Podcasts about kingdom of god

Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? In this powerful morning devotional, we walk through Matthew 18 and hear some of the most shocking words ever spoken by Jesus Christ. Jesus does not point to power, fame, or influence. Instead, He calls a child forward and redefines greatness as humility. Along the way, He issues a terrifying warning about harming “the little ones” and challenges us to ask an uncomfortable question. Are we becoming safer for the weak, or more dangerous? Grab your coffee and join us as we explore what true greatness really looks like in the kingdom of God.   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 #MorningDevotional #Mailbag #BibleTeaching #ChristianPodcast #Faith #Matthew18 #KingdomOfGod #ChristianLiving #BiblicalTruth #ChristianYouTube #JesusTeachings #Humility #Greatness #ProtectTheChildren #Discipleship #ChristianFaith

In this third episode, Kimberly walks us through the third mystery—the Proclamation of the Kingdom of God—helping us understand Jesus's mission, His role as preacher and Lord, and His divine power and authority. Furthermore, Kimberly guides us in Christ's teaching on pleasing God through faith and obedience. Whether you're watching on your own, with daughters and friends, or leading a parish study, this series is an invitation to grow as a woman of faith and grace, reflecting on the Luminous Mysteries of Jesus. ✨ Join the largest group Bible Study in America—Bible Across America ➡️ https://stpaulcenter.com/america Other ways to grow with the St. Paul Center: ⛪️ If you're a Priest looking to attend one of our annual Priest Conferences: https://stpaulcenter.co/priestconfere...

Love isn't broken — our definition of it is.In a culture that says “follow your heart,” what if your heart isn't a safe compass? What if feelings aren't meant to lead your relationships?In this message, we dive deep into what the Bible actually says about love, marriage, singleness, lust, waiting, and why marriage was never meant to fix you — Jesus was.Authentic Church 2416 N Center St Hickory, NC 28601 (Beside Planet Fitness) GIVING To support this ministry and help us continue to reach people all around the world click here: https://authenticchurch.com/give GET CONNECTED Ready to check out Authentic Church in person? We can't wait to meet you in person. Simply fill out the form below and we'll make sure to give you the VIP treatment upon your first visit. https://authenticchurch.com/plan-a-visit ABOUT AUTHENTIC CHURCH Authentic Church exists so that people will have an authentic encounter with God, be set free, and grow in Christ. Our mission is to help each person at Authentic believe in Jesus, belong to family, inspire true worship, walk in God's Spirit, and build the kingdom of God.

Experiencing Suffering in the Kingdom of God

Around Valentine’s Day, the world celebrates romantic love—but it can’t satisfy our deepest hearts. 1 John 4:19 reminds us that true love begins with God: “We love because He first loved us.” When we make romantic relationships the ultimate priority, we risk putting God on the back burner. The Bible calls us to love God above all else, cultivating a heart that reflects His love first—because only then can we truly love others. Intersecting Faith & Life What is your focus this Valentine’s Day—God’s love or romantic pursuit? How can you cultivate your love for God first, so that all other relationships are strengthened? Take time today to ask God to center your heart on Him, letting His love overflow into your interactions with others. Do you want to listen ad-free? When you join Crosswalk Plus, you gain access to exclusive, in-depth Bible study guides, devotionals, sound biblical advice, and daily encouragement from trusted pastors and authors—resources designed to strengthen your faith and equip you to live it out boldly. PLUS ad free podcasts! Sign Up Today! This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. If you are struggling with debt call Trinity today. Trinity's counselors have the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | https://trinitycredit.org TrinityCredit – Call us at 1-800-793-8548. Whether we're helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments. https://trinitycredit.org Full Transcript Below: God Is All We Need By Alexis A. Goring Bible Reading:“And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” - Philippians 4:19 (NIV) Earlier this year, I saw an illustration on Instagram of two women shopping in a store. One woman had overloaded her shopping cart with everything from cosmetics to jewelry. These were in the form of large, white boxes with the labels of worldly possessions on each box. She was looking at a woman walking beside her, carrying just one medium-sized box in her hands and walking with ease. The label on the box only had three letters that said, “God.” The woman with all the boxes in her cart labeled with words that symbolized every material possession we can chase after in this life on Earth, asked the other woman, “Is that all you need?” The woman smiled sweetly and said simply, “Yes.” This illustration reminded me of a real-life story that happened to me many years ago. A ministry leader at a church I attended gave everyone there a free, new Bible and told us to give it away to someone who needs it. I kept the Bible in my car and prayed for the perfect opportunity to share it with someone. One day, God answered my prayer as I sat in the driver’s seat of my car at a stoplight. I noticed a woman dressed in plain clothes who was standing on the median in the road by the stoplight, begging for money. I didn’t have any cash to give her, but I remembered I had a Bible. What better gift? So, I rolled down my window and waved until she saw me and walked over to my car. When I gave the Bible to her, she flipped through the pages with a wide smile, then looked at me and said with great enthusiasm, “If we have Jesus, we have everything! If we don’t have Jesus, we have nothing!” I said, “Amen!” Then drove away because the traffic light had turned green. Years later, I reflected on that memory and the truth of her simple yet profound statement. This caused me to reflect on my personal values and outlook on life. What was I chasing after? Worldly wealth so I could afford all my material needs, stability in the workforce with a job that’s fulfilling and purposeful, relationships, friendships…the list goes on. This reminds me of a quote I saw online that said something like, “If we chase Jesus as much as we chase people, then maybe He would give us people we don’t need to chase.” I found the same to be true when it comes to seeking Jesus Christ instead of worldly desires. The Bible says in Matthew 6:33 (NLT), “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” I’m learning to apply this verse to my daily living. It’s important to not just read the Bible and study it but to apply the advice written within it. When it comes to seeking God and His Kingdom first, I am doing that by starting my day with Him in Bible study and prayer, then continuing the conversation with God as I move through my day. You don’t have to pray to Him out loud. You can whisper a prayer or stay silent as you converse with God privately in your head. You don’t have to literally pray every second, 24/7, 365, but the point is for us to involve God in our day and make time for Him, just like we would for a best friend or family member whom we love. The older I become, the more I see how true it is that when we have Jesus, we have everything we need, but without Him, we have nothing. Think about it: There are people who have great financial wealth but are dying on the inside. They need a Savior because no amount of money can save you. There are popular people who are influential and famous yet feel empty because they’ve found that fame can never satisfy this deep hunger in their souls. Whether they know it or not, only Jesus Christ can quench their thirst and satisfy their hunger. While he was living on Earth, Blaise Pascal said, “There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every man, which cannot be filled by any created thing, but only by God the Creator, made known through Jesus Christ.” As we go through this new year and the rest of our lives, let’s seek God first before everything and everyone else, then experience how He completes us. Before you go, please listen to these four songs for reflection: Song of Reflection #1: “You’re All I Need” by Hezekiah Walker. Listen to it HERE. Song of Reflection #2: “God Is” by Rev. James Cleveland. Listen to it HERE. Song of Reflection #3: “First Things First” by Consumed by Fire. Listen to it HERE. Song of Reflection #4: “You’ll Never Thirst” by Anointed. Listen to it HERE. Intersecting Faith & Life: How does it feel to know God is all you need? Further Reading: Psalm 16:5Psalm 20:6-72 Peter 1:32 Corinthians 9:8Jeremiah 17:7-8 Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

In this message from Matthew 6:19–34, we explore how misplaced treasure, divided focus, and competing masters quietly fuel anxiety in our lives. Jesus isn't condemning possessions—He's confronting misdirected security and inviting us to invest in what is eternal. What we fix our gaze on shapes our interior world, and when loyalty is divided, instability and worry follow. But when we seek first the Kingdom of God, steward our inner life before Him, and surrender tomorrow's fears, peace begins to take root. This sermon calls us to examine what we treasure, who we serve, and where our thoughts dwell—because a God-centered heart is the only heart that truly rests. ______________________________________________________________________________________ NEW HERE? We'd love to connect with you. Text "NEW" to 323-405-3232 SERMON NOTES: www.bible.com/organizations/f223…-a8fc-3297da42c26a - Or Text: "SERMON" To: 323-405-3232 CONNECT WITH US: Hopeland Website: www.hopelandla.com Hopeland Podcast: @steinbot-519314947 Hopeland YouTube: www.youtube.com/@hopelandchurch Hopeland Facebook: @hopelandla Hopeland Instagram: @hopeland.church To support this ministry and help us continue to reach people with the gospel click here: hopelandla.com/give Or, choose a giving option here: - Venmo: @Hopeland-Church - CashApp: $HopelandChurch - Zelle: shawn@hopelandla.com - Text "Hopeland" to 833-767-5698

#top .av-special-heading.av-gs9o3p-1dba0921dabb2b4f9960c5ca4ff8e679{ padding-bottom:10px; } body .av-special-heading.av-gs9o3p-1dba0921dabb2b4f9960c5ca4ff8e679 .av-special-heading-tag .heading-char{ font-size:25px; } .av-special-heading.av-gs9o3p-1dba0921dabb2b4f9960c5ca4ff8e679 .av-subheading{ font-size:15px; } Through My Bible Yr 03 – February 15Luke 6:12-36 LISTEN HERE Through My Bible – February 15 Luke 6:12-36 (EHV) https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/03-0215db.mp3 See series: Through My Bible Luke 6 Jesus Sends Out the Twelve 12 It happened in those days that Jesus went up on the mountain to pray, and he spent all night in prayer to God. 13 When it was day, he summoned his disciples and chose twelve of them, whom he also called apostles: 14 Simon, whom he also named Peter, and his brother Andrew; James and John; Philip and Bartholomew; 15 Matthew and Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus, also Simon, who was called the Zealot; 16 Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor. Jesus Heals Many 17 He went down with them and stood on a level place with a large crowd of his disciples and a large number of people from all Judea and Jerusalem, as well as from the coastal area of Tyre and Sidon. These people came to listen to him and to be healed of their diseases. 18 Those who were troubled by unclean spirits were also cured. 19 The whole crowd kept trying to touch him, because power was going out from him and healing them all. Blessings and Woes 20 He lifted up his eyes to his disciples and said: Blessed are you who are poor,     because yours is the kingdom of God. 21 Blessed are you who hunger now,     because you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now,     because you will laugh. 22 Blessed are you whenever people hate you, and whenever they exclude and insult you and reject your name as evil because of the Son of Man. 23 “Rejoice in that day and leap for joy because of this: Your reward is great in heaven! The fact is, their fathers constantly did the same things to the prophets.” 24 But woe to you who are rich,     because you are receiving your comfort now. 25 Woe to you who are well fed now,     because you will be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now,     because you will be mourning and weeping. 26 Woe to you when all people speak well of you,     because that is how their fathers constantly treated the         false prophets. Love Your Enemies 27 “But I say to you who are listening: Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. 28 Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who mistreat you. 29 If someone strikes you on one cheek, offer the other too. If someone takes away your coat, do not withhold your shirt. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes away your things, do not demand them back. 31 “Treat others just as you would want them to treat you. 32 If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? To be sure, even the sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even the sinners do the same thing. 34 If you lend to those from whom you expect to be repaid, what credit is that to you? Even the sinners lend to sinners in order to be paid back in full. 35 Instead, love your enemies, do good and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the unthankful and the evil. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. #top .hr.hr-invisible.av-aocsdx-89cb4ca21532423cf697fc393b6fcee0{ height:10px; } The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved. #top .hr.hr-invisible.av-4vzadh-3f04b370105df1fd314a2a9d83e55b26{ height:50px; } Share this entryShare on FacebookShare on LinkedInShare by MailLink to FlickrLink to InstagramLink to Vimeo

This is the audio from the sermon The Kingdom of God-Week 84

What if the “perfect resume” is actually keeping you from what you truly want? In John 3:1–15, Jesus meets Nicodemus—a man at the top—and reveals that his success is an obstacle, not a key, to the Kingdom of God. Whether you're an elite insider or a total outsider, find out why spiritual rebirth is the only way to get admitted.Come worship with Hillside Covenant Church LIVE at 9:00 & 10:45 AM both online and in person as Wayne Phillips teaches from John 3:1-15.This week's sermon notes are available at: https://u.pcloud.link/publink/show?code=XZtchl5ZqpeeJfkH9W0y1vRJMTKrXza4gFx7If you are new to Hillside and are looking for ways to get connected and build community, visit our website: https://www.hillsidecovenant.org/ We welcome you to Hillside and are so glad you joined us today!To give in support of Hillside Covenant and its ministries follow this link: https://hillsidecovenant.churchcenter.com/givingThe sermon from Hillside Covenant Church, Sunday, February 15, 2026.

What if the “perfect resume” is actually keeping you from what you truly want? In John 3:1–15, Jesus meets Nicodemus—a man at the top—and reveals that his success is an obstacle, not a key, to the Kingdom of God. Whether you're an elite insider or a total outsider, find out why spiritual rebirth is the only way to get admitted.Come worship with Hillside Covenant Church LIVE at 9:00 & 10:45 AM both online and in person as Wayne Phillips teaches from John 3:1-15.This week's sermon notes are available at: https://u.pcloud.link/publink/show?code=XZtchl5ZqpeeJfkH9W0y1vRJMTKrXza4gFx7If you are new to Hillside and are looking for ways to get connected and build community, visit our website: https://www.hillsidecovenant.org/ We welcome you to Hillside and are so glad you joined us today!To give in support of Hillside Covenant and its ministries follow this link: https://hillsidecovenant.churchcenter.com/givingThe full service from Hillside Covenant Church, Sunday, February 15, 2026.

Crown Ignorant Kings — Reclaiming Truth, Authority, and the KingdomWhat if ignorance isn't an insult—but a wake-up call?In this unapologetically bold podcast, we challenge the misunderstood meaning of “ignorance” and uncover how misinformation, withheld truth, and spiritual misdirection have robbed humanity of its divine inheritance. Here, truth isn't just facts—it's original, eternal knowledge that transcends the senses.We delve into the profound message that every human being was created as a king, not by gender, but by divine authority. Through powerful revelations, we explore why God came in human form: to restore what was lost, to reconnect us to the Kingdom, and to reclaim the crowns forfeited through disobedience. This isn't your typical Gospel conversation. We go beyond “What Would Jesus Do” and ask the real question: What Did Jesus Say? Because the true Good News isn't just about the cross—it's about the crown beyond it. Join us as we confront spiritual misconceptions, awaken dormant authority, and do the work to Crown Ignorant Kings—one truth at a time. Now, Let's Adjust Our Crowns!Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/crowning-ignorant-kings--2714790/support.Crowning Ignorant Kings: The Online Kingdom AcademyFollow this FREE plan to gather the resources that you need to learn more about experiencing the Kingdom of God on earth.Crowning Ignorant Kings: BLOGCrowning Ignorant Kings: The Kingdom AcademyCrowning Ignorant Kings: Online Community

As a new year begins, many people set resolutions—but what if this year's greatest resolution is spiritual? In this powerful and encouraging sermon, we explore biblical principles for a God-centered New Year through Matthew 6:33–34, 1 Corinthians 9:24–27, Hebrews 12:1–2, and 2 Kings 22:1–2. Jesus teaches us to seek first the Kingdom of God and trust Him with tomorrow. Paul challenges us to run the race with discipline and purpose. Hebrews reminds us to lay aside every weight and fix our eyes on Jesus. And King Josiah shows us that it's possible to start young—or start fresh—and still choose what is right in the sight of the Lord. In this message, you will discover how to: Make spiritual priorities your first pursuit Let go of distractions and unnecessary weights Develop discipline that leads to lasting growth Run your race with endurance and purpose Keep your focus on Jesus throughout the year Build resolutions that have eternal impact This sermon will encourage you to move beyond temporary goals and embrace eternal transformation. Don't just make resolutions—make a decision to seek God first, run with focus, and finish strong. Start the year aligned with Heaven's priorities. #NewYearSermon #SeekFirst #ChristianEncouragement #RunTheRace #FaithGoals #BiblicalResolutions #FixYourEyesOnJesus

Is your faith an authentic encounter with the living God, or simply a curated performance for the crowd? This message reveals the **DANGER** of "TikTok Reel Christianity"—a life of spiritual inauthenticity that substitutes real transformation for outward show.Join Pastor Mike as he dives into the powerful, disruptive account of the demoniac in the synagogue (Mark 1:21-28). What the spirit yells out is a spiritual diagnosis of our current, performance-driven culture. This sermon is a direct challenge to trade in the need to perform for the radical, transformative power of God's Kingdom.**This message will challenge you to see how Kingdom of God activity is:*** **Captivating:** It's so powerful it stops everything else around it.* **Disruptive:** It doesn't just fit into your routine; it upends your entire life.* **Transformative:** It doesn't polish the exterior; it brings real, permanent change from the inside out.Don't just watch this—let it change you.***### **Timestamps**0:00 - The Problem: Are You Just a "TikTok Reel"? (Crisis of Authenticity)1:17 - Setting the Scene: Mark 1:21-285:00 - **Point 1: Kingdom Activity is Captivating**12:45 - **Point 2: Kingdom Activity is Disruptive**17:30 - **Point 3: Kingdom Activity is Transformative**23:00 - The Call to Repentance and Authentic Change***### **Final Call to Action**If you found this message challenging and encouraging, hit that Like button and subscribe to **HelloPastorMike** for more content on living an authentic faith.**Share this message with a friend who needs a spiritual disruption!**Subscribe to my channel:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQCZY4btkddllimoqsKuHGg?sub_confirmation=1

THE KINGDOM OF GOD - PT 2

God speaks to His people through various methods and expressions. In this hour, Heaven is communicating with clear intention, calling the Church to develop spiritual competence and courage. The ability to discern the Father's mind is a learned spiritual art taught by mature, seasoned, kingdom-minded leaders. Many Christians struggle with knowing, hearing, and accurately interpreting God's voice and ways, particularly in prophetic arena. The prophetic is a way of life amongst believers following the Lord to the place of their assigned mandate. The prophetic is more of the construct and maturing of the regenerated spirit than just the operation of some gift. The function of the prophetic and any prophetic gifting should be seen as the outcome of a life deeply rooted in Christ Spirit and nature. When a believer's life is established in Him, the resulting spiritual fruit creates the proper foundation for the gift to be refined and to function in its true nature and God-ordained intention, competence, and capacity.This teaching, presented as a prophetic parable, addresses the gap in spiritual understanding and practice. It is a call for the Church to return to the pursuit of spiritual development and maturity, ensuring that believers are equipped to discern God's voice and intentions with accuracy and confidence.The days ahead require swift response to God's speaking. Without understanding how God communicates and the various expressions of His voice, believers face significant spiritual challenges. This message explores prophetic parables as one critical dimension of divine communication, equipping saints to respond accurately to Heaven's directives.The Nature of Prophetic ParablesA prophetic parable occurs when God uses symbolic narrative or circumstances to convey spiritual truth requiring interpretation. The message often differs from surface-level observation. Scripture establishes this pattern throughout both Testaments.Jesus employed parables extensively to communicate kingdom mysteries. Matthew 13:10-11 records the disciples asking, "Why do you speak to them in parables?" Jesus responded, "Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given." Parables function as revelatory gates; spiritual maturity determines comprehension.In Mark 4:11-12, Jesus explains: "To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables, so that 'Seeing they may see and not perceive, and hearing they may hear and not understand.'" This selective revelation protects sacred truth from those unprepared to steward it properly.

by Elder Chris McCool, Pastor (preached on February 8, 2026) When we paused the message yesterday, we were about to finish up demonstrating the vast differences between the Kingdom of God and the kingdoms of men. Today, we will finish up our discussion of these differences, and then focus upon the separation that ought to...

Beloved,Happy Valentines Day. I have a LOVE STORY that you will SEE YOUR OWN STORY within. We all feel it.A vigilance for justice and new resurging freedom in the coming year as the Fire Horse takes the lead.The blaze ignites suppressed collective forces and pushes survival systems past their breaking points. We are entering a new era where authority shifts from systems and structures to the visceral intelligence of the spirit intelligence. So as we mark the end of survival as the organizing principle and the beginning of heart opening aliveness…….ultimately we are:Choosing Love Out LoudRight now, more than ever, we are collectively craving one thing—safety.Not just physical safety, but the kind that lets us exhale fully. The kind that allows our shoulders to drop, our hearts to soften, and our nervous systems to rest.We are living in a world that feels uncertain. The division, the pace, the pressure— all rising. And in the midst of it, many of us are quietly asking: Where can I feel safe? Where can I return to myself?For me, this question has shaped everything.My life's work has been about nurturing this very feeling—-creating spaces, -rituals, and deep connections that help others remember ….in what it feels like to truly rest inside the light within ourselves.And recently, something sacred arrived in my life, a presence I call Love—and I want to honor her arrival with the reverence she deserves.But before I introduce you to her, I want to share a bit about the journey that brought us together. I believe it holds a mirror to so many of our own paths.The Power of the PathTwo years ago, I put my name on a waitlist for a litter of puppies.At the time, I didn't realize what I was actually signing up for.It would take two full years to finally be granted first pick.Two years of waiting.Two years of wondering if it would ever happen.Looking back, I see that those two years were not a delay—they were a divine invitation.My angels and guides used that time to do deep, quiet work within me.To clear out old stories.To help me soften into the truth of who I am.I wasn't just waiting for a puppy.I was being prepared to receive Love.Choosing a Different Kind of LifeDuring that time, I was also navigating a life that doesn't follow the traditional script.No marriage.No children.Just me, my work, and the sacred space I hold for others.It's a path that has asked me to shed layers of perfectionism and comparison.To stop apologizing for what my life doesn't look like.And instead, to honor what it is: creative, spiritual, intentional.I've learned that we often shrink what we love in order to stay safe.But that shrinking is an illusion.Real safety comes from expansion.From saying, This is what I love. This is what I'm building - the Kingdom of God in a stolen world - offering us a opportunity of lifetimes.Meeting LoveAnd now, she's about here.Five more weeks.A small, grounded being with soft eyes and a quiet strength.She's not here to selfishly fill a emptiness - She's here to be.To embody what I've been learning.I've had many visions of us channeling together.To walk with me through the streets, into my salon, into the hearts of those we meet.She is Love, made visible.And she is a reminder that one regulated nervous system—just one—can shift the energy of a room.Of a day.Of a life.Anchors for the JourneyAre you working through uncertainty right now?If so, I want to offer you a few anchors that have helped me:Keep Your Vision Bright.Your imagination is sacred. It's not a distraction—it's a direction. Follow it.Serve with Boundaries.You can love people deeply without abandoning yourself.Evolve at Your Own Pace.The world will try to rush you. Don't let it. Go slow. Go deep.Stay Cheerful Inside.Not toxic positivity—but a quiet cheerfulness. A kind of spiritual defiance that says, I still believe in beauty.There Is No Finish Line.There is only today. Only the practice. Only the breath.Love as a FrequencyLove is a resonance that needs no words.It's not weakness.It's alignment.It's power.When we choose to become love—not just give it, but become it—it meets us back in ways we could never have planned.That's what's happening for all of us - now.❤️ I love you. May you find the safety to soften.May you choose Love, out loud.And may you FEEL the Love choosing you right back.❤️ Love, KassandraOOOH! PS: On Christmas Eve, I surprised my parents by putting money down for their own little puppy to enter their lives. To my delight, they said yes! This week, they welcomed little Albert. I'm SO in love with my parents, and now I have another love in my life as we welcome this new addition to their home, filling it with even more joy. He's just so adorable.PPS: If you have a dog or also in the pursuit…….please hit reply, as I am creating a epic journey to support the sacred naming process.Yup. I've already started a SACRED DOG naming journey (or meaning to a current dog's name). Here's a sneak peek of how it curates the energy and spiritual connection with “LOVE.” Origin & EtymologyDerived from Old English lufu, and rooted in the Proto-Germanic lubō, “Love” is a word that has transcended language to become a universal vibration. It is not bound by culture, creed, or species—it is the essence that binds all.Core MeaningUnconditional affection, divine union, and the highest vibrational field available to sentient beings. Love is the frequency that dissolves fear, heals wounds, and magnetizes abundance.How “Love” Filters the Energy of the Heart and HomeThe name “Love” acts as a harmonic tuning fork. Each time it is spoken, it initiates a subtle recalibration of the home's energetic field—transmuting conflict, anchoring presence, and inviting softness. Your dog becomes a walking reminder of your soul's true north.This name is especially potent in spaces where healing, forgiveness, or heart-centered leadership are needed. It is not passive—it is powerful.The Seed Sound: Why “Love” ResonatesPhonetically, “Love” is a single-syllable seed sound. The soft “L” opens the heart chakra gently, while the “V” vibrates through the throat and solar plexus, encouraging expression and emotional courage.Spoken slowly—“Luhv”—it becomes both a mantra and a medicine.The Name Decree (The Scroll)✦ ✦ ✦By the power of presence, and in honor of the sacred bond between human and guardian soul,I hereby decree the name of this Spiritual Ambassador to be:✦ LOVE ✦May this name be spoken with reverence,May its frequency ripple through every corner of our home,And may its essence awaken truth, tenderness, and transformation.This name is not given lightly—it is offered as a gift, a vibration, a vow.So it is spoken. So it shall be.✦ ✦ ✦The Light Between is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thelightbetween.substack.com/subscribe

In this insightful episode, I continue in the Acts of the Apostles on the Kingdom of God, focusing on the transformative power of God's "Word of Love". I explain that faith comes by hearing God's word and believing the message of Jesus' death, burial and resurrection [Romans 10:17]. How God's love is a creative force, just as His Word created light in the beginning, His love recreates believers spiritually in His own image [2 Corinthians 4:6]. Through this rebirth, He lifts us out of the "kingdom of Satan" and into the "Kingdom of God" [John 3:3; Colossians 1:13-14]. Also, I emphasis that mankind's relationship with God was broken by sin in the Garden of Eden, but the cross restores us to righteousness, wisdom and life so we can walk as Jesus walked (Genesis 1:26; Ephesians 1:4; 1 John 2:6]. To live effectively in the Kingdom of God, we must renew our minds so our thoughts and language align with the Word of God rather than the world [Romans 12:1-2; 2 Corinthians 10:5-6]. This spiritual "reprogramming" allows us as Christians to speak a "pure language" [Zephaniah 3:9] and practice "unconscious love," which naturally produces fruit after its own kind -- overcoming pride, fear, sickness and the works of the devil just as the apostles did in the book of Acts [Mark 1:14; Acts 1:3]. By abiding in Christ as the "true vine" and keeping the commandments to love one another, we manifest God's power and experience a life of full joy and victory [John 15:1-12; 1 John 3:16; 5:4-5]. Join me as we learn to walk in the Kingdom of God, manifesting His love to all those around us. Selah! [For more: Copy and Paste or Enter into ChatGPT, "Create a Study Guide for Episode #083 Witnessing the Kingdom - Acts #5 from Abounding Love Ministries" ].       www.aboundinglove.org

In this episode, we continue engaging Geerhardus Vos's treatment of repentance and the righteousness of the kingdom. The discussion begins by clarifying the close relationship between faith and repentance: Both are saving graces, sovereignly gifted by God, inseparably joined in conversion, yet not identical. Faith uniquely receives and rests upon Christ for justification, while repentance—though necessary—never functions as the instrument of union with Christ or the ground of God's verdict. This careful distinction protects the gospel from subtle moralism and keeps repentance in its proper place as fruit flowing from mercy apprehended in Christ. Vos then situates repentance within Jesus' proclamation of the kingdom: Repentance corresponds to the kingdom's righteousness-aspect, just as faith corresponds to its power-aspect. Repentance is not a meritorious condition for entry, but the moral-spiritual "fitness" that belongs to life under God's righteous reign. The episode explores Vos's "vernacular of repentance" in the Gospels—regret, inner reversal, and outward turning—showing that biblical repentance is comprehensive, God-centered, and transformative. Far from mere remorse or isolated moral adjustment, repentance is a whole-life reorientation toward God, forming a people whose inner and outer life increasingly reflects the righteousness of the kingdom. Watch on YouTube Chapters 00:00 2026 Raleigh, NC Seminar 02:19 Introduction 04:40 Faith and Repentance 11:42 The Connection to the Kingdom of God 16:05 The Logical and Instrumental Priority of Faith 22:19 Aspects of the Kingdom 32:47 The Vernacular of Repentance 37:05 The Universal Demand of Repentance 46:36 Conclusion

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. Read more about Project23 and partner with us as we teach every verse of the Bible on video. Our text today is 1 Corinthians 4:18-20. Some in Corinth were puffed up—loud, confident, full of opinions. They acted as if Paul would never return, and even if he did, they imagined they could stand toe-to-toe with him. Paul answers with calm clarity: Some are arrogant, as though I were not coming to you. But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I will find out not the talk of these arrogant people but their power. For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power. — 1 Corinthians 4:18–20 Paul is done with the noise. He's not coming to evaluate their words—he's coming to see their lives. Big talk is cheap. Real power isn't. We live in a world drowning in words—content, opinions, debates, arguments, and theological posturing. The Corinthians did too. But Paul reminds them that the kingdom of God doesn't advance through intellect that merely informs or through language that elevates the ego. It advances through power—the kind that transforms. God isn't impressed by vocabulary, clever arguments, or spiritual branding. Those things often feed pride more than faith. What He looks for is the unmistakable evidence of the Spirit—a power that softens hard hearts, produces repentance, crucifies ego, heals broken places, strengthens the weary, and transforms character from the inside out. You can imitate style, tone, or theological vocabulary. But you cannot imitate the power of God flowing through a surrendered life. What we're after isn't the allure of power—it's the ability to see real power when we encounter it. You recognize it in people who spend time with God, who carry peace you can't manufacture, who walk in humility that confronts pride, who speak with quiet authority born from obedience, and who display fruit that only the Spirit can produce. You can sense it. You can't always explain it. But you know: this person walks with God in a way I need. That's what Paul is after. That's what the Corinthians were missing. You don't measure a life by what it says, but by what it carries. Talk says, "Look at me." Power says, "Look at Christ." Talk elevates self. Power reveals the Spirit. Talk feeds ego. Power grows humility. Paul isn't coming to hear speeches. He's coming to see surrender. That's what God desires from us, too. Let your life carry more weight than your words. DO THIS: Take five quiet minutes to ask God, "Where is talk overshadowing true spiritual power in my life?" Let Him highlight one place where surrender needs to deepen. ASK THIS: What talk have I trusted more than transformation? Do people experience Christ's power or just my opinions? Who in my life carries real spiritual power—and what can I learn from them? PRAY THIS: Father, free me from empty talk and spiritual performance. Fill me with Your power—the kind that transforms my character and carries Your presence into the world. Make me a vessel you can use. Amen. PLAY THIS: "Holy Spirit"

How are church workers formed at Concordia University Chicago? The Rev. Dr. Kirk Clayton (Assistant Professor of Theology, Director Pre-Seminary program, Concordia University Chicago) and the Rev. Simeon Raddatz (University Chaplain, Concordia University Chicago) join Andy and Sarah to talk about what they love about what they get to do at Concordia Chicago, how their individual areas of expertise are important in the forming of future church workers, what students can experience academically and socially on campus, how students are fed spiritually at CUC, wisdom for parents who are anxious about sending their children to college, and their encouragement for young people to consider church work formation at a Concordia University. Christ's church will continue until He returns, and that church will continue to need church workers. Set Apart to Serve (SAS) is an initiative of the LCMS to recruit church workers. Together, we pray for workers for the Kingdom of God and encourage children to consider church work vocations. Here are three easy ways you can participate in SAS: 1. Pray with your children for God to provide church workers. 2. Talk to your children about becoming church workers. 3. Thank God for the people who work in your congregation. To learn more about Set Apart to Serve, visit lcms.org/set-apart-to-serve. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: listener@kfuo.org.

Send a textDrawing from 1 John 3, James 2, and Matthew 25, this episode explores how love in Scripture is meant to be seen, not just felt. It's easy to think of people, feel for them, and even mean well, yet stop short of actually doing anything. This episode explores whether or not it's the thought that counts? Or is it something else? What would it look like to move from thoughtful intentions to faithful action this week? In the kingdom of God, love shows up.

Shelly has served the body of Christ as a Pastor for over 35 years. He is a bible teacher and conference speaker on the subjects of The Kingdom of God, The Mystery of Israel & The Church and for God’s people to be prepared in their hearts for the end of this age. https://shellyandjunevolk.com/Support the show: https://shellyandjunevolk.com/product/partner-with-us-psalm-127-fund/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

 4 And when a very great multitude was gathered together, and hastened out of the cities unto him, he spoke by a similitude.Cum autem turba plurima convenirent, et de civitatibus properarent ad eum, dixit per similitudinem : 5 The sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.Exiit qui seminat, seminare semen suum. Et dum seminat, aliud cecidit secus viam, et conculcatum est, et volucres caeli comederunt illud. 6 And other some fell upon a rock: and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it had no moisture.Et aliud cecidit supra petrum : et natum aruit, quia non habebat humorem. 7 And other some fell among thorns, and the thorns growing up with it, choked it.Et aliud cecidit inter spinas, et simul exortae spinae suffocaverunt illud. 8 And other some fell upon good ground; and being sprung up, yielded fruit a hundredfold. Saying these things, he cried out: He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.Et aliud cecidit in terram bonam : et ortum fecit fructum centuplum. Haec dicens clamabat : Qui habet aures audiendi, audiat. 9 And his disciples asked him what this parable might be.Interrogabant autem eum discipuli ejus, quae esset haec parabola. 10 To whom he said: To you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to the rest in parables, that seeing they may not see, and hearing may not understand.Quibus ipse dixit : Vobis datum est nosse mysterium regni Dei, ceteris autem in parabolis : ut videntes non videant, et audientes non intelligant.[10] "Seeing they may not see": See the annotation, Mark 4. 12. 11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.Est autem haec parabola : Semen est verbum Domini. 12 And they by the way side are they that hear; then the devil cometh, and taketh the word out of their heart, lest believing they should be saved.Qui autem secus viam, hi sunt qui audiunt : deinde venit diabolus, et tollit verbum de corde eorum, ne credentes salvi fiant. 13 Now they upon the rock, are they who when they hear, receive the word with joy: and these have no roots; for they believe for a while, and in time of temptation, they fall away.Nam qui supra petram, qui cum audierint, cum gaudio suscipiunt verbum : et hi radices non habent : qui ad tempus credunt, et in tempore tentationis recedunt. 14 And that which fell among thorns, are they who have heard, and going their way, are choked with the cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and yield no fruit.Quod autem in spinas cecidit : hi sunt qui audierunt, et a sollicitudinibus, et divitiis, et voluptatibus vitae euntes, suffocantur, et non referunt fructum. 15 But that on the good ground, are they who in a good and perfect heart, hearing the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit in patience.Quod autem in bonam terram : hi sunt qui in corde bono et optimo audientes verbum retinent, et fructum afferunt in patientia.Mark 4[12] "That seeing they may see": in punishment of their wilfully shutting their eyes, (St. Matt. 13. 15,) God justly withdrew those lights and graces, which otherwise he would have given them, for their effectual conversion.

This in-depth sermon explores the concept of spiritual warfare between the forces of darkness and light as outlined in the Bible. Using Genesis 3:15 as the foundational verse, the speaker delves into the roles of spiritual entities, the significance of Israel, and the prophecy of the Messiah defeating Satan. This enlightening discourse connects the dots between the Old Testament and the Book of Revelation, offering a comprehensive understanding of spiritual conflict throughout biblical history.

A walk through of the book Acts with Pastor Mat - February 12, 2026 Apologetics, Debate, Bible Discussions, Evangelism, and much more Discerning the fruits of the Spirit vs the fruits of self - Mark 7:5-23 "The mystic fruit bowl" - https://youtu.be/kw7QiLQMQ_M?si=356Fx_r9ohUeTLwjThe Deity of Jesus Christ and the Gospel of Salvation - https://www.youtube.com/live/gquqBQIL_0U?si=7zmPLi1X0CcW-v7f(Discussing discipleship) Bible study on Luke 9:60-62 "Let the dead bury the dead" - https://www.youtube.com/live/BkWtkOrEs-Q?si=y-zyqNGfWi3kzVu2To know more on how to be saved, what are the requirements and such, please see our playlist on the Gospel and Eternal Security (assurance of salvation) - https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3pJdCnnwrEeCQOCTTmDW1GjUYxpd44DG&si=_rT-lThl0klHt5Cd Our Ministries Website - https://christiancoffeetime.ca/ 1John 5:20) "And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life." - Intro Music: A Flourish by Niya is licensed under a Creative Commons License.https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...Support by RFM - NCM: https://bit.ly/2xGHypM -

This in-depth sermon explores the concept of spiritual warfare between the forces of darkness and light as outlined in the Bible. Using Genesis 3:15 as the foundational verse, the speaker delves into the roles of spiritual entities, the significance of Israel, and the prophecy of the Messiah defeating Satan. This enlightening discourse connects the dots between the Old Testament and the Book of Revelation, offering a comprehensive understanding of spiritual conflict throughout biblical history.

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Leviticus 18-19; Psalm 13; Acts 19 Click HERE to give! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible podcast for February 12th, 2026! In today's episode, your host Hunter invites us to join him on day 43 of our journey through the Bible. We tackle the challenging passages of Leviticus 18 and 19, exploring God's call to holiness, justice, and care for others—even when the text feels mysterious or difficult to comprehend. The episode moves through Psalm 13's heartfelt cries for God's presence and then dives into Acts 19, where Paul boldly proclaims the arrival of God's kingdom in Ephesus, stirring both transformation and turmoil. Hunter reminds us of the importance of curiosity, perseverance, and faith, calling us to let God's agenda rule our lives. The episode closes with uplifting prayers for peace, unity, and strength, encouraging us to keep pressing on—even through the hard parts of scripture. Join Hunter as we warm our hearts by the fires of God's love, learn together, and remember: you are loved, no doubt about it. TODAY'S DEVOTION: The message hasn't changed. The kingdom of God is here. That's what Paul was persistently preaching in Ephesus, and it's what we need to hear again today. Hunter points us to Acts 19, where Paul boldly argues about the kingdom of God—not just for a moment, but for months, even years, so that all who would listen, Jew and Greek alike, might understand. What is this kingdom that Paul proclaims? It's the reality that the King has come—Jesus. His arrival signals the breaking in of something new, a kingdom not built on the agendas of this world, not subject to its idols, not content to serve anyone's interests but God's own. In Ephesus, Paul's message disrupted more than religious routines; it overturned business interests, social orders, and deeply held allegiances. Like Demetrius the silversmith observed, this news, this gospel, this announcement wasn't just an add-on to the existing way of things. It threatened to derail the very agenda of Artemis—of the competing gods and pursuits of the world. And here's the truth: God has an agenda for your life too, and it isn't always easy or comfortable. It might mean things get turned over, that familiar structures come undone, and that priorities are rearranged. When God invades, things don't stay the same. But He is fully committed: committed to His own purpose, yes, but also to you—rooting you deeply in the circle of His love, bringing you into the Kingdom for which you were made. The invitation, then, is to let His agenda become your own, to step into the joy, freedom, and purpose found only in the reign of King Jesus. This is where barriers come down, lives are changed, and communities are renewed. This is the place of true belonging, adoption, forgiveness, and love. That's my prayer for myself, for my family, for you. May we all see His kingdom come in every part of our lives. May the joy, freedom, and love of Christ rule in us. May we live as citizens of His Kingdom, knowing that in all things—we are loved. No doubt about it. May it be so. TODAY'S PRAYERS: Lord God Almighty and everlasting father you have brought us in safety to this new day preserve us with your Mighty power that we might not fall into sin or be overcome by adversity. And in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose  through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen.   Oh God you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth and sent your blessed son to preach peace to those who are far and those who are near. Grant that people everywhere may seek after you, and find you. Bring the nations into your fold, pour out your Spirit on all flesh, and hasten the coming of your kingdom through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.   And now Lord,  make me an instrument of your peace.  Where there is hatred let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon.  Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope.  Where there is darkness, light.  And where there is sadness,  Joy.  Oh Lord grant that I might not seek to be consoled as to console. To be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love.  For it is in the giving that we receive, in the pardoning that we are pardoned, it is in the dying that we are born unto eternal life.  Amen And now as our Lord has taught us we are bold to pray... Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven, give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our tresspasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not unto temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Loving God, we give you thanks for restoring us in your image. And nourishing us with spiritual food, now send us forth as forgiven people, healed and renewed, that we may proclaim your love to the world, and continue in the risen life of Christ.  Amen.  OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com We are reading through the New Living Translation.   Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured OTHER PODCASTS: Listen with Apple Podcast DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL  

David Bailey is the Founder and Chief Vision Officer of Arrabon. As a public theologian, David helps to bring wisdom, theological imagination, and moral imagination to the way that Christians show up in the world. He created Arrabon as a way to equip Christ's followers to actively, creatively pursue healing in their communities, to be a foretaste of the kingdom of God, an agent of healing, and an agent of reconciliation in their community. Find out more about Arrabon HEREDownload Arrabon's free Lent resource The Winding RoadExplore Arrabon's resources on Spiritual FormationContact Cyndi Parker through Narrative of Place.Join Cyndi Parker's  Patreon Team!

Welcome back to another episode of the unSeminary podcast. Today we're talking with Jason and Nan Britt from Bethlehem Church, one of the fastest-growing churches in the country with three campuses in Georgia—and a fourth on the way. Jason serves as Lead Pastor, while Nan has pioneered a powerful inclusion ministry called Bethlehem Buddies, designed to help children, students, and adults with special needs fully participate in the life of the church. In this conversation, they unpack how inclusive ministry became a defining part of Bethlehem's culture and how any church—regardless of size—can take meaningful steps in this direction. Is your church unsure how to serve families affected by special needs? Do you feel overwhelmed by where to start or afraid of doing it wrong? Jason and Nan offer practical, hope-filled wisdom rooted in real-life experience. Revitalization with intentional mission. // Bethlehem Church is a revitalization story at every campus. When Jason arrived 14 years ago, the church had plateaued and was struggling to reflect its surrounding community. Rather than questioning the church's heart, Jason focused on intentionality—helping the congregation shift from insider-focused habits to an outward-facing mission. Located near Athens, Georgia, Bethlehem serves a family-centric community, prompting leaders to double down on reaching families and the next generation. That commitment laid the groundwork for inclusion ministry, even before the church realized it. Seeing an unreached community. // Nan's background in special education played a critical role in shaping Bethlehem Buddies. Long before it became a formal ministry, Jason and Nan were deeply immersed in the lives of families affected by disability. When they arrived at Bethlehem, they recognized that many families in their community wanted to attend church but lacked the support to do so. Rather than being opposed to special needs ministry, churches often feel overwhelmed by it. Bethlehem chose to take a different approach—starting small, stepping in with humility, and learning along the way. Inclusion, not separation. // Nan defines inclusion as inviting people with disabilities into the same environments as everyone else—preschool, kids ministry, student ministry, and adult worship—rather than isolating them into separate spaces. Inclusion honors the individual and recognizes that people with disabilities don't all look the same or need the same support. A five-year-old with autism and a 30-year-old man with Down syndrome should be welcomed into age-appropriate environments, with individualized support when needed. The goal isn't just inclusion, but belonging—creating space for people to contribute and use their gifts within the body of Christ. The buddy model at scale. // Bethlehem Buddies pairs each individual with a trained volunteer—called a “buddy”—whose role is simple but powerful: be their best friend for 90 minutes. Buddies focus on connection over compliance, valuing relationship more than control. While some individuals prefer quieter environments, most are included directly into existing ministries with one-on-one support. Parents can attend worship knowing their child or adult family member is safe, known, and loved. Over time, this model has grown from serving one child to serving more than 300 families every weekend. Unexpected volunteer impact. // One of the biggest surprises has been how Bethlehem Buddies shapes volunteer culture. The ministry attracts people who might never serve in traditional kids or student roles—men, teenagers, business leaders—and cultivates empathy, humility, and ownership. Jason notes that the ministry has become one of the strongest volunteer-recruiting pipelines in the church, strengthening the overall mission and heart of Bethlehem. From program to culture. // Early on, Nan personally recruited volunteers by tapping shoulders and inviting people she saw potential in. Over time, inclusion became embedded in the church's DNA. Today, the culture itself recruits. Serving families affected by special needs has reshaped Bethlehem's understanding of the gospel—reinforcing the truth that the kingdom of God is for everyone, especially “the least of these.” Jason emphasizes that while inclusion started as the right thing to do, it has become one of the most spiritually formative aspects of the church. Simple steps for churches. // For churches wondering where to begin, Nan encourages leaders to start with one service, one plan, and one conversation. Decide how you would respond if a family arrived this Sunday. Identify a few volunteers who could serve as buddies. Use a detailed family intake form to prepare volunteers and build trust with parents. Jason urges pastors to see opportunity rather than obstacles—and to remember that you don't need to be an expert to start, just willing to learn. To learn more about Bethlehem Church and the Bethlehem Buddies Network, visit bethlehemchurch.us. Churches interested in starting or strengthening inclusion ministry can email Nan directly and take take a look at Bethlehem’s Buddies Volunteer Handbook. 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! Lastly, don't forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, to get automatic updates every time a new episode goes live! Thank You to This Episode’s Sponsor: Risepointe Do you feel like your church’s or school's facility could be preventing growth? Are you frustrated or possibly overwhelmed at the thought of a complicated or costly building project? Are the limitations of your building becoming obstacles in the path of expanding your ministry? Have you ever felt that you could reach more people if only the facility was better suited to the community’s needs? Well, the team over at Risepointe can help! As former ministry staff and church leaders, they understand how to prioritize and help lead you to a place where the building is a ministry multiplier. Your mission should not be held back by your building. Their team of architects, interior designers and project managers have the professional experience to incorporate creative design solutions to help move YOUR mission forward. Check them out at risepointe.com/unseminary and while you’re there, schedule a FREE call to explore possibilities for your needs, vision and future…Risepointe believes that God still uses spaces…and they're here to help. Episode Transcript Rich Birch — Hey, friends. Welcome to the unSeminary Podcast. So glad that you have decided to tune in. I really want you to lean in today. This is one of those issues that we see in churches all the time that I really hope tons churches that are leaning in or listening in today will lean in on this issue, particularly if you’re a growing church. This might be one of those just up over the horizon issues that it that you can get ahead on and work ahead on now and and actually create more space for more people in your community. Rich Birch — Really excited to have Jason and Nan Britt with us. They’re from Bethlehem Church. It’s repeatedly one of the fastest growing churches in the country with three locations, if I’m counting correctly, in Georgia. Jason is the lead pastor and Nan has championed a program called Bethlehem Buddies. And we’re really looking forward to pulling this apart. They offer that all campuses and they provide inclusive support to help preschooler, child, teenager, and adults with special needs transition smoothly into one of the church’s worship environments. So Jason, Nan, welcome to the show. So glad that you are here.Nan Britt — Thank you. Jason Britt — And we’re thankful, thankful for for you having us.Rich Birch — Yeah, Jason, why don’t you tell us, kind of give us the picture of Bethlehem Church, kind of tell us a little bit about the church, kind of set the picture. If we were to arrive… Jason Britt — Yeah. Yeah. Rich Birch — …on a typical weekend, what would we experience?Jason Britt — Yeah. It’s three campuses, hopefully four soon. They’re all revitalization story. We just actually relocated our broadcast campus about a mile down the road. We’re a year in now… Rich Birch — Nice. Jason Britt — …December when you’re broadcasting this. And so we opened, new and it’s a revitalization story, multiple services, and it’s just a church that had history. And all of our campuses, Rich, are revitalization stories, too.Jason Britt — And it was a church with history that just had the courage, if you will, to envision a new future or be open to envisioning a new future. And we’ve been here for 14 years. It was my first senior pastorate, and it’s been a phenomenal year. And the church has just embraced the mission of leading people to discover new life in Christ in all areas of our ministry.Rich Birch — Why don’t we stick with you, Jason, and double click on revitalization. Jason Britt — Yeah. Rich Birch — Kind of pull apart that picture a little bit, help people, because I know there’s people that are listening in today that are on the other side of revitalization. And they’re thinking, hey, you know, what were some of, you know, you first stepped into that journey. What were some early questions that you were asking that really about that kind of led you to the place of like, hey, this is what I think the church could become. Where what started that journey for you?Jason Britt — Yeah, I think even in the process of, you know how it goes in different denominations or tribes have different ways of calling a pastor. And so for me, as I talked with the group that was selecting a pastor, the church had been plateaued for a number of years, plateaued, declining, kind of fell on that. And ultimately, my question for them is, what’s your limiting, have you guys considered your limiting factor? You know, and I think our church, although the heart was there, it did not reflect the community as a whole. And so by that, I mean the heart for mission was there, but not the intentionality of mission, if you will.Jason Britt — And so we really kind of began a two to three year journey of what would it look like for our church to reflect our community. And our community, Rich, we’re outside we’re kind of the bedroom community of Athens Georgia. Rich Birch — Okay. Jason Britt — All of our campuses surround the college town of Athens and it’s very family-centric, very kid-centric. I mean it’s not a high single adult population out here, if you will. This is where families live. And so we really needed to double down and become incredibly serious about the next generation and reaching families.Jason Britt — And I think it was just the reality of getting intentional with what our mission and heart was. The church wasn’t, I think I heard years ago, maybe on your podcast or somebody else, a pastor say, when you take over a church, one of two things are happening. They either believe they won the Super Bowl or they believe they’re losing every game.Jason Britt — Neither he goes, neither—I think it was Jud Wilhite said, I’m not sure… Rich Birch — Okay. Yeah, yeah. Jason Britt — …He goes, neither are true. Rich Birch — Right. That’s good. Jason Britt — But you have to understand their psyche… Rich Birch — Right. Jason Britt — …and the way they see their ministry. So for me, the gift of Bethlehem, Rich, was they were, they were, they were ready to win. I didn’t have to convince them they had to change a ton. I just had to, in many ways, give permission to see things differently. That if you will, the local church tends to be drift toward insider focused…Rich Birch — Yep, that’s true. Yeah.Jason Britt — …and the gospel is very outsider focused. And so for us, it was a lot of, if you will, deconstructing some things before we reconstructed, a lot of examining the fruit of what we were doing, not the intent. You know, that was a lot of the earliest, probably where lot people that you’re listening, your listeners are in revitalization. A lot of it’s not what we, early on, is not what we need to do that we’re not doing is what we need to stop doing that we’re doing.Rich Birch — Right. That’s good.Jason Britt — Right. And that’s the hard part, the deconstruction.Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s good. That’s true.Jason Britt — That was my first two or three years. It’s when I had a full head of hair and no gray, you know what i’m saying, bro? And so it was good though, man.Rich Birch — Yes, for sure.Jason Britt — And so that was our early days of really the heart didn’t need a lot of work. The direction and the intentionality to mission, if you will, strategy and vision. So.Rich Birch — Well, I think there’s a lot of churches that are listening in that I think can relate with that idea of like, hey, the heart of our church is is right, but we’re not really taking intentional steps. And at some point as a leadership team, you realized that there were families that wanted to participate fully, but needed something different in order to do that. That’s ultimately what led us to what we’re talking about today. Rich Birch — What opened your eyes to that gap? What kind of got the ball rolling for you as a leadership team, for you specifically or for our leadership team as you were thinking about this issue?Nan Britt — Yeah, so, um you know, we’ve always been in ministry, Jason in ministry, but really my calling has been early on in special education. You know, that was my training and experience.Rich Birch — Okay.Nan Britt — And ah so professionally, you know, that was my job as a teacher. And so really for the first 10 years of our marriage, Jason walked alongside that road with me. And so the students that I taught really had a lot of needs. And so we really got to know those families. We were really immersed in the special needs community of families.Nan Britt — And so as we came to Bethlehem, we knew, we just knew this was such a great need. This was really an unreached group of people in our community. And so we were excited at the opportunity to be able to serve these families. You know, with him taking that role as as lead pastor, we wanted to make that a priority with our church.Nan Britt — And so that was that was an easy way for me to get involved as a volunteer. So I served as a volunteer for several years because that was just my experience and training and gifting and, you know, what I felt called to to do to to take what I had learned and really use that, you know, in the church.Jason Britt — Yeah, I think we’ve been to some great, we served at two great churches before we came here, awesome churches. If I said them, many of your listeners would know they were awesome and we have nothing, but I remember us being there. A lot of times it was, as we as we were serving there, it was not a, nobody’s against special needs ministry. It just seems overwhelming. Rich Birch — That’s true. Yeah.Jason Britt — Right. And that’s what you find is nobody’s against doing it. It’s just kind of what it seems overwhelming, if you will, or where do we even start? And so I think for us, when we came, our kids were young. And as Nan began to It just began as with one person. Rich Birch — Right.Jason Britt — And really beginning inclusion there. It was more of instead of being overwhelmed by it, almost, if you will… Nan Britt — Yeah. Jason Britt — …taking a step in and giving the example of what of what that looks like.Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s great. I love that. And let’s let’s start, we’re going to get into some tactics in a second, but Jason, I want you to think about from like at a 30,000 foot point of view. My impression as an outsider, looking at this, you know, what you guys are doing, it’s pretty robust. You’ve created a pathway for children, students, adults with special needs to be fully included. And we’ll talk about what that means in a minute. But it to me, i think this could struggle if it’s just a tactic. It seems like what you’ve done has been able to talk about it really at kind of a cultural, this who we’re trying to be. So talk to us how we do that as senior leaders. How do we move this from beyond just like this is another thing we do to like, oh, this is a part of who we are. This is how we see ourselves.Jason Britt — Yeah, and and Nan could probably fill a little bit of the gaps here, but I think for me, I would say two things to senior leaders or senior teams if you’re talking about that. I think the cultural piece is when it becomes a kingdom of God, everybody’s invited at the table. Nan Britt — Yes. Jason Britt — The least of these, marginalized, which we know the gospel – Jesus is more drawn to empty hearts and empty lives than he is full rooms, if you will, you know? And so then in our society, the poor, the marginalized or the least of these is not only poor and impoverished, but oftentimes it’s families who have lived and wrestled with and, walk through this. And so creating space for everybody, I would say was a very, for us, Jesus-centric type thing. Nan Britt — Yes. Jason Britt — It was like this, if we are for the least of these, if we are for all people, that was one of our kind of core values as Bethlehem Church is a church for all people, right? Gospel, for God so loved the world. That’s a pretty broad path right there, the world.Rich Birch — Right. Yes.Jason Britt — So then let’s be intentional there. And, and the thing that I would tell you now, and as Nan gets into the tactics, we didn’t do this to start. This wasn’t the reason. The reason was it was the right thing and we could do this, but, Rich, man, I am telling you, when you begin to serve these families and and you see the joy and the blessing and what it does to the heart of the church, you cannot exchange.Rich Birch — That’s true.Jason Britt — Serving these families, when I talk to other pastor buddies that are stepping into this or some good friends that are in the Buddies Network who would do this, I’m like, man, what it does for the whole of your church when it comes to the heart of Christ, you know, and we’ve seen it go from one kid to three serving 300 families a weekend now. And so it’s been a crazy thing. But what it does for the overall mission and heart of the church and the volunteers and the church seeing this is a powerful thing.Rich Birch — Yeah, I would agree. You know, we talked a little bit beforehand about yeah when I esrved at Liquid Church for years, and this has been a part of our story there. It’s like of my proudest things that we had been a part of. And but but I want to take a step back. And Nan, can you help us understand when you say the word inclusion, what do you mean by that as opposed to separation?Rich Birch — So I’ll paint a bit of a picture for you. Maybe I’m a church of, I don’t know, 5-, 600 people. And sure, there are some kids that we can see. There are kids with special needs. And and I’m like, don’t don’t we just want to create a place where we can like put those kids away so they don’t bother us? Again, I’m I’m using hyperbole. Nan Britt — Right. Rich Birch — Obviously, I’m playing a bit of the devil’s advocate. I don’t actually believe that. Nan Britt — Right. Rich Birch — But what what do you mean by inclusion, not separation? What does that look like?Nan Britt — Yes. Well, inclusion simply means that you are, in the church setting, looking at preschool ministry, kids ministry, students, adult ministries, and really just looking for opportunity to include everyone into those environments. You know, and we know that some people, individuals with disabilities, just may need some individualized love, care, and support. But I think inclusion also speaks more importantly to honoring people and seeing people as individuals. Rich Birch — So true.Nan Britt — And so, for example, we know that a 30-year-old man with Down syndrome looks very different than a five-year-old with autism. And so inclusion is honoring and seeing a person for who they are. And so we want to invite a 30 year old man with Down syndrome into the same opportunities that we’re inviting other 30 year old men in in the church. Nan Britt — And so, so that just gives an example and it actually simplifies things a lot. You know, you you’re really whatever is being offered, you know, at your church, for each age group, you’re you’re simply just opening up that opportunity for our kids and adults with disabilities and special needs to be a part of that.Nan Britt — And then, like we said, we just know sometimes that may mean they need some individualized support in order to be a part of those ah great ministries happening. But it I think inclusion really speaks to honoring that individual and seeing them, what they can contribute to the body of Christ. Nan Britt — And so we know everyone wants to be included, but belonging is really the goal. You know, people, we we know the difference, you know, as people when we’re included in a place, but when we’re invited to to to contribute back… Rich Birch — So good. Nan Britt — …and to use our gifts and strengths, you know, that’s when you really feel a sense of belonging. And so I think that’s the power of inclusion versus just, hey, let’s just provide a separate space and because this is what we’re supposed to do.Rich Birch — Right. Right. So can you get tactical on that? What does that actually look like for, because I, you know, I, I understand doing this at a one or two people, but at scale, 3-, 400, 500 every weekend over a year, like that’s, how do you actually do that? We’ll stick with you, Nan. If I’myeah, what what does that look like? How do how do we provide that care? How do we and how do we learn how we can best support people and then communicate with them and all that? What does it kind of… Nan Britt — Yes. Rich Birch — I know there’s a lot there, I understand… Nan Britt — Yes.Rich Birch — …but but give us kind of an overview. We start there.Nan Britt — eah, that’s a great question. I think it’s really important to first define your goal of like… Rich Birch — Right. Nan Britt — …okay, what is our goal and why are we we providing disability ministry, special needs ministry? And what I believe is the goal of it is that so a family can attend worship, can attend a worship service together on a Sunday morning.Rich Birch — Great.Nan Britt — That is the goal. You know, first, over other nights of programming happening at your church, we believe that we want our families to hear the gospel message, the hope of Jesus, to experience worship, prayer, sit under preaching. And so that’s why we we want to focus on inviting them and providing support around a worship service. We know most likely for parents to be able to attend the service, then that means their child or adult is going to need some individualized support and care.Nan Britt — And so that’s that’s where the Buddies team, the Buddies ministry comes in. And so ah you’re going to need some some volunteers. And so really, i think that simplifies it a lot because I think churches get overwhelmed to think, man, do we need to provide something every time the doors of our church are open? And I would say a great place to start and focus on is we want families to be invited to your worship service. Nan Britt — And then equally, ah we want our individuals to experience the love of Christ, grow in their faith, be be in community um with others. And so I think that’s the place to start is while mom and dad get to attend a service and they’re siblings, then we provide a volunteer to pair up with kids and adults with disabilities.Nan Britt — And then from there, you already have these great ministries happening in your church, kids ministries, student ministries, sometimes on a Sunday morning. And then you’re able to just join in the great ministry happening with that buddy support with a child.Nan Britt — And then I do think that if you have the space at your church, you can also offer a classroom space for kids and adults who prefer a quieter setting or do better in a small group setting. Then you can offer another space that that also has the same great ministry happening. So I really think those volunteers drive the ministry… Jason Britt — Yeah. Nan Britt — …and then just get to participate in with with all the great things happening on a Sunday morning at your church.Rich Birch — I love that. Jason, can you, let’s talk about it from the side, because Nan was talking there about the volunteer side of the equation. Let’s talk about it from that end.Rich Birch — What have you seen, kind of what impact has adding buddies and adding a really robust inclusion culture to your church?Jason Britt — Yeah.Rich Birch — How has that kind of impacted the volunteers who are and engaged in this ministry?Jason Britt — Yeah, I think a couple things and our kids will be examples, but they’re friends as well. What you see is there, and and we’ve seen this with male leadership, is there are people that would probably not raise their hand and say, hey, I want to be in preschool or kids ministry. But the chance to pair up and walk with a teenager with special needs, to be included, to be a one-on-one individualized and walk into our kid’s town or our midtown, which is our younger environments, it’s very empowering. And, I mean, it just opens opportunities for connection. And that’s one thing that we’ve seen, that we see people who may not want more than handing out a, but if you will, just on the Sunday service, if you were the Sunday morning weekend environment, serving opportunities, obviously there’s more in the church, but those coffee, parking lot, greeter, than kids ministry. A lot of your churches that you minister to look similar ours, you know what I mean? Jason Britt — And so what we found was that stream of empowering and inviting, and candidly our buddies ministry, is stronger in the recruiting aspect than our kids or student ministry because it’s so unique and it calls things out of people that maybe the other don’t, if you will. We’ve seen that. And so I would say that that was one of the benefits that we didn’t know early on. Nan maybe did just because of her background in special needs. But as we’ve seen it, I mean, you know, students, it’s a powerful thing when you’re watching a 16-year-old, 17-year-old high schooler, when you’re watching them walk with a five-year-old with autism or Down syndrome into a children’s ministry class. That’s just a pretty powerful thing. The humility, the ownership, there’s just… Nan Britt — Empathy. Jason Britt — …empathy. That rich, the discipleship piece of that’s incredibly strong. You know… Rich Birch — Yeah, absolutely. Jason Britt — …that just in this simple, it’s not filling a hole, it’s empowering. And so that’s one of the things we’ve seen. I mean, I know you’ve been around, if you were Liquid, even the Night to Shine, obviously the the Tim Tebow thing. Rich Birch — Yeah, it’s fantastic. Jason Britt — Even that, that’s probably the big mass on a mass scale we do where the church is incredibly involved. But then the opportunities it’s opened up for us on the outside of the church to partner with other nonprofits and bring nonprofits that for serve families with special needs, but we get to bring a gospel presence to that. Rich Birch — Love it.Jason Britt — And that’s because of what we’re doing internally. So I’ve seen both of those things that the mission fulfilled in ways that it’s not just serving those families with special needs, but taking the church to a place we’ve never been.Rich Birch — Yeah, I love that. And, you know, to underline something you said there that we’ve seen through multiple conversations that I think when we cast a big picture and a big responsibility to volunteers, they will step up to that. In fact, they’ll actually lean in. They’ll be like,I’m this is great. This requires a lot of me.Jason Britt — Yes.Rich Birch — I would love to lean in.Jason Britt — Yes.Rich Birch — So Nan, what have you learned about, let’s keep keep on this whole topic here, volunteers. What have you learned about recruiting, finding these volunteers, training them so they feel prepared, confident, like, you know, this is your professionally, you said this… Nan Britt — Right. Rich Birch — …your this is your professional background, but, you know, you take your average 16-year-old, they’re not professionally equipped for this. And so how do you help them get to a place where they can be a buddy?Nan Britt — Right.Rich Birch — Talk us through what that looks like.Nan Britt — Yes. It’s, it’s really, it’s so exciting. That’s something that I’ve always been passionate about to connect people to purpose. And so, and then like you said, to take what I have learned and, and really, put it into terms and, and easy ways, easy strategies for, everyday volunteers to feel equipped.Nan Britt — And, and, and so I think that we, a lot of our training materials have come from that that we love to share with churches because we that’s something that we prioritize is we we have many volunteers that serve that do have a background in special education a lot like myself with experience, and I think they’re needed for sure in this ministry. But we have the majority of our volunteers are teenagers and adults who are businessmen. They own their own construction company. Women who you know are stay-at-home moms. Teenagers who, yeah, who would say, hey, I have a heart for this. I’m available. And we love that. We think that that is absolutely the right person to serve. And so we’ve just found some easy ways. Nan Britt — We are highly prepared on our end as a staff. to ah provide the best experience possible for the volunteer and the child on a Sunday morning. And so we do that with, we have a great family form that we have all of our families fill out. We’ve done that for 11 years. It’s a really detailed form. And so we feel like that gives us so much great information about the child or adult that we’re working with, that the parent has given us. Their interests, their likes, things that their dislikes, what to do to to help them stay calm and engaged. We utilize that every week. We get that in the hands of the volunteers so they feel equipped to to know the child they’re paired up with. Jason Britt — Yeah. Nan Britt — And then we we have great just engaging activities and and Bible stories and worship that that just provide the best experience possible for for an hour and a half on a Sunday morning while they’re with us. We want our volunteers to feel supported, to just enjoy being with their child or adult. You know, we say your role is to be their best friend on a Sunday, to hang out. We really prioritize connection over compliance. You know, we’re highly relational. It’s very individualized. And so we, I think that takes away a lot of the nervousness for our volunteers. Jason Britt — Yeah.Nan Britt — And we really, do have great experiences because church is different. Church is different and should be different than school, than therapy, than camp.Rich Birch — Right.Nan Britt — And so you really can have such a a great experience, you know, for an hour and a half, you know, during a service and people feel equipped. We encourage them. We support them. And, and as you know, Rich, people step in to, to volunteer and, but they always come back to us and say, they are so much more of a blessing to me.Jason Britt — Yeah, yeah. Nan Britt — You know, they, they are really ministering to me because our kids and adults, you know, just have such a, a peaceful presence and unhurried spirit, gracious. They’ll pray for you. And so they turn around and bless our volunteers and minister to them. And in so many greater ways than we, than we ever really do for them. Jason Britt — It’s good.Rich Birch — Yeah, love that. And you use the word buddy, and I’d love to double click on that. You you talked about this, Nan, this idea of be their best friend that, you know, for that 90 minutes every week. It’s not about compliance. Talk us about talk to us about that a little bit more, kind of unpack that a little bit. What does that look like? Because that’s a nuance that I think people might, who have not been around this kind of ministry might not understand that. So unpack that a little bit more. What’s that look like?Nan Britt — Yes. So that’s, that’s what we choose to call our volunteers, buddies, buddy volunteers. And we we think it’s, it fits whether you’re with a child or with your, whether you’re with an adult with a disability. And I think that, the the beauty and the success of the ministry is it’s just individualized, you know, undivided attention for a whole, like you said, 90 minutes where we want our kids and adults to feel seen and heard and valued.Nan Britt — And so if you’re a buddy volunteer, you you have that permission to just celebrate and make that morning just all about their child and get on their level, play with them. You know, we we give a lot of direction around ways to interact with people that have differences. You know, if they’re in a wheelchair, if they don’t verbally communicate, hey, here’s some creative ways of of how you can interact with your buddy. And just to that, you know, to to just place such a high value on that child or adult. And yeah, and there there’s so much celebration around it and so much joy. I think people who walk by buddies or around our ministry, that’s the culture of it’s just so much joy and celebration.Rich Birch — Yeah, it’s great.Nan Britt — Even when they’re you’re in the presence of so many complex needs, you know, this is a group of people who have a lot of hardships and and very complex needs on paper, but yet you can still just have such a great experience as a buddy volunteer. And like I said, I think that the reason for it is it’s so individualized and it’s ah based around their interest, what they like, and really valuing them and then sharing the love of Jesus. Jason Britt — Yeah.Nan Britt — You know, that unconditional love. That is what we are we strive to share, you know, as a buddy volunteer to our kids and adults. Jason Britt — And I think, we’re Rich, I would add, I think in your churches that are listening, now, then we’re 10 years in, the culture recruits. Nan Britt — True.Jason Britt — Early on, early on, I would say Nan, and she doesn’t give herself enough credit for this, she shoulder tapped a lot of people and would say, hey, you know this is when the church was very smaller and it was. But in the early days, it was a lot of, just like there’s individual care, I would just say the recruiting was individualized… Nan Britt — Yes. Jason Britt — …by Nan, tapping shoulders, saying, hey, I see this in you, or hey, I think you could help me. I mean, I think about… You know, our friends, Richard, Andy, some of these guys who were men’s men that are friends of mine that and and she would just be very specific. Would you and and all of them were like, absolutely. Nan Britt — Yeah.Jason Britt — Before they even knew what they were getting into.Rich Birch — Right.Jason Britt — I just think early on, I would tell you now our culture does a lot of the recruiting.Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s good.Jason Britt — But early on it was individualized. I see this in you, that shoulder tapping. Nan Britt — Yep, that’s true. Jason Britt — It was never necessarily my vision for it, recruiting people. It was more of the individualized. Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s good.Jason Britt — And then now it’s part of our culture, but I would say it didn’t start. It just became a part of our culture. Nan Britt — Yeah. Jason Britt — Does that make sense?Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s 100%. 100%. That’s a great thing to underline, even just in general… Jason Britt — Yes. Rich Birch — …but specifically in this this ministry, that those early people that we get involved really do kind of cast vision for the future of like, oh, we’re looking for more of these kind of, like you said, whoever those guys are, your men’s men guys.Jason Britt — Yeah.Rich Birch — It’s like, well, that then creates a door for like other guys like that to say, hey, I want to be a part of that.Nan Britt — Absolutely.Rich Birch — And yeah, that’s good.Nan Britt — Yes.Rich Birch — I was also don’t underestimate the the power of the person asking. I know you highlighted this celebrating your wife, but that’s very true. Like that you want to, the person you put in in charge of this wants to be the kind of person that is trusted and is loved and has got some wisdom. So Jason, sticking with you, I’m sure you get calls from leads, from other lead pastors or executive pastors that might have some like common misunderstandings or fears that about starting a special needs ministry. What are some of those fears that they have and what do you say to them to try to say, no, no, you should do this. What are what are the things that come up in a conversation like that?Jason Britt — It’s great question. I think a lot of times it’s not, it’s, if you don’t have a background or awareness or someone in your family or close to you that has special needs or disabilities, there is a lot of what if, what if, what if.Rich Birch — Right.Jaon Britt — And so like, what if the needs extreme, you know, they have feeding tube or they kind of create the worst case scenario or the hardest situation to go, I don’t know if we could ever. Rich Birch — Right. Jason Britt — And what you realize is the vast majority, the, the, the, the needs not that extreme. So it’s kind of almost right size and go in. No, no, no, no. I think you’re, you’re out thinking, you know, in church, you’ve been around church, Rich, you know, we have a way of out-thinking ourselves somehow of going, well, what if…Rich Birch — Sure. Sure.Jason Britt — Hey, Hey, Hey, there’s a really good chance, you know?Rich Birch — Right.Jason Britt — And so I think that’d be one of going, no, I think, but a lot of times it’s not from against, it’s just a lack of awareness. Rich Birch — Right. Jason Britt — You know, it’s not, we can’t do this because. I think liability, something that comes up, I mean, candidly, Rich, you know, in this day and age of liability and stuff like that. And I think again, the reality is, we are 10 years in, 300 families. It’s just not something we’ve ever dealt with. Nan Britt — Yeah. Jason Britt — You know, got think these families love these kids more than we could ever love these kids.Rich Birch — Right.Jason Britt — And so we’re going to be fully equipped and they’re, they’re not, if there’s great needs that, that are, that, they’re probably not going to check them in. They’ll sit with them in the service. You know what I mean? Something like that.Rich Birch — Yep, sure.Jason Britt — I think sometimes that would be one. And then… Nan Britt — Well, yeah, and I would just say, I think that’s when it’s important to have have humility and invite in someone that, like myself that, and I only say myself because like a teacher. Someone who has experience and training professionally in this field so that they’re able to to answer those questions, and to really right size and give a realistic. You know, and I’ve been in some of those conversations before to say, you know, in 11 years, that’s not something that we’ve ever dealt with the church… Jason Britt — Right. Yeah. Nan Britt — …but, but, Hey, here’s something else that you need to think about.Jason Britt — Yeah.Nan Britt — And so I think it’s, it’s really important. I have a lot of respect for leaders who show humility in saying, Hey, I, I even admit I have some ignorance about this conversation… Rich Birch — Yeah. Right. Nan Britt — …and I’d like to invite in so ah someone, an expert in this area to help us move forward in this conversation. Yeah.Jason Britt — Yeah, that’s been the, I think that’s the, yeah, that’s what we have talked to. Again, it’s almost permission, that Nan’s right, humility and just going, okay, we don’t know what we don’t know, let’s just ask some questions. Rich Birch — Right.Jason Britt — But the other thing I would say is, like, we don’t have, um if you will, a room. We don’t have space. We don’t, we’re we’re for it. And I think we go back to our early days, neither did we. You know It was all inclusion-based and all still is before we had a safety room, if you will, or before we had, what do you call it?Nan Britt — We don’t call it a safety room. It’s just a buddy space. Jason Britt — Buddy Space. Like like you know if there’s a kid that’s having an issue or or you know something. We didn’t we have a little more now than we did, but back in the day, it was more inclusion and just start where where you’re at. Nan Britt — Yeah. Jason Britt — You can do something.Nan Britt — That’s right.Rich Birch — Yeah. I think that’s a good word, Jason, that I think we get way too far ahead of us. And we’re like, we and we picture 300 families and like, oh my goodness, what’s going to happen? It’s like, well, how about but we start with the two kids that are right in front of us?Nan Britt — That’s right. Jason Britt — That’s it.Rich Birch — And what can we do to support those families? Nan, you said this, I’d love to invite you in on these conversations. I’m sure there’s churches that are listening in there like I would love Nan’s help. Talk to me about the buddies network. This is a way—I love this—you guys have stepped out to try to help more churches. Talk us through what that is. How do you help churches? How can you engage with them that sort of thing.Nan Britt — Yes. I mean, you’re exactly right. That’s that’s where the idea came from, is that in our area, you know, around metro Atlanta, around Athens, we are in weekly conversations with churches of of how to start a ministry or just begin, like you’re saying, what are some easy steps, tangible ways to serve families, bring awareness to it. And so we just decided, you know, out stewarding, being a good steward of the the great work God has done at Bethlehem, the resources he’s provided for us that we love. Nan Britt — Jason and I, we, we, our big kingdom church people. We love partnering with churches. We love knowing other pastors. And, and so that’s been exciting for me just to work with other churches and share with them. I think we’ve learned so much at Bethlehem, like Jason said, from being very small with no budget, no space, being very conservative in, in what we’ve done to now having a huge ministry, a large ministry, having great space. Jason Britt — Right.Nan Britt — I think we just have learned so many ways to be able to equip churches. And and that’s really the heart behind it. And so we’ve done this last year, really, I have I’m leading that and and kind of initiating that. We just have put in quarterly quarterly lunches if you are nearby and close to us to join us for that. Quick things to your inbox that give ideas. We share our resources. We’re where we don’t want you to recreate something, spend time on that.Bethlehem Church — Because like you said, a lot of that a lot of times it’s kids’ ministries, people who already wear a lot of hats at their churches. I mean, they are overwhelmed. They are leading kids’ ministry. We have some a part of our network that are family pastors, and then they have also been given this task of, hey, figure out special needs ministry as well.Jason Britt — Yeah. Nan Britt — Or volunteers. They’re not paid. So it’s our desire just to get in there and help equip. Jason Britt — Yeah. Nan Britt — And to make it fit the structure of your church. You know, every church is unique. And so ah we just want to make this tangible and easy. And so, yeah. And so we we walk alongside churches really at their own pace, you know, of what they say, hey, we need help with this. Jason Britt — Yep.Nan Britt — And in 2026, we hope to keep expanding resources and more so online that really allow churches outside of Georgia, you know, to access more resources.Rich Birch — Yeah, that which you’ve provided and we’ll link to this, the Buddies Volunteer Handbook. I thought this was great, kind of a I know I love this kind of thing. I’m always like diving deep on, wow, it’s so cool to see what people do. I love this. Talk to us a little bit about this resource. How does it fit in your… Nan Britt — Yes. Rich Birch — …like in your process with Buddies and all that?Nan Britt — Yes. For sure, you know, the first few years, like we’re saying of our ministry, that our our procedures and systems looked more like just a Word document. Rich Birch — Right.Nan Britt — You know, something that I would share onboarding volunteers of, hey, this is your role as a buddy. You know, this is what it means to serve at our ministry. This is these are the expectations. This is… And then in time, you know, we created that. It turned into a handbook, you know, a nicely you know printed handbook that that matched really what our kids ministry handbook and our student ministry handbook looked like. And so it is a great resource that that’s how we onboard volunteers and kind of their their first invitation into the ministry of we go through that handbook with them. We prioritize, hey, this is what we say is your role and what a win is in our ministry. So it goes through a lot of our our systems put around the ministry, the procedures. And what I like to share with churches is kind of what Jason was saying. Really, special needs ministry fits neatly into that that umbrella of all the systems and procedures and policies that a church already has in place for kids ministry… Rich Birch — Yeah. Nan Britt — …and student ministry, special needs ministry fits within that. And that is the way we function at our church. And so there, back when you said there really is not additional liability or additional policies for special needs ministry. So, that’s contained in our handbook. And yeah, it’s a great resource to share with our volunteers and drives the the goals and expectations of the ministry. Jason Britt — Yeah . Rich Birch — That’s so good. Nan Britt — And that’s what we share a lot with we share our handbook with churches and then our family form. Most churches are saying, hey, you mentioned the form that you give to parents.Rich Birch — Yeah. Help us understand that. Yeah. Yes.Nan Britt — Hey, can you share that with us? And we say, absolutely. Just just take our logo off of it. You put your church logo on there. Rich Birch — Yes. Nan Britt — And you just just just start using that because that’s that’s another great resource we share.Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s great. So as we’re coming down to land, kind of a same similar question to both you. I’ll start with you, Nan. Let’s picture that you’re a leader within a church who’s got a passion for this area and is like thinking, hey, we we need to take some steps in the next, maybe the next six months, next three months to kind of move this from, hey, we’re helping a couple kids to we want to create a bit more structure there. What would you say to them to like, Hey, here are some first steps that you should be taking to try to expand this beyond something that’s informal to like, we’re trying to make this a little bit more part of what we do, not just something we’re kind of dealing with. It’s like, we’re going to actively add this.Nan Britt — Right. Yeah, I think that’s a great question. I think something immediately that churches can do is to have a conversation, you know, around kids ministry, around the team on Sundays, and essentially just to have a plan in place of, okay, what would we do if a family visited our church? And just by having a conversation and being prepared, really just allows you to welcome that family without the stress and panic on your face. Rich Birch — Sure. Right. Nan Britt — You know, of that we know it’s unintentional, but we never want a family to feel like an inconvenience or a burden or unwelcomed at our church. But simply by having a plan of okay, what would we do if a family came? And I think that that could easily be we’re going to get them checked in and they’re going to go into our kids’ ministry environments. But maybe we can have two or three extra volunteers on call that we would utilize or we might pull from our existing kids ministry classes to be a buddy for that morning for that child in the second grade class. That’s that’s pretty easy to do. But if you have already talked through that, then when a family comes, it doesn’t send you in a into panic mode.Rich Birch — Right. Yeah. Nan Britt — And and then, like because as we said, the parents are still there. They’re in service. You can always call them or text them with a question or a need that you might have. And then from there, I think it gives you time to put some systems in place. What that might be like is you you prioritize a Sunday morning service. If you if you offer multiple services, I always tell churches, hey, you know, pick, choose a service and build your volunteer team around one service. Rich Birch — Oh, that’s good.Nan Britt — And then that is a service you can communicate to the community of, hey, we’re offering our buddies team at the nine o’clock service on Sunday morning. We’d love to invite you to attend at this time. That’s pretty manageable for churches rather than feeling overwhelmed of, wow, do we need to offer her volunteers at every service that we have on a Sunday? So just starting small. Jason Britt — Yep, yep. Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s good.Nan Britt — And then, like I said, an easy step is, is, getting access to a family form. Rich Birch — Yeah, yeah. Perfect. Nan Britt — And like I said, we can easily share that with you because you collect such great information that really helps you feel prepared for the hour and a half that the family’s with you on a Sunday morning.Rich Birch — Yeah. That’s great. So similar question, Jason, let’s say you’re, imagine you’re a lead pastor and, you know, somebody on their team comes to you and says, Hey, we, we had this conversation as a huddle, like, Hey, what could we do? And we realized we’ve got to add some more emphasis on this. We, you know, if, if we had a family come today, oh, I’m not sure, you know, we might be able to serve one kid or two kids if they came or one or two people if they came, but we’re not, I’m not sure if we had any more than that, that we, and we’d like to add some more volunteer time. We’re not looking for money, just kind of some more emphasis. What would you say to a lead pastor who had someone come to them? How would you kind of coach them to respond to that, to a, to a leader that came with them with that kind of request?Jason Britt — Yeah, I would say just because I know how does a senior pastor would, hey, we got this, we got this. It seems like there’s always about five things pressing and and and it’s like another thing, you know. I would say see the opportunity.Rich Birch — Love it.Jason Britt — That’s what I would just go, man, the opportunity and, you know, see the opportunity for gospel presence. I mean, I think some of my favorite stories, and we don’t have time to get to them, have been families that came or brought their special needs adult or student, or and they’ve been baptized because of that, you know. So the opportunity of it, it is a communit… Rich Birch — Yeah, it’s so good. Jason Britt — …of people that in the local church we are for, but oftentimes unintentionally we haven’t been prepared for or, and again, it’s legitimate and get it. I think it’s the, also there’s just great resources. Like I just got, we just came off, I mean, you know, this stuff, Rich, there’s just like there’s people who help out. We just came off of a two-year generosity initiative. And I need help thinking strategically. Rich Birch — Right.Jason Britt — I don’t need, you know, and and they help that. Well, there’s people like Nan. Uh, there’s people that are out there that are there to help.Rich Birch — Right.Jason Britt — And I think there’s a lot more similarities in churches with people who can help… Nan Britt — Yeah.Rich Birch — Yes. Jason Britt — …than just like I needed in the general there. That’s the same thing I would tell a pastor. Don’t be overwhelmed. See the opportunity. Nan Britt — Yeah.Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s so good.Nan Britt — I would add, I think that’s key that, you know, in the same way that, like you’re saying, in the world of production or other ministries, we are familiar with contracting with people who that’s their specialty. That’s their skill. That’s their experience. I think it’s the same way in this conversation with special needs ministry. I think that is the quickest way to… Jason Britt — Yep. Nan Britt — …move along the conversation is to maybe to consider contracting with a person that that has that is a professional in this. It it it will eliminate all of those what-if questions… Jason Britt — Yep. Nan Britt — …the fear around it, and someone who knows this this ministry and knows what to do. Jason Britt — Yep. Absolutely. Rich Birch — That’s so good. Nan Britt — You know who’s not surprised by the needs of people with disabilities and special needs. So I think that for churches that And like we said, it’s it’s similar to contracting with other needs around the church.Rich Birch — Right. Good.Nan Britt — So just as quickly as you can, get someone in the conversation that is an expert and kind of knows ah you know what how to care, how to care for these kids. Jason Britt — Yep, yep.Rich Birch — So good. Well, Nan, we’ll give you the last word. If people want to get in touch with with you, with the church to talk about the network or to just just even learn more, where do we want to send them online so they can access more information, you know, that sort of thing?Nan Britt — Yes. So ah they are welcome to email me, nan@bethlehemchurch.us. I would love that to just, like I said, eat weekly, that’s really my role on our staff now is is talking and training and and just working alongside churches. So I would love to connect. And then our website is BethlehemChurch.us, which they can find our Bethlehem Buddies page. Just see a lot of great resources there and then get in touch with our staff there as well. Jason Britt — Yep.Rich Birch — That’s great. Appreciate you guys being here today. Thank you so much. And thanks for what you’re doing. Appreciate being on the show today.Nan Britt — Thanks so much. Jason Britt — Thank you.

Welcome to Grace Community Church on demand, the weekly podcast from the Sunday services at Grace Community Church in Rupert, Idaho. At Grace we believe in building the Kingdom of God one person at a time. We are passionate about loving God, loving people, and following Jesus. Visit www.graceid.org to get involved. Join us on Facebook live Sundays @ 845am MST and 1045am MST and Wednesdays @ 630pm MST at www.facebook.com/gracechurchidaho

Gender Roles in the Kingdom of God - Part 1 - Brandon Dukes by The Church of Christ Wheeler Area

In this episode of Wisdom's Table, I dive deep into the concept of growth and the inherent costs associated with it. Building on our previous discussion about transforming our businesses into platforms for discipleship, I explore why growth—whether spiritual, personal, or professional—requires an exchange of value. I begin by emphasizing that growth is not just a linear progression; it often involves sacrifices of time, money, or energy. I challenge listeners to reconsider their approach to growth by asking not whether they are willing to pay for it, but rather what the cost of not pursuing growth might be. I share insights from my book, The Money Mandate, discussing how God established a value system that assigns different worth to various things, which ultimately shapes our economy and our lives.   Read The Money Mandate HERE Get my FREE 3 day masterclass on money mindsets straight to your inbox. SIGN UP HERE   TIMESTAMPS 00:00:01 - Welcome to Wisdom's Table Introduction to the podcast and its focus on growth in various aspects of life. 00:00:36 - The Cost of Growth Discussion on why growth requires an exchange of value and the implications of that cost. 00:02:00 - Understanding Growth Exploration of different forms of growth and the importance of recognizing that growth can take various shapes. 00:03:05 - The Exchange of Value Emphasis on the necessity of time, money, or energy as costs associated with growth. 00:04:08 - The Hard Truth The reality that prayer alone cannot bypass the cost of growth. 00:05:00 - Biblical Examples of Growth Illustration of Elisha's journey to receiving a double portion from Elijah as a model of the cost of growth. 00:06:35 - God's Design for Growth Discussion on why God designed growth to require sacrifice and the connection between heart and value. 00:08:51 - The Sacrificial System Explanation of the Old Testament sacrificial system and its relevance to the concept of exchange in the kingdom of God. 00:10:15 - Invitation to Growth Understanding that true growth begins with God's invitation and the importance of aligning with His will. 00:11:39 - The Weight of Exchange Reflection on the significance of valuing what we bring to God and the impact of that exchange. 00:13:04 - Investing in Growth Personal testimony about the importance of investing in coaching and mentorship for personal and spiritual growth. 00:15:10 - Evaluating Investments Guidance on how to assess potential investments in growth opportunities. 00:20:06 - Opportunity Cost Understanding the cost of delay and stagnation in personal growth. 00:21:08 - Clarity Cost Exploring the benefits of gaining clarity through investment in growth. 00:21:19 - Time Cost The importance of considering how investments can save time in the learning process. 00:23:05 - Releasing to Rise The spiritual principle of releasing something valuable to achieve growth and rise into one's identity. 00:24:10 - Wrap-Up and Reflection Conclusion of the episode with an invitation for listener feedback and engagement.

Overcomer Covenant Church exists to advance the Kingdom of God, locally and globally, by preaching the Gospel, partnering with other ministries, and planting churches. To support Overcomer and help us continue to reach people all around the world, click here: https://overcomercc.org/give If you've just made a decision for Christ, click the link today - https://overcomercc.org/saved If this is your first time joining us, click the link today - https://overcomercc.org/newhere —— Stay Connected! Website: https://overcomercc.org YouTube: https://youtube.com/@overcomercc Instagram: https://instagram.com/overcomercc Facebook: https://facebook.com/overcomercc

In this episode David, Mike, Ruthie and Jeff talk about the Kingdom of God. The discussion centers on the Kingdom of Gods justice and love.

Shelly has served the body of Christ as a Pastor for over 35 years. He is a bible teacher and conference speaker on the subjects of The Kingdom of God, The Mystery of Israel & The Church and for God’s people to be prepared in their hearts for the end of this age. https://shellyandjunevolk.com/Support the show: https://shellyandjunevolk.com/product/partner-with-us-psalm-127-fund/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What We Have Even Now Sexagesima Sunday 10 For just as rain and snow fall from heaven and do not return there without saturating the earth and making it germinate and sprout, and providing seed to sow and food to eat, 11 so my word that comes from my mouth will not return to me empty, but it will accomplish what I please and will prosper in what I send it to do." 12 You will indeed go out with joy and be peacefully guided; the mountains and the hills will break into singing before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. 13 Instead of the thornbush, a cypress will come up, and instead of the brier, a myrtle will come up; this will stand as a monument for the LORD, an everlasting sign that will not be destroyed. Isaiah 55:10–13 [CSB] I will read the last part first…the result, the consequence…of the first part: 12 You will indeed go out with joy and be peacefully guided; the mountains and the hills will break into singing before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. 13 Instead of the thornbush, a cypress will come up, and instead of the brier, a myrtle will come up; this will stand as a monument for the LORD, an everlasting sign that will not be destroyed. Isaiah 55:10–13 [CSB] This is even now… No, it is…as we DO have a little of it… We do…and it is too bad when we don't think so…when we deny it…when we listen to any voice that says it isn't so…when things blind us so that we cannot see it. Nonetheless is it true. Now and forever. Some now and all forever. It began in a manger… and was established in this odd and never thought of place… But then this lonely shoot began to bud, then flower as if on just a bit of bare rock… and it was… it was called Calvary… …then it began to multiply…first right there in Jerusalem, then Judea and Samaria…and then into the uttermost parts of the earth… This is also the beginning…the start, where it begins for us… …from blood and in water…and then in our pilgrimage…here… …through the valley of the shadow of death…until our Lord and Savior makes death dead--the last enemy to be removed forever. Removed even from our lifeless bodies, where the seed is left to wait. Death is defeated, but …not completely taken away…yet. Now is the time of Grace. This is the time of the Church militant…that is, the time we still have to fight sin, death and the devil…our flesh, the world, and the kingdom of darkness…. But as they flee before the Lord who leads the way through… We are not fighting for victory. That has already been won by Jesus. We are clearing the ground…and the air…on our way home. For now we see from afar. We hear the distant song… Faith in Him whom we follow knows this to be true. His Words enable to see in this dim place…to hear amongst the cruel noises…the hopeless cries… And then…all of a sudden…along the way we see a crack in the clouds…and there are those mountains that will soon sing and shake to participate in bringing in the new order of a new creation. Or it may be a special day…when all is quiet…and suddenly the sweet air brings the accompaniment to that high and exulted singing…the trees remind of us of what is to come. That singing is not as it will be…this clapping is not but a slight rustle… But it is all in hope…a hope because we have been given this hope…as creation knows who has come and gives it to mankind… So creation waits… Even if here and there…and only in practice a little…and to remind us of these, His Words…giving us a glimpse…even if ever so slight… You see, I am showing you the results first, because we need to see what reality looks like--what it should have been…what it should be like…what it is to sound like…and what it will be like again. It is so now…by Word of Law--God's law, but it has to be yet enacted fully. It has been declared to be so, but many yet have to believe the Words. They need to hear, know and believe before they can have the result for themselves. And so, as we pray in the prayer that our Lord has taught us: THY KINGDOM COME… Yes…God's Kingdom comes of its own self, but… We pray in this petition that the Kingdom come among us also. And it has come…and it has come here. You are here because of this onward march…this invasion of and in your life by God Himself….as He widens…and lengthens…the restoration of all things… One person at a time. Family by Family. Until there is nowhere left that is enemy territory…until there is no one left to be captured and turned back from the enemy to our Lord. This Old Testament prophet's text is about the coming of this Kingdom of God in, by and through Christ… And it has come…and is still here…at work…moving…into the kingdom of the devil…an invasion force…light into the dark…color into grayness… green into the dry brown…gladness and singing into the groans of pain and suffering…fruitfulness to the barren…life into death… I show you this first because we have to be reminded of what it actually could be like, lest we believe that what we have seen--the darkness…bitterness…horror…pain…the loss…betrayal…and death…lest we accept this as the only reality… lest we surrender again to our enemy. I tell you this because we need to be given hope…expectation…longing…in that which we do actually have now… From what we have already been given…and have heard…and yet…forget…doubt…and let go of… No! The Kingdom of God is among us. Here and now. IN this very place…in your very lives. Today. Why can I say this? Because He--our Lord says so. And what He says…well…listen to what He says about what HE SAYS: 10 For just as rain and snow fall from heaven and do not return there without saturating the earth and making it germinate and sprout, and providing seed to sow and food to eat, 11 so my word that comes from my mouth will not return to me empty, but it will accomplish what I please and will prosper in what I send it to do." What God says, happens. What He declares is SO. What He promises is given. This is death to life, because of Grace from His Mercy that Forgives all sin---that sin that caused death and the wilting of creation. This has been defeated and with the resurrection of Jesus is being pushed right out into the outer darkness forever. Never to return. Heaven on a new earth eternal. And eternally to be lived by us and all creation, now renewed. This is the result and the reason--the purpose God sent out His STRONG WORD. It will be done on earth, as it is in Heaven. Because the Strong Word is Jesus. And He has done it. His is the Name, that was made for the Lord… And that everlasting sign is the sign of Jonah and the sign of the cross--our sign now too--our eternal mark---His Mark on us…the mark of the Crucified One who is alive…making us alive…making us alive with Him forever. Amen.

Romans 10:18-21 — Why is the Jewish nation now outside the kingdom of God? In this sermon on Romans 10:18–21 titled “The Gospel and the Jews,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones analyzes and confirms that it is not because the Jews lack hearing or because there is a lack of plain teaching to them. Paul has made three things very clear thus far in Romans: the way of salvation, the inclusion of the Gentiles, and the exclusion of the Jews. The Jews did in fact receive very clear teaching about this from Moses and other prophets. Moses even explicitly said that the kingdom of God would be taken from the Jewish nation and given to a nation bearing fruit. So if the Jews have heard and received teaching, what are the reasons they are no longer in the kingdom? It was due to their false views on salvation. They thought of it in terms of their nation and the fact that they were circumcised. They had a false confidence in their flesh, holding onto their family lineage, and the fact that they had the Scriptures of the Lord. That proved to be their stumbling block. God requires that believers be not only hearers of the law but also doers of the law. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/603/29?v=20251111

Jesus commanded his church to go into all the world, preach the gospel, and make disciples of the nations. We know this as the Great Commission. Sadly, the church has largely been guilty of a great omission in reaching the world for Christ. How can we recover a passion for proclaiming the gospel and building the kingdom of God throughout the world? Find out on Dr. Barnhouse and the Bible. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/791/29?v=20251111

11:14 And he was casting out a devil, and it was dumb. And it came to pass, when the devil was gone out, the dumb spake; and the people wondered. 11:15 But some of them said, He casteth out devils through Beelzebub the chief of the devils. 11:16 And others, tempting him, sought of him a sign from heaven. 11:17 But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth. 11:18 If Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because ye say that I cast out devils through Beelzebub. 11:19 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your sons cast them out? therefore shall they be your judges. 11:20 But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you. 11:21 When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace: 11:22 But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils. 11:23 He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth. 11:24 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out. 11:25 And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished. 11:26 Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. 11:27 And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked. 11:28 But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it. 11:29 And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet. 11:30 For as Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation. 11:31 The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them: for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here. 11:32 The men of Nineve shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here. 11:33 No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light. 11:34 The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness. 11:35 Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness. 11:36 If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light.

The Lord's Prayer is not just something we recite. It is a way of life.In this episode, I'm joined by Brad Gray and Brad Nelson from Walking the Text to explore how Jesus designed this prayer as a blueprint for living.We break down each line of the Lord's Prayer in its original context and talk about what it actually means for your daily life. From calling God Father, to living with kingdom purpose, to forgiveness, provision, and trust, this prayer invites us to partner with God and reflect heaven right where we are.This conversation will help you move beyond routine prayer and into a deeper, more intentional way of following Jesus. From Executive Producer, Mark BurnettKey Takeaways• The Lord's Prayer shows us how to live, not just how to pray.• “Our Father” invites relationship, not distance. God is near and personal.• God's kingdom is meant to shape our everyday choices and actions.• Forgiveness is essential for healing, freedom, and healthy community.• “Daily bread” reminds us to depend on God one day at a time.• Prayer is an invitation to partner with God in bringing heaven to earth.• Slowing down with scripture, including practices like Lectio Divina, helps the prayer come alive in real life.Watch The Lord's Prayer here.Grab the Rewire Your Mind: From Negativity to Joy- download here.Grab the Joy Rising- Daily Gratitude & Joy Journal here.Download My Free Joyful Living Devotional: https://kristinfitch.com/devotionalReady to take your first step towards a more joyful, faith-filled life? Download our Reignite Your Passion Workbook and start living with purpose today!Lord's Prayer explained, How Jesus taught us to pray, Living like Jesus, Christian prayer teaching, Kingdom of God explained, Faith based spiritual growth, Biblical meaning of the Lord's Prayer, Christian spiritual formation, Daily prayer for Christians, Forgiveness and prayer. Walking the Text. Brad Gray, Brad Nelson. Mark Burnett, Understanding the Bible, Bringing heaven to earth, scripture

Dr. Adam looks into how the Kingdom of God operates and the God-Kind of Faith to participate in it.

Shelly has served the body of Christ as a Pastor for over 35 years. He is a bible teacher and conference speaker on the subjects of The Kingdom of God, The Mystery of Israel & The Church and for God’s people to be prepared in their hearts for the end of this age. https://shellyandjunevolk.com/Support the show: https://shellyandjunevolk.com/product/partner-with-us-psalm-127-fund/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Life in the kingdom of God can be confusing, often unfolding in ways we don't expect or understand.In today's episode, we continue our sermon series from the archives, The Gospel According to Mark, as Paul unpacks three small parables that speak directly to the confusion of the disciples who had given their lives to follow Christ and build his kingdom.To hear more sermons from Paul, visit PaulTripp.com/Sermons.

Dallas Willard taught us that Jesus offers us a life without lack in the Kingdom of God. But what do we do when experiencing the real pain of unmet needs, unhealed wounds, and unanswered prayers? You can learn to pause and pray — bringing your distresses and desires to Jesus to cultivate a peace and rest that's rooted in his gentle love, wise leadership, and fierce faithfulness.Join us for this episode of Soul Talks as Bill and Kristi talk about following Jesus through the many terrains of the spiritual journey. Praying and meditating on this Dallas-inspired paraphrase of Psalm 23 from will help you trust the Good Shepherd as he leads you into deeper union with God.(If you want to go deeper into Psalm 23 and the insights we gained from Dallas Willard, we invite you to join us on a retreat or train to become a spiritual director with Soul Shepherding. You can learn more by following the links below.)Resources for this Episode:Your Best Life in Jesus' Easy Yoke: Rhythms of Grace to De-Stress and Live EmpoweredJoin Our Free Devotional Email ListAttend a Soul Shepherding RetreatEarn a Certificate in Spiritual DirectionDonate to Support Soul Shepherding and Soul Talks

“But Jesus told him, ‘Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.’” (Luke 9:62 NLT) It took God one night to get Israel out of Egypt. But it took forty years to get Egypt out of Israel. The Israelites were always looking back. After they learned that giants occupied the Promised Land, “Their voices rose in a great chorus of protest against Moses and Aaron. ‘If only we had died in Egypt, or even here in the wilderness!’ they complained. ‘Why is the Lord taking us to this country only to have us die in battle? Our wives and our little ones will be carried off as plunder! Wouldn’t it be better for us to return to Egypt?’ Then they plotted among themselves, ‘Let’s choose a new leader and go back to Egypt!’” (Numbers 14:2–4 NLT). Some Christians take a similar approach to life. They’re always looking back. They say, “Remember the good old days—you know, before I was a Christian? Man, we would party! We had so much fun!” Really? Were they in fact the good old days? Were those times really as good as they seem now? Or is the memory of them a little distorted? Have those believers forgotten the emptiness? Have they forgotten the despondency? Have they forgotten the repercussions of the things they did? Have they forgotten that dull ache deep inside? Have they forgotten the havoc their actions brought on their family? They’ve conveniently forgotten about those things and remember only the few good times they had. That’s what the Israelites were doing. They were always looking back. But before we judge them, let’s realize that we often do the same thing. This is why Jesus said, “Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62 NLT). Discipleship is forward-facing. The baseball player Satchel Paige once said, “Don’t look back. Something might be gaining on you.” There’s spiritual truth in his words. Sometimes looking back can awaken old fears and anxieties. It can cause you to forget what God has done in your life. It can make you lose focus on what He has in store for you. Looking back is often a way of retreating to a safer, more familiar place and time. We need to remember, however, that God is our refuge. And the plan He has for us is as certain as anything in our past. God always blesses and rewards spiritual forward progress. You can’t live in two worlds. You can’t go forward when you’re looking back. And you can’t walk forward spiritually if you’re always looking over your shoulder. Disciples are called to change the world and not be changed by it. World changers see opportunities; those who are changed by this world see obstacles. World changers see bridges; those who are changed by this world see walls. Perspective is everything. Make sure you stay focused on what lies ahead. Reflection question: How can you keep your spiritual focus on what’s ahead of you instead of what’s behind you? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — The audio production of the podcast "Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known." All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie. Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is border security truly biblical? At least in the way in which this administration is advocating? In this compelling episode of the Voxology Podcast, Mike and Tim tackle this pressing question with thoughtful analysis and deep theological reflection. Exploring passages like Romans 13 and Leviticus 19:34, they examine the intersection of faith and politics, addressing claims about the Bible's stance on border security and justice. Together, they navigate key cultural challenges, unpacking how scripture is often used—or misused—in political debates. This episode dives into the role of the church in society, highlighting the importance of cruciformity, compassion, and justice in how Christians respond to immigration and broader governance issues. The hosts challenge listeners to rethink assumptions, engage critically with scripture, and consider how the teachings of Jesus call us to uphold human dignity in all circumstances. Join the conversation as we explore how faith intersects with cultural issues, and how humility, curiosity, and critical thinking can guide us in pursuing justice and embodying the upside-down kingdom of God. We encourage you to engage with us on Facebook and Instagram or send in your questions—we'd love to hear from you! Let's learn and grow together. CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Intro 02:10 - Christian Border Security Argument 05:36 - Leviticus 19:34 Analysis 09:21 - Romans 13 Discussion 11:26 - Matthew 25 Insights 13:48 - Biblical View on Nations 17:40 - Matt's Scar Documentary 19:34 - Epstein Controversy Overview 22:19 - Biblical Teachings on Authority 23:57 - Government Evil Hypothesis 24:23 - Corruption Exposé 28:20 - Understanding Biblicism 31:40 - Romans 13 Revisited 36:07 - God's Role in Governance 38:45 - Original Intent of Human Rule 41:51 - Governing Authorities as Servants 44:16 - Attitude Towards Authorities 49:20 - Immigration Solutions Discussion 51:45 - Church Exposé 56:09 - The Problem of Evil Explained 01:01:10 - Poem Reflection 01:02:50 - Evolving Faith Perspective 01:04:43 - Thank You Message 01:05:20 - Supporting the Show As always, we encourage and would love discussion as we pursue. Feel free to email in questions to hello@voxpodcast.com, and to engage the conversation on Facebook and Instagram. We're on YouTube (if you're into that kinda thing): VOXOLOGY TV. Our Merch Store! Etsy Learn more about the Voxology Podcast Subscribe on iTunes or Spotify Support the Voxology Podcast on Patreon The Voxology Spotify channel can be found here: Voxology Radio Follow us on Instagram: @voxologypodcast and "like" us on Facebook Follow Mike on Twitter: www.twitter.com/mikeerre Music in this episode by Timothy John Stafford Instagram & Twitter: @GoneTimothy

What is love—really?In a culture that defines love by feelings, pleasure, and convenience, God offers a very different definition. In this message, we dive into Scripture to uncover what real love looks like—love that is rooted in sacrifice, commitment, and truth.From the church of Corinth to modern culture, the struggle hasn't changed. When love becomes self-focused, relationships suffer. But when love is anchored in Christ, healing, freedom, and restoration are possible.Authentic Church 2416 N Center St Hickory, NC 28601 (Beside Planet Fitness) GIVING To support this ministry and help us continue to reach people all around the world click here: https://authenticchurch.com/give GET CONNECTED Ready to check out Authentic Church in person? We can't wait to meet you in person. Simply fill out the form below and we'll make sure to give you the VIP treatment upon your first visit. https://authenticchurch.com/plan-a-visit ABOUT AUTHENTIC CHURCH Authentic Church exists so that people will have an authentic encounter with God, be set free, and grow in Christ. Our mission is to help each person at Authentic believe in Jesus, belong to family, inspire true worship, walk in God's Spirit, and build the kingdom of God.