Alabaster Group

During this Q&A session, David Hogan, and his wife Debbie, share with us stories, testimonies, and wisdom that they have gained over decades serving the Lord in Mexico. The Hogans reflect on the nuances of balancing ministry and family, the personal costs and discipline required for a life obedient to God, and the importance of yielding to God’s sovereign will even when things do not go the way we hoped.

Psalm 62

NYC Sunday Service | May 17, 2026

Stories throughout the Bible show us that spiritual inheritance is often gained through a breakthrough triggered by injustice. The promise spoken to Abraham was not only realized because of his faith, but because of the injustice that his descendants experienced. The persistent widow received an answer not just because she prayed, but because she demanded justice where it was lacking. Knowing that trials are not setbacks but legal anchors required to possess the land, we should rejoice when we experience them for our redemption is at hand.

Hebrews 11; Genesis 15; Luke 18; Psalm 89; Luke 21

NYC Sunday Sermon | May 10, 2026

Freedom is merely the foundation of faith; maturity comes through the restraint of the Lord that narrows our path. Unlike King Uzziah, who overstepped his calling, when we embrace God's specific harness on our lives, it prevents self-destruction. By choosing this narrow way over broad possibilities, we move from unguided freedom to becoming useful servants of divine purpose.

Galatians 5; Proverbs 29; 2 Chronicles 26; Matthew 5; 1 Chronicles 4; Acts 21; Isaiah 7; 1 Samuel 16

NYC Sunday Sermon | May 3, 2026

The story of King’s Saul disobedience reveals to us what God means by desiring someone “after his own heart.” By disregarding Samuel’s instructions, Saul demonstrated that he had elevated the opinions of men over the pleasure of God—the exact opposite of what the Lord is looking for. Like Nehemiah, who did not let political, social, or religious pressures distract him from his assignment, we are called to work and to live to please none other but God.

1 Samuel 13; Nehemiah 6; Galatians 1; John 12

Spring Retreat 2026 Sunday Sermon | April 26, 2026

True wisdom is not transferable knowledge but a spirit that cries out in every facet of life, inviting us to learn from our mistakes and think like God. The more we do so, the more we reflect the beauty of God’s character. Just as the Queen of Sheba was left breathless not by Solomon’s arguments, but by the manifest beauty and order of his court, we are called to build lives that trigger a response to the glory of God in others.

1 Corinthians 6; 1 Kings 10; Proverbs 3; James 1; Proverbs 1; Colossians 2; Psalm 37; James 3

True spiritual maturity is found in moving beyond a relationship with God defined by needs and wants to one anchored in free will and choice. While God faithfully meets our basic needs to deliver us from the "slavery" of survival, His ultimate desire is for us to relate to Him as free sons and daughters who act out of voluntary devotion rather than necessity. Just as Nehemiah chose to rebuild Jerusalem without a direct divine command or personal crisis, we are invited to exercise a godly ambition that originates in our own hearts.

Matthew 6; Deuteronomy 15; Nehemiah 1-2; 1 Corinthians 9; Philippians 1

NYC Sunday Sermon | April 5, 2026

Righteousness is not merely a moral attribute but a tangible form of spiritual power. When we perform acts of integrity—such as returning a poor man’s pledge or giving alms like Cornelius—we are accruing a memorial of righteousness that carries weight in the heavens. Like a pendulum raised to its peak, these quiet sacrifices build a storehouse of potential that can be converted into action. The Lord desires that we understand this dynamic so that we can make full use of the spiritual power available to us.

Deuteronomy 24; Acts 10; Romans 1; Genesis 15; Luke 7; James 5; Mark 5; Luke 5

NYC Sunday Sermon | March 29, 2026

In different areas of our lives, we can easily become one of many: one of many students, employees, citizens, customers, residents, etc. But to God, we each hold a unique place in His heart and He desires to relate to us in a way that can’t be replicated or replaced. When we recognize this about our relationship with God, it also becomes easier to love others in the same way that God loves them—not generally, but individually. Gomer was not just another prostitute, she was someone deeply loved by God, and Hosea was invited to share in this love. Epaphroditus was not just another worker to God, and neither was he to Paul. Sharing in God’s unique love for others opens up a door to intimacy that would not otherwise be possible.

Isaiah 52-53; Exodus 33; 1 Timothy 5; Mark 9; Philippians 2; Hosea 1

NYC Sunday Sermon | March 22, 2026

Many times, the healing that Jesus offers us restores not only our bodies, but our souls. Suffering over long periods of time can take a toll on us such that our dignity begins to erode, and it becomes harder for us to believe that we are valuable in God’s eyes. When Jesus encounters the leper, He does not just heal him, He emphasizes that God desires to heal him, and in doing so, restores a dignity that had been lost. As we relate to others, we have a responsibility to build up our neighbors, while at the same time, not tearing ourselves down. When we choose to reinforce one another’s dignity, our breakthroughs are no longer fragile, but become the stable ground from which we truly worship and encounter God.

Acts 3; Matthew 8; Matthew 23; 1 Peter 3; Proverbs 31

NYC Sunday Sermon | March 15, 2026

True relationship with God is not measured by the "mighty works" we perform or the hours we log in service to Him, but by the alignment of our hearts with His. It is possible to be an "employee" of the Kingdom, using God’s power and gifts while remaining a stranger to Him, but we are called to a deeper intimacy. Like the bondservant in Exodus 21, our relationship can transition from being one of transaction, to one of sonship—where our interests become one and the same. This intimacy can also be experienced in our relationships with other people as we learn to love our neighbors as ourselves. When we tear down the “fences” of self-interest, seeking the good of our neighbor becomes synonymous with seeking our own good, and in that place our relationships become grounded in true loyalty and devotion.

Matthew 7; Exodus 21; Luke 10; Luke 15; Proverbs 3; Philippians 2; Proverbs 17

NYC Sunday Sermon | March 8, 2026