Zarephath Christian Church - Messages

Catch the message "Why Does God Seem Distant?" By Pastor Ben Stapley. There are seasons when God feels silent, absent, or far away. We’ll learn that God’s silence does not mean He is absent. But he is often He is waiting to respond. And in that waiting, He is shaping us and drawing us closer. God invites us to keep seeking, trusting that He is near even when we don’t feel Him.

Catch the message, "Why Do Bad Things Happen To Good People?" by Pastor Ben Stapley. A good God allows evil not because He desires it, but because His genuine love and moral goodness require free will. Without the ability to choose wrongly, humans could not truly choose what is right. Evil arises from the misuse of this freedom. Yet God can bring redemption, growth, and greater good even out of suffering.

Catch the message "Faith Forward: Go" by Pastor Scott Jones. Jesus said, “Go into all the world and make disciples.” Everything we do revolves around our heart to reach people locally and all around the world with the good news of Jesus. We want to inspire people to see the gospel not just as a codified message but as a way of life. So, whether we’re taking a mission trip, supporting a global work, living among neighbors, or engaging the marketplace, we are always seeking to make disciples.

Catch the message "Faith Forward: Generosity" by Pastor Scott Jones. God loved the world so much that he gave. And we want to be like him. We’ll explore the biblical basis for stewardship—that everything I have comes from God and belongs to God. We want our church to aspire to be generous people who invest our resources in the work of God because we want to be a part of seeing adults, students, and children find Jesus and the full life that he offers.

Catch the message "Faith Forward: Gifts" by Pastor Scott Jones. God has given every believer a spiritual gift to steward. He made us on purpose for a purpose. When we discover our gifts and put them into play, we’ll find a joy that only comes when we give our lives away in service to others. We’ll explore the spiritual gifts and encourage people to find a place to serve where they are gifted, passionate, and can make a real difference in the world.

There are few things in life we can control. One is our choice and determination to be faithful. Too many people give up too early and fail to persevere because of hardship or trials. This will be a reminder that the reward from God is not dependent on our accomplishments but on our obedience over the course of our lives.

Catch the message "Faith Forward: Groups" by Pastor Scott Jones. Following Jesus is not something you do alone. We’ll lay the foundation for biblical community and invite people to “get out of a row and into a circle” where they can be in a group to care for one another, pray for one another, and encourage one another to be more like Jesus.

Catch the message "Faith Forward: Growth" by Pastor Scott Jones. The goal of our salvation is to become like Jesus.  That’s spiritual growth. We’ll cover God’s vision for growth and encourage people to own their spiritual journey through the daily practice of spiritual disciplines.

Catch the message "Faith Forward: Grace" by Pastor Scott Jones. We want people to encounter the amazing grace of God through his son, Jesus. It’s a defining moment in a person’s faith journey. We’ll cover the love of God, the sin that separates us from him, and the grace that invites us into a relationship with him. We’ll invite people to say “YES” to Jesus and have spontaneous baptisms.

Catch the message "From Valley to Victory" by NextGen Pastor Luke Mihail. This message reminds us that God meets us in the dry places and brings life where we thought nothing could rise. It calls us to step into the new year with hope because the valley is not our final place.

Catch the message, "Home For Christmas: Welcome Home" by Pastor Scott Jones. The birth of Jesus is the moment home came to us. The shepherds were invited in. The angels sang. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. In that manger, God welcomed the world back into his presence. Through Jesus, we are no longer far off — we are family. The story that began with exile ends with invitation. And everyone who responds to the invitation will hear God say, “Welcome home.”

Catch the message, "Home For Christmas: The Road Home" by Pastor Scott Jones. God always makes a way home — even when the road is hard, unexpected, or uncertain. A census. A long road. A small town with no room to spare. The journey of Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem looks ordinary, even inconvenient, but God was writing His redemption story through it all. The road home was not smooth, but it led to the Savior. In our own lives, the road home may be filled with detours and discomfort, yet God uses every step to bring us closer to himself.

Catch the message, "Home For Christmas: Longing For Home" by Pastor Scott Jones. Deep within every heart is a longing to be home — not in a place, but in the presence of God. From the wilderness wanderings to Babylonian exile, Israel’s story is one of homesickness for God’s promise. They sang by the rivers of Babylon and wept for Zion. Yet through prophets and poets, God reminded them that the journey wasn’t over — that one day he would bring His people home again. This longing is the echo of Eden in every human soul — the ache that Christmas begins to heal.

Catch the message, "Home For Christmas: Running From Home" by Pastor Scott Jones. The Garden of Eden was humanity’s first home — a place of peace, purpose, and presence. But when Adam and Eve chose disobedience, they traded home for exile. When sin entered the world, we didn’t just break a rule — we broke relationship. We walked away from the One who made us, and ever since, every human heart has been homesick for God. Yet even in judgment, God’s heart for His children never changed. He went looking for them. He covered their shame. He promised redemption. Christmas is the fulfillment of that promise — the moment God stepped into our exile to bring us back home.

Catch the message "12 Steps To A Transformed Life: Give It Away" by Pastor Scott Jones. Jesus said, “Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life will preserve it.” The hidden secret of continuing to grow is not to keep it to yourself. Someone said, “Make your mess your message.” It’s when we are generous in giving away what we have learned and gained is when we come full circle in the journey of transformation.

Catch the message '12 Steps To A Transformed Life: Stay Present' by Pastor Scott Jones. Transformation isn’t a series of linear steps. It’s the ongoing practice of being mindful of God and of the way we are living. We are called to a “with God” life where our constant awareness of his presence helps us keep short accounts and live honestly with him and others.

Catch the message '12 Steps To A Transformed Life: Be Vigilant' by Pastor Scott Jones. We never arrive. Sometimes spiritual growth feels like 2 steps forward and 3 steps back. We have to stay vigilant in our pursuit of transformation, and that means you don’t take a day off. It is the “one day at a time” mindset that keeps us from living in guilt and frees us to stay focused on the change we want to see.

Catch the message '12 Steps To A Transformed Life: Make Amends' by Pastor Scott Jones. When it comes to making amends, first there is the willingness and then there is the follow-through. This action is a necessary step. We can’t always reconcile a relationship, but we can admit to others what we have done to hurt them and seek to make it right in whatever way God provides.

Catch the message "12 Steps To A Transformed Life: Write Your List" by Pastor Scott Jones. None of us sin in a vacuum. When we sin, we often sin against people. We’ve all hurt people in our past. We can ignore it, or we can record it. Naming people we have wounded and being willing to address that is what it means to be like Jesus.

Catch the message "12 Steps To A Transformed Life: Humble Yourself" by Pastor Scott Jones. Humility is the primary posture of one who wants transformation. God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. In humility, we invite God to remove everything that we have used to prop up our lives and replace it with a renewed mind and character.