Dear Saints | RCC Pastors Podcast

Happy Thanksgiving! This week’s episode is pure stuffing—totally unnecessary, debatably enjoyable. We wander through a spread of Thanksgiving-adjacent tangents, and never serve up a main dish. Think of it as a light holiday bonus episode to enjoy between bites. We're so grateful for you, Risen Christ Church!

This week we try a fun 'draft' approach to the topic of Gospel hope. We each take turns highlighting Biblical themes and passages that bolster our faith in the midst of sorrows.

This week we talk about giving as we explore the neglect of the Levite's portions in Nehemiah 13 and how it relates to the neglect of God's worship. How should Christians think about giving and stewardship?

This week we discuss the Confession of Sin—the moment in our Sunday worship gathering liturgy when we confess and repent of our sins corporately. We discuss how confessing sin allows us to enjoy the access we have to God in Christ by the Spirit and some of the principles and mechanics of how it functions in our worship gathering.

This episode explores what life together looks like after the excitement fades—how ordinary faithfulness and shared commitment form the heart of the church’s witness. Here's the recommended article: https://www.russellmoore.com/2008/10/13/jesus-didnt-die-for-a-campus-ministrythe-spiritual-danger-of-unchurched-spirituality/

In this episode, we talk about what genuine, gospel-centered repentance looks like in the Christian life. Coming out of Nehemiah 9–10, we explore how God graciously reveals our sin and how we should respond when he does. We’ll unpack the tension of “Do I really mean it this time?” and show why true repentance always leads us back to trust—to believe again that Jesus’ mercy is greater than our sin,...

This episode explores the Call to Worship—the moment in our Sunday worship gathering liturgy when God, through his Word, calls his people to worship him. We’ll consider its biblical roots, why it’s a vital part of our gathering, and how it helps orient our hearts toward God from the very start.

In this episode, we talk about the two foundational spiritual disciplines—Bible intake and prayer. We explore why they’re essential for every Christian’s life, how Scripture and prayer work together as hearing and responding to God, and what these practices can look like in real life. We also share some helps from our own rhythms and offer simple encouragement for growing in these habits with grac...

In this episode, we explore the practice of self-examination—why it’s necessary, where it can go wrong, and how the gospel reshapes the way we look inward.

We’re talking about leadership in the local church. What do pastors actually do? How does the authority of the congregation fit with pastoral authority? Does the Bible point to a team of elders instead of one lead or senior pastor? Along the way, we’ll share how the two of us—Manny and Shane—work together as co-pastors of Risen Christ Church.

What does it really mean to please God? In this episode, we dig into some bible passages to see that pleasing the Lord isn’t about earning His acceptance — it’s about living in relationship with Him. We’ll talk about common mistakes we make, why this is the heart of the Christian ethic, and how joy and love fuel a life that honors God.

How should Christians labor for God’s kingdom in a world that resists it? In this episode, we reflect on Sunday’s sermon from Nehemiah 4, considering the reality of opposition, the danger of culture-war responses, and the better way of confident, gospel-shaped witness.

This week we’re talking about what it means to pray God’s promises, picking up on something Shane mentioned in Sunday’s sermon. We’ll share some ways this can be particularly helpful in everyday life, and also touch on a few common mistakes we make with biblical promises.

This week, we explore the role of small groups in the life of our church. How do small groups complement the larger church community, and what pitfalls should we watch out for? We’ll also explore the different types of small groups at RCC and share specific opportunities to get involved this fall.

At our members meeting last week, we introduced a few practical guidelines for thinking about practicing hospitality on Sundays during our worship gatherings. Today, we wanted to re-list those (plus an extra!) as well as provide some brief gospel reminders that help foster a heart of hospitality among the people of God.