Love Without Filters (Oregon edition)
This week, I had the privilege of visiting my daughter in Oregon, where she’s thriving in her college years living, learning, and growing in her faith within a vibrant Christian community. As a dad, there’s no greater joy than seeing your child finding her place in God’s story, even 2,500 miles away from home. But the highlight of my trip was being invited to preach at her college group as they journey through the Book of Romans.
The theme of my sermon, “Love Without Filters: Authentic Christianity in a Curated World,” was inspired by Romans 12:9-21; a passage brimming with challenges and opportunities for living out our faith in genuine ways. In a world where so much of life is curated, edited, and filtered for the sake of appearances, Paul’s words hit hard: “Love must be sincere.” No masks, no pretense, no hiding behind polished images.
During the message, we dug deep into what it means to love authentically in relationships, navigate daily faith in a busy college environment, and respond to challenges with the revolutionary grace Paul outlines. The students leaned in as we explored how to:
Love without hypocrisy by being present and real in friendships.
Maintain spiritual fervor even in the grind of assignments, exams, and work.
Break cycles of revenge in a culture that often celebrates canceling rather than reconciling.
The feedback from the students wasn’t just encouraging; it was humbling. They’re hungry for an unfiltered, practical faith that speaks to the messiness of their daily lives.
A Gift for the Students (and You!)
As I prepared for this sermon, I realized how rich Romans 12:9-21 is, with each verse offering a profound insight into living an authentic Christian life. So I created a 13-day devotional titled “Romans 12:9-21 for Today,” breaking down the passage verse by verse with reflections, practical applications, and prayers. Before leaving, I printed and shared it with the students as a tangible reminder of our time together and a tool to help them live out Paul’s words.
If you’re interested in exploring these verses in a deeper, more personal way, I’ve made the devotional available for download. You can access it here.
Reflections as a Father and Pastor
As I watched my daughter worship, serve, and grow in her faith, I couldn’t help but think of the prayerful nights my wife and I spent wondering how God would work in her life. And now, here she is, a part of a thriving community of believers, finding her voice and calling in ways I couldn’t have imagined. Seeing her walk in faith 2,500 miles away reassured me of a truth we often teach but sometimes forget: God’s love is not limited by distance, and His plans for our kids are greater than ours.
Preaching to her peers was a reminder that while our world is full of curated perfection, God calls us to something far deeper and richer; a life of unfiltered love, grounded in the messy yet beautiful reality of grace.
If you’re a parent, take heart in knowing God is at work in your child’s life, even when you can’t see it. And if you’re a young adult, know that living authentically in your faith is one of the most counter-cultural things you can do today.
Romans 12:9-21 is a challenge, a comfort, and a call to action. Let’s love without filters, live with authenticity, and overcome evil with good.
What about you? Which verse from Romans 12:9-21 challenges you the most? Let me know in the comments below or reach out; I’d love to hear your thoughts!