Real Faith for Real Life

In the final part of our series on mission and vision, Pastor Bill sits down with Connections Director Julie Beezhold to talk about community outreach. In the previous episode, we talked about who our neighbors are. In this episode, we talk about how we might begin to reach the many, many people who need to know the love of Christ!

As we refreshed our church's mission and vision, it was critical that we learned about the intersection of our church's gifts and our community's needs. But who are our neighbors? To learn more about the people who live near us, we used a great tool called MissionInsite. It told us about who they are and ways we can reach them! Pastor Bill shares highlights from this study in this video.

This season, we are talking about the health of our church. In this episode, Pastor Bill and Pastor Eric take a deep dive into data about the strength and growth areas of our congregation. Our vision consultant surveyed the congregation, called together various focus groups, and brought together the congregation to help interpret the data. What we found provides a helpful path forward to even more strength and health!

As part of our Vision Refresh process, our consultant surveyed the congregation, called together various focus groups, and conducted a congregational meeting. We were very encouraged but the results, which depicted our church as thriving in almost every way! In this video, Pastor Bill walks us through an overview of the data and puts it in historical context by reviewing recent history since the last visioning effort. In the next video, we'll dive even deeper into the results of our work with the congregation.

In part two of our series about the mission and vision of our church, we examine our priorities for the future and the next steps we are planning. Pastor Bill sits down to talk with Larry Doornbos, the consultant we used throughout the process, to discuss how uniquely blessed our church is!

In the new season of Real Faith for Real Life, Pastor Bill will walk us through the newly refreshed mission and vision of Cascade Fellowship. We'll discover how the church discerned God's calling and how it is following the Lord's leading. We start with an overview of the first phase of the Vision Refresh process and its outcomes.

If you've taken the step of starting a spiritual conversation with someone this holiday season, what comes next? If possible, it is great to keep the conversation goin, as you continue to develop your relationship. We have some practical tips on how to do that in this final part of the series.

Sharing your faith can be scary, but what if it all starts with listening well and developing a genuine friendship? In this episode, we talk about how important listening is in the process of sharing the gospel with people this holiday season.

This season, we're demystifying the process of sharing Jesus during the holidays with friends and family. If you want to have good spiritual conversations, it may be helpful to take some time and map out your moment. Consider what days and times might provide the opportunity to strike up a conversation. In this episode, we'll help you consider when it would be most appropriate and when it may be less appropriate.

This season, we're giving you practical advice on how to share Jesus over the holidays. An important step is thinking about how you would start a spiritual conversation. In this episode, we talk about how questions can often be the best way to get going!

We all love giving and receiving meaningful gifts. This season, many of us want to give someone the gift of the gospel message, but we're not sure how to get started. In this five-episode mini-series, we'll demystify the process of starting spiritual conversations. Step one is to make a list of those you'd like to talk to and to begin to pray over the list.

In our season finale, we take on the most common questions you submitted -- How were people saved in the Old Testament? Pastor Bill interviews Old Testament Professor Wilson Cunha to answer this and related questions.

As we continue with our series that seeks to answer your hardest questions, Pastor Bill and Pastor Eric address a very difficult issue on this episode. How do we approach different views on abortion? They outline legal, medical, logical, and biblical reasons the pro-life point of view is reasonable. And they urge that Christians approach the issue with care and concern for all involved.

In this special episode, RaeAnne Porte shares her journey in finding freedom from eating disorders. She says she found freedom by trusting God rather than food or fitness. Only he can provide ultimate security, comfort, and meaning. Wherever you are in life, you can find the same freedom through faith!

In this very special edition of the podcast, Pastor Bill interviews our missionary to Israel. He shares a bit about his calling and his perspective on current events.

Why is it that Christians often strongly emphasize some verses while skimming over or skipping over others? Bill, Eric and JP have some ideas and practical examples in this week's episode. In addition, they engage with your feedback and see who is up on Gen Z slang!

How can God judge us if we all sin? How do we know if our relationship with him is good enough to go to heaven? How do we keep going after failing? Bill, JP, and Eric address these important questions on this week's podcast!

In this episode, Bill, Eric, and JP take on your follow-up questions about swearing and suicide, as well as a new question about saving and investing.

Religion and politics are two of the most divisive issues today. What happens when you bring them together? Find out on this episode, as Bill, Eric, and JP tackle your toughest questions!

When we feel God's presence, how do we hang on to that and carry it with us through our everyday lives? Why does God let sinful Christians teach the Gospel when he knows we will mess it up? Why does life seem good and happy without God? Bill, Eric, and JP tackle these tough questions on the show this week!

In this episode, we take on your toughest questions about God, the Bible, and the Christian faith. What does the Bible say about swear words? How do we use our words to honor God? How do we express our anger, concerns, and doubts, to people and to God, while remaining meek and gentle? What does the Bible say about mental health and suicide? Bill, Eric, and JP tackle this and more!

We kick off the fall season of our podcast by introducing you to one of our new hosts, JP Gaylord!

The Lord's Supper is the sacrament God uses to assure of that we share in Christ's benefits. It is a visible reminder that Jesus' body and blood were given for us. Just as food and drink strengthen our bodies, God is at work in the sacrament of the Lord's Supper to nourish our souls.

Baptism is the sacrament God uses to incorporate us into his covenant family. Just as water washes dirt away from our body, so Jesus blood washes away our soul's impurities. This is beautifully communicated in the waters of baptism.

God calls each of us to a life of gratitude, and a very important way we express our thanks to him is through prayer. For this reason, prayer is a vital part of our relationship with God. Jesus gave us a model prayer that can help us understand how God wants us to pray.

The Ten Commandments show us God's character and his will for all who follow him. God is not a cosmic killjoy. He created life and knows how it is best lived. Just like any Father, he wants the best for us and doesn't want us to hurt ourselves. When we show people this better way of living, we put him on display!

Good works have a role in the life of Christians. While we are not saved by good works, we are saved to do good works. Everyone who has been redeemed is also being restored into the image of Christ God calls us to a life-long process of turning away from sin and toward God's will. Doing this shows our gratitude to God for salvation, wins our neighbors over to Christ, and assures us of our faith by its fruits.

Who is God? The Bible affirms that there is only one God but also calls the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit God. We will explore the mystery of the Trinity in this podcast and talk about the unique role each member of the Trinity plays in our salvation.2:45 - Review7:06 - Trinity13:08 - God the Father22:37 - God the Son46:24 - God the Spirit51:51 - Discussion

Jesus won a great victory over sin and death. How can we benefit from his victory? The Bible is clear that the only way to receive these benefits is by being grafted into Christ through faith. In this week's message we'll talk about what faith is and is not.

At the heart of the Gospel is a great exchange. By sacrificing himself in our place and paying sin's penalty on our behalf, Jesus solves the problem of sin in our lives. Through the cross, God remains just while also justifying those who had sinned.

Many people today would say that sin is no big deal. They presume that a loving God will just look the other way. However, the Bible is clear that God is perfectly holy and that our rebellion has separated us from him. Because he is our source of life, we face death, and we can't do anything to make our situation better.

As humans, we face many problems in life. The Bible is clear that our greatest problem is that sin has separated us from God. In fact, we don't start life as a blank slate, but we are born with an inclination toward sin that affects every part of us. Unless we are able to correctly diagnose our problem, we'll need seek the right cure.

We all need strength to get through the ups and downs up life. The Heidelberg Catechism says that strength can only come from knowing that we belong to Jesus in life and in death. The first two questions and answers give us a preview of the rest of the Catechism's structure -- sin, salvation, and service.

Why do some churches use creeds and confessions? Isn't the Bible enough?In this series, Pastor Bill will teach us how to use the Heidelberg Catechism as a tool to help us understand the Bible better. In part 1, the shares how creeds and confessions can help us read the Bible better, know God better, and love him more deeply.

As we wrap up our study of the book of Hebrews, we get practical by talking about how to put your faith in action. Plus, Pastor Bill and Pastor Eric look at what's in the news and connect real faith with real life!

What is faith? What difference does it make in life? We turn to the book of Hebrews for answers as we continue our study. Plus, Pastor Bill and Pastor Eric talk about what it would be like to live in Disney World and get your food delivered by drone!

What is the deal with the Old Testament? What still applies? How does it relate to the New Testament? How were people saved back then? The book of Hebrews offers us great answers to all these questions! Pastor Bill and Pastor Eric continue our series by looking at how Jesus fulfills all that was foreshadowed in the Old Testament tabernacle and sacrifices.

How can you get access to God? That's the question that Pastor Bill and Pastor Eric address in this week's Bible study, as we continue our journey through the book of Hebrews. A lot of religions offer a lot of different answers to this week's question. Some even say there are many ways to God. But we present that Jesus is the only way to gain access to God the Father.

People today are looking for peace, safety, and security. The Bible calls this "rest." In the Old Testament, we read that God offered people rest, but they didn't trust him and lost their opportunity to enjoy rest. The same offer stands for us today! In this episode, Pastors Bill and Eric look to Hebrews 3-4 to learn about this topic. Along the way, they note what the author of Hebrews says about the Scriptures and how he models the right way to interpret it.

What role do angels play in God's plan? How do they relate to Jesus? Pastor Bill and Pastor Eric tackle these questions and more as we continue our series through the book of Hebrews.

People are walking away from the church and from faith. Many are wondering if it's worth it to follow Jesus today. In this podcast series, Pastor Bill and Pastor Eric are looking at the experiences of Christians who decided that Jesus is absolutely unique and that there is no alternative to him. They kept the faith! In part 1, we look at why Jesus is the best way to know who God really is.

In this special summer bonus episode, Pastor Eric sits down with Kids Ministry Lead Paige Rohen to talk about how we pass on our faith to the next generation!

In this special summer bonus episode, Pastor Bill sits down with Family Ministries Pastor Eric VanderWall and Student Ministry Lead Eric Rosendahl to talk about how the church can equip young people to face the unique challenges in today's world.

Is it best to rigidly hang on to traditions from the past? Or is it best to look ahead to the future with flexibility and adaptability? Could it be that balance is best? In this episode, we look at the example of the apostle Paul, and we learn that we should hold on tightly to the things that never change and hold loosely to the things that always change. But how do you know which is which? Pastor Bill and Pastor Eric tackle those questions and more in this week's podcast!

They say not to talk about politics or religion at the dinner table. Well, it's not dinner time, so we're going to talk about both on this week's podcast! Specifically, we're going to ask how Christians can simultaneously be a citizen of heaven and a citizen of our country. We think the Bible has wisdom that can guide us even through the most tumultuous times, and we think you'll agree!

The Bible tells us to be humble, but it also calls us to be confident. These two character traits seem to be opposites, so how are we to find balance? Pastor Bill and Pastor Eric tackle that on today's episode, and they look at what's in the news.

The Bible calls us to be content. And the Bible calls us to be ambitious. How can those two things both possibly be true at the same time? Pastor Bill and Pastor Eric dive deep into the Scriptures and find that the key to achieving balance is defining both correctly. Plus, we talk about what's in the news and how it intersects with faith.

In a world that seems more divided than ever, we all want to know how to come together. The Bible offers us a balance that may help. In Ephesians 4, the apostle Paul speaks about truth and love. While some people may be all truth, and some people may be all love, Paul says it is important to achieve balance. Pastor Bill and Pastor Eric talk about how to do this in church, in our marriages, and even in the business world.

If you ask six people who God is like, you'll probably get six different answers. Every religion also has an answer, including Christianity. In today's episode, Pastors Bill and Eric talk about how we know who God is. Specifically, they say we need to find a balance that affirms he is both majestic and merciful. They look at several scriptures that hold these aspects of God together.

In John 6, Jesus talks compares himself to bread, which can be difficult to understand. But it gets even trickier when he says that unless we must eat his flesh and drink his blood, we will not have life. Pastor Bill explains that Jesus was clarifying his purpose and his mission -- to offer himself as a sacrifice in our place. On this week's podcast, dive deep into this passage and talk about fun things from the news!

In Matthew 5, Jesus says if you eye causes you to sin, gouge it out, and if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. This can be hard to understand. Pastor Bill explains that Jesus was trying to help his followers understand the width and depth of sin so that they would seek a Savior. On this week's podcast, we go beneath the surface to find three great applications everyone can take from this difficult passage.