Love God Most (God.LGBTQ.You. 1 - Pastor Mike)

Love God Most (God.LGBTQ.You. 1 - Pastor Mike)

Author: 922 Ministries April 13, 2026 Duration: 39:07

This series aims to move beyond social media snippets and explore Christianity and sexuality with biblical depth, empathy, and "dripping compassion".
The Question Before the Questions Before diving into the complex "what abouts" regarding pronouns, policies, or specific Bible passages, this sermon poses one fundamental question: "Do you love God the most?". Drawing from Matthew 22, Pastor Mike highlights Jesus’ teaching that the first and greatest commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. This means placing God’s Word above personal desires, cultural trends, and even church traditions.
The sermon outlines two primary reasons why we must prioritize God’s perspective in the conversation on sexuality:
1. God always speaks the truth: Unlike human experiences or cultural shifts that can be mistaken, God's Word is always right, true, and faithful.
2. God always acts in love: God is the definition of love, demonstrated most clearly through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus, who took on the "muck and mire" of our sin so we could be washed pure.
Pastor Mike shares the stories of individuals like Beckett Cook, St. Augustine, and Rachel (a lesbian student at Yale), all of whom discovered that finding God was "bigger and better" than their sexual passions. Their lives testify that when we are persuaded by God's character of truth and moved by His gospel of love, we are finally ready to navigate the nitty-gritty questions of identity and orientation.

What to Expect in This Series: This sermon is a commitment to a holistic, five-week journey. In the coming weeks, the church will tackle:
* Imitating the God of love in our hospitality and mercy.
* Imitating the God of truth regarding specific passages in Genesis, Leviticus, and the New Testament.
* Practical questions regarding same-sex attraction, gender identity, and how the church should respond to the LGBTQ community today.
Join us as we commit to being here for the "whole thing," starting not with ourselves, but with God.


Each week, the communities of St. Peter Lutheran and The CORE in Appleton, Wisconsin, gather to explore faith, life, and scripture. This audio feed brings those weekly sermons directly to you, offering a consistent source of reflection and teaching grounded in Lutheran Christian tradition. You'll hear messages that connect ancient biblical wisdom to the realities of modern living, tackling topics from everyday relationships and personal struggles to the broader call to community and service. The voices from 922 Ministries-The CORE & St. Peter Lutheran aim to provide more than just information; they seek to foster a deeper understanding and a practical, resilient faith. Whether you're a long-time member, a spiritual seeker, or someone simply curious about a thoughtful perspective on Christianity, this podcast serves as an accessible way to engage with these teachings on your own schedule. It’s like having a regular, grounded conversation about what it means to live with purpose and hope, drawn directly from the heart of a Wisconsin ministry. Tune in for a straightforward, substantive addition to your weekly routine.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

922 Ministries - The CORE & St. Peter Lutheran
Podcast Episodes
Don’t Go Solo (Casual to Committed Christian 1 - Pastor Timothy) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:05
Partnership is hard — whether it's an 1800s organist and the kid pumping his bellows, or two people trying to actually do life together in a small group. In week one of our series Casual to Committed Christian, we take a…
Made for This (Casual to Committed Christian 1 - Pastor Jared) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:02
Ever wish someone actually knew you — not the edited, everything's-fine version, but the real one? In week one of our series Casual to Committed Christian, we take an honest look at why God never designed you to do life…
How to Fight the Devil (Sex Love Work and War 5 - Pastor Mike) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:02
Wrapping up our five-week series through Ephesians, Sex, Love, Work and War, we land where Paul does: at the armor of God. Life is full of real battles — sobriety, marriage, friendship, even prayer itself — and the devil…
Prepared for War (Sex Love Work and War 5 - Pastor Steve) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:50
Every day, people skip safety measures they know they need — a forgotten helmet, an ignored seatbelt, a life vest left on the dock. Usually it's fine. But what happens when the risk is eternal? In our final week of Sex,…
Jesus at the Center (Sex Love Work and War 4 - Pastor Mike) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:24
How much of your life is actually lived in just two places — home and work? In Week 4 of Sex, Love, Work and War, we open Ephesians 6 to see what happens when Jesus gets brought into the two spaces where you'll spend alm…
Same Lord. Different Room. (Sex Love Work and War 4 - Pastor Jared) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:57
Ever notice how easy it is to obey someone... until you find out you don't have to anymore? In Week 4 of Sex, Love, Work and War, we open Ephesians 6 to talk about authority — the kind we live under as kids, as employees…
Marriage: God’s Way (Sex Love Work and War 3 - Pastor Mike) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:08
A tornado once knocked out every stoplight at a busy intersection, and in seconds it was total chaos — not because any driver was better than another, but because nobody had a system for who goes first. In the final week…
Christians & Alcohol (Sex Love Work and War 2 - Pastor Mike) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:10
Wisconsin has a reputation — Barrel Man, the Brewers, a bar on every corner. But how healthy is your actual relationship with alcohol? In Week 2 of Sex, Love, Work and War, we open Ephesians 5 to ask a pointed question:…
Watch Your Step (Sex Love Work and War 2 - Pastor Bill) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:02
Ever arrive somewhere and realize you don't remember the drive at all? That's unsettling on the highway — and it's devastating spiritually. In Week 2 of Sex, Love, Work and War, we open Ephesians 5 to talk about drift: h…