After twenty-five years of ecclesiastical activism, Christians have become like political crusaders, seeking to purge society of its idols rather than pray for its conversion. That's why the Apostle Paul's message in Romans 13 is as relevant to our churches today as it was to the church in Rome all those years ago.
A president once challenged Americans to "ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country." But what should we as Christians be doing for our country? Should we try to reclaim the culture through political activism? Should we fight against immoral government sanctions? Find out now as the Apostle Paul talks to us about Politics.
You've heard the witty old saying, "don't get mad… get even." Well in this message Stephen shows us how that way of thinking ruins friendships, families, and testimonies all the time. Is it ruining yours?
When the Apostle Paul said that "in Christ, there is neither Jew nor Gentile, male nor female, slave nor free," he was proclaiming a truth that is wonderful in theory, but difficult in practice. It seems that as soon as we step foot in church on Sunday mornings, our own prejudices and biases come out in a number of ways. That's why we need to keep eating "humble pie" as often as we can. We can't be spiritually healthy without it.
In Romans 12 the Apostle Paul challenges us to stop believing society's self-preserving, self-serving criteria for relationships, and start demonstrating to the world that real love -- God's love -- goes far beyond greeting cards and the golden rule.
If you go into your local "Christian" bookstore, you’ll find a plethora of self-help books with titles like, "Living Your Best Life Now," "The Secret to Success," and "The Fine Arts of Living." What these books all have in common is that they have little foundation in Scripture. So save your money and instead join Stephen as he shows us from Romans 12:12-13 the "Fine Arts of Godly Living."
It's easy to make a routine of church, isn't it? Every Sunday we might help in the nursery, lead a bible study, go to a service, and sing in the choir, and while these are good things, they sometimes cause us to view Church as a series of programs rather than an assembly of people. In Romans 12 the Apostle Paul interrupts our Christian routines to remind us what 'Church' is really all about.
The Apostle Paul gives us a simple challenge in Romans 12:9 that could change our homes, our churches, and our world if we would take it seriously. "Abhor what is evil ... and cling to what is good." Will you take that challenge to heart today?
In Extravagant Grace, Part 2 (Philippians 4:4–5), Stephen Davey teaches that believers are called to display grace in a disappointed and self-centered world through two qualities—a resolution to be joyful and a reputation for gentleness. Joy, he explains, is not dependent on circumstances but flows from the Holy Spirit, the gospel, and trust in God’s sovereignty—even in suffering. Gentleness, often misunderstood as weakness, is strength under control—a willingness to yield, be courteous, and respond to hostility with grace. Using vivid examples from history, culture, and personal experience, Davey challenges believers to demonstrate joy and gentleness as living testimonies of Christ’s presence. Because “the Lord is near,” Christians can embody supernatural calm and kindness, showing a frustrated world the reality of God’s transforming grace.
In Extravagant Grace, Part 3 (Philippians 4:6–7), Stephen Davey teaches believers how to conquer anxiety through prayer and trust in God. He compares worry to a deadly anaconda that strangles faith, urging Christians to “be anxious for nothing.” Instead of allowing fear to consume them, they are to replace worry with prayer—bringing every concern to God with gratitude. Davey explains that worry pulls believers apart, while thankful prayer realigns their hearts toward God’s power and presence. The result is a supernatural peace that “guards hearts and minds in Christ Jesus,” a peace flowing directly from God’s own character. This peace doesn’t come from understanding circumstances but from trusting the God who controls them all. Through continual, thankful prayer, believers display the extravagant grace of God by living free from fear and full of peace.
In Father Abraham, Part I (Romans 4:1–3), Stephen Davey introduces Abraham as Paul’s prime example of justification by faith, not works. He explains that Abraham lived 2,000 years before Paul, proving that salvation by faith is not new but has always been God’s plan. Abraham, the forefather of Israel and “friend of God,” was revered for righteousness, yet Scripture reveals his flaws—fear, deceit, and unbelief—showing that his justification came by faith alone. Davey warns against relying on human reasoning or cultural religion, urging believers to ask, “What does the Bible say?” Like Abraham, sinners are declared righteous not by merit but by trusting God’s promise of redemption through Christ. God credited righteousness to Abraham’s account by grace, illustrating the same salvation available to every believer today.
In his sermon on Ecclesiastes 7:1–14, Stephen Davey explains how Solomon shifts from raising life’s troubling questions to offering God-given wisdom for living well. Davey highlights four truths Solomon teaches: contemplate your mortality, because facing death cultivates serious thinking and a life of purpose rather than pretense; choose wise companions, since the rebuke of the godly is far more valuable than the shallow laughter of fools; cultivate godly character, resisting the pull of anger, corruption, impatience, and nostalgic fantasies about “the good old days”; and consider your Creator with humility, recognizing that God ordains both prosperity and adversity, the straight paths and the crooked ones, to deepen trust in Him. Davey concludes that Solomon’s inspired counsel urges believers to live with sober perspective, intentional relationships, steadfast integrity, and humble dependence on the God who shapes every season of life.
Stephen Davey’s sermon “Reconcilable Differences” (Philippians 4:2–3) explains that real church and family life are messy, which is exactly where extravagant grace must be practiced. Using humorous and honest stories, he shows that grace is more than a doctrine we receive from God—it’s a costly, deliberate way of stooping low in attitude and action toward difficult people. Paul’s appeal to Euodia and Syntyche models gracious confrontation: he names them, refuses to take sides, reminds them of their shared labor in the gospel, and urges them to “live in harmony in the Lord,” enlisting a trusted “true companion” to help them reconcile. Stephen Davey draws out principles that disagreements are inevitable, even mature believers don’t always disagree agreeably, and small conflicts—if unchecked—can damage an entire church. Instead of taking sides, spiritually mature believers should step in to untangle issues and protect the unity of the body, remembering that everyone’s name is written in the book of life. He concludes with the example of a Christian bus driver whose daily, practical kindness creates a community of grace, urging believers to let that same grace characterize their relationships in the church.
