Together 4 Good: Making Sense of Life and Faith

Today on Together 4 Good, Pastor Nate Preisinger sits down with longtime Bethany Lutheran member Sylvia Boedeker about her faith journey, from small-town Iowa to churches in Hawaii, Michigan, and beyond. Born to German immigrant parents, Sylvia shares how faith, family, and a deep reverence for nature have shaped her life and kept her rooted in church.  Sylvia opens up about working as a physical...

Scott Zimmerman didn’t join a bowling league when he moved across the country with the Navy—he joined the choir. Stacie Schubert joined a Bible study group that lasted 5 years and doubled as a Monday night dinner club and spiritual lifeline. Also, yes—there was liturgical dance. And calling cards. And a naked guy on a hike. (You’ll have to listen for that one.) This week on Together 4 Good , Pasto...

In this heartfelt episode of Together 4 Good, Pastor Nate Preisinger sits down with long-time Bethany member Stephanie Davy for a warm and honest conversation about the steady presence of faith and community throughout her life. Stephanie opens up about what it was like growing up at Bethany, surrounded by music, mentorship, and a church family that shaped who she is today. From her earliest days...

In this episode of Together 4 Good , Pastor Nate Preisinger sits down with Kate and Paige—two thoughtful and refreshingly honest Gen Z summer interns—to talk about what keeps them connected to church, and why so many of their peers are stepping away. They share personal stories about growing up in faith, the impact of the pandemic on their church habits, and what they’ve had to unlearn along the w...

Welcome to Together 4 Good, a podcast from Bethany Lutheran Church ELCA in Cherry Hills Village, Colorado. This faith-filled podcast explores real-life topics through the lens of love, grace, and community, without judgment or expectations. Whether you’re feeling spiritually disconnected, deconstructing your beliefs, or simply looking for authentic conversations about faith, we’re here to walk alo...

This week on Together 4 Good, Pastor Nate welcomes a guest who’s not often in the spotlight but whose story is worth hearing. Josh Ehlers – Bethany’s accountant, runner, numbers guy, and quietly faithful presence in the church community, joins the podcast to talk about what keeps him showing up: to church, to community and to a life grounded in faith. Josh opens up about growing up in a small-town...

Questioning your faith? This episode explores deconstruction, doubt, and deeper Christian connection.  If you’ve ever thought, “I’m not sure I believe this anymore” or “Does asking questions make me a bad Christian?” — you’re not alone. And you’re not wrong for asking. In fact Pastor Nate Preisinger argues that asking hard questions is part of being Christian. What you’ll learn: What faith deconst...

Why is church work so exhausting? Nate and Kevin get honest about what’s working and what could change. In this episode, Pastor Nate Preisinger sits down with Kevin Dragseth (aka Bethany Lutheran's Program Admin Extraordinaire and Volunteer Coordinator) to talk about what it’s really like working for the church, especially in ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America).  From youth ministry...

Feeling burned out? Discover how Sabbath rest and God's peace protect your soul in a world that won’t slow down. Let’s face it, peace can feel pretty hard to come by these days. The noise, the pace, the pressure to keep going…it adds up fast.  And suddenly we’re exhausted. Spiritually, emotionally, even physically. This week on Together 4 Good, Pastor Nate Preisinger talks about what he calls...

Wondering if church still matters in today’s world? Pastor Nate Preisinger discusses why faith, community and worship are more important than ever.  We get it, church isn’t what it used to be for a lot of people. Maybe you’ve stepped away, felt burned, or just drifted. We’re diving into why church still matters, not just as a tradition, but as a life-giving, soul-nourishing practice. You’ll hear: ...

Pastor Nate explores a faith-filled morning routine, less about productivity, more about presence with God. So often, we’re told that the key to a better life is to optimize everything, including our spiritual practices. But what if faith isn’t something to "hack" or master? What if it’s about showing up, slowing down, and trusting God more than ourselves? Through Scripture readings, pra...

Welcome to the Together 4 Good podcast! In this week’s episode, Pastor Nate dives into the complicated intersection of religion and politics and why we need to talk about both. While these topics are often labeled “too divisive” for polite conversation, Nate offers a different vision—one grounded in humility, compassion, and the Gospel message. He explores how faith informs our values and civic li...

Welcome to the Together 4 Good podcast! In this deeply moving episode, Pastor Nate Preisinger sits down with Kyra Morgan to hear her powerful story of transformation—from atheist and skeptic to active member of a faith community. Kyra shares her experience of religious trauma and alienation, and how shame shaped her perception of faith for years. But it was love—first through her husband and then...

In this powerful and deeply moving conversation, Pastor Nate Preisinger sits down with Bethany Young Adult Matt Pane, to explore how personal tragedy, doubt, and loss can shape a more authentic, resilient faith. Matt shares his remarkable story of walking through grief after the loss of a close friend, grappling with the "everything happens for a reason" narrative, and discovering how Go...

In this week's episode, Pastor Nate explores the beautiful, often-overlooked spiritual gift of wonder —those moments where imagination and reality overlap to reveal the presence of God. He shares personal stories, insights into how wonder shapes faith, and how practices like Lectio Divina and programs like Godly Play help reconnect us to this essential part of the human and spiritual experienc...

In this week's episode, Pastor Nate poses a powerful question: Have we been thinking about church all wrong? In a world saturated with entertainment, products, and constant striving, this episode offers a radically honest perspective on what church is truly meant to be. Drawing from a simple yet profound five-star Google review, Pastor Nate unpacks the idea that church shouldn't be markete...

In this honest episode, Pastor Nate explores the hidden costs of pretending everything is fine. We talk about the pressure to appear put together, the fear of being seen as struggling, and how toxic positivity often masks our deeper wounds. This kind of emotional cover-up doesn't just affect our mental health, it also shapes our spirituality. Pastor Nate digs into the way Christianity confront...

In this episode of Together for Good , Pastor Nate takes a deep dive into the relentless pressure of hustle culture—the constant need to do more, achieve more, and prove our worth through productivity. As an Enneagram 3, Pastor Nate knows this struggle firsthand, but he also knows that God offers us a different way. The practice of Sabbath was given to the Israelites as a radical redefinition of i...

In this episode of Together for Good, we explore the transformative practice of Centering Prayer with Ron Rinkle, a former academic and marketing executive who has discovered deep spiritual renewal through this contemplative approach. Ron shares how Centering Prayer speaks to the modern challenges of self-identity, time, and love, offering a countercultural rhythm of stillness in a world driven by...

In this deeply personal episode of the Together for Good Podcast , Pastor Nate Preisinger reflects on the healing power of rituals and how they sustain us through life’s most difficult moments. Drawing from his own experiences—especially in the weeks leading up to his mother’s passing—he shares how spiritual practices, liturgy, and long-held traditions provided him with comfort, connection, and a...

This episode was originally posted in 2021, but we are reposting it this week because our Gospel reading on Sunday was from Luke 13:18-21, a reading that includes Jesus' parable of the Mustard Seed.  This episode is a poem that Pastor Nate wrote based on this parable.  We hope you enjoy this unique reflection on scripture and that it gives you a new way of thinking about the words of Jesus.  

This is an old podcast episode that Pastor Nate released way back in September of 2020! Listen in to this short Bible Study all about the importance of water in our world, the scriptures, and our life of faith. Grab your Bible, a glass of H20, and listen along!⁠

As we begin the season of Lent Pastor Nate shares a poem he wrote several years ago (and shared on this podcast feed several years ago) that reflects on many of the themes of Ash Wednesday, Lent and Genesis chapter 3.

In this episode of Together 4 Good , Colleen Maki sits down with Bryan Jaster to explore One Simple Tool that can transform the way we experience God in our daily lives. This tool isn’t about adding more to your to-do list—it’s about pausing, noticing, and listening to how God is moving in your story. Bryan walks Colleen through how this practice helps break cycles of anxiety, organize life’s chao...

What if mission trips weren’t about “helping” others—but about changing the way we see the world? 🌍 In this episode of Together 4 Good , Pastor Nate sits down with Deacon Debra, Kevin Dragseth, and Bryan Jaster to talk about their upcoming trip to Ecuador. But this isn’t your typical mission trip conversation. Instead of focusing on what they plan to "do," they wrestle with deeper questions: 🔹 D...