07-27-25 9:30 AM – Pastor Mark Crow

·52 min·5 clips

A cowboy walks into a fancy church wearing scruffy boots and jeans, and the pastor tells him to pray about what to wear.

This episode is part of a sermon series titled 'The Fruitful Life' delivered by Pastor Mark Crow at Mosaic Church OKC. He introduces the concept of 'spiritual pesticides,' likening negative behaviors to weed killers like Roundup that hinder spiritual growth. Common examples include gossip, criticism, and mean words, which damage both the speaker and the target. Pastor Mark shares a story about a cowboy in a sophisticated church to highlight how judgmental attitudes exclude people and kill diversity. He then delves into the biblical story of Jonah from Jonah chapter 4, focusing on Jonah's anger and pouting after God shows mercy to Nineveh. Jonah's tantrum is presented as a fruit killer, stemming from a victim mentality and disobedience. Pastor Mark connects this to modern life, discussing how people pout or throw tantrums through passive-aggressive actions like cryptic social media posts or silent treatments. He uses personal anecdotes, such as misreading a Facebook post from his child or observing flight attendants, to show how reactions can either poison or fertilize relationships. The sermon contrasts 'spiritual pesticides' with 'spiritual fertilizer,' encouraging faith-filled words and boundaries to protect joy, peace, and other fruits of the Spirit. Pastor Mark humorously compares adult tantrums to children's, listing examples like unfriending on Facebook or internal screams over slow Wi-Fi. He emphasizes that pouting feeds doubt and interferes with God's purpose, urging listeners to communicate openly instead. The episode includes practical advice, such as not engaging with manipulative behavior and setting boundaries. It concludes with a prayer for salvation, an invitation for viewers to text 'saved,' and announcements about a back-to-school bash and tithes. The tone is educational and narrative, blending scripture with relatable stories to convey spiritual principles.

As heard by us

A lively sermon on spiritual pesticides, life-giving words, and prayer as fertilizer for the soul.

Pastor Mark frames week two of The Fruitful Life through the language of gardening, naming spiritual "pesticides" as the habits that can choke out joy, peace, and fruit: careless words, silence, anger, and pouting.

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Why you'd press play

When a bad week has you ready to spray poison, press play for a better way to use your words.

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