Podcasts about Faith in Action

Are you truly waiting on God — or are you avoiding obedience because it feels uncomfortable? If you've been wondering how to know God's will, how to hear God's voice clearly, or whether you're delaying because of fear, this message is for you. James 2:17 says, "Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." In this episode of Chosen By Jesus with Kelley and Taylor Tyan — ranked in the Top 1% of Christian podcasts worldwide and reaching 21 countries — we unpack what waiting on God really means and how faith in action requires obedience before comfort. By God's grace, this community has grown to: • 109,000+ views • 940+ hours watched • Viewers in 21 countries • 57,000+ views in the United States In uncertain times — from personal hardship to global conflict — many believers struggle with trusting God in uncertain times and stepping out in faith. But biblical faith has never required perfect conditions. It requires movement. This Bible-based teaching covers: • Waiting on God vs. avoiding obedience • Faith without works explained (James 2:17) • How to step out in faith when you feel afraid • Overcoming fear biblically • Christian obedience in real life • Hearing God's voice and responding with courage   Sometimes fear disguises itself as spiritual wisdom. Sometimes delay looks like discernment.   But obedient waiting produces peace. Avoidant waiting produces excuses. ⸻ Reflection: • Has God already spoken? • Am I asking for clarity when I really want certainty? • If fear wasn't involved, what would I do next?   You don't need another confirmation. You need courage. ⸻ Scriptures: James 2:17 Ecclesiastes 11:4 ⸻ Prayer: Lord, give us discernment to know when You are asking us to wait — and courage when You are asking us to move. Where we've delayed obedience, strengthen us. Teach us faith in action and help us choose obedience over comfort. In Jesus' name, Amen. ⸻ Comment below: Has God already told you what to do? ⸻ CALL TO ACTION Subscribe for weekly faith-filled conversations Like this video if it encouraged you Share with someone who's waiting but still believing Comment below—we pray over every request ⸻ABOUT CHOSEN BY JESUS Chosen By Jesus is a Top 1.5% Christian podcast worldwide, streamed in 16+ countries, with 725+ hours of YouTube watch time and a growing global community seeking biblical wisdom, peace, and encouragement. ⸻ One Year. 12 In-Person Gatherings. Endless Encouragement. Step into a sisterhood of women who pray together, grow together, and rise together.   What You'll Experience: • A safe place to grow in faith, be encouraged, and empowered • Accountability & support to stay strong all year long • Prayer, worship & fellowship that soothe your soul   Monthly Meet-Ups: 3rd Wednesday of every month at 6:30 PM The Wellness Way – Shrewsbury, MA Come as you are — leave inspired and equipped to live boldly for Jesus. Only $200 for the entire year (that's just $16/month for faith, growth & sisterhood!) Join the Chosen By Jesus Community today: https://kelleytyan.com/cbjcommunity ⸻ Want to go deeper? We coach women who are ready to rise in faith, walk in identity, and stand strong no matter the season. DM us on Instagram or visit www.chosenbyjesus.com ⸻

Welcome back to another episode of the unSeminary podcast. Today we're joined by Lou Pizzichillo, Lead Pastor of Community Church on Long Island. Community Church launched in January 2020—just ten weeks before the world shut down—then relaunched after 52 weeks online. Now averaging around 1,200 people across Thursday and Sunday services, Community is known as “a church for people who don't go to church.” In a region where skepticism toward organized religion runs deep, Lou and his team are building trust by creating space for honest questions, lived-out faith, and tangible community impact. Is your church serving in a skeptical environment? Are you trying to reach people who already think they know—and don't like—what church is about? Lou shares practical wisdom on posture, transparency, and earning trust one decision at a time. Starting where people really are. // On Long Island, while some residents may identify culturally with faith traditions, most see church as judgmental, hypocritical, or irrelevant to everyday life. Lou quickly realized that the biggest obstacle wasn't apathy—it was reputation. Rather than fighting skepticism, Community Church chose to acknowledge it. The church repeatedly communicates three cultural values: You can belong before you believe. You have permission to be in progress. And there's no pretending. These aren't slogans—they shape how the church operates. Permission to be in progress. // One of the most resonant phrases at Community is “permission to be in progress.” Many people assume that following Jesus requires instant agreement with every doctrine and behavior expectation. Instead, Community encourages people to wrestle honestly with the claims of Christ first. Secondary issues and sanctification come later. This posture doesn't mean watering down truth—it means sequencing it wisely. By focusing on who Jesus says he is, rather than debating every peripheral topic, the church keeps the main thing central. No pretending—and real transparency. // Transparency builds credibility in skeptical contexts. Stories of real life—parenting mistakes, marriage tensions, leadership missteps—often resonate more than polished success stories. At the same time, Lou draws a boundary between “scars and wounds.” He shares what he has processed, not what he is still unraveling. This authenticity signals that faith isn't about perfection but transformation. For many in the congregation, seeing a pastor admit imperfection dismantles years of distrust toward church leaders. Becoming an asset to the community. // Community Church doesn't just talk about loving Babylon—it demonstrates it. Early on, Lou realized trust would not come through marketing but through partnership. Before launch, the church created “12 Days of Christmas,” giving away gifts purchased from local businesses. In year one, stores hesitated to participate; by year seven, businesses were reaching out to collaborate. What began as skepticism has shifted to partnership because trust was earned gradually. Serving instead of competing. // A defining moment came during the annual Argyle Fair, a 30,000-person event held across the street from the church—on a Sunday. Rather than fight the inconvenience, Community canceled services and mobilized volunteers to serve the fair, providing parking and manpower. When the event was rescheduled due to rain, the church canceled services a second week to honor its commitment. Lou describes this as a defining cultural moment: demonstrating that service isn't convenient—it's convictional. Earning trust through inconvenience. // Lou recounts being called to the mayor's office days after launch to address parking concerns. Instead of pushing back, the church chose to rent additional parking space—even when legally unnecessary—to honor neighbors' concerns. In another instance, Community canceled a planned Christmas light show after Village neighbors expressed concern about traffic. Though disappointing internally, the decision earned significant community goodwill. Lou believes canceling the event built more trust than hosting it would have. Posture over persecution. // Lou cautions leaders against defaulting to a persecution narrative when facing resistance. Most pushback, he says, comes from practical concerns—not hostility toward Jesus. By listening humbly and responding thoughtfully, churches can win trust among the large percentage of community members who are neither strongly for nor against them. To learn more about Community Church, visit communitychurch.net or follow @communitychurch.li on social media. Thank You for Tuning In! There are a lot of podcasts you could be tuning into today, but you chose unSeminary, and I'm grateful for that. If you enjoyed today's show, please share it by using the social media buttons you see at the left hand side of this page. Also, kindly consider taking the 60-seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes, they're extremely helpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and you can bet that I read every single one of them personally! Thank You to This Episode’s Sponsor: TouchPoint As your church reaches more people, one of the biggest challenges is making sure no one slips through the cracks along the way.TouchPoint Church Management Software is an all-in-one ecosystem built for churches that want to elevate discipleship by providing clear data, strong engagement tools, and dependable workflows that scale as you grow. TouchPoint is trusted by some of the fastest-growing and largest churches in the country because it helps teams stay aligned, understand who they're reaching, and make confident ministry decisions week after week. If you've been wondering whether your current system can carry your next season of growth, it may be time to explore what TouchPoint can do for you. You can evaluate TouchPoint during a free, no-pressure one-hour demo at TouchPointSoftware.com/demo. Episode Transcript Rich Birch — Hey friends, thanks so much for listening in, tuning in into today’s episode. I’m really looking forward to today’s conversation. We’re talking with a leader leading a prevailing church in frankly a part of the country that is not known for tons of prevailing churches. And so it’s an opportunity for all of us to lean in and to learn.Rich Birch — Super excited to have Lou Pizzichillo with us from Community Church. They’re in Babylon, New York on Long Island. They’re known as a church for people who don’t go to church. They’re big on being real, bringing real questions, struggles, hangups, doubts, disappointments, and failures. Lou, welcome to the show. So glad you’re here today.Lou Pizzichillo — Thanks so much. Yeah, it’s a privilege to be here.Rich Birch — Yeah, it’s an honor that you would take some time to be with us today. Why don’t you kind of tell us a bit of the Community story, kind of give us a flavor of the church, help us kind of imagine if we were to arrive this weekend, what what would we experience?Lou Pizzichillo — Yeah. So we have an interesting history. We launched in January of 2020. And so we were open for 10 weeks.Rich Birch — Great time.Lou Pizzichillo — I know it was perfect. And then we closed down for 52 weeks, and we relaunched. But because of that, what’s been really cool is, you know, when you’re launching a church, the launch team is a big deal. And to launch twice, we’ve had really like two two launch teams. And so team culture has always been a real big part of our church.Lou Pizzichillo — But yeah, we like to say that we’re a church for people who don’t go to church. and So we try to keep things pretty casual. We try not to assume that there’s any interest or experience with the people who are showing up on a Sunday. And yeah.Rich Birch — Nice. Give us a sense of, so like size and like your, you know, the ministry style, that sort of thing. Like what would you help us kind of place what the, what the church is like if I was to arrive, arrive on a weekend?Lou Pizzichillo — Yeah, we’re a pretty contemporary attractional church. We’ve got services on Thursday night and on Sunday morning. So we say the weekend starts on Thursday. Rich Birch — Love it. Lou Pizzichillo — We call Thursday night thurch, which is… Rich Birch — Oh, that’s funny. Thurch. Lou Pizzichillo — Yeah, it was a joke at first, but then it kind of like, I don’t know, just kind of gained a life of its own.Rich Birch — Yes.Lou Pizzichillo — So yeah, so the church over the course of the weekend, right now we’re at about 1,200. And it’s exciting. There are a lot of new people. And things are constantly change changing. Change is that really the only constant for us.Rich Birch — Yeah. Yeah, that’s so good. Well, you’re on Long Island, and I can say as somebody who I ministered for years in New Jersey, I’m from Canada, I I get that people don’t wake up on Long Island on Sunday morning and think, hey, I should go to church today. Lou Pizzichillo — Yeah, yeah.Rich Birch — You’re serving a community that is is more unchurched than other parts of the country, which is a challenge for planting. So help us understand, you know, help us just kind of get into the mindset or the um perspective of people who are outside of the church. What do they view on, you know, Christianity? Tell us, give us a sense of of kind of what you’ve learned, you know, planting in that kind of context.Lou Pizzichillo — Yeah. So one thing that was really helpful right off the bat was somebody mentioned to me, they were like, you know, I’m not a gym person. And so when a new gym opens up in town, I don’t even really notice it.Rich Birch — Right.Lou Pizzichillo — And they’re like, I think it’s the same thing for church people.Rich Birch — Right. Lou Pizzichillo — It’s like, if you’re not a church person, then you don’t really notice when churches are doing things. And so that’s like, really, it’s a big reason why we’re so vocal about saying it we’re a church for people who don’t go to church, you know?Rich Birch — Right.Lou Pizzichillo — Um, and yeah, from there, honestly, we found that the biggest obstacle with people here is the existing reputation of church, of what church is like and what church people are like.Rich Birch — Yes.Lou Pizzichillo — This church is seen as very judgmental, hypocritical, fake, exclusive, impractical, you know, it’s something you just do to kind of check the boxes and then you go on with your life. I’ve spoken to even a lot of, um, like devout Catholics here who have, have said like, they don’t, they do their church thing because, because it’s what they think that they’re supposed to do, but they’re, what they are doing in church does not translate to everyday life.Lou Pizzichillo — And so church is seen as kind of an impractical thing. And, that’s kind of the starting point for a lot of people who we’re trying to connect with.Rich Birch — Yeah, I’ve heard it said in other contexts, it’s like, not that people don’t know the church. It’s like, it’s what they know that they don’t like.Lou Pizzichillo — Yeah, yeah.Rich Birch — It’s like, they have a sense of, you know, that that reputation. Are there any, maybe even stories or engagement you know conversations or engagements you’ve had with folks that have kind of brought that reputation to the fore. That obviously has led you to say, hey, we’re going position ourselves as a church where people don’t go into churches. Was there something that kind of influenced that as you were having, you know, even in these early years as you’ve been kind of get the ball rolling?Lou Pizzichillo — A big part of it honestly is a lot of my extended family. Like they’re, most of them are not church people. You know, they have a lot of respect for God. Like most people on Long Island, uh, especially, you know, most kind of nominal Catholics, like they would say they’re Italian or Irish. They say, oh, of course, Jesus is my savior. You know, like they, they know the right things to say, but in terms of what it actually means on a regular basis, it’s like kind of a totally different thing. So, so yeah, I mean, that’s kind of, kind of where we’re starting.Rich Birch — Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. So, you know, people have criticisms about the church and they have criticisms of of their experience with the church. How do you discern between criticisms that maybe you either need to be challenged, like, hey, that’s actually just not true, or like, oh, that’s a critique that is actually fair, and we’re going to try to steer in a different direction, ah you know, than that. Help us think about those, you know, when we think about skepticism towards the church.Lou Pizzichillo — Yeah, I think, honestly, the best thing for us has just been to have a posture of listening.Rich Birch — That’s good.Lou Pizzichillo — Because even even if their claims aren’t valid, a lot of their experiences are. And so, you know, they’re like, there’s somebody who’s been going to the church for a while now, and somebody that was very close to them has like a pretty intense story of church hurt, like real damage. And so to know that he’s walking in with all of this baggage and that there are a lot of other people walking in with that baggage that don’t let you know that they have that baggage… Rich Birch — Right. Lou Pizzichillo — …just kind of giving them the space to, to be hurt and for it to be real. That’s been huge for us just having that kind of posture of humility. Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s good. So that obviously has led to the way you’ve developed either the way you talk about ministry or the values that are underlining, you know, the ministry.Rich Birch — What has been important for helping communicate or articulate to people like, hey, this is a place that you can show up, you know, before you, you know, you’ve kind of bought it all. It’s like, Hey, you there’s a place to explore that sort of thing. Help us think through how do you communicate and then how do those, whether they’re phrases or yeah that sort of thing, how does that translate then into the values of how you actually operate?Lou Pizzichillo — Yeah. So big thing is for us, it’s training the team, like getting those values into the team and helping them to understand what that looks like in a concrete way. So we say, like a lot of churches say, you can belong before you believe. And the the illustration I give almost every single time, I’m like, if somebody walks in with a church, with a shirt that says, I hate God, we are glad that person is here, right? Rich Birch — Right.Lou Pizzichillo — Like we’re not assuming that they are walking in with interest or experience. And they might have a story that’s a lot more complicated than we know. So um so yes, we try to celebrate that.Lou Pizzichillo — When somebody walks in and they’re very open about their beliefs and their views not lining up with us, that’s something that we celebrate, right? Like because these are the people that we want here.Lou Pizzichillo — The other value that’s been really helpful for us is to say that people have permission to be in progress. And that has to do with their actions, the choices that they make, but also the things that they believe. And so you can be on board with some of our beliefs and not be on board with all of our beliefs. And we’re okay with that, right?Lou Pizzichillo — Like rather than just saying, okay, I accept all of it at one time. And now I completely agree that everything in the Bible is true. And, you know, I endorse it. Like we just kind of give people space to say, okay, like let’s maybe let’s start with the claims of Jesus, like right to this guy really rise from the dead. And now let’s look at what he says about things like the Old Testament, you know?Lou Pizzichillo — And so that’s that’s been a huge thing. We go back to that over and over and over again. It started as kind of like a main point in a sermon where I was like, you’ve got permission to be in progress. And so many people repeated it back to me that I was like, okay, this needs to be woven into our culture because it needs to be articulated…Rich Birch — Right.Lou Pizzichillo — …or people just assume, okay, if I’m going to say I believe, I got to say I believe it all. And there’s no room for disagreement.Lou Pizzichillo — And then from there, we say like, you got you can belong before you believe, you got permission to be in progress. And if both of those things are actually true for us as a church, then we can also say like our third value is no pretending.Lou Pizzichillo — Like you don’t have to pretend to be on board with certain things if you’re not there yet. And I think if we create an environment where people can be real and dialogue and be open about the things that they’re, you know, that they disagree with, I think that’s where there’s real hope for ultimately ending in a place of alignment.Rich Birch — Yeah, permission to be in progress to me feels very like a very Jesus value It feels like, oh, that to me, that’s like when I read the New Testament, that feels like the way he oriented himself to the people around him, right? There were clearly people that were like the rich young ruler came to him and was like, you know, asked a pointed question. Jesus gave a clear answer, and he didn’t, you know, Jesus didn’t, even though he said harsh words to or clear words, I would say, all was it always done in an environment of trying to say, hey, we I want you to be a part of this conversation. I’m really trying to be on the same side of the table. How do I bring you along?Rich Birch — Can you, like, let’s double click on permission to be in progress. Talk us through what that looks like. Because I think, I think so many churches draw very strong lines on like, you got to believe these 15 things to be a part here. Even if we wouldn’t explicitly set that say that, it’s like implicit in our cultures.Rich Birch — How does your culture look different when you say, hey, you’ve got permission to be in progress? What would be some of the things that might stand out to us as like, that’s a little bit different than how maybe some other churches handle this?Lou Pizzichillo — Yeah. So we have like we have values, but then we also just have sayings, right? Like it it is too hard for me to define what the most important values are. Like I get too obsessed with the wording and how we’re going to phrase things. And so in our our conference room, we have a big whiteboard and we write down little sayings. We actually write them in permanent marker on the whiteboard, which is wasteful, but at least we have something to reference.Lou Pizzichillo — So when somebody says something and we’re like, hey, that’s a culture thing, it gets written on the board. One of the things that came up that’s really helped us with this idea of permission to be in progress is that the goal is to get people to Jesus and everything else is secondary. Everything else comes after that.Rich Birch — That's good. Yep, that’s good.Lou Pizzichillo — And so I’m not going to like get into it with someone over a secondary issue or really something that’s an issue of sanctification, when we believe sanctification is the work of the Holy Spirit, right? Maybe your view on that will change after you understand who Jesus is and begin to follow him.Lou Pizzichillo — And so in a lot of ways, I feel like when we when we get too into the issues, we’re putting the cart before the horse, right? Rich Birch — Yes.Lou Pizzichillo — And so we’re trying to bring people to Jesus and show him show them what he’s like. And ah that that has been clarifying when it comes to permission to be in progress.Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s so good. And I think in heavily church context, when we kind of assume, oh, basically everyone here has some level of faith, those secondary issues can become like a really big deal. It’s like we spend a lot of time talking about those things.Rich Birch — But when the majority of people we’re interacting with you know, they haven’t, they haven’t really, really wrestled with what they think about Jesus and the difference he can make in this life. And we got to keep that, that really clear. Rich Birch — So no pretending is an interesting value as a communicator. How do you live that out in the way you show transparency? There’s this interesting thing years ago, I had one of the ah preacher that I love or communicator. I just think the world of, you know, he talked about how there’s this tension when we’re, communicating that, you know, we’re we’re trying to be transparent, but up into a point and how, where is that point? And how do we do that in a way that’s not, that brings people along? So ah what what does that look like for you even as a as ah as a leader to say, hey, it’s not my job to pretend. I’m going to just be honest and transparent, authentic to where we are? Lou Pizzichillo — Yeah. Well, I mean, I can definitely say that every time I tell a story that has me screwing up, it is it is the thing that people come to tell me about. Rich Birch — Yes.Lou Pizzichillo — Like, oh, thank you so much for telling me about you know the way you spoke to your kids… Rich Birch — Yes. Lou Pizzichillo — …or the thing that you said to your wife. Or it is just by far the thing that people love to hear. And that’s been encouraging. Now, I have had people like throw it back at me and that that comes with the territory. But I think that the stories of how that’s been helpful for people um like dramatically outweigh the people that are going to you know weaponize that stuff against you.Lou Pizzichillo — Something else I heard, um I think Brene Brown said this in one of her books. She said she doesn’t share things she hasn’t processed through yet.Rich Birch — Right.Lou Pizzichillo — And that for me is a really helpful thing. Like If I’m in the middle of something and just in the thick of it, it’s not the time for me to like bring that to the congregation. I think that could be really unhealthy for a lot of reasons.Lou Pizzichillo — So that’s, that’s kind of something that, and it doesn’t mean I can’t share something that just happened. You know sometimes I’ll explain an issue that just happened with my kids. That’s different than something I’m still processing and haven’t resolved yet.Rich Birch — Right. I think she said it’s the difference between scars and wounds, right? You can talk about your scars. That’s like, that’s an area that has, has had some level of healing to it versus an open wound, right? Like this is a part that’s, that’s still gaping.Lou Pizzichillo — Yeah.Rich Birch — And, uh, you know, we don’t necessarily want to to share that. And that, you know, uh, that is a change. So I’m, you know, I’m of a certain age, been in this game a long time. And I remember when we first started, when I first started, that generation that came before me, people wanted like the superhuman religious leader. They wanted the like pastor to be, to have their stuff a hundred percent sewed up. Like, don’t tell me that you’re a real human. They didn’t want that.Lou Pizzichillo — Yeah.Rich Birch — You know, and that has completely reversed.Rich Birch — People are like, no no, like you said, we, we need to be transparent, open, authentic. People know that we’re not perfect. Lou Pizzichillo — Yeah. Rich Birch — They know that we don’t have it all together. Lou Pizzichillo — Right.Rich Birch — And when we try to hide that, when we try to, in your language, pretend that actually is repulsive, it pushes them away. Lou Pizzichillo — Yeah.Rich Birch — One of the things that stood out to me just by reputation, kind of seeing your church is it appears that you guys have a conviction around getting out and serving the community, actually making a difference in the community. You know, it strikes me as very ah a very James-approach, faith in action – it’s it should make a difference in our community. What how do talk to me about what that looks like for Community. How does that, even your name, Community, you know, Church, reflects that. Talk talk to talk to me about what that looks like.Lou Pizzichillo — Yeah, so we’re pretty clear. Like we we tell people we want to be an asset to the community. We want people to be glad we’re here, whether they attend our church or not. And so that started really early. Actually, before we launched, we did this thing called the 12 Days of Christmas where, so our church is in a village, right? So there are a lot of local businesses around us. What we did is during the 12 days leading up to Christmas, we went to shops and we gave away gifts from those shops. There was a different shop every day for the 12 days leading up to Christmas. So we planned this out ahead of time. But we would post on social media and be like, Hey, today the, you know, the shop is Bunger surf shop. The first 25 people there are going to get beanies from Bunger surf shop.Lou Pizzichillo — And we paid for them. We sent the, Bunger agreed to hand them out. And people went to go get them. And what was, so it was a win, win, win, really. Like the people who participated got free beanies, the surf shop are like all the different shops in the village. They got people to go, they got traffic to their business, right?Rich Birch — Yeah, yeah.Lou Pizzichillo — Because people went in then bought other stuff. And it helped us communicate that we we say we want something for you, not from you, right? We want to be an asset to the community. And so it helped us communicate that message. And the response to that has been great.Lou Pizzichillo — Now, what’s interesting, if this doesn’t tell you something about the church’s reputation, on year one, before we launched, it was very hard to get 12 shops to agree to do this with us. Like they were like, you’re a church? I’m sorry. No, we’re not doing it.Rich Birch — Forget it. Yeah.Lou Pizzichillo — Now it’s year seven. Right now we’re in the middle of our our seventh year and there are shops lining up to do it. There are shops reaching out to us, asking us to collaborate.Rich Birch — Wow.Lou Pizzichillo — They’re helping to pay for the stuff. So it’s actually in some ways getting a little bit cheaper.Rich Birch — Huh.Lou Pizzichillo — And it’s just cool. It’s shown like this posture of partnership with what’s going on… Rich Birch — Yes. Lou Pizzichillo — …rather than, okay, there are the shops and then there’s the church. Rich Birch — Yes.Lou Pizzichillo — And yeah, we actually have a someone on staff now who first heard about the church on year one during the 12 days of Christmas. She started coming to the church. she eventually got baptized and now she’s on staff. And it’s just like, it has been so, so cool.Rich Birch — Yeah, I love that. That’s what a cool, you know, even just a cool tactic, kind of an expression of that. Is there other ways, other kind of activities like that, that you’re engaged with throughout the year that would could illustrate this idea of being for the community, being an asset to the community? What would be another example of that that that’s happened?Lou Pizzichillo — Yeah. So there is this fair that happens right across the street from the church. It’s called the Argyle Fair. It’s it’s around a lake. There are about 30,000 people that come to this fair. And the fair is on a Sunday during church.Lou Pizzichillo — The first year that we were here and had services during that Sunday, it was a mess. There were people you know like parking all over the place. It was hard to have services. Traffic was crazy. And we left church and my wife and I walked to the fair and just felt like something didn’t feel right. Like there’s some, here’s something everybody’s doing and we’re fighting against it.Rich Birch — Right.Lou Pizzichillo — So we went to the people who ran the fair and we were like, is there any way we can help? Like, is there, what do you guys need? And right away she was like, we need volunteers and we need parking. And as a church, we are uniquely equipped with volunteers and parking. Rich Birch — Yes.Lou Pizzichillo —And so really it was there, like that almost right away, we were like, okay, next year, ah we’re going to be on board with what you’re doing.Rich Birch — Wow. Wow.Lou Pizzichillo — And so we decided to cancel services. And in the weeks leading up to that, we teach about the importance of serving the community. It’s kind of like the grand finale to whatever, you know…Rich Birch — Yes.Lou Pizzichillo — …outreach series or message is being given.Rich Birch — Yeah.Lou Pizzichillo — And um yeah, so we teach on that. And then we’re like, hey, you know, two weeks from now, we’re not going to have services. Instead, we’re going to go out instead of staying in here talking about serving, we’re going to go out there and serve. And, you know, we’ve said like… Rich Birch — Love that. Lou Pizzichillo — …yeah, what’s what’s happening out there is not more spiritual than what’s happening in here. It’s a different way to express and grow in our faith. So we did that. And the response has just been unbelievable. Like the community has loved it. The the fair has had the help that they need. The people in our church have loved it. But this year we actually it got rained out on the first week. And so they postponed it to the next week.Rich Birch — Oh, wow.Lou Pizzichillo — And that made it tough for us because now we were like, okay, are we going to cancel church two weeks in a row? Rich Birch — Right. Lou Pizzichillo — And we had a meeting about it and like looked at our values, looked at what we were talking about. We were like, you know what, this is actually an opportunity for us to really double down and say, we’re not doing this out of convenience. We’re doing this because it’s a value. And so I called up the guy who was running the fair and he was like, I get it. If you can’t do it, I get it. And it felt, it was, it was amazing to be able to say on the phone, like, Hey, we’re with you, uh, no matter what. So, uh, so we did and it was, it was awesome.Rich Birch — That’s incredible. Like ah that, again, that what a vivid example, because I think there’s a lot of church leaders, if we’re honest, we’ve been engaged in the conversation that’s literally on the opposite side of that, where we’re like, man, how do we, these people, they’re, you know, they’re cramping our style or whatever. It’s like we naturally default towards that rather than to serve. Rich Birch — Take us back early in the discussions because I think a lot of us have not done a good job in building trust bridges in our communities. And you know trust isn’t built with just you know, one conversation. It takes time, right? It takes, like you said, those those first 12 days of Christmas, you couldn’t get anybody. And now here’s seven years later. We want we want to get to the seven years later part really quickly.Rich Birch — But ah those early conversations, how are you handling yourself, interacting with the like other people, you know, approaching them, having those conversations. What did you learn in the early dialogue that could help us if we’re trying to build, you know, deeper community trust in a place that just is so skeptical of that we’re coming with, just looking to take from our people.Lou Pizzichillo — Yeah. I mean, you have to be willing to be inconvenienced. I think that’s been a big part of it.Lou Pizzichillo — On week one, so we we launched literally on the first day and launch day was bigger than we thought it was going to be. And on that Monday, I was called to the mayor’s office, the mayor of the village.Lou Pizzichillo — And I was like, okay, thought I was going to go have a conversation. And when I got there, it was the it was him, it was the head of code enforcement and the fire chief all in a room waiting for me Rich Birch — Oh, gosh. Lou Pizzichillo — And they had pictures of cars parked all over the street. And I I realized there, like, there was a real concern about what this church was going to be in the community.Rich Birch — Right.Lou Pizzichillo — And so from there, we’ve just been looking for opportunities to earn trust. The neighbors have made it very clear that they don’t like cars parking on the street. And so we, we began paying for a lot so that we could take the cars off of the street. We don’t have to, they can legally park in the street, but we rent the lot. We told the owner of the property why we’re doing it. And he got on board with what we’re doing. We’re now in a place, kind of a long story, but we now don’t have to pay for that lot.Rich Birch — Wow.Lou Pizzichillo — We also, like the trust has been earned one decision at a time. We were going to do this big thing in the parking lot. We did a parking lot renovation that took the whole summer. After the summer, we were like, hey, in our new parking lot, let’s put on a Christmas show. We’ll run it throughout two weeks in December.Lou Pizzichillo — We had an animator who goes to the church. He like had this great idea for a show. He’s like, we’ll project it on the building. People will drive in. We’ll run it multiple times a night, do it for a few weeks throughout December. We were calling it Christmas in Lights.Lou Pizzichillo — So we put this whole plan together. He’s making the thing. We start advertising it and the village comes to us and they’re like, you’re in violation of the code. You can’t do this. And and they’re giving us all these reasons that I felt like didn’t really hold that much weight, you know.Rich Birch — Right.Lou Pizzichillo — But in thinking about it, I do understand the inconvenience it would have been. We just had a major parking lot renovation. There were huge trucks making tons of noise for months. Rich Birch — Right.Lou Pizzichillo — And now that’s finally over. And we’re going to ask the village to deal with the traffic of a show happening every single night, you know, for a few weeks in December.Rich Birch — Right Right.Lou Pizzichillo — And so I went to the mayor and I was like, hey, ah it’s a new mayor at this point. But I just sat down with her and I was like, hey, listen, if you have concerns about this, I want you to feel the freedom to just come to me and say, this is a lot for the neighbors. Like, what do you think about pulling this in?Lou Pizzichillo —And it was cool. It was an opportunity for the two of us to kind of bond, like there was some trust earned there and we canceled the show. We decided not to do it. And I released a video explaining why we weren’t doing it.Rich Birch — Wow.Lou Pizzichillo — And the amazing thing is that I think canceling the show accomplished more than we would have accomplished if we actually did the show.Rich Birch — Interesting.Lou Pizzichillo — Like it earned, it was so well received when people found out that we weren’t going to do it. They were like, and even the people that attend the church, they were like, I want to be part of a church that supports their community like this.Rich Birch — Right.Lou Pizzichillo — And so it went really well, and it was a lot less work, and so it was it was kind of a win all around. Rich Birch — What did the animators say? I feel but feel bad for that person who started doing that work. Did they understand. Obviously, they’re bummed or concerned.Lou Pizzichillo — He was bummed out, but he’s one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet, and so he he totally got it. And he’s on board with what we’re trying to do, and when he knew the reason why, he was totally, totally supportive of it.Rich Birch — Interesting. So where have you seen churches kind of get this wrong as we’ve tried to engage with the community? Maybe a common a pothole that we fall into or a way that we stub our toes, you know, a thing maybe you’ve you’ve you’ve seen that we just, we you know, kind of consistently make the same mistake.Lou Pizzichillo — Yeah. You know, one of my mentors told me a while ago, he was like, when you’re thinking about the church in the community, he’s like, there’s a small percentage of people that are for you. He said, there’s, there’s also a small percentage of people that are anti-church and they always will be, and you’re not going to change their minds.Rich Birch — Right.Lou Pizzichillo — And he’s like, but then there’s this large percentage that’s just kind of going to go one way or the other. And he’s like, that’s the percentage that you really have to be intentional about connecting with.Rich Birch — Right. Right.Lou Pizzichillo — And so I think, you know, it is very easy to tell the story like, hey, they don’t want us to do our Christmas show. This is persecution… Rich Birch — Yes. Lou Pizzichillo — …you know, and we got to fight and suffer for the name of Jesus. And ah we’ve just found that that’s not always the case. Rich Birch — Right. Lou Pizzichillo — You know, it’s people that don’t want to be inconvenienced and they may love church, but there’s there’s all this stuff going in the community. Maybe they maybe they have you know other reasons why. So i think I think it’s just the posture.Lou Pizzichillo — Like a lot of, most people, most people aren’t unreasonable. And I think if we give them the chance to really articulate what’s going on, I’ve been surprised at how understandable a lot of the feelings have been, a lot of the resistance to church comes from real stories, real experiences.Rich Birch — Right, right.Lou Pizzichillo — And so, yeah, I think it’s the you know the whole like persecution thing or suffering or that is real and people do really experience that. But a lot of times I think we’re a little too quick to say, oh, this is what that is when really it may not be.Rich Birch — Well, and it it’s, ah in some ways, it’s like a low form of, well, it’s a leadership shortcut for sure to like demonize, to like, oh, there, those people are come out to get us. You know, any leader that’s led before realizes, oh, that’s like a that’s a tool that actually works. People respond to that, but, but we don’t want to do that. Like that isn’t, these are the people we’re trying to love and care. These are people we’re trying to see point towards Jesus. They’re not our enemies.Lou Pizzichillo — Yeah. Yeah.Rich Birch — They’re not, you know, they’re, they’re not, they might just not like parking, like you at the end of the day.Lou Pizzichillo — Right. Right.Rich Birch — And so let’s not, let’s not get over-revved, ah you know, on that. And unfortunately there are, I know, you know, way too many churches that have got themselves on the wrong side of this. And it’s very hard to backwards engineer out of that. Once you go down that road of like, we’re going to try to go negative with our community. That just isn’t, it’s just, it’s, it’s very difficult to to step back from that.Rich Birch — If you think about a church leader that’s listening in today and they’re, they’re saying, Hey, They’re thinking we want to do a better job being trusted more locally, trusted by local leaders, trusted by other you know businesses in town, that sort of thing. What would be a couple first steps you think they could take? A couple things where they could start to try to build that kind of trust with the community around them?Lou Pizzichillo — Yeah. You know, I think I’m a big believer in praying for those opportunities. And also just giving things a second look, you know. When you’re in a situation that may seem like a challenge or something that may seem like it’s getting in the way, to just stop and think, okay, is, is there an opportunity here to build trust with the community?Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s good.Lou Pizzichillo — Because we, and when we say the community, we’re not just talking about this nebulous, you know, idea of Babylon village. There are people there.Rich Birch — Right. Right.Lou Pizzichillo — And if those people see this church as trustworthy, they may come here, you know, when their relationships are falling apart or when they’re looking for answers.Rich Birch — Yep.Lou Pizzichillo — Um, and so it’s really just been… We have great people here who have bought into what we’re doing, who have really helped us to see like, this is an opportunity to win with the community. And yeah, you gotta, you have to look outside the box and, and also be willing to, there, there are moments like with Church Has Left the Building—with the fair—and with the Christmas and light show, there are moments where they’ll see, okay, do you really care? Do you really care?Rich Birch — Yes. Yes.Lou Pizzichillo — Like are how how much will you inconvenience yourself? And I mean, the payoff from that has just been huge, even though it’s been an inconvenience and our giving goes down that week and it throws off the series and we got to restructure the calendar.Rich Birch — Right.Lou Pizzichillo — It has gone, there’s there’s never been a time where we’ve regretted it.Rich Birch — Yeah, it’s good. And, you know, there’s no doubt one of the things I think we can in our our little world of kind of church leadership, I think we can forget often that people in the communities that we’re serving, they really don’t have any frame of reference for a church of 1,200 people. Like they that that isn’t people’s normal perception of what a church is. Like a church is 25 people or 50 people in a room somewhere super small.Rich Birch — And, and their perception can be, they just don’t, they just don’t have any idea. What is that? What’s that look like? And some of that can skew negative because it’s busy and blah, blah, blah, all those things. And so we’ve, we, we have to take it on ourselves when our church gets to the size that you’re at or larger to try to help them understand and see though this is like really positive for the community and actually point towards that.Lou Pizzichillo — Yes.Rich Birch — Yeah, it’s good.Lou Pizzichillo — Yes. And, and like along those lines, ah it’s also perceived as a source of power, right? Like if, if there, if you have 1500 people that all believe the same thing and you’re trying to run a village or a community, there is this, this sense of like, okay, well, are they going to be for us or against us? Like, are all these people going to be anti-village?Rich Birch — Right.Lou Pizzichillo — And so there is like that, that instinct to kind of protect from this group of people that make, make things really hard for us. But over time, as they begin to see like all these people are, are behind us, they’re here to support us and they want to make this place better.Rich Birch — Yes.Lou Pizzichillo — It’s, it really is a beautiful thing. And we’re not there yet as a church, but we’re getting there. And, uh, we’ve just seen a lot of, lot of positive signs and, uh, Yeah, think it’s paid off.Rich Birch — So good, Lou. That’s, that’s great. Just as we wrap up today’s conversation, any kind of final words you’d have to, ah you know, to leaders that are listening in thinking about these issues today?Lou Pizzichillo — Yeah. I mean, I think I would just say it’s worth it. It's it’s messy. It does make things difficult. It can be inconvenient. And when you have people who don’t go to church coming to church and you give them permission to be in progress, you get a lot of hairy situations. And we have a lot of conversations where we’re trying to figure out which way to go.Rich Birch — Yeah, 100%.Lou Pizzichillo — But it’s in those conversations that we cant kind of stop and remind ourselves like, Hey, we’re, we’re glad that these people are here and we’re glad that these are the problems that we’re having. And, the end of the day, this is what we feel like it’s all about. So.Rich Birch — Yeah, it’s so good. I just want to encourage you as you’re leading, you’re doing a great job and and it’s been fun to get a chance to get a little window into what’s going on at Community. Want to encourage you and your your team, just you’re doing the right thing. If people want to track with the church or with you online, where do we want to send them to connect with you guys?Lou Pizzichillo — Yeah, so communitychurch.net is our website. On Instagram, we’re communitychurchli, we’re @communitychurchli, and we try to keep that handle throughout all the platforms. So YouTube, same thing. But yeah, that’s it.Rich Birch — Great. Thanks for for being here today, Lou.Lou Pizzichillo — Thanks for having me, Rich. It’s an honor to be here, and I love what you guys are doing for the church.

Pastor Troy Brewer and Ben Brewer, from OpenDoor Church in Dallas, Texas, join Tony to pull back the curtain on a ministry that doesn't just preach freedom, it hunts it down. From funding and executing rescues to stepping into nations where trafficking networks operate in plain sight, they share stories of walking straight into danger to bring people out. Their travels abroad read like something out of a thriller, filled with sudden spiritual confrontations, close calls, and moments where survival hinged on obedience and prayer. Yet behind the intensity is a relentless conviction that Jesus still sets captives free in real time. This episode is a gripping look at faith in action, where the fight against human trafficking is personal, costly, and anything but theoretical.Please pray for Tony's wife, Lindsay, as she battles breast cancer. Your prayers make a difference!If you're able, consider helping the Merkel family with medical expenses by donating to Lindsay's GoFundMe: https://gofund.me/b8f76890Become a member for ad-free listening, extra shows, and exclusive access to our social media app: theconfessionalspodcast.com/joinThe Confessionals Social Network App:Apple Store: https://apple.co/3UxhPrhGoogle Play: https://bit.ly/43mk8kZThe Counter Series Available NOW:The Counter (YouTube): WATCH HEREThe Counter (Full Episode): WATCH HERETony's Recommended Reads: slingshotlibrary.comIf you want to learn about Jesus and what it means to be saved: Click HereBigfoot: The Journey To Belief: Stream HereThe Meadow Project: Stream HereMerkel Media Apparel: merkmerch.comMy New YouTube ChannelMerkel IRL: @merkelIRLMy First Sermon: Unseen BattlesSPONSORSSIMPLISAFE TODAY: simplisafe.com/confessionalsGHOSTBED: GhostBed.com/tonyQUINCE: quince.com/tonyCONNECT WITH USWebsite: www.theconfessionalspodcast.comEmail: contact@theconfessionalspodcast.comTroy BrewerWebsite | YouTube | The CounterMAILING ADDRESS:Merkel Media257 N. Calderwood St., #301Alcoa, TN 37701SOCIAL MEDIASubscribe to our YouTube: https://bit.ly/2TlREaIReddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/theconfessionals/Discord: https://discord.gg/KDn4D2uw7hShow Instagram: theconfessionalspodcastTony's Instagram: tonymerkelofficialFacebook: www.facebook.com/TheConfessionalsPodcasTwitter: @TConfessionalsTony's Twitter: @tony_merkelProduced by: @jack_theproducerOUTRO MUSICTony Merkel - You Don't See It

Your life is making a sound — what does it say? In this episode, Jay Cookingham connects Psalm 19:14 to daily life, calling Christian men to align their words, actions, and heart. Biblical manhood isn't just talk — it's a lifestyle of worship.

Are we living Christ, not just preaching Him? Robert Chapman, called “the saintliest man” by Charles Spurgeon, lived a quiet yet powerful life marked by humility, love, and a deep commitment to live for Christ. He gave up personal rights, pursued unity without compromise, and served the poor and the lost with Christlike love. His life reminds us that true gospel witness flows not from fame, but from faithfully living Christ before others.

In the final week of our core values series, Co-Lead Pastor Jason Coker unpacks what it means to put "Faith in Action." Exploring the familiar parable of the sheep and the goats in Matthew 25, Jason tackles an ancient religious debate: Which is more righteous, spiritual devotion or good deeds? Through a highly relatable (and slightly exhausting) metaphor about the never-ending reality of home repair, Jason illustrates the Jewish concept of Tikkun Olam—repairing the world. He challenges the modern Christian tendency to focus on signaling the "right" religious identity rather than doing the actual work of the Gospel. Ultimately, Jesus makes it clear: God identifies with the hungry, the sick, the stranger, and the imprisoned. Join us for a grounded, practical message about stepping past performative faith and committing to the everyday acts of loving-kindness and justice that keep our shared "house" from falling apart. Learn more at oceansidesanctuary.org Chapters (00:00:00) - Black Americans in the Elevator(00:02:11) - Core Values(00:04:28) - Home Repair in Matthew 25(00:10:13) - Jesus in Matthew, The Parable(00:21:22) - Repairing the World With Good Deeds(00:26:50) - Crucified: A Mitzvot

Acts chapter 13 shows us faith in action in Antioch and in the lives and mission of Barnabas and Paul!

In the final message of this series, Pastor Phil explores one of the most pivotal moments in Israel's history—the fall of Jericho. reveals as a timeless lesson of faith, obedience, and divine authority. Just as Jericho's walls represented Israel's barrier to the Promised Land, our personal “Jerichos” symbolize strongholds—fear, doubt, pride, or unbelief—that hinder us from living the abundant life in Christ. Through prayer, worship, obedience, and faith, we experience what only God's power can achieve: spiritual victory and transformation! Learn why true victory begins with submission to Jesus, the Commander of our lives, and how faith in action is the key to possessing your promised land. Connect with us on Social Media↴ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/abundantlifels/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abundantlifels   Connect with Pastor Phil↴ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PhilHopperKC Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/philhopper_kc Books & Resources: https://abundant-life.com/resources/books/   Listen to The Well Podcast⤵ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5wadnywAMEK7c0E1qatMoY?si=SjH6Ko7VR3OoHrRy1yYLlQ&nd=1&dlsi=395ae55d95ac4b11 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-well/id1233267223 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLR50sV854C2hogfBmv7YogvCjiNYLz9a2   Find Your Next Step:https://alife.livingproof.co/ Watch More Sermons:https://abundant-life.com/sermons/   Do you want to see your life changed by Jesus? Visit our website:  https://abundant-life.com/ Listen to The Well Podcast ⤵Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5wadnywAMEK7c0E1qatMoY?si=SjH6Ko7VR3OoHrRy1yYLlQ&nd=1&dlsi=395ae55d95ac4b11Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-well/id1233267223YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLR50sV854C2hogfBmv7YogvCjiNYLz9a2Find Your Next Step: http://alife.livingproof.co/ Watch more sermons: https://abundant-life.com/sermons/Do you want to see your life changed by Jesus? Visit our website: https://abundant-life.com/ Connect with us on Social Media ↴Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/abundantlifels/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abundantlifels Connect with Pastor Phil ↴Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PhilHopperKCInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/philhopper_kc/Web: https://abundant-life.com/resources/books/Learn more about the A-Life Discipleship Journey: https://alife.livingproof.co/ More information on our sermons: https://abundant-life.com/sermons/Do you want to see your life changed by Jesus? Visit our website: https://abundant-life.com/

Send Shirah Chante a TextGod Is Love (1 John 4:7–9) | Relationship Rock Returns with a Song & Encouragement to LoveShirah Chante returns to the Relationship Rock podcast with a new live setup and shares a song inspired by 1 John 4:8 about God being love. She reads and reflects on 1 John 4:7–9, emphasizing that anyone who does not love does not know God, and encourages listeners to keep their hearts open despite the hate and violence in the world, including war in Israel. She explains her long-running focus on helping people heal relationships through the arts and shares a new mandate she received during an altar call—“bless my people”—using music, art, and poetry. She invites viewers to visit sherahchante.com for a post about the song and encouragement to be loving, and mentions a future part two on the topic.00:00 Welcome Back to Relationship Rock (New Live Setup)02:35 Why This Episode: God Is Love in a World Full of Hate03:11 Sharing the Original Song: “If I See Someone in Need…”06:18 Scripture Breakdown: 1 John 4:7–9 — What Love Proves08:17 Keeping Your Heart Open When Love Grows Cold10:08 Part Two + Website Resources & How to Stay Encouraged10:51 Her Calling & New Mandate: “Bless My People”12:30 Final Charge: Love God, Love People (Closing)Support the show

In CI News this week: Northern Ireland pauses its participation in NHS England's controversial puberty blocker trial, Holyrood legislates to weaken parental opt-out protections in schools, and the CI launches its brand new Faith in Action podcast. You can download the video via this link. Featured stories NI puts puberty-blocker trial participation on hold Holyrood passes controversial Bill to weaken parental opt-out in schools Tribunal told to reconsider case of Christian social worker denied job Faith in Action: a new CI podcast

How do we run our race with full surrender to Christ? Eric Liddell's life answers this question and many more with quiet strength and unwavering faith. Known for refusing to run on a Sunday at the 1924 Olympics, Eric honored God's law above worldly praise, trusting Christ by his obedience. His gold medal in the 400m became a testimony to God's faithfulness. But Eric's race didn't end on the track—he gave his life as a missionary in China, serving others with humility and joy until his final breath. His last words, “It's full surrender,” remind us that true greatness is found in yielding wholly to Jesus. Let us run our race likewise—looking unto Him (Hebrews 12:1–2).

In this episode, Abigail and Nikki explore what it means to walk in obedience to Jesus, even when the path forward isn't clear. Rooted in Philippians 2:8, the conversation highlights Jesus' example of humble obedience and how our yes to God can bring about real change. Nikki shares her powerful story of obedience through foster care and answering God's call to help start an Isaiah 117 House, offering a tangible picture of faith in action when obedience requires trust beyond comfort.

Sermon preached by Issam Saddy at the Evangelical Christian Church of Dubai on Genesis 14:1-24.

Originally aired on January 5, 2025, this broadcast offers a digital sanctuary for our congregation and podcast subscribers to engage in deep spiritual reflection. In today's message, "Faith at Work in the World," based on James 2:17 (NIV), we launch the series "Faith in Action." Over the next three weeks, we will investigate into the ways our faith should be reflected in our everyday lives. This morning's focus is on the significance of embodying our faith within our communities, workplaces, and the world around us.

God Eats Potato Chips - did you know it?Holy Post - Phil VischerKnives OutWhat are the ways you live out your faith in action?What do you do? What do you want to learn?

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Quakers believe in loving your neighbor, but what is a peace-loving Friend to do when their city is invaded by armed forces intent on violence? For this week's episode, we bring you a special conversation with four Minneapolis Quakers who have been wrestling with just that.  Notes:Three of our guests are active in ISAIAH, a "statewide multiracial group of faith communities, Black barbershops, childcare centers, and more fighting for racial and economic justice in Minnesota". Information about events and resources for faithful resistance can be found at https://www.isaiahmn.org/ICE Out of Minnesota has toolkits and resources for dismantling the "pillars of power" that our guests talked about. There are two upcoming actions against Target and Enterprise this week - https://www.iceoutnowmn.com/ If this episode has inspired you to learn more about Quaker resistance, then we recommend the following Thee Quaker Podcast episodesThe “Quakers vs. ICE” Lawsuit39 Ways to (Nonviolently) Overthrow a Dictator with Quaker Activist George LakeyA Quaker Response to Crisis with Eileen Flanagan How Trump Made Me A Quaker: Faithful Resistance with Daniel Hunter Become a monthly supporter! Sign up for the Daily Quaker Message.

On this episode of Truth Talk Live, the conversation centers on Titus 2:10 and what it means to "adorn the doctrine of God" through joy, kindness, humility, and integrity. From the power of a simple smile to living out grace and truth at work, online, and in relationships, listeners share real stories of faith in action and how a life well lived can point others to Christ.

In John 4:46–54, a father believes Jesus' words and acts before seeing the miracle. This devotional challenges us to trust and obey God's word without waiting for proof.

What does it mean to truly live by faith in today's comfort-driven world? Through the lens of Hebrews 11, Pastor Jared and Pastor DJ challenge us to move beyond spiritual sleepwalking into bold action. Drawing from their own journey, they reveal how many of us mistake routine faithfulness for actual steps of faith. When we put God first—in our finances, relationships, and daily choices—He orders everything else. Ready to wake up and experience God's power? This podcast will inspire you to step out of your comfort zone and into His promises. Don't miss this transformative exploration of faith in action.

If you're just getting here, welcome to First Reformed Church. Today is truly a blessing as Scouts, leaders, and families gather for Scout Sunday — a service that weaves jokes about knot-tying and Lions Club uniforms into a larger story about trust, service, and the light of Christ. Through a candid, heartfelt message the pastor compares faith to hiking with a compass: you may not see the whole path, but you follow the One who knows the way. Anecdotes — a lost pair of keys found at customer service, the honest confession of not making it past knot-tying, and the painful work of forgiving a child's bully — turn everyday moments into invitations to trust delays, practice patience, and live faith in action. The sermon culminates in a simple challenge: one random act of kindness. As the congregation brings the light of Christ into the world, listeners are asked to be prepared — to serve, forgive, and build a life on the rock of Jesus' love — carrying this Scout Sunday message into family, community, and everyday choices.

Are we willing to let our light shine wherever God places us? In Amy Carmichael's life, we see the radiant fulfillment of Christ's command: “Let your light so shine before men…” (Matthew 5:16). From the streets of Belfast to the orphanages of India, she lived with an eternal focus, burning with a holy love that served, rescued, and sacrificed. Whether walking in open fields or confined to a sickbed, she never ceased to shine, trusting God to use every trial for His glory. May we, too, be faithful to shine for Christ to the very end.

The Sword in Your Mouth Fight the good fight of faith with the sword in your mouth! 1 Tim. 6:12 You can't defeat a demon with your mouth closed. Your shout is required! Your words are required! Your participation is required! 2 Corinthians 10:4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds. Date of service 1/29/26

The Sword in Your Mouth Fight the good fight of faith with the sword in your mouth! 1 Tim. 6:12 You can't defeat a demon with your mouth closed. Your shout is required! Your words are required! Your participation is required! 2 Corinthians 10:4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds. Date of service 1/29/26

This week we explore a story of a group of friends who put their faith into action and show us what it means to fully believe in Jesus.Our regular service is at 10am on Sundays. We are located at 304 E. Austin Ave in Hutto, TX. Can't make it in person? You are welcome to join us live on Facebook or YouTube. If you need prayer or you just need someone to talk to please reach out to us at prayer@huttocommunitychurch.org.HCC Website - HCC Facebook - HCC YouTube

JOIN THE 7 DAY RESET - ▶️ www.therebuiltman.com/7dayreset   Gratitude Is Not Soft — It's a Weapon for Freedom   Most men think porn is their biggest problem. It's not.   The real battle is happening in your emotional state, long before temptation ever shows up.   In this episode, Coach Frank Rich breaks down why gratitude is one of the most overlooked — yet powerful — tools for rewiring your brain, strengthening discipline, and reclaiming control over your thoughts, emotions, and habits.   This is not feel-good motivation. This is neuroscience, identity, and faith in action.   In This Episode, You'll Learn: Why relapse usually starts with stress and emotional drift — not lust   How gratitude activates the part of the brain responsible for discipline and impulse control   The connection between gratitude, dopamine, and nervous system regulation   Why porn thrives in anxiety, resentment, and numbness   How gratitude reshapes beliefs and reinforces a stronger identity   The biblical foundation for renewing the mind through gratitude   A simple daily gratitude practice that actually rewires your brain   Why spoken declarations matter more than silent thoughts     Key Takeaways: Gratitude is not weakness — it's leadership   You don't relapse because you're broken, but because your nervous system is dysregulated   What you focus on consistently becomes your identity   Gratitude trains your brain to look for strength instead of lack   A grateful man is grounded — and a grounded man is harder to tempt      

Jakarta Central Church (JCC) is an English speaking community in Jakarta. JCC presents the gospel of Jesus Christ in a way that is relevant, engaging, and simple. We believe time listening to God's word is time well spent and well worth the investment! https://www.youtube.com/c/JakartaCentralChurch

In this episode of KC Underground, we welcome back regular contributor James Mays, who shares his transformative journey from a life of addiction to becoming a beacon of hope. James opens up about his past struggles and how finding faith has led him to a path of recovery and ministry. James discusses the power of art, community, and the profound impact of living on mission. Join us as we explore themes of identity, resilience, and the transformative power of faith in action.

✨ Show Up First — The Results Will Follow ✨So many people are waiting to be chosen, invited, or discovered — but real opportunity often meets you when you simply decide to show up. Your presence, your consistency, and your faith in action can open doors you never could have planned.

How can we rejoice when suffering for Christ? Richard Wurmbrand's life answers that question with powerful clarity. Tortured and imprisoned for his faith under Communist rule, he chose to obey Christ's command: “Rejoice and be exceedingly glad” (Matthew 5:12). His example calls us to turn toward Jesus in our trials, not away. Like Wurmbrand, may we find strength to rejoice not just in ease, but in the presence of the living Savior who gives joy amid tribulation.

The world has a way of forgetting some people – the orphan, the widow, the lonely, the overlooked and the fatherless. But God never forgets. He moves closer to them and calls His people to do the same. This message talks about what it means to reflect God's heart for the forgotten and fatherless and why caring for them is a measure of our own faith in action.

Building Hope and Faith: Updates from Village of Hope and BeyondIn this episode, Cathy Coute and Bryon share inspiring updates on the recent projects, the challenges and successes they've encountered, and exciting upcoming plans. Discover how faith, community, and generosity are transforming lives in practical and impactful ways.Celebrating successful fundraising challenges and upcoming matches for village projectsRecent harvests and agricultural initiatives, including honey and fishing programsThe Women of Valor program: spiritual growth and transformation for women staffNew housing initiatives at Village of Hope: onboarding residents and preparing for expansionsThe importance of foundational partnerships and ongoing fundraising efforts amidst rising operational costsUpcoming mission trip to Canada and prayer requests for travel and ministry impactRecent accreditation achievements (ECFA approval) and financial stewardshipECFA Accreditation – Financial accountability for Christian organizationsJamesproject.orgPray for their upcoming trip to Canada and ministry engagementsPray for new residents at Village of Hope to transition smoothlyContinue support and partnership to meet rising operational costsBlessings on new house openings and future family expansion effortsStay connected for more updates and stories of faith in action!Key Topics:Timestamps:00:00 - Welcome back and recent holiday highlights02:01 - Success of the $65,000 match for boys' home project03:17 - Harvesting honey and fish programs at the village03:53 - Celebrating the Women of Valor graduation and spiritual growth05:00 - Progress on Village of Hope housing and resident programs06:08 - Challenges and opportunities with new residents and moving in07:42 - Preparing for dedication ceremonies 10:00 - Trusting God through construction delays and future plans for Casa Juan10:28 - Announcing the birth of the new baby and upcoming Casa Elizabeth12:03 - Building the support base: foundational partner program14:21 - Raising funds in light of increased salary costs and operational needs15:24 - The spiritual blessing of giving and partnership with God17:36 - Transparency and open-door policy for supporters18:37 - Prayer requests for upcoming mission trip to Canada and leadership stamina20:00 - Celebrating a record number of teams coming to serve21:23 - Introducing new team members and volunteers21:56 - Official accreditation: CNA for JPLA and ECFA approval for JPI 23:00 - Future plans and upcoming check-ins after the Canada trip

What happens when obedience doesn't make sense—but you do it anyway? In this episode of the MCINTYRE INC Podcast, Michael & Brianna McIntyre sit down with Wade Aaron, founder of Christ's Reward, to talk about carrying a ten-foot cross through cities across America and witnessing the Holy Spirit move in real time. From street evangelism and unexpected baptisms to persecution, compassion, and radical obedience, this conversation explores what faith looks like outside the church walls. Wade shares: Why God told him to carry a physical cross across the nation Real encounters from the streets (salvations, baptisms, healing) How to respond to hostility with love instead of arguments Why simplicity—not performance—unlocks spiritual power How Next Level Experience helped catalyze Christ's Reward This episode is for anyone who feels there is more—more purpose, more boldness, more faith in action.

What if the only thing standing between you and the life you want… is one brave step? In this episode, I share a raw reflection on going from nothing to watching long-prayed-for dreams unfold — and the uncomfortable truth about what it actually takes to move forward. It's not just information. It's not just motivation. It's faith in action. We talk about why staying the same can become more painful than changing, how small risks unlock big momentum, and why inner growth matters more than outward success. I also open up about the spiritual roots that have been transforming how I handle stress, setbacks, and relationships — and how deeper roots lead to stronger fruit in every area of life. If you've been stuck, hesitant, or waiting for the "right time," this episode is your reminder: movement creates clarity, not the other way around.     "Nothing is going to happen until you take the first step." – Keith Kalfas   In This Episode, You'll Learn: Why gathering information isn't enough — action is the real turning point The moment when the pain of staying stuck finally pushes you to move How even small financial or emotional risks build confidence and momentum A powerful mindset shift about failure, dignity, and simply trying The "roots and fruits" principle for lasting success, peace, and leadership Handling difficult people without losing your calm, character, or joy Why inner spiritual growth strengthens your ability to succeed outwardly Lessons about success, patience, and long seasons of unseen progress Letting go of bitterness and choosing peace when others disappoint you Why building a relationship with God can transform how you work, lead, and live   Key Takeaways: Dreams don't move forward when you feel ready — they move when you step forward anyway. Real success is built from the inside out, through faith, patience, character, and the courage to act even when it's uncomfortable.   Connect with Keith Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/keithkalfas/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thelandscapingemployeetrap Website: https://www.keithkalfas.com/resources Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@keith-kalfas   Resources and Websites:  Start Getting Leads Now https://www.footbridgemedia.com/keith The Untrapped Alliance: https://www.keithkalfas.com/alliance Resources You Need To Build A Successful Business https://www.keithkalfas.com/resources

How can God use a weak and broken life for His glory? What does it mean to truly follow Christ? In this episode, we reflect on the life of David Brainerd, a frail and often melancholy man who wholeheartedly obeyed Jesus' call: “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19). Despite sickness, loss, and rejection, Brainerd chose hardship over ease, taking the gospel to unreached Native American tribes. Through deep prayer and dependence on Christ, he witnessed powerful revival and lasting fruit. His legacy, preserved in his journals, has inspired generations. Like Brainerd, may we follow Christ with our whole hearts and pray to be used beyond what we are.

Welcome back to the Richmond Chi Alpha podcast!We're continuing in our series called “Highly Questionable” where we talk about lives that provoke curiosity, invite deeper questions, and transform the world around us.This week, I talk about how we're called to faith in action, and how habits and rhythms in our lives can help us to live aligned with the reality of God's Kingdom.Let's listen together!This was recorded from a WNL on 1/21/26.

Have you ever felt the tension between faith and financial planning? In this eye-opening message, Pastor Phil challenges the misconception that saving means lack of trust in God. Through biblical wisdom—from the diligent ant to Joseph's prudent grain storage—he reveals how planning actually demonstrates faith in action. Drawing from personal stories and Scripture, Pastor Phil shows how godly financial stewardship isn't about hoarding, but creating a legacy that impacts generations. Whether you're struggling with debt or seeking to build a God-honoring financial future, this message offers practical wisdom and spiritual insight to help you find true financial freedom. Don't miss this transformative teaching that could change your family's future!

In this Faith in Action Friday episod, Own. Move. Anchor. Lessons from The Burg Box, I follow up on my recent conversation with Jennifer Prevette, founder of The Burg Box, and reflect on what Own. Move. Anchor. really means in everyday life. I share how owning your mind is about learning to handle stress and regulate emotions, how moving your body is simple but powerful medicine for mental and physical health, and how anchoring your spirit helps keep the weight of decisions and expectations from becoming overwhelming. Jennifer's approach to business, family, mental health, movement, and faith is a practical example of how these ideas can show up together without extremes or hype, just steady practices that support clarity, consistency, and perspective.

Welcome to Smells Like Smoke, a bold podcast for those who are tired of safe, comfortable faith. Inspired by Jude 23, this show is about getting close enough to the fire to rescue people, not just talk about it.Each episode challenges you to trade comfort for courage and distance for action. This is not about winning arguments or playing church. It is about stepping into messy, real-world situations to pull people back from addiction, isolation, shame, and spiritual death.If your faith never costs you anything and never smells like smoke, you might be standing too far from the fire. Stay close. Rescue is worth the cost.

How do you react to people you meet? The Bible says that Jesus had compassion for the crowds. On this episode of The Verdict, Pastor John Munro discusses the tremendous opportunity we have to share the good news of the Gospel, and how to put our faith in action.

What does daily repentance look like for the believer? From slave trader to pastor and hymn writer, John Newton's life shows us that repentance isn't just for salvation, but for sanctification. After his dramatic conversion, Newton continued turning from sin and growing in Christ being transformed by grace. His life of ongoing repentance reminds us that we are great sinners but Christ is a greater Savior.

What kind of life pleases God? According to Hebrews, it's a life of faith—and Pastor Josh McPherson makes it plain: faith is obedience. In this message, Pastor Josh calls Grace City Church into a continued season of consecration through prayer and fasting, urging the church to get “off the X” and move with urgent, wholehearted obedience. From Jonathan's climb toward overwhelming odds (1 Samuel 14) to the fresh hunger God is stirring in our people, this is a rallying cry to become a Jonathan Church—a remnant that runs toward the fight, trusts God for provision, and watches heaven respond.Support the showThanks for listening! Go to www.StrongerManNation.com for more resources.

Weekly sermons from City Lights Church based in Greeley Colorado. Featuring head Pastor Kurt Chamberlain and other guest speakers.

Have a comment? Send us a text! (We read all of them but can't reply). Email us: Will@faithfulpoliticspodcast.comIn this episode of Faithful Politics, we sit down with Bishop Dwayne Royster, pastor and national faith leader with Faith in Action, to wrestle with what faith looks like when political power is being used to intimidate, exclude, and dehumanize. Royster traces how his theology was shaped early by organizing, community action, and a church tradition where justice and faith were never separate. From the roots of white Christian nationalism to the modern machinery behind ICE raids and political fear, he explains why Christianity was never meant to serve empire—and why power itself is morally neutral until it is used to liberate or to dominate.We talk through the shooting of Renee Good, the contrasting Christian response to political violence, and what it means for churches to hold government accountable without abandoning nonviolence. Royster challenges Christians to move beyond sermons and into action, calling the church to become “courageously uncomfortable” in a moment that demands moral clarity, solidarity with neighbors, and a recovery of faith rooted in human dignity rather than political control. Links and ResourcesFaith in Action: https://www.faithinaction.orgFollow Faith in Action: @FIANational (Instagram, Facebook, X, Bluesky)Contact Bishop Royster: bishop@faithinaction.orgGuest BioBishop Dwayne Royster is a pastor, organizer, and national faith leader working at the intersection of religion and public life. He serves as Executive Director of Faith in Action, a multiracial, multifaith organizing network mobilizing congregations around issues like voting rights, immigration, housing, and economic justice. With more than three decades of pastoral experience, Royster's work focuses on building faithful power that advances dignity, equity, and liberation in communities across the United States and globally. Support the show

The Lord of the Rings is back in theaters, but this story is about far more than elves, swords, and epic battles. In this episode, we uncover the deep Christian worldview behind Tolkien's masterpiece and why stories like this don't just entertain us they form us. From mercy and sacrifice to hope, courage, and the gospel itself, Middle-earth reminds us that evil is real, mercy matters, and even the smallest person can change the course of history. Plus, reactions to viral clips, modern prophecy chaos, parenting wisdom, and moments of surprising faith in action.   To learn more about the sponsor of today's show and what our family currently uses for our healthcare check out Christian Healthcare Ministries by visiting https://hubs.ly/Q02vWQGy0    Editing and production services provided by thepodcastupload.com   #TheKirkCameronShow #LordOfTheRings #Tolkien #ChristianWorldview #FaithAndCulture #GoodVsEvil #StorytellingMatters #BiblicalTruth #ChristianPodcast #MiddleEarth #Hope #GospelTruth #ChristianLiving #RaisingKids #FaithInAction #WeeklyWrapUp

MAXOUT Your Mind Masterclass: Faith In Action In this episode, I want to speak directly to the part of you that knows you were created for more but keeps waiting for the perfect plan or the perfect moment to start. I want to remind you that your life changes the second your belief becomes behavior. Faith in action is the force that separates those who hope for greatness from those who actually experience it. You do not need more time, more clarity, or more preparation. You need movement. You need to step into the now. Because now is where your confidence grows and now is where God meets you. In this Masterclass, I take you behind the curtain of the exact strategies, habits, and mindsets I have used for decades to build self discipline at a level that most people think is impossible. Not because I am naturally disciplined but because I built systems, eliminated distractions, and created a structure that makes winning my default setting. I walk you through the mindset of a dominator. Why perspiration beats talent, why emotional control is a superpower, and why the people who change their lives are the ones who act faster than their doubt. You will also learn the rule that changed my life forever. Immediate massive action. There is a rhythm to success and most people miss it because they hesitate. In this lesson, I show you how to break that habit and train your brain to respond in the moment. Whether it is a phone call, a conversation, a business idea, a new routine, or a relationship that needs healing, the power is always in now. When you act in the now, you elevate your vibration, you build momentum, and you create results that compound faster than you ever imagined. Finally, I walk you step by step through my formula for solving any problem. How to define reality, shift your emotional meaning, move 90 percent of your energy into the solution, and break through challenges that used to overwhelm you. Problems are not punishments. They are proof of progress and invitations to become the person God built you to be. Once you learn this process, you will stop fearing problems and start using them as fuel. If you are ready to expand your capacity, strengthen your faith, and live with a sense of historic purpose, this episode will ignite that fire in you. This is how you build confidence. This is how you build momentum. Key Takeaways Why self discipline is built in the small daily promises you keep to yourself How identifying your discipline stealers radically increases your capacity Why immediate massive action creates a rhythm of success faster than perfect planning The mindset shifts behind Tiger Woods five domination principles The three step formula for solving any major problem How focusing 90 percent of your energy on solutions changes your emotional state Why problems are proof of progress and opportunities for growth How faith becomes real the moment it becomes movement This is how you change the story of your life. Faith is not a feeling. Faith is action.