Progressive Christian Sermons with Rev. David Wheeler
Expansive faith rooted in compassion, justice, and thoughtful engagement with scripture. Questions welcome. Doubt allowed. New sermons every week. Preaching from New Covenant Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Episodes
How do we know when something has become morally crooked—especially when we've grown so accustomed to it that it looks perfectly normal?
In Part Two of Faith Was Never Supposed to Be Silent, Rev. David Wheeler explores one of the prophet Amos’s most unforgettable images: God holding a plumb line against the li...
Scripture Readings: Amos 7:10-17 | Amos 5:21-24
What happens when faith gets too close to political power, and sacred language is used to shield rulers from accountability?
In Part 1 of our four-part series, Faith Was Never Supposed to Be Silent, we examine the ancient confrontation between the prophet Amos and Amaziah, the royal priest of Bethel. When Amos spoke out against systemic corruption an...
Scripture Reading: Isaiah 11:1-9
What is the difference between escapist fantasy and a truly holy imagination?
In the finale of our summer sermon series, Songs That Changed the World, we explore John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s iconic 1971 anthem "Imagine" alongside the ancient prophet Isaiah’s vision of the "Peaceable Kingdom" in Isaiah 11. Long viewed with suspicion by traditional religio...
We added Dolly Parton's Coat of Many Colors to our Songs That Changed the World series in honor of her passing.
Coat of Many ColorsScripture Reading: James 2:1-7
Who gets to decide what—or who—is truly valuable?
In this week's sermon from our summer series, Songs That Changed the World, we explore Dolly Parton’s deeply personal autobiographical classic, "Coat of Many Colors," alongside the piercing words of...
Is "all you need is love" just a naive slogan on a bumper sticker, or is it the most radical, demanding criterion of the Gospel?
In Part 9 of our summer sermon series, Songs That Changed the World, we explore The Beatles' legendary 1967 anthem "All You Need Is Love" alongside the profound theological claims of 1 John 4. Broadcast to over 400 million viewers o...
Scripture Reading: Philippians 4:4-9
Can joy be commanded, or is there something deeper going on when scripture tells us to "rejoice always"?
In Part 8 of our summer sermon series, Songs That Changed the World, we explore Pharrell Williams’ universally infectious 2013 hit "Happy" alongside the Apostle Paul’s famous letter to the Philippians. While "Happy" radiates an undeniable, foot-tapping celebration of l...
Scripture Reading: Romans 5:1-5
What happens when life gets heavy, certainty fades, and "just believing" feels difficult or overwhelming?
In Part 7 of our summer sermon series, Songs That Changed the World, we bring Journey’s classic 1981 rock anthem "Don't Stop Believin'" into conversation with Paul's deep reflections on grace, suffering, and hope in Romans 5:1-5. Journey’s anthem is famously...
Scripture Reading: 2 Corinthians 12:7-10
What happens when our prayers don't lead to a neat, triumphant ending, but the thorn remains?
In this sermon, we explore Leonard Cohen's iconic song "Hallelujah" alongside the Apostle Paul’s famous passage on his "thorn in the flesh" in 2 Corinthians 12. Written over several grueling years and initially rejected by his record label as "unmarketable," Cohen’s song...
Scripture Reading: Exodus 3:7-12
When the struggle for justice feels long and wearing, how do we hold onto hope without burning out?
In Part 5 of our summer sermon series, Songs That Changed the World, we explore Sam Cooke's timeless 1963 civil rights anthem, "A Change Is Gonna Come," alongside the calling of Moses at the burning bush in Exodus 3. Born out of painful personal experiences with segregation and ...
Scripture Readings: Habakkuk 1:1-4; 2:1-4
When the world around us feels heavy with suffering, conflict, and injustice, how do we keep from shutting down?
In Part 4 of our summer sermon series, Songs That Changed the World, we bring Marvin Gaye’s iconic 1971 song "What's Going On" into conversation with the ancient prophet Habakkuk. Written during a season of deep national upheaval, war, and social unrest, Gay...
Scripture Readings: Lamentations 2:14-19 | Deuteronomy 24:10-22
What happens when our cultural conversations and religious systems fall silent in the face of human suffering and systemic harm?
In this Sunday’s sermon, we confront the uncomfortable reality that silence in the face of injustice is never neutral—it is complicit. We bring together two powe...
Scripture Reading: Mark 2:1-12
What does it look like to be a bridge for someone when the waters of life get too deep, too rough, or completely impassable?
In this Sunday’s sermon, we dive into the powerful story of the paralyzed man in Capernaum. Confronted by a crowd so thick that access to healing seemed entirely blocked, his four friends refused to let a barrier turn into ...
Scripture Reading: Genesis 1:26-31
What does it mean to look in the mirror and truly believe that what you see is "very good"?
As we conclude Pride Month, we return to the very beginning of the sacred text—not to look through the lens of original sin, but to reclaim our original goodness. In this Sunday's sermon, we anchor ourselves in the creation account of Genesis, where God fashions h...
We welcome a guest preacher today, Rev. Nancy Hodgkinson.
Rescue | Genesis 21:8–21
In this sermon, “Rescue,” we turn to the difficult and powerful story of Hagar and Ishmael in Genesis 21:8–21. Cast out into the wilderness, Hagar reaches the end of what she can see, only to discover that God has not abandoned her or her child. God hears the cry of...
Scripture Reading: Matthew 9:35–10:8
What happens when we move from being observers of the crowd to active participants in the healing of the world?
In this Sunday's sermon, we look closely at the moments when Jesus encounters a weary, scattered crowd and is moved with a deep, visceral compassion. He doesn't just see a mass of people; he sees individuals who are lost, hurting, and "like sheep...
In this sermon, “You Are Not a Debate. You Are Beloved,” we reflect on 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 and Paul’s image of the Body of Christ. Each person is a sacred and necessary part of the whole, not an argument to be won, a problem to be solved, or a debate to be judged.
This message invites us to remember that belonging is not based on sameness, status, ability, background, certainty, or approval....
Scripture Readings: 2 Corinthians 13:11-13 | Matthew 28:16-20
On this Trinity Sunday, we step into one of the most profound, beautiful, and frequently misunderstood mysteries of the Christian tradition. All too often, the church treats the Trinity as an abstract, three-headed mathematical puzzle to be solved from a distance. But when we look closer at...
Scripture Readings: Acts 2:1-21
Happy Birthday to the Church! On this Pentecost Sunday, we trade in our ordinary routines for the colors of fire and a celebration of the day the church was set ablaze by the Holy Spirit. But as we unpack the famous story from the Book of Acts, we discover that Pentecost is much more than a historical birthday party—it is a beautiful, disruptive,...
Scripture Readings: Acts 1:6-14 | John 17:1-11
What do we do when life leaves us stranded in the "unfinished, messy middle"?
In this Sunday's sermon, we explore the story of the Ascension—not as a spectacular religious magic trick that takes Jesus away, but as a profound shift in how we experience His presence. All too often, we treat the Ascension as a story about looking up ...
The God You Already Know Acts 17:22–31; John 14:15–21
What if faith is less about finding a distant God and more about becoming awake to the sacred presence that has been with us all along?
In this sermon, Rev. David Wheeler explores a more life-giving way to understand God’s power — not as control from above, but as persuasive love within and surrounding all things. For anyone who has struggled with inherit...
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