HOTLCAST
Join the Heart O The Lakes Team as they talk about everything from theology to lifestyle to worldview!
Episodes
345 episodes
Obedience, Awkwardness, and the McDonald's Follow-Up
On this episode of the HOTLCast, the crew kicks off October with some fall-weather banter before diving into the week's theme: obedience. The conversation centers on what it looks like to be obedient to God's prompting to have hard conve...
[SERMON] 400 Yes-Men and the One Guy Who Told the Truth | Dungeons & Dragons
Did you know the creator of Dungeons & Dragons, Gary Gygax, wrote about finding Jesus Christ just one month before he passed away? In this opening message of our October series, Pastor Cyle kicks things off with that surprising story before...
Small Steps, Big Faith
The HOTLCast crew digs into what it takes to stay spiritually grounded when life never slows down. Matt, Ryan, Cody, and Mark explore the tension between intentionality and burnout in ministry, why lasting faith change rarely happens overnight,...
[SERMON] The Storm Won't Win: Choosing Faith Over Comfort | Vices 3.0
In week three of the Vices 3.0 series at Heart o' the Lakes Church, Pastor Matt Plott explores what comes after the vices are gone — and how to build habits that last. Drawing from the book of James and the story of Jesus calming the storm, Pas...
The Way Out
The HOTLCast crew — Matt, Ryan, Carver, and Mark — follow up on Pastor Cyle's "Vices" sermon series, reflecting on the powerful testimonies from Mike & Jen Cook and Michael Walters. The conversation covers the many faces of addiction, from ...
[SERMON] Surrender to Win: When Moderation Isn't Enough | Vices 3.0
In part 3.2 of the Vices series, Pastor Cyle challenges the popular idea that "everything is okay in moderation." Drawing from 1 Corinthians 6 and 10, he unpacks what biblical moderation and abstinence actually look like — and why ...
[HOTL's Got Questions] Is Masturbation a Sin?
In this episode of HOTL's Got Questions, the hosts tackle one of the most taboo topics in the church—masturbation. They break down what the Bible actually says about sexual activity and self-gratification, pushing back on "TikTok theology" that...
The God-Shaped Hole: Understanding Addiction in All Its Forms
The HOTLCast crew is back together as Ryan returns from Save a Warrior, a suicide intervention program for veterans and first responders. The conversation kicks off a new installment of the "Vices" series, this time tackling addiction in all it...
[SERMON] You Can't Heal What You're Hiding | Vices 3.0
In the third installment of the "Vices" series at Heart o' the Lakes Church, Pastor Cyle Young tackles the topic of addiction — and not just the kind you might expect. Drawing from Galatians 5, 1 Corinthians 6, Romans 6, and 1 Peter 5, he shows...
[HOTL's Got Questions] Is Sex Before Marriage a Sin?
In this episode of HOTL's Got Questions, Cyle, Matt, and Ryan tackle one of the most asked — and most avoided — questions in the church today: What does the Bible say about sex before marriage? The answer may be more straightforward th...
Cruise Control Christians: Are You Going the Extra Mile?
Ryan and Mark are back from youth retreat with 41 kids, kickball wars, and splash pad chaos. The crew unpacks the weekend's vision sermon on "going the extra mile" — what it means to stop asking "what's the least I can do?" and start giving max...
[SERMON] The Extra Mile
Pastor Cyle delivers a passionate message at Heart o' the Lakes Church unpacking the church's "Vision 330" — rooted in John 3:30, "He must increase, I must decrease." Drawing from Jesus' Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:41), he challenges the mod...
Preferences, Convictions & Imperatives — Spiritual Mutts
When is the last time you got upset over something at church — and was it actually worth getting upset about? In this episode of the HOTLCast, Cyle, Ryan, Matt, and Mark unpack the crucial difference between preferences, convictions, and biblic...
[SERMON] Dogmatic: Holding Tight, Holding Loose, Holding Lovingly | Spiritual Mutts
In part two of the "Spiritual Mutts" series, Pastor Cyle explores what it means to be "dogmatic" as a Christian — and why being dogmatic about the wrong things causes so much damage in the church. Using his Weimaraner Trevie as a humor...
From Baptist to Brethren: How Every Church Shaped Our Faith
In this episode of the HOTLCast, Pastors Matt and Ryan are joined by Carver and Mark to unpack the idea of being a "spiritual mutt" — someone whose faith has been shaped by multiple church backgrounds and denominations. Drawing from a sermon by...
[SERMON] Stop Picking and Choosing | Spiritual Mutts wk1
In the opening message of the "Spiritual Mutts" series, Pastor Cyle uses the analogy of dog breeds—purebreds, designer dogs, and mutts—to explore how Christians engage with denominational traditions. Drawing from his own diverse church backgrou...
Let God Interrupt Your Plans
This week on the HOTLCast, Matt, Cody, Ryan, and Mark gather to unpack Sunday's message about choosing God's plan — and what that actually looks like in everyday life. They start by celebrating Next Gen Level Up Sunday and the heart behind inve...
[SERMON] Following God is the Best Game Plan - Level Up Sunday
On Level Up Sunday, Pastor Cyle celebrates students advancing to the next grade and shares how God is moving in the next generation through baptisms and youth ministry. Drawing from the story of David bringing the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusal...
Hail Mary and the Hope That Never Fails
In this episode of the HOTLCast, Matt, Pastor Ryan, Cyle, and Mark wrap up their Hollywood series with a look at Project Hail Mary — the story of a discredited scientist thrust into saving the universe from extinction. Beneath the sci-...
[SERMON] God Isn't Done | HOTLWOOD: Project Hail Mary
In this closing message of the Hollywood series, the sermon uses the film Project Hail Mary to explore the nature of biblical hope — distinguishing it from good odds and optimism. Through the story of an astronaut throwing a Hail Mary ...
What Does Family Really Mean?
Pastor Matt, Cyle, and Carver sit down to talk about one of the most fundamental parts of life — family. Inspired by the Mandalorian: Grogu & Dust Bunny film and the church's current "Hollywood" series, the conversation goes deep o...
[SERMON] The Right People Change Everything | HOTLWOOD 2026: Mandalorian & Grogu
What does a Mandalorian, Baby Yoda, and Jabba the Hutt's son have to do with your faith? More than you might think. In this message from our HOTLwood series, Pastor Matt Plott uses The Mandalorian & Grogu to unpack one of the most ...
[SERMON] The Sword Isn't Enough: Finding Real Power Through Jesus | HOTLWOOD 2026: He-Man
What do He-Man, the Sons of Sceva, and a plastic sword have in common? More than you'd think.In this message, Pastor Cyle from Heart o' the Lakes Church digs into one of the most overlooked passages in the book of Acts — the story of the...
[HOTL's Got Questions] Did Jesus Go to Hell?
Cyle, Ryan, and Mark tackle one of theology's more provocative questions: Did Jesus actually descend into Hell between His death and resurrection? The guys unpack where this idea comes from — including the Apostles' Creed — and dig into the oft...
Demon Hunters & Field of Dreams: Finding Truth in Unlikely Places
This week on HOTLCast, Pastor Matt, Ryan, Cody, Mark, Nick, and the crew dive deep into a conversation sparked by two very different "At the Movies" sermons — K-Pop Demon Hunters and Field of Dreams. Despite preaching at separate campuses with ...
