Is it possible to come back from spiritual dryness, distance, or defeat?

In this message, Pastor Phil walks through 1 Samuel 7 and explores how God brings true spiritual renewal—not just a momentary emotional high, but lasting transformation. After 20 years of hardship and defeat, Israel begins to long for the Lord again… and what follows is a powerful picture of how revival takes root in a person, a church, or a community.

This sermon will challenge you to:

-Long for God in a way that leads to real change
-Rely on God's power, not just your own strategies
-Mark your renewal so it lasts

If you’ve been feeling spiritually stuck, dry, or distant from God—this message is for you.

www.myconnectingchurch.org

Sermon Title: When God's Not In It
Scripture: 1 Samuel 4
Series: Longing for the Better King

What if we’re holding onto the things of religion but missing the person of God entirely? In this sermon from our series Longing for the Better King through 1 Samuel, Pastor Phil unpacks a sobering moment in Israel’s history where the people brought the Ark of the Covenant into battle—hoping for it would help them without actually seeking God himself. The result? Defeat, loss, and spiritual wake-up calls.

We explore three key questions:

-Do we want God's help without wanting God Himself?
-Have we replaced real faith with religious things?
-Do we grieve our losses but not God’s absence?
 
This sermon challenges us to look at our own lives and ask: Am I chasing God’s blessings, or God Himself?

Join us at 10:00am each Sunday at Abingdon Elementary School (399 Singer Road)

www.myconnectingchurch.org

Sermon Title: Hearing God's Call
Scripture: 1 Samuel 3:1-21
Series: Longing for the Better King

In this message, we look at a moment when God breaks through the silence and speaks to a young boy named Samuel. In a spiritually dark time, God’s voice returns—and everything begins to shift.

Join us as we explore three key responses when it comes to hearing from God:

1. Recognize the danger of spiritual silence
2. Position your heart to listen
3. Carry God’s Word with courage and faithfulness

Whether you're struggling to hear God's voice or unsure what it means to listen, this message will encourage you to lean in, open the Scriptures, and respond with a willing heart.

www.myconnectingchurch.org

What happens when spiritual leaders stop honoring God and start serving themselves? Pastor Phil walked through one of the heaviest and most sobering chapters in 1 Samuel—where Eli’s sons, appointed as priests, abuse their power, dishonor God’s name, and hurt the very people they were called to serve.

Passage: 1 Samuel 2:12–36

Series: Longing for the Better King

In this message, we learned.....

-The warning signs of spiritual leadership failure

-The deep damage caused when reverence for God is lost

-How abuse of power and rejection of correction are spiritual dangers

-And most importantly—why Jesus is the faithful and better priest who never fails

If you’ve experienced church hurt or spiritual betrayal, this message is for you. God is not done working. He sees every injustice and still raises up faithfulness in the most unexpected places.

Failed leadership hurts—but God’s purposes never fail. Jesus is the leader we’ve been longing for.

Join us each Sunday, 10:00am at Abingdon Elementary School (399 Singer Road)

www.myconnectingchurch.org

Pastor Phil started off a new series, Longing for the Better King, by stepping into the powerful and emotional story of Hannah in 1 Samuel 1–2.

Before Israel ever had a king, there was a woman with a prayer. Hannah's deep longing, heartfelt surrender, and bold worship opened the door to a greater move of God than she ever imagined. In her story, we see that God meets us in our most personal pain and uses it to fulfill His bigger purposes.

We learned....

• God sees the pain no one else understands

• God brings healing through our honest prayers

• God can be trusted with what we treasure most

• God turns our story into something greater

Scripture: 1 Samuel 1:1–2:11

Series: Longing for the Better King | Week 1

Join us each Sunday at 10:00am at Abingdon Elementary School (399 Singer Road)

www.myconnectingchurch.org

In this message, we walk through Romans 15:1–13 and discover how the gospel reshapes how we live in Christian community. From bearing with one another to building each other up, Paul calls the church to pursue unity, serve selflessly, and overflow with hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. Whether you're feeling weak, disconnected, or in need of encouragement, this passage reminds us that our hope is secure in Christ—and that we’re called to walk this road together.

www.myconnectingchurch.org

In this sermon from 2 Corinthians 5:17-21, Pastor Phil reminds us that connecting isn’t just a church name—it’s God's calling for every one of us. Disconnected from God, we’re like an unplugged extension cord—built for something greater but missing life and power. But through Jesus, we find new life, peace with God, and a mission to help others reconnect too.

Are you connected to Jesus?
 Are you living out your mission as an ambassador for Him?

 Join us as we celebrate all that God has done and look forward to all He’s still doing.

www.myconnectingchurch.org

Is your walk with Jesus feeling more like a solo flight than a shared journey? In this powerful message from our Follow Me series, Pastor Phil explores how Acts 2:42–47 gives us a blueprint for discipleship in community—not in isolation. From this passage we learn that growth happen when we grow, worship, pray, and serve together.

Learn how the early church practiced shared learning, witnessed God’s power in real-time, lived generously, worshiped with devotion, and saw the Kingdom multiply—not through individual effort, but through Christ-centered community.

Discipleship is a team sport.

Let’s learn what it means to go further and grow deeper together.

Topics Covered:

-Why community is essential for spiritual growth
-The power of shared worship and generosity
-How unity leads to gospel impact
-What it looks like to be devoted to Jesus and His people

How has walking with others helped you follow Jesus more closely?

Subscribe to stay connected and explore more content that helps you follow Jesus in real life.

www.myconnectingchurch.org

Do I expect the unexpected? That’s the question we’re unpacking in today’s message at Connecting Church. Life is full of twists, turns, and surprises—and so often, God shows up right in the middle of them.

Whether you’re a planner who wants everything just right or someone who thrives on spontaneity, there’s one truth we all need to hold onto: God shows up in the unexpected. In today’s teaching, guest speaker Virgil shares his personal journey of unexpected transitions, how God met him in the middle of uncertainty, and how the story of Jesus' birth in Luke 2 is the ultimate reminder that our God doesn’t always show up the way we’d expect—but He always shows up.

In this message, we discover that:

God shows up in times we don’t expect.
God shows up in places we don’t expect.
God shows up with people we don’t expect.
And God shows up in ways we don’t expect.
 
As we move into the Easter season, this message reminds us to open our hearts and lives to the ways God might be working behind the scenes—even in life’s most surprising moments.

Whether you're a longtime follower of Jesus, new to faith, or just exploring, this message will encourage you to trust that God is present, faithful, and always at work—even when it’s unexpected.

Let this be a reminder today: When God is moving, expect the unexpected.

www.myconnectingchurch.org

Are You Building a Better You—or Building Others?
 
There can be a pull to a type of faith that looks polished and disciplined and spiritual…but it is lonely and forgets our call to help others. In this sermon, we explore what happens when we trade a self-focused spiritual life for the mission of Jesus to make more disciples. Using the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18–20, we unpack what it really means to make disciples—not just become one.
 
You’ll hear a powerful challenge: discipleship isn’t about spiritual self-improvement; it’s about going with gospel intentionality. From understanding why baptism and teaching matter, to living in the continual presence of Jesus, this message offers both inspiration and practical steps to help you join Jesus in His mission.
 
If you’ve ever wondered what your next step in faith should be—or how to move from passive belief to active discipleship—this conversation will help you find clarity, courage, and direction.

www.myconnectingchurch.org