Genesis Church Phoenix

Pastor DJ Uithoven Paul closes this section like a machine gun of holiness—rapid-fire instructions for radical love. Hate what is evil, cling to what is good, bless those who persecute you, live at peace, conquer evil with good. This isn’t a checklist—it’s the character of Christ. This message challenges us to let mercy move from theology to lifestyle, from belief to behavior.

In light of God’s mercy and grace, how should we live? Paul says: offer yourselves. Worship becomes a daily choice to lay our lives down and use our gifts for others. This message explores what it means to be transformed—not just informed. You were made to serve, shaped for purpose, and gifted to build up the Body.

God’s plan isn’t just bigger than we think—it’s better. Paul reveals a mystery: even in Israel’s stumbling, God is working a redemptive plot twist that ends in mercy. He weaves together disobedience and grace, rebellion and rescue, into a story that’s more beautiful than fair—it’s merciful. And instead of tying it up with a tidy explanation, Paul bursts into worship. This week’s message reminds us that we don’t have to solve the mystery to trust the One behind it. Even when we don’t understand the twists in the story, we can be confident that grace will have the final word.

God’s mercy doesn’t just restore—it expands. Paul uses the image of an olive tree to describe how Gentile believers are grafted into God’s story by grace. But there’s a warning too: don’t get cocky. Pride forgets the root. This week explores both the humility and the honor of being included in God’s family. We didn’t earn our place—but we do have a part to play.

Paul starts with a bold declaration: God has not rejected His people. Even when it looks like hope is gone, God always preserves a faithful remnant. Paul points to Elijah’s despair to show that even prophets get discouraged—but God’s promises stand. This message speaks to anyone who has ever felt forgotten or wondered if their story is over. God is still writing, still calling, still faithful.

Kristen Lunceford- Fear is loud. Doubt is ever-present. And negativity spreads fast. But God gives us tools to protect our minds and anchor our thoughts in truth. This week, we’ll look at how to build a peace-filled mindset, using scripture as a filter instead of fear as a forecast. You can’t always control what you hear—but you can choose what you hold on to.

Most of our stress comes from trying to control things we were never meant to. We worry, manipulate, and strive—hoping to guarantee an outcome. But control is an illusion, and peace is found in surrender. This week, we’ll talk about how letting go—of expectations, timelines, and outcomes—isn’t giving up, it’s trusting God more.

We’re tired—not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually. And our exhausted state is causing our minds to run wild. This week, Jesus invites us to step out of the exhausting hustle and into His rhythm of grace. We’ll explore how choosing rest is actually an act of faith that leads to peace.

We all worry—about our families, our finances, our future. Sometimes anxiety whispers; sometimes it screams. But God invites us to something better: a peace that goes beyond understanding. This week, we’ll learn how to turn our worries into prayers and discover that when we invite God into our anxiety, He brings a peace that’s deeper than any quick fix.

If grace is within reach and salvation is for everyone, then the news simply must be shared. Paul connects the promise “everyone who calls” with the need for preachers—and asks: how will people call if they’ve never heard? This second message turns outward: salvation isn’t just personal—it’s missional. We who’ve experienced grace have become its messengers—using our words to lovingly tell God’s story of redemption.

Pastor DJ Uithoven- Paul carves open the difference between self‑centered zeal and heart‑centered faith. In a culture that prizes religious performance, the gospel flips the script—righteousness isn’t something you earn, it’s something you receive. Salvation isn’t far off—it’s right here, in your heart and your lips. This message highlights the radical accessibility of God’s grace: you don’t have to climb, qualify, or clean up first. It’s available now, through simple yet profound faith in Jesus.

Grace is the most beautiful truth in the world—and sometimes the hardest to accept. Paul explains that while the Gentiles found righteousness by faith, Israel stumbled over the very One who came to save them. Why? Because grace doesn’t play by the rules of religious effort. This week, we’ll explore how easy it is to trip over grace when we’re trying to earn what God freely gives—and how freedom comes when we stop striving and start trusting.

When life feels out of control, it’s tempting to question God’s plan—or even His fairness. Paul doesn’t dodge that tension. Instead, he reminds us that God is the Potter, and we are the clay. He shapes with intention, not randomness, forming lives with both justice and mercy. This week, we’ll reflect on what it means to trust a God who is both sovereign and good—even when we don’t see the whole picture. In the hands of the Potter, even our questions can lead to deeper faith.

Is God unfair? Paul knows we’re thinking it. After all, if God chooses whom to show mercy to, doesn’t that feel… arbitrary? But Paul flips the script—reminding us that mercy, by definition, is never owed. It’s a gift. A God who gives mercy freely is not unjust—He’s unbelievably kind. In a world obsessed with fairness, this week’s message invites us to breathe deeply and receive what none of us could earn: the mercy of God.

God’s promises haven’t failed—they’ve always been fulfilled through mercy, not biology. Paul reminds us that being chosen by God was never about bloodlines or effort, but about His mercy. We are part of His story not because we earned it, but because He loved us first.

Kristen Lunceford- What do we do when God’s answers don’t make sense? When injustice prevails and our prayers seem to go unheard? The prophet Habakkuk lived in a time of confusion, corruption, and fear. He brought his raw questions to God—not to deny God’s goodness, but to wrestle with it. And in the end, he arrived at a place of unshakable faith: “Yet I will rejoice in the Lord.” In this message, we’ll explore how to cultivate a hope that endures not just in seasons of abundance but also in seasons of lack. We'll learn from Habakkuk what it means to trust God's process, worship through uncertainty, and anchor our joy not in changing circumstances, but in the unchanging character of God.

How is your voice these days? Feeling strong, or maybe it's feeling a little weak and timid? We all experience times in our lives when our voice is many different things. And many of us struggle with hearing our voice and using it well. There is good news for us all though - God created your voice, He loves it just the way it is and there's lots of opportunity to develop a strong, confident voice for life! This week we will discover how to develop confidence in the messages that God gives us and encouragement to use our voices responsibly. All with God's leading and wisdom for life. Speak up!

Pastor Jesse Bollinger: Do you have a relationship that is strained or broken? Most do, so you're not alone. Jesus tells us that the second greatest commandment is to "love others as yourself," but this is easier said than done, especially since we're not told how. We'll explore what this looks like and gain some very powerful scriptural insights and tools to help us understand and apply this passage to our lives. There is hope, because compassion unlocks and heals relationships. "The Ideal vs the Real" is a concept which helps eliminate our critical tendencies and creates compassion in us. (Dr. Henry Cloud, Changes That Heal) "5 Elements of Trust" (Dr. Henry Cloud, Trust) "To practice showing compassion..." adapted from the concept of "Tactical Empathy" by Chris Voss of Black Swan Group, and common knowledge of psychology. Scripture References from the NIV

Pastor Justin McKennon- We are often told in life to lower our expectations of others so we aren't disappointed. At times, this thinking can move its way into our spiritual lives and our expectations of God as well. We aren't called to live wistfully and just go with the flow for whatever God brings us. We are called to live with great hope and expectation. We should approach Him with faith, confidence, and a belief that He will act on our behalf. It's about anticipating His blessings, guidance, and the fulfillment of His promises.

Michael Jackson’s “Man in the Mirror” captures something we all wrestle with—the desire for change and the realization that it starts with us. The Bible speaks directly to this truth. In Ezekiel 36:26, God promises to change our hearts, replacing the hardened, worn-out parts of us with something alive and new. And in James 1, we’re reminded that looking in the mirror isn’t enough—we have to respond to what we see. God invites reminds us that change is possible: heart, mind, and action. It starts within—but it’s meant to flow outward. Join us as we take an honest look in the mirror and let God begin the work of change.