Presence Church Teachings

What you’re exposed to changes you.In Ephesians 5, Paul draws a hard line between darkness and light. He contrasts the self-indulgent lifestyle of your former life with the self-sacrificial example of Jesus.Pastor Ben unpacks how sexual immorality, greed, and careless speech aren’t random sins, they’re distortions of our deepest desires.This message gets honest about:Why our culture is so inconsistent on sexualityHow lust and greed quietly work togetherWhy self-indulgence always leaves damage behindWhat it actually means to “walk in the light”How your identity as a child of God changes everythingThis is not about behavior management. It’s about living as dearly loved children walking in the way of love.You were once darkness. Now you are light.

You can know everything about Jesus and still not actually know Him.In Ephesians 4, Paul describes a kind of transformation that goes far deeper than information. It is not behavior modification. It is not learning more facts. It is becoming an entirely new person.Guest speaker Pastor Phil Wiseman from Table Church challenges a common problem in modern Christianity: we have settled for knowledge about God instead of real encounter with Him.In this message, you will hear:• The difference between knowing about Jesus and actually knowing Him• Why information alone cannot transform your life• How Paul describes true spiritual transformation• What it means to “put off the old self” and become new• Why many Christians feel stuck even while knowing the BibleThis is not about learning more.It is about encountering the living Christ.If your faith feels dry, distant, or purely intellectual, this message will help you see what might be missing.

What if the problem with the modern church isn’t a lack of gifting… but a lack of equipping?In this message, Pastor Ben walks through Ephesians 4 and reframes what the church is actually meant to be. Not a cruise ship where people consume. Not a battleship where a few lead and everyone else follows.But something far more powerful.A church where every person is equipped.A church where leaders serve, not dominate.A church where truth and love are held together.A church that actually moves.You’ll see:Why spiritual gifts were never meant to stay on the sidelinesWhat biblical leadership actually looks likeThe danger of being “tossed around” in today’s cultureWhy truth without love fails and love without truth collapsesHow unity is built through everyday people doing their partIf you’ve ever felt disconnected from church, unsure of your role, or frustrated with what you see in modern Christianity, this message brings clarity.You are not meant to watch.You are meant to build.

What actually makes a church good? Not production. Not size. Not preferences.In Ephesians 4, the apostle Paul points somewhere deeper. A good church is marked by humility, gentleness, patience, and a fierce commitment to unity. In this opening message of our new series Ephesians: The Good Church, Pastor Patrick unpacks what it means to “walk worthy” of the calling we’ve been given and why the greatest threat to the church is often not outside pressure, but division within.This sermon speaks directly to the tension many feel with church today. The longing for community. The reality of hurt. And the question of whether it’s still worth it. In this message:why real community is harder than we expectwhat biblical humility and gentleness actually look likehow unity is formed and why it matterswhy following Jesus is inseparable from the churchIf you’ve ever felt frustrated, disconnected, or unsure about the role of the church in your life, this is a helpful place to start.

What do you do when something doesn’t make sense?Most of us ignore it. Move on. Assume there’s a normal explanation. But what if there’s a moment in history you can’t explain away? This message explores the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus—not as blind belief, but as something worth investigating. From skepticism to curiosity to belief, the invitation is simple:Come and see.

Why does faith feel strong one moment… and shaky the next? In Matthew 21, the same crowd that shouts “Hosanna” for Jesus will soon cry “Crucify Him.” What changed? In this Palm Sunday message, Pastor Ben Mueller walks through the Triumphal Entry and exposes a hard truth: we often follow Jesus as long as He meets our expectations. When He doesn’t, our trust can start to unravel.This sermon gets underneath that tension.Why the crowd expected a political saviorHow disappointment can distort our view of GodThe danger of reshaping Jesus around our preferencesWhat it actually looks like to stay rooted when life doesn’t go your wayJesus didn’t fail the crowd. But his mission was bigger than what they wanted.If you’ve ever wrestled with unanswered prayers, frustration with God, or a faith that feels inconsistent, this message will help you re-center on who Jesus actually is and what He came to do. Take heart. His kingdom is bigger than your expectations.

Why is humility so hard and why does it matter so much? In Week 6 of Wisdom in the Desert, Pastor Ben walks through Philippians 2:5–11 and shows how the way of Jesus flips our definition of greatness upside down. In a world built on self-promotion and proving yourself, Jesus shows a better way. It is a life marked by surrender, identity, and going low. If you have ever wrestled with insecurity, ego, or the pressure to be seen, the invitation is look to Jesus!

What would you do if the fate of the world rested on your decision?In Week 5 of Wisdom in the Desert, Pastor Ben explores what it really means to live with wisdom in a world full of noise, opinions, and competing voices. Through a powerful Cold War story and the teaching of James 3, this message reveals the difference between earthly wisdom that leads to disorder and heavenly wisdom that produces peace, humility, and a life well lived.In a culture driven by self-promotion, comparison, and constant input, how do we discern what is actually wise? And why does the way of Jesus often look foolish at first?This sermon unpacks how true wisdom is not just knowledge, but moral skill shaped by the presence of God. It challenges us to move beyond surface-level advice and build our lives on something that will actually last.If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by decisions, confused by conflicting voices, or unsure how to live faithfully in today’s world, this message will ground you.Scripture: James 3:13–18, Matthew 7:24–27, Proverbs 9:10

Do you own your stuff, or does your stuff own you?In this sermon, Pastor Ben Mueller opens Matthew 6:19–24 and confronts the pull of consumerism, materialism, and mammon in a culture always pushing the next upgrade, the next purchase, and the next promise of security. Jesus warns that earthly treasure decays, that our hearts follow what we treasure, and that no one can serve both God and money.This message explores why the desert fathers rejected materialism, how mammon acts like a rival god, and why generosity is one of the clearest ways disciples break free from wealth’s grip on the heart. If you have ever wrestled with wanting more, fearing not having enough, or confusing comfort with security, this sermon gets underneath the surface and calls you back to what lasts.Scripture: Matthew 6:19–24

In this message from our Wisdom in the Desert series, Pastor Ben explores Elijah’s wilderness moment in 1 Kings 19. After experiencing one of the greatest victories in Scripture on Mount Carmel, Elijah collapses into fear, exhaustion, and despair. Yet it is in that wilderness, far from the noise of crowds and miracles, that God meets him with a gentle whisper.Drawing from the wisdom of the Desert Fathers and the practice of silence and solitude, this teaching invites us to rediscover how God often speaks not through spectacle, but through stillness. In a culture of constant noise and hurry, learning to slow down and listen may be one of the most transformative spiritual practices available to us.

Most people will travel thousands of miles to taste great food.But how far will we go to taste the presence of God?In Week 2 of Wisdom in the Desert, Pastor Darren Waite explores Psalm 84 and the deep spiritual longing described as “My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord.” From the Desert Fathers to the sons of Korah, Scripture reveals that those who hunger for God discover strength in the valley and joy in His presence.This message confronts the distractions that dull our spiritual appetite and invites us to examine the “eight thoughts” John Cassian identified as the roots that pull us away from God. What would it look like to fast, confess, simplify, and reawaken first love?If you’ve felt spiritually dry, distracted, or distant, this teaching is an invitation to taste and see again that the Lord is good.

What if the loudest thing in your life is keeping you from hearing God? In Week 1 of Wisdom in the Desert, Pastor Ben invites us into the “wilderness," a place of intentional separation where God humbles, tests, and reshapes His people. From Israel’s 40-year journey (Deuteronomy 8) to Jesus’ 40 days of fasting and temptation (Matthew 4), we see that the desert is not an escape from reality, but a Spirit-led space for formation. This message kicks off our Lenten journey with practical invitations into silence & solitude, fasting/abstinence, prayer, and daily engagement with God, so we can re-enter the world anchored, renewed, and able to hear His voice.

What does it look like to live boldly for Jesus when you face opposition, even if that opposition is social, not physical?In the final week of our Beatitudes series, Pastor Ben Mueller explores Jesus’ words: “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness…” (Matthew 5:10–12) and connects them with Paul’s final encouragement to Timothy: “Do not be ashamed… join with me in suffering for the gospel… by the power of God.” (2 Timothy 1).From the story of the 21 Egyptian martyrs, to modern moments of awkwardness, resistance, and discouragement, this message reframes persecution as a kingdom blessing.You will hear a call to reject timidity, identify where shame is creeping in, and build a real, lived relationship with Jesus, because we don’t stay silent about what we truly love.

Pastor Ben Mueller confronts a hard question for our moment: how should Christians respond to an increasingly violent world? Starting with a troubling trend in a late-2025 poll, Ben traces the “birthplace of violence” in Scripture, from Cain and Abel to Lamech’s escalating revenge, and shows how humanity keeps trying (and failing) to manage conflict through retaliation or domination.Against that backdrop, Jesus’ words land with fresh urgency: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” (Matthew 5:9). Ben explores why ancient “peace” systems like eye-for-eye justice and the Pax Romana still mirror the way our modern world fuels outrage, provokes anger, and multiplies harm—then calls the church to Jesus’ third way: peacemaking through nonviolent, transformative love that breaks the cycle of escalation.This is a call to live like sons and daughters of the Father: resisting revenge, trusting God with justice, and choosing the way of the cross in a world addicted to rage.

In this message from our Beatitudes series, Pastor Ben Mueller addresses one of Jesus’ most surprising promises: “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted” (Matthew 5:4). Speaking honestly about grief, loss, and mourning, Ben explores how Jesus does not rush past pain, but meets it with promise.Drawing from Matthew 5, Luke 4, and Isaiah 61, this sermon shows how Jesus inaugurates a cosmic “Year of Jubilee,” where God brings comfort to the grieving and hope beyond death itself. Through the promise of resurrection, Jesus reframes mourning, not as the end of the story, but as a place where God is uniquely near.This message invites us to slow down, name our grief, mourn with one another, and trust that in God’s Kingdom, sorrow does not have the final word.

In this message, Jared Nassiff opens the Beatitudes by reframing what “blessed” actually means and who Jesus declares as truly fortunate in the Kingdom of Heaven. Teaching from Matthew 5:1–12, Jared traces the language behind makarios and its Old Testament background (ashrei), showing how Jesus overturns cultural definitions of “the good life” and announces that the Kingdom belongs to the spiritually depleted, the overlooked, and the disqualified. The Beatitudes are not a list of traits to perform, but an invitation of grace: the King’s Kingdom is open, even to the poor in spirit.

Jesus did not arrive announcing comfort, success, or religious prestige, He proclaimed a kingdom that turns expectations upside down. In this message, Pastor Ben introduces the Beatitudes by exploring Jesus’ proclamation of the Kingdom of God, how that kingdom breaks into the world, and who it is truly for. Through Scripture, history, and cultural illustration, this teaching invites a reexamination of power, blessing, and happiness, revealing a kingdom that is accessible to the poor, the grieving, the meek, and the overlooked. The good news is not self-advancement, but an invitation to yield our personal kingdoms to participate in the reign of Christ.

Jesus’ invitation to “Come, follow me” was not a call to self-improvement, religious performance, or instant success, it was a call to reorient life around becoming his disciple. In this message, Pastor Ben examines the calling of Peter and Andrew to show how first-century discipleship reshapes identity, purpose, and direction. By exploring the cost of following Jesus and the mission that flows from it, this teaching challenges listeners to consider what it truly means to leave the nets behind and step into a life of disciple-making.

On this Christmas Eve message, Pastor Ben invites us to reflect on a simple but profound question: What is it about light that captivates us? From childhood wonder to the vast darkness of the universe, Scripture shows that God has always used light to reveal His presence, His promises, and His path for humanity. Tracing the story of light from the burning bush to the star over Bethlehem, this message centers on Jesus’ bold claim, “I am the light of the world.” Preached in the context of the Christmas story and the Feast of Tabernacles, this sermon reveals why Jesus is the true light that overcomes darkness. More than a symbol, Jesus offers real hope, direction, and life to all who follow Him.

Christmas awakens a deep longing for home, but Scripture tells a bigger story about where that longing comes from and how God meets it. In this message from the Made His Dwelling series, Pastor Ben traces the biblical theme of “home” from Eden, to the tabernacle, to Jesus himself. Drawing from John 1:14 and the Old Testament story of God’s presence, this sermon shows how humanity’s restlessness is answered not by building our own lives, but by receiving Christ as our true dwelling place. At Christmas, we remember this truth: we ran from home, so home came to us.

In this Advent message from the Made His Dwelling series, guest teacher Jared Nassiff explores John’s striking Christmas proclamation: “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” Rather than beginning with shepherds or a manger, John anchors the incarnation in eternity—revealing Jesus as the eternal Word through whom all things were made, now choosing to dwell with humanity.Tracing God’s long desire to be with His people—from the tabernacle in the wilderness to the glory-filled temple—this sermon shows how Jesus becomes the ultimate dwelling place of God’s presence, full of grace and truth. The incarnation is revealed not as a distant theological concept, but as God’s decisive move toward relationship, rest, and peace in a weary world.

Pastor Darren launches our Advent series Made His Dwelling by exploring the staggering claim at the center of Christianity: the eternal Word who spoke creation into being took on flesh and lived among us. John’s gospel links Jesus directly to Genesis, revealing a Christ who is not merely a messenger of God, but God Himself—of the same essence as the Father and the Spirit.This message traces how people responded to Him then and now: the bold witness of John the Baptist, the rejection of His own people, and the astonishing rights given to all who receive Him as children of God. Along the way, Darren contrasts an AI-generated “artist” with the embodied, touchable, crucified, and risen Jesus—highlighting the realness of the God who draws near.Advent becomes a threefold invitation: remember Christ’s birth, anticipate His return, and welcome His coming into our hearts today.

Drawing from the long-running Harvard Study of Adult Development, Pastor Ben shows how decades of data uncovered an unexpected conclusion: what determines human flourishing isn’t intellect, class, or achievement, but love. Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 3 mirrors this discovery as he intercedes for the church to be strengthened in their inner being so they can grasp the width, length, height, and depth of Christ’s love. This message traces the inner life where God’s Spirit dwells, the rooted and established love that nourishes and stabilizes the soul, and the experiential knowledge of God that moves beyond mere information. The passage culminates in Paul’s doxology, lifting up a God whose love fills, forms, and transforms His people into a community marked by resilience, unity, and deep relational wholeness.

Pastor Ben explores Paul’s announcement of “the mystery of Christ”—that Gentiles are now full co-heirs with Israel and participants in God’s expanding family. Through the story of abolitionist Orange Scott and Paul’s own suffering for the sake of the Gentiles, this sermon traces how the gospel compels believers beyond tribal boundaries toward a new kind of humanity. Ephesians 3 reveals a cosmic purpose behind the Church’s diversity: the manifold, multicolored wisdom of God is displayed to the spiritual powers as people of every background are joined together under Christ. The message unpacks Paul’s calling, the boundless riches of grace entrusted to him, and the bold access to God now shared by all who are in Christ.

Many people know the ache of feeling left out—socially, nationally, or even spiritually. In this sermon from Ephesians 2:11–22, Pastor Ben traces how Paul describes Gentiles as former outsiders to God’s covenant story: separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship, without hope and without God in the world. The message unpacks how the blood of Christ tears down the “dividing wall of hostility,” creates one new humanity out of Jew and Gentile, and grants full citizenship in God’s household. The sermon concludes by exploring what it means for the church today to live as a reconciled family under one roof—Jesus himself as the cornerstone and true home.

Before Jesus, humanity wasn’t just struggling—it was spiritually dead in transgressions, swept along by the world, the flesh, and the devil. In this message from Ephesians 2:1–10, Pastor Ben unpacks our desperate condition, the stunning “but God” of the gospel, and what it means to be saved by grace through faith. The sermon traces how God moves people from wrath to mercy, from death to life, and into a calling to walk in the good works He prepared in advance.

Continuing our Ephesians series, Pastor Patrick teaches Paul’s powerful prayer in Ephesians 1:15–23, a one-sentence plea that God would open the eyes of our hearts. In a world overflowing with content but starving for true spiritual depth, Paul doesn’t pray for better circumstances—he prays for revelation. He asks God to give His people wisdom, unveiling, and illumination so they can know Him, not just know about Him.Paul prays that we would grasp three life-shaping truths: the hope we’ve been called into, the worth God places on His people—His “glorious inheritance”—and the power available to believers, the same power that raised Christ from the dead and seated Him over every authority. This message invites us out of thin faith and into relational knowing, hope-filled identity, Spirit-given power, and life together as Christ’s body.

In a moment when division in America is measurable—even by tools like the Vanderbilt Unity Index—Scripture reveals a very different story: God is moving history toward deep, lasting unity in Christ. Kicking off our Ephesians series, Pastor Ben walks through Ephesians 1:3–14, Paul’s “cathedral of praise,” to show how God has already blessed us with every spiritual blessing, chosen and adopted us, redeemed us by Jesus’ blood, and sealed us with the Holy Spirit. We discover that God’s ultimate plan is “to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ”—and that learning to look up, choose praise, and count our blessings is how we live into that reality now, even in a fractured world.

At our first-ever Church in the District gathering, Pastor Ben teaches from Luke 15:11–32, sharing the story of the prodigal son alongside the redemption arc of Jean Valjean. In a culture where many feel far from God—stuck in shame, burnout, or self-reliance—Jesus reveals a Father who runs toward His kids with compassion, not condemnation.Whether you relate to the younger son who hit rock bottom or the older brother who stayed close but drifted in heart, this message invites everyone in Ankeny to come home, receive grace, and join the celebration of God’s relentless love.

In this concluding message following our Vision Series, Pastor Patrick casts a compelling picture of what it would look like for our city to reflect the heartbeat of Jesus—Ankeny as it is in heaven. Through the lens of agritainment, fruitfulness, and Eugene Peterson’s “long obedience in the same direction,” he shows how easy it is for churches and Christians to appear vibrant while quietly producing less spiritual fruit. Meanwhile, beneath Ankeny’s success lies a deeper story of anxiety, loneliness, hidden ache, and longing for restoration.Drawing from Matthew 4–5, the Great Commission, and the explosive discipleship movement of Acts, this message calls us to reclaim Jesus’ model of disciple making: being with Him, becoming like Him, and doing what He did for the sake of others. If hundreds of thousands came to faith through generations of ordinary disciples practicing the way of Jesus, what might happen here? What would change if the people of Presence Church took seriously Jesus’ call to apprenticeship—prayer, Scripture, community, mission—and lived as a quiet, steady, Spirit-formed counterculture of love? This is a vision for families restored, burdens lifted, loneliness healed, justice embodied, and everyday people living awake to God’s presence. This is a call to imagine—and pursue—Ankeny as it is in heaven.

As we continue our Vision Series, Pastor Ben teaches what it means for the church to be a presence in our city—to live as Jesus’ ambassadors, carrying His light into the darkest places. From Matthew 4–5, we see Jesus establish His ministry in strategic Capernaum, bringing light to a weary world and calling His followers to do the same. We are named salt of the earth and light of the world—people whose lives preserve, heal, illuminate, and draw others toward the Father.This message calls us to live ready for Christ’s return by living faithfully today: practicing radical forgiveness, scattering gospel seeds with courage, and doing “ridiculous amounts of good” for the sake of our neighbors. To be a presence in our city is not about retreating, but stepping into our workplaces, families, and communities with the conviction that God is making His appeal through us. We are Christ’s ambassadors—sent to bless, serve, and shine.

In week two of our Vision Series, Pastor Ben teaches on our second priority as a church: Become Like Jesus Together. Drawing from Romans 8 and Romans 12, he explains that God’s will for every believer is not just forgiveness but transformation—being conformed into the image of Christ by the Spirit’s power. This is what the church has called spiritual formation: learning to resist the patterns of this world and be renewed in our minds, hearts, and habits.Rather than trying harder on our own, we learn to remain in Jesus (John 15), practice His teachings, and walk in community that spurs us on toward love and good deeds. This message invites us to move beyond pretending and behavior management and step into God’s promise—and our partnership—to actually become people of love, joy, peace, and self-control together.

As we begin our Vision Series, Pastor Ben teaches on our first priority as a church: Seek God’s Presence. Using the image of tuning an old radio, he shows how God is always near, yet often unheard because of the noise in our lives. From the stories of 1 & 2 Chronicles to Paul’s words in Acts 17 and Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 1, we learn that seeking God’s “face” means relational closeness, spiritual attentiveness, and allowing the Holy Spirit to open the eyes of our hearts.This message invites us into a simple posture: stop, look, and listen. Before we become like Jesus together or seek the good of our city, we first become people who slow down, tune our lives to Jesus, and give Him our undivided face time.

Launch Sunday marks the beginning of Presence Church, and Pastor Ben opens with Acts 17 and Paul’s announcement in Athens that the God who created the world “is not far from any one of us.” Through the true story of six Tongan boys stranded on a remote island, we confront what it means to be genuinely lost—building a decent life on our own terms while remaining far from the God who gives us life, breath, and purpose. In a culture shaped by pleasure, self-sufficiency, and spirituality on our own terms, this message invites us to rethink the “gods” we trust for direction and to recover the biblical call to repent: a change of mind that leads to a change in direction.As we begin this new church, we’re reminded that the way home is not found through effort, achievement, or even religion, but through Jesus—the Way, the Truth, and the Life. If you’ve felt distant from God or quietly drifting, this message is an invitation to turn toward the God who has been pursuing you all along.