Most of us love forgiveness — especially when we’re the ones who need it.We love the relief of a clean slate. We love canceled debt. But what if forgiveness was never meant to stop there? What if forgiveness isn’t just about being released… but about being reshaped?In Matthew 18:21–35, Peter asks Jesus the question we’ve all wondered: “How many times do I have to forgive?” Jesus answers with a shocking parable about a servant forgiven an unpayable debt — who then refuses to forgive a much smaller one.In this message from our FORMED series, we wrestle with a hard truth:We are FORMED for Redemptive Relationships.Forgiveness isn’t a formula. It’s formation.When grace doesn’t form us, we weaponize it instead of becoming a well of it.In this sermon, we explore: • How forgiveness initiates spiritual formation • Why unformed hearts turn grace into leverage • What it means to forgive from the heart • How redemptive relationships flow from a heart shaped by ChristThe question isn’t just “Who do I need to forgive?”The deeper question is:Where have I refused to let grace finish its work in me?📖 Scripture: Matthew 18:21–35📅 Date: February 8, 2026🔁 Series: FORMED

What does it really mean to live in the freedom Christ has already given us? In this message, we explore how many believers can be fully forgiven yet still feel “held captive” by shame, guilt, and fear. Through Galatians 5, Genesis 3, and the powerful restoration of Peter in John 21, we see that freedom is not something we earn—it’s something we receive through Jesus.Pastor shows how shame, guilt, and fear often keep us from experiencing the abundant life Jesus intends, and how God’s perfect love meets us right in those places—not to condemn us, but to heal, restore, and transform us. Just as Jesus lovingly restored Peter after his denial, He invites us to be honest, receive His love, and step forward into renewed purpose.True spiritual formation isn’t about trying harder; it’s about staying close to Jesus, noticing what’s happening inside us, receiving His love, and allowing the Holy Spirit to form us into people who can truly live free.Key Scripture: Galatians 5:1“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”

Can simply being with Jesus change your life?In Week 3 of our FORMED series, we explore Acts 3–4 and see how two ordinary, untrained men—Peter and John—healed the lame, proclaimed boldly, stood firm in persecution, and lived with a courage and peace that left the world in awe. What made the difference?They had been with Jesus.This week’s message reminds us that spiritual formation isn’t just about doing more or knowing more—it’s about living close to Jesus. His presence forms us. If abundant life is becoming who we already are in Christ, then being with Him is what brings that life to the surface.Through the story of Peter and John, we’ll discover: • How formation happens through rhythms, not hype • What being “Jesus-adjacent” gets us—and what real presence unlocks • How the Holy Spirit continues Jesus’ presence in us today • Why your past doesn’t disqualify you—it’s the soil for transformation📖 Scripture: Acts 3:1–10, Acts 4:1–14📅 Date: January 18, 2026🎙 Speaker: Pastor Chris Richards📍 Steel City Church🔁 Series: FORMED (Week 3)

What if the greatest threat to abundant life isn’t rebellion—but settling for almost?In Mark 10:17–22, a man who seemingly has everything runs to Jesus with the question we all ask:“What must I do to inherit eternal life?”But instead of giving him a checklist or a self-help plan, Jesus exposes something deeper. The issue isn’t behavior—it’s formation. Every one of us is being shaped by something into something. The question isn’t if we’re being formed, but by what and toward what.In this message from our FORMED series, we explore how the world trains us to settle for improvement instead of transformation—teaching us to live “almost” free, “almost” joyful, and “almost” whole. Through the story of the Rich Young Ruler, we see Jesus lovingly invite us into true transformation, not behavior modification.Abundant life isn’t found in doing more or trying harder—it’s found in allowing Jesus to re-form us from the inside out.📖 Scripture: Mark 10:17–22📅 Date: January 11, 2026📍 Steel City Church🎙 Series: FORMED

What if salvation is more than a destination—what if it’s an invitation into life right now?In this kickoff to our new series FORMED, we look at the story of Zacchaeus in Luke 19 and confront a sobering truth: many of us love Jesus, sincerely follow Jesus… and still feel stuck, reactive, tired, or unchanged. But the promise of Jesus isn’t just forgiveness for the afterlife—it’s transformation for this life.We’ll explore how the patterns and pain of our past continue to form us in the present, and how Jesus interrupts that cycle to invite us into something radically better—abundant life. Through Zacchaeus’ encounter, we see how joy, freedom, healing, and purpose flow when we respond to Jesus stopping, seeing, calling, and inviting us.📖 Scripture: Luke 19:1–10📅 Date: January 4, 2026🎙 Speaker: Pastor Chris Richards📍 Steel City Church🔁 Series: FORMED (Week 1)

On this Christmas Eve, Pastor Chris Richards invites us to reflect on a simple but searching question: What are you really looking for?Drawing from the story of the Magi in Matthew’s Gospel, this message explores the deep human impulse to search—for meaning, fulfillment, success, joy, and hope. The Magi were accomplished, respected men who studied the stars, yet an extraordinary sign in the sky led them on a long journey toward something far greater than power, prestige, or knowledge.What they found was unexpected: not a palace, not wealth, not control—but a gentle and lowly child in an ordinary home. And instead of disappointment, they were overwhelmed with joy.This Christmas Eve message reminds us that everything else we chase places increasing demands on us, yet Jesus—the Light of the World—comes without demand, offering hope, peace, joy, and love. The good news of Christmas is that Christ took the burden upon Himself so that we might truly live.As we light the Christ Candle, we celebrate the end of Advent’s waiting and rejoice that the Light has come into the darkness.⸻🎙 Speaker: Chris Richards📅 Date: December 24, 2025📍 Church: Steel City Church🎄 Service: Christmas Eve

In this message from our Songs of the Women series, we reflect on the life and song of Mary—a young, humble servant chosen by God to carry the Savior of the world.From Luke 1:46–55, Pastor Chris Richards explores Mary’s response to God’s astonishing call. Though confused, disturbed, and fearful, Mary anchors herself in a timeless truth: the word of the Lord never fails. Rather than resisting or demanding certainty, she responds with humility and trust—“I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.”Mary’s song—often called the Magnificat—is a declaration of God’s faithfulness, mercy, and justice. She praises the Lord for lifting the humble, filling the hungry, and keeping His promises across generations. Even as her life unfolds through joy and sorrow—from the birth of Christ to standing at the foot of the cross—Mary treasures God’s work in her heart and remains faithful.As part of the message, Caroline Abernathy and Jenn McReary share their own stories of quiet faithfulness and humble service. Their testimonies highlight the unseen, behind-the-scenes work that sustains the life of the church and reflect what it looks like to trust God, serve faithfully, and treasure His work over time.This sermon invites us to listen to Mary’s song and consider what it means to live as humble servants who believe—no matter the cost—that God’s word will never fail.⸻🎙 Speaker: Chris Richards📖 Scripture: Luke 1:46–55📅 Date: December 21, 2025📍 Church: Steel City Church📌 Series: Songs of the Women

In this message from our Songs of the Women series, we turn our attention to Hannah—a woman marked by deep longing, silent suffering, and unwavering faith.Drawing from 1 Samuel 1–2, Pastor Chris Richards walks us through Hannah’s story: a barren woman in a painful family dynamic, misunderstood by her husband, bullied by her rival, and even misjudged by the priest. Yet in the midst of grief, Hannah pours out her heart before the Lord in raw, honest prayer—and God remembers her plea.Hannah’s story shows us the beauty of singing from a place of deep longing. When she finally releases her pain before God, she finds peace before she ever receives the answer she desires. And when the Lord blesses her with a son, Hannah faithfully keeps her vow—offering Samuel back to God in worship and trust.As part of the message, Bekah Dirks and Brittany Shilfarth share their own stories, reflecting on seasons of longing, answered prayers, sanctification, and the challenge of holding God’s gifts with open hands. Together, their testimonies echo Hannah’s song—reminding us that raw, heart-filled worship keeps us anchored when good gifts threaten to become ultimate things.This sermon invites us to wrestle with our own longings and ask: What does it look like to trust God fully—both before and after He answers our prayers?⸻🎙 Speaker: Chris Richards📖 Scripture: 1 Samuel 1–2 (2:1–10)📅 Date: December 14, 2025📍 Church: Steel City Church📌 Series: Songs of the Women

In this second installment of our Songs of the Women series, we dive into the life and legacy of Deborah—prophetess, judge, wife, and courageous leader in one of Israel’s darkest seasons. From Judges 4 & 5, Pastor Chris Richards explores the strength, discernment, and obedience of this “mother in Israel,” whose song of praise rose out of chaos and oppression. As Israel suffered under the iron grip of King Jabin and his ruthless general Sisera, Deborah stood out as a respected voice of justice and wisdom in a time when “everyone did what was right in their own eyes.” When the Lord declared it was time for deliverance, Deborah called Barak to lead the charge, but made it clear: the glory would go to the Lord—and the final blow would come through the hands of a woman.This message highlights Deborah’s incredible courage as she declares, “Go! The battle belongs to the Lord,” leading a ragtag Israelite army into an impossible battle that ended in divine victory. Deborah’s story is not just a tale of battlefield triumph, but a song of resolve and faithful work in every season—whether under the Palm Tree of justice or beside the torrent of Kishon.As part of the message, two women from Steel City Church share their own stories—modern echoes of Deborah’s legacy—as they speak candidly about the tensions, challenges, and joys of being faithful working women in the world today. Together, we reflect on how the song of Deborah still calls us to march forward with strength, trusting in God’s justice, goodness, and power.We also get to hear from Casey Domalski and Brittany Jellison.🎙 Speaker: Chris Richards📖 Scripture: Judges 4–5📅 Date: December 7, 2025📍 Church: Steel City Church📌 Series: Songs of the Women

In this powerful message from our Songs of the Women series, we explore the life and legacy of Miriam, the prophetess and sister of Moses and Aaron. Preaching from Exodus 15:20–21, Pastor Chris Richards takes us to the banks of the Red Sea, where Miriam leads the women of Israel in a spontaneous, Spirit-filled song of victory after God delivers them from generations of slavery. But Miriam’s story is more than one triumphant moment—it is a full life marked by courage, gifting, failure, and restoration. From her bold act as a young girl confronting Pharaoh’s daughter to preserve the life of baby Moses, to her prophetic leadership after the Exodus, and later, her humbling correction in Numbers 12, Miriam shows us what it means to be a leading woman of God. She was quick-thinking, adaptable, and gifted—but also human and in need of grace. Through an honest panel conversation with Leah Roberts and Rachel Richards, we hear modern echoes of Miriam’s story in the lives of two faithful women in our church. Together, we reflect on how God prepares us for leadership, meets us in our weakness, and restores us in His mercy.🎙 Speaker: Chris Richards📖 Scripture: Exodus 15:20–21 | Exodus 2 | Numbers 12📅 Date: November 30, 2025📍 Church: Steel City Church📌 Series: Songs of the Women