Upstate Community Church

Is Jesus Forming You? | Dear Church Series | Revelation 2:12–17What is Jesus actually doing in you right now? Not just saving you from something — but actively shaping you into something more like him?In this message from Upstate Community Church's Dear Church series, Pastor Bobby walks through Christ's letter to the church in Pergamum in Revelation 2:12–17. The church there was faithful under real pressure — living where Satan's throne was, watching a fellow believer die for his faith — and yet Jesus still had things against them. Compromise had quietly crept in, and he loved them too much to let it go.This message covers five ways Jesus forms his church: through his word, through difficult places, by confronting compromise, through repentance, and toward a new eternal identity. The question at the end isn't whether Jesus is forming his church — it's whether you're allowing him to form you.If you've ever prayed "God, get me out of this" and felt like he wasn't moving, this one is worth your time.Upstate Community Church is a Wesleyan congregation in Boiling Springs, SC. New messages drop weekly. Subscribe so you never miss one.Learn more and plan your visit at upstatecommunity.com

What do you do when following Jesus makes your life harder? In this episode, Pastor Connor walks through Jesus' letter to the church in Smyrna — the only church in Revelation with no rebuke, a congregation suffering poverty, exclusion, and persecution simply for staying faithful. Jesus doesn't promise them relief. He promises them a crown.We dig into why God allows suffering, the difference between suffering caused by your own decisions and suffering caused by your faith, and why comfort may be the greatest threat to a growing Christian life. We also look at the remarkable story of Polycarp — a young man who likely sat in that church when this letter was first read and, 86 years later, chose to burn at the stake rather than deny the one he served.If your faith has never cost you anything, this one is worth sitting with.Upstate Community Church | Boiling Springs, SC | Part of the Dear Church series on the seven churches of Revelation.

Jesus sees everything you're doing — the labor, the perseverance, the doctrinal discernment, the faithfulness week after week. He commends it all. But in his letter to the church of Ephesus, he says something that cuts through every good deed and busy schedule: "I have this against you — you have left your first love."In this message from the Dear Church series, Aaron walks through Revelation 2:1–7, Jesus' 30-year report card to one of the most prominent churches in the ancient world. Ephesus was doing almost everything right. But underneath all the activity, something had quietly slipped — the raw, unfiltered, first-love pursuit of Jesus that used to change everything around them.This episode asks one of the most personally convicting questions a believer can sit with: what did your faith look like when you first got saved? What happened to the hours in prayer, the open Bible, the hunger for the presence of God? How did a burning devotion to Christ get quietly replaced by routine, program, and cultural Christianity?Drawing from Ephesians 3, 1 Corinthians 13, and the story of Mary and Martha in Luke 10, this message is a pastoral call — not a condemnation — to remember how far you've fallen, repent, and return to the one thing that makes everything else matter.Upstate Community Church | Boiling Springs, SCupstatecommunity.com#DearChurch #Revelation #FirstLove #ChristianPodcast #BibleTeaching #Repentance #SpiritualIntimacy #Wesleyan

The Battle Won | Easter 2026No one on earth is undefeated.Every person has faced losses they couldn't reverse — in relationships, in parenting, in their own character, against sin and death itself. The longer we believe we can change our lives through sheer willpower, the more we miss what Easter is actually about.In this Easter Sunday message, Pastor Connor Guerzini walks through John 20, Romans 8, and Philippians 1 to make the case that Christ has won the battle you lost. Through Mary Magdalene's encounter at the empty tomb, we see what it looks like to move from defeat to resurrection victory — not because of anything we've done, but because of what Christ has done for us.The only people who enter the kingdom of God are graceful losers. Those who admit they've lost the battle to sin. And yet — sin hasn't won the war.If you've been carrying the weight of your failures, your circumstances, or the feeling that you'll never be enough, this message is for you.Scriptures: John 20:1-17 | Romans 8:35-39 | 1 Corinthians 15:54-58 | Philippians 1:21

Embrace the Stuck | Stuck to ControlWhat if the things promising you the most control are the very things keeping you from it?In this Palm Sunday message, Pastor Connor Guerzini digs into the final temptation of Jesus in Matthew 4 — where the devil offers him all the kingdoms of the world in exchange for his worship. It sounds generous. It's the oldest hollow promise in existence.We unpack why the temptation to control is so deeply wired into us, why every hollow promise of immediate gratification — from lust to overthinking to over-preparation — can never deliver what it claims, and how the invitation of Psalm 37:4 to delight in the Lord is the only path to the freedom we're actually looking for.We don't control much — but we can always control who our allegiance belongs to.Scriptures Referenced: Matthew 4:8-11 | Deuteronomy 6:12-13 | Psalm 37:4 | Matthew 6 | Matthew 16:24-25Upstate Community Church is located in Boiling Springs, SC. We exist to help people find and follow Jesus. Join us Sundays at 9:00 AM and 10:30 AM at 750 Upper Valley Falls Rd, Boiling Springs, SC.Connect with us: Website: upstatecommunity.church Facebook: facebook.com/upstatecommunitychurch Instagram: instagram.com/upstatecommunitychurch YouTube: youtube.com/@upstatecommunitychurch

Ephesians 5:21-33, Matthew 91:4-6Pastor Connor Guerzini

"Master, we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, I’ll let the nets down again." — Luke 5:5In this special Vision Sunday message, Pastor Connor Guerzini celebrates Birthday Sunday at Upstate Community Church. As we look back on God’s faithfulness in Boiling Springs and look ahead to the next 1000 days of our church, we explore the life-changing power of "One More."Whether it’s one more prayer, one more conversation, or one more act of obedience, Jesus is calling us out of our excuses and into the deep waters. Are you ready to move past the "But Lord" and embrace a "Yes, Lord" faith? Join us as we lean into our mission of helping everyday people live intentionally in Jesus—one person at a time.Key Takeaways:Deep Water Faith: Why Jesus calls us to the places where our own strength ends.The "One More" Principle: How intentionality in the small things leads to a Kingdom impact.Unshakable Vision: Staying rooted in the Unshakable Kingdom (Hebrews 12) amidst a shifting world.Connect With Us:Visit Us: Sundays at 10:00 AM in Boiling Springs, SC.Growth Track: Take your next step at upstatecommunity.com/growth-trackPartner with Us: Help fund the vision at upstatecommunity.com/giveWebsite: upstatecommunity.com

hristmas is meant to be a season of peace — yet for so many, it’s one of the most stressful times of the year. In this message from Upstate Community Church, Pastor Connor Guerzini explores why our lives feel so hurried and heavy during the holidays and how the arrival of Jesus offers real peace that meets us right where we are.If you’re feeling overwhelmed, stretched thin, or longing for calm, this message will help you slow down, refocus your heart, and experience the kind of peace only Jesus brings.Listen in to discover:Why Christmas reveals our deepest longingsWhat Scripture teaches about genuine peaceHow Jesus meets you in the middle of stress and chaosPractical steps to live with intention and restThis episode encourages you to see Christmas not as another burden to carry but as an invitation to breathe deeply, trust fully, and walk in the peace God has already offered you.

One Invitation can change a generation.

Jesus saw interruptions as opportunity, not inconvenience.

Jesus ate with both saints and sinners - but he prioritized the sinners.

Jesus focused on people one at a time.

Lust is more than a fleeting temptation — it’s a heart issue. In Week 3 of our Heart Issues series, Pastor Connor Guerzini unpacks Jesus’ call to purity in Matthew 5:8, 27–30; 1 Corinthians 6:18–20; and 1 Thessalonians 4:3–5.Discover why freedom from lust isn’t about working harder but about prioritizing what you want most over what you want now, allowing the Holy Spirit to transform your heart. Learn practical steps for fleeing sexual sin, building boundaries, and living out God’s will for your life with holiness, self-control, and authentic relationships.

Greed promises satisfaction but always leaves us empty. In this message from our Heart Issues series, Pastor Connor unpacks how greed robs us of God’s intended blessing and even harms the people around us. Looking at Joshua 7, Luke 12:13-21, and Ecclesiastes 5:10-11, we see how Achan’s hidden sin led to Israel’s defeat, why Jesus warned us to “beware of every kind of greed,” and how generosity is the antidote to a greedy heart. Discover how the gospel realigns us from greed to generosity and how true treasure is found only in Christ.

Wrath is a dangerous habit of the heart. It often boils over when we feel wronged, leading us to hurt others and ourselves in the process. But Scripture reminds us that vengeance belongs to God, not us. In this message from our Heart Issues series, Pastor Connor Guerzini unpacks Luke 9, Romans 12, and Proverbs 20 to show the difference between God’s holy wrath and our sinful anger. Discover why trusting God’s justice is always better than taking revenge into your own hands.

Jesus warned that offenses will come -- but how we respond determines whether we stayh trapped or walk in freedom. In this message, discover how the stories of Joseph and David show us the power of forgiveness, letting go of unmet expectations, and trust GOd's plan over our hurts.

The Chase | Week 3Pastor Connor Guerzini

The Chase Week 2Justifying GraceBobby Howard

The Chase Week 1 Connor GuerziniScriptures: Titus 2:11-14, John 6:44, Psalm 139

Colossians 3:1-10 NIV

Greater Presence | Colossians 1:15–29In this message from our Greater Things series, we dive into the powerful truth of Greater Presence — how Jesus doesn’t just invite us into His presence but brings us into it. Pastor Connor unpacks Colossians 1:15–29, revealing how the supremacy of Christ transforms our identity and calls us to deeper dependency on Him.If you’ve ever felt distant from God or wondered how to experience His presence in a real way, this message will challenge and encourage you to take a step of faith.👇 CHAPTERS:00:00 – Welcome & Series Recap02:14 – Being Present vs. Distracted05:09 – Christ’s Presence Is Greater06:41 – The Christ Hymn: Colossians 1:15–2010:56 – Brought Into His Presence19:38 – Greater Dependency on Jesus26:06 – Personal Story of Risk & Faith32:08 – A Call to Action34:54 – Closing Prayer & Reflection📘 Key Passage: Colossians 1:15–29📌 Series: Greater Things🙌 Big Idea: Greater things require greater dependency on the presence of Jesus.

Greater Fruit requires enduring patience. Scripture: 1:3-14Speaker: Connor Guerzini

This week, we dig into the New Creation that Jesus promises. Scriptures: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11Revelation 21:1-7

In this episode of our teaching series The Book, we continue tracing the major movements of Scripture by turning to the Church — the people of God, empowered by the Spirit, living on mission in the world.We walk through Acts 2 and Ephesians 2 to explore what the early church looked like, how it functioned, and why it grew. More importantly, we ask: What would happen if we took the church seriously today?This episode challenges common assumptions about church attendance, mission, and community, and helps us see that the church is not a building — it's a people. A movement. A mission. And it's not optional for followers of Jesus.Speaker: Connor GuerziniKey Topics:The biblical purpose of the ChurchWhy mission starts with being "sent"What Acts 2 tells us about devotion, fellowship, meals, generosity, and powerHow we can live intentionally in our own communityWhy Jesus is the cornerstone and the Church is His tool for Kingdom workScriptures Referenced:Acts 2:42–47Ephesians 2:19–22Matthew 28:18–20📍 For more information or to plan a visit to Upstate Community Church, go to: upstatecommunity.com/visit📱 Follow us for updates and encouragement:Instagram: @upstatecommunitychurchFacebook: @upstatecommunitychurchYouTube: @upstatecommunitychurchTikTok: @upstatecommunitychurch

Jesus is Messiah, Lord, and the Son of God. Speaker: Ken Hartman

Big idea: God is on a rescue mission to bring His people back to Him.

Pastor Connor preaches week 2 of The Book Series, focusing on the Fall of Humanity. Scriptures: Romans 5:12-21Romans 6:231 Corinthians 15:21-22

Bobby Howard -- The Power of a Good Beginning.

Make time for what is important in your life.