Jesus says "Follow Me" 18-20 times in the Gospels. But in 2026, who are we actually following? Our politicians? Our favorite influencers? Our denominational heroes? Our pastors?

In this challenging message from the "All That I've Commanded You" series, Pastor Zach confronts one of the most uncomfortable truths in Christianity: following Jesus means giving up everything else.

We're wired to follow. We follow politicians, podcasters, thought leaders, and movements. We click "follow" on social media and consume everything they say. But Jesus makes it clear:

"If you want to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me" (Luke 9:23).

THE HARD TRUTH:
A cross isn't a minor inconvenience, it's an execution device. Following Jesus means everything you were before Him dies. Daily. No exceptions.

KEY PASSAGES EXPLORED:
Luke 9:23 - Take up your cross DAILY
Luke 14:25-35 - Count the cost before you follow
Luke 18:18-27 - The rich young ruler who couldn't let go
1 Corinthians 1 - Stop saying "I follow Paul" or "I follow Apollos"
John 14:6 & Matthew 7:13-14 - The narrow way is as wide as Jesus

THE CHALLENGE:
When you follow someone who's not following Jesus, even if they're "Christ-adjacent," you are NOT following Jesus. The path diverges. Even 30 degrees off course leads you miles away from Him over time.
This applies to:

✓ Your political party
✓ Your favorite Christian authors
✓ Your podcast hosts
✓ Your denominational leaders (Lutheran, Calvinist, Wesleyan, etc.)
✓ Even your own church and pastor

BIBLICAL LEADERSHIP:
Real leaders don't say "follow me." They say what Paul said: "Imitate me as I imitate Christ" (1 Corinthians 11:1). If they step out of line with Christ, you don't follow, you bring correction. Leaders shepherd you back to Jesus; they don't build their own following.

THE LITMUS TEST:
Are their feet pointing toward Christ or another direction?
Are they humble or egocentric?
Do they point to Jesus or to themselves?
Do they say "He must increase, I must decrease" (John 3:30)?

BOTTOM LINE:
Stop standing behind politicians, influencers, denominations, or movements. Stand behind Jesus. Period. Our citizenship is in heaven. Our King is Christ. Everyone else is just noise.

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👍 Like if this convicted you (in a good way)
💬 Who have you been following instead of Jesus? Be honest in the comments

What does it really mean to believe in Jesus?
Is it just intellectual agreement, or is there something more?

In the first message of our new sermon series "All That I've Commanded You," Pastor Randy unpacks Jesus' command to "believe the gospel" and reveals why belief is so much more than just accepting facts.

Spoiler: Even demons believe the facts about God, and they tremble. So what makes Christian belief different?

Starting with the Great Commission (Matthew 28), Pastor Randy breaks down Jesus' unique commands into five categories and focuses on the very first one: believe.

Drawing from John 14, James 2, and multiple healing miracles, this message challenges us to move from intellectual assent to life-aligning faith.

KEY INSIGHTS:
- The 5 main groupings of Jesus' 74 commands
- Why "believe" and "faith" are the same Greek word
- The difference between believing THAT and believing IN
- What Jesus meant when He said "believe in me"
- Why the opposite of faith isn't doubt, it's fear
- How communion connects us to Christ in a tangible way

MAIN SCRIPTURE:
Matthew 28:18-20 (Great Commission)
Mark 1:14-15 (Repent and believe)
John 14:1-14 (Believe in God, believe in me)
James 2:19 (Even demons believe)
Matthew 8:5-13 & 9:27-30 (Faith brings healing)

THE CHALLENGE:
Has your faith been merely intellectual?
What area of your life needs to come under the Lordship of Jesus?
Spend time with that question this week.

🔔 Subscribe for the full "All That I've Commanded You" series
👍 Like if you're ready to move from belief THAT to belief IN

💬 Comment: What's one area where you need to align your life with Jesus?

0:00 - Introduction & Series Launch
3:00 - Jesus' 74 Unique Commands
4:00 - Five Main Groupings of Commands
6:00 - Command #1: Believe the Gospel
8:00 - James 2:19 - Even Demons Believe
9:00 - Belief Includes Repentance & Action
12:00 - Thomas Asks: "Where Are You Going?"
14:30 - Believe THAT vs. Believe IN
16:00 - Aligning Your Life With Jesus
18:30 - Believing in His Name = Receiving Him
19:00 - Faith and Healing Miracles
21:00 - What Faith Is NOT
22:00 - The Opposite of Faith Is Fear
25:00 - What Does Jesus Mean by "Believe in Me"?
26:00 - Application: How Do I Believe?
32:00 - Outro

#GreenvilleIN #JohnsonCountyIN #IndianapolisChurch #SouthSideIndy #GreaterGreenville #IndianaChurch #BelieveInJesus #AllThatIveCommandedYou #GreatCommission #NewHopeChurch #FaithInAction #ChristianFaith #BelieveTheGospel #SermonSeries #NewTestamentCommands

What did Jesus really mean when He said "On this rock I will build my church"?

In the final message of our Vision Series, Pastor Randy challenges two traditional interpretations and introduces a third that transforms this familiar passage into a battle cry.

Matthew 16:13-20 takes place at Caesarea Philippi, at the foothills of Mount Hermon, a location ancient Jews believed was where Genesis 6 occurred, where fallen angels descended to corrupt humanity. Greek mythology taught that natural springs there were the literal "gates of hell" leading to Hades. This was the center of evil in their world.

And Jesus said: This is where I'll build my church.

The church goes where it's hardest. Always has. From the Black Plague to Nazi Germany, from the slums of Calcutta to closed nations today, the church invades Satan's kingdom at its darkest points. The gates of hell cannot prevail.

This message asks: Where is YOUR Mount Hermon? Where is it hardest for you? That's where you start. That's where it begins.

WHEN: Now
WHERE: The hardest place
WHO: You

What are you waiting for?

Visit becomehope.com to learn more about New Hope Church.

Why does New Hope emphasize small groups so much? And if small groups are where discipleship truly happens, what's the point of Sunday morning services? In this message from our Vision Series, Pastor Randy answers these questions by going back to the early church in Acts.

KEY POINTS:

The early church had BOTH corporate meetings and house gatherings

Why we meet on Sundays

Three purposes of corporate worship from Hebrews 10

Our vision for teaching: Biblical, checkable, transformative

Our vision for outreach: Being the best church FOR the community

Our vision for encouragement: Get involved, don't just attend

The story of why one family chose New Hope

SCRIPTURE REFERENCES:

Acts 2:46-47

Hebrews 10:19-25

2 Timothy 3:16-17

John 16:33

Whether you're new to New Hope or have been here for years, this message clarifies why we do what we do and invites you to get involved in both small groups AND Sunday gatherings.

🔔 Subscribe for weekly sermons from New Hope Church

👍 Like if you believe in both small groups and corporate worship

💬 Comment: Are you part of a small group? If not, what's holding you back?

COMPANION PODCASTS:

Daily Devotional: "Let's Find Out Together"

Apologetics: "Salty Saints"

Visit: becomehope.com

Location: South side of Indianapolis

#NewHopeChurch #ChurchVision #SmallGroups #CorporateWorship #SundayMorning #ChurchCommunity #Acts2 #Hebrews10 #BiblicalChurch #ChurchPurpose

Showing up on Sunday isn't enough. The early church devoted themselves to teaching, fellowship, breaking bread, and prayer, DAILY. Pastor Zack challenges us: Are you living half the Christian life? Why small groups aren't optional. Acts 2:42-47, Ephesians 2:1-10.

CHAPTERS:

0:00 Introduction: DONE Series Returns

1:00 What Is Church Really About?

3:00 Bad Theology Leads to a Contorted Gospel

5:00 Ephesians 2:1-10 - You Were Dead, Now Alive

8:00 The Church Is the Portrait of Christ Restoring Creation

9:00 Acts 2:42-47 - The Early Church Model

11:00 Is This What Church Looks Like Today?

12:00 What Does "Devote" Mean?

14:00 You're Living Half the Christian Walk

16:00 Every Pastor Struggles With Small Groups

17:00 Sunday Is the Golf Game - Small Groups Are the Range

18:00 James 5:16 - Confess Your Sins to Each Other

19:00 Hebrews 3:12-13 - Encourage One Another Daily

20:00 Romans 15:14 - Instruct One Another

21:00 How Many Are Stuck in the Same Sin Forever?

23:00 1 Corinthians 14:26 - Each of You Has Something

24:00 Sunday Morning vs Small Group Gatherings

25:00 1 Corinthians 12:12-14 - Many Parts, One Body

26:00 What Goes Wrong With Small Groups

28:00 Talk to Each Other Daily - Don't Condense It

29:00 Don't Just Watch DVDs - Read the BIBLE Together

31:00 Check What Pastors Say Against Scripture

32:00 The Holy Spirit Will Teach You All Things

33:00 Simple Communities - No Single Teacher

35:00 Jesus' Model: 70, 12, and 3

36:00 Do You Have Accountability?

37:00 My Friend Luke and the Gym Accountability

38:00 My Friend Mike and the Diet Accountability

40:00 Communion

42:00 Closing Prayer

WHERE IS YOUR FOCUS?

What you look at is what you believe. Just like the Israelites looked at the bronze serpent to live, we must fix our eyes on Jesus, the One lifted up for us.

But what's distracting you? Your phone? Your hobbies? Your worries?

Pastor Zack challenges us to cut out the distractions and start 2026 with our eyes on Jesus.

📖 Numbers 21, John 3, Matthew 6, Colossians 3

👉 WATCH NOW and take the challenge: What needs to go in your life so you can see Jesus clearly?

#DistractionsFromGod #Matthew6 #Colossians3 #SetYourMinds #SeeJesus #NewYearFocus #ChristianLiving #SurrenderAll #CutOutDistractions #HealthyEyes #SingleFocus #SeekFirstTheKingdom #DontWorry #TrustGod #2026Challenge

✨ THE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS YOU SEE EVERYWHERE

From Martin Luther's candles to modern LED strings, Christmas lights have always represented the Star of Bethlehem.

In this message, Pastor Randy unpacks:
- Who were the Wise Men (and why they matter)
- What the Star of Bethlehem really was
- Why Jesus calls Himself "the bright morning star"
- How YOU are called to be a light pointing to Jesus

Jesus said: "Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."

This Christmas, don't just hang lights. BE a light.

📖 Matthew 2:1-12, Matthew 5:14-16, Revelation 22:16

#ChristmasLights #StarOfBethlehem #SymbolsOfChristmas #LetYourLightShine #NewHopeChurch

THE ANGEL ON YOUR CHRISTMAS TREE

We see it every year, an angel sitting on top of the Christmas tree. But have you ever stopped to ask WHY?

In this powerful, Pastor Zack unpacks:
- What angels REALLY look like (not what pop culture says)
- Why Mary and the shepherds were terrified
- The gospel message angels announced
- What Christmas bells actually symbolize
- YOUR role as God's messenger today

These aren't just decorations. They're powerful symbols that should remind you of:
- God's protection and presence
- The birth of the Savior
- Your calling to share the gospel

This Christmas, slow down. Reflect. Remember what these symbols truly mean.

Scripture: Luke 1:26-38, Luke 2:8-15
Series: Symbols of Christmas (Week 2)

#ChristmasAngels #SymbolsOfChristmas #AdventSeries #NewHopeChurch