The Haven Community Church

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This is the sermon in audio form from Sunday Mornings at The Haven Community Church in Old Town Spring, Texas. Services and Livestream @ 10am CST.

  1. 6d ago

    Mutual Submission and the Love That Reflects Christ (Center: Pt.18 | Eph 5:21-33)

    Study Guide: https://www.canvaqr.com/RGTvM1iO_JWhat if the most countercultural part of Ephesians 5 isn't what wives are told, but what husbands are told? In the third and final sermon of our marriage series, Luke walks through Ephesians 5:21-33 from an equality and leadership viewpoint, tracing how everything Paul has said so far in the letter builds to this passage. He covers mutual submission, what "head" could mean (source, prominence, or authority), why the Christ-and-church analogy can't be stretched too far, and how Paul's language about nourishing and cherishing would have turned first-century marriage upside down. Luke is upfront that he and Scott land in different places on headship, and that faithful Christians do too. The message closes with a word for single people and a set of questions for married couples.Timestamps0:00 - Welcome: the third and final sermon on marriage0:21 - Scott and Luke have different takes on headship - and why we shared both0:52 - Luke's lens: equality and leadership - and it's okay to disagree1:19 - Why you can't jump straight to Ephesians 5:221:47 - Ephesians 1-3 recap: the spiritual lottery, dead in sin, made alive in Christ3:24 - The new humanity: put off the old, put on the new4:27 - Combined study notes from Scott's and Luke's sermons5:03 - Ephesians 5:1-2: be imitators of God, walk in love5:35 - What is love? A commitment to act for another's well-being6:36 - Does this include husbands and wives?7:09 - What does the word "submit" bring up for you?7:47 - Mutual submission as the outflow of love8:34 - What mutual submission looks like in the church10:01 - Who is commanded to submit to whom?10:49 - 1 Corinthians 7: Paul's countercultural statement on authority in marriage12:56 - Ephesians 5:22-24 read aloud13:18 - The absence of a command doesn't mean the calling doesn't apply13:55 - Paul in the Roman world: the man as supreme ruler of his home15:20 - What does "head" mean? Authority, source, or prominence17:17 - The Christ-and-church analogy isn't absolute18:22 - A bridge too far: "if he says it, it's as if God said it"19:26 - Luke's take: source or prominence, and why the flow of the passage matters21:00 - The head is the one who serves - Jesus and the rulers of the Gentiles22:19 - Submission doesn't give a husband ground to demand anything23:10 - Ephesians 5:25-30: husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church24:35 - Why Paul's charge to husbands was revolutionary26:03 - Domestic language: nourish, cherish, and Christ as servant28:14 - "If headship only benefits you, you aren't doing it right"28:27 - Ephesians 5's picture of masculinity29:04 - The golden rule in marriage: treat her as you would want to be treated30:03 - Why husbands love their wives: we are members of Christ's body31:00 - The big takeaway: it all flows from what Jesus does for us32:56 - A word to single people: you reflect Christ in your own way35:12 - Challenge to husbands and wives: does your marriage reflect mutual submission?36:01 - Questions for married couples: honor, harmony, patience, kindness36:58 - What marriage reveals about who you really are38:16 - Repentance, forgiveness, and trying againScripture References: Ephesians 5:21-33 | Ephesians 5:1-2 | Ephesians 1-3 | 1 Corinthians 7 | Genesis 2:24#Ephesians5 #Marriage #MutualSubmission #BibleStudy #ChristianSermon #SundaySermon #HavenCommunityChurch #HoustonChurch #VerseByVerse #BiblicalPreaching

  2. Sep 23

    Until Kingdom Come (Apocalyptic Writings: Pt.5 | Daniel 7)

    Study Guide: https://www.canvaqr.com/RGTC-KQpYk Have you ever looked at someone with an enormous amount of power and wondered who could possibly stop them? Daniel 7 answers that question with beasts, a courtroom in heaven, and a Son of Man who receives a kingdom that will never end. Continuing the Apocalyptic Writings series, this message walks through Daniel's fever-dream vision of four terrifying beasts rising from a chaotic sea - the same four kingdoms from Daniel 2, seen this time from a different angle. A small, loud-mouthed horn rises among them and speaks great things, oppressing God's people, until a courtroom scene in heaven brings it all crashing down. Then comes the turning point: a Son of Man, riding the clouds like only God can, is given a kingdom that will never end - and he shares it with his people. This message traces that vision all the way to Jesus, and lands on an honest, unshielded truth: knowing how the story ends doesn't always make the middle feel good, but the kingdom already belongs to us. Timestamps 0:00 - Welcome: bouncing between two series, back in Apocalyptic Writings1:06 - Have you ever looked at someone with too much power and wondered who could stop them?1:38 - Recap: Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 2, given rule over everything2:23 - Nebuchadnezzar's boast on the roof - and the voice from heaven3:00 - Driven into the wilderness, becoming beastly - the man who ruled beasts becomes one3:35 - Now in Daniel 7 - powerful beastly figures oppressing God's people4:03 - Evil may prevail for a time, but only as long as God allows5:03 - Context: Belshazzar running Babylon, Daniel now in his 70s6:06 - What apocalyptic literature means - highly symbolic, a fever dream6:39 - The four winds stirring the great sea - the sea as chaos7:21 - Four beasts rise from the sea - the same four kingdoms as Daniel 216:34 - The court scene: the Ancient of Days, thrones, books opened16:48 - Not the final judgment - but the same courtroom pattern17:23 - Books opened for the beasts, later for humanity17:56 - The Lamb's Book of Life - the book of mercy and grace18:30 - The little horn's fate - the beast killed, its body destroyed19:15 - These beasts aren't just empires - spiritual forces behind them19:53 - Why Revelation rolls all four beasts into one20:14 - Verse 13: the kingdom belongs to the Son of Man20:20 - Daniel sees one like a son of man coming on the clouds22:02 - Only God rides on the clouds in the Old Testament22:30 - Jesus quotes this vision of himself at his trial - and Caiaphas tears his robe23:05 - Matthew 24:30 and Matthew 28:18 - Jesus claiming Daniel's vision24:32 - The Son of Man shares his kingdom with his people25:01 - Verse 18: the saints of the Most High receive the kingdom forever33:50 - 70 AD as a shadow, pointing beyond itself to something more34:08 - The dragon has yet to be destroyed, but was defeated at the cross34:41 - The kingdom is already ours - not just promised for later35:26 - Daniel gets the full interpretation - and still walks away shaken36:00 - Knowing the ending doesn't make the middle feel good36:42 - No one promised an easier life - but a hope and a future46:22 - We are the body of Christ - not individually little Christs46:45 - The Voltron picture - many parts, one organism47:15 - Why the enemy fights the church being the church, not just gathering48:05 - Colossians 1:13 - delivered from darkness into the kingdom48:35 - Already, but not yet - the kingdom belongs to us now49:50 - Closing charge: endure and keep moving forward Scripture References: Daniel 7 | Daniel 2 | Daniel 4 | Revelation 20 | Revelation 1:5 | Revelation 17:14 | Matthew 24:30 | Matthew 28:18 | Mark 14:62 | Colossians 1:13 | Ephesians 2 #Daniel7 #ApocalypticWritings #SonOfMan #BibleStudy #ChristianSermon #SundaySermon #HavenCommunityChurch #KingdomOfGod #HoustonChurch #VerseByVerse

  3. Sep 14

    What Does "Head" Really Mean? A Pastor's Response on Marriage (Center: Pt.17 | Eph 5:21-33)

    Ephesians 5:21-33 - What Does "Head" Really Mean? Scott's Perspective on MarriageStudy Notes: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pQlqvMde_yQz5Lqx_tq0Ew9lYXfO3BmgBOIhfdW2jEA/edit?usp=sharingLast week Luke preached his view of one of the most debated passages in Ephesians. This week, Scott takes 40 minutes to offer his own perspective - not as a rebuttal, but as an honest, gracious dialogue between two pastors who land a little differently on this text. Scott walks through what the Greek word for "head" (kephale) actually means, why he doesn't think it's simply reducible to "source," why Paul never once tells a wife to "obey" the way he tells children and slaves to, and what a biblical picture of masculinity actually looks like - one built on sacrifice, initiative, and tenderness rather than domination. This is a model for how Christians can disagree on secondary issues while staying fully unified on the gospel.Timestamps0:00 - Welcome: three Scotts in the room this morning0:38 - Reading Ephesians 5:15-33 for context3:49 - Why Scott is offering a different perspective from Luke's message last week5:16 - On disagreement: "I love dialogue, not debate"6:56 - The biggest mistake husbands make reading "wives submit"13:55 - Soft complementarian and egalitarian views can look nearly identical15:00 - Verse 21 as a hinge between the whole church and household relationships17:19 - Referencing Luke's Aristotle quotes from last week18:02 - Paul strips out the "ruling over" language but keeps the pairs intact19:27 - What does "head" (kephale) actually mean?19:36 - The "source" argument - and why Scott finds it compelling but incomplete20:35 - Whatever headship means, Jesus has to define it20:54 - Equality and headship are not opposites - 1 Corinthians 11:331:07 - What true masculinity is not - the "macho man" caricature31:52 - Ephesians 5's picture of masculinity: strength, sacrifice, tenderness32:34 - Women can embody these virtues too - not assigning them exclusively by sex32:58 - The gospel trajectory - Luke's point from last week33:21 - Women were the first to discover the resurrection - an early elevation33:45 - Why slavery wasn't immediately abolished, but the seeds were planted34:55 - Could the same trajectory apply to male and female roles?35:07 - Scott's one hesitation: marriage is rooted in creation, unlike slavery36:46 - The real question: what's cultural baggage vs. a creational distinction?37:31 - Whatever you believe about headship, Paul gives no one permission to be selfish38:19 - Husbands: does your wife experience safety, sacrifice, and service?38:30 - Wives: does your husband experience honor, support, and partnership?39:02 - The gospel is not calling us back to male domination39:41 - Redeeming marriage into an image of Christ and the church39:50 - Closing prayerScripture References: Ephesians 5:15-33 | 1 Corinthians 11:3 | Genesis 2#Ephesians5 #Marriage #Headship #BibleStudy #ChristianSermon #SundaySermon #BiblicalPreaching #Complementarian #Egalitarian #HavenCommunityChurch #HoustonChurch #VerseByVerse

  4. Sep 7

    Center: A Study Through Ephesians Pt.16

    Ephesians 5:21-25 - Wives, Husbands, and the Household Code Paul Turned Upside DownEvery Christian eventually runs into this passage - and it tends to generate strong opinions fast. In part one of a two-part series, Luke tackles one of the most debated passages in the New Testament: Ephesians 5:21-25, the wives-and-husbands passage. Rather than rushing past the disagreement, Luke lays out two views held by good, faithful Christians, walks through actual first-century "household codes" written by philosophers like Aristotle for context, and makes the case that Paul wasn't reinforcing the culture of his day - he was quietly subverting it. Scott closes with a few thoughts of his own, previewing some places where he and Luke see this passage a little differently, to be unpacked further next week. Honest, well-researched, and refreshingly humble about a passage that doesn't always get handled that way.Study Guide: https://www.canvaqr.com/RGSANMvBs3Timestamps0:00 - Introduction: Luke on changing his mind over the years1:59 - Turning to Ephesians 5:21-33, beginning a two-part series2:58 - Ephesians 5:21-25 read aloud4:06 - Two views introduced: the "male leadership" view and the "equality in leadership" view5:21 - Luke and Scott both acknowledge they land differently on this passage15:40 - Foundational principle 1: Genesis 1-2 as the Eden ideal16:06 - Foundational principle 2: the gospel undoing what went wrong at the fall18:22 - Neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female - what Paul actually means20:35 - Why didn't the early church immediately abolish slavery?28:08 - Applying the same logic to marriage and household hierarchy29:39 - Reading actual first-century household codes from Aristotle32:04 - Paul's household code and how it subverts the norms of the day33:39 - Verse 21 as the header verse for everything that follows42:25 - What submission does not mean - no obligation to obey harm43:23 - Luke's summary: a foundation for equality, not male dominance44:18 - Scott shares a few of his own differing thoughts45:48 - 1 Corinthians on being divided over which teacher you follow46:19 - Haven as a safe place to wrestle with hard passages46:33 - Some parts of scripture are shallow enough for a child, deep enough to drown an elephant48:32 - Preview: unpacking differences and finding unity next weekScripture References: Ephesians 5:21-25 | Genesis 1-2 | Galatians 3:28 | 2 Corinthians 5:17 | 1 Corinthians 1#Ephesians5 #Marriage #BibleStudy #ChristianSermon #SundaySermon #BiblicalPreaching #VerseByVerse #HavenCommunityChurch #Complementarian #Egalitarian #HoustonChurch

  5. Sep 3

    Looking for Something Better?

    Hebrews 1:1-4 - Jesus Is Better (Even When Life Doesn't Feel Like It)Filling in for Scott while he's out sick, Brandon steps up for his second sermon - and tackles one of the most quietly profound questions a Christian can ask: what do we actually mean when we say Jesus makes things "better"? Working through Hebrews 1:1-4, Brandon traces the book's central argument that Jesus is better than the prophets, better than the angels, better than Moses, better than the high priest, and better than every sacrifice that came before him. But the sermon doesn't stop at theology - it presses into the honest tension so many believers feel: if Jesus is better, why doesn't life always feel better? Drawing on Hebrews 11 and 12, this message reframes faith not as guaranteed better circumstances, but as continuing to trust God regardless of the outcome - because Jesus is better than any and every circumstance we face.Timestamps0:00 - Welcome: Scott's out sick, Brandon steps up for sermon 2.02:29 - Turning to Hebrews 1:1-43:12 - Hebrews 1:1-4 read aloud3:56 - Why Hebrews has no listed author4:40 - The letter jumps straight into Christology - no greeting, no introduction6:44 - Early heresies about who Jesus really was9:00 - Six things the opening verses reveal about who Jesus is13:06 - Why the basics matter most when we're under the most stress13:49 - Jesus as the ultimate high priest, better than the Levitical priests15:23 - Hebrews 3:3-5 - worthy of more glory than Moses17:15 - The question: what does "better" really mean?17:22 - Life doesn't necessarily get easier when you follow Christ19:07 - What the original audience of Hebrews may have been facing20:45 - The shadow and the person - what the Old Testament pointed toward27:21 - The promises actually listed in Hebrews 1 - and what's missing28:11 - Notice what it doesn't promise: riches, health, a happy family29:02 - Hebrews 11 - faithful people who had both victories and suffering30:05 - Maybe faith isn't measured by the outcome you wanted30:42 - Hebrews 12:1-3 - run the race with endurance33:04 - Sometimes the job doesn't get better, the diagnosis doesn't change33:37 - Reframing the question: is Jesus still better, even when circumstances aren't?33:51 - Jesus is better than the prophets, angels, Moses, the high priest, the sacrifices35:09 - Don't assume Jesus has stopped being better when life doesn't feel betterScripture References: Hebrews 1:1-4 | Hebrews 3:3-5 | Hebrews 11 | Hebrews 12:1-3#Hebrews1 #JesusIsBetter #BibleStudy #ChristianSermon #SundaySermon #GuestSermon #BiblicalPreaching #VerseByVerse #HavenCommunityChurch #Faith #Perseverance #HoustonChurch

  6. Aug 24

    Ask the Pastor Anything

    Ask the Pastor Anything: Dreams, Nephilim, God's Plan, and Feeling Alone in Your FaithFive questions, no scripts, and two pastors doing their best to give honest, biblical answers on the spot. In this Ask a Pastor episode, Scott and Luke tackle a genuinely wide range of questions submitted by the congregation - how to know if a dream is from God, whether imperfection should keep someone from getting baptized, the Nephilim and (yes) Bigfoot, whether God has one hidden plan you have to decode for your life, how to make decisions when you don't get a clear sign, and one of the harder ones - what to do when you feel completely alone in your faith with no community around you. Honest, a little funny at times, and refreshingly humble throughout.Timestamps0:00 - Welcome and how Ask a Pastor works2:10 - Question 1: How do you know if a dream is from God?10:13 - Question 2: Does imperfection disqualify you from baptism?16:24 - Question 3: What about the Nephilim and Bigfoot?30:49 - Question 4: Does God have a hidden plan you have to figure out?54:13 - Question 5: What do I do if I feel completely alone in my faith?Books & Resources MentionedThe Unseen Realm - Michael S. Heiser (the scholarly work behind the Nephilim discussion)https://www.amazon.com/Unseen-Realm-Recovering-Supernatural-Worldview/dp/1577995562The Screwtape Letters - C.S. Lewis (referenced regarding how believers can underplay or overplay the devil's role)https://www.amazon.com/Screwtape-Letters-C-S-Lewis/dp/0060093668The Book of Enoch (referenced with the caveat that it's ancient Jewish literature, not scripture)https://www.amazon.com/s?k=book+of+enochBibleProject (referenced multiple times as a study resource for the Old Testament and the "meditation literature" approach to reading scripture)https://bibleproject.com#AskAPastor #HavenCommunityChurch #BibleQA #ChristianPodcast #FaithQuestions #Nephilim #Baptism #GodsWill #ChristianCommunity #HoustonChurch #BibleStudy #FaithJourney

  7. Aug 17

    God of Gods and Lord of Kings

    Daniel 2 - The Statue, The Stone, and The Kingdom That Never FallsStudy Guide: https://www.canvaqr.com/RGQXBq8IV2In April 2003, the world watched a 40-foot bronze statue of Saddam Hussein get pulled to the ground in Baghdad. Throughout history it's the same story - kings build monuments to their own glory, and eventually every one of those statues falls. That's exactly the scene Daniel walks into in Babylon, except this time the statue is in a king's dream, and only Daniel can tell him what it means. The real story isn't about Babylon's power. It's about a kingdom that starts as a small stone, brings down every empire that stands in its way, and never stops growing.Timestamps0:53 - Turn to Daniel chapter 21:02 - Apocalyptic literature series recap2:04 - The fall of Saddam Hussein's statue in Baghdad3:31 - Context: Daniel is a captive in Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar4:34 - What Daniel 2 answers: kingdoms rise and fall, God's kingdom prevails4:55 - Nebuchadnezzar's crisis: a troubling, vivid dream5:30 - The impossible demand: tell me the dream, not just the interpretation7:10 - The king orders all the wise men killed9:00 - Daniel asks for time and turns to prayer10:00 - God reveals the mystery to Daniel in a night vision12:00 - The dream: a great statue with a head of gold14:00 - Head of gold: Babylon15:00 - Chest and arms of silver: the Medo-Persian Empire17:18 - Belly and thighs of bronze: Greece17:34 - Legs of iron: the Roman Empire17:51 - Feet of iron and clay - materials that won't mesh18:16 - Different theories on what the feet represent19:23 - Verse 44: God's kingdom that will never be destroyed20:21 - What Daniel and Nebuchadnezzar couldn't fully see - Jesus was coming20:54 - Jesus' death, resurrection, ascension, and the Spirit poured out21:38 - A kingdom of shalom for all who enter21:59 - Back to the feet of the statue - pastor's own interpretation23:04 - Iron and clay: a nation that looks strong but is deeply divided23:48 - Only God's kingdom truly unifies - Revelation 7:924:33 - What kind of personal kingdom are you building?28:00 - Nebuchadnezzar's later confession in Daniel 430:54 - The right response isn't trying harder - it's surrender31:38 - The Christian life is a life of surrender32:16 - Nebuchadnezzar's confession: God of gods and Lord of kings32:43 - Real spiritual powers behind the scenes33:37 - Ephesians 6:12 - our struggle is not against flesh and blood36:06 - Horoscopes, tarot, Ouija boards - none of them are harmless36:46 - Scripture doesn't call them fake - it calls them forbidden37:50 - No throne is outside God's authority38:30 - Closing: how is God speaking to you today?Scripture References: Daniel 2 | Daniel 4 | Daniel 10 | Ephesians 6:12 | Revelation 7:9#Daniel2 #ApocalypticLiterature #KingdomOfGod #BibleStudy #ChristianSermon #SundaySermon #Nebuchadnezzar #BiblicalPreaching #VerseByVerse #HavenCommunityChurch #Surrender #Prophecy #HoustonChurch

  8. Aug 10

    Center: A Study Through Ephesians Pt.15

    Ephesians 5:7-21 - Making the Best Use of the TimeA speedrunner takes a 40-hour video game and finishes it in 36 minutes. No wasted movement. No side quests. One purpose, executed with total focus. That image is what sparked this week's anchor verse: "Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil." Picking up in Ephesians 5:7-21, this message covers walking as children of light, three practical antidotes to sexual sin that go deeper than "just stop," what it actually means to be filled with the Spirit, and the three contrasts Paul uses to show us what wise living looks like. Verse 21 closes the passage and quietly sets up everything Paul is about to say about marriage, family, and relationships.Study Guide: https://www.canvaqr.com/RGPvFYHZV3Scripture References: Ephesians 5:7-21 | Ephesians 5:1-2 | Genesis 2-3#Ephesians5 #MakingTheBestUseOfTheTime #FilledWithTheSpirit #BibleStudy #ChristianSermon #SundaySermon #WalkInTheLight #BiblicalPreaching #VerseByVerse #Discipleship #HavenCommunityChurch #Ephesians #WisdomAndFaith #ChristianLiving #HoustonChurch

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This is the sermon in audio form from Sunday Mornings at The Haven Community Church in Old Town Spring, Texas. Services and Livestream @ 10am CST.

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