Growing Together

Send us Fan Mail If you have ever tried faith like a quick experiment and walked away disappointed, we get it, and we challenge it. Dale brings a topic that rarely gets the attention it deserves: God’s promises in the Bible, not as a cherry-picked list, but as a real way of living. We talk about why it’s hard to even catalog biblical promises, why many of them include a response from us, and why G...

Send us Fan Mail Your phone can track you everywhere, but that doesn’t mean you feel seen. We start with a laugh about landlines, untied shoes, and summer slipping toward back-to-school, then we stumble into a bigger question that hits right in the chest: what if you’re not the one chasing God at all? What if God is the seeker, and He’s been looking for you the whole time?  We talk through the mom...

Send us Fan Mail Like Diane Sawyer or Barbara Walters of old, here at the Growing Together Podcast we don't mind asking the hard questions.  This week, Nic & Dale examine a thought provoking question.  If we can earn heaven, why did Jesus die for us?   Growing up, we are all told by those in authority, those that love and care, that if we want it, we have to earn it.  Setting goals is a h...

Send us Fan Mail Often times when we think of the word rebel, our minds immediately conjure up images of men on motorcycles in black leather jackets, smoking cigarettes, skulls and cross bones on their arms, the song "Born To be Wild" blaring through the speakers.  We might think of the actors James Dean, Marlon Brando and Elvis Presley.  Rock stars like Jim Morrison, Judas Priest, and G...

Send us Fan Mail Nic & Dale are back in the studio this week after taking a short breath.  The Growing Together Podcast has covered a lot of ground this year and we look forward to finishing the year strong.  If there are any topics you would like Nic & Dale to cover, send us fan mail or leave it in the comments!   On this weeks episode we will be taking a look inward, asking a simple ques...

Send us Fan Mail Hey everyone!  Life has its little bumps in the road and something extraordinary is always happening in God's world.  Dale is celebrating his wedding anniversary and Nic is getting ready to say goodbye to one home and move into another.  The last thing we want to do is leave our audience hanging, so here is a fond memory to tide you over until we return.  Consider this our Al...

Send us Fan Mail Happy 250th Birthday America!  This week, we pull out all the stops.  We roll out the big guns.  We unfurl the flags.  Pastor Michael and Syd return for this special edition of the Growing Together Podcast!  Pastor Michael and Syd show no signs of rust, their conversation with Nic & Dale is immediate and right to the point.  Well, that's not entirely true.  Loyal fans of...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 25 is here!  The Growing Together Podcast has covered a lot of ground this year, but we still have a long way to go in 2026.  Not to worry, Nic & Dale have your back, and will see to it that the rest of your year is filled with plenty of encouragement, guidance, and good laughs.  The America 250 celebrations are in full swing as we head into July, and we hope to have s...

Send us Fan Mail Okay folks, it's time to get real.  Each and every week Nic & Dale hit the mics and pronounce to anyone who will listen that God is good.  They preach it and they believe it.  They take a personal responsibility to spread the gospel and help others in need, yet this time it's different.  This week, Nic is the one in need of a spiritual boost.  The noise in his head i...

Send us Fan Mail We all know how easy it can be to accept accolades.  Compliments make us all feel good about ourselves, and love is divine.  We all want what we think we have coming to us, and many times we want it without overcoming hurdles or putting in the work.  Think back to when you were young.  If you experienced love from your parents, there was nothing that could make your day better, no...

Send us Fan Mail This podcast has wheels and we just keep turning the episodes out!  Speaking of wheels, Nic was blessed to go on a cross country road trip out west to Arizona and back.  Upon returning home, the word gratitude kept playing on his mind as he reflected upon his experiences.  Now, Nic & Dale are back to have a meaningful conversation about gratitude, life on the road, and giving...

Send us Fan Mail Hey everybody!  Nic and Dale are back this week with a brand new topic that we are sure you are going to enjoy.  Have you ever been encountered by somebody that just refuses to see the benefit in what we do as Christians?  Has anyone ever accused you of believing in something that just isn't real?  Have you ever been asked to provide physical truth of the presence of God?  Su...

Send us Fan Mail We made it!  The location has been chosen, the soil has been prepared.  The seed has been planted and we have made the commitment to nurture and protect our investment.  There's only one thing left to do!  Enjoy the fruits of our labor!  God delights in our joy when we plant our garden in honor of our faithfulness to his kingdom.  That joy is returned to us abundantly as a re...

Send us Fan Mail Well folks, we have hit the home stretch, but don't go away just yet.  Our quest for spiritual growth continues this week as Nic & Dale provide more insight into what it takes to make sure all your hard work doesn't go for naught.  This week's episode is an essential part of the growing process.  Maintaining your spiritual growth can be a daunting task in the wo...

Send us Fan Mail The Growing Together podcast continues to roll.   This week we celebrate our 150th episode as we expand our series on spiritual growth!  Join Nic & Dale as they discuss what is perhaps the most important step in the process.  You have found the right location and have prepared the soil well, now it's time to plant your seed. Dale is convinced his seed represents positive...

Send us Fan Mail The apostle Paul understood that, sometimes, you just have to get out there on your own and see what you can accomplish with only the Word to guide you.  On this edition of Growing Together, host Nicholas Affolter,  finds himself in a similar situation.  With no co-pilot available, he will have to rely on what has been stored up inside the spirit and go for it.  Fortunately, he kn...

Send us Fan Mail Last week we discovered the ideal location to begin our quest for spiritual growth.  This week, the quest continues as Nic and Dale dive into the next vital step.  Preparing the soil is an essential part of the growing process, and we will see to it that you have all the vital nutrients stored up and ready to mix in so that your spiritual roots grow deep and strong.   Nic & Da...

Send us Fan Mail Pastor Michael presented us with a profound question.  Easter season has come to an end.  What do we do now?  The fire and excitement we so much enjoy passes and what do we have to look forward to?  Yardwork?  The heat and humidity of a long summer?  Whatever the case may be, spring is here and and there's no excuse not to make the best of it.  That's where we come in. ...

Send us Fan Mail Have you ever considered the strength and fortitude it would take as a mother to follow a child to his appointed time of sacrifice and death?  Do you know what it's like as a mother to lose a child who's purpose in life was to risk their lives to protect others?  A woman's faith is embedded in her ability to bring life into the world and protect it with all the wisd...

Send us Fan Mail Do you feel spiritually sound within yourself until the moment arrives when you feel confronted to share your faith and choose to stay silent?  When God is calling on you to act, are you willing to be bold and proclaim your faith or let the opportunity pass you by?  Denial is something we can all struggle with, and nobody knows that better than Peter and his fellow disciples. Join...

Send us Fan Mail What do you do when faced with an insurmountable situation that requires intensive prayer and obedience to God's calling on your life?  On this week's episode, Nic Affolter and Dale Walker sit down for a one on one conversation about the journey of Jesus and his disciples to the garden of Gethsemane. The Final hours of his ministry reveal a Jesus we can all relate to.  H...

Send us Fan Mail Thirty pieces of silver sounds like a payday until you realize what it bought: a kiss in the Garden of Gethsemane and a choice that still shakes people today. We go straight at Judas Iscariot, not to sensationalize betrayal, but to understand the slow drift that can happen when money, pride, and disappointment start steering the heart. We talk through what Scripture does and doesn...

Send us Fan Mail

Send us Fan Mail Ever planned for smooth sailing and got a squall instead? We open with a cruise that starts rough—cold wind, rocking decks, and dashed expectations—before sun finally breaks through in Nassau and Bimini. Back home, the week tightens: a beloved cat’s sudden illness and looming vet bills, a make-or-break home appraisal that lands in our favor, and leadership changes at work that uns...

Send us Fan Mail Ever feel your heart lift during a hymn while your hands stay at your sides? We unpack the many shapes of worship—joyful shouts, quiet tears, and the steady listening that honors God as much as any chorus. Our talk moves from light banter about cruises and hockey to a deep dive on why some songs hit like a prayer and others fade like background noise, and how the sermon can refill...