Crossroads YTH Podcast

This week’s "Summer Soundtrack" message explores the classic 1865 hymn "Jesus Paid It All," highlighting how its lyrics, written by Elvina Hall on a scrap of paper during a sermon, perfectly matched a melody composed by John Grape to create a powerful anthem of grace. The core message emphasizes that while sin leaves a "crimson stain"—a deep spiritual mess like a bloodstain on a new white shirt that we cannot scrub out through our own efforts—Jesus paid the full debt on the cross to wash us "white as snow". Drawing from scriptures like Isaiah 1:18 and Ephesians 2:8-9, the teaching challenges students to admit their own weakness, stop trying to "leave a tip" to earn God’s favor, and instead accept salvation as a free gift that transforms a "heart of stone" into a "heart of flesh". Ultimately, the message calls for a response of total devotion, urging students to guard their "playlists" regarding what they consume and to use their roughly 10,000 daily words to repeat the truth of what Jesus has done rather than falling into gossip or negativity. (Preached by Steve Coots on 5-27-26 to Crossroads Youth)

In this NexGen Sunday message from main service, Youth Director Steve Coots is joined by high school students Levi Cuevas and Caleb Broumley to explore our direct access to God.

Drawing from the book of Hebrews, they discuss how God speaks to us through His Word and how we can approach His throne with confidence because Jesus is our Great High Priest. The teaching highlights Jesus’ unique ability to empathize with our weaknesses and His power to wash away sin completely. Discover what it means to live as a "royal priesthood" and carry the privilege of prayer to God. (Preached on May 24th, 2026)

The fourth installment of the "Hold This L" series examines the public failure and restoration of the Apostle Peter, demonstrating that even the most crushing mistakes can be redeemed for God’s glory. The message opens with a personal story of a high school fight that landed the speaker in a courtroom and on the front page of the newspaper, illustrating the "soul-crushing regret" that often follows a massive failure. Similarly, Peter pridefully boasted he was "built different" and ready to die for Jesus, yet he shrunk back in fear and denied knowing Him three times in a high priest’s courtyard. However, the story highlights that Jesus’ love goes before us; He had already prayed for Peter’s faith and later met him post-resurrection to provide a public restoration. By asking Peter three times, "Do you love me?", Jesus moved Peter from a place of self-hatred to his true identity as a leader, teaching that failures are intended to become part of our ministry to strengthen others. (Preached by George Shankool, Elder at Crossroads Church, to the youth on 5-6-26)

The third message of the "Hold This L" series examines the massive failure of King David, illustrating that while sin always carries a heavy cost, God’s forgiveness redeems us. David’s "L" began when he was in the wrong place—lounging on a palace roof instead of leading his men in war—leading to adultery with Bathsheba and a desperate, murderous cover-up of her husband, Uriah. Using the modern story of Brandt Jean’s forgiveness of Amber Guyger, the speaker explains that God is a just judge who doesn't ignore sin; rather, he requires a price to be paid while offering grace. David’s restoration began with the "brutal honesty" of Psalm 51, where he defined repentance as a change of direction and took full responsibility without making excuses. This message compares redemption to a rummage sale, where God takes what others see as "trash" and pays the price to give it a new life and purpose. Ultimately, the story points to Jesus, a descendant of David's broken bloodline, who took the "Ultimate L" on the cross to pay the penalty for human failure and offer a new identity to the redeemed. (Preached by Steve Coots on 4-29-26 to Crossroads Youth)

In the second week of the "Hold This L" series, the focus shifts to Moses, a biblical legend who experienced a massive failure when he allowed a "snap" of anger to act as a blindfold during a moment of frustration. While leading the complaining Israelites through the wilderness, Moses disobeyed God's specific command to speak to a rock for water; instead, he struck the rock twice in rage, making the miracle about his own power rather than God's holiness. This act of "Gamer Rage" in real life resulted in a severe consequence: Moses was disqualified from entering the Promised Land he had sought for forty years. However, the message emphasizes that God’s grace—defined as getting what we don’t deserve—is bigger than any "L," as evidenced by the New Testament remembering Moses for his faith rather than his mistake at the rock. Ultimately, students are challenged to dethrone their anger and lean into the restoration provided by Jesus, who took the ultimate punishment for our failures so that we could receive a new identity and an eternal inheritance. (Preached by Steve Coots on 4-22-26)

The message "Hold This L: Overcoming Failure Through Faith" teaches that personal failures—or "Ls"—do not disqualify someone from being used by God because His promises are bigger than any mistake. Using Abraham as the "G.O.A.T." of both faith and failure, the sources highlight how he repeatedly chose fear over trust by lying about his wife's identity and taking impatient shortcuts to "help" God fulfill His promises. However, through grace, God defines Abraham by His own faithfulness rather than Abraham's "repeat Ls," even characterizing him in the New Testament as someone who "waited patiently". The message concludes by calling students to "fail forward" by stopping their own shortcuts and trusting in the victory of Jesus, who took the "ultimate L" on the cross to pay for every human failure. (Preached by Steve Coots on April 15th, 2026)

In the final installment of the "As It Was" series, this message explores how the reality of Easter changes everything, moving us from a "normal" life into a new, resurrection life. The speaker details three profound transformations made possible by Jesus: shifting from sinners to saints, strangers to citizens, and tombs to temples. Being a "saint" is defined not as being perfect, but as being "set apart" and justified through Jesus' sacrifice. Using a relatable cafeteria analogy, the message illustrates how believers are no longer outsiders but wanted members of God's household who have a reserved spot at His table. Furthermore, students are challenged to see themselves as temples of the Holy Spirit, recognizing that their lives and bodies have been "bought with a price" and have eternal significance. The episode concludes with a stirring call to leave the "grave" of old habits and lies behind, choosing instead to walk daily in the new identity Jesus has already won. (Preached by Steve Coots on April 8th, 2026 to Crossroads Youth)

In the third installment of the "As It Was" series, this message explores the transition from spiritual blindness to sight through Jesus, our Truth. Using the relatable struggle of navigating a dark room and hitting obstacles, the speaker explains that while we often try to "walk in the dark" to hide our sins, Jesus came to be the unconquerable light that reveals absolute truth in a world filled with lies. Drawing from the story of Bartimaeus, the message challenges listeners to throw off the "cloaks" of their old identities—such as reputations or secrets—and have the faith to see the light. This transformation calls for a shift from being darkness to walking as children of light, incrementally pursuing what is pleasing to God rather than self. Finally, inspired by the Apostle Paul's journey from physical blindness to spiritual mission, the message urges students to share this light with others who are still lost. The episode concludes with a personal moment of reflection, asking everyone to answer Jesus' direct question: "What do you want me to do for you?". (Preached by Steve Coots on 4-1-26 at Crossroads Youth)

In the second installment of the "As It Was" series, this message explores the profound transition from being slaves to sin to finding true freedom in Christ. Using the powerful illustration of Otis Johnson, a man who struggled to live as a free man after serving 44 years in prison, the speaker highlights how many people remain mentally and emotionally "stuck" in old habits even when the door to their "cell" is wide open. Drawing from Ephesians 2 and Romans 6, the message clarifies that before Jesus, we weren't just struggling; we were owned and controlled by a sinful nature. However, through the "But God" moment of the Gospel, Jesus became our High Priest, providing us with constant access to God’s throne and the power to "cross over" into a new life. The episode concludes with a challenge for students to not waste their freedom on selfish desires, but to follow the biblical calling to serve others in love, just as Otis Johnson eventually used his liberty to help those still trapped in the system. (Preached by Steve Coots on 3-25-2026)

In this first message of the "As It Was" series, guest speaker Mike Noland shares his powerful and raw testimony, flipping the classic "Be Like Mike" slogan on its head to warn students about the dangers of hiding pain and living in secret. Mike details how childhood trauma and buried shame led him into a dark spiral of addiction that eventually resulted in a near-fatal overdose, illustrating the biblical reality of being "dead in sin". Through a radical encounter with God in a treatment program chapel, Mike experienced instant deliverance and transitioned from death to life, a change he maintains today through daily spiritual disciplines like prayer and worship. The message concludes with a stirring call to repentance and transparency, reminding listeners that salvation is a gift of grace they could never earn and that it is never too late to bring their struggles into the light and find freedom. (Preached by Michael Noland to youth on 3-11-26)