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He Came Down...to Deliver

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  by Bart Denny What follows is the sermon I intended to preach at Pathway - A Wesleyan Church on November 30, 2025, the first Sunday of Advent, when we would have lit the "Hope" candle on the Advent wreath if heavy snowfall had not preempted our service. This is the first message in a series titled He Came Down: The Wonder of God's Nearness. He Came Down... to Deliver Exodus 3:1-15 Introduction Have you ever walked through a season when you felt… unseen? When you wondered, “Does anyone know what I’m carrying? Does anyone understand? Is anyone even listening when I pray?” As we step into Advent, we need this reminder: Advent tells us we are not forgotten. Advent isn’t about people climbing their way to God. It’s the story of a God who comes down into the very places where we are — the ordinary, the unnoticed, the overlooked. And that’s why we’re not beginning this Advent series where you might expect. Instead of Bethlehem or Nazareth, we’re starting in the wilderness of ...
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When Jesus Shuts Down a Church

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by Bart Denny I like to think of myself as a student of the root causes behind the death of local churches—and what it takes to breathe life back into a congregation on the brink of closure. Over the years, I’ve read dozens of books and articles exploring why churches die and how revitalization happens. And while every church that closes has its own story and unique circumstances, ultimately, there’s one overarching reason a church shuts its doors: Because Jesus does. That’s right. Surprisingly, the New Testament only mentions the closing of a church once. Just once. And it's not because of dwindling attendance, financial struggles, or changing neighborhoods. It’s because Jesus Himself threatens to remove their lampstand. We read about it in Revelation 2:1–7 (NASB 2020), where Jesus commands the Apostle John to write a sobering letter to the church in Ephesus: “I know your deeds… and that you cannot tolerate evil people... But I have this against you, that you have left your ...
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