“Anxiety” is the newest character addition to the Inside Out films and is the one that most resonated with people who viewed it. Throughout the Bible, people exhibited worry, from the Israelites wandering in the wilderness to the disciples who ...

Go behind the scenes of a powerful moment from our recent event with psychologist Dr. Erica Clarke. In her talk "Decoding Your Emotions," she unpacks how understanding our feelings can lead to healthier relationships, stronger self-awa...

What do you do when something makes you angry—not just annoyed, but deep-in-your-body angry? In this week’s episode, Justin and Mat unpack what it means to recognize and work through our anger without letting it consume us. Mat shares ...

What if anger isn’t the issue, but how we channel it? Anger itself isn’t sinful. The key is being angry at the right things and directing it toward positive action, just as Jesus and the Bible show us. Reflection Questions:

This week, Pastor Magrey deVega and Mat Hotho open up about their personal experiences growing up with emotions like fear, sadness, and anxiety. From emotional suppression to learning how to feel and express emotions in a healthy way, this epis...

What if grief is not something to escape but something to navigate? Grief is the shadow side of love—we only grieve what we have loved. Avoiding grief means avoiding attachment, which is not an option in the human experience. The question isn’t...

In this joyful episode of Beyond the Sermon, Pastor Magrey deVega and Mat Hotho celebrate Holy Humor Sunday, a tradition rooted in the idea that Easter is God's ultimate "gotcha" moment against evil. They kick off a new series on emotions by di...

What if joy isn’t about circumstances but about strength? True joy is anchored in the unwavering truth that God is our strength, no matter what we face. Reflection Questions:1. What does it mean for you to have healthy emotions...

In the most personal and poignant resurrection encounter in the gospels, Jesus appeared to Mary in the garden and revealed himself once he spoke aloud her name. The work of resurrection in us begins with recognizing our identity in Christ as a ...

Journey into the drama of Holy Week through "Sarah's Story," a dramatic re-imagining of the last days of Jesus' life through the eyes of Sarah, a first-century woman who was close to the events of Good Friday and Holy Saturday.

In this episode of Beyond the Sermon, Pastor Justin LaRosa and Mat Hotho explore the Christus Victor atonement theory and its powerful message of liberation from sin, systems of evil, and spiritual forces. They discuss how this view of the cros...

The cross and resurrection give us victory over sin, evil, and oppression. This includes the suffering associated with addictions and other harmful hangups and behaviors. The Christus Victor atonement theory can help those on a recovery journey...

In this episode of Beyond the Sermon, Pastor Magrey deVega and Mat Hotho dive into the ransom theory of atonement, a dramatic and often misunderstood view of Jesus’ death. They explore how it takes evil seriously—both as a cosmic force and a da...

The ransom atonement theory is built on the notion that we are being held captive by forces that are beyond our control, and in the cross, God has released us from being held hostage. We are therefore called and empowered to be agents of libera...

The moral example atonement theory points to the entirety of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection as the source of our salvation. In his teachings and example, we receive the model for how to love God and each other. We are therefore called and...

In this episode of Beyond the Sermon, Pastor Magrey deVega and Mat Hotho discuss race, identity, and the personal work of anti-racism, exploring how the cross calls us to empathy, curiosity, and humility. Magrey shares reflections on his own ex...

In this powerful episode of Beyond the Sermon, Pastor Magrey deVega and Mat Hotho explore the deeply personal nature of faith, race, and reconciliation. Magrey reflects on his recent sermon, one of his most personal to date, sharing his own exp...

In Christ, we have been reconciled with God. We are therefore called and equipped to be agents of reconciliation among groups who have been divided by discrimination and prejudice.Reflection Questions:1. When have you experienced si...

This week, Pastor Sally Campbell-Evans and Rev. Bernie Lieving dive into the heart of forgiveness. Whether it's forgiving others, receiving grace, or learning to forgive ourselves, they explore why letting go can be so difficult—and so freeing....

The cleansing (expiation) atonement theory sees sin as a blemish or tarnish that we cannot cleanse on our own. Likewise, the stain of shame and guilt makes it hard for us to offer forgiveness, receive forgiveness from others, and most of all, f...

How does nonviolence shape our faith? This week on Beyond the Sermon, Mat Hotho and Pastor Sally Campbell-Evans discuss how her experiences—from mission work to peaceful protests—shaped her understanding of Jesus and justice, and what it means ...

What if redemption didn’t require sacrifice or violence? Through the cross, the cycle of bloodshed ends, and we are invited into a new way of living—one where peace, not violence, shapes our world. Reflection Questions:1. How d...

When we read the Bible, we’re encountering something ancient—written by people trying to make sense of their world and their experiences with God. So why do we sometimes expect it to be immediately clear to us today? This week, Mat and Decker e...

How can reading the Bible transform your life and deepen your relationship with God? Scripture has the power to illuminate our hearts and guide us in loving God and others. But to experience its full impact, we must make it a regular part of ou...

How can we ensure the Bible is a source of liberation rather than harm? Throughout history, Scripture has been misused to justify misogyny, racism, homophobia, and other systemic sins. In this episode, we explore how to read the Bible faithfull...