Next Level Church - Charlotte

Under Pressure - Week 3

Burnout doesn't always look like a breakdown. Sometimes it looks like a person who has given everything they have and simply has nothing left. In week three of Under Pressure, Lead Pastor Clay Monkus looks at the story of Elijah in 1 Kings 19—a man fresh off a mountaintop moment who collapses in total exhaustion and despair. God's response isn't disappointment or correction. It's compassion, presence, and quiet restoration. If you've been running on fumes and wondering whether God notices, this episode speaks directly to that place.

Under Pressure is a five-week series exploring what Scripture says about anxiety, burnout, comparison, disappointment, and expectations—leading up to Easter.

Under Pressure - Week 2

Trials are easy to resent and hard to make sense of—until someone reframes them entirely. In week two of Under Pressure, Lead Pastor Clay Monkus opens James 1:2–4, where James writes to scattered and persecuted believers not with an escape plan, but with a perspective shift. Pressure, James says, is the pathway to perseverance and spiritual completeness. The hard season isn't a detour from your growth—it might be the whole point of it.

If you've been asking why, this episode is worth your time.

Under Pressure is a five-week series exploring what Scripture says about anxiety, burnout, comparison, disappointment, and expectations—leading up to Easter.

Under Pressure - Week 1

We live in a time when the pressure never really turns off—and most of us are carrying more than we admit. In the first message of our new series Under Pressure, Lead Pastor Clay Monkus opens Philippians 4:6–9 to show us that peace isn't something that just happens to us. It's practiced. It's cultivated. And according to Paul—who wrote these words from inside a Roman prison—it's available to anyone willing to pursue it.

If anxiety has felt like your default setting lately, this episode is a good place to start.

Under Pressure is a five-week series exploring what Scripture says about anxiety, burnout, comparison, disappointment, and expectations—leading up to Easter.

Meant for More - Week 4

We've reached the finale of our Meant for More series, and Lead Pastor Clay Monkus brings a message that ties it all together: the Church is at its best when everyone is engaged in their God-given role.

Using Romans 12:4–8, Clay unpacks Paul's powerful metaphor of the body. Just like a physical body needs every part functioning to be healthy, the Church needs every member using their gifts with diligence and humility. No role is insignificant. No gift is unimportant. When we all play our part, the body of Christ becomes fully alive and effective in God's mission.

Over this series, we've discovered that faith isn't passive, that we're each uniquely gifted, that showing up matters, and now—it's time to act. Clay calls us to step into a serving role, both in the church and in the community.

You weren't meant to just observe God's mission. You were meant to be part of it. So the question is: will you play your part?

Meant for More - Week 3

Continuing our Meant for More series, Digital Ministries Pastor Bradley Medford tackles a common misconception: that serving God's mission is about having the right title, position, or platform.

Using Mark 10:42–45, Bradley takes us to the moment when Jesus' disciples argue about status and greatness. Jesus responds by completely redefining what greatness looks like—not authority over others, but humble service to others. He points to His own example: He came not to be served, but to serve and give His life for many.

Serving isn't about credentials or recognition. It's about availability and humility. It's about saying "yes" in the small, everyday moments where God places opportunities right in front of you.

This week's message will inspire you to see that showing up matters more than standing out—and that God uses ordinary availability to accomplish extraordinary things in His mission.

Reset: Experiencing Jesus in a Distracted World | Week 3

Jesus isn't just part of life; He's the One who holds life together.

Most of us treat Jesus like a helpful add-on—someone to invite into the hard moments, the Sunday mornings, the moral decisions. But the rest of the week? We're on our own. In this message, Digital Ministries Pastor Bradley Medford unpacks Colossians 1:15-17 and shows us what happens when we stop compartmentalizing our faith and start letting Jesus hold everything together.

A true reset doesn't come from asking God to bless the life we've already built. It comes from centering every part of life—work, relationships, schedules, goals—around Him. Join us as we learn how to move from fragmentation to integration, and discover the peace that comes when Jesus is at the center of it all.

Reset: Experiencing Jesus in a Distracted World - Week 2

Rest isn't earned; it's received.

Most of us are exhausted—not just physically, but spiritually. We're constantly chasing relief through distraction, entertainment, or just powering through. But relief is not the same as rest. In this message, Lead Pastor Clay Monkus explores Jesus' countercultural invitation in Matthew 11:28–30 and shows us what it looks like to trade temporary fixes for lasting refuge.

The soul doesn't find peace when life finally calms down. It finds peace when it returns to Jesus. Join us as we learn how to stop running from our weariness and start resting in the One who offers true refuge—no matter how loud life gets.

Cutting Room Floor Podcast Episode 9

In this episode, Clay and Christian talk about what it means to experience Jesus — not just know about Him.

They explore why our culture is starving for peace, why outrage and speed are spiritually corrosive, and why stillness and presence are essential to real faith. The conversation touches on peacemaking, prayer, shared spiritual experience, and how slowing down helps us hear God more clearly.

If you feel tired, distracted, or disconnected from God, this episode is an invitation to slow down and rediscover what it means to truly be with Him.

Reset: Experiencing Jesus in a Distracted World - Week 1

You can't rest in a God you never notice.

In a world that runs on hurry, noise, and notifications, most of us have forgotten what it feels like to be truly still. We believe in Jesus, but do we actually experience Him? In this opening message of our new series, Lead Pastor Clay Monkus explores Psalm 46:10 and invites us into a different kind of reset—one that begins not with doing more, but with waking up to God's presence right where we are.

Spiritual transformation doesn't start with a better plan. It starts with awareness. Join us as we rediscover how to quiet the chaos, tune out the distractions, and encounter the Jesus who's been waiting for us to simply be still.

Christmas Eve 2025

Join us for our Christmas Eve message given by Lead Pastor Clay Monkus. In this one, Pastor Clay discusses the wonder of Christmas, why many adults have lost sight of that wonder, and how we might regain it again.

The Promise Kept - Week 3

The waiting is over. The promise has arrived.

In this final message of our Christmas series "The Promise Kept," Lead Pastor Clay Monkus brings us to the moment that changed everything: the birth of Jesus in Luke 2:1–20. After centuries of prophecies, generations of waiting, and 400 years of silence—God spoke. And He didn't just speak with words. He spoke with a baby.

The arrival of Jesus in that humble manger was the fulfillment of every promise God had ever made. From Genesis 3 to the prophets to that starlit night in Bethlehem—God proved that He always keeps His word.

If you've been waiting on God for something—healing, restoration, breakthrough, hope—this message is your reminder: God finishes what He starts. He kept His promise then. He will keep His promise to you.

Celebrate with us as we close out this series by discovering why Jesus is the ultimate proof that you can trust God with your future.

The Promise Kept - Week 2

What do you do when God's promise feels delayed? When the waiting stretches on so long that you start to wonder if He's forgotten?

In this second message of "The Promise Kept" series, Bradley Medford tackles one of the hardest parts of faith: waiting. For 400 years between the Old and New Testaments, God's people heard nothing from heaven. No prophets, no signs—just silence. And yet, Galatians 4:4–5 reveals the truth: God was right on time.

"At the right time, God sent His Son, born of a woman, to redeem us." The waiting wasn't wasted. God's timing was perfect, even when it felt painfully slow.

If you're in an "in-between" season right now—waiting for answers, healing, breakthrough, or clarity—this message will encourage you to trust God's unseen work and keep your faith alive. The promise is still coming.

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 2

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.

Supernatural: Why What You Don’t See Matters | Week 5

For five weeks, we've been pulling back the curtain on the supernatural realm—exploring what the Bible reveals about angels, demons, spiritual warfare, and heaven's response to our prayers. But if all of that knowledge doesn't change the way you actually live, what's the point?

In this series finale of "Supernatural: Why What You Don't See Matters," Lead Pastor Clay Monkus answers the most important question: How does seeing the unseen reality transform your everyday life?

Through the magnificent vision of Colossians 1:15–20, you'll discover that Christ is not only the visible image of the invisible God—He's also the one through whom all things in heaven and on earth were created. He holds the entire cosmos together, seen and unseen. And when you begin to see life through the lens of His supernatural kingdom, everything changes.

Your prayers become more confident because you know heaven is listening and responding. Your hope deepens because you see that God's cosmic plan is unfolding even when circumstances seem chaotic. Your purpose becomes clearer because you realize you're part of a story far bigger than your own life. And your struggles take on new meaning when you understand the unseen forces at work—and the sovereign God who rules over them all.

This message isn't about becoming obsessed with the spiritual realm. It's about living fully awake to reality as God designed it—visible and invisible, earthly and heavenly, physical and spiritual. It's about walking through your days with eyes wide open, alert to God's presence, His purposes, and His supernatural kingdom breaking into your world.

If this series has expanded your understanding of Scripture and the unseen realm, this finale will show you how to live differently because of it. The goal has never been just to know more—it's to see clearly and live boldly in light of God's bigger story.

Cutting Room Floor Episode 4 - The Armor of God

In this episode of The Cutting Room Floor, Clay Monkus and Christian Nichles talk through all the content that couldn’t fit into Sunday’s message, When Heaven Fights for You — part 4 of our Supernatural series.

We dive deeper into the armor of God from Ephesians 6 — not as a list of spiritual objects, but as something practical we can do.

We talk about:

• Why the armor is about identity, not equipment
• What it looks like to “suit up” when you’re anxious, parenting, or leading
• The ordinary battles of lies, discouragement, shame, distraction, and fear
• How we see the enemy’s fingerprints in our culture — outrage, isolation, confusion, deception
• And what really happens when we pray — how God uses prayer to form us, align us, and move through us

This is a deeper, more practical conversation about spiritual warfare, faith, and how to live steady when life feels like a battle. If you’ve ever felt like life is harder than it should be, or wondered what’s really happening when you pray — this one’s for you.