Ecclesia Houston

By Ecclesia HoustonReligion & Spirituality Christianity Spirituality

Ecclesia Houston episodes

March 22 The Examen Prayer
We are a community full of people with different cultures, contexts, stages
of life, personalities, vocations, religious backgrounds, and capacities.
As we all enter into Lent in our own unique ways, our pastoral staff is
inviting us to join together in one Community Spiritual Practice—the
Examen—to learn, practice, and grow deeper in with God. You can pray the
Examen on your own, as a family, or with a small group.
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March 22 The Binding of Isaac: You Don't Have To Live This Way
What if God's interruptions are actually invitations? In this message,
Ericka explores the story of Abraham and Isaac through the lens of
emotionally healthy spirituality and discovers that the most disruptive
moments in our lives are often the most sacred ones. From the Ignatian
Examen prayer to the ancient Jewish Midrash about Abraham smashing his
father's idols, this sermon traces a through-line from Abraham's radical
break with the gods of his culture to the cross of Christ. What old story
do you need to put down? Whether you're carrying guilt you can't shake,
patterns of self-punishment you can't break, or a picture of God you no
longer believe in, this message is an invitation to receive something
better.
32 min
March 15 Keep Walking
Faith isn't about having all the answers. It's about taking the next step
even when you can't see the road. In this message, Pastor Chris draws from
the story of Abraham to explore what it looks like to trust God through
fear, uncertainty, and the mistakes we'd rather not admit. Through stories
of migrant brothers and sisters walking thousands of miles toward hope, and
the raw vulnerability that happens when we finally share who we really are,
we're reminded that God doesn't call the fearless. He walks with the
afraid. Whatever season you're in, the invitation is simple: just keep
walking.
36 min
March 01 Real Faith, Real Failure, Real Gratitude
In this message from our Lenten series on emotionally healthy spirituality,
we explore the life of David through the lens of five hard spiritual
truths: life is hard, you are not in control, your life is not about you,
you are not that important, and you will die. These are not slogans for
coffee mugs. They are the deep realities that shape mature faith.
David teaches us how to name what is real, process pain instead of
projecting strength, embrace confession, reject entitlement, and cultivate
gratitude. Even in failure, David shows us the path back to God through
repentance and honesty.
30 min
February 23 You Can’t Be Spiritually Mature If You’re Emotionally Immature
Lent isn’t about giving something up. It’s about becoming someone new. As
we begin this Lenten journey, we’re exploring what it means to develop an
emotionally healthy spirituality — because, as we’re reminded: “You can’t
be spiritually mature while remaining emotionally immature.” Through the
story of King Saul, we see what happens when insecurity, fear, ego, and
unmanaged emotion go unchecked. Saul had power, success, wealth — and no
real health. No real friends. No inner stability.
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February 20 Emotionally Healthy Spirituality
Lent is a season of reflection but it’s also a season about spiritual growth.
In this preview episode, Pastor Chris, Pastor Rylea, and Pastor Ericka introduce our upcoming Lent series on Emotionally Healthy Spirituality and why emotional maturity and spiritual maturity can’t be separated.
We talk about:
Why anger isn’t the problem and what we do with it is
Signs of emotional unhealth (overreacting, taking things personally, repeating patterns)
The difference between self-help and spiritual transformation
What it means to stop being a “one-year Christian 22 times”
How Lent can help break old habits and form new ones
This Lent, we’ll explore biblical characters like Saul and Joseph and examine how their emotional lives shaped their spiritual journeys.
We’ll also be inviting our entire community into:
• Practicing the Prayer of Examen
• Crafting a personal Rule of Life
If you’ve ever felt stuck in your faith, this season might be your invitation to move forward.
Episode Overview
This episode previews our upcoming Lent series: Emotionally Healthy Spirituality.
We explore the connection between emotional maturity and spiritual growth — and why Lent is the perfect season for introspection and intentional formation.
Key Quotes
“You can’t be spiritually mature if you’re emotionally immature.”
“I was a Christian for 22 years, but instead of being a 22-year-old Christian, I was a one-year-old Christian 22 times.”
“Our spiritual life and our emotional life are deeply intertwined.”
What We Discuss
Why emotions aren’t sinful — but unexamined emotions can be destructive
How resentment, insecurity, and anger show up in Scripture
Why self-help alone cannot change us
The role of community, communion, and confession
How faith evolves and adapts over time
Why growth is not linear
Lent Resources
During Lent, we are inviting our community to:
Practice the Prayer of Examen daily
Craft a personal Rule of Life
Use our Community Spiritual Formation Guide
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February 15 What If We’re Climbing the Wrong Mountain?
As we head into Lent, we are invited to slow down, create space, and
listen. In this message, we reflect on the Transfiguration in Matthew 17,
the wisdom of Fred Rogers, and the tension between mountaintop moments and
valley realities.
We talk about why we are so tempted to stay on the mountain, why Jesus
leads us back down into real life, and how prayer and fasting reshape our
desires and our direction. Through stories of faith, failure, joy, and
loss, this sermon explores what it means to stop climbing the wrong ladders
and start listening to Jesus.
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February 11 Bad Bunny & Culture: A Pastoral (and Puerto Rican) Take on the Halftime Show
Pastor Chris sits down with Executive Pastor Ramon Huertas for a thoughtful
conversation about Bad Bunny, art, and how followers of Jesus can learn to
read culture with wisdom and humility.
At Ecclesia, we believe formation happens not by avoiding the world, but by
learning how to live in it with wisdom, courage, and grace. This episode is
an invitation to slow down, pay attention, and learn how to see what’s
really there.
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February 08 When Becoming Is Hard
What do you do when you want to be kinder, slower, and more loving, but
real life keeps getting in the way? In this message, Pastor Chris explores
why becoming the person we want to be is often harder than we expect, and
how the way of Jesus and the example of Fred Rogers invite us into a
different way of living. A practical and honest look at kindness,
generosity, presence, and choosing love in a hurried and divided world.
0 min
February 02 Friendship, Vulnerability, and Faith
What if loneliness isn’t a personal failure but a signal that something
sacred is missing? In this message, Pastor Chris explores why friendship
may be one of the most holy and necessary gifts God gives us. Drawing from
Scripture, cultural insight, and the life of Fred Rogers, this sermon
invites us to rethink vulnerability, presence, and what it truly means to
love one another well.
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About Ecclesia Houston

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A collection of media, reflections, and resources from Ecclesia in Houston, Texas. Ecclesia is Houston’s Holistic Missional Christian Community. For additional information on Ecclesia Houston visit…