Highlands Community Church of the C&MA

In week three of our "We Believe" series, we focus on the very center of the Apostles' Creed: "And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord." Pastor Andrew unpacks why Jesus cannot simply be viewed as a good moral teacher or an inspiring historical figure. We explore the profound weight of His true identity and what it practically means to stop managing our own lives and fully surrender our control, our messes, and our futures to His ultimate authority.

In week two of our "We Believe" series, we dive into the powerful opening line of the Apostles' Creed: "I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth". Pastor Andrew explores what it means to relate to God not as a distant, detached force, but as an intimately personal and loving Father. We discuss how our earthly experiences often distort our view of God, and how embracing His perfect fatherhood completely redefines our identity and security.

Episode Description: We are kicking off a brand new sermon series called "We Believe," diving into the foundational truths of the Christian faith through the lens of the Apostles' Creed. In a culture that constantly tells us to invent our own truth, Pastor Andrew explores why anchoring our lives to historic, objective Christian theology actually brings true freedom and unity.

Episode Description: This week, Pastor Andrew welcomes guest speaker Aaron to share a powerful message on the heart of Alliance Missions. Discover why the call to share the hope of Jesus extends to the ends of the earth, and how our local church is actively partnering to make a global impact.

Episode Description: After a season of confronting our hidden sins, toxic shame, and the dark nights of our soul, Easter morning the tomb is empty. In this joyous Easter we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus and what it practically means for our messy lives today. We are reminded that Jesus didn't just die to cover our mess; He rose to give us a brand new life.

On Good Friday, we confront the ultimate cost of our "mess" as Jesus willingly steps into the darkness and weight of the cross. We reflect on the severity of His sacrifice and the profound, relentless love that kept Him there on our behalf.

The crowds on Palm Sunday wanted a conquering political king to fix their worldly mess, but Jesus arrived on a donkey to rescue them from a much deeper spiritual one. In this episode, we explore the danger of placing our own agendas onto Jesus and what happens when God's plan doesn't match our expectations.

Episode Description: In this episode, we hear from Wanda Walborn about the danger of letting faith become a routine checklist and what it takes to strip away the distractions. Join us as Wanda discusses how to reignite your passion and return to a pure, authentic relationship with Jesus.What You'll Hear:How doing "Christian things" can sometimes distract us from Christ.The warning signs that your faith has become an empty routine.Practical ways to reignite your passion and return to your first love.

Episode Description: Have you ever hit a spiritual "wall" where God feels completely absent and your normal faith routines stop working? In this episode of our Lent series, we look at Job 23 and the painful reality of the "dark night of the soul." Instead of viewing God's silence as a punishment or a sign that you've done something wrong, discover how surrendering control during these difficult seasons can actually purify your faith like gold.Key Scripture: Job 23

In this Lenten episode of "Messy Church," we tackle the uncomfortable topic of shame. Like Adam and Eve, we often hide our pain behind "fig leaves" coping mechanisms like overworking, phone addiction, or rigid religiosity. But God gently asks, "Where are you?", inviting us to step out of hiding so He can meet our deepest needs and clothe us in His grace.Scripture Reference:Genesis 2:25 - 3:21Reflection Questions:What are your "fig leaves" (coping mechanisms)?What specific pain or shame are those fig leaves covering up?What is the real, underlying need you are trying to meet?

We often believe that confessing our messes will lead to shame and rejection, but the exact opposite is true.In this episode, we explore Psalm 32 and the profound freedom of living a confessional life.

SummaryThis is the first sermon of our Messy Church Series for the first Sunday of lent. This sermon explores the importance of embracing the messiness of life, to find true growth and fruitfulness. It emphasizes honesty, patience, surrender, and the significance of staying in the mess to experience God's transformative power.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Lent and Messy Church01:09 The Challenge of Messiness in Life and Church02:10 A Personal Story of Mess and Sickness06:12 The Tendency to Avoid Messes10:29 God Calls Us into the Mess13:06 Understanding Proverbs 14:417:16 Deviations from Common Sense in Wisdom21:17 Fruitfulness Comes Through Mess24:58 Honesty and Confession in the Mess27:49 Patience and Time in Growth34:57 Dying to Self and Surrender43:31 Living in the Fruit of the Mess47:07 Closing Prayer and Reflection

In this Ash Wednesday sermon we prepare for the beginning of this Lent season. We explore the urgent practice of confession, laying down both our obvious sins and our hidden spiritual pride. Confession is simply declaring that we trust God with our lives more than we trust ourselves, resting in the beautiful promise that He will never reject a broken and repentant heart.Scripture References:Joel 2:1-2; 12-17Psalm 51:1-172 Corinthians 5:20-6:10Matthew 6:1-6; 16-21

Kicking off the Messy Church series, this sermon on the Transfiguration invites us to stop postponing the inevitable and trust Jesus.

Pastor Andrew continues the Vision Series with a focused look at the third and final core posture of Highlands Community Church, unpacking how we follow Jesus for the sake of the Highlands.

Pastor Andrew continues the Vision Series with a focused look at the second core posture of Highlands Community Church, unpacking how we follow Jesus for the sake of the Highlands.

To help unpack more about what it means to be "Practice Shaped" Andrew sat down with David Fitch, Professor of Contextual Theology at Northern Seminary, to help us understand what we mean when we say "Practice".

In this bonus episode, Andrew talks with Kelvin Walker, Vice President for Church Ministries in our denomination (Christian and Missionary Alliance) about what it means to live a Presence Based Life.

Pastor Andrew Meher kicks off the series with a sermon called Presence Based.

Pastor Andrew Meher interviews Rob Parker, Lead Pastor of The Plant Church, on how their church’s DNA is part of our story as we become Highlands Community Church!