Pastor Chad centers the message on Zechariah’s song in Luke 1, showing that God is the One who was, is, and is to come. Zechariah looks back at God’s proven faithfulness—from Abraham to Israel’s deliverance—reminding believers that remembering God’s past work builds present faith. In the “now,” Pastor Chad urges Christians to live like Zechariah by continuing to show up faithfully, living blamelessly without compromise, and keeping prayer alive even when life feels delayed or disappointing. Finally, Zechariah’s prophecy points forward to Jesus as the “horn of salvation,” connected to the Old Testament Year of Jubilee, a symbol of ultimate freedom, forgiveness, and restoration. In the same way, Jesus’ return is our true Jubilee, giving Christians hope and strength to remain faithful as they wait for His coming.

This sermon opens the Advent season, a time when Christians celebrate Christ’s first coming and long for His return. Using Mary’s song in Luke 1:46–55, Pastor Chad shows three truths revealed in the “first Christmas carol.” (1) God is good and merciful: Mary, a poor and unknown girl from Nazareth, is overwhelmed that God sees her, chooses her, and transforms her from the inside out. Her song springs from reflecting on what heaven has declared over her—blessing, favor, and mercy. (2) God is great and just: Mary praises the Mighty One who fights for the humble, the hungry, and those who fear Him, while opposing the proud, powerful, and self-reliant. God overturns worldly values and lifts up those the world overlooks. (3) God is faithful: Mary celebrates the God who keeps His promises to Abraham and to generations after him. Advent reminds believers to rejoice in what Christ has done and to long with hope for His return, when His mercy, justice, and faithfulness will be fully revealed.

Dr. Dan Tomberlin calls the church to reclaim its mission by boldly obeying Jesus’ command to “go and make disciples” in this final sermon in the “Let The Church Rise” series. Using Scripture, history, and cultural examples, the Dr. Tomberlin argues that believers today must see themselves as everyday missionaries in a changing, increasingly secular world, engaging people with courage rather than fear. Baptism marks our new identity and Spirit-filled life, and sanctification shapes our minds, hearts, hands, and feet so we can carry the gospel wherever we go. Ultimately, the message urges Christians to live sent—bringing Jesus to the nations who are now at our doorstep.

Pastor Chad teaches that the church is the Bride of Christ, loved deeply and sacrificially by Jesus, who redeems, cleanses, sanctifies, and prepares His people for the day He returns for them. Using Ephesians 5, Pastor highlights ten ways Christ lovingly cares for His church and calls believers to respond with sincere devotion, guarding their thoughts and affection from drifting toward the world. He explains that sin is not merely rule-breaking but spiritual unfaithfulness that breaks God’s heart. Finally, drawing from Revelation and ancient wedding customs, Pastor Chad reminds the church that history is moving toward the marriage supper of the Lamb, and believers must actively prepare themselves—living holy, attentive, expectant lives—as Christ soon returns for His bride.

This sermon from The Crossing Church continues the “Let the Church Rise” series, focusing on the truth that believers are the temple of the Holy Spirit, both individually and corporately. Drawing from Ephesians 2:19–22, Pastor Chad explains that just as the Old Testament temple was built for God’s glory, so now the Church is God’s dwelling place on earth. Jesus Christ is the chief cornerstone, the essential foundation upon which the Church is built, while the apostles and prophets provide the scriptural framework. The message stresses that God’s glory no longer dwells in buildings but in believers themselves—cleansed by the blood of Jesus and made holy vessels for His Spirit. Pastor Chad traces the biblical journey of God’s glory—from the tabernacle and Solomon’s temple to its departure in Ezekiel, its return in Christ, and finally its outpouring upon the Church in Acts 2—showing that the Church is now the living temple filled with divine presence. He urges both personal holiness (“you can’t live like you used to”) and corporate unity, warning that churches can lose the glory if they drift from truth. The sermon closes with the image of living water flowing from God’s temple (John 7:37–39), calling believers to “come to Jesus, drink deeply, and flow freely”—bringing life, healing, and the presence of God wherever they go.

Pastor Chad’s message—part of the Let the Church Rise series—focuses on the truth that believers are the body of Christ, united under Jesus as the head. Drawing from Ephesians 1 and 1 Corinthians 12, he teaches that the Church is not a human idea but God’s design, created for our benefit and filled with the life of Christ Himself. Our union with Christ means we share His life, His Spirit, and His mission in the world. Pastor Chad emphasizes that just as a body cannot live without its head, Christians cannot function apart from Jesus or from one another; faith is never meant to be a private, solo experience. The Church, though imperfect, remains God’s chosen instrument to reveal His love and bring hope to the world—His hands, feet, and eyes today. Calling the congregation “Team Jesus,” he encourages everyone to “get in the game,” faithfully serve their role, and let the Church rise through unity, humility, and compassion as they prepare for the upcoming Share Hope outreach offering.

In this sermon, Pastor Chad teaches that God has called the church not only to serve Him but to become His friends—those who know His heart, walk in obedience, and partner with Him in His plans for the earth. Drawing from John 15:12–17, he explains that friendship with God begins with reverence and obedience, not casual familiarity, reminding believers that though Christ set us free, we are still called to serve Him rather than sin, flesh, fear, law, or the devil. Pastor Chad uses the examples of Moses and Abraham, two people God called friends, to illustrate how true friendship with God comes through intimacy and intentional pursuit: Moses met God “face to face” in the tent of meeting, and Abraham invited God into his tent, showing hospitality and deep honor. Both men demonstrated that when we make space for God, He fills it—revealing His heart, bringing fruitfulness, and allowing us to intercede for others. Pastor Chad urges believers to stop giving God “leftovers,” to repent for neglecting His presence, and to once again make room in their hearts and schedules for genuine friendship with Him—because God still looks for friends who will partner with Him to bring His kingdom to earth.

Pastor Chad’s new sermon series, “Let the Church Rise” from Matthew 16:13–19 emphasizes that the Church is not a man-made institution but the living, Spirit-filled body built by Christ Himself. He declared, “I will build My Church,” meaning it belongs to Him, and even the gates of hell cannot prevail against it. The Church is called out from the world to represent God’s kingdom on earth, carrying heaven’s authority and advancing His rule through obedience, prayer, and the proclamation of the gospel. Though spiritual opposition and persecution will come, the Church’s purpose remains to usher in God’s presence, confess Christ boldly, and herald the good news to every nation. Pastor Chad urges believers to rise in faith, unity, and authority so that this generation’s Church becomes a powerful reflection of Jesus’ victory and mission in the world.

Pastor Adam Baird’s sermon from Luke 13:10–13 centers on the idea that while pain is an inevitable part of life, God gives purpose to our pain. He begins with a humorous story about doing a cold plunge to illustrate how people will willingly endure pain when they see a purpose behind it—but struggle deeply when their pain feels meaningless. Using the story of the woman crippled for eighteen years, Pastor Baird draws out four truths: Jesus sees our pain, calls us in our pain, speaks to our pain, and touches our pain to give it purpose. He emphasizes that no one is exempt from suffering, but Christ is drawn to those who are hurting and meets them with compassion and healing. Even when God seems silent or when healing doesn’t come immediately, He is working in the “gap,” shaping faith and trust. The sermon closes by urging believers to bring their pain to Jesus—whether physical, emotional, or spiritual—because He alone can transform it into praise, turning what once crippled us into a testimony of His restoring power.Pain We Carry (Adam Baird)

In this sermon, Pastor Terry Harris teaches that stewardship and tithing are not about money but about acknowledging God’s ownership and lordship over every part of our lives—our time, talents, treasure, and testimony. Using scriptures like Luke 6:38 and Matthew 6:19–21, he explains that what happens to the first determines what happens to the rest, emphasizing that giving God the first portion invites His blessing and protection over all we have. Drawing from biblical examples such as Abraham’s obedience, the firstfruits offerings, Jericho, and Jesus as God’s firstborn sacrifice, Pastor Harris shows that tithing is both a test of faith and an act of worship that redeems the rest of our resources. He likens God’s blessing to an umbrella that doesn’t remove life’s storms but covers and sustains us through them, calling believers to live under that divine covering by faithfully honoring God first.