Next Level Church - Charlotte

The Promise Kept - Week 1

The story of Christmas didn't begin in a manger—it began in a garden. In this opening message of our Christmas series "The Promise Kept," Lead Pastor Clay Monkus explores Genesis 3:15 and the first promise God made about sending a Savior. After humanity's fall, in what seemed like our darkest hour, God spoke a promise that would echo through centuries: one day, the offspring of the woman would crush the serpent's head. This wasn't a backup plan or a quick fix—it was proof that God had always been writing a story of rescue. Discover how this ancient promise in Genesis connects directly to that silent night in Bethlehem, and why you can trust God with the promises you're still waiting on today.

Cutting Room Floor Ep.7 - Gratitude When Life Sucks

In Episode 7 of The Cutting Room Floor, Clay Monkus sits down with “resident scholar” Christian Nichles for a real, unfiltered conversation about gratitude when life absolutely does not go the way you planned. Fresh off our “Grateful Anyway” message series at Next Level Church, they talk honestly about brain injuries, job rejection, losing stability, church hurt, financial struggle, and how easy it is to let bitterness take over instead of thankfulness. Christian shares more of his story from the Sunday message, and Clay opens up about his own season of losing everything he thought made him “successful.” Along the way they dig into: * Why gratitude is rebellion in a culture of outrage * The difference between knowing God’s grace and experiencing His graciousness * Christian’s G.R.A.C.E. framework for practicing gratitude in hard seasons * How struggle can actually be good and form something deeper in us * Why your identity can’t be built on titles, money, or success * A sneak peek at our new Christmas series on “The Promise” starting all the way back in Genesis 3 If you’re in a season where life just kind of… sucks, but you want to trust God anyway, this conversation is for you. 👉 Watch the full “Grateful Anyway” series and our Sunday messages on our YouTube channel. @nextlevelclt 👉 Join us in person at Next Level Church (Matthews, NC).

Grateful Anyway - Week 3

We've reached the final week of our "Grateful Anyway" series, and Lead Pastor Clay Monkus brings us to the foundation that makes lasting gratitude possible. In Psalm 100:4–5, we encounter a worship song sung by God's people as they entered the temple courts. This wasn't just a feel-good moment—it was a declaration rooted in deep theology. The psalmist calls us to give thanks and praise, but notice where the focus lands: on God's goodness, His enduring love, and His faithfulness that spans every generation. Here's the truth: gratitude anchored in circumstances will always be fragile. When life is good, we're thankful. When life gets hard, our gratitude wavers. But when we transfer our gratitude from the gifts to the Giver—from what God does to who God is—everything changes. That kind of gratitude grows deep roots that can withstand any storm. This message will challenge you to build your thankfulness on the only foundation that never shifts: the unchanging character of God. His love doesn't fluctuate with your circumstances. His faithfulness doesn't depend on your performance. And His goodness endures forever. Series Theme: This series explores how to find and express thankfulness even when circumstances are far from perfect. True gratitude isn't based on circumstances—it's rooted in the character of God, which never changes. Scripture: Psalm 100:4–5 As we close this series, our prayer is that you'll discover a gratitude that goes deeper than your circumstances—a gratitude anchored in the God who never changes.

Grateful Anyway - Week 1

Welcome to the launch of our new series, "Grateful Anyway: A Choice That Can Transform Your Life." In this opening message, Bradley Medford takes us to one of the most challenging settings imaginable—a Roman prison—where the Apostle Paul penned some of the most hope-filled words in Scripture. In Philippians 4:6–7, Paul connects prayer with thanksgiving and reveals how this combination unlocks a peace that defies logic. What does it look like to be thankful when life feels like a storm? How can we experience God's peace when our circumstances haven't changed? And what if gratitude isn't about what's happening around us, but about who God is in the midst of it all? This message will challenge you to replace worry with prayer and discover how thankfulness—even in the hardest seasons—can transform your perspective and bring supernatural peace. Series Theme: This series explores how to find and express thankfulness even when circumstances are far from perfect. True gratitude isn't based on circumstances—it's rooted in the character of God, which never changes. Scripture: Philippians 4:6–7 Whether you're in a season of blessing, uncertainty, or somewhere in between, we pray this message encourages you to choose gratitude anyway.

Cutting Room Floor Podcast Episode 6

Episode 6 of the Cutting Room Floor podcast takes a deeper dive into Part 1 of our Grateful Anyway sermon series. Clay, Christian, and Brad sit down — in full “this is what it’s like when we hang out” mode — and talk about why gratitude isn’t something that magically shows up just because life is good. We get real about emotions, frustration, discouragement, and how easy it is to believe the lie that “I’ll always feel this way.” Instead, the guys unpack what happens when we slow down long enough to process what we’re feeling, tell God the truth, and look for gratitude even when life doesn’t give us anything to feel grateful for. This episode is funny, honest, and way too relatable — and it’ll help anyone who’s trying to figure out how to be grateful even when life isn’t going to plan.