Embracing Godly Fatherhood and Spiritual Growth in Christ

Summary

Today, we gathered to honor fathers and reflect on the profound journey of spiritual growth and freedom found in Christ. In a world where fatherhood is often marked by absence or brokenness, we celebrate the men in our community who are breaking the mold—men who are present, godly, and committed to shaping future generations. We prayed for every kind of father—biological, adoptive, step, spiritual, and those longing to be dads—asking God to equip them with supernatural strength and grace for the season ahead. Our gratitude extends to all who serve, give, and invest in the next generation, both within our church and through partnerships like Shiloh Youth Ranch, where children are introduced to the love of Jesus.

We focused on the essential call to grow in our faith, never settling for complacency. Growth in Christ is not about religious duty or mere behavior modification, but about deep surrender to Jesus, allowing Him to transform us from the inside out. This journey requires us to engage in honest, sometimes uncomfortable conversations about sin—not to shame or condemn, but to bring what is hidden into the light, where healing and freedom are found. Sin loses its power when exposed to the love and grace of Jesus, and we are invited to live as those who are dead to sin and alive in Christ.

Romans 6 teaches us that our status has changed: we are no longer slaves to sin, but have been raised to new life with Jesus. This new identity calls us to align our daily lives with who we truly are in Christ. Just as marriage changes a person’s status and expectations, so does following Jesus. We are called to consider ourselves dead to sin, to refuse to let our old selves dictate our actions, and to wholeheartedly obey God’s ways. This is not about striving in our own strength, but about living out of the freedom and holiness that Christ has already secured for us.

We are reminded that right behavior flows from a transformed heart. Our doing for Jesus must be sustained by our being in Jesus. As we normalize confession, accountability, and authentic community, we experience the fullness of life, freedom, and purpose that God intends. Today, we celebrate the gift of new life, the power of grace, and the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit to build us up from the inside out.

Key Takeaways

- Godly fatherhood is a calling to break generational cycles of absence, brokenness, and striving. By embracing our identity as sons of God, we become spiritual fathers and disciple-makers, shaping not only our own families but the broader community. The church is a place where men are equipped to lead with humility, love, and conviction, reflecting the heart of the Father to the world. [37:28]

- Growth in Christ is a lifelong journey that demands intentional surrender and vulnerability. True transformation happens not through religious obligation, but by allowing Jesus to challenge and reshape our character, habits, and relationships. This process often requires us to engage with people and situations that stretch us, but it is in this tension that we become more like Christ. [42:29]

- Honest conversations about sin are essential for spiritual health and freedom. Shame and pride keep sin hidden, but love and grace bring it into the light, where healing can occur. Confession—both to God and to trusted community—breaks the power of sin and fosters an environment where wholeness and restoration are possible. [54:31]

- Our status in Christ has fundamentally changed; we are dead to sin and alive to God. This new identity is not just a theological concept, but a practical reality that should shape our daily choices and behaviors. Living in alignment with our new status means refusing to let our old patterns control us and instead embracing the freedom and holiness that come from being united with Jesus. [01:04:55]

- Freedom from sin is not about striving for perfect behavior, but about living out of a sanctified heart. Our actions flow from who we are in Christ, not the other way around. As we root our lives in the love, mercy, and truth of Jesus, we are empowered by the Holy Spirit to walk in righteousness, build authentic community, and experience the fullness of life God intends. [01:24:55]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[37:28] - Honoring Fathers and Spiritual Dads
[38:48] - Praying Over Fathers and Future Generations
[41:43] - Family, Community, and Leadership at Evolve
[42:29] - The Call to Grow: Never Settle
[44:13] - Serving, Volunteering, and Generosity
[47:19] - Investing in the Next Generation: Shiloh Youth Ranch
[51:17] - Discipleship Essentials: Romans 5-8
[53:17] - The Splinter Story: Confession and Healing
[54:31] - Normalizing Conversations About Sin
[56:30] - Sin, Trust, and Identity in Christ
[59:31] - Shame, Pride, and Bringing Sin Into the Light
[01:01:16] - Romans 6: Dead to Sin, Alive in Christ
[01:04:55] - Living Out Our New Status
[01:10:38] - Serving God, Not Sin
[01:21:18] - Slaves to Righteousness: Daily Surrender
[01:24:55] - Being vs. Doing: Living From a Transformed Heart
[01:28:03] - Prayer and Response: Receiving Freedom
[01:31:53] - Built Up by the Holy Spirit
[01:32:43] - Invitation to Salvation and Baptism
[01:33:59] - Closing and Celebration

Study Guide

Small Group Bible Study Guide: Dead to Sin, Alive in Christ

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### Bible Reading

- Romans 6 (main text)
- James 5:16 (“Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed.”)
- Romans 3:22-23 (“We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ... For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.”)

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### Observation Questions

1. In Romans 6, what does Paul say has happened to our old sinful selves when we join our lives to Jesus? (see especially verses 6-7)
2. According to the sermon, what is the difference between being a slave to sin and being a slave to righteousness? [01:10:38]
3. What does James 5:16 say is the result of confessing our sins to one another?
4. The sermon mentions that “sin loses its power when exposed to the love and grace of Jesus.” What practical example did the pastor use to illustrate this? [53:17]

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### Interpretation Questions

1. The sermon says, “Growth in Christ is not about religious duty or mere behavior modification, but about deep surrender to Jesus, allowing Him to transform us from the inside out.” What does this mean for how we approach spiritual growth? [42:29]
2. Why is it important to “normalize conversations about sin” in the church community, according to both Romans 6 and the sermon? [54:31]
3. The pastor compared the change in status from single to married with the change that happens when we follow Jesus. How does this analogy help us understand our new identity in Christ? [01:04:55]
4. Romans 6:11 says, “Consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.” What does it look like to “consider” or “reckon” yourself dead to sin in daily life?

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### Application Questions

1. The sermon honored fathers who are “breaking the mold” and shaping future generations. If you are a father (or hope to be), what is one specific way you can be more present and intentional in your family or community this week? If you’re not a father, how can you encourage or support the men in your life to lead with humility and love? [37:28]
2. The pastor challenged everyone to read Romans 6 at least four times this week. What is one practical step you can take to make space for this in your schedule? [01:00:01]
3. The sermon emphasized the importance of confession and accountability. Is there an area of your life where you need to bring something into the light with a trusted friend or mentor? What is holding you back, and what would it look like to take a step toward honesty and healing? [54:31]
4. The message said, “Our doing for Jesus must be sustained by our being in Jesus.” What is one way you can focus more on your relationship with Jesus, rather than just trying to “do” the right things? [01:24:55]
5. The pastor described how shame and pride keep sin hidden, but love and grace bring it into the light. Can you identify a time when you experienced freedom or healing after confessing something? How did that change your relationship with God or others? [59:31]
6. Romans 6 teaches that we are no longer slaves to sin, but alive to God. Are there any old patterns or habits that still try to control you? What is one step you can take this week to align your actions with your new identity in Christ? [01:04:55]
7. The sermon talked about the difference between striving for perfect behavior and living from a sanctified heart. What is one area where you tend to “strive” in your own strength? How can you invite the Holy Spirit to help you live out of freedom instead? [01:24:55]

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Closing Prayer Suggestion:
Invite the Holy Spirit to help each person walk in the freedom and new life Jesus has given, and to build up the group from the inside out. Encourage anyone who needs prayer or accountability to reach out to a trusted friend or leader this week.

Devotional

Day 1: Dead to Sin, Alive in Christ
Through faith in Jesus, we are no longer slaves to sin but have been given a new status—dead to sin and alive to God, empowered to live a transformed life. This means that the old patterns and powers that once held us captive have been broken by Christ’s death and resurrection. We are invited to daily experience this freedom, not just in moments of worship or community, but in the quiet places of our lives where we choose to surrender our hearts and habits to God. The call is to recognize and live out this new identity, letting go of shame and condemnation, and embracing the wholeness and freedom that Jesus offers. [01:03:37]

Romans 6:1-7 (ESV)
What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin.

Reflection: Where in your life do you still feel the power of old habits or shame, and how can you invite Jesus to help you walk in the freedom of your new identity today?


Day 2: Consider Yourself Changed—Living from a New Status
Embracing your new identity in Christ means reckoning yourself dead to sin and alive to God, intentionally aligning your daily choices and behaviors with who you truly are now. Just as a change in status—like marriage—requires new patterns, so too does following Jesus call for a conscious shift in how we live, think, and act. This isn’t about religious obligation but about living out the reality that your life is no longer your own; you belong to Christ, and your actions flow from this new reality. Take time to reflect on what it means to bring your actual life into line with the person you’ve become in Jesus, and let that truth shape your habits and heart. [01:04:55]

Romans 6:11-14 (ESV)
So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

Reflection: What is one area of your life where your actions haven’t yet caught up to your new identity in Christ, and what practical step can you take this week to realign your habits with who you are now?


Day 3: Wholehearted Obedience—Choosing Your Master
We become slaves to whatever we choose to obey, and as followers of Jesus, we are called to wholeheartedly obey God, becoming slaves to righteousness rather than to sin. This is not about duty or obligation, but about a deep love and surrender to Christ that leads us to daily choose His ways over our old patterns. The world may tell us to follow our desires, but Scripture reminds us that true freedom and holiness come from giving ourselves fully to God, allowing Him to shape us into people who reflect His character. Each day is an opportunity to choose whom you will serve and to ask the Holy Spirit for the strength to obey from the heart. [01:10:38]

Romans 6:15-19 (ESV)
What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.

Reflection: What is one specific way you can choose to obey God wholeheartedly today, even if it challenges your comfort or old habits?


Day 4: Freedom and Holiness—Living Set Apart
True freedom in Christ is not the license to do whatever we want, but the power to live holy, set-apart lives that reflect God’s love and righteousness. The gift of eternal life is not earned by right behavior, but as we surrender to God and allow Him to transform us from the inside out, our actions naturally begin to align with His heart. This journey is about being built up, not torn down—letting go of fear and shame, and embracing the process of being made holy through daily choices, authentic community, and honest confession. As you walk in this freedom, let your life be marked by the things that lead to holiness and eternal life. [01:24:55]

Romans 6:20-23 (ESV)
For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Reflection: In what area of your life do you need to stop using your freedom as an excuse, and instead ask God to help you pursue holiness and be set apart for Him?


Day 5: Bringing Sin into the Light—The Path to Healing and Wholeness
Healing and wholeness come when we bring our struggles and sins into the light, refusing to let shame or pride keep us isolated, and instead embracing honest confession and authentic community. God’s desire is not to tear you down, but to build you up from the inside out, equipping you by His Spirit to live a life marked by mercy, forgiveness, and freedom. Whether it’s with a trusted friend, a spouse, or in prayer, normalizing conversations about where we miss the mark opens the door for God’s transforming grace to make us whole. Don’t be afraid of what might be exposed; get excited about what God wants to build in you as you walk in the light. [01:29:36]

James 5:16 (ESV)
Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

Reflection: Who is one trusted person you can reach out to this week to share honestly about a struggle or sin, inviting prayer and accountability so you can experience healing and freedom?

Quotes

There's always a tension to just sort of rock back and go, can I just, can I just, like, few minutes? Right? But this work, the reason we called our church Evolve is it's to develop gradually over time. There's something new that God wants you to surrender. There's something different that God wants to work out in you. There's something powerful that the Lord wants to, like, show you about your character and your surrender to him that's going to allow you to continue to grow. [00:43:30] (30 seconds) Edit Clip

For everyone has sinned. We all fall short of God's glorious standard. So, that we sin isn't the issue, which is why it's really important. If we don't normalize conversations about sin, then we will never embrace the practice of confessing our sins one to another so that we may be healed. [00:56:41] (20 seconds) Edit Clip

Either you're going to take God at his word or you're not. Either you're going to do it his way or you're going to do it your own way. Or you're going to give in to the lies and the deception of the deceiver and give in to sin nature. [00:57:22] (15 seconds) Edit Clip

Never forget that by joining your life to Jesus Christ, you're joining Jesus in this powerful dance of dying and being raised back to life. There's this like beautiful work of like, what am I dying to so that I can be raised to new life? What are the old things that need to pass away to make room for the new things? [01:02:46] (18 seconds) Edit Clip

Don't you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? That's why the cultural narrative in our world right now that people can do whatever they want whenever they want as long as they're not hurting somebody and as long as it feels good is such a lie straight from the pit of hell. [01:17:02] (21 seconds) Edit Clip

So it's essential that we give ourselves every day to becoming slaves of righteousness, slaves to being made holy. Not out of obligation, not out of Christian duty, but out of deep love and surrender to Christ. [01:21:59] (18 seconds) Edit Clip

Be set free from the power of sin. You're dead to it. The moment you accepted Christ, you put up a hand, you prayed a prayer, you went into the waters of baptism, you're dead to sin. You're dead to its power. It has no hold on you anymore. [01:26:51] (16 seconds) Edit Clip