Josh Hatcher is the Communications Director at Open Arms Community Church. He is married to Pastor Zoe Hatcher, and leads the Tribe of Lions Microchurch for men. He also is the founder of Manlihood.com
We’re inviting everyone to be part of our upcoming Church Work Day at Open Arms Community Church on Saturday, February 28, 2026, from 9:00 AM–4:00 PM.
This church-wide day is an opportunity to serve together and care for the space we share as a church family.
What Is Church Work Day?
Church Work Day is a time set aside for practical, hands-on service. From organizing and cleaning to maintenance and small projects, every helping hand makes a difference.
There’s something meaningful about working shoulder to shoulder — building ownership, strengthening community, and stewarding the place where we gather each week.
Event Details
Date: Saturday, February 28, 2026
Time: 9:00 AM–4:00 PM
Location: Open Arms Community Church
You can come for the whole day or just part of it. Every hour matters.
As Open Arms Community Church enters the season of Lent, Lead Pastor Zoe Hatcher launched a new teaching series called Listen to Jesus—a call to slow down, remove distractions, and return to the most essential practice of Christian discipleship: hearing and obeying the words of Christ.
Throughout Advent and the weeks that followed, the church journeyed toward salvation, witnessing Jesus as the light of the world. Now comes the next step. To follow Jesus is not only to admire Him or believe in Him, but to listen to Him.
This message centers on a moment in Scripture where God the Father speaks audibly from heaven and gives a command that still shapes the life of every disciple today:
“This is my Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased. Listen to Him.”
Watch the Message
A Glimpse of Glory on the Mountain
After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus. Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,”he said. “Don’t be afraid.” When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus. As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead
Matthew 17:1–9
Jesus leads Peter, James, and John up a high mountain, away from the crowds. There, before their eyes, He is transfigured. His face shines like the sun. His clothes become brilliant white. Moses and Elijah appear, speaking with Him. Then a bright cloud covers them, and God’s voice speaks from heaven.
This moment, known as the Transfiguration, is a brief but breathtaking glimpse of the true glory of the King. It is a special revelation of Jesus’ divinity and God’s affirmation of everything Jesus has done and everything He is about to do.
The disciples are not simply witnessing a miracle. They are being shown who Jesus really is.
This Is My Son
God’s first declaration is unmistakable: Jesus is His Son.
Jesus is not merely another prophet. He is not simply a great teacher or religious reformer. He is greater than all who came before Him. Born of the Virgin Mary, conceived by the Holy Spirit, Jesus is God in the flesh.
In this moment, the Trinity is revealed. The Son is glorified. The Spirit is present in the cloud. The Father speaks from heaven. The fullness of God is made known before three ordinary men.
Whom I Love, With Him I Am Well Pleased
God does not only declare Jesus’ identity. He reveals His heart toward Him.
The Father loves the Son. Not reluctantly. Not distantly. He delights in Him.
The Greek word translated “well pleased” carries the meaning of taking pleasure in, approving of, choosing, and preferring. God does not merely tolerate Jesus—He delights in Him. He approves of Him. He has chosen Him.
This identity is the foundation from which Jesus lives and ministers. Secure in the Father’s love and approval, Jesus faces opposition, rejection, suffering, and ultimately the cross. Nothing can shake who He knows Himself to be.
And in a profound way, this same love is extended to those who belong to Christ.
A Familiar Voice at the Beginning of Jesus’ Ministry
As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” Matthew 3:16–17
These same words were spoken when Jesus was baptized. At the very beginning of His ministry, heaven opened, the Spirit descended like a dove, and the Father declared Jesus’ identity.
But in Matthew 17, God adds something new.
“Listen to Him.”
What It Truly Means to Listen
The word “listen” in this passage is far richer than casual hearing. It carries the idea of hearing with understanding, perceiving, considering, and learning by hearing.
Listening to Jesus is not allowing His words to pass through the ears and quickly fade. It is receiving them deeply. It is letting them settle in the heart. It is learning from them. It is being shaped by them.
To listen, in the biblical sense, is ultimately to obey.
This is what it means to be a disciple.
Why Moses and Elijah Appeared
Moses represents the Law. Elijah represents the Prophets.
Together, they stand for the entire Old Testament witness. Their presence alongside Jesus declares something unmistakable: everything God has spoken through the Law and the Prophets finds its fulfillment in Christ.
Jesus is not replacing Scripture. He is completing it.
This moment reveals the New Covenant standing in continuity with everything God has spoken before.
Another Mountain, Another Cloud
The Lord said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain and stay here, and I will give you the tablets of stone with the law and commandments I have written for their instruction.” Then Moses set out with Joshua his aide, and Moses went up on the mountain of God. He said to the elders, “Wait here for us until we come back to you. Aaron and Hur are with you, and anyone involved in a dispute can go to them.” When Moses went up on the mountain, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the Lord settled on Mount Sinai. For six days the cloud covered the mountain, and on the seventh day the Lord called to Moses from within the cloud. To the Israelites the glory of the Lord looked like a consuming fire on top of the mountain. Then Moses entered the cloud as he went on up the mountain. And he stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights. Exodus 24:12–18
Long before the Transfiguration, Moses ascended Mount Sinai and encountered God in a cloud. God spoke from within that cloud and invited Moses into His presence.
The same pattern appears again in Matthew 17.
God does not call people from a distance. He invites them in.
God desires to be known.
God desires relationship.
God still invites His people into His presence today.
The Fulfillment of God’s Plan
Moses and Elijah standing with Jesus confirm His messianic mission. He is the fulfillment of God’s redemptive plan.
Peter, James, and John are given a window into something extraordinary: Scripture coming together before their eyes. The Law. The Prophets. The Messiah.
The Transfiguration is a foretaste of heaven—a glimpse of the glory that awaits those who belong to Christ.
A Moment for Worship, Not Activity
Peter’s instinct is to build shelters, to preserve the moment, to do something.
But this moment is not about action.
It is about adoration.
It is about awe.
It is about listening.
The Father is not assigning tasks. He is giving a command.
Listen to Jesus.
His Presence Is the Sign
Many people ask God for signs.
In Matthew 17, God shows that His presence is the sign.
Jesus is not absent. Jesus is not silent. Jesus is not hidden.
He is present and speaking.
Jesus Speaks What the Father Speaks
For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken John 12:49
Everything Jesus says flows directly from the Father. To hear Jesus is to hear God.
If someone wants to know God’s will, God’s heart, and God’s wisdom, the place to begin is simple:
Listen to Jesus.
Peter’s Eyewitness Testimony
For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain. We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. 2 Peter 1:16–21
After the resurrection, Peter boldly testifies that what happened on the mountain was real. He saw it. He heard it. He witnessed Jesus’ glory and the Father’s voice.
His message is clear: this is trustworthy. This is reliable. This is true.
God said, “Listen to Jesus.”
So listen to Him.
Jesus Alone Is the Authority
Some treat Jesus’ teachings as one religious viewpoint among many.
Scripture presents a different reality.
God commands His people to listen to Jesus.
Jesus is the light shining in the darkness. Jesus is the authority for truth. Jesus is the guide for life.
A Lenten Invitation to Slow Down
Lent is an invitation to pause.
To remove distractions. To create space. To seek God intentionally.
Listening to Jesus does not happen by accident. It happens through intentional time in Scripture, prayer, and quiet attentiveness.
God is still speaking.
The question is whether His people are ready to listen.
If you’re searching for a church in Bradford, PA, Open Arms Community Church in Bradford PA is a place where people are discovering hope, healing, and purpose through a growing relationship with Jesus Christ.
Lent is a sacred season in the life of the Church — a time to slow down, turn our hearts toward God, and allow Him to search, refine, and renew us. It is a season of repentance, prayer, fasting, and deeper dependence on the Lord.
This year, Open Arms Community Church is creating intentional space for our church family and our community to seek God together through two simple but powerful opportunities:
Lenten Prayer Service – A gathered evening of worship and prayer
Word for Lunch – Daily Scripture reading and prayer over the lunch hour
Both are designed to help us “eat His Word” and prepare our hearts as we journey toward Easter.
Lenten Prayer Service – Wednesday Night
Date: Wednesday, February 18, 2026 Time: 7:00 PM Location: Open Arms Community Church Who It’s For: Everyone (church family & community)
The Lenten Prayer Service will be a focused time of seeking God through prayer and worship as we enter the season of Lent. Together, we will quiet our hearts, reflect, and ask the Lord to shape us during this sacred season.
If you are sensing a hunger for God, a desire to start Lent with intention, or simply need a place to come and pray, this night is for you.
No registration required. No childcare provided.
The Word for Lunch – Daily Scripture & Prayer
Starts: Thursday, February 19 Time: 12:15 PM (15 minutes) Location: Open Arms Community Church Schedule: Daily through the season of Lent, leading up to Easter Sunday Who It’s For: Everyone
“The Word for Lunch” is a simple daily gathering for Scripture reading and prayer during the lunch hour. For about 15 minutes each day, we will come together to hear God’s Word and respond in prayer.
Many of us enter Lent with a posture of fasting and repentance. This daily rhythm invites us to replace what we give up with something far better — the Word of God.
We believe that as we “eat His Words” each day, our hearts and minds will be renewed, and we will be strengthened in our commitment to seek the Lord.
Come on your lunch break. Come as you are. Come even if you can only attend some days. There is grace for wherever you’re at.
In this week’s Open Arms Podcast message, Pastor Shawn Pierce continues the Journey to Salvation series with a direct and uncompromising call to authenticity. This sermon confronts the subtle but dangerous gap between outward faith and inward transformation, pressing believers to examine whether their lives truly reflect the Jesus they confess. At the center of the message is a challenge that cuts through religious noise: God has never been after performance—He has always been after the heart.
🎥 Watch the Sermon
When Faith Becomes a Mask
There is a version of Christianity that looks right on the surface. The language is correct. The behavior is polished. The routines are consistent. Yet Scripture makes it clear that none of that guarantees a surrendered heart.
It is entirely possible to know when to raise hands in worship, when to say “amen,” and even which verses to post online—while still living a completely different life from Monday through Saturday. That disconnect is not harmless. It is the birthplace of hypocrisy.
When the person who shows up on Sunday morning is not the same person who shows up at home, at work, online, or behind closed doors, something is broken. Faith becomes a role instead of a relationship. Witness turns into obstacle.
This contradiction is addressed plainly in James 3:9–10, where Scripture warns against using the same tongue to praise God and tear down people made in His image.
With the same tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. James 3:9-10
God’s Case Against Religious Performance
The message then turns to Micah 6, where God calls the mountains and foundations of the earth as witnesses—not against unbelievers, but against His own people. God recounts His faithfulness: deliverance from Egypt, redemption from slavery, provision through leaders, and protection along the journey.
The response from the people sounds spiritual on the surface. They ask what they should bring—burnt offerings, sacrifices, abundance, even their firstborn. But God cuts through the religious bargaining with a response that leaves no room for misunderstanding.
1Listen to what the Lord says: “Stand up, plead my case before the mountains; let the hills hear what you have to say. 2“Hear, you mountains, the Lord’s accusation; listen, you everlasting foundations of the earth. For the Lord has a case against his people; he is lodging a charge against Israel. 3“My people, what have I done to you? How have I burdened you? Answer me. 4I brought you up out of Egypt and redeemed you from the land of slavery. I sent Moses to lead you, also Aaron and Miriam. 5My people, remember what Balak king of Moab plotted and what Balaam son of Beor answered. Remember your journey from Shittim to Gilgal, that you may know the righteous acts of the Lord.” 6With what shall I come before the Lord and bow down before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? 7Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of olive oil? Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? 8He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6: 1-8
God is not impressed by volume, sacrifice, or show. He is looking for justice that is lived, mercy that is practiced, and humility that is evident.
Pride Is Always the Problem
Scripture consistently points to pride as the root of separation from God. The fall of Lucifer did not begin with rebellion—it began with pride. A desire to rise above God led to a catastrophic fall.
1 Peter 5:5 reminds believers that God actively resists pride while extending grace to the humble.
In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble. 1 Peter 5:5
This pride is contrasted with God’s original design in Genesis 1:26, where humanity is created in God’s image and entrusted with dominion.
and God said, let us make man in our image, after our likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and the birds in the sky, and over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground Genesis 1:26
The enemy’s jealousy was rooted in that authority. Humanity was given dominion, and the enemy was cast down into the very realm over which humanity had authority. From the beginning, the strategy has been simple: if humanity could be convinced to forget who they are, authority could be undermined.
The Battle May Be Pointing to the Calling
The struggles believers face are often not random, and they are rarely meaningless. Many of the areas where resistance feels strongest may actually be connected to gifts God has already placed within a person.
What if the fight is not about weakness at all—but about potential?
A struggle with the tongue may exist because a powerful voice has been given, and the enemy wants to keep that voice silenced or misused. A battle with lust may be connected to a heart that was created for deep love and compassion, with the enemy working to reduce it to a counterfeit. Ongoing fear or anxiety may be present because bold faith and courage have been placed within, and stopping that faith before it activates becomes the goal. Anger may surface quickly when the enemy succeeds in redirecting focus toward the wrong enemy. Envy may appear when a unique calling is being ignored in favor of comparing paths. Pride can take hold when gifts are subtly shifted from worshiping the Giver to worshiping the gift itself. Greed may grow where generosity was meant to flow, convincing the heart there will never be enough.
Rather than asking, “What is wrong with me?” a better question begins to emerge: What strength is the enemy terrified of?
The area under attack may be th
The Kingdom Looks Nothing Like the World
The message then turns to Matthew 5, where Jesus outlines the values of the Kingdom through the Beatitudes.
1Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2 and he began to teach them.
He said:
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
-Matthew 5
Jesus does not bless the impressive, the loud, or the self-made. He blesses the poor in spirit, the meek, the merciful, the pure in heart, and the peacemakers. These qualities require surrender, not strength. Dependence, not dominance.
The Kingdom of God moves through humility.
God Chooses What the World Overlooks
This truth is reinforced in 1 Corinthians 1:18–31, where Scripture explains that God deliberately chooses what the world considers weak and foolish.
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19For it is written:
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”
20Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. 22Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.
26Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29so that no one may boast before him. 30It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord. 1 Corinthians 1
God’s purpose is clear: no one stands before Him boasting in their own strength. Redemption, righteousness, holiness, and wisdom all come from Christ alone.
A Defining Question
The message ultimately presses every listener with a decision:
Is church attendance replacing surrender? Is religious language masking real transformation? Is Jesus being discussed—or followed?
God is not asking for more effort. He is asking for honesty. Not perfection, but obedience. Not religion, but relationship.
This is the moment to stop pretending. To remove the mask. To allow life to align with confession.
Responding to the Invitation
When conviction stirs, it is not emotional manipulation—it is the Holy Spirit inviting response. The call is not into flawless living, but into faithful obedience.
Scripture closes the argument clearly:
“Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”
Take Your Next Step
If this message encouraged you and you feel led to support what God is doing through Open Arms Community Church, you can give online here: http://openarmscommunitychurch.org/give
Pastor Zoe Hatcher of Open Arms Community Church continues the Journey to Salvation series with a message that speaks directly to those who feel spiritually weary, burdened, or unsure of where they stand with God. This teaching explores what it truly means to walk in the light, how Jesus fulfills God’s promises to those living in darkness, and why stepping into the light leads to freedom, joy, and restored fellowship with God and others.
🎥 Watch the Full Sermon
What Does It Mean to Walk in the Light?
Scripture often uses the contrast between light and darkness to describe spiritual reality. Darkness represents sin, oppression, confusion, despair, and separation from God. Light represents truth, freedom, joy, healing, and restored relationship with God.
The prophet Isaiah spoke to people who had lived under deep distress and spiritual darkness. God promised that darkness would not be the final word.
Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan—
The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.
You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest, as warriors rejoice when dividing the plunder.
For as in the day of Midian’s defeat, you have shattered the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor.
Isaiah 9:1–4 (New International Version)
When the light comes, Isaiah describes a complete shift: joy increases, burdens are broken, and people rejoice as if at harvest time. This promise pointed beyond temporary relief to lasting deliverance through the Messiah.
How Did Jesus Fulfill God’s Promise of Light?
The Gospel of Matthew shows how Isaiah’s prophecy came to life through Jesus’ ministry.
When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he withdrew to Galilee. Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali— to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah:
“Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles— the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.”
From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”
As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him.
Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.
Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.
Matthew 4:12-23 New International Version
Jesus intentionally began His public ministry in Galilee, in the very regions Isaiah named centuries earlier. By leaving Nazareth and settling in Capernaum, Jesus fulfilled God’s promise that a great light would shine on people living in darkness.
This revealed God’s heart for outsiders, the overlooked, and those weighed down by spiritual heaviness. The light came exactly where it was most needed.
Why Did Jesus Begin His Ministry With the Call to Repent?
When Jesus began preaching, His message was clear and direct: repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.
From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”
Matthew 4:17 New International Version
Repentance is not about condemnation or shame. It is about turning—turning away from self-reliance, sin, and darkness, and turning toward God’s truth and leadership. Becoming a follower of Christ means surrendering control and choosing to walk in a new direction.
What Does It Mean That Jesus Is the Light of the World?
Jesus did not simply bring light—He declared Himself to be the light.
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
John 8:12 (New International Version)
In a world filled with spiritual and moral darkness, Jesus promised that those who follow Him would never walk in darkness again. To follow Him is to walk with the light continually present, guiding each step forward.
Those who walk with Jesus carry the light with them—an eternal source of direction and life, even when circumstances feel uncertain.
Why Does Jesus Replace Our Heavy Yoke With His Own?
God does not merely remove burdens; He replaces them.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28–30 (New International Version)
A yoke was a heavy wooden harness placed on animals to pull weight. Jesus uses this image to explain spiritual life. He does not promise a life without work, but a life where the work is shared.
This shared work can be compared to a small child insisting on “helping” an adult. The child feels involved and purposeful, but the adult is doing the heavy lifting. The effort is real, but the burden is no longer crushing. In the same way, Jesus carries the greater weight.
Many people are exhausted by legalism, self-powered effort, expectations, and shame. Jesus offers rest by walking alongside His followers and shouldering what they were never meant to carry alone.
Can Someone Follow Jesus and Still Walk in Darkness?
Scripture addresses this question directly and honestly.
This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. 1 John 1:5–7
God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. Claiming fellowship with God while continuing to walk in darkness is living outside the truth.
Walking in the light produces true fellowship—with God and with others. That fellowship is possible because sin is brought into the light and purified through Jesus. Without that purification, darkness continues to isolate and divide.
Why Does Darkness Keep Pulling People Back?
Leaving darkness is not always easy—even when freedom is offered.
Temptation often behaves like something alive, something that clings. A powerful illustration of this is found in the Spider-Man character Venom. Venom attaches itself to its host, offering strength while slowly consuming them. Even when the host realizes Venom is destroying them, removing it is painful. And once it is gone, Venom keeps trying to return—stretching, pulling, calling the host back.
That is often how darkness works spiritually.
Old habits, sins, patterns, and mindsets may be destructive, yet they can feel familiar. Even after stepping into the light, temptation can feel like a constant pull—trying to wrap itself back around the heart and mind.
This is why walking in the light is not a one-time decision, but a daily choice to keep walking forward with Jesus when the pull comes.
Why Is the Cross the Only Way Out of Darkness?
If freedom were possible through effort alone, humanity would have achieved it already.
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
1 Corinthians 1:18 (New International Version)
The message of the cross may sound foolish to the world, but it is the power of God for those who are being saved. Freedom from darkness does not come through willpower—it comes through surrender.
The cross makes it possible to leave darkness behind and walk fully in the light.
What Choice Is Being Offered Today?
Walking in the light requires a decision.
It is a choice to turn away from darkness and walk with Jesus daily. It is a choice to exchange heaviness for joy, isolation for fellowship, and oppression for freedom.
Jesus continues to extend His hand, inviting people to leave the darkness behind and walk with Him in the light. The invitation remains open—to step into joy, to bear His easy yoke, and to begin a new way forward.
Take Your Next Step
Walking in the light is not meant to be done alone. Whether this message encouraged you, challenged you, or helped you see Jesus more clearly, there is a next step waiting for you.
Join Us in Person
If you’re looking for a church community where you can grow, ask questions, and walk in the light alongside others, we would love to welcome you to Open Arms Community Church.
Your generosity helps share the hope of Jesus and makes space for lives to be changed—locally and beyond. Giving is one way to partner in bringing light, freedom, and healing to others.
It’s always the loudest and ugliest that get the most attention. That’s true in politics, online arguments — and it’s especially true when people talk about churches. The online space is filled with commentators who call out celebrity pastors and their $6,000 sneakers and private jets.
“Tax the churches!” they say. Or “Religion is just a business.” or “Churches are always asking for money!”
Believe me, I get the cynicism. A small number of celebrity pastors have abused their influence, and their scandals spread far and wide. But those headlines—shocking as they may be—don’t reflect what churches actually look like in places like Bradford.
What most people don’t see is that the average church in America is not a 5,000 seat media production powerhouse. The reality is much more humble: the median church is about sixty-five people in weekly attendance. A church that reaches 200 in attendance is in the top 10% of churches in America. That means the outlying massive megachurches with their television ministries that are asking you to send them “seed money” are a very small representation of what the church looks like.
A median salary for most pastors in the U.S. is around $45,000 to $55,000 a year—and many make far less, often working two jobs just to support their families. These aren’t CEOs of corporations. They’re community members who work long hours like everyone else, the same people who stand with you on your best days and in your hardest moments.
Most churches don’t have endowments or outside funding—quite the opposite. They survive almost entirely on the generosity of the people who attend and the community that believes their presence matters.
Lately I’ve welcomed a lot of young adults into the faith, and their questions remind me how much we take for granted. One asked me, “Where does the church get the money to do all this? Does the government help?” He couldn’t believe it when I told him the truth: most of what we do is funded entirely by the generosity of the people who sit in our chairs each week—people who give because they love God and love their neighbors, not because anyone twists their arm.
I’ve seen this firsthand at Open Arms Community Church here in Bradford. We’re not a megachurch, not a corporation — we’re a local congregation made up of ordinary people trying to make a difference in the place we all call home.
Living in McKean County is certainly a haven in comparison to other parts of the country where crime and crisis run rampant. We’re relatively safe if you compare the statistics to Philadelphia, for example. But we’ve seen some headlines this past year that have rocked us – so many stories of violence, child abuse, overdose deaths, and families falling apart under the weight of addiction and crisis. No child dreams of growing up to land in prison. No newlywed couple stands at the altar planning for alcoholism or domestic abuse. No teenager imagines their adult life beginning and ending with an overdose. People don’t choose these endings because they want them; they arrive there through layers of trauma, hopelessness, and despair that build slowly over time.
And that is precisely why the presence of a healthy church in a community matters. Churches aren’t just places for religious ritual; at their best, they are places where someone finds help before the crisis becomes the headline. They are spaces where people talk through their wounds instead of acting out of them. A church is where friendships provide accountability before someone makes the decision they can’t take back. It’s where a struggling parent learns skills that bring stability back into a chaotic home, and where an addict finds support through the long journey toward freedom — not judgment. It’s the quiet work of a volunteer talking a teenager out of a terrible decision at 10PM on a school night — work that never shows up on the front page but absolutely changes the outcome.
Much of what churches do is preventative work you’ll never see on the news. It’s not flashy. It doesn’t trend. It happens quietly, behind the scenes, in living rooms, over cups of coffee, in late-night phone calls, in hospital waiting rooms, and in the small, consistent moments where one life influences another. It is the kind of work that reduces despair long before despair becomes destructive. And it is the kind of work that no government program nor nonprofit model can fully replicate, because it depends on relationship, community, and the belief that every person — every single one — is worth fighting for.
People say the church only wants money. But what the church really wants is fewer funerals, fewer broken homes, fewer kids lost to despair, fewer headlines that break our hearts.
So yes, churches ask for support. But not because pastors are living the high life, and not because churches are sitting on piles of cash. Churches ask for support because the work of helping a community heal takes resources: buildings that stay open, staff who can give their time, meals that need to be purchased, programs that need materials, and a hundred other practical needs that make compassionate work possible. The church isn’t asking for money to prop up an institution. It’s asking for partnership to strengthen a community.
A better question to ask might be this: what would happen to a town like Bradford if the churches disappeared? What would happen to the families in crisis, the kids who need mentors, the elderly who are lonely, the people battling addiction, the ones on the edge of despair?
It’s not just the organization doing the work. It’s the people, and the church is the vehicle that allows them to get connected to relationships where people can help each other. Let’s ask the question: If you were in trouble at 11PM, who would you call for help? Many people don’t have someone. But if you’re in a good church, you are in a network of people who have your back.
The church isn’t perfect. No human institution is. But despite its imperfections, it remains one of the last places still committed to stepping into the darkest parts of people’s lives with hope, compassion, and the stubborn belief that redemption is possible. Not for money. Not for prestige. But because we love the place we live, and we refuse to give up on the people who call it home.
If our community is ever going to turn the tide on the despair captured in our headlines, we’re going to need strong families, safe kids, supportive friendships, open doors, listening ears, and the kind of hope that grows in relationship, not isolation. The church is one of the few institutions still fighting for all of that. And for that reason alone, it’s worth supporting.
December 2 is Giving Tuesday. I’m asking that even if you aren’t a part of a local church, that you consider giving to support one. You can give to any of the churches in our community and I know it will make a difference.
If you aren’t sure which church to choose, let me humbly recommend that you give to our Local Impact Fund at Open Arms Community Church. The vision at Open Arms is “Restored Lives in Christ” and “Transformed Community for God’s Glory”. We’re in the fight to make people’s lives better, to make our community better.
Do As I Do, Part 8 Open Arms Community Church – Bradford, PA
We live in a world full of shifting opinions, unstable foundations, and fragile faith. We scroll, listen, read, and react—but often we build on sand without realizing it.
In this week’s message, Don’t Just Read the Bible — Build Your Life on It, Pastor Zoe reminds us that the strength of our faith doesn’t depend on how much we know—it depends on what we’re standing on.
Because when life gets dark, when the winds pick up, when everything you trusted starts shaking… only one foundation will hold: the Word of God, hidden in your heart and lived out in your life.
We often treat Scripture like a book to read, not a life to build. But Psalm 119 says something deeper:
Psalm 119:9–16 (NIV) 9 How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word. 10 I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. 11 I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. 12 Praise be to you, Lord; teach me your decrees. 13 With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth. 14 I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. 15 I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. 16 I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.
Pastor Zoe shared that the word “hidden” doesn’t mean concealed—it means stored, treasured, kept safe. You don’t wait for the storm to start building the foundation. You lay it now.
💡 When the Lights Go Out
A little girl once got scared when the power went out at home. Her parents told her to grab the lantern from the closet. She didn’t panic—she walked straight to it.
Why? Because she already knew where it was before it got dark.
That’s what it means to hide God’s Word in your heart. When life goes dark, you don’t have to fumble for faith—you already know where to find the light.
“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” — Psalm 119:105 (NIV)
🧱 Building on the Rock
Jesus told a story that gets right to the point:
Matthew 7:24–27 (NIV) 24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
The difference between the wise builder and the foolish one wasn’t knowledge—it was obedience. Both heard the Word. Only one did something with it.
When we hear without doing, our lives lean like the Tower of Pisa—tilted by time, weakened by shifting ground. But when we hear and do, when we build on the Word, we stand firm no matter what hits.
📚 The Word That Breathes
Paul wrote to Timothy:
2 Timothy 3:14–17 (NIV) 14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, 15 and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
The Word of God isn’t just ink on paper—it’s breath. Every verse carries the breath of God Himself. When you read it, it reads you. When you apply it, it forms you. When you obey it, it builds you.
“Is not my word like fire,” declares the Lord, “and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?” — Jeremiah 23:29 (NIV)
💭 Renewing Your Mind
Faith that lasts begins with a renewed mind:
Romans 12:1–2 (NIV) 1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Transformation happens when we stop conforming to the noise of culture and start conforming to the voice of Scripture.
The Word doesn’t just inform your life—it forms it.
🔨 Putting It into Practice
The Bible is clear: it’s not enough to read or even memorize Scripture if we never live it out.
Start small.
Open your Bible every day, even for five minutes.
Pick one verse and ask, “What will I do with this?”
Write it down. Pray it back.
Practice it this week until it sticks.
As Pastor Zoe said:
“The goal of reading Scripture isn’t to finish it—it’s to let it finish you.”
✨ A Life That Doesn’t Fall
When your foundation is Scripture, you don’t just survive storms—you grow stronger through them. The winds may shake your house, but they’ll never move the Rock beneath it.
“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” — Matthew 24:35 (NIV)
My wife listens to a podcast every morning by JD Walt called “The Wake-Up Call”. I have listened alongside her on occasion, and I had the privilege of briefly bumping shoulders with JD at the New Room Conference last year.
I decided to start listening for myself as I’m on a quest for a bit of a mental and spiritual reset. Too much scrolling on my phone has my dopamine levels all out of whack. The current climate on social media has turned toxic, and so my options are watching people I love argue with each other, or the “brain rot” content that occasionally makes you chuckle, but definitely doesn’t build your soul.
This morning’s episode resonated deeply with me, for a few reasons. I’ll start with the end of the podcast first. At the end of each episode JD sings a hymn. Today’s hymn was what he called “The Baptist Fight Song” and while growing up in an old fashioned Baptist Church, I’ve never heard that phrase, but before he said the title, I knew he meant “Just As I Am.”
I was driving while listening, and that song broke open my tear ducts. I’m sure I was all over the road this morning, wiping tears from my eyes as I was transported back to my childhood and teenage years, standing up at the end of sermon, listening to Mrs. Florence Sinsabaugh in her finest polyester dress, as she let the foot pedals on the organ swell, and both hands holding out the long chords, while Judy Youngblood accentuated with the piano. Pastor H.D. Youngblood would lead us in singing, waving his hand to keep the time, and between verses, he’d call us home. Rarely did anyone go up to the altar. But with every head bowed, and every eye closed, hands were raised to pledge commitment to Jesus.
We didn’t applaud much in the Baptist Church, but inside out hearts, we were cheering when Pastor would say, “I see that hand, Thank You Lord.”
We’d usually sing verses 1, 2, and 5, and there was usually an instrumental verse in there too.
1.
Just as I am, without one plea,
But that Thy blood was shed for me,
And that Thou bid’st me come to Thee,
O Lamb of God, I come! I come!
2.
Just as I am, and waiting not
To rid my soul of one dark blot;
To Thee whose blood can cleanse each spot,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come!
3.
Just as I am, though tossed about
With many a conflict, many a doubt;
Fightings within, and fears without,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come!
4.
Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind;
Sight, riches, healing of the mind;
Yes, all I need, in Thee to find,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come!
5.
Just as I am, Thou wilt receive,
Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;
Because Thy promise I believe,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come!
6.
Just as I am, Thy love unknown
Has broken every barrier down;
Now, to be Thine, yea, Thine alone,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come!
And I was reminded of another very personal story, that has echoed deeply in my family lore. My maternal grandfather was a bad man. The best thing he had ever done was to abandon his family. That may sound like a bad thing, but the truth is, abandoning them was the best thing. I won’t get into telling the story that really belongs to my mother and her siblings. I’ll just say he was a bad man.
Abandoned, my grandmother turned to Jesus, and paved the way for her family. They met Jesus, many of them probably hearing Pastor Youngblood sing Just As I Am, and our family’s direction was changed.
At some point, my grandfather had stumbled into a church, probably drunk. He told the story, “If that preacher would have sang one more verse of Just As I Am, I’d have walked up to that altar.” – But of course he didn’t.
Years later, after leaving a lifetime of pain and struggle in his wake, my grandfather called my grandmother. “Deanie, I’m dying. I have cancer. Would you come out and see me?”
The story I remember is that he was found laying on the ground with a pile of cigarette butts on one side, and a pile of beer cans on the other. The cancer had eaten through most of him, and he was on his way out of this world.
My grandmother went out, and invited the rest of the family.
They didn’t go because they wanted to be with him. They went because they had a mission, to introduce Grandpa Dave to grace. To plead for his soul to be saved.
They preached the gospel, sang songs, and Uncle Mike started playing Just As I Am. When he got to the end of the song, the old man said, “Keep playing.” Grandpa Dave prayed, probably for the first time in his life. He asked for forgiveness for his sins. And in the remaining few days of his life, there was a change. Tiny fruits of the Spirit growing in the small window he had left.
Just as he was. Without a plea, except that Jesus’ blood was shed for him.
————–
The podcast episode was centered around this thought. A woman told JD in conversation, “I don’t want you to think I’m not a good person.”
JD’s response, “You’re not a good person. And I’m not a good person.”
This truth is one we need to grasp fully.
I see it echoed on the social media feed that I’m trying to ignore right now.
Virtue signalling.
Folks pointing fingers at the “evil” they see on the other side.
“Those folks are violating what the Bible clearly commands!”
“Those folks are bigots and hypocrites!”
With the inference that “I’m better.”
We post things on the internet, and say things in conversation because we want others to think we are good people.
“I’m a good person. I don’t condone sin.” “I’m a good person. I hate racism.” “I’m a good person. I love America.” “I’m a good person. I challenge broken systems!”
“I’m a good person. I want justice!” “I’m a good person. I stand with So and So!”
Don’t get me wrong, a lot of these might be good things, to stand up for the oppressed, to long for justice, to support your country, to stand for truth and righteousness.
But the thing is, none of us are good people.
That’s what’s so hard for people to accept. That’s what’s so scandalous about the gospel.
We don’t earn right standing with God by your good deeds.
We don’t deserve to be seen as heroes and martyrs and virtuous.
When Jesus delivered the sermon on the mount, and he said this:
“You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment. But I say, if you are even angry with someone,you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot,[e] you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone,[f] you are in danger of the fires of hell.” -Matthew 5
I’d encourage you to read that whole passage. If I paraphrase what he’s saying,, “You guys are missing the point. In order to earn God’s favor, you have to be better than the commands. The commands say ‘Don’t murder.’ But if you hate someone in your heart or call them an idiot, you’re just as bad. If you lust after a woman, it’s just as bad as having sex with her.”
He’s making a point and establishing his authority, and emphasizng that all of us are not good people.
Paul reiterates it:
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” – Romans 3:23
This is the beauty of it.
He paid the cost for us.
“He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world.” – 1 John 2:2
We aren’t good people. We are all sinners, and all of us are short of God’s expectations. And even if we kept the commandments in practice, we’d break them in our hearts.
But thank God!
“But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” –Romans 5:8
He meets us just as we are, and He makes up for what we lack, so that we can be right with him.
Sometimes, we who He has redeemed forget where we came from. We forget that we’re only right with God because of what Jesus did. We’re not good people. We’re His people. He paid for us. He bought us with His suffering on the cross.
Anything good in us is because God put it there. Even before we knew Him, the good in us was the reflection of His image in us, because He made us. And now that we have surrendered to Him, the good is not because of us. It’s because of Him.
Let us never forget that.
written by
Josh Hatcher
Josh Hatcher is the Communications Director at Open Arms Community Church. He is married to Pastor Zoe Hatcher, and leads the Tribe of Lions Microchurch for men. He also is the founder of Manlihood.com
The Least of These Riders is a motorcycle microchurch focused on serving others and living out faith on mission. This group combines brotherhood, service, and outreach to those often overlooked.
Maybe you’ve been feeling it lately– that tug in your heart. You can’t quite explain it, but you know God is calling you deeper. Or maybe you’ve been away from Him for a long time, and something in you is saying, “It’s time to come home.”
I know that feeling. I’ve been there. And I want to tell you my story.
I Thought I Knew Him
I grew up in a Christian home. My parents had both walked away from destructive paths and found hope in Jesus.Before I was born, my dad had been an alcoholic and a violent man, but when he met Christ, he never drank again and became known for his kindness. My mom broke free from a similar cycle and chose a new life.
From the time I was in utero, I was in church. I loved church. Sweet and kind people. Warm and inviting organ music. Cookies with the cream in the middle and kool aid. Wooden toys and Jesus coloring pages. Songs and sermons that sweetly comforted me and snuck into my heart. We called all of the older people “Grandpa” and “Grandma” as though they were our own family.
I remember being very young, and lying to my mother. I think it may be the first time she recognized that her sweet little boy could sin. She told me how to pray to invite Jesus into my heart. I would like to think that I was sincere, but I’d find a deeper truth later.
I was baptized as a child shortly after that. I believed in God, I loved Jesus, but looking back, I realize I mostly went through the motions because I wanted to make my parents proud. It was meaningful in its own way, but my heart was still empty. I knew about Jesus — but I didn’t know Him.
The Breaking Point
By the time I was in eighth grade, the loneliness and brokenness had piled up. I was bullied. I felt unwanted. I was angry at myself, at others, and at the world. I carried dark thoughts — thoughts I acted on in ways I’m not proud of, and thoughts I almost acted on in ways I might not have survived.
I decided I was going to end my life. I had every intention of cutting my wrists. But in the middle of those thoughts, a fear gripped me:
What if I don’t really know Him? If I die, will I be in hell? Will I be separated from Him forever?
I knew God was real. But I realized maybe I wasn’t in Christ.
The Night Everything Changed
That night – and in the days that followed – I wrestled with God. I came to a point where I got down on my knees, literally, and told Him I was done running.
I asked Him to forgive me. I told Him I accepted what Jesus had done for me when He died on the cross – that His death paid the price for my sin. I chose to follow Him, to serve Him as my Good King.
And something happened. I can’t explain it any other way – but it was like I stepped out of the darkness into the light.
Peace settled in. Joy I had never known before came alive in me. It didn’t mean I never struggled again, but it meant I never struggled alone.
I told the Pastor at our little country church I wanted to be baptized. He smiled. He had dunked me several years before. But he knew that there had been a change in me. The first time, it was just a bath. This time, it was a commitment – a public declaration of what God had done for me.
Why I’m Telling You This
Here’s the thing: this isn’t about religion. It’s not about rules. It’s about a relationship with the One who made you, who loves you, and who gave His life for you.
Jesus isn’t just an inspiring teacher. He is God in the flesh. He died to pay for your sin, and He rose again so you could have real life – both now and forever.
And He’s calling you. Whether you’ve never known Him, or you’ve been away for years, He’s saying, Come home.
This Is Your Moment
You don’t have to have it all together. You don’t have to clean yourself up first.
All you have to do is turn to Him. Tell Him you believe. Ask Him to forgive you. Trust Him to lead you. He will meet you right where you are.
