Top 10 most-watched sermons of 2020

This year was different. For the majority of 2020, most of us worshiped on a sofa rather than in a pew. However, while the building may have been closed, our church was not!

Even in a pandemic, we persevered in our mission to help people become more deeply devoted followers of Jesus Christ. One of the biggest ways we learned about Jesus was through the messages that were shared on Sunday mornings.

That’s why we’re looking back at the most-watched sermons of 2020. So, grab your journal, a cup of coffee, and watch (or re-watch) a sermon that speaks to you!

Before 2020’s election day, Rev. Matt Tuggle shared a message about how our next president would have a big impact on the direction of our country. However, what may have an even bigger impact on our country is how Christians react to the results and treat other people for the next four years.

For a while the pandemic was theoretical. First, it was something overseas and then it was something on our coasts. As the pandemic became personal, Rev. Tuggle asked us to consider a few questions: How are we going to react? What are we doing to do? What does our faith say about how to face downtimes like this?

Gratitude is so important for a healthy life. But, as Rev. Rasmussen shared this Sunday, sometimes life gets so frustrating that it's difficult to find things to be grateful for. If you have ever thought, "I'd be more grateful if I had something to be grateful for," you are neither selfish nor alone. You're actually quite normal. The good news is the Bible gives us a pretty simple principle to ignite our gratitude. It's a simple way of thinking that keeps our inventory of blessings overflowing.

Rev. Rasmussen kicked off the new year with a new sermon series called, “The Twenties,” and asked the question: How will the world remember us in 10 years? He challenged us to think well beyond a simple New Years' resolution and shape the legacy of the decade ahead.

We have hope in an all-powerful, loving God who promises to be with us in difficult circumstances. The second week into quarantine this past spring, Rev. Paul Rasmussen was using Romans 12:12 as his anchor, “Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer,” as he reassured us that we were going to get through this time and would continue to be the church that God calls us to be.

Decisions, decisions! We make decisions all day, every day. Some big. Some little. And decisions matter. In fact, the decisions we make define who we are. So, the question Rev. Rasmussen posed in this message was: How do you make your decisions?

For this Sunday’s sermon in “The Twenties” series, Rev. Rasmussen looked at another variable of building a great legacy — work. Some people love to work, others not so much. In either case, how we work seems to be important to God. And it certainly helps define how we are remembered.

Uncertainty is perhaps our greatest fear. Any time we feel out of control, unsure of what the future holds, or how to solve a problem, fear rises up. Whether it's global or personal, uncertainty causes chaos. The good news, Rev. Rasmussen shared, is that our scriptures have a lot to say about dealing with the fear of uncertainty.

This year’s hope-filled Easter sermon from Rev. Rasmussen was truly unique, as he shared that Easter is not about a building. It's certainly not about an event. Indeed, Easter is about a message! And if ever the world needed to hear the message of the resurrection, it was this past Easter, when we united in worship online to celebrate God's ultimate message of hope.

Needy people. We all have them in our lives. Friends, neighbors, colleagues, family, total strangers. And sometimes we are them. In either case, Rev. Rasmussen shared, it’s difficult to know how to help, when to help, and who to help. Particularly when our help never seems to solve the problem.