The River Worship - Sermons
by Pastor Ryan McVety
The River is a weekly, mid-week worship night. The purpose of The River is to provide an opportunity for people of all denominations, backgrounds, and age groups to have an all-out, powerful worship experience in the presence of the Holy Spirit and fellow believers. What should you expect on a Tuesday night? The second you step into our venue, you'll be greeted by our Experience team. They'll help you find a seat or help you find anyone you're meeting. We typically do 8 to 9 modern worship songs with a full production. We have a Spotify playlist too in case you want to familiarize yourself with some of the songs! We also spend about 30 minutes in the Word of God. The River is not meant to replace church. We believe you should get rooted in a strong Sunday community. If you don't have a home church, let us know! We'll get you connected. Join us any Tuesday night at 7:30pm. There's a seat for you. And of course, things will get loud!
Episodes
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The Trap in The Gap
Vision Night brought our River family together to thank God for five years of lives changed and look ahead to what’s next. Pastor Ryan shared how worship and the Gospel are reaching people far beyond the room, while also acknowledging the financial pressure facing CCC and The River. That tension...
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It's Wearing Off
Another achievement. Another compliment. Another relationship. For a moment, you feel better, but eventually, you’re searching again. Why does fulfilment keep wearing off? In “It’s Wearing Off,” Pastor Ryan McVety takes us to Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman in John 4. Through the…
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Joining the Conversation
Joining the Conversation | Shaila Visser Season 16, Episode 08 | The River × Alpha Canada The person you’ve been praying for is deeply loved by God and the Holy Spirit is already at work. In this episode, recorded at The River in collaboration with Alpha Canada, Shaila Visser, National Director…
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Satan's Lullaby
What if you’ve been drifting into spiritual sleep without realizing it? In “Satan’s Lullaby,” Pastor Caden Fabrizio draws from the story of Eutychus in Acts 20 to expose five things that can dull our spiritual awareness: sin, unchecked appetites, trauma that shapes our identity, apathy, and...
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Don't Call It Yet
What do you do when God hasn’t moved on the timeline you expected? In “Don’t Call It Yet,” Pastor Ryan McVety explores the moment when disappointment tempts us to turn God’s “not yet” into “never.” Through the story of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus in John 11, we’re reminded that time belongs to...
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The Tabernacle of David
THE MESSAGE PUT HIS PRESENCE AT THE CENTRE. Pastor Brendan took us from the Ark of the Covenant to David bringing it into Jerusalem. Rather than putting it away until Solomon built the temple, David prepared a tent, appointed worshipers, and made praise part of the life of the city. God’s…
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Forget Not
Forget Not | Pastor Ryan McVety When a new challenge appears, it can be easy to forget every season God has already carried us through. In this message celebrating The River’s 5-year anniversary, Pastor Ryan McVety turns to Psalm 103:1–2 and David’s instruction to his own soul: bless the Lord and...
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I Thought It Would Break Me
I Thought It Would Break Me | Pastor Ryan McVety Some seasons leave us wondering how much more we can take. In Daniel 3, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego faced a furnace because they would not bow. Their answer to the king was bold: God was able to deliver them, but even if He did not, they would...
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Distracted
What if the greatest threat to your faith is not something obviously sinful, but something quietly stealing your attention? In Season 16, Episode 2 of The River Worship Podcast, Pastor Ryan McVety shares “Distracted,” a timely message from Hebrews 12:1–2 about throwing off everything that hinders...
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It Doesn't Have To Make Sense
Title: It Does Not Have to Make Sense: Obedience Over Understanding Summary: What happens when God's instructions make absolutely no sense to us? In this message, we dive into one of the most dramatic and counterintuitive stories in all of Scripture, the fall of Jericho in Joshua chapter 6.…
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Love Works
Drawing from the final chapter of the Gospel of John, this sermon challenges the cultural lie that real love should always feel easy. Using the restoration of Peter as its central narrative, the sermon argues that genuine love is not passive sentiment but active, sacrificial work. Three core...
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Give That to God
Drawing from Psalm 139, Pastor Jonathan Josephs delivers an encouraging message about the importance of bringing every part of our lives into the presence of God. Using the theological framework of God's omniscience, omnipresence, and omnipotence, he challenges believers to stop hiding, running,...
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Heaven Is Here
Heaven Is Here | The River Worship | Pastor Ryan McVety What if the greatest battle you're fighting isn't your circumstances—but your perspective? In this powerful message, Heaven Is Here, Pastor Ryan McVety teaches from 2 Kings 6:15–17, where Elisha's servant is overwhelmed after seeing an enemy...
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Take It Back
Take It Back: Returning to Your Maker This sermon powerfully addresses the human tendency toward comparison and spiritual wandering in the digital age, while emphasizing God's unwavering love and readiness to restore His children. Using the modern analogy of AppleCare warranty and the timeless...
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Come and See
Come and See | Pastor Ryan McVety Every person has a story that begins with an invitation. In this message, Pastor Ryan McVety teaches how one simple invitation can become the turning point of someone's eternity. Looking at Philip's invitation to Nathanael in John 1, we discover that sharing…
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Mountains Don't Grow But Seeds Do
Why would Jesus compare faith to a mustard seed? Because mountains don't grow—but seeds do. In this message, we explore the power of faithfulness in seasons when nothing seems to be happening. From the hidden roots of bamboo to David's years between anointing and appointment, we're reminded that...
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When Green Means Stop
When Green Means Stop: Discernment in Life's Defining Moments Bishop Andrew Beresford delivers a powerful message about the importance of spiritual discernment and obedience to God's timing, even when circumstances seem to demand immediate action. Using the account of Paul and Silas in prison as...
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The Fear That Sets You Free
🔥 THE FEAR THAT SETS YOU FREE | The River Worship S15 E02 🔥 Most people spend their lives trying to overcome fear. Fear of failure. Fear of rejection. Fear of what people think. Fear of not being enough. Fear of losing control. But what if there was one fear that could actually set you free? In...
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WHO DO YOU SAY I AM?
Who Do You Say I Am? Jesus asked His disciples a question nearly 2,000 years ago that still demands an answer today: "Who do you say I am?" (Matthew 16:15) In this message, we dive into the most important question in human history and discover why our answer changes everything. Many people are...
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The One Thing
THE ONE THING | Pastor Ryan McVety In a world filled with pressure, responsibility, and endless priorities, it’s easy to treat Jesus like just another part of our lives. But in this message, Pastor Ryan McVety makes it clear: Jesus was never meant to be added… He is meant to be everything.…
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The Cup or The Cure
The Cup or the Cure? | Acts 3:1–10 | The River Worship Podcast What if the thing you’re asking God for is actually beneath what He wants to give you? In this message, “The Cup or the Cure?”, we unpack Acts 3:1–10 and the story of a man who sat daily at the temple gate called Beautiful… yet lived…
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It's Crazy Until It Isn't
This week at The River, Pastor Ryan McVety brought a faith-stretching message titled “It’s Crazy, Until It Isn’t.” It met us right where real life lives. Those moments when God asks you to do something that does not make sense, does not add up, and honestly feels a little crazy. Through the story...
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Faithful over Famous
Faithful Over Famous: Cultivating a Life of Steadfast Devotion Pastor Brendan Witton delivers a powerful message challenging believers to prioritize faithfulness over fame in a culture obsessed with going viral and being noticed. He emphasizes that while the world celebrates quick success and...
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Silence Is Not Absence
Why does God sometimes feel silent in the middle of our storms? In this message from Mark 4, we revisit the moment when Jesus calmed the storm while the disciples panicked around Him. They believed the storm meant they were alone. But Jesus had been in the boat the entire time. This episode...
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Don’t Get Used to God
In this message from Season 14 Episode 8, Pastor Ryan McVety delivers a powerful reminder about spiritual hunger. In Psalm 63, David cries out: “O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you.” Yet many believers today have stopped thirsting for God, not because He isn’t...
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Feeling or Father
Feeling or Father | Season 14 Episode 7 | Pastor Ryan McVety Your feelings are real. But they were never meant to rule you. In this episode of The River Worship Podcast, Pastor Ryan McVety delivers a bold and timely message confronting one of the greatest idols of modern culture: the idol of...
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You've Got the Wrong Guy
Title: You’ve Got the Wrong Guy Have you ever sensed God nudging you toward something and immediately thought, “This cannot be for me”? In this episode, we unpack the story of Moses in Book of Exodus 3–4 and explore what really happens when insecurity collides with calling. Moses asked, “Who am…
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Scary Love
Scary Love: 3 Questions That Will Change Your Relationships Love can be terrifying. The fear of choosing wrong. The fear of losing it. The fear of asking someone to be what only God can. In this message from Ecclesiastes 4:9–12, we walk through three defining relationship questions: What are you...
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I Need A Second
I NEED A SECOND – Pastor Larry Brey Have you ever felt like everything was happening at once and you just needed a moment to breathe? In this sermon, Pastor Larry Brey unpacks a powerful biblical theme: when God’s people are overwhelmed, God provides strength—often through people, prayer, or…
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I See It Now
Have you ever looked back on your life and thought, “Wow… I see it now”? In this message, Pastor Ryan McVety teaches from 2 Kings 6 and reveals how spiritual vision, not circumstances, determines how we experience victory. Elisha’s servant thought they were surrounded by the enemy — until God...
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Faith Doesn't Skip
Faith doesn’t skip to the miracle, it prepares for it. In this episode, Pastor Ryan McVety delivers a timely message titled Faith Doesn’t Skip, teaching that genuine faith isn’t about giant leaps but daily obedience. Rooted in Proverbs 21:31, this sermon reminds us that while victory belongs to...
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Cancel It
Peace doesn’t always come from adding more, it often comes from canceling what doesn’t belong. In this Season 14 premiere message, Cancel It, Pastor Ryan McVety teaches how the real battlefield isn’t external, it’s in your mind. Using the powerful metaphor of noise-canceling headphones, he…
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What’s the Soundtrack of Your Soul?
What’s the Soundtrack of Your Soul? | Pastor Ryan McVety | The River Worship Season 13 Episode 14 Season Finale Watch this Powerful Christian Sermon on Focus, Faith & Overcoming Anxiety Spotify Wrapped just exposed your listening habits… but what if Heaven released the Wrapped of your mind?…
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Bound by Love
Episode: S13E12 — BOUND BY LOVE | Pastor Ryan In this powerful message, Pastor Ryan breaks down a single verse that has the power to change everything: Hebrews 12:2 — “For the joy set before Him… He endured the cross.” And that joy… was YOU. This episode explores: • Why Jesus chose the cross when...
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Bold Move
Title: BOLD MOVE Speaker: Pastor Stephen Finch - Elevation Church GTA What if one bold step of obedience could change someone else’s eternity? In today’s message, Pastor Stephen Finch teaches from Daniel 6, reminding us that bold faith isn’t just something we believe — it’s something we live out...
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When It Hurts To Lift Your Hands
“When It Hurts to Lift Your Hands” | Pastor Ryan | S13E10 🎙️ Episode Title: When It Hurts to Lift Your Hands 🗓️ Series: Season 13 | Episode 10 👤 Speaker: Pastor Ryan Even in your darkest valley, you are not alone. In this powerful episode, Pastor Ryan unpacks what it means to trust the Good...
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Grace & Truth
Grace & Truth with Pastor Jachin Mullen | Season 13, Episode 9 In this episode of The River Podcast, Pastor Jachin Mullen (Home Church, Red Deer) takes us through John 1:1–14, reminding us that Jesus is both grace and truth. From the creation of the world to the cross, this message reveals how…
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He Stays
He Stays — Pastor Ryan McVety (Season 13, Episode 8) When everything in life feels uncertain, there’s one truth that never changes — He stays. In this episode, Pastor Ryan McVety shares a powerful reminder that God’s presence isn’t conditional. Even when people walk away, when doubt creeps in…
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The Mountain That Moves You
🎧 Episode 7: The Mountain That Moves You Speaker: Pastor Ryan McVety | The River Worship What if the mountain you’re praying for God to move… was never meant to move? In this heart-stirring sermon, Pastor Ryan reveals that sometimes God doesn’t remove the mountain—He uses it to transform you....
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Life is a Contact Sport
Life is a Contact Sport | Pastor Ryan McVety | The River Worship What’s the difference between brushing shoulders with Jesus and actually receiving your miracle? In Mark 5, the woman with the issue of blood shows us: it’s not casual faith, it’s costly faith. 👉 While the crowd pressed around…
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From the Belly to the Breakthrough
📺 Season 13 | Episode 5 | “From the Belly to the Breakthrough” Speaker: Bishop AJ James, Revivaltime Tabernacle, Toronto ON 🔥 Scripture Reference: Jonah 1:17 & Jonah 2:1–10 In this powerful message, Bishop AJ walks us through Jonah’s journey from the depths of disobedience to the mercy of God....
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.Peace In His Pace
Missed Episode 3 of The River Worship’s Season 13? Pastor Ryan preached “Peace in His Pace,” reminding us that God doesn’t just care about where we’re going, but how we get there. David was anointed king, but before the crown came the field, the delivery run, and a lot of waiting. Yet none of it...
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Don't Give Me What I Want
In This Sermon, Pastor Ryan explores the journey of spiritual maturity, moving from a self-centered approach of asking God for what we want, to understanding what we truly need, and ultimately realizing that our deepest need is for Jesus Himself. He emphasizes God's wisdom in answering prayers…
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Questions?
Pastor Ryan brought a timely and prophetic message titled “QUESTIONS?” — one that echoed the cries of a generation searching for clarity, hope, and purpose. From senseless violence to cultural confusion, it’s clear we are living in a time full of question marks. But Pastor Ryan reminded us that...
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What Now Should I Do With Jesus?
👉 What Now Should I Do With Jesus? | Will Graham Message from Matthew 27 What will you do with Jesus? This is the most important question you’ll ever answer. In this powerful message from Matthew 27, Will Graham shares the story of Pontius Pilate, Barabbas, and the crowd who chose rebellion over...
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Full But Hungry
Are You Full But Still Empty? 😩🍔🔥 | Pastor Ryan McVety | Genesis 25:21-34 You can have everything success, status, relationships, attention and still feel completely empty. Why? In this powerful and convicting message, Pastor Ryan McVety dives deep into the story of Jacob and Esau, revealing…
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I'm Fine
🎧 Episode Title: I’m Fine 🗓️ Season 12, Episode 7 – The River Worship 🗣️ Message by Pastor Ryan McVety "I’m fine." It’s what we say… even when it’s not true. In this vulnerable and Spirit-led episode, Pastor Ryan McVety takes us into the quiet, hidden corners of our lives — the places where...
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He Shall Have Dominion From Sea To Sea
Pastor Ryan McVety delivered a passionate message rooted in Canadian history and Scripture, calling us to believe for revival from coast to coast. What started as a party turned into a powerful declaration: “He Shall Have Dominion From Sea to Sea, and From THE RIVER Unto the Ends of the Earth”…
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The Most Dangerous Place
Episode Title: The Most Dangerous Place (S12E5) In this 🔥 episode, Pastor Ryan brings a confronting and freeing word about the place many believers secretly live: the fence—that middle ground between worldliness and true surrender. 📍But the fence isn’t neutral. It’s the devil’s domain. Jesus...
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Peace Is Not a Puzzle
🎧 Episode 4: Peace Is Not a Puzzle 📢 Speaker: Pastor Ryan McVety We’ve all believed the lie: “If I can just get my life together, I’ll finally have peace.” But what if peace isn’t found in perfection—but in a Person? In this episode, Pastor Ryan unpacks why peace isn't about getting all the...
About this show
The River is a weekly, mid-week worship night. The purpose of The River is to provide an opportunity for people of all denominations, backgrounds, and age groups to have an all-out, powerful worship experience in the presence of the Holy Spirit and fellow believers. What should you expect on a Tuesday night? The second you step into our venue, you'll be greeted by our Experience team. They'll help you find a seat or help you find anyone you're meeting. We typically do 8 to 9 modern worship songs with a full production. We have a Spotify playlist too in case you want to familiarize yourself with some of the songs! We also spend about 30 minutes in the Word of God. The River is not meant to replace church. We believe you should get rooted in a strong Sunday community. If you don't have a home church, let us know! We'll get you connected. Join us any Tuesday night at 7:30pm. There's a seat for you. And of course, things will get loud!
Hosted by
Pastor Ryan McVety
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