Have you ever honestly asked yourself — "Who is the Church actually for?"

It's easy to assume the answer. But what if your definition of church has been quietly closing the door on the very people Jesus came for?

In this message, we go back to the earliest church — the church of Jerusalem in Acts 6 — where two groups of believers, the Grecian Jews and the Hebraic Jews, were clashing over culture, language, and who deserved to be cared for. A feeding program for widows had become a tool of exclusion. And if the apostles hadn't stepped in, a God-sized dream for that generation would have died in a room full of people who all believed in the same Jesus.

David D. Ireland, Ph.D. | Lead Pastor | Christ Church

This message wrestles with two questions every believer and every church must face:

• What is the Church? — The word church comes from the Greek ekklesia — the called out ones. Called out of darkness, out of individualism, and into communitas. Not just community, but a Latin concept that means we are willing to suffer discomfort and inconvenience for the greater good of the whole. When people look at the Church, they should see Jesus.
• Who is the Church for? — The Church is for saints and for sinners en route to the cross. Jesus was called a friend of tax collectors and sinners — and He never once defended himself against that accusation. The question isn't how polished someone has to be to walk through the door. The question is whether we are unconsciously closing that door through our attitudes, our appetites, and our baggage.

We also look inward — at the cultural clashes, personal biases, and unexamined baggage we all carry into the room. Baggage rooted in education, ethnicity, background, and expectation. Baggage that can make broken people feel like they will never belong — without us even realizing we're sending that message.

The Church God is building is not for one kind of person. It's for all shapes, sizes, and stripes — people who have it together and people who don't yet. The word on the street should be: I'm welcome there, even though I don't have it all together.

Key Scriptures: Acts 6:1–7 | Matthew 11:18–19 | John 6:37

Have you ever stopped and honestly asked yourself — "Who am I becoming?"

Everyone is becoming someone. The question is whether your life is forming you intentionally or accidentally.

In this message, we take a close look at one of the most flawed, impulsive, and relatable figures in Scripture — Simon Peter. He rebuked Jesus. He swung a sword at an arrest. He denied Christ three times in front of a servant girl. And yet Jesus looked at this unstable, reactive fisherman and said, "You will be called Peter" — a rock.

That is the promise of spiritual growth. God sees who you can become before you do.

David D. Ireland, Ph.D. | Lead Pastor | Christ Church

This message asks three questions every believer must face:

• Who could you BECOME? — Spiritual growth is not merely changing behavior. It is becoming the person God created and called you to be. Jesus didn't see Peter's current condition. He declared Peter's future.

• Are you meeting Jesus DAILY? — The Sanhedrin looked at Peter and John and took note: "These men had been with Jesus." Peter's transformation wasn't from education or religion — it was from prolonged exposure to Christ. You become like whoever you consistently spend time with.

• Are you obeying God QUICKLY? — Mature faith obeys God even when the instructions don't immediately make sense. Spiritual growth becomes visible when obedience becomes faster than resistance.

We also look at the story of Immaculée Ilibagiza — a survivor of the 1994 Rwandan genocide — who spent 91 days hiding in a tiny bathroom while her family was murdered around her, and chose to forgive her enemies face to face. That is not just resilience. That is what spiritual growth looks like under the most extreme pressure.

Spiritual growth is becoming harder to shake, slower to react, quicker to heal, and stronger under pressure.

Key scriptures: John 1:40–42 | Matthew 16:21–23 | John 18:10–11 | Acts 4:11–13 | Matthew 17:24–27

What would happen if you grew beyond belief this year — spiritually?

The Moso Bamboo grows underground for five years before it shoots up nearly ninety feet in six weeks. That kind of growth wasn't created in six weeks. It was prepared over five years. And spiritual growth works the same way — it often begins where nobody can see it.

David D. Ireland, Ph.D. | Lead Pastor | Christ Church

In this message drawn from 2 Peter 1 — the final written words of the Apostle Peter before his martyrdom — we ask three questions that every believer must honestly face:

• Are you still GROWING? — God has already given you everything you need for life and godliness. Spiritual growth is not optional enhancement. It is the expected outcome of divine enablement. The real question is: are you cooperating with it?

• What's holding YOU BACK? — Peter identifies 7 qualities every believer must intentionally develop: goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, mutual affection, and love. Neglect them and you become spiritually nearsighted, ineffective, and blind.

• Who could you BECOME? — Spiritual growth is not about becoming someone else. It is about becoming who God always intended you to be — someone who increasingly reflects the character, wisdom, and love of Christ.

We also explore the transformation stories of Grammy-winning artist Lecrae, WWII survivor and Olympic runner Louis Zamperini, and British journalist Malcolm Muggeridge — three men whose lives prove that real spiritual growth is not about perfection, but continual surrender and perseverance.

Key scriptures: 2 Peter 1:3–11 | Hebrews 12:1

What does it take to make a real impact in your community? In this message, Pastor David D. Ireland, Ph.D explores the calling of Moses in Exodus 3 to uncover five powerful answers — from making yourself available to God, to burying your excuses, to becoming an advocate for the oppressed. If your faith has felt comfortable for too long, this message will challenge you to roll up your sleeves to move beyond a comfortable, consumer faith into genuine, hands-on service. Whether you have five hours or fifty to give this year, this message will stir your heart and show you exactly where to start.

Five answers from Scripture:

1. Make yourself available to God

2. Let the cry of the oppressed trouble you

3. Be an advocate for social justice and the voiceless

4. Bury your excuses for the greater good

5. Do what God expects of you

With passion and practical challenge, this message calls the church to move from lukewarm spectators to active servants — volunteering, advocating, and becoming the hands and feet of Christ to the marginalized in our communities.

THIS IS A RECORDING FROM OUR TEACHING ARCHIVES

www.christchurchusa.org

Ready to ditch the old you and embrace transformation? This video dives into intentional mindset shifts, showing how to shed old habits and embrace a new perspective. Discover how your beliefs shape your reality, and learn to actively choose growth—making daily decisions that lead to your best self in Christ. It's always the perfect time to grow!

Ryan Faison, M.Div., Lodi Campus Pastor

What happens when Jesus shows up in the most unexpected place — and speaks directly to the deepest part of who you are?

In this message, we meet one of the most remarkable women in all of Scripture: the Samaritan woman at the well. She was marginalized, avoided, and carrying a past that defined her — until the day she encountered Jesus. And in that single conversation, everything changed.

This message follows three powerful movements in John 4:

• She ENCOUNTERED the Good News — Jesus crossed every cultural barrier to reach her. He met her exactly where she was — not to shame her, but to show her she was seen, known, and still accepted. "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water." — John 4:10

• She EMBRACED the Good News — She didn't just hear it. She acted on it. She surrendered. And in a moment, her sins were exchanged for salvation, her past for a new beginning.

• She EXTENDED the Good News — She left her water jar behind and ran to tell her village. Her life was the testimony. Her story was enough. And many believed because of her.

This is not just her story — it's yours. Jesus is still in the business of transformation. And He still meets people at the well.

What if the places where you've been most broken are the very places where God's healing flows the best?

In this powerful message from Isaiah 53, Dr. Ron Walborn opens one of the most profound passages in all of Scripture — the Suffering Servant — and shows us that Jesus was not a distant, untouched healer. He was a Wounded Healer. And His plan is that our wounds, surrendered to Him, become the source of healing for others.

There is no such thing as an "Unwounded Healer." We are all broken. The question is: will we allow healing to flow from our wounds — or bitterness, anger, and resentment?

In this message, Dr. Walborn unpacks 5 Healing Truths from Isaiah 53

• We Must Be Honest About Our Wounds — You can't be vulnerable and honest with everyone everywhere, but you must be vulnerable with someone somewhere.

• We Must Grieve Our Losses — Jesus modeled lament. Some tears have been long overdue. Grief is not weakness — it is the path to healing.

• We Must Submit to the Father's Will — It's not a question of IF we will be wounded — only WHEN, HOW OFTEN, and HOW DEEP. God will redeem what the enemy intended for evil.

• We Must Forgive Before Our Wounders Ask — Unforgiveness is one of the biggest blocks to healing. Jesus forgave from the cross — before anyone asked.

• We Must Keep Our Eyes on What Is to Come — Jesus endured the cross because of the joy set before Him. Brokenness is the path to victory in God's Kingdom.

Key scriptures: Isaiah 53:1–12 | Psalm 51:6 | Matthew 5:4 | Luke 22:42 | Luke 23:34 | Hebrews 12:2

"By His wounds we are healed." — Isaiah 53:5

For More Information: www.christchurchusa.org

Have you ever felt like your life just isn't moving forward? Like you're doing everything right — but you're still stuck in the same place, the same patterns, the same frustration?

This is Part 4 — the series finale — of Encountering Jesus. Today's message, "Encountering Jesus When You Feel Stuck," takes us to a moment when two of Jesus' closest disciples came to Him feeling stalled, restless, and hungry for more. What Jesus said to them changes everything about how we understand purpose, progress, and what it actually means to move forward.

David D. Ireland, Ph.D. | Lead Pastor | Christ Church

In this message, we unpack three questions Jesus asks when you feel stuck:

• Will you pay the PRICE? — You can't step into what God has for you without embracing the process. Delayed progress is not denial — it is formation. God forms you before He advances you.

• Will you accept GOD'S WILL? — Feeling stuck often comes from carrying what God never gave you to carry. Your capacity and influence are set by God — not by comparison. Peace comes from God-assigned purpose, not self-assigned expectations.

• Will you redefine how you ADVANCE? — Jesus overturns every worldly definition of success. Kingdom advancement is measured by service, not status. You don't get unstuck by climbing higher — you get unstuck by serving lower.

We also explore the SHAPE framework — how your Spiritual gifts, Heart, Abilities, Personality, and Experiences are God's blueprint for your purpose. Plus five clarifying questions that work like a shovel around stuck tires: What do you love? What do you hate? What fear keeps you stuck? What do people ask of you? What God-assignment remains unfinished?

Whether your life feels stuck through closed doors, unclear direction, lingering pain, internal conflict, or delayed progress — this message is for you.

Key scriptures: Mark 10:35-45 | Matthew 20:20-22 | John 3:26-27 | John 10:27

FOR MORE INFORMATION: www.christchurchusa.org