Steele Creek Church

What will you do with Jesus when the cross confronts you?In this continuation of his teaching through the Gospel of Mark, Pastor Cam walks us through the trial, crucifixion, and death of Jesus. We see Jesus stand silent before Pilate, choosing obedience over self-defense, just as Isaiah foretold. We watch the crowd choose Barabbas, a rebel made in their own image, over the true Son of the Father. Then Jesus is mocked, beaten, and crucified outside the city among criminals. Drawing on Isaiah 53 and Psalm 22, he shows how every moment of the cross fulfilled God’s promises and revealed His love.Barabbas deserved to die, yet he walked free while Jesus took his place. That is our story too. Jesus didn’t come to start a religion or prop up a political cause. He came to save sinners and invite them into a Kingdom not of this world. When He breathed His last, the temple curtain was torn from top to bottom. The barrier between God and His people was removed, and the way into His presence was opened to all.The cross is uncomfortable. It confronts us and demands a decision. Rather than walking by in doubt or waiting for another sign, we’re invited to respond to the One who was lifted up to draw all people to Himself. We’re called to take up our cross, live as those crucified with Christ, and carry this good news as we go and make disciples of all nations.Support the show

In this passage, Pastor Kelvin continues his teaching through the Gospel of Mark, examining the arrest and trial of Jesus before the Jewish religious leaders, alongside Peter’s denial of Christ. Through these contrasting moments, we see Jesus remain faithful to His mission even as those closest to Him abandon and deny Him. While Jesus stands firm in the face of false accusations and injustice, Peter struggles with fear and denies knowing the very Savior he had promised to follow.This passage reminds us of the contrast between the faithfulness of Jesus and the weakness of humanity. Jesus willingly submits to the Father's will, knowing the suffering that lies ahead, while Peter's failure reveals how easily fear can overcome our good intentions.Rather than placing our confidence in our own strength, we're reminded of our need for Christ's grace and faithfulness. Even when we fall short, Jesus remains steadfast. His willingness to endure the cross points us to the hope of the gospel: our salvation rests not in our ability to remain faithful to Him, but in His perfect faithfulness to us.Support the show

In this continuation of his teaching through the Gospel of Mark, Pastor Kelvin takes us from the Upper Room to the Garden of Gethsemane. We watch Jesus predict His disciples’ desertion and Peter’s denial, pour out His soul in prayer to the Father, and then be betrayed with a kiss and arrested. By tying these events to Old Testament prophecy, including Zechariah’s word that the Shepherd would be struck and the sheep scattered, he shows how even the darkest night unfolded according to God’s sovereign plan.The disciples promised loyalty but fell asleep, struck out with the sword, and ran away. Jesus did the opposite. He submitted fully to the Father’s will, saying, “Not what I will, but what You will,” and willingly took the cup of suffering on our behalf.Rather than trusting in our own strength or resolve, we’re reminded to watch and pray, to depend on God’s grace when the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak, and to rest in a Savior who stayed faithful when we were not. Because Jesus did not run, those who belong to Him can be restored, renewed, and sent out to be and make disciples of all nations.Support the show

As the Passover approaches, Jesus gathers his disciples to eat a meal that points back to God’s rescue from Egypt and forward to the cross. Taking bread and wine, he gives them a new meaning: his body given and his blood of the covenant poured out.Join us as we look at Mark 14:1–25 and come to the table with gratitude and hope until the day we drink it new in the kingdom of God.Support the show

What if some of the biblical prophecies we've been taught to expect in the future have already been fulfilled?In this continuation of his teaching through Mark 13, Pastor Kelvin Smith examines the Olivet Discourse, exploring Jesus' words about the sun, moon, and stars, His coming on the clouds, and the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. By connecting the words of Jesus with Old Testament prophecy, he challenges us to study Scripture in context and consider how God's Word reveals His faithfulness throughout history.While Christians may hold different perspectives on end-times prophecy, one truth remains: Jesus Christ reigns today, His Word is trustworthy, and those who belong to Him have a glorious future.Rather than allowing prophecy to produce fear, confusion, or speculation, we're reminded to remain faithful, stay spiritually alert, and carry out the mission Jesus has given His Church: to be and make disciples of all nations.Support the show

In this message from Mark 13:1-30, Pastor Kelvin M. Smith walks through the Olivet Discourse, where Jesus leaves the temple for the last time and tells His disciples that not one stone will be left on another. Shaken by this, Peter, James, John, and Andrew ask Him privately when these things will happen and what sign will show that it's all about to take place. Jesus answers with a long warning about wars, famines, earthquakes, false christs, persecution, and a coming "abomination of desolation" — a warning meant to prepare His disciples rather than frighten them.Jesus makes clear that hard times are not a sign that God has abandoned His people but a sign that He is still in control, even as the world and the temple itself fall apart. False teachers will come, families will turn on one another, and the gospel must still be preached to all nations. Through it all, Jesus calls His disciples to endurance, not panic — to watch for the signs the way a farmer watches a fig tree, trusting that His words will outlast heaven and earth.Support the show

In this message from Mark 12:35-44, Pastor Kelvin closes out Jesus' final round of confrontations in the temple with a question of His own, a warning about the scribes, and a widow who gives everything she has. Jesus asks how the Christ can be both David's son and David's Lord, exposing the shallow theology of the religious teachers even as the crowd delights in it. Then He turns and warns the people about the very scribes they admire, men who love long robes and greetings in the marketplace, but who devour widows' houses and pray long prayers for show.The chapter ends with Jesus watching the temple treasury as a poor widow drops in two small coins. While the rich give out of their abundance, she gives out of her poverty, all she had to live on. Jesus shows us that true devotion isn't measured by how much is given but by how much is kept back, and the question for us is whether the scribe's love of appearance or the widow's love of God is the one living in our own hearts.Support the show

In this message from Mark 12:13-34, Pastor Kelvin walks through three questions aimed at Jesus in the temple in the final days before the cross. The Pharisees and Herodians try to trap Him over taxes, the Sadducees try to mock the resurrection, and a scribe asks which commandment is the greatest. Jesus answers each with authority and exposes the hearts of the people asking.Some came to trap Him, some to test Him, and one came sincerely. Jesus shows us that knowing the Scriptures is not the same as knowing the God of the Scriptures. Everything we have bears God's image and belongs to Him, our God is the God of the living, and the whole law comes down to loving God with everything we are and loving our neighbor as ourselves. Support the show

In this message from Mark 11:27–12:12, Pastor Kelvin M. Smith walks through the final confrontation between Jesus and the religious leaders in the temple, and the Parable of the Vineyard and the Wicked Tenants. As Jesus continues toward the cross, He exposes the heart of Israel's leadership and reveals God's plan to give the kingdom to a new people.Through the parable, we see a master who plants a vineyard, sends servant after servant to collect its fruit, and finally sends his own son — only to have him rejected and killed. Jesus shows us that the kingdom was never about religion, reputation, or inheritance; it's about bearing fruit for God. Because of the cross, we are no longer outsiders — we are the chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, called to walk in the light and live with joy as we wait for His return.In this message:The chief priests and elders question Jesus' authorityThe Parable of the Vineyard and the Wicked TenantsThe rejected stone that became the cornerstoneWhy the kingdom was given to a new nationBecoming a royal priesthood and holy nationWalking in the light instead of darknessLiving with joy as sojourners and exiles📍 Steele Creek Church — Arrowood Campus👉 Join us every Sunday as we continue our verse-by-verse study through the Gospel of Mark.Support the show

In this message, Pastor Kelvin M. Smith celebrates 31 years of Steele Creek Church, tracing the journey from a small ministry on West Boulevard to the multi-campus, multi-language church family it is today. Pastor Kelvin shares the story of standing on the undeveloped Arrowood property and hearing God say, "Upon this rock I will build my church" — a moment that has shaped the church's identity as a house of prayer for all people ever since.Rooted in 2 Corinthians 5:9–11, Pastor Kelvin reminds us that our aim in life is to please God, knowing we will each stand before Him one day. He calls the church back to a holy fear of the Lord and challenges every believer to live out the four areas of Living on Target — love and service to Christ, to our homes, to the church, and to the world. From there, he takes us on a journey through recent Kingdom work in Ethiopia, Kenya, and India, showing what it looks like when a local church takes the Great Commission seriously.In this message:The founding story of Steele Creek Church, from Jackson Park to ArrowoodThe moment God said, "Upon this rock I will build my church"Living as a house of prayer for all peopleWhy every person matters to GodThe four areas of Living on TargetUpdates on the Gospel going forth in Ethiopia, Kenya, and IndiaThe heart behind generosity and giving as an act of worship📍 Steele Creek Church — Arrowood Campus👉 Next week we resume our study through the Gospel of Mark, chapter 11Support the show