Are you just part of the crowd, or are you truly following Jesus? Discover the radical clarity, cost, and priority of authentic discipleship in Matthew 8.

In this sermon, Lead Pastor Neil McClendon preaches through Matthew 8:18–22, examining two encounters Jesus had with potential followers—one who promised to follow Him anywhere, and another who wanted to delay until his father passed. Unpack why Jesus sought disciples rather than crowds, learn what it means to embrace both the positive and negative experiences of Christ, and discover how following Jesus fundamentally interrupts our own timing, priorities, and self-reliance.

In this episode, we cover:

• Disciples vs. The Crowd: Why Jesus intentionally retreated from popularity to focus on making true followers.
• Spiritual Authority & Physical Dominion: Reclaiming the power God entrusts to believers over their speech, choices, and resources.
• To Follow Means to Experience: Understanding that following Christ means embracing rejection and hardship alongside His joy.
• Mental Health & Christ-Like Experiences: How shifting our perspective to expect trials can heal spiritual and emotional frustration.
• Following Interrupts Timing: Why placing God's call first changes our plans for career, family, and the future.

Timestamps:

00:00 – Intro: A "Follower of Jesus" vs. Being a Christian

01:18 – Welcome & Passage Reading (Matthew 8:18–22)

03:20 – Point 1: Jesus Wants Disciples, Not a Crowd

05:40 – Spiritual Authority & Physical Dominion in Daily Life

10:50 – Point 2: To Follow Means to Experience

14:00 – Embracing Hardship as a Christ-Like Experience

22:15 – Point 3: Following Interrupts Timing

26:40 – The Legacy of Adoniram Judson & Sacrificial Living

31:10 – Closing Prayer & Reflection Questions

Be sure to follow us:

Instagram

Facebook

Youtube

Is there a fullness to the life you are living right now? Discover how the reality of Easter transforms your present life and gives you a future bigger than your past.

In this Easter sermon, Lead Pastor Neil McClendon preaches through 1 Corinthians 15:1–11, addressing the core questions of the resurrection. Unpack the true definition of the Gospel, explore why the Christian faith offers a higher quality of life (zoe) rather than mere biological existence, and discover how God's grace meets us in our deepest "becauses" to offer a fresh start and lasting hope.

In this episode, we cover:

• What Is the Gospel?: The 6 distinct experiences people have with the Gospel—and how to avoid "believing in vain."
• Informs, Influences, and Interrupts: Recognizing how authentic faith moves beyond head knowledge to shape your daily choices.
• What Is Ultimate?: Examining the central pillars of Christ's death, burial, resurrection, and eyewitness appearances.
• The Reliability of the Bible: Exploring historical, internal, prophetic, and scientific evidence for Scripture's trustworthiness.
• Your Past vs. Your Future: How God’s grace overcomes our human "becauses" and opens the door to walk in newness of life.

Timestamps:

00:00 – Intro: Quality of Life vs. Quantity of Life

00:39 – Passage Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:1–11

03:10 – Question 1: What Is the Gospel? (5 Experiences to Have & 1 to Avoid)

05:00 – How the Gospel Informs, Influences, and Interrupts Us

08:30 – What It Means to Believe in Vain

10:45 – Question 2: What Is Important or Ultimate?

14:20 – The Atonement: Resolving the Problem of Sin

17:15 – Walking in "Newness of Life" (Zoe vs. Bios)

22:00 – Question 3: Is the Bible Reliable and Can It Be Trusted?

26:15 – Experiencing Scripture: Psalm 27:10 & Psalm 1

29:40 – Question 4: Does Your Past Feel Bigger Than Your Future?

33:00 – You Have a "Because," But God Has a "But"

36:15 – Closing Prayer & Reflection Questions

Be sure to follow us:

Instagram

Facebook

Youtube

What did Jesus really come to do when He rode into Jerusalem? Discover the true meaning of Palm Sunday and why lasting peace on earth requires peace in heaven first.

In this Palm Sunday sermon, Lead Pastor Neil McClendon preaches through Luke 19:28–44, examining Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Unpack why Jesus sought understanding over popularity, explore how His arrival fulfilled 500-year-old prophecies in Zechariah 9, and discover why Jesus wept over a city that wanted political relief instead of spiritual redemption.

In this episode, we cover:

• Understanding vs. A Following: Why Jesus operated with "veiled disclosure" to ensure people understood His true identity and mission.
• Everyone Plays a Role: How letting go of our possessions and plans aligns us with God's global purposes.
• Fulfilling Prophecy (Zechariah 9:9): 4 reasons fulfilled biblical prophecy proves God's sovereignty over human history.
• Peace in Heaven vs. Peace on Earth: Why Jesus entered Jerusalem as the ultimate Passover Lamb to reconcile us to God.
• Helping People Understand Jesus: Shifting our witness from pushing for forced belief to clearly communicating who Christ is.

Timestamps:

00:00 – Intro: Christianity vs. Other World Religions

00:53 – Welcome & Passage Context (Luke 19:28–44)

03:40 – Point 1: Everyone Plays a Role in What God Is Doing

07:15 – Ownership vs. Stewardship

10:00 – Point 2: Jesus Comes on a Mission From God

12:30 – 4 Reasons Fulfilled Biblical Prophecy Matters

17:15 – Why Heavenly Peace Is the Prerequisite for Earthly Peace

22:15 – Point 3: Not Understanding Jesus Is Consequential

25:40 – The Parallel of Palm Sunday & The Selection of the Passover Lamb

31:10 – Applying the Blood of the Lamb & Closing Prayer

Be sure to follow us:

Instagram

Facebook

Youtube

Leo Almeida
Grand Parkway Baptist Church

The Authoritative Touch and Word of Jesus
Matthew 8:1-17

1. A Touch That Changes Everything
• 2 Cor. 12:9-10
2. A Word That Is Sufficient
• Matthew 10:29-31
• John 16:7
• John 17:22-23

____________
Mental Worship Questions:
1. What part of your life needs the touch of Jesus the most right now?
2. Do you believe that Jesus is able to go even beyond what you’re asking?
3. Are you a part of Group 1 or Group 2; not praying for healing or sick of praying for healing?
How did you land there?
4. Who do you know that takes Jesus’ word for it? What is different about that person’s life?
5. Would anyone close to you describe you as someone who is gladly under the authority of Jesus?

Be sure to follow us:

Instagram

Facebook

Youtube

Are you building your life on shifting sand or the solid rock? Discover what it truly means to choose the narrow gate and live out the radical teachings of the Sermon on the Mount.

In this sermon, Executive Pastor Wade Burgess walks through the conclusion of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 7:13–29. Unpack the stark choices presented by Christ: the wide vs. narrow gates, true vs. false prophets, mere religious words vs. active obedience, and houses built on sand vs. rock. Learn how to cultivate spiritual discernment, align your heart's motivations with God's will, and anchor your life on an unchanging foundation.

In this episode, we cover:

• The Narrow Gate (Matthew 7:13–14): Why easy is not best, popular is not right, and why we must live by principle rather than preference.
• Discerning False Prophets (Matthew 7:15–20): How to evaluate spiritual leaders by examining their character, their product, and their immersion in the Gospel.
• True Obedience vs. Religious Performance (Matthew 7:21–23): Why your internal heart motivation and daily walk outweigh external spiritual achievements.
• Building on the Rock (Matthew 7:24–27): Moving beyond shifting feelings, social trends, and self-reliance to build your life on the words of Christ.
• Teaching with Authority (Matthew 7:28–29): Why living out the truth allows your life to require an explanation rather than an excuse.

Timestamps:

00:00 – Intro: Why Popular Isn't Always Right

00:57 – Welcome & Sermon on the Mount Context

02:40 – Passage Reading: Matthew 7:13–29

05:00 – Point 1: The Two Gates (Easy Is Not Best & Popular Is Not Right)

09:30 – Feel vs. Believe: Principle Over Preference

13:40 – Point 2: Beware of False Prophets (Character vs. Charisma)

18:15 – Point 3: I Never Knew You (Heart Motivation vs. Religious Performance)

24:30 – Point 4: Two Builders (Building on the Rock vs. Sand)

31:10 – Teaching with Authority & Living a Life That Requires Explanation

34:00 – Closing Prayer & Reflection Questions

Be sure to follow us:

Instagram

Facebook

Youtube

Is everything you’ve been taught about the Golden Rule wrong? Discover how persistent prayer and resting in the generous nature of God completely transform the way we view Matthew 7:12.

In this sermon, Lead Pastor Neil McClendon preaches through Matthew 7:7–12, dismantling popular misunderstandings about the Golden Rule. Rather than a transactional, karma-like formula for manipulating others into treating us well, unpack how authentic prayer—asking, seeking, and knocking—connects us to the limitless nature of our Heavenly Father. Learn how trusting God's provision frees us from scorekeeping, enables us to endure closed doors, and empowers us to genuinely bless those around us.

In this episode, we cover:

• 3 Types of Persistent Prayer: Understanding the distinction between asking for provision, seeking for direction, and knocking for breakthrough.
• Need vs. Nature: Why praying out of God's limitless nature yields far greater results than praying merely out of our limited human needs.
• Parenting & Functional Atheism: How over-accommodating our children can accidentally rob them of experiencing their personal need for God.
• Rethinking the Golden Rule: Shifting from a self-centered expectation of what others should do for us to a God-centered freedom that blesses others.
• Liberation From Scorekeeping: How experiencing our Heavenly Father's "how-much-moreness" frees us from manipulating people and keeping track of favors.

Timestamps:

00:00 – Intro: Escaping the Scorekeeping Mentality

01:11 – Passage Reading: Matthew 7:7–12

02:40 – Point 1: Prayer Involves Persistence (Asking, Seeking, Knocking)

04:30 – The History of Grand Parkway: A Byproduct of Knocking

09:40 – Praying Out of Need vs. Praying Out of God's Nature

13:50 – Point 2: Prayer Puts You in Touch With the Nature of God

16:00 – Avoid Becoming a Functional Savior to Your Kids

18:20 – Point 3: Proper Relation to God Changes How You Relate to People

21:00 – How Prayer Transforms the Golden Rule

23:30 – Closing Prayer & Reflection Questions

Be sure to follow us:

Instagram

Facebook

Youtube

Are you as enjoyable to be around as Jesus died for you to be? Discover what "Judge not" really means and how to cultivate right judgment, self-awareness, and clear spiritual sight.

In this sermon, Pastor Blake Hardcastle walks through Matthew 7:1–6, examining one of the most widely quoted—and misunderstood—passages in the Bible. Unpack why Jesus isn't forbidding critical thinking or evaluation, but rather warning against hyper-critical, hypocritical, and fault-finding attitudes. Learn how to remove the "log" from your own eye, protect holy truths with discernment, and do the delicate, holy work of helping others grow in Christ.

In this episode, we cover:

• What "Judge Not" Really Means: Distinguishing between harmful hyper-criticism and healthy, biblical discernment.
• The Danger of Condemning Yourself: How hyper-critical attitudes push others away and alienate us from deep community.
• The Cartoon Version of You: Removing the "log" of self-righteousness from your own eye before addressing the "speck" in someone else's.
• Pearls Before Swine: Exercising right judgment and building trust before offering holy counsel.
• Holy Work & Clear Eyes: How developing self-awareness and compassion turns evaluation into delicate, redemptive soul work.

Be sure to follow us:

Instagram

Facebook

Youtube

Does your past feel so heavy that it keeps you from seeing who you can become in Christ? Discover the transformative power of God’s mercy and grace at the Lord’s Table.

In this communion homily, Lead Pastor Neil McClendon preaches through 1 Timothy 1:12–17, exploring how the Apostle Paul—formerly a violent opponent of the church—became a prime example of God’s boundless patience and grace. Unpack why your past never disqualifies you from God's mercy, learn how receiving forgiveness empowers us to extend grace to others, and discover the mission behind every story of redemption.

In this episode, we cover:

• Everyone Has a Past: Why our history doesn't define our future when we come to the Lord's Table.
• Anybody Can Receive Mercy: How recognizing our past puts us in touch with our genuine need for Christ.
• Grace Brings Faith & Love: Understanding that God's overflowing grace equips us with gifts found only in a relationship with Jesus.
• Mercy Always Comes With a Mission: Why God displays His patience in our lives to inspire hope in others.
• Withholding What Others "Deserve": How the cross enables us to extend forgiveness to those around us, just as God withheld judgment from us.

Be sure to follow us:

Instagram

Facebook

Youtube

Are you struggling with anxiety because your definition of life is too small? Discover biblical tools to reframe your perspective and trust in the fatherly provision of God.

In this sermon, Lead Pastor Neil McClendon preaches through Matthew 6:25–34, addressing how believers can change their relationship with anxiety. Unpack why anxiety is often the byproduct of an insufficient definition of life, explore what we can learn from the birds of the air and the lilies of the field, and discover how recovering a right view of God's infinite value and care frees us from worry about tomorrow.

In this episode, we cover:

• A Proper Definition of Life: Why reducing life to what we eat, drink, or wear leads directly to anxiety.
• A Motivating Perspective: Learning from the birds that God's provision is far more reliable than our human performance.
• A Right View of Yourself: Embracing the unique value God places on human beings as image-bearers.
• A Biblical View of Anxiety: Understanding how anxiety exposes where our faith is placed and why small faith results from placing trust in finite things.
• A Right View of the Father: Resting in a Heavenly Father who knows every need before we even ask.

Be sure to follow us:

Instagram

Facebook

Youtube

Where does your ultimate allegiance lie? Discover how testing your treasures, your spiritual vision, and your master reveals the true state of your heart.

In this sermon, Student Pastor Ian Weber walks through Matthew 6:19–24, continuing through Jesus's Sermon on the Mount. Unpack why earthly riches are bad spiritual investments that decay or vanish, how "healthy eyes" allow us to see the world through God's perspective, and why it is impossible to serve both God and money. Learn how submitting your life to Christ as your Master brings true freedom, purpose, and lasting heavenly treasure.

In this episode, we cover:

• Testing Your Treasures: Discerning between bad earthly investments and permanent, good spiritual investments.
• Where Your Heart Follows: Why tithing and intentional stewardship align our deepest affections with the things God loves.
• Healthy Eyes vs. Bad Eyes: How moral rationalization dims our spiritual sight and why we need Christ's perspective.
• The Reality of Masters: Why everyone is a slave to something—and why Jesus is the only Master who delivers true fulfillment.
• Total Deliverance Over Determination: Understanding that shifting your allegiance isn't about willpower, but receiving a new heart from the Holy Spirit.

Be sure to follow us:

Instagram

Facebook

Youtube