Mariners Church Weekend Messages

Episode: November 30 – Transformation: Changing Beliefs and Behaviors

Speaker: Steve Bang Lee
Date: December 2, 2025

Main Theme & Purpose

In this message, Pastor Steve Bang Lee explores the dynamics of transformation—how people and groups move from old patterns to new life—by examining the biblical narrative of Nehemiah. Lee focuses on leading change, both personally and corporately, and identifies the necessary interplay between belief (internal conviction) and behavior (external action). The episode challenges listeners to reflect on what needs to change in their lives, families, and communities, encouraging them to pursue transformation through gospel-rooted beliefs expressed in concrete behaviors.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Challenge of Change: Why It's Hard for Everyone

• Lee opens with humor and personal storytelling about his resistance to buying a minivan, grounding the universal discomfort with change in a relatable example.
  • Memorable moment: “How did I become a minivan dad? This is partially a prayer request...” (03:45)
• Explores why most people prefer even a painful status quo over an unknown future (status quo bias), referencing the Kubler-Ross change curve to chart his own reaction from denial to acceptance.
  • “We’d rather live with the pain we know than the pain we don’t know.” (06:48)

2. Nehemiah: Four Transformations

Lee draws out four sequential changes led by Nehemiah:

• Rubble to Rebuilt Wall:
  • Describes Nehemiah guiding a people to rebuild Jerusalem’s walls in 52 days after 150 years of ruin—a feat involving both vision and labor.
  • “Almost every good thing that you enjoy...is the byproduct of some kind of change in your life.” (09:06)
• Empty City to Repopulated City:
  • Transforms a vacant city into a vibrant, inhabited community (Nehemiah 7 & 11).
  • Highlights the difficulty: “It’s one thing to recruit people to build; it’s another to uproot families to move.” (15:14)
• Disobedient People to Recommitted People:
  • Shows people transitioning from spiritual apathy to wholehearted devotion, marked by new commitments (Nehemiah 10).
    • Three key commitments: not intermarrying with pagan cultures (for religious devotion), observing Sabbath, and practicing generosity. (17:42)
• Despondent to Joyous Attitude:
  • Contrasts the shame and despair of Nehemiah 1 with the citywide rejoicing of Nehemiah 12.
  • “Those who are despondent and ashamed, they don’t sing publicly. Here they are shouting with great joy.” (23:22)

3. How Nehemiah Led Change: What He Did NOT Do

Lee outlines leadership missteps Nehemiah avoided:

• No grand, sweeping announcement: “Change is rarely made simply with an announcement. We can’t even change ourselves with an announcement.” (27:38)
• Didn’t minimize or catastrophize the problem, instead defined reality and gave hope (29:40)
• Didn’t blame previous leaders: “Humble leaders are secure leaders who can take ownership.” (32:00)
• Didn’t take shortcuts or rely solely on imported solutions; focused on reclaiming identity over speed. (34:05)

4. How Nehemiah Led Change: What He Actually Did

• Cultivated Both Belief and Behavior:
  • Belief: Internal convictions and what people trust.
  • Behavior: Outward actions and practices.
  • “If you want the fruit of transformation, you must cultivate the twin roots of belief and behavior.” (36:15)
• Specific Examples:
  • Wall: Stirred belief in God's faithfulness, then assigned practical building tasks.
  • City: Used genealogies to remind people of their identity (belief), then had leaders and families move (behavior).
  • Spiritual Renewal: Reading God’s Law reminded people of God’s love (belief); formal written commitments (behavior).
  • Joy: Reoriented focus to God (belief); restored celebrations and festivals (behavior).
  • Lee’s personal minivan example as a microcosm: Belief (safety for kids), then behavior (test drive and purchase). (42:40)
• “You need both. Belief without behavior gets nothing done. Behavior without belief eventually collapses. You need both.” (47:01)

5. Practical Application & Reflection

• Invitation to listeners: Identify an area of change, split a paper into “Belief” and “Behavior,” and brainstorm practical steps for each. (49:15)
• “Do I start with belief or behavior?”—Lee notes that both are valid, but as a Christian, he defaults to belief, since God calls us to trust first, then act in obedience. (51:30)
• Family story about nurturing generosity in children: Started with the belief that “God is generous,” then invited giving (behavior). (53:25)

6. Gospel Motivation for Transformation

• Transformation at heart level: Sometimes you realize “My heart needs to be changed.” (56:20)
• “Your God is not far from you. He hasn’t abandoned you. Even if you run a million miles away, you will find Him chasing you down. That’s your God.” (57:40)
• The story of Nehemiah reveals a God who pursues His people with relentless love, culminating in Jesus.

7. Call to Concrete Behaviors

• Generosity: Jesus: “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (59:19)
• Confession: “When you confess, you’re bringing your heart to God in a way you didn’t before. He can handle it. He’s not intimidated by your mess.” (01:01:29)
• Leads congregation to stand, sing, and be honest with God.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On change:
  “Almost every good thing that you enjoy...is the byproduct of some kind of change in your life.” (09:06)

• On leadership:
  “Humble leaders are secure leaders who can take ownership...Secure leaders unite not through negativity, but through humility.” (32:00)

• On belief & behavior:
  “Belief without behavior gets nothing done...Behavior without belief eventually collapses. You need both.” (47:01)

• Personal reflection:
  “That’s how the minivan thing happened...They got me. Sure enough, that day we left the parking lot with the minivan in tow.” (45:10)

• On God’s pursuit:
  “Even if you run a million miles away, you’ll find Him chasing you down. That’s your God.” (57:40)

• On authenticity:
  “Confession is beautiful and powerful...you’re not telling God something he doesn’t know, but bringing your heart to Him in a way you didn’t before.” (01:01:29)

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Time | Segment | |-----------------|---------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:30–03:45 | Introduction, Thanksgiving, "minivan dad" story | | 06:48–10:15 | The pain vs. promise of change, Kubler-Ross curve | | 12:20–23:22 | Four transformations in Nehemiah’s leadership | | 27:38–34:05 | What Nehemiah did not do as a leader | | 36:15–47:01 | The necessity of belief and behavior in transformation | | 49:15–53:25 | Practical application: evaluating belief and behavior | | 53:25–56:20 | Family story: Teaching kids generosity | | 56:20–57:40 | Gospel motivation: God’s relentless pursuit | | 59:19–01:01:29 | Exhortations: generosity and confession |

Recap & Practical Takeaway

Pastor Steve Bang Lee challenges listeners to:

• Recognize and own areas where change is needed in life and leadership.
• Nurture both belief and behavior, since transformation requires both.
• Be honest before God, receptive to His pursuing love, and courageous to respond with concrete actions: generosity and confession.
• Reflect personally: “What needs to change in your heart, family, or world—and what will you do about it?”

Tone: Authentic, humorous, biblically grounded, encouraging, and practically oriented.

For more messages and info, visit MarinersChurch.org.