Podcasts about pastor brian

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Pastor Brian speaks to us about how Jesus brings us true rest.

Life doesn't always seem fair. Sometimes we compare ourselves to others, wonder why they receive blessings we don't, or feel like we deserve more than we've been given. Listen as Pastor Brian explores Jesus' parable of the workers in the vineyard from Matthew 20:1-16 and discover the surprising truth that God's Kingdom isn't built on fairness, but on grace.

Pastor Brian speaks to us on how God is faithful even when we cannot see what he is doing.

Pastor Brian continues this sermon series focusing on the life we are called to live because of the grace of Jesus.

Pastor Brian's message at "Beast Feast 2026" at Calvary Baptist Church in Greenwood, Indiana

What if we've settled for less than God intended for our sexuality? In “Rediscovering Healthy & Holy Sexuality,” Pastor Brian explores why our bodies matter to God—and how Jesus offers a path toward freedom, healing and a life beyond shame.

When everyone becomes their own authority, cultural chaos quickly follows. Exploring Colossians 1:9–14, this message demonstrates how surrendering every area of your daily life to the supreme kingship of Jesus Christ brings order, endurance, and purpose out of life's messes.

In this episode of "Wait, He Said What?", Pastor Brian unpacks the Beatitudes — why Jesus opened His most important sermon by blessing the broken, the meek, and the persecuted instead of the powerful.

As we begin our new series, Pieces, we are shining light on the spiritual war we are in. For the child of God, arrows will be fired at you with an attempt to shatter your faith and get you to compromise who and what you trust. We are not fighting for victory. We are fighting from it. But what happens when the faith that was once so strong becomes tested, shattered, and broken?Through the story of his family, Pastor Brian shares what it looks like when the same people, with the same faith and the same God, experience two totally different outcomes. When God performs the way we want Him to, it can be easy to celebrate His faithfulness. But when He doesn't, we may find ourselves asking, “God, what do You want to do with my faith when it's shattered? What can You do with my brokenness?” Throughout Scripture, we see what God does with broken pieces. He restores and reassembles what has been broken. He re-members what has been dismembered. God loves to put broken things back together. Whatever you are carrying, bring what is being done in darkness into the light. Be bold in your brokenness and trust the only One who can put the pieces back together.Check out our video version of this episode: https://youtu.be/Nmp7CJFyvtsSubscribe to our YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/8wmeCwBf_zkLearn more about us at chestnutmountain.orgFollow us on Facebook & Instagram @chestnutmtn_

What does the Bible actually say about money? It is one of the most searched, most anxiously carried topics in modern life, and Pastor Brian steps into it with unusual honesty. 63% of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck. Money is the number two reason for divorce. And Jesus talked about it more than almost anything else.This sermon kicks off a new teaching series at Alliance Church on what Scripture teaches about money. Pastor Brian opens with 1 Timothy 6:10, carefully. The Bible does not say money is the root of all evil. It says the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. Greed is a heart problem, not a bank account problem. Some of the most generous people he knows are wealthy, and some of the most consumed people he knows are broke. Greed is agnostic to your net worth.Then he walks through Jesus's parable of the shrewd manager in Luke 16:1 through 13. The whole thing hinges on one truth most Americans have never fully absorbed. You do not own your money. God does. You are the manager. He is the rich man. That is not a metaphor. It is the setup of the entire parable.The uncomfortable downstream is honest. If God owns the money and we manage it by our own priorities instead of his, that is not just poor stewardship. It is stealing. He uses the picture of a money manager who takes your account and buys himself a Ferrari with it. That is exactly how it lands with God when we ignore his priorities with what he has entrusted to us.Then he goes to the heart of it. What does God actually want your money invested in? People. Eternal treasures. Use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves (Luke 16:9). Christians should on paper be some of the wisest stewards of wealth on the planet, because we know the Owner and what he cares about.Here is the sentence that reframes the whole conversation. Money does not change you. Money reveals you. Luke 16:10 and 11. Whoever can be trusted with little can be trusted with much. If you cannot steward the little you have right now, why would God give you more?Pastor Brian closes at the cross with 2 Corinthians 8:9. Jesus was rich, but for our sake he became poor, so that through his poverty we might become rich. That is the deepest motivator to actually open your budget with your spouse this week and ask, God, how am I managing your money?If you have been anxious about money, ashamed of your finances, or unsure what the Bible actually teaches on this, this teaching from Pastor Brian is one of the most freeing places to start.

This week, Pastor Brian continues our series through Romans with “The Reign of Death,” from Romans 5:12–14. In this passage, Paul traces the entrance of sin into the world through Adam and the reign of death that followed. Even before God gave the law through Moses, death reigned—revealing that humanity's deepest problem is greater than the individual sins we commit. Yet Paul closes with a note of hope: Adam pointed forward to another representative who would establish another humanity and another reign.

Pastor Brian is back from his sabbatical and is beginning a new sermon series! This series is titled Foundations and is a study on the first 11 chapters of Gensis. This first week Brian teaches through Gensis chapter 1. As he introduces Gensis to us he reminds us of the purpose of Gensis and the foundations it shows us. 

Pastor Brian preaches from Titus 3:4-9, 14 on the how the Gospel has freed us to live for Jesus.

Pastor Brian and Shaun Epperhart team teach through Isaiah 29:13, and the two places Jesus quotes it in the New Testament - Matthew 15:8-9 and Mark 7:6-7. The message centers around how we worship, and if we are genuine in our worship or whether we are doing the right things but still far from God.

Pastor Brian continues his challenge and encouragement as we fight the Spiritual battle we are all in.

A question I have wrestled with is…what makes the CHURCH different in the midst of our modern culture? What makes our local churches different than what other organizations have to offer? What happens when our local churches become oriented merely towards pragmatism? That's what I talk about with Pastor and Author Brian Zahnd. Brian is the pastor of Word of Life Church in St. Joseph, MO and is no stranger to the Beyond Sunday Podcast. He has a new book called Unseen Existences: Of Heaven, Earth, and the Divine Mystery in All Things. This is a conversation about the church. About the Bible. About the sacraments. About wonder, mystery, awe, and what happens when we lose our sense of transcendence. If you're a pastor, a worship leader, a Christian artist, or a follower of Jesus…there is something here that will reorient you towards hope and beauty in an age of cynicism, nationalism, and deconstruction. There is another way. Topics Covered: The alternative to Christian Nationalism and endless deconstruction How evangelicalism forsook mystery and embraced empiricism How the Christian Right and the Christian Left co-opt Christ for political ends Good vs bad apologetics A spiritual vs a literal reading of the text of Holy Scripture The value of trying on different interpretive lenses when it comes to Scripture Recapturing mystery Resources Mentioned Atheist Delusions by David Bentley Hart Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry Unseen Existences by Brian Zahnd Make Your Home In This Luminous Dark by James K.A. Smith Magnifica Humanitas by Pope Leo XIV Crucified and Resurrected by Ingolf Dalferth Show Sponsor: Planning Center This episode is brought to you by Planning Center, helping you sync all your ministry details across your whole church. Planning Center has become so essential to how I manage a team, that it's almost impossible to consider local church ministry without it anymore. Today, I want to leave you with a PCO pro-tip. Does this sound like a familiar situation? It's the end of the week. You're about to leave the office when you suddenly think: Did all of our volunteers confirm for Sunday? You scroll through the schedule and sure enough—there's a gap. Instead of allowing yourself to spiral into a panic, try this: In Services, Planning Center has gap alerts. Turn them on, and you'll get a heads-up days before service if positions are still unfilled or unconfirmed. No more end of the week scrambling. Speaking of less scrambling, did you know you can access everything you need for rehearsals right from the Service media player on your phone? Lyrics, chord charts, arrangement notes—it's all right there, so you're not hunting for files in the middle of hitting those power chords. To see what else you can do to make your Sundays easier, go to planningcenter.com/blog. The post #400: A Hopeful Alternative to Christian Nationalism And Deconstruction with Pastor Brian Zahnd appeared first on Beyond Sunday Worship.

Brian Zahnd, a Christian leader and pastor of forty years and four-times pilgrim of the Camino de Santiago, completed this remarkable (and quite short) book, Unseen Existences: Of Heaven, Earth, and the Divine Mystery in All Things. You can read it in a long afternoon or a few sessions of a couple of hours each, sitting outside – perhaps under an oak or a fig tree – with a cup of tea. It's conversational in tone; it's clearly the fruit of decades of writing good sermons. Brian is talking to the skepticism—sometimes cynicism—of our times to show (empirically) that more is going on than we take for granted. He also discusses God's great project for us here in this world, building on St. Augustine, Dallas Willard, and the Gospels. I really enjoyed this insightful book and our meandering conversation. Pastor Brian's website Pastor Brian's website. The Reverend: A Fantasy by Pastor Brian, here in four parts, and here as the audio play, read by Boyd Barret. “The Last Train out of Monkeytown,” a poem by Brian Zahnd. Here is the book, Unseen Existences, from Intervarsity Press (IVP), and here it is on Amazon. Dallas Willard, The Divine Conspiracy (1998). Carlos Eire, They Flew (2023). The story of the radio that turned on (told by Michael Shermer about the incident happened on the occasion of his marriage). More conversations with Pastor Brian Zahnd on Almost Good Catholics: Brian Zahnd on Almost Good Catholics, episode 122: The Tree of Life: “no one who loves the way of Grace ever comes to a bad end” Brian Zahnd on Almost Good Catholics, episode 92: A Hidden Life: The Life and Martyrdom of Bl. Franz Jägerstätter (1907-1943) Brian Zahnd on Almost Good Catholics, episode 82: The Wood between the Worlds: Why Death on the Cross? Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Life doesn't go as planned sometimes, and that's okay.  For instance, space travel.  It seems everything can be in order, you can seemingly have all the right things in all the right places, and yet things can still go wrong.  The correct order is God's order; Pastor Brian shares a great message about having this order in our lives. Join us in person: 22811 S. Cedar Rd., Manhattan, IL 60442 Learn More: encounterthrive.com Give Online: encounterthrive.churchcenter.com/giving

Does it ever feel like the game is rigged, the game being life?  Exactly, it's like McDonald's Monopoly.  Get this, God's grace makes life not fair, and that's a good thing for all of us.  Pastor Brian shares an awesome message about living in God's grace and how that help creates peace in our hearts. Also, next week is Pack-the-Place and there will be baptisms!  If you feel called to be baptized, please sign up!  Also, bring your friends, bring your family, bring your neighbors, you can even bring your accountant! Join us in person: 22811 S. Cedar Rd., Manhattan, IL 60442 Learn More: encounterthrive.com Give Online: encounterthrive.churchcenter.com/giving

Brian Zahnd, a Christian leader and pastor of forty years and four-times pilgrim of the Camino de Santiago, completed this remarkable (and quite short) book, Unseen Existences: Of Heaven, Earth, and the Divine Mystery in All Things. You can read it in a long afternoon or a few sessions of a couple of hours each, sitting outside – perhaps under an oak or a fig tree – with a cup of tea. It's conversational in tone; it's clearly the fruit of decades of writing good sermons. Brian is talking to the skepticism—sometimes cynicism—of our times to show (empirically) that more is going on than we take for granted. He also discusses God's great project for us here in this world, building on St. Augustine, Dallas Willard, and the Gospels. I really enjoyed this insightful book and our meandering conversation. Pastor Brian's website Pastor Brian's website. The Reverend: A Fantasy by Pastor Brian, here in four parts, and here as the audio play, read by Boyd Barret. “The Last Train out of Monkeytown,” a poem by Brian Zahnd. Here is the book, Unseen Existences, from Intervarsity Press (IVP), and here it is on Amazon. Dallas Willard, The Divine Conspiracy (1998). Carlos Eire, They Flew (2023). The story of the radio that turned on (told by Michael Shermer about the incident happened on the occasion of his marriage). More conversations with Pastor Brian Zahnd on Almost Good Catholics: Brian Zahnd on Almost Good Catholics, episode 122: The Tree of Life: “no one who loves the way of Grace ever comes to a bad end” Brian Zahnd on Almost Good Catholics, episode 92: A Hidden Life: The Life and Martyrdom of Bl. Franz Jägerstätter (1907-1943) Brian Zahnd on Almost Good Catholics, episode 82: The Wood between the Worlds: Why Death on the Cross? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Pastor Brian begins Wait… He Said What? with a challenge to move beyond salvation and church attendance into a lifelong journey of following Jesus.

Pastor Brian Zahnd sits down with host Joey Svendsen and podcast regular Jack Hoey, to talk about heaven and how the concept of an eternal kingdom should inform a Christian's perspective on life. With his newest book, "Unseen Existence: Of Heaven, Earth, and the Divine Mystery in All Things." as the context of the conversation, Brian asserts that many Christians and churches today have disenchanted souls because of their losing sight of heaven, and that this loss is reflected in our culture. In this conversation, Joey, Jack, and Brian also dig into what heaven actually is, whether people continue to learn and grow there, why heaven won't be boring despite being eternal, and how a proper understanding of heaven will radically change everything, including how one engages in prayer, politics, and daily living. To open the episode, Bri, Brian, Joey, and Lynne dig into a handful of quick topics: those times you just feel "off," the criticism that seeker-friendly churches aren't deep enough, how differently we might live if there were no God, and some guesswork on what we'll actually remember once we get to heaven.Brian Zahnd | Instagram | BookHosts | Jack Hoey| Brian Lewis | Brianna McLeod | Joey Svendsen | Lynne StroySeacoast Podcast is now on InstagramBe a Patron of the podcast We have a YouTube Channel for videos of all episodes since Jan. 2024. We'd love to hear from you.  E-mail Joey HERE. Producer/Editor/host: Joey SvendsenSound Engineer/Editor: Katelyn Vandiver

Are you trapped in a spiritual performance mindset, constantly trying to add your own efforts to what Christ has already accomplished? Dive into the opening verses of Colossians to discover why the true Gospel is "Jesus plus nothing"—and how His complete sufficiency brings renewed hope, lasting transformation, and unshakeable grace to your daily life.

God did not wait for us to become worthy of His love. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us — at just the right time. If He reconciled us when we were His enemies, we can trust Him to finish what He started.Romans chapter 5, verses 6 through 11 brings that assurance into focus. In a sermon titled, "Timing Is Everything," Pastor Brian shows us why the cross gives us confidence in God's love and our future with Him.

In this message Brian explores the power of generational influence. What has been deposited in us by our families, mentors, and spiritual community, and what we are now depositing into others. Through Psalm 78, the story of Eric Motley, and personal stories of faith passed from one generation to another, we're challenged to consider how God can use us to shape the generations that come after us.

Pastor Brian makes the case for unity in the church based on the unity we are called to with God and the account of the christians in the book of Acts. This sermon is from John 17:13-23 and Acts 2:42-47.

Failure does not have to define your future when you bring your brokenness to Jesus. In this final sermon of the "Forgiven to Forgive" series, we explore John 21 to discover how Christ restores us from failure to a future of usefulness.

Series: Matthew for TodayPastor Brian KetterAugust 30, 2026

What do you actually have to believe to be saved by God? It is one of the most anxious questions a Christian can quietly carry, and Pastor Brian gives one of the clearest answers we have ever heard him offer. The bar is small enough for a child. And a dying criminal on a cross next to Jesus already cleared it.This sermon wraps up an August teaching series at Alliance Church on how to read the Bible well. Pastor Brian's final rule is deceptively simple. Interpret Scripture with the bride of Christ. In other words, do not read your Bible in isolation. The Holy Spirit lives in every believer, and 2,000 years of the church has been listening to him. Church history is not authoritative, but it matters. As Charles Spurgeon put it, it is odd that some Christians who talk so much about what the Holy Spirit reveals to them think so little of what he has revealed to others.The heart of this teaching is a framework you will not forget. Three buckets.Bucket one is what you must believe to be saved. He points to Luke 23 and the thief on the cross. That criminal believed three things. Jesus is King of the afterlife, so God. I deserve death for my sins. And Jesus is the innocent one I am staking my whole eternity on. Jesus told him, today you will be with me in paradise. Whatever fits in bucket one has to be small enough for a child to grasp.Bucket two is core doctrine. Big impact on how you see God, yourself, and others. The Trinity. The person and power of the Holy Spirit. Sanctification. Traditional marriage. Gender. How you gather with other believers. Not required for the moment of salvation, but if a sheep does not know the Shepherd's voice on the things 2,000 years of the church has clearly landed on, at best it is ignorance and at worst it is pride. That is John 10 language.Bucket three is what Paul in Romans 14 calls disputable matters. End times specifics. Certain spiritual gifts debates. Chick fil A versus Popeyes. Important, yes. But not first tier. Paul's rule for these is not to prove you are right or pretend everyone is right. It is to accept the one whose faith is weaker without quarreling, and to aim for harmony and building each other up (Romans 14:17).Pastor Brian closes with a story about a Wesleyan friend who believed drinking alcohol was always sin. Brian disagreed theologically, but pulling that man into his life made his own faith stronger, not weaker.If you have ever felt anxious about salvation, frustrated by Christian infighting, or unsure how to sort the essential from the debatable, this teaching from Pastor Brian will settle a lot of things.

Justification by faith does more than change our verdict; it gives us peace with God, access into grace, and the hope of sharing in His glory. Because grace is now the place where we stand, even suffering cannot shut us out. God uses it to produce endurance, character, and a hope that will never put us to shame because His love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit.Romans chapter 5, verses 1 through 5 reveals what faith gives us access to. In a sermon titled, “Access Code,” Pastor Brian shows us why faith does not earn God's favor but receives the peace, grace, and hope Jesus Christ has already secured.

Pastor Brian Mesick discusses the topic of "Where We Are Seated" in his series entitled "Christ and The Passover : Pastor Brian Mesick" This is Part XLVIII - 48 and it focuses on the following verses: Numbers 13:22; Luke 22:29; Ephesians 2:6

Room To Breathe Wk4 - Pastor Brian Shaull by Ross Wiseman

How to Identify False Prophets in 2026 with Pastor Brian Gibson is a powerful conversation about discerning real prophecy from counterfeit ministry, testing spiritual gifts, and staying grounded in biblical truth.Zach sits down with Pastor Brian Gibson to unpack one of the biggest questions facing the Church right now: How do you know what's real and what's counterfeit when it comes to prophecy, miracles, and spiritual gifts?Brian shares why the existence of false prophets doesn't erase the reality of true prophetic ministry, how believers can discern the difference between someone who is simply wrong and someone operating deceptively, and why character, accountability, and motive matter just as much as gifting.In this episode, you'll hear:• How to identify the difference between a false prophet and a wrong prophet• How Brian personally caught someone faking a supernatural manifestation• Whether Christians should publicly call out false prophets and false teachers• Why prophetic gifting can still operate when someone's personal life is compromised• How accountability inside the local church protects believers from deception• Why prophetic words should be tested, judged, and handled with humilityIf you've ever wondered how to discern prophetic ministry, what to do when Christian leaders fail, or how to pursue the gifts of the Spirit without falling into deception, this conversation will challenge you to stay rooted in Scripture while remaining open to what God is doing.Subscribe to the I Like Birds Podcast for more conversations that help you grow deeper in your faith, walk boldly with Jesus, and navigate the real questions facing believers today.CONNECT + RESOURCESGet Brian Gibson's book, Ignited by the Spirit:https://www.faithandflame.com/products/ignited-by-the-spirit-a-journey-into-the-prophetic-the-power-of-the-holy-spirit-and-your-divine-calling-july-2026Use code ILIKEBIRDS20 for a discount.Get Zach's new book, Me, Armani, & Jesus:Amazon: https://a.co/d/07QqYlywSigned copy: https://ilikebirdsministry.com/me-armani-jesusCome see the live event in Burleson, Texas:https://checkout.square.site/merchant/MLBEB869F6Y5R/checkout/7KBLAUBR2NVYOIJDLIIQBFGZPARTNER WITH I LIKE BIRDS MINISTRY

Exploring the short yet powerful letter to Philemon, this message unpacks four transformative lessons on how the gospel reshapes our view of others, our wounds, and the hard work of reconciliation. Discover how Christ absorbing our debt equips us to break cycles of resentment and extend true, grace-filled forgiveness.

Our souls are thirsty, and Jesus is the living water we were made for. In Brian's message, we explore the cisterns we turn to for fulfillment, and what it means to build a church that points people toward Jesus, the true source of life.

Series: Matthew For TodayPastor Brian KetterAugust 23, 2026

What does the book of Ruth actually mean? For centuries it has been read as a beautiful love story, and it is one, but Pastor Brian says almost every Christian misses that Ruth is really a story about Jesus hiding in plain sight. If you have ever felt bitter, forgotten, or written off by God, this teaching will meet you exactly where you are.This sermon continues an August teaching series at Alliance Church on how to read the Bible well. Pastor Brian focuses on two big rules for interpreting Scripture. The bridge of background (the history, the language, the culture of the original moment) and the bridge of the book (the genre, the whole passage, the flow of the argument). He reminds the church of something a lot of us need to hear. The Holy Spirit wrote this book, and the Holy Spirit lives in every Christian. You do not need a stack of commentaries to open the Bible. But when you bring the background to a passage, you give the Holy Spirit more to work with.Then Pastor Brian walks through the book of Ruth as a live demonstration. Ruth chapter 1 opens with a famine in the land during the days of the judges. Judges 21:25 tells us everyone did what was right in their own eyes. Elimelech and Naomi flee to Moab, the arch enemy of Israel, in direct disobedience to Deuteronomy 12. Elimelech dies. Their two sons die. Naomi is left as a widow in enemy territory, and she renames herself Mara, which means bitter, because she has done what a lot of us do. She has looked at her circumstances and drawn conclusions about her identity and about God's character.But into her bitterness walks Ruth, a Moabite widow who says one of the most stunning lines in the entire Bible. Do not urge me to leave you. Where you go, I will go. Your people will be my people, and your God my God (Ruth 1:16 and 17). Then enters Boaz, a kinsman redeemer, a goel in Hebrew, someone in the extended family with the money, the generosity, and the willingness to sacrifice his own honor and family lineage to pay off a stranger's past and finance her future.And here is where Pastor Brian lands the sermon. The book of Ruth is not really about Ruth. It is about the third and hidden immigrant. Jesus. The one who left heaven for nothing to gain, linked his wagon to bitter and broken and forgotten people, took our name, paid our debt, and gave us his legacy.If you walked into today feeling like Mara, this teaching from Pastor Brian is for you. You do not have to earn a place in this story. You just have to be there.

Pastor Brian speaks on how God provides us with what we need

Our apologies for not being able to upload a message from last week, we were experiencing some technical difficulties, but a huge thank you to Pastor Nate for sharing about healing in Christ.  This week's message, delivered by Pastor Brian, is from Acts 10.  Life sure is full of surprises, isn't it?  Together, we get to explore how the early church reacted to such unexpected twists in life. Join us in person: 22811 S. Cedar Rd., Manhattan, IL 60442 Learn More: encounterthrive.com Give Online: encounterthrive.churchcenter.com/giving

Pastor Brian continues to share from Philippians 3 and Ecclesiastes on what is the gospel and what are its two enemies, legalism and licence.

As we begin a new ministry year and celebrate 30 years of Cornerstone, we are reminded that everything we build depends on the foundation beneath it. This message invites us to build our lives—and our church—on Jesus, trusting Him, serving Him, and receiving His love as we pursue His gospel and His kingdom.

Pastor Brian speaks to us on Trusting God's presence before experiencing His promises.