TGYS

Rising Above

Sermon Series

You do not have to live beneath the sins, pressures, and distractions that hold you back. From the 2026 Thee Generation Youth Summit, this collection of sermons, workshops, and a Q&A panel points you to faith in God, surrender to His Word, and dependence on the Holy Spirit. Rise above failure, comparison, and apathy—and follow Christ into a life of victory and faithful service.

Have Faith in God

Jim Van Gelderen

Your circumstances do not have to decide what God can do with your life. In this message from Mark 11, Jim Van Gelderen calls young people to have faith in God’s character and Word when self-doubt, difficult circumstances, or an uncertain future seem impossible to overcome. Surrender your plans to Him, take the next step of obedience, and trust His strength instead of your own.

Rising Above Temptation

Being tempted does not mean you have already lost the battle. In this message from Matthew 4, Ed Loney follows Jesus through the wilderness to show how God’s Word answers temptation and why obedience matters more than satisfying an appetite. Depend on Christ’s strength, apply Scripture to the temptation you face, and take the way of escape God provides.

Rising Above Selfishness

Jim Van Gelderen

Hidden sin reaches further than you think. In this message from Romans 13, Jim Van Gelderen exposes the selfishness behind moral impurity and shows why loving your neighbor means refusing what harms others. Ask God to replace self-serving choices with His love, bring your struggles into the light, and seek godly help instead of protecting your reputation.

Rising Above Defeat

Daniel Van Gelderen

Failure does not have to become your future. In this message from Joshua 7–8, Daniel Van Gelderen follows Israel’s defeat at Ai to show how God confronts hidden sin and leads His people back into obedience. Get honest with God, receive His cleansing, and look beyond your discouragement to what He can do through a surrendered life.

God’s Three Death Sentences for Disrespecting Parents

Jim Van Gelderen

How seriously do you take the way you treat your parents? In this message, Jim Van Gelderen examines three Old Testament judgments to show why honoring your parents matters to God, even when disrespect feels normal in the world around you. Face the attitudes you have excused, make things right while you can, and learn to honor the parents God has given you.

The Law of Lift

You do not have to keep falling into the same sin. In this message from Romans 8, Bobby Bosler uses the picture of flight to show how the Holy Spirit supplies the power that rules and determination cannot give you. Stop depending on your own strength, yield to the Spirit’s direction, and take the next step of obedience trusting Him to lift you above sin’s downward pull.

Dead Weight

What are you carrying that keeps you from running the race God has set before you? In this message from Hebrews 12, Bobby Bosler distinguishes the sins that trip us from the spiritual weights that slow us and points to the Spirit’s power to lay them aside. Look to Jesus, yield whatever He identifies, and move forward in the life He has called you to live.

Rising Above Comparison

Someone else’s life can make you lose sight of your own calling. In this workshop, Paul Rains opens John 21 to show how comparison feeds pride, discouragement, and excuses while Jesus calls Peter to follow Him. Turn your eyes back to Christ, thank Him for what He has given you, and follow the path He has set before you.

Rising Above Excuses

Sin looks inviting when you only see where it starts. In this workshop, Bob Holmes uses James 1 and Proverbs 7 to expose the excuses that draw people toward temptation and the consequences hidden behind its promises. Stop trusting that you can handle it, ask God for grace to stay far from sin, and help others find the Savior who offers forgiveness and life.

Rising Above Shame

Shame can keep you looking backward when God is calling you to move forward. In this workshop from Psalm 51, Ed Loney traces David’s path from confession to cleansing and renewed service, showing why forgiveness rests in God’s mercy rather than a better outward appearance. Bring your sin honestly to the Lord, look to the Savior who can cleanse you, and return to serving Him with a restored heart.

Rising Above Distractions

The things pulling at your attention can quietly pull your heart away from Jesus. In this workshop, Joe Mueller opens Acts 11 to explain how purposeful choices help believers rise above distractions and keep knowing Christ and making Him known at the center of life. Ask the Lord what is drawing you away, set practical boundaries, and choose to stay close to Him throughout your day.

Rising Above Apathy

Austin Brownlee

Spiritual apathy can hide behind a busy Christian routine. In this workshop, Austin Brownlee opens Romans 13 to expose the sin and misplaced priorities that cool our love for Christ and to show God’s way out of spiritual sleep. Wake up to the opportunities before you, cast off the works of darkness, and put on the Lord Jesus Christ.

Rising Above Our Feelings

Your feelings are real, but they do not always show you the right way forward. In this workshop, Stephen Zempel examines John the Baptist’s doubts in Matthew 11 and explains how God’s Word can guide your response when emotions and faith seem at odds. Bring your struggles into the light, feed your faith with Scripture, and trust the Holy Spirit to help you take the next right step.

Rising Above Stereotypes: (Q&A Panel Discussion)

Your generation does not have to live down to its stereotypes. In this TGYS panel discussion, young people and ministry leaders discuss what holds Christian teenagers back, from digital distractions and fear of man to comfort and empty religious activity. Yield your future to Christ, depend on His Spirit, and begin serving Him now instead of waiting for some later stage of life.

What About Those Who Have Never Heard?

What about the people who have never heard the gospel? In this message, Mark Gillmore examines why they need Christ and turns the question toward our responsibility, using Scripture and missionary accounts to challenge comfortable Christianity. Ask the Holy Spirit whom He wants you to reach, take a definite step of faith, and join God in bringing the gospel to those still waiting to hear.

Be Moved By Jesus

What will keep you serving Jesus after the excitement fades? In this message, Bob Holmes traces Christ’s willing sacrifice and exaltation in Philippians 2, calling you to pause over the cross until His love moves you to obey. Keep returning to what your Savior did for you, and let that love send you beyond your comfort zone to serve Him and reach others.

Supporting the Work of God

God’s work needs more than spectators. In this message, Ed Loney opens Exodus 17 to show how Aaron and Hur supported Moses and how complaining, conflict, and inconsistency can hinder the work of the Lord. Take your place beside other believers, serve faithfully beyond the conference, and give your life to supporting what God is doing.