C3 NYC is a church for the people of New York City led by Pastors Josh and Georgie Kelsey. Our vision is Jesus Christ, our mission is people, and our cause is love. Join us this Sunday for church at one of our 5 locations across NYC, find out more at c3.nyc
The C3 NYC podcast is an incredible find that I stumbled upon thanks to a recommendation on TikTok. Since discovering this podcast, I have been hooked and eagerly listening to multiple episodes each night. One particular episode from 2018 titled "Beautiful Story" left a lasting impact on me with its powerful message. Another highlight was the episode about the cave, which had me in awe. The storytelling and delivery of the sermons are simply remarkable.
One of the best aspects of this podcast is the way it spreads God's love and serves as a platform for sharing powerful stories and messages. The sermons are delivered by Pastor Josh Kelsey, who possesses divine wisdom and revelation. His teachings inspire and challenge listeners in their journey with God, providing fresh insights into life and the word of God. Pastor Josh brings a level of authenticity that resonates deeply with his audience, making it easy to connect with his messages.
A standout feature of The C3 NYC podcast is its willingness to tackle difficult topics that many lukewarm Christian churches often shy away from addressing. This church stands firm in their beliefs and openly discusses challenging subjects, which is refreshing and necessary in today's world. They provide a safe space where members can be themselves, expressing their thoughts freely without fear of judgment or rejection.
While it may not be feasible for everyone to physically visit this church in New York City, the podcast allows individuals from all over to experience the welcoming community and love that C3 NYC offers. There is a strong sense of belonging within this church, especially important in a city like NYC where loneliness can be pervasive. The connections made within this community extend beyond Sunday services, fostering genuine relationships outside of church as well.
As with any podcast, there may be some areas for improvement. One potential drawback could be that certain episodes or sermons may not resonate with every listener due to personal preferences or individual spiritual journeys. However, given the wide variety of topics covered and the diverse range of speakers, there is always something for everyone to connect with. It's important to approach each episode with an open mind and heart, recognizing that not every message will speak directly to every individual.
In conclusion, The C3 NYC podcast is a gift to listeners seeking a deep connection with God and a community that challenges them to grow in their faith. The sermons delivered by Pastor Josh Kelsey are full of divine wisdom and revelation, leaving a lasting impact on those who listen. This podcast offers a safe space where individuals can be themselves, express their thoughts freely, and find genuine connections within the C3 NYC community. Whether attending in person or listening from afar, this podcast is truly an uplifting and transformative experience.

Psalm 92:12; Romans 1:16–17. The righteous don't just survive the heat and storms of life they flourish like palm trees, rooted in Christ, growing deeper in devotion, stronger under pressure, and more fruitful with time as they become shade, strength, and legacy for others. In this week's ALLIN, Pastor Josh Kelsey calls Fount to remember who we are in Christ. Unashamed of the gospel, planted in God's house and maturing into a true house of prayer so that our lives grow beyond sand-level faith into living water, lasting usefulness, and a multi-generational harvest in the middle of New York City.

Nehemiah 1–6. Exceptional leadership is shaped by prayer, tested under pressure, and strengthened through clarity and focus. God forms leaders who don't settle for being the exception, but rise into the standard He sets. In this week's Leadership Lesson, Pastor James Powell shows us how Nehemiah exposes the traps of trophies, trauma, and track record and how exceptional leaders pursue God, rise above reality, and finish with focus so the vision stands firm.

John 1:1–18. To finish strong, we return to the beginning. John reveals Jesus as the eternal Word who became flesh and gives a new identity to all who receive Him. This Sunday, Pastor Kevin Myers teaches how receiving Jesus makes us full (grace upon grace), makes us His (children of God), and makes us new (born of the Spirit). Kingdom life doesn't start with effort it starts with receiving the One who restores our vision, our identity, and our way of living.

Daniel 3:16–18, Proverbs 4:23. True strength begins with surrender. In a culture that bows to pressure and fear, the furnace becomes the place where trust is exposed, idols lose their grip, and bondage burns off. This Sunday, Pastor James Powell unpacks how Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego show us "even if" faith the kind that guards the heart, resists cultural idolatry, and reveals Jesus in the very fire meant to break us.

1 Corinthians 9:10. God calls His people to excel in the grace of giving. Generosity isn't a financial strategy; it's a formation. From Genesis to Revelation, God reveals a pattern: He is first, and His people flourish when their lives reflect His order. This Sunday, Pastor Steve Kelly unpacks how the cross reframes Passover, Sabbath, adultery, and honoring parents and how tithing stands as a principle that passes through the cross unchanged in purpose but deepened in motive. From first-fruits to faithfulness, this message shows how God forms a generous people who carry His heart, His priority, and His mission into the world.

Ephesians 4:11–16. Maturity in Christ is formed through devotion, tested in hidden seasons, and strengthened in community. God grows us so we no longer live confused or immature, but steady, clear, and whole. In this weeks Leadership Lessons Pastor Kevin Myers teaches how maturity refines the heart, restores our view of God and trains us to fight the right battles.

1 John 5:1. Life with God is life with His family. Koinonia isn't just community, it's a shared life shaped by participation, formation, restoration, and mission. This Sunday, Pastor Amy Perez explores how God's people become God's group project: a community that grows together, sharpens one another, heals together, and is sent together. Love for God will always lead to love for His children.

Matthew 16:13–20. Jesus establishes His Church and gives His people authority. The life that pleases God isn't built on performance but on a foundation rooted in Him a life surrendered, established on the Rock, and strengthened by His Spirit. This Sunday, Kathryn Myers shares how Jesus builds His Church, entrusts us with ministry, and calls us to grow in love. From authority, to assignment, to affection, this is what it means to be called out to love.

This Sunday, Pastor Amy Perez shares how the life offered to God becomes the aroma of Christ to the world. Romans 12 reveals that true worship isn't performance, it's surrender. When our lives are placed on the altar, they rise as incense before God, revealing His love, transforming our hearts, and renewing our minds. Every act of trust, obedience, and love becomes fragrance. Your home becomes a temple, your work holy ground, your life worship.

John 16:7–10 NLT. The Spirit-led life starts with God rescuing us, continues with the Holy Spirit establishing righteousness, and ends with us becoming conduits of His authority. In this weeks Leadership Lessons Olusegun Olujide shows how we were created with a spirit (conscience, intuition, and communion) and a soul (mind, emotions, will). The Holy Spirit restores what was lost through sin, aligning us with God's will so heaven touches earth through us.

This Sunday, Pastor Amy Perez shares how the life offered to God becomes the aroma of Christ to the world. Romans 12 reveals that true worship isn't performance, it's surrender. When our lives are placed on the altar, they rise as incense before God, revealing His love, transforming our hearts, and renewing our minds. Every act of trust, obedience, and love becomes fragrance. Your home becomes a temple, your work holy ground, your life worship.

John 1:16. From His fullness, we've received grace upon grace. The life that pleases God isn't built on striving but surrender a life placed on the altar, renewed by His Spirit, and shaped by grace. This Sunday, Pastor Kevin Myers shares how living as a living sacrifice transforms who we are and why we're here. Grace doesn't just save us; it sustains us. From His fullness He favors you.

Zechariah 4:1–10. God gave Zechariah a vision to encourage a weary people rebuilding after exile. The lampstand and flowing oil revealed that revival doesn't come from human strength but through the unending supply of the Holy Spirit. The task wasn't to build by effort but to stay connected to the Source. Pastor Josh Kelsey shows us how this prophecy reminds us not to despise small beginnings. What looks like rubble to us, God sees as a finished temple. The mountain before us is no match for His Spirit, and the same grace that began the work will complete it.

In this week's Leadership Lessons, we remember that the gospel is not just what we believe it's what we become through Him. Jesus joined our humanity (John 1:14), took our place (2 Cor 5:21), freed us from sin's rule (Rom 8:15), restored us to relationship (Rom 5:10-11), made us righteous (Rom 5:1), called us His own (John 20:17), set us apart by His Spirit (2 Thess 2:13), gave us victory (Col 2:15), breathed new life into prayer (Rom 6:9-10), lifted us into Heaven's presence (Eph 2:6), intercedes for us continually (Heb 7:25), transforms us from glory to glory (2 Cor 3:18), and leads us as the head of a new humanity (Rom 5:19). The Spirit now makes these truths alive in us reminding us we're not working for acceptance but living from it. Our part is agreement and surrender, letting His finished work form our daily walk.

Romans 8:14–17 | Galatians 5:22–25. If we live by the Spirit, let's walk in step with Him, the life Jesus lived by the Spirit is now the life the Spirit lives in us. This Sunday, Pastor Josh Kelsey reminds us that the same Spirit who led Jesus now leads us as sons and daughters of God. The Spirit replaces fear with belonging and forms the life of Christ within us growing love, joy, peace, and the fruit that law alone could never produce.

Romans 8:26–27. The Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. In this week's Leadership Lessons, Pastor Josh Kelsey reminds us that prayer is not performance but participation a divine exchange where the Holy Spirit prays through us. Prayer begins in weakness, but through surrender, the Spirit aligns us with Heaven's will. It's not about getting something from God, but becoming one with Him. Bringing His kingdom to earth. Prayer births boldness, sustains dependence, and turns surrender into power.

John 16:7–15. Jesus promised that it was to our advantage that He would go so that the Holy Spirit could come and dwell within us. This Sunday, Pastor Josh Kelsey reminds us that the Helper is not distant but deeply present. The same Spirit who revealed Christ to the world now reveals Christ in us. Convicting, guiding, and glorifying the Son through our lives. He doesn't simply inform us of truth; He forms us into it. When we feel weak, uncertain, or wordless, the Spirit intercedes, translating our groans into the language of heaven. The Spirit is not optional; He is essential. He is the presence of Jesus with us, and the power of Jesus in us.

Exodus 34:6–7. God reveals His name, His nature, and His heart so we can reflect Him rightly. In this weeks Leadership Lessons Pastor Josh Kelsey shows us that the glory of God is not distant or abstract, it's revealed in His character. When we behold Him, we become like Him. His grace justifies, His truth transforms, and His love restores. Christ is the mirror of God and when we look to Him, we see who we're meant to become.

Proverbs 3:5–8. Life isn't a game to win, it's a journey to be guided. God doesn't promise control or clarity, but His presence. This Sunday Pastor Amy Perez reminds us that The Guided Life begins with surrender, not certainty. The Shepherd doesn't hand us a map. He walks with us step by step, teaching us to trust His voice over our own understanding. True peace is found in following, not figuring it out.

Proverbs 3:5–8. God doesn't just tell us to trust Him, He shows us why we can. In a world driven by independence and self-reliance, He invites us to lean on the Shepherd who already knows the way. This Sunday Pastor Kevin Myers shows us that peace is found not in control, but in surrender. The same Shepherd who restores your soul, leads you beside still waters, and guides you through the valley is faithful to direct your steps today. True guidance begins when we stop leaning on our own understanding and start trusting the One who never misleads.

2 Timothy 3:16–17 | Luke 24:27 If stories matter, the Bible is the most important one ever told, not because it hides weakness, but because it reveals a God who shows up in it. From Moses' altar to Jesus on the road to Emmaus, every page points to Him. Scripture isn't just words; it's breath is the same Spirit that formed Adam and fills us now. In todays Leadership Lessons, Pastor Amy Perez shows us that reading the Bible isn't about information but formation. When we “eat this book,” we let God's story shape ours, moving from knowing about Him to truly knowing Him.

Matthew 6:25–33 Jesus doesn't just tell us not to worry, He shows us why we don't have to. In a world obsessed with provision, perfection, and performance, He reminds us that the Father already sees, already knows, and already cares. This Sunday Pastor Dan Lian shows us that peace isn't found in control, but in trust. The same God who feeds the birds and clothes the fields is faithful to take care of you too. True worship begins when worry ends. When we stop chasing what's temporary and start resting in the One who never changes.

In today's episode, Olusegun Olujide unpacks what it means to partner with God in prayer to establish His kingdom on earth. God doesn't force His will, He invites us to co-labor through prayer. Drawing from James 5:16, we see that God is searching for people who will stand in the gap. Those who carry His heart and release His will through intercession. Effective prayer is not about performance but partnership. It's grounded in: God's Word, revelation, faith, confession and righteousness. Let's be a church that when we pray, heaven responds.

Matthew 6:8–13. Jesus doesn't just teach us to pray, He teaches us why we pray. While the world turns prayer into performance or persuasion, Jesus calls us back to something deeper: communion with the Father who already knows what we need. Prayer isn't about control; it's about surrender. It's where communication becomes communion, and presence replaces performance. In this message, Pastor Kevin Myers shows us how the Lord's Prayer reorders our hearts moving us from striving to resting, from asking for outcomes to aligning with God's will. True prayer begins not with our words, but with trust in the One who listens.

Leviticus 6:12–13. God lit the altar fire, but the priests had to keep it burning. In the same way, Jesus ignites the flame, but we fuel it through prayer, repentance, and consistency. Pastor Josh Kelsey shows us how the command to “keep the fire burning” is not just ritual, but a pattern for prayer, fasting, and daily surrender, where something dies, and God's life is revealed in us.

This Sunday Pastor Amy Perez reminds us that faith is not passive. It calls us to move. Faith is the foundation and evidence of God's promises, the courage to leave the familiar, and the hope of a better homeland. When we take God at His word, our lives shift, shame breaks, fear loses power, and we start living with eternity in view. Faith calls us forward, higher, and homeward until heaven breaks into earth through us.

This Sunday Pastor Josh Kelsey reminds us that faith is not a human achievement but a divine gift. We all wrestle with the question of faith, and all human objects of trust eventually collapse yet the foundation of true faith is unshakable because it rests on God's Word. Faith is the assurance of what we hope for and the conviction of what we cannot yet see. Like the ancients, we trust before we see, walking by faith and not by sight. Reality itself was spoken into being by the Word, and our salvation is received by grace through faith, a gift, not a work. The power is not in the strength of our faith but in its object: Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.

In today's Leadership Lessons Pastor Josh Kelsey shows us that prayer is not performance but relationship. Maturity in Christ shows when leaders allow prayer to shape them before they shape others. In Matthew 6:9–13 Jesus gives us a pattern for prayer. We begin with “Our Father,” remembering who we belong to and where our identity is found. Prayer reorders our loves, exalts God's name, and shifts our focus from building our own empires to seeking His kingdom. As leaders, we must ask: Do we live dependent on God daily? Do we model humility and repentance so others can see it? True prayer transforms character, breaks cycles of shame, and produces leaders who carry God's kingdom forward.

This Sunday Pastor Josh Kelsey encourages us that prayer doesn't just shift circumstances; it reshapes us. Like Hannah, we bring bitter tears and honest prayers to God not just asking but offering. Jesus carried our brokenness to the cross, rose in victory, and now transforms us from the inside out unbreaking what was broken. This is the power of the Gospel. Prayer reshapes our hearts till we carry the will of God.

In todays Leadership Lessons Pastor James Murray shows us shows that maturity in Christ requires self-devotion. A healthy church happens when believers take responsibility to worship, serve, and give without being told. In Acts 2:42–47 hospitality was central to the early church. It wasn't entertaining, it was including. Open tables, open homes, and open hearts made the Gospel visible. As leaders, we must ask: Do we live as Jesus lived? True hospitality transforms, reminding people they are worthy of God's love.

Every human knows the sting of brokenness, but the root is sin, shalom disturbed. Pastor James Murray reminds us tha the answer isn't masking or ignoring it but Jesus, who carried our brokenness to the cross, rose in victory, and now redeems what was lost. He transforms us from the inside out, unbreaking what was broken. The “more” your soul longs for is Him.

1 Samuel 14. While Saul sat under a pomegranate tree, Jonathan chose risk over comfort. With only an armor-bearer beside him, he stepped out on a “perhaps the Lord will act” kind of faith. God didn't guarantee an outcome, but He guaranteed His character. The climb was steep, but trust in God's nature was enough. The message reminds us: true faith isn't certainty in circumstances, but courage rooted in who God is. Pastor Josh Kelsey shows us how Jonathan's “perhaps” echoes Jesus in Gethsemane, obedience wrestled through the unknown, yet surrendered.

Many of us approach Scripture as a task to check off, rather than the nourishment our souls desperately need. In this week's reflection, we see in Ezekiel 3:1–3 a powerful image of the prophet being told to eat the scroll of God's Word. When we internalize Scripture not just read or hear it, but let it sink into the depths of who we are it changes everything. Pastor Josh Kelsey reminds us that even words of lament can become sweet as honey when digested in faith. God's Word, taken in fully, becomes life-giving truth that reshapes us from the inside out. Spiritual growth happens when we embrace all of God's Word, even the hard parts, trusting His truth to transform us. Scripture isn't duty, it's nourishment.

Pastor Josh Kelsey reminds us that every human asks, “Is there more to life than this?” (Ecclesiastes 3:11). Solomon had wealth, wisdom, and power, yet concluded it was all vapor without God. The ache of the human heart is eternity written within us, but we try to fill it with career, romance, wealth, or freedom idols that promise life but leave us restless. Jesus doesn't just offer more life; He is life. The Good Shepherd lays down His life so our emptiness can be filled with His abundance. The “more” your soul longs for isn't in you, it's through Him.

Pastor Kevin Myers reminds us that every human asks, “Is there more to life than this?” Ecclesiastes 3:11. Solomon had wisdom, wealth, and power yet still found it all empty without God. The problem isn't lack of success but a broken relationship. Spiritual amnesia makes us forget who we are, so we chase possessions, pleasure, and even religion like grasping vapor. The answer isn't in grasping but in knowing. Jesus redeems relationship and invites us into the eternal love we were made for. The “more” your soul longs for is Him.

Avoiding conflict out of fear, lack of skill or misapplied theology robs us of growth, freedom and untity. In this week's Leadership Lesson Pastor Amy Perez explores how scripture shows us that healthy confrontation, when done in humility and love become a tool for restoration. Leaders go first before God, owning their fears and motives so they can speak truth that brings life, not shame. Conflict God's way isn't destruction it's discipleship.

Pastor Jon Tyson reminds us that surrender is the true test of trust. Like Saul, we often rationalize partial obedience or try to control outcomes, but God asks for the final 2%. Control robs us of love, freedom, and intimacy with Him, while surrender roots us in trust just as Jesus trusted His Father with His life and future. God doesn't punish us by asking for surrender; He sees everything and knows what's best. True freedom isn't found in control, but in yielding fully to Him.

In this weeks Leadership Lessons Pastor Josh Kelsey guides us through Habakkuk's raw wrestle with God and what it means for leaders today. Surrounded by injustice and silence, Habakkuk didn't suppress his doubts, he brought them to God. That's where true leadership starts: in prayer, not the flesh. God's response still speaks today: “I am doing something you would not believe.” Even when life feels confusing, He's working behind the scenes. The promise remains—“the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord” (Hab. 2:14). This knowledge isn't just information, but intimacy that grows in the secret place. As leaders, we're not called to build monuments, but to carry His glory. Our reality is freedom. Our mission is people. Our cause is love. Leaders set the atmosphere, the culture you carry will shape those you lead.

This Sunday Pastor Josh Kelsey shows us how complaining is more than words, it's poison that delays the promise. Israel's grumbling in the wilderness revealed unbelief, but God's response was both strange and beautiful: look and live. Healing didn't come from striving harder but from fixing their eyes on the serpent lifted on the pole. Centuries later, Jesus fulfills this moment on the cross becoming the curse so we could be free. True freedom isn't the absence of snakes, it's the presence of a Savior who breaks their power. Stop fighting the snakes. Stop striving. Lift your eyes to Jesus, the One who heals.

In this week's Leadership Lessons, we reflect on fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. Momentum in your life doesn't guarantee you're in the right place we must fix our eyes on Him. Pastor Josh Kelsey reminds us that Jesus isn't one of many priorities, He's the center. Every action, word, and decision must be filtered through this: Does this reveal more of Christ? Our reality is freedom. Our mission is people. Our cause is love. Leaders set the atmosphere. The culture you carry will shape those you lead.

This Sunday Pastor Josh Kelsey reminds us that while change is inevitable, Christ never changes. Seasons shift, cities move, life turns but Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. We often try to freeze the good or fast-forward the hard, yet God uses both to form us. Change is the classroom, and His character is the curriculum. Stop clinging. Stop rushing. Trust the One who anchors you through every season.

In this week's Leadership Lessons, we reflect on Matthew 5:5: “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” Meekness is not weakness, it's inner confidence in God that produces humility, security, and true strength. The world tells us to build our own confidence to get ahead; Jesus calls us to lay down self-reliance so He can form unshakable trust in Him. Pastor Kevin Myers reminds us that when our confidence is rooted in Christ, we don't have to grasp for recognition, push for influence, or cling to resources. We lead from rest, stewarding our gifts in step with the Spirit because the Holy Spirit is drawn to meekness.

This Sunday Pastor Josh Kelsey reminds us that our own goodness will never meet God's standard. In Matthew 5:20 and 5:48, Jesus raises the bar to perfection not to discourage us, but to show that only His righteousness can save. The Pharisees measured themselves against people. Jesus says the measure is God Himself. At the cross, He took our imperfection and gave us His perfection. In His resurrection, He gave us new hearts so we live from love, not performance. Stop comparing. Stop striving. Receive the righteousness only Jesus can give.

Matthew 15:21–28. While others begged Jesus to send the Canaanite woman away, she refused to back down, revealing a desperation that moved heaven. Jesus' silence wasn't rejection, but invitation. Her faith pressed past offense, and her response gave her access to covenant promises she wasn't even “qualified” for. Pastor Ryan Schlachter reminds us: breakthrough often comes when we let Jesus offend our expectations. Even the crumbs of His presence are more than enough. Desperation that draws near is the door to divine encounter.

In this week's Leadership Lessons, we reflect on Jesus' words in Matthew 7:6: “Do not cast your pearls before swine.” This powerful call to discernment urges us to steward what's holy with wisdom. Our time, counsel, and spiritual authority are precious meant to be sown into receptive hearts, not wasted on those who mock or reject truth. Pastor Ryan Schlachter reminds us this isn't about giving up on people, but about honoring what God is doing by protecting Kingdom resources and setting healthy boundaries. As we lead, may we guard the culture of honor, invest wisely, and grow in spiritual maturity becoming more effective in building God's Kingdom.

This Sunday Dr. Michael Maiden reminds us that God can turn even our darkest moments into something beautiful. The story of Joseph from Genesis serves as a profound example of how God works all things for good. Despite betrayal, false accusations, and imprisonment, Joseph's unwavering faith and forgiveness led to his ultimate triumph. While people can steal our possessions, they can never take away our God-given destiny. This is our invitation for us to examine our own lives, urging us to forgive those who have wronged us and to keep dreaming, knowing that God's timing is perfect and He can restore what was lost.

In this week's Leadership Lessons, our Production Director David Walker calls us to rediscover our identity as masterpieces formed by the hands of the divine Craftsman. Through Isaiah 64:8 and Psalm 139:13–14, we're reminded that we are not mass-produced beings, but uniquely and intentionally shaped by God—the Potter who knows every detail of our design. This truth reframes how we see ourselves and others: not as broken or unfinished, but as raw materials full of purpose, awaiting refinement. The Potter doesn't discard what's imperfect. He molds it with care. As we submit to the shaping process through prayer, Scripture, and Christ-centered community, we begin to reflect the beauty and function we were always meant to carry. Let this be a call to stop striving for manufactured perfection and instead surrender to the One who sees masterpiece potential in every part of us. In His hands, we're not just formed we're purposed to participate in His creative work in the world.

Sin doesn't just want a piece of you it wants all of you. In Matthew 5:29–30, Jesus uses intense language to show how seriously we should treat sin. He's not asking us to self-mutilate, but to cut off anything that keeps us bound. It's a call to action, not passivity to flee from what entices us, before it devours us. Pastor Amy Perez reminds us that inaction is just as dangerous as wrong action. Like David with Bathsheba, it often starts with small compromises. But God's grace isn't just to forgive it's to train us. Discipline isn't legalism; it's the path to freedom. What we surrender may feel costly, but what we gain in Christ is worth far more.

In this week's Leadership Lessons, Pastor Ryan Schlachter rediscovers the transformative power of the secret place in our spiritual lives. Matthew 6:5–8, shows us that true intimacy with God isn't found in public displays of piety but in private, uninterrupted communion with Him. This reminds us that the secret place isn't just a physical location but a posture of presence where distractions fade and identity is formed. It's there that hypocrisy is stripped away, resilience is built, and real relationship with our Creator takes root. As we prioritize time alone with God even when it costs us comfort, sleep, or convenience, we tap into a strength that sustains us in every storm. Let this be a call to rebuild and remain in the secret place, knowing that what happens there empowers everything we do in the open.

Discipleship isn't about what we lose, it's about what we gain. This Sunday Pastor Amy Perez dived into Jesus' challenging words from Luke 14, where He calls us to prioritize Him above all else. It's not about "hating" our families, but about examining our misplaced loves and hidden influences that may shape us contrary to the gospel. Through personal stories and biblical examples, we are challenged to break free from generational patterns and align our lives with God's Kingdom. Discipleship is costly, but it's also transformative. In losing our old selves, we gain membership in heaven's family. This is the way of the Kingdom. The way of radical surrender.

Discipleship isn't about casual commitment, it's about radical surrender. In Luke 14:25–33, we are confronted with the cost of truly following Jesus. Discipleship calls us to more than just a surface-level decision; it's a radical reordering of priorities. Jesus challenges us to “hate” our family and even our own lives, not as a call to self-hatred, but to choose God's will over our own, even when it's hard. Pastor Ryan Sclachter reminds us that true discipleship requires us to examine our hearts, ambitions, and desires in light of our commitment to Christ. It's about daily surrender bearing our cross, not suppressing our personality or self-worth, but choosing God's plan over our own. While the cost of following Jesus is high, the cost of not following Him is infinitely higher. As we count the cost, we discover that what we gain in Christ far outweighs what we give up.