Eagle Brook Church Podcast

The seeds in the parable of the sower represent the truth and promises of God. God fills people’s lives with seeds, and they either grow in a person’s heart or don’t. It’s our job to keep planting seeds; it’s God’s job to change their heart. In this message, Pastor John Alexander challenges us to generously scatter seeds and invite others into a relationship with Jesus.

Throughout biblical history, feasts have been a symbol of God’s grace and abundance. A relationship with Him is like being invited to a great feast that never ends—and it’s an invitation that’s open to everyone. In this message, Pastor Bob Merritt challenges each of us to prioritize following Jesus, rather than making excuses, and embrace the abundant life that He offers.

So many of us feel like we’ve wandered too far or messed up too badly for God to ever forgive us. But in this message, Pastor Jason Strand unpacks how God not only forgives us without questions when we repent, but He runs to us, arms open and full of love. Because God wants every lost son and daughter would return to Him—and when they do, all of heaven celebrates.

Jesus cares about lost people more than anything else. He can’t stand the thought of any of us going through a single day feeling alone, which is why he invites each of us into a relationship with Him. In this message, Pastor Bob Merritt illustrates what lengths God will go to reach those who are far from Him—and he challenges us to carry that same urgency into our relationships every day.

How does God work in our lives? How do we know that He’s listening? What does it mean to have God speak to you? We may not always understand how God works, but that doesn't mean He isn't working in our lives. In this message, Pastor Bob Merritt explores what it means to be open to God, let His Spirit guide you, and leave your old life behind to follow Jesus.

What happens after we die? It can be scary or confusing to think about. But it’s something we’ll all face, eventually. In this message, Pastor Jason Strand addresses some of the big questions surrounding what happens after we die and reminds us that we don’t need to fear death—because Jesus broke its power. Now, instead of fear, we can experience confidence and hope. Instead of judgment, transformation. Instead of death, new life.

Jesus’ return is one of the more confusing topics in the Bible. When will it happen? What events or signs will surround it? And what will happen to us? In this message, Pastor Jason Strand demystifies some of the questions surrounding Jesus’ return and shows us how it has a personal impact on each of our lives.

God is bursting with love for each and every one of us. And if we let him, God will work through us beyond anything we can ask or even imagine. In this message, guest speaker Greg Speck explores the depth of God’s love for us and the simple ways that we can see that love played out in our daily lives.

Worship can be difficult to understand. Why do we sing together every weekend? And why do some people close their eyes, raise their hands, or start crying? In this message, Pastor Jason Strand explains that worship is simply a way for us to surrender to God and remind ourselves of how great He really is. Because, when we give our whole hearts to worship, God will change our hearts and break every chain that binds us.

There are some aspects of Christianity that are difficult to grasp, even when explained—like the Holy Spirit. In this message, Pastor John Alexander helps us better understand who the Holy Spirit is and how He works in the lives of believers to guide, protect, and empower us.

So many of us lack joy. We go through our days, entrenched in our routines, and feel so worn out that we wonder how we can keep going. But it doesn’t have to be that way. In this message, Pastor Jason Strand outlines three ways that we can increase our joy and find our strength in the Lord.

When God calls you to a task or purpose, and you start to take action, you’re bound to face opposition. People will criticize you. You’ll face obstacles. You may be tempted to quit. But in this message, Pastor Jason Strand shows us how Nehemiah kept rebuilding the wall in Jerusalem, despite opposition—and how God is calling us to faithfully do the same.

There are times in life when things you care about so deeply seem beyond repair. But when God breaks your heart over something and you begin to take action, he’ll put his hand on you and you’ll be able to accomplish things that are beyond your ability. In this message, Pastor Bob Merritt explores the four steps that Nehemiah took to follow God’s leading and fix what was broken.

God loves to use ordinary people to do extraordinary things. And that’s exactly what He did with Nehemiah, the man who He called to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. In this message, Pastor Bob Merritt outlines how Nehemiah discovered his calling—and the steps we can take to identify where God is calling each of us.

Tolerance used to mean that you disagreed with a person but did so in a respectful way. Today? It means accepting the beliefs of anyone, without question. But as Christians, we believe in absolute truth, and that’s going to create some disagreements. In this message, Pastor Jason Strand outlines how, the key to disagreeing and sharing the truth is to do so with gentleness and respect, giving gracious reasoning to why you believe what you believe.

How can we know that the Bible is trustworthy? Is it even still relevant to our lives today? Why is it so important to our faith? In this message, Pastor Jason Strand explores how, through archaeological support, accurate translations, and eyewitness accounts, we find a book that’s not only historically reliable but has the power to change our lives. Click here to access the Bible reading plan Jason mentioned in this message.  

In today’s culture, truth is viewed as relative—what’s true for you isn’t necessarily true for me; there is no absolute truth. And if there is no God, it really is all relative. There is no absolute authority, no standard for right or wrong. In this message, Pastor Bob Merritt argues that, if you believe God is who he says he is—the Creator of all that exists, the Author of life, the One who created every living thing—then he is the source of all truth.

There are a lot of people out there who believe in God, but don’t want anything to do with the church. Maybe it’s caused them hurt and pain, they think it’s boring, or they believe they can worship just as well up in a deer stand, out on the golf course, or at the lake cabin with a hot cup of coffee. In this message, Pastor Bob Merritt shows us that church isn’t just a ritual God wants us to participate in—it’s a place he created for us to find community, accountability, and restoration. And it’s a place where we can offer healing and hope to the world around us.

Some people say that sin isn’t fun. That’s not true. Sin is fun. That’s why people do it. But there’s a difference between fun and fulfilling. Sin feels good at first—but it isn’t fulfilling. Resisting sin and living out God’s purpose for your life is fulfilling. In this message, Pastor Jason Strand challenges us with the fact that life isn’t just about having fun. Because, in Christ, we can find purpose. Relationship. Joy. And in the long run, that's so much more fulfilling than a life full of fleeting pleasure.  

Most of the time, when people doubt their faith or wonder if they truly know God, it’s because they feel a certain way. But feelings come and go—sometimes you feel close to God, sometimes you don’t. In this message, Pastor Jason Strand teaches us that the sort of faith that saves isn’t based on how we feel. It’s based on belief—specifically, belief in Jesus. And when we truly experience Him, and the peace, joy, and purpose He brings, we can know for sure.

On Good Friday, the day that Jesus was crucified, all hope seemed to have been lost. Jesus’ followers were devastated—this man, who they believed was the One who would save them, had died. What hope was left in the wake of such tragedy? But on Easter morning, He rose from the grave. And suddenly, hope came flooding back. There is now hope for forgiveness, hope for a relationship with God, hope beyond the grave—because Jesus conquered sin and death, forgave our sins, and made us right before God. And all we have to do is believe.

If Jesus looked at your faith, would he be amazed at how big, bold, and audacious it is? Or, would he be amazed by your lack of faith? Each of us has the opportunity to be filled with big faith—to become people who truly believe that God can do anything. People who don’t fear the future, who don’t miss out on miracles. In this message, Pastor Jason Strand shows us how we can grow into that big, bold faith—and how it transforms our lives.

When our lives are filled with setbacks, and the mountains just keep getting bigger, we may be tempted to throw our hands up and walk away. Why can’t life work out as planned? Doesn’t God hear our prayers? But Jesus says, with just a small amount of faith, no mountain can stand in our way. Watch this weekend's message as Pastor John Alexander unpacks what it looks like to have even the smallest bit of faith—and what a huge difference it can make in our lives.

A lot of people go through life feeling badly about themselves and don’t even know why. Other people do know why, and they carry intense regret over choices they’ve made throughout their life. So, what will it take to be released from feelings of guilt and regret? In this message, Pastor Bob Merritt explains how, once you’ve put your trust in Jesus to forgive and save you, then God is in your corner—and no matter what life throws your way, you can rest assured that you have the ultimate victory.

We all have plans for our lives—for where we’d like to live, what we’d like to do for work, when we’d like to get married, and how many kids we want to have. But, oftentimes, our plans don’t line up with God’s purposes. When difficult, painful situations occur, we can’t understand how God could bring good from it. In this message, Pastor Jason Strand emphasizes that we don’t have to understand why something is happening to be able to trust God with the outcome.

What is your mind set on? What dominates your thoughts? Because, according to Romans 8, whatever dominates your thoughts will determine where you go, what you do, and how you live. In this message, Pastor Bob Merritt digs into the battle of control of our minds and thoughts—a battle between sinful desires and the Holy Spirit. The outcome leads to life and peace or sin and death. And the good news is, we get to choose who wins.