Sunday covered trials, divided trust, and what it means to be double-minded. But James 1 has more to say.

In this first bonus episode, Jeff Brodie and Sydney Jackson dig into what didn't make the Sunday message — the rich and poor illustration, the difference between trials and temptation, and why your desires matter more than you think when life gets hard. James isn't just talking about what you're going through. He's talking about what's driving you underneath it all.

We all know how to survive a hard season — white-knuckle through it, get to the other side, go back to who we were. But James, the brother of Jesus, opens his letter with a strange instruction: when trials come, consider it an opportunity. Not for happiness, but for something that actually lasts.

This week Jeff Brodie talks through why hard times reveal exactly who — or what — you're trusting, and what it looks like to build real resilience instead of running from discomfort.

You thought you'd dealt with it. You thought you'd moved on. And then something brought it all back — and you realised you haven't moved as far as you thought.

Why is forgiveness so hard? And why does it keep coming undone even when you've tried?

In this message, Vijay Krishnan introduces two words that reframe the entire conversation — debt and blood. He unpacks why forgiveness isn't just a choice you make once, why the instinct to hold out for payment is more human than we want to admit, and why something that happened 2,000 years ago outside Jerusalem is still the most powerful answer to the question we can't shake.

This is Week 3 of Questions You Can't Shake — a series tackling the questions people carry around but rarely ask out loud.

🎬 Watch the full message on YouTube @connexuschurch

Find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major podcast platforms. If this episode helped you, share it with someone who's carrying something they can't seem to put down.

Our anxious culture is quick to argue, and it can spill over into our relationships. Every family has its share of fights—some are icy and distant, while others are fiery and intense. Conflict is inevitable in any relationship, and disagreements happen at all ages. It can get heated in the moment. But the real question is, how do we fight with the end in mind? How do we fight for each other instead of with each other? In this message, we're going to look at a Biblical principle around how rules and relationships work, and how to build spiritual influence in the lives of our kids for the long haul.

In this bonus episode, Rob brings practical answers to tough questions about how to have conversations about mental health with your kids, and what to do when you aren't sure what to do. He tackles topics like anxiety and depression, infant mental health, the role of medication, preventative practices, and how to walk with a child through challenging times.

Rob is the Medical Director for Child and Youth Mental Health at the Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care. Rob is also a part of the Elder's Team at Connexus. He and his wife Rose have four children and have been a part of the mission of Connexus since its very first day.

Current studies have identified that the younger you are, the greater your chances of experiencing loneliness and a lack of meaning in our anxious culture. How do we grow spiritually resilient kids in the face of these deep challenges? What if the answer is found in teaching our kids the power of spiritually influential adults and a caring community of people who point them to the Father who loves them? In this message, we are going to look at the Biblical practice of building community around children and how to speak life into the hearts of the kids we love.

Let's get practical about parenting. Brett shares about major cultural shifts shaping our kids and how to parent intentionally in our cultural moment. He opens up a treasure chest of thoughts on helping kids with anxiety, screen time, exposure to pornography, stages of parenting, and a host of other topics.

Every year Muskoka Woods leads over 400 Gen Z staff in hosting 25,000 guests. As they looked to lead these staff well, they conducted a study on the overall perspective their Gen Z staff has on life, employment, and what kind of lives they want to live. The insights are helpful to anyone who is mentoring, leading, or employing Gen Z.

We get it—kids today are carrying around a lot of anxiety, and let's be honest, parenting isn't exactly a breeze either. In fact, sometimes the adults aren't okay. What if a reason many of us aren't okay is an ancient and timeless one? What would it mean to look at the experience of the kids around us through a Biblical lens? In this message, we'll dive into one of the biggest traps people fall into when they care deeply about a kid. More importantly, we'll unpack how breaking free from this trap can completely shift the atmosphere in your home and transform the way you love and support the kids in your life.

Discipleship is a word you hear thrown around a lot in churches, but what does it mean? In this message we're going to look at how this word is often misunderstood and how making disciples might be very different than most people think it is. In fact, if you've ever been interested in Jesus, you might realize that he's more accessible than you think. 

Followers of Jesus are at their best‬‭ when they live a show and tell life.‬ When Jesus shares the great commission with all of his followers, he puts baptizing people right in the middle of it. Why? We're going to be looking at often missed spiritual power of baptism, how it becomes a gift that keeps encouraging you throughout your life, and why it's an incredible opportunity to show and tell others about how Jesus has changed you.

Most people have tried the strategies. The therapy. The self-help books. The mindset shifts. And for a lot of people — it helps. To a point.

But what happens when you've done all of that and something still feels broken underneath?

In this episode, Jeff Brodie, Vijay Krishnan, and Dom Ruso have an honest conversation about why simple answers don't fix complex brokenness, why the comparison trap runs deeper than just social media, and what it actually looks like to accept reality without giving up on healing.

This is the kind of conversation that's easy to share with a friend who might not be ready for a sermon — but is ready for something real.

🎬 Watch the full sermon: "Why Your Inner Critic Is Lying to You" at YouTube @connexuschurch

New episodes every week alongside the Questions You Can't Shake series. Find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.

We can be tempted by a lot of things we shouldn't give in to. But when we give into the temptation of humility, the world changes for the better. 

The cross is a reminder for us to stop chasing what can't be caught. In the first century, the cross was a symbol of suffering and shame. In this series, Andy Stanley will talk about how it now represents an empowering invitation to a completely different way of life.

It's not intuitive to choose to lose, but Jesus introduced an upside-down way of living. In the first century, the cross was a symbol of suffering and shame. In this series, Andy Stanley will talk about how it now represents an empowering invitation to a completely different way of life.

You gave your life to Jesus as your Lord and Saviour, leader and friend. But now what? It seems like after we choose to follow Jesus, you're on a different kind of journey. You still wrestle with sin and you still struggle, so how is life supposed to be different? How come God doesn't just make us perfect right after we give our lives to him? Why do Christians sometimes struggle? The answer is in our weird church word - Sanctification.

What do you do with your guilt? Guilt and shame are something that we all carry at times. These things are a result of our brokenness. How do you handle the guilt that builds itself like plaque on your soul? In this message, Jeff looks at the power of atonement. Not only is it an incredible description for God's desire for humanity, but it's also a picture of why and how God wants to meet us in our guilt and shame and show us a way forward. 

Every day you face situations that you aren't sure how to handle, and the relational challenges are the hardest. What filter could you use to live your life the right way? What if you could know what Jesus was thinking when he lived his life on earth? In this message, Jeff looks at the term "incarnation," and specifically at incarnational living and how it gives us a framework for living our lives in every circumstance.

That voice in your head — the one that says you'll never be enough, you always mess things up, nobody really stays — where does it actually come from?

In Week 2 of Questions You Can't Shake, Jeff Brodie goes deeper on the inner critic. Why self-esteem and self-compassion can only take you so far. What brokenness has to do with the lies you believe. And why the gospel offers something neither psychology nor self-help can.

This isn't about positive thinking. It's about what actually sets you free.

🎬 Watch the full sermon: "Why Your Inner Critic Is Lying to You" at YouTube @connexuschurch

If you've googled Christianity or were in a church as a kid, you likely heard people use words that you didn't completely understand. Words you don't hear in everyday life. Terms like Trinity, incarnation, atonement, and holiness. However, underneath these words are deep truths that unlock real insight into God and into your own life. In this series, we're going to help you break down these weird church words and discover meaning for the deepest desires in your soul.

Build your life on the rock of Jesus, not the shifting sand of anything else. The golden rule: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." You've probably quoted it and may even try to live by it. Jesus taught it as a small part of his most famous sermon, but there's so much more to it than you might expect. This scriptural account has more meaning, challenge, and depth for your life. What if you're missing the whole point? Join us as Mark Clark unpacks this important message.

Acknowledging that the cause of our anxiety often stems from emotional responses rather than factual evidence, Pastor Mark discusses how three powerful beliefs: the existence of God, God's providence, and God's love, can alleviate these worries. Join Mark Clark as he continues unpacking Jesus greatest sermon in part 3 of Beyond The Golden Rule.

The golden rule: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." You've probably quoted it and may even try to live by it. Jesus taught it as a small part of his most famous sermon, but there's so much more to it than you might expect. This scriptural account has more meaning, challenge, and depth for your life. What if you're missing the whole point? Our purpose as Christians is to bring true meaning and flavour to the world by treasuring Christ above everything.

The golden rule: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." You've probably quoted it and may even try to live by it. Jesus taught it as a small part of his most famous sermon, but there's so much more to it than you might expect. This scriptural account has more meaning, challenge, and depth for your life. What if you're missing the whole point? Join us for these four weeks as we look at Jesus' greatest sermon.

There are moments in our lives that will define us. This is that type of moment for us as individuals and as a church. We've seen the heart of God by looking at what he searches for and what he celebrates - but how will we respond? Let's join him on the mission of being FOR those around us and welcoming them home. Like the early church, in the power of the Holy Spirit, let's show people that they matter to us, and most of all, they matter to God. 

Taking the step to care for someone who doesn't know Jesus can feel daunting. What does it mean to be the kind of person, and the kind of church, that cares for people who are far from God? There's something powerful about one human being intentionally serving another. It's at the heart of our faith and modeled by Jesus.

It's easy for us to dismiss or forget that God is working all around us. Not only do we miss what he's doing, but we also miss out on being a part of it. What if the key to a faith that's meaningful and engaging is looking to see who God is calling us to reach out to, and looking to see where he's already at work? What would happen if you made more room in your life to see the people around you who don't know Jesus the way God sees them? What if people saw you as a person of hope? What if they saw you as "home"? And what if they saw our church that way?

At Connexus Church, our heart beats for those yet to be reached with the hope of Jesus. Did you know that there are nearly 450,000 people in Simcoe County who don't attend church Sunday morning? The mission is urgent and clear. The FOR Them campaign is our bold response to God's call, a transformative journey to extend his love and grace to every corner of our community and beyond so that more people would know Jesus. The journey launches today.

We all need help—help from friends and help from Jesus to address the deepest need of the human heart. When you experience something that changes everything, you can't help but share it. As Jesus journeyed toward the cross and the tomb, different people along the way were invited to come and see. As his journey progressed, it became less clear what God was doing in the moment, but more clear to us today–clear that the invitation to come and see isn't just a physical one, it's a spiritual one. It's an invitation of forgiveness, hope, and freedom. It wasn't just news for a moment, but good news for all humanity. Good news for you, and it's definitely worth sharing.

You work hard. You want things. You push for more.

But at some point, most people hit a wall and ask: is this it? Is ambition the problem — or is something else going on underneath?

In this companion episode to Week 1 of Questions You Can't Shake, Jeff Brodie, Dom Ruso and Vijay Krishnan pick up where the sermon left off. They dig into the hedonic treadmill, permafomo, and the real tension between healthy ambition and the kind of striving that leaves you hollow — no matter how much you achieve.

This isn't a self-help conversation. It's an honest one.

🎬 Haven't watched the sermon yet? Start with "Why Is Nothing Ever Enough?" — then come back here to go deeper. 

🔔 Subscribe for a new episode every week alongside the Questions You Can't Shake series.

When you experience something that changes everything, you can't help but share it. As Jesus journeyed toward the cross and the tomb, different people along the way were invited to come and see. As his journey progressed, it became less clear what God was doing in the moment, but more clear to us today–clear that the invitation to come and see isn't just a physical one, it's a spiritual one. It's an invitation of forgiveness, hope, and freedom. It wasn't just news for a moment, but good news for all humanity. Good news for you, and it's definitely worth sharing.

If you come to the cross as you are, you can't leave the same.

When you experience something that changes everything, you can't help but share it. As Jesus journeyed toward the cross and the tomb, different people along the way were invited to come and see. As his journey progressed, it became less clear what God was doing in the moment, but more clear to us today–clear that the invitation to come and see isn't just a physical one, it's a spiritual one. It's an invitation of forgiveness, hope, and freedom. It wasn't just news for a moment, but good news for all humanity. Good news for you, and it's definitely worth sharing.

When you experience something that changes everything, you can't help but share it. As Jesus journeyed toward the cross and the tomb, different people along the way were invited to come and see. As his journey progressed, it became less clear what God was doing in the moment, but more clear to us today–clear that the invitation to come and see isn't just a physical one, it's a spiritual one. It's an invitation of forgiveness, hope, and freedom. It wasn't just news for a moment, but good news for all humanity. Good news for you, and it's definitely worth sharing - and it all began with a donkey. Come on the journey as Joseph Swan unpacks the story behind Palm Sunday and listen as he shares part of his own story.

Joseph's full story can be found in his recently published book, 'You Are Never Alone" - www.josephswan.co

Inevitably, life presents us with pain and suffering. Yet, the hope found in Jesus serves as a steadfast reminder that goodness persists even in the midst of our trials. By directing our focus toward the profound significance of Jesus' death and resurrection, we can mold our perspective amidst adversity. His resurrection embodies transformative power, showcasing triumph over evil and the transformation of shame into glory. It is crucial to anchor our thoughts on the enduring nature of God's love and the assurance that death does not have the final say.

None of us are immune to trials, suffering, and pain, but the real question is whether we will allow these things to shape us and reveal something more valuable that lies below. When we learn how to better face hardships, it can make our relationships stronger. The story of Job highlights the importance of empathetic friends and encourages us to find a supportive community to go through tough times together. Reflecting on Jesus' sacrifice should inspire in us a desire to be a selfless friend providing love, grace, forgiveness, and freedom.

Pain is an undeniable aspect of the human experience. Regardless of how carefully we navigate our lives, we are all bound to encounter moments of pain and suffering. As individuals of faith grappling with faith poses unique challenges. When confronted with the harsh realities of pain and suffering our faith can waiver. Looking at the story of Jesus we can find hope that we aren't going through this alone.

You've probably heard many people reference the biblical story of David and Goliath. In many ways, it's the ultimate underdog story—a classic example of the common situation where the small, inexperienced upstart strives to overcome the strong, seasoned champion. What does this story teach us about trusting God in the midst of our own challenges in life?

We've never been more connected, and yet we've never been more lonely. At the same time, when we are alone, we struggle to disconnect in a healthy way. Our phones, our screens, and the demands on our life have changed us—you might argue they've made our souls feel barren. We struggle to be present with ourselves, let alone with God. In this message, we look at how Jesus modelled the power of silence and solitude to feed his soul.

Much of the content of this message can be found in John Mark Comer's book The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry. We highly recommend this book.

You've hit goals. You've bought things. You've built a life worth living.

So why does it still feel like something's missing?

The problem isn't that you can't find satisfaction. It's that you can't keep it. You get there for a moment — and then it slips. And the cycle starts again.

In this message, Jeff Brodie explores one of the most universal human experiences: the feeling that nothing is ever quite enough. What if your dissatisfaction isn't a failure? What if it's actually a clue?

This is Week 1 of Questions You Can't Shake — a series tackling the questions people carry around but rarely ask out loud.

🎙️ Want to go deeper? Check out the companion podcast episode — "Is Ambition the Problem — Or Is It Something Deeper?" — where Jeff, Dom Ruso and Vijay Krishnan keep the conversation going.

🔔 Subscribe so you don't miss the rest of this series.

In the last decade, online relationships have exploded, and so have loneliness, depression, and suicide. AI is going to take that to a whole new level, making probable what few of us even dreamed possible a year ago.  It's understandable why people want to escape the pain of real-life relationships and find someone 'better' online, but that appears to be (literally) killing us. People may be the deepest problem in life we all would love to escape from, but people are God's deepest solution to loneliness.