Teen Challenge of Southern California

Let There Be Light on the Darkness of Shame | John Burns

• Some things grow in the dark — but shame shouldn't be one of them.

In this vulnerable and powerful message, John Burns shares how shame becomes a stronghold when left unexposed, but how Jesus brings healing when we bring our shame into the light. “Let there be light on the darkness of shame” is more than a theme — it’s a spiritual invitation to uncover what we’ve tried to hide and let God lovingly cover it with His truth.

“Guilt says, ‘I made a mistake.’ But shame says, ‘I am a mistake.’”

“Jesus didn’t just take your sin—He took your shame, and He scorned it.”

Using the stories of Adam and Eve, the woman at the well, and Jesus’ own suffering, John lays out three ways God brings healing from shame:

• Through a relationship with Jesus Christ, who “knows everything about you and still loves you”

• Through the Word of God, which “shines truth on the lies shame tells you”

• Through loving relationships with other believers, where “love covers over a multitude of sins”

“Don’t come to Teen Challenge and cover your shame with fig leaves.”

“Let Jesus love your shame and bring healing to the wounds you’ve carried too long.”

Shame thrives in secrecy. But God has given you a new identity in Christ. You are not your addiction. You are not your failure. You are not your past. “Anyone who believes in Him will never be put to shame.” (Romans 10:11)

🙏 Reflect and Respond

• What fig leaves have you used to hide your shame?

• Have you let Jesus love your shame — not just your strengths?

•Who in your life can speak the truth of God’s Word to your hidden places?

“You will forget the shame of your youth. You will not be humiliated. Do not be afraid.” (Isaiah 54:4)

📲 Stay connected for more messages of healing and transformation:

• Instagram, Facebook, YouTube: @socalteenchallenge • X (Twitter): @scteenchallenge • Website & resources: teenchallenge.org

Positioned for Breakthrough | Ron Brown

God is still breaking through.

In this Spirit-charged message from Spiritual Emphasis 2025, Pastor Ron Brown delivers a prophetic call to stop depending on your own strength and step into divine breakthrough — not someday, but today.

“You didn’t come to Teen Challenge to get programmed. You came to meet a Savior.”

Breakthrough isn’t emotional hype. It’s a suddenly from God — where His dunamis power explodes the barriers holding you back. Whether it’s addiction, fear, confusion, or self-will, Pastor Ron reminds us: “You must be positioned for breakthrough. And your position is seated in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.”

So how do we experience it? Ron walks us through David’s story in 2 Samuel 5 — a king who inquired of the Lord, waited for an answer, and obeyed when God said move. “Breakthrough comes when we pray, wait, listen, and obey,” he declares. It’s not your strength. “We are empty vessels, and God wants to pour His strength into our lives.”

“The Holy Spirit is creative. Don’t fight today’s battle with yesterday’s method.”

Too often we miss God’s voice because we’ve already decided what we want Him to say. But breakthrough doesn’t follow your five-year plan — it follows surrender. “Give it all up for Jesus,” Ron challenges. Your back-pocket plans won’t hold up against spiritual warfare.

This message is a battle cry for our generation. “You are His voice to a generation lost in darkness.” You were never ‘not good enough.’ “You’re useful to the King.” But to walk in that purpose, you have to stop doing things your way.

“Breakthrough starts with Jesus. It’s delivered by Jesus. And it makes us useful for noble purposes.”

Let go. Wait on the Lord. And let Him break through in the way only He can.

📲 Stay connected for more Spirit-filled content and stories of transformation:

Instagram, Facebook, YouTube: @socalteenchallenge X (Twitter): @scteenchallenge Website & resources: teenchallenge.org

Make Us Your Church Again, Lord | A Time of Communion

In one of the most sacred and Spirit-filled moments of the Fire in Our Bones conference, Pastor Carter Conlon leads the body in communion with a message that reaches straight into the heart of our calling: to remember, to receive, and to respond.

With a hushed room and hearts bowed low, he invites us to pause and tell Jesus, in our own words, that He is worthy. "You are lovely. You are precious. You are wonderful. You are worthy," the room whispers, shouts, and weeps. And then, with trembling reverence, Carter opens the scriptures to remind us of a covenant sealed in blood—a promise for the weak, the weary, the ones who fail: “When you fall, I’ll pick you up. When you fail, I’ll come back to you again.”

This communion is not just remembrance—it is an exchange. We receive His strength to be poured out for others. “God, as You were given for me, I’m trusting You now to live in me, so I can be given for the sake of somebody else.” It's a holy commissioning. A moment where worship meets mission.

As the elements are passed, a chorus rises—“Jesus, Jesus, what a Savior…”—and then Carter reads from 1 Corinthians 11: “For I received from the Lord… that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread…” The broken bread becomes a symbol of healing, and the cup, a declaration of unwavering love.

Key Themes & Quotes:

“We are actually receiving the strength of God.”

“God, we refuse to keep this great salvation to ourselves any longer.”

The call is clear: “Make us Your Church again, Lord.”

This wasn’t just a moment. It was a turning point—a sacred seal to all that had been stirred. As the conference came to a close, Carter spoke a blessing over the people: “May the words of the Lord dwell in you richly… and may His glorious presence go before you as you publish the good news that Jesus is alive.”

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🌐 More stories, resources, and help available at: https://www.teenchallenge.org

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📞 Need prayer or help? Call our 24/7 Helpline at (888) 520-0620

Don't Limit God | Carter Conlon

In this unforgettable and Spirit-charged message, Pastor Carter Conlon delivers a resounding call to those who feel disqualified, weary, or unseen: Don’t limit what God can do through your life. Drawing from 1 Corinthians 1, he reminds us that “God has chosen the foolish things… the weak things… the things that are not… to bring to nothing the things that are.” If you’ve ever felt like you have nothing left to offer, this word will stir your soul.

With deep humility and holy fire, Pastor Carter testifies to the power of God's mercy in his own life—recounting moments of fear, panic attacks, and brokenness, and how God met him in the midst of it all with a voice that said, “Don’t limit Me.” He speaks of barren seasons like Hannah’s, where years of weeping and disappointment give birth to world-changing revival—when one life, surrendered fully to God, becomes a voice that guides nations.

“From a wordless prayer came a voice that guided the nation for 40 years,” he declares, as he pleads with us to offer our lives back to God—not for personal comfort, but for Kingdom purpose. “If You give me life, Lord, I’ll bring it back to You.”

Standout themes:

God chooses the overlooked, the barren, the weak—those between “foolish and nothing.”

The voice of God returns when we stop praying for ourselves and start asking for His glory.

Your unanswered prayers, your tears, your silence—none of it is wasted.

If your heart is burning to be used by God but you feel unqualified, this message will lift your head, awaken your calling, and remind you: God has heard your cry—and He’s not finished with you yet.

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🐦 X (Twitter) → / SCTeenChallenge

🌐 More stories, resources, and help available at: https://www.teenchallenge.org

🫱🏼‍🫲🏾 Join us in the work of transforming lives: https://www.teenchallenge.org/donate

📞 Need prayer or help? Call our 24/7 Helpline at (888) 520-0620

The Reading of Revelation 1-5 | Gary Wilkerson

“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain…”

At Fire in Our Bones 2025, Gary Wilkerson stood and simply read Revelation chapters 1–5… and heaven came down.

This wasn’t a sermon.

This wasn’t performance.

This was pure, Holy Spirit power released through the spoken Word of God.

As Gary opened the book of Revelation, the atmosphere shifted. The room stood still — trembling under the weight of the glory of Jesus Christ, the Alpha and the Omega, the Lamb who was slain and now reigns forevermore.

Experience the stunning scenes of:

Jesus walking among the lampstands with eyes like fire

The call to the seven churches

The open door in heaven The throne of God, surrounded by lightning, thunder, and emerald rainbows

The “Holy, Holy, Holy” of the living creatures

The scroll no one could open... until the Lamb stepped forward

And then—heaven erupts.

Thousands upon thousands of angels

Elders casting crowns

Every creature in heaven and on earth lifting one voice:

“To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb… be blessing and honor and glory and power forever and ever!”

This moment became one of the most anointed and unforgettable moments of the entire conference.

This is the best sermon I’ve ever preached in my life... and I didn’t say a word of my own.

– Gary Wilkerson

 

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🕊️ Let this reading wash over you. Let the fear of the Lord grip your heart. Let the beauty of Jesus awaken fresh worship in your soul.

 

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📲 Stay connected with us:

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🌐 More stories, resources, and help available at: https://www.teenchallenge.org

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📞 Need prayer or help? Call our 24/7 Helpline at (888) 520-0620

The Presence of God | Daniel Bentley

“If Your presence doesn’t go with us… we’re not going.” — Moses (Exodus 33:15)

This message is a call — not just to ministry, not to church activity, but to pursue the manifest presence of God above everything else. In this deeply stirring and timely word, Daniel Bentley invites us to long for more — more than titles, more than numbers, more than noise.

Psalm 27 becomes the roadmap: “One thing I ask… this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord… to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.”

We don’t just need good services. We need God Himself.

We don’t need hype. We need His holy fire.

We don’t need crowds. We need His cloud.

This message teaches: The difference between God’s omnipresence and His manifest presence

Why hunger, holiness, and humility are essential for encountering Him

How to build a life and ministry around His presence

And how dangerous it is to do church without Jesus even in the room

 

When Jesus walks in, everything changes.

Broken hearts are healed.

The addicted are delivered.

The weary are renewed.

And the joy of the Lord begins to overflow like a river of life.

 

This is more than a sermon. It’s an invitation to revival — the kind that starts in your soul, in secret, where no one sees… but Heaven responds.

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📲 Stay connected with us:

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🌐 More stories, resources, and help available at: https://www.teenchallenge.org

🫱🏼‍🫲🏾 Join us in the work of transforming lives: https://www.teenchallenge.org/donate

📞 Need prayer or help? Call our 24/7 Helpline at (888) 520-0620

The Power of Being Ordinary | Carter Conlon

What if the greatest move of God isn’t found in the spotlight… but in the grocery store aisle?

In this unforgettable message, Carter Conlon leads us into a deep and powerful revelation: that the glory of God is revealed through ordinary people. From Scripture to personal stories — from Mary at the tomb to a broken man buying roses — Carter reminds us that ministry doesn’t always look like a pulpit. Sometimes, it looks like a prayer in a parking lot. A word on a walk. Or just being present when someone needs Jesus most.

“Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” (Isaiah 53:1)

This is a message for the discouraged, the overlooked, the tired, and the ordinary. If you’ve ever felt like you didn’t measure up — that your life, your gifts, or your story weren’t enough — this message will flip that lie on its head.

 

Jesus came as a carpenter.

He rose and appeared as a gardener, a traveler, and a cook.

And He still shows up in ordinary people like YOU.

 

There is power in being exactly who God made you to be.

There is no mistake in your calling.

There is no shame in the simplicity of your life.

 

You are the body of Christ — whether you’re a plumber, teacher, mom, student, or retired.

You are His hands and feet — in your city, your job, your street.

You carry His Spirit, and that is where the power is.

 

“Don’t be offended by how God has chosen to reveal Himself through you.”

This message will make you laugh, weep, and most of all — thank God for making you exactly the way He did. If you’ve ever felt small, forgotten, or disqualified — this is your moment of breakthrough.

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📲 Stay connected with us:

🟥 YouTube → / @SoCalTeenChallenge

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🌐 More stories, resources, and help available at: https://www.teenchallenge.org

🫱🏼‍🫲🏾 Join us in the work of transforming lives: https://www.teenchallenge.org/donate

📞 Need prayer or help? Call our 24/7 Helpline at (888) 520-0620

Getting Your Assignment From Heaven | Ron Brown

God is still speaking — are you listening?

In this anointed and prophetic word, Ron Brown reminds us that our calling doesn’t come from comfort zones, committees, or credentials — it comes straight from Heaven. Through stories of his father’s legacy of caring for widows and orphans, encounters on Skid Row, and the voice of God that still whispers through prayer, Ron calls us back to the place where all real ministry begins: the presence of Jesus.

“If we don’t see Jesus, we can’t hear His call.”

“God’s not looking for specialists — He’s looking for surrendered people.”

“When you hear His voice, that’s when your assignment begins.”

This message is a call to return to the altar, to get low before God, to pray like Elijah, and to say YES like Isaiah: “Here I am, send me.”

Do you need a fresh burden?

Do you want a word from Heaven?

Do you want your life to count for eternity?

Then listen with open ears. God is still assigning people — not based on earthly qualifications, but on hearts that are fully available.

“Open our ears so we can hear Your voice.”

“We serve at the pleasure of the King.”

“He doesn’t want us to just have a happy clappy time — He wants to give us assignments from Heaven.”

This message is for the ones who still believe Jesus is enough. That prayer still works. And that God's plans — though impossible for man — are unstoppable through surrendered people.

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📲 Stay connected with us:

🟥 YouTube → / @SoCalTeenChallenge

📘 Facebook → / SoCalTeenChallenge

📸 Instagram → / SoCalTeenChallenge

🎥 Vimeo → / SoCalTeenChallenge

🐦 X (Twitter) → / SCTeenChallenge

🌐 More stories, resources, and help available at: https://www.teenchallenge.org

🫱🏼‍🫲🏾 Join us in the work of transforming lives: https://www.teenchallenge.org/donate

📞 Need prayer or help? Call our 24/7 Helpline at (888) 520-0620

Finding Your Impossible | Gary Wilkerson

What if the impossible thing you’ve been avoiding… is the very thing God is calling you to do?

In this powerful and deeply personal message, Gary Wilkerson invites you to find your impossible — to ask, to listen, to weep, and to act.

Rooted in Nehemiah 1, Gary shares how real transformation begins not with vision boards or mission statements… but with a burden from God. This message is more than a sermon — it’s a launching pad for those who are ready to trade comfort for calling, clarity for control, and ease for eternal impact.

“As soon as I heard, I sat down and wept.”

“God doesn’t want to do a small thing — He wants to do a great thing through you.”

“If you don’t want to care about the impossible, don’t ask.”

You’ll hear stories of street children in Burundi, widows in Ukraine, and a miraculous opportunity in Afghanistan. You’ll be stirred to fast, pray, give, and go — and challenged to drop every lesser ambition for the one thing God is truly calling you to do.

If you’ve ever wondered what your “impossible” looks like, this message may be the moment where “now it happened” becomes your testimony.

Let God break your heart for what breaks His. Let Him give you one burden. And let that burden shape the rest of your life.

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🟡 Join the movement to care for 1 million orphans and widows: WorldChallenge.org

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📲 Stay connected with us:

🟥 YouTube → / @SoCalTeenChallenge

📘 Facebook → / SoCalTeenChallenge

📸 Instagram → / SoCalTeenChallenge

🎥 Vimeo → / SoCalTeenChallenge

🐦 X (Twitter) → / SCTeenChallenge

🌐 More stories, resources, and help available at: https://www.teenchallenge.org

🫱🏼‍🫲🏾 Join us in the work of transforming lives: https://www.teenchallenge.org/donate

📞 Need prayer or help? Call our 24/7 Helpline at (888) 520-0620

The Call to Minister in Every Generation | Panel Discussion

What does it take to pass the torch without losing the fire?

In this powerful multi-generational panel, six leaders—Carter Conlon, Gary Wilkerson, Evan Wilkerson, Alberto Bello, Ron Brown, and Jonathan Laurie—gather to answer the call that spans every era: to minister with courage, clarity, humility, and conviction.

With a rich blend of wisdom and vulnerability, each panelist opens up about:

• Recognizing God’s call in their own lives

• Communicating the Gospel in a biblically illiterate generation

• Wrestling with loneliness and the cost of leadership

• The urgency of discipleship and succession in ministry

You’ll hear stories of rebellion and redemption, the importance of vulnerability over image, and the sacred power of saying, “Yes, Lord—even when it costs.”

“We don’t own anything. We’re stewards. The church belongs to Jesus.”

“If we lose our awe and wonder, we start doing ministry in our own strength.”

“It’s not a baton you pass and lose—it’s a torch that keeps burning.”

This panel will inspire you to keep your heart soft, your hands open, and your fire burning. Whether you’re new to ministry or decades in, this conversation will rekindle your call and reconnect you to the One who called you.

📲 Stay connected with us:

🟥 YouTube → / @SoCalTeenChallenge

📘 Facebook → / SoCalTeenChallenge

📸 Instagram → / SoCalTeenChallenge

🎥 Vimeo → / SoCalTeenChallenge

🐦 X (Twitter) → / SCTeenChallenge

🌐 More stories, resources, and help available at: https://www.teenchallenge.org

🫱🏼‍🫲🏾 Join us in the work of transforming lives: https://www.teenchallenge.org/donate

📞 Need prayer or help? Call our 24/7 Helpline at (888) 520-0620