ReCreate Church’s Podcast

ReCreate Church

Based in Hillsville, Virginia, this is the podcast of ReCreate Church. We are a community of Life and Love.

  1. 1d ago

    Never Alone - ReCreate Church - Pastor Michael Shockley - August 30 2026

    Never Alone Speaker: Michael Shockley, ReCreate Church Scripture: Joshua 1:1-9 Episode Summary On this Family 5th Sunday, the Kidz Club opens with a Back to School skit following Mia and Sam through the ups and downs of their first day - and what happens when they remember Jesus in the middle of it. Through Joshua 1:9, Pastor Michael reminds us that what's true for a child facing a new school year is just as true for adults facing hospital rooms, broken marriages, and bills that outrun the budget. With Jesus, you never have to face it alone. Key Points - Remembering Jesus doesn't always change the situation, but it changes how we face it - God didn't tell Joshua not to be afraid because there was nothing to fear - He told him because there was plenty to fear and God was with him anyway - Jesus is Emmanuel - God With Us - He stepped into our suffering, not just watched from a distance - Faith doesn't mean you're never afraid; it means fear doesn't get the final word - The Holy Spirit dwells in every believer - God is with us in the classroom, the clinic, the courtroom, and the 2AM sleepless night Main Takeaway With Jesus, you never have to face it alone. The promise isn't no bad days. The promise is you never have to face a bad day alone. Fear says look at the giant; faith says look at God. Fear says look at the storm; faith says look at the Savior. Memorable Quotes - "With Jesus, you never have to face it alone." - "Faith doesn't mean you're never afraid. Faith means fear doesn't get the final word." - "Fear makes us stare at what is in front of us. Faith remembers Who Is Beside us." - "Jesus didn't just watch from a distance as humans experienced suffering. He stepped in and experienced it with us." - "The promise isn't no bad days. The promise is you never have to face a bad day alone." - "Fear says, 'Look at the giant.' Faith says, 'Look at God.'" Reflection Question What situation are you staring at right now that feels too big to face? What would it mean to shift your eyes from the problem to the One walking beside you? Tune in to hear the Kidz Club Back to School skit featuring Mia, Sam, a missing jacket, and three strikeouts in gym class - and a special moment celebrating two young ladies graduating from Kidz Club into the main service. Connect & Give Learn more about ReCreate Church at www.recreatechurch.org Give online easily and securely through Tithe.ly SPECIAL NOTE Mark Troy has been the driving force behind our podcast for the last few years. This week, he went to be with The Lord after a hard battle with ALS. We are forever grateful for his dedication and example of Christian service.

  2. 6d ago

    Don't Give Away God's Chair - ReCreate Church - Pastor Michael Shockley - August 23 2026

    Don't Give Away God's Chair Speaker: Michael Shockley, ReCreate Church Scripture: Proverbs 29:25 Episode Summary Pastor Michael opens with a skit featuring the voice inside his head - that nagging inner critic that tells him he's too preachy, too boring, not enough. Through Proverbs 29:25, we discover that the fear of man is a trap we set for ourselves when we give human opinion an authority it was never meant to have. The answer isn't self-confidence or not caring about others - it's God-confidence rooted in trust. Key Points - The fear of man happens when another person's response becomes too important to us - their approval, rejection, anger, or praise carries too much weight - Fear of man turns us into performers, constantly adjusting to what people think or might think - The opposite of the fear of man is not self-confidence or not needing anybody - it's trusting God - The fear of God - recognizing He is Holy, Sovereign, and worthy of obedience - sets us free from the fear of man - In Christ we are already loved and secure, so we can love people without being ruled by them Main Takeaway Don't put Man in God's Chair. People matter, their opinions have weight, and we should love and honor them. But they don't get the seat that belongs to God alone. The fear of man brings a snare; whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe. Memorable Quotes - "Don't put Man in God's Chair." - "The fear of man is what happens when another person's response becomes too important to us." - "Nobody wakes up and says, 'Today I think I'll let everybody else control my life.'" - "If no human being is ever disappointed in you, there's a good chance somebody besides God is running your life." - "The fear of man makes us use people for security. The fear of God sets us free to love them." - "When that voice starts dragging the chair back, remind them that the seat is already taken." Reflection Question Whose opinion carries too much influence in your life right now - whose disappointment controls you, or whose approval are you constantly chasing? What would it look like to love them without giving them God's chair? Tune in to hear the hilarious "Man in the Chair" skit, find out what a free air fryer with every baptism has to do with the fear of man, and discover why even a Pastor needs to hear this message. Connect & Give Learn more about ReCreate Church at www.recreatechurch.org Give online easily and securely through Tithe.ly

  3. Aug 16

    Connected - ReCreate Church - Pastor Michael Shockley - August 16 2026

    Connected Speaker: Michael Shockley, ReCreate Church Scripture: Genesis 2:18; James 5:13-16; Acts 2:41-46 Episode Summary Pastor Michael opens with "An Angel Learns to Trust" - the story of a traumatized shelter dog who wouldn't face the world until another dog came alongside her. Through three passages of Scripture, we discover that isolation is pain's most powerful lie. God created us for connection - with Him and with each other - and healing begins the moment we stop facing the wall and let someone in. Key Points - From the very beginning, God declared that being alone is "not good" - humans are wired for connection - Sin damaged both our connection with God and with each other; Jesus came to restore both - James 5 describes a community where suffering people pray, sick people are surrounded, and struggling people are restored - not shamed - Sometimes you're Angel - the one who needs healing. Sometimes you're Buster - the one God uses to reach someone else - The early Church in Acts 2 shared their faith, their lives, and their burdens so deeply that when somebody hurt, somebody knew Main Takeaway Pain teaches us to isolate; healing begins when we connect. The walls we build to keep people from hurting us also keep people from helping us. You were made to know God, to love and be loved, and to belong to a community. You were never meant to carry all of this alone. Memorable Quotes - "Pain teaches us to isolate; healing begins when we connect." - "Funny thing about getting stabbed in the back - it can only be done by somebody you thought had your back." - "Funny thing about armor. Only room for one person in there. Keeps you safe, sort of. And alone." - "We build our walls to keep people from hurting us, not realizing they also keep people from helping us." - "You have permission to struggle, but not to struggle alone." - "The worst scars aren't the ones you can see." Reflection Question Is there an area of pain where you've been facing the wall - keeping people at a distance? What would it look like to let someone in this week? Tune in to hear the full story of Angel, Buster, Mara, and a peppermint mocha that changed everything - and discover why God declared loneliness "not good" before sin even entered the world. Connect & Give Learn more about ReCreate Church at www.recreatechurch.org Give online easily and securely through Tithe.ly

  4. Aug 11

    The Idols We Can't See - ReCreate Church - Pastor Michael Shockley - August 9 2026

    The Idols We Can't See Speaker: Michael Shockley, ReCreate Church Scripture: 1 John 5:21 1 John Series, Part 26 Episode Summary In the final installment of the 1 John series, Pastor Michael opens with a skit about two people who can see each other's ridiculous hats but can't see their own - because idolatry always feels like somebody else's problem. Through the very last verse of 1 John, we discover that modern idols don't come in wood or stone. They come in the form of money, success, control, affirmation, distraction, and politics - all promising to give what only Jesus can. Key Points - An idol is a good thing treated like a God thing - anything we depend on to give us what only Jesus can provide - We rarely reject God openly; we reshape Him into something we can manage - just like Israel with the golden calf - Every idol targets a real need: security, worth, belonging, confidence, peace, hope, or rest - The question isn't how much time we spend on something, but what we're expecting it to give us - Idols creep in slowly - like a friend who needed a place to crash and changed the locks Main Takeaway Idols promise to give what only Jesus can. Your phone, your money, your plans, and even your family can be good things - but they are terrible gods. John spent five chapters showing us what is real, and closes with one last warning: don't fall for anything fake. Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Memorable Quotes - "Idols promise to give what only Jesus can." - "An idol is a good thing that gets treated like a God thing." - "The human heart is an idol factory." (John Calvin) - "We are wired for worship. If we refuse to worship God, we will replace Him with something else." - "Idols don't kick the door down like a burglar. They creep in under the door like a stink bug." - "You can't satisfy your thirst with salt water, and you can't satisfy your soul with anything but Jesus." Reflection Question What do you instinctively run to when life feels out of control, or when you're bored, scared, lonely, or exhausted? What are you expecting that thing to give you that only Jesus can? Tune in to hear the hilarious "Bro, What's With the Hat?" skit, the mystery of who ate the last Dino Nuggie, and why the golden calf disaster was not as different from our lives as we'd like to think. Connect & Give Learn more about ReCreate Church at www.recreatechurch.org Give online easily and securely through Tithe.ly

  5. Aug 3

    Certainty for an Uncertain World - ReCreate Church - Pastor Michael Shockley - August 2 2026

    Certainty for an Uncertain World Speaker: Michael Shockley, ReCreate Church Scripture: 1 John 5:20 1 John Series, Part 25 Episode Summary In part 25 of the 1 John series, Pastor Michael gets personal about his struggle with uncertainty - the weather app, the "we need to talk" texts, the waiting room that has become a permanent residence. Through the final verses of 1 John, we discover that the answer to uncertainty isn't more information. It's knowing Who has the wheel. We can't be sure about tomorrow, but we can be sure about Jesus. Key Points - The Son of God has come - our faith is not in humanity reaching up to God, but in God stepping down to us - Jesus gives us understanding to recognize what is from God, even when we don't know the full road ahead - We are not just supposed to know about God - we are in Christ, joined to Him in relationship and identity - Eternal life isn't just the prize at the end - it begins the moment you believe and is wrapped up in Jesus Himself - No amount of struggle, anxiety, or uncertainty can cancel the truth that we belong to Jesus Main Takeaway We can't be sure about tomorrow, but we can be sure about Jesus. God doesn't answer our uncertainty by telling us everything that's coming - He tells us Who Has Come. Faith isn't knowing every turn ahead; it's knowing Who has the wheel. Memorable Quotes - "We can't be sure about tomorrow, but we can be sure about Jesus." - "The answer to uncertainty is not information; it's in Who you know." - "God doesn't answer our uncertainty by telling us everything that's coming. He tells us Who Has Come." - "Faith isn't knowing every turn ahead; Faith is knowing Who has the wheel." - "When you take The Hand of Jesus, He won't let go." - "Jesus didn't just show up to help us manage our spiritual battery. He Is The Source of Life." - "We will never walk any step of this journey alone." Reflection Question What area of uncertainty are you trying to control right now - and what would it look like to release that demand to know everything before you move? Tune in to hear Pastor Michael's hilarious confessions about weather apps, GPS exits he has definitely not missed, and why a possum with reflective fur is actually deeply theological. Connect & Give Learn more about ReCreate Church at www.recreatechurch.org Give online easily and securely through Tithe.ly

  6. Jul 27

    Living in a World of Lies - ReCreate Church - Pastor Michael Shockley - July 26 2026

    Living in a World of Lies Speaker: Michael Shockley, ReCreate Church Scripture: 1 John 5:18-19 1 John Series, Part 24 Episode Summary In part 24 of the 1 John series, Pastor Michael opens with a chicken coop fable about three baby chicks frightened by lies - and an old hen named Hazel who reminds them who they really belong to. Through 1 John's final verses, we discover three things we can know with certainty in a world flooded with deception: we are born to a new life, we belong to God, and the wicked one cannot own us. Key Points - Being born of God doesn't mean sinless perfection, but it means sin no longer owns us - we struggle with it rather than settle into it - "He who is born of God keeps himself" - we guard our lives and choices, not because we save ourselves, but because we are no longer casual about sin - Satan may attack our circumstances, but he cannot reverse the Cross, undo the Resurrection, or cancel our adoption - The "world" in this passage means human society organized against God - running the same lie as Eden: decide good and evil yourself - The devil's lies sound believable in the moment; the damage only becomes obvious later Main Takeaway No lie can change the truth that we belong to God. The devil knows which lies work on us - you're too broken, too guilty, too far gone, or you don't need God at all. But Jesus knew the full truth about us when He went to the Cross. You don't have to believe every voice when you know who you belong to. Memorable Quotes - "No lie can change the truth that we belong to God." - "You don't have to believe every voice when you know who you belong to." - "Struggle is a sign of life. A dead fish doesn't fight against the hook." - "The devil may touch the circumstances of your life, but he cannot touch the deepest truth about your life: you belong to God." - "You will not be untouched, but you will be unconquered." - "The forbidden fruit changes, but the lie remains the same." - "Changing the label on a jar doesn't change what's inside." Reflection Question What lie has the devil been whispering to you about your identity, your worth, or your standing before God - and what does it mean to replace that lie with the truth that you belong to Him? Tune in to hear the full fable of Buttons, Olive, Pickle, Big Red, and the wise old hen Hazel - and discover why the Colonel's bucket has nothing on the Farmer who cares for His own. Connect & Give Learn more about ReCreate Church at www.recreatechurch.org Give online easily and securely through Tithe.ly

  7. Jul 20

    Seizing the Moment - ReCreate Church, Elder Duncan Crook - July 19, 2026

    Seizing the Moment Speaker: Duncan Crook, Elder at ReCreate Church Scripture: Joshua 1:1-9 Episode Summary Elder Duncan Crook explores one of life's most challenging realities: transitions we didn't choose. Through Joshua's sudden call to lead Israel into the Promised Land after Moses' death, we discover three essential dispositions for navigating change - whether it's a major life shift, a career change, an empty nest, or a church stepping into an uncertain future. God's purpose in transition is clear: you cannot seize tomorrow while still clinging to yesterday. Key Points - Versatility means facing reality honestly and letting go of what God is not calling us into the next season - Trust is anchored in the unchanging faithfulness of God, not in leaders, traditions, or structures that may change - Courage is not the absence of fear - it means going forward even when you're afraid, because God says "I will never leave you" - The Word of God is the only eternal stabilizer when everything else shifts around us - Every transition, even good ones, begins with loss - but God never ends a season without opening something new and glorious Main Takeaway You cannot seize tomorrow while you're still clinging to yesterday. Whatever your "Moses" or your "manna" - the thing you fear losing - God's Word and His presence are the only constants that never change. Identify the season that has ended, remember it with gratitude, anchor yourself in His Word, and arise and go forward. Memorable Quotes - "You cannot seize tomorrow while you're still clinging to yesterday." - "He never ends a season for His people that doesn't continue with something brand new and something glorious." - "Courage is the men who are scared to death, but they go anyway." - "His word is the eternal stabilizer when we're going through uncertainty." - "The grass withers, the flower fades - the word of our God stands forever." - "What are you chasing that God doesn't have for you?" Reflection Question Who or what is your "Moses" - the person, tradition, or structure you fear losing? And what is your "manna" - the provision you're afraid won't be there tomorrow? Are you trusting those things more than you're trusting God? Tune in to hear Duncan's honest challenge to ReCreate Church about embracing change, the story of manna stopping the moment Israel entered the Promised Land, and why chasing the season that's behind you never ends well. Connect & Give Learn more about ReCreate Church at www.recreatechurch.org Give online easily and securely through Tithe.ly

  8. Jul 13

    When You Fall in The Gully - ReCreate Church, Pastor Michael Shockley - July 12, 2026

    When You Fall in The Gully Speaker: Michael Shockley, ReCreate Church Scripture: 1 John 5:16-17 1 John Series, Part 23 Episode Summary In part 23 of the 1 John series, Pastor Michael tells the story of two brothers who fall into a deep gully - one who keeps struggling to get out, and one who decorates it and settles in. Through 1 John's teaching on praying for believers caught in sin, we discover that everyone falls sometimes, but what you do next makes all the difference. It's better to struggle with sin than to settle in sin. Key Points - John calls believers to pray for fellow believers who are caught in sin - the first response should be intercession, not indignation - Sin not leading to death is sin that is met with repentance and a return to God - Sin leading to death is unrepentant sin that a person settles into and refuses to leave - Struggle is a sign of life - a dead mouse doesn't try to get out of the trap - Don't stop throwing the rope, even if the person won't take it Main Takeaway The question isn't whether you've sinned - we all have. The question is what you're doing with your sin. Are you hiding it or confessing it? Feeding it or fighting it? Settling in or struggling to get back to Jesus? Don't decorate the gully. Take the rope, climb out, and then throw it back in for someone else. Memorable Quotes - "It's better to struggle with sin than to settle in sin." - "Everyone sins sometimes. It's what you do next that matters." - "When a brother is tripped up, the first action should be intercession, not indignation." - "If your plan includes scheduling the apology before committing the sin, you're not repenting, you're forging a permission slip." - "Repentance is the difference between death and life." - "Don't stop throwing the rope, even if the person won't take it." Reflection Question Are you struggling to get out of the gully, or have you started decorating it? And is there someone in your life who needs you to throw them a rope right now? Tune in to hear the full story of Eddie, Ray, Cecil, and the legendary "Bless This Mess" license plate sign - and why struggle is actually a sign of spiritual life. Connect & Give Learn more about ReCreate Church at www.recreatechurch.org Give online easily and securely through Tithe.ly

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
8 Ratings

About

Based in Hillsville, Virginia, this is the podcast of ReCreate Church. We are a community of Life and Love.