Innovation Church Messages

Innovation Church

This is the weekly message from Pastor Billy Holden here at Innovation Church, Lafayette, IN. Our Vision…​ is to create irresistible environments that allow the unchurched (those who have never been to church before) and the dechurched (those who have been to church and decided not to go back) to take a second look at Christ and His church. Our Sunday morning environments are casual, engaging, fun, and friendly, and we allow people a safe place to come and investigate Jesus and His Word.

  1. Aug 31

    Joyful Surrender With Pastor Traci Akers - Week 4

    In the fourth message of our Women’s History Month series, “That’s What She Said,” we return to the story of Hannah and discover that sometimes the greatest expression of faith isn’t receiving from God—it’s releasing what we love back into His hands. Hannah prayed for a child, waited through heartbreak, and trusted God for the miracle she desperately desired. When Samuel was finally born, Hannah could have held tightly to the answer to her prayer. Instead, she kept her promise and surrendered her son to God’s greater purpose. Her story teaches us that true strength is found not in controlling the outcome, but in trusting the One who holds it. In “Joyful Surrender,” Co-Pastor Mandy Holden will sit down with Traci Akers for a powerful and deeply personal conversation. Traci will share her story of walking alongside her husband through an extraordinary battle with cancer—not once, not twice, but three times. Through each diagnosis, uncertainty, prayer, and difficult season, Traci learned what it means to trust God with what she could not control. Her husband ultimately experienced complete remission, but the journey revealed a deeper truth: our faith cannot be dependent on the outcome. Hannah’s story and Traci’s testimony remind us that surrender doesn’t mean we stop believing for a miracle. It means we can pray boldly while still saying, “God, whatever the outcome, I trust You.” Because when we surrender what we love to God, we aren’t placing it in the hands of the unknown—we’re placing it in the hands of the One who loves us completely. Joy comes when we trust God with what we cannot control.

    Joyful Surrender With Pastor Traci Akers - Week 4
  2. Aug 24

    Standing Firm When Others Mock With Pastor Brenda Vogel - Week 3

    What happens when the words of others become another source of pain in a life that has already been wounded? In the third message of the That’s What She Said series, “Standing Firm When Others Mock,” Co-Pastor Mandy Holden interviews her mother Pastor Brenda Vogel in a deeply personal conversation about abuse, shame, rejection, and finding the courage to stand firm in God’s truth.Drawing from Hannah’s story in 1 Samuel 1, we see a woman who endured years of ridicule and painful words from those around her. Hannah knew what it felt like to be mocked in the very place where she was already hurting. But she refused to allow the voices of others to define her relationship with God.Pastor Brenda shares from her own life about the abuse she experienced from her father and the deep shame that followed. She opens up about the pain of knowing people were talking about her and how those words could become another burden to carry. Her story reminds us that sometimes the wounds we carry are compounded by the opinions, assumptions, and whispers of others.But healing begins when we stop allowing those voices to tell us who we are and begin measuring them against the truth of Scripture. People may talk. They may judge. They may misunderstand our story. But their voices do not have the authority to define us.Romans 8:1 reminds us that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. We are not defined by our past, our wounds, our failures, or what others say about us. Jesus gets the final word. In Christ, we are forgiven, chosen, and redeemed.

    Standing Firm When Others Mock With Pastor Brenda Vogel - Week 3
  3. Aug 10

    When Your Heart Breaks With Angela Meek - Week 1

    “When Your Heart Breaks” launches our new series, That’s What She Said, with a powerful and deeply personal conversation between Co-Pastor Mandy Holden and Angela Meek. Drawing from 1 Samuel 1:1–18, this message brings the story of Hannah into real life, showing us what it looks like to walk through heartbreak with honest, unfiltered faith. In this opening week, we explore the truth that Hannah didn’t hide her pain—she brought her broken heart directly to God. Through Angela’s testimony, we’ll hear what it’s like when life suddenly shifts, when prayers feel unanswered, and when the weight of sorrow becomes overwhelming. This conversation will tackle the real questions many are afraid to ask: What do you do when you feel disappointed with God? How do you keep believing when nothing seems to change? And what does it look like to stop pretending you’re okay? This message reminds us that being real with God is the first step to standing strong. Hannah’s story shows us that God is not intimidated by our pain—He invites it. And while the situation may not change immediately, something powerful happens when we pour out our hearts before Him. By the end, we see a turning point: Hannah walks away different, not because her prayer was answered yet, but because she trusted that God was carrying her. That same invitation is extended to us. If your heart is breaking, you don’t have to carry it alone—God hears even your silent prayers.

    When Your Heart Breaks With Angela Meek - Week 1
  4. Jul 22

    The Church Bully - Week 3

    In week three of our series Christians Behaving Badly, we turn our attention to a powerful and uncomfortable example titled “The Church Bully.” In this series, we take an honest look at the messy, sometimes shocking behavior of people in Scripture who should have known better. From Diotrephes’ prideful control to King Asa’s stubborn independence, from the hypocrisy of Ananias and Sapphira to the petty conflict of Euodia and Syntyche, each story reveals how damaging unhealthy attitudes can be inside the church. These aren’t just ancient stories—they reflect struggles we still face today. Through each message, we confront issues like pride, division, dishonesty, and conflict while discovering practical, biblical ways to respond differently—pointing us ultimately to Jesus, our perfect example.In “The Church Bully,” we examine Diotrephes in 3 John 9–10, a man who loved being first more than serving others. His pride turned ministry into a platform for self-promotion, pushed people away, and created division in the church. This message challenges us to recognize how pride can quietly distort our motives, turning partners into competitors and fueling gossip that tears down what God is trying to build.But there is a better way. Through the words of Jesus in Mark 10:43–45, we are reminded that true greatness is found in humility and service. Jesus didn’t climb to the top—He stooped to serve, lifting others, washing feet, and ultimately giving His life.This sermon invites us to ask a hard question: Is there any Diotrephes in me? Because pride kills ministry—but humility builds it. ministry—but humility builds it.

    The Church Bully - Week 3

About

This is the weekly message from Pastor Billy Holden here at Innovation Church, Lafayette, IN. Our Vision…​ is to create irresistible environments that allow the unchurched (those who have never been to church before) and the dechurched (those who have been to church and decided not to go back) to take a second look at Christ and His church. Our Sunday morning environments are casual, engaging, fun, and friendly, and we allow people a safe place to come and investigate Jesus and His Word.