Episodes

  • Delivering Hope: Faith in the Marketplace | Todd Stewart

    Delivering Hope: Faith in the Marketplace | Todd Stewart
    Mar 10 2026
    In this episode of the Step Up Podcast, Pastor Chris Kouba and Josh Thomas sit down with Todd Stewart, CEO of Gulf Winds and author of Delivering Hope: Leading a Business That Builds the Kingdom of God.

    Todd shares his story of coming to faith, joining his family’s business in its earliest days, and eventually helping lead Gulf Winds into remarkable growth. But more than a business success story, this conversation is about what it looks like to see your workplace as a mission field.

    Together, they talk about leading with excellence, living out your faith on the job, building a healthy company culture, navigating the tension between profit and purpose, and trusting God with both opportunity and people. Todd offers practical encouragement for men who want to honor Christ in the marketplace without overcomplicating what faithfulness looks like.

    If you’ve ever wondered how to integrate your faith and your work in a real, grounded, everyday way, this episode is for you.

    To find out more about Pastor Chris, follow him on all the social platforms (@ckouba) and to connect with the ministry of United City visit https://unitedcity.church.


    Show Notes

    Get Todd’s Book Here: https://a.co/d/0gBNeSGf
    Follow on Instagram: @stepup.podcast
    Follow United City: @untdcitychurch
    Connect with Pastor Chris: http://chriskouba.com
    More About United City: https://unitedcity.church/
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    32 mins
  • Decision Paralysis | Step Up Podcast

    Decision Paralysis | Step Up Podcast
    Feb 24 2026
    Ever spend so much time scrolling for the perfect show that you end up watching nothing?

    Josh and Pastor Chris dive in on the topic of “decision paralysis” and how at the end of the day, it’s a leadership problem. In this episode, they unpack Joshua 24:14–15 (“As for me and my house…”) and challenge men to become decisive about the things that actually matter.

    They talk about the difference between conviction and courage, why “I’m all in… unless You touch this” is really surrender with fine print, and how even good blessings can become weights that hold you back. From “proxy faith” to practical next steps, the call is simple: stop drifting, draw the line, plant the flag, and watch what God does on the other side of full surrender.
    To find out more about Pastor Chris, follow him on all the social platforms (@ckouba) and to connect with the ministry of United City visit https://unitedcity.church.


    Show Notes

    Follow on Instagram: @stepup.podcast
    Follow United City: @untdcitychurch
    Connect with Pastor Chris: http://chriskouba.com
    More About United City: https://unitedcity.church/
    Show More Show Less
    30 mins
  • Trust the Process

    Trust the Process
    Feb 10 2026
    What do you do when you know where God is calling you… but there’s a wall in the way?

    In this episode, Pastor Chris Kouba and host Josh Thomas unpack Joshua 6 and the battle of Jericho. God gives Joshua a strategy that feels completely counterintuitive: march, stay silent, and trust Him. From the “stall” of smoking brisket to the grind of daily faithfulness, they talk about what it looks like to wait well, keep showing up, guard your mouth, and remember the outcome because you’re not fighting for victory, you’re fighting from it.

    If you’re in a season where nothing seems to be changing, this one’s for you. Keep marching. Day seven is coming.

    To find out more about Pastor Chris, follow him on all the social platforms (@ckouba) and to connect with the ministry of United City visit https://unitedcity.church.


    Show Notes

    Follow on Instagram: @stepup.podcast
    Follow United City: @untdcitychurch
    Connect with Pastor Chris: http://chriskouba.com
    More About United City: https://unitedcity.church/
    Show More Show Less
    31 mins
  • Stones in the River: Remembering God's Faithfulness

    Stones in the River: Remembering God's Faithfulness
    Jan 27 2026
    What do you do when you’re in “flood season”, when life feels fast, heavy, and uncertain?

    In this conversation, Pastor Chris Kouba and Josh Thomas dig into Joshua 4 and the powerful moment when God tells Israel to build memorials after crossing the Jordan River—one on the riverbank and one set in the river. Why two? Because we forget. And when we forget where we’ve been, we lose confidence about where we’re going.

    They talk about practical ways to remember and recount God’s faithfulness like journaling, physical reminders, and intentionally telling the “God stories” to your kids, your wife, your friends, and the people you lead. If you’re in the middle of something right now, this one is for you: God is faithful at the finish line and He’s faithful in the middle too!

    To find out more about Pastor Chris, follow him on all the social platforms (@ckouba) and to connect with the ministry of United City visit https://unitedcity.church.

    Show Notes

    Follow on Instagram: @stepup.podcast
    Follow United City: @untdcitychurch
    Connect with Pastor Chris: http://chriskouba.com
    More About United City: https://unitedcity.church/
    Show More Show Less
    33 mins
  • Strong and Courageous: The Call to Step Up

    Strong and Courageous: The Call to Step Up
    Jan 13 2026
    What do you do when life demands more from you than you feel ready to give?

    In this episode of the Step Up Podcast, Pastor Chris Kouba and host Josh Thomas continue their conversation through Joshua 1, unpacking what it truly means to step up—not because you feel qualified, but because God has called you.

    From leadership and marriage to parenting, friendships, and everyday decisions, this conversation challenges men to move from passivity to responsibility. You’ll hear why courage isn’t something you wait for—it’s something you build—and how grounding your life in God’s Word shapes the way you lead, decide, and act.

    If you’ve ever thought, “I’m not ready for this,” this episode is for you. Ready or not, the call is clear: step up.

    To find out more about Pastor Chris, follow him on all the social platforms (@ckouba) and to connect with the ministry of United City visit https://unitedcity.church.
    Show More Show Less
    32 mins
  • The Discipline of Disconnecting

    The Discipline of Disconnecting
    Dec 30 2025
    As 2025 comes to a close, Josh Thomas and Pastor Chris Kouba reflect on a big year personally and at United City—and then pivot into a highly practical conversation about fasting as they head into 2026. They unpack why “the discipline of disconnecting” is often the missing piece for men who feel spiritually dry, distracted, or overloaded.

    Pastor Chris explains how fasting creates the kind of intentional emptiness that makes room to hear from God again—because, as he puts it, “most men are too full to hear from God.” From full schedules and nonstop entertainment to constant phone-checking and comfort habits, the problem often isn’t a lack of information—it’s a lack of space.

    This episode is also a step-by-step guide: what fasting is, why Jesus assumes we’ll do it, how to choose a fast, what to do during a fast, and what to expect (including the famous “don’t quit on Tuesday or Wednesday” moment). If you want 2026 to be marked by clarity, hunger for God, and a deeper walk—this one’s for you.

    To find out more about Pastor Chris, follow him on all the social platforms (@ckouba) and to connect with the ministry of United City visit https://unitedcity.church.


    Show Notes
    Follow on Instagram: @stepup.podcast
    Follow United City: @untdcitychurch
    Connect with Pastor Chris: http://chriskouba.com
    More About United City: https://unitedcity.church/
    Show More Show Less
    32 mins
  • Ready or Not: Trusting God in the Transition

    Ready or Not: Trusting God in the Transition
    Dec 16 2025
    What do you do when the moment arrives—and you don’t feel ready?

    In this episode of the Step Up Podcast, Pastor Chris Kouba and host Josh Thomas unpack one of the most defining leadership moments in Scripture: “Moses, my servant, is dead. Now therefore arise…” (Joshua 1). It’s a sobering, powerful reminder that while mentors, seasons, and circumstances may change, God does not.

    Through honest stories of leadership transitions, parenting teenagers, ministry decisions, and personal calling, this conversation challenges men to stop waiting for perfect preparation and start stepping forward in faith. Whether you’re facing a promotion, loss, unexpected responsibility, or a moment that feels bigger than you, this episode reminds you that stepping up isn’t about having all the answers—it’s about trusting the presence of God.

    To find out more about Pastor Chris, follow him on all the social platforms (@ckouba) and to connect with the ministry of United City visit https://unitedcity.church.

    Show Notes:

    Follow on Instagram: @stepup.podcast
    Follow United City: @untdcitychurch
    Connect with Pastor Chris: http://chriskouba.com
    More About United City: https://unitedcity.church/
    Show More Show Less
    34 mins
  • Fear of Man: When Approval Becomes Your God

    Fear of Man: When Approval Becomes Your God
    Dec 2 2025
    In this episode of the Step Up Podcast, Pastor Chris Kouba and host Josh Thomas tackle the tension every man feels between the fear of God and the fear of man. Starting with Halloween, haunted houses, spiders, and flying cockroaches, they move into a deeper conversation about why not all fear is bad—and how a healthy fear can actually lead to courage, wisdom, and confidence, while unhealthy fear keeps you paralyzed.

    Looking at the story of Joshua and Caleb and the ten spies in Numbers 13, Pastor Chris contrasts people-pleasing, image-management, and comfort-seeking with a life anchored in conviction and the fear of the Lord. From work integrity, to pornography, to dads holding the line on phones, budgets, and boundaries at home, this episode invites men to step out of people-pleasing and into the freedom of living before an audience of One.

    If you’ve ever felt muted, stuck, or scared of what others will think, this conversation will help you name your fears, take one obedient next step, and model courageous conviction for your kids and the people you lead.

    To find out more about Pastor Chris, follow him on all the social platforms (@ckouba) and to connect with the ministry of United City visit https://unitedcity.church.


    Show Notes

    Follow on Instagram: @stepup.podcast
    Follow United City: @untdcitychurch
    Connect with Pastor Chris: http://chriskouba.com
    More About United City: https://unitedcity.church/
    Show More Show Less
    34 mins