Speaker: Josh Taylor

Passage: Exodus 25-31; John 1:14; 1 Corinthians 3:16

God’s dream has always been to dwell with His people.

In Week 6 of Exodus: The Road Out, we explore the meaning of the tabernacle and what it reveals about God’s presence. From the Garden of Eden, to the portable tabernacle in the wilderness, to Jesus who “tabernacled” among us, the Bible tells the story of a God who keeps moving closer to His people.

And through the Holy Spirit, His presence now dwells in us.

God isn’t limited to sacred places or Sunday gatherings—He works through ordinary people in everyday spaces. Your work, your home, and your life are places where God’s presence can move.

If you’ve ever wondered where God is in the middle of ordinary life, this conversation is for you.

Speaker: Josh Taylor

Passage: Exodus 20:1-3; Exodus 24:3-11; Luke 22:20; Hebrews 8:6

At Mount Sinai, God makes a covenant with His people—a binding promise that defines their relationship with Him. In Exodus 20 and 24, we see how this covenant ceremony fits the ancient world while revealing something unique about God: He doesn’t just demand loyalty—He binds Himself to His people. Throughout the Bible, God continues making and keeping covenant promises, ultimately fulfilled in Jesus. At the Last Supper, Jesus declares a new covenant in His blood, offering a better promise and a restored relationship with God. In this teaching, we explore what covenant means, why it mattered to Israel, and how Jesus fulfills God’s promises for us today.

Speaker: Josh Taylor

Passage: Exodus 19:3-13; Exodus 20:18-19; Hebrews 4:14-16

Exodus is often remembered for its miracles. But beneath all the power is something even more personal: God’s desire for relationship. In this week’s teaching, we explore God’s invitation to draw near—not just to be rescued from something, but rescued for something. Through Exodus 19-20 and Hebrews 4, we see that God isn’t looking to keep His people at a distance. He’s inviting them into partnership: ordinary people becoming a “kingdom of priests,” close enough to be changed and used by Him.

We talk honestly about why we resist closeness with God, how fear and discomfort keep us at arm’s length, and why drawing near often feels costly. And we discover the good news of Jesus: our great High Priest, who makes a way for us to approach God with confidence, mercy, and grace. If you’ve ever felt distant from God—or unsure whether you’re really invited—this message is for you. God is still inviting His people to draw near. The question is: will we come?

Speaker: Sarah Taylor

Passage: Exodus 14

What do you do when you’re at a dead end?

In this teaching from Exodus 14, we stand with Israel at the edge of the Red Sea: trapped, afraid, and questioning whether they ever should have left Egypt. What looked like a dead end was actually the place where God did His deepest work in them.

This message explores how God often leads us into moments where control is stripped away—not to harm us, but to form us. Dead ends have a way of revealing our fear, our desire to run, and our temptation to go back to what’s familiar. But they also awaken our need for God and make room for His power to move in ways we could never plan.

Through the story of the Red Sea, we’re invited to see our own “dead end” seasons differently. What if the place that feels impossible isn’t the end of your story, but the beginning of God’s transforming work?

If you’re feeling stuck, confused, or unsure how to move forward, this teaching is an invitation to stand still, trust God, and believe that your dead end might just be holy ground.

Speaker: Josh Taylor

Passage: Exodus 6-12

Discouragement has a way of shrinking our expectations—of God, of ourselves, of what’s even possible. In this teaching from Exodus 6-12, we see that Israel didn’t reject God’s promises because they were rebellious, but because hope felt irresponsible after generations of suffering. God responds not with shame, but with power.

In this teaching, we explore how God confronts and dismantles the false foundations that enslave his people—what the Bible calls “Egypt.” Through the plagues and the Passover, God reveals who he really is: personal, powerful, faithful, and unmatched. These events aren’t random acts of judgment; they are intentional acts of rescue, designed to rebuild trust and re-form faith. Passover ultimately points us to Jesus—the true Lamb, our covering, and our Exodus—showing us that God doesn’t just save by power, but by giving himself.

When discouragement rewrites our expectations, God reveals his power so we can trust him again.

Speaker: Josh Taylor

Passage: Exodus 1-4

Fear shapes stories—personal and societal—but it never gets the final word. In this opening teaching of our Exodus series, we step into a world driven by fear and control and discover how God begins writing a new story of freedom and formation. From Pharaoh’s Egypt to Moses’ hesitant heart, Exodus shows how fear distorts who belongs, exaggerates threats, dehumanizes people, and keeps us from becoming who God created us to be.

But God doesn’t stand at a distance. He enters the fear. As Moses encounters the “I AM,” we see how God meets our deepest insecurities—I’m not good enough, I don’t know enough, I don’t have influence, I’m not good with words—with His steady promise: “I will be with you.” This teaching traces how fear shapes societies, how it shapes our souls, and how the gospel ultimately frees us—through Jesus, who steps into our Egypt and leads us out.

Where fear shapes a story, God writes a new one.

Speaker: Josh Taylor

Passage: 1 Corinthians 3:6-11; 2 Corinthians 9:7-8; 5:18-19

One year in—we pause to celebrate what God has done and to name what comes next. In this Vision Sunday teaching, we reflect on the shared story behind Bright City: the people who planted seeds, the ones who watered faithfully, and the God who has given the growth. Grounded in 1 Corinthians 3:6–11, this message reframes church as shared work, different roles, one purpose—and God-dependent results.

As Bright City moves from launch to legacy, we introduce the PLANTED Campaign—a two-year invitation to step into deeper ownership, generosity, and mission as we pursue becoming a fully self-supported church by 2027. This teaching casts vision for the kind of legacy we’re building: people formed to follow Jesus, leaders raised up, rhythms that shape faith, and a presence that blesses our city. Some plant. Some water. God gives the growth. The question is—how is God inviting you to be part of what He’s growing next?

Speaker: Josh Taylor

Passage: Matthew 6:6-13; Romans 8:26

What if prayer isn’t about saying the right words—but about simply showing up?

In the final week of our Rooted series, we explore prayer as a practice of being with God—simply, honestly, and consistently. Drawing from Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 6 and Paul’s words in Romans 8, this message reframes prayer as relationship, not performance.

We look at:

•    What prayer actually is (and what it isn’t)

•    How Jesus taught his followers to pray

•    What to do when prayer feels awkward, dry, or hard

Using the Lord’s Prayer as a guide, we’re invited into a simple, life-giving rhythm of prayer—one that keeps us rooted in God’s presence in every season. Whether prayer feels natural or unfamiliar, this teaching encourages us to keep it simple, keep it real, and keep showing up.

Because prayer isn’t how we impress God—it’s how we stay alive with Him.

Speaker: Josh Taylor

Passage: Genesis 2:2-3; Exodus 20:11; Deuteronomy 5:15; Mark 2:27

In Week 2 of our Rooted series, we explore Sabbath Rest—not as a religious rule, but as a gift from God that restores our souls. Through Genesis, the Sabbath commands, and Jesus’ words in Mark 2:27, we see that Sabbath is woven into creation and connected to freedom: we’re human, not machines… and we’re free, not slaves.

This teaching walks the path of why God created Sabbath, how Jesus restored it, and what it means for us today, especially in a culture of hurry, hustle, and exhaustion. You’ll also hear five simple, practical steps to start practicing Sabbath in your current season—by setting aside time, stopping work, resting your whole self, delighting in what gives life, and marking the day with meaningful ritual.

Sabbath is God’s gift of rest that roots us in trust, frees us from striving, and allows us to enjoy life with Him.

Speaker: Josh Taylor

Passage: Colossians 2:6-7; Luke 8:4-15, 19-21

If we want a fruitful future, we must choose deep roots now. Centered on Jesus’ parable of the sower in Luke 8, this message explores how the way we receive God’s Word determines the fruit of our lives.

We’re reminded that God’s Word is more than information—it is life itself. From God’s spoken revelation that created the world, to Scripture written down for generations, to Jesus as the ultimate Word made flesh, God’s Word reveals who He is and invites us into relationship with Him.

Jesus’ parable exposes four postures of the heart—hardened, shallow, crowded, and open—and shows that while the seed (God’s Word) and the sower remain the same, the soil of our hearts changes everything. Real growth doesn’t come from simply hearing or knowing God’s Word, but from receiving it with openness, retaining it through practice, and persevering in obedience over time.

This message challenges listeners to examine their hearts: Are we closed off, distracted, or emotionally driven—or are we making space for God’s Word to take root and produce lasting fruit? As a church, we’re invited to slow down, cultivate healthy spiritual rhythms, and center our lives on Jesus through Scripture, prayer, and Sabbath.

This teaching closes with a call to action: commit to growing deep roots this year by reading Colossians together, memorizing Colossians 2:607, and choosing practices that help us experience life in Jesus. Text "ROOTED" to 740.936.5040 to read with us. Because what grows beneath the surface determines what thrives above it.

Speaker: Sarah Taylor

Passage: John 3:16-17; 1 John 4:7-12

In the final week of our Advent series, we turn to the theme that holds all the others together: love. Not sentimental love or transactional love, but agape—selfless, sacrificial, unconditional love. In this teaching, we explore how Jesus doesn’t just bring God’s love…He embodies it. Through John 3:16–17 and 1 John 4:7–12, we’re reminded that Jesus came not to condemn the world, but to restore it. His birth was God’s rescue plan set in motion—a gift freely given, not earned. A love that moves toward us in our brokenness, offers us new life, and transforms us from the inside out. This message invites you to:

- Sit with the reality of how deeply you are loved by God

- Release shame, condemnation, and the pressure to “earn” God’s love

- Learn how experiencing Jesus’ love reshapes the way we love others

- Enter Christmas with gratitude instead of disappointment, contentment instead of comparison

Whether you’re confident in your faith, curious, or carrying wounds from past church experiences, this teaching is an invitation to receive the greatest gift of Advent—and to let that love flow through you to a world that desperately needs it. Because Jesus is love. And His love changes everything.

Speaker: Josh Taylor

Passage: Luke 1:46-49; ‭‭John‬ ‭16‬:‭20‬-‭22

Joy is something we all long for—but it often feels fragile, fleeting, or just out of reach. In this third week of Advent, we explore how true joy isn’t found in getting the gifts we want, but in recognizing the grace God has already given. Drawing from Scripture, C.S. Lewis, and the Christmas story itself, this teaching reframes joy as our soul’s response to God’s kindness—and shows why Jesus is the only gift who never disappoints.

Whether you’re celebrating this season or carrying grief into the holidays, this message invites you to rediscover resilient joy: a joy that holds up in sorrow, grows through worship and community, celebrates new life, and is rooted in the unshakable truth that God delights in you. When you have Jesus, you have a joy no circumstance can take away.

Speaker: Josh Taylor

Passage: Jeremiah 6:13-14; Matthew 2:1-3, 16; Luke 2:8-14; John 14:25-27; Isaiah 9:6–7a

Peace is one of the deepest longings of the human heart—and one of the hardest things to hold onto in a world marked by chaos, fear, and fractured lives. In week two of our Advent series, we discover that true peace is not the absence of trouble or the illusion of control. True peace is a Person. Peace is Jesus.

In this teaching, we explore the contrast between false peace—the kind we manufacture through comfort or control—and the true peace Jesus brings: True peace arrives not through strength, but through surrender. The angels announce peace not to kings or elites, but to exhausted shepherds—those most familiar with fear, lack, and vulnerability. This is who Jesus comes to first. His peace meets us where life feels the most fractured.

Jesus doesn’t simply bring peace—He is our peace. His presence heals what fear has broken, restores what sin has disordered, and makes us whole in the midst of everything we cannot fix. His peace is honest, reconciling, costly, and deeply personal. Advent invites us to stop gluing the pieces back together on our own and place them in the hands of the One who can actually restore wholeness. Peace comes when Jesus is at the center—reordering our lives where chaos once ruled.

If you feel afraid, overwhelmed, or undone, this teaching is for you. Peace is not out of reach. Peace has come. Give the pieces to Jesus, and let Him make you whole again. This is Advent. And Jesus is our Peace.

Speaker: Josh Taylor

Passage: Romans 8:18-25, Isaiah 40:28-31, Matthew 11:28-30, Philippians 4:19, Psalm 39:7, Isaiah 9:1,6

Advent begins in the dark—right where the hope of Jesus shines the brightest.

In this opening week of our Advent series, we explore the deep, soul-steadying truth that hope is not optimism or pessimism. Hope is Jesus Himself. Biblical hope invites us to wait honestly, even painfully, in the places where we can’t see a way out.

This teaching walks through three truths that reshape how we wait in the dark:

1.    Hope means we don’t see a way out yet—but we wait with expectation. We name our discouragement and groaning while trusting that God is already on the way.

2.    When we don’t have enough, God has more than enough. Isaiah 40 reminds us that while we grow weary, the everlasting God never does.

3.    Hope is a Person named Jesus. The light that breaks into our darkness isn’t an idea—it’s the Savior who came as a child and will come again as King.

Whether you’re overwhelmed, weary, or longing for something to change, Advent calls you not to ignore the darkness but to meet Jesus in it. He is the hope who doesn’t disappoint. He is the One already on His way.

Light a candle. Slow down. Let yourself hope again.

This is Advent. And Jesus is our Hope.

Speaker: Josh Taylor

Passage: 2 Timothy 4:1-8

In the final week of Nothing More Nothing Less, we look at what it takes to follow Jesus faithfully for a lifetime. In 2 Timothy 4, Paul writes his final words to Timothy—passing the baton and calling him to a long obedience in the same direction. Paul gives three essentials for a lasting legacy of faith: (1) Anchor yourself in God’s Word. The Bible is our steady truth “in season and out of season.” We don’t just read it—we let it form us, guide us, and ground us in every part of life. (2) Learn to discern what's right. We are naturally impressionable, and Paul warns that people will drift toward teachings that simply affirm their desires. Disciples must grow in discernment—testing motives, agendas, and fruit to stay rooted in what is actually true. (3) Endure pressure and help others experience life in Jesus. Following Jesus includes hardship, pressure, and sacrifice. Yet Paul tells Timothy to keep his head, endure suffering, and keep doing the work of an evangelist. Faithfulness means living on mission and helping others experience the Gospel. Paul ends by saying, “I have fought the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith.” One day, our own lives will be measured by faithfulness. This is what matters most—nothing more, nothing less.

Speaker: Josh Taylor

Passage: Mark 8:34-37

In Week 3 of Nothing More Nothing Less, we look at Jesus’ bold call in Mark 8:34–37 to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him. We explore what Jesus actually meant by “follow me”—not merely believing in Him, but apprenticing under Him. Jesus calls anyone to become His disciple, but surrender sits at the center of true discipleship. Losing our life for Jesus’ sake is the very path to finding it. So many people identify as Christian yet so few actually apprentice Jesus. Following Jesus requires nothing more—and nothing less—than a fully surrendered life. If you’re longing for a deeper, truer experience of life with Jesus, this teaching will help you take your next step of surrender.

Speaker: Josh Taylor

Passage: John 6:25-69; Hebrews 11:1

In this message of our "Nothing More Nothing Less" series, we dive into what it really means to have faith in Jesus. Faith isn’t just belief in theory—it’s trust in action. It’s not blind, naïve, or wishful thinking; it’s confidence rooted in the proven faithfulness of Jesus.

Through John 6, we watch a moment when Jesus’ popularity explodes after feeding 5,000 people—but then quickly fades when His message gets hard to accept. He challenges His followers to move beyond wanting more signs or proof and to put their full trust in Him—the Bread of Life who gives eternal life.

Pastor Josh Taylor unpacks what faith actually looks like, why we can’t eliminate the need for it, and how Jesus’ past faithfulness empowers us to live by faith today. Whether you’re exploring who Jesus is or deepening your walk with Him, this message invites you to take a confident step of trust—because the One who calls you has already proven Himself faithful.

Speaker: Josh Taylor

Passage: Galatians 1:1-10

In week one of "Nothing More, Nothing Less," we dive into Paul’s warning in Galatians 1 about “a different gospel.” The pure and complete Gospel is just Jesus—nothing more, nothing less. Pastor Josh Taylor challenges us to strip away what culture, politics, and personal preference have added to the message of Jesus and return to the simplicity and power of the real Gospel.

Speaker: Josh Taylor

Passage: Matthew 7:1-5; 1 John 1:5-9; Galatians 6:1-2

We all want to belong—but belonging doesn’t happen by accident. It’s built through intentional practices that form us into a spiritual family. In this final week of the Belong series, we talk about accountability—a word that can feel intimidating but is actually essential to real community.

Accountability cultivates belonging when we remove the planks from our own eyes so we can see clearly, stay invested in each other even when it’s difficult, and gently help one another grow in the way of Jesus.

In this message, we explore what healthy, grace-filled accountability looks like—where people listen instead of judge, stay instead of walk away, and grow together instead of apart. Because following Jesus isn’t easy, and existing isn’t easy. We need each other.

Text “BELONG” to (740) 936-5040 for this week’s conversation guide.

Thanks for following our Belong series! Access conversation guides each week here: https://bright-city.cls.co/dFhw

Speaker: Joel Trainer

Passage: Ruth 1

What if one of the most spiritual things you could do was to be sad—and to let others be sad with you? In this teaching, we explore Belong Practice #5: Empathy. Pastor Joel Trainer invites us to wrestle with three honest questions:

- How good are you at being sad?

- How good are you at being sad with other people?

- How good are you at letting other people be sad with you?

Empathy isn’t the same as sympathy. Sympathy says, “I’m sorry for you.” Empathy says, “I’m sorry with you.” And most of us aren’t great at it. Through the story of Naomi in Ruth 1, Joel shows how lament can lead us toward healing instead of silence—and how God often cares for us through good friends who stay with us in the murky middle between hope and reality.

As Jesus said, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” In a world quick to move on, maybe it’s time we learn to sit with sadness—together.

Thanks for following our Belong series! Access conversation guides each week here: https://bright-city.cls.co/dFhw