New Culture Church

We’re celebrating seven years and noticing something simple: God is multiplying what we give. Pastor Abbie invites you to sit with a short, hopeful message about living from abundance, not fear. She tells honest stories from the life of the church, names practical ways we can feed our neighbors, and points us back to Jesus as the source of our lack-nothing life. Listen to be encouraged, to hear how the harvest is already happening in Madison, and to consider one simple next step you can take this week to give or serve.

Sign up to serve: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSernBFEe6ONX1sKcsy85Yn898mZufkwsu7UtyVegS5To-jy8w/viewform?pli=1

Bible verses referenced:

• Luke 4:18–19 (The season’s theme)

• Genesis 41 (Joseph: seven years of plenty and seven years of famine)

• Psalm 23:1 (The Lord is my shepherd / I lack nothing)

• Romans 8:14–17 (we are children and heirs of God)

This week, Pastor Sean Steinke invites us to slow down and ask one honest question from Colossians 2: If we’ve died with Christ, why do we still submit to empty rules?

Through story, Scripture, and a simple image (duct tape vs. true transformation), we explore how Jesus does more than hold our lives together. He makes us new.

Create space as you listen to notice where you’ve been trying quick fixes. Invite the Holy Spirit to fill you again. Receive the grace that cuts away the old and grows real life from the inside out.

Scripture references used:

• Colossians 2:11–23; 3:5–11

• Psalm 27:4

• Hebrews 4:12

• John 15:16

• Ezekiel 36:26–28

• Psalm 51:10

• Romans 6:23

• John 19:30

• Galatians 5:7

• Ephesians 5:18–19; Colossians 3:16

• 2 Corinthians 5:13–17

• Matthew 3:17

What if the reason you feel stuck, anxious, or unfulfilled isn't about working harder—but about what you believe about God?

In this message, Pastor Abbie Sawczak continues our journey through Colossians, tackling the subtle substitutes that pull us away from the pure gospel. From prosperity teachings to hyper-individualized faith, we explore the "fine-sounding arguments" that look like Jesus but lead us astray.

You'll discover what it means to stay rooted in Christ when life shakes your foundation, why suffering isn't the end of the story, and how dead things in your life can be raised to multiplied new life. This isn't about avoiding pain—it's about being so connected to the source that you can walk into the darkness as light.

If you've ever felt like you're doing all the right things but still missing something, this message is for you.

Scripture References

• Colossians 2:1-15 (main passage)
• John 10:10 - "The thief comes to kill, steal and destroy. But I have come that they may have life and have it to the full."
• Colossians 1:24 - "I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, which is the church."

In this message, Pastor Abbie unpacks Colossians 1:15-29 and reveals a pattern that threatened the early church, and still threatens us today. The Colossian believers weren't denying Jesus. They believed in him. But they were being taught that Jesus plus secret knowledge, special practices, or spiritual experiences would complete them.

Sound familiar?

We face the same temptation when we think "if only I had the right community, the perfect spouse, the dream job, then everything would fall into place." But Paul's message cuts through: Jesus holds all things together. He is the source. He is enough.

This isn't about doing less or caring less. It's about reconnecting to the only source that actually sustains us. If you've been carrying too much or searching for something you can't quite name, this message is for you.

Bible References:

• Colossians 1:15-29 (primary text)
• Galatians 5:22-24 (fruits of the Spirit)

In this week’s message, Pastor Sean Steinke takes us deep into Acts 16 where Paul and Silas face resistance, persecution, and prison — and yet respond with praise. Through the stories of Lydia, a slave girl set free, and a jailer who finds salvation, we see how the Spirit of God leads His people into obedience, how His power breaks chains, and how worship in the darkest hour can spark joy and transformation. This sermon will challenge you to ask: What is your place of prayer? Who is your person of peace? And when will you lift your song?

Come be encouraged to trust God’s dunamis power, to find joy in Christ even in trials, and to live in the freedom that only Jesus brings.

Scripture References

• Acts 16:16–40 – Paul and Silas in Philippi: deliverance, persecution, prison, and praise

• Matthew 5:11–12 – Blessed are you when persecuted

• John 3:16 – Believe and be saved

• 1 Corinthians 1:22–24 – Christ the power of God

• 1 Corinthians 2:5 – Faith resting on God’s power

• Philippians 2:5–11 – The humility and obedience of Christ

• Philippians 4:4 – Rejoice in the Lord always

• Psalm 104:33 – I will sing to the Lord all my life

• Psalm 149 – Praise as spiritual warfare

• Psalm 150 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord

• Psalm 8:2 – The praise of children silences the enemy

Nathan Hanna walks us through Lydia’s story in Acts 16 and shows how beholding Jesus makes us whole and naturally overflows into hospitality. From Peter’s failure to Paul’s transformation, Nathan reminds us that God finishes what he starts and invites us to host his presence in everyday life. If you’ve felt fractured, distracted, or stuck, this message will help you shift your gaze, realign your desires, and open your home and heart like Lydia. Listen in to practice beholding, receive God’s love that drives out fear, and join the table he’s already set.

Bible References:

• Acts 16:11–15 Lydia in Philippi and the house church

• Acts 1:8 Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth

• Philippians 1:6 He who began a good work will carry it to completion

• Romans 7:15 I do not do the good I want

• 2 Corinthians 3:18 Beholding the Lord and being transformed

• 1 John 4:18 Perfect love drives out fear

• 1 John 1:5 God is light with no darkness at all

• Psalm 23:5 You prepare a table before me

• Isaiah 25:6 The Lord prepares a feast for all peoples

• Matthew 22:2 The kingdom like a wedding banquet

• Revelation 19:6–9 The wedding supper of the Lamb

• Colossians 3:1–2 Set your hearts and minds on things above

• Luke 10:38–42 Mary and Martha, choosing the one thing

• John 6:53–56 Eat my flesh and drink my blood

• Luke 11:11–13 Ask and the Father gives good gifts

What does it look like to remove barriers so others can meet Jesus? In Acts 16 Paul invites Timothy to join the mission, and Timothy makes a costly, context-wise decision so the gospel can be heard. Pastor Abbie unpacks how costly obedience, a lived commitment to discipleship, and shared communal practices strengthen the church and lead to daily growth. You will be invited to receive what has been passed down, consider the costly choices God may be asking of you, and step into rhythms that form you into the likeness of Jesus.

Bible References

• Acts 16:1-5

• Acts 15 (Jerusalem Council)

• Genesis 17:10-11

• Deuteronomy 10:16

• Jeremiah 4:4

• Luke 9:23

• 2 Timothy 1:5

• 2 Timothy 3:14-15

Acts 15 gives us a front row seat to a sharp disagreement between Paul and Barnabas over John Mark. Pastor Abbie shows how even mission-minded leaders collide when deep convictions pull in different directions. Rather than avoiding conflict, we learn to name the roots beneath our reactions, recognize the gift in our differences, clarify roles and expectations, and keep our lives anchored to Jesus and his mission.

You will hear how God still advanced the gospel through their split and later brought reconciliation, and you will be invited to practice the same posture in your everyday relationships. If life is too short and the gospel is too big to let bitterness win, how do we handle conflict and hand it to Jesus? Press play for honest teaching, practical questions, and hope for healing.

Bible references used

• Acts 15:36-41

• Acts 13:13

• Acts 13:1-3

• Acts 14:21-22

• Acts 1:8

• 2 Corinthians 5:20

• 1 Corinthians 9:6

• Colossians 4:10

• 2 Timothy 4:11

• Proverbs 27:17

Pastor Sean Steinke opens with a moving story of piloting a tandem bike for his friend Greg, then invites us to let God strengthen our “core” through Acts 15. Walking through the Jerusalem Council, we see the Holy Spirit bringing freedom, not extra burdens, and forming one new family in Jesus. Peter, Paul, and James point us to a salvation by grace through faith that produces love, unity, and holy living. Pastor Sean then connects this freedom to our lives in Madison with practical next steps of worship, community, and embodied discipleship. If you need your core strengthened to finish your race, this message is for you.

Primary text

• Acts 15:1–35

Supporting

• John 3:1–8

• John 8:31–32

• 2 Corinthians 3:17

• Ephesians 2:11–22

• Galatians 5:1–26

• Romans 6:23

• Romans 12:1–2

• 1 Samuel 15:22

• Amos 9:11–12 (quoted in Acts 15:16–18)

• Exodus 12:7, 13

• Matthew 7:24–27

Pastor Abbie Sawczak walks us through Acts 14 and shows how following Jesus often brings both momentum and pushback at the same time. Paul and Barnabas preach with boldness, witness a miraculous healing, resist taking the credit, and then face misunderstanding, mistreatment, and even stoning. Through it all they keep returning, strengthening disciples, and trusting God to produce the fruit.

If you have ever wondered whether hardship means you are off track, this message will steady your heart. You will learn how to hold space for both fruitfulness and friction, how to point glory back to Jesus, and how to discern when to stay and when to go through Scripture, the Holy Spirit, and community. Lean in, be encouraged, and ask, what does faithfulness look like for me right now.

Scripture References

• Acts 14:1 to 28

• John 3:30