Follow Me Again, A Shepherding Sermon for the New YearJohn 21At the start of a new year, many of us feel what could be called the New Year Ache—a quiet pressure to fix ourselves, reinvent our lives, or prove we’re enough. Even when life is good, January often amplifies exhaustion, comparison, regret, and a crisis of confidence.This message explores why cultural solutions to that ache ultimately fall short. While the world tells us to stop striving by convincing ourselves we’re already enough, the gospel offers a deeper and truer hope: we are restored not by self-belief, but by re-anchored dependence on Jesus.Peter’s Confidence Collapse — and OursIn John 21, Peter meets Jesus after his greatest failure. Peter’s struggle isn’t just burnout—it’s fracture:-moral collapse (he denied Jesus),-identity collapse (“I thought I was that kind of man”), and-vocational collapse (“Can I still lead?”).Fishing again wasn’t sin—it was retreating into what he could control.Jesus restores Peter not by sending him inward to fix himself, nor by ignoring his failure, but by restoring him to his calling:“Feed my sheep. Follow me.”Peter’s soul is healed because:-he is forgiven without minimizing,-reinstated without probation,-and trusted without pretending.The Big IdeaJesus restores people not by telling them to fix themselves, but by re-anchoring them in His love and calling—inviting them to follow again, this time without illusion.This message invites us to recognize our own temptation to retreat into control, productivity, or self-optimization—and to hear Jesus’ gentle call again: Follow me.The Frontier WhyThis sermon also launches Frontier’s January Vision Series and answers a foundational question:Why does the church exist in this cultural moment?At our core, Frontier exists to be:a counter-cultural family,formed by the presence of Jesus,for the frontiers of modern culture.Not a community built on performance or confidence, but one shaped by dependence, formation, and faithful presence.Reset to RhythmsThe message introduces a seven-week Reset to Rhythms journey, inviting the church into shared practices of prayer, fasting, and reflection—not to fix ourselves, but to follow Jesus with intention as we prepare for a new season and a new home.Closing InvitationAs we begin the year:-Don’t reinvent your life.-Don’t carry what was never meant to be on your back.-Let God re-form you.You don’t have to carry the year today.Just follow the Shepherd this week.

The Scandal of Christmas | Mark 6 — God Came CloseNOTE: This stream had technical issues and got cut split into two parts. Please click here for the first 12 minutes of the message: https://youtube.com/live/tf-avztsvcsWe love scandal when leaders fall. But Mark 6 shows a different kind of scandal: a Leader who rises. In Jesus’ hometown of Nazareth, people aren’t offended because He breaks laws—but because He violates their categories. He’s more than they expected, and less than they wanted.In this message, we explore the original scandal of Christmas: God coming near in flesh and blood. And that nearness confronts us, frees us, and sends us.You’ll hear:-Why we feel offense before we can explain it, and why Jesus still confronts our “systems of worth”-Why God chooses the ordinary, the mundane, and the uncomfortable as the place His Kingdom breaks in-Why rejection is normal in following Jesus—but resentment is optional-What it means to “shake the dust off”—not as anger, but as spiritual hygiene and freedom from carrying false responsibility-How repentance isn’t guilt management, but re-centering your life around the true KingIf you’re tired, overwhelmed, afraid of being “found out,” or carrying weight you were never meant to carry, this is a word of confrontation and comfort—and an invitation to step into freedom.Scripture: Mark 6:1–13Series: Advent / Christmas at Frontier Church

The Scandal of Christmas | Mark 6 — God Came CloseNOTE: This recording had issues and got cut off at 12:38, please click here for the rest of the message: https://www.youtube.com/live/AE2r11BIt54We love scandal when leaders fall. But Mark 6 shows a different kind of scandal: a Leader who rises. In Jesus’ hometown of Nazareth, people aren’t offended because He breaks laws—but because He violates their categories. He’s more than they expected, and less than they wanted.In this message, we explore the original scandal of Christmas: God coming near in flesh and blood. And that nearness confronts us, frees us, and sends us.You’ll hear:-Why we feel offense before we can explain it, and why Jesus still confronts our “systems of worth”-Why God chooses the ordinary, the mundane, and the uncomfortable as the place His Kingdom breaks in-Why rejection is normal in following Jesus—but resentment is optional-What it means to “shake the dust off”—not as anger, but as spiritual hygiene and freedom from carrying false responsibility-How repentance isn’t guilt management, but re-centering your life around the true KingIf you’re tired, overwhelmed, afraid of being “found out,” or carrying weight you were never meant to carry, this is a word of confrontation and comfort—and an invitation to step into freedom.Scripture: Mark 6:1–13Series: Advent / Christmas at Frontier Church

In this message from John 11, Pastor Phil connects our church’s year—fires, wandering, waiting, and unexpected provision—with the story of Lazarus and the God who seems “late” but is always working. He shows how waiting is often God’s classroom: the place where faith matures, community deepens, and unseen formation prepares us for what’s ahead. If you’re reflecting on the past year or navigating your own season of uncertainty, this teaching offers perspective, hope, and a renewed sense of God’s presence in the in-between.Highlights:– How our church’s journey mirrors the emotional tension of John 11– Why Jesus’ “delay” with Lazarus is an act of intentional love– What God forms in us during seasons of wandering and waiting– The power of small, everyday faithfulness in our neighborhoodsPractices for the Week:– Reflect on where you feel God is “late” and invite Him into that place– Re-read John 11 and notice how Jesus meets disappointment and doubt– Share your waiting story with someone in community– Do one intentional act of neighborly kindness as a sign of hopeLet this message help you look back with clarity, live the present with trust, and move into the future with expectant faith.

-When Jesus brings your heart back to life, He brings your purpose back to life.In this Advent message, “Sent Again: When Jesus Opens Your Eyes and Reignites Your Mission,” Pastor Christian walks through Luke 24 (the road to Emmaus) and Genesis 12 to show how Jesus meets us in disappointment, opens the Scriptures, reveals His presence, and then sends us back into the world with renewed courage and mission.We explore:-Why we all want clarity before obedience—and why Abraham, Cleopas, and we don’t get it-How disappointment and unmet expectations (“we had hoped…”) can blind us to Jesus right beside us-Why spiritual blindness is less about information and more about interpretation-How Jesus uses Scripture and the table (hospitality, breaking bread) to reawaken our hearts-Why true encounters with Jesus always lead to turning around and being sent againThis message is part of our fall missional series and the beginning of Advent, inviting us to resist consumerism, hurry, and distraction, and instead slow down to recognize Jesus’ presence and say yes again to His call.Reflection / Practice prompts from the sermon:-Where are you carrying disappointment right now—places you quietly say, “I had hoped…”?-What would it look like this Advent to return to your “Jerusalem”—your place of calling, vocation, or relationships—with fresh intention?-How can you make simple space at the table (meals, coffee, conversation) for Jesus to reveal Himself and for others to encounter Him through you?-What step of obedience or mission have you been avoiding that Jesus is inviting you to step into again?Scripture: Luke 24:13–35; Genesis 12:1–3If this message encouraged you, consider sharing it with a friend, subscribing, or joining us in person at Frontier Church Pasadena as we walk through Advent and learn to live sent again in the way of Jesus.

What are you really working for?What if your job, your unpaid labor, your parenting, your studies, and even the parts of your week that feel invisible are actually one of the primary frontiers where Jesus sends you? In this message, Pastor Christian walks through Ephesians 6:5–9 to show how the gospel reframes our everyday work: giving us a new heart for how we work, a new audience we work for, and a new way to use our power and influence.We start by honestly wrestling with the hard word “slaves” in the passage—asking, “Does the Bible condone slavery?”—and then explore how Paul’s words actually undermine slavery from the inside out and plant the seeds for its eventual destruction. From there, we move into the world we live in now: corporate ladders, gig economies, unpaid caregiving, comparison, burnout, and the invisible ladders we climb to prove our worth. Into that world, Paul speaks a better word: you are Christ’s, and your work is seen.This sermon will help you:-See your workplace (and home) as a real mission field-Recognize where success and failure have too much power over your identity-Learn what it means to work for an “Audience of One”-Use your influence to humanize and bless the people above you and below you in any systemWe close with three simple practices for the week:-Pray the “Audience of One” prayer each morning.-Do one hidden act of faithfulness no one will see or praise.-Use your influence to lift up one person in your world.If this message helps you reframe your work and worship, consider sharing it with a friend who feels stuck in the grind.

In this powerful and timely message, missionary and leader of YWAM, SunAwh Park, returns to Frontier with a prophetic encouragement for a community walking through transition. Drawing from 21 years in global missions and nearly 100 nations, SunAwh shares two images the Lord impressed on him: Frontier as an arrow being pulled back for greater accuracy and impact, and the wilderness as God’s training ground for identity, courage, and trust.He sets our moment inside the larger story of what God is doing worldwide—a historic global harvest, a rising hunger for Jesus among Gen Z and Gen Alpha, and the biblical call for every believer to become a witness and a discipler. Through vivid stories from the nations and the marketplace, he shows how God is moving through ordinary people in tech, business, education, and family who see their everyday spaces as mission fields.This message invites us to step with boldness into God’s redemptive story for Los Angeles: revealing Jesus wherever we are, carrying His presence into every sphere of society, and embracing the season of preparation God has us in.

When time, place, and plans shift, our mission doesn’t. In Luke 14, Jesus doesn’t hand out a social policy—He tests our hearts. The gospel creates margin, breaks comparison, and seats us at a table we didn’t pay for—then sends us to “make room” for others, especially those who can’t repay us.Big Idea: Because grace made room for us, we make room for others.Series: Live the Story, Tell the Story (Mission)Message Flow (Luke 14)Scene 1: He heals our excuses (vv.1–6) — Compassion over rigidity; let the gospel reshape your interruptions.Scene 2: He humbles our striving (vv.7–14) — True honor is received, not achieved; generosity without transaction.Scene 3: He invites our response (vv.15–24) — The Father’s banquet is open; don’t make excuses—come, and compel others to come.Practices This Week:-Identify one overlooked person and make room: send a text, schedule a meal, slow down and listen.-Create margin: resist busyness, cynicism, and fear that crowd out hospitality.-Host like Jesus: invite those who can’t repay you.Timestamps0:00 Context: uncertainty, faith, and our unchanging mission4:28 “We’re still the church—our purpose doesn’t change”5:00 Luke 14 setup9:23 Big Idea: Make Room11:04 Scene 1 — Heals our excuses (vv.1–6)15:10 Practice: reshape your interruptions15:38 Scene 2 — Humbles our striving (vv.7–14)20:02 Honor/shame, identity, and grace26:26 Grace seats us at the banquet33:12 Scene 3 — Invitation & excuses (vv.15–24)36:49 Respond: accept your seat, compel others41:05 Ministry & responseHow this fits our series:Live the Story, Tell the Story focuses on mission as everyday hospitality, justice, and witness. Luke 14 presses us beyond good intentions into a gospel-shaped table: humility over performance, generosity over transaction, invitation over exclusion.New here?Plan a visit and get location updates: frontierchurch.us

Real revival doesn’t start with louder worship—it starts with honest repentance.In Revival That Looks Like Justice, Pastor Christian Martinsen continues our Live the Story, Tell the Story missional series with Isaiah 58—God’s piercing confrontation of hypocrisy and hollow religion. His people were fasting, praying, and performing devotion, yet ignoring the very people He cared about.Isaiah’s trumpet still sounds today: faith that never costs us anything for the sake of others isn’t faith at all.This message invites us into a different kind of fast—a Fast of Presence—where grace turns outward into justice, and revival looks like setting others free.Before chasing emotional revival, God calls us to heart-level renewal:to stop performing faith and start practicing mercy,to stop hiding from our own flesh and start moving toward need in love.Let Isaiah 58 hold up the mirror.Let grace expose the gap between what we say and what we live—and let the Spirit fill it.

Oxford theologian and Frontier’s teaching partner Michael Murray brings a brilliant and timely message from Judges 3 that blends faith, history, and archaeology.Drawing on his years of biblical scholarship and research at Oxford University, Michael traces the evidence for the Exodus—from ancient Egyptian inscriptions to the Amarna Letters—and shows how it all points to the trustworthiness of Scripture and the faithfulness of God.But this isn’t just an academic lecture. It’s a powerful reflection on how tribalism—in ancient Israel and in our modern world—tears us apart, and how Jesus, the true King, still unites what division destroys.If you’ve ever wrestled with doubt, history, or the credibility of faith, this message will deepen your trust in the Bible and stir fresh awe for the God who holds both truth and love together.Watch now and rediscover the beauty, evidence, and hope of the gospel.

Faith can feel costly right now—but curiosity is rising. From 1 Peter 3, we explore how followers of Jesus turn pressure into a platform:do good anyway, be ready to share your hope, and draw strength from Jesus’ story.This message is part of our fall series “Tell the Story, Live the Story,” built around six practices: Rooted • Your Story • Scripture • Hospitality • Justice • Sent.This week’s practices:1) Goodness as Witness — Respond with visible kindness where it costs you.2) Your 60-Second Hope Story — Practice sharing what Jesus has done in you.3) Strength from His Story — Pray daily: “Jesus, I live in Your story. Suffering, then glory.”Scripture: 1 Peter 3:13–18Watch more + resources: frontierchurch.us (Current Series)Podcast: Frontier Church Pasadena (Apple & Spotify)If this encouraged you, subscribe, share it with a friend, and tell us your “hope story” in the comments.

"The Door That Shouldn’t Be Open: Chosen for Holy Ground"A door we couldn’t force open—and didn’t—swung wide.Behind “They chose Frontier,” we heard the Father: “I chose you.”Message Summary:From living-room beginnings to a miracle LOI at St. James, this is a story of God’s initiative. Exodus 3 reminds us that God calls us by name and goes with us. This building isn’t for comfort; it’s a nest to send from—a launchpad for mission. Only a people secure in the Father’s love can resist idolatry and carry His presence into our city.Scripture: Exodus 3:1–12; John 15:16Remember: “One year for the next ten.”

This Sunday’s gathering was filled with powerful worship, joyful baby dedications, and a timely message from 2 Kings 5. Pastor Christian explored Naaman’s encounter with God—a story of shattered expectations, humbling grace, and courageous faith.Key themes from the message:-God shatters our illusions. He refuses to fit into our power structures, whether political, religious, or personal.-Grace humbles and heals. Like Naaman, we can’t buy or earn God’s favor; we must simply trust and receive.-Faith in a complicated world. God sends us back into our workplaces, neighborhoods, and relationships with humble courage and a clear witness.This is a call to surrender pride, receive God’s free grace, and carry His presence into everyday life.Watch or re-watch the full recording now and let God speak to you.

When the world feels chaotic and free speech is under attack, how do followers of Jesus stay bold and gentle at the same time?In this timely message Pastor Christian reflects on the tragic public-square shooting of Charlie Kirk and the deeper question it raises: what kind of nation—and what kind of church—will we be?From the American ideal of a “living document” to Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:17-19, we explore:-The Power of Words: why written truth shapes nations and hearts.-The Word of God: Jesus guarantees Scripture’s unshakable authority and fulfills every promise.-Why a Written Word Still Matters: authority that loves us enough to contradict us, unity in a fractured world, and power that transforms lives.This message calls us to non-anxious courage—to speak truth without violence, to defend the freedom of open dialogue, and to live under the loving authority of God’s Word.If you’ve wrestled with sharing your faith in a culture of “my truth” and cancel fear, this sermon will strengthen your spine and steady your heart.Watch now and rediscover why the Bible is credible, beautiful, and worth living—and even dying—for.

Every one of us is living by a story. Some chase value through performance, appearance, or approval. Others try to restore themselves by fixing what’s broken or pretending it doesn’t matter. But Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5 — those stories don’t work.The gospel offers something better: the Great Exchange. In Christ, our sin, shame, and failure are taken up by Him — and we receive His righteousness, honor, and new creation life. That’s the story that works.In this message we explore:-Why our cultural story of value leaves us empty.-Why our human story of restoration falls short.-How the Great Exchange changes everything: restoration, transformation, and a mission to live and tell the story.Through Paul’s theology and Jesus’ parable of the prodigal son — even Rembrandt’s masterpiece painting — we see the fullness of the gospel come alive: a Father who runs to embrace us, restore us, and send us.This is the story that actually works.This is the story you were made to live — and the story you were sent to tell.

This week at Frontier Church we launched our Fall series: Live the Story, Tell the Story.Pastor Christian opened with Psalms 1 and 150—the bookends of the Psalms that capture the whole story of Scripture. Psalm 1 shows us the root: true fulfillment isn’t about luck, hustle, or circumstances—it comes from being planted in God’s Word and presence. Psalm 150 shows us the fruit: a life rooted in God always overflows in praise that tells His story to the world.In this message you’ll discover:-Why so many of us feel restless even when life is going “well.”-The difference between superficial faith and a rooted life.-How God redefines prosperity—not as success, but as resilience, stability, and fruitfulness under pressure.-Why mission isn’t an add-on but the natural overflow of a rooted life.The call is simple but challenging: before we can tell the story of Jesus, we have to live it. Roots before fruit. Presence before pressure.Watch the full message and ask yourself:Where am I really rooted right now?What am I looking to for fulfillment that never lasts?What would it look like for my life to overflow in praise this week?Join us in the journey of living the story of Jesus—rooted in Him, sent for others.

Trust the Story: Jesus on the Road of Disappointment (Luke 24)On one of our hottest Sundays yet, Sue preached from Luke 24:13–35 (the road to Emmaus), asking: Where do you go when life doesn’t turn out how you hoped? Two discouraged disciples walk away from promise and community—yet the risen Jesus draws near, listens, opens the Scriptures, reveals Himself at the table, and sends them back with burning hearts.Through Scripture and candid personal stories, Sue shows how Jesus:Meets us on the road of disappointment—He doesn’t wait for us to “get back to Jerusalem.”Rewrites our story through His Word and presence—reframing “good” as being formed into Christ (Rom 8:28–29).Sends us on mission—encounter naturally overflows into witness and return to community.Practices for the Week:-Name your “we had hoped.” Bring one concrete disappointment to Jesus.-Look for Him in the ordinary. When something “rubs,” treat it as an invitation to a conversation with God.-Let Him confront your narratives. Ask, “What story am I living by—fear, control, or the gospel?”-Walk with Scripture daily. Open the Bible and read it until it reads you.-Return to community with your story. Share your encounter to strengthen another’s faith.Key Scriptures: Luke 24:13–35; Hebrews 4:16; Romans 8:28–29; 1 Peter 2:17.Watch and be encouraged: Jesus is already walking your road—and He won’t leave you where He finds you.

The Altar Is Open: Part Two – When Worship Walks With YouIn this week’s message, we explore what happens when worship doesn’t stay at the altar but walks with you into the battles and decisions of life.From the story of Joshua and the walls of Jericho, we see that breakthrough doesn’t come through human effort or clever strategy, but through worship-filled obedience. Israel didn’t bring the walls down with their strength — they fell because God’s presence went ahead of them.In the same way, true worship isn’t just what we sing on Sunday. It’s the posture that carries us into Monday — into our workplaces, families, and challenges. Worship re-centers us, changes how we see our battles, and releases God’s power into impossible situations.Key themes from this message:Worship is more than a song — it’s a way of walking with God.The walls in your life won’t fall by striving, but by surrender.God’s presence transforms ordinary steps of obedience into extraordinary breakthroughs.What starts at the altar must go with us into the week.

The Altar Is Open — What Kind of Worshiper Will You Be?Before launching our new teaching series, we’re taking two weeks to focus on one of Frontier’s core foundations: worship. Whether you’ve been lifting your hands for years or you’ve never sung out loud in church, there’s more. In Exodus 33, God’s people had to decide: would they be content to watch from a distance, or would they step out, step in, linger long, and refuse to move without Him?In this message, Pastor Christian unpacks six powerful invitations from Exodus 33 to step into the fullness of worship — not as a momentary high, but as a way of life. Through stories from church history, a personal encounter at Times Square Church, and the example of Moses and Joshua, we see that God’s presence is our rest, our identity, and our life.The altar is open. The question is: will you move from watching to meeting Him?