In this message, Mark explores Nehemiah’s awakening to God’s bigger story—a story that reframes identity, purpose, and calling beyond personal success or cultural narratives. Though powerful and settled in exile, Nehemiah is deeply moved by the broken state of Jerusalem, reminding him that God’s people, presence, and purposes are central to history. Mark traces how our culture has exhausted both “my story” and “our story,” and invites us to rediscover meaning by submitting our lives to God’s story. Through the overlooked faithfulness of figures like Nehemiah and Australia’s first chaplain Richard Johnson, we’re reminded that God works through small, unseen acts to build something far greater than we can imagine. This message calls us to recover our identity as God’s beloved people, reconnect to His work in the world, and trust that even our quiet obedience is planting acorns for generations to come.

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In this message, Mark reflects on God’s original vision for creation as something that teems with life—abundant, flourishing, and overflowing. Drawing from Genesis, Mark reminds us that being made in God’s image means we are entrusted with power and influence, not to control or dominate, but to steward life in love. In a world increasingly shaped by power and uncertainty, Jesus reveals an upside-down kingdom where true fruitfulness flows from love, faithfulness in small things, and dependence on the Spirit. Mark invites us at the start of a new year to reimagine success—not as growth for growth’s sake, but as partnering with God to create life wherever He has placed us. This is a call to move beyond fear and powerlessness, and to step into God’s life-giving purpose through the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit.

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In this message, Andy Kroussoratsky reflects on our deep desire to control outcomes—especially in seasons of uncertainty—and how fear can quietly push us to take matters into our own hands. Drawing from the story of King Saul and Jesus’ words in Matthew 6, Andy contrasts a life driven by anxiety and control with a life shaped by trust and surrender. While worry tempts us to grasp for certainty, Jesus invites us to seek God’s kingdom first, trusting that He knows our needs and is sovereign over our lives. Rather than striving to manage every detail, we’re called to take faithful steps, release control, and place our confidence in a God who is both loving and faithful. The invitation for this season is simple yet challenging: let it be a summer of surrender.