Saddleback Church Weekend Messages

What makes your story worth telling? In this final message from the Live Sent series, Pastor Andy Wood turns to the man born blind in John 9, whose condition was no verdict on anyone's sin but an occasion for God's work to be displayed. When religious experts pressed him to denounce the one who healed him, he had no theology to offer them, only what had happened to him: he was blind, and now he sees. A personal story cannot be argued away. Pastor Andy draws four principles from the account: make it personal, make it specific about what Jesus has done and when he did it, make Jesus the hero rather than yourself, and make the Good News digestible, offering a small taste so others can see for themselves that God is good (Psalm 34:8). You don't need a dramatic past or perfect answers, only what God has actually done in your life. Who needs to hear it?

What happens when we try to do life alone? In this message from the Live Sent series, Pastor Kurt Johnston returns to the garden, where God looked at a man in perfect fellowship with him and still declared that it was not good for him to be alone (Genesis 2:18). We bear the image of a God who has eternally existed in relationship as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, so we are wired for one another. Johnston unpacks three reasons small groups are a big deal: in a small group we are seen, because the body of Christ is made of members who suffer and rejoice together (1 Corinthians 12:26); we are strengthened, because a cord of three strands is not easily broken (Ecclesiastes 4:9–12) and a friend sharpens us the way iron sharpens iron (Proverbs 27:17); and we are sent, because Jesus prayed that we would go into the world just as the Father sent him (John 17:18). We gather so that we can go.

When you decide to live sent by God, you step into spiritual battle. This fight isn't won with earthly weapons—it's won on your knees. In this message from the Live Sent series, Pastor Andy reveals how to engage in spiritual warfare through prayer. Learn to pray first by making God your priority (Colossians 4:2), pray practically by bringing your real needs before Him (Colossians 4:3), and pray powerfully by aligning your prayers with God's will and promises (1 John 5:14–15). Discover how to keep asking, seeking, and knocking (Luke 11:9–10), praying the promises of God that find their "yes" in Christ. When we devote ourselves to persistent prayer, we partner with God's heart for the lost and participate in spiritual transformation. God called you to make a difference. The battle is won when you surrender to His throne. Who is "your one"—the person you'll pray for today?

How do we become Good News people in a world filled with bad news? In this message from the Live Sent series, we look at Peter and John’s encounter with a man who had been unable to walk his entire life (Acts 3:1–10) and discover what it looks like to notice the opportunities God puts right in front of us. Living sent doesn’t require going across the world—your mission field is where you live, work, and play. It means seeing everyday opportunities, speaking life-giving words, and stretching out a helping hand to people in need. We don’t have to make sharing our faith weird or treat people like projects; we can build genuine friendships, pray for open doors (Colossians 4:3), and trust God to use every interaction like a seed planted in someone’s life. Jesus has rescued us from darkness and brought us into his kingdom (Colossians 1:13–14), and his love now compels us to live for something bigger than ourselves (2 Corinthians 5:14–15). In a world filled with bad news, God is calling us to become people who bring Good News.

What does it mean to live like you were sent by God? In this message, we kick off the Live Sent series by discovering that God made us for more—not simply a bigger house, a better title, or the next milestone, but a life rooted in Jesus and given to his mission. Jesus announces that the kingdom of God has come near (Mark 1:14–15), and then sends his followers into the world just as the Father sent him (John 20:21). As followers of Jesus, we are Christ’s ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:17–21), sent with his authority, empowered by the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8), and entrusted with the Good News that Jesus is alive and is making all things new. Your life matters, and God has a purpose for why you are here. The question is whether you’ll live for your own comfort and agenda or surrender your life to his mission. It starts with a simple but powerful prayer: Use me, God.

What does it look like to actually watch for Jesus, not just believe He's coming back? In this message, guest speaker John Bevere shares how he avoided this subject for decades until an unexpected assignment from God sent him deep into Scripture, and what he found reshaped how he lives. Simeon recognized the Messiah as an infant because he lived in eager expectation (Luke 2:25), and the New Testament calls every believer to that same posture, eagerly waiting for Christ's appearing (1 Corinthians 1:7; Hebrews 9:28). Where our minds are set (Colossians 3:1-2) shapes who we become, and that expectation carries power to purify us (1 John 3:2-3), the way a bride readies herself for her wedding day (Revelation 19:7-8). The ten virgins in Matthew 25 all carried light, but only half were ready when the moment came. You don't have to be caught off guard. Get ready. He's coming, and He's coming soon.

In this third message of Off The Shelf, guest speaker and Pastor David Nasser, teaching pastor at New Vision Baptist Church in Tennessee, calls the church back to the ancient practice of “philoxenia”, or “loving the outsider”. He shares how a single church's hospitality toward his family when he was young became the doorway that led him and his family to faith, proof that this practice carries the weight of the gospel itself. Nasser shows that hospitality is never a suggestion but a divine expectation woven through Scripture. Romans 12 urges believers to pursue hospitality with inventive creativity, 1 Timothy 3 lists it as a mark of spiritual maturity and a requirement for those who lead the church, and 1 Peter 4 commands believers to keep loving one another earnestly and to show hospitality without grumbling, since love covers a multitude of sins. If you've ever wondered whether opening your life to someone different could really matter, this message will show you it's not just possible, it's a divine calling.

Guest speaker Pastor Aaron Graham, founder and lead pastor of The District Church in Washington, D.C., addresses the quiet drift many Christians experience: professional growth paired with spiritual regression. Using the book of Jude, Graham traces this drift through three stages, doubt, deconstruction, and denial, showing how an honest question can spiral into abandoning core truths when left unchecked. He confronts the modern lie that everything must be rational, arguing that a shift in ultimate authority, from God's Word to personal feelings, is what pulls people from Him. He closes with a picture of dormant desert seeds blooming after a single rain, a reminder that revival waits beneath even the driest culture. If you have felt yourself drifting from what you once believed, this message offers seven practices to help you hold fast to what is true.

In this first message of Off The Shelf, Dr. R.T. Kendall addresses a "silent divorce" he's observed in the modern church, the split between churches devoted to sound doctrine and churches devoted to the power of the Spirit. Looking at Acts 3 and the healing of a man crippled from birth, Kendall unpacks six truths about how the Holy Spirit works: his sameness across time, his sovereignty over our timing, his sensitivity to our attitudes and actions, his spontaneity that refuses to be boxed in by legalism, the surprise of his power at work, and the strategy behind why God saves certain miracles for certain moments. This message is a reminder that Word and Spirit were never meant to be separated. If you've ever leaned hard into truth but wondered where the power went, or leaned into power but wondered if you were missing depth, this message will challenge you to pursue both fully.

In this message of Jesus on the Move, Pastors Kurt Johnston and Dawson Rubin explore what it means to be invited into the mission of Jesus. Looking at Mark 3, they unpack three powerful truths: Jesus calls us, crafts us, and commissions us. This message is a reminder that following Jesus was never meant to be passive—every believer is invited to know Him deeply, be shaped by His presence, and carry His love and truth into the world. If you’ve ever wondered what your purpose is or whether God can really use you, this message will encourage you to step out of the stands and into the race He’s called you to run.

Pastor Andy Wood walks through Mark 2–3 to show how Jesus meets us in our brokenness and brings healing, freedom, and restoration. As Jesus confronts empty religion and restores a man with a shriveled hand, we’re reminded that God never intended us to live under the weight of performance or shame. Instead, He invites us into relationship, rest, and a new way of living shaped by His grace. If you’ve ever felt burdened by striving, stuck in brokenness, or in need of God’s healing touch, this message is a powerful reminder that Jesus still restores what feels ruined and calls us to trust Him with every part of our lives. 

What if right now is exactly when God wants to meet you? In this message from Jesus on the Move, Pastor Andy Wood walks through a moment in Mark's gospel where religious leaders question Jesus about fasting, and Jesus answers with three pictures that still apply today: a wedding worth celebrating, a garment too new to patch, and wine too alive for an old skin. Together they show that God is doing something new, something that can't fit inside old systems or borrowed seasons. You'll explore the difference between chronos, the ordinary clock, and kairos, the divine window of opportunity. Like the sons of Issachar, you're invited to read the season you're in instead of rushing past it. Whatever your stage of life, busy parent, single adult, or grandparent, God has a purpose for you right now. The real question isn't whether He's moving. It's whether you'll make space to see it.

What if the very story you've heard a thousand times is the only thing strong enough to hold your life together? Guest speaker Pastor Jason Parrish, who leads The Well near Salt Lake City, reminds us that the gospel isn't an old idea to outgrow, it's the power that never stops working. Through the story of Lazarus, you'll see that God gets the glory in your hardest moments, that sin leaves us spiritually dead apart from Christ, and that the moment you trust Jesus, your standing before Him instantly changes. You don't have to clean yourself up first. Jesus calls you out of the grave just as you are, then patiently does the work of unwrapping and transforming you. Wherever you are today, take your next step: surrender your life to Jesus and find a small group where you can keep growing.

Jesus reorders our lives room by room, and the last room He asks for is often the hardest to surrender. In this closing message of the Get Growing series, Pastor Andy Wood makes a compelling case that a growing faith will always lead to a generous heart. Drawing from 2 Corinthians 9, he reframes the way we think about money: not as something we've earned and choose to share, but as something God entrusted to us and invites us to steward with open hands. God is the giver, the replenisher, and the one who can be trusted when fear tempts us to hold on tight. Generosity isn't an obligation; it's an act of worship, a declaration of trust, and an invitation into the kind of life only God can sustain. Wherever you are in your giving journey, this message will challenge and encourage you to take the next step.

What if the secret to spiritual growth has been right in front of you all along? In this message, Pastor Andy Wood and Dream Team Pastor Jacob Wilson reveal one of the most counterintuitive truths in Scripture: a life of service is the secret accelerator of growth. God didn't just save you from something. He saved you for something. Drawing from Ephesians 2:8–10, they explore three reasons to serve: God saves us for service, shapes us for service, and grows us through service, building your character, His Church, and your reach along the way. You have been uniquely formed with specific gifts, passions, abilities, and experiences, and there is a place in the body of Christ that only you can fill. Your purpose isn't just waiting to be discovered. It's waiting to be lived. Join a Dream Team: saddleback.com/serve

Who's speaking into your life? In this message, Pastor Andy Wood introduces the idea of your "wisdom table": the voices, relationships, and content that quietly shape your perspective, your heart, and your destiny. Like a microscopic root pest that destroys a plant from the inside out, bad influences can devastate your faith before you ever notice. Drawing from the lives of King Solomon and King Rehoboam, Pastor Andy shows how even the wisest people can be undone by letting the wrong voices in. This message gives you practical steps to evaluate who's at your table, vet your influences, seek mentors for every area of life, and place King Jesus at the head. Spiritual growth is God's will for you, but the voices you listen to will determine whether you get there.

Why do some people grow more than others? In this first message of our new series, Get Growing, Pastor Andy Wood explores God's design for spiritual growth and why it doesn't happen by accident. Drawing from Jesus' parable of the sower in Mark 4, Pastor Andy walks through four heart conditions that determine how we receive God's Word. A hard heart lets truth get snatched away before it takes root. A shallow heart receives the Word with excitement but has no depth to sustain it. A distracted heart gets crowded out by worry, wealth, and competing desires. But a receptive heart hears the Word, accepts it, applies it, and multiplies it. Growth is God's will for you, but it's not guaranteed. The condition of your heart makes all the difference. This message will challenge you to examine your own heart and take practical steps toward becoming someone who bears lasting fruit for God.

In this special Mother's Day message, Pastor Stacie Wood shares an encouraging word about the most powerful tool we have to influence our families: persevering prayer. Through inspiring stories from church history and her own life, Stacie illustrates the impact of refusing to give up on praying for loved ones. She explores the Hebrew concept of "paga," depicting intercession as boldly bringing the needs of others before God's mercy. Stacie challenges listeners to pray "dangerous" prayers that will set the spiritual trajectory for generations. Whether you are a parent, grandparent, or friend, this message will renew your faith and remind you that it's never too late to start contending for God's best for your family. Discover how your prayers are your greatest influence.

What happens when we flip the script and let young people teach us? In this message, Pastor Kurt Johnston explores four powerful lessons from youth in the Bible. Drawing from the stories of Samuel, Esther, the boys who mocked Elisha, and the boy with the loaves and fishes, Pastor Kurt shares practical habits to transform our lives. Learn to "listen up" to God's voice by dialing down the noise, "step up" to protect the vulnerable, "shush up" by pausing to pray before speaking, and "offer up" what you have to join what God is doing. No matter your age, you will be challenged to put these timeless principles into practice. God is always at work, and when we align our lives with His, we can make a lasting impact in the next generation and beyond.

All of us desire peace in our homes, but how can we find it with so many competing priorities? In this message, Pastor Andy Wood explores God's design for bringing lasting peace into our families. Drawing from Psalm 128 and James 3, Pastor Andy shares how to catch God's vision for your home, order your priorities with worship of God as the foundation, and shape daily habits that sow seeds of peace. Learn practical ways to gather around the table, speak affirming words, and root out bitter envy and selfish ambition that destroy relationships. Whether you're single, a young parent, or a grandparent, you'll be encouraged to persevere and trust God for strength. Peace requires willingness to keep sowing in faith, knowing a harvest of righteousness is coming. God has a vision for your home, and there's still time to align your heart with His design.

Life is full of moments we didn’t see coming. In this message, Pastor Andy Wood shares where we can find real peace when life feels uncertain. Jesus teaches us peace is not found by fixing what’s happening around us. Peace begins within us. While we often look to external solutions, Scripture reveals that what’s happening in our hearts is what shapes our lives. Through passages like John 14 and Mark 7, we see that transformation is an inside work. Peace flows from a right relationship with God and a heart surrendered to him. As we invite God to search our hearts and grow our trust in him, we begin to experience the kind of peace that holds steady even when life doesn’t. No matter what you’re facing, this message invites you to bring your heart to God and discover the peace only he can give.

Why does it feel so hard to live with peace? In the first message of our series, The Path to Peace, we look at how to experience peace in our minds. So often, we carry more than we were meant to, taking on thoughts and responsibilities that slowly erode our peace. Isaiah 26:3 reminds us that God keeps those who trust in Him in perfect peace. Peace isn’t the absence of chaos. It’s a steady life that flows from a right relationship with God, available in any circumstance. The battle for peace begins in our minds. This message explores how to pause, protect your thoughts, and pray. When we don’t guard our minds, we’re vulnerable to lies. But when we shift our focus to God’s truth, everything begins to change. God invites us to trust Him with what we can’t control and take responsibility for what we can. As we do, we experience His peace and come to know Him as the God of peace.

What is hope? For some, it’s a wish or a state of mind. But how do we hold onto hope when we lose a loved one, when a marriage falls apart, or when our health fails? In this Easter message, Pastor Andy Wood walks through John 11 and the story of Jesus raising Lazarus. In their grief, Mary and Martha ask where Jesus was and why He didn’t come sooner. In response, Jesus reveals who He is. He is the resurrection and the life, greater than any circumstance we face. He is the God who cares, meeting us in our pain and reminding us we are not alone. He is the God who keeps His promises, calling Lazarus out of the grave and showing His power and faithfulness. This Easter, we’re invited to lift our hope above our circumstances and place it in Jesus, who offers new life, real peace, and a hope we can hold onto.

Pastor Buddy Owens walks us through the powerful truth of Galatians 2:20 and what Jesus’ sacrifice really means for our lives today. The cross isn’t just about eternity. It changes everything about how we live right now. Because of the cross, three things are true for anyone who puts their faith in Jesus. We are forgiven, fully and completely, with nothing left to prove or pay. We are set free, no longer defined by sin, shame, or our past. And we are given a new life, not a restart of the old one, but a completely new beginning with new purpose and hope. This message reminds us that what Jesus did was finished and final. Our role is to trust what He’s already done and live in that freedom every day. No matter your past or what you’re carrying, this is an invitation to come to Jesus just as you are and step into the life He’s already made possible for you.

Pastor Kurt Johnston wraps up our final week of Jesus on the Move, walking through Jesus’ healing of the paralytic man in Mark 2. When all else fails, a group of friends asks, “what if Jesus could?” and stops at nothing to get their friend in front of Him. When the crowd blocks the way, they push through, lower their friend down, and create a moment that changes everything. This story reminds us that faith sets the stage for God to move in us and through us. Every opportunity for faith comes with obstacles, but while the barriers are real, they don’t have the final say. God is with us, walking us through each one. We also see that what feels messy or unexpected to us is often the very place Jesus invites us to trust Him more. If you’ve been waiting for the right moment, this message is your invitation to trust Him and take your next step.

What if God isn’t distant from your pain, but actually drawn to it? In Week 4 of Jesus on the Move, Pastor Stacie walks through Mark 1:40–45, where Jesus meets a man no one else would touch. Instead of stepping back, Jesus moves toward him with compassion, reaches out, and changes his life completely. This message shows us the heart of Jesus. He sees the broken, the isolated, and the overlooked, and He moves closer, not away. His compassion is not passive. It is active, personal, and powerful enough to make the unclean clean. And it doesn’t stop with Him. The same compassion we receive is the compassion we’re invited to live out. If you’ve ever wondered how God feels about you, or what it looks like to love people in a real way, this message is for you. Watch now and discover a compassion that moves toward you and through you.

Pastor Andy continues our Jesus on the Move series by exploring the authority of Jesus in the Gospel of Mark. Many of us try to control our lives and circumstances, but underneath that struggle is a deeper question: who is really in charge of our lives? In Mark 1 and 2, Jesus teaches with authority and demonstrates it by confronting evil, healing the sick, and forgiving sins. Through these moments, we see that His authority brings freedom, healing, and forgiveness. Scripture reminds us that pride and rebellion place us outside of God’s authority, while humility and surrender open the door to His grace and peace. As we surrender our lives to Jesus and allow Him to lead, we begin to experience the peace that comes from trusting Him.

In a culture where people are searching for their calling, Jesus offers something deeper. In Mark 1, Jesus invites ordinary fishermen with simple words: “Follow me.” Their calling did not begin with a career or plan. It began with a relationship. First, Jesus calls us to relationship with Him. Following Jesus is not about rules or religion. It is about letting Him lead our lives. Our lives are defined not by what we do, but by who we follow. Second, Jesus calls us to transformation. The disciples came as ordinary fishermen, but as they followed Him, He changed them. Jesus meets us where we are, but He does not leave us there. Third, Jesus calls us to make a difference. Jesus told His disciples He would make them fishers of people. Their decision to follow Him changed the world, and God still uses ordinary people to reach others with His love.

Before any healings or miracles, Jesus’ ministry begins with a declaration of identity. In Mark 1, as Jesus rises from the water, God the Father declares: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” In this first message of our new series, Jesus on the Move, Pastor Andy Wood explores the life and ministry of Jesus through the Gospel of Mark. Pastor Andy walks through Jesus’ identity revealed, the kingdom of heaven inaugurated, and His obedience tested in the wilderness. We’re challenged to reflect on our own identity. Everything we do flows from who we believe we are. Because of Jesus, we are given a new identity as children of God, invited into His mission and strengthened for our own wilderness seasons.

What if the season you are in is actually preparing you for what God wants to do next? This message from The Return Gathering focuses on a season of preparation for revival. Pastor Andy Wood reminds us that before God moves in powerful ways, He first prepares His people. Through Scripture, we see that every season carries purpose, shaping our hearts for what He wants to do next. The question is not if we are being prepared, but how we will respond. We can resist it or lean in. God invites us to prepare our hearts, our homes, and our community, allowing Him to do a deep work within us. As we do, we begin to position ourselves for renewal, transformation, and a fresh move of God.

From the Garden of Eden until now, Scripture tells one story: God’s constant desire to dwell with His people. Guest speaker Luke LeFevre calls us to be a generation that seeks the face and glory of God. Throughout the Bible we see God pursuing nearness, from the Tabernacle to Jesus to the Church today. We also see how God raised up and walked with people like David, who sought God’s glory and nearness in their lives. But what is God’s glory and how do we experience it? God’s glory is His presence among His people, and Luke asked a piercing question: Are we content to live without His presence? Like David, who longed to dwell in the house of the Lord, we are invited to seek God above all else. As we look ahead to The Return Gathering and what God has next, may we be a church that longs for His glory and seeks His face.

Over the past five weeks, Pastor Andy and Stacy shared what it means to get Back on Track with God’s design for our faith, health, finances, relationships, and work. But how do we stay on track when life gets tough? This past weekend, Pastor Andy shared the answer: community. Pastor Andy reminded us that God has given us three powerful gifts to live out his purpose for our lives: his Word, his Spirit, and his Church. We were never meant to follow Jesus in isolation. God created us to live in community, where walking alongside others helps us go further than we ever could on our own. When we look at the early church in the book of Acts, we see how community fueled deep devotion and a growing closeness to God that no one experienced alone. Don’t walk alone. Take your next step into community by joining a small group today at saddleback.com/groups.

God’s original design for work was never meant to feel like a burden or simply a way to survive. From the very beginning, before sin entered the world, God created work as something good and meaningful, inviting his people to join him in shaping, cultivating, and caring for his creation. Yet for many of us today, work can feel complicated, misaligned, or even painful. In this message, Pastor Andy returns to Genesis to rediscover God’s original, divine design for work and to remind us that the struggle we feel does not mean we missed our calling. Instead, we are invited to receive work as a gift, not an identity. This message challenges us to stop working for pleasure, profit, or pride, and to see our work as an act of worship, offering our best to God and learning how to experience peace, purpose, and freedom in whatever work is in our hands.

When our closest relationships feel strained or broken, the weight can linger and leave us feeling unseen or unheard. In this message, Pastor Stacie preached a message on how to get back on track with our relationships. While we cannot change another person, we are not stuck. God invites us to focus on our own growth. He does not hold us responsible for someone else’s choices, but he deeply cares about our hearts, words, and actions. Romans 12 calls us to live at peace with everyone, as far as it depends on us, choosing hope, patience, and prayer even when it is hard. Our hope is bigger than any relationship. Hebrews 6 reminds us that Jesus is an anchor for our souls, and 1 Peter 5 assures us that God restores and strengthens us. You are not meant to carry relational pain alone. Join a small group and step into 21 Days of Prayer with us.

Money carries so much weight in our lives, but this weekend’s message reminded us where our trust belongs. In this message, Pastor Andy shared a simple, freeing truth: everything we have already belongs to God. He is the owner, and we are trusted stewards. Money is not the goal or the problem. It is a resource God created and a way we worship him through how we use it. In Matthew 25, Jesus tells a story of servants entrusted with their master’s money. The servant who used what he was given faithfully was rewarded, not because the money was his, but because he honored his master. God invites us into that same trust today. He places resources in our hands and calls us to use them with his purposes in mind. As we work hard, plan wisely, and hold everything with open hands, we learn the heart of this message. Trust God over money, and use what he gives for what matters most.

When we follow God’s design for our lives, He leads us toward health mentally, physically, and emotionally. In this message, Pastor Andy reminds us that our health matters to God because our whole lives matter to Him. Our bodies are not just something to manage or enjoy. They are a gift. God did not give us a body to worship. He gave us a body for worship. The way we care for ourselves can become a daily response to His love. While we often separate our spiritual life from our physical and emotional health, God sees them as deeply connected. He created our minds and bodies to work together so we can live out His purposes. We cannot fully step into a heavenly calling without caring for the earthly bodies God has entrusted to us. The invitation is simple and personal. How can we dedicate our whole selves to God and care for our health as an act of worship?

Getting back on track does not start with fixing everything else. It starts with returning to God. Every area of our lives, our faith, health, finances, relationships, and work, flows from our relationship with Him. We looked at the story of Cain and Abel and saw the difference between giving God leftovers versus giving Him our best. Abel offered his first and best as worship, while Cain held back. God is after our whole heart. What we give our time and energy to is what grows. The appetite we feed is the appetite that shapes our lives. God responds to humility and holy hunger. As a church, we are stepping into 21 Days of Prayer and a season of fasting as we seek God together, leading toward our Return Gathering. This year, we are invited to trust God with our whole lives and give Him our best, not our leftovers.

A new year does not create a new life. A changed life begins with intention. This message reminds us that Jesus invites us into a life renewed from the inside out. We see the freedom He offers from the weight of our past through forgiveness, the purpose and fulfillment He brings to our present, and the faith He gives for the future that replaces fear with trust. Instead of striving for change on our own, we are invited to place our lives in His hands and let Him lead. As we trust Jesus more deeply and follow Him, our lives can become a story of healing, growth, and lasting hope.

This Christmas Day, Pastor Buddy Owens reminded us of the central truth of Christmas. God gave us His greatest gift, Himself, through Jesus. Scripture calls Him Immanuel, God with us, and His coming proves that God is not distant or disinterested. He is present, personal, and for you. We reflected on the humility of Jesus’ birth and how the King of heaven chose to meet us not in palaces, but in the mangers of life. Jesus entered our brokenness so we could experience the life God always intended for us. Through the incarnation, God made a way for us to be reconciled to Him and become His sons and daughters. Christmas reminds us that God is with you in every season, and He is for you. He sent Jesus to bring forgiveness, hope, restoration, and fullness of life.

This Christmas Eve, we gathered to celebrate Jesus and the gift of peace He came to give. We looked at a question many of us ask, is this really all there is? Scripture reminds us that God has more for you. He has a plan and a purpose, and true joy and lasting fulfillment are found as we know God, find community, pursue growth, make a difference, and impact the world. If those things stirred something in you, we invited you to start the new year with us as we begin our new message series, Back on Track. We also explored what the Bible says about peace. Jesus never promised a problem free world, but He did promise peace in Him. Peace is not the absence of chaos, it is the presence of God. As we closed with candlelight, we were reminded that Jesus is the Prince of Peace, and His peace is available to us today.

When we look at the story of Mary and Joseph, we are reminded that obedience does not always come with clarity, comfort, or ease. But obedience places us right in the middle of God’s redemptive work and his plans for our lives. Their story shows us that our best response to God is often a simple yes, even when it does not make sense, even when it costs us, and even when waiting makes it harder. In this message, Pastor Andy Wood invites us to see Christmas as a story still being written and to consider how our ‘yes’ to God shapes who we become and the chapters God is writing in our lives today. As Christmas approaches, we are each invited to ask ourselves. What might God do if I offered him my best yes?

We all want our lives to tell a better story, and with God’s help, that is possible. In the Stories of Christmas series, Pastor Andy walks through three questions that shape the direction of our lives: What do you want, why does it matter, and how will you respond? Our desires influence what we notice, our expectations shape how we see God at work, and our choices move us toward the future we hope for. We are invited to let God reshape our desires, lift our perspective, and live with renewed anticipation. Instead of settling or drifting, we can lean in, pay attention, and take a step toward the story God is writing in our lives.

When we choose gratitude, God opens our eyes to his goodness and draws our hearts toward him, while entitlement closes us off from the grace he’s already pouring into our lives. In this message, Pastor Buddy concludes our series, Closer, by reminding us that gratitude is often the first step toward a deeper, more trusting relationship with God. We grow in gratitude by paying attention to the ways he cares for us and choosing to thank him throughout our day. And as this rhythm takes root in our lives, our faith grows, our joy deepens, and we begin to experience God’s presence with a clearer, more hopeful heart.

Do you ever feel like there’s something in your life you just can’t let go of, something that keeps you from fully surrendering to God and experiencing the closeness you long for? In this message, Pastor Stacie Wood unpacks what it means to open our hands and trust God with every part of our lives. Looking at the rich young ruler in Mark 10, we see a man who had everything yet could not release his grip long enough to follow Jesus. His story ends in sadness, while Peter’s story reveals the beauty of a surrendered life. Peter gave up much, but discovered that life with Jesus is more meaningful and rewarding than anything he could build on his own. That same invitation is in front of us. God calls us to trust Him with everything, knowing that what He gives is always better than what we hold onto. What might be holding you back?

What keeps us from feeling close to God? In the Closer series, we look at one of the biggest barriers: unforgiveness. While we all want a real relationship with Him, Jesus shows that unforgiveness can quietly block our hearts in ways we do not always recognize. Through the story of the unforgiving servant, we are reminded that God has already forgiven a debt we could never repay, and that extending forgiveness is part of the freedom He invites us into. Forgiveness is not pretending the hurt did not happen. It is choosing to release it, trusting God with the pain, and stepping into a life where nothing stands between us and Him. As we receive God’s forgiveness and extend it to others, we begin to experience a deeper closeness with Him.

This weekend was a powerful reminder that God calls us to dream big, to dream his dreams, and to step out in bold faith. As a church, we celebrated all that God has already done through Dream Now, from lives changed to ministries growing and new campuses taking shape. And we believe he’s only getting started. Together, we’re stepping into what’s next by faithfully responding to his call, trusting that as we give, serve, and pray from now through the end of the year, God will continue to do more than we could ever imagine. Learn more or get involved at saddleback.com/dreamnow

Have you ever wondered if God really has a plan for your life, and how to figure out what it is? This weekend, Pastor Kurt Johnston reminded us that God absolutely has a unique purpose and plan for each of us. God’s will begins with relationship. His will for everyone is that we would know Him, respond to His love, and enter into a personal relationship with Jesus. But beyond that, He also has a specific plan for each of our lives. So how do we discover it? Pastor Kurt taught that understanding God’s will is not about unlocking a secret. It is about growing closer to Him. The more time we spend in prayer, reading Scripture, and walking daily with God, the more clearly we begin to hear His voice and recognize His direction. God’s will is not always revealed all at once. It is something we discover step by step as we follow Him. When we seek God daily, He gives us peace, clarity, and wisdom for each decision along the way.

As Christians, how do we respond to a world full of division and conflict? How can we stay rooted in our faith while living in a constantly changing culture? In the second week of our series Hey God!, Pastor Andy Wood reminded us that if we want to know how to live, we must first know who, or what, we follow. Whether we realize it or not, we’re all being shaped by something. We can choose to follow Jesus and build our lives on the firm foundation of God’s Word, or let the world shape us instead. Who we become starts with what we follow. Pastor Andy challenged us to ask two key questions: Who am I following? and Who am I aiming to please? We can’t live to please both people and God. Living for God’s approval brings peace, purpose, and strength to stand firm in truth. Jesus modeled both grace and truth—loving people deeply while never compromising what was right. To follow him means being willing to stand apart from the world and reflect his love, truth, and compassion in all we do.

Pastor Andy Wood kicks off an exciting new series, Hey God!, with a powerful message teaching us how we can tune in to hear God’s voice. In the busyness of our lives today, it’s hard to believe that the same God who spoke to Moses, Jesus, and Paul still speaks to us. But we often forget that God does want to speak to us and he wants us to listen. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and we can hear his voice and calling in our lives when we learn how to be still and listen. In this message, Pastor Andy shares the story of God speaking to the prophet Samuel, calling him to step into his great purpose as a leader of Israel. Through our study of 1 Samuel, we witnessed how God called Samuel and were reminded that God answers those who seek him with all their heart. We hope this message inspires you to seek God’s voice in your life and leads you to a deeper relationship with him.