Conversate

In this week's episode, Aaron and Kevin are having a conversation about the 3rd day of creation and how God brought about the land from the waters and filled the land with vegetation. As part of this conversation, they discuss how the Ancient Israelites pictured the earth as a flat disc shape. Why would they have that perspective, and does it matter for what we believe today?  This conversati...

In this week's episode, Aaron and Kevin have a conversation about the first day of creation. For the next couple weeks, we'll be discussing Genesis 1 as we consider the reality that what we believe about creation affects what we believe about Christ and ourselves.  In this first conversation regarding creation, we're discussing light. Light is all around us. In our modern age, we&ap...

In this week's episode, Aaron and Kevin are discussing the apocalypse of Jesus Christ (Revelation 1:1). Many people associate apocalypse with end of the world, cataclysmic destruction, but actually the word apocalypse is the same word as revelation. It means to unveil.  In this final conversation on the end times the guys want to remind the listener that the return of Jesus Christ is good new...

In this week's episode Aaron and Kevin have a conversation about the Millennium. When you start paying attention to the different "end times" preachers and books, the concept of the millennium plays a big role in their doctrine. The idea comes from Revelation 20 which talks about a 1000 year reign. Millennium means "1000" and that's where the whole idea gets its origi...

In this week's episode Aaron and Kevin are talking about Armageddon. And, we're not just talking about the 1998 movie featuring Bruce Willis. Although, to say it doesn't get mentioned would be a lie. But, what is Armageddon? Where does this idea come from? Is it Biblical?  This conversation will ground us in the Scriptural reality that battles are real. Armageddon is a battle site....

In this week's episode, Aaron and Kevin open up a conversation about the Book of Revelation. It's quite popular in our culture to discuss the end times. Most people will throw around ideas about wars, and natural disasters. You'll see movies and books about the apocalypse or armageddon. But, where do these ideas come from? And, what does having an appropriate view of the end mean fo...

In this week's episode, Aaron and Kevin have a conversation about the Reformation. Maybe you've heard of the Reformation, or Martin Luther, but might not have any knowledge about the historical events.  In this conversation, the guys trace some church history that led to the events of the Reformation and the consequences that followed.  As always, we hope that this conversation is enligh...

In this week's episode Aaron and Kevin discuss how it was that they learned how to be generous financial givers. They have varied stories in their experiences and so this conversation should be relatable to a number of different situations.  We hope that you will hear something the guys discuss which will inspire you to start another Spiritual Conversation with someone else.  We hope you enjo...

In this week's episode, Pastor Kevin is chatting with his father - Harold Bender - about "Money Matters". That's the title of the 3-week sermon series we're currently walking in as we consider the relationship between God, faith, and money. In this conversation Harold (who is also a pastor) will share some of his life experience related to the dynamic of giving and content...

In this week's episode, Aaron sits down with Marcus Huff for a conversation on how to reach the next ones.  Prior to working as the Director of Youth and Campus Ministry at Saints Peter and Paul in Houghton, MI, Marcus served as the executive director for the British Columbia Mission Boat Society. He would help lead mission trips into native villages along the pacific coast of Canada. Through...

In this week's episode, Aaron and Kevin are having a conversation about serving others. The Biblical story is one that demonstrates we have a God who serves us. Jesus said he came not to be served but to serve. The Bible is also clear that we ought to serve our neighbors as Christ first served us.  But, what does it look like for us to actually carry this out. Do we always want to serve other...

In this week's episode Aaron and Kevin are having a conversation about discipleship. We talk about discipleship on this podcast, but in this week's episode, the conversation takes a turn to talk about the benefits of discipleship during difficulty. This world will be troublesome, even for the Christian. But, we were not created to live life alone or fight through the difficulties individ...

In this week's episode, Aaron and Kevin have a conversation surrounding the question "Who's Next?" Do we live life with blinders on simply focused on the task at hand and the things that we have to accomplish, or, do we pay attention to the people around us and how we have opportunities to invest in others?  We believe that, like Jesus, we should be people who are more focused...

In this week's episode, Aaron and Kevin are talking about the wind. Why the wind? Well, because in many ways the wind is like the Holy Spirit. And as we round out our sermon series on the book of Acts, we are reflecting back on the activity of the Holy Spirit throughout Acts, but also in our own lives.  Using the metaphor of the wind, we will unpack many different ways to see, experience, and...

At the end of the Book of Acts, the Apostle Paul is facing what seems like insurmountable obstacles. Between his arrest, shipwreck, and imprisonment in Rome, it certainly seems like this is the end of the road. Lock him up and throw away the key. And yet, that's not at all what happens.  God works through these obstacles to bring about His Will so that His Word would be proclaimed before king...

In this week's episode, Pastor Kevin sits down for a conversation with Maura Leinonen and Karyn Fay - leaders of a group called "Joyfully Following Jesus." JFJ - as the group is commonly called - is a 12 week program for women to connect with other women as they grow deeper in their faith and with one another. But, it's more than just a "program." As you'll hear...

In this week's episode, Aaron and Kevin have a conversation about telling our stories. Maybe you've heard this called "giving your testimony" before, but we want to nuance this conversation for you. Because, we do believe that your story matters and you should not be afraid to share it. But, learning to do this well, so that you don't worry about having to have a major dra...

In this week's conversation Aaron and Kevin are talking about what it looks like for a Christian to live a life that demans of an explanation. The life of the Christian ought to shine brightly in this world that is so often clouded in the darkness of sin. We love, sacrifice, are generous, forgive, etc. - or, at least that's what Christ has worked into us by his spirit.  We hope that this...

In this episode, Aaron and Kevin are back on the brown couch having a conversation about the beautiful thing that is the Christian Community. When it is at its best, the Christian Community is the place where we are connected to one another in the grace of Jesus Christ, united with one another, forgiving and loving like Christ. We hope that all of you have had the opportunity to experience the bes...

In this episode, Aaron and Kevin are coming to you from the streets of New Orleans, LA outside of the convention center where 20,000 LCMS high school students are learning about "Enduring" based on Hebrews 12:1-2.  In this conversation, the guys share some things about what's happening at this gathering, unpack this theme, and also share how the topic of endurance was lived out in t...

In this week's episode, Aaron and Kevin are talking about when the Apostle Paul went to the Areopagus in Acts 17 and talked to people who were "very religious" and yet they didn't know Jesus. Paul walks them through a logical progression of understanding that some things they are looking for in an "unknown god" are fulfilled in the "known God" Jesus Christ. ...

In this week's episode, Aaron and Kevin are discussing the great blessing of living life in the freedom of Jesus Christ! In the book of Acts, chapter 15, there is a major discussion that the early Christians have to figure out. Basically, what is necessary for salvation? They understood that the forgiveness of sins was solely based in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, yet for the fo...

In this week's episode, Aaron and Kevin talk about mission trips in light of the first missionary journey that Paul and Barnabas took in Acts 13 & 14. Aaron and Kevin share some of the stories from mission trips that they have been on and how they've been impactful. But, the general direction of this conversation moves to the reality that if we consider ourselves Christians, then we...

In this conversation, Aaron has a conversation with his discipler, the Rev. Dr. David Kim who he has been meeting with for the last 9 years. Dr. Kim is the founder and lead pastor of Glocal Mission (glocalmission.org) based in Houston, TX and he is passionate about raising up multiplying generations of disciple-makers and evangelists.  We hope you enjoy this conversation and that it inspires you t...

In this week's episode, Aaron is chatting with his dad, Bob, about fatherhood. They tell stories of childhood, fatherhood, etc. You'll get some behind the scenes looks at Aaron's life growing up, and the wonderful relationship between these two Christian men.  We hope, as always, that you'll hear something in this conversation that will inspire you to start another conversation...