The Local Church

In this sermon, we conclude our "Holding It Together" series by exploring how anxiety festers in uncertainty and our desperate attempts to control the uncontrollable. Pastor Brent unpacks the Transfiguration story, revealing how Peter's impulse to build tents mirrors our own anxious grasping for security when facing the unknown. The good news isn't found in certainty or control, but in the transformative presence of Jesus who meets us in our fear, touches us, and says, "Get up and do not be afraid." When everything else fades away, we're left with the liberating truth that we don't need to hold it all together because we are already held.

March 2, 2025

In this sermon, we conclude our "Holding It Together" series by exploring how anxiety festers in uncertainty and our desperate attempts to control the uncontrollable. Pastor Brent unpacks the Transfiguration story, revealing how Peter's impulse to build tents mirrors our own anxious grasping for security when facing the unknown. The good news isn't found in certainty or control, but in the transformative presence of Jesus who meets us in our fear, touches us, and says, "Get up and do not be afraid." When everything else fades away, we're left with the liberating truth that we don't need to hold it all together because we are already held.

Scripture: Matthew 17:1–9

For more information about The Local Church, visit our website. Feedback? Questions? Comments? We'd love to hear it. Email Brent at [email protected].

To invest in what God's doing through The Local Church and help support these podcasting efforts and this movement of God's love, give online here.

In this sermon, part of the series "Holding It Together: Good News for an Anxious Time," we confront the myth that spiritual and emotional maturity means complete self-sufficiency. Through the story of the prophet Elijah's darkest moment, we discover how anxiety often breeds in isolation—and how God disrupts our loneliness in three powerful ways: with nourishment, presence, and the revelation of community we couldn't see. True growth isn't about learning to hold it all together alone; it's about discovering we were never meant to.

February 23, 2025

In this sermon, part of the series "Holding It Together: Good News for an Anxious Time," we confront the myth that spiritual and emotional maturity means complete self-sufficiency. Through the story of the prophet Elijah's darkest moment, we discover how anxiety often breeds in isolation—and how God disrupts our loneliness in three powerful ways: with nourishment, presence, and the revelation of community we couldn't see. True growth isn't about learning to hold it all together alone; it's about discovering we were never meant to.

Scripture: 1 Kings 19:1–18

For more information about The Local Church, visit our website. Feedback? Questions? Comments? We'd love to hear it. Email Brent at [email protected].

To invest in what God's doing through The Local Church and help support these podcasting efforts and this movement of God's love, give online here.

In this sermon, we launch the series "Holding It Together: Good News for an Anxious Time" by exploring what it means to be honest about our anxiety in an increasingly overwhelming world. Pastor Brent challenges the "this is fine" mentality and examines how our instinct to avoid discomfort—through scrolling, busyness, or distraction—only allows anxiety to deepen its roots. Instead, he invites us to embrace the radical act of naming our struggles before God—not as a sign of weak faith, but as a profound expression of trust. Drawing from both modern psychology and ancient wisdom, we discover that we don't have to hold everything together because we're already being held.

February 16, 2025

In this sermon, we launch the series "Holding It Together: Good News for an Anxious Time" by exploring what it means to be honest about our anxiety in an increasingly overwhelming world. Pastor Brent challenges the "this is fine" mentality and examines how our instinct to avoid discomfort—through scrolling, busyness, or distraction—only allows anxiety to deepen its roots. Instead, he invites us to embrace the radical act of naming our struggles before God—not as a sign of weak faith, but as a profound expression of trust. Drawing from both modern psychology and ancient wisdom, we discover that we don't have to hold everything together because we're already being held.

Scripture: Psalm 55:1–8

For more information about The Local Church, visit our website. Feedback? Questions? Comments? We'd love to hear it. Email Brent at [email protected].

To invest in what God's doing through The Local Church and help support these podcasting efforts and this movement of God's love, give online here.

February 9, 2025

In this sermon, we explore what it means to be fully alive to God's world through the lens of Howard Thurman's teachings and the courageous story of two Hebrew midwives. We discover that transformative change often begins with small acts of faithful resistance, whether it's a stranger's $2 gift or midwives choosing life over empire. The core message is radically hopeful: we each have a unique role in God's restoration of the world, and our calling isn't to do everything, but to do what makes us come alive. When we root ourselves in divine love and step into our authentic purpose, we join a larger story of liberation and justice.

Scripture: Exodus 1:8–22

For more information about The Local Church, visit our website. Feedback? Questions? Comments? We'd love to hear it. Email Brent at [email protected].

To invest in what God's doing through The Local Church and help support these podcasting efforts and this movement of God's love, give online here.

In this sermon, we dive into what it means to truly "come alive" through the wisdom of Howard Thurman. We explore how recognizing the divine spark in ourselves—and in those we struggle to love—transforms how we show up in the world. This message wrestles with Jesus's call to let our "yes be yes and no be no," inviting us into a life of radical integrity and courageous love. Drawing from Matthew 5:37 and Thurman's theological legacy.

February 2, 2025

In this sermon, we dive into what it means to truly "come alive" through the wisdom of Howard Thurman. We explore how recognizing the divine spark in ourselves—and in those we struggle to love—transforms how we show up in the world. This message wrestles with Jesus's call to let our "yes be yes and no be no," inviting us into a life of radical integrity and courageous love. Drawing from Matthew 5:37 and Thurman's theological legacy.

Scripture: Matthew 5:1–16, 33–37

For more information about The Local Church, visit our website. Feedback? Questions? Comments? We'd love to hear it. Email Brent at [email protected].

To invest in what God's doing through The Local Church and help support these podcasting efforts and this movement of God's love, give online here.

In this sermon, we explore Howard Thurman's powerful concept of "Inner Authority" and what it means to truly come alive to ourselves. Through the lens of Christian mysticism and social justice, we discover how the Holy Spirit empowers us to speak truth and act boldly in the face of injustice. Thurman teaches us that spiritual formation and social transformation are inseparable – when we learn to listen deeply to the divine presence within, we find the courage to stand on holy ground and work for justice in community.