Week 3 | Missionary Michael Cleveland | Rolling Away Stones

Thanks for watching the sermon portion of our livestream worship service from February 15, 2026.

This powerful sermon uses the story of Lazarus from John 11 as a framework for understanding the church's role in combating human trafficking and helping survivors heal from trauma. The speaker shares his personal connection to this work through his wife's story of being groomed by a theater teacher and his own brother's abuse by a trusted mentor. The message emphasizes that Jesus doesn't just perform miracles in isolation—He commands the community to participate by rolling away stones (removing barriers) and unbinding grave clothes (providing consistent aftercare). The sermon challenges believers to stop waiting for "clean" opportunities to serve and instead step into the messy, difficult work of helping trauma survivors heal. Through AllenCare, the organization provides trauma-informed therapy for trafficking survivors, addressing the critical gap in aftercare that causes 75% of survivors to return to exploitation. The core message is that real ministry requires courage to face the stench of death and trauma, consistency in showing up, and commitment to the long process of unbinding people from their past.