Episode 017 | Jesus’ Spicy Family Tree: Women Edition

Four unexpected women. One unstoppable redemption story.

In this episode, we uncover the bold, complicated, deeply human stories of Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba—the four unlikely women Matthew intentionally places in Jesus’ genealogy. Their lives are marked by scandal, loss, courage, foreign roots, and raw resilience. And yet, God weaves each of them directly into the lineage of the Messiah.

From Tamar’s fight for justice, to Rahab’s courageous faith, to Ruth’s unwavering loyalty, to Bathsheba’s restoration after profound injustice—this episode explores how God refuses to edit out the mess and instead builds redemption through the very people the world tries to disqualify.

If Jesus’ family tree is full of grit, grace, and complicated chapters… there’s hope for your story too.

Ep. 016 | Beyond the Four Walls (Part 2) w/ Jesse Bates

What if “church” wasn’t a building you walk into, but a life you actually live out? In Part 2 of this powerful conversation with Jesse Bates, we step outside the sanctuary doors and into the everyday spaces where faith becomes real, resilient, and unmistakably alive.

Jesse joins us to unpack what it means to follow Jesus beyond Sunday mornings—into workplaces, neighborhoods, friendships, and all the places we sometimes overlook. And yes, that includes her own community hub, Sly Fox, where great coffee and genuine connection meet. Her stories from the shop beautifully show what it looks like when kingdom influence quietly threads its way into ordinary moments.

If you’ve ever felt the tension between the familiar rhythms of church life and the bold, outward-facing mission Jesus modeled, this one’s going to hit home.

Get ready to be challenged, encouraged, and inspired to take your faith beyond the four walls.

Ep. 015 | Beyond the Four Walls (Part 1) w/ Jesse Bates

What if “church” wasn’t a building you walk into, but a life you actually live out? In Part 1 of this powerful conversation with Jesse Bates, we step outside the sanctuary doors and into the everyday spaces where faith becomes real, resilient, and unmistakably alive.

Jesse joins us to unpack what it means to follow Jesus beyond Sunday mornings—into workplaces, neighborhoods, friendships, and all the places we sometimes overlook. And yes, that includes her own community hub, Sly Fox, where great coffee and genuine connection meet. Her stories from the shop beautifully show what it looks like when kingdom influence quietly threads its way into ordinary moments.

If you’ve ever felt the tension between the familiar rhythms of church life and the bold, outward-facing mission Jesus modeled, this one’s going to hit home.

Get ready to be challenged, encouraged, and inspired to take your faith beyond the four walls.

Ep. 014 | Biblical Interpretation 101

Reading Scripture isn’t meant to be a passive experience—it’s an invitation to step into God’s story with intentionality and awe. In this episode, we’re diving into the foundational skill every believer needs: biblical interpretation.

We’ll talk about what it means to approach the Bible thoughtfully, learning how to peel back our modern perspectives and cultural assumptions so we can see the text as it was originally written and meant to be understood. It’s so easy to let our personal experiences, emotions, or even popular teachings shape how we read the Word, but if we want to know God’s truth—we have to be willing to set aside our lenses and go back to the source.

This episode breaks down the basics: how context shapes meaning, why genre matters, how to ask good questions of the text, and what it looks like to move from interpretation to transformation. Because studying the Bible isn’t just about getting smarter—it’s about being formed by the truth that’s already been spoken.

If you’ve ever wanted to understand Scripture more deeply, this episode is your starting point. Grab your Bible, your notebook, and a teachable spirit—we’re going back to the basics of how to rightly handle the Word of Truth.

Ep. 013 | Messy Faith Pt. 2 | Guest: Danielle Raesz

We’re back for Part 2 of Messy Faith with my dear friend Danielle Raesz, and we’re diving even deeper into the hard, beautiful questions about who God is and how He meets us right in the middle of our mess.

In this episode, we talk about those “dumpster moments” — the ones where we walk ourselves straight into chaos, only to find that God shows up there too. He doesn’t shame us; He invites us toward holiness, reminding us that transformation is a lifelong process. The good news? Jesus already paid the cost.

If you’ve ever wrestled with doubts or wondered if God’s patience has a limit, this conversation will remind you that His grace never runs out.

If you’ve loved this conversation, go follow Danielle and her work at Live Unparalyzed, (www.liveunparalyzed.com) and send us a message if you have more questions or thoughts you’d love for us to unpack in a future episode!

Ep. 012 | Messy Faith Pt. 1 | Guest: Danielle Raesz

Faith can be messy—and that’s where it gets real. In this episode, I sit down with my dear friend Danielle Raesz for an honest conversation about what it looks like to follow Jesus when life feels messy. Danielle is the founder of Live Unparalyzed, a personal trainer, nutritionist, and teacher who helps people pursue health—body, mind, and soul—rooted in God’s truth. She’s wise, funny, and refreshingly real. This is Part 1 of our chat (because, let’s be honest, neither of us can say a deep thought in under five minutes. lol.). You’re going to love this one. Also, go check Danielle out at Liveunparalyzed.com, you won't regret it!

EPISODE 011: Have You Met My Friend, Naomi?

We often tell the story of Ruth as a love story—but this week, we’re looking at it through the eyes of Naomi.

Naomi’s story begins in deep grief—loss, emptiness, and the feeling that God had turned away. But what she couldn’t see was that redemption was already on the horizon. Through Ruth, God was quietly at work, restoring hope, rebuilding faith, and proving that His goodness never runs out.

In this episode, we explore how God meets us in our grief, our bitterness, and our “this can’t be fixed” moments—and how, like Naomi, we often discover that the blessing has been walking beside us the whole time.

Even when we can’t see it, God is still weaving redemption into our story.

EPISODE 010: The Mentored Leader

So far in this series, we’ve looked at the Unexpected Leader and the Reluctant Leader. But what about the leader who is mentored—shaped not by their own brilliance, but by following closely in someone else’s footsteps?

In this episode, we explore what it means to be mentored in the faith through two powerful examples:

• Joshua — Who are you following, and are they worth following? (Exodus 33:11)
• Elisha — How hungry are you for the things of God, and will you keep pursuing when no one’s spoon-feeding you? (2 Kings 2)

And we’ll end with a challenge to the Church: Are we just filling seats, or are we truly mentoring disciples? Because mentoring means relationship, and discipleship cannot exist without it.

If we want leaders who endure and a Church that lasts, we can’t settle for shallow growth. We must invest in people, even if it slows the pace for a season. Long term, it’s the only way forward.