Join Pastor Matt and Luke for a conversation about anxiety, fear, and finding peace in Christ. In this episode, they dive deep into the new sermon series "Anxious for Nothing" based on Philippians 4:4-7, sharing personal stories of overcoming anxiety and practical steps for trusting God in difficult circumstances.

What You'll Discover:
- How to cultivate joy even in challenging circumstances
- Practical steps for battling anxiety as a Christian
- Real-life stories of trusting God during family emergencies
- The difference between happiness and biblical joy
- Why "The Lord is at hand" changes everything about our anxiety

Featured Scripture:
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 4:6-7

In this opening message of a series on anxiety, Pastor Matt shares personal experiences with anxiety, including worrying about a sleepwalking child and awaiting his wife's medical test results. While acknowledging that anxiety is on the rise in our society, he emphasizes it's not a new problem but rather a spiritual one at its core—a divided mind and restless heart weighed down by fear instead of trusting God.

Pastor Matt examines Philippians 4:4-9 as a battle plan for anxiety, focusing this week on verses 4-5. He unpacks the surprising command to "Rejoice in the Lord always," explaining that joy isn't mere happiness but a deep, Holy Spirit-given delight in God regardless of circumstances. This joy is possible because "the Lord is at hand"—God's nearness is our greatest source of stability. The simple solution to anxiety is fully surrendering to Jesus Christ, who brings three levels of peace: peace with God through salvation, peace within that surpasses understanding, and peace with others through reconciliation.

Join Rick Myers, Hope Church's Groups Director, as he shares his journey from tragedy to transformation and explains why small groups are essential for spiritual growth. In this episode, Rick opens up about losing his brother in high school, finding faith in college, and discovering the power of authentic community through men's groups.

Discover how groups at Hope Church create space for real relationships, practical care, and spiritual growth that goes beyond Sunday mornings. Whether you're new to groups or considering your next step, this conversation reveals why "doing life together" makes all the difference in walking with Jesus.

Key Topics Covered:

• Rick's personal story and calling to groups ministry
• The difference between community groups and discipleship groups
• Practical challenges like childcare and how groups handle them
• Why same-gender groups often go deeper
• The upcoming fall semester focus on anxiety and Jesus' "I Am" statements

In this sermon, Pastor Jeremy focuses on the importance of small groups at Hope Church as they enter the fall semester sign-up period. He begins by examining Acts 2:44-47, which shows how the early church gathered both in large temple courts and in smaller home settings. Pastor Jeremy emphasizes that God designed us for community, noting that the New Testament uses "one another" or "each other" over 100 times.

The heart of his message introduces the BOOST acronym to explain the benefits of group participation: Belong (connecting with 10-15 people rather than trying to know 400+ Sunday attendees), Observe (growing by watching others as "iron sharpens iron" according to Proverbs 27:17), Open up (sharing comfortably to build fellowship as described in 1 John 1:7), Serve (caring for one another's needs as seen in Galatians 6:2), and Truth (growing together through Biblical foundations as taught in Ephesians 4:15). Pastor Jeremy concludes by acknowledging that while we sometimes feel reluctant to attend group meetings, they provide the essential spiritual boost we need throughout our week.

Join Pastor Matt and the team as they dive deeper into topics from the recent "Financial Squeeze" sermon series that didn't quite fit into Sunday morning. This episode focuses on biblical generosity, tithing, and God's design for our finances.

In this episode, we explore the fascinating history behind "In God We Trust" on American currency, dating back to the Civil War era when a Pennsylvania pastor wrote to the Treasury Secretary suggesting this unifying phrase during our nation's most divided time.

Pastor Matt addresses common questions about tithing in the New Testament era, explaining how this practice preceded the Mosaic Law and continues to be relevant for Christians today. He breaks down the principles of giving found in the New Testament and clarifies why tithing to the local church specifically matters according to biblical teaching.

The conversation also covers the "Generosity Ladder" - a practical framework for growing in biblical giving, from first-time gifts to legacy giving that impacts the kingdom long-term. They discuss the four components of God-honoring giving: systematic, proportional, sacrificial, and cheerful.

Finally, Pastor Matt explains Hope Church's financial stewardship practices, including budgeting, board oversight, third-party audits, and accountability measures that ensure donated funds are used wisely and transparently.

In the final message of "The Financial Squeeze" series, Pastor Matt explores how generosity during financial hardship seems counterintuitive yet is precisely what God calls us to do. Using the book of Haggai, he illustrates how God's people postponed rebuilding the temple saying, "not now," while God responded by withholding blessing until they prioritized His work. Pastor Matt connects this to our own struggles with generosity, explaining that our hesitation stems from a lack of trust in God.

The sermon highlights research from "The Paradox of Generosity," a secular study confirming Biblical principles that those who give regularly experience greater happiness, improved health, and stronger purpose. Pastor Matt emphasizes Jesus' words in Acts 20:35 that "It is more blessed to give than to receive," and challenges the congregation with a "now challenge" to take specific steps toward greater generosity, recognizing that generosity changes both us and the future.

Welcome back to another episode of Sunday Morning Extra! This week, our pastoral team delves into the challenging topic of contentment and why it's such a countercultural message in today's world.

In this episode, we explore why contentment feels so unnatural in American culture and how everything around us is designed to create discontentment. We discuss the three major forces working against contentment: social media amplification (where influencers portray unrealistic lifestyles), endless product cycles that push constant upgrades, and comparison culture that makes us feel inadequate.

Our team shares personal stories of learning contentment through difficult experiences - from job disappointments and health challenges to broken expectations about what God "owes" us. We tackle the dangerous prosperity gospel message and why it's so appealing yet fundamentally flawed.

• Why 70% of GDP comes from consumer spending, and what that means for Christians
• The moment when gas prices crossed $1 and never looked back (and what that teaches us about inflation)
• How social media creates unrealistic expectations through carefully curated "perfect" lives
• Personal testimonies about learning contentment through trials and unmet expectations
• The difference between God's definition of "good" versus our expectations
• Why we often write deals with God that He never signed
• Practical wisdom about budgeting, financial stewardship, and living within your means
• The danger of the prosperity gospel: promising the very things we should be fighting against

✅ Contentment is learned through experience, often during our most difficult times

✅ Everything in our consumer culture is designed to make us feel like what we have isn't enough

✅ We need to align our definition of "good" with God's, not our desires

✅ The Christian life isn't about having an easy, comfortable life - it's about faithfulness

✅ Budgeting isn't just for people with little money - it's wise stewardship for everyone

✅ True contentment comes from understanding that everything beyond hell is a gift from God

Join us this Sunday at Hope Church! We'd love to have you worship with us as we continue our series on biblical principles for life.

Can't make it in person? While we're glad you're joining us through the podcast, there's something special about gathering together in community. Come as you are - we'll save you a seat!

Thanks for listening to Sunday Morning Extra - where we take the Sunday message and dig a little deeper into what it means to live out biblical principles in everyday life.

Pastor Matt continues "The Financial Squeeze" series by exploring the countercultural concept of contentment, which he defines as accepting your current condition in life. Using Paul's testimony in Philippians 4:11-13, Pastor Matt explains that contentment is "a secret we all must learn" through experience—not something that comes naturally. This secret is God's power at work in the life of Christ followers, enabling them to handle any circumstance life presents.

The sermon distinguishes between two types of contentment experiences: planned contentment (budgeting for godliness and finances) and unplanned contentment (dealing with unexpected losses). Drawing from 1 Timothy 6, Pastor Matt emphasizes that "godliness with contentment is great gain," contrasting this with our consumer-driven culture that constantly creates discontentment. He concludes that contentment requires daily choice and refocusing on God rather than comparing ourselves to others, which he calls "the great destroyer of contentment."