Erin Church of the Nazarene

Integrity Wins: Resisting the Easy Wrong

Pastor Daniel Medders teaches from Genesis 39, focusing on Joseph’s refusal to sin with Potiphar’s wife after he had already been betrayed by his brothers and sold into slavery. He shows that Joseph did not use his painful past, his position, or the idea that he “deserved” something as an excuse to do wrong. Medders challenges believers to remember that carrying the name of Christ calls them to a higher standard than the world may understand. He urges listeners to be stronger than their fleshly desires, avoid even small compromises with evil, and follow Joseph’s example of integrity.

Now I See: A Story of Life Changed by Jesus

In this Easter message, Pastor Daniel Medders uses John 9 and the story of the man born blind to remind believers that they do not need every answer in order to speak faithfully about what Jesus has done. He connects the difficulty of a recent backpacking trip with the reality that following Christ is not always easy, and that questions or criticism can sometimes make believers feel inadequate. As the healed man is challenged by neighbors, Pharisees, and even his parents, his testimony remains simple and clear: he once was blind, and now he sees. The message closes by calling the church to praise the risen Christ, who has power over the grave and still changes lives.

Times of Plenty: Go Fishing for People

Pastor Daniel Medders asks whether the church is truly living in uniquely bad times, acknowledging real challenges like persecution, declining membership, and fewer ministers, but warning against letting fear define the church’s outlook. He contrasts modern complaints about persecution with the suffering of Jesus, Stephen, Peter, and the early church, then uses an abundant fishing trip as an illustration that the church may actually be living in a season of spiritual plenty. In Acts 2 and 3, he points to Peter’s transformation from denying Jesus to boldly preaching and healing in Jesus’ name as evidence of what happens when God’s momentum begins to move. Pastor Daniel emphasizes that Christians are not responsible for saving people or holding everything together, but are simply vessels God uses. He encourages the congregation to confidently invite others into what God is already doing, trusting that God is the one doing the real work.

More Than a Symbol: Faith Seen in Everyday Life

Pastor Daniel Medders uses a conversation about a cross-shaped porch light to make the point that Christians should not depend on symbols alone to show their faith. He says people should be able to recognize a follower of Jesus by the way that person lives, especially through the company they keep, the patience they show, and the way they respond in difficult moments. Using examples from Jesus’ life, he stresses the importance of spending time both with other believers and with people who do not yet know Christ, while still living with clear purpose and integrity. He closes by challenging the church to live so differently that others see Christ in their actions and are invited toward a deeper relationship with God.

Stay in Motion: Faith Was Never Meant to Stall

Student Pastor Jeremy Byler uses the idea of momentum to show that faith is meant to stay in motion, not drift into passivity or stagnation. He warns against comparing ourselves or our churches to others, reminding the congregation that even small faith in motion can have more impact than great potential sitting still. He encourages both individuals and churches to keep taking the next faithful step, trusting that God can use them right where they are. He closes by pointing to Jesus as the ultimate example of purposeful movement through love, service, sacrifice, and communion, calling the church to move toward Christ with renewed obedience.

Wrestling Grace: God Uses Broken People

Pastor Daniel Medders begins by describing his tendency to learn things firsthand, which leads into a strongly critical comparison of Islam and Christianity before he turns to the biblical roots of Israel. He explains that Israel begins with Jacob, whose name is changed after wrestling with God, while also emphasizing that through Jesus the covenant is opened to all people rather than remaining tied to one nation or lineage. He traces Jacob’s early life through manipulation, jealousy, deceit, and deep family dysfunction, including the way he cheated Esau and learned broken patterns inside his home. Medders closes by highlighting God’s grace in using flawed people like Jacob and urging listeners who are wrestling with God to respond, repent, and make themselves available for God’s purposes.

Seeking the Bride: Ready at the Well

Pastor Daniel Medders teaches from Genesis 24 by placing it in the larger story of Abraham, Sarah, and Isaac, then focusing on Abraham sending his servant to find a wife for Isaac and on Rebekah being identified through her generosity, hospitality, and willingness to serve at the well. He argues that the chapter is more than a marriage story because it also foreshadows Christ and the church, with Abraham reflecting the Father, Isaac the promised son, and the servant pointing to the Holy Spirit seeking a bride who must respond willingly. Medders applies the passage both spiritually and practically, urging believers to be found faithfully doing the work God has given them, living responsibly, serving others generously, and being ready for Christ’s return even in the middle of an ordinary day. He closes by calling listeners to see God’s plan of redemption woven throughout Scripture and to respond with repentance, obedience, and renewed commitment to life with Christ.

The State of ECN: Growth, Service, and Space to Grow

Pastor Daniel Medders explains that this annual update is meant to help the congregation understand where Erin Church of the Nazarene is, what God has been doing, and how the church should prepare for what comes next. He highlights signs of spiritual and congregational health, including 15 recorded professions of faith, 24 baptisms this year, strong participation in prayer and altar response, five new groups launched, growing men’s and women’s Bible studies, about 295 volunteer hours each week, rising attendance, and major long term growth in charitable giving. He says this growth is happening because people trust a church that is visibly changing lives, investing in ministry beyond itself through missions and projects like the Camp Garner Creek dorm, and resisting a "country club" mindset in favor of service and sacrifice. He also acknowledges the strain that comes with growth, especially a crowded sanctuary and the reality that people cannot know everyone personally, while emphasizing that small groups are essential for connection in a larger church. He closes by urging the church to keep making room for more people, including by exploring the possibility of enclosing the rec building as added worship space, so ECN can continue welcoming those who are still looking for a place to grow.

Where Are You?: Hiding, Temptation, and Grace

Pastor Daniel Medders reflects on a past discussion about launching satellite church locations and says what troubled him most was that the conversation focused on logistics rather than on who would faithfully proclaim the Word of God. From there, he reminds the congregation that the church’s first purpose is to worship God, not to cater to personal preference, and he calls them to approach Scripture with reverence and attention. Preaching from Genesis 3, he explains that evil usually works subtly by planting doubt and creating small compromises, while people often cooperate with temptation by rationalizing sin and reshaping truth to fit what they want. He also applies the passage to marriage and family life, arguing that Adam and Eve failed to care for one another spiritually and urging husbands in particular to lead, pray, and watch over their households. The sermon builds toward God’s question, "Where are you?" as a call for each person to stop hiding, honestly confront sin, and respond to God’s grace with repentance and a renewed pursuit of holy living.

Ask Better Questions: From Prominence to Kingdom Service

Pastor Daniel Medders teaches that asking questions is good, but our questions often reveal what we truly understand or misunderstand, using stories like tire chains and local water shortages to make the point. He then examines the Gospel accounts of James and John, and in Matthew their mother, likely Salome and possibly Jesus’ aunt, asking for seats of honor, warning that this reflects favoritism, a desire for prominence, and competition among believers. Jesus’ response about drinking his “cup” reframes greatness as service and sacrifice, something the disciples do not yet grasp, though it later becomes clear in James’s martyrdom. Pastor Medders contrasts this with Brian Lennon’s story, where being grounded from flying led him to ask God how to use his time, resulting in a men’s Bible study that helped many men grow in faith. He closes by urging everyone to ask better questions that focus on how God can use their time and gifts to point others to Jesus, and he ends in prayer.