Crossroads YTH Podcast

Life gets hard, and most of us eventually reach a point where we genuinely do not know what to do next. James chapter one speaks directly into that moment, reminding us that when wisdom runs low, the answer is simple: ask God. He gives generously and without finding fault, never rolling His eyes at our confusion. The key is asking in faith, not with a divided heart that praises God one moment and runs to the world the next. Being double-minded creates an inner instability that keeps us from receiving what God has already stored up for us. True wisdom is not just knowing facts but applying God's truth to real decisions before the mess is made. Whether you are chasing status, struggling with anxiety, or facing a crossroads, Jesus is the only foundation that will never wither. If you have Him, you have everything. (Preached by Steve Coots on 9-9-26 to Crossroads YTH)

God designed us for community, not isolation. Even in a perfect world, He declared it was not good for man to be alone, and Jesus Himself built an inner circle of twelve disciples to do life with. The people closest to you are shaping who you are becoming, whether you notice it or not. Proverbs 13:20 makes it clear that walking with the wise leads to wisdom, while choosing the wrong companions leads to harm. Real friendship has a direction and a purpose. It encourages, challenges, corrects, and helps you follow Jesus every single day. But community is not just about finding the right people. It is also about becoming the kind of friend someone else desperately needs. (Preached by S. Coots at Youth on 8-19-26)

It is easy to lose sight of what matters most when life pulls your attention in every direction. Fixing your perspective means intentionally looking away from the noise and focusing on Christ. Three key areas where this shift is needed are identity, circumstances, and other people. Your identity is not found in performance or popularity but in being a loved child of God. Hard circumstances are not punishments but opportunities for God to build endurance and character in you. Every person around you is made in the image of God and deserves to be treated with love and dignity. Fixing your perspective is not a one-time decision but a daily choice to keep your eyes on Jesus. (Preached by S Coots on 8/12/26)

The world constantly competes for our attention, telling us who to be and what success looks like. But when we let temporary things like popularity, possessions, and pleasure define us, we are building our lives on unstable ground. Scripture is clear that God, as our Creator, is the only One with the right to define our identity and purpose. Just as clay cannot shape itself, we were not designed to define ourselves. Every believer is called to know Jesus, follow Him, obey Him, pursue righteousness, bear fruit, and make Him known. God defined success not by fame or wealth, but by faithfulness, obedience, and humility. You were uniquely and intentionally made, and your purpose is not a mystery to be anxiously chased. It is uncovered daily as you live your life for Him. 

Life pulls our attention in a thousand directions, but the ancient hymn 'Be Thou My Vision' is more than a song. It is a battle prayer for keeping your eyes on Jesus in the middle of chaos. Rooted in the story of St. Patrick, who lit a bonfire on Easter Sunday in defiance of a pagan king, this hymn is a declaration that only God's light shines in the darkness. Each verse calls us to make Jesus our first thought, our true wisdom, our armor, and our greatest treasure. Victory is not something we are fighting toward. It is already secured through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. When He is your vision, your identity is set, your armor is on, and your heart is anchored.  (Preached by Steve Coots on 7-22-26 to crossroads Youth)

 Amazing Grace is more than a beloved hymn. It is a declaration of biblical truth rooted in the real life of John Newton, a former slave trader who experienced the transforming power of God's grace firsthand. The hymn walks through what grace actually does: it shows us who we are before God, produces a holy fear, and then relieves that fear through faith in Jesus Christ. God does not wait for us to clean up our lives before saving us. He saves sinners exactly as they are. His promises to those who are in Christ are secure, unchanging, and eternal. No matter what this life holds, those who belong to Him have been made new and will one day possess a life of joy and peace that nothing in this world can take away. (Preached by Samuel Eby on 7-15-26 to youth)

Horatio Spafford wrote 'It Is Well With My Soul' after losing his son, his finances, and all four of his daughters in a shipwreck. Standing over the very waters that claimed his children, he chose faith over despair and penned one of the most powerful declarations in Christian history. The hymn teaches that true peace is not found in favorable circumstances but in the deep, unshakable anchor of a soul rooted in Jesus Christ. Peace and sorrow can coexist when your foundation is not your situation but the character and promises of God. The gospel reminds us that Christ died for us while we were still helpless, and that every sin, past, present, and future, has been nailed to the cross. Our hope is not only in what Jesus has already done but in what He is still going to do when He returns. The most important question any of us can answer is not whether life is going well, but whether our soul is well. That kind of peace is available to anyone who places their trust in Jesus Christ. 

In this message, we unpack what God's faithfulness really means and why it matters for your daily life. Topics covered include the biblical foundation of faithfulness found in Lamentations, James, Psalms, and the words of Jesus. We also explore what it means that God's mercies are new every morning, why God has no shadow of turning, how creation serves as a constant witness to His character, and the four daily gifts His faithfulness provides: pardon for sin, lasting peace, strength for today, and hope for tomorrow.  (Preached by Steve Coots on 6-17-26)

In this second week of the "Summer Soundtrack" series, the message dives into the haunting and powerful origin of the hymn "I Have Decided to Follow Jesus," which was born from the ultimate sacrifice of a man named Nokseng in 19th-century India. Facing a hostile village chief, Nokseng watched his children and wife executed before being killed himself, uttering the lines of the song as his final testimony—a move that eventually led to the entire village, including the chief, coming to Christ. The teaching breaks down the weight of these lyrics, emphasizing that true followership requires a personal "I" decision rather than riding on the coattails of a parent’s faith. Following Jesus is described as a daily, moment-by-moment surrender where we move out of the "driver's seat" and let God set the pace, even when it leads to social isolation or requires leaving the "world in our pockets" (our phones and social media) behind. Drawing from Psalm 119:105 and Galatians 2:20, the message challenges students to consider if they are truly known by Jesus or just performing spiritual "check-boxes," urging them to choose a "no turning back" commitment that values heavenly glory over worldly likes. (Preached by Steve Coots on 6-10-26, with the youth girls assisting with sign language throughout)