The New Norm

In 1 Timothy 3, Paul lays out a baseline standard for spiritual leadership. Steve takes this episode to explore what that means for us today.

Every person who is a Christ-follower is wired for one of five roles to help the people of God grow in unity and maturity. In this episode, Steve identifies and explains these “five-fold” gifts.

When you’re leaving for a trip and someone is going to watch your house or pet, you typically leave a list of detail instructions. When Paul wraps up his letter to his friends in Thessalonica, he has some final instructions for them as well. Here are some reflections on key details I need to remember as I navigate the chaos of life.

We all know we’re supposed to pray for others. If you’re like me, you might not always be sure how to go about it. In this episode, we look at Eph. 6 and Col. 1 to learn how to best pray for people in our lives.

Seems like more churches are selling branded gear these days. It reminds me of the division in the early church at Corinth over which “version” of the faith was the best. Join me as I look at 1 Cor. 1 and Phil. 1 for perspective on branding, motives, and unity.

Do you ever wonder if there’s any grace for the most critical mistakes you’ve made? Moses’s refusal to trust God resulted in a life-altering consequence. Even then, God breaks through with incredible grace. If that grace was available to him, it’s certainly available to you.

What do you do when you feel emotionally or spiritually stuck? In this episode, Steve examines an invitation to practice five different character traits in Philippians 4 to help us move towards maturity.

What is your first thought when you hear the word “Repent”?  In this episode, Steve explores the meaning, practice, and power of repentance to change our lives and relationships.

Most of the church services I’ve been to have a single speaker for the day. I’ve been that person … a lot. And yet, in 1 Corinthians 14, Paul describes a scenario in which everyone present contributes something for the benefit of those who gather. What would church look like for us if we followed his instructions?

Money is a big part of life. In fact, how we hold our money tells us what we believe about God, about wealth, and about others. When we answer these questions well, we’re on our way to living a generous life.

Have you ever considered the possibility that sadness can be good? 2 Corinthians includes a line where Paul challenges his readers to discern between “godly” and “worldly” sorrow. Understanding the difference can be a game-changer.

The book of Number includes a powerful story of Aaron running to rescue people in spiritual danger. This episode looks at the importance of urgent in our spiritual lives and the way Christ moves to redeem us in the midst of desperate circumstances.

In 1 Corinthians 5, Paul comes with a fierce challenge for a local church that allowed some public misconduct to slide. Paul calls both them, and, by extension us, to commit to direct accountability for the sake of the gospel and the health of the church.

Mark 5 tells of an adult woman who is facing a dire physical condition and young girl struggling with a serious illness. Jesus shows up for each of them in powerful ways. It’s a reminder to each of us of Jesus’s ability and desire to meet us in our challenges as well.

Luke 8 includes a story of where Jesus and his disciples get stuck on a lake in a storm. This episode explores how to respond when we feel overwhelmed in our own individual storms. 

When was the last time you felt like you heard God speak? In this episode Steve identifies steps we can take to increase our ability to hear from God when we get stuck.

Numbers 20 describes a turning point in Moses’s life and leadership. In this episode, Steve explores how Moses chooses to use (or misuse) his power and influence.  

There are sometimes seasons in our lives where we’ll settle for dysfunction. Maybe Jesus is asking us the same question he asked an incapacitated man in John 5: “Do you want to get well?” If getting better requires risk and discomfort on our part, are we ready to take that step?

The Bible is packed with stories about leaders. Those stories, especially those describing the kings of Israel and Judah, include the best and the worst of their leadership. More often than not, these leaders failed to finish their lives and leadership roles well. In this episode, Steve unpacks the six issues that are most likely to prevent us from finishing strong.

Acts 10 tells a powerful story of how the Holy Spirit challenges Peter’s understanding of who belongs in God’s kingdom and who doesn’t. This chapter compels us to ask: Do I care about the things God cares about? And in the way God cares about them?

Steve recently traveled to Africa with a team from Winning At Home. In this episode he shares what he learned about faith, peace, and worship in that experience.

AI is all the rage. People use it at work, at school, and for church. When technology moves faster than we do, what does it look like to become people of wisdom?

Someone once said, “Sacrifice is giving up something you love for something you love more.” What does sacrifice look like for you in your relationships these days? What can learn from the example of Jesus who made the ultimate sacrifice in the name of love?

In the book of Exodus, Pharaoh is consistently described as someone who “hardened his heart.” If I’m not careful, I’ll fall into the same trap. What does a hardened heart look like for you and what might you do to help guard against it?

Genesis 22 includes an intensely problematic scene: Abraham’s offering of his son, Isaac. In this episode, Steve unpacks what we can learn from this moment of God’s character and work in our lives.