Broken Hearts Change the World

River Valley Church • Aaron Pierce • Sep 14, 2025

Summary

Aaron Pierce, leader of Steiger International, delivers a passionate message about how broken hearts compel us to action and change the world. Speaking during a turbulent time in American history, Aaron shares how God is not indifferent to our suffering—He sent Jesus into our mess to show us the way out. Drawing from the book of Nehemiah, Aaron illustrates how Nehemiah responded to the problems of his day with a broken heart, weeping, mourning, fasting, and praying for months before taking action. Aaron explains that we're living in a post-Christian culture shaped by a global youth culture that embraces secular humanism—the belief that there's no outside authority and individuals define their own identity, purpose, and morality. The devastating consequences include confusion, sexual brokenness, loneliness, anxiety, and depression. Aaron challenges believers to ask God to break their hearts for the lost because a broken heart is what compels sacrifice and action. He emphasizes that we cannot manufacture a broken heart, but we can repent of our coldness and ask God to change us, because broken hearts birthed in repentance and driven to desperate prayer is the foundation for eternal impact.

Key Takeaways

God is far from indifferent to our suffering—He sent Jesus into our mess
Jesus is the only hope and solution for our world's problems
Broken hearts change the world—the extent your heart is broken determines your sacrifice
You cannot manufacture a broken heart, but you can repent and ask God to change you
A broken heart compels action and breaks down walls of division
We are not fighting against people but against spiritual forces deceiving souls
Prayer is not a warm-up for the real work—prayer IS the work
The mission is not hard or difficult—it's impossible without God
We need a supernatural move of God, not just religious words and activity
God loves to demonstrate His power through ordinary people like you and me

Outline

Introduction and Personal Story

Reflecting on recent weeks and feeling overwhelmed
Mission trip to Mexico in college witnessing deep poverty
Wrestling with God about how to make a difference
God's revelation: He is not indifferent to our suffering
Jesus is the only hope and solution for our world

About Steiger International

Missions organization mobilizing followers of Jesus to reach young people
Targeting young people who would not walk into a church
Book: 'Not Beyond Reach' - sharing Jesus with the young and deconstructed
Community for parents and grandparents with prodigal children
Raising young missional leaders with wild childlike faith

Steiger's Ministry Strategy

Relationally present in secular spaces (nightclubs, music venues, cafes)
Engaging LGBTQ and activist spaces
Befriending sinners and sharing Jesus's love and the truth of the cross
Forming discipleship communities as bridges to the church
Active in over 250 cities worldwide including Minneapolis

Opportunities to Get Involved

Creative evangelism outreach on October 31st at city campus
Using creative tools to spark spiritual conversations
Halloween weekend is an amazing time for spiritual conversations
Global team going to South by Southwest in Austin, Texas in March
Young adults can learn to live missionally in secular contexts

The Origin of Steiger

Started by Aaron's parents in Amsterdam in the 1980s
Amsterdam: big beautiful cathedrals closed on Sunday—God seen as dead tradition
Aaron's dad went to clubs and bars to befriend people
They prayed all night in forests for breakthrough
Started a punk band to lift up the message of the cross outside church

The Power of the Cross

1 Corinthians 2:1-5 - Paul preached Christ crucified
Not convinced by human wisdom but by God's power
Amsterdam needed God's power, not religious words
Bible study on a red houseboat at Pier 14 (Steiger 14)
Became a dynamic church reaching young people normally disinterested in Christianity

Growing Up in Steiger

Aaron grew up in this environment as a child
His dad would bring him and his brother on tour
In nightclubs at late hours, watching his dad minister
His dad equated a father's love for children with God's love
Seeing tough people with tears praying to receive Jesus

A Childhood That Ruins You (in the Best Way)

Experiencing God's power as a child changes you forever
Following Jesus is not about religious words but real power
Our country needs a supernatural move of God, not religious activity
God wants to use ordinary people to make a difference
Each of us has a role to play in God's eternal plan

Nehemiah's Response to Crisis

Nehemiah 1:1-4 - Learning from Nehemiah's response
Nehemiah was comfortable in the Persian Empire as a Jewish exile
His brother brought news: Jerusalem's walls destroyed, people in disgrace
Nehemiah could have said 'that's too bad' and moved on
Instead, he was moved to tears and wept for days

We Need God to Open Our Eyes

American culture: busy, overscheduled, distracted
We can grow numb to pain and suffering around us
We've shifted from nominal Christian to post-Christian culture
Many people skeptical of religion but hungry for something transcendent
Story of Indian man at soccer game asking 'What does it mean to be born again?'

Understanding the Global Youth Culture

Youth worldwide influenced by similar voices and media
Same music, social media influencers, video games
Sharing moral views and lifestyles, not just fashion trends
Picture of young people from Saudi Arabia at music festival
Creating opportunities for the gospel in unreached places

Shaped by Pop Culture, Gaming, and Pornography

Average 21-year-old male has spent 10,000 hours playing video games
Pornography is pervasive and distorting/rewiring brains
All these influences shape the global youth culture
The religion of global youth culture is secular humanism
Core belief: God is pushed aside, I'm at the center

The Lie of Secular Humanism

No outside authority can tell me how to live
It's the era of 'my truth' and self-constructed identity
Jay Shetty quote: 'The rules are fake. Do what you want. Make decisions that honor your soul.'
Lady Gaga quote: 'Don't you ever let a soul tell you that you can't be exactly who you are'
Proverbs 14: There's a way that seems right but leads to death

Devastating Consequences

If you're the source of truth, you're going to be confused
If there are no rules, you're going to be sexually broken
If it's all about you, you're going to be lonely
No anchor in storms leads to anxiety and depression
This is the cry of a generation: confused, broken, lonely, anxious

The Hopelessness of Secular Comfort

Friend's son diagnosed with brain cancer
Comments: 'positive vibes,' 'healing vibes,' 'positive energy'
Friend thanked people for 'supportive words and positive energy'
The secular world has no transcendent hope—just positive energy
This is devastating and these are our friends, neighbors, sons and daughters

We Have the Ultimate Answers

Jesus brings truth to the confused
Jesus brings healing to the sexually broken
Jesus brings ultimate relationship with Creator and church
Jesus brings peace that transcends understanding
But many are not looking to the church for answers

The Extent of Your Broken Heart

Nehemiah 1:4 - 'When I heard these things, I sat down and wept'
The extent your heart is broken determines how much you'll sacrifice
Until your heart is broken, you won't get uncomfortable or lay aside your needs
Natural drift is toward apathy and selfishness
We need God's broken heart for the lost

You Cannot Manufacture a Broken Heart

It's not like a workout program you can start on Monday
You can't change your own heart—only God can
But you can repent: 'God, I'm sorry. My heart is cold.'
Confess that you don't care like you should
If you pray that, watch out—God will change your heart

A Broken Heart Compels Action

A broken heart will not allow you to remain passive
You will really see people and be moved to action
A broken heart breaks down walls of division
Easy to fall into 'us versus them' mentality
'Those people' are not the enemy—Jesus loves them and died for them

The Real Battle

We are in a battle against spiritual forces of evil
It's a battle for souls who have been deceived and spiritually blinded
2 Corinthians 4:4 - The god of this age has blinded unbelievers
Blind people can't see even when you point—they need eyes opened
Persuasive arguments and cool programs are not enough

Prayer Is the Work

It's a spiritual battle requiring spiritual weapons
Prayer is not a warm-up for the real work—it IS the work
We can't do it without getting on our knees
Nehemiah prayed for some days (possibly 4 months)
He prayed so long because he knew he didn't have enough

We Don't Have Enough

Nehemiah knew he lacked strategic brilliance and financial resources
The mission God has called us to is not hard or difficult—it's impossible
No financial resources or human strategy is enough
But it's humanly impossible, we have access to the God of the impossible
We must cry out to God: 'Lord, have mercy on our country, our family'

Five Loaves and Two Fish

We look at the brokenness and can be overwhelmed
Our human efforts and wisdom are not enough
All we have is five loaves and two fish—woefully inadequate
When we give God all we have, He does something supernatural
We need a supernatural move of God—it's our only hope

God Uses Ordinary People

God loves to demonstrate His power through ordinary people
God wants to use you to make a difference in the world
But it starts with a broken heart
Broken hearts birthed in repentance drive us to desperate prayer
This is the foundation for eternal impact

Invitation to Respond

Natural heart drifts toward selfishness and apathy
Maybe you need to confess: 'God, my heart is cold for the lost'
Acknowledge that you've been distracted, busy, numb
After prayer, opportunity to come forward and kneel
Physical response to inward conviction of the Holy Spirit

Closing Prayer

Thank God for sending Jesus into our mess
Ask God to give us His broken heart for people
Pray that brokenness would stir us to action and boldness
People need Jesus—we have the ultimate answer
The harvest is plentiful but workers are few—here we are, send us

Scripture References

Nehemiah 1:1-4

The words of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah: In the month of Kislev in the twentieth year, while I was in the citadel of Susa, Hanani, one of my brothers, came from Judah with some other men, and I questioned them about the Jewish remnant that had survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem. They said to me, 'Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.' When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.

1 Corinthians 2:1-5

And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

Proverbs 14:12

There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.

2 Corinthians 4:4

In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Matthew 9:37-38

Then he said to his disciples, 'The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.'