Freedom From Religion

Teaching Pastor Michael Stephens continues our Freedom series by looking at how Jesus dismantled a religious spirit that prioritized performance over relationship. Walking through stories in the Gospels, we see how cultural traditions had distorted God’s intent—turning rest into burden and obedience into competition. Jesus didn’t abolish the law; He taught and lived it rightly, revealing the heart of the Father and calling people up, not out. A religious spirit complicates what God made clear and tries to fix external behavior without healing the internal disconnect. True freedom is found not in rule-keeping, but in relationship with Jesus.