NBCC Podcast

Psalm 126 by NBCC Podcast

Pastor Greg Sowle teaches about the ways that an encounter with Jesus can change our lives, using the story of the Samaritan woman at the well. In John 4, a Samaritan woman's encounter with Jesus in her everyday life led to a new relationship with God and a lasting legacy for her people. In that interaction, she first learned that she was accepted by God and came to want to tell everyone about what she had learned. When her community learned about her faith, they first learned it from the Samaritan woman, and converted it into hearing and learning faith for themselves. Once they learned faith for themselves, God called them into communion and relationship with Him through prayer and further learning. We are called to use the Samaritan woman's example to grow our own faith through the context, conversation, conversion, and communion in the story.

Challenge: Read the full story of the Samaritan woman at the well and listen to God to speak to you about it. Tell a friend about what you learned.

In this message, we are reminded of the power of prayer. Prayer can be done anywhere at any time. Prayer is relational: a dialogue between you and God. This dialogue can be started by journalling, quoting Scripture, or praise and worship. When starting the dialogue, we should pray in expectation that God will respond to us through scripture, the words and actions of others, visions and dreams, preaching and teaching or even a whisper.

It is important that we listen with discernment, weighing what we hear against Scripture and the character of Jesus. Through our prayer, it is important that we entrust our lives to God’s authority. This week, make some time to talk to God, create space to listen to Him and let the Lord’s Prayer guide you in your dialogue with Him.

In “Lord, Teach Me How To Pray,” Pastor Hurmon Hamilton shows us what it looks like to build an honest, ongoing relationship with God through prayer. This message is for anyone who has wondered if God hears them, or felt unsure how to even pray — and reminds us that God loves drawing near to us, just as we are. Prayer was never a formula for Jesus or the early church — it carried Jesus to the cross, carried Peter and Stephen through fear and persecution, and changed Saul’s life while someone else prayed for him. We’re invited to have that same boldness, bringing God our biggest and smallest needs and trusting that some things he wants to do in our lives are simply waiting on us to ask. Whatever you’re carrying this week, bring it to him — you don’t need perfect words, just an honest “Lord, teach me how to pray.”

In this final message of the Church Without Walls message series, Pastor Hurmon reminds us that at the heart of practising our faith is the call to be Jesus’ witness. A witness in success, but also in suffering.

God answers some prayers, but not others in our lives. Miracles are designed for us to trust Him for a time where there will be no miracles. Sometimes we don’t have the maturity to realise when God has said no. Once we realise it, we should pray: “God please give me the strength to endure”.

Sometimes God's no can pave the way for a yes we could not imagine. Ask yourself how God’s nos have shaped your life for the better this week!

At the heart of practicing our faith is the call to be Jesus' witness. One of the ways that we do this is by telling others about what Jesus has done in our lives, and connecting our personal stories to the core character of Jesus Christ; who lives, forgives, loves, saves, and wins. We should endeavor to be witnesses of God win word and deed, and we should honor Jesus in our success, because God's favor and provision is the reason for our success. We should also honor God as seasons change, and rejoice even in pain because we know that every chapter of our story is a witness for Jesus.

In “Practice Your Faith,” Pastor Hurmon takes us to Acts 3:1–8 and the powerful encounter between Peter, John, and a man who had been unable to walk since birth. What began as an ordinary trip to the Temple became a God moment that changed a life.

As we continue our Church Without Walls series, we’re reminded that faith isn’t something we simply believe, it’s something we live.

This message reminds us that God’s presence is more valuable than His provision. Like Moses, we can become so focused on where God is taking us and what He can give us that we miss the greatest gift: God Himself.

Through Moses’ example, we’re challenged to prioritize, practice, and persist in God’s presence—creating space to meet with Him, staying aware of Him throughout ordinary life, and refusing to move forward without Him. As we live in His presence, it changes the way we pray, serve, give, and love.

Ultimately, God’s presence is what distinguishes His people. His presence transforms us, and His love becomes visible through the way we live and love others. The invitation is simple: Don’t go without God. Seek His presence above His gifts, and let His presence shape every part of your life.

In this message, we are reminded that when we live in awe of Jesus, we give Him our yes that becomes life-changing generosity. Giving Jesus our yes enables us to connect with empathy, practice courageous integrity and lead with the power of kindness.

Awe is an awareness of God’s presence and movement that changes how we live. Life-changing generosity makes room for others, gives us what God has placed in our hands and meets the real needs in our lives.

Let us live in awe, the awareness of God’s presence this week. Where do we see God in our circumstances, our community and our relationships with others?

What happens when we allow the Holy Spirit to move us beyond what's familiar?

In this message, Pastor Hurmon reminds us that the holy spirit helps us cross boundaries by empowering us to see, hear, and love people beyond our assumptions. We are called to cross boundaries to proclaim the love of God. As God forms us through spiritual disciplines, we are called to connect with others.

We learn about these principles though the story of the disciples during Pentecost. In that story, prayer opened the door for them to be filled. empowered the disciples to become better versions of themselves and see, hear, and experience things they never had, in order to bring the good news of Jesus to the world. In the same way, prayer changes us so that we are able to connect with others at the level of story; to serve with our hands and listen with our hearts, and to relate to others in new and miraculous ways.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, Fill me with your Holy Spirit.