Knowing God With Heart and Mind

Pentecost Unleashed: Fire, Wind, and the Gift of Comprehension

In this message, Pastor Dan explores Acts 2:1–24, explaining Pentecost’s Jewish roots, its reversal of the Tower of Babel, and how the Holy Spirit enabled people to hear the gospel in their hearts and minds. The message emphasizes that spiritual gifts exist to proclaim Jesus, encourages openness to the Spirit, and invites listeners to receive and share God’s love.

The Familiar Stranger: Living in the Overflow

Pastor Dan draws living water from Ephesians 5 and Acts 2 and explores the Holy Spirit as a constant, life-changing presence rather than a temporary high. He contrasts being "under the influence" of alcohol with being filled from beneath by the Spirit, calling listeners to steady rhythms of worship, gratitude, and community.

Drawing on the Walk to Emmaus movement and the early church's devotion, the message urges believers to move from occasional mountaintop experiences to ongoing sanctification, to live visibly changed lives, and to respond to conviction with surrender rather than shame.

The Familiar Stranger: Hearing the Voice

This episode of the Familiar Stranger series explores the Holy Spirit as a close companion whose voice often comes as a gentle whisper—easy to miss in the noise of daily life. Using Elijah’s encounter in 1 Kings 19 and the image of divine ‘frequency’ and dialect, the message shows how scripture, community, and solitude help us recognize God’s tone.

Practical guidance is given for cultivating listening: consistent Bible reading, quiet time, and small spiritual practices (even ten minutes) to turn down distraction and tune in to the Spirit dwelling within.

The Familiar Stranger: The Empowered Life ~ Fruit vs. Gifts

Pastor Dan continues the Familiar Stranger series as we explore how the Holy Spirit transforms believers from the inside out by producing fruit (love, joy, peace, patience, etc.) and distributing spiritual gifts according to God’s will, drawing on Galatians 5 and 1 Corinthians 12.

Using vivid metaphors (a high-performance car, bread and cup at communion), the message encourages humble readiness for God’s timing, warns against showy displays, and invites listeners to join God where He is already at work.

The Familiar Stranger The Spirit of Truth and Conviction

What if the Holy Spirit isn't the hall monitor you've been hiding from, but the Helper who's been trying to set you free? In John 16:8-15, Jesus reveals something revolutionary: the Spirit's conviction isn't meant to shame you into hiding like Adam and Eve in the bushes. It's meant to liberate you like the Prodigal Son running home. The Spirit nudges you because He's intimate with you—He knows the person God created you to be, and He loves you too much to let you settle for less. Conviction isn't a weapon to wound you. It's a gift of intimacy to heal you. The difference? Shame says "you ARE bad." Conviction says "this is BENEATH who you were created to be." That nudge you've been feeling? Don't run from it. That's the Familiar Stranger calling you into freedom, not condemnation. What's been nudging your heart lately?

An AI generated discussion of the latest sermon message

It is interesting to let Google's Notebook LM with Gemini listen to the sermon recording and then generate a conversational "deep dive". Once you get past the scary and amazing technology that produces two believable voices in conversation, there is surprising insight and extraction. We share this one because it can serve as an additional aid to your journey with the Holy Spirit. 

The Familiar Stranger: The Breath of Life

This episode explores Ezekiel 37:1-14 and the work of the Holy Spirit (Ruach) in bringing life and order to chaos, using the image of dry bones to show how God methodically restores and revives.

Pastor Dan invites listeners to welcome the Spirit into their lives, join small groups for spiritual growth, and trust the patient, step-by-step process of renewal.

The Familiar Stranger--The God Who Is a Person

In this sermon Pastor Dan marks the beginning of a six-week series focused on understanding the Holy Spirit as a distinct person rather than a vague power or force. Using Tyler Staton’s book, The Familiar Stranger, as a structural guide, the speaker encourages the congregation to move beyond an "almost Christian" life by surrendering to God's presence. The text emphasizes that while the Trinity remains a holy mystery, believers can find true intimacy by viewing the Spirit as a "paraclete" who walks alongside them. The message highlights that the same supernatural presence that empowered the apostles is available to modern believers for guidance and comfort. Finally, the speaker reflects on the diverse ways individuals express worship, urging the church to embrace an uninhibited and authentic relationship with the Divine.

Wisdom in the Desert: The Lessons of the Desert

Palm Sunday is often remembered as a parade, but it was actually a confrontation. In this final installment of the "Wisdom in the Desert" series, Pastor Dan Sinkhorn breaks down the deep, prophetic meaning behind Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem and what it reveals about the human heart.

Why did the same voices that shouted "Hosanna" on Sunday scream for an execution by Friday? The answer lies in the gap between our worldly expectations and God’s holy intentions. Drawing on the insights of St. Augustine and the Desert Fathers, Pastor Dan explores how our lives become "disordered" when we love even good things—like family, security, or success—more than we love Jesus Christ.

If your spiritual life feels like a "glitchy operating system," this episode is a call to hit the reset button. As we move into Holy Week, learn how to carry the silence and discipline of the desert into the noise of the city.

Sermon Discussion - Sunday, March 29, 2026 A.I. Generated

This is a very interesting A.I. generated discussion of the message by Pastor Dan Sinkhorn from March 29, 2026. It has the potential to enrich lives, so it seemed worthy of broadcast here.