Watts Bar Community Church

The Necessity of Emptiness | 2 Kings 4 Sermon

What's in your house? Pastor Kelly Goins from Watts Bar Community Church in Decatur, TN, preaches a convicting message from 2 Kings 4 about the widow who came to Elisha with nothing but debt and a small jar of oil.

This isn't just another story about God's provision—it's a revelation about what blocks miracles in our lives. Pastor Kelly tackles the hard truth: what you allow into your heart, mind, and circle will either bring breakthrough or keep you stuck.

Through the story of empty vessels being filled with miracle oil, you'll discover:

-Why connection to God's people matters in crisis

-How to identify what needs to be "amputated" from your life (based on Jesus' words in Matthew 5)

-The difference between temporary fixes and generational miracles

-Why God told them to shut the door and get empty vessels

-How a 50-cent box becomes valuable through what's inside it

Pastor Kelly brings raw honesty about his own struggles with anger and temper, showing that taking ownership—not making excuses—is the first step to emptiness. He challenges listeners to stop blaming DNA, upbringing, or past hurts for present behaviors.

The widow's sons went door-to-door collecting empty vessels. The oil flowed until there were no more vessels left. The limitation wasn't God's supply—it was their capacity to receive.

This sermon will make you ask: What am I allowing to crowd out the Holy Spirit? Am I bringing God an empty vessel or one already full of junk I refuse to release?

A must-listen for anyone feeling stuck, addicted, angry, or like they've poured out everything they have with nothing left to give.

Scripture: 2 Kings 4:1-7

#ChristianSermon #2Kings4 #PastorKellyGoins #HolySpiritFilling #SpiritualBreakthrough

What do you do when the life you hoped for isn't the reality you're living? In this powerful message, Pastor Kelly Goins tackles one of the most painful phrases in Scripture: "But we had hoped."

Drawing from Luke 24, Pastor Kelly walks us through the story of two heartbroken disciples on the road to Emmaus. They had hoped Jesus would redeem Israel. They had hoped their rabbi would change everything. But after watching Him die and hearing confusing reports about an empty tomb, they found themselves in a season of shattered dreams—walking right alongside the resurrected Jesus without even recognizing Him.

This episode addresses:

-The struggle of seeing God at work in your present circumstances

-Why we often can't see Jesus until we look back in hindsight

-How to shift from "I had hoped" to "THE Hope"

-The power of inviting Jesus into your doubts and fears

-Finding your true identity beyond your pain, disability, or disappointment

Pastor Kelly gets deeply personal, sharing his own "I had hoped" moments—losing a son, watching his father battle cancer, walking through his wife's illness, and supporting family members through addiction. He reminds us that even when we can't see Jesus working, He's never absent from our pain.

If you're walking through financial crisis, broken relationships, health battles, grief, or addiction—or if you're simply tired of waiting for breakthrough—this message will help you open your eyes to see what's been in front of you all along.

Series: Made: Making of a Disciple - Week 5

Scripture: Luke 24:13-32

Church: Watts Bar Community Church

The Worship Effect | MADE: Making of a Disciple - Week 4

What does it mean to truly worship God? In week four of our Making of a Disciple series, Pastor Kelly Goins tackles one of the most misunderstood topics in the church today: worship.

Disciples of Jesus are worshipers—but what does that actually look like? Drawing from Luke 7's powerful story of the woman with the alabaster jar and Isaiah's throne room encounter, Pastor Kelly reveals the undeniable connection between experiencing God's radical grace and expressing extravagant worship.

This isn't about whether you're emotional or reserved, Baptist or Pentecostal, a singer or not. It's about one thing: how much you understand and appreciate the grace God has poured into your life. As Pastor Kelly puts it, "Radical grace and extravagant worship are never separated in the story of God."

Discover how worship forces us to look upward (taking our focus off our problems), inward (seeing ourselves as we really are), and outward (responding to God's call). Whether you've been in church your whole life or you're just exploring faith, this message will challenge and inspire you to worship with new passion and purpose.

Featured Scriptures: Hebrews 13:15, Luke 7:36-50, Luke 10:17-20, Isaiah 6:1-8

Part of the MADE: Making of a Disciple sermon series from Watts Bar Community Church.

What does baptism actually mean? Is it required for salvation? What if you were sprinkled as a baby? And why do we need the Holy Spirit?

In this powerful message, Pastor Kelly Goins tackles the most common questions about baptism and explores what it means to be truly filled with the Holy Spirit. Using the vivid metaphor of pickling—where a cucumber is completely transformed through immersion—Kelly explains the difference between a temporary "dip" and lasting transformation.

Whether you grew up Pentecostal, Baptist, Catholic, or never went to church at all, this message will challenge and encourage you in your walk with Jesus.

In This Episode:

-Why baptism is a public declaration, not a prerequisite for salvation

-The biblical case for full immersion baptism

-Why Jesus got baptized even though He was sinless

-Understanding the Holy Spirit beyond denominational extremes

-The gift of tongues vs. being filled with the Spirit

-Why we need continual filling (because we leak!)

This is Week 3 of the "Made: The Making of a Disciple" series from Watts Bar Community Church in Decatur, Tennessee.

Scripture References: Ephesians 5:18; 2:8-9 | Mark 1:9 | Luke 3:16, 21; 4:1, 14-19 | Matthew 3:13-17; 28:16-19 | Acts 2:37-38 | 1 Corinthians 14:18-19

Speaker: Pastor Kelly Goins

Church: Watts Bar Community Church, Decatur, TN

Series: Made: The Making of a Disciple

Subscribe to stay connected with our weekly messages and catch up on the full series!

🎧 Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube

🌐 Visit our website for more resources

📱 Download our church app to sign up for baptism

What if everything you thought you knew about following Jesus was missing the most important element?

In week 2 of our "Made: The Making of a Disciple" series, Pastor Kelly Goins unpacks one of the most challenging passages in Scripture - when Jesus climbed a hillside and only His committed disciples followed. This wasn't about exclusion; it was about invitation into something greater.

Drawing from the iconic "Be Like Mike" Gatorade campaign, Pastor Kelly challenges us to ask: Who is the archetype we're truly modeling our lives after? Because here's the reality - we're all disciples of someone or something, whether we realize it or not.

In This Episode:

-The Archetype Principle - Why Jesus is the only model worth following completely, and why comparing ourselves to others keeps us stuck in mediocrity

-The Cost of Climbing - Why Jesus made the intentional choice to go up the mountain, and what it reveals about the nature of true discipleship

-Uphill Dreams, Downhill Habits - The uncomfortable truth about why we have big spiritual dreams but lack the daily habits to reach them

-Three Requirements of Discipleship:

Separation (from comfort and crowd mentality)

Elevation (rejecting average for your God-given potential)

Transformation (becoming more like Christ through relationship)

-Grace That Empowers - How discipleship isn't about trying harder with rules, but surrendering deeper into relationship

Key Quote: "Jesus didn't choose you and call you by name just so you could be like everybody else. He didn't choose you so that you could just stay average and be status quo. Getting saved wasn't the ceiling - it was the starting point."

Scripture Focus: Matthew 5:1-2, Matthew 11:28-30, Luke 6:40, Acts 4:13

Reflection Questions:

What uphill dreams do you have that are being sabotaged by downhill habits?

Who are the five people you spend the most time with, and how are they shaping your future?

If people observed your life, would they say "this person has been with Jesus"?

Subscribe to our podcast for weekly sermons that will challenge your thinking and encourage your faith journey.

What if everything you thought you knew about being a Christian was just the beginning?

In this eye-opening message, Pastor Kelly Goins kicks off our new series "Made: The Making of a Disciple" by answering a critical question: What does it actually mean to be a disciple of Jesus?

Drawing from the rich cultural context of first-century Israel, Pastor Kelly explains the profound significance of what happened when Jesus approached four fishermen and said, "Follow Me." These weren't the best and brightest—they were the ones who didn't make the cut. But Jesus saw something in them that no one else did.

In this episode, you'll discover:

-Why rabbis were so highly respected in Jewish culture

-What it meant to be "covered in the dust of your rabbi"

-The radical nature of Jesus choosing His disciples (instead of them choosing Him)

-Why the goal isn't just to know what Jesus knows, but to become like Him

-How to live with the awareness that Jesus believes in you

Pastor Kelly makes it clear: Becoming a disciple isn't about trying harder—it's about gazing longer at Jesus. It's not a one-time event but a lifelong process of transformation, learning to love like Jesus, talk like Jesus, and live like Jesus.

If you've ever felt like you don't measure up or that you're not good enough, this message will remind you of a powerful truth: Jesus has chosen you, believes in you, and is inviting you to follow Him step by step.

Key Scripture: Mark 1:14-20

About the Series: "Made: The Making of a Disciple" is a transformative series designed to help us understand what it truly means to be a disciple of Jesus and how we can make disciples who make disciples.

Connect with Watts Bar Community Church: www.wattsbarchurch.com

Subscribe to never miss a message, and share this episode with someone who needs to hear that Jesus believes in them!

Worst Family Ever | Worst Christmas Ever Week 4

We all have family members we're not exactly proud of. But Jesus' family tree? It's absolutely wild.

In this episode, Pastor Kelly Goins walks through Matthew 1 and unpacks the genealogy of Jesus—a lineup that includes prostitutes, adultery, incest, murder, and people from outside the Jewish faith. These aren't the people you'd expect in the Messiah's bloodline.

Why did Matthew open his gospel this way? Because he wanted everyone to know that Jesus didn't just come FOR broken people—He came FROM broken people.

In this message, you'll discover:

-The difference between good news and good advice (and why it matters)

-Why Matthew included five women in Jesus' genealogy

-The stories of Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba

-How God's grace is bigger than any sin or family dysfunction

-Why your past doesn't disqualify you from God's purpose

This Christmas, stop trying to prove your worth and start living in the reality of who you are in Christ. Grace covers it all.

Pastor Kelly Goins | Watts Bar Community Church Series: Worst Christmas Ever (Week 4)

Worst Planning Ever | Worst Christmas Ever Series - Week 3

Ever had your carefully laid plans completely fall apart? In this transparent and powerful message, Pastor Kelly Goins shares personal stories of vacation disasters and diving deep into the parts of Mary and Joseph's story we rarely discuss—the confusion, fear, embarrassment, and unplanned circumstances that turned their lives upside down.

Through humor and raw honesty, Pastor Kelly explores:

-The real challenges Mary faced after the angel's announcement

-Joseph's internal struggle and decision to break off the engagement quietly

-The 100+ mile journey on a donkey while nine months pregnant

-Why there was no room in the "inn" (actually, a family guest room)

-The massacre of innocent children that forced them to flee to Egypt

-How God's purpose prevailed through it all

Whether you're facing unexpected medical bills, broken relationships, loss, depression, or circumstances you never planned for, this message offers hope. You'll discover that you don't have to understand God's plan to trust that He has a purpose—even in your pain.

Key Truth: "Mary and Joseph had a plan. God had a purpose."

This isn't your typical feel-good Christmas sermon. It's honest about the mess, the hurt, and the questions—while pointing to the rescuer who came because YOU are the reason for the season.

Perfect for anyone struggling with life not going according to plan or wondering where God is in the chaos.

Series: Worst Christmas Ever

Speaker: Pastor Kelly Goins

Scripture: Luke 1:26-38, Matthew 1:18-25, Luke 2:1-7, Proverbs 19:21

Waiting. It's the worst part of Christmas for kids—and often the hardest part of life for adults.

Pastor Kelly Goins from Watts Bar Community Church delivers a message that cuts to the heart of everyone who's been waiting: waiting for healing, waiting for change, waiting for breakthrough, waiting for God to move.

Through the powerful story of a man who waited 38 years at the Pool of Bethesda, Pastor Kelly reveals why Jesus asked what seems like an insensitive question: "Do you want to be healed?" The answer exposes something deeper than physical ailments—it reveals how we can become comfortable in our brokenness, using our pain as a crutch and our circumstances as an excuse.

This Christmas message reminds us that Jesus didn't come 2,000 years ago to leave us where He finds us. He came to move toward our mess, speak life over our deadness, and offer grace that relentlessly pursues us.

If you've been waiting for something to change, if you've given up hope that your situation could be different, this message is for you. Because the Father is still working.

Key Themes:

-The challenge of waiting and what it reveals about our hearts

-How Jesus moves toward brokenness, not away from it

-Why comfort in our pain can be more dangerous than the pain itself

-The reckless love of God that never stops pursuing us

-Taking the first step toward healing and freedom

Series: Worst Christmas Ever - Week 2

Speaker: Pastor Kelly Goins

Church: Watts Bar Community Church, Decatur, Tennessee

Scripture: John 5:1-17

For more messages and to connect with our church community, visit www.wattsbarchurch.com or follow us on social media.

What if the worst gift ever isn't something you receive, but how you respond to the best gift ever given?

In this raw and transparent Christmas message, Pastor Kasey Goins of Watts Bar Community Church shares his journey from addiction to experiencing the transformative power of God's grace. Through vulnerable storytelling and biblical insight, Kasey unpacks why our response to Jesus—the ultimate gift—matters more than we realize.

You'll discover:

-Why grace is so hard for transactional humans to accept

-How entitlement works two ways: taking everything or thinking you deserve what you have

-The difference between resting in grace and working in purpose

-What Noah's name reveals about the nature of grace

-Why the "prodigal son" story is really about a prodigal Father

This isn't a typical Christmas sermon. It's an honest look at how pride, shame, and entitlement keep us from experiencing true freedom—and how surrender to Jesus changes everything.

Perfect for: Anyone wrestling with addiction, shame, or religious performance; parents concerned about raising entitled kids; Christians who feel stuck in their faith journey; anyone seeking to understand grace at a deeper level.

Key Scriptures: Genesis 1:27-28, Matthew 16:24-26, Galatians 5:1, Romans 12:1, Luke 19 (Zacchaeus)

Watts Bar Community Church | Decatur, Tennessee

Subscribe for weekly sermons on faith, recovery, and real-life Christianity.

🎄 This sermon is part of our Christmas series at Watts Bar Community Church. Subscribe for more messages about faith, freedom, and the life-changing power of God's grace.

#ChristmasSermon #Grace #ChristianLiving #Freedom #Recovery #WattsBarCommunityChurch #ProdigalSon #Surrender #ChristianTestimony