Circuit Riders Podcasts

Sam Storms breaks down how, if you’re in Christ, there’s no reason to live under condemnation—once you give your life to God, you’re redeemed for good. He explains that while we may feel condemned at times, it’s just a lie from the enemy that we need to actively call out. This freedom, though, is only for those who follow Jesus; God remains Holy, Just, and the ultimate Judge. Sam then lists 12 things God does with our sins and 3 things He will never do—driving home that there is truly no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus.

Nick Brennt breaks down the difference between Jesus and religion, explaining how easy it is to misrepresent Jesus when we get stuck in religious rules. He describes two voices—God’s and Religion’s—and explains that we can tell them apart based on their fruit in our lives. That religion leads to judgment and division, while God’s voice brings life. Using the story of the woman caught in adultery from John 8, Nick shows that religion treats people as enemies, while God calls us to love everyone. Mercy, he says, is the opposite of religion. We can check how religious our own hearts become by how much we seek mercy for others over judgment. To truly represent Jesus in a world full of anger, we need to be all about loving people in every situation.

Derek Mack breaks down John 13, highlighting God’s overwhelming love for us—so big that it’s beyond our ability to fully comprehend. He explains the significance of Jesus washing the disciples’ feet, noting that it was considered the lowest job in society at the time. As he describes the context of this event, he shows how this is a foreshadowing of the Cross. Derek boldly states, “you don’t serve God, God serves you,” and supports this by showing how Jesus’ love on the cross is an act of service to us, and that He has always been working for our well-being. He challenges the listener by stating that this love should inspire us to love the world in radical ways, just as Jesus asks in John 13. Derek finishes by preaching the gospel and inviting people to enter a relationship with God, encouraging them to experience His powerful love.

Zach Nash emphasizes the significance of our words, showing how the Bible consistently teaches that speaking in faith has a real impact. In Matthew 17:14-20, Jesus instructs us to speak to the mountains in our lives and believe they will move—not for personal gain, but for the good of others and ourselves. Zach highlights the power of Jesus’ name, noting that speaking it with faith is a powerful act. While faith doesn’t guarantee specific outcomes, it draws us closer to God, who will move on our behalf, often in ways we don’t expect. Our role is to speak to the mountain and trust in God’s power to move it. Zach concludes by leading the room in intercession, encouraging everyone to speak to the mountains in their lives with faith.

Nick Brennt breaks down the difference between being religious and having a relationship with Jesus. He emphasizes that true faith in Jesus is about heart posture and relationship, not religious duty or checked boxes. Teaching from the story of the rich young ruler in Luke 18, he explains that Jesus asks us for our genuine surrender, not just behavioral modification. Nick identifies three key things we miss when we follow religion instead of Jesus and points out that our life’s goal shouldn’t be to “appease” God but to have communion with Him. He ends his message with a call to fully surrender to Jesus, inviting listeners to let go of control and embrace the journey with God.

Zach Nash speaks on the importance of prayer and how it establishes our connection with God. He points out how the disciples, despite witnessing Jesus perform incredible miracles, asked Him to teach them how to pray-recognizing that prayer is the key to intentional connection with God. He explains how prayer restores the unhindered access to God that was lost in the Garden, when we had complete freedom to communicate and connect with the Father. Jesus modeled this through His constant prayers and habit of withdrawing from people to spend time with God. Zach then reads the story of the Samaritan woman who finally found the right well in Jesus. He points out that we often turn to the wrong “wells” such as fame, money, or relationships although these ultimately leave us thirsty for more. Only by drinking from the well of God’s presence through prayer are our priorities reordered, and our deepest thirst truly quenched. Zach ends his message by praying for the listener to experience a fresh encounter with God that

Frank Damazio joins us for a special Monday Night message titled “Something Hidden In the Clay”, based on Jeremiah 18. He explains the meaning behind Jeremiah’s revelation upon seeing a potter shaping clay. Frank highlights that, even when we feel like failures or see ourselves as flawed, we are still in the hands of a loving God who isn’t finished with us yet. Just as the Potter can reshape messed-up clay, God can transform our lives, seeing greatness where we see only brokenness. Historical figures like Peter, Paul, and John Newton demonstrate how God has used the seemingly broken and insignificant to achieve remarkable things. He concludes his message with an invitation for fresh surrender, encouraging everyone to allow God to mold them into something new and purposeful.

Nick Brennt preaches on authenticity and the importance of keeping our faith from becoming a “checklist.” He highlights how, in our pursuit of authenticity, we often turn inward, elevating our individuality, values, and beliefs to the level of modern-day idols. To be truly authentic Christians, we must have hearts burning with love for Jesus and consistently reflect that through our actions. Nick emphasizes that it’s not about following a list of rights and wrongs, but about being so in love with Jesus that we naturally want to look and act like Him—something that only comes through honesty and surrender. He concludes the message by listing three main markers of authenticity and challenges us to reflect on whether we are being genuine in these areas.

In this sermon based on Matthew 7:13-29, Derek Mack speaks on how to be an authentic Christian in a world of inauthenticity. He discusses the two paths in life: the wide, easy path and the narrow, difficult road, emphasizing that everyone must choose one. In choosing the narrow way, Christians must give up their right to be passive and choose a life of inward and outward expression. Derek explains the difference between just listening to God’s word and truly living it out. Authentic faith is not just about outward expressions but also about inward transformation. Because true faith is based on a relationship with God and knowing His voice, Derek concludes the message with three practical steps for moving from being mere listeners to active doers of the word.

Zach Nash concludes our series on The Beatitudes with a message on Matthew 5:10-16. He begins by reading John 18, emphasizing Jesus’ teaching that Christians live in an upside-down kingdom. Zach reiterates that the Beatitudes are about dethroning our ways of thinking and allowing God’s ways to reign and rule our hearts. He explores the promise of persecution, explaining that while various forms of persecution are promised to all believers, Jesus is with us through it all. He highlights that, as believers reflecting Jesus, we are the hope of the world, acting as salt and light. Zach concludes his message with a call to every believer to offer a fresh surrender to the will of God and to embrace the call to bring hope to the world through the Gospel.

Nick Brennt speaks on Matthew 5:7 and the Beatitude “Blessed are the merciful”. He reveals the transformative power of mercy in addressing personal and societal brokenness. He defines what brokenness is and explores the most common types of brokenness we see in our world today. He concludes that the only solution to the deep brokenness in our society is more mercy, contrary to popular belief. The first, and most influential example of this, is Jesus on the cross. He breaks down how Jesus’ example on the cross demonstrates a radical, mercy-driven approach to healing and Godly justice-as opposed to the worldly standard of revenge and self-made justice. He ends his message by praying for everyone to receive an outpouring of God’s mercy in specific areas of their lives.

Derek Mack teaches on meekness, the third beatitude, by redefining it through Jesus’ teachings instead of our cultural understanding. He presents meekness as a form of strength rooted in humility and submission to God. He challenges the cultural norms that idolize power, advocating instead for selflessness and servant hood . By embracing this kind of meekness, we we reflect Jesus more accurately. Derek ends his message by urging the listener to embody these countercultural principles in a world often driven by pride and self-interest.

Zach Nash teaches on the second Beatitude, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted,” highlighting the significance of mourning over sin. He emphasizes that true repentance involves a deep sorrow that leads to a genuine turning towards Jesus and a desire for restoration. Zach shares personal experiences of transformation through God’s forgiveness, illustrating repentance as a continual lifestyle rather than a one-time event. Ultimately, the message invites readers to embrace repentance as a pathway to a deeper relationship with God.

Zach and Kayla Nash discuss dating and address some of the most frequently asked questions about relationships. They begin by defining biblical marriage and emphasize that dating, while not intended to be high pressure, should be approached with the intention towards marriage and building a God-ordained partnership to advance the Kingdom of Heaven. Some of the questions covered in this session include: “Do you believe in ‘The One’?”, “How can you avoid over-spiritualizing relationships?”, “Should a Christian date a non-Christian?”, “Can a girl pursue a guy?” and more! They also explore key indicators to determine your readiness for a relationship. The Q&A concludes with the emphasis that whether you are ready for a relationship or not, completeness comes from God, not from a significant other.

Nick Brennt speaks on the vital role of healthy friendships in our lives and warns against the dangers of toxic relationships. He begins by highlighting the spiritual significance of nurturing healthy relationships. Nick explains that while there are people with bad intentions who engage in abusive behavior—and advises seeking professional support in such situations—we should adhere to “the golden rule” in our relationships. Rather than judging others by their worst moments, Nick reminds us of our shared humanity, acknowledging that everyone faces challenges and can sometimes be a bad friend. He addresses resolving unhealthy friendships with two main points: setting boundaries and engaging in courageous conversations. Nick identifies and elaborates on five common types of unhealthy friendships, offering insights into recognizing and navigating these dynamics. He concludes the message with practical tips for initiating courageous conversations to effectively address relational issues.

Questions from the sermon are found at the bottom of the description. Nick Brennt teaches about friendship and the process of making new friends as an adult. He talks about how awkward it sometimes is to make friendships as an adult and explains how necessary and important it is as we get older to hold on to our friends. Nick goes into 1 Samuel to look at the friendship between King David and Jonathan, King Saul's son and how their friendship grew towards one another. He then gives practicals on how to find a good friends and how to develop friendships with them. Round 1 Who are your 5 closest friends? Who are your 15 homies? :) Round 2 Are you a Person of Conviction? Are you learning/developing new interests and growing as a person? Are you too guarded or too vulnerable? Do you have a clear mission in life or a sense of adventure? Round 3 Are you living full-on for Jesus? Do you want to invest time in building relationships? Do you want covenant relationships? What commitments do y

Derek Mack speaks on the current loneliness epidemic and the importance of biblical friendship. He begins his message by giving statistics about loneliness and its detrimental effects on our health. He also warns us that despite being more connected than ever, Gen Z is the loneliest generation ever recorded. Derek explains how friendship is God-ordained, and essential according to the bible. As believers, we’re called to live in community with each other and to give our lives to our friends, just as Jesus did for us, as the ultimate display of the gospel for the world. Derek clearly defines what friendship is-outward focused love that initiates with others. He then gives 3 practical examples of how to make friends and encourages the listener to put all of these into practice immediately. He ends the message by sharing 4 attributes that mark a true and loyal friend, and he asks the audience to reflect on those attributes and identify which they are weakest in.

Derek Mack speaks on what it means to be a biblically masculine man. He opens up the message by addressing the women listening: he acknowledges that potentially, men have used the idea of masculinity to hurt them in the past. He emphasizes that this message will redefine the term masculinity and give a more accurate example of what a real man should be. He then highlights 2 reasons why a message on masculinity is relevant to women. Derek breaks down what he believes biblical masculinity is, based on 1 Corinthians 16. He goes step by step on how men can embrace biblical masculinity according to this verse in 5 key areas of their lives. Derek then gives stats on why the issue of defining masculinity is important, and how men today are affected when they don’t know their identity. He ends the message by encouraging men to actively fight to reclaim true manhood in a world desperate for authentic masculinity.

Nick Brennt ends our series on Philippians by teaching from Philippians 4:10-13. He gives statistics on the current mental health crisis affecting Gen Z, highlighting how anxiety has risen a significant amount in the past decade. He narrows down the most common roots of anxiety to 3 main areas of society/our personal lives. Nick then explains Paul’s 3 solutions to anxiety from his letter to the Philippian church: to value Christ above all things, to prayer often, and to set your mind on the things of Heaven, not the world. Nick expands on all 3 of these solutions, giving examples of how they will affect our everyday life when we step into each biblical principle. He ends the message by demonstrating 3 practical exercises you can use to help get rid of anxiety.

Continuing the series in Philippians, Chase Cofer explores the intersection of godly ambition and overcoming anxiety. Drawing from the examples of heroes of the faith, he highlights the importance of focusing on God’s vision amidst challenging circumstances. By discerning between godly and selfish ambition, we confront the prevalent issue of anxiety and discover the solution in rejoicing, prayer, and seeking more of Jesus. He invites us on this transformative journey toward peace, purpose, and fulfillment in God.