Shine (Part 3) Sermon Audio, Video, and Questions

On Sunday, November 16 2025 at Wildwood Community Church, College Pastor Kevin Choate preached a sermon based on Romans 15:14-24. This message was the final part of the “Shine” series.  Below you will find questions related to this message for personal reflection or group discussion.

Sermon Questions:

  1. Pray! Start your discussion this week with prayer requests.
  2. Read Romans 15:14-24.
  3. Have you ever seen the connection between evangelism and priesthood? How does sharing the gospel with someone mediate God to them? What would it look like for you to embrace your role as an evangelistic priest?
  4. Paul wanted to shine in the darkness – specifically in places that didn’t have enough believers to reach that area (today these are classified as “unreached people groups”). Why is it important for mission efforts to be directed to these unreached areas?
  5. Consider reading Matthew 28:18-20 and Revelation 7:9-10. What connection do you see between the mission Jesus gives His church and this inevitable future event? Why is it tempting to be content where Christ is already known?
  6. Have you ever recognized the unique opportunity for the gospel to go out to the world through the University campus? What is exciting about this possibility?
  7. How can you shine strategically where God has placed you? Is there anyone you can PRAY for, INVITE into your life, or GIVE to?

To access these questions in pdf format, click here!

 

To listen to audio offline, click link below:

Shine (part 3)

 

To listen online, use media player below:

 

To watch stream, use YouTube live stream:

      

 

 

 

 

 

Shine (part 3) Sermon Preview

It’s a regular debate on the appropriate time to start decorating for Christmas. For some it’s November 1st – for others it’s important to wait until after Thanksgiving. This year, my wife and I decided to take the boxes down and started decorating the first week of November. Yes, we are that family.
One of my favorite Christmas traditions at Wildwood takes place in our Christmas Eve candlelight services. At the end of the service the lights dim, Pastor Mark begins with one candle and lights another as he remarks about how the gospel hope of our resurrected Lord has passed from one person to the next, just as each candle is lit by another candle.
This Sunday, we are wrapping up our SHINE series, and during this series we have been talking about the various ways that God has called Wildwood Community Church to shine. Pastor Mark has talked about how as we shine and our purpose is not private but public, and that pure religion comes from a right relationship as we talked about our opportunity to care for widows and orphans.
My name is Kevin Choate, and I serve as the College Pastor at Wildwood Community Church. This Sunday, we will talk about how we can Shine, specifically in God’s Strategy to Reach the Nations.
It’s a danger we are all tempted with – it is the danger of contentment. If you’re sitting in a chair today, it is likely that you have heard of the name “Jesus Christ”. You’re also probably familiar with His death, burial and resurrection. We all have a tendency in our thoughts or actions to be content where Christ is already known.
In Sunday’s passage in Romans 15:14-24, we will see a strategic mission by the Apostle Paul to shine the light of Jesus Christ to those who have never heard of who He is or what He has done. Is Paul’s strategy possible today? If Paul was a member at Wildwood Community Church, what would he do?
Paul didn’t preach everywhere. He targeted one kind of place. The place where the nations passed through: metropolises, trade centers, places of influence. Is there that kind of place in Norman? Yes. The University of Oklahoma! Because Paul lit the match in places of influence, we light the campus to reach the world. God has placed Wildwood in a unique location. We can reach the world by reaching the campus!

Shine (Part 2) Sermon Audio, Video, and Questions

On Sunday, November 9 2025 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on James 1:27a. We will be diving into this text as we continue a series called “Shine”. Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion.  You will also find the audio/video of the message to listen to/watch, or download.

Sermon Questions:

  1. Pray
  2. Read James 1:26-27
  3. How would you define religion?  What is a relationship with God?  In your understanding, is Christianity a religion, a relationship with God, or both?  Why do you answer the way you do? 
  4. James writes to the early church and admonishes us to be more than “hearers” of the Word, but also doers.  He characterizes “right doing” in James 1:26-27.  What are the three areas in our life where our relationship with God should be revealed?
  5. The message today focused on the “visiting widows and orphans” section of this text.  Why do you think God singles out these two groups for our care?  
  6. Three circles where we find orphans and widows are our households, our church family, and our community.  What does the Bible say about caring for widows and orphans in these three areas?
  7. Think through any widows or orphans you know from these three circles of our lives.  How would God have you get involved in “visiting them in their affliction”?
  8. What stands out to you most from this message?  Any particular takeaway?

To access these questions in pdf format, click here!

 

To listen offline, click the link below:

Shine (part 2)

 

To listen online, use the media player below: 

 

To watch stream, use YouTube live stream:

 

 

 

 

Shine (part 2) Sermon Preview

In Christian circles today, the word “religion” is often looked down upon.  It gets a bad rap.  En vogue today is to talk of a “relationship” with God.  Relationship is better than religion … or so the modern argument goes.  Maybe you have heard that before.  Maybe you have said that before.  But is it true?

Well, the root idea behind this statement is certainly appealing.  Our connection with God is not just cold and programmed, it is to be warm and familial.  We are invited to call Him “Father” after all, and all Christians are included inside the “household of God.”  If “religion” is cold and ceremonial and “relationship” is dynamic and dependent, then sure … we need a relationship with God!

But before we go too much further down this path, I want us to wrestle with two ideas.

Idea #1:  The word “religion” is in the Bible.  In fact, the word “religion” is in the New Testament.  Actually, the word “religion” is in the first book of the New Testament that was written chronologically.  In truth, the word “religion” is in the very first CHAPTER of the New Testament ever written.  AND … the word “religion” is used in a positive context in that use.  So, there must be something about “religion” that is positive and that we are invited to participate in.  The word “religion” refers to the way our relationship with God is demonstrated in our lives.  Far from a negative, understood and lived correctly, our religion demonstrates on the outside what is really going on in our interior life.

Idea #2: The thought of a “relationship” with God is incomplete at times in our modern world.  When we think of our relationship with God … that we get to call Him Father and are a part of His household … we imagine that benefit as God simply caring about our day.  He is our Father, so we can curl up on the couch beside Him and share with Him all our daily struggles and He will listen.  YES … this is PART of what our relationship with God entails.  He does care and He does listen.  But our new life in Christ has also ushered us into a new experience.  The Holy Spirit has come to rest in our souls, thus giving us a spiritually redefining DNA.  Therefore, God as our Father ALSO means that we are to live a life that demonstrates our (spiritual) family resemblance.  We are to live a life that reminds others of whose Family we are a part of.

So, let’s put these two ideas together for a moment, and look at James 1:27a:

“Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction …”

If God is our Father, then our lives will demonstrate a practical concern for the things that concern God’s heart.

This Sunday, in part 2 of our “Shine” sermon series at Wildwood Community Church, we will look at James 1:27 together to see what “pure religion” looks like.  As a part of this service, we will also highlight some of what Wildwood is doing to minister to widows and orphans, and how each of us can be a part of that.  Hope to see you this Sunday as we gather to worship God together in our 8:30, 9:45, and 11:00 services.  See you there … and bring friends.

Shine (Part 1) Sermon Audio, Video, and Questions

On Sunday, November 2 2025 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on Matthew 5:13-16. We walked through the first part of a new sermon series called “Shine”. Below you will find questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion.  You will also find the audio/video of the message to listen to/watch, or download.

Sermon Questions:

  1. Pray
  2. Read Matthew 5:13-16
  3. What would you say is the purpose of your life? 
  4. Jesus says that His followers are both salt and light.  What do you think Jesus meant by describing Christians with these two terms?
  5. Christians are designed by God to impact the world around us for His glory.  In what ways is your faith a PUBLIC part of your life?  
  6. What are ways in which you shine by doing good works in Jesus name?  Are there any specific ways God was prompting you through the message today to live a more distinctive lifestyle?
  7. What are you currently facing in this season of your life that might be a new arena in which you might shine your light for His glory?
  8. What stands out to you most from this message?  Any particular takeaway?

To access these questions in pdf format, click here!

 

To listen offline, click the link below:

Shine (Part 1)

 

To listen online, use the media player below: 

 

To watch stream, use YouTube live stream:

 

   

 

Shine (part 1) Sermon Preview

What is the purpose of life?  If life is a game, how do we know if we are winning?

Theologians, philosophers, and People magazine have all tried to answer this question for us over the years, but I want to drill down a bit deeper and personalize the conversation.  Instead of asking the question, “what is the purpose of humanity?” I want YOU to ask YOURSELF the question, “what is the purpose of MY life?”

How would you answer that question?

While you are reflecting on it, let me offer some observational suggestions of where many find purpose in life:

  • Life is about living.  I know that I am “winning” if I am still alive and fighting off the inevitable effects of aging.
  • Life is about accumulating.  I know I am “winning” if I have more today than I had yesterday in things, vacations, and financial deposits.
  • Life is about comfort. I know I am “winning” if life is enjoyable and fun.
  • Life is about accomplishments.  I know I am “winning” if I get a promotion, am famous, or win an award.

How would Jesus answer this question?  What is the life that He would call blessed?  Based on the categories above, we might imagine Jesus saying:

“Blessed are the old who look young (and are healthy), for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.  Blessed are the rich in this world, for they are the ones getting life right.  Blessed are those who experience the least amount of trouble, for they are triumphant.  Blessed are the honored by society, for they are on a winning streak.”

But did Jesus ever say those things?

In His most famous sermon, Jesus began by saying something quite different, “Blessed are the poor in spirit … those who mourn … the meek … those who hunger and thirst for righteousness … the merciful … the pure in heart … the peacemakers … and the persecuted.” (Matthew 5:2-12)  Jesus says that those who are blessed, might be those who look cursed!  Therefore, in order to determine who is winning in life, we need to look a bit deeper.  After all:

  • We will not find ultimate meaning in longevity … for time is undefeated.  We will just grow deeper and deeper into despair as our body breaks down over time.
  • We will not find ultimate meaning in things … moth and rust will eventually destroy them anyway, causing us to worry and fret about the preservation of things that will never last.
  • We will not find ultimate meaning in comfort … while no one chases discomfort, discomfort finds us anyway!  Thus “comfort-tied” purpose is short lived, and life feels futile when things get hard.
  • We will not find ultimate meaning in accomplishments … for each victory makes us hungry for more, and we can never “win enough” to be truly satisfied.

The ultimate meaning of life is found in the Creator of life and living consistent with His design.  We are created in the image of God to spread the glory of God to the ends of the universe.  When we are living in light of that design, we are truly blessed by the grace of God regardless of our circumstances.

In Matthew 5:13-16, Jesus tells us that we are both salt and light, and that we are designed to impact the world around us for His glory.  This Sunday at Wildwood Community Church, we will be diving into this text as we begin a new three part sermon series called “Shine.”  We will worship, pray, open God’s Word, and share the Lord’s supper together.  Hope you are there in our 8:30, 9:45, or 11:00 service … and bring friends!