St. Paul American Coptic Orthodox Church of Houston

Learning to Suffer Wrong for Christ’s Sake | The Harvest (Fr. Matthias Shehad)

Fr. Matthias Shehad explores how Christians are called to endure suffering and wrongdoing for the sake of Christ. He discusses the biblical teaching on responding to offenses with patience, humility, and love rather than retaliation or bitterness. Fr. Matthias emphasizes the distinction between accepting wrong and allowing abuse, outlining practical steps for resolving conflicts through direct communication, church involvement, and, if necessary, legal action.Drawing on scripture, including examples from the apostles and saints, he explains when it is appropriate to speak up or remain silent, highlighting the spiritual benefits of both. The talk underscores forgiveness, prayer for offenders, and maintaining a Christlike attitude that witnesses to the transformative power of God’s grace.Fr. Matthias concludes that bearing wrong for Christ is a testimony that can lead to personal growth and even the salvation of others, calling believers to a life marked by mercy, humility, and trust in God’s justice.Subscribe to us on YouTube https://youtube.com/stpaulhouston Like us on Facebook https://facebook.com/saintpaulhoustonFollow us on SoundCloud https://soundcloud.com/stpaulhoustonFollow us on Instagram https://instagram.com/stpaulhoustonVisit our website for schedules and to join the mailing list https://stpaulhouston.org

Dealing with Difficult People [Part 3] | The Harvest (Fr. Matthias Shehad)

Fr. Matthias Shehad explores how Christians are called to respond to difficult people with patience, love, and mercy, recognizing their behavior often stems from past trauma or brokenness. He emphasizes meekness as strength under control, highlighting biblical examples like King David’s restraint and Joseph’s forgiveness to illustrate transforming relationships through humility and spiritual growth.Fr. Matthias discusses practical tools such as assertive communication, cognitive reframing, emotional regulation, and setting healthy boundaries to navigate challenging interactions. He stresses the importance of prayer, confession, and spiritual disciplines in maintaining peace and self-control.This teaching frames difficult relationships as opportunities for personal sanctification and healing within the body of Christ, encouraging viewers to focus on their own growth while praying for others’ transformation. The role of the church as a hospital for sinners is underscored, emphasizing mutual support rather than avoidance or judgment.Subscribe to us on YouTube https://youtube.com/stpaulhouston Like us on Facebook https://facebook.com/saintpaulhoustonFollow us on SoundCloud https://soundcloud.com/stpaulhoustonFollow us on Instagram https://instagram.com/stpaulhoustonVisit our website for schedules and to join the mailing list https://stpaulhouston.org

Dealing with Difficult People [Part 2] | The Harvest (Fr. Matthias Shehad)

Fr. Matthias Shehad continues his series on dealing with difficult people by exploring the Christian approach to interacting with challenging personalities such as critics, controllers, victims, narcissists, and complainers. He emphasizes the importance of self-awareness and recognizing the image of God in every individual, even those who behave negatively due to personal brokenness or trauma.Fr. Matthias highlights the role of empathy, patience, and setting healthy boundaries rooted in love and respect to maintain relationships without enabling harmful behavior. Drawing on biblical examples and teachings, he explains how responding thoughtfully rather than reacting emotionally can defuse conflict and foster forgiveness.The talk also addresses the balance between mercy and necessary limits in relationships, encouraging forgiveness as essential for healing while acknowledging real situations that may require ending harmful connections. This teaching offers practical guidance for Christian living and spiritual growth when navigating difficult interpersonal dynamics.Subscribe to us on YouTube https://youtube.com/stpaulhouston Like us on Facebook https://facebook.com/saintpaulhoustonFollow us on SoundCloud https://soundcloud.com/stpaulhoustonFollow us on Instagram https://instagram.com/stpaulhoustonVisit our website for schedules and to join the mailing list https://stpaulhouston.org

Dealing with Difficult People [Part 1] | The Harvest (Fr. Matthias Shehad)

Fr. Matthias Shehad explores the challenges of dealing with difficult people, examining why certain individuals behave in challenging ways and how our own weaknesses contribute to these dynamics. He discusses different types of difficult personalities including critics, controllers, victims, passive-aggressive individuals, narcissists, and complainers, highlighting their behaviors and underlying motivations.Fr. Matthias emphasizes the importance of self-awareness, encouraging viewers to reflect on their own difficult traits before judging others. He explains how dealing with difficult people can become an opportunity for personal growth, patience, humility, and spiritual maturity. Drawing on Scripture and real-life examples, he addresses how faith and prayer support maintaining peace and kindness in challenging relationships.This talk is part one of a series focused on improving interactions with difficult people through understanding, acceptance, and Christian principles.Subscribe to us on YouTube https://youtube.com/stpaulhouston Like us on Facebook https://facebook.com/saintpaulhoustonFollow us on SoundCloud https://soundcloud.com/stpaulhoustonFollow us on Instagram https://instagram.com/stpaulhoustonVisit our website for schedules and to join the mailing list https://stpaulhouston.org

The Fear of Death [Part 2] | The Harvest (Fr. Matthias Shehad)

Fr. Matthias Shehad explores the fear of death by examining its spiritual, emotional, intellectual, and physical dimensions. He explains that death is not the end of life but a separation of the body from the immortal spirit. Fr. Matthias discusses how sin introduced various forms of death, including spiritual separation from God and corruption of emotions and intellect.He highlights the role of faith, repentance, and participation in the sacraments like baptism and the Eucharist as essential for overcoming the fear of death. The resurrection of Christ is presented as the central hope that transforms death from a source of destruction into a passage to eternal life. Fr. Matthias also reflects on mourning, the promise of reunion in the afterlife, and the need to live seriously in accordance with God’s guidance to prepare for judgment.This talk addresses Christian teachings on death, salvation, and how believers can find peace through faith.Subscribe to us on YouTube https://youtube.com/stpaulhouston Like us on Facebook https://facebook.com/saintpaulhoustonFollow us on SoundCloud https://soundcloud.com/stpaulhoustonFollow us on Instagram https://instagram.com/stpaulhoustonVisit our website for schedules and to join the mailing list https://stpaulhouston.org

God Prepares Us for Salvation [by Correcting Our Mistakes] | Sermon (Fr. Matthias Shehad)

Fr. Matthias Shehad explores how God prepares us for salvation by correcting our mistakes, using biblical examples to illustrate this process. Starting with Zecharias, whose doubt led to a period of silence, he explains how correction fosters deeper faith. Fr. Matthias highlights Moses’ transformation through his struggles with anger and leadership, Jonah’s disobedience and eventual obedience, and King David’s repentance after sin. He also discusses St. Peter’s humbling denial and St. Paul’s conversion from zealotry to apostolic mission.Through these stories, Fr. Matthias emphasizes that God's corrections are not punishments but means of preparation, guiding believers to humility, repentance, and a renewed focus on God. Correction prepares individuals for their divine purpose, transforming weaknesses into strengths. This message encourages viewers to see challenges and rebuke as part of God’s ongoing work in their spiritual growth and salvation journey.Subscribe to us on YouTube https://youtube.com/stpaulhouston Like us on Facebook https://facebook.com/saintpaulhoustonFollow us on SoundCloud https://soundcloud.com/stpaulhoustonFollow us on Instagram https://instagram.com/stpaulhoustonVisit our website for schedules and to join the mailing list https://stpaulhouston.org

The Fear of Death [Part 1] | The Harvest (Fr. Matthias Shehad)

Fr. Matthias Shehad explores the concept of death, examining its origins, nature, and effects from a Christian perspective. He discusses how death entered the world through the choice of Adam and Eve, contrasting God’s original design for eternal life with the broken state of creation caused by sin. Fr. Matthias explains the separation of body and spirit at death, the role of free will, and the consequences of the fall, including shame, fear, blame, and suffering in work and relationships.He highlights the distinction between physical and spiritual death and addresses common fears surrounding judgment and mortality. Fr. Matthias also presents hope through the promise of a Messiah who restores life and offers eternal salvation. This talk emphasizes living with the awareness of death’s reality while embracing the possibility of redemption and communion with God.Subscribe to us on YouTube https://youtube.com/stpaulhouston Like us on Facebook https://facebook.com/saintpaulhoustonFollow us on SoundCloud https://soundcloud.com/stpaulhoustonFollow us on Instagram https://instagram.com/stpaulhoustonVisit our website for schedules and to join the mailing list https://stpaulhouston.org

10 Ways We Trust in Riches | Sermon (Fr. Matthias Shehad)

Fr. Matthias Shehad explores the story of the rich young ruler to reveal ten ways people place unhealthy trust in wealth, highlighting how attachments to money can hinder spiritual growth and salvation. He discusses different types of wealthy individuals, including the enslaved rich who are controlled by money, the foolish rich who ignore eternity, the wasteful rich who misuse God’s blessings, and the selfish rich who ignore the needs of others.Fr. Matthias also examines the greedy rich consumed by envy, the self-content rich who feel self-sufficient, the so-called wise rich who equate wealth with wisdom, and the secure rich who trust riches over God’s providence. He warns against the quick rich seeking fast wealth and the socialite rich focused on status and appearances.This teaching challenges viewers to reflect on their own relationship with money and encourages seeking true security and discipleship through God rather than earthly riches.Subscribe to us on YouTube https://youtube.com/stpaulhouston Like us on Facebook https://facebook.com/saintpaulhoustonFollow us on SoundCloud https://soundcloud.com/stpaulhoustonFollow us on Instagram https://instagram.com/stpaulhoustonVisit our website for schedules and to join the mailing list https://stpaulhouston.org

The Cost of Discipleship: Detachment | Sermon (Fr. Matthias Shehad)

Fr. Matthias Shehad explores the concept of detachment as the cost of discipleship in this sermon. He explains that Jesus’ call to “hate” family and even one’s own life means prioritizing love for God above all else, requiring a detachment from worldly attachments that hinder following Christ. Using biblical examples like Abraham, the disciples, Levi, Zacchaeus, the rich young ruler, and Lot’s wife, Fr. Matthias illustrates how attachment to possessions, relationships, or desires can prevent one from fully committing to God’s call.He emphasizes detachment as inner freedom from the control of earthly things, enabling believers to love without possessiveness and to pursue their spiritual mission as “salt of the earth.” Fr. Matthias invites reflection on what competes with our love for Christ and challenges listeners to identify and surrender unhealthy attachments to deepen their discipleship and experience God’s presence.Subscribe to us on YouTube https://youtube.com/stpaulhouston Like us on Facebook https://facebook.com/saintpaulhoustonFollow us on SoundCloud https://soundcloud.com/stpaulhoustonFollow us on Instagram https://instagram.com/stpaulhoustonVisit our website for schedules and to join the mailing list https://stpaulhouston.org

When God’s Word Meets the Human Will | Sermon (Fr. Matthias Shehad)

Fr. Matthias Shehad explores the parable of the sower in this sermon, explaining how God initiates salvation by sowing His word in every person’s heart without discrimination. He emphasizes that individuals respond differently, represented by four types of soil: resistant hearts that reject God’s word, shallow hearts that embrace it briefly but fall away under trial, divided hearts torn between worldly desires and God, and surrendered hearts that accept the word and bear spiritual fruit.Fr. Matthias highlights the importance of faith, perseverance, spiritual discipline, and wholehearted commitment to God. He underscores that true Christian life involves ongoing struggle, transformation, and patient bearing of fruit, with God working in cooperation with human will. This teaching encourages self-reflection on one’s spiritual condition and invites deeper surrender to God’s word for genuine growth and salvation.Subscribe to us on YouTube https://youtube.com/stpaulhouston Like us on Facebook https://facebook.com/saintpaulhoustonFollow us on SoundCloud https://soundcloud.com/stpaulhoustonFollow us on Instagram https://instagram.com/stpaulhoustonVisit our website for schedules and to join the mailing list https://stpaulhouston.org