Isaiah 9:2-7 says "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." In this Christmas sermon, DP talks about how by His birth, Jesus shed light into the darkness of the world. DP dives into the four titles of God in Isaiah 9, how they reflect some of our deepest needs, and what our proper response can be: to receive wisdom from, depend on, relate to, and trust in Him.

Watch the full service on YouTube: https://youtube.com/live/0yOHkHjRKnA

Despite the warm and fuzzy imagery that comes to mind when we think of Jesus' birth, the real event was probably far from it. What can we learn from the Nativity Story, the story of the Savior of the world being born to a teenage girl as a helpless baby in an animal stable? During our Christmas service, DP explores God's sovereignty in history and how Joseph and Mary's lives ought to change our views of other people and of suffering.

Watch our full Christmas service on YouTube: https://youtube.com/live/WG47wleiTu0

People all seek to build something of themselves during their lifetime. But what are we building, what is it for, and is it worth it? In this sermon, DP preaches on the Tower of Babel and addresses the universal desire we have to belong and to have significance, God's response to people building themselves up against His will, and the hope of community and fulfillment that is made possible through the mighty works of God.

Watch our full service here: https://youtube.com/live/pZaHZ-1EnGk

How can we be thankful in ALL circumstances? During our special Thanksgiving service, DP talks about the what, why, and how of gratitude. Listen on to hear about how gratitude allows you to see more of reality, what effect expressing your gratitude has on your relationship with God and others, and the ultimate reality that we can always be grateful for: our salvation in Christ.

See our full sermon on YouTube: https://youtube.com/live/dxdFVS8u8eM

The story of Noah's Ark conjures up the image of a cute children's storybook... Until you read it for yourself in Genesis. What does this story of God's judgment tell us about God? In this sermon, DP dispels the notion that judgment is purely negative, explores the nature of love that sometimes has to "give up," and exhorts us with a picture of the church that resembles the ark as a vessel for salvation in this world.

For the full service, check out our YouTube:

In this week's sermon, DP talks about the letter that Apostle Paul wrote to the Philippians while he was in prison. Listen on to hear about how we can share in Apostle Paul's contentment in all circumstances through our salvation in Christ, how the flavor of Christian giving is often sacrificial, and how the deeper motivation to love people can be a desire to please God.

Check out the full sermon on our YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/live/q7TmzIYzqQA

Why are our lives so miserable? In one of the first murders recorded in the Bible, we get an answer to this question: comparison. In this sermon, DP explores the story of Cain and Abel and suggests that envy may be at the root of many of our frustrations and anger. While comparison is so deeply rooted in many of us as it was in Cain, DP ends the sermon with the hopeful note that the blood of Jesus on the cross gives us a new, primary identity as sinners shown grace that enables us to love one another.

Check out our full service on YouTube: https://youtube.com/live/vEqBN0Ou1o4

As young adults, we find ourselves in new and challenging environments in college and in our workplaces. How can we withstand the pressure to conform in these settings? During the last message of South-Chicago Fall Retreat, DP preaches on the story of Daniel and his friends and how they were faced with similar circumstances when they were captured in Babylon. Listen on to hear how the pressure to conform arises with new identities we take on, the importance of making a resolve before temptation comes, and how true partners can help us keep our personal resolve to honor God above all else.

Watch our full service (AND a rap recap of Fall Retreat!) on our YouTube channel:

Do you want to be healed? This is a seemingly obvious yet profound question that Jesus asks a desperate paralytic who had been sitting around a mythical pool for 38 years. In this sermon, DP unpacks the many modern-day mythical pools that we spend our lives pining after, how we are all like this paralytic in many ways, the dissatisfying nature of achievement and success, and true healing that that can only be found in Christ.

Check out the full service on our YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pm2HXcWy9Eg

What happens after Adam and Eve take the fruit and disobey God? In this sermon, DP dives into three key relationships that are broken because of the Fall: our relationship with ourselves, with other people, and with God. Listen on to learn more about why we feel ashamed, how shame drives our endless need to achieve and instinct to blame others, and how we can properly deal with our sins. DP concludes the message with the hope of forgiveness through Christ, written in 1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Watch the full service on our YouTube: