Our generation is presiding over one of the most precipitous declines of Christian influence in the history of the Church—but we can change that. In this sermon, Pastor Allen Jackson discusses our need for repentance, or truly turning away from our sins. He teaches about the spreading influence of paganism and false gospels in our culture, such as Pelagianism and the gospel of cheap grace. Pastor Allen reads from Matthew, Luke, and other books to emphasize upholding a biblical definition of marriage and the importance of protecting children. If we want to see change in the culture around us, we ourselves must have a change of heart. To support this ministry and help us continue to reach people all around the world, visit this link: allenjackson.com/podcastdonate
With deception increasing around us, we need to learn how to confront evil. In this sermon, Pastor Allen Jackson discusses strategies for overcoming the expressions of evil we encounter. He uses events from Jesus' ministry and the history of the Church to illustrate the need to invite God into every circumstance of our lives. Pastor Allen emphasizes the power we have to speak truth into other peoples' lives through our testimonies. He also offers four biblical lessons he learned from his mother—trust in Jesus, tell the truth, practice prayer, and demonstrate hospitality—that can help us triumph over evil in our daily lives. To support this ministry and help us continue to reach people all around the world, visit this link: allenjackson.com/podcastdonate
Just as physical mountains separate masses of land, we can have spiritual mountains in our lives that separate us from God's best plans for us. In this sermon, Pastor Allen Jackson explores barriers that may exist in our lives and the provision God offers to help us overcome them. Many times, the best way over a mountain isn't by scaling it, but by finding a mountain pass—a low path that allows you to traverse the mountains with less effort. In a similar way, God's plans for deliverance and restoration offer us a straight path to connect with Him, so we can have His help as we navigate the challenges of life. To support this ministry and help us continue to reach people all around the world, visit this link: allenjackson.com/podcastdonate
In the Christmas narrative, angels came to deliver "good news of great joy" to us. Good news of great joy doesn't mean everything is going to be easy, but it does mean our assignments will be meaningful and well-rewarded. In this sermon, Pastor Allen Jackson teaches about the theme for the third week of Advent: joy. We may be tempted to grumble when facing trials, but God calls us to endure with joy. It's counterintuitive to our human natures, but with the Holy Spirit's help, we can find true joy in the midst of hardship. God is moving in the earth, and we want to be a part of what He's doing in His Kingdom, so let's choose to cultivate joy—sustaining, eternal, and supernatural joy.
We will need the joy of the Lord and the strength that comes with it to complete our God-assignments. In this sermon, Pastor Allen Jackson discusses joy, the theme for the third week of Advent. Joy is a spiritual fuel that enables us to endure and overcome, and Pastor Allen shares examples from Nehemiah and Daniel, who flourished in hardship, to model how we, too, can rely on God to supply us with the strength we need. Our world seems to be darker day by day, but this Christmas season, let's overcome evil with the joy that comes from celebrating the birth of our Savior and King.
Our faith has shaped our culture for hundreds of years, but we're living through an immense decline of its influence in our nation. We've been so focused on eternity that we've neglected our role in the present age. In this sermon, Pastor Allen Jackson discusses preparation, a theme of the Advent season. He teaches about leaders like Abraham and Stephen to demonstrate that as God progresses His plans in the world, we have to be intentional in moving with Him. The Church has an assignment, and we need to develop the discernment to understand it and accomplish it!
In the midst of God moving in the earth through remarkable miracles, demonstrations of His Spirit, and the fulfillment of prophecies, we must come to terms with the existence of evil. The second week of Advent is about peace and preparation, and in this sermon, Pastor Allen Jackson discusses how we can have peace and be prepared for our God-given assignments, even when we're surrounded by expressions of evil. Pastor Allen shares the story of Jesus' birth, highlighting the uncertainty each person felt, even as they walked in obedience to God. Our stories will look similar, but we don't need to be overcome with fear or anxiety. As we practice obedience, Jesus promises to give us peace—and His peace is everlasting.
God's movements can bring discontinuity, discomfort, or hardship—but they also result in extraordinary outcomes. In this sermon, Pastor Allen Jackson discusses what it looks like when God moves in the earth and why choosing to hope in the Lord is essential. Afterall, hope (the theme of the first week of the Advent season) is about the future. Our futures may look tenuous, and we may have misplaced or outright abandoned our hope—but when we choose to reject despair, and hope in God's faithfulness and trustworthiness, we can find a joy that lasts even in the midst of sorrow.
After feeling disappointed by someone or something we trusted in, how can we know where to place our hope? In this sermon, Pastor Allen Jackson discusses hope, the topic of the first week of Advent, and how we can be certain that God is trustworthy. He teaches about the importance of guarding our hearts and practicing patience through the discomfort of hardship. Suffering will come to all of us because expressions of evil in our world are real, but the Bible teaches that even through difficult seasons, we can rejoice. We find everlasting joy and peace when we place our hope in the Lord!
Discontentment may try to arise as you begin this year's holiday celebrations, but let's aim to cultivate thankfulness. In this sermon, Pastor Allen Jackson discusses five ways we can practice gratitude this Thanksgiving season in obedience to God and His Word. He shares biblical methods of expressing gratitude to God, fostering thankfulness for the blessings in our lives, repenting of ungratefulness, being thankful in spite of the hardships we face, and living humbly in service and generosity to those around us. The discipline of a grateful attitude instead of a grumbling one will bless us this holiday season.
Life can be demanding, especially during the holidays. Instead of focusing on things to complain or be anxious about, God asks us to shift our perspectives and choose a different outlook instead. In this sermon, Pastor Allen Jackson discusses the importance of fostering an attitude of thankfulness. He shares activities for the three days leading up to Thanksgiving to help us refocus our minds and hearts on the Lord and His many blessings in our lives. Our daily stressors and difficulties are real—but God is more powerful than any of them.
The Church in our nation is at a point where only God's intervention can change our future. In this sermon, Pastor Allen Jackson discusses preparing ourselves and welcoming God to do something new in His Church. The Bible tells us we shouldn't just expect the same things we've seen the Lord do before; instead, we should seek Him and look forward to something better. Pastor Allen draws from the stories of men like Daniel, David, and Peter to demonstrate that what we anticipate is rarely what God has in store—in fact, He has plans far beyond our understanding. To overcome evil and further the Lord's Kingdom, are we ready for Him to do something we've never seen before?
When God moves, we can find ourselves in uncomfortable situations; it's often the nature of the assignment. In this sermon, Pastor Allen Jackson discusses the theme of the first week of Advent—hope—and how it can help us overcome fear and discomfort. He shares the stories of those involved with and surrounding the birth of Jesus, like Mary and Joseph, Elizabeth and Zechariah, and Anna and Simeon. They all faced situations full of uncertainty and anxiety, but through their obedience, they became a part of the greatest story ever told: when God sent His only Son to Earth to save us. God is moving in our lives today, and even though the changes may not be comfortable at first, pursuing our God-given assignments will lead to a life of purpose and meaning, as we share His perfect hope with a lost world.
We're watching as resistance to God's Kingdom increases and darkness in our nation and around the globe grows bolder—but when we learn to recognize God's character, intentions, and voice, His movement in the earth becomes more visible than the expressions of evil around us. In this sermon, Pastor Allen Jackson discusses the figure and spirit of antichrist discussed in the book of Revelation. He offers history about the expressions of the antichrist we've witnessed before, and he shares how we can persevere in the face of growing lawlessness and persecution. We have a choice to make: Will we capitulate to fear and darkness, or will we decide to focus our attention and energy on the triumphant Lion of Judah?
Hardship and troubling times won't come because of political or economic turmoil; these seasons will be driven by the degradation of human character. In this sermon, Pastor Allen Jackson discusses how we can live with peace through frightening times. We see in the Book of Revelation that we will need courage to persevere through persecution, but Pastor Allen reminds us that we can rely on God's judgment, justice, and provision to stand boldly. God has sent us the Holy Spirit as our helper, counselor, and comforter, and through Him, we can fulfill the assignment of the Church: sharing the Good News of God's Kingdom to the ends of the earth.
We should all strive to mature in our faith, but what does that look like? In this sermon, Pastor Allen Jackson discusses what it means to grow up spiritually and truly live out a transformational faith. He teaches that maturity means being responsible and accountable, and he shares biblical and practical advice on how to develop these traits in our daily lives. Practicing politeness and gratitude can change our thoughts and attitudes to align better with Scripture's definition of growth. Maturity won't exempt us from suffering, but it gives us the strength and skills we need to navigate difficult seasons. Our faith is intended to be transformational—not to get our way, but to be changed from the inside out.
Our nation is suffering from ungodly spiritual influences, but we can begin the healing process when we earnestly seek the Lord. In this sermon, Pastor Allen Jackson discusses what happens when we pursue God wholeheartedly. He shares the incredible impacts of fasting and prayer on our relationship with the Lord, on our spiritual growth, and on our nation. Pastor Allen also teaches about gifts that can come only from God, like righteousness and truth. Lawlessness and demonic influence may be increasing, but our Lord rewards those who honestly and unreservedly seek after Him.
Seeking God begins with a personal and deliberate choice, and it results in lifechanging responses from the Lord. In this sermon, Pastor Allen Jackson discusses pursuing the Lord through fasting and prayer. He draws from the lives of Daniel and other spiritual leaders in the Bible to teach how to fast, what sacrifice and self-discipline look like, and how the Lord is willing to respond when we humble ourselves before Him. Evil is rearing its head with the rise of lawlessness in our nation, but with God's power and authority it will be overcome. Our Lord writes new destinies for us when we seek His face.
Following Christ shouldn't make us passive—the Lord's intention is to unleash us. In this sermon, Pastor Allen Jackson discusses the importance of seeking the Lord and building an intentional relationship with Him. When we purposefully pursue God, He gives us peace in any situation and the boldness to overcome evil. Pastor Allen lays out the biblical guidelines for how we interact with the evil in our world, and he shares what it looks like on a practical level to strive for greater knowledge of God. Others may ask us why we should seek the Lord, but we can know with confidence that it's the most worthy pursuit for our lives.
It's become fashionable to diminish our faith, but compromise is destructive. We are meant to be warriors for God's Kingdom. In this interview, Pastor Allen Jackson talks with Lieutenant General William G. "Jerry" Boykin, a retired Delta Force veteran, about being courageous and steadfast in our faith, even amidst difficult, life-threatening, and hostile situations. General Boykin reflects on his 36 years in the military and beyond, telling miraculous stories of God's protection and reassuring us that God will never leave us nor forsake us. He also offers encouragement for fathers, intercessors, and anyone struggling with the temptation to capitulate their faith. "You need to know what your values are. You need to know what you believe in. You need to know what you're willing to sacrifice for, what you're willing to even die for," General Boykin said. "But you need to know why you believe it."