Gateway Life | Audio Podcast

There is only one Mediator who brings people back to God, and that’s Jesus Christ. We need a mediator because we’re guilty. The enemy constantly accuses us, and the truth is, every one of us has sinned and fallen short of God’s standard. The penalty for sin is death, but Jesus steps in for us.What makes having Jesus as our Mediator so amazing is that He’s always working on our behalf. He prays for us, stands up for us, and gives us direct access to God. Because of Jesus, our sins are forgiven, our record is cleared, and we can come confidently into God’s presence. He restores what sin tried to destroy.

Jesus is the promised Messiah, the Savior who came to fulfill every prophecy and bring redemption to the world. From His foretold birth in Bethlehem to His victory over sin and death, every part of Scripture points to Him as the one true King. This message walks through the Old and New Testament to show how Jesus checked every box the prophets spoke of and how His return will complete God’s plan of salvation.If you’ve ever wondered how we can know Jesus is the Messiah or what the Bible says about His identity and coming again, this message will bring those truths to life and strengthen your faith in the One who came to save us.

Jesus isn’t just a guide He is the way, the truth, and the life. Through Him, we find direction, freedom, and eternal life. These verses remind us that faith in Jesus brings peace, boldness, and hope, even when life feels uncertain. He’s the only way to the Father, the full expression of God’s truth, and the source of all life. No matter what we face, we can take heart knowing that Jesus has overcome the world.

In Matthew 4:18-22, Jesus calls His first disciples with a simple but life-changing invitation: “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” What does it mean to live that out today? In this message we also look at where Paul reminds us that through Christ the walls of division are broken down, and 1 Corinthians 9:19-23, where Paul shows us how to reach people by meeting them where they are. These powerful passages teach us what it looks like to share our faith, love people well, and follow Jesus wholeheartedly.

What does it really mean to “keep the rocks quiet”? In this message, Preston unpacks the call of every believer to boldly proclaim the gospel not just with our words, but with our lives. Too often, unnecessary shame and unhelpful fear hold us back from sharing the good news, yet Scripture reminds us that the harvest is plentiful, the testimony of our lives carries power, and even creation itself longs to declare the glory of God. Through practical teaching and powerful reminders, this sermon will challenge you to tell your story, live it out daily, and make God’s deeds known so that others may come to know Him. If you’ve ever struggled with confidence in sharing your faith or wondered how to live as a light in the world, this message will encourage and equip you.

The Bible tells us there’s a spiritual battle happening all around us and it’s not against people, but against the forces of darkness. This fight starts in our minds, in the way we live, and in our unity with others. We can overcome by tearing down anything we put above God, rebuilding our hearts, and closing every door to evil. Our bodies may weaken, but our spirits are renewed every day and the truths we can’t see are more powerful than anything we face. Take a moment to hear this message and discover how you can stand strong.

Would you wash your enemy’s feet? In John 13, Jesus does something shocking He kneels down to wash the feet of His disciples, including the one who would betray Him. This moment shows us that true greatness isn’t found in power or position but in humility, service, and love. In this message, we look at how Jesus used His final hours before the cross to model service over status, and what that means for us today. When we follow His example, even toward people who hurt or oppose us, we reflect the heart of Christ and point others to the Gospel.

What does it mean to give a defense for our faith, and why does it matter? We are called to always be ready to share the reason for our hope and to stand firm in what has been entrusted to us. A strong foundation strengthens our faith, equips us to engage graciously with unbelievers, and helps us support fellow believers who wrestle with doubts. It also calls us to study, to love God with our whole mind, and to rely on His power to tear down false arguments and lead thoughts captive to Christ.

God still speaks, and the question is whether we are listening. From the very beginning of creation until today, His voice has brought life, direction, and truth. Yet there is always a battle over hearing and believing His words. In this message, we look at what Scripture says about God’s voice, how He spoke in the beginning, how He is speaking right now, and how we can grow in hearing Him personally. If you have ever wondered how to discern God’s voice or if He still speaks today, this teaching will encourage you to listen, lean in, and respond.

Prayer isn’t just a routine; it is the key to what happens next in your walk with God. In this message we discover what it truly means to pray like Jesus taught His disciples. Together we explore the priority of prayer and why it is central to following Christ, the posture of prayer and how humility and delight shape our approach to God, the pattern of prayer and what every prayer should include such as worship, repentance, asking, and listening, and finally the accessibility of prayer which reminds us that it is not about performance but about God’s nearness and our complete dependence on Him. Prayer is intimate, relational interaction with the Father, and whether you are just beginning or have been walking with Jesus for years, this message will help you go deeper in conversation with the God who bends down to listen.

We’re continuing our series on spiritual maturity by talking about how to study the Bible so you can live it and teach it. Last week we looked at sanctification, the process of being set apart by God for relationship with Him and partnership in His work. This week we’re digging into what that partnership looks like through Matthew 28:19-20 and the call to make disciples, baptize, and teach. The truth is you can’t teach what you don’t know, and spiritual maturity requires more than just an encounter with Jesus it requires formation through His Word. Together we’ll walk through 2 Timothy 3:16 and see how Scripture equips us through teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness. We’ll look at how to study the Bible through observation, interpretation, and application, and why it matters that we each know God’s Word for ourselves. Along the way we’ll touch on Psalms 1, Philippians 4, and close with the charge in 2 Timothy 4:1-5 to be ready in and out of season to teach and live the truth.

Following Jesus is a journey of transformation and sanctification. It begins when we go “in” through Him, continues as we go all in with our lives, requires us to go without the things that hold us back, and calls us to go all the way through the refining process. Sanctification is not instant. It is the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit shaping us into the image of Christ. Even with rough edges, God is faithfully making us holy and completing the good work He began in us.

Have you ever prayed and felt like everything was quiet? In this message we explore what Scripture teaches us about those moments when God seems silent. From Elijah’s waiting to Job’s cries to the stillness in Revelation, we see that silence does not mean absence. God is never doing nothing and He is never saying nothing. Together we’ll discover why God may appear silent, how to respond with faith, and the steps we can take when we feel like we cannot hear His voice, including doing the last thing He told us to do, remaining in community, worshiping even still, praying all the more, and trusting that He is faithful.

Waiting isn’t easy, but it’s never wasted. In this message, we look at the life of David and what it really means to wait on God well. From the moment he was anointed to the day he became king, David learned patience, faithfulness, and obedience in the quiet seasons. God’s will only happens God’s way and in God’s time. While you wait, He’s not withholding, He’s preparing. Whether it’s learning to hope with patience, remembering how God’s been faithful before, serving others right where you are, or seeking His voice daily, this season is doing something in you. Don’t rush it. God’s timing isn’t just good, it’s perfect. And when the promise comes, you’ll be ready to hold it.

This Sunday at Pillar, we’re talking about something that hits all of us at some point: the moment when God says “No.” It’s a word we rarely want to hear, but when it comes from Him, it’s never random or cruel. Sometimes His “No” is actually His way of protecting us, like when Abraham asked for Ishmael to be the heir and God gently redirected him to Isaac. Other times, it’s a redirection, just like when Paul was stopped from heading west and ended up in Macedonia instead, walking right into the purpose God had planned. There are moments when His “No” is simply making space for a better “Yes.” Jeremiah reminds us that God wants to reveal great and mighty things if we’re willing to wait. And yes, sometimes a “No” brings pain. It’s okay to grieve it. Even Peter speaks to those moments when our hope is tested. But in the middle of that disappointment, grace shows up. Paul learned that in his weakness, God’s strength was more than enough.If you’ve ever wrestled with unanswered prayers or wondered what God is doing

We often approach prayer thinking we have to convince God to respond, but the truth is that He is more willing than we realize. In this message, we look at how Scripture teaches us to lay hold of God’s willingness and align our prayers with His will. Through key passages like Mark 5, Philippians 4, and 1 John 5, we see that prayer is not about changing God’s heart but allowing Him to change ours. Whether you’re dealing with delay, discouragement, or doubt, this message will encourage you to keep praying, keep believing, and trust that God’s “yes” is filled with purpose and rooted in His love.

What should we do when life gets hard and following Jesus costs us something? this week we walk through Acts 5:12–42 to see how the early church handled pressure, fear, and opposition. They trusted God’s promises, did what He asked even when it was hard and found joy in the middle of it all. This message will help you face your own challenges with courage, obedience, and a deeper trust in God.

In part three of our series “Becoming His Church,” we explore what it means to be a selfless church. The early church in Acts gives us a blueprint for how to steward a move of God through unity, boldness, generosity, and reverence. After praying for boldness, the Holy Spirit moved again in power, and the church responded with selfless love and radical community. This message walks through Acts 4:32 to 5:11, highlighting that a selfless church is unified in heart and mission, empowered by the Spirit, generous with one another, and deeply reverent before the Lord. We’ll look at how the Holy Spirit transforms hearts to say, “If I have it, we have it,” and why true generosity must be Spirit-led, not pressure driven. We’ll also learn from the sobering example of Ananias and Sapphira that honesty, accountability, and the fear of the Lord are essential in becoming the kind of church Jesus desires. If we’re going to be His church, we must be a selfless church.

In a culture that often pressures believers to stay silent, Acts 4 shows us what it means to be a church that stands with boldness. This message unpacks seven powerful marks of a bold church: one that stands for truth, is filled with the Holy Spirit, boldly preaches salvation through Christ alone, lives like Jesus, fears God more than man, lets the Lord fight their battles, and prays for even greater boldness. If you’re ready to be challenged, encouraged, and equipped to live out your faith with courage, this message is for you.

What kind of church does Jesus want? In this message, we’re diving into Acts 3 to discover how the early church gave more than just resources. They gave time, compassion, friendship, hope, and ultimately, glory to God. This isn’t a message about money. It’s a call to become a people who live to give whatever we have for the sake of others and the name of Jesus. Let’s step into the kind of church He’s calling us to be.