February 16 Sermon: Fall and Promise
As we look around us there is no doubt. On a large-scale we see this in the world around us. Wars, terrorism, political unrest, and violence. On a small level we see discord in families and people who are suffering. We see the sin in our own lives, and we are not just victims in this broken world we end up as willing participants in it. We like to think there are human solutions to this problem. We see multiple political philosophies put out there as a solution with the goal of bringing about utopia. Yet, deep down we know our inability to do this. One of the key components of what we believe as Reformed Christians is the idea of total depravity. We believe that we are born dead in our trespasses in sins and we are incapable of saving ourselves.
February 9 Sermon: Family Foundations
Why? I think every toddler has a phase in their development where that is the number one word coming out of their mouth. Even when you give the answer they may still ask why again. At some point I think every parent has made the statement whether with a toddler or with even their teenage children where they say the phrase “Because I said so”. Sometimes, you just need to go there, right? If ever there was someone who could say “Because I said so” and have it be the best possible answer, it would be God. His word is truth. His word is absolute but at the same time his commands for us are not just arbitrary or out of nowhere. The commands in holy scripture that God gives to us have a deep rooting in his very nature. They have a root in how he intended his creation to be.
January 28 Sermon: Creation or Chaos?
Over the years of doing youth ministry, I have had several times where after a lesson I opened up the floor for any question that the students might have about the Bible or God in general. There is one question that has come up more than all of the others. This question is so common and yet I can still see the faces of some of the students over the years who have asked me it. Some of these students are now 30 years old with children and families of their own but I still have a clear image in my mind of them raising their hands and asking me the question. I’m not sure why it is so clear to me and why it has stuck out but this question has been a regular over the last 19 years. You may have already guessed what the question is but here it is for you. If God made everything, then who made God?
Devoted to Good Works | Titus 3:1–15 | Living the Gospel in Ordinary Faithfulness
In this final message from Titus 3:1–15, Pastor Mark reminds us that good works aren’t grand gestures done to earn God’s favor—but everyday faithfulness that flows from being justified by grace. The Christian life isn’t shaped by a smorgasbord of ideas but by the consistent truth of God’s Word and the renewing work of the Holy Spirit. Whether it's standing for truth, serving quietly, or resisting cultural confusion, believers are called to live lives of gospel-shaped obedience that glorify God in both the ordinary and the extraordinary.
A People for His Own Possession | Titus 2:1–15 | Living Out the Gospel with Grace and Conviction
In this sermon on Titus 2:1–15, Pastor Mark unpacks how God’s love isn’t just a distant concept—it’s a reality revealed in the person and work of Christ. As people redeemed by grace, we are called to live distinct lives that reflect the gospel in every season and station. From older men and women to young believers and those in challenging circumstances, the Christian life is marked by holiness, love, and good works. This message challenges us to embrace our identity as God’s people and live out our faith in tangible ways that impact the world around us.
Be Sound in the Faith | Titus 1:1-16 | Guarding the Gospel and Living It Out
What we believe shapes how we live—and the book of Titus makes that connection unmistakably clear. In this sermon on Titus 1:1–16, Pastor Mark begins a short series through this pastoral epistle by focusing on the link between doctrine and discipleship. We are reminded that faithful preaching, godly leadership, and spiritual discernment are essential to the health of the church. Whether we’re elders, parents, teachers, or simply followers of Jesus, we’re called to guard the gospel and live it out with faithfulness and love.
November 10 Sermon: Let No One Disqualify You
Noble Doss dropped the ball. One ball. One pass. One mistake. In 1941, he let one fall. And it's haunted him ever since. "I cost us a national championship," he says.
The University of Texas football team was ranked number one in the nation. Hoping for an undefeated season and a berth in the Rose Bowl, they played conference rival Baylor University. With a 7-0 lead in the third quarter, the Longhorn quarterback launched a deep pass to a wide-open Doss.
"The only thing I had between me and the goal," he recalls, "was twenty yards of grass."
November 3 Sermon: Canceled Debt
It is likely that you have seen a sign at a business establishment that informs the customers that they are under new management. When I see this sign I generally assume that the place must have been in pretty bad shape or there must have been a series of bad customer service experiences that the new people in charge are trying to distance themselves from. Maybe you have had an experience like I had recently. You are at a hotel and you see this sign of it being under new management and at the end of your stay you wonder how bad it must have been in this place to actually be worse than what I experienced while staying there.
October 6 Sermon: In Him All Things Hold Together
If you are like me, you probably remember the first time you experienced a premium product. I will never forget the first time I rode with my uncle in his Jaguar XJS. It was not just fancy looking on the outside you could tell everything about premium. I had the same experience the first time I played a Gibson Les Paul guitar. We were at a conference at a church in Sioux Falls and someone I knew pretty well because our bands had played shows together when we were in high school was there. He was playing guitar with the group that was leading the praise songs and during one of the breaks we were chatting up front.
September 29 Sermon: Delivered and Transferred
It seems as though we are all looking for the next upgrade or the next big thing. Our culture is used to seeing people waiting in line for a phone that isn’t even a big jump from the one already in their pocket but people wait out in the elements to acquire what is new and better. Whether it is a new vehicle or a new piece of technology we seem to be people who think we need an upgrade. In fact, think of the effect just a little satisfaction with what we have would do to our economy. Imagine what would happen to a particular tech stocks if suddenly the next big thing was released and a significant majority of people said “Nah, I’m good with what I have. This is sufficient for what I need it to do.”
September 15 Sermon: Sing Praise to the Lord Most High
On our short expedition through the first eight Psalms we have come into contact with a range of human emotions. We see joy and anger, devotion and betrayal, and we have seen more lament than you probably expected. We land in Psalm 7 today and we see something else most of us have experienced. David is being falsely accused of something. I think we have probably all been there at some point in our lives. In a matter of moments you experience thoughts and feelings in a flash. Perhaps anger is the first thing to course through you.
He Makes Me Dwell in Safety | Psalm 4 | Confidence in the God Who Guards Us
Where do you find your peace? Psalm 4 invites us to ask deep questions about safety and trust. In this sermon, Pastor Mark Groen reflects on David’s bold confidence in the righteousness and refuge of God. Whether you’re facing hardship, wrestling with anxiety, or navigating spiritual weariness, this message reminds us of the sufficiency of the gospel, the strength of God’s promises, and the security of resting in Christ. God alone makes us dwell in safety—and that’s where our confidence begins.
A Different Perspective
Two weeks ago, I felt a buzz in my pocket. I pulled my phone out and put my index finger to the sensor on the back and the little rectangle glowed to life. The notification was an annoying blip from the Amazon app announcing an item on my wish list was on a temporary sale. Annoyed, I placed my thumb on the notification and went to swipe it into digital oblivion. As I slid it away, the little annoyance caught my eye. The notification was for an amazing bargain on a drone I had been eyeing for months and with the gifts cards I had banked the deal was too good to let pass. After receiving the device there were three or four crashes, but soon flying became easy, so the next step was taking photos with the camera.
Detours and Covenants
There has been an abundance of rain this spring. This has caused changes in planting schedules and caused the rescheduling of many softball and baseball games. News reports have been filled with images of flooding and stories of those who have been facing hardship because of the rising waters.
Recently, I went on vacation to Missouri and as we traveled south signs informed us that the road was closed, and the GPS quickly gave us a route that would put us around the flooding that was causing the closure. I had heard about the flooding but hadn't paid much attention to any photos or videos of the damage. Over the course of our journey, we were routed back to the freeway, and we got closer to the Missouri River and able to see where the water had left its appointed boundaries.
Mercy: Jonah 4 | A Prophet’s Pity, God’s Compassion
Jonah ends not with triumph, but with tension. The final chapter reveals a prophet angry about mercy, a God abounding in compassion, and a question that confronts us all: do we share God’s heart?
As we conclude our series in Jonah, this sermon challenges us to examine our own responses to God's grace. Do we rejoice when the lost are found? Or do we, like Jonah, resist the wideness of God's mercy?
God Relented: Jonah 3 | When Repentance Meets Mercy
Jonah delivers God’s warning to the people of Nineveh—and what happens next is nothing short of astonishing. From the king to the commoner, the people respond with heartfelt repentance. Sackcloth and ashes cover the city, even the animals, as the people urgently call out to God. This sermon unpacks how genuine repentance, even from the most unlikely people, moves the heart of a merciful God.
I Remembered the Lord: Jonah 2 | Salvation in the Darkest Depths
In Jonah 2, we witness a man at his lowest point. Jonah calls out from the belly of Sheol—and God answers. This sermon explores the deep mercy of the Lord and the hope that remains even in the darkest places. No matter how far down you’ve gone, God hears your cry and brings salvation.
The Wrong Direction: Jonah 1 | When God Pursues the Runaway
Jonah didn’t just hesitate when God called — he ran the opposite way. But God pursued him through a storm, a ship, and even the sea. In this sermon on Jonah 1, Pastor Mark invites us to consider not only Jonah’s flight but our own.
What does it mean to serve a God who pursues disobedient people with grace? And how does Jonah’s story point us to the gospel? Join us as we begin our journey through the book of Jonah and discover the mercy of a God who refuses to let go.
November 11 Sermon: On Our Behalf
Have you ever had someone step in for you? Maybe you have been in a situation where you things were not going your way and a friend stepped to be an advocate for you. Perhaps you were in a tough spot financially and a friend or family member helped you out of a tight bind either with financial help or by lending their name to help your cause. These are things that we do not forget and my guess is whether it was a situation on the playground where someone stepped in to defend you or whether it was someone who co-signed a loan to help you get a business started you remember that event and you are very grateful for what has been done for you.
November 4 Sermon: Blessed
Maybe you’ve never really stopped to ask this question, but my guess is that you know what it feels like. In my comings and goings, I spend time with people in interesting circumstances. At hospitals you can experience the joy of birth and the sorrow of death. You have the joy of family gathering together at baptisms and weddings, but we live with the knowledge that in a single moment that same family may have to gather together around a casket. Yet, in all of those circumstance we hear people speaking of how blessed they are. Naturally, we feel like being blessed is most tangible to us in the midst of joy but even in sorrow people will still speak of their blessings.