Guest Pastor Jeremiah Porter

03.15.2026

What happens after the walls are rebuilt?

In Nehemiah 8–10, the people of Israel discover that the greatest rebuilding was not physical but spiritual. The walls of Jerusalem had been restored in just 52 days, yet the real work was only beginning. Hearts needed renewal. Lives needed repentance. God’s people needed to return to His Word.

In this message, Pastor Jarrett walks through the powerful spiritual revival that unfolds when the people gather to hear Scripture, confess their sin, and recommit themselves to living holy lives. Their response shows us a timeless truth: rebuilding what matters most always begins with a renewed commitment to God.

Message from Jarrett Stephens on March 8, 2026

Jarrett Stephens teaches from Nehemiah 5–7 in a message called "Worthy of Our All." On Commitment Sunday of the NEXT Initiative, he shows that sacrifice is not the point by itself. What makes sacrifice significant is the motive behind it.

Nehemiah refused to exploit the people as governor. Instead, he fed 150 men daily at his own expense for twelve years. The people, though poor, gave together toward the work. Because of their sacrifice, a wall ruined for a hundred years was rebuilt in fifty-two days. Their enemies recognized this could only happen with the help of God.

Jarrett connects this to Champion Forest's own history of sacrificial campaigns and shares fresh stories of equal sacrifice from the church today. He reminds us that sacrifice without worship is empty. When the glory of God and the good of people shape our giving, our sacrifice becomes an act of true worship.

In Staying Committed, Pastor Jarrett walks through Nehemiah 4–5 and 6:1–14 to show how God’s people can remain faithful when opposition, discouragement, and internal conflict threaten to derail the work God has called them to do. Using the picture of the sword and the trowel, this message reveals how Nehemiah led with prayer, courage, and perseverance, refusing to be distracted by attacks from the outside or division from within. This sermon challenges us to guard our unity, trust God in the face of resistance, and stay fully committed to the good work He has placed before us as we take our NEXT steps together.

Message from Jarrett Stephens on February 22, 2026

In The Call to Action, Pastor Jarrett walks through Nehemiah 2–3 to show how God moves His people from burden to obedience and from prayer to action. As Nehemiah steps out in faith, plans wisely, faces opposition, and rallies God’s people to rebuild together, we are reminded that great works for God require courage, unity, and willingness from everyone to play their part. This message challenges us to trust God’s providence, resist discouragement and negativity, and rise up together to do the good work God has placed before us.

Message from Jarrett Stephens on February 15, 2026

In The Start to Something Great, Pastor Jarrett introduces the book of Nehemiah by showing how God uses ordinary people with surrendered hearts to accomplish extraordinary purposes. Walking through Nehemiah 1, this message highlights God’s providence, Nehemiah’s burden for broken people, and the power of prayer that precedes faithful action. As Nehemiah weeps, fasts, and prays over the ruined state of Jerusalem, we are invited to ask what breaks our hearts, to trust that God is at work behind the scenes, and to prepare ourselves to step forward in faith as God begins something new among His people.

Message from Jarrett Stephens on February 8, 2026