Encounter Faith Podcast

Have you ever felt paralyzed by the storms raging in our world—political division, social upheaval, personal crises? Pastor Tara Beth powerfully unpacks Matthew's account of Jesus walking on water, revealing how fear can divide our minds between faith and chaos. She challenges us to rise above fear-driven responses and embrace Jesus' way of engaging chaos with love.  SHOW NOTES The Encou...

Pastor Tara Beth returns to the podcast to share fresh vision around how we, as a church, can be for our neighbors. Her and host Ross Cochran discuss current challenges for christians to navigate as well as her vision for the kind of church she hopes Good Shepherd will be in the future. SHOW NOTES The Encounter Faith Podcast is dedicated to creating space to slow down and dive deeper into the crit...

Have you ever wondered what makes Jesus the ultimate example of resilience? Max Schiewe reveals how Christ's unwavering pursuit of humanity—from a humble birth in Bethlehem to His sacrificial death—demonstrates divine resilience that transforms our daily struggles. SHOW NOTES The Encounter Faith Podcast is dedicated to creating space to slow down and dive deeper into the critical conversation...

Pastor Greg Wenhold unveils a profound truth: Jesus Christ stands as history's most resilient figure, offering us a transformative model for facing life's challenges. Through vivid marathon analogies and personal vulnerability about his own family struggles, Pastor Greg illuminates three key pillars of Christ-centered resilience: unwavering connection to the Father through prayer, cultiv...

Max Schiewe & Collin Puckett join host Ross Cochran to share perspective from Good Shepherd Students, the ministry they lead. Max and Collin dive into the practical realities of what students need during mental health crises and how all of us can support students and leaders. SHOW NOTES The Encounter Faith Podcast is dedicated to creating space to slow down and dive deeper into the critical co...

Ever feel trapped behind closed doors, paralyzed by fear in an uncertain world? Through a powerful exploration of John 20, Pastor Tara Beth reveals how Jesus transcends our barriers—whether physical or emotional—bringing transformative peace. Drawing parallels between the fearful disciples and our own anxious times, she shares how Christ's resurrection power transforms fear into mission. Expe...

Now that we've wrapped up our series  Throwback , Ryan Hammer returns to the podcast to walk host Ross Cochran through some of the most influential music from the church in the 1980's, 90's, 2000's and 2010's. Enjoy this trip down memory lane! SHOW NOTES The Encounter Faith Podcast is dedicated to creating space to slow down and dive deeper into the critical conversations...

What does it mean to love like Jesus in our digitally divided world, one that we saw come into existence in the 2010s? Max Schiewe confronts this challenging question, exploring how Jesus crossed every imaginable boundary—racial, political, religious, and social—to demonstrate true agape love. SHOW NOTES The Encounter Faith Podcast is dedicated to creating space to slow down and dive deeper into t...

What does it mean to love like Jesus in our digitally divided world? Soon-to-be-Pastor Elisabeth confronts this challenging question, exploring how Jesus crossed every imaginable boundary—racial, political, religious, and social—to demonstrate true agape love. Through vivid Gospel stories and contemporary parallels, she reveals how our formation in Christ must transcend the tribal divisions of our...

Jen Fosdick, Ian Zamora, and Laura Jean "LJ" Martin join host Ross Cochran to offer a deep dive into the Disability Ministry at Good Shepherd, and some of the broader conversations impacting the disability community in Naperville. They share their experiences and perspectives with host Ross Cochran. They also offer insight into why this is community means so much to us at Good Shepherd,...

Have you ever felt paralyzed by fear in an uncertain world? In a powerful exploration of faith versus fear, Ryan Hammer draws us into the disciples' locked room on that first Easter evening—where the risen Christ miraculously appears with words of peace.  SHOW NOTES The Encounter Faith Podcast is dedicated to creating space to slow down and dive deeper into the critical conversations we’re ha...

Ever feel trapped behind closed doors, paralyzed by fear in an uncertain world? Through a powerful exploration of John 20, Pastor Tara Beth reveals how Jesus transcends our barriers—whether physical or emotional—bringing transformative peace. Drawing parallels between the fearful disciples and our own anxious times, she shares how Christ's resurrection power transforms fear into mission. SHOW...

Elisabeth Lectka leads our ministry to families and returned to the podcast to share her experience connecting with kids and students, and their families, during mental health challenges. Elisabeth emphasized to host Ross Cochran about the power of relationships around our mental health, and how we can often make helping those who need help more complicated than it needs to be. SHOW NOTES If you a...

Have you ever felt the weight of cynicism creeping into your faith? In this message, Pastor Pamela explores how God's transformative grace counters the rising tide of skepticism that took root in the 1990s and persists today. Through Ephesians 2:4-10, she reveals how God's unchanging grace offers hope when disappointment and distrust threaten to overwhelm us. From mixtapes to Y2K fears,...

Have you ever wondered how the seeds planted in the 1990s shaped our world today? Pastor Greg shares a powerful reflection on navigating our chaotic times through the lens of that pivotal decade. From the rise of the internet to global conflicts, he reveals how these cultural shifts mirror our current struggles—and points to an unchanging truth: Jesus Christ remains our constant foundation. Throug...

Naperville Mayor Scott Wehrli joined host Ross Cochran for an honest and uplifting conversation all about the people that make up the city of Naperville. Mayor Wehrli shared about his own faith journey as well as how organizations like Good Shepherd church can support the wellbeing of our community. This conversation also focused on mental health, particularly in how it impacts kids & students...

Have you ever felt disconnected, drifting in a culture of individualism and materialism? Pastor Greg explores Jesus' powerful metaphor of the True Vine, revealing how our connection to Christ is the antidote to society's isolating forces. Through a fascinating look at the 1980s—from the rise of personal computers to transformative moments like "We Are the World"—he illuminates...

Glen Wagner was able to join Good Shepherd, where he pastored for several years, as we kickoff a new teaching series,  Throwback. SHOW NOTES The Encounter Faith Podcast is dedicated to creating space to slow down and dive deeper into the critical conversations we’re having every week at Good Shepherd. We fundamentally believe that you cannot encounter the risen Lord unchanged, and through the repl...

Elisabeth Lectka returned to the podcast to walk through some of the key moments we saw in the church and in the culture during the 2000's and 2010's. She and host Ross Cochran also discuss finding peace in the mystery of God.  SHOW NOTES The Encounter Faith Podcast is dedicated to creating space to slow down and dive deeper into the critical conversations we’re having every week at Good...

In a world where Monday mornings often bring dread and the "Sunday night scaries" plague countless professionals, Pastor Tara Beth brings a revolutionary perspective on work and purpose that could transform our daily grind into divine partnership. At Naperville's Last Fling, she challenges us to see our work through heaven's lens - not just as tasks to complete, but as ways to...

Ryan Hammer, Creative Arts Executive Minister at Good Shepherd, joins host Ross Cochran to walk through key music and cultural events that played out around the church in the 1990s and 2000's. He also shares about how the church influenced the culture, and how the church was influenced by the culture, in this wide-ranging conversation. Thanks for listening!  SHOW NOTES The Encounter Faith Pod...

Pastor Greg Wenhold continues our series on  The Art of Neighboring , diving into the barriers to neighboring. SHOW NOTES The Encounter Faith Podcast is dedicated to creating space to slow down and dive deeper into the critical conversations we’re having every week at Good Shepherd. We fundamentally believe that you cannot encounter the risen Lord unchanged, and through the replays of our Sunday S...

Pastor Tara Beth continues our series,  The Art of Neighboring,  diving into the barriers we place in the way of being a good neighbor. SHOW NOTES The Encounter Faith Podcast is dedicated to creating space to slow down and dive deeper into the critical conversations we’re having every week at Good Shepherd. We fundamentally believe that you cannot encounter the risen Lord unchanged, and through th...

Pastor Greg kicks off a new series for us on the podcast where we are taking a look back at a few of the previous decades and diving into how culture was shaped by the church (and vice versa). Today, he and host Ross Cochran talk about the 80's and the rise of individualism contributing to the birth of megachurches, and a lot more!  SHOW NOTES The Encounter Faith Podcast is dedicated to creat...

Bethany Hammer kicks off our new teaching series, all about being For Our Neighbors, called "The Art of Neighboring." SHOW NOTES The Encounter Faith Podcast is dedicated to creating space to slow down and dive deeper into the critical conversations we’re having every week at Good Shepherd. We fundamentally believe that you cannot encounter the risen Lord unchanged, and through the replay...