Finally, Pastor Donnell calls the church to embody this faith through presence, generosity, and justice. Whether speaking up against broken systems or quietly buying groceries for a stranger, he urges each person to align their heart with God’s—ready to respond when the Spirit prompts. The sermon ends with a pastoral reminder: people don’t always need our solutions—they need our presence. And in a world marked by isolation and scarcity, faith like the widow’s shows us how to live with open hands and a heart shaped by God’s justice and love.
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God at Work: The Practice of Compassion in an Unstable World
07/07/2025
God at Work: The Practice of Compassion in an Unstable World
God at Work: The Practice of Compassion in an Unstable World – Rev. Donnell T. Wyche - . Like us on or watch our livestream Sundays @ 10:45am - Summary: In this fourth sermon in the God at Work series, Pastor Donnell Wyche explores Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–37) as a call to radical compassion in an unstable world. The message begins with a question posed to Jesus by an expert in the law: “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” Rather than answering directly, Jesus draws the man into a deeper conversation about love, mercy, and what it truly means to live. Pastor Donnell explains how Jesus resists the logic of empire—where worth is earned and compassion is conditional—and instead presents a vision of God as a generous, sufficient, and loving Father who desires mercy, not sacrifice. Pastor Donnell highlights that Jesus shifts the conversation away from legalism and boundary-setting by telling a better story—a story that bypasses arguments and invites transformation. The Samaritan’s compassion, not his credentials, is the turning point in Jesus’ parable. The priest and the Levite preserve religious appearance, but the Samaritan, moved by compassion, takes costly action. Pastor Donnell emphasizes that the original question “Who is my neighbor?” is left unanswered by Jesus because it’s the wrong question. The better question is, “Will I allow myself to be moved by compassion?”—a question that requires not theological certainty but a heart formed by God’s love. Bringing the message into the present, Pastor Donnell connects the call to compassion to real-life challenges facing communities today, including Ann Arbor’s land use debates. He reflects on how compassion invites us to see others not as threats or obstacles, but as neighbors who belong. Pastor Donnell encourages listeners to resist the impulse to restrict mercy and instead practice a compassionate presence rooted in God’s grace. In a world that asks us to draw boundaries, Jesus asks us to open our hearts and join our spirits with God’s—to love boldly, generously, and without condition.
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God at Work: The Practice of Mercy in an Unstable World
06/30/2025
God at Work: The Practice of Mercy in an Unstable World
God at Work: The Practice of Mercy in an Unstable World – Rev. Donnell T. Wyche - . Like us on or watch our livestream Sundays @ 10:45am - Summary: In this third installment of the God at Work series, Pastor Donnell Wyche explores what God desires from us amid the uncertainty and instability of the world. Drawing from Hosea 6:6—“For I desire mercy, not sacrifice”—Pastor Donnell reframes our assumptions about pleasing God. Rather than asking for performance, ritual, or religious effort, God calls us to embody mercy. This mercy is not just a feeling, but a relational, transformative force that reorients us toward God and each other, even in the face of evil and injustice. Pastor Donnell emphasizes that, in Scripture, God doesn’t provide neat answers to the problem of evil, but instead offers witness and invitation—inviting us to respond mercifully in a broken world. Pastor Donnell illustrates that mercy isn’t abstract or reserved for grand gestures—it starts in everyday relationships and small, personal decisions. Whether it’s in how we speak to our family members, interact with neighbors, or respond to strangers, mercy is a discipline of love. He offers compelling personal examples, including his role in organizing a local “Warrant Resolution Day” to help people clear court debts and restore freedom. Through this story, he shows how mercy can take tangible form in systems and communities, not just individual interactions. In contrast to transactional religion, Pastor Donnell invites the congregation to participate in a faith rooted in God’s character—one that prioritizes compassion over control. Closing the sermon, Pastor Donnell brings it home with a challenge: where are you being invited to practice mercy? Whether in a crowded Costco checkout line or a tense neighborhood meeting, each situation is a chance to choose relationship over reaction. Echoing the prophets and Jesus himself, Pastor Donnell reminds us that faithful worship without mercy is hollow. The way forward is not through louder prayers or deeper sacrifices, but through the often quiet, often inconvenient practice of loving mercy—especially when it’s hardest to do.
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God at Work: The Practice of Peace in an Unstable World
06/23/2025
God at Work: The Practice of Peace in an Unstable World
God at Work: The Practice of Peace in an Unstable World - Rev. Donnell T. Wyche - . Like us on or watch our livestream Sundays @ 10:45am - Summary: In this powerful sermon, Pastor Donnell Wyche invites the community to consider what it means to be a peacemaker in a world marked by instability, injustice, and unpredictability. Rooted in Romans 12:18—“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone”—the message challenges simplistic or false notions of peace. Pastor Donnell reminds us that real peace is not about avoidance, politeness, or keeping quiet; it is an active, justice-rooted, and costly way of living that reflects God’s heart for wholeness and dignity. Drawing on both scripture and lived experience, Pastor Donnell explores how peace requires posture, participation, and power-awareness. He names the pain of being misunderstood, dismissed, or gaslit, and affirms that some people or systems may not want peace at all. Even so, Christians are called to be people of peace, not doormats. Peace, he emphasizes, should never come at the expense of truth or dignity, and peacemaking may require letting go, speaking up, or even walking away from harmful situations. The sermon closes with practical wisdom for living peaceably: stay grounded in God’s story, find beauty and stillness, engage scripture deeply, and lean into community. Even when efforts at peace seem to fail, God is present in the trying, the awkwardness, and the tears. God is at work in us and through us—right in the messy, faithful practice of peacemaking.
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God at Work: When the World Feels Like It’s Falling Apart
06/16/2025
God at Work: When the World Feels Like It’s Falling Apart
God at Work: When the World Feels Like It’s Falling Apart - Rev. Donnell T. Wyche - . Like us on or watch our livestream Sundays @ 10:45am - Summary: In this first message of a new sermon series, Pastor Donnell Wyche invites us to wrestle with one of the most urgent questions of our time: Where is God in a world that feels like it’s falling apart? In light of recent violence and tragedies, Pastor Donnell names what many of us feel—fear, anger, helplessness, and confusion—and draws us into the biblical tradition of asking hard questions. The people of God have long cried out, “How long, O Lord?” and “Where are you?” Pastor Donnell reminds us that these questions aren’t signs of weak faith; rather, they are faithful expressions of grief, longing, and hope. Drawing on scripture—from Genesis to Psalms to the prophets—Pastor Donnell highlights a consistent truth: God hears the cries of the oppressed. God is not distant or indifferent. In fact, the biblical witness reveals a God who is deeply invested in humanity, who suffers alongside us, and who calls us to act with justice, mercy, and humility. While we may not always understand God’s timing or ways, scripture and the lived experience of the faithful tell a story of a God who cares and who invites us to co-labor in the work of healing and justice. As the sermon closes, Pastor Donnell offers four practical invitations: to act courageously in small, just ways; to create contemplative space to be with God; to learn by immersing ourselves in scripture that shapes our moral imagination; and to commit to community, walking with others in faith. When the world is unstable, these practices anchor us in God’s presence and call. Even in the darkness, we are not alone. God is near, and God is at work.
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Pentecost: Every Breath a Prayer
06/09/2025
Pentecost: Every Breath a Prayer
Pentecost: Every Breath a Prayer - Rev. Donnell T. Wyche - . Like us on or watch our livestream Sundays @ 10:45am - Summary: On this Pentecost Sunday, Pastor Donnell Wyche invited the congregation to reflect on the nearness of God through the simple, sacred act of breathing. Drawing from Acts 2 and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, he reminded us that the miracle of Pentecost isn’t found in fire or wind or tongues, but in the radical truth that God’s Spirit has been poured out on all flesh. Every breath we take, Pastor Donnell suggested, might be a prayer—an unspoken whisper of God’s name—linking us to the divine presence that animates all of creation. Pastor Donnell explored the spiritual meaning of breath through scripture, Hebrew language, and human experience. He pointed out that the same word for “spirit” is also the word for “breath,” and that in our joy, fear, and weariness, breath reflects the state of our souls. Drawing from Psalms, Romans, and Thessalonians, he offered a vision of sanctification not as rigid moralism but as the Spirit gently cleansing what no longer belongs in us—inviting us to breathe in God’s love and breathe out what holds us back. The sermon challenged us to see ourselves as beloved vessels of divine breath: fragile, yet filled with glory and honor. In a closing, embodied invitation, the congregation was led through a three-minute breathing exercise—placing hands on their bodies, focusing on the breath, and receiving a prayerful blessing. Pastor Donnell reminded us that Pentecost is more than an event—it’s a way of life, where every breath becomes a prayer, every inhale a reminder of God’s nearness, and every exhale a release of anxiety, bitterness, or fear. In this sacred rhythm, we remember who we are: chosen, holy, and deeply loved.
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Colossians: The People of God in the Age of Empire - Christ in You, the Hope of Glory
06/02/2025
Colossians: The People of God in the Age of Empire - Christ in You, the Hope of Glory
Colossians: The People of God in the Age of Empire – Christ in You, the Hope of Glory - Rev. Donnell T. Wyche - . Like us on or watch our livestream Sundays @ 10:45am - Summary: In the final installment of our Colossians series, Pastor Donnell explores Paul’s powerful counter-vision to life under empire. Rather than simply critiquing systems of domination, Paul offers a transformative alternative rooted in the sufficiency of Christ. In empire, worth is earned through control, consumption, and coercion. But in Christ, worth is freely given, and we are invited to live as new people—formed not by fear or hierarchy but by resurrection hope. As Pastor Donnell reminds us, every act of forgiveness, generosity, and love becomes a quiet rebellion against the logic of empire. The sermon returns to Paul’s opening prayer in Colossians 1, highlighting that before offering instruction or correction, Paul begins with intercession—thanking God for the faith, love, and hope already alive in the church. Even from prison, Paul remains hopeful, convinced that the gospel is on the move, bearing fruit across the world. Pastor Donnell draws this into our own lives, reminding us that the kingdom of God advances not through domination but through ordinary believers practicing resurrection by living with courage, kindness, and open-handed faith. The message ends with a practical invitation: live like Christ dwells within you. Intercede for others not out of performance, but from a Spirit-empowered hope that transforms both the one who prays and the one who is prayed for. Resurrection isn’t just a belief—it’s a way of life. And each time we affirm someone’s dignity, offer compassion, or act with courage, we become part of God’s unfolding story of glory in the midst of empire.
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Colossians: The People of God in the Age of Empire - Persevering In Prayer
05/26/2025
Colossians: The People of God in the Age of Empire - Persevering In Prayer
Colossians: The People of God in the Age of Empire – Persevering In Prayer (Colossians 4:2-6) - Pastor Hannah Witte - . Like us on or watch our livestream Sundays @ 10:45am - Summary: In this heartfelt and deeply personal sermon, Pastor Hannah Witte invites the congregation into a counter-cultural life rooted in prayer, gratitude, and spiritual attentiveness. Drawing from Colossians 4:2–6, she reflects on the Apostle Paul’s exhortation to persevere in prayer as a way of resisting the empire—the forces of consumerism, nationalism, fear, and control that seek to dominate our lives. Pastor Hannah begins by sharing her own calling into ministry and the ongoing journey of faith that’s filled with more questions than answers. She reminds us that prayer doesn’t come naturally, but it is the pathway through which God’s dreams are ushered into the world. Pastor Hannah unpacks Paul’s call to “stay awake” in prayer, encouraging us to resist the spiritual sleepiness that keeps us disconnected from God’s presence and purpose. She shares practical ways to cultivate this awareness, including beginning each day with the simple question, “God, what do you want to say to me?” She weaves in personal stories—most poignantly the sudden death of her mother—to show how practicing gratitude in both joy and grief keeps our hearts tender and open to God. Gratitude, she emphasizes, is not a trite response to suffering but a sustaining act of resistance and trust. The sermon closes with a call to embrace God’s expansive dreams for humanity. Pastor Hannah highlights Paul’s own example—even from prison—of praying not for personal comfort but for open doors to proclaim the liberating love of Jesus. She challenges listeners to align their prayers not just with their personal desires but with God’s redemptive hopes for their neighborhoods, relationships, and communities. As we scatter into our lives, we are encouraged to live interruptibly, speak with grace, and embody God’s dreams in everyday encounters—offering a quiet but powerful resistance to the despair of empire.
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Colossians: The People of God in the Age of Empire - Culture-Making
05/19/2025
Colossians: The People of God in the Age of Empire - Culture-Making
Colossians: The People of God in the Age of Empire – Culture-Making (Colossians 3:18–4:1) - Rev. Donnell T. Wyche - . Like us on or watch our livestream Sundays @ 10:45am - Summary: In this sermon, Pastor Donnell Wyche examines one of the most difficult sections of Paul’s letter to the Colossians, where household codes outline relationships between husbands and wives, parents and children, and slaves and masters. Far from affirming hierarchical or oppressive structures, Pastor Donnell argues that Paul is subverting the dominant culture of the Greco-Roman world. By addressing the powerless—wives, children, and enslaved persons—directly, Paul grants them dignity and moral agency. Paul’s command that husbands love their wives and that fathers avoid embittering their children is revolutionary in a culture where power was rarely checked by compassion. In Paul’s view, culture-making begins at home, and households become outposts of the Kingdom when marked by mutuality and cruciform love. Pastor Donnell devotes significant attention to Paul’s instruction to enslaved persons, acknowledging that these verses have been weaponized throughout church history to justify horrific systems of oppression. Pastor Donnell makes it unequivocally clear: God has always been anti-slavery. From Genesis to Revelation, God’s vision is one of abundance, liberation, and human flourishing. Slavery always is anti-human (Genesis 1:26–28), anti-God (Isaiah 58), and anti-Gospel (Luke 4). While Paul does not outright condemn the institution of slavery—which scholars note was foundational to the Greco-Roman economy—Paul plants subversive seeds by calling for equality between slaves and masters, as he later does more explicitly in Philemon. Pastor Donnell laments Paul’s limited prophetic imagination but sees Paul’s writings as part of a kingdom trajectory that invites us to go further in working for liberation and justice in our own context. Finally, Pastor Donnell challenges listeners to resist empire not just in theory, but in practice—beginning at home. The family is often where empire’s patterns of control, fear, and domination take root. But in the Kingdom of God, the home is to be a place of tenderness, security, and love. We resist empire by embodying cruciform love in our relationships—with our spouses, our children, our coworkers, and our neighbors. Through daily acts of compassion and humility, we bear witness to a different way of being—one shaped not by power but by the cross, not by empire but by resurrection.
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Colossians: The People of God in the Age of Empire – Practices of Resistance
05/12/2025
Colossians: The People of God in the Age of Empire – Practices of Resistance
Colossians: The People of God in the Age of Empire – Practices of Resistance (Colossians 3:1–17) - Rev. Donnell T. Wyche - . Like us on or watch our livestream Sundays @ 10:45am - Summary: In this third installment of the Colossians: The People of God in the Age of Empire series, Pastor Donnell Wyche explores Paul’s invitation to live a resurrection-shaped life as resistance to the demands and distortions of empire. After deconstructing the false promises of empire—security, glory, and salvation—Paul turns toward reconstruction, calling the Colossians to embody new life by setting their minds on Christ. Resurrection, Pastor Donnell reminds us, is not metaphorical—it is real, and it invites us into ordinary, grounded practices of love, patience, forgiveness, and peace as signs that Christ is alive and empire is not in control. Pastor Donnell contextualizes Paul’s challenge by naming how empire shapes us with fear, scarcity, and performance-based identity. Drawing from his experience on Ann Arbor’s planning commission, he critiques how exclusion and self-protection still shape our civic life—especially around housing—and how Paul calls us to take off the habits of empire and put on the character of Christ. Resistance, in this sense, isn’t reactive—it’s proactive. It’s not about protest alone, but daily formation: shedding old ways of being and clothing ourselves with compassion, humility, and love. This, he asserts, is what empire cannot imitate. The sermon climaxes with Paul’s powerful reframing of Christian identity: “You are chosen, you are holy, and you are deeply, deeply loved.” Pastor Donnell insists that our actions must flow from this identity—not out of fear, guilt, or striving, but as a response to God’s unshakable love. Resistance looks like parenting with patience, giving freely, refusing cynicism, and holding fast to hope. Every act of mercy, love, and peace is an act of protest against empire’s rule. The invitation is clear: live like resurrection is real—because it is—and let your life be a declaration that Jesus is Lord.
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Colossians: The People of God in the Age of Empire – Naming the Empire
05/05/2025
Colossians: The People of God in the Age of Empire – Naming the Empire
Colossians: The People of God in the Age of Empire – Naming the Empire (Colossians 2:6-15) - Rev. Donnell T. Wyche - . Like us on or watch our livestream Sundays @ 10:45am - Summary: In this powerful and provocative sermon, Pastor Donnell Wyche continues the Colossians: The People of God in the Age of Empire series by exploring Colossians 2:6–15 and what it means to be faithful to Christ in a world shaped by empire. Drawing from Paul’s letter to a fledgling church in Colossae, Donnell frames the passage as a deeply subversive text—one that directly confronts the ideologies, powers, and allegiances of the surrounding Roman empire. For Paul, and for us today, to declare that Christ—not Caesar, not the economy, not nationalism—is Lord, is to resist the false narratives that shape our lives and identities. Pastor Donnell draws sharp connections between Paul’s world and our own, exposing the subtle and not-so-subtle ways empire exerts its influence today—from militarism and economic control to curated media narratives and Christian celebrity culture. He names modern forces—TikTok, Amazon, JPMorgan Chase, Warner Bros, and even popular pastors—not to shame, but to awaken the church to how deeply these forces shape our desires, fears, and theology. “Don’t be taken captive,” Paul warns, and Pastor Donnell echoes that call with urgency, reminding us that resistance starts by rooting ourselves in Christ, not in power, performance, or fear. The sermon crescendos with a bold declaration: Jesus, crucified by empire, disarmed the powers not with violence, but through the cross. Pastor Donnell invites the weary, the skeptical, and the disillusioned to see Jesus clearly—not as a tool of empire, but as the one who triumphs by love, truth, and resurrection. “Empire doesn’t get the last word,” he proclaims, “Jesus does.” The call to the church is clear: Wake up. Resist. Stay rooted in Christ. And when overwhelmed by the noise of the world, pray the simple prayer of resistance: “Jesus, free me from the voices that hold me captive. Root me in you again.”
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Colossians: The People of God in the Age of Empire – The Unco-opted Christ
04/28/2025
Colossians: The People of God in the Age of Empire – The Unco-opted Christ
Colossians: The People of God in the Age of Empire – The Unco-opted Christ (Colossians 1:15-20) - Rev. Donnell T. Wyche - . Like us on or watch our livestream Sundays @ 10:45am - Summary: In this opening message of our new series on Colossians, Pastor Donnell Wyche invites us into a powerful re-centering of our lives around the crucified Christ. Preaching from Colossians 1:15–20, he reminds us that in the midst of empire, cultural pressures, and leadership failures, Paul does not begin with fear or anxiety but with a bold proclamation: Christ is the image of the invisible God, the one who holds all things together. Pastor Donnell challenges us to see worship not as private devotion but as public resistance — an act of allegiance to a kingdom that values humility, peace, and sacrificial love over the power, dominance, and platform of empire. Drawing on rich historical context and vivid contemporary parallels, Pastor Donnell names how empire continues to shape our world through fear, fragmentation, and injustice. Yet in a world that feels unstable and disillusioned, Christ invites us to a different imagination — one rooted not in scarcity but in abundance, not in domination but in reconciliation. He reminds us that Christ’s death was not a defeat but the planting of a seed that bursts into new creation, calling us to participate in God’s ongoing work of healing, resistance, and restoration. Throughout the sermon, Pastor Donnell gently yet boldly calls us to faithful resistance: to make Christ, not empire, the center of our lives; to embody peace, generosity, and mercy in a world hungry for hope; and to trust that even in the ruins, Christ is making all things new. As we contend with grief, fear, and low trust, we are invited to breathe deeply, to anchor ourselves in Christ’s sustaining love, and to live as witnesses to a kingdom that does not co-opt or conquer, but sets us free.
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All Things New: An Invitation to Hope, Restoration, and Life
04/21/2025
All Things New: An Invitation to Hope, Restoration, and Life
All Things New: An Invitation to Hope, Restoration, and Life (John 20) - Rev. Donnell T. Wyche - . Like us on or watch our livestream Sundays @ 10:45am - Summary: In this Easter Sunday sermon, Pastor Donnell Wyche invites the congregation into the heart of the resurrection story—not just as a historical event, but as an unfolding promise. Drawing from John 20, he weaves together the emotional power of personal remembrance, the cosmic implications of Jesus’ resurrection, and the deep yearning we each carry for renewal. The story of Mary at the tomb becomes a powerful symbol of recognition and restoration, where Jesus, mistaken as the gardener, is revealed as the firstborn of a new creation. Pastor Donnell challenges us to see ourselves in this story—to remember who has loved us into being, and to believe that even in our grief, doubt, or despair, God is present and active. Throughout the sermon, he speaks to those who feel abandoned, cynical, or weary—those who have given up on faith, sobriety, relationships, or themselves. Using metaphors like the potter and the clay from Jeremiah 18, Pastor Donnell emphasizes that God does not discard us when we resist or falter. Instead, God reshapes us, breathing new life into what we thought was lost. The resurrection, he reminds us, is not a divine do-over but a bold declaration that nothing is beyond redemption. The promise of Easter is that God is making all things new—not all new things—redeeming rather than replacing. In closing, Pastor Donnell calls each listener to respond: What have you abandoned that God still wants to redeem? Whether your faith feels strong or faint, whether you are hopeful or skeptical, the invitation of Easter is the same—Jesus is alive, and he is still making all things new. That includes you. This sermon is a stirring call to remember, to hope, and to believe that the worst thing is never the last thing when Jesus has the final word.
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Palm Sunday: The Subversive King
04/14/2025
Palm Sunday: The Subversive King
Palm Sunday: The Subversive King – (Mark 11; Matthew 16, 26; Zechariah 9:9) - Rev. Donnell T. Wyche - . Like us on or watch our livestream Sundays @ 10:45am - Summary: In this Palm Sunday message, Pastor Donnell explores the tension between divine hope and human expectation. He contrasts Jesus’ humble entrance into Jerusalem on a donkey with the imperial procession of Pontius Pilate entering from the other side of the city. Drawing from Zechariah 9:9, Donnell invites us to notice how Jesus subverts conventional power—not through violence or domination but through vulnerability and prophetic obedience. Pastor Donnell reflects on how the people gathered for Passover saw Jesus as the fulfillment of their long-held hopes for liberation. Yet as the story unfolds, the crowd’s enthusiasm turns to disillusionment. Jesus doesn’t lead a rebellion against Rome—he cleanses the temple, is betrayed, abandoned, and eventually executed. In that dissonance, Donnell challenges us to consider what happens when our expectations of God don’t match how God actually moves. Do we give up—or do we surrender our expectations to follow Jesus in his way of costly, transformative love? This sermon ends with a sobering invitation: the way of Christ is not triumphalism but surrender. Palm Sunday forces us to sit with a God who enters the world not to dominate, but to die—and in dying, to usher in a new kind of kingdom. Pastor Donnell calls the church to live awake to this reality, to deny ourselves, take up our crosses, and follow Jesus, even when it costs us everything.
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Unfinished: Learning Who Jesus Is—and Isn’t
04/07/2025
Unfinished: Learning Who Jesus Is—and Isn’t
Unfinished: Encountering Jesus, Becoming Disciples – Learning Who Jesus Is-and Isn't - Dan Lewan - . Like us on or watch our livestream Sundays @ 10:45am - Summary: In this powerful and deeply personal sermon, Dan Lewan opens up about a fifteen-year journey exploring the life of Peter, a disciple whose failures, impulsiveness, and transformation make him a compelling leader in the early church. What began as a college observation—that Peter was often wrong—grew into a lifelong fascination with how Jesus patiently shaped Peter through moments of correction and grace. Dan introduces the series by situating Peter’s story in its historical context, tracing Jewish hopes for political liberation through figures like Judas Maccabeus, and showing how those hopes colored Peter’s expectations of Jesus as a Messiah. Dan explores Peter’s journey from a responsible, middle-aged fisherman to a man willing to leave everything to follow Jesus. Through vivid storytelling, he walks us through Peter’s highs—confessing Jesus as the Messiah, witnessing miracles—and his lows—rebuking Jesus, denying him, and facing bitter regret. Dan highlights how Peter struggled to reconcile his own vision of who Jesus should be with who Jesus actually was. Jesus wasn’t a political revolutionary like Judas Maccabeus, but a suffering servant who called Peter not to reign, but to shepherd. The sermon culminates with Peter’s restoration on the beach, where Jesus calls him to love and tend his sheep—not to lead with power, but with humility. Dan draws a clear arc from Peter’s first call to his eventual martyrdom, showing how Jesus patiently dismantled Peter’s false assumptions to prepare him for true Kingdom leadership. Ultimately, Peter’s story is one of surrender—learning who Jesus is not was just as vital as knowing who he is. Dan concludes by reminding us that like Peter, we must lay down our own agendas to embrace the mission of God fully.
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Unfinished: Encountering Jesus, Becoming Disciples: When Faith Gets Interrupted
03/31/2025
Unfinished: Encountering Jesus, Becoming Disciples: When Faith Gets Interrupted
Unfinished: When Faith Gets Interrupted – Acts 10 - Rev. Donnell T. Wyche - . Like us on or watch our livestream Sundays @ 10:45am - Summary: In this week’s message, Pastor Donnell continues the Unfinished series by exploring Acts 10 and the story of Peter and Cornelius. Framing the journey of discipleship as one that continues to unfold, Pastor Donnell reminds us that even Peter, a foundational leader of the church, still had much to learn. The sermon highlights how God disrupted Peter’s expectations through a vision that challenged his deeply held religious assumptions, ultimately preparing him to recognize the work of God in someone he would have considered an outsider. Pastor Donnell draws out four major movements in the Acts 10 narrative: encountering ordinary people with unseen faith, experiencing a discipleship interruption, transforming a shared table into a pulpit, and finally, the unmistakable arrival of the Holy Spirit. The story of Cornelius—a Gentile centurion who was generous, prayerful, and spiritually attuned—underscores a powerful truth: God is already at work in the lives of those we often overlook. Peter’s vision of unclean animals and the Spirit’s directive to “not call unclean what I have made clean” becomes a metaphor for how God redefines belonging and holiness. The sermon culminates in Peter’s surprise as the Holy Spirit falls on Cornelius and his household—a moment that forces him to acknowledge that God’s family is far more inclusive than he had imagined. Pastor Donnell invites the congregation to live with prophetic imagination, to be willing participants in God’s unfolding story, and to extend welcome where we least expect it. His practical encouragement: live as if “maybe, just maybe, God is already at work.”
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Unfinished: Encountering Jesus, Becoming Disciples - Fear to Faith
03/24/2025
Unfinished: Encountering Jesus, Becoming Disciples - Fear to Faith
Unfinished: Encountering Jesus, Becoming Disciples – Fear to Faith – Acts 3 - Rev. Donnell T. Wyche - . Like us on or watch our livestream Sundays @ 10:45am - Summary: In this week’s message, Pastor Donnell Wyche continued our Unfinished sermon series by exploring Peter’s journey from fear to faith through the story in Acts 3. Picking up from last week’s reflection on Peter’s restoration by Jesus, Pastor Donnell highlighted how Peter’s transformation continues as he and John move from hiding to boldly participating in the unfolding kingdom of God. As they head to the temple for prayer—an ordinary act on an ordinary day—they encounter a man asking for money. Peter’s response, “Look at us,” begins a sacred interaction, not just of healing, but of seeing and being seen, rooted in the rhythms of daily faithfulness and the unexpected in-breaking of God’s kingdom. Pastor Donnell emphasized that the miracle isn’t the central point of the story—it’s the movement toward faith that matters. Peter doesn’t know for sure what will happen, but he reaches out anyway. This act of trust, however imperfect, invites the kingdom into reality. The healed man walks, leaps, and praises God, astonishing those around him. Peter seizes the moment to preach, anchoring the miracle in the larger redemptive story of Jesus. This is a new Peter—one no longer dominated by fear, but awake to the kingdom’s presence, testifying boldly to the power of Jesus’ name. His journey reminds us that faith often begins with a step, even when we’re unsure of the outcome. Closing the sermon, Pastor Donnell invited us to embody the same movement from fear to faith. He asked what it might look like to truly see others through Christ’s eyes—to respond with compassion, mercy, and open-handed generosity. Whether it’s reaching out to someone in need, forgiving someone who’s hurt us, or taking responsibility in difficult conversations, we are invited to be participants in God’s unfolding story. Like Peter, we are unfinished, but we are being transformed. The resurrection of Jesus not only changed history—it changes us, turning shame into freedom and failure into faithfulness.
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Unfinished: Encountering Jesus, Becoming Disciples
03/17/2025
Unfinished: Encountering Jesus, Becoming Disciples
Unfinished: Encountering Jesus, Becoming Disciples – John 21 - Martha Balmer - . Like us on or watch our livestream Sundays @ 10:45am - Summary: In this sermon, Martha Balmer explores the transformation of the apostle Peter in John 21, highlighting how discipleship is a journey of becoming. After Peter’s painful denial of Jesus, he fades into the background, wrestling with disillusionment and shame. But in the final chapter of John’s Gospel, Jesus reappears to him—not to rebuke or dismiss, but to restore. Through the familiar scene of a miraculous catch of fish and a simple meal by the sea, Jesus invites Peter back into discipleship. This passage demonstrates that every experience—our failures, doubts, and missteps—is part of how Jesus forms us into his likeness. Peter’s journey illustrates that discipleship is not about never failing, but about being willing to return to Jesus, again and again. His encounter with Jesus by the fire—mirroring the setting of his denial—becomes a moment of grace. Three times, Jesus asks, “Do you love me?” not to shame Peter, but to reaffirm his calling. In this exchange, Peter is not only forgiven but recommissioned, given the charge to “feed my sheep.” This transformation shows how Jesus meets us in our worst moments, offering not condemnation but a path forward. Martha closes by reminding us that we, too, are unfinished disciples, continually being shaped by Jesus. Like Peter, we may experience disillusionment with ourselves, but these moments are opportunities for deeper dependence on God’s grace. Through scripture, prayer, and community, we are formed into people who reflect Christ—not through perfection, but through persistent faithfulness. As Peter learned, following Jesus is a lifelong journey, one that invites us to let go of false identities and embrace the truth of who we are in Christ.
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Unfinished: Encountering Jesus, Becoming Disciples - Matthew 26
03/10/2025
Unfinished: Encountering Jesus, Becoming Disciples - Matthew 26
Unfinished: Encountering Jesus, Becoming Disciples – Matthew 26 - Rev. Donnell T. Wyche - . Like us on or watch our livestream Sundays @ 10:45am - Summary: In this sermon, Pastor Donnell Wyche explores Peter’s bold declarations of loyalty to Jesus in Matthew 26, contrasted with his eventual denial. Peter, full of confidence, insists that even if everyone else falls away, he never will. Yet, when faced with fear and self-preservation, he denies Jesus three times. This moment reveals not just Peter’s weakness, but the human tendency to overestimate our strength. Jesus, knowing Peter’s failure in advance, had already made provision for his restoration, showing that our discipleship journey is not about never failing but about returning to Jesus, even in our weakest moments. Pastor Donnell emphasizes that Peter’s story is not just about failure but transformation. His denial, followed by bitter weeping, marks the beginning of a deeper honesty with himself and his need for grace. Jesus had already been praying for Peter’s restoration, demonstrating that God’s grace is not contingent on our performance but is freely given, even in our failures. The lesson for us is clear: our overconfidence can blind us to our vulnerability, but Jesus calls us to embrace humility, to acknowledge our dependence on Him rather than our own strength. This sermon invites us to reflect on the gaps between our intentions and our actions, not with self-condemnation but with openness to God’s transforming work. Like Peter, we are all unfinished, yet Jesus meets us in our weakness, offering restoration and purpose. Our failures are not final; they are invitations to deeper discipleship, where we learn to rely on God’s grace rather than our own strength.
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Unfinished: Encountering Jesus, Becoming Disciples - Discernment and Prayer
03/03/2025
Unfinished: Encountering Jesus, Becoming Disciples - Discernment and Prayer
Unfinished: Encountering Jesus, Becoming Disciples – Discernment and Prayer (Matthew 17) - Rev. Donnell T. Wyche - . Like us on or watch our livestream Sundays @ 10:45am - Summary: Pastor Donnell Wyche continues the journey through Peter’s discipleship, focusing this week on Matthew 17 and the Transfiguration. He sets the scene by reminding us of last week’s dramatic exchange between Peter and Jesus, where Peter resisted the idea of a suffering Messiah. Now, just six days later, Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up a mountain, where they witness something extraordinary—Jesus, radiant in divine glory, standing alongside Moses and Elijah. Overwhelmed, Peter responds the only way he knows how: by offering to build shelters for them. His reaction reveals both his reverence and his impulse to control sacred moments. Before Peter can finish speaking, God’s voice interrupts, affirming Jesus as His beloved Son and commanding the disciples to listen. The experience is overwhelming, leaving the disciples in fear, but Jesus reassures them: Do not be afraid. Pastor Donnell explores the significance of this moment, not just for Peter but for all of us. The Transfiguration reveals the true nature of Jesus, yet Peter—despite witnessing miracles—still struggles to fully grasp it. He wants a Messiah who acts on his expectations, but Jesus is revealing something greater: God’s unfolding plan. The sermon challenges us to reflect on how we, like Peter, sometimes miss God’s voice because we’re too busy speaking, planning, or clinging to our own expectations. Pastor Donnell humorously acknowledges Peter’s talkative nature and how it mirrors our own tendency to process out loud, often missing the deeper invitation to listen. He reminds us that even though God’s audible voice is rare in Scripture, God is still speaking in our lives—if we are willing to hear. The sermon closes with a practical reflection: How do we learn to recognize God’s voice? Pastor Donnell shares personal struggles with hearing from God and emphasizes that it is not reserved for the spiritually elite. Instead, God speaks through relationships, conversations, and unexpected moments. Just as Peter learned through experience, so do we. The invitation is to cultivate discernment through openness, humility, and trust. Whether through Scripture, prayer, or the wisdom of others, we are called to be attentive. Above all, Pastor Donnell reminds us that God’s voice isn’t about mystical revelations—it’s about relationship. By learning to listen, we open ourselves to the transformative work of Christ in our lives.
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Unfinished: Encountering Jesus, Becoming Disciples - Failure Before Restoration
02/24/2025
Unfinished: Encountering Jesus, Becoming Disciples - Failure Before Restoration
Unfinished: Encountering Jesus, Becoming Disciples - Failure Before Restoration (Matthew 16) - Rev. Donnell T. Wyche - . Like us on or watch our livestream Sundays @ 10:45am - Summary: In this week’s sermon, Pastor Donnell Wyche explores the tension between failure and restoration through the lens of Peter’s journey with Jesus. He begins by reflecting on our cultural obsession with success and how failure is often viewed as something to be avoided at all costs. Using a contemporary story of a student fabricating their achievements to appear more impressive, Pastor Donnell highlights how we often prioritize appearance over truth. He then turns to Peter, whose expectations of Jesus as a conquering Messiah clashed with Jesus’ actual mission. Peter, like many of us, struggled to trust God’s plan when it didn’t align with his assumptions, leading him to rebuke Jesus—a moment that resulted in Jesus’ sharp correction, calling him a “stumbling block.” Pastor Donnell unpacks how Jesus radically redefined what it meant to be the Messiah. Unlike Judas Maccabeus, who led a rebellion, Jesus would defeat evil not through force but through selfless love and submission, ultimately going to the cross. This reversal of expectations unsettled Peter, just as it unsettles us when God’s plans challenge our understanding. Pastor Donnell draws parallels between Peter’s resistance and our own struggles to trust God, sharing personal experiences of advocacy and opposition. He emphasizes that when we stand for what is right, we will face resistance, much like Jesus did. The temptation, as seen in Jesus’ wilderness testing, is to take shortcuts—to trust power, control, and our own strength instead of surrendering to God’s way. Bringing the message home, Pastor Donnell reminds us that failure is not the opposite of discipleship but an essential part of it. Peter’s failure in misunderstanding Jesus was not the end of his story; instead, Jesus later restores him, showing that grace is always present. As disciples, we must resist the belief that God is only on the side of success. Instead, we are called to trust God fully, even in failure. The sermon closes with a practical challenge: to reach out to someone we’ve been avoiding, acknowledging that reconciliation and restoration are core to following Jesus. Through Peter’s journey, we are invited to embrace both failure and grace, trusting that God is present in every part of our story.
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Unfinished: Encountering Jesus, Becoming Disciples - Lord, Save Me!
02/17/2025
Unfinished: Encountering Jesus, Becoming Disciples - Lord, Save Me!
Unfinished: Encountering Jesus, Becoming Disciples - Lord, Save Me! (Matthew 14:25-30) - Rev. Donnell T. Wyche - . Like us on or watch our livestream Sundays @ 10:45am - Summary: This week, Pastor Donnell continues the Unfinished series, exploring the life of Peter as a model of discipleship in progress. Peter’s journey is one of ups and downs, moments of bold faith followed by fear and doubt. In Matthew 14:25-30, we find Peter stepping out of the boat, walking toward Jesus on the water—only to begin sinking when he notices the storm around him. In this moment of crisis, Peter cries out, “Lord, save me!” and Jesus immediately reaches out to catch him. This passage invites us to reflect on how our fears hold us back, how we navigate uncertainty, and whether we trust in God’s faithfulness even when the waves threaten to overwhelm us. Pastor Donnell challenges us to consider where we place our confidence—do we rely on our own ability to stay afloat, or do we trust in God’s presence and provision? Like Peter, we often step out in faith but waver when circumstances feel out of our control. Jesus’ response to Peter reminds us that he does not condemn us for our doubts but meets us with compassion and strength. Even in moments when our faith feels small, God remains faithful. Discipleship, then, is not about achieving perfect faith but learning to trust Jesus more deeply, even in the midst of life’s storms. As the sermon closes, we are invited to examine our own posture—are we living with open hands, ready to receive and give in trust? Or are we clinging to control, fear, and self-reliance? The call to discipleship is an invitation to step beyond the boat’s security, to let go of our false sense of control, and to follow Jesus into the unknown, knowing that he will always reach out and catch us when we call.
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