Every message, every brief.

Part 4 of the Joy series with Pastor Chris: can you still find joy when life tests your faith? Through Moses' journey, discover how trusting God, surrendering to His purpose, and standing firm in His promises can produce lasting joy.

Part 3 of the Joy series with Pastor Chris at The City Fire Starters: The Transitionality of Joy.

What if joy isn't determined by your circumstances, but by your decision to trust God? Through personal testimony, Scripture, and the power of prayer and praise, discover how to intentionally choose joy even when life brings pain, disappointment, and uncertainty.

Is your joy rooted in Jesus or the things of this world? Pastor Chris explores Galatians 5:22–23 and how to stop overlooking the joy God has already given us.

There comes a point when we have to die to our flesh, surrender our desires, and fully seek God. Through Joshua, Naaman, Solomon, and Jesus, we see that surrender and obedience prepare us to step into the role and calling God has for us. It starts with ME. Will you answer the call?

Sometimes the road becomes longer—not because God has forgotten us, but because we keep trying to travel without fully surrendering to Him. The Israelites spent 40 years in the wilderness, the Prodigal Son traveled far from home, and Jonah tried to run in the opposite direction; running from God never changes where He is calling us to be.

The enemy rarely pulls us away from God all at once — it happens little by little, through distraction, deception, confusion and compromise. Pastor Chris opens Genesis 3 alongside his own years as an alcoholic to show the pattern: the evil one takes his time, and strong faith overcomes his tactics. Rooted in the Word, prayer, fasting and the Holy Spirit, you can recognize the tricks before they pull you off course. This week: choose faith over fake, and love over hate.

Part two of the Arguments series. Through the book of Lamentations, Pastor Chris walks through the fall of Jerusalem to show that arguments can bring about epiphanies — and that from the argument breeds hope. Even in correction, grief and waiting, God's compassion never fails, and the records of your past are not wasted: He samples them into a remix that leads someone else into the light.

Part one of a two-part word. Pastor Chris opens straight out of worship, in tears, on how small our arguments look next to what the world is actually carrying — then takes us to Moses at the burning bush. God says go; Moses says "Who am I?" Two points: arguments replace logic with emotion, and arguments breed defiance. Moses, Job and Jonah all argued, and God's will happened anyway. Declaration: Pray more, argue less.

Standing firm when your faith is challenged. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego made their decision before they ever entered the fiery furnace — they would not bow, they would not compromise, and they would not let fear rewrite their commitment to God. The challenge will come, but so will the victory, because the fire has no power over what God has ordained.

Part two of the Guard series. What happens when the temptation isn't something you can see — but fear, worry, and the thoughts running through your mind? Through Daniel chapter 6, Pastor Chris teaches us to guard our thoughts, guard our speech, give thanks in difficult circumstances, and trust that God is still in control. Spare your thoughts, speak life to your purpose, and keep your guard up.

Life is a fight — and temptation is always looking for an opening. Using Daniel in Babylon, Pastor Chris challenges us to guard our ear gate and our eye gate, and to let the Holy Spirit be our G.U.A.R.D. — Guide, Utilized, All Realms, Daily.

God gives us the freedom to choose — but every choice carries a consequence. Preaching from Noah in Genesis 6, Pastor Chris shows that real freedom is obeying God's instruction now rather than waiting for the storm to teach the lesson.

Pastor Chris preaches from Genesis 22 and Abraham's greatest test of faith: God often uses uncomfortable, painful seasons to build endurance and realign our spiritual posture. Just as physical stretching pushes past comfort to bring healing, God stretches us beyond what we think we can endure so we learn to trust Him completely — even before we see the ram in the thicket.

Pastor Chris returns to the life of Joseph, this time through the lens of patience. Enslaved and imprisoned for 13 years before God's promise came to pass, Joseph shows that patience — from the Latin patencia, meaning suffering — builds your faith, protects your peace, and releases your prosperity. He never chased the bag; the bag chased him, because he was chasing God.

A special mid-week invitation from Pastor Chris and First Lady Maisha: the City Fire Starters are collaborating with their partner church, the City of Restoration, where Pastor Chris will bring the word. Join via the link at 9:00 AM CT — then back to the regular 10:00 AM CT service the following Sunday.

Pastor Chris journeys through the life of Joseph (Genesis 40–41) to show that unforgiveness is a strangle hold we choose to carry — and that forgiveness is not weakness but freedom. Betrayed by his brothers, falsely accused, imprisoned, and forgotten, Joseph stayed faithful and God's favor never left him. Lay down the burden and receive the freedom only Christ can give.

Pastor Chris preaches from Genesis 32 — Jacob's all-night wrestling match with God — and three marks of a bold faith: consistency creates change, persistency builds character, and insistency causes the breakthrough. Whatever "Hulk" you're facing, don't quit before your blessing arrives.

A short word from Pastor Chris anchored in 1 John 3:1: God loved you before you knew Him, before you changed, before you had anything to offer. You don't have to prove your worth — you simply receive what He has already given. You are seen, known, valued, and loved.

A short word from Pastor Chris: your idol is anything you run to that gives you more comfort than God can provide. What has God told you to give up that you're still holding onto?

A short word from Pastor Chris: when God calls you to give your testimony or point someone back to Him, don't go silent. What if God gave you the same energy you give Him?

Pastor Chris examines the story of General Naaman in 2 Kings 5 — how pride nearly cost him his healing, and how the breakthrough we pray for often waits on the other side of simple obedience.

A short word from Pastor Chris on encountering the Holy Spirit as a divine inner voice — and not falling for the world's empty promises of riches.

A testimony from The City Fire Starters: a mother who once counted pennies in the car for food, and the hope that carried her family from homelessness forward. A word of encouragement for anyone in a hard season.

Pastor Chris walks through the story of Gideon in Judges 6–7 — a man hiding in a winepress who God calls a "mighty hero." Faith isn't built by seeing the outcome; it's built one step of obedience at a time. Submission stimulates strength. Obedience provides proof.

A short word from Pastor Chris: stop opening prayer with the asks. Start with the question — what is my purpose? Why am I here in 2026? Why not a blade of grass, why not a stick — why a human, here, now? Sit with the question before you ask God for anything else.

Pastor Chris anchors in Joshua 1:1-9 and tells the story of a four-year-old hiding behind a couch from the Thriller video — to show how fear writes the rules until you take the microphone back. Get aggressive with your peace.

Part 3 of the Mirror series — Pastor Chris digs into Ephesians 1:15-23 and the Hebrew word "Shazak," pairing Paul's prayer for the church with a Stallone arm-wrestling story to teach where real strength actually comes from.

Part 2 of the Mirror series: Pastor Chris confronts what we chase when we let the world define us — and what God offers instead.

The opening message of the series — an invitation to let the Word of God show you the truth about yourself, not the world's reflection.

A pursuit-of-God message looking at the lengths to which He goes to bring back the one who's running.

A pastoral, urgent message — held tightly to the gospel and to the kind of hope that pulls people back from the edge.