It's the question pastors might hear more than any other, and for many people it's a real roadblock to faith. In this week's message from the "Honest to God Questions" series, Dr. Nicholas Hughes walks through Romans 8:28-31 to show that God doesn't edit honest questions out of His Word. He puts them in. While God doesn't cause our suffering, He refuses to sit on the sidelines. He gets in it with us, works through His people, and changes us from the inside out. The worst thing is never the last thing. In this message, we will discover that God doesn't cause everything that happens to us, but He can redeem anything that happens to us.

Does prayer really work, or are we just talking to the ceiling? Many of us know we should pray, yet we wonder whether it changes anything.

In this message from the series Honest to God Questions, Dr. Nicholas Hughes follows Jesus into the Garden of Gethsemane in Matthew 26:36–46, on the night before the cross. Using the acrostic ASK, he shows three ways prayer makes a difference. Through prayer we can Accept what we cannot change, Seek God's help, and Know that we are not alone.

Whether you pray every day or have nearly given up, this message will encourage you to bring your burdens to a God who is listening.

Can you trust your science textbook and still trust your Bible? In this episode, we tackle one of the biggest questions people carry into — or away from — church: does science make God unnecessary? Rooted in Psalm 33:6-9, we explore why understanding how the universe works doesn't erase the One who spoke it into being. Science tells you how the world works. Scripture tells you who made it, and why it matters. You need both to see the whole picture.

In 1910, a single fingerprint pressed into wet paint convicted a killer — no witness needed. The mark was enough. In this message from Romans 1:18-25, Dr. Nicholas Hughes asks whether God has done the same thing: left evidence everywhere, evidence we've simply stopped noticing.

Kicking off the series "Honest to God Questions," this sermon tackles one of the doubts many of us carry but rarely say out loud. Drawing from Scripture, personal stories of Florida sunsets and a room full of believers from forty nations, Nick makes the case that God hasn't been playing hide-and-seek, He's revealed Himself in creation, in conscience, in the church, and most fully in Christ. The real question isn't whether God has given enough evidence. It's what we've done with the evidence He's already given.

The church at Laodicea had. They were wealthy, self-sufficient, and perfectly satisfied. Jesus tells them exactly what that satisfaction had done to them. They were not hot enough to heal, not cold enough to refresh, just lukewarm enough to turn Jesus' stomach. He doesn't correct their theology or confront a sin they were flaunting. He confronts a church that thought it needed nothing and didn't realize how much it had lost.

Join Pastor Nick for "A Heart Strangely Lukewarm," from Revelation 3:14–22. This is the final letter in the Direct Message series. This is a letter about complacency, self-deception, and a door Jesus is still standing outside of, knocking — one that can only be opened from the inside.

Together, we'll ask what it looks like to need Jesus again after we've quietly decided we don't.

Note: Due to technical difficulties, we weren't able to broadcast live from this week's service. What you're hearing is a later recording.

The church at Philadelphia knew that feeling. They'd been pushed out of their synagogue and cut off from the community that shaped their whole identity. They had little strength, no influence, and nobody important in their pews, and yet Jesus doesn't send them a single word of correction.

Instead, He tells them about a door. They don't have to force this door open either, because Jesus has already opened it Himself, and once He opens it, nobody can shut it again.

Join Pastor Nick for "An Open Door Policy," part six of the Direct Message series, as we open Revelation 3:7–13. This is a letter about opportunity, opposition, and the kind of security that doesn't depend on whether anyone ever notices your faithfulness.

Together, we'll ask what it means to trust a God who doesn't wait for us to have enough strength, only enough willingness to walk through the door He's already opened.

The church at Sardis had a stellar reputation. Nobody in town would've said a bad word about them. But Jesus looked past the reputation and said something no church wants to hear: "You have a reputation for being alive, but you are dead."

Join Pastor Nick for "Dead as a Doornail," part five of the Direct Message series, as we open Revelation 3:1–6. This is a letter about how something can look alive on the outside and be dead on the inside — and the three quiet symptoms that get you there before you ever notice.

Together, we'll wrestle with the hardest kind of diagnosis: not the church that's under attack, but the church that's under anesthesia.

The church in Thyatira knew that struggle. They were busy, growing, and full of good works, but they had learned to tolerate a false teacher who was leading them into compromise, one small step at a time. Jesus praised their labor, but He wouldn't overlook what they'd let slide: "I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel."

Join Pastor Nick for "Going Along to Get Along," part four of the Direct Message series, as we open Revelation 2:18–29. This is a letter to a church whose greatest danger wasn't what they believed, but what they were willing to tolerate.

Together, we'll discover this truth: when you tolerate what is wrong, you contaminate what is right.

The church in Pergamum knew that struggle intimately. They were surrounded by idol worship, emperor worship, and a culture that pressured them to compromise at every turn. But Jesus had a word for them: I know where you live. And I'm calling you to hold your ground.

Join Pastor Nick for "Under Pressure," part three of the Direct Message series, as we open Revelation 2:12-17. This is a letter to a church living in the shadow of what Jesus calls "Satan's throne."

Together, we'll discover this truth: following Jesus faithfully means standing firm under pressure.

A small, persecuted church in Smyrna knew that feeling well — poor, pressured, and staring down real suffering for their faith. But Jesus had a message for them: I know. I see you. And I'm faithful to you.

Join Pastor Nick for "Quitters Never Win and Winners Never Quit," part two of the Direct Message series, as we open Revelation 2:8-11 — one of only two churches in Revelation to receive no rebuke from Jesus. You'll meet a 95-year-old WWII POW who never stopped fighting the good fight, and an Olympic marathoner who finished dead last... and became a legend for it.

Because here's the truth: Jesus is faithful to you, so you can be faithful to Him — all the way to the finish.

Listen now as we continue the series exploring the seven letters Jesus wrote — not to us, but for us.

In this opening sermon in the Direct Message series, we journey to the church at Ephesus—a church that was busy, faithful, and doctrinally sound, yet had drifted from its first love.

Jesus' words are just as relevant today as they were two thousand years ago. It's possible to work for Jesus without walking closely with Jesus. Duty is important, but duty without devotion leads to death.

Join Pastor Nick Hughes as we explore Christ's loving call to remember, repent, and return to the One who first loved us. Whether you've grown spiritually weary or simply want to rekindle your passion for Christ, this message from Revelation 2:1-7 is a timely reminder that Jesus doesn't just want your service—He wants your heart.

It's one of life's biggest questions, and the Bible gives a clear answer: You were made by God and for God. In the final message of the Summer School series, we discover God's purpose for our lives through one of the most powerful doxologies in Scripture. Learn the five biblical purposes for every believer and discover what it means to live for the One from whom, through whom, and to whom are all things.

In this message from Ephesians 4:1–6, Pastor Nick Hughes explores God’s design for the church and why belonging to a local body of believers is essential to the Christian life. Discover what makes the church unique, why unity matters, and how God uses His people to accomplish His mission in the world.

In this Good Friday message, Nick Hughes explores the meaning of Jesus’ death through the image of The Shadow of the Cross. Far more than a symbol of suffering, the cross stands at the center of God’s plan of salvation, revealing His love, offering forgiveness, and providing hope for all who trust in Christ. Whether you are a longtime believer or simply curious about the Christian faith, this message offers a clear and compelling look at the gospel and the life-changing power of the cross.

In this message from Jonah 4, Nick Hughes examines the surprising ending of Jonah’s story. After witnessing one of the greatest spiritual awakenings in history, Jonah finds himself frustrated by God’s mercy and struggling with his own heart. This message challenges us to examine our attitudes, align our hearts with God’s compassion, and celebrate the grace that He extends to others. Sometimes the greatest obstacle to God’s work around us is the condition of our own hearts.

In this message from Jonah 3, Nick Hughes explores the God of second chances. After running from God’s call and experiencing the consequences of his disobedience, Jonah receives an opportunity to begin again. This message reminds us that our failures do not have to define us, God’s grace is greater than our mistakes, and it is never too late to obey His voice. No matter where you’ve been or what you’ve done, God is a God of new beginnings.

In this message from Jonah 2, Nick Hughes explores Jonah’s prayer from the belly of the great fish and the hope that can be found even in life’s darkest moments. When we reach the end of ourselves, we discover that God has not abandoned us. No matter how far you’ve fallen or how desperate your situation may seem, God’s grace is deeper than your trouble, and His mercy is never out of reach.

In this message from Jonah 1, Nick Hughes explores the story of a reluctant prophet who tried to outrun God’s call. Through Jonah’s rebellion, we discover God’s relentless grace, the futility of running from His presence, and the hope that even our failures can become opportunities for redemption. Whether you’re far from God or struggling to follow Him faithfully, this message offers encouragement that God’s grace is always pursuing us.