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Judas Iscariot was one of the twelve disciples personally chosen by Jesus. He witnessed miracles, heard Jesus teach, and spent years walking alongside Him. Yet he ultimately became known as the disciple who betrayed Jesus.

How did someone so close to Jesus end up making such a devastating decision?

In part one of our new series, Villains of the Bible, we explore the life of Judas and the attitudes, temptations, and decisions that led him down the wrong path.

Through his story, we examine the dangers of unchecked greed, resisting God's correction, and knowing about Jesus without fully surrendering to Him.

Most importantly, we're reminded that no matter our mistakes, we can bring our guilt and shame to Jesus and find forgiveness at the cross.

Key Takeaways:

• Recognize where your current decisions are leading you.

• Choose God over earthly things.

• Respond to God's correction with humility.

• Move beyond knowing about Jesus to fully surrendering to Him.

• Bring your sins and regrets to Jesus.

You can know your next step and still be afraid to take it.

In Part 5 of The Underdog, we saw how God met Gideon in his fear. With only 300 men facing an overwhelming enemy, Gideon needed encouragement—and God knew exactly where he would find it.

God knows what’s happening in your heart, too. You can be honest with Him about your fears and trust Him as you take the next step.

Sometimes the encouragement you’re looking for is on the other side of obedience.

And when God encourages you, pass it on. Send the text. Make the call. Pray with someone who’s struggling.

The obedience is in our hands. The results are in His hands.

What kind of person can God use?

In Judges 7, God reduced Gideon’s army to just 300 men. Through their story, we discover that God isn’t looking for the most impressive, influential, or powerful people. He is looking for people with the right heart.

In this message from The Underdog, we look at what it means to live with humility, overcome fear, trust God’s plans, stay spiritually alert, and serve the people around us.

God can use ordinary people to do extraordinary things when they are ready to listen, trust, and obey.

How do we know when God is speaking?

In Part 3 of The Underdog, we continue through Gideon’s story in Judges 6 as he asks God for confirmation through the fleece. His story teaches us that hearing from God is not about constantly looking for signs - it is about becoming familiar with His voice.

God speaks through His Word, through the Holy Spirit, and often in the quiet moments when we finally turn down everything else competing for our attention.

The closer we get to God, the easier it becomes to recognize His voice, trust what He says, and obey where He leads.

Before Gideon could take on the enemy around him, God called him to deal with what was happening at home.

In Week 2 of The Underdog, we continue through Gideon’s story in Judges 6 and look at what it means to experience God’s peace in the middle of conflict, confront the issues and idols from our past, live our faith publicly, and trust God when obedience brings opposition.

What from your past is God asking you to surrender so you can move forward?t

God loves using the underdog.

In Judges 6, Gideon saw himself as weak, insignificant, and unqualified. God looked at the same man and called him a “mighty hero.”

In the first message of The Underdog, we look at how the enemy uses fear and hopelessness to keep us from moving forward, why our perspective matters, and what can happen when we begin believing what God says about us instead of what our circumstances say.

You do not have to feel completely qualified to follow where God is leading. Believe what God says about you, and take the next step He puts in front of you.

Churches are spiritual wells, but Jesus is the living water that gives them purpose.

In Part 3 of At The Well, we look at the story of Moses in Exodus 2 and what it teaches us about making the well accessible to others. The church should be a place where people can come to know Jesus, grow deeper in God’s Word, and experience the life-changing work He does in us.

We also look at why spiritual depth matters, why everything we hear should be tested against Scripture, and how to keep our focus on Jesus even when churches and people are imperfect.

The well matters, but the water matters more. Our relationship with Jesus must always remain the main thing.

America has a loneliness problem, but God created us for connection—to Him and to one another.

In Genesis 29, Jacob was alone, hundreds of miles from home and running for his life when he arrived at a well. What seemed like an ordinary moment became a life-changing connection when he met Rachel.

In Part 2 of At The Well, we discover how God leads us toward togetherness, why meaningful relationships require us to take a step toward others, and how serving one another can transform our relationships.

Sometimes the biggest things God does begin in regular moments. Seize those moments, serve the people around you, and look for opportunities to enlarge your circle.

In the first message of our new At The Well series, we look at the story of Isaac in Genesis 26 and what ancient wells can teach us about relationships, community, and intentionally bringing people together.

Wells didn’t happen by accident. They had to be dug on purpose, maintained on purpose, and kept open. In the same way, healthy relationships require intentional effort.

This message explores what it means to keep Jesus at the center of our relationships and to build “wells” of togetherness in our marriages, families, and church.

Watch and discover how God may be calling you to reconnect, reconcile, and take a step toward someone in your life.

God doesn’t always work the way we expect.

In the final week of our Misfits series, we look at the life of Ezekiel—a man who spent his life preparing to become a priest, only to have that future suddenly taken away when he was carried into exile. But what looked like the end of Ezekiel’s plan became the beginning of God calling him to something completely different.

Through Ezekiel’s vision of the valley of dry bones, we see the power of continuing to speak God’s Word, listening when the Holy Spirit leads us outside what feels comfortable, and obeying God in the small things that prepare us for something greater.

What dry place in your life needs God’s Word spoken over it? What step is God asking you to take right now?