Heart - Part 1 – Connect

A clear and pastoral call to begin 2026 with spiritual integrity and practical urgency, this teaching urges honest appraisal, heartfelt compassion, and disciplined pursuit of God. It opens with a short story that frames the central question: where is the church going? Congregational life is examined honestly—celebrating faithful seasons, acknowledging plateaus and declines, and naming the disruptive effects of COVID and shifting attendance. From that vantage the congregation is called to three inward moves: admit where things really are, allow hearts to be moved by the needs around them, and reorder priorities so God is sought first in prayer and Scripture.

Practical habits follow the diagnosis: prayer and Scripture are not optional extras but the primary means of discernment; prayer must become a first response rather than a last resort. There is a pointed reminder to start now—use the present moment as the baseline for change instead of deferring good decisions to some distant January. Structurally, a four-part emphasis—Connect, Grow, Serve, Go—frames the year. Each quarter of 2026 will press on one of those themes, with sermons and practical initiatives designed to repeat and reinforce the focus so it sinks into daily life.

The “connect” quarter is unpacked into three relationships: connect to God (through Bible and prayer), connect to one another (the many “one another” commands that shape Christian community), and connect to others (neighbors and the unreached). Several practical rhythms are offered for January: a week of prayer and fasting, a Sunday 9:00 prayer time, daily reading guides and devotionals, and a worship-and-prayer Wednesday to close the month. Finally, an invitation is extended for personal renewal—confess sin, receive forgiveness, and commit to putting God first—so that individual renewal and corporate momentum can proceed together.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Be honest about current reality Honest appraisal is a spiritual discipline that prevents wishful thinking from driving choices. Naming seasons of growth, plateau, or decline clarifies what must change and avoids chasing platitudes. Facing facts frees energy for strategic prayer and faithful response, not defensive explanations. [31:50]
• 2. Allow your heart to break Godly brokenness is not sentimentalism but a disposition that senses the weight of human need and moves toward it. Such compassion fuels intercession, practical help, and evangelical urgency without collapsing into despair. A broken heart reshapes priorities: it shortens the distance between awareness and action. [39:22]
• 3. Seek God above everything Seeking God first reorders affections so that provision and power follow rather than lead. Prayer and Scripture become primary tools for discernment, shaping vision and aligning choices with God’s priorities. Making prayer the first response changes outcomes because it brings God’s wisdom into the process early. [41:50]
• 4. Start now where you are Procrastination is a spiritual enemy; the present moment is the only honest starting line. Small, consistent steps—daily Bible reading, brief prayers, one concrete habit change—compound into real transformation. Beginning now also honors God’s timing and resists the paralysis of waiting for perfect conditions. [44:18]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [30:09] - Oliver Wendell Holmes Story
• [30:58] - New Year: Where Are We Going?
• [31:50] - Must Be Honest
• [34:06] - Bathroom Scale Illustration
• [39:22] - Get Broken: Hearts for People
• [41:50] - Seek God Above All Else
• [44:18] - Start Now Where You Are
• [48:30] - Vision: Proverbs & Acts
• [50:18] - Connect, Grow, Serve, Go Overview
• [56:38] - Connect: God, One Another, Others
• [73:53] - January Practicals (Prayer, Fasting)
• [79:03] - Invitation and Closing Prayer

1. The sermon begins with a story about Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes. What was his central question, and how does it relate to the church today? [30:41]
2. The sermon uses the analogy of a bathroom scale to illustrate a point about acknowledging reality. What was the point being made, and how does it connect to our spiritual lives? [33:12]
3. The sermon mentions the "one another" commands in the New Testament. What are some examples of these commands, and what is the overall emphasis? [01:01:48]
4. The sermon outlines a four-part emphasis for the year: Connect, Grow, Serve, Go. What is the specific focus for the first quarter, and what are the three areas within that focus? [56:38]

1. The sermon emphasizes the importance of being honest about our current reality, comparing it to stepping on a scale. How does acknowledging our spiritual "weight" or condition, rather than ignoring it, free us up for strategic prayer and faithful response? [31:50]
2. The idea of allowing our hearts to "break" for the needs around us is presented as a positive, godly disposition. How does this kind of brokenness, which fuels intercession and action, differ from sentimentality or despair? [39:22]
3. The sermon highlights Jesus' command to "seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness." How does making prayer and Scripture the primary tools for discernment, rather than last resorts, change the outcomes of our decisions? [41:50]
4. The sermon encourages starting "now where you are" instead of deferring good decisions to a future date. How does procrastination act as a spiritual enemy, and what does it mean to honor God's timing by beginning now? [44:18]

1. The sermon calls for an honest appraisal of where we are, both individually and as a church. What is one area in your life or walk with God where you need to be more honest about the reality of the situation, and what is a small, consistent step you can take *today* to address it? [31:50]
2. The teaching encourages allowing our hearts to be broken by the needs around us, leading to compassion and action. Who is one person or group in our community or beyond whose needs you feel God might be calling you to pray for and potentially serve in a tangible way this week? [39:22]
3. The sermon stresses seeking God above all else, making prayer and Scripture our first response. When you face a challenge or decision this week, how can you intentionally make prayer your *first* response, rather than a last resort? [41:50]
4. The call to "start now where you are" is a powerful antidote to procrastination. Is there a spiritual discipline or a positive habit you've been meaning to start (like daily Bible reading or consistent prayer) that you can commit to beginning *this week*, even if it's just for a few minutes each day? [44:18]
5. The sermon emphasizes connecting to God, to one another, and to others. How can you intentionally take one step this week to deepen your connection with God through His Word or prayer? [56:38]
6. The sermon highlights the importance of connecting to one another through the "one another" commands. What is one practical way you can show kindness, forgiveness, or encouragement to someone within our church community this week? [01:01:48]
7. Connecting to others is presented as a vital part of our faith. Who is one person in your life outside of the church who doesn't know Jesus, and what is one small step you can take this week to build a bridge of connection with them? [01:06:56]