The NorthWord

The Salvation Army began with one Methodist minister's transformed heart on the streets of England. Father Aaron traces faith, love, steadfastness, and gentleness — what an inward change looks like once it reaches other people.

The Inner Battle: The Ground You Stand On

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Righteousness and godliness are the first pair Paul names in 1 Timothy 6:11 — the foundation everything else in the Christian life gets built on. Father Aaron asks what's actually holding up your life when nobody's watching.

The Inner Battle: Flee Like a Fugitive, Pursue Like a Predator

Tue, 15 Sep 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Paul's commands to "flee" and "pursue" carry more weight in the Greek than they do in English — pheugo means to run for your life, dioko means to hunt without stopping. Father Aaron breaks down both words and asks what you're actually fleeing and pursuing today.

The Inner Battle: Gold or God

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Every generation has woken up at 2 AM asking the same question: why am I missing something? Father Aaron opens 1 Timothy 6 to name the daily choice underneath that question — the Gold, or God — and why the true pursuit of life has to be inward. Use the text-us link to tell us where you're at.

Sunday Sermon: On Forgiveness

Sun, 13 Sep 2026 17:00:00 -0600

In a sermon drawing on Tim Keller's teaching on the topic, Deacon Luke explains to us what it means to forgive, not just seven times, but seventy-seven times.

And even more importantly, at the beginning of the sermon, we get a great joke about what happens when a preacher trying to teach his flock about forgiveness finds a woman who doesn't have a single enemy to forgive.

Rule 1483

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 05:00:00 -0600

In a club, you get read out at the annual general meeting. In a family, somebody knocks on your door. Father Aaron on Matthew 18:15, on why Jesus sends you alone and without an audience, and on the parable that sits immediately before it.

The Harder Half

Thu, 10 Sep 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Chrysostom said sharing a man's tears halves his grief, but sharing his joy heals you. Father Aaron on why celebrating somebody else's good news is the harder half of Romans 12:15, and why envy burns off when you do it.

Love Gone Cold

Wed, 09 Sep 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Fervent in spirit means boiling. Father Aaron on Romans 12:11, on sin as a temperature that dropped rather than a rule that broke, and on the one person you'd rather not warm up to.

Married to Goodness

Tue, 08 Sep 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. Both commands land harder in the Greek than in English, and the word for clinging is the same one Genesis uses for a husband cleaving to his wife. Father Aaron on why a rule book won't hold a church together, but a marriage will.

Un-play-acted

Mon, 07 Sep 2026 05:00:00 -0600

The word Paul uses in Romans 12:9 is anupokritos. Un-play-acted. The root is the word for an actor in a mask. Father Aaron on why a club performs love and a church gets transformed by it, and what to do the next time you're asked to put the mask on.

Beloved, Even Then

Fri, 04 Sep 2026 05:00:00 -0600

You are your own harshest critic, and you cannot argue yourself out of it. The verdict has to come from outside you. On shame, identity, the voice from the cloud, and defining yourself radically as one beloved by God.

The Life You Are Trying to Save

Thu, 03 Sep 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Life in verse 25 and soul in verse 26 are the same word in the Greek. On the self you show people, the facade you are working so hard to save, and why the self you keep hidden is the one that never gets healed.

Your Loss, Their Gain

Wed, 02 Sep 2026 05:00:00 -0600

The Romans crucified people beside the main road on purpose. A cross was never private. On what a cross is actually for, how to tell one apart from ordinary suffering, and why duty will never be enough to lift it.

Your Cross, Not His

Tue, 01 Sep 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Jesus does not say take up my cross. He says take up yours, which means you already have one. On the weight already sitting in your life, why the order of the sentence matters, and the Greek verb that ties self denial to Peter in the courtyard.

Come After Me

Mon, 31 Aug 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Jesus calls Peter the rock he will build his church on. Five verses later he calls him Satan. One verse after that he says, come after me. The same phrase both times. On the invitation that never shrinks, and why you cannot carry anything until you know you are carried.

Lightning Isn't Going to Strike You

Thu, 27 Aug 2026 05:00:00 -0600

“I better not step foot in a church — lightning might strike me.” No. It isn’t going to strike you. But something else will happen in there, and honestly it’s scarier.

For anyone who has decided they’re disqualified from the work of God: Eliakim the steward, the key he was handed, and why the church is a local enterprise that starts with your heart.

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The Wrong Neighborhood

Wed, 26 Aug 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Jesus asks “who do you say that I am?” in a town built at the shrine of a pagan god. He picked the place on purpose.

On the difference between admiring Jesus and confessing him — and why the foundation gets laid in the wrong neighbourhood, not after you’ve moved out of it.

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God Did Not Dig Your Pit

Tue, 25 Aug 2026 05:00:00 -0600

“You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.” Joseph doesn’t rename what his brothers did — he calls it evil, and says God was working anyway.

On the difference between all things are good and he works all things for good, and why that difference is where the comfort actually lives.

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The Quarry You Were Dug From

Mon, 24 Aug 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Isaiah tells you to look back at the ugly ground you came from — and then points at Abraham, alone, and Sarah, barren.

God doesn’t need a garden to grow a garden. He needs an open heart to grow a garden. Two to three minutes on why the calling doesn’t wait until your life looks presentable.

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God’s Calling Won’t Spare You the Hardship

Sun, 23 Aug 2026 17:00:00 -0600

If God called you, why is it so hard?

Father Aaron preaches from Isaiah 51, Psalm 138, and Matthew 16 at St. John’s, Fort Smith. Isaiah says to look back at the quarry you were dug from — the ugly ground, the broken rock. The gospel says here is the rock you’re building on now. Between those two rocks sits the question most of us are quietly asking: if the calling is real, why the roadblock?

Along the way: Abraham alone and Sarah barren, Joseph telling his brothers “you meant evil against me,” and what King David actually prays in the middle of trouble — which is not what you and I pray.

Recorded live. Full sermon, with Father Aaron’s introduction.

Coming to The Table

Fri, 21 Aug 2026 05:00:00 -0600

One of the hardest sayings of Jesus is in Matthew 15 when he compares the Syrophoenician woman to a dog. And yet the woman steps inside it and finds the bread there.

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The Impossible Prayer

Thu, 20 Aug 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Only twice does Jesus in the whole Gospel describe someone as having great faith. What is the reward of great faith?

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The Delayed Answer

Wed, 19 Aug 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Have you ever prayed to God and not heard an immediate response? Should you give up? Or keep praying

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In An Unexpected Place

Tue, 18 Aug 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Where do you expect to find God? Is it in Holy and righteous places? Or are you leaving room for finding God in places that good religious people might avoid?

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The Journey Home

Mon, 17 Aug 2026 05:00:00 -0600

This Monday we have an extra-long episode for you, detailing the somewhat twisting journey Father Aaron took home from vacation, and most importantly, how God showed up in the midst of it.

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Sunday Sermon: Called Out, Not Turned Away

Sun, 16 Aug 2026 17:00:00 -0600

This week Father Aaron makes his triumphal return! No joke, but hey, he can't do everything

Check out this sermon to learn more about what is going on in Matthew 15 when Jesus appears to turn away the Syrophoenician woman. Could it be that Christ is calling us into a deeper relationship, not just as "dogs" beneath the table, but as beloved children?

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Entering Someone Else's Sickness

Fri, 14 Aug 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Explore what it costs to truly love someone who's struggling — a sick friend, an addicted family member, a person in the dark. Discover why real love means being willing to be pulled in, not just standing outside.

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Faith, Hope, and Love — the Collect

Thu, 13 Aug 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Understand the three theological virtues and why the church prays for their increase instead of assuming we already have enough. A reflection on what it means to keep asking for what only grace can give.

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Paul's Wish to Be Cursed

Tue, 11 Aug 2026 16:00:00 -0600

Sit with the strange, costly prayer Paul makes for people who kept rejecting him. Understand what it means to love someone enough to offer yourself in their place.

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The Kolbe Story

Tue, 11 Aug 2026 05:00:00 -0600

A reflection on one man's choice to take a stranger's place in a Nazi death camp. Understand what that sacrifice reveals about the real weight and cost of love.

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Love Isn't Syrup

Mon, 10 Aug 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Discover why real love was never meant to be sweet and easy. Explore the sacrificial, costly kind of love Scripture actually describes — and what it asks of you.

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Sunday Sermon: Syrup or Sacrifice

Sun, 09 Aug 2026 17:00:00 -0600

Last week we talked about love, but what exactly is love? Is it a warm, fuzzy feeling? Or is it something more?

Check out this sermon to learn more about what love is over the course of three examples: The life of Saint Maximillian Kolbe, the writings of Paul the Apostle, and some general observations about our lives.

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Feel It In Your Guts

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Explore the gap between knowing God loves you and actually resting your weight on it. Discover what it takes to move truth from your head to your guts.

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The Difference Between a Kayak and a Ship

Thu, 06 Aug 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Understand why a faith built for calm water won't survive real weather. Explore what it takes to build a life that can handle the open sea.

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Nothing Can Pry You Loose

Wed, 05 Aug 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Walk through Paul's list of everything that cannot separate you from the Love of Christ. A reflection on facing real danger with real assurance.

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A Love That Needs Nothing From You

Tue, 04 Aug 2026 12:00:00 -0600

Discover a love that was never a reward for good behavior. Understand what it means to be loved before you had anything to offer in return.

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Cargo is Not Ballast

Mon, 03 Aug 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Explore the difference between what you're carrying and what's actually holding you up. Understand why success, health, and approval make good cargo but terrible ballast.

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Sunday Sermon: Ballast or Cargo

Sun, 02 Aug 2026 20:00:00 -0600

At the climax of this section of Paul's Letter to the Romans, he has an awful lot to say about love.

Check out this sermon to learn more about what the love of Christ means in the live of a believer. How does it differ from everything else in our lives? And you might even get a good pirate joke!

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What the Battle Made You

Fri, 31 Jul 2026 05:00:00 -0600

You're not done with the battle. But the battle is not done with you either — and what it's making you is worth the cost.

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Maturity and Completeness

Thu, 30 Jul 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Comfort never made anyone mature. Only the battle does. And you're in one right now.

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Not Endurance — Extraction

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Endurance is just surviving. What if God is asking you to extract something from the pain instead?

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What the Struggle Produces

Tue, 28 Jul 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Resistance doesn't weaken you. It builds you. That's not theory. That's physiology.

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The Struggle Is Not the Tunnel

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 05:00:00 -0600

We think the struggle is what God uses to get us to the blessing. What if the struggle itself is the blessing?

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Sunday Sermon: The Goodness You Didn't Ask For

Sun, 26 Jul 2026 17:00:00 -0600

In Paul's Letter to the Romans, he promises us "all things work for Good."

You've probably heard that one before on a Hallmark Card. But is it really true? How can everything work for good? Turns out it's a little bit more complicated than that. Tune into this sermon to understand exactly what Paul means when he makes this promise to us.

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The Only Question That Matters

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Stop asking if you're allowed. Start asking if it's worth it.

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What Are You Building?

Thu, 23 Jul 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Every choice you make is either building your soul or hollowing it out. There's no neutral.

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Beneficial vs. Constructive

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Not everything that's allowed is wise. Not everything that feels good is good.

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The Cost of Freedom

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Freedom doesn't cost nothing. It costs the thing you're most afraid to lose.

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You Know and You Still Do It

Mon, 20 Jul 2026 05:00:00 -0600

You know exactly what you should do. And you do something else anyway. That's the whole problem.

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Sunday Sermon: Wheat & Weeds

Sun, 19 Jul 2026 17:00:00 -0600

Why does the bible talk so much about God's wrath? Isn't he a loving God?

Drawing on the parables of Jesus, this sermon explores the connection between love and judgment. As it turns out, they aren't quite as opposites as you might expect!

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Strive Until You Become

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 05:00:00 -0600

The striving life isn't a burden. It's the most beautiful thing a human being can do.

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The Prize Is Not Achievement

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 05:00:00 -0600

The goal of striving isn't performance. It's transformation. And the two could not be more different.

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The Difference Between Effort and Grace

Wed, 15 Jul 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Striving isn't earning. It's receiving and then responding to what you've been given.

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One Step Further

Tue, 14 Jul 2026 05:00:00 -0600

The gap between seeking and striving is one decision. And you can make it today.

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Spectators vs. Participants

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Jesus doesn't answer the question you ask. He answers the question you should have asked. And it's about you.

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Sunday Sermon: Dual Citizenship

Sun, 12 Jul 2026 17:00:00 -0600

Everyone has the choice between living a life of the flesh or the spirit.

Drawing on Romans 8, this sermon explores what Paul means by the Flesh and the Spirit, and what it means for Christians to live according to the Flesh or the Spirit. Expect quite a few Canada/US jokes coming from an extended metaphor throughout the sermon

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Disciples Are Always Being Formed

Fri, 10 Jul 2026 05:00:00 -0600

You don't graduate from discipleship. You never stop being a student. And that's not a burden — it's the point.

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The Purpose of Difficulty

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Hardship isn't punishment for what you did. It's preparation for who you're becoming.

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Even If You Know Better

Wed, 08 Jul 2026 05:00:00 -0600

You know exactly what you should do. Knowing isn't the problem. The problem is that knowing isn't the same as doing.

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Two Kinds of Discipline

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Being disciplined from outside yourself is one thing. Learning self-discipline from within is another. And you need both.

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The Day My Father Slapped Me

Mon, 06 Jul 2026 05:00:00 -0600

One moment of correction shaped my entire life. This is the story of why the hardest thing a parent can do is sometimes the most loving.

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Sunday Sermon: The Wrong Burdens

Sun, 05 Jul 2026 17:00:00 -0600

Everyone has to carry a burden, but which one will you choose?

Drawing from Matthew 11, this is an honest sermon on the burdens we carry, the freedom we chase, and the one yoke that's actually light — an invitation to trade self-rescue for rest.

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You Can't Love Alone

Fri, 03 Jul 2026 05:00:00 -0600

A rerun of one of our older shows!

Proximity isn't community. Attendance isn't belonging. Why our calling to love is impossible without the community God gave us.

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What Rises from the Death

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 05:00:00 -0600

When the old self dies, something new can be born. But you have to be willing to wait in the grave for a while.

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The Old Self Has to Go

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 05:00:00 -0600

You're not being asked to hate yourself. You're being asked to recognize that the version of you that ran your life is already dying.

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The Cost of Becoming

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Dying to yourself isn't suffering for its own sake. It's the price of becoming who you're actually meant to be.

You Don't Have to Become Dead

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 05:00:00 -0600

You keep going back to the same thing, and you're not trying hard enough — you've already died to it in baptism. The question isn't whether you can become dead to sin; it's whether you'll live like you already are.

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You Cannot Hold Yourself

Fri, 26 Jun 2026 05:00:00 -0600

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Grace reigns — but our capacity to stay in it requires structure, relationship, and the willingness to be truly known. A challenge to move beyond a comfortable, private Christianity and into the kind of accountability that keeps the conscience awake.

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When Identity Becomes a Cage

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 05:00:00 -0600

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There is a particular trap that catches faithful, long-serving people: the moment a role shifts from something we do into something we are. A reflection on the difference between holding important work with open hands versus clenched fists, and what grace makes possible in that moment of letting go.

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The Four Stages

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 05:00:00 -0600

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Most people don’t lose the fight at the moment of the act — they lose it in the quiet moments just before, when they’re still telling themselves they haven’t decided anything yet. Walk through the four stages from temptation to habit, and discover where grace can actually interrupt the process.

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Desire Is Not Destiny

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 05:00:00 -0600

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Following Christ doesn’t make the pull of the old nature disappear — it means that pull no longer has the final word. A reflection on what it looks like to carry two natures, and why the presence of temptation is not a sign of failure.

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Grace That Floods

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 05:00:00 -0600

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One man’s sin introduced a condition that infected all of humanity but Christ’s response was never meant to be a one-for-one remedy. Explore how the overflow of grace doesn’t just forgive the debt but clears the record entirely, placing us at a table we never occupied before.

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Stop. Stay. See.

Fri, 19 Jun 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Three small words — stop, stay, see — offer a practical framework for making the most important decisions from a place of faith rather than fear. The week closes with a grounded, actionable challenge drawn from Paul, Jesus, and James: how to stand still long enough to receive what God has placed in your season before you move on from it.

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Running vs. Transitioning

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 05:00:00 -0600

There is a profound difference between escaping a season before God's work is complete and leaving because that work is genuinely finished. A careful and honest exploration of when to stay, when to go, and how to tell the difference — including a word for those in situations that are difficult, and those in situations that are genuinely harmful.

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Watch the sermon on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theanglicanfamily

Connect with us: https://linktr.ee/TheNorthWord

Equipped for Your Exact Season

Wed, 17 Jun 2026 05:00:00 -0600

God doesn't remove the hardship — He equips you for it, with blessings precisely matched to the burdens you are carrying right now. A close look at Ephesians 1 reveals a stunning one-to-one inventory of divine provision: forgiveness for your failures, wisdom for your decisions, the Spirit for the hard things, and a guaranteed inheritance for an uncertain future.

Text us directly by clicking 'Text Us' at the top of these show notes to share your journey!

Watch the sermon on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theanglicanfamily

Connect with us: https://linktr.ee/TheNorthWord

Don't Move On Before You've Moved In

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 05:00:00 -0600

When we run from a difficult season before God's work is finished, we don't leave the problem behind — we carry it with us into the next chapter. A reflection on our deepest failure as people of faith: masking the season instead of moving through it, and what it means to finally receive what God has placed right here.

Text us directly by clicking 'Text Us' at the top of these show notes to share your journey!

Watch the sermon on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theanglicanfamily

Connect with us: https://linktr.ee/TheNorthWord

Blessings for Today

Mon, 15 Jun 2026 05:00:00 -0600

God's provision for your life is not waiting for your circumstances to improve — it was already given, past tense, before the foundation of the world. Explore the New Testament economy of spiritual blessing and why the resources you need for this season are already present, right where you are.

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Watch the sermon on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theanglicanfamily

Connect with us: https://linktr.ee/TheNorthWord

Come Empty-Handed: The Trap of Performance

Sun, 14 Jun 2026 21:00:00 -0600

What if our biggest barrier to experiencing the love of God isn't our moral failures, but our obsession with our own performance? In this episode, we dive into the sharp intersection of 1 John 3:16-24 and Luke 14:15-24. Sitting at a tense dinner party, Jesus completely upends our cultural definitions of worth, achievement, and love.

We often live by an internal ledger, frantically trying to balance our books and prove our value through our work, our businesses, or our reputations. But a life built on performance leaves no room for mistakes, no room for repentance, and ultimately, no room to receive grace. True Christian love requires us to lay down our lives—but you cannot lay down a life you are desperately trying to protect.

Join us as we explore what it means to drop the ledger, abandon the transaction, and pull up a seat at the feast with completely empty hands.

Faith Is What You Do

Fri, 12 Jun 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Faith is not an idea you hold — it is a direction you move in, even when every instinct says stay put.

Closing out the week, this episode ties together Abraham, Matthew, and the Rabbi Weisser story into one clear challenge: where is God asking you to get up? Faith doesn’t make sense — and that is entirely the point.

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Watch the sermon on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theanglicanfamily

Connect with us: https://linktr.ee/TheNorthWord

The Gift of Failing the Test

Thu, 11 Jun 2026 06:00:00 -0600

Trials are not interruptions to your faith — they are the curriculum.

Grounded in James 1:2–4, this episode reframes the tests and pressures you’re facing right now as honest, formative tools in the hands of a God who is growing you toward maturity — not punishing you for your shortcomings.

Text us directly by clicking ‘Text Us’ at the top of these show notes to share your journey!

Watch the sermon on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theanglicanfamily

Connect with us: https://linktr.ee/TheNorthWord

Mercy at the Table

Wed, 10 Jun 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Real mercy is not a feeling you carry privately — it is an act that puts you somewhere deeply uncomfortable.

Through the story of Rabbi Michael Weisser and Larry Trapp, this episode makes the case that incarnational mercy — the kind Jesus modelled at Matthew’s table — must cost you something to be genuine.

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Watch the sermon on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theanglicanfamily

Connect with us: https://linktr.ee/TheNorthWord

The Medicine You Didn’t Earn

Tue, 09 Jun 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Sin is not just a list of bad choices — it is a chronic condition, and no amount of rule-following will cure it.

Reflecting on Jesus’ call of Matthew the tax collector, this episode explores the freedom that comes from admitting you need grace, and why the people who know they are broken are actually closest to healing.

Text us directly by clicking ‘Text Us’ at the top of these show notes to share your journey!

Watch the sermon on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theanglicanfamily

Connect with us: https://linktr.ee/TheNorthWord

When God Doesn’t Make Sense

Mon, 08 Jun 2026 05:00:00 -0600

The moment your faith stops feeling logical might be the exact moment it starts becoming real.

Rooted in Romans 4 and the story of Abraham, this episode challenges the habit of clinging to comfort and invites a first honest step into the kind of trust that defies worldly reasoning.

Text us directly by clicking ‘Text Us’ at the top of these show notes to share your journey!
Watch the sermon on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theanglicanfamily
Connect with us: https://linktr.ee/TheNorthWord

Faith Makes No Sense! Sunday Sermon

Sun, 07 Jun 2026 17:00:00 -0600

Faith that makes no earthly sense is at the very heart of the gospel, and this Sunday’s message unpacks why that’s not a bug in the Christian life, but the whole design.

Drawing from Romans 4, Matthew 9, and James 1, explore what it looks like to trust God beyond logic, receive grace you didn’t earn, and let go of the comfort-first Christianity that keeps so many of us stuck.

Text us directly by clicking ‘Text Us’ at the top of these show notes to share your journey!

Watch the sermon on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theanglicanfamily

Connect with us: https://linktr.ee/TheNorthWord

The Holy Kiss

Fri, 05 Jun 2026 05:00:00 -0600

The holy kiss is the closing image of Paul’s most conflict-laden letter — and it is a direct act of subversion against every force that divides. A reflection on what it means to choose recognition over resentment, and how that choice has carried the gospel across centuries and continents.

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Watch the sermon on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theanglicanfamily

The Inward Test

Thu, 04 Jun 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Paul’s challenge to the Corinthian church begins not with correcting others, but with a ruthlessly honest self-examination. Explore the three practical life-shifts that move a community from fragmentation toward genuine, Spirit-shaped unity.

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Watch the sermon on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theanglicanfamily

Unity Is Not Uniformity

Wed, 03 Jun 2026 05:00:00 -0600

The Trinity itself is the eternal argument against uniformity — one God, three distinct persons, in flawless unity. A reflection on what it means to build communities that honor difference without fracturing into division.

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Watch the sermon on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theanglicanfamily

Room for the Doubter

Tue, 02 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0600

On the resurrection mountain, worshippers and doubters stood in the same place and received the same commission. A reflection on what it means that Jesus never waited for perfect faith before extending a perfect invitation.

Text us directly by clicking ‘Text Us’ at the top of these show notes to share your journey!

Watch the sermon on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theanglicanfamily

The Box That Breaks You

Mon, 01 Jun 2026 05:00:00 -0600

The pressure to conform to the world’s boxes is relentless — and it quietly fractures the soul. Explore how the Trinitarian nature of God reveals that true unity never demands the erasure of who you truly are.

Text us directly by clicking ‘Text Us’ at the top of these show notes to share your journey!

Watch the sermon on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theanglicanfamily

Many Gifts, One Spirit

Fri, 29 May 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Reflect on the Pentecost miracle of uniqueness in unity — where many languages, many gifts, and many callings converge under one Spirit into a body more powerful than any uniformity could produce. Consider how your distinct voice is not a complication in the Church, but the very instrument the Spirit intends to use.

Confess, Listen, Act

Thu, 28 May 2026 00:00:00 -0600

The Spirit-aligned life is not a one-time decision — it is a daily rhythm of confession, attentive listening, and courageous action, repeated with honesty and trust. Step into the practice that keeps the conscience tender and the calling clear, one ordinary day at a time.

The Three Marks of a True Gift

Wed, 27 May 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Unpack the three-part test for discerning whether a spiritual gift is genuine — inner aliveness, communal edification, and confirmation by the body — and why stopping at the first mark leaves most believers spiritually comfortable but spiritually stagnant. A practical guide to Spirit-discerned calling.

When the Compass Goes Silent

Tue, 26 May 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Explore the sobering reality of a seared conscience — and the liberating grace of confession as the pathway back to spiritual sensitivity. A candid look at how numbness sets in gradually, and how a return to honesty before God begins to restore what was lost.

The Spirit's Inner Compass

Mon, 25 May 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Discover how the Holy Spirit functions like a magnetic north for the conscience — and why the difference between feeling alive and feeling hollow is not accidental, but a signal of spiritual alignment. A reflection on tuning into the Spirit's quiet, persistent voice at the start of every week.

The Alignment with the Spirit

Sun, 24 May 2026 16:00:00 -0600

Pentecost is more than an anniversary of fire and wind , it is the ongoing, active gift of the Holy Spirit dwelling in every believer, aligning the conscience, confirming callings, and weaving many distinct voices into one living body. Explore how the Spirit moves not just in history, but in your Monday, and why that changes everything about how you live.

You Were Not Built for Isolation (The Case for Real Community)

Fri, 22 May 2026 05:00:00 -0600

The lone-wolf Christian is a contradiction in terms. Real community—the kind with friction, inconvenience, and people you did not choose—is precisely where spiritual formation happens. A grounding episode to carry into the weekend

Confess, Listen, Act

Thu, 21 May 2026 05:00:00 -0600

The Dinner Table Is an Altar (Why Family Comes Before Career)

Thu, 21 May 2026 05:00:00 -0600

The world says your career is your calling. Saint Peter—and a wise rabbi—say otherwise. Father Aaron makes the case that if God has called you to family, that calling outranks promotion, overtime, and the one more email. A practical and personal episode on why protecting family time is a spiritual act, not just a lifestyle preference.

Two Kinds of Pain (And Why the Difference Matters)

Wed, 20 May 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Not all pain is the same, and Saint Peter is clear about why that distinction matters. Father Aaron walks through the two categories of suffering Peter describes—one a dead-end consequence, the other a formative furnace—and offers an honest question: when you are hurting, which kind is it? The answer changes everything about how you move through it.

Everything Closed. Church Full. (The Cost of Holy Priorities)

Tue, 19 May 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Driving through a Mennonite community in northern Alberta on Ascension Day—every store shut, every church full. The practical cost of honoring God with your calendar is real, but Saint Peter calls it holy suffering: chosen, formative, and ultimately purifying. This episode asks what your closed doors might be saying.

Which Hat Are You Wearing?

Mon, 18 May 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Judgment is inevitable — but Peter says you get to choose who you're judged for. A practical look at the defining question behind every Christian choice.

Wearing the Right Hat: The Logic of Holy Sacrifice

Sun, 17 May 2026 16:00:00 -0600

Father Aaron preaches on 1 Peter 4 and John 17: judgment is coming either way — the only question is who you're willing to be judged for. Seek God first.

Throwing Off the Cloak

Thu, 14 May 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Before the blind man in Jericho was healed, he threw his cloak on the ground and left it there. For a beggar, that cloak was everything — warmth, income, safety. Father Aaron unpacks this powerful moment

The Crowd That Tells You to Hush

Wed, 13 May 2026 05:00:00 -0600

What do you do when everyone around you seems to be thriving and you feel completely stuck? Father Aaron explores the story of a blind man sitting in Jericho — the ancient city of victory — who couldn't see any of it. If you've ever felt surrounded by possibility but unable to access it, this one is for you.

Sitting in Jericho: When Victory Is Everywhere Except Your Life

Tue, 12 May 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Why Are We Still Cutting the Ends Off the Ham?

Mon, 11 May 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Most of us carry patterns and habits we've never stopped to examine — passed down, absorbed, and accepted without question. In this episode, Father Aaron uses a simple story about a family recipe to open up the much bigger question: what are you doing just because it's always been done that way, and is it actually serving you? Faith begins with the courage to look honestly at the life you're living.

Exile Isn't Escape

Sat, 09 May 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Sojourners and exiles — present in the world, but not absorbed by it. Peter's closing warning is a call to stay engaged without losing yourself. The Resurrection is what makes it possible.

Holy Doesn't Mean Perfect

Fri, 08 May 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Holy doesn't mean flawless — it means set apart, oriented toward a different King. Father Aaron reclaims the word "holy" from shame and weaponization and puts it back where it belongs.

One Race

Thu, 07 May 2026 05:00:00 -0600

The world has many categories. God declares one: those born of water and the Spirit. In a divided world, baptismal identity matters more than ever.

You Are a Priest

Wed, 06 May 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Ordination sets some apart for specific roles, but baptism makes every believer a royal priest. Father Aaron unpacks what the royal priesthood means for your ordinary week in the North.

Rubble or Wall?

Tue, 05 May 2026 04:00:00 -0600

The Church isn't a building — it's a building being built. A living stone only lives when it's connected to the Living Stone. Disconnected, it's just rubble. Are you part of the wall?

Strip It Off

Mon, 04 May 2026 06:00:00 -0600

St. Peter opens with a call to cast off malice and all that leads from it. The first step of the Christian life is stripping down to become like a newborn, hungry for the Word.

Dig, Plant, Water, Grow

Sat, 02 May 2026 05:00:00 -0600

A garden doesn't grow by accident, and neither does a life with God. Four simple practices to carry into the weekend — and a reminder that the shepherd has already walked through the worst of it.

You Can't Do This Alone

Fri, 01 May 2026 05:00:00 -0600

A sheep on its own gets picked off. The Christian life was never meant to be private or isolated. Today we talk about why community isn't optional — and what to do if church has hurt you in the past.

By His Wounds

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0600

The shepherd calling you has wounds. He is not asking you to walk anywhere he has not already gone. Today we look at 1 Peter 2 and learn what it means to entrust ourselves to the one who judges justly.

Even Though

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Psalm 23 doesn't promise a God who removes the valley. It promises a shepherd who walks through it with you. Mid-week, we name the valley we're in and learn what it means to fear no evil.

More Than Survival

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Jesus didn't come so you could just get through the week. He came that you might have life, and have it abundantly. Today we ask where we've quietly settled for surviving when the shepherd is offering something fuller.

Who Are You Actually Following?

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Today we start the week by naming the voices we've been following and asking whether any of them have actually earned the trust we've given them.

The Good Shepherd — It Matters the Chief

Sun, 26 Apr 2026 22:00:00 -0600

Father Aaron preaches from John 10, Psalm 23, and 1 Peter 2 on Good Shepherd Sunday. Every other ship will take on water. This shepherd has already walked through the worst of it — and he is calling you by name.

The Four Movements of the Road

Sat, 25 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Staying on the road isn't a feeling — it's a practice. Constant. Contemplation. Reaction. Testing. Jesus showed us on the road to Emmaus. He walks, opens the Scriptures, lets it burn, breaks the bread. A framework for daily faith.

Bread on the Side of the Road

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0600

He acts as if he's going further. They hold on. And then — bread. Broken. Given. Jesus takes the most ordinary thing and makes it holy. The table is not a memorial. It is the same moment those disciples had.

The Burning Was Him

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0600

"Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road?" The burning was there the whole time — before the recognition, before the breaking of the bread. That feeling you couldn't name? It had a name all along.

He Gets on the Road With You

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Their eyes were kept from recognizing him — not they failed to recognize him. God's doing. He walks with people who have given up on him, before they can see him.

The Road That Won't Stay in Focus

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0600

That restless feeling on a long drive — the road won't stay in focus and something in you just wants to stop. Cleopas and his friend know that feeling too. "But we had hoped..." the most honest line in all of Scripture

We Are the People of the Way

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Christians have always been called "the people of The Way" — tace ho-DOO — the people of the road. This week we walk the road to Emmaus with two disciples who quit, and discover what Jesus does when you stop.

Stay on the Road — 3rd Sunday of Easter

Sun, 19 Apr 2026 21:00:00 -0600

Luke 24:13–35. Two disciples walking away from everything they'd hoped for — and Jesus gets on the road with them. Father Aaron preaches on the burning Word, the breaking of the bread, and what it means to stay on the road when you can't see who's beside you.

Where Are You Still Under a Yoke?

Sat, 18 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0600

We’ve spent the week defining true freedom: it isn’t doing what you like; it’s doing what is right. As we prepare for Sunday worship, Father Aaron leaves us with one diagnostic question: Where are you still under a yoke?

Sometimes the chains we choose for ourselves feel more comfortable than the ones we were handed, but they are still chains.

The Lie of "You Do You"

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0600

The most accepted lie in our culture fits perfectly inside Christian language. We say, "I'm free in Christ," or "God knows my heart," but we often use that freedom as a cover for doing exactly what we want.

Search Me, O God

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0600

You cannot share what you are pretending to have. Psalm 139 and the practice of honest self-examination — and why that's the only foundation worth building on.

Midweek — Where Are You Choosing?

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Freedom and slavery get decided in the small quiet moments, not the dramatic ones. A short midweek check-in to help you stay honest about where you're choosing this week.

The Yoke You Don't See

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0600

You can dress up slavery in the language of grace — but Paul is clear. If you're doing what you want even when it isn't beneficial, you're still under a yoke. A closer look at what it actually means to live as people who are free.

Free — But Not Like That

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0600

You are free in Christ — but that word free might not mean what you think it means. This week on NorthWord we're sitting with what true freedom actually looks like, and why doing what you like and doing what is right are not the same thing.

More Than a Feeling — 2nd Sunday of Easter

Sun, 12 Apr 2026 17:00:00 -0600

What does it mean to believe when you haven't seen? On this Second Sunday of Easter, Father Aaron preaches from John 20 and the story of Thomas — and makes the case that faith is not a feeling you leap into, but evidence you stand on. From Abraham to Moses, from David to the resurrection, God said it and God did it. Live by the script.

Bring the Real One — Easter Week, Day 6

Sat, 11 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Before you walk into worship tomorrow, Father Aaron gathers the threads of the week and offers a word about coming to Sunday not with performance, but with an open and honest heart.

The Pilate Question — Easter Week, Day 5

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Where did you learn who Jesus is? Father Aaron sits with Pilate's question and invites listeners into a simple but honest practice heading into the weekend — one that asks what you are still holding back.

The Daily Practice of Evangelism — A Conversation with Rev. Jeremiah Raible

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 08:00:00 -0600

Father Aaron sits down with Rev. Jeremiah Raible, Assistant District Superintendent with the ABNWT District of the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada, for a conversation on the daily practice of evangelism. Jeremiah is a passionate leader who believes the church is the hope of the world — and in this episode he challenges us to engage in the only mission Jesus ever gave his church: making disciples.

https://www.impactus.org/author/jeremiah-raible/

Fully Alive — Easter Week, Day 4

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Easter is not just about forgiveness — it is about restoration. Father Aaron draws on St. Irenaeus and St. Augustine to unpack what it means that the glory of God is a human being fully alive, and what the resurrection is truly offering you.

Wednesday in Easter Week

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Midweek is where the Easter feeling often fades — and that is okay. Father Aaron offers a short, honest word for the Wednesday of Easter week.

Program or Relationship? — Easter Week, Day 2

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0600

A program is something you do. A relationship is someone reaching into your life to do something to you. Father Aaron explores what it means to live faith as a living relationship with the risen Christ rather than a system to manage.

The Dry Drunk — Easter Week, Day 1

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0600

There is a difference between changing your behaviour and actually being transformed — and that difference is everything. Father Aaron opens Easter week with the image of the dry drunk, and the question of what real change actually requires.

Easter Sunday — He Wants Your Heart

Sun, 05 Apr 2026 18:00:00 -0600

This is the Easter Sunday sermon from St. John's Fort Smith. Father Aaron preaches on what the empty tomb really means — not just as history, but as a living reality for the quiet emptiness inside you right now. The risen Christ doesn't want your belief. He wants your heart.

Just Staying | Black Saturday | "Anchored"

Sat, 04 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Black Saturday is the day nothing happened — and that's exactly why it's so hard. Father Aaron sits in the silence between the cross and the empty tomb, and asks what devotion looks like when it's stripped of everything else. From St. John's Fort Smith.

The Anchor Holds | Good Friday | "Anchored"

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Good Friday is not designed to make you feel inspired — it's designed to make you honest. Father Aaron brings the week's central refrain to the foot of the cross. From St. John's Fort Smith.

The Basin and the Towel | Maundy Thursday | "Anchored"

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Tonight Jesus washes the feet of the man who will deny him — knowing exactly what Judas has done and what Peter is about to do. Father Aaron reflects on what devotion looks like when it's made flesh. From St. John's Fort Smith.

Spy Wednesday | Wednesday of Holy Week | "Anchored"

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Today is Spy Wednesday — the day tradition marks Judas's quiet arrangement with the chief priests. Father Aaron reflects on how the big compromises rarely arrive as big ones. From St. John's Fort Smith.

Driven and Tossed | Tuesday of Holy Week | "Anchored"

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0600

We get swayed in our relationships, our work, our faith — quietly, gently, like a boat we didn't notice had moved. Father Aaron brings the sermon's challenge into the specific places we drift. From St. John's Fort Smith.

The Boat and the Wave | Monday of Holy Week | "Anchored"

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0600

The crowd on Palm Sunday didn't fall because they were bad people — they fell because their picture of Jesus was built on what they wanted him to be. Father Aaron re-enters the sermon's central tension as Holy Week begins. From St. John's Fort Smith.

Anchored | Palm Sunday

Sun, 29 Mar 2026 21:00:00 -0600

Palm Sunday opens Holy Week with a striking reversal — the same crowd that cried Hosanna would cry Crucify. Father Aaron preaches on what untethers us from the real Jesus, and what it means to be anchored by devotion rather than driven by emotion. From St. John's Fort Smith.

What Are You Bringing to the Cross? | the Master

Sat, 28 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Tomorrow the crowds wave palms and cry Hosanna — and most of them don't understand what's coming. Father Aaron gathers the five valleys of Lent and asks: which darkness are your eyes still adjusted to? Bring it to the cross.

Open Hands | the Master

Fri, 27 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0600

On Sunday Father Aaron closed with this: "Not your resolution. Not your performance. Your surrender." Today he gives the week a specific practice — something physical to do this weekend before Palm Sunday.

Shrunk or Expanded | the Master

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0600

What makes you fully yourself! Found out how sin is keeping you from being fully yourself!

The Annunciation of Our Lord

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 11:00:00 -0600

Today the Church pauses Lent to celebrate the feast of the Annunciation — the moment Mary said yes, and the incarnation began. Father Aaron reflects on what her open hand has to do with everything we've been talking about this week.

But Now | the Master

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Two words in Romans 6 carry the weight of the entire gospel — "but now." Father Aaron pauses at the midpoint of the week to sit with the turn Paul makes, and to ask: which side of "but now" are you living on today?

Salt Water | the Master

Tue, 24 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0600

If all you have is salt water and you drink it, you won't be satisfied — you'll be thirstier.

The Mineshaft | The Master

Mon, 23 Mar 2026 04:00:00 -0600

On Sunday Father Aaron opened with a mineshaft outside Yellowknife — a picture of how darkness becomes normal when we adjust to it one step at a time. Today we re-enter that image and ask the week's hardest question: what do you reach for first?

The Master | The Dark Road to Dawn, Week 5

Sun, 22 Mar 2026 16:00:00 -0600

Passion Sunday. We enter the final week of our Lenten series with Romans 6:15–23 and the question underneath every valley: who is your master? Father Aaron preaches on slavery, surrender, and the only gift that wages can never buy.

Come As You Are | Valley of Fear

Sat, 21 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Tomorrow we gather. This week we walked through the Valley of Fear — the wounds, the walls, the blindness we defend. Here's what to bring with you when you walk through that door on Sunday morning.

Sit Down | Valley of Fear

Fri, 20 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0600

We closed the sermon on Sunday with one challenge: sit down. Not a five-second prayer — actually sit with your fear. Today we come back to that practice, because I don't think we're done with it yet.

Feast of St. Joseph | NorthWord Holy Day

Thu, 19 Mar 2026 09:00:00 -0600

Today the Church marks a feast day — Joseph, Husband of the Virgin Mary and Guardian of Jesus. Not a single recorded word from him in Scripture. And yet God chose him to raise his Son. A short reflection for the feast.

Blind to Your Blindness | Valley of Fear

Thu, 19 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0600

At the end of John 9, Jesus tells the Pharisees their sin remains — because they claim to see. On Sunday we looked at Augustine's reading of this passage. Today we go deeper into the most dangerous blindness of all: the kind that calls itself sight.

The Church Calls This the Halfway Point for a Reason | Valley of Fear

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0600

This past Sunday was Laetare Sunday — the midpoint of Lent. The Church says rejoice. Not because the hard work is over, but because the dawn is close enough now to feel it coming.

You Called the Wound a Virtue | Valley of Fear

Tue, 17 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0600

On Sunday we looked at the patterns fear leaves behind — the walls, the performance, the control. Today we slow down and ask the harder question: where did you give the wound a respectable name?

It Knows the Address | Valley of Fear

Mon, 16 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0600

On Sunday we looked at why we keep going back to what hurts us. The wound is old — but your sinful nature knows the address. Today we sit with that pattern a little longer.

Valley of Fear | The Dark Road to Dawn — Lent 4

Sun, 15 Mar 2026 16:00:00 -0600

Week four of The Dark Road to Dawn. This week we walk into the Valley of Fear — the one that lives in us, not just around us. From John 9, Father Aaron preaches on the blindness we defend, the wounds we carry, and the God who is already in the kitchen at 3am.

Valley of Shame | Walking Into Sunday With Less

Sat, 14 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Tomorrow we gather for worship. This week has been heavy and honest — and today we prepare to walk through those doors carrying less than we came in with. A short reflection to close the week and open toward Sunday.

Valley of Shame | Name It. Confess It. Share It.

Fri, 13 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Three practices. The woman at the well did all three in about twenty minutes. Today we walk through each one practically — because the Gospel was never meant to stay in your head.

Valley of Shame | Shame vs. Conviction — The Difference That Changes Everything

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Shame says I am wrong. Conviction says I did wrong. Three words versus four — but the difference is everything. Today we go deeper on what the Gospel actually says about shame, and why Jesus at the well was convicting, not condemning.

Valley of Shame | What Confession Actually Is

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Most people have confession completely backwards. It's not how you clean yourself up before meeting Jesus — it's how Jesus cleans you up. At the midpoint of Lent, we look at the discipline of confession and why it's the most powerful thing you can do this season.

Valley of Shame | Where Shame Hides in Plain Sight

Tue, 10 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Shame doesn't stay locked in your soul — it shows up at work, at home, in your marriage, with your kids. Today we get practical about where to actually look for it, and what it means to stop managing and start living.

Valley of Shame | What Shame Is Really Doing to You

Mon, 09 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Shame doesn't just make you feel bad — it makes you hide. And the hiding is the real problem. Today we open the third week of Lent by naming the core challenge: the cycle of shame, isolation, and hiding that keeps us from the life God has for us.

Valley of Shame | Lent 3 Sermon — John 4:1-42

Sun, 08 Mar 2026 20:00:00 -0600

Preached live at St. John's Anglican Church, Fort Smith for the Third Sunday of Lent. We all have five husbands — something we carry that we're convinced would disqualify us if anyone ever found out. In John chapter 4, Jesus meets the woman at the well at noon — isolated, hiding, thirsty for something that never satisfies. What happens next changes everything. This sermon walks through the Valley of Shame: what shame does to us, the difference between shame and conviction, the Lenten discipline of confession, and what it looks like to finally leave the water jug behind. Name it. Confess it. Share it.

Open Hands Catch Grace

Sat, 07 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0700

Nicodemus doesn't disappear after John 3. He shows up two more times in the Gospel — each time a little more in the light. His slow transformation is the arc of Lent itself. As Sunday approaches, this episode invites you to come to worship with open hands and your actual self.

I Confess I Cannot. I Receive Your Grace.

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0700

This week's spiritual practice is simple but uncomfortable: get specific about where you've been trying to earn grace, name it plainly, and then receive what God has already given. A short guide to confession and receiving as a daily rhythm.

You Cannot Manage the Wind

Thu, 05 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0700

Jesus tells Nicodemus the Spirit moves like the wind — you can't summon it, schedule it, or control it. This episode explores what that means theologically and why so many of us are exhausted from trying to generate a spiritual life that only God can give.

Why Nicodemus Came at Night

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0700

John 3 isn't just a story about a late-night conversation. It's about spiritual darkness, hidden faith, and the cost of being seen with Jesus. A mid-week Lenten reflection on what it means to come out of the dark and into the light.

Stop Bringing Your Credentials to God

Tue, 03 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0700

We show up to God cleaned up, performance-ready, credentials in hand — hoping we've done enough to earn our place. Today's episode names exactly where that plays out in your work, your home, and your faith, and what it looks like to stop performing and start receiving.

You're Not Arrogant. You're Proud.

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0700

There's a difference between arrogance and pride — and the one most of us carry is the quiet kind. The "I've got this" kind. This episode unpacks the real definition of pride and why it's the thing standing between you and grace.

The Valley of Pride | Lent II Sermon

Sun, 01 Mar 2026 16:00:00 -0700

Pride isn't what you think it is. In this Lent II sermon from St. John's Anglican Church in Fort Smith, we dive into John 3:1-17 and the story of Nicodemus — a man who genuinely believed in Jesus but came to him at night, where no one could see. Jesus dismantles his theology, his credentials, and his sense of control. But he doesn't condemn him. Instead he offers the one thing pride can never earn. You can't grasp grace while you're grasping for greatness.

SATURDAY: Coming Home Hungry

Sat, 28 Feb 2026 05:00:00 -0700

If this week has done its job, you might walk into church tomorrow a little emptier than usual. Good. This Saturday we prepare for Sunday worship by remembering that Communion isn't a shortcut - it's the answer to our deepest hunger, offered by the One who refused every shortcut Himself.

FRIDAY: Stop and Sit

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 05:00:00 -0700

If you can't go without food for a day, food has you. Can you go without your phone? Without approval? Without comfort? This Friday we get practical with two simple words that can change your Lent: Stop and Sit. Don't grab, don't fill, don't run - just ask what you're actually starving for.

THURSDAY: It Is Written

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 05:00:00 -0700

Every time the devil tempts Jesus, He responds the same way: "It is written" - and quotes Deuteronomy. Why that book? Why those words? This Thursday we discover that Jesus isn't just surviving temptation, He's fulfilling Israel's story and getting it right where they got it wrong.

WEDNESDAY: Forty Days and What They Mean

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 05:00:00 -0700

We're in the first full week of Lent - forty days that mirror Jesus' time in the wilderness. This Wednesday we explore why the number forty shows up everywhere in Scripture and what it means that the Church puts Jesus in the desert at the very beginning of our Lenten journey.

TUESDAY: The Shortcut That Doesn't Deliver

Tue, 24 Feb 2026 05:00:00 -0700

Nobody becomes an addict chasing something bad. They were chasing something good - comfort, connection, relief - and found a shortcut that promised to deliver faster. This Tuesday we bring Jesus' desert temptations right into your kitchen, your office, your relationships. Where are you looking for the shortcut?

MONDAY: Your Desires Aren't the Problem

Mon, 23 Feb 2026 05:00:00 -0700

Welcome to the first week of Lent. What if everything you've been told about desire is wrong? Your restlessness, your drive for fulfillment, your hunger for something more - that's not a spiritual bug, it's a feature. This Monday we're starting where Jesus started in the desert: getting honest about what you're actually hungry for.

Valley of Desire — The Dark Road to Dawn (Week 1)

Sun, 22 Feb 2026 18:00:00 -0700

Your desires aren't the problem — where you take them is. Father Aaron kicks off our five-week Lenten series "The Dark Road to Dawn" with this powerful sermon from Matthew 4:1-11. Following Jesus into the wilderness, we discover three essential human hungers — body, soul, and spirit — and what happens when we try to fill them the wrong way. The kid in the basement gaming all night, the CEO working 60-hour weeks, and the monk in prayer are all doing the same thing: running from emptiness, chasing fulfillment. The desire is identical. What's different is where they take it. This first week of Lent challenges us with two simple words: Stop and Sit. Don't grab, don't fill, don't run — just ask what you're actually starving for.

SATURDAY - From Mountain to Mission

Sat, 21 Feb 2026 05:00:00 -0700

The mountain gives you vision, the valley proves it. Prepare your heart for Sunday worship and learn how to carry the mountain into the valley where people are waiting.

FRIDAY - The Three G's for Lent

Fri, 20 Feb 2026 05:00:00 -0700

Three practical practices for Lent: Grip, Give Up, Give Out. Learn how to let go of being world-grounded so you can be Christ-grounded during these forty days.

THURSDAY - God's Light Through Your Humanity

Thu, 19 Feb 2026 05:00:00 -0700

You're not called to generate spiritual light on your own—you're called to be transparent to Christ's light. Learn what's blocking His light from shining through you.

WEDNESDAY - Preparing for the Descent

Wed, 18 Feb 2026 05:00:00 -0700

Ash Wednesday marks the intentional descent into Lent. Discover the rhythm of Jesus' life and learn the difference between being world-grounded and Christ-grounded.

TUESDAY - What You Do When You Don't Get the Answer

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 05:00:00 -0700

It's not what you do when you get the answer that defines your faith—it's what you do when you don't. Learn why the valley is where real transformation happens.

MONDAY - The Mountain Top Problem

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 05:00:00 -0700

We all want to live on the spiritual mountain top, but Jesus leads us back to the valley. Discover why the mountain is a moment, but the valley is your calling for a lifetime.

The Source of the Shine — Transfiguration Sunday

Sun, 15 Feb 2026 15:00:00 -0700

What happens after the mountain? On this Transfiguration Sunday — the last Sunday of Epiphany before we enter Lent — Father Aaron preaches from Matthew 17:1-9 on the moment Jesus is revealed in blinding light before Peter, James, and John. Peter wants to stay. Jesus says it's time to go back down. And that tension is the whole story of the Christian life. The mountain gives you vision. The valley is where that vision becomes real. As we step into 40 days of Lent, this episode challenges you to ask: are you world-grounded or Christ-grounded? And what will you GRIP, GIVE UP, and GIVE OUT this season?

SATURDAY: One More Sleep Till Sunday

Sat, 14 Feb 2026 05:00:00 -0700

Tomorrow you're not coming to church to GET something - you're coming to BE something.

FRIDAY: The Practice of Presence

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 05:00:00 -0700

TGIF! Here's a simple spiritual practice for your weekend: ask yourself three times today, "If someone was watching me right now, would they see Jesus?" Not perfection - just intentional presence.

THURSDAY: When the Devil Quotes Scripture

Thu, 12 Feb 2026 05:00:00 -0700

The devil loves a silent Christian. Today we expose how good theology gets twisted to keep us quiet - using humility, meekness, and respect as excuses to hide our light under a basket.

WEDNESDAY: The Rhythm of Being Seen

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 05:00:00 -0700

We're in the season after Epiphany - when Jesus is made known to the world. Today we explore the daily rhythm of being salt and light, plus a liturgical check-in on where we are in the church year.

TUESDAY: Three Ways to Stop Hiding

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 05:00:00 -0700

Let's get practical. Prayer before meals, offering to pray for others, and inviting someone to church - three simple ways your faith becomes visible in everyday life. No weird, no pushy, just being who you are.

MONDAY: The Private Hobby Problem

Mon, 09 Feb 2026 05:00:00 -0700

Are you a private Christian or a public witness? Jesus says you ARE salt and light - not that you should try to be. This week we're tackling the uncomfortable truth about visible faith in a world that says religion should stay behind closed doors.

SUNDAY: Salt and Light - The Posture of the Way

Sun, 08 Feb 2026 17:00:00 -0700

The Christian life is not a private hobby - it's a public witness. In this Sunday sermon, Father Aaron explores Matthew 5:13-16 and challenges us to stop hiding our faith. You are salt. You are light. The question is: can anyone tell?

Saturday: Preparing for Difficult People

Sat, 07 Feb 2026 05:00:00 -0700

Tomorrow you'll walk into a room full of broken people who will challenge you. And that's exactly the point.

Friday: Show Up, Speak Up, Step Up

Fri, 06 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0700

Three practical spiritual practices for building real Christian community. It's simple, but it's not easy.

Thursday The Coal in the Fire

Thu, 05 Feb 2026 05:00:00 -0700

Charles Spurgeon's powerful lesson: A coal removed from the fire soon goes cold. So does the Christian who forsakes the assembly.

Wednesday: Stay for Coffee

Wed, 04 Feb 2026 05:00:00 -0700

It's Epiphany—the season when Jesus builds community. And community doesn't happen when you bolt after the service ends.

Tuesday: The Rejoicing Problem

Tue, 03 Feb 2026 05:00:00 -0700

It's easy to weep with those who weep. But rejoicing with those who rejoice—without envy? That's the real test of Christian love.

Monday: You Can't Love Alone

Mon, 02 Feb 2026 05:00:00 -0700

Proximity isn't community. Attendance isn't belonging. Why our calling to love is impossible without the community God gave us.

Christian Community: Why Love Is Impossible Alone

Sun, 01 Feb 2026 19:00:00 -0700

This morning's sermon tackled a truth we'd rather avoid: you can't fulfill your Christian calling to love without community. Not "it's harder without community"—it's impossible. Father Aaron unpacks Romans 12 and Hebrews 10 to show why proximity isn't community, why the person you least want to live with might be exactly who God placed in your life, and what it means to show up, speak up, and step up in the body of Christ. Plus: why the loneliness epidemic is killing people—literally—and how God's answer is the community He gave us.

Welcome to NorthWord: The Word, The North, Your Week

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 15:00:00 -0700

This is the introduction to NorthWord - The Word, The North, Your Week - a daily Christian podcast from ⁠⁠St. John's Fort Smith⁠⁠ in collaboration with the ⁠⁠Anglican Family.⁠⁠

In this pilot episode, Father Aaron explains how NorthWord works: every Sunday we release the full sermon, then Monday through Saturday you get 3-5 minute daily episodes breaking down that message into practical applications you can actually use. Every Wednesday we explore the rhythm of Jesus' life and how Christians have lived it out for 2,000 years.

Whether you're Pentecostal, Orthodox, Baptist, Catholic, or just curious about faith - this podcast is for you. Ancient faith. Real life. No fluff.

Subscribe now. First episode drops February 1st at 6 PM - we're talking about what it means to live in Christian community.

Follow @StJohnsFortSmith and @TheAnglicanFamily for updates.