Hopelessness is on the rise in these difficult and hostile times. What can followers of Jesus do to display hope to a hurting world? In today's message, Pastor Ben Stuart brings an encouraging and challenging word about the hope that we have in Jesus and how to share it with those around us. Key Verses // 1 Peter 3:13-22 — Do you feel frustrated by a pattern of personal failures, overwhelmed by a chaotic culture, or disillusioned by a lack of meaning in everyday life? Your struggles do not mean ...
Jul 11, 2022•47 min•Ep 199•Transcript available on Metacast The Christian's allegiance to Jesus often results in being misunderstood and insulted by people around us. But we are not called to passively withdraw or to lash out in anger; we are meant to bless those who disagree with us. Continuing in our Take Heart series, Pastor Ben Stuart shows us how Peter encouraged the church to respond to those who opposed them and offers some guiding principles about navigating an increasingly antagonistic culture. Key Verses // 1 Peter 3:8-12 — Do you feel frustrat...
Jul 05, 2022•44 min•Ep 198•Transcript available on Metacast The word "marriage" can have a variety of negative and positive connotations for different people depending on their own experiences. Continuing in our Take Heart series, Pastor Ben Stuart explores what Peter has to say in scripture about God's design for marriage, and gives an encouraging word about how we are meant to help each other flourish. Key Verses // 1 Peter 3:1-7 — Do you feel frustrated by a pattern of personal failures, overwhelmed by a chaotic culture, or disillusioned by a lack of ...
Jun 28, 2022•46 min•Ep 197•Transcript available on Metacast Join us as Pastor Ben Stuart shares a pastoral word for our Passion City Church DC family. — Do you feel frustrated by a pattern of personal failures, overwhelmed by a chaotic culture, or disillusioned by a lack of meaning in everyday life? Your struggles do not mean you’re doomed. They’re actually a sign that you are alive. Now it’s a question of whether you will struggle well. Pastor Ben's new book, Rest & War, is a field guide designed to equip you to walk elegantly through the battlefield of...
Jun 28, 2022•16 min•Ep 196•Transcript available on Metacast This week we are joined by a good friend of our house: Andrew Scott, President and CEO of Operation Mobilization. Andrew brings an encouraging message about the identity that God has given us, and how it has the power to change our purpose no matter where we find ourselves in life. Key Verses // Genesis 1:26-27, 2:15, Ephesians 1:4-5, 1:11-12, 2:10 — Do you feel frustrated by a pattern of personal failures, overwhelmed by a chaotic culture, or disillusioned by a lack of meaning in everyday life?...
Jun 21, 2022•48 min•Ep 195•Transcript available on Metacast We can transform the environment around us by living a transformed life. Continuing in our Take Heart series, Pastor Ben Stuart shows us how the people of Jesus are meant to conduct ourselves in the workplace by doing good and learning how to suffer hardships well. Key Verses // 1 Peter 2:18-25, 1 Corinthians 7:20-24, Luke 6:27-36 — Do you feel frustrated by a pattern of personal failures, overwhelmed by a chaotic culture, or disillusioned by a lack of meaning in everyday life? Your struggles do...
Jun 14, 2022•50 min•Ep 194•Transcript available on Metacast What do we do when our allegiance to Jesus puts us at odds with the dominant culture? This week, Pastor Ben Stuart is back at it in our Take Heart series through 1 Peter. As Peter's letter shifts from our identity in Jesus to our actions as His followers, Pastor Ben shows us that we are not meant to fight AGAINST people with different world-views and lifestyles; we fight FOR them. Key Verses // 1 Peter 2:11-17 — Do you feel frustrated by a pattern of personal failures, overwhelmed by a chaotic c...
Jun 07, 2022•47 min•Ep 193•Transcript available on Metacast "We all want to be part of a community that loves us and have a cause that is worthy of our life." Pastor Ben Stuart is back this week as we continue in our Take Heart series through 1 Peter! Life is difficult, and in the midst of suffering it can be hard to have hope. But Peter reminds us that we can find hope in our God-given identity: we are part of a community that is built on Christ with a shared cause. Key Verses // 1 Peter 2:4-10 — Do you feel frustrated by a pattern of personal failures,...
May 31, 2022•44 min•Ep 192•Transcript available on Metacast This week we are joined by our good friend and the lead pastor of Fresh Life Church, Pastor Levi Lusko! Pastor Levi walks us through the story of the beginning of Jesus' ministry in the Gospel of John when he turned water into wine at the wedding in Cana. Pastor Levi shows us five ways that Jesus' first miracle communicated what his ministry is meant to be for us, and explains what this powerful story means for our purpose today. Key Verses // John 2:1-12 To order your copy of Pastor Levi Lusko'...
May 23, 2022•38 min•Ep 191•Transcript available on Metacast "As long as you have breath in your lungs, God's not finished with you. When Jesus meets you at your point of need, something amazing happens. There's something different about you." This week we are excited to be joined by our good friend Mikado Hinson, assistant Athletic Director of Player Development at Texas A&M University! Mikado shows us how encounters with Jesus in the gospels changed the lives of the people he ministered to, and explores what it looks like for us to have divine appointme...
May 16, 2022•36 min•Ep 190•Transcript available on Metacast "The definitive mark of those who have been loved by God through the grace of Jesus is that we love." This week, we are continuing in our Take Heart series through 1 Peter by looking at the defining trait of the believer: our love for one another. In this week's message, Pastor Ben Stuart lays out two different reasons Peter gives for why we are meant to love each other, and explores some of the ways we can love sincerely and actively. Key Verses // 1 Peter 1:22-2:3 — Do you feel frustrated by a...
May 09, 2022•46 min•Ep 189•Transcript available on Metacast "If you've been changed, you change. Your identity changes your activity." This week, Pastor Ben Stuart continues in our Take Heart series through 1 Peter and shows us two ways we're meant to be different from the culture around us in a difficult day: by anchoring our hope in Jesus and living out our faith in a way that reflects that hope. Key Verses // 1 Peter 1:13-21 — Do you feel frustrated by a pattern of personal failures, overwhelmed by a chaotic culture, or disillusioned by a lack of mean...
May 02, 2022•46 min•Ep 188•Transcript available on Metacast This week, Pastor Ben Stuart kicks off our brand new journey through 1 Peter by posing a challenging question: how do we make sense of the pain and problems that arise when our allegiance to Jesus comes in conflict with the culture around us? In this message, Pastor Ben shows us four waypoints Peter gave to guide and comfort believers in troubling times, and encourages us to remember that we're part of a story bigger than we can imagine. Key Verses // 1 Peter 1:1-12 — Do you feel frustrated by a...
Apr 25, 2022•42 min•Ep 187•Transcript available on Metacast Join us for this special Easter Sunday message from the Tidal Basin as Pastor Ben Stuart shares a powerful word about how the resurrection gives us a hope in the present and a hope for the future. Despair does not have the final word in our story when we trust in the risen savior! Key Verses // 1 Peter 1:3-5 — Do you feel frustrated by a pattern of personal failures, overwhelmed by a chaotic culture, or disillusioned by a lack of meaning in everyday life? Your struggles do not mean you’re doomed...
Apr 19, 2022•36 min•Ep 186•Transcript available on Metacast No human in history has changed the world like Jesus of Nazareth. But who was he? This week we are continuing in our Perspective series with a special guest, New York Times best-selling author and professor at Dallas Theological Seminary, Dr. Darrell Bock! Using extra-biblical evidence and seven different events from Jesus' life, Dr. Bock shows us that Jesus was more than just an ordinary man: He was the divine son of God. — Do you feel frustrated by a pattern of personal failures, overwhelmed b...
Apr 12, 2022•42 min•Ep 185•Transcript available on Metacast In disorienting times, how can we focus our vision on the things that matter most and build our lives on the firm foundation of Jesus Christ? This week, Pastor Ben Stuart is back with a powerful and thought-provoking message in our Perspective series, showing us that our faith is not wish-fulfillment or fairytales; it's the most rational way to wrestle with life's difficult questions. We pray this message will bring you hope and purpose in difficult times and help set your feet on solid ground! ...
Apr 05, 2022•38 min•Ep 184•Transcript available on Metacast We believe the bible is the greatest story ever told. But studying the scriptures can often feel like getting lost in a maze. What does all of it mean? How do all of these unique books and stories connect? This week we are joined by our good friend Dr. Mark Yarbrough, President of Dallas Theological Seminary. Dr. Yarbrough brings us on a journey from Genesis to Revelation and shows us how the narrative of the scriptures is one cohesive and united story of God's redemptive work. — Do you feel fru...
Mar 28, 2022•44 min•Ep 183•Transcript available on Metacast Can we trust the Bible? Critics and scholars have argued against the infallibility of the Bible, but what does actual historical evidence say? Scholars have written arguments trying to debunk the truth of Scripture, but they do not stand up to the weight of the reality. Today, Pastor Ben Stuart shows us how we know the Bible has not been corrupted and reminds us it was for our salvation that the Scriptures were preserved. Key Verses // 2 Peter 1:16-21; John 1:1-2; Isaiah 53:1-12 — Do you feel fr...
Mar 22, 2022•38 min•Ep 182•Transcript available on Metacast Is Christianity still relevant? In our modern lives we spend a lot of time reacting to what is right in front of us, and sometimes it's healthy to take a step back and look at the bigger picture. Today, Pastor Ben Stuart brings us a hopeful message that shows that the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus is still having an impact on the world today. Key Verses // Matthew 13:31-32, Matthew 28:18-20, John 15:5 — Do you feel frustrated by a pattern of personal failures, overwhelmed by a chaotic c...
Mar 15, 2022•36 min•Ep 181•Transcript available on Metacast What does the character of a good friend look like? This week, as we continue in our Friends series, Pastor Ben Stuart tackles the difficult question of what a true friendship should look like. Walking us through the book of Proverbs, Pastor Ben shows us what the wisdom literature has to say about how to be a good friend and how to discern if our friendships are healthy and God-honoring. Key Verses // Proverbs — Do you feel frustrated by a pattern of personal failures, overwhelmed by a chaotic c...
Mar 07, 2022•40 min•Ep 180•Transcript available on Metacast We all long for friends, but it can be a struggle to find them. As the world around us is becoming increasingly lonely, what can we do to build solid friendships? This week, Pastor Ben Stuart is back with the first of two messages on the importance of friends! In our increasingly divisive and isolating culture, the state of friendships has only been getting worse in. Pastor Ben shows us that there's hope for all of us to forge solid friendships when we start by focusing on the true source of all...
Feb 28, 2022•38 min•Ep 179•Transcript available on Metacast Because we carry the light of Jesus, we want to control the atmosphere wherever we go. This week we are excited to be joined by Dr. Aaron Coe, who alongside his wife Carmen serves as the launch team leader for Passion City at Trilith. Looking at the example of Paul in the book of Acts, Dr. Coe explains how we can each set the tone in our communities through the power of Jesus. Key Verses // Acts 17:22-28
Feb 21, 2022•39 min•Ep 178•Transcript available on Metacast Spirituality is not conformity to morality for the sake of acceptance. It's a pursuit of intimacy with the God who accepted us. As we wrap up our life-changing Rest & War series, Pastor Ben Stuart brings a crucial message about what true spirituality looks like. Spirituality is not about doing a list of things to be good, it's about belonging to God. And the more we pursue God, the more we become like Him. Key Verses // Philippians 3:1-16, Deuteronomy 30:6 — Do you feel frustrated by a pattern o...
Feb 14, 2022•40 min•Ep 177•Transcript available on Metacast God calls us to make a difference with the life He gave us. How do we create an environment where we can flourish under God? This week we're picking back up in our Rest & War series with a brand new message from Pastor Ben Stuart! Pastor Ben explains to us how God creates structure in Genesis so that life can flourish, and then shows us different ways that we can cultivate healthy structure in our lives to allow our relationship with God to flourish as well. Key Verses // Genesis 1:1-5, 1:26-28,...
Feb 07, 2022•39 min•Ep 176•Transcript available on Metacast Jesus' decisive victory against the enemy has freed us up for the fight against sin in our lives. So how can we struggle well? This week we're continuing in our new series, a four-week journey through some of the principles that Pastor Ben explores in his brand new book, Rest & War! Because of what Jesus has done, we are able to be victors instead of victims. But first we have to shift our perspective on how to struggle against temptation. What does it look like for the followers of Jesus to hav...
Jan 24, 2022•45 min•Ep 175•Transcript available on Metacast This week we're kicking off our new series, a four-week journey through some of the principles that Pastor Ben explores in his brand new book, Rest & War! Pastor Ben shows us how Jesus came as a conquering king on a mission to destroy the works of the enemy and set the captives free, and explains what that means for us as we struggle with sin in our lives. We have not been set free FROM the fight. We have been set free FOR the fight. Key Verses // 1 John 3:8-9, Luke 11:21-22, Hebrews 2:14-15, Co...
Jan 18, 2022•36 min•Ep 174•Transcript available on Metacast Sharing good news usually comes to us naturally, but we can often be anxious or intimidated to share the good news of the gospel. This week we are excited to be joined by our good friend Dr. Aaron Coe, who alongside his wife Carmen serves as the launch team leader for Passion City at Trilith. Dr. Coe kicks off the new year by bringing us an encouraging reminder about why the gospel is good news in the first place, and how we can be better witnesses with our lives. Key Verses // Mark 5:1-20, Acts...
Jan 10, 2022•42 min•Ep 173•Transcript available on Metacast As we approach Christmas, how should we respond to the greatest gift ever given: Jesus? This week in our Kings & Kingdoms series, we are joined by Passion City Church’s Atlanta City Pastor, Pastor Brad Jones. Pastor Brad takes us back to Bethlehem and the story of Jesus’ arrival, and encourages us not to lose sight of the way God has been working out His plan throughout history. Key Verses // Luke 2, Genesis 49:10, Numbers 24:17, 2 Samuel 7:16, Isaiah 9:6 — Do you feel frustrated by a pattern of...
Dec 20, 2021•39 min•Ep 172•Transcript available on Metacast As we approach the end of King David's life, what can we learn from the legacy of a faithful servant of God? Continuing in our series, Kings & Kingdoms, Pastor Ben shows us three different accounts from the end of David's life and explains how his parting words in each story emphasizes the character of the king and points us towards the true king, Jesus. Key Verses // 1 Chronicles 28-29, 2 Samuel 22-23, 1 Kings 1-2 — Do you feel frustrated by a pattern of personal failures, overwhelmed by a chao...
Dec 15, 2021•45 min•Ep 171•Transcript available on Metacast The poor choices of the aging king lead to catastrophic consequences within his family. How does the story of one of David's lowest moments shed light on the corrosive effects of sin in our lives? As we continue in our series, Kings & Kingdoms, Pastor Ben takes us through the tragic story of King David and his son Absalom. Sin can often pass down and amplify through generations, but we have hope because God is in the business of bringing beauty from our ashes. Key Verses // 2 Samuel 13-19 — Do y...
Dec 08, 2021•43 min•Ep 170•Transcript available on Metacast 
