Hickory Ridge-cast

When the shepherds heard the news of Jesus’ birth, they chose urgency over hesitation. Once the angels spoke, the shepherds moved! In this message, Pastor Justin challenges us to see how God often works through ordinary people and everyday moments, calling us to respond quickly, step out in faith, and share the gospel - even when it's inconvenient. The heart of the message is a simple but challenging prayer; to ask God to give you a heart that responds with urgency!

This message looks at Mary’s encounter with the angel and the way she surrendered her plans, expectations, and fears to God’s purpose. Pastor Justin teaches how real faith begins when we lay down control, and trust God’s Word over our feelings... even when His call disrupts the life we imagined. Often times these single moments of surrender can have amazing, life-changing, destiny-shaping, eternity-spanning, results. This message is an invitation to release what you’re holding onto and say, like Mary, “Let it be unto me according to your word."

In this message, Pastor Aaron looks at Joseph’s role in the Christmas story, and how he trusted God without having all the details... and how God challenges us to do the same. Even when obedience is costly, and when we don’t understand why, God uses our "yes" to shape our lives, restore hope, and write a new story far greater than we ever imagined!

In this message, guest speaker Mike Steinsdoerfer walks line-by-line through Psalm 23, showing how every phrase reveals something about the Shepherd who guides, restores, protects, and provides. Join us as we explore the struggles we all face, the fear that tries to overwhelm us, and the surprisingly deep peace that God offers when we learn to stay close to His presence. Whether you're currently in green pastures or dark valleys, this sermon reminds us that God doesn’t just watch over us... He walks with us every step of the way.

In this message, Pastor Justin walks us through Daniel 10 to show that God hears us the very first moment we pray, yet His answers often come after we wait. When waiting becomes exhausting, this sermon reminds us that God is working, warring, and speaking behind the scenes... even when we don’t perceive it. Learn how to worship instead of worry, war instead of whine, and posture your heart to be like Samuel, who said: “Speak, Lord, Your servant is listening.”

What do you do when you’ve prayed, waited, and still haven’t seen what God promised? In this message, Pastor Justin teaches how to hold onto faith even in times of disappointment. Because in an age where our feelings are everything, the Bible teaches that God's power is greater than what we "feel" is true. We'll look at Abraham and Sarah’s story to discover the kind of trust that says, “God, I believe You can, even if You don’t.”

When David danced before the Lord, he didn’t care who was watching. His worship was real, raw, and completely undignified. In this message, Pastor Justin challenges us to stand out in a world obsessed with fitting in, to live unashamed of our faith, and to worship with boldness that refuses to bow to cultural pressure. If you’ve ever struggled with fear of judgment or the temptation to compromise, this one’s for you.

Every believer faces battles... some lifelong, some momentary. But God calls us to keep going despite the struggles! In this message, Pastor Andy shares how perseverance, community, and daily consistency anchor us when the world shakes. Through biblical truths and real-life stories, discover how you are sealed for a purpose, how you can grow through hardship, and can learn to trust that “the view at the top is worth it.”

Too many of us live chained to a victim mindset; defining ourselves by what’s been done TO us instead of by what Christ has done FOR us. In this message, Pastor Justin calls us to lay down the past and walk in faith. To manage our memories, quit assuming everything is going to go wrong, and quit fixating on what we can’t control. When we do this, we can begin to see ourselves how God sees us: As more than conquerors through Christ! Because it's when you stop living in the past and start living for His future that freedom begins.

Life is full of problems that demand our attention. We wake up thinking about bills, sickness, work drama, whining kids, relationship stress... on and on it goes. But peace can come when our focus shifts from the weight of our worries to the wonder of God’s presence. In this message, Pastor Justin unpacks Psalm 84 and shows how fixing our thoughts on the presence of God brings a strength that our circumstances can’t take away. Join us as we look at how when we change our focus, our problems may not go away, but their weightiness can fade away!

Sometimes God calls us to step into the fog... to obey even when it doesn't make sense. In this message, Pastor Justin shows how unclear obedience often unlocks unseen blessings. Like Peter, we may not understand until later, but when we trust God’s word above our understanding, miracles are already waiting in the water. Don't wait to understand, but instead, step out in obedience!

Every day, we face hundreds of intrusive thoughts... many of which can bother us, and distract us from God’s truth. In this message, we’re reminded that while we can’t always control what thoughts enter our minds, we can choose what we dwell on. By fixing our hearts on heaven and setting our minds on things above, we find strength, joy, and freedom to live the way God designed us to live.

What does it mean to pray with a persistence that refuses to quit? If your faith has ever felt fractured or your prayers unanswered, this sermon is a powerful reminder that God hears, God heals, and breakthrough comes to those who don’t give up. In this message, Pastor Caleb Thomason unpacks Jesus’ parable from Luke 11 about asking, seeking, and knocking... showing that God calls us to have a grit in prayer that presses on even when answers don’t come quickly!

Life can feel overwhelming when evil and brokenness seem to grow all around us. In this message, Pastor Justin explains Jesus’ parable of the wheat and weeds, showing how God uses this in-between, waiting season to grow His people and even transform “weeds” into “wheat.” Be encouraged - we can endure the middle because we know how the story ends!

Unforgiveness is a heavy chain that keeps us trapped in the pain of the past. In this message, Pastor Justin unpacks the parable of the unforgiving servant and reveals how the cross is the cure for every wound, every debt, and every betrayal. Pastor Justin shares how you can begin to release the weight you’ve carried for weeks, months, or years - and step into true freedom through Christ.

What happens when Jesus invites you to eat at His table? In this message, Ethan Mast unpacks the parable of the great banquet that's found in Luke 14 and challenges us to embrace God’s invitation, and set aside excuses, so we can experience the life He’s prepared for us. Beyond that, God doesn't just want us to eat at His feast... He wants us to throw our own banquets and invite the blind, sick, poor, and lame... which is what we are!

Building on a foundation of sand or of stone... either way a storm is coming! Will you make it through? Life is full of storms; Sickness, death, relationship trouble, job loss... the list goes on and on! But God wants us to have lives that are unshakable in the midst of the storms. To have faith that can weather the worst things life throws at us... to build on Jesus!

Imagine finding a treasure far more valuable than everything you own put together... What would you do to get that treasure? In this message, Pastor Justin breaks down the parables found in Matthew 13:44-46 where Jesus teaches about the Kingdom of Heaven, and how gaining it isn't some small thing - it's EVERYTHING!

In this message, guest speaker Travis Rutland shares from Jesus teaching of the Parable of the Good Samaritan, challenging us to see people not as scenery or machinery, but as neighbors deserving compassion. With stories both personal and biblical, Travis reminds us that the whole world is our neighbor - and Jesus calls us to “go and do likewise.” Let this message encourage you to open your eyes, heart, and hands to those around you!

The end of Joseph’s story reminds us that even when life feels unfair, God is still at work behind the scenes. In this message, we explore how to trust God for justice so we can extend grace, and how God can use deep pain to accomplish greater purpose. If you’ve ever wrestled with bitterness, betrayal, or the question "Why did this happen?", then this message is for you.

Sometimes, God speaks not through a voice, but through our conscience... a restless heart... a lack of peace... or lack of joy. In this message, Pastor Justin explores how God uses physical need, distress, and humbling seasons to awaken our conscience and draw us back to Him. Whether it’s regret from the past or conviction in the present, your conscience - when shaped by God’s Word - can lead to real character change. Don’t ignore what God may be stirring in you. Instead, humble yourself, and watch what God can do!

After years of pain and waiting, Joseph steps into his purpose... not because he fought for power, but because he trusted God through the process. If you’ve ever wondered when your breakthrough will come, this is a reminder that God hasn’t forgotten you, and He lifts up those who trust Him. This message explores how pain can shape us, how humility opens doors, and how true wisdom comes from promoting God, not ourselves.

We've all had times in life when difficult circumstances just won't stop coming... Despite the fact that as far as we can tell, we've done nothing wrong. We've tried our best to live for God, follow His commands, and be obedient to Him, it feels like we're being punished. When everything seems terrible, it's easy to wonder why God is letting this happen to us. Indeed, in the Bible, few men and women would have been more justified in asking this than Joseph. As we continue exploring the life of Joseph, let's pause to reflect on the fact that being obedient doesn’t prevent being hated... being ethical doesn’t prevent being mistreated... and that being used doesn’t prevent being forgotten. But despite all of that, God's grace can sustain us in the midst of the pain!

Life throws challenges our way that we never asked for... moments of stress, suffering, and temptation that seem impossible to escape. In this message from the life of Joseph, we explore how to take responsibility even in unfair situations, and how to trust God's bigger plan through every trial. No matter what you're facing, God is at work in your story!

Joseph’s story is proof that your family’s dysfunction doesn’t have to derail your destiny. Even betrayal, jealousy, and rejection couldn’t stop what God had planned. In this message, we explore how to believe God even when we've been betrayed, how to confront and stop bitterness, and move forward... even when life feels unfair. Don’t let your past be your permission slip - let God transform it into purpose!