Red Rocks Church Weekend Message Summary
Episode: Leading Yourself in a Storm (Sermon Only)
Date: September 27, 2025
Speaker: Pastor Doug Weckenman
Podcast: Red Rocks Church Weekend Messages
Episode Overview
This sermon, delivered by Pastor Doug Weckenman, explores the theme of “leading yourself in a storm,” using the biblical episode of Peter walking on water amid a storm from Matthew 14. Addressing a church community living through turbulent times, Pastor Doug provides practical, faith-driven guidance on self-leadership when external circumstances are daunting, and personal challenges seem overwhelming. He invites listeners to focus on Jesus, guard their hearts, and keep moving forward—no matter the storm.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. The Biblical Story & Context
[02:45]
- Pastor Doug recounts Matthew 14, highlighting the emotional rollercoaster that Jesus and his disciples endure.
- Jesus, after hearing of John the Baptist’s execution, retreats to mourn but is soon surrounded by crowds needing compassion. He heals, feeds thousands, and sends the disciples ahead by boat—into a coming storm.
- Key emphasis: Jesus saw the disciples from the mountaintop while praying for them. Just because you don’t see God at work doesn’t mean He’s absent.
Quote:
"Just because you can't see God at work in your life right now doesn't mean that he don't have his eye on you, working behind the scenes." – Doug Weckenman [05:05]
2. God’s Purpose in the Storm & Self-Ownership
[07:20]
- Sometimes God sends us into storms “for our good”; He doesn’t want us only to survive, but to become stronger for it.
- You are responsible for leading yourself—it’s the hardest leadership challenge.
Quote:
"The hardest person to lead is without a doubt you. You ought to know. You attempt it every single day." – Andy Stanley, cited by Doug [17:35]
3. Modern Distractions & The Screwtape Letters Analogy
[18:30]
- Doug reads a modernized passage from The Screwtape Letters, challenging Christians to avoid being fixated on politics, gossip, and the faults of others.
- The root of the world’s problems is “the sin inside me, me, me.”
Quote:
"Ensure the patient continues to believe that the problem is out there in the broken system, rather than recognizing there is a problem with himself." – C.S. Lewis (paraphrased) [19:15]
4. Three Keys to Leading Yourself in a Storm
I. Fix Your Eyes on Jesus
[28:40]
- Like Peter, when our focus shifts from Jesus to the storm (distractions, news, tragedies), that’s when we begin to sink.
- The eye is the “lamp of the body” (Matthew 6:22). What you consume affects your soul; protect your mental diet.
- Challenges cultural normalization of lust and violence; warns about desensitization.
Quote:
"Your eye is like a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body will be filled with light." – Jesus, cited by Doug [31:48]
- Faith isn’t blind denial—it acknowledges both pain and hope.
Memorable Moment:
Pastor Doug recounts his mom’s advice after 9/11:
"We came here this evening to look up, to lead our eyes." [38:20]
She would say “go outside tonight and look up … let God's creation preach a different message to you than the one you're gonna see on the news.”
II. Don’t Let Your Heart Be Troubled
[44:55]
-
Pastor Doug shares deleting social media to regain peace and clarity, recognizing a troubled heart can’t lead.
-
Proverbs 4:23: “Guard your heart above all else…”
-
Warns about letting bitterness, rage, and fear take root.
-
Challenges the Christian tendency to judge others quickly (referencing the Coldplay concert incident) and urges self-examination first:
"Search me, God, and know my heart..." – Psalm 139 [52:42] -
Urges the church: God heals the land not when ‘bad people’ out there repent, but when God’s people humble and search their own hearts first.
III. Put One Foot in Front of the Other
[58:24]
- Encourages simultaneous grief and joy: mourn with those who mourn, celebrate with those who celebrate.
- Tells story of a grieving friend (Brendan) and the value of embracing both sorrow and joy.
- Cites Proverbs 17:22 — “A cheerful heart is like good medicine, but a crushed heart dries up the bones.”
Quote:
"God gave you two hands for a reason. You can cry tears and you can enjoy... Your soul has the capacity to feel pain and to feel joy at the same time." [01:03:15]
- Draws parallels to the Friends cast bringing laughter after 9/11.
- Calls on the congregation to keep moving forward in faith, as “there's no verse in the Bible about hopping on water, there is one about walking.”
5. Shift in Narrative: What God is Doing Now
[01:10:25]
- Despite darkness in the world, God is still at work: Red Rocks Church saw growth of 5,000 and over 700 salvation decisions in two weeks.
- National and global challenges often drive people to seek Jesus more intensely.
Quote:
"When you lead your feet to the church, when you get your eyes up onto Jesus... here's a different narrative... the kingdom of heaven is advancing." [01:11:35]
6. The Gospel Message & Invitation to Respond
[01:13:00]
- Reminds listeners of the gospel: “We are far more sinful and broken than we care to think—and at the same time, far more unconditionally loved than we'll ever be able to imagine.”
- Invitation for those ready to follow Jesus to raise their hands and accept Him as Lord and Savior.
Memorable Moment:
"Raise your hand with boldness about what you believe about Jesus. He is the Son of God. I make him my Lord and Savior. His grace is big enough for me and it just takes a tiny bit of my faith. Amen. Amen. Amen." [01:17:05]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On God seeing us in the storm:
"Just because you can't see God at work in your life right now doesn't mean that he don't have his eye on you." [05:05] -
On taking ownership:
"The root of every single one of those problems is the sin inside me." [20:40] -
On leading yourself:
"I can't control the rest of the world, but I can have self control. I can't control how everybody else responds... but I can control me." [16:55] -
On focusing on Jesus:
"Are you concentrating on Jesus and considering the news right now, or are you concentrating on the news and considering Jesus...?" [36:45] -
On the church’s mission:
"We are a rowdy church of imperfect people who can't keep quiet about Jesus. We're not a Christian country club... We are a hospital for the broken." [01:21:40]
Timestamps for Important Segments
| Timestamp | Content | |-------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------| | [02:45] | Reading of Matthew 14; context of sermon | | [07:20] | Jesus prays for disciples; God sees us in our storms | | [17:35] | Ownership and Andy Stanley quote on self-leadership | | [18:30] | Screwtape Letters paraphrase; distraction by external problems | | [28:40] | Fix your eyes on Jesus; eye as lamp of the body | | [38:20] | 9/11 story: “Look up” — Leading your eyes | | [44:55] | Don't let your heart be troubled; social media fast | | [52:42] | Self-examination before judging others; Psalm 139 prayer | | [58:24] | Put one foot in front of the other; mourning & celebration duality | | [01:10:25] | Church growth statistics; advancing kingdom narrative | | [01:13:00] | Simple gospel invitation; raising hands for salvation | | [01:21:40] | Rowdy church legacy: mission, inclusivity, evangelism |
Conclusion
Leading yourself in a storm means:
- Fixing your eyes on Jesus (despite distractions and chaos).
- Guarding your heart (refusing to be overrun by fear, rage, or bitterness).
- Putting one foot in front of the other (embracing both lament and joy, continuing forward).
Pastor Doug closes by reminding the congregation that though we all bring our individual stories, backgrounds, and struggles, we are united by Jesus—whose resurrection changes everything. The church’s call is to make heaven more crowded by living loud, gracious, truth-filled lives that point to Him.
“Jesus plus nothing equals absolutely everything.” – [01:22:00]
“Let’s make heaven more crowded!”
Red Rocks Church – a rowdy church, loving Jesus and loving people.