Saddleback Church Weekend Messages
Welcome to the weekly podcast of Saddleback Church led by Pastor Andy Wood. To learn more, visit saddleback.com or download the Saddleback App.
Episodes
Stronger Homes
What is your home really built around? In the fourth message of the Stronger series, Pastor Andy Wood calls the home the most influential place in any culture and turns to Joshua’s farewell charge to Israel. Near the end of his life, Joshua urged the people to revere the Lord, serve him faithfully, and throw away the false gods their ancestors had worshiped, then declared that he and his
Stronger Marriages
What makes a marriage strong enough to last a lifetime? In the third message of the Stronger series, Pastor Andy Wood and Pastor Stacie Wood return to a verse Scripture repeats at creation, in the teaching of Jesus, and in the letters of Paul: a man leaves his father and mother, is united to his wife, and the two become one flesh (Genesis 2:24). From there, they outline three marks of a s
Stronger Women
What does it mean to be a strong woman when culture keeps sending mixed messages? In the second message of the Stronger series, Pastor Stacie Wood goes back to creation, where God made male and female in his image, declared his work very good, and said the man needed a helper suited to him (Genesis 1:27, 31; 2:18). Pastor Stacie unpacks the Hebrew word for helper, ezer, not as a lesser ro
Stronger Men
What does it mean to be a strong man? In this first message of the Stronger series, Pastor Andy Wood goes back to the beginning, where God gave Adam two assignments before sin ever entered the world: to work the garden and to guard it (Genesis 2:15). When temptation came, Adam stood by in silence and then shifted the blame, and Pastor Andy traces much of today's confusion about manhood ba
The Harvest is Ripe
What if the hardest moment is the ripest one? In this message, guest speaker Andy Byrd points to a generation hungry for God, to movements stirring in Sweden and Norway, and to what he believes is the edge of an awakening the world has not yet seen. In Matthew 9:35–38, Jesus looks out at crowds that are harassed and helpless and calls the harvest plentiful. What was lacking was not the ha
Share Your Story
What makes your story worth telling? In this final message from the Live Sent series, Pastor Andy Wood turns to the man born blind in John 9, whose condition was no verdict on anyone's sin but an occasion for God's work to be displayed. When religious experts pressed him to denounce the one who healed him, he had no theology to offer them, only what had happened to him: he was blind, and
Together
What happens when we try to do life alone? In this message from the Live Sent series, Pastor Kurt Johnston returns to the garden, where God looked at a man in perfect fellowship with him and still declared that it was not good for him to be alone (Genesis 2:18). We bear the image of a God who has eternally existed in relationship as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, so we are wired for one an
Battle In Prayer
When you decide to live sent by God, you step into spiritual battle. This fight isn't won with earthly weapons—it's won on your knees. In this message from the Live Sent series, Pastor Andy reveals how to engage in spiritual warfare through prayer. Learn to pray first by making God your priority (Colossians 4:2), pray practically by bringing your real needs before Him (Colossians 4:3), an
Bring Good News
How do we become Good News people in a world filled with bad news? In this message from the Live Sent series, we look at Peter and John’s encounter with a man who had been unable to walk his entire life (Acts 3:1–10) and discover what it looks like to notice the opportunities God puts right in front of us. Living sent doesn’t require going across the world—your mission field is where you
Anchor in Identity
What does it mean to live like you were sent by God? In this message, we kick off the Live Sent series by discovering that God made us for more—not simply a bigger house, a better title, or the next milestone, but a life rooted in Jesus and given to his mission. Jesus announces that the kingdom of God has come near (Mark 1:14–15), and then sends his followers into the world just as the Fa
The King Is Coming
What does it look like to actually watch for Jesus, not just believe He's coming back? In this message, guest speaker John Bevere shares how he avoided this subject for decades until an unexpected assignment from God sent him deep into Scripture, and what he found reshaped how he lives. Simeon recognized the Messiah as an infant because he lived in eager expectation (Luke 2:25), and the N
Hospitality
In this third message of Off The Shelf, guest speaker and Pastor David Nasser, teaching pastor at New Vision Baptist Church in Tennessee, calls the church back to the ancient practice of “philoxenia”, or “loving the outsider”. He shares how a single church's hospitality toward his family when he was young became the doorway that led him and his family to faith, proof that this practice ca
Unshakable Faith: How to Stand Firm in a Culture of Lies
Guest speaker Pastor Aaron Graham, founder and lead pastor of The District Church in Washington, D.C., addresses the quiet drift many Christians experience: professional growth paired with spiritual regression. Using the book of Jude, Graham traces this drift through three stages, doubt, deconstruction, and denial, showing how an honest question can spiral into abandoning core truths when
Word And Spirit
In this first message of Off The Shelf, Dr. R.T. Kendall addresses a "silent divorce" he's observed in the modern church, the split between churches devoted to sound doctrine and churches devoted to the power of the Spirit. Looking at Acts 3 and the healing of a man crippled from birth, Kendall unpacks six truths about how the Holy Spirit works: his sameness across time, his sovereignty o
Jesus Passes It On!
In this message of Jesus on the Move, Pastors Kurt Johnston and Dawson Rubin explore what it means to be invited into the mission of Jesus. Looking at Mark 3, they unpack three powerful truths: Jesus calls us, crafts us, and commissions us. This message is a reminder that following Jesus was never meant to be passive—every believer is invited to know Him deeply, be shaped by His presence,
From Ruined to Restored
Pastor Andy Wood walks through Mark 2–3 to show how Jesus meets us in our brokenness and brings healing, freedom, and restoration. As Jesus confronts empty religion and restores a man with a shriveled hand, we’re reminded that God never intended us to live under the weight of performance or shame. Instead, He invites us into relationship, rest, and a new way of living shaped by His grace.
Embracing What's New and Now
What if right now is exactly when God wants to meet you? In this message from Jesus on the Move, Pastor Andy Wood walks through a moment in Mark's gospel where religious leaders question Jesus about fasting, and Jesus answers with three pictures that still apply today: a wedding worth celebrating, a garment too new to patch, and wine too alive for an old skin. Together they show that God
Don’t Lose the Gospel
What if the very story you've heard a thousand times is the only thing strong enough to hold your life together? Guest speaker Pastor Jason Parrish, who leads The Well near Salt Lake City, reminds us that the gospel isn't an old idea to outgrow, it's the power that never stops working. Through the story of Lazarus, you'll see that God gets the glory in your hardest moments, that sin leave
The Proving Ground of Growth
Jesus reorders our lives room by room, and the last room He asks for is often the hardest to surrender. In this closing message of the Get Growing series, Pastor Andy Wood makes a compelling case that a growing faith will always lead to a generous heart. Drawing from 2 Corinthians 9, he reframes the way we think about money: not as something we've earned and choose to share, but as someth
The Secret Growth Accelerator
What if the secret to spiritual growth has been right in front of you all along? In this message, Pastor Andy Wood and Dream Team Pastor Jacob Wilson reveal one of the most counterintuitive truths in Scripture: a life of service is the secret accelerator of growth. God didn't just save you from something. He saved you for something. Drawing from Ephesians 2:8–10, they explore three reason
The Secret Killer of Growth
Who's speaking into your life? In this message, Pastor Andy Wood introduces the idea of your "wisdom table": the voices, relationships, and content that quietly shape your perspective, your heart, and your destiny. Like a microscopic root pest that destroys a plant from the inside out, bad influences can devastate your faith before you ever notice. Drawing from the lives of King Solomon a
God’s Path for Your Growth
Why do some people grow more than others? In this first message of our new series, Get Growing, Pastor Andy Wood explores God's design for spiritual growth and why it doesn't happen by accident. Drawing from Jesus' parable of the sower in Mark 4, Pastor Andy walks through four heart conditions that determine how we receive God's Word. A hard heart lets truth get snatched away before it ta
The Power of Persevering Prayer (in the Home)
In this special Mother's Day message, Pastor Stacie Wood shares an encouraging word about the most powerful tool we have to influence our families: persevering prayer. Through inspiring stories from church history and her own life, Stacie illustrates the impact of refusing to give up on praying for loved ones. She explores the Hebrew concept of "paga," depicting intercession as boldly bri
Lesson Learned
What happens when we flip the script and let young people teach us? In this message, Pastor Kurt Johnston explores four powerful lessons from youth in the Bible. Drawing from the stories of Samuel, Esther, the boys who mocked Elisha, and the boy with the loaves and fishes, Pastor Kurt shares practical habits to transform our lives. Learn to "listen up" to God's voice by dialing down the n
Peace for Your Home
All of us desire peace in our homes, but how can we find it with so many competing priorities? In this message, Pastor Andy Wood explores God's design for bringing lasting peace into our families. Drawing from Psalm 128 and James 3, Pastor Andy shares how to catch God's vision for your home, order your priorities with worship of God as the foundation, and shape daily habits that sow seeds
Peace for Your Heart
Life is full of moments we didn’t see coming. In this message, Pastor Andy Wood shares where we can find real peace when life feels uncertain. Jesus teaches us peace is not found by fixing what’s happening around us. Peace begins within us. While we often look to external solutions, Scripture reveals that what’s happening in our hearts is what shapes our lives. Through passages like John
Peace in Your Mind
Why does it feel so hard to live with peace? In the first message of our series, The Path to Peace, we look at how to experience peace in our minds. So often, we carry more than we were meant to, taking on thoughts and responsibilities that slowly erode our peace. Isaiah 26:3 reminds us that God keeps those who trust in Him in perfect peace. Peace isn’t the absence of chaos. It’s a steady
The Hope You Need
What is hope? For some, it’s a wish or a state of mind. But how do we hold onto hope when we lose a loved one, when a marriage falls apart, or when our health fails? In this Easter message, Pastor Andy Wood walks through John 11 and the story of Jesus raising Lazarus. In their grief, Mary and Martha ask where Jesus was and why He didn’t come sooner. In response, Jesus reveals who He is. H
Because of the Cross
Pastor Buddy Owens walks us through the powerful truth of Galatians 2:20 and what Jesus’ sacrifice really means for our lives today. The cross isn’t just about eternity. It changes everything about how we live right now. Because of the cross, three things are true for anyone who puts their faith in Jesus. We are forgiven, fully and completely, with nothing left to prove or pay. We are set
Jesus and Faith
Pastor Kurt Johnston wraps up our final week of Jesus on the Move, walking through Jesus’ healing of the paralytic man in Mark 2. When all else fails, a group of friends asks, “what if Jesus could?” and stops at nothing to get their friend in front of Him. When the crowd blocks the way, they push through, lower their friend down, and create a moment that changes everything. This story rem
Jesus and Compassion
What if God isn’t distant from your pain, but actually drawn to it? In Week 4 of Jesus on the Move, Pastor Stacie walks through Mark 1:40–45, where Jesus meets a man no one else would touch. Instead of stepping back, Jesus moves toward him with compassion, reaches out, and changes his life completely. This message shows us the heart of Jesus. He sees the broken, the isolated, and the over
Jesus and Authority
Pastor Andy continues our Jesus on the Move series by exploring the authority of Jesus in the Gospel of Mark. Many of us try to control our lives and circumstances, but underneath that struggle is a deeper question: who is really in charge of our lives? In Mark 1 and 2, Jesus teaches with authority and demonstrates it by confronting evil, healing the sick, and forgiving sins. Through thes
Jesus and Calling
In a culture where people are searching for their calling, Jesus offers something deeper. In Mark 1, Jesus invites ordinary fishermen with simple words: “Follow me.” Their calling did not begin with a career or plan. It began with a relationship. First, Jesus calls us to relationship with Him. Following Jesus is not about rules or religion. It is about letting Him lead our lives. Our live
Jesus and Identity
Before any healings or miracles, Jesus’ ministry begins with a declaration of identity. In Mark 1, as Jesus rises from the water, God the Father declares: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” In this first message of our new series, Jesus on the Move, Pastor Andy Wood explores the life and ministry of Jesus through the Gospel of Mark. Pastor Andy walks through Jesus’
A Season Of Preparation
What if the season you are in is actually preparing you for what God wants to do next? This message from The Return Gathering focuses on a season of preparation for revival. Pastor Andy Wood reminds us that before God moves in powerful ways, He first prepares His people. Through Scripture, we see that every season carries purpose, shaping our hearts for what He wants to do next. The quest
The Generation That Seeks His Face
From the Garden of Eden until now, Scripture tells one story: God’s constant desire to dwell with His people. Guest speaker Luke LeFevre calls us to be a generation that seeks the face and glory of God. Throughout the Bible we see God pursuing nearness, from the Tabernacle to Jesus to the Church today. We also see how God raised up and walked with people like David, who sought God’s glory
Staying on Track With Community
Over the past five weeks, Pastor Andy and Stacy shared what it means to get Back on Track with God’s design for our faith, health, finances, relationships, and work. But how do we stay on track when life gets tough? This past weekend, Pastor Andy shared the answer: community. Pastor Andy reminded us that God has given us three powerful gifts to live out his purpose for our lives: his Word
Back On Track With Work
God’s original design for work was never meant to feel like a burden or simply a way to survive. From the very beginning, before sin entered the world, God created work as something good and meaningful, inviting his people to join him in shaping, cultivating, and caring for his creation. Yet for many of us today, work can feel complicated, misaligned, or even painful. In this message, Pas
Back On Track With My Relationships
When our closest relationships feel strained or broken, the weight can linger and leave us feeling unseen or unheard. In this message, Pastor Stacie preached a message on how to get back on track with our relationships. While we cannot change another person, we are not stuck. God invites us to focus on our own growth. He does not hold us responsible for someone else’s choices, but he deep
Back on Track with My Finances
Money carries so much weight in our lives, but this weekend’s message reminded us where our trust belongs. In this message, Pastor Andy shared a simple, freeing truth: everything we have already belongs to God. He is the owner, and we are trusted stewards. Money is not the goal or the problem. It is a resource God created and a way we worship him through how we use it. In Matthew 25, Jesu
Back on Track With My Health
When we follow God’s design for our lives, He leads us toward health mentally, physically, and emotionally. In this message, Pastor Andy reminds us that our health matters to God because our whole lives matter to Him. Our bodies are not just something to manage or enjoy. They are a gift. God did not give us a body to worship. He gave us a body for worship. The way we care for ourselves ca
Back on Track with My Faith
Getting back on track does not start with fixing everything else. It starts with returning to God. Every area of our lives, our faith, health, finances, relationships, and work, flows from our relationship with Him. We looked at the story of Cain and Abel and saw the difference between giving God leftovers versus giving Him our best. Abel offered his first and best as worship, while Cain
New and Improved
A new year does not create a new life. A changed life begins with intention. This message reminds us that Jesus invites us into a life renewed from the inside out. We see the freedom He offers from the weight of our past through forgiveness, the purpose and fulfillment He brings to our present, and the faith He gives for the future that replaces fear with trust. Instead of striving for ch
God is For You
This Christmas Day, Pastor Buddy Owens reminded us of the central truth of Christmas. God gave us His greatest gift, Himself, through Jesus. Scripture calls Him Immanuel, God with us, and His coming proves that God is not distant or disinterested. He is present, personal, and for you. We reflected on the humility of Jesus’ birth and how the King of heaven chose to meet us not in palaces,
The Gift of Peace
This Christmas Eve, we gathered to celebrate Jesus and the gift of peace He came to give. We looked at a question many of us ask, is this really all there is? Scripture reminds us that God has more for you. He has a plan and a purpose, and true joy and lasting fulfillment are found as we know God, find community, pursue growth, make a difference, and impact the world. If those things stir
My Best Yes
When we look at the story of Mary and Joseph, we are reminded that obedience does not always come with clarity, comfort, or ease. But obedience places us right in the middle of God’s redemptive work and his plans for our lives. Their story shows us that our best response to God is often a simple yes, even when it does not make sense, even when it costs us, and even when waiting makes it h
How to Step Into a Better Story
We all want our lives to tell a better story, and with God’s help, that is possible. In the Stories of Christmas series, Pastor Andy walks through three questions that shape the direction of our lives: What do you want, why does it matter, and how will you respond? Our desires influence what we notice, our expectations shape how we see God at work, and our choices move us toward the futur
Gratitude: The Key to a Blessed Life
When we choose gratitude, God opens our eyes to his goodness and draws our hearts toward him, while entitlement closes us off from the grace he’s already pouring into our lives. In this message, Pastor Buddy concludes our series, Closer, by reminding us that gratitude is often the first step toward a deeper, more trusting relationship with God. We grow in gratitude by paying attention to
Surrender
Do you ever feel like there’s something in your life you just can’t let go of, something that keeps you from fully surrendering to God and experiencing the closeness you long for? In this message, Pastor Stacie Wood unpacks what it means to open our hands and trust God with every part of our lives. Looking at the rich young ruler in Mark 10, we see a man who had everything yet could not r
The Gift of Forgiveness
What keeps us from feeling close to God? In the Closer series, we look at one of the biggest barriers: unforgiveness. While we all want a real relationship with Him, Jesus shows that unforgiveness can quietly block our hearts in ways we do not always recognize. Through the story of the unforgiving servant, we are reminded that God has already forgiven a debt we could never repay, and that
Dream Now Celebration Weekend
This weekend was a powerful reminder that God calls us to dream big, to dream his dreams, and to step out in bold faith. As a church, we celebrated all that God has already done through Dream Now, from lives changed to ministries growing and new campuses taking shape. And we believe he’s only getting started. Together, we’re stepping into what’s next by faithfully responding to his call,
How Do I Know I’m Following God’s Will?
Have you ever wondered if God really has a plan for your life, and how to figure out what it is? This weekend, Pastor Kurt Johnston reminded us that God absolutely has a unique purpose and plan for each of us. God’s will begins with relationship. His will for everyone is that we would know Him, respond to His love, and enter into a personal relationship with Jesus. But beyond that, He als
Responding to a Divided World
As Christians, how do we respond to a world full of division and conflict? How can we stay rooted in our faith while living in a constantly changing culture? In the second week of our series Hey God!, Pastor Andy Wood reminded us that if we want to know how to live, we must first know who, or what, we follow. Whether we realize it or not, we’re all being shaped by something. We can choose
How Can I Hear From God?
Pastor Andy Wood kicks off an exciting new series, Hey God!, with a powerful message teaching us how we can tune in to hear God’s voice. In the busyness of our lives today, it’s hard to believe that the same God who spoke to Moses, Jesus, and Paul still speaks to us. But we often forget that God does want to speak to us and he wants us to listen. God is the same yesterday, today, and fore
Biblical Roles In A Waging War
Pastor Stacie Wood concludes the Fight For Your Family series with a message on how God designed every person and role within the family to reflect his goodness and order. Through Scripture, she shows that whether single, married, a parent, or a child, each of us has been given a distinct role and calling to follow God with faith and obedience. Singles are called to live with focus and un
Divine Design: Discovering God’s Design for Family
From the very beginning, God created men and women with equal value, distinct roles, and a shared purpose to reflect his image and bring blessing to the world. In this message, Pastor Andy Wood continues our series, Fight For Your Family, with a powerful reminder that God is the designer of marriage, family, and relationships. Walking through Scripture, he helped us replace common lies ab
Don't Quit Now
Pastor Andy Wood continues the Fight for Your Family series with a powerful teaching on perseverance when family life feels hard. Using Galatians 6, he reminds us that what we sow today shapes tomorrow—and that with God’s help, we can rewrite our family story. With practical tools like the Family Vision Guide, Andy also encourages couples, parents, singles, and grandparents to write a fre
Reordering My Home
Every life is centered on something, whether it is work, family, success, or comfort. These things shape our choices and priorities, often without us realizing it. Pastor Andy reminded us that God designed us to put Him at the center of our lives, and when He is first, everything else like our family, work, money, and calling finds its right place. In this message, Pastor Andy Wood challe
Deciding to Engage
What if your home became the center of spiritual growth, hope, and transformation for your family? In this message, Pastor Andy Wood kicks off our new series, Fight For Your Family, with a bold challenge to wake up and take charge against the battles facing our families. God has a powerful design for the family, and when we follow his lead, our lives flourish. Through Nehemiah 4, Pastor
Life is Better in Community
This weekend marks a historic moment as Saddleback launches a new Small Groups system designed to make finding connection simple and life-giving. Pastor Stacie Wood teaches us that God created us to live in community, not in isolation. Looking at the example of the early church in Acts, Pastor Stacie shows how both large worship gatherings and smaller, house-to-house communities are essen
The Path of Neighboring
Guest speaker Randy Frazee concludes our Art of Neighboring series, showing us how to move from crowded loneliness into meaningful relationships with the people around us. We discover God’s design for community and how loving our neighbors as ourselves transforms both their lives and ours. Through small, intentional actions in your own neighborhood, you can build real connection and refle
The Power of Neighboring
Pastor Andy Wood teaches us that God gives extraordinary power to ordinary people to accomplish his will. Looking at the story of Peter and John in Acts 4, we learn how God equips and empowers us to step out in faith. When we rely on his power, incredible change can happen. In this message, learn what God can do through the power of your testimony, his Word, his Spirit, and the Resurrecti
The Practice of Neighboring
Pastor Andy Wood shows us how to practice good neighboring by being present with others, sharing life, and extending hospitality.
The Priority of Neighboring
Pastor Andy Wood returns to launch our new series, The Art of Neighboring, inviting us to love our neighbors through the abundant love God pours into our lives.
The In-Between Places
Guest speaker Wayne Cordeiro shares how God often does his greatest work during the quiet, in-between moments of life.
The Joy of Missing Out
Guest speaker Darren Whitehead invites us to go on a 28 Digital Fast after discussing the impact of smartphones and technology over our lives.
Seeing the Supernatural
Guest speaker Lee Strobel talks about where we see the supernatural in our world today and how that can strengthen our faith.
How Not To Save The World
Guest speaker Hosanna Wong opens our new series, Off the Shelf, with a message about how we can reveal God’s love to those around us.
Chosen To Be Made Alive
Our team of pastors teach about what it means to be fully alive by God.
Made To Be A Masterpiece
Pastor Andy teaches us about what it means to be God’s masterpiece.
Made To Be Different
Pastor Andy teaches about why God has set us apart and how that changes the way we live.
You Are Loved
Pastor Andy and our campus pastors teach a message about how God loves his children.
You Are Chosen
Pastor Andy begins our new series, Identity Crisis, with a message about what it means to be chosen to be in God’s family.
Debunking Marriage Myths That Lead to Misery
Pastors Andy and Stacie close our Road to Freedom series with an important message about marriage.
How To Stay On Track
Pastors Andy and Johnny teach us about what total freedom means and how we can stay free for our whole lives.
How to Not Shipwreck Your Life
Pastor Andy teaches an important lesson from the life of King David that gives us clear, practical tools to recognize choices that shape our future and avoid those that lead to regret.
Getting to the Source
Pastor Andy continues our Road to Freedom series with a message about how to discover the real source of your struggles.
A Generation Worth Fighting For
Pastor Stacie gives a special message about how we can support and help the next generation of the church to find freedom.
Stepping Into Lasting Freedom
Pastor Andy opens our new series, The Road to Freedom, with a message about how to take your first step toward freedom.
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