Our culture is saturated with cynicism, and the church is not immune to it, but Jesus calls us to a different way. In this sermon, Ian examines several powerful moments in Jesus’ life and ministry when he resisted cynicism and concludes with three spiritual practices that can help us counter cynicism.…

Joy does not depend on the elimination of suffering because it transcends suffering and can even co-exist with suffering. In this sermon, Adam offers a biblical definition of joy, shares a story about the co-existence of joy and pain in his own life, and offers a concrete practice that has helped him cultivate joy.…

Josh Riggs, pastor of Church at Prison, shares the story of his surprising calling to work with inmates in Vermont prisons and gives us a glimpse of the heart of God for people the world considers unapproachable.Adam Avery, Abigail Carroll, and Jordan Otruba

How is kindness different from niceness? In this sermon, Abby offers a biblical definition of kindness, teases out what we can learn about kindness from the story of David and Mephibosheth, shares a story from her own life about experiencing kindness, and looks at three kindness killers.Abigail Carroll

When the Holy Spirit produces fruit in us, it’s not just for our sake, but also the sake of others. In this sermon, Jordan defines faithfulness, explores this theme in Scripture, and shares what God has taught him about faithfulness in the context of his own backyard.Jordan Otruba

When we think of gentleness, weakness or timidity may come to mind, but the biblical understanding of gentleness is quite different. In this sermon, Adam shares a biblical definition of gentleness, paints a picture of gentleness from the Old and New Testaments, shares a story of being the recipient of others’ gentleness, and offers two practical wa…

How can self-control be a fruit of the Spirit if it’s called self-control? In this sermon, Adam defines self-control as aligning our will with God’s will, clarifies some common misconceptions around it, and offers five practical ways in which we can collaborate with the Spirit to cultivate self-control in our lives.…

The peace God grows in us as we learn to walk in the Spirit is actually three kinds of peace: peace with God, the peace of God, and peace with others. In this sermon, Adam names three common villains that steal our peace and shares two stories of his own recent encounters with these villains as well as some practical handles for when we face them o…

When God formed creation, he called it good; goodness is our original identity. In this sermon, Abby explores the relationship between good deeds and grace, what it looks like to lean on the Spirit in doing good, and how thinking about goodness in terms of beauty can help motivate us to say "yes" to the good works God has prepared for us to walk in…

When we are walking with Christ, we will increasingly be characterized by patience, a fruit of the Spirit. But how do we till the ground of our hearts and minds to cooperate with the Spirit? Today, Adam kicks off a new sermon series on the fruit of Spirit and shares how awareness of God's patience toward us can help us grow in this area of our live…

When Jesus appeared to his disciples in the days following the resurrection, it was in his glorified body. What will our resurrected bodies be like? In this sermon, Adam explores the implications of Jesus’ resurrection for our future physical being, drawing on Paul’s imagery of the sun, moon, and stars.…

Doubting Thomas - This week, we revisit a post-resurrection conversation between Jesus and Thomas in John 20, and learn about a God who can handle doubt, despair, and disappointment.Adam Avery

Anointing Oil In the wilderness, God gave the Israelites detailed instructions for a tabernacle and its furnishings, and a recipe for a sacred anointed oil to be applied to the tabernacle, furnishings, and priests. In this sermon, Abby explores what this oil represented and how it pointed toward Christ, the Anointed One.…

A Misunderstood Gift Several days before Jesus’ arrest and crucifixion, a woman came uninvited into the room where Jesus was dining and poured costly perfumed oil on his head—an expression of her heart that those around her did not understand. But Jesus understood and was honored. What can we learn from this story about remaining faithful to who Go…

During their wandering in the wilderness, God gave the Israelites detailed instructions for the building of a tabernacle. In the tabernacle, a curtain sectioned off the holy of holies—the place of atonement. In this sermon, Adam explores the curtain’s fascinating meanings and its fulfilment in Christ, who did what no priest could do, giving us acce…

When it comes to difficult passages of Scripture, we need an interpretive tool—a hermeneutic. In this sermon about Moses’ intercession for the people of Israel as they defeated the Amalekites who had attacked them, Adam teaches us both about the power of prayerful intercession, and also how we can grapple with difficult passages of Scripture in a w…

For the one weary of confession... Lent invites us to reflect on our shortcomings and our sin, but how do we do that in a way that doesn’t plunge us into shame, and how can we respond to the sins of those who have hurt us with both truth and grace? In this, our second Lenten audio reflection of the season, Annalee shares her own story of navigating…

Water from the Rock Moses and the Israelites hit another roadblock in their wilderness journey when they struggle to find water to drink. Miraculously (and mercifully), God meets the people with a provision of water in the desert and a glimpse of his faithful character. Listen this week as Jordan shares from Exodus 17 of the mercy of God and the pr…

Bread from HeavenIn the wilderness, God provided the Israelites manna--bread from heaven--but he wasn't just interested in filling their stomachs. In this sermon, Abby explores how God used manna to teach his people about having a work ethic, receiving the gift of rest, and ultimately trusting in him.…

During the Lenten season, we will be spending time in the book of Exodus, noticing ways that Christ shows up in Moses and the Hebrew people's wilderness journey. This week, Adam begins our new series, "Christ in the Wilderness," in Exodus 15.Adam Avery

Un-distracting Ourselves from Our Need for God Lent is a season of preparation for Good Friday, and ultimately Easter Sunday. It is a journey where we take time to face the reality of our need for God. This Lent, as we journey toward the cross, we welcome you to engage the Church at the Well Lenten devotional reader. In addition, we will be offerin…

A Different Kind of Storm Jesus took time to rest—he even napped—and we stand to learn from his example. But what do you do when Jesus seems to be sleeping through your storm? In this sermon, Adam explores what the disciples learned about Jesus when caught in a boat in a storm with him, and what we can learn about him and about navigating our own s…

Our Relationship with Worry Worry is a natural part of life; even Jesus worried. But worry can easily malfunction in our lives, leading to chronic anxiety. How do we cultivate a healthy relationship with worry? In this sermon, Adam explores Jesus’ teaching on worry using the Jesus Storybook Bible, and offers four strategies for keeping our worry ri…

Learning to Pray Like a Child (Again) When Jesus taught the disciples to pray in Matthew 6, he addressed God as “Abba,” or “Daddy.” Every time we pray, we can be reminded that we come to God as children. In this sermon, Abby explores three common characteristics of children’s approaches to prayer and what we can learn from them.…

This week, Adam kicks off the new year with our new series, “Let the Children Come,” using the Jesus Storybook Bible as a tool and a guide to help us behold Jesus through the eyes of a child.Adam Avery, Abigail Carroll, and Jordan Otruba

Luke 2:25-35 This week, Adam shares how Simeon’s song in Luke 2 teaches us of the hope we have in […]Adam Avery, Abigail Carroll, and Jordan Otruba

The angels sing and proclaim “Glory to God” and “Peace on Earth” in Luke 2. Yet a few chapters later, […]Adam Avery, Abigail Carroll, and Jordan Otruba

To Us a Child is Born C.S. Lewis wrote: “Once in our world, a stable had something in it that […]Adam Avery, Abigail Carroll, and Jordan Otruba

Zachariah’s Song None of us are perfect at waiting, but God is faithful to show up anyway. In this sermon, […]Adam Avery, Abigail Carroll, and Jordan Otruba

Joy in Struggle Joy and pain are not mutually exclusive. In fact, joy has a way of breaking into our […]Adam Avery, Abigail Carroll, and Jordan Otruba

What if following God doesn’t mean our lives will necessarily become easier, but perhaps more complex? In this sermon, Adam […]Adam Avery, Abigail Carroll, and Jordan Otruba

Clearing the Path John the Baptist was a bold man whose words and life prepared a way for Jesus. He […]Adam Avery, Abigail Carroll, and Jordan Otruba

Hannah’s Waiting Waiting is hard, but what if God has gifts for us that only come through the experience of […]Adam Avery, Abigail Carroll, and Jordan Otruba

Shaped Through Waiting Waiting is something we are all too painfully familiar with, but what if God wants to do […]Adam Avery, Abigail Carroll, and Jordan Otruba

When two discouraged disciples are walking the road to Emmaus in the days following the crucifixion, the resurrected Jesus comes […]Adam Avery, Abigail Carroll, and Jordan Otruba

At the meal he shared with his disciples on the evening before his crucifixion, Jesus was a non-anxious presence among […]Adam Avery, Abigail Carroll, and Jordan Otruba

Seen By Love – Luke 19:1-10 When Zacchaeus climbs a sycamore fig tree, he sees Jesus pass by, but he […]Adam Avery, Abigail Carroll, and Jordan Otruba

This week, Adam shares a teaching and reflection on Luke 14 in continuation of our “Tables” series.Adam Avery, Abigail Carroll, and Jordan Otruba

The More Important Matters This week, Ian continues our “Tables” series with a look at Jesus dining with the Pharisees […]Adam Avery, Abigail Carroll, and Jordan Otruba

A Tale of Two Sisters Martha and Mary take two different approaches to hospitality when Jesus comes over for a […]Adam Avery, Abigail Carroll, and Jordan Otruba

When Jesus multiplied loaves and fishes, he wasn’t just feeding the hungry stomachs of a vast crowd, he was also […]Adam Avery, Abigail Carroll, and Jordan Otruba

The Woman who Loves Extravagantly Jesus sees the woman in Luke 7:36-50 as forgiven – as someone who loves extravagantly. […]Adam Avery, Abigail Carroll, and Jordan Otruba

When Jesus dined at the house of Levi, a tax-collector, he wasn’t just breaking the religious rules of the Pharisees […]Adam Avery, Abigail Carroll, and Jordan Otruba

This week at Church at the Well, we start a new sermon series – “Tables: Journeying with Jesus through Luke’s […]Adam Avery, Abigail Carroll, and Jordan Otruba

This week, Adam shares four questions to consider when looking for a church to call home.Adam Avery, Abigail Carroll, and Jordan Otruba

Is reflection an add-on to the Christian life, or at the very heart of it? What are the risks of failing […]Adam Avery, Abigail Carroll, and Jordan Otruba

This week, Adam guides us through a look at what Charles Spurgeon calls, “one of the shortest Psalms to read, […]Adam Avery, Abigail Carroll, and Jordan Otruba

A shepherd’s job includes guiding, protecting, and nurturing the flock, as well as leading it to fresh pasture. In this […]Adam Avery, Abigail Carroll, and Jordan Otruba

What is baptism, and why do we practice it? In anticipation of our baptism gathering on August 6th, Adam lays […]Adam Avery, Abigail Carroll, and Jordan Otruba

Scripture: Mark 3:1-15 This week, Jordan shares three questions that help him and his friends listen for the voice of Jesus […]Adam Avery, Abigail Carroll, and Jordan Otruba