Maplewood Nazarene Podcast

Holiness is a big scary church word. This week at Maplewood, we're focusing on what it means to lay down a foundation of faith. Join us as we bring some practicality to the concept of what it means to "be holy."

It's Memorial Day weekend and at Maplewood we are focusing on what it means to lay down a foundation of authentic faith. There's no better time of the year to focus on other-centered, selfless love as we honor those who have served and given their lives so that we might live in freedom. Join us as we dig into laying down a foundation of love.

What type of spiritual roots have you been laying down in your life? Is your faith deep? Or is it shallow? And why does it matter? Join us as Maplewood begins a new series of teachings on what it means to build our faith on a strong foundation.

Mary, the mother of Jesus, knew her son better than anyone else. Her interactions with Jesus in John 2 inform us of their relationship with each other and our own relationship with God and the people around us.

Do we really live like we are following Jesus? Or are we settling for something else? This week, Pastor Joe addresses the question "what does living in Christ really look like?" Join us as we explore what it looks like and what it doesn't look like.

Easter is all about the best investment strategy we can every pursue. Join us this week as Maplewood celebrates the empty tomb and focuses on how pursing a life of sin is like building a house of cards.

There is a lot more happening in the story of Palm Sunday. Join us as we explore how this episode of Jesus' journey to purchase our salvation has a profound impact on our own journey to become better versions of ourselves.

This week, Pastor Joe shares some lessons he's personally learned about having an effective prayer life through the lens of the story of Jacob. Join us for some lessons in prayer...

This week at Maplewood, we're taking a look at simple steps we need to be taking to feed our faith and nourish our souls. Join us as Pastor Joe explores what Isaiah 55 has to say about nourishing our souls.

This week at Maplewood, we're continuing to study what it means to become a better version of ourselves. Join us as Pastor Joe unpacks what it really means to "drink from his cup" and what that means for our lives.

Maplewood is continuing to focus on what it takes to become a better version of ourselves in 2025. When we look around, and when we're honest, our country, our community and our church are not the best version they can be. And we're learning that change doesn't start out there. It starts in me. Click to listen for more.

This week at Maplewood, we're continuing to explore what it takes to become a better version of ourselves in 2025. Part of that includes doing our part and allowing God to do God's part. This week, Pastor Joe explores 2 Corinthians 3 and the veiled face of Moses to illustrate what a spiritual system upgrade looks like....

What does it take to become the best version of ourselves? This week at Maplewood, we explore the challenging lesson that Jesus shared with a rich, young man looking who was asking all the right questions. But this young man didn't realize that Jesus was playing by a totally different set of rules.

How might you become a better version of yourself?  How might you become the best version of yourself? That's our focus at Maplewood as we move through the winter months and toward spring. This week, Pastor Joe focuses on how worry prevents us from becoming the best version of ourselves, and what we can do to overcome and level up!

This week at Maplewood, we are wrapping our series on how to solve the "Thinking Problems" we encounter in our journey to follow Jesus. Pastor Joe underscores this morning that winning the battle for our minds is a simple as putting on a fresh set of clothes every morning.

This week at Maplewood, we are continuing to focus on the battle for our minds and the cure for our think problems!  On this "Presentation of Christ" Sunday, in the season of Epiphany, we're focusing on the story of the day Mary and Joseph named Jesus and took Him to the temple. 

This week at Maplewood, we are focusing on practical steps we can take to begin winning the battle for our minds. Join us as Pastor Joe lays out a strategy any of us can use to have a better thought life and become a better version of ourselves.

Maplewood is starting the new year by confronting the battle for our minds. This week, Pastor Joe focuses on how a very familiar Proverb can help us confront the little lies we tell ourselves, so that we may break new ground in our relationship with Christ.

Fixing our thinking problem is easier said than done. This week at Maplewood, Pastor Joe explores what it takes for us to begin overcoming the influence of culture so Christ an be the dominating influence in our lives.

At Maplewood, we're kicking off the year by confronting a major obstacle to spiritual formation - our thought lives. Join us as we pull back the curtain and evaluate how our modern culture is competing with Christ for each of our minds. What can we do it about? Is there any hope? Listen to this week's message and find out how we can begin to address our thinking problems.

This week we dig into the true meaning of the word "Christmas!" We hope you will take a listen and rejoice with us in the nativity of Jesus, not just in Bethlehem, but in our hearts!

This week, Maplewood is continuing to focus on the words of Christmas. Immanuel means "God with us." Join us as we discover that  Immanuel isn't just a nice Christmas card sentiment or Christmas carol lyric. It's an opportunity for God to work in and through Jesus followers every day.

This Christmas season, Maplewood is exploring the meaning behind the words of Christmas that we say, yet take for granted. This week, Pastor Joe digs into the meaning behind the word "noel" and, in doing so, reveals how we can find the strength to persevere when the going gets rough.

This month at Maplewood we're preparing for the Christmas holiday and the celebration of the birth of Christ! Our theme this year is to focus on the "words" of Christmas. And this week, Pastor Joe reflects on the word "Advent".  Join us as we reflect on the words of Isaiah 9:2...

This Sunday marked the final Sunday of the church calendar year. It's called "Christ the King" Sunday in some circles and "the Reign of Christ" Sunday in others. We mark this day with a celebration of Thanksgiving for what God is doing in our lives. We hope you enjoy the testimonies of real people whose lives are being changed by the movement of God here in Springfield, Ohio at Maplewood.

This week at Maplewood, we're continuing to explore the importance of developing self-control in our lives. Join us as Pastor Joe uncovers the lies our culture teaches us about achieving happiness and provides a path to true happiness and healthier self-esteem...

Most of us struggle with breaking bad habits. But often we put the cart before the horse. This week and next at Maplewood, we're focused on what can REALLY help us break the cycle of bad habits and realizing our full potential. 

This week at Maplewood, we're wrapping up our series on becoming people of grace. This week, we are focused on the reality that an authentic experience with the grace of Jesus will compel us to go and share it with others.

This week at Maplewood, we're continuing to explore what it means to become people of grace.  Followers of Jesus are called to grow in grace. This week, we take a look at what that looks like and how God wants to grow us in grace.

As followers of Jesus, we have the privilege of speaking the Kingdom of Heaven directly into our circle of influence everyday. Join us this as we're learning what it means to become people of grace. This week, Pastor Joe is teaching out of Ephesians 5:17-20....

We're continuing to explore what it means to be People of Grace at Maplewood this month. This week, Pastor Joe reflects on how gentleness is an incredible demonstration of grace and strength in action. Join us for this eye-opening message.

This week at Maplewood, we're continuing our focus on what it means to become people of grace. And we're focusing on the importance of the concept of forgiveness. What is forgiveness? Why is it a priority for Jesus? And what implications does the concept of forgiveness bring to  our lives if we hope to become people of grace? 

This week, Maplewood is beginning new series of sermons focused on Becoming People of Grace.  This week, we look at the foundation of God's grace based on the words of Christ in John 13.

This month at Maplewood, we are focused on Faith Promise, which is the way our church supports world missions. This week, Pastor Joe talks about how each of us are called to be part of the delivery system Jesus emulates in Matthew 4. Join us...

Maplewood continues its focus on missions in September. This week, we're focusing on a Christlike response to all the noise about Haitian immigrants in our home community of Springfield, Ohio

In September, Maplewood is focusing on Faith Promise which is the global Church of the Nazarene's method to fund global missions. This week, Pastor Joe is focusing on how our commitment to missions is linked all the way back to the words of Jesus in John 20.

Did you know that your health can be linked to your spiritual life (or lack thereof)? Your physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health are all linked to your relationship to Jesus. This week at Maplewood, we continue to explore what it means to LIVE WELL as we study the book of Proverbs.

This week at Maplewood, we are continuing our study of the book of Proverbs. And we're continuing to explore the importance of the words that spill out of our mouths every day. Join us as we continue to explore what it means to live mell as we follow Jesus

This week at Maplewood, we are continuing our study of the Book of Proverbs--which provides wisdom for people aspiring to follow Jesus. In this week's message, Pastor Joe begins a conversation about the words that pour from our mouths every day. Our words matter. They have the power to bring life--and death to those around us. Listen in for more on how we can wisely choose our words.

Maplewood is focused on the Old Testament book of Proverbs, which includes practical wisdom for people who are following Jesus. We all crave relationship, but many of us aren't good at relationships. Join us this week as we uncover wisdom that leads to "people skills"....

This week, Maplewood is beginning a new study in the book of Proverbs. This book of wisdom contains hundreds of pieces of advice. And over the next month or so, we're going to attempt to bring some order to the chaos and bring the wisdom of this book into the 21st century as we learn what it means to follow Jesus....

We all have a story that matters. This week at Maplewood, our Children's Pastor shares the tale about how God has made a difference in her story. Join us for this week's message to find out how your story matter, also...

The great theologian Dirty Harry once provided some profound insight regarding our walk with Jesus. This week, Pastor Joe wraps up Maplewood's focus on freedom exploring Galatians 5 and Romans 14. Join us as we discover that even freedom in Christ has limits and find out what that is all about.

For what purpose does Jesus free us from sin. This week at Maplewood, Pastor Joe focuses in on the original recipe for freedom and the reason for which Jesus sets us free.

This month at Maplewood we are focused on what it means to be "free in Christ!"  Last week, we learned freedom has a price. This week, Pastor Joe continues to focus on Galatians 5:1 to explain from what we can be freed from when we decide to follow Jesus.

As we prepare to celebrate our nation's birthday, Maplewood is going to be taking a deep look at the concept of freedom during the month of July. This week, Pastor Joe explores the implications of Galatians 5:1 and what it means to be free...

This week at Maplewood, Pastor Vicki brings a challenging but inspired word regarding spiritual truths that come from the very last book in the Old Testament--Malachi. Join us this week at Maplewood to find out why God does not our leftovers.

This week, Maplewood wraps up a series of sermons focused on helping us understand the importance of getting into the Word of God on a personal level. Join us as Pastor Joe offers some critical tips that will help you get more out of your Bible study.....

The Bible is a spiritual book and requires that we approach it differently than we do any other piece of literature. This week at Maplewood, we explore the ONE thing we need to start truly consuming the Word of God so it can change us from the inside out.

Learning to love the Word of God isn't just possible--it is doable for ordinary people. You don't need to be a scholar. You don't even really need to love to read. All you need to do is to start approaching the Bible with a different kind of mindset. 

This week at Maplewood, Pastor Joe continues to make the case for why people following Jesus should strive to personally study and learn the Bible. In a world turned upside down, the world is hungry for truth--and Bible is the only thing that can feed our hungry hearts.