Eagle Brook Church Podcast

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.

If you’re in Christ, you’re no longer defined by what you’ve done wrong—you’re defined by what Jesus Christ did right. Because, on the cross, Jesus died to pay the penalty for sin so you don’t have to live in shame and condemnation anymore. In this message, Pastor Jason Strand unpacks how forgiveness is immediate and complete for those who choose to follow Christ and confess their sins.

We all have areas in our lives that we struggle with again and again—anger, fear of the future, losing control of our words, addiction. We recognize the problem and how it’s hurting us, yet we can't seem to fix it. In this message, Pastor Bob Merritt explores what it takes to defeat the sins that control us.

When we make the decision to follow Christ, that’s just the beginning of learning how to live a new life. We’ve been set free from sin, but we still face the tension between the old life and new life. In this message, Pastor Bob Merritt discusses how, through obedience to Christ, we can weaken the grip sin holds on our lives—but we must daily decide if we’re going to pursue that life of obedience or a life of sin.

From the moment we accept Christ, our old life is gone and our new life begins. When we’re baptized, we symbolically and publicly identify with Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection—and celebrate that we have been raised to life with Jesus! In this message, Pastor Jason Strand teaches about what baptism is and why it’s such a significant step in our walk with Christ.

When we put our faith in Christ, we are made new and are freed from the power of sin. But if the old life is gone, why do we still struggle with sin? What does it look like to live like a new person? In the message, Pastor John Alexander wrestles with these questions and unpacks what it takes to live as a new you—dead to sin, and alive in Christ.

There is no quick fix to redeem a relationship. But God can do some of his best work in a struggling marriage. In this message, Pastor Jason Strand discusses what it takes to prioritize your marriage, fix what’s broken, and find healing if you've experienced the pain of separation or divorce.

Sexual intimacy in marriage is directly correlated with relational intimacy. And that relational intimacy stems from the little exchanges that occur every day—a smile, a nod, a touch, a kiss, or simply turning toward each other when you speak. In this message, Pastor Bob Merritt unpacks the small relational changes that can have a huge impact on the intimacy and overall health of your marriage.

Men and woman are different. But here’s the good news: God made our differences for a reason. In fact, it’s those differences that God will use to complement and help you through life and marriage. But great marriages don't just happen—they require time and intentionality. In this message, Pastor Jason Strand will show us that, ultimately, a healthy marriage requires a foundation of two people who are willing to put God first and look to him to meet their needs and change their hearts.

God created us for relationships, with him and with others. Choosing the right person to date and marry is one of the most important decisions you (or your kids) will make—because relationships can either be the greatest source of joy in life or the greatest source of pain. In this message, Pastor Bob Merritt explores the challenges of dating and finding the right person, and crucial tips to keep in mind in the process.

What do you do when you get news that drains the color out of your face—when you get a notice of betrayal from a spouse or friend, or a medical report that turns your life upside down? Most of us think the worst and lose all hope. But in this message, Pastor Bob Merritt takes a look at how Joseph reacted quite differently when he received unthinkable news.

Between work, kids, after-school activities, social events, and making dinner, most of us feel like we have way too much to do. Add the chaos of the holidays and it's over. But in this message, Pastor Jason Strand looks at what it means to slow down our pace and turn to God for guidance. Because, when we take time to sit at the feet of Jesus, he will restore our souls and give us peace beyond measure.

Most of us have lost sleep over our kids—sometimes literally, when you have a baby that wakes up every two hours or a toddler who jumps in your bed at 3 am, and sometimes simply from worrying over when your teenager will come home or about the decisions your adult child is making. There’s so much to worry about as a parent. But Jesus tells us not to worry—not because he’s minimizing the weight of parenting and how out-of-control it can make you feel, but because he knows that worrying cannot add a single moment to your life. In this message, Pastor Jason Strand shows us how we can actually let go of that worry and entrust our children to God.