Newcity Orlando

Listen to this week’s sermon, Welcome to the Wilderness, preached by Rev. Benjamin Kandt from Numbers 1-2.

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1t4SfufGjlebKN3HuA5kiSRfJsaLQaA84t4r2F-jP-rE/edit?usp=sharing

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1t4SfufGjlebKN3HuA5kiSRfJsaLQaA84t4r2F-jP-rE/edit?usp=sharing

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1t4SfufGjlebKN3HuA5kiSRfJsaLQaA84t4r2F-jP-rE/edit?usp=sharing

In this sermon from Rev. Benjamin Kandt, part of NewCity Orlando’s Preach Your Heart Out series, we are invited to reflect on the profound mercy and patience of God shown in the life of the Apostle Paul. Preaching from 1 Timothy 1:12–17, Rev. Kandt highlights Paul's personal testimony as a model of God's transforming grace. Once a persecutor of the church, Paul becomes a prime example of someone radically changed by the gospel—demonstrating that no one is beyond the reach of Christ’s love.Rev. Kandt explores how this passage stirs us to humility and gratitude, reminding us that the Christian life is not grounded in merit but in mercy. Paul's response—worshiping God as King eternal—becomes a call for us to do the same: to live lives shaped by grace and to proclaim that same grace to a world in need of redemption. This message is both deeply personal and widely applicable, encouraging listeners to anchor their confidence in the unshakable faithfulness of God.

In this sermon from NewCity Orlando’s Preach Your Heart Out series, Pastor Benjamin Kandt explores Jesus' call to mission found in Matthew 9:37–10:5. As Jesus looks on the crowds with compassion, He calls His followers to see the harvest—people in need of the gospel—and to pray for laborers. But remarkably, those who pray become the very ones sent out. The sermon unpacks the connection between compassion, prayer, and being commissioned.Pastor Kandt challenges listeners to reimagine their vocations, neighborhoods, and daily routines as contexts for witnessing to Christ. He emphasizes that ordinary people, not just church leaders, are the answer to the prayer for laborers. The kingdom of God advances through faithful, imperfect disciples who step out in dependence on Jesus. The call to bear witness is both a gift and a responsibility, carried out in the power and presence of Christ Himself.

In this heartfelt sermon from Rev. Ryan Gawrych, part of our Preach Your Heart Out series, the congregation is invited into the deep affection and Christ-centered joy the Apostle Paul expresses for the Philippians.Drawing from Philippians 1:3–11, Rev. Gawrych explores how gospel partnerships create lasting spiritual bonds marked by gratitude, prayer, and mutual encouragement. He emphasizes that Christian fellowship isn’t merely social, but spiritual—rooted in our shared participation in the grace of God.Rev. Gawrych also unpacks Paul's confident prayer that God will complete the good work He began in His people. Through this lens, listeners are challenged to see themselves and others not as unfinished projects to be judged, but as beloved co-laborers in whom God is faithfully working. The sermon concludes with a call to pray for one another with affection, asking God to grow our love in knowledge and discernment so we may walk in holiness and bear fruit to the glory of Christ.

In this sermon from NewCity Orlando’s Preach Your Heart Out series, Pastoral Intern Connor Bonello explores the surprising strength found in weakness through the words of the Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:1–10. Paul recounts a profound spiritual experience yet shifts focus to his "thorn in the flesh"—a persistent trial that keeps him dependent on God. Rather than removing the affliction, God assures Paul, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."Connor invites listeners to consider how God's grace meets us not in spite of our weakness but because of it. Rather than striving to escape our limitations, we are called to embrace them as opportunities for Christ’s power to rest upon us. In a culture obsessed with strength, competence, and control, this message offers a countercultural hope: that in our frailty, we are not disqualified—but uniquely qualified—to reflect the sufficiency of Christ.

Eric Stites explores Psalm 37 with a focus on the biblical call to patience and the spiritual challenge of waiting. Rather than seeking quick justice or immediate change, believers are called to “trust in the Lord and do good” even when the wicked appear to prosper. Eric unpacks how David contrasts the fleeting success of evildoers with the enduring security of the righteous, encouraging the church to remain rooted in God's promises.Drawing from his personal experiences in ministry and stories from CrossTown, Eric connects this theme of waiting to life in under-resourced communities, where justice often feels delayed. He reminds listeners that the faithfulness of God outlasts the instability of our circumstances. As we wait, we do not wait passively—we cultivate faith, take delight in God, and commit our way to Him, trusting that in due time, He will act.

In this message from NewCity Orlando’s Summer in the Psalms series, Pastor Benjamin Kandt reflects on Psalm 37:3–4, 16, 18–19, 21–22, 25–26, highlighting generosity as a key mark of the righteous life. In a world where the wicked often appear to prosper, God’s people are called to trust in the Lord, do good, and live with open hands. The psalm offers a picture of steady, faithful living rooted not in self-reliance but in the Lord’s sustaining provision.Pastor Kandt shows how generosity is more than a financial posture—it flows from confidence in God's care and covenant faithfulness. Rather than being anxious about the future, the righteous give freely, knowing they are upheld by the Lord. This sermon invites listeners to embrace a life shaped by trust, gratitude, and the joy of giving as an expression of God’s grace.

In this installment of our Summer in the Psalms series, Pastor Benjamin Kandt reflects on Psalm 37:27–28, a passage that calls us to actively pursue goodness in a world marred by brokenness. Pastor Kandt unpacks how God's steadfast love for justice is not only a comfort but also a call—to live distinctively as His people. We are invited to turn from evil, do good, and trust that the Lord will not forsake His faithful ones.This message reminds us that God's justice is not delayed, forgotten, or passive. Instead, it is deeply rooted in His character and woven into the lives of His saints. As we consider what it means to be preserved by God and to dwell forever in His care, we are challenged to embody righteousness in our ordinary decisions and relationships—confident that the Lord loves justice and never abandons His beloved.

In part 2 of Summer in the Psalms, Rev. Dr. Michael Allen preaches from Psalm 37, offering a pastoral and theological reflection on how believers are to navigate life in a world that often seems dominated by the wicked. Dr. Allen helps us see how Psalm 37 calls God’s people to patience, trust, and steadfastness—not through naive optimism, but through deep confidence in God's justice and faithfulness.Unpacking themes like fretting, envy, and the seeming prosperity of evildoers, he reminds us that the way of the righteous is marked by waiting on the Lord, delighting in Him, and committing our way to Him. In a culture driven by urgency and outrage, this psalm invites us to slow down, rest in God’s timing, and trust that He will act. Dr. Allen points us to Jesus, who embodies this quiet trust and secures our hope in the final vindication of the righteous.

In this message on Psalm 37, RUF Campus Minister at UCF Hardy Reynolds encourages listeners to take the long view of life and faith. Preaching to a world where evil often appears to prosper, Hardy unpacks David’s wisdom for living with patience, trust, and hope. Rather than reacting with envy or fear, believers are called to “trust in the Lord and do good,” knowing that God will ultimately uphold the righteous and bring justice in His time.Through vibrant illustrations and pastoral clarity, Hardy explores the Psalm’s repeated contrasts between the wicked and the righteous—not to stoke pride, but to deepen our confidence in God's promises. This sermon is a call to live faithfully and quietly before the Lord, delighting in Him, waiting patiently, and refusing the anxiety that comes from trying to control the world.

In this sermon on Hebrews 13:1–21, Pastor Benjamin Kandt explores how unshakeable faith takes root in everyday life. As the letter to the Hebrews draws to a close, the author turns from theological depth to practical exhortation — calling the church to live with love, hospitality, sexual integrity, contentment, and respect for spiritual leaders. Pastor Benjamin unpacks how these ordinary, often overlooked practices are actually extraordinary when grounded in Christ, who is “the same yesterday, today, and forever.”The sermon culminates in the majestic benediction of verses 20–21, where God is revealed as the One who equips His people through the risen Christ, our Great Shepherd. Pastor Benjamin reminds us that the Christian life is not lived in our own strength, but in the power of God's grace, enabling us to do His will. This message invites us to embody our theology in community — living out gospel truth in love, sacrifice, and faithful obedience.

In this sermon on Hebrews 12:18–29, Pastoral Resident Kenneth Dyches leads us into a powerful reflection on the awe-inspiring contrast between Mount Sinai and Mount Zion. He unpacks how the author of Hebrews uses these two mountains to show the radical difference between the old and new covenants — one marked by fear and trembling, the other by joyful access to God through Christ. Kenneth emphasizes that, as followers of Jesus, we are not approaching a place of terror, but a kingdom that cannot be shaken, where grace invites us into reverent and awe-filled worship.Kenneth calls us to examine what it means to live as citizens of this unshakeable kingdom — to respond to God’s voice with faith and obedience, and to embrace worship marked by reverence and wonder. This message urges the church to hold fast to the hope we have in Christ, whose blood speaks a better word and who invites us to live with confidence in His enduring reign.

In this theologically rich and pastorally grounded sermon on Hebrews 12:1–17, Rev. Dr. Michael Allen explores the discipline of the Lord as a key marker of our identity as beloved children of God. Drawing from the great “cloud of witnesses” in Hebrews 11 and the example of Jesus, Dr. Allen calls the church to run the race of faith with perseverance, eyes fixed on Christ, who endured the cross for the joy set before Him. He unpacks how God’s discipline is not punishment but a fatherly training that forms us in holiness, shaping us to share in His righteousness and peace.Throughout the message, Dr. Allen urges believers to resist discouragement and spiritual complacency, reminding us that our trials are not meaningless—they are signs of divine sonship. With pastoral clarity, he challenges us to lift our drooping hands and strengthen weak knees, pressing forward in grace and striving for peace and holiness in community.

In this powerful sermon on Hebrews 11:1–40, Associate Pastor Benjamin Kandt walks us through the “Hall of Faith,” highlighting how the entire chapter points to a life marked by trust in the unseen promises of God. From Abel to Abraham, Moses to Rahab, the author of Hebrews paints a picture of faith that is forward-looking, resilient, and rooted in God’s character — not in immediate outcomes. Pastor Benjamin unpacks the nature of biblical faith: a confidence in what we hope for and a conviction of things not seen.He reminds the church that faith isn't reserved for the extraordinary, but is the daily posture of those who take God at His word. Even those who suffered and never received the promises in their lifetime are held up as heroes because they lived with eyes fixed on a better country — a heavenly one. This sermon challenges and encourages us to live faithfully in the present as we await the fullness of what God has promised in Christ.

In this sermon from NewCity Orlando’s Hebrews: Unshakeable series, Associate Pastor Benjamin Kandt explores Hebrews 11:1–6, focusing on the nature of true faith. He unpacks how faith is not merely wishful thinking but a confident trust in the unseen promises of God, grounded in His character. Drawing on examples from the early chapters of Genesis, Pastor Benjamin highlights that a life pleasing to God is rooted in faith — a trust that shapes how we live, worship, and relate to God daily.This message challenges listeners to examine the foundation of their faith, encouraging them to move beyond cultural assumptions about belief toward a biblically anchored, enduring trust in God's Word. Pastor Benjamin calls the church to live by faith, holding fast to the unseen realities promised by God, and to draw near to Him with full assurance.

In this Easter message, Associate Pastor Benjamin Kandt reflects on the story of Thomas, the disciple who famously doubted the resurrection. Rather than condemning his skepticism, Jesus met Thomas exactly where he was—inviting him to touch his wounds and believe. This moment reveals a God who enters locked rooms of fear and doubt, offering grace, not shame.The resurrection isn’t just a historical event; it’s an invitation into new life for those who question, suffer, and long for restoration. Jesus’ scars become a healing response to our deepest wounds, showing that faith isn’t blind—it’s grounded in love, community, and truth. The gospel calls us not to behave better, but to believe deeper. Jesus meets us in our doubt and leads us into joy.

In this Palm Sunday message, Pastor Jason Dunn explores Hebrews 10:19–25, a pivotal passage that transitions from the theological foundations of Christ’s priesthood to practical exhortations for the church. Through the imagery of a train journey shared with his twin brother, Pastor Jason illustrates how many of us feel spiritually hesitant—bound by conscience, shame, or fear. Yet, Hebrews reminds us that we have confident access to God through the blood of Jesus and a faithful advocate in Christ.The sermon unfolds around three central imperatives: draw near, hold fast, and stir up. Believers are invited to approach God with assurance because Christ has cleansed their hearts and secured their access. In holding fast to our confession of hope, we are reminded that our endurance does not rest on our strength, but on God’s faithfulness. And finally, we are exhorted to stir up one another toward love and good works—something that only happens in the context of regular, intentional Christian community. Pastor Jason