ReCreate Church’s Podcast

Self-Confidence vs. God Confidence - ReCreate Church, Pastor Michael Shockley - Service March 1, 2026

Self-Confidence vs. God Confidence

Speaker: Michael Shockley, ReCreate Church
Scripture: 1 John 3:19-21

Episode Summary
Pastor Michael shares an original Appalachian-style folk tale about a possum who tries to be clever like the fox, strong like the bear, and fast like the deer - only to discover he was made to trust God, not himself. Through 1 John's powerful message about assurance, we learn that the problem isn't our lack of abilities but where we put our confidence, and that when our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our hearts. 

Key Points
– Spiritual assurance is the settled confidence that we belong to God, not a feeling we chase through emotional experiences
– Our hearts often condemn us, but God sees the bigger picture - He knows how we got here, our repentance, and our future growth
– The most faithful believers often have the loudest inner critic because they're sensitive to falling short of obedience
– Assurance comes from how our lives are being shaped by Jesus, not from feelings or whether we "feel spiritual" today
– Our identity is not tied to our biggest mistakes or victories - God sees us through Jesus, not through our performance
– When we understand we're beloved children, prayer becomes conversation not negotiation, and obedience flows from joy not anxiety

Main Takeaway
Self-confidence rises and falls with our performance. God-confidence rests in Who we belong to. When we build confidence on ourselves - our intelligence, work ethic, reputation - life eventually knocks us flat. But God-confidence carries us through failure because it's rooted in Jesus's performance at the Cross, not ours. Your heart knows your failures; God knows your future. You don't have to be enough - Jesus is enough.

Memorable Quotes
– "Self-confidence rises and falls with our performance. God-confidence rests in Who we belong to."
– "When our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart."
– "Your heart knows your failures - God knows your future."
– "I made you to trust Me and hold on."
– "You don't have to perform. You're not auditioning. You're resting in Him."
– "You don't have to be enough. Jesus is enough."

Reflection Question
Where have you been putting your confidence - in being clever, strong, or fast enough? What would change if you stopped trusting yourself and started trusting that God made you to hold on to Him?

Tune in to hear the delightful original folk tale "Faith Like a Possum" featuring bobcats, bee stings, and cold creek water, Pastor Michael's vulnerability about picking apart his own Sunday performance, and why the most faithful believers often struggle most with self-condemnation.

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Love Becomes Action - ReCreate Church, Pastor Michael Shockley - Service February 22, 2026

Love Becomes Action

Speaker: Michael Shockley, ReCreate Church
Scripture: 1 John 3:16-18

Episode Summary
Pastor Michael shares the incredible story of Desmond Doss, the WWII medic from Lynchburg, VA who refused to carry a weapon but saved 75 men at Hacksaw Ridge. Through 1 John's challenging words about love, we discover that real love isn't about feelings or words - it's about action. If the Love of Jesus led Him to the Ultimate Sacrifice, how will His Love in us change the world?

Key Points
– Jesus introduced a new kind of love that culture doesn't understand - love that sacrifices, serves, and puts others first
– Early Christians took the obscure Greek word "agape" and redefined it by The Cross - willing, sacrificial action for others' good
– Laying down our lives usually means healthy self-denial and serving others, not just dying in a blaze of glory
– Within God's Family, we see a need and meet a need - compassion without action isn't Christ-like love
– Love must be grounded in Biblical truth, not just feelings - sometimes the most loving thing is a hard conversation
– Throughout history, Christ's love in believers has changed the world through action, not just sentiment

Main Takeaway
Love Becomes Action. If it doesn't, it's not love. The culture says love exists to make us happy; Christ says love exists to seek the good of others. Real love isn't warm fuzzy feelings during sad puppy commercials - it's crawling through gunfire to save lives. Love that stays in your mouth never reaches anyone's life. The Love of Christ in us must move our hands, open our hearts, and cost us something, because that's what Jesus's love did for us.

Memorable Quotes
– "Love Becomes Action."
– "If love doesn't cost something, it isn't love at all."
– "Laying down our lives doesn't mean thinking less of yourself; it means thinking of yourself less."
– "If love doesn't move your hands, it probably hasn't moved your heart."
– "Say less, do more."
– "The people who were dying didn't need somebody who cared enough to change their profile picture; they needed someone who would crawl through gunfire."
– "Love that stays in your mouth never reaches anyone's life."

Reflection Question
Where has your love stayed stuck in words and feelings instead of becoming action? What need has God put in front of you that requires you to move - to open your home, calendar, wallet, or have that hard conversation you've been avoiding?

Tune in to hear the powerful story of Desmond Doss praying "Lord, help me get one more" seventy-five times at Hacksaw Ridge, why early Christians had to practically invent a new word for Jesus's kind of love, and the challenge that if The Love of God abides in you, it will come out in compassion and generosity.

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Overcoming Unforgiveness - ReCreate Church, Pastor Michael Shockley - Service, February 15, 2026

Overcoming Unforgiveness

Speaker: Michael Shockley, ReCreate Church
Scripture: Luke 15:11-32; John 16:33

Episode Summary
Pastor Michael tackles one of the hardest commands in Scripture: forgiveness. Using the famous parable of the Prodigal Son, he shifts our focus from the younger son who was forgiven to the older son who refused to forgive - and reveals that there are actually TWO lost sons in this story. The younger was found because he sought forgiveness; the older was lost because he refused to give it.

Key Points
– Forgiveness sounds beautiful as theory, but when the pain is real and we're bleeding, it doesn't come easy
– The older brother was factually correct - the younger son was wrong - but being right didn't set him free
– We don't forgive because we think holding the debt gives us power and protects us from being hurt again
– Unforgiveness is like keeping a knife in you and twisting it even after the person who hurt you is gone
– When hurt becomes our identity, we start seeing ourselves only through what's been done to us
– Refusing to forgive blinds us to our own need for forgiveness and drives us into our own dark side
– The price of forgiving is high, but the price of NOT forgiving is higher

Main Takeaway
Forgiveness brings freedom. The prisoner forgiveness sets free is not them - it's ME. Unforgiveness always damages your own soul, continuing to hurt you long after the offender is gone. While some offenses seem humanly impossible to forgive, the Cross of Jesus supernaturally empowers forgiveness. His Blood washes away not just their guilt, but YOUR pain. Don't wait for apologies that may never come - go to Jesus for the grace to forgive and be set free.

Memorable Quotes
– "Forgiveness brings freedom."
– "The prisoner forgiveness sets free is ME."
– "That sword has two edges. It cuts as we swing it forward, but it cuts US on the backswing."
– "You are MORE than what you have done and what has been done to you!"
– "The price you pay for forgiving somebody is high. But it is not as high as the price you pay for NOT forgiving."
– "When you forgive, you set a prisoner free, only to realize the prisoner was YOU!"
– "Forgiveness is not about setting violators free from what they have done. Forgiveness is about setting YOU free from what they have done."

Reflection Question
Who are "those people" whose names make you tense up? Are you willing to bring those names to the foot of the Cross and let Jesus's Blood wash away your pain, or will you keep twisting the knife they left in you?

Tune in to hear the powerful visualization of names carved into the Cross being washed away by Jesus's Blood, why the older brother was actually the lost son at the end of the parable, and the life-changing truth that forgiveness isn't about them getting away with it - it's about you getting free from it.

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Who Do I Have To Love? - ReCreate Church, Pastor Michael Shockley - Service - February 8, 2026

Who Do I Have to Love?

Speaker: Michael Shockley, ReCreate Church
Scripture: 1 John 3:10-15

Episode Summary
Pastor Michael tackles one of the hardest questions in modern Christianity: Who do we have to love? Using hilarious stories about "little brother coded" behavior (including a three-hour car ride of relentless poking), he addresses how American culture has circled back to ancient tribalism - viewing everything through red or blue-tinted glasses. But Jesus tears down tribal walls and calls us to love even our enemies.

Key Points
– God's children show family resemblance through two patterns: practicing righteousness and loving their brothers and sisters in Christ
– Loving people doesn't mean celebrating every decision or validating every desire - it means wanting their ultimate good
– Modern tribalism makes us suspicious of other "tribes" while justifying our own, but Jesus erases tribal lines through the Cross
– The Gospel, not culture or politics, must be our framework for understanding the world and treating people
– If we're living by Biblical principles, opposition will come - but we can't take up the ways of Cain in response
– Love is proof we've passed from death to life; where there's no love, there's no spiritual life

Main Takeaway
The Cross crosses the lines we draw around love. While the world divides into tribes, Jesus reconciles. At the Cross, we were the enemy, yet He redeemed us. The mark of God's children isn't loving people who deserve it - it's loving people who don't. We must refuse to dehumanize, mock, or treat anyone as disposable because Jesus didn't treat us that way. Our calling is to see other tribes not as enemies but as the mission field.

Memorable Quotes
– "The Cross crosses the lines we draw around love."
– "Little brothers invented rage-bait long before social media trolls."
– "Don't let fake Church people stop you from getting to know the real Jesus."
– "If you call yourself a Christian, culture and politics are NOT your framework for understanding the world. THE GOSPEL is your framework."
– "You can't stop seeing people on the other side as human beings created in the image of God."
– "The mark of God's children isn't loving people who deserve it. It's loving people who don't."
– "At the Cross, we were the enemy. We were the sinners. Jesus didn't cancel us. He redeemed us."

Reflection Question
Who are the people you struggle to love because they're in the "wrong tribe"? Can you pray for their salvation while actively hating them, or will you let the Cross cross the lines you've drawn around love?

Tune in to hear why little brothers are proof humanity needs redemption, what "little brother coded" really means, and Pastor Michael's powerful challenge about viewing the world through the Gospel instead of red or blue-tinted glasses in our deeply divided culture.

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The Anchor - ReCreate Church, Pastor Michael Shockley - Service - February 1 2026

The Anchor

Speaker: Michael Shockley, ReCreate Church
Scripture: Hebrews 6:17-19a

Episode Summary
During another snow-filled Sunday, Pastor Michael reflects on feeling unsteady - whether from ice-covered walkways or the storms of life. Using the powerful imagery of an anchor and a fascinating rat experiment about hope, he shows us that biblical hope isn't optimism or smooth sailing, but something solid to hold onto when the waves crash and the wind blows.

Key Points
– God's promises are immutable (unchanging) - He doesn't flip-flop, doesn't wake up moody, and never flakes on His commitments
– God gives us double assurance: His Written Word (promises) and His Sworn Oath, confirmed by the Holy Spirit's seal
– Biblical hope isn't the absence of trouble or positive thinking - it's being tied to something unchangeable when storms hit
– Ships don't need anchors in calm water; anchors are for storms, which is why hope is called an anchor, not a sail
– Our souls drift when prolonged trials make us lose sight of God's promises, leading to mechanical obedience without joy
– Jesus is our City of Refuge - better than the Old Testament version because He offers inclusion, not exile, and forgiveness, not just protection

Main Takeaway
Hope in Jesus is our Anchor in the Storm. Most anchors go down, but ours goes up - into the Presence behind the veil, into Heaven itself. An anchor doesn't remove the storm; it keeps us steady through it. When waves crash, resources run out, and life breaks down, we need an anchor that holds. Jesus is that Anchor - unchanging, reliable, sealed by the Spirit. Hope isn't the storm ending; it's knowing Who sustains us through it.

Memorable Quotes
– "Hope in Jesus is our Anchor in the Storm."
– "Once you are in God's Family, it's FOREVER!"
– "He ain't the loving and leaving type! He doesn't do bait and switch."
– "Your grip on Him might grow weak, but His Grip on you never will."
– "An anchor doesn't change the weather. An anchor keeps the ship from being carried away by the storm."
– "Hope isn't the storm ending. Hope is knowing Who can sustain us through the storm."
– "Most anchors go downward. Our anchor goes up."

Reflection Question
When life feels stormy and your soul starts to drift, are you tied to the right anchor, or are you running to credit cards, social media, and opinions of people just as lost as you are?

Tune in to hear about Pastor Michael's epic double wipeout on ice caught on doorbell camera, why the second rat swam for 24 hours while the first gave up after one, and the powerful story of a frozen church community that found hope again before the weather even changed.

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Learn more about ReCreate Church at www.recreatechurch.org
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The Underground - ReCreate Church, Pastor Michael Shockley - Service - January 25 2026

The Underground

Speaker: Michael Shockley, ReCreate Church
Scripture: Luke 12:35-46

Episode Summary
Recorded on a Saturday night before a predicted winter storm, Pastor Michael addresses a week in which church protestors made headlines. Using a creative allegory read by his 15-year-old son Elijah, he reminds us that the Jesus Movement has always been underground - not about hiding, but about unshakeable loyalty to a different Kingdom while living as infiltrators on a rescue mission in enemy territory.

Key Points
– The Church isn't the establishment - we're the resistance on a rescue mission, not another cog in a political machine
– Jesus left behind faithful followers to spread His teachings until His return, knowing they'd face opposition from the world's power structures
– The danger isn't persecution - it's forgetting our purpose and getting distracted by culture wars, preferences, and complacency
– When churches stop being a movement and become a club for member comfort, they drift from their mission
– Our weapons aren't political or violent but spiritual - we win people to Jesus, not just culture wars
– Jesus will return unannounced, and we must be found faithful, watching, and actively sharing the Good News

Main Takeaway
We aren't the establishment - we are the resistance on a rescue mission. The Jesus Movement has always been underground, made up of people with courage to live by different values and refuse to be reshaped by the dominant culture. Our calling isn't to make unbelievers act like believers through politics, but to show them the transforming love of Jesus. We're not-so-secret agents planted by the True King, and we must stay faithful to that mission.

Memorable Quotes
– "We aren't the establishment - we are the resistance, and we're on a rescue mission."
– "An underground movement isn't about hiding - it's about unshakeable loyalty."
– "They were obsessed with how dark the world was, instead of sharing the light. They were so caught up in guarding doors, they forgot they were supposed to open them."
– "Our ultimate purpose isn't to win culture wars - it's to win people to Jesus."
– "We are not the ruling power - we never have been. We are The Underground."
– "We need to do more than trying to get unbelievers to act like believers. We need to show them the love and peace and transformation of Jesus."

Reflection Question
Have you forgotten that you're part of an underground movement on a rescue mission, getting distracted instead by culture wars, preferences, or the comfort of Christian community rather than actively sharing Jesus with people who need Him?

Tune in to hear the powerful allegory of The Great and Powerful King read by Pastor Michael's son Elijah, why his dog is wreaking havoc on his allergies, and what Jesus' shocking language about servants being cut in pieces really means for us today.

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Learn more about ReCreate Church at www.recreatechurch.org
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Family Resemblance - ReCreate Church - Pastor Michael Shockley - Service January 18, 2026

Family Resemblance

Speaker: Michael Shockley, ReCreate Church
Scripture: 1 John 3:8-9

Episode Summary
In Part 9 of the 1 John series, Pastor Michael returns from the holiday break to talk about family resemblance - not just physical traits, but spiritual patterns. Using hilarious stories about his wife's seven sisters and a bee-in-the-jorts incident, he tackles a challenging passage about whether our life patterns show we belong to God's family or the devil's family. This isn't about perfection - it's about patterns.

Key Points
– John isn't asking "Have you ever sinned?" but "What does the pattern of your life say about what spiritual family you belong to?"
– Jesus came not only to save us from sin's penalty but also from sin's power - He's the Chainbreaker who disrupts destructive patterns
– A saved person can fall into sin, but they can't remain comfortable there - being in sin will make a child of God deeply unhappy
– The difference between the two families is stumbling into sin versus settling into sin
– Some family patterns are destructive and need to be broken: "It may run in the family, but it runs out with me!"
– Anyone can claim to be a Christian, but true believers show a family resemblance to Jesus in their life patterns

Main Takeaway
If God is your Papa, it changes your pattern. This passage isn't about perfection - it's about patterns. A fish can jump out of water, but it can't be happy on land for long. Similarly, a true follower of Jesus can fall into sin, but they can't remain there comfortably. When we mess up, we don't run away from God - we run TO Him. Spiritual family resemblance matters far more than whose nose you got, because eternity is at stake.

Memorable Quotes
– "If God is your Papa, it changes your pattern."
– "It may run in the family, but it runs out with me!"
– "God is not looking to bust you as soon as you mess up. It's the opposite - He wants to rescue you, so messing up doesn't become your pattern."
– "Jesus doesn't just forgive your past; He disrupts your patterns."
– "If you are one of God's kids, being in sin will make you VERY unhappy."
– "It's the difference between stumbling into sin and settling into sin."
– "Don't let fake Jesus people stop you from connecting with the real Jesus."

Reflection Question
What patterns in your life reveal your spiritual family resemblance? Are there destructive family patterns you need Jesus to help you break so they run out with you?

Tune in to hear the unforgettable story of a bee flying up Michael's jorts during a phone call, why his wife's seven sisters were impossible to tell apart on a landline, and the powerful truth that struggle against sin is actually a sign of spiritual life.

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Test Me - ReCreate Church - David Boudreaux, Elder - Service, January 11, 2026

Test Me

Speaker: David Boudreaux, Elder at ReCreate Church
Scripture: Malachi 3:7-10

Episode Summary
Elder David Boudreaux shares a message about the one time God actually invites us to test Him - in the area of tithing. Using the Emergency Broadcast System as an illustration, he walks through Malachi's final Old Testament message where God challenges His people who have robbed Him through withheld tithes and offerings. This isn't about legalism or a prosperity gospel, but about trusting God as a good steward of all He's given us.

Key Points
– The concept of tithing began before the Mosaic Law with Cain, Abel, Abraham, and Jacob giving free-will offerings
– God told Israel they were robbing Him by withholding tithes and offerings, resulting in a curse on the nation
– In Malachi 3:10, God uniquely invites us to "test Me in this" - to see if He won't open the windows of heaven and pour out blessings
– Jesus fulfilled the ceremonial Law, but tithing preceded and remains after the Law as a principle for God's people
– God owns everything (100%), but allows us to manage 90% as stewards while the tithe belongs to His house
– Giving should be done cheerfully as decided in our hearts, not reluctantly or under compulsion
– The poor widow who gave her last two mites understood putting God's kingdom first, trusting Him to provide

Main Takeaway
God says "you can't afford not to" tithe. This isn't about legalism or a slot-machine prosperity gospel - it's about being good stewards of what God has already given us. When we give back even a portion of what He's blessed us with, we're testing God's faithfulness and participating in His kingdom work. It's not giving away our stuff; it's giving back from His provision.

Memorable Quotes
– "God is saying to them and us… You can't afford not to [tithe]."
– "I'm not giving away any portion of my stuff - But I'm giving back a portion of what God has blessed me with."
– "God does not normally command us to give everything that belongs to Him. He allows us to keep some 90% as managers or stewards, on his behalf."
– "Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."
– "God called it robbery because they had unlawful possession of what belonged to God."
– "If we can't give freely, but only reluctantly, perhaps the Lord would rather not have it."
– "The important thing is that we see giving as a privilege and not a burden. It should not be out of a sense of duty, but rather out of love for the Lord and a desire to see His kingdom advanced."

Reflection Question
If you're not currently tithing, will you turn to God and talk to Him about starting somewhere - even if 10% doesn't feel possible right now - trusting that He will provide your basic needs while you support His church and kingdom work?

Tune in to hear about the old Emergency Broadcast System that interrupted all three TV channels, why the poor widow's two mites were worth more than the rich people's gifts, and the one time in Scripture where God actually invites us to put Him to the test.

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Numb is Not Normal - ReCreate Church. Pastor Michael Shockley - Service January 4, 2026

Numb is Not Normal

Speaker: Michael Shockley, ReCreate Church
Scripture: Ephesians 4:19

Episode Summary
In this New Year's 2026 message, Pastor Michael shares the story of Ashlyn Blocker, a girl who can't feel pain due to a rare condition, to illustrate spiritual numbness. Through Paul's letter to the Ephesians, we discover how constant exposure to sin desensitizes our conscience until we stop feeling conviction - and that's when we're in the most danger. The good news: God doesn't shame numb hearts, He heals them.

Key Points
- Like physical pain warns us of danger, spiritual discomfort alerts us when something is wrong
- Ephesian culture normalized immorality through idol worship and occult practices until people were "past feeling"
- Modern culture dulls our conscience through constant media exposure, distraction, and redefining moral boundaries
- Being "given over to lewdness" means losing the ability to say no to ourselves, not freedom but brake lines cut
- Spiritual numbness produces insatiable craving, not contentment

Main Takeaway
When you stop feeling, you start losing yourself. Spiritual numbness isn't a sign we're okay - it means our warning system has stopped working. When guilt disappears and conviction fades, that's when we're in the most danger. But God doesn't shame callused hearts; He softens them and gives us new, living hearts.

Memorable Quotes
- "When you stop feeling, you start losing yourself."
- "The worst stage of sin isn't when it hurts - it's when it stops hurting."
- "When God molds our hearts, it's like His Fingerprints are on us. But when our hearts resist God, those fingerprints wear off."
- "What Paul called being given over to sensuality, our culture calls 'being true to yourself.'"
- "Once you normalize one messed-up behavior, it becomes easier and faster to normalize the next thing."
- "That pain is not the enemy. It's the message that you need to pay attention."
- "When you stop feeling, you start losing yourself. When Jesus renews your heart, you start finding yourself."

Reflection Question
Has your conscience been trying to get your attention about something, and instead of listening, have you been trying to numb it through scrolling, consuming, or distraction?

Tune in to hear the powerful story of Ashlyn Blocker, who can't feel pain, why everything has been weird since Harambe, and how ancient Ephesus eerily mirrors modern American culture.

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Who Can You Trust? -ReCreate Church, Pastor Michael Shockley-Sunday December 28, 2025 Service

Who Can You Trust?

Speaker: Michael Shockley, ReCreate Church
Scripture: Daniel 7:13-14

Episode Summary
In part 4 of our Christmas 2025 series, Pastor Michael presents a hilarious father-daughter skit about a rigged board game to illustrate how humans abuse power. Through Daniel's prophetic vision, we see that earthly empires are like beasts, but Jesus is different - He's the King who earned our trust by arriving in a stable and going to the Cross. The baby in the manger is the cosmic King whose empire will never end.

Key Points
- Daniel's vision shows four great empires (Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome) as beasts representing human power
- "Son of Man" is Jesus' most used title for Himself - it shows His humanity, humility, and deity
- Jesus didn't seize power like earthly rulers - He gave it up, proving He can be trusted with authority
- The Ancient of Days (God the Father) presents the entire universe as a kingdom to Jesus
- Every earthly empire eventually fails, but Jesus' kingdom is everlasting and will never be destroyed

Main Takeaway
Jesus is The King We Can Trust. In a world where authority figures abuse power and let us down, Jesus came in weakness to show He could be trusted with power. He didn't demand trust - He earned it by laying down His life while we were still a mess.

Memorable Quotes
- "Jesus is The King We Can Trust."
- "Rome ruled by force; Jesus rules by faith. Rome demanded loyalty; Jesus proved Himself worthy of trust."
- "The only Person Who can be trusted with ultimate authority is The One Who Is Willing to Sacrifice Himself for others."
- "People always think the answer to our problems is a bigger, better beast. In truth, there is only One King we can fully trust. And His Name Is Jesus."
- "Jesus did not come armed for battle. He came as a baby. He came in weakness to show He could be trusted with power."
- "Jesus doesn't demand your trust. He earns it. He arrived in a stable, and went to the Cross. That's a King you can trust."

Reflection Question
If you've been burned by authority figures who let you down, are you ready to trust the One King who came in weakness to prove He could be trusted with power?

Tune in to hear the entertaining "Reindeer Games" skit about a daughter who keeps changing the rules, and discover why comparing Jesus to becoming a mosquito helps us understand the Incarnation.

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Learn more about ReCreate Church at www.recreatechurch.org
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