Saddleback Church Weekend Messages

Why do some people grow more than others? In this first message of our new series, Get Growing, Pastor Andy Wood explores God's design for spiritual growth and why it doesn't happen by accident. Drawing from Jesus' parable of the sower in Mark 4, Pastor Andy walks through four heart conditions that determine how we receive God's Word. A hard heart lets truth get snatched away before it takes root. A shallow heart receives the Word with excitement but has no depth to sustain it. A distracted heart gets crowded out by worry, wealth, and competing desires. But a receptive heart hears the Word, accepts it, applies it, and multiplies it. Growth is God's will for you, but it's not guaranteed. The condition of your heart makes all the difference. This message will challenge you to examine your own heart and take practical steps toward becoming someone who bears lasting fruit for God.

In this special Mother's Day message, Pastor Stacie Wood shares an encouraging word about the most powerful tool we have to influence our families: persevering prayer. Through inspiring stories from church history and her own life, Stacie illustrates the impact of refusing to give up on praying for loved ones. She explores the Hebrew concept of "paga," depicting intercession as boldly bringing the needs of others before God's mercy. Stacie challenges listeners to pray "dangerous" prayers that will set the spiritual trajectory for generations. Whether you are a parent, grandparent, or friend, this message will renew your faith and remind you that it's never too late to start contending for God's best for your family. Discover how your prayers are your greatest influence.

What happens when we flip the script and let young people teach us? In this message, Pastor Kurt Johnston explores four powerful lessons from youth in the Bible. Drawing from the stories of Samuel, Esther, the boys who mocked Elisha, and the boy with the loaves and fishes, Pastor Kurt shares practical habits to transform our lives. Learn to "listen up" to God's voice by dialing down the noise, "step up" to protect the vulnerable, "shush up" by pausing to pray before speaking, and "offer up" what you have to join what God is doing. No matter your age, you will be challenged to put these timeless principles into practice. God is always at work, and when we align our lives with His, we can make a lasting impact in the next generation and beyond.

All of us desire peace in our homes, but how can we find it with so many competing priorities? In this message, Pastor Andy Wood explores God's design for bringing lasting peace into our families. Drawing from Psalm 128 and James 3, Pastor Andy shares how to catch God's vision for your home, order your priorities with worship of God as the foundation, and shape daily habits that sow seeds of peace. Learn practical ways to gather around the table, speak affirming words, and root out bitter envy and selfish ambition that destroy relationships. Whether you're single, a young parent, or a grandparent, you'll be encouraged to persevere and trust God for strength. Peace requires willingness to keep sowing in faith, knowing a harvest of righteousness is coming. God has a vision for your home, and there's still time to align your heart with His design.

Life is full of moments we didn’t see coming. In this message, Pastor Andy Wood shares where we can find real peace when life feels uncertain. Jesus teaches us peace is not found by fixing what’s happening around us. Peace begins within us. While we often look to external solutions, Scripture reveals that what’s happening in our hearts is what shapes our lives. Through passages like John 14 and Mark 7, we see that transformation is an inside work. Peace flows from a right relationship with God and a heart surrendered to him. As we invite God to search our hearts and grow our trust in him, we begin to experience the kind of peace that holds steady even when life doesn’t. No matter what you’re facing, this message invites you to bring your heart to God and discover the peace only he can give.

Why does it feel so hard to live with peace? In the first message of our series, The Path to Peace, we look at how to experience peace in our minds. So often, we carry more than we were meant to, taking on thoughts and responsibilities that slowly erode our peace. Isaiah 26:3 reminds us that God keeps those who trust in Him in perfect peace. Peace isn’t the absence of chaos. It’s a steady life that flows from a right relationship with God, available in any circumstance. The battle for peace begins in our minds. This message explores how to pause, protect your thoughts, and pray. When we don’t guard our minds, we’re vulnerable to lies. But when we shift our focus to God’s truth, everything begins to change. God invites us to trust Him with what we can’t control and take responsibility for what we can. As we do, we experience His peace and come to know Him as the God of peace.

What is hope? For some, it’s a wish or a state of mind. But how do we hold onto hope when we lose a loved one, when a marriage falls apart, or when our health fails? In this Easter message, Pastor Andy Wood walks through John 11 and the story of Jesus raising Lazarus. In their grief, Mary and Martha ask where Jesus was and why He didn’t come sooner. In response, Jesus reveals who He is. He is the resurrection and the life, greater than any circumstance we face. He is the God who cares, meeting us in our pain and reminding us we are not alone. He is the God who keeps His promises, calling Lazarus out of the grave and showing His power and faithfulness. This Easter, we’re invited to lift our hope above our circumstances and place it in Jesus, who offers new life, real peace, and a hope we can hold onto.

Pastor Buddy Owens walks us through the powerful truth of Galatians 2:20 and what Jesus’ sacrifice really means for our lives today. The cross isn’t just about eternity. It changes everything about how we live right now. Because of the cross, three things are true for anyone who puts their faith in Jesus. We are forgiven, fully and completely, with nothing left to prove or pay. We are set free, no longer defined by sin, shame, or our past. And we are given a new life, not a restart of the old one, but a completely new beginning with new purpose and hope. This message reminds us that what Jesus did was finished and final. Our role is to trust what He’s already done and live in that freedom every day. No matter your past or what you’re carrying, this is an invitation to come to Jesus just as you are and step into the life He’s already made possible for you.

Pastor Kurt Johnston wraps up our final week of Jesus on the Move, walking through Jesus’ healing of the paralytic man in Mark 2. When all else fails, a group of friends asks, “what if Jesus could?” and stops at nothing to get their friend in front of Him. When the crowd blocks the way, they push through, lower their friend down, and create a moment that changes everything. This story reminds us that faith sets the stage for God to move in us and through us. Every opportunity for faith comes with obstacles, but while the barriers are real, they don’t have the final say. God is with us, walking us through each one. We also see that what feels messy or unexpected to us is often the very place Jesus invites us to trust Him more. If you’ve been waiting for the right moment, this message is your invitation to trust Him and take your next step.

What if God isn’t distant from your pain, but actually drawn to it? In Week 4 of Jesus on the Move, Pastor Stacie walks through Mark 1:40–45, where Jesus meets a man no one else would touch. Instead of stepping back, Jesus moves toward him with compassion, reaches out, and changes his life completely. This message shows us the heart of Jesus. He sees the broken, the isolated, and the overlooked, and He moves closer, not away. His compassion is not passive. It is active, personal, and powerful enough to make the unclean clean. And it doesn’t stop with Him. The same compassion we receive is the compassion we’re invited to live out. If you’ve ever wondered how God feels about you, or what it looks like to love people in a real way, this message is for you. Watch now and discover a compassion that moves toward you and through you.