Church at the Well Podcast

Three Ways God Lets Us Down, and Why We Can Still Trust Him “God will never let me down,” we sing, but if we’re honest with ourselves, many of us have felt let down by God. In this sermon Abby explores disappointment, how God uses falling as part of our formation, and Jesus’s invitation to a downwardly mobile life. 

The story of Eutychus is a powerful reminder that Jesus meets us in our exhaustion and offers true rest and renewal. This week, Adam continues our "Echoes of Easter" series with a look at Eutychus' story and an encouragement to welcome Jesus into our own weariness. 

When Jesus encounters a widow whose son has died, his compassion leads to a surprising twist in her life trajectory. In this sermon, Jordan takes us into the details of this the story, revealing Jesus’s heart and showing that God is in the business of turning endings into new beginnings. 

Following Jesus’s death and resurrection; it seemed there was no way forward for Peter but backward—a return to fishing. Was he stuck in the shame of having denied his friend and Lord? In this sermon, Abby explores the dynamics of shame through Peter’s story and offers a way toward healing.

Jordan kicks off our sermon series, Echoes of Resurrection, investigating what we can learn from Tabitha’s story. He offers observations about lament, legacy, and living with the end in mind, challenging us to trust that when we come to the end of the story, God is on the other side.

In raising Lazarus from the dead, Jesus revealed important lessons about God’s timing, the nature of death, and the centrality of community in the life of the believer. This Easter, Adam explores Lazarus’s story as an instructive signpost pointing to Jesus’s ultimate victory over sin and the grave.  

This Palm Sunday, Jordan takes us into Mark 11:1-10 to explore the “crowd” as a character in Jesus’ story. From shouts of “Hosanna!” to cries of “Crucify!” within days, Jordan reflects on how their shifting perceptions mirror our own struggles to understand what God is up to. Listen as we consider the “shout” of our lives and behold the Savior who sees us and loves us deeply.

Crucified between two criminals, scoffed at by soldiers and religious officials, mourned by close friends (women from Galilee) who witnessed his last breath--Jesus gave his life. In this Lenten audio meditation, we honor Jesus's death by entering the story of his last hours and allowing our hearts to lament, trusting that God will meet us in our lament. ----more---- This Lent, join us as we bear w...

The two men Crucified alongside Jesus responded to him very differently: one with close-hearted anger and cynicism, the other with humble, honest openness. What can we learn from their respective responses, and what can we learn from Jesus' responses to them that can help us navigate our own hardships in a broken world?

In this audio meditation, we step into the scene of Jesus's trial to consider Pilate's conundrum, observe how Jesus and Pilate hold power differently, and make ourselves available to where the Lord would meet us and encourage us in the details. ----more---- This Lent, join us as we bear witness to Jesus's Passion through the eyes of those who were there. Each week, we'll slow down with a story fro...

This week, Jordan continues our "Witnesses" series with a look at Jesus through the eyes of Pontius Pilate. Through his eyes, we can trace a progression - from seeing Jesus as an inconvenience to recognizing him as a man who was who he said he was. Pilate's internal struggles mirror some of our own internal conflicts, yet even in Pilate's failures (and our own), God's redemptive plan is still in m...

In this audio meditation, we see Jesus approached by Judas and a contingent of Roman soldiers. A dramatic scene unfolds in which Jesus reveals both his power and humility. What was surprising or instructive to the disciples in these moments? What is surprising or instructive to us? ----more---- This Lent, join us as we bear witness to Jesus's Passion through the eyes of those who were there. Each...

What does Jesus give himself to in moments of crisis? This week, we visit the Garden of Gethsemane through the eyes of Peter, James, and John as they watch Jesus turn to people, place, and prayer in his time of great grief and distress. 

In this audio meditation, we meet Jesus and the disciples on the Mount of Olives and bear witness to the hours leading to his night-time arrest. What was it like for the disciples to watch Jesus pray in anguish, and what was it like for Jesus when his friends could no longer manage to stay awake to pray with him? How might God’s grace meet us in the details of this story with both conviction and e...

What do we do with a mirror that reflects to us the truth of who we really are? Do we destroy the mirror? Avoid it? Or do we behold the mirror and all that it reveals? This week, Jordan focuses our attention on the ways Judas experienced Jesus to be such a mirror, and invites us to consider the ways that we might be tempted to respond to Jesus in the same ways that Judas did. 

In this audio meditation, we approach the table as Jesus and the disciples share their last meal together before his arrest. What might it have been like for the disciples witnessing the Lord prophesy his imminent betrayal, then break bread and share it as a picture of his body about to be broken? What gift of encouragement might this scene hold for you? ----more---- This Lent, join us as we bear...

At Jesus’s arrest, Peter swings his sword to defend his rabbi, but Jesus rebukes him. What has gone wrong? This week, Abby draws us in to Peter’s story, explores the theme of discernment, and invites us to consider where God’s grace is waiting for us at the intersection of Peter’s story and our own.

In this audio meditation, we consider Jesus's entry to Jerusalem and the behind-the-scenes work of acquiring a donkey. What were these moments like for the disciples? What about for the crowds? What do you notice about Jesus as you slow down with the details and enter the story? ----more---- This Lent, join us as we bear witness to Jesus's Passion through the eyes of those who were there. Each wee...

In this week's podcast, Adam reflects on the many seasons of life (from the book of Ecclesiastes). Then, Adam shares about the exciting season ahead in his life and in the life of Church at the Well. 

Listening in Community We know of the listening relationship Jesus has with the Father. We know that Jesus exists in listening community. But what does that mean for us, and for our community? This week, Jordan continues our series, "Everyone Who Has Ears Let Them Hear," with a few ways Jesus uses community to shape our hearing. 

Listening is Giving When Jesus healed the woman who had bled for twelve years, he stopped to listen to her story. As we seek to become more like Jesus, what role does listening play in living a Kingdom life? What can we draw from this story about how to listen well to others as a sign of God’s love?

What does a "listening life" look like in a world that seems determined to minimize margin in our lives? This week, Jordan continues our series, "Everyone Who Has Ears, Let Them Hear," with a look at three marks of a listening life from the book of Matthew.

This week, Adam continues our series, "Everyone Who Has Ears Let Them Hear," with a reflection on hearing the voice of God. 

Jesus's Listening Relationship with the Father Listening is key to our relationship with God, but how do we listen well? In this sermon, Abby looks at three snapshots from Jesus’s life and explores his listening relationship with the Father, inviting us to follow Jesus's example.

How has God provided for you in the past year? What do you long for in the coming year? In this New Year's meditation, Abby leads us in a guided prayer of examen, where we reflect on the past year and prepare our hearts for what the year ahead holds, all the while seeking to notice God's grace in our lives.