Ginghamsburg Podcast

Getting Control What if true happiness comes not from power, success, or control—but from submission to God? This week, Pastor Fitz unpacks Jesus' surprising words in Matthew 5:5: "Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth." Discover what biblical meekness really means (hint: it's not weakness), and how living with power under God's control leads to a life of purpose, peace, and joy. Featuring cultural references from “The Princess Bride” to Mr. Rogers, this sermon offers a fresh, relatable take on what it means to follow Jesus in a world that prizes self-promotion. Perfect for anyone struggling to find peace in a performance-driven culture. ginghamsburg.org/planyourvisit

Overcoming Brokenness In this powerful message, Pastor Dennis Miller dives into the second Beatitude: "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted." Whether you're grieving a loss, a broken relationship, or simply feeling the weight of the world, this sermon offers a path to healing. Discover how Jesus redefines happiness—not as a product of perfect circumstances, but as an inside-out journey of comfort, presence, and hope. Through the acronym M.O.U.R.N., Pastor Dennis walks us through practical, Spirit-led steps to move forward with faith: Make Room for grief—and for God Open Your Heart to healing Understand You're Not Alone Remember the Hope of the resurrection Name the Gift of love and loss ginghamsburg.org/planyourvisit

Stepping Into Humility What if the path to happiness begins with humility? In this kickoff message of our worship series “This Way to Happy,” Pastor Dennis unpacks the first of Jesus' Beatitudes: “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” Drawing from Matthew 5:3, this teaching explores how humility isn't about thinking less of yourself—but thinking of yourself less. Discover three ways humility can actually increase your happiness, relieve stress, improve your relationships, and open your life to God's power. If you're feeling tired, overwhelmed, or just stuck, this message is for you. ginghamsburg.org/planyourvisit

Life After Doubt Is doubt getting in the way of your faith? You're not alone. Even the apostle Thomas needed proof before believing in the resurrection of Jesus. In this powerful message, Pastor Dennis Miller shares personal stories, biblical insights, and historical evidence that challenge skepticism and offer hope beyond uncertainty. Rooted in John 20 and 1 Corinthians 15, this sermon explores four key reasons to trust the resurrection: The Church was created by the Resurrection—not the other way around The eyewitness accounts are overwhelming and credible No one dies for a lie they know is false The greatest evidence? A changed life Whether you're struggling with doubt or seeking deeper faith, this message will meet you where you are. ginghamsburg.org/planyourvisit

Life After Hopelessness Feeling like all hope is lost? You're not alone. In this week's message, Pastor Fitz shares a relatable journey through heartbreak, disappointment, and the quiet, powerful hope that Jesus offers when life falls apart. Drawing from Luke 24 and the story of the Road to Emmaus, Fitz reminds us that when hope feels shattered, we can look back—both in Scripture and in our own lives—to see where God showed up before. Hope isn't gone; it's closer than you think. Tune in as we explore how to recognize Jesus in our seasons of despair, listen for his voice, and find real hope that doesn't just survive—it thrives after heartbreak. ginghamsburg.org/planyourvisit

Life After Failure Our focus is John 21—the quiet, post-resurrection moment when Jesus cooks fish on the beach for his friends. Imagine being Peter. The shame of denial still fresh: “I do not know the man.” The weight of failure. The grief of loss. So he returns to what's familiar—fishing. And then, in the early morning mist, Jesus appears—not with correction, but with a fire, a meal, and a quiet invitation: “Come and eat.” No lecture. Just grace. It was a new beginning for Peter. It's a new beginning for us, too. ginghamsburg.org/planyourvisit

Laodicea Pastor Dennis delivers a powerful Palm Sunday message, closing the “You've Got Mail” series on the seven churches in Revelation. This week, he explores Jesus' scathing letter to the church in Laodicea—wealthy, comfortable, and spiritually lukewarm. Through historical context, vivid metaphors, and a soul-stirring invitation, he calls the church to wake up from spiritual apathy and reignite a passionate faith. The message climaxes in a bold response moment: worshipers are invited to name the lukewarm areas of their lives and lay them symbolically in a baptismal beneath a looming cross—choosing consecration over comfort, surrender over self-sufficiency. Join us in Tipp City: ginghamsburg.org/planyourvisit.

Philadelphia As we journey through life, we'll find the Lord gives us many doors to walk through. Some are clear and easy to open, and others only open after years of struggle, pain, prayer and trial. These doors end up being a blessing in our lives. But walking through these doors isn't only about finding God's will, but more importantly about the journey that is following God's voice. When we're faithful following God's voice, the doors will open, and God will often surprise at what comes next through those doors. ginghamsburg.org  

Sardis It's normal for each one of us to get tired. We require sleep and rest to be able to live our daily lives. But it's also possible to get too tired and lose sight of the most important things. That's what happened to the church in Sardis - they lost sight of the most important things and Jesus called on them to wake up! Jesus is calling us to wake up today and focus on the things that matter most - the lives of everyone around us. ginghamsburg.org

Pergamum & Thytira This week we're looking at two different letters, written to two different churches. But both letters have many similarities. The churches are commended for their faith, but then Jesus calls on them to change something about their ways. Both letters end with an instruction to hear the words being shared with them. God is speaking the same thing to us today: we need to listen and respond.  ginghamsburg.org  

Smyrna Suffering is part of our world. Jesus promised that following him would lead to trouble. But Jesus also encouraged his followers to take heart. As we look at the letter to Smyrna this week, we'll learn that they faced trials, trouble and persecution. But in the middle of all those things, they chose to stand firm in their faith in Christ. They set an example that we can follow today - to faithfully follow Jesus, no matter what we face. The church in Smyrna found hope in their suffering and we can too. ginghamsburg.org

Ephesus If you received a letter or a card from Jesus, what would he write? In Revelation, the last book of the Bible, this actually happened. Jesus sent messages to seven churches - some encouraging and others challenging. As we journey towards Easter, we're going to look at these letters from Jesus. We're going to see not only what they said to their original recipients, but what they can speak to us in this modern day and age. The first letter we read is to the church in Ephesus. This church was sound in their beliefs but they were missing something - love. Not love for Jesus, but love for one another. As we dig into this letter, we'll see that the most important thing to do as followers of Christ, is to love one another. We're known by our love, so let's show the world the true love of Christ. ginghamsburg.org

Everything in our society is all about consumption. We endlessly care about what we eat, what we watch, and what we read. Being part of the church is actually the opposite. We are called to contribute. Each one of us has unique gifts, talents, passions and skills, and God wants to partner with us so that people will learn to know Jesus. God has given you the heart and ability to reach people no one else can. Your impact and influence can change the world. All you have to do is something. ginghamsburg.org/serve

Can I Really Make a Difference? Everything in our society is all about consumption. We endlessly care about what we eat, what we watch, and what we read. You can say we've become a self(ie)-centered culture of consumers. Being part of the church is actually the opposite. We are called to contribute. And each one of us has unique gifts, talents, passions and skills that can be put to good use. God wants to partner with us, so many people will learn to know Jesus. God is with you, and all you have to do is something. ginghamsburg.org/serve

The 2020's We're only 5 years into the 2020's but yet it feels like 20 years have passed. We started the decade with a pandemic, have seen racial and political strife, division, and disagreement. We've seen the rise of social media influencers and YouTubers. With all of these things, it may feel like it's hard to make a difference. But this week we're going to see that everyone has influence. Everyone has an opportunity to create lasting and meaningful change. Everyone has an opportunity to be a partner with the work God is doing. This is what influence means. ginghamsburg.org

The 2010's The 2010s were all about connection. New social media platforms became mainstream and we quickly experienced the power of awareness and change. But social media introduced filters and ways to hide reality. This isn't a new concept. Humanity has been hiding for thousands of years. There is hope in this fact: God is searching for us. God wants to bring transformation and freedom to our lives. God wants us to remove the filters and live as our truest selves.

The 2000's The 2000's were poised to enter with a bang, but when what was predicted didn't happen it became clear there was a lot to fear. The United States and the world faced unprecedented challenges from terrorist attacks, wars, natural disasters, cyber threats and financial ruin. But for as much fear filled the 2000's, there was even more hope and optimism. People turned to God in a way that many felt would never happen again. Through it all we'll see that God has always been with us and will continue to be with us no matter what fires we face in our lives. ginghamsburg.org

The 1990's The 90's was a decade full of change. Technology made huge leaps in how people communicated and how films were made. Superstars really began to flex their power off the court, field or course. The cold war ended and so did apartheid in South Africa. It felt like anything was possible and innovation was everywhere - from cell phones, to personal computers, and even cloning. As we look back to the 1990's, and even a little further, we'll see that God is an innovator and that work isn't done. God wants to innovate with us so that the Kingdom of God can continue to grow on earth. It's up to us to say yes, and innovate with God. ginghamsburg.org

The 1980s In the 1980's everything was BIG! Big hair, big patterns, big debt, big bets, and big deals were the norm. People were fascinated by the lifestyle of the rich and famous. Everyone wanted to be the master of their own universe. But as we see too often, things eventually broke. The economy tanked and millions of people lost their jobs, retirement, and hope. Sound familiar? But as we look for hope, we'll find it in the true master of the universe - Jesus Christ. ginghamsburg.org

The 1970's How did people in the 1970's respond to the rebellion of the 60's? Disillusionment. Promises had been broken and people didn't know where to turn. Vietnam divided the United States. Protests turned violent. The President and his cabinet were known as crooks. An energy crisis, kidnappings, and soaring interest rates were only a few of the other things affecting the world. People ran to sex and drugs and further away from God. In the 1970's people were looking for their way, and today it feels the same way. We are still looking for answers, hope and meaning. And as we'll see, the best place to find those things is in Jesus. ginghamsburg.org  

In the midst of their conversation about AI and the Church, Jason Moore takes a brief detour to talk about the importance of hybrid worship. What is hybrid worship and how might the Church of the future take form? Beginning in the 1990s, the church embraced visual technology in a new way. But it was the pandemic that really shifted how we understand worship "online.”

What can the Church learn from the 1960's? What do you get when you take a new generation of young people and you raise them on the theories of Dr. Spock, and you educate them in experimental open classrooms and you saturate them with rock 'n' roll music and you introduce them to drugs and alcohol and you dangle the threat of nuclear holocaust over their heads by building bomb shelters in your basement and then you tell them that God is dead? What do you get? Well, you get the '60s generation – an amazing group of people; and if you lived through the '60s, you will agree that it was an unforgettable decade. This message takes a hard look at lessons learned from the 1960s. It was the decade of rebellion.

The Door to Something New As we approach a new year, we're faced with so many new opportunities. But it seems each one of us has something holding us back. Past mistakes, failures, heartbreak, pain, loss, grief and more can keep us from stepping into what God has for us next. But Jesus came to bring freedom from all of these things. Jesus came to bring hope, meaning and purpose by opening a door to something new. ginghamsburg.org

Home for Christmas Each Christmas Eve we remember and celebrate that Jesus left his home in heaven. Jesus came to earth as a child to bring hope, love, joy and peace. He came to provide a way for every single person to return to their true home. Today, we remember that Jesus is standing at the door, waiting to welcome us home for Christmas. ginghamsburg.org

The Innkeeper's Door Everyone is on a journey, and whether we like it or not, we will all face difficulties along the way. Mary and Joseph were just like us. They made a long and difficult journey to Bethlehem and when they arrived there was no room for them to stay, and nowhere for Mary to have her baby. They needed help. They needed to be welcomed in. As followers of Jesus we have a responsibility to help others on their way and welcome them into our lives and homes. This is the key to welcoming Jesus - opening our hearts to others.  ginghamsburg.org/christmas

The Temple Door We spend a lot of time waiting: traffic, drive-thru, checkout, the doctor, and customer service. We also wait for more important things too - test results, grades, and promises to be fulfilled. In the Christmas story we meet two people who had been waiting for decades to become parents, with no answer. They had given up hope, but then in the blink of an eye their hope was restored. As we get closer to Christmas, we'll be reminded of the importance of holding on to hope. Even though we can't see or feel what's happening, we can trust that God is working. God will answer, and what we need to do is keep our hope in the Lord. ginghamsburg.org/christmas

Herod's Door During the Christmas season many things show up at our doors: deliveries, Christmas carolers and other visitors. Jesus showed up in many people's lives from the time he was born. Some people were even threatened by Jesus and how they responded shows a lot about who they really were. As we look at Jesus' visits in scripture, we'll be faced with an important question: How do you respond when Jesus shows up at your door? Jesus is looking for an alternative response to our impulses - it's counter cultural but it will lead us to Jesus. ginghamsburg.org/christmas ginghamsburg.org/downloads

The Banquet Door This first week of Advent we're opening the first door of Christmas together: the Banquet Door. Jesus told many stories and made many promises, including that he would return one day. Jesus told his disciples no one would know the day or the time he would return, but they needed to be ready. Jesus' words still hold true for us today: we don't know when he will return, but we need to make sure we're ready. As we step through the first door, we'll create space to examine our hearts and make sure we're listening to the words of Jesus and making ourselves ready for his coming. ginghamsburg.org/christmas

Encountering God Around the Table Thanksgiving has become synonymous with two socially acceptable practices: gluttony and greed. We eat (and eat, and eat) and shop. Then we pause for a moment and then repeat these steps. But as we stop and examine our hearts and thoughts around Thanksgiving, we'll see that God has given us an incredible opportunity. It gives us a chance to reflect on God's goodness and to truly give thanks for the things which matter most: faith and family. This Thanksgiving, let's practice moderation as we eat, but more importantly encounter the Lord through the time we share with our families. ginghamsburg.org

Most Important Our society is built on a "me first" attitude. We focus our attention on our own health and happiness. We want our priorities to be ahead of everyone else's.  Life is all about ourselves. If it's not, we grumble, we argue, and we fight against it until we get back to making it all about ourselves. But as we examine the life of Jesus, it becomes clear there is a different way - yes, a better way. It's not the way of the twenty-first century. It's the way of the son of God, who laid down all of his rights, power and authority, to become human. Jesus thought of the needs of everyone else before his own. Jesus modeled the kind of life we are supposed to live. We are supposed to live with grace, mercy, and most of all humility. It starts with us, and as we live in this way, it will not only change our hearts, attitudes, and lives but also the hearts and lives of everyone around us. ginghamsburg.org

Racing Through Life Every person is given a certain amount of time on earth. God alone knows the number of days and years of someone's life. But each one of us has the ability to choose what we do with the time we have been given. The way we choose to spend our time, and in turn our lives, speaks to what we honor and value most. ginghamsburg.org

You Can't Out Give God Most items we purchase have a guaranteed weight. Breakfast cereals, canned vegetables, fresh fruit, and even toothpaste are sold by their weight. But centuries ago, it used to be the opposite. Items like grain were bought and sold by volume, determined by the basket or container. Usually the seller would make sure the buyer received the full value, and sometimes even more, by shaking, pressing down, and adding more to the container. We can apply a similar principle to our thinking around generosity. When we share more of our time, effort, energy, and resources with others, we are usually the ones who benefit. The Bible encourages us to live selflessly, generously, and with open hands. When we choose to live in this way, we will find even more meaningful returns on those investments. Those are the things which truly matter. God can take a little and use it to do incredible things. That's how God works. This is how to multiply.

Developing a Financial Plan God's plan involves putting God first, saving and investing for the future, and then living off the rest. It takes hard work. It takes faith and trust - but ultimately God is faithful and we can trust that God will provide for us. This week shows us how God's plan will help us in the short term but also for the rest of our lives. God can take a little and use it to do incredible things. That's how God works. This is how to multiply. ginghamsburg.org

"Agency" is the buzzword for this episode. What is artistic or creative agency? How do we keep good boundaries that prevent us from handing agency over without realizing it? When we let the machine to the art, is it still art? In this episode Dan, John and Jason talk about practical ways to use AI to enhance artistic agency and ask BIG questions for the Church of tomorrow.

This week, as we gather as one church family, we're going to worship together, honor those who serve here at Ginghamsburg, and look ahead to what God'S next for Ginghamsburg. God's got great things planned, but it's up to us to step up, join the movement, and see how we can help. ginghamsburg.org

Dan and John welcome A.I. early adapter Jason Moore to the conversation. Jason has several decades of experience helping the Church overcome her fears of new technology by utilizing a healthy ethical framework rooted in creative agency. For anyone looking for practical handholds on how A.I. can enhance ministry – and how to recognize the threat – this conversation is for you. Find Jason's new book AI and the Church on Amazon, released October 15, 2024.

Order Your Desires The last commandment says “Do not covet.” But what does that mean? We don't use this word regularly, but we all do it. We want what other people have - more money, better job, nicer car, bigger home. These desires can lead to negative attitudes and move us away from God. But we see that coveting is at the heart of all the commandments. Jesus frames this command in a new way and shows us where to focus our desire. When we listen to Jesus and focus on the things that really matter, we'll truly find our way to the good life.

The Truth About Lying We've been taught to always tell the truth. But if we're honest, we don't always do that. We use our words to lie, gossip, slander, and tear people down. Our words have power to build up or to destroy. Jesus modeled a better way. He always spoke the truth in love. Jesus never belittled or demonized anyone. He modeled it for us, and we need live like Jesus. We must tell the truth, with love and grace. ginghamsburg.org

Dan and John continue their conversation with Emily Schulte and Chris Wingfield, producers of Ginghamsburg Church's new Christmas EP "Home for Christmas." This episode peeks behind the curtain and answers big questions about creativity and what it takes to overcome low confidence in pursuit of big ideas.

Dan Bracken and John Whirledge are back to asking all the right questions. To kick off season two, Dan and John sit down for a conversation with Chris Wingfield and Emily Schulte. Chris and Emily are the frontrunners of the Ginghamsburg Church worship team, and have produced a four-song Christmas EP with two original songs, and two more well-known Christmas songs with original arrangements. The BIG curiosity is, what does it take to pull of a creative project of this magnitude? The conversation is helpful for any creative looking to get an ambitious project off the ground.

Respect Other's Property As humans, we love the idea of getting something for nothing, whether it's a gift, a surprise, or we choose to take it. The eighth commandment says "do not steal." This seems very clear, but if we dig deeper, we may find we all steal far too often. But there is hope, grace, and a chance to make things right. Jesus shows us how and offers a promise of being with him when we turn towards him. It's not the easy road, but it's the road to life. ginghamsburg.org

Sex is everywhere - movies, television, social media, ads, and video games just to name a few, are filled with sexual content. So in a world so saturated with sex, how can we live differently? As we dive into the seventh commandment and the teachings of Jesus, we'll find an even deeper meaning to our sexuality and how we can live in a God-honoring way.

Human life is precious. Each person is created in God's image and is valuable. We would never think of intentionally taking someone's life. This is why Jesus' different take on the power words, emotions, and thoughts have can be seen as a shock. This week we'll see how our words carry the power of life and death, encouraging us to use them to honor and respect the lives of those around us. ginghamsburg.org

Honor Your Parents Each one of us has parents. Whether we have a great relationship with them or one that's not the best, we still need to honor and respect them. When we honor and respect those closest to us, those actions model a different way to the world. Jesus showed what this looks like, so we need to follow his example as well. Even when it's difficult, honor and respect are always better than the alternative. ginghamsburg.org

Remember the Sabbath Culture today demands that we're available 24/7. It seems like we have to answer every call, text, or DM that comes our way. We've become slaves to our phones, schedules and busyness. As we've seen throughout the past three weeks, God has a better way. God gave us an incredible gift of rest, recovery and refreshment - a sabbath. Now we're not just talking about your favorite store being closed on Sunday; we're talking about finding true rest in the Lord. It's counter-cultural, but it leads us to a level of freedom we've never experienced. ginghamsburg.org

What's in a Name? Everyone needs hope and looks for it in different people, places and things. But hope can also be found in a name. The name of God has always been a source of hope, peace, safety, meaning and purpose. God's name matters. The world has devalued God's name, but as Christ followers we must choose to honor the name of the Lord in all of our words and actions. Doing so says a lot about us and the Lord. ginghamsburg.org

Refuse to Reduce God In the twenty-first century, it feels like the world has become smaller. As our knowledge grows, we often lose sight of who brought it all into existence. As Jesus followers, we must refuse to reduce God and instead choose each day to acknowledge the Lord's place and role in everything. When we do this, we will see God clearer and grow closer in our relationships with the Lord and with one another.  ginghamsburg.org

Honor God As God First revealed thousands of years ago, The Ten Commandments continue to be the building blocks for a good life. This week we start with number one: Honor God as God. So many things in life try to steal our attention, and steer us away from focusing on God first. When we make God our number one priority and give our attention to the Lord, we'll find even more meaning and purpose. ginghamsburg.org

Answering God's Call The more we grow in our relationship with Jesus, we realize that there is a constant call on our lives. It's a call to love everyone. It's a call to serve. It's a call to think higher of other people than we do of ourselves. Those things feel impossible - but again with God they're not. When we surround ourselves with the right people and learn to hear what God's voice truly sounds like we find that the things which seemed impossible at first, truly are possible. ginghamsburg.org

Open Doors In Unexpected Places One way God moves and works in our lives is to provide opportunities wherever we look. Sometimes these doors open up in the most unexpected places. It may not be an opportunity we're expecting, but God has placed it in our path. As we step through these doors in faith and obedience, God will move in incredible ways and we'll see what we thought was impossible become possible. Tune in as Rev. Jim Wilson, our District Superintendent, shares about some of the times God has opened doors for him in unexpected places. ginghamsburg.org

Many people are constantly running. Some run for pleasure and exercise, but many run from place to place, meeting to meeting, event to event, without slowing down or stopping. Some people are running so ragged, they want to give up altogether. As we look to the words of encouragement from the Bible, we'll see that we're surrounded by voices cheering us on and helping us keep one foot in front of the next. We'll one day finish our race, but for today let's continue running with our eyes focused on Jesus. ginghamsburg.org