In this message from Isaiah 6:1–8, we walk through Isaiah’s encounter with the Holy One and the four-step progression that follows: Seen, Realized, Paid, and Sent.

Isaiah first sees God in His glory and realizes just how far he falls short of God’s holiness. But instead of leaving Isaiah in his guilt and shame, God provides a way for his sin to be cleansed. The coal from the altar touches Isaiah’s lips, his guilt is taken away, and he is then sent out by God.

This points us to the gospel of Jesus. Jesus is the One who came down to us, paid the price for our sin, and makes us clean. Because of what Jesus has done, our past and our shortcomings do not have to disqualify us from being used by God.

The message challenges us to consider four questions:

Have you seen the Holy One?
Have you realized how far short you fall of Him?
Have you allowed Jesus to pay the deficit?
Will you allow Him to send you?

We are not responsible for controlling what happens when we share the gospel. We are called to plant the seed and trust God with the results. Even the people Isaiah preached to often refused to listen, yet God still used Isaiah’s faithfulness.

Your past may be the very thing you think disqualifies you, but God can use your story and your testimony for His glory.

Seek God. Let Him forgive you. And allow Him to use the very thing you once felt ashamed of for His glory.

Our vision is built around two ideas: we are a church that plants and waters and leaves the growth to God, and we are a church that walks with people one step at a time, joining them wherever they are and accepting them for who they are at that moment.

Being planters and waterers means being more concerned with trying than succeeding, trusting God with the results. It means choosing grace over justice, recognizing that God’s justice is greater than anything we could give someone. And it means choosing love over our rights, being willing to set aside what we feel entitled to in order to love and serve people.

Ultimately, this vision is about removing barriers to Jesus, helping people take their first or next step with Him, and walking alongside people wherever God has placed them. We plant, we water, we walk with people—and we trust God to grow them.

Being sent doesn’t require a perfect plan—it requires a willingness to obey, see people, point them toward God, and walk with them in love. The invitation has already been given. The question is: how will you respond?

Through Scripture and the story of a lost child, we're reminded that we are never too lost for God to find us. His love pursues us, and nothing can separate us from Him. But for those who have been found, the mission doesn't stop there—we are called to join Jesus in seeking those who are still lost.

This message challenges us to see people the way Jesus does: lost, worth finding, and worth saving.

God's calling doesn't always come with a detailed plan or every step laid out. More often, He asks us to trust Him, follow Him, and take the next step. Like Isaiah, we don't have to be perfect or have everything figured out—we simply need to be willing to go where God sends us. Discover what it means to live with a posture of being called, commissioned, and sent by God.

Welcome back! This week we kicked off a new series called "Failure Is Not Fatal." Over the next few weeks we'll be looking at some of the biggest failures in Scripture, what caused them, and what we can learn from them.

This week we started with Peter. Peter had seen Jesus do incredible things and had experienced plenty of victories, but he was also known for acting before thinking. When Jesus told the disciples they would all fall away, Peter confidently said, "Not me." He believed he was strong enough to stand firm, but before the night was over, he denied even knowing Jesus three times.

Peter's biggest failure wasn't just denying Jesus—it was believing he could handle the situation on his own. His confidence had shifted from depending on Jesus to depending on himself.

The same thing can happen to us. When we rely on our own strength, our past successes, or our own willpower, we stop listening to the Holy Spirit. We begin to think, "I've got this," and that's often when we're most vulnerable.

But the good news is the title of the series: failure is not fatal. Peter's story didn't end with his denial. Jesus restored him, and Peter went on to preach at Pentecost where thousands came to faith. God wasn't finished with Peter, and He's not finished with us either.

The challenge this week is to replace self-confidence with dependence on Christ. Trust Him, stay rooted in His Word, and remember that when you fail, His grace is still sufficient. Your failure is not the end of your story.

From touching lepers to engaging with outcasts, Jesus consistently moved toward the very things others avoided. This teaching challenges the idea that sin is contagious and invites us to consider a different calling—one of courageous proximity, grace, and transformation.

Are we willing to step into messy, broken places for the sake of others? Or do we stay at a safe distance? Discover how following Jesus may mean risking “uncleanness” to bring hope, healing, and love where it’s needed most.

Through passages like Philippians 2 and Acts 2, we explore how Jesus willingly gave up His position, embraced human vulnerability, and ultimately humbled Himself to the point of death—all for our sake. His sacrifice didn’t stop at the cross; it reflects a pattern of selfless love, grace, and obedience that challenges how we define sacrifice in our own lives.

We also wrestle with honest questions: Are our sacrifices truly sacrificial? Or have we redefined comfort as sacrifice? How do our daily choices measure up to the example Jesus set?

This episode invites you to reflect, be challenged, and consider where God may be calling you to live more sacrificially—for Him and for others.

The church isn’t a storage bin for the already-fixed; it’s a place where the broken and the workers stand side-by-side. As we head into the holidays, this challenge becomes even more urgent: notice the unseen, respond with compassion, welcome the hurting, and stop being picky about who deserves our time.

Sow generously. Love widely. Create space for growth.
Because the harvest is bigger—and closer—than we think.

Join us as we explore what it really means to trust God’s commands, even when they challenge our logic, comfort, or pride. Because in the end, as Samuel reminds us, “To obey is better than sacrifice.”

👉 Tune in for a real and relatable look at faith, excuses, and the power of obedience.

Join us as we learn what happens when we let God overcome our excuses.

We’ll explore what these beasts mean for us in a world where spiritual battles rage both visibly and invisibly. Evil may roar, but Jesus has already claimed victory. Just as the beasts in Daniel’s vision lose their power, so do the battles that weigh us down.

This episode invites you to ask: What beast are you facing? Is it overwhelming, or already beginning to lose its grip? Wherever you are, Daniel’s vision reminds us that God’s Kingdom cannot be shaken, and the name of Jesus is our ultimate weapon.

We’ll explore four key ways Daniel responded when God broke into impossible situations—faith in God’s wisdom, openness to His voice, confidence in His leading, and a consistent desire to give Him the glory. Along the way, we’ll ask tough but important questions: Do we really believe God is sovereign in our lives? Can we still trust Him when the cure doesn’t come, when finances run out, or when the road ahead seems blocked?

Whether you’re wrestling with doubt or looking to strengthen your faith, this episode challenges you to listen, trust, and step into the impossible with God.

Across 20+ years of pressure, Daniel and his friends are confronted with moments that could have compromised their identity, faith, and future. But instead of bending, they remain faithful.

📚 The Three Big Stories:

1. The Food Test (Daniel 1:8–20)
   Daniel chooses faith over assimilation, refusing to defile himself with the king’s food. A simple act of obedience opens the door for God's favor and wisdom.
2. The Fiery Furnace (Daniel 3)
   Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego defy the king’s command to worship a golden statue. Their refusal lands them in the fire—where God meets them.
3. The Lion’s Den (Daniel 6)
   When a new law forbids prayer, Daniel stays faithful anyway. His boldness leads to a night with lions—and a miraculous deliverance that points to God’s glory.

💡 What These Stories Teach Us About God’s Sovereignty:

• The world will pressure you to conform—but God calls you to stand out.
• Trials aren’t signs of failure; they’re often signs of faithfulness.
• God always makes a way—even if it’s through the fire or the lions.
• Victory comes by faith, not by force.

📖 Scriptures Referenced:

• Daniel 1:8–20
• Daniel 3
• Daniel 6
• James 4:1
• Matthew 4 / Luke 4 (Jesus’ temptation)

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🎧 Listen now and be reminded: God isn’t surprised by your trial. He’s already made a way through it—and it’s your faith in Jesus that carries you forward.

Emily (or your speaker's name, if different) walks us through the beginning of Daniel's story—how four young men were taken from their homes, stripped of their culture, renamed, and reprogrammed by a foreign empire. But instead of losing their faith, they held onto it. Why? Because they believed in a truth that changes everything:

If you've ever asked, “Is this really where I’m supposed to be?”, this episode is for you. It reminds us that God doesn’t waste seasons of struggle, confusion, or displacement. He is present, powerful, and working—even in Babylon.

📌 Key Takeaways:

• The importance of grounding yourself in Scripture during uncertain times
• How God uses hard seasons to shape and position His people
• Why asking questions doesn't mean you lack faith—it leads you deeper into it
• God’s sovereignty isn’t about comfort—it’s about trust

🔗 Verses to reflect on:

• Daniel 1:1–7
• Isaiah 46:10
• Daniel 4:35
• Jeremiah 29:11

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🎧 Tune in and be encouraged: your current season isn’t random. You are not a mistake, and neither is your story.

Through scripture and honest reflection, we dive into:

🍲 Why "the soup’s not that good" — and what it represents in our lives
📱 How distractions (worry, wealth, pleasure) are robbing us of spiritual maturity
🪑 What it truly means to sit at the table with Jesus — and how to choose what is better

Whether you're driving, walking, or grabbing lunch, this episode challenges you to slow down and ask: What am I trading away... and is it worth it?

Weekly Practice:
Each time you eat this week, pause and pray:
"Jesus, would You join me for this meal? Make this time about You."
Then, be present. You might be surprised by what changes.

Join us as we unpack the cultural context of ancient banquets, the power of hospitality, and the radical grace Jesus offers to those society often overlooks. This isn't just a story about a meal—it's a moment that lays bare our motives, our judgments, and our need for mercy.

💭 Who are you at the table—Simon, the woman, or someone standing silently on the sidelines?

📌 Challenge: Use one meal this week to focus more on building relationships than simply eating. Let love lead.

Join us as we unpack Luke 5:27-31 and reflect on a key question: How can I use one meal this week to be more about a relationship than about eating? Whether it's around your kitchen table, a park bench, or a movie night with popcorn, discover how ordinary moments can become sacred opportunities to connect people with the One who truly satisfies.

This one’s for anyone who feels like they’re stuck in the loop—but still wants to live with intention, hope, and a little creativity.

We explore what it truly means to be stewards, not owners, of what God has given us. Through Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians and Peter’s call to faithful living, we’re reminded that stewardship is about more than just finances. It’s about managing our time, resources, and priorities with an eternal perspective.

We break down four key principles of stewardship, challenge the idea that money is the goal, and highlight how generosity isn't just for the wealthy—it’s for everyone who wants to live like Jesus.

Tune in for a conversation that reframes giving from guilt-driven to grace-filled—and discover how this often-overlooked “ship” is vital for both personal growth and the mission of the church.