In Rooted + Rescued, Part 11: A New Way to Love, Lead Pastor Travis Wright walks through Ephesians 4:30–32, showing how following Jesus means taking off the old self—anger, bitterness, and rage—and putting on the new self of kindness, compassion, and forgiveness. Through a mix of humor, honesty, and real-life stories (including one from duck hunting season), Travis reminds us that bitterness doesn’t need a reason—it just needs a place to grow—and that even justified anger can grieve the Holy Spirit when it hardens our hearts. This message calls believers to live free from resentment and to reflect the forgiveness they’ve already received in Christ. A forgiving church, Travis explains, is a Spirit-filled church. Real transformation begins when we release old grudges, walk in grace, and let the Spirit fill our lives with compassion and love.

In Rooted + Rescued, Part 10: A New Way to Talk, Lead Pastor Travis Wright unpacks Ephesians 4:25–29, showing that when grace transforms your heart, it should also transform your speech. Paul teaches that words reveal the condition of the heart—so followers of Jesus must learn to “talk like someone who’s been made new.” Travis explores how honesty builds trust, unresolved anger poisons relationships, and integrity gives our words weight. This message challenges listeners to use their words as tools for construction, not demolition—to speak life, not rot. In a culture driven by gossip, sarcasm, and outrage, the people of God should sound different. Transformation isn’t just visible—it’s audible. When we are truly rooted in grace and rescued by Christ, our conversations begin to echo His tone: full of grace, truth, and life.

You can’t live a new life with your old mindset. In this message, Travis unpacks Paul’s challenge in Ephesians 4 to stop thinking like the old self and begin living with a renewed mind. Using vivid analogies—from muddy trails to highway habits—Travis illustrates how transformation begins internally before it ever shows up externally. This isn’t behavior modification; it’s heart renovation through the Holy Spirit. Learn how to put off the old, be renewed in your mind, and put on the new life created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

In this message, Travis unpacks what it really means to grow up in Christ. Ephesians 4 shows that spiritual maturity isn’t automatic—it’s the destination of every believer and every church. Real growth leads to unity, stability, truth spoken with love, and a body where every part does its work. Through honest confession, real-life stories, and everyday analogies, this sermon explores the difference between simply growing older and actually growing up in faith. It challenges us to move from consuming to contributing, from attending to belonging, and from membership to partnership—living as a connected body that reflects the fullness of Christ.

In this message from the Rooted + Rescued series, we look at how Christ designed His church to grow—not through hierarchy or performance, but through equipping and participation. Ephesians 4:7-12 reveals that every believer has received grace to serve, and that church leadership is one of the gifts Jesus gives to help the body mature. Travis walks through what these leadership gifts look like today, why they exist, and how unity is protected when we view leaders not as celebrities to idolize or critics to target, but as servants who equip others to lead, love, and build the church. It’s a practical, hopeful reminder that when the saints do the work of ministry, the church doesn’t just grow bigger—it grows stronger.

In part six of the Rooted + Rescued series, Lead Pastor Travis Wright unpacks Ephesians 4:1–6 and Paul’s call to unity. Paul writes from prison, urging the church to “live a life worthy of the calling” by embodying humility, gentleness, patience, and love. This message confronts counterfeit unity—whether through shallow tolerance or rigid tribalism—and points us back to the seven “ones” that hold the church together: one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all. Unity is not built on preferences or culture but on Christ alone.

In Part 5 of our Rooted + Rescued series, our Lead Pastor Travis Wright walks through Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 3:14–21. At the hinge point of the letter, Paul stops to pray—not for easier circumstances, but for strength through the Spirit, deeper roots in Christ’s love, and the fullness of God experienced together as His people. This week’s message also includes a powerful personal testimony from one of our young men, Collin Crow, who shares what God is doing in his life and generation. Together, his story and Paul’s words remind us that this ancient prayer continues to be answered across generations—from the early church, to voices like Charlie Kirk, to our own Wilderness family. It’s a reminder that God is still able to do “immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine,” and that the foundation for a life of faith is being rooted in prayer and love.

In week four of our Rooted + Rescued series, Rooted in Mystery, our Lead Pastor Travis Wright takes us into Ephesians 3:1–13 and Acts 7 to unpack the mystery of God’s plan. Stephen proclaimed it before the Sanhedrin, Paul explained it from prison to the Gentiles, and now that same mystery has been handed to us — the church today. This message confronts the tension of freedom, confidence, and suffering in the Christian life, and points us to the boldness of Stephen, the perseverance of Paul, and the modern witness of Charlie Kirk. At the heart of it all is the invitation to approach God with freedom and confidence, and to live as carriers of the gospel in our generation.

This message marks a pivotal moment in our nation, the global church, and our local family at Wilderness. In light of the assassination of Charlie Kirk, Pastor Travis pauses our Rooted + Rescued series through Ephesians to address one of the defining moments of our lifetime. Drawing from Acts 7 and the martyrdom of Stephen, we remember Charlie Kirk as a Christian martyr who boldly proclaimed the gospel with conviction and clarity. This sermon walks through the grief, anger, and fear many are feeling while calling us to a distinctly biblical response—not fear, vengeance, or silence, but obedience, faithfulness, and bold witness. The legacy of martyrs has always advanced the gospel. Just as Stephen’s death propelled the mission of the early church, so too Charlie’s life and sacrifice call us to live louder, love bolder, and be rooted in the Word. The question left before us: Will we be found faithful?

This week you will hear from our friend Stek Steck. Stek serves as the Executive Director at Grace Place Properties in Duncanville, Tx where he and his team focus on reintegrating once incarcerated individuals into society. In this talk Stek digs into the cultural importances and original language context woven in the Ephesians text we have been studying. As we go through this text together we see that Paul is not only writing to encourage people, instead he is writing to an audience that desperately needs to repent and turn to Jesus.

In this message from Rooted + Rescued (Ephesians 2:1–10), we see Paul’s stunning clarity in describing the gospel: we weren’t bad people who needed to be better — we were dead people who needed to be made alive. This passage takes us from the graveyard of sin to the throne room of grace, showing the depth of our condition, the greatness of God’s intervention, and the purpose He has prepared for us. Through Christ, we are raised, seated, and re-created as God’s handiwork — living testimonies of His grace. The good news is simple but life-changing: God didn’t come to make you better. He came to make you alive.

In part two of our Rooted + Rescued series, we walk through Ephesians 1:15–23 and Paul’s powerful prayer for the church. He reminds us that faith and love are the foundation of authentic Christianity, and that prayer connects us to the resurrection power already available in Christ. Too often we live like our spiritual battery is at 1%, forgetting to “plug in” to the Source. This message challenges us to pray with open eyes, deep gratitude, and full confidence that the King is listening.

In Part 1 of our Rooted + Rescued series, Pastor Travis launches our verse-by-verse journey through the book of Ephesians. Using the vivid illustration of two puzzles — one with the box lid, one without — he shows us how life often feels like a pile of random pieces with no clear picture. But in Ephesians 1:1–14, Paul lifts the lid and reveals the big picture of God’s plan: the Father chose us before creation, the Son redeemed us through His blood, and the Spirit seals us as God’s own. This passage reminds us that our lives are not accidents, our stories are not random, and our salvation is part of something much bigger — the uniting of all things under Christ. The call is simple: stop forcing the pieces, lay them on the table, and trust the God who holds the box. Whether you’re a longtime believer or someone exploring faith, this message invites you to see your life in the light of God’s eternal plan and to respond with worship, surrender, and trust.

Pastor Travis Wright closes out the summer with a message on how seasons change our priorities—and why God must remain our first love above even our own children. Using vivid illustrations and passages from Deuteronomy 6, Psalm 127, Luke 14, and Genesis 22, he challenges parents and the church to raise Kingdom-rooted kids who are strong in faith, resilient in character, and aimed at God’s purposes.

In this episode you will hear from Wilderness Youth Pastor Jarrod Hill as well as youth students; Wyatt Martin, Kendall Kitchings, and Lawson Swinford. These three students will talk about different facets of our youth ministry and how those different areas have impacted their life. As a church, we believe that our children and youth are a vital part of not only our church, but The Kingdom of God and we ask that our church would support, pray, and encourage our students to grow in their faith and boldness.

As we finish our series on "Killing the King" we are reminded that there isn't room for us to have any king other than King Jesus at the head of our table. In this episode, Travis talks about how Jesus invites everyone to have a seat at His table—no matter who they are or where they've been. Using the last supper and the rag tag bunch that had a seat at Jesus' table, he shows how God's love is open to all. It’s a reminder that we’re not gatekeepers—we’re inviters.

This week, Travis continues the Killing the King series with a powerful message from Daniel 4 on The King of Being in Control. We look at the life of King Nebuchadnezzar—arguably the most powerful man on earth at the time—and watch what happens when pride convinces him that he's untouchable. But the real danger isn’t ancient—it’s internal. Most of us aren’t ruling empires, but we’re still trying to run the show in our own lives. This message confronts the illusion of control, the weight of pride, and the freedom found when we finally lift our eyes to heaven and surrender. As Travis reminds us: “You’ll trust God with your eternity—because you have no better option. But faith is trusting Him now, while your hands still work and your voice still has a say.”

In Part 3 of our Killing the King series, Travis unpacks the third face of pride—The King of Being Right. Drawing from James 1:19–21 and 4:6, this message challenges our obsession with winning arguments and proving our point, especially in marriage, leadership, and faith conversations. With insight from relational research, cultural trends, and a few painfully funny personal stories, we’re reminded that being right doesn’t make us righteous. Jesus didn’t come to be right—He came to make things right. And He’s still inviting us to lay down our pride and walk in humility.

Last week we began our series titled "Killing the King." This series of talks is designed to identify and tackle the problem of pride. Last week we discussed the face of Pride we call 'Looking Good.' This week we talk about the face of pride we like to call 'Feeling Good.' This face of pride may seem harmless, enjoyable, and even sometimes justified but when we allow feeling good to become the basis of our decision-making we could be in jeopardy of trading out what God will provide for what brings instant gratification.

In today's episode we begin a new 4 week series about "Killing the King." With the headlines on the news, and the rhetoric being passed around the political system we may be tempted to think of an individual or a group when we mention "The King." Instead of looking at an individual, in this series we are looking at Pride, which often acts as a king in our life and tries to dictate our every move.