Goodly Talks

This is the final message in our Advent series, focusing on love. Rather than trying to convince anyone that God loves them, this talk explores why many of us already know that but still don’t live from it. We look at how shame, performance, and avoidance quietly shape our inner lives, and how easily the love of God can become familiar but disconnected from real experience. Using familiar passages...

In week three of Advent, we focus on joy, the kind that meets us in the middle of mess, fatigue, and unmet expectations. Looking at Luke 2 and the shepherds’ encounter with the angels, we reflect on why God chose the overlooked and weary to hear the good news first, and what that reveals about who Jesus came for. We also turn to Isaiah 35, a powerful picture of deserts coming to life and tired hea...

In this Advent message, Alyn moves from the first candle of hope to the second candle of peace. Looking at Micah 5 and Isaiah 9, he explores how Israel expected a Messiah who would bring peace through power, yet Jesus came to bring a deeper peace by dealing with the real enemy, sin. Alyn highlights two kinds of peace Jesus offers. First is peace with God — the salvation that settles our souls. Sec...

In this Advent message, AJ revisits a season many of us enjoyed growing up without fully understanding. She explains how Advent is more than candles and carols. It is a four week invitation to remember that Jesus arrived and that He will arrive again. AJ shares the origins of Advent, the meaning behind its candles, and the history that shaped the tradition. She also speaks honestly about the tensi...

In this message Alyn explores one of the most overlooked parts of the Christian life: living in the presence of God. He talks about the difference between knowing truths like “God is omnipresent” and actually encountering the manifest presence of God in a way that reshapes your decisions, your peace, and your everyday life. A trip to a conference in Belfast wrecked Alyn’s nice, tidy theology and l...

In this final part of our four week series on the kindness of God, we tackle a big question: what are we supposed to do with all this freedom God gives us? Alyn teaches what it means to be “able not to sin” and why our choices genuinely matter and discover that the wisest use of agency is to offer it back to God by serving Him and others in love. Alyn also unpacks the shift from “ I should obey ”...

Part three of our series on the kindness of God explores a big question: how do God’s sovereignty and our human agency fit together? We look at Scripture that exalts God’s rule over all things and then watch how He still asks, invites, and honors real choices. From the story of Hezekiah in 2 Kings 20, we see a God who knows the end from the beginning and often uses our agency as the means to His e...

In this episode, Alyn continues exploring the kindness of God—this time through the lens of human agency. From how we handle prophetic words, to how we give, to how we relate to leadership, Scripture reveals a God who doesn’t control but invites. Alyn shows that true freedom in Christ means taking responsibility for our discernment, generosity, and trust. Discover how God’s kindness is revealed no...

Many Christians know about the severity of God but have missed the beauty of His kindness. In this message, Alyn unpacks what it means to live both biblically truthful and intellectually honest—without losing sight of God’s heart. Exploring how divine sovereignty and human agency work together, he shows that God doesn’t override our choices but invites us into partnership. Through the story of bli...

In this episode, AJ walks us through the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6 and what it reveals about God’s heart toward us. Before Jesus ever gives us words to pray, He reminds us of who we’re praying to—a good Father who already knows what we need. From that foundation of peace and relationship, AJ explores each line of the prayer: how to approach God with confidence, invite His kingdom into our world,...

Ever feel like your faith has gone a little flat? Like you’re trying to live right, but the spark just isn’t there? This week, AJ picks back up in the book of Matthew and unpacks Jesus’ words about being the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Through vivid first-century imagery and honest reflection, she helps us see what Jesus was really saying... that following Him isn’t about perform...

In this message from 2 Timothy 1:5–8, Alyn explores Paul’s deeply personal letter to Timothy and the challenge to “fan into flame the gift of God.” What does that mean for us when our faith feels dim or when following Jesus has left us hurt, disappointed, or weary? Whether you’re rebuilding after disappointment or simply needing a spark of hope, this episode invites you to reignite your faith, rem...

In this episode, AJ unpacks the Beatitudes from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. Set against the backdrop of Roman oppression, Jesus turns expectations upside down by blessing the poor in spirit, the meek, the merciful, and the peacemakers. Discover how this message of hope, humility, and kingdom living still speaks directly into our own struggles and tensions today. Send us a text!

This week was heavy. Tragedy, violence, and division flooded our nation and our newsfeeds, leaving many of us feeling shocked, angry, and heartbroken. In this episode, we wrestle honestly with grief and confusion while returning to the words of Jesus in Matthew 22:37–39. At the core of the Christian life is a simple but radical call: Love God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and love your neig...

We’ve reached the final stage of our series on the basics from Hebrews 6. This week we tackle the last two items on the list: the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. These truths—while difficult—cut to the core of the human condition: every one of us will die, every one of us will rise, and every one of us will face judgment. Alyn explores what Scripture says about these eternal realiti...

August was a wild month for Goodly! In just a few weeks, we welcomed a new board, signed a lease on a new building, and saw record levels of generosity. In this episode, Alyn reflects on what these changes mean for our community and how they point to God’s faithfulness. Drawing from Leviticus 8–9 and Romans 12 he unpacks the biblical theme of new beginnings and asks a simple but challenging questi...

In this episode, we unpack one of the stranger-sounding things in the Bible: the laying on of hands. Why would the Bible call this a foundational practice? What does it mean for us today? We’ll explore Old and New Testament examples that show how God uses this act for impartation, healing, and commissioning. Along the way, we’ll see that what may sound odd to our ears actually carries incredible d...

In this episode, we continue exploring Hebrews 6 and the “elementary teachings of Christ”—this week focusing on baptisms . While many think only of water baptism, the New Testament points to several: John’s baptism, water baptism, the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and even the baptism of fire. Alyn unpacks what each means, why baptism is central to the life of a believer, and how the baptism of the...

In Hebrews 6, we’re told to move beyond the “elementary teachings” of Christ and grow toward maturity. Last week, we explored repentance. This week, we dig into what it really means to place our faith in God —not just to get saved, but to keep living in faith every day. Alyn unpacks why so many believers have faith to be saved but not to live free, shares a deeply personal story of wrestling with...

In this episode of Goodly Talks , Alyn kicks off a new series on the “elementary teachings of Christ” from Hebrews 6, starting with one of the most misunderstood topics in the church: repentance. With clarity, humor, and real-life examples, Alyn breaks down what repentance actually is and what it isn’t. Spoiler: it’s not about feeling bad enough or working hard to earn God’s approval. It’s a decis...

Alyn offers a heartfelt and transparent “State of the Union” address for Goodly, sharing the facts about where we’ve been, the feelings that come with building something from the ground up, and the focus we’re holding onto as we look to the future. From a financial report that reflects God’s faithfulness to the bittersweet reality of saying goodbye to people we love, this episode is an honest refl...

In this episode Blake Jones takes us on a journey with stories of pride, disappointment, miraculous healing, and the deep ache of grief. Through testimony, ministry moments, and the story of Naomi and Ruth, the message is clear: even in bitterness, confusion, or burnout, God is still writing redemptive stories. Blake explores how subtle "disqualifications" creep in, why obedience still m...

In this vulnerable message, Blake Jones explores the beauty and gravity of covenant: what it meant in the Old Testament, how Jesus fulfills it in the New, and what that means for our daily walk with God. We’re reminded that God’s promises are always mediated through covenant and that covenant comes with a call—to live set apart, to draw near, to remember who He is and who we are in Him. With hones...

What do you do when you think God is speaking—especially through a dream, picture, or word? In this episode, we wrap up our series on the prophetic by talking about how to handle revelation with wisdom and humility. Whether it’s a word for someone else or direction for your own life, there’s a process to walk it out: asking questions, seeking interpretation, testing and weighing, and staying roote...

In this deeply personal message, Blake Jones invites us into his journey of rediscovering the gospel—not as theory, but as the life-altering truth that keeps pulling us back to Jesus. Using the parable of the prodigal son, Blake vulnerably shares how even years into following Christ, he found himself resonating with the older brother: frustrated, embittered, and believing the lie that God was with...