Sermons
The Advent of Redemption
The summer I turned 13, I got talked into pulling an all-nighter—which completely wrecked my sleep schedule for weeks. The silver lining? Late-night TV in the ’90s had so many great old shows. That’s where I discovered classics like Car 54 Where Are You?, Taxi, and The Twilight Zone. One episode featured a small-time crook... Read More →
How Does Salvation Work?
I want to tell you the story of a man named Barry. Barry was an engineer in Los Angeles. Then he lost his job. Then his home. The rest of his worldly possessions followed shortly thereafter. Drugs became an escape, and then an addiction—a chain that bound him to this new reality. Eventually Barry took... Read More →
The Portrait of Love
Hook [Intro yourself. Hand out Bibles. Communion in coming.] I used to spend my summers in Toronto working with my father. He owned a roofing company, but did plenty of other general contracting work. One day he dropped my brother and I off at this old Italian lady’s place to do lay a brick patio.... Read More →
You’re Bad at Being God
What is your favourite season? [Hand out Bibles] Spring? Summer? Fall? Winter? I’m a bit of a special case. I have two favourite seasons. Christmas and Baseball. And with Christmas now behind us, and pitchers and catchers reporting to Spring Training in just over a month, the anticipation of opening day has begun to ramp... Read More →
So Sue Me
HOOK Good morning, everyone! Hope your Sunday is excellent. Pastor Joel sends his love from a Calvary Chapel in Mexico that he is visiting with this morning. We have lots to get through today, so we’re going to get right into it. If you need a Bible to follow along in our Bible Study, hands... Read More →
The Miracle of Destruction
Intro Good morning! Welcome to Mountain Spring Calvary Chapel. My name is Conrad and I am one of the pastors here. And I am excited for the message God has for us this morning, one which I have entitled “The Miracle of Destruction”… ooh! Provocative! Before we get too far into our message this morning, I want... Read More →
The Upside Down
Greeting I have kids. Fingertips. And it burned like fire Of this burning desire. Yeah, yeah. But I feel, have enough. But I’m looking for, what I’m looking for. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. What I’m looking for. Um… Well, good morning. My name is Conrad. I am one of the pastors here, and I’m... Read More →
Life Lessons from a Madman
Greeting I always enjoy that boom at the end. It’s a very, uh, Nolani, Christopher Nolani. Anyway, um, yeah, my name is Conrad. One of the pastors here. Happy Sunday. Personal Story: Busy Baseball Season So despite the rain, it actually has been a very busy baseball season for my kids. They’re both in ball... Read More →
Devotionals
Don’t Do God’s Job
God made two promises to Abraham. One was that his descendants would outnumber the stars in the sky. The other was that he would be given the land of the Canaanites to possess. Both promises were clear. Both were weighty. And both required waiting. Abraham and Sarah wanted a son so badly they could almost... Read More →
I Don’t Deserve This
Some will read a passage like this and assume unmerited blessing. Others will read it and assume unmerited cursing. Solomon reminds us that both prosperity and adversity come from the hand of the Lord, and that wisdom learns from each. The posture Scripture calls for isn’t suspicion or entitlement, but attentiveness. Abram and Sarai are... Read More →
The Moving of the Spirit
Just before the flood begins to recede, Scripture tells us that a wind moves across the earth. The Hebrew word is ruah—a word rich with meaning. It can be translated as wind, breath, or spirit. This is the same word used in Genesis 1, when the Spirit of God moves over the formless waters at creation.... Read More →
Who’s Leading Who?
We are all the hero of our own stories. We narrate our lives in ways that make our choices feel reasonable, even admirable. We know how to frame our motives generously and our missteps sympathetically. Left to ourselves, we rarely sound like villains. Sin is more than happy to take advantage of that. It doesn’t... Read More →