Pastors Mark, Brandon, and Jay unpack a powerful moment from Acts 15 where Paul and Barnabas face a sharp disagreement, reminding us that even great leaders are still human. In this episode of The Sharing Grace Podcast, they explore humility in conflict, healthy compromise, second chances, and how God can bring growth even through division. As part of the RENEW: Building Relationships God’s Way series, this conversation offers practical, biblical wisdom for navigating disagreements, pursuing reconciliation, and moving forward with grace in the new year.
As we begin a new year, many of us are reflecting on what worked, what didn’t, and what we want to see change, especially in our relationships. In this message, we explore a powerful and honest biblical story of conflict, second chances, and reconciliation through the sharp disagreement between Paul, Barnabas, and John Mark in Acts 15.
This sermon unpacks what we can learn when godly people disagree, how grace and truth both matter, and why reconciliation doesn’t happen by accident; it requires humility, courage, and intentional action. We’ll see how God can redeem broken relationships, how to handle conflict biblically, and why giving second chances can change the future more than we realize.
If you’re carrying tension, hurt, or unresolved conflict into this new year, this message offers practical, Scripture-based guidance and hope for healing. Let’s start the year by becoming people who are known for grace, forgiveness, and restored relationships.
Originally shared in one of our earliest episodes, this conversation from John 15 is still just as timely. Jesus uses the illustration of the vine and its branches to reveal the life-giving practice of abiding in Him. In this episode, The Sharing Grace team revisits what it means to remain connected to Christ, bear lasting fruit, and trust God through seasons of pruning and growth.
In this episode, Pastors Brandon and Jay reflect on the sacrificial, unearned love of God revealed through Jesus. Drawing from 1 John 4, John 3, and 1 Corinthians 13, they explore how true love is shown, not earned, and how God’s love moves us beyond transaction into transformation. This conversation invites listeners to receive God’s love fully and to live it out sacrificially with others.
What is love—really? In this Advent message, we turn our attention to the Love Candle and discover that love is not transactional, conditional, or earned. It is the very nature of God.
Through Scripture, storytelling, and the imagery of Christmas lights, we’re reminded that God’s love is defined as seeking the highest good for another, no matter the cost. From the birth of Jesus to the sacrifice of the cross, God didn’t decide to love us—He showed His love, even while we were still sinners.
This message challenges us to reject the world’s broken version of love and embrace a sacrificial, compassionate love that reflects Christ—loving enemies, absorbing frustration, letting go of pride, and choosing God’s best for others. As we anticipate the coming of Jesus this Christmas, we’re invited to become carriers of His light, allowing His love to shine through our relationships, our actions, and our witness.
If you’ve ever cried out, “Come, Jesus,” this message will remind you why He came—and how His love transforms everything.
In this Advent conversation, Pastors Brandon, Jay, & John reflect on the joy announced at the birth of Jesus. Together, they explore why the good news of Christ brings great joy, how fear can block that joy, and what it means that God came to us in humility and weakness. From the shepherds’ praise to Mary’s quiet reflection, this episode invites listeners to rediscover a deeper, steadier joy rooted not in circumstances, but in who Jesus is: Savior, Christ, and Lord. 🎄✨
As Christmas approaches, joy can feel harder to find, especially in the stress, pressure, and expectations of the season. In this Advent message from Luke 2, we’re reminded that true joy isn’t found under the Christmas tree, in perfect plans, or ideal circumstances. True joy is found in a person: Jesus.
Through the familiar story of the shepherds and the angel’s announcement, this sermon explores the difference between happiness and lasting joy, why the good news of Jesus is for everyone, and how God chose an unexpected way and unexpected people to reveal the greatest news the world has ever known. We’re reminded that Jesus came as our Savior, stepping into our brokenness, pain, fear, and weakness so we could experience real, lasting joy.
Whether you’re feeling joyful, overwhelmed, or somewhere in between this season, this message points us back to the source of true contentment and hope: Jesus Christ, whose grace is sufficient in every circumstance.
Pastors Brandon, Jay, and Mark sit down with Impact Coordinator Julie Keyes to unpack the Advent theme of peace. Together they explore Micah 5, walk through six practical actions that help believers receive God’s peace, and share personal moments where God brought calm in the middle of pressure. A simple, encouraging conversation for anyone craving peace in a busy season.
In this week’s Advent message, Pastor Mark dives deep into our universal longing for peace—peace in our homes, our relationships, our workplaces, our finances, and even within ourselves.
From Micah 5, we explore a 2,700-year-old prophecy that points directly to Jesus as our Shepherd, our Ruler, and ultimately our Peace. Mark unpacks the meaning behind Bethlehem, the humanity and divinity of Christ, and why only Jesus can offer the kind of peace our souls are desperate for.
Through practical steps, biblical truth, and memorable stories (Big Wheels, runaway horses, and more), this message shows how we can experience God’s peace right now and not just someday in eternity.
If you’ve been feeling anxious, overwhelmed, or longing for stability in a chaotic season, this sermon offers hope and a clear path forward.
In this week’s episode of The Sharing Grace Podcast, Pastor Brandon sits down with Family Pastor John Leathers to unpack the opening message of our new Advent series, Come Lord Jesus. Together, they explore the theme of hope, tracing God’s promise from Genesis to Isaiah to Hebrews, and discuss what it looks like to confront darkness, lean into the names of Jesus, and live out confident hope in practical, everyday ways. This conversation invites you to slow down, look up, and remember the faithful God who keeps His promises.
This week at Church at Viera, Pastor John launches our Christmas season with a powerful message from Isaiah 9—one of the most loved and hope-filled prophecies about the coming Messiah.
From Christmas trees to Advent calendars, John begins by inviting us into the familiar traditions of the season before turning our attention to the deeper truth they point to: Advent is about the arrival of hope.
In a world filled with uncertainty, anxiety, and darkness, much like the world Isaiah wrote to, God speaks a promise: Light is coming.
Walking through Isaiah 9:2–7, John unpacks why Jesus is the only true and lasting hope we can build our lives on:
✨ He is in control — the government rests on His shoulders
✨ He is our Wonderful Counselor — wise, present, and trustworthy
✨ He is our Mighty God — strong when we are weak
✨ He is our Everlasting Father — loving, faithful, and full of compassion
✨ He is the Prince of Peace — bringing peace that no circumstance can shake
With stories, humor, and Scripture, this message invites us to remember what Advent is truly about and to anchor our hearts in the One who fulfills every promise.
Join us as we begin Advent with a message of hope—Jesus, the Light who shines in the darkness.
This week, Pastors Brandon and Jay dive deeper into Pastor Jay’s sermon from Revelation 4–5, exploring what true worship looks like in heaven, and how it reshapes our lives on earth. They’ll discuss the “open door” God gives us in worship, the reality that His throne is never empty, and the call to lay down our crowns in surrender. Join the conversation as we fix our eyes on Jesus, the worthy Lamb, and step into the eternal song already in progress.
In this week’s message from our Overflow series, Pastor Jay Austin takes us into Revelation 4–5 for a powerful look at worship in heaven and what it means for us right now. From a simple chair-turned-“throne” to the breathtaking imagery of God’s throne room, we’re invited to confront an important question: Who is actually sitting on the throne of my life?
As John, exiled on the island of Patmos, is given a vision of heaven, we see a God who is fully in control, radiating purity, power, and peace. We see elders casting their crowns before Him, creation crying out “Holy, holy, holy,” and angels declaring, “Worthy is the Lamb!” Pastor Jay shows us that this heavenly worship isn’t distant; it’s happening now. And when we worship, we step into that eternal reality.
If you’re weighed down by fear, anxiety, or circumstances that feel out of control, this message will remind you that heaven opens its doors to us through worship. When we lay down our crowns--our control, our accomplishments, our idols—we find the peace, presence, and power that only come from the One who sits on the throne forever.
In this episode of The Sharing Grace Podcast, Brandon is joined by Jay Austin and Kate Little for a conversation on what it means to live a life of worship shaped by gratitude. Drawing from Luke 17 and the story of the ten lepers, they explore how thankfulness fuels true worship and how obedience often leads to unexpected moments of God’s movement.
Kate also shares insights from Student Ministry. Together, the team unpacks practical ways to cultivate gratitude and make worship a daily rhythm.
If you’re looking to deepen your worship beyond Sunday, this episode will encourage and inspire you.
In this message, Pastor Brandon invites us to consider a simple but revealing question: What brought you to church today? Whether it’s habit, curiosity, loneliness, a need for encouragement, or a desire to worship, he reminds us that whatever brought us in, we’re in the right place and God meets us right where we are.
From there, he takes us to Luke 17 and the story of the ten lepers, showing how Jesus meets people in their deepest needs and how gratitude becomes an act of true worship. Drawing from his own life-changing trip to a leper colony in India, Pastor Brandon highlights two core truths: a lifestyle of worship is always thankful that God provides for our daily needs, and a lifestyle of worship is always thankful that God saves our souls. The healing of the one returning leper becomes a picture of obedience, gratitude, and transformation — a reminder that the movement of God often waits on the other side of our obedience.
Throughout the message, Pastor Brandon challenges us to evaluate our worship: Is it quiet and reserved, or does it overflow from a thankful heart? Do our lives reflect obedience to Jesus, not just in song but in the way we live? Using Scripture, personal stories, and encouragement for the season ahead, he invites us to live as people whose whole lives, bodies, voices, choices, and gratitude point back to the worthiness of God.
In this episode of The Sharing Grace Podcast, Pastors Brandon and Jay speak with Carmine Ferraro about how generosity and stewardship are acts of worship. Discover how viewing everything as God’s transforms giving from an obligation into a grateful response that honors Him.
This week, Pastor Brandon shares a powerful message about “Worship That Gives Back” — a reminder that everything we have comes from God and belongs to Him. Looking at 1 Chronicles 29:10–16, we see how King David’s overflowing gratitude led to radical generosity and true worship.
Discover how giving isn’t just a financial decision but a spiritual act of worship that reflects humility, gratitude, and trust in God. When we see our resources as temporary gifts from a generous Father, our hearts shift from “have to” to “get to.”
Whether you’ve struggled with stewardship, generosity, or simply understanding how giving connects to worship, this message will challenge and encourage you to live with open hands and a grateful heart.
In this episode of The Sharing Grace Podcast, recorded during our CAV staff retreat, Pastors Mark, Jay, & Brandon talk about Overflow: Worship Fueled by Gratitude.
Together they explore the story of Habakkuk, a man who worshiped God even in dark seasons. You’ll learn about four key faith steps: Remember, Rest, Rejoice, and Rise. They discuss how gratitude can turn hardship into genuine worship.
🎧 Listen now and be encouraged to see God’s faithfulness and let your worship overflow with gratitude.
We all go through seasons when life feels like it’s stuck in dark mode—when things are falling apart, prayers feel unanswered, and hope seems hard to find. In this powerful message, Pastor Mark unpacks the story of Habakkuk, a prophet who wrestled with God during one of Israel’s darkest moments. Through his journey, we learn how to worship God even when nothing makes sense.
If you’ve ever asked questions like “God, do You care?”, “Is this fair?”, or “Are You even there?”, this message is for you. Discover how to move from wrestling to worship, from worry to faith, and from despair to hope.
No matter what you’re facing, God is still good—and He’s still with you, even in the dark.
📖 Scripture: Habakkuk 1–3
🎵 Key Verse: “The Sovereign Lord is my strength; He makes my feet like the deer’s, He enables me to tread on the heights.” – Habakkuk 3:19