Vima Church Audio Podcast

Do you ever catch yourself thinking that being a "pretty good person" is enough to get a passing grade with God? In this foundational sermon from the "Back to School" series, Pastor Jon confronts modern culture's broken, distorted view of grace to reveal how salvation truly operates. By exploring Jesus' parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector in Luke 18, we learn that God never compares us to others, nor does He lower His absolute standard of 100% holiness to appease our shortcomings. Real biblical grace isn't about God pretending you passed when you failed; it's about Jesus standing in as your perfect substitute to transform your identity from the inside out.

What you carry into a new season will determine how you come out of it. In this kickoff message of the "Let's Go Back to School" series, Pastor Ryan breaks down five essential qualities from the book of Proverbs that every follower of Jesus needs in their spiritual backpack.From listening to God's voice and deepening your prayer life to living with integrity and open-handed generosity, these practical principles will help you stop drifting and start thriving. God doesn't want you entering your next step unprepared—He offers the wisdom you need to experience true spiritual growth. Watch now to discover how bringing the right spiritual tools into your daily routine can transform your relationship with Christ and the world around you.

We've all been there. The good stuff runs out and we're left wondering what comes next. In this message from John 2, we look at the first miracle Jesus ever performed and discover that what looks ordinary is often the beginning of something miraculous. If you're in a season where the joy, the hope, or the peace has run dry, this one is for you.

We live in a world full of things promising to satisfy us, but most of them leave us empty and coming back for more. In this message from John 6, we explore what Jesus meant when he said "I am the bread of life" and why he is the only one who can truly satisfy, sustain, and save us. Whatever you're hungry for, this one is worth your time.

Most of us believe God is in control, but when life gets hard, our worry tells a different story. In this message from Psalm 46, we look at how King Hezekiah faced an impossible situation and discovered that God is our refuge, our source, and our strength. If you're in a season where the chaos feels louder than your faith, this one is for you.

Sometimes the best thing a church can do is make room for new voices. This weekend three communicators from within our own church family opened up the book of Psalms and brought words on legacy, God's presence, and what it looks like to praise him even when life is hard. 

Most of us love Proverbs 3:5-6 until it actually applies to our situation. Trusting God with all your heart sounds different when you're facing uncertainty, waiting on an answer, or trying to make sense of a path that doesn't add up. In this message, we explore what it really means to trust the Lord, see every moment as His, and discover that God doesn't always give us the full roadmap but He always knows the way.

It's easy to get excited about missions on the other side of the world, but Jesus didn't just call us to the ends of the earth. He started with right here. In this message, we explore what it looks like to see your city, your neighborhood, and your everyday life as the mission field God has placed you in. Your location is not an accident, and your lamp doesn't have to be big to push back the darkness around you.

When God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac, it looks at first like a test of obedience. But it's actually a test of something much deeper. Do you really believe God is good? In this message, we explore Genesis and discover that God has always been a giver, not a taker. Even in the moments that don't make sense, His character never changes.

Most of us have heard plenty of sermons, but James, the brother of Jesus, asks a question that cuts right through all of that. Are you actually living what you believe? In this first message of Summer at Vima, we dig into the book of James and discover that faith was never meant to stay in your head. It was always meant to show up in your life.

Ever wish you could skip to the last page of your story just to know it's going to be okay? In this final message from the Book of Ruth, we see how God was quietly writing something beautiful all along and why your faithfulness today matters more than you know.

In this week’s message from our Ruth series, we look at the moment Boaz meets with the other redeemer and chooses to handle a difficult situation with integrity and honor. Even when the process was uncomfortable, costly, and uncertain, Boaz remained faithful to do what was right.This message reminds us that honor still matters — especially when it costs us something. In a world that often looks for shortcuts, we’re challenged to live with integrity, trust God in the process, and believe that obedience and honor always lead to something greater in the hands of God.

In week three of our Ruth series, Pastor Ryan walks through Ruth 3 in a message about surrender, faith, and obedience in uncomfortable places. As Ruth steps forward in trust, we see that following God often means loosening our grip on control and moving forward even when the full picture hasn’t been revealed.This message reminds us that surrender requires movement, trusts God in the removing, and learns to wait on the Redeemer. When we truly know the character of God, we can trust Him with what we don’t yet understand — believing that He is faithful even in the waiting.

This week we walk through Ruth 2 and see the quiet, steady faithfulness that marked Ruth’s life. Rather than waiting passively, Ruth trusted God by simply showing up each day, working hard, and doing what was in front of her while believing God would provide the rest.As Boaz notices, protects, and provides for Ruth, we begin to see a beautiful picture of Jesus — our Redeemer. This message reminds us that faith is often not just an idea or distant belief, but lived out in ordinary obedience, and hard work.

In the opening message of our new series through Ruth, we look at the difficult decision Elimelech made to leave Bethlehem in search of something better — a choice that ultimately led his family into loss and hardship. Through Naomi and Ruth’s story, we’re faced with a powerful question: what do you do when the place God called you to feels empty, and somewhere else looks more promising?This message encourages us to stay rooted, move with wisdom, seek God in prayer, and lead with honor in every season. Even in the middle of loss, we see God’s faithfulness as Ruth and Naomi return at the start of harvest — a reminder that God knows how to prepare a place of provision and blessing right when we need it most.

In the final message of Afterlife, we explore the what the Bible reveals about the devil, demons, and the spiritual world. Rather than living in fear or misunderstanding, this message brings clarity to a reality that often goes ignored or misrepresented.As we walk through the armor of God and its purpose, we’re reminded that we don’t have to be intimidated by the unseen. In Christ, we are equipped to stand firm, live boldly, and stay focused on the mission God has given us.

In week two of Afterlife, we take a sobering look at Hell through the lens of Scripture — from Genesis to the words of Jesus and into Revelation. This message builds on what we learned about Heaven and brings a deeper clarity to the reality of eternity.More than anything, it creates a sense of urgency. What we believe about eternity should shape how we live today. This message challenges us to take the Gospel seriously and share it boldly, knowing that eternity is real and the stakes are high.

In the opening message of our new series Afterlife, we take a biblical look at Heaven and what it truly means for us. Rather than relying on imagination or assumption, Pastor Jon walks through Scripture to reveal a reality that is far greater than we often realize.Heaven is not just a distant hope — it’s the fulfillment of our deepest longings, prepared for those who are saved, forgiven, and redeemed. This message reminds us that while we can’t take our success or possessions with us, we can bring people, challenging us to live with eternity in mind.

In the final message of This Is Love, we celebrate the heart of the Gospel through Matthew 28. The cross stands as the reminder of Jesus’ sacrifice — the place where our sin was paid for and our debt was forgiven.But the story doesn’t end there. The empty tomb declares victory. The stone wasn’t rolled away so Jesus could get out, but so we could see in — to witness the freedom and new life available to all who believe. This message invites us to step into the reality that through Jesus, love has already won.

This week in our series, This Is Love, we’re reminded that the cross was never an accident — it was always the plan. Jesus didn’t just allow the cross to happen to Him; He willingly stepped into it to fulfill what had been set in motion from the very beginning.From Passover to Abraham and Isaac, to the bronze serpent in the wilderness, Scripture points forward to this moment. The cross was more than a Roman instrument of death — it was God’s plan of redemption. This message invites us to see the depth of His love and the intentional sacrifice that made a way for us to be saved.

In week three of This Is Love, guest Pastor Jeremy Burroughs shares from John 4. Through Jesus’ encounter at the well, we see a love that actively seeks us out, meets our deepest needs, and transforms our story.God’s love not only finds and fulfills us — it fuels us to reach others. Sharing his own life-changing story, Pastor Jeremy reminds us that a simple invitation can open the door to someone encountering Jesus for the first time. With Easter approaching, this message challenges us to step out in faith, because one invite could make an eternal difference.

This week we step into John 5 and the story of the man at the pool of Bethesda. In this powerful encounter, Jesus demonstrates a love that sees beyond the surface and meets us right in the middle of our brokenness.This message reminds us that His healing love is deeply personal — refusing to leave us stuck in dysfunction and calling us into a transformed life. When Jesus heals, He doesn’t just restore what was broken; He invites us to move forward into something new, never returning to the old way of living.

In the opening message of our new series This Is Love, we look at the powerful moment when Jesus washes the disciples’ feet. In a culture where this task was reserved for the lowest servant, Jesus chose to serve those who were still prideful, broken, and imperfect.This message reminds us that Jesus’ love is not based on our worthiness. No matter how far we’ve wandered or how broken we may feel, He still calls us worthy of His love — and invites us to show that same humble, servant-hearted love to others.

In the final message of No Retreat, we arrive at Joshua 24 and the powerful legacy Joshua leaves at the end of his life. His challenge still echoes today: lock in your decision to serve the Lord, because indecision will always drift toward something else.This message calls us to lead our homes with intentional faith, to live for legacy over accumulation, and to stay faithful to the very end. We may not always see the full harvest of what we plant, but we sow, invest, and love anyway — refusing to retreat from what God has called us to for as long as we have breath.

In this message of our series in the book of Joshua, we see that victory wasn’t the end of Israel’s journey — occupation was. After the battles were won, Joshua and the people still had to step in, settle down, and faithfully steward what God had already given them.This message calls us to do the same. God invites us to boldly and graciously lead in the places He’s entrusted to us — our homes, marriages, families, careers, and resources. As we live with gratitude and faithful stewardship, we truly begin to walk in the fullness of the promises He has fulfilled.

This week we walk through Joshua 11 and the season where Israel had to keep going long after the first victories were won. There came a point when God wasn’t giving new instructions — He was calling them to faithfully use what He had already provided.This message reminds us that breakthrough often comes through sustained obedience, not constant new miracles. Even when the finish line feels distant, God gives the strength to endure. Don’t quit — keep fighting, keep trusting, and He will carry you through to completion.

This week, we look at the moment when Joshua prays an audacious prayer and asks God to stop time so the battle can be won. In response, God performs multiple miracles to protect His people and secure the victory.This message challenges us to examine the way we pray. What might God do if we stopped settling for safe, quiet prayers and began trusting Him with bold, faith-filled ones? As Joshua shows us, big prayers open the door for God to move in extraordinary ways. Sun stand still.

This week, we turn to Joshua 9 and the costly mistake Israel made when they did not inquire of the Lord. What looked like a good opportunity became a lasting obstacle, slowing their progress into everything God had called them to.This message is a sobering reminder that not every open door is a God door. Yet even in their failure, God remained faithful — redeeming the mistake and using it for good. As we learn to seek God’s wisdom first, we’re encouraged that His grace can still restore and redirect us when we fall short.

In week four of our No Retreat series, we look at God’s plan for Joshua at the battle of Ai and the lesson it reveals about victory. When Israel relied on their own strength, they were quickly defeated — but when they followed God’s strategy, they found success.In this message, Pastor Jon reminds us that lasting victory comes from trusting God’s design, not our abilities. Whether it’s marriage, finances, parenting, or your career, God’s strategy leads to health, growth, and breakthrough when we’re willing to follow His plan instead of our own.

In week three of No Retreat, Unconventional Obedience, we step into the story of Joshua and the battle of Jericho — a victory that came through obedience that made no sense by human standards. God’s instructions to be silent, to walk, to wait, and then to shout challenged everything Israel knew about warfare, yet obedience opened the door to breakthrough.This message reminds us that God often works outside our expectations, calling us to trust Him fully and persist faithfully. As Israel worshiped before the walls ever fell, we’re invited to respond the same way — with faith, obedience, and praise rooted in confidence that God will move again just as He has before.

In week two of No Retreat, Cutting Before Conquest, we look at the moment in Joshua when God calls Israel to pause before moving forward. Before the conquest of the Promised Land, the people were required to renew their covenant and set themselves apart, removing the “Egypt” that still lingered within them.This message reveals that God is often more concerned with what He’s doing in us than what He’s giving to us. Pastor Jon connects this moment to the spiritual circumcision Jesus performs in our hearts today, calling us to surrender what no longer belongs so we can fully walk in the promises God has prepared.

In the opening message of our new series No Retreat, Breaking Camp, we step into the book of Joshua and the moment when God calls His people to move forward. Before they could enter the next season, they had to leave what was familiar behind.This message reminds us that while God’s promises are rich and good, they are not passive. The land may be flowing with milk and honey, but someone worked the fields and milked the cows. Walking in God’s blessing requires faith, obedience, and a willingness to do the work as we move into the new season He has prepared for us.

At Jesus’ birth, peace didn’t arrive as a worldwide change in circumstances — it arrived as a person.“On earth peace” reminds us that God sent Peace into a broken world, not by removing adversity, but by being present in it through Jesus. We don’t have to wait for Christ’s second coming to experience His peace — it’s available to us now as we come to know Him personally, even in the middle of fear, pain, and uncertainty.In this message from our Christmas at Vima services, Pastor Jon invites us to uncover a powerful truth hidden in familiar words.

In week four of The Missing Peace, we confront The Thief of Peace — the subtle things that quietly rob us of the peace God desires for us. This message reveals how divided loyalty, self-reliance, hidden sin, and forgetting what God has done can slowly pull our hearts away from Him.This week, Pastor Ryan invites us to return to wholehearted trust and dependence on God. True peace is restored when we realign our lives with Him and remember the faithfulness that has carried us this far.

In this message from The Missing Peace, Pastor Jon explores what it means to make peace with God. Even when belief remains, it’s possible to lose our peace with Him — and this message invites us to examine where that disconnect may exist. At the heart of this message is an invitation to return to honest, restored communion with God. In seasons of questioning, waiting, and unmet expectations, we’re reminded that true peace was purchased at a great cost and is found when we repent, realign our hearts, and draw near to Him once again.

In week two of The Missing Peace, Pastor Jon reminds us that God’s peace isn’t something we simply wish for — it’s something we’re called to make. In this message, we learn the difference between wanting peace, demanding peace, and actually becoming a peacemaker.God attaches responsibility to His peace, inviting us to bring it into the relationships and spaces around us. As we pursue peace for others, we discover more of it in our own lives. Tune in and learn how to live out the peace of Christ wherever you go.

In the first message of our Advent series, The Missing Peace, Pastor Ryan shares how real, lasting peace is only found in Jesus. We’re reminded that peace isn’t something we manufacture — it’s something we receive as we draw near to Him.Through prayer, Scripture, community, and releasing the fear and hurt we so often hold onto, we discover the peace our hearts have been missing. Let this message invite you to experience the true peace Christ brings this season.

In this powerful one-off message, Pastor Willie George delivers a biblical and practical exploration of how God provides for His people through divine channels, not by accident. Drawing from his new book, he unpacks how God moves financial and practical blessing into our lives through four key “windows” or systems of provision.Grounded in Scripture and filled with wisdom, this message offers both timeless truth and actionable steps: how to steward your work, creativity, wisdom, and generosity in ways that align with God’s design. Let Pastor George inspire you to access God’s provision in a way that builds faith, stability, and purpose for the long haul.

In the final message of our Nehemiah series, we pause with Israel to look back and remember God’s faithfulness. When the work stops and we review the journey, we see a God who always finishes what He starts — not just in the walls around us, but in the hearts within us.Pastor Jon invites us to recognize how God forms us through the process, how knowing His faithfulness reshapes our worship, and how remembering His goodness empowers us to move forward with confidence. Let this word encourage you to trust what God is building in you.

Making a difference rarely comes without opposition. Whether it’s criticism, conflict, or spiritual attack, resistance often meets every movement of God.But through faith, we find the strength to keep building — to stand firm, stay focused, and trust that God is working even in the face of adversity. Let this message encourage you to keep pressing forward in the purpose He’s called you to.

Nehemiah’s story begins with a moment of awareness — he sees the brokenness around him, feels the weight of it, and lets that burden move him to action. In the same way, God often calls His people to see, feel, and build in specific seasons and places.As we step into this season as a church, we’re believing together for our vision: to see Wichita experience the real Jesus. Let’s open our eyes, carry the burden, and build what God is calling us to.

Through betrayal, waiting, and ultimately redemption, the story of Joseph shows that God’s faithfulness shines brightest in our dysfunction. And just like Joseph, we can trust that when we stay faithful where we are, God is still working behind the scenes — turning our detours, delays, and disappointments into the very path that leads to our destiny.In this message, we explore how God a placed a dream and a purpose into every person. Tune in and discover how God can use your dream — and your dysfunction — for His divine purpose.

Every limp has a lesson. In Genesis, we see the story of Jacob wrestling with God, where He learns first hand about God's redemptive nature. He receives a new name, and also a limp. This limp served as a mark of dependence for Jacob.This week, Pastor Jon brings us a passionate word on wrestling with God, through the hard seasons and storms. If we just don't let go, we can see God's blessings in our lives.

Parenting is never easy. And when favoritism, comparison, or unmet expectations creep in, the effects can last for generations. But even in the middle of our mess — our dysfunction — we serve a God who remains faithful, who sees us, and who can redeem every broken piece for His glory and our good.Whether you're a parent, a child, or someone walking through the aftermath of a dysfunctional family dynamic, this message is for you.

To kick off our new series, Dysfunctional, we look at the story of Abram and Sarai in the book of Genesis. Through some very difficult situations, God shows His faithfulness to His promises. From this, we can learn some important lessons about having a healthy and growing marriage. 

We weren't created for life on earth, we were made for an eternity with God in Heaven. This place is our temporary home, and only for a short amount of time.This week Pastor Jon shares an encouraging message on not wasting our time here in this place, but using it to further the Kingdom of God.

God has already prepared a place just for you. No matter your past or present, you’re not just invited—you’re expected. In this sermon, Pastor Jon unpacks the beauty of belonging, identity, and grace. You have a seat at the King’s table.

The church bears a heavy calling: to love God, serve one another, and to carry the message of reconciliation. Here at Vima, this informs our four pillars - to Know God, Grow in Freedom, Discover Your Purpose, and Go Make a Difference.To kick off our new sermon series, Pastor Jon shares about the heart of Vima Church and what it means for us as a church body. Tune in for more!

"How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?" | Romans 10:14This week, Pastor Jon brings a compelling message on evangelism and how we can play our part in the ministry of reconciliation that God has entrusted to us. Tune in for more!

John 13:34-35“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”We are called to be a "one another" kind of church. Jesus commands us to love one another as He has loved us. This is the mark of true discipleship.In this message from our True North series, Pastor Jon challenges us to be a church that carries, loves, and honors one another—reflecting Christ’s love for His bride.