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83 episodes with josh branham
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Check out Josh Branham's book on What Are You Waiting For?: A Young Leader's Guide to Changing the World: https://a.co/d/3AtqhWv Check out RENEW.org Events: https://renew.org/resources/events/ Interested in more content from RENEW? Sign up for our newsletter: https://renew.org/resources/newsletter-sign-up/ Inspiring Young Leaders: An Interview with Josh Branham Join us as we sit down with Josh Branham to discuss his transformative new book, 'What Are You Waiting For? A Young Leader's Guide to Changing the World.' In this episode, Josh dives into the challenges young people face today, from disillusionment to distractions, and the importance of dreaming big. He also shares personal anecdotes from his journey, insights into his pastoral work at Hill City Church in Boise, Idaho, and practical advice for current and future young leaders. Don't miss this insightful conversation on inspiring the next generation to step into their calling and change the world. Get our Premium podcast feed featuring all the breakout sessions from the RENEW gathering early. https://reallifetheologypodcast.supercast.com/ Key Takeaways 00:00 Introduction to Josh Branham and His Book 00:34 The Importance of Dreaming Big 01:40 Challenges Young People Face Today 03:47 Message to the Disillusioned Youth 06:51 Josh's Personal Journey 07:54 Misconceptions About Alaska and Australia 09:49 Hill City Church: A Unique Journey 13:05 Raising Up Young Leaders in Church Ministry 15:39 Premise of the Book: Start Today 20:33 Encouragement for the Disillusioned In this episode, Josh Branham dives into his new book, What Are You Waiting For? A Young Leader's Guide to Changing the World. It's all about inspiring young people to hold onto their big dreams and take action instead of waiting for the "right time." Josh kicks things off by tackling why so many young people stop dreaming big—disillusionment and distraction. He shares how well-meaning advice from parents, teachers, and mentors often pushes kids toward "safe" career paths, causing them to abandon their passions. Add in the constant stream of media, and many end up living vicariously through others instead of pursuing their own purpose. One moment that really hit home for Josh was his daughter's kindergarten graduation, where kids boldly declared dreams of becoming pop stars, dancers, or veterinarians. Fast forward a few years, and those dreams often shrink under the weight of practicality and expectations. But Josh insists that young people are naturally wired to dream—and his book is about keeping that fire alive. At its core, What Are You Waiting For? is for those who feel stuck, cynical, or unsure about their future. Josh's message is clear: You were created for a purpose, and with faith, anything is possible. He especially wants to encourage young leaders to step up now, not later. Josh shares his own story—from growing up in Fairbanks, Alaska, to moving to Australia at 16, which challenged him to grow in independence and faith. Later, at Boise Bible College, he felt called to ministry, leading to 15 years of experience as a youth pastor and eventually planting Hill City Church in Boise. The conversation also covers Hill City's evolution—from a satellite campus to an independent church, merging with an older congregation during the pandemic, and even launching a satellite campus of their own. Josh paints a vivid picture of their historic downtown Boise building, complete with stained glass and deep community roots. Josh also highlights a growing challenge: fewer young people entering church ministry. He hopes his book will be a tool for church leaders to raise up the next generation, encouraging them to step into their calling now instead of waiting for “someday.” One key idea? Young people's greatest strength can be recognizing their own weaknesses—it makes them open to learning and growth. Ultimately, Josh hopes his book will inspire at least one person to step into ministry or intentional service. He sees it as a practical guide for youth groups, internships, and mentorship programs—not just to inspire but to equip. As the episode wraps up, Josh speaks directly to young people feeling lost or discouraged. He's been there and wants them to know—God has a plan for you. Don't wait. Believe in your potential, take action, and trust that God will work through you. His final message? Hope, purpose, and the courage to step into the calling that's already yours.
reaching and equipping the next generation, and Josh's new manuscript on the subject. Listen in! Josh is the Lead Pastor of Hill City Church in Boise, Idaho. He moved to Boise from Fairbanks, Alaska to study preaching at Boise Bible College in 2009. He went on to get his Master of Arts in Christian Ministry from Grand Canyon University. Josh and his wife Shaina have three daughters. When Josh isn't working, he enjoys running, biking, skiing, and playing with his two dogs. As a pastor, speaker, & writer, Josh delivers consistent content to help you grow in your discipleship to Jesus. Josh is a writer for Vantage Stories, contributor at Renew.org, and podcast host for the City Network.For more from Robert, For more from Robert, check out @bobbyfrazier on instagram. Find more from the Church Planter Podcast on instagram @churchplanterpodcast, on Facebook at Church Planter Podcast, and twitter @cPlanterPodcast. Mentioned in this episode:This episode was brought to you by ChurchWebBuilder. If you've been meaning to scrap your terrible Wordpress church website, or you just need to actually sit down and make your church plants' website, let this be a sign to you. With CWB's library of church specific templates and integrations, and the included all-in-one marketing and communication platform, a beautiful new website is literally sitting there, waiting for you to take it. Go to www.churchwebbuilder.io and use the code PLANTER at checkout. You'll get 50% off your entire first year.
Guest speaker, Josh Branham, raised in Alaska. Now he serves as the lead pastor of a thriving church in Boise, Idaho called Hill City Church. Josh will share with us what it means to grow young and why it is important now more than ever.
Knowing Jesus changes everything. It changes how we live, how we pray, the freedom we have, and the list goes on and on. In this teaching we will look at five truths we know when we know Jesus. We’ll learn to confront sins and idolatry in our lives. We’ll see how true life comes from the one true God. Teaching text: 1 John 5:13-21
Do you know Jesus? We want to be people don’t just know about Jesus, we want to know Him. It all starts by hearing the gospel. If you’ve come to faith in Christ, then it’s up to you to testify. That might sound intimidating, but it’s all about using your story to tell God’s story. Teaching text: 1 John 5:6-12
Where do you need victory in your life? Relationships? Finances? Health? Sin? We all face battles, but we don’t always feel like we’re winning. God wants you to have victory in Christ Jesus. In this teaching we look at how faith helps us overcome any obstacle we face. Teaching text: 1 John 5:1-5
What comes to mind when you think of God? The picture might be good, bad, or even blank. Our perspective of God is so important because it determines how we relate to Him. Yet many people in the world are missing this foundational truth—God is love. Teaching text: 1 John 4:7-21
No one likes being deceived. How do you differentiate between spiritual falsehood and spiritual truth? The Apostle John in his letter to the church gives us three tests for spotting a spirit of error. The bottom line is people from God speak truth from God. Teaching text: 1 John 4:1-6
Who are you? Who are you becoming? Our culture tells us that we can become whoever we want to be. While that idea may sound nice on the surface, creating our own identity is a burden we were never meant to carry. In Christ, we receive an identity that can never be taken away. We are children of God. Teaching text: 1 John 2:28-3:10
As if the global pandemic wasn’t enough, the World Health Organization has stated we are also living an in “infodemic.” This is where there is so much information being rapidly shared that it is almost impossible to determine what is true or not. Discerning truth is important because what you believe determines how you live. In this teaching we will look at the truth about the most important things—God, ourselves, and eternal life. Teaching text: 1 John 2:18-27
How good are you at saying “no” to yourself? We all have desires, but not all of those desires are good for us. We live most of our lives running after temporary things. God’s Kingdom promises that the best is yet to come. We must live for things that last if we want a joy that lasts. Teaching text: 1 John 2:15-17
If we want to end up at the right destination, we have to know where we currently are. This is why it’s important to stop at times and identify where we are spiritually. In this teaching we will identify different stages of maturity, what we need to know for each one, and how to continue to grow. Teaching text: 1 John 2:12-14
How do you know that you know God? Many people who go to church, still aren’t sure of their salvation. In this teaching, we are given three tests to identify genuine faith. Here’s the key: it has more to do with how you live than what you say. Teaching text: 1 John 2:3-11
The word “sin” means different things to different people. Some would argue that the very idea of sin is outdated. They would say that each person should do what they think is right. The Bible couldn’t be any more clear on this—sin is the main problem with our world today. Sin is anything less than God’s best. It this teaching, we’ll look at how to say no to sin and yes to God’s best for our lives. Teaching text: 1 John 1:8-2:2
We all know this world can be a dark place. When things are falling apart all around us, where does our hope come from? The Apostle John answers that question with the bold statement, “God is light!” In the teaching we will look at how we can experience light from God and shine that same light into the rest of the world. Teaching text: 1 John 1:5-7
What is the true Gospel? We have to know it if we are going to share it. The gospel is something we hear, see, understand, and experience. It is a message of good news and the person of Jesus Christ. Teaching text: 1 John 1:1-4
It’s a good idea to understand some background information before reading a book in the Bible. This is why study Bibles include a brief “Overview” section before each Bible book. In todays teaching, we’ll answer the following questions about 1 John. Who wrote it? What was the situation? How is it structured? Teaching text: 1 John 1-5
What lessons have you learned during the COVID-19 crisis? The wilderness is a classroom. Trials are a teacher. While we often focus on getting out of difficulty, it’s important to slow down and learn the lessons that God has been teaching us along the way. Teaching text: Deuteronomy 8
Widespread trials can lead to corporate revival. Our idols are exposed for what they are—powerless. In this wilderness moment, we look to the wilderness ministry of John the Baptist. His example shows us four steps to turning back to God and how to prepare the way for Jesus. Teaching text: Matthew 3:1-12
In a time of social distancing and stay at home orders, why in the world would anyone choose solitude? The answer is your soul needs time to be alone with God. This week we are looking at the beauty to be found in the wilderness as we learn the spiritual discipline of silence & solitude from the life of Jesus. Teaching text: Mark 6:30-46
We all have bad habits we want to get rid of, but just can’t seem to shake. We all have good things we wish we did, but never seem to be able to muster up the will power to accomplish. The evil we do and the good we fail to do is what the Bible calls “sin.” In this teaching we learn how to overcome temptation by looking to the example of Jesus. Teaching text: Matthew 4:1-11
When you are disappointed, disillusioned, and hopeless what do you need to hear most? The prophet Elijah is known for great victories & miracles throughout his ministry. We often forget that Elijah not only encountered God in mountain top experiences, but also in the lowest valleys. In times of trouble we need to hear God's still small voice. Teaching text: 1 Kings 19
What is faith? How can you trust Jesus with your life? Pastor Josh walks through the story of blind Bartimaeus and highlights his spiritual sight. Teaching text: Mark 10:46-52
How can we have faith in a world that is full of fear? It has been said that fear is faith in the enemy. There are many problems that we face in the world right now. Fear creeps in when we have a list of unknowns. What we do know is that our God is bigger. If God is for us, who can be against us? Teaching text: Numbers 13-14
Have you ever felt like you were in a desert? Pastor Josh explains that we are in a wilderness moment in our world today. While none of us would choose hard times, God often meets people in the wilderness. There is work He only does through suffering. There are gifts He has to offer us that can only be found in trials. The question is whether we will receive those gifts with gratitude or reject them with complaining. Teaching text: Numbers 11:1-23
This week we talk about the "how" of evangelism. Even if Christians feel as if they should share their faith, many have no idea what to say. We dive into Jesus' instructions to the 72 that he commissioned for ministry. Teaching text: Luke 10:1-12
The harvest is plentiful, but why are the workers so few? Jesus makes it clear that to be a disciple means we are committed to going and making disciples. Yet, many Christians never fully engage in ministry. There is one major shift we can make to change this. It starts with our hearts. Teaching text: Matthew 9:35-39
Jesus doesn’t just invite you to an individual relationship with Him, He invites us into a family. This teaching explores the progression that most people make from diversity to tribalism to ultimately loneliness. The way of Jesus, empowered by the Holy Spirit, brings us back through fellowship to community to unity. Teaching text: Acts 2:42-47
Conflict is difficult. The church is no exception to this. Jesus calls us not to attack in a fight and not to escape conflicts, but to be peacemakers. This week we learn how to handle conflict in the way of Jesus. Teaching text: Matthew 5:9, 23-26, 18:15-17
Communication is about more than the simple transfer of information. It is a gateway to relationship. Many people experience breakdowns in communication on a daily basis. In this teaching, we will learn three major shifts in communication that will revolutionize the way that we speak and listen to one another. Teaching text: James 1:19-20
Have you ever done something and afterwards wondered, “Where did that come from?” We often do or say things that we wish we could take back. We say things like, “That wasn’t like me!” The issue is, it is like us. This week we journey beneath the surface and identify the heart issues behind our relational dysfunction. Teaching text: Luke 6:43-45
The main word Jesus uses to describe the kind of community he wants to create is love. What kind of love is he talking about? To what degree are we called to love one another? What if the other person doesn’t love us back? These are the questions we explore in week 1 of our new Life Together series. Teaching text: Matthew 22:34-40, 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
What should we do when God doesn't answer our prayers the way we want Him to? We yield to His will. This is easier said than done. In the final week of this teaching series on prayer, Pastor Josh teaches us how to pray prayers of relinquishment & confession. Teaching text: Mark 14:32-42
What should we ask God for when we pray? How should we ask? This week we look at how Jesus taught his disciples to pray. The Lord's Prayer is filled with requests. While many of us have no shortage of requests for God, we still need help learning how to ask. Teaching text: Luke 11:1-13
It’s easy to praise God when things are good, but what about when things are bad? How can we praise God when we don’t feel like it? If you can’t see a reason to rejoice in the Lord—keep looking. Teaching text: Philippians 4:4-9
When was the last time you paused in prayer? Silent prayer helps center us on God and hear from Him. If we want to hear from God, we need to pause long enough to listen. Teaching text: 1 Samuel 3
Sometimes we become so familiar with the Christmas story that we forget to look closely. Pastor Josh takes a close look at the birth of another baby in the Christmas story—John the Baptist. In this teaching you will learn principles drawn out of the birth story of John that will help you share the gospel with others. Because at the heart of it, the Christmas story is a story of good news. Teaching text: Luke 1
Jesus promises that if we come to Him we will find rest for our souls. Yet, the lives many of us are living are far from restful. This week we are looking at two spiritual practices from the life of Jesus that can help us experience rest physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Teaching text: Matthew 11:28-30, Mark 2:23-28, 6:31
It seems like everyone is in a hurry. According to Dallas Willard, "Hurry is the great enemy of the spiritual life." Lead Pastor Josh helps us understand that the solution isn't more time, it is learning to use what time you've been given with wisdom. Teaching text: Mark 13:32-37, Ephesians 5:14-17
There are two ways we can respond to God's will: with pride or humility. The Gibeonites give us a great example of what humility looks like and God blesses them because of it. The five Kings of the Amorites display pride resulting in destruction. Pride starts battles, but humility creates peace. Teaching text: Joshua 9-11
Audio from Vantage Stories "Rahab" followed by Pastor Josh Branham continuing the series on Joshua. Pastor Josh takes us through Joshua 2 thru 6 and challenges us to be obedient to the commands of God just as Joshua and Rahab were obedient. For more information on Vantage Stories, visit their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/vantagestories
Week 1 of our series on the book of Joshua. Pastor Josh Branham sets up the context of the book of Joshua and encourages us to be strong and courageous to follow through on what God is calling each of us to. Teaching text: Joshua 1
Who does the work of ministry? Pastors? Church staff? Key volunteers? We believe that all Christians should be involved in ministry. Each person has been uniquely gifted to serve in the church. We want to help everyone find their role in helping God's Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven. We serve not out of obligation, but out of worship. Teaching text: Romans 12:1-8
Giving in the American Church is at an all time low. According to a 2018 survey by Nonprofit source, American Christians give 2.5% of their annual income to ministry. Even during the Great Depression Christians gave 3.3%. This is because our hearts naturally drift towards materialism and consumerism. Yet, this is not the way of Jesus. Our church wants our giving to reflect God's generosity. Teaching text: 2 Corinthians 9:6-15
What is faith in Christ? Is it a simple recognition that Jesus is the Son of God? Are there certain words that you confess in a specific way? According to Jesus, faith in him is more than what you think or say. You can't be a Christian without following Christ. Text: Matthew 16:13-28
Many of us know that reading the Bible is a good thing to do, but we don't do it. At Hill City we believe that interacting with God's Word in your everyday life is an essential part of your discipleship. What goes into your life determines what comes out. Pastor Josh shares from Psalm 1 on how to read the Bible to encounter God's presence, not just to gain information.
"The remarkable thing about prayer is not that so many people pray, but that some of us keep at it." - Eugene Peterson If we are are honest, when it comes to prayer, most of us struggle with praying every day let alone "praying at all times.". And yet, faithful prayer is foundational to life in Christ. In this teaching, Josh walks us through Luke 18:1-8 and how we can pray at all times and not lose heart.
Most people like the idea of the church being a family, but few are actually willing to do the hard work of creating the kind of community that Jesus had in mind for the church. When we are called "brothers and sisters in Christ" it means more than sitting next to one another on a Sunday morning. In order to really be the family of God, we must be vulnerable, loving, accountable, and committed to one another.
Our Core Values are the "who" we are as a church. These are the things we hope come up in conversation when people talk about Hill City. In this teaching, Lead Pastor Josh walks us through five different perspectives on Jesus and how each of us come to Christ. These are helpful tools to be aware of as we share our faith with our friends, family, co-workers, and neighbors. The teaching text is John 1:35-51.
What does it mean to truly worship Jesus? How can you live a life free from self-made religion and be empowered by the gospel in every aspect of your life?
What does it mean to be rooted in Christ? How can you live a transformed life? How can you allow the Gospel to influence everything you think, say, and do?
What has God created you for? What is the more that God wants to do in you and through you? How can you depend Christ to work powerfully in your life?
Do you remember your first encounter with the gospel? What is the gospel? How should it affect our lives? What are we supposed to do with it once we have it?Lead Pastor Josh Branham begins our summer sermon series on Paul's letter to the Colossians.
What does the Bible say about sexuality? What if I struggle with sexual immorality? How should the church treat people in the gay community?
How is Christianity different than other religions?Which religion is right?How should I treat someone from another religion?
Are science and Christianity incompatible? How did the universe come into existence? Can miracles happen?
Why does God allow suffering? How can I help someone who is suffering? How should I respond to suffering?
What happens after we die? Would God really send someone to hell? What is heaven like? How do I know where I will spend eternity?
High School and Middle School. Luke Emery and Josh Branham sit down and talk about setting boundaries, dating and singleness.
For Easter 2019, Lead Pastor Josh shares the story and the significance of the Gospel. Jesus died in your place because He loves you. He wants to give you freedom and make you a new creation.
Most of us struggle with lifting ourselves up above others. Even if we don't think we are the greatest, we can't stand the thought of being the least. Yet, Jesus teaches us that it is the humble who will be lifted up by God. Serving is the best spiritual practice for ridding our hearts of pride and growing in humility.
High School and Middle School. From our "Sex and Dating" Forum. Guest speaker Josh Branham leads us through an in-depth teaching on God's design for sex and how powerful things need instruction.
We all have a picture that comes to mind when we hear the word "evangelism." For some it's a large revival gathering with thousands of people. For others it might be a street preacher or door to door evangelists. But the way we often see outreach taking place in the New Testament is much more organic. Sharing the gospel is simple: it's people introducing their friends to Jesus.
Confession is one of spiritual disciplines that we have the most difficulty practicing. It involves speaking out our hidden brokenness. We live in a culture where we have so many ways of hiding what's really going on inside. Yet, without confession, we'll never bring our brokenness to light and experience the healing power of the gospel.
Reading the Bible is something we know we should do, but it's not always something that we want to do. Yet if we are only in the Bible a fraction of the week, we'll only ever experience partial transformation in our lives. In this week's practice, Pastor Josh demonstrates three ways that you can interact with the Bible in your life: study, meditation, and memorization.
Prayer simply defined is having a conversation with God. Yet for most of us, prayer is anything but simple. In this message on prayer, Pastor Josh talks through some of the roadblocks that keep us from praying and gives some practical steps can take as we learn to pray.
Spiritual Practices are the things we do in our lives to connect with God every day so that we can follow Jesus with everything. In the first week of the series, Pastor Josh explains what fasting is, why most of us don't do it, and how fasting can help shape your desires around God and His Kingdom. This message comes just in time for the beginning of Lent.
In this season of messages, the "Community and Characteristics of the Spirit" are explored. This coincides with the 2018-19 year is "Spirit Minded". This year we will focus on the juxtaposition of the flesh and the spirit. Josh Branham is an alumni of Boise Bible College. He currently is the lead pastor at Hill City Church in Boise, Idaho. Intro Music: Motivate Me by Mixaund https://mixaund.bandcamp.com
Have you ever wondered why being part of a local church is important? In week 1 of our new Family series, Lead Pastor Josh explores what it truly means to be the Family of God from Ephesians 2:11-22. If God is your Father, then you are part of His family.
In this conclusion to our series on the 10 Commandments we look at how God is interested more than just our external obedience, He wants our hearts. Lead Pastor Josh covers commandments 8-10: you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness, and you shall not covet.
Honor your parents. Don't murder. Don't commit adultery. These three commandments may seem simple to follow, but there are ways that all of us have fallen short in each category. Our series on the Ten Commandments continues as we look at the first three commands specifically directed at our relationships with one another as people. The bottom line; how you treat people matters to God.
In this series, we cover the 10 Commandments and look at the covenant that God made with Israel. Knowing how God wanted the nation of Israel to live helps us understand how we should live as His people. In week 1, Josh covers the context and commandments 1-3.
We don't just experience life in years, we experience life in seasons. The season that you are in today you may not be in forever. This message sorts through the different seasons we go through and helps us align our expectations and actions with the season we are in.
On Christmas Eve we looked at the big picture story that God has been telling throughout all of history. Pastor Josh covers the twelve chapters or movements leading up to Jesus and the incarnation of the Son of God.
We have faith in those who have proven themselves trustworthy. Throughout history, God has proven Himself as one we can trust to provide, protect, and give us peace no matter what situation we face. While the Israelites in Exodus 13-19 have a difficult time trusting God in the wilderness, we can learn from their mistakes and allow our faith in God to grow deeper each day.
Many people believe in their minds that God can bring about amazing change, but they just don't know if He will. Israel in Exodus 4-13 was able to experience real from slavery because God redeemed them with his mighty acts of judgment. That same redemptive power is available to you today in Jesus.
When we encounter suffering it can be difficult to feel God's presence. The beginning of the book of Exodus tells a story of the nation of Israel who is suffering from the brutality of the evil pharaoh. Before deliverance comes, we are reminded that God hears, remembers, sees, and knows what are going through.
In a world of independence, an attitude of entitlement runs rampant. Entitlement says, "I have what I have because I earned it myself." In contrast, gratitude is about learning to depend on and give credit to God.
Management is all about making the most of what you have. Management Jesus' way is about making the most of what you have for God's Kingdom. It all centers around viewing everything we have as things that God has entrusted to us.
Josh Branham starts a brand new series on our relationship with money & possessions. The more that we give to God's Kingdom, the more we care about it.
Josh Branham wraps up the God Stories series by teaching through the parable of the Rich Man & Lazarus. The main point, "Don't spend your life ignoring the people that Jesus spent his life loving."
Josh Branham teaches on Jesus' mission to seek and save the lost. If you feel lost in your life, there is hope in Jesus. If you have been found, join the search party and bring light to a broken world.
Josh Branham teaches on the parable of the sower from Matthew 13:1-23 and how the four soils represent four different kinds of people.
Welcome today's featured comedian, Mr. Josh Branham, who is originally from Kentucky. He's doing a special in Louisville THIS WEEK, so if you're in the area, go check him out.
Josh Branham takes an in-depth dive into our mission statment: "Walk with God, connect with people, impact the world"
Josh Branham takes an in-depth dive into our vision statment, "Following Jesus with everything, because He first loved us."
Josh Branham speaks about the importance of experiencing God's goodness in our lives before we share the good news of the gospel with others.
Josh Branham shares the Core Values of Hill City Church and how to give online using the new church management software.
Josh Branham sits down with me to talk about his relationship with his Mother in life and in death.
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