Message: “Spiritual Drift Through Small Compromises” from Levi Matteson

Pastor Levi Matteson talks about how nobody drifts away from God overnight. We drift through small compromises until what was near becomes what we’re in. But God knows how to rescue His people (2 Pet. 2:9).
1. A RIGHTEOUS MAN...WITH A TORMENTED SOUL (2 Pet. 2:7–9),
2. THE FIRST STEP OF DRIFT: CHOOSING BY SIGHT, NOT FAITH (Gen. 13:8–13),
3. THE DRIFT IN ONE LINE (Gen. 13:12),
4. WHEN THE BLAST ZONE HITS, “NEAR” PEOPLE GET SWEPT UP (Gen. 14:1–16; key v. 12),
5. GRACE BREAKS IN: SOMEONE STRONGER COMES FOR YOU (Gen. 14:14–16), and
6. TWO KINGS, TWO OFFERS, TWO “GOSPELS” (Gen. 14:17–24).
This episode of the Evangel Houghton podcast is a Sunday message from Evangel Community Church, Houghton, Michigan, January 18, 2026.

Scripture References: 2 Peter 2:7-9, Genesis 13:8-13, Genesis 14:1-24

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From Series: "Don’t Look Back"

We all know what it’s like to look back — back at old habits that feel familiar, ack at patterns we thought we left behind, back at a version of life that feels easier — even when we know it isn’t better. This series walks through the story of Lot and Sodom to show how no one drifts away from God overnight. It happens slowly, through small compromises that quietly shape the direction of our lives. Along the way, we’ll encounter a God who listens before He judges, a warning about living between two worlds, and a mercy that reaches for us even when we’re tempted to turn back. If you’ve ever felt torn between where God is leading and what you’re leaving behind, you’re not alone. The direction you choose today shapes the life you live tomorrow.

Notes and Study Guide