Podcast appearances and mentions of gene appel

Joseph's journey takes him even deeper into adversity as he sits in prison for a crime he didn't commit. Betrayed by his brothers, falsely accused, and now seemingly forgotten, he has every reason to grow bitter and give up. Yet even in the darkest place of his life, Scripture quietly reminds us that the Lord was with him. While doors seem closed and promises go unfulfilled, God is still working behind the scenes, shaping character and preparing purpose. Joseph's prison season teaches us that waiting is not wasted and that feeling forgotten does not mean being forsaken.Pursuing God with Gene Appel is a weekday podcast designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside's conviction that God's grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God's presence and activity in your life.Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside's conviction that God's grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God's presence and activity in your life.

Joseph's story takes another sharp turn as betrayal gives way to temptation. Rising from slave to trusted servant in Potiphar's house, everything seems to stabilize—until he's pressured to compromise his integrity. In a moment where disappointment could have justified disobedience, Joseph chooses honor over impulse, faithfulness over feeling. Even when doing the right thing lands him in prison instead of promotion, he refuses to sin against God. This part of the story reminds us that adversity often tests not just our endurance, but our character. When life feels unfair, will you still choose obedience?Pursuing God with Gene Appel is a weekday podcast designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside's conviction that God's grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God's presence and activity in your life.Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside's conviction that God's grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God's presence and activity in your life.

One of the most powerful stories in Scripture is the story of Joseph, a young man whose life unraveled almost overnight. Betrayed by his brothers, stripped of his status, and sold into slavery at just seventeen, Joseph's dreams seemed shattered before they ever had a chance to unfold. Yet behind the dysfunction, jealousy, and injustice, God was writing a bigger story. If you've ever felt blindsided by disappointment, betrayal, or a future that looks nothing like you imagined, Joseph's journey reminds us that adversity is never the end of the story. Even when the lower story feels chaotic, God is still working in the upper story.Pursuing God with Gene Appel is a weekday podcast designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside's conviction that God's grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God's presence and activity in your life.Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside's conviction that God's grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God's presence and activity in your life.

As we wrap up this week in the Old Testament Challenge, we arrive at the most intense moment in Abraham's journey, a test that feels almost unthinkable. After waiting decades for the promised son, Abraham is asked to place Isaac on the altar and trust God beyond logic, emotion, and instinct. This episode explores what it means to surrender the very thing you love most, to trust God when obedience feels costly, and to see how this mountaintop moment foreshadows a greater sacrifice still to come. What is the “Isaac” in your life that God may be asking you to place in His hands?Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside's conviction that God's grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God's presence and activity in your life.

Faith is not just stepping out when God says go, it is staying put when God seems slow. Abraham and Sarah received an extraordinary promise, descendants as numerous as the stars, yet year after year passed with no child. Waiting exposed their doubts, their impatience, and their temptation to take control. When they tried to “help” God, it created consequences that rippled through history. But even after delays and detours, God proved faithful. Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside's conviction that God's grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God's presence and activity in your life.

What do you do when God asks you to move forward and you don't have all the details? In this episode of Pursuing God, Gene looks at the life of Abraham and unpacks what real faith looks like. It's not about having a clear roadmap or guaranteed outcomes. It's about trusting God enough to take the next step, even when you can't see the whole journey. If you've ever felt stuck between comfort and obedience, this conversation will challenge and encourage you to step out when God says, “Go.”Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside's conviction that God's grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God's presence and activity in your life.

Why Abraham? Today we look at the surprising beginning of God's nation-building plan and the pattern we see throughout the Bible: God chooses the weak and the unlikely to accomplish His purposes. If you've ever felt too old, too broken, or too ordinary to be used by God, this conversation is for you.Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside's conviction that God's grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God's presence and activity in your life.

Today we're looking at God's covenant with Abraham and the three promises that set His rescue plan in motion — land, nation, and blessing. From Abraham to Jesus, we see a promise-keeping God at work. What promises are you holding onto today?Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside's conviction that God's grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God's presence and activity in your life.

From the very first pages of Scripture, God reveals that brokenness is never the end of the story. After sin enters the world, God covers Adam and Eve's shame through the sacrifice of an innocent life, offering an early picture of redemption that points directly to Jesus. This moment in Genesis foreshadows the cross, where Christ would ultimately bear our guilt and restore what sin had broken. As we close the first week of the Old Testament Challenge, we're reminded that God's plan to redeem the world was never an afterthought. No matter how broken life feels, God is already at work, offering forgiveness, hope, and new life through Jesus.Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside's conviction that God's grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God's presence and activity in your life.

Genesis 3 reveals the moment God's good creation fractures through deception, disobedience, and sin. By tracing Satan's tactics from the garden to the brokenness we still experience today, we see how guilt, shame, fractured relationships, and a broken world entered the story. Yet even in judgment, hope remains. Through Noah's story, Scripture reminds us that God still seeks, shows favor, and offers redemption, pointing us to hope that persists even when everything seems shattered.Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside's conviction that God's grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God's presence and activity in your life.

What does it mean to be made in the image of God? God calls creation good, but humanity very good, revealing that people are intentional image bearers created for a relationship with Him and with one another. Through the story of Adam and Eve, we see God's design for community, purpose, and trust, along with the ongoing question of who defines good and evil in our lives. Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside's conviction that God's grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God's presence and activity in your life.

What does it mean to be made in the image of God? God calls creation good, but humanity very good, revealing that people are intentional image bearers created for a relationship with Him and with one another. Through the story of Adam and Eve, we see God's design for community, purpose, and trust, along with the ongoing question of who defines good and evil in our lives. Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside's conviction that God's grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God's presence and activity in your life.

Creation begins with one foundational truth: God is the starting point of everything. Week 1 of The Old Testament Challenge starts with Genesis 1 and the powerful reality behind the Bible's opening words, “In the beginning, God.” Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside's conviction that God's grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God's presence and activity in your life.

Discover how expressing your uniqueness with passion and extending love with devotion helps people move from attending church to truly belonging. Learn why meaningful connection, small groups, and intentional relationships are essential to building a spiritual family.Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside's conviction that God's grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God's presence and activity in your life.

Explore six practical expressions of love that strengthen God's family, including selflessness, zeal, joy, prayer, generosity, and hospitality. Discover how lived-out love creates deeper connection, unity, and spiritual growth in the church.Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside's conviction that God's grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God's presence and activity in your life.

Discover how genuine love helps people truly connect in God's family. Learn why sincerity, integrity, and friendship are essential marks of real love and how extending love with devotion creates a church where people belong and grow.Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside's conviction that God's grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God's presence and activity in your life.

God designed every person in His family with unique gifts and purpose. Explore how expressing your God-given uniqueness with passion helps others connect, strengthens the church, and allows you to play your part in God's family.Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside's conviction that God's grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God's presence and activity in your life.

Belonging to God's family is about more than attending church. Discover how connection, love, and using your unique gifts help turn outsiders into insiders and create the kind of spiritual family God designed us to experience.Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside's conviction that God's grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God's presence and activity in your life.

Guilt and shame can keep us trapped in the past, but Jesus has the power to forgive fully and set us free. Discover how God's mercy removes condemnation and how forgiveness opens the door to freedom as we walk forward and experience power along the way.Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside's conviction that God's grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God's presence and activity in your life.

Many people wait for God to act before they move, but Scripture shows that God often provides strength as we step forward in obedience. Learn how God meets us with power along the way as we pursue reconciliation, freedom from sin, and courageous faith.Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside's conviction that God's grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God's presence and activity in your life.

God often releases His power after we move in faith, not before. Through stories like the Red Sea, the Jordan River, and the ten lepers, discover how God meets obedience with supernatural power along the way.Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside's conviction that God's grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God's presence and activity in your life.

God is powerful enough to do anything, but many people struggle to access that power in daily life. Explore the biblical principle of “power along the way” and discover how God often releases His strength as we take steps of faith, not before them.Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside's conviction that God's grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God's presence and activity in your life.

Even small faith can trust a powerful God. Explore what God is truly capable of and how His unlimited power can meet real needs in relationships, work, forgiveness, and everyday struggles. Learn why the strength of faith matters less than the greatness of the One we trust.Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside's conviction that God's grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God's presence and activity in your life.

Having more does not always lead to peace. Explore why abundance often fails to satisfy and how true contentment is found when money loses its grip and trust in God becomes the foundation for freedom, generosity, and lasting peace.Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside's conviction that God's grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God's presence and activity in your life.

Living with less can reveal deeper trust, stronger relationships, and a dependence on God that wealth often masks. Explore how contentment grows through reliance on God and community, and why those with fewer resources often discover a peace money cannot provide.Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside's conviction that God's grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God's presence and activity in your life.

In the scope of eternity Jesus has the bigger picture and He understands how our eternal welfare is dependent on our relationship with the creator God. The Bible tells us we have broken that relationship through our disobedience, sin, and guilt.It is no wonder that Satan capitalizes upon our guilt to keep us at distance with God, but, Jesus has the authority to forgive our sin, and bring us back to God. This month, Gene Appel, Senior Pastor with the East Side Christian Church in Anaheim, California has been unpacking some ways where “Only God” can make the difference in our lives and how this week: “Only God Can Forgive Our Past.” Listen as Gene show's us how to erase the guilt, and find reconciliation to our heavenly Father, through perfect, eternal, forgiveness To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/326/29?v=20251111

Financial worry often has less to do with money and more to do with trust. Drawing from Philippians 4, this episode explores how contentment is learned, why circumstances don't determine peace, and how placing Jesus at the center reshapes our relationship with money, security, and anxiety.Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside's conviction that God's grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God's presence and activity in your life.

Money anxiety is rarely about a dollar amount, it's about control. We look to money to give us security, predictability, and peace, but it was never designed to carry that weight. When money becomes our source of safety, it quietly becomes our source of stress. Today is an invitation to notice what you're asking money to do for you, and to begin shifting that burden back where it belongs, into the hands of God.Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside's conviction that God's grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God's presence and activity in your life.

Financial pressure has a way of shaping our fears, decisions, and sense of security. Explore why money worry affects people at every income level and how Jesus invites us into a different way of living marked by trust, peace, and freedom from anxiety.Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside's conviction that God's grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God's presence and activity in your life.

Even with compelling evidence, belief can feel out of reach. Explore why pride, failure, disappointment, and doubt often stand in the way of faith, and how the resurrection of Jesus removed the same roadblocks in Peter's life and can do the same today.Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside's conviction that God's grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God's presence and activity in your life.

The disciples had evidence of the resurrection, but their faith took root in a personal encounter with Jesus. Discover how belief moves beyond proof and how people today still encounter Jesus in life-changing ways.Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside's conviction that God's grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God's presence and activity in your life.

When life unravels and faith feels fragile, it's natural to wonder where God is. This episode explores Peter's crisis after Jesus' death and the honest questions that surface when hope feels buried. Discover how doubt, loss, and disappointment can become the very places where faith is rebuilt and trust is restored.Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside's conviction that God's grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God's presence and activity in your life.

Failure has a way of making us question our worth, our faith, and whether God still sees us the same. In this episode, we look at Peter's moral collapse and the weight of guilt that followed his denial of Jesus, exploring how failure can distort what we believe about ourselves and about God. As the resurrection story unfolds, we begin to see why even our worst moments do not have the final word.Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside's conviction that God's grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God's presence and activity in your life.

What does the empty tomb really prove, and why does it still matter? The doubts, fears, and questions surrounding the resurrection of Jesus are explored through Peter's encounter with the risen Christ and the transformation that followed. For anyone who has wondered whether Jesus is truly God, whether they matter to Him, or whether faith can survive failure and doubt, the empty tomb offers a compelling answer rooted in hope, truth, and resurrection power.Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside's conviction that God's grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God's presence and activity in your life.

It's the end of the first full week of 2026, and change is already in the air. In Acts 3, a man asked for money but received something far better, he was healed through the power of Jesus. That kind of transformation begins with repentance, a change of mind and heart. When we turn to God, Scripture promises times of refreshing. Maybe you're ready for a fresh start too. Today's devotional is a reminder that real, lasting change doesn't come from silver or gold, it comes from Jesus.Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside's conviction that God's grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God's presence and activity in your life.

What do you really need to change your life this year? A new job? A bigger paycheck? A fresh start somewhere else? In Acts 3, a man asked for money, but what he received instead changed everything. Today, we're unpacking how real, lasting transformation doesn't come from silver or gold. It comes from Jesus. In a world full of temporary solutions and quick fixes, we need to be reminded that the life change our souls are craving can only come through Him. So as 2026 unfolds, let's shift our focus off the things that can't satisfy, and open ourselves to the healing, freeing, life-giving power of Jesus Christ. If you're tired of the same old patterns and hungry for something more, today is your invitation to reach out for the only One who can truly make you new.Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside's conviction that God's grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God's presence and activity in your life.

This is the Christian's Hour. Welcome, I'm Stan Smelser, program host.In this week's message, from our series; “Only God”, Gene Appel, lead minister with East Side Christian Church in Anaheim, California unpacks how our most significant fears come from the uncertainties that blind-side us throughout our lives.Today, from the Bible's book of Mark the writer shares how after a very busy day of ministry for Jesus and his disciples, they use a small boat to escape the crowds and go to “refuel” in a more restful place across a local lake. Their crossing starts off very peaceful and relaxing and Jesus even falls asleep. Suddenly an enormous storm overtakes them and in the midst of the storm something incredible, something, life changing takes place.Here's Gene with the lowdown on how to deal with fear… To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/326/29?v=20251111

Sometimes the biggest breakthroughs come in the form of interruptions. Today, we revisit a powerful moment in Acts 3, when a man who had been paralyzed since birth asked for a few coins, but instead received a life-altering miracle through Jesus. He didn't expect anything more than a handout, but what he got was healing, freedom, and the ability to walk, leap, and praise God for the first time in his life. As we step into this new year, maybe what we need most isn't what we've been asking for, but what God is already preparing to give us. Don't miss the joy that can come from a holy interruption. It might be exactly what your soul needs today.Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside's conviction that God's grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God's presence and activity in your life.

Have you ever felt stuck… powerless… like life has left you sitting on the sidelines while everyone else moves forward? Today, we'll take a closer look at a man in Acts 3 who had been crippled since birth, carried daily to the temple gate just to beg. He thought he needed spare change, but God had life change in mind. If you're walking into 2026 feeling behind, worn out, or wondering if real change is even possible, this story is for you. It's never too late, and you're never too broken for God to do something new. Let's talk about what it means to open yourself up to breakthrough… even in the middle of brokenness.Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside's conviction that God's grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God's presence and activity in your life.

Welcome to 2026! A brand new year means a fresh playing field, a chance to invite God to take new territory in our lives. But if we're honest, change can be hard. Most of us say we want transformation, but few are truly ready for the discomfort it brings. Today we explore why change is at the very heart of following Jesus and how Acts 3:19 promises “times of refreshing” when we're willing to turn and walk in a new direction. This could be the year everything shifts in your relationship with God, but it starts with one question: Are you ready for change?Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside's conviction that God's grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God's presence and activity in your life.

Welcome to this week's Christian's Hour broadcast.We've all been in situations or faced circumstances that look absolutely impossible from a human perspective – whether it's disappointing events, a past that we can't do-over, or fears, hurts and habits for which there appears to be no remedy. Jesus said that while some things may look impossible to human beings, with God all things are possible. This month, Gene Appel, the Senior Pastor with the East Side Christian Church in Anaheim, California will be unpacking some ways where “Only God” can make the difference in our lives?Each of us at one time or another has experienced disappointments in life, and it's not unlikely that we will again in the future.The Bible's book of Psalms is a collection of sacred poems, often containing prayers, gathered by God's people over 2500 years ago. One of the things the psalms teach us is how to express our raw, unedited disappointments to God. So here's Gene to dispense with all the polite, positive God-talk and share with us how God can make a difference when disappointments overwhelm us... To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/326/29?v=20251111

Merry Christmas Eve, friend. Today on Pursuing God, we're tracing the journey of Jesus from the manger to the Jordan River — and what it means for your life right now. He wasn't just born to be admired in a nativity scene; He came to be followed. Born in a manger, buried in baptism, and raised to bring new life to anyone willing to say yes. As we light the final Advent candle and reflect on His birth, I want to invite you to consider the personal invitation Jesus offers: to be made new. And for some of you, that next step might be baptism. Let's talk about what it means to go all in — to identify with the One who identified with us.Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside's conviction that God's grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God's presence and activity in your life.

Christmas isn't always “the most wonderful time of the year.” For some of us, this time of year magnifies the pain we're carrying… the empty chair at the table, the tension in relationships, the dreams that haven't come true. Today I want to talk about the hard side of Christmas and remind you of the powerful promise Jesus makes in the middle of it all: “Behold, I am making all things new.” Not someday. Not just in heaven. But right now, even in the middle of your heartache. If this Christmas feels heavy, I hope you'll take a few minutes with me today. Don't pretend. Don't force the joy. Just come as you are. And let's draw near to the One who promises to draw near to us.Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside's conviction that God's grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God's presence and activity in your life.

In this final week of Advent, Gene Appel invites you to shift your perspective from anxiety to awe. As we reflect on Isaiah 12 and the promise of salvation, we're reminded that we don't have to stay stuck in the cycle of worry. Instead, we're called to draw close to our Mighty God—to turn our monologue of stress into a dialogue of trust. Whether you're weighed down by finances, relationships, or uncertainty this Christmas, this will help you move from fear to faith, and from panic to prayer, as you draw joyfully from the well of God's presence. Behold Him. He is near.Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside's conviction that God's grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God's presence and activity in your life.

As we wrap up the third week of Advent, we've spent these days looking at Jesus as YOUR KING. We close this week by returning to the wise men, who traveled for months, maybe years, to bow before Jesus and offer their gifts. Their worship wasn't casual or convenient; it was love expressed.Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside's conviction that God's grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God's presence and activity in your life.

“Behold, your King is coming to you.” Today, we trace how the Christmas story itself declares that Jesus didn't come for one group, one ethnicity, or one nation, He came for the world. From lowly shepherds to foreign Magi, God made it unmistakably clear: the good news is for everyone.Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside's conviction that God's grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God's presence and activity in your life.

Today, we explore the powerful contrast between two very different gifts brought to Jesus, costly treasures from the wise men and two simple pigeons from Mary and Joseph. One extravagant, one humble… yet both equally honoring to God. Why? Because God doesn't measure the amount, He measures the proportion and the heart behind it.Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside's conviction that God's grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God's presence and activity in your life.

Today, we walk through the often-misunderstood story of the wise men, their long journey, intentional worship, and the deeply symbolic gifts they brought to Jesus. Gold for the King. Frankincense for the High Priest. Myrrh for the Savior who came to die.Their gifts weren't last-minute add-ons; they were thoughtful, planned acts of worship. As we enter the busiest days of December, this episode invites you to consider: Are you offering Jesus your leftovers, or your first and best? Let's make God our central thought this season—not an afterthought.Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside's conviction that God's grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God's presence and activity in your life.

Step into the third week of Advent with the powerful declaration from Zechariah: “Behold, your King is coming to you… having salvation.” Today, we reflect on the wise men, their gifts, and what it means to worship the One who has everything yet still desires our hearts. In a season filled with noise, hurry, and gift-giving, this episode invites you to slow down, become a worshipper again, and honor the King who has come near. Before we give gifts to one another, may we first offer our gratitude and worship to the One who gave Himself for us.Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside's conviction that God's grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God's presence and activity in your life.

Fear not, a reminder of the extraordinary joy at the heart of Christmas. Today's episode invites you to slow down, create space in this busy season, and consider how God wants to use your life, right where you live, to shine His light. Just as the shepherds shared the good news with everyone they knew, God invites us to do the same. Who in your life needs hope, encouragement, or an invitation this Christmas?Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside's conviction that God's grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God's presence and activity in your life.