The Locker Room
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© Crossroads Bible Church
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Breaking down sermons, stories, and Scripture to prepare Crossroads and beyond for the race of our faith.
152 Episodes
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We sit down with Crossroads Pastor of Multiplication Jason Botbyl and his wife Julie, along with Crossroads Tech Director Charlie, to reflect on what God has been doing through the Saturday night service and the ongoing work of multiplication at Crossroads.Using Acts 20 as our backdrop- the emotional farewell of Paul to the Ephesian elders- we explore the beauty and difficulty of sacred goodbyes in the life of the church. Moments of sending are never easy, yet they are often the places where God’s faithfulness, mission, and love become most visible.Together we talk about what God has been stirring in this season of ministry for them; the tears and joy that come with gospel-centered sending; how multiplication reflects the heart of the Good Shepherd; and why faithful goodbyes are often the best beginnings.
In early 2022, almost no one believed war would come to Ukraine—but God warned one pastor to prepare.In this episode, we hear the remarkable story of Pastor Sergey Lysak, founder of Father’s House Church in Kyiv, and how God used obedience, faith, and courage to bring hope in the middle of war. As Russian troops gathered on Ukraine’s border, God showed Sergey that invasion was coming and told him to prepare his church. He gave them a choice: leave now—or stay and commit to being a blessing to a suffering nation.When Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, the church was ready. They mobilized food, medicine, and supplies, bringing aid into Kyiv’s underground Metro stations where tens of thousands sought shelter. As homes were destroyed, they pioneered a solution—prefabricated tiny homes that could be delivered and installed in a single day, providing warmth and safety to displaced families.After placing 100 tiny homes, God spoke again: “These people need a church.” What followed was extraordinary—four churches planted during wartime, all made up of mostly new believers who had never known Jesus. Churches now stand in devastated communities, on former front lines, and in areas of Kyiv with no prior gospel presence. Through year-end 2024 giving, Crossroads even funded the building of an entire church in Skybyn, one of these strategic new communities which is almost complete.This conversation is a powerful reminder that even in war, the gospel advances—and the harvest is ready.
In the pursuit of God’s Kingdom here on earth, weariness can come and go as a reality for the Christian. This week we sit down with our associate pastor Nate and is wife Jana, along with Crossroads worship pastor RJ to press into a discussion around the text of Acts 18. Through the journey of the Apostle Paul and the personal confrontation he has with his own weariness, we explore the elements of encouragement he discovers in Corinth and unpack how these same truths are accessible and available to the Christ follower today.
We sit down with Charlie Gretzinger (Crossroads Tech Director) as we step into the world of the early church and follow Paul into the cultural pressure cooker of Thessalonica and Athens. We explore the twin “tsunamis” that confronted the gospel: religious nationalism that turned faith inward and proud, and Hellenism that exalted success, self, and material glory. These forces shaped the opposition Paul faced and mirror the pressures believers still experience today.As Paul reasons in the marketplace and stands before the Areopagus, we see a model for taking faith into the public square—engaging ideas, culture, and power centers with clarity and courage. Beginning with God as Creator and confronting the city’s idols, Paul exposes how false gods enslave human desires and distort our understanding of life, purpose, and truth.Preacher: Rod VanSolkemaText: Acts 17Sermon Link: HERE
The Kingdom of Heaven is Like... Lily and Karl's Story. Lilly was raised in a genuine Christian home who walked through childhood trauma, years of anxiety, spiritual torment, and ultimately, profound freedom in Christ. From sexual abuse and the suicide of a close friend to a decade-long battle with fear and spiritual oppression, Lily shares how she learned that being a child of God doesn’t make you immune to spiritual attack—it puts you on the front lines of it.Through Scripture, community, and Freedom in Faith Ministries she grew in her understanding of the authority she had in Christ. Lily discovered what it means to “take back ground” the enemy had stolen and to reclaim her identity, no longer defined by fear but by Christ.The episode also features Karl, a filmmaker with a decades-long calling to tell “Kingdom Stories,” who shares how God orchestrated the timing, relationships, and vision that led to Lily’s story being told through film and podcast. In a beautiful picture of divine alignment, Karl and Lily both attended Crossroads, sitting only about ten feet from each other—yet they didn’t know one another. All the while, God was preparing both of them: Lily to be set free and to share her story, and Karl to be ready to tell it.Rooahk Films: Rooahk is a digital platform using visual storytelling to showcase the movement of God, working with the Holy Spirit to speak into people’s lives. On our YouTube channel you'll find short films, podcast conversations and more, where we observe people's real life experiences, exploring how their lives have been transformed.Freedom in Faith Ministries: Serving the Greater Grand Rapids community and beyond by bringing the hope of Jesus Christ to those who are hurting through biblical counseling.
Acts 16 places three people in the same story who should never be in the same room: a wealthy entrepreneur, a demonized slave girl, and a Roman jailer. Different status. Different wounds. Different levels of power. Yet each one carries the same desperate need for rescue. In this episode, we explore how all three answer the Macedonian cry, “Come help us,” and how God still pursues the achiever who is empty, the broken who are bound, and the comfortable who are spiritually asleep — bringing them not only to Christ, but into one family through the cross.
Was Paul or the early church really arguing against Judaism itself—or against a regression that threatened the unity of Jew and Gentile in Christ? Was the New Perspective right about Second Temple Judaism, and was the Radical New Perspective right to insist that real differences between Jewish and Gentile believers continued after conversion?Galatians Reconsidered is a compelling and practical exploration of these questions through the writings of the Apostle Paul. Drawing from Neil Martin’s work, this podcast re-examines justification, the tension between faith and works, and the ways Paul envisioned Jews and Gentiles relating differently—and faithfully—to the Law.By re-situating the text in its original Jewish and pagan context, Martin exposes the pressures facing the Galatian churches and the church in Acts 15 and shows why Paul’s letter remains urgent for the church today. Each episode not only deepens our understanding of justification, but presses listeners to wrestle with how theology shapes communal life, belonging, and faithfulness.Preacher: Tryg VekerText: Acts 15Sermon Link: HERE
Preacher: Brent BeckerText: Mark 8:22-30Sermon Link: HERE
This episode is the first in a new series titled “The Kingdom of Heaven Is Like…”, where we celebrate organic stories of God’s Kingdom breaking out through the ordinary and mundane parts of life. This story is about how an Advent Bible study started with a simple nudge from God—and turned into something way bigger than expected.Back in 2024, Maddy felt prompted to gather a few people to walk through Advent together. It was meaningful, life-giving, and didn’t feel finished. Then, months later on a summer run, the idea came back. Melinda would write a new Advent study, and Maddy would handle the logistics—sign-ups, groups, meeting spots, and making the whole thing actually happen.Now there are 56 people, five small groups, a kickoff night, weeks of shared Scripture, a caroling and worship night, and one final gathering to close it all out.This conversation is about small beginnings, shared leadership, and how God builds community through ordinary obedience. The Kingdom of Heaven is like… people saying yes and showing up together.
In this series of 3 special year-end episodes, we celebrate the stories of God’s faithfulness across three ministries that embody our core values.Worship: Visible Church, a new church plant led by former Young Adults Pastor Gabe Hartfield, pursuing a community wholeheartedly centered on Jesus.Community: Living Waters Ministry, walking intentionally with men coming out of incarceration through housing, employment support, discipleship, and true belonging.Mission: Amiina Ministries in Uganda, where Kevin and Marcy Smith are restoring hope, rebuilding lives, and raising up a generation to break cycles of poverty and strengthen families.As we reflect on how God has worked this year, we invite you to prayerfully consider partnering through year-end giving so these ministries can continue to flourish.GIVE HERE
In this series of 3 special year-end episodes, we celebrate the stories of God’s faithfulness across three ministries that embody our core values.Worship: Visible Church, a new church plant led by former Young Adults Pastor Gabe Hartfield, pursuing a community wholeheartedly centered on Jesus.Community: Living Waters Ministry, walking intentionally with men coming out of incarceration through housing, employment support, discipleship, and true belonging.Mission: Amiina Ministries in Uganda, where Kevin and Marcy Smith are restoring hope, rebuilding lives, and raising up a generation to break cycles of poverty and strengthen families.As we reflect on how God has worked this year, we invite you to prayerfully consider partnering through year-end giving so these ministries can continue to flourish.GIVE HERE
In this episode, we look at Acts 12 and the two essential dispositions that make prayer powerful: “I have need, and I am dependent,” and “God, You are powerful and the only One who can change this reality.” As Peter sits chained in a prison cell and the church gathers to pray through the night, we see a picture of prayer that is both deeply humble and boldly expectant—people admitting their helplessness while trusting completely in God’s ability to break chains, open doors, and rewrite what seems impossible. But even when God answers, they're response is refreshingly human. This story invites us to recover a posture of prayer that is desperate, confident, and alive to God’s surprising interventions.Preacher: Rod VanSolkemaText: Acts 13Sermon Link: HERE
In this series of 3 special year-end episodes, we celebrate the stories of God’s faithfulness across three ministries that embody our core values.Worship: Visible Church, a new church plant led by former Young Adults Pastor Gabe Hartfield, pursuing a community wholeheartedly centered on Jesus.Community: Living Waters Ministry, walking intentionally with men coming out of incarceration through housing, employment support, discipleship, and true belonging.Mission: Amiina Ministries in Uganda, where Kevin and Marcy Smith are restoring hope, rebuilding lives, and raising up a generation to break cycles of poverty and strengthen families.As we reflect on how God has worked this year, we invite you to prayerfully consider partnering through year-end giving so these ministries can continue to flourish.GIVE HERE
In this Advent episode, we sit down with pastor and author A.J. Sherrill to explore his reflections on Zechariah from Rediscovering Christmas. Together we talk about how Zechariah’s long season of waiting, disappointment, and unexpected silence reveals the often hidden ways God forms us. A.J. shares why God’s delays aren’t denials, how silence can become a gift rather than a punishment, and what it means to rediscover hope when prayers seem unanswered. Many of us have lived in the tension between faith and frustration, and this conversation will invite you to slow down, listen deeply, and receive Advent as a season of quiet transformation.Preacher: AJ SherrillText: Luke 1Sermon Link: HERE
In this episode, we sit down with a local Calvin College football coach Lamar Bell whose journey—from discipling athletes on campus to serving kids at Crossroads —embodies the very heart of ongoing conversion. Using Acts 10 as our backdrop, we explore how true conversion is more than moral improvement or theological precision; it is spiritual rebirth where God’s kingdom breaks into everyday life. Through the stories of Saul, Cornelius, and Peter, we see how God transforms the religious, the powerful, and even seasoned leaders with lingering blind spots. Our conversation with the coach shows how this same transforming work continues today—in locker rooms, in children’s ministry, and across diverse communities.Preacher: Rod VanSolekmaText: Acts 10-11Sermon Link: HERE
In Acts 9, Saul’s encounter with the risen Christ on the road to Damascus marks one of the most dramatic transformations in all of Scripture — but it’s more than a story of conversion; it’s a story of being undone and remade. We explore how true conversion always begins with a personal encounter with God that shatters pride, exposes sin, and births new life.We’ll trace Saul’s journey from zealous persecutor to humbled apostle, unpacking how his blindness became a symbol of spiritual death and resurrection, and how God’s grace pursued him even in rebellion. This conversation invites you to reflect on your own story of transformation — to ask where God may be confronting, humbling, or restoring you.Preacher: Rod VanSolkemaPassage: Acts 9Sermon Link: CLICK HERE
In this episode, we explore what it means to pursue healing — body, mind, and spirit. Like physical therapy for the soul, spiritual growth often requires intentional work, patience, and the courage to face what’s been broken.Brett Cain, a Doctor of Physical Therapy, joins us to share how the body’s journey of recovery mirrors our spiritual walk with God. Just as muscles rebuild through resistance and consistent care, so our souls grow stronger through surrender, discipline, and grace.We talk about how empathy opens the door to deeper relationships, how behavioral patterns can either hold us back or propel us toward transformation, and why sometimes the best thing you can do for your soul is retreat — to step out of the white noise of daily life and let God realign your story with His.For more information about Men's Retreats, click HERE
Why was the witness of Stephen in the face of the power brokers in Jerusalem so inspiring, and what does it mean for us today?Preacher: Rod VanSolkemaPassage: Acts 6-7Sermon Link: CLICK HERE
Gamaliel’s words in Acts 5 cut to the heart of every generation: “If their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail; but if it is from God, you will not be able to stop it.” This episode unpacks that dividing line—how human-driven religion leads to jealousy, fear, and burnout, while Spirit-born faith produces courage, joy, and resilience even through suffering.Preacher: Tryg VekerPassage: Acts 5:17-42Sermon Link: CLICK HERE
In Acts 5, the early church witnesses both explosive growth and a sobering act of divine judgment. Ananias and Sapphira’s deception isn’t just a story of greed—it’s a warning about hypocrisy and the holiness of God’s presence among His people. In this episode, we explore why God dealt so seriously with their sin, what it reveals about His desire to keep His church pure, and how grace calls us to integrity rather than pretense. When the Spirit fills the church, there’s no room for fake devotion—only the freedom of truth and holiness in Christ.Preacher: Nathan EnglishPassage: Acts 5:1-16Sermon Link: CLICK HERE
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