The Testimony Hawaii Podcast

This Sunday’s message continued our “Already Won” series, focusing on living in Christ’s victory over sickness. We explored the tension of the “already but not yet”—how Jesus has already conquered sin, death, and brokenness, yet we still experience illness and weakness in this life. Through 2 Corinthians 4, we were reminded that we are like “jars of clay,” fragile yet carrying the powerful treasure of Christ within us. Even in our brokenness, God’s strength is revealed. The message encouraged us to lean into our own struggles and the struggles of others, holding onto hope in Jesus now while looking forward to the day when He will fully restore all things.

This week’s message explored how we face the reality of death through the victory of Jesus. While death is unavoidable, we’re reminded that it’s not the end—because Christ has already overcome it. We were encouraged to put our faith in Jesus, grieve with hope, and choose hope over fear in every season. Through personal stories and Scripture, the message challenged us to live boldly, trust God deeply, and hold onto the promise of eternal life, even in the midst of loss. We closed the service by celebrating 4 baptisms—powerful moments of people choosing faith, hope, and new life in Christ.

This past Sunday’s message focused on the tension between the victory Jesus has already won and the broken reality we still experience. Pastor Shea reminded us that while sin pulls us away from God’s design, Jesus has given us the freedom and power to overcome it. Through the Holy Spirit, we are no longer slaves to sin but are invited to “walk in the Spirit,” choosing daily to live in love, surrender, and obedience. The message emphasized practical ways to step into that freedom—surrendering to God, pausing before reacting, and confessing when we fall—so that our lives can reflect the fruit of the Spirit and bring God’s kingdom into our everyday world.

This Sunday, we launched our new series “Already Won,” focusing on the victory we have through Jesus’ resurrection. While Christ has already defeated sin and death, we often still face struggles in our daily lives.In this message, we explore how to live in the tension of “now and not yet”—holding onto God’s promises while walking through real-life challenges. Be encouraged to stand firm, stay connected to Jesus and community, and live on mission, knowing that nothing can separate you from His love.

We’re all searching for something—peace, purpose, fulfillment—but too often we’re looking in all the wrong places. This Easter, we were reminded that real, lasting life is found in Jesus. Through His resurrection, He offers freedom from brokenness, healing for our hearts, and a hope that doesn’t fade. No matter where you’ve been or what you’re facing, the invitation is simple: stop searching and start finding life in Him.

In this week’s message, Pastor Shea shared how Jesus meets us in the wilderness—not by removing hardship, but by sustaining us through it. Through personal testimony and John 6, he challenged us to confront our expectations of God and trust Him even when life doesn’t unfold the way we hoped. Jesus reveals Himself as the “bread of life,” reminding us that true satisfaction and strength are found in Him alone, especially in difficult seasons. Ultimately, we’re invited to choose faith over comfort and follow Jesus for who He is, not just for what He can do.

This past Sunday, we continued our Wilderness series by looking at Jesus in the wilderness. In His time of testing, Jesus showed us how to reject false comfort, stand firm on God’s Word, and trust the Father completely. We were reminded that the wilderness isn’t just something to endure—it’s a place where God strengthens us, shapes our faith, and draws us into deeper dependence on Him.

In this message on “The Test in the Wilderness,” Karla shares how God uses wilderness seasons not to punish us, but to reveal our hearts and draw us closer to Him. Through biblical stories and her own personal journey, she reminds us that God’s testing is meant to humble us, free us from lies, and prepare us to steward His promises. When we surrender to His discipline instead of running from it, the wilderness becomes the place where God transforms us and teaches us to trust Him fully.

In Week 3 of our Wilderness Series, we explore how God prepares and forms us through wilderness seasons. Looking at the life of David, we see that the wilderness isn’t punishment—it’s a place where God shapes our character, deepens our faith, and prepares us for what’s ahead. No matter where you are in your journey, the invitation is the same: run toward God and trust what He’s doing in the process.Scripture: 1 Samuel 22–25, Psalm 142

This week, we continue our series on the wilderness with Ashok sharing from the powerful story of Hagar. Though often overlooked, Hagar’s journey reveals how God meets us in seasons of uncertainty, rejection, and waiting. As she encounters God in the desert, we’re reminded that the wilderness is not a place of abandonment, but often a place of revelation. Through Scripture and personal testimony, this message encourages us to trust that even when we feel unseen or unsure of God’s promises, He is the God who sees, hears, and faithfully provides.

In the Bible, the wilderness is a harsh and hostile reality. And yet throughout Scripture, God uses this location to meet and transform His people. Today, we all journey through “wilderness” types of experiences in our lives, and no matter how or why we find ourselves in those situations, God will meet us and transform us during as well---as long as we choose to trust Him in the process.Discussion Questions:1. After watching the sermon, when was the last time you were in a "wilderness" period in your own life? Are you in one right now?2. Why do you think the wilderness is a place where God teaches his people dependence and trust? Have you experienced this dynamic in your own life?3. Read Psalm 63, which David wrote while he lived in the wilderness on the run from Saul. How does your perspective on the psalm change when you think about that context?4. How would a wilderness series fit into your life right now? What can you do to position yourself to get the most out of this series?5. Take time to pray with your group, praying for God to encounter us, to meet our needs, and to transform us into the people He wants us to be. You can use Psalm 63 to commit the next 6 weeks to seeking the Lord, ahead of Easter.

This Sunday, Pastor Shea closed our Made for More series by calling us to step into action. Rooted in Ephesians 2:8–10, the message reminded us that while we are saved by grace, we are created with purpose and an assignment prepared by God. Pastor Shea challenged the church to identify and surrender three barriers that often hold us back—isolation, selfishness, and self-disqualification—and to move toward unity, surrender, and dependence on Christ. The message was a powerful invitation to keep Jesus first, allow Him to refine our hearts, and live fully activated in the purpose He’s placed on our lives.

This past Sunday, we celebrated The Testimony’s 2-year anniversary, thanking God for all He’s done—from starting on a patio to growing into a thriving church family. Pastor Shay reminded us that celebration is biblical worship, often happening around a table and in community, and encouraged anyone feeling discouraged or “in the wilderness” that God still has purpose for them.The message focused on spiritual gifts—not as optional “extras,” but as essential tools God gives every believer to build up the church and reveal Jesus to the world. We were challenged to remember that gifts are for the common good, meant for edification not validation, and that the greatest goal is always love. Pastor Shay ended with a practical call to earnestly desire, ask God, and try using our gifts, so we can grow together in unity and be the church beyond Sunday.

This Sunday we continue our Made For More series with a powerful reminder about what it truly means to serve.Serving isn’t just what we do—it’s about why we do it. We’ll explore the difference between healthy servanthood and serving from pressure, obligation, or burnout, and look at Jesus as our model: a Servant King who led with love, humility, and purpose. Whether you serve at church, at home, at work, or in your community, this message invites us to realign our hearts, rediscover our “why,” and learn how to serve from God’s strength—not our own.

This Sunday, Ashok launched our new series Made for More: Made on Purpose for a Purpose, reminding us that the church is not a place we attend but a body we belong to. Drawing from Romans 12, he emphasized that every believer has been intentionally designed with unique gifts that are vital to the whole body of Christ—both seen and unseen. Rather than limiting ministry to a Sunday gathering, we are called to live out our God-given purpose in the 98% of our lives beyond church walls. Ashok challenged us to identify our gifts, embrace our assignments, and courageously step into them so others can experience God’s love through us.

This past weekend, Pastor Shea cast vision for the new year around one powerful word: grandeur. Drawing from Ephesians 3, he reminded us that God invites us not just to observe His greatness, but to experience it personally—through the power at work within us. God’s grandeur isn’t meant to be safe or comfortable; it calls us beyond the mundane and into deeper trust, bold faith, and wholehearted obedience. As we step out of our comfort zones and hunger for the fullness of Christ, God builds our capacity to carry His presence and reflect His love to those around us. This year is an invitation to wake up, level up, and step where we’re called—into the great adventure of walking with God.

Pastor Keane from C4 Church brought our New Year kickoff message as Pastor Shea and Pastor Karla welcomed their new baby, marking a season of new life and fresh beginnings for our church. He reminded us that we are “in it for the long haul” and called us to step into 2026 with perseverance and faith.Anchored in Isaiah 60:1–2, Pastor Keane challenged us to “Arise and Shine,” recognizing that while darkness exists in the world, God’s light is rising on His people. This year is a season of acceleration and overflow—God brings the growth, but we steward it by making room for deeper intimacy with Him. Using the Honolulu Marathon as an illustration, he encouraged us not just to start strong, but to run with endurance and finish well, creating space for others to follow.Teaching from Genesis 4 (Cain and Abel), he emphasized the danger of comparison and unresolved anger, reminding us that sin is crouching at the door, but through Jesus we are empowered to rule over it. The invitation for the church was clear: draw closer to God, identify what’s holding us back, and respond with repentance and action, believing this will be a year of breakthrough, perseverance, and renewed spiritual life.

What do you do when you’re following God—and life still falls apart?In this message from Psalm 34, we explore how David learned to reflect in hardship and redirect his trust toward God, even while hiding in a cave and fearing for his life. Through powerful teaching and real-life testimonies, you’ll see how God meets us in our pain, invites us to take small steps of faith, and does the work only He can do.If you’re facing fear, frustration, or unanswered prayers, this message is for you.

In the final message of our series “The Joy of Abiding,” we wrestle with a question we all face: How do you stay faithful to God when life turns up the heat? Through the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in Daniel 3, this message explores what it really looks like to remain with God under pressure—when obedience costs something, when outcomes are uncertain, and when compromise feels easier.This message speaks directly to real life: the fear of standing out, the pull of culture, the quiet ways we’re tempted to bow to comfort, approval, or control. It reminds us that God doesn’t always keep us from the fire—but He meets us in it, walks with us through it, and uses it to shape our faith and our story.Whether you’re currently in a hard season, recovering from one, or trying to build a faith that lasts, this message will encourage you to trust God deeply, stand firm with humility, and believe that your fire can become a testimony that brings hope to others.If you’ve ever wondered if your faith would hold when things get hard—this message is for you.

In this message, Pastor Shea teaches from John 15 about the deep joy that comes from abiding in Jesus. We discover that God lovingly prunes our lives not to punish us, but to prepare us — shaping our character, strengthening our faith, and increasing the fruit we bear for His kingdom.Through the story of Joseph, we see how remaining with God through every season — disappointment, delay, and difficulty — leads to a greater purpose than we could imagine. Even when nothing seems to be happening on the surface, God is cultivating growth within us.This message is an invitation to remain, to trust God in the pruning, and to believe that He is producing something sweeter, stronger, and more enduring in your life.

In this opening message of our new series “The Joy of Abiding,” Ashok unpacks Jesus’ invitation in John 15 to remain in His love. He explains how abiding isn’t a vague spiritual idea, but a daily posture that transforms our desires, shapes our prayers, and leads to a life filled with joy and lasting fruit.Through practical disciplines like solitude, Christian meditation, and confession, Ashok shows how we can create space to hear God’s voice, experience His Niagara-Falls-level love, and walk in the kind of obedience that reflects Jesus to the world. This message is an invitation to slow down, stay close, and rediscover the joy of being loved and chosen by God.

This week at The Testimony, Pastor Shea paused our Romans series to share vision for our Kingdom Offering—a unified, faith-filled offering across our Antioch Initiative churches (C4, The Testimony, and New Life Church in Chinatown). We unpack Acts 11 and the church at Antioch, where believers responded to a prophetic word with radical generosity and unity.We were also joined by Pastor Keane from C4 Church to share how this offering fuels Kingdom platforms—new ministries, church plants, and mission-driven work in every sphere of society—and a quick testimony from Alexa on leadership development already happening in our house.Whether you’re part of The Testimony or just exploring, you’re welcome here. Visitors and guests are under no obligation to give. Our heart is simple: we give because we love (John 3:16).

In this powerful message, Pastor Karla Takazono continues our series through Romans 8, reminding us that being children of God is not about striving or earning His love — it’s about living from the truth that we are already His.This Sunday was extra special — Volunteer Sunday — as we celebrated the year of Triumph and invited our church family to join a team and serve together in God’s house. Pastor Karla shared how knowing our identity as sons and daughters shapes the way we serve, love, and lead both in the church and in the world.From stories of God’s faithfulness — healings, baptisms, and growth in every ministry — to heartfelt testimonies from our team, this service is a reminder that saying “yes” to Jesus transforms not only our lives but those around us.

This Sunday, Serena shared a powerful message from Romans 7–8 as we continued our series, Working Out Our Salvation. Through vivid storytelling and biblical insight, she explored the tension between the flesh and the Spirit, the war within, and the freedom that comes through the power of the Holy Spirit.Drawing from Paul’s words in Romans, Serena reminded us that our freedom is not earned by performance but is rooted in our identity as children of God. There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus — we are not slaves to fear but sons and daughters who cry, Abba, Father.She also wove in a creative narrative of “Bar Meek,” a son redeemed from slavery, symbolizing our own journey from condemnation to adoption. Through this, we were invited to walk daily in the Spirit, renew our minds, and embrace our true identity in Christ.

Pastor Shea continues our Romans series by reframing sin—not as a scoreboard of “good vs. bad,” but as missing the mark of reflecting God’s image. From Romans 1:16–17 to Romans 6, he shows how the gospel reveals God’s righteousness and gives us a new identity: in Christ we are no longer slaves to sin but servants of righteousness. This isn’t behavior modification; it’s new life empowered by the Holy Spirit. With vivid stories (including a memorable first-driving disaster), Pastor Shea calls us to stop staring at our fears and failures and fix our eyes on Jesus—the One who took sin’s wages and offers the gift of eternal life.

This week, Kia Naeole continues our series in the book of Romans with a powerful message called “Faith Gains.” In Romans 5, Paul shows us that life with Jesus isn’t about building physical strength but about growing spiritual muscle. Through faith, we are justified and receive incredible gifts: peace with God, access to His grace, hope that carries us through suffering, and the Holy Spirit pouring God’s love into our hearts.Kia reminds us that faith is more than words—it’s a heart posture that transforms the way we live. Following Jesus doesn’t erase conflict or hardship, but it gives us endurance, character, and hope that never disappoints. Even in seasons of pressure and uncertainty, God is shaping us, strengthening us, and reminding us of His unfailing love.If you’re carrying burdens today, let this message encourage you to lay them at the feet of Jesus. Stand firm—10 toes down—in His grace and trust that He is working all things together for good.ScripturesRomans 3:23; Romans 5:1–11; Galatians 5:22–23

This past Sunday, Ashok Kurian continued our Romans series with a compelling look at Romans 4—what it means to be justified by faith and why the gospel is more than a one-time decision. From Paul’s dramatic encounter with Jesus (Acts 9) to Abraham’s unwavering trust against all odds, Ashok reminds us: salvation is a gift we never outgrow—not something we earn, perform, or “top up,” but a perfect covering in Christ that transforms us from the inside out.Reflection QuestionsWhere have I slipped into a performance mindset with God or people?How can I “take the gift back out” this week—practically remembering grace?Who around me needs a tangible expression of God’s kindness today?

In this week’s message, Pastor Shea kicks off our brand-new series in the book of Romans called Working Out Our Salvation. Romans is one of the most foundational books in the New Testament, and this opening sermon lays the groundwork for understanding how the gospel transforms every part of our lives.Focusing on Romans chapters 1–3, Pastor Shea walks us through Paul’s powerful reminder that every single one of us stands on equal ground before God. In Romans 1, we see the reality of sin and how it affects all of humanity. In Romans 2, Paul warns against the trap of judgmentalism, showing that we cannot elevate ourselves by pointing to the faults of others. And in Romans 3, we are confronted with the sobering truth that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” But the good news is that God’s forgiveness and grace are freely given to all who put their trust in Christ.This message challenges us to take an honest look at ourselves and reminds us that our hope is not in our works, but in God’s mercy. It sets the stage for the rest of the series as we learn together what it truly means to work out our salvation in Christ.

This Sunday we wrapped up our series in the book of Joshua with a powerful message from Pastor Shea titled “Keep Choosing the Promise.”Joshua’s final words remind us that walking in God’s promises is a daily choice. Pastor Shea challenged us with three keys:1️⃣ Stay humble – don’t let pride or self-reliance pull you away from God.2️⃣ Stay close – draw near to His presence and remain rooted in His Word.3️⃣ Keep choosing the promise – step forward in faith, trusting God’s faithfulness over every season.

What happens after failure? After sin is exposed and wounds are real? Joshua 8 shows us a God who doesn’t give up on His people—but leads them back into the place they once lost. This week is all about restoration. You’ll hear how God turned Israel’s lowest point into a redemptive victory, and how He can do the same in your life. If you’ve made mistakes, lost ground, or feel like your past disqualifies you, this message will remind you: God is not finished with you yet.

Sometimes what’s holding us back isn’t out there—it’s what’s hidden inside. After a stunning victory, Israel faced unexpected defeat. The reason? One man’s secret sin. This week’s message isn’t about shame—it’s about freedom. We’ll talk honestly about the power of confession, the danger of compromise, and how God wants to bring healing to the parts of us we’ve tried to hide. If you’re stuck, tired, or wondering why progress feels impossible, this week might just be the breakthrough your heart has been longing for. 

This past Sunday, Pastor Karla brought a timely and powerful word from Joshua chapters 3 and 4 titled “A Different Generation.” In this message, we follow the Israelites as they prepare to cross the Jordan River—a pivotal moment that required a new kind of faith, fresh obedience, and bold trust in God’s leadership. Pastor Karla unpacks what it means to be a generation marked by courage, unity, and remembrance. As the priests step into the water and the people walk on dry ground, we see a picture of what it looks like to leave behind the wilderness and step fully into God’s promises. This message challenges us to not just move forward, but to remember what God has done—building spiritual monuments that testify of His faithfulness for generations to come. If you’ve ever felt stuck between seasons or unsure of your next step, this message will stir your heart to walk boldly, honor the past, and embrace your role in a different kind of generation—one that testifies with their whole life.

What if the person God wants to use most isn’t the one with the perfect reputation, but the one with radical faith?This Sunday, Ashok Kurian continues our powerful journey through the book of Joshua with a message that flips expectations and reminds us of God's unstoppable grace. In Joshua chapter 2, we meet Rahab — a woman with a complicated past who chooses courageous faith over cultural comfort.She wasn’t a soldier. She wasn’t a prophet. She was a prostitute. But when she heard about the God who split seas and conquered kings, she believed — and acted.This isn’t just a story of hiding spies or hanging a scarlet cord. It’s about how real faith moves us to risk for God, stand against fear, and trust His promises even when everything is uncertain. It’s about how your past doesn’t disqualify you from being part of God’s future.Whether you feel like you’ve been disqualified, overlooked, or stuck in fear — this message will encourage you to see that faith is what moves you forward, and grace is what keeps you in the story.

Ever felt like God was calling you into something you didn’t feel prepared for? Like the weight was too much or the risk too great?This Sunday, Pastor Shea kicked off our new series in the Book of Joshua with a message titled "When I Don't Feel Ready."In Joshua 1:1–9, we find Joshua standing at the edge of a daunting new season. After Moses’ death, the responsibility to lead God's people fell on him—and God’s first command was clear: “Be strong and courageous.”This message is an encouragement to step forward even when fear whispers, “You can’t do this.” You’ll be reminded that your confidence doesn’t come from having it all together—it comes from knowing God is with you.📖 Key Scripture:Joshua 1:1–9