Encounter Faith Podcast

Pastor Tara Beth explores the dual nature of humanity, highlighting our tendency to blame others and the liberation offered through Christ's sacrifice. She reflects on the crucifixion as the ultimate act that puts an end to the cycle of scapegoating and blame that has plagued humanity. As Christians, we are called to embrace a life of advocacy and peace-making, instead of casting blame, and t...

Max Schiewe, Young Adult and Middle School Ministry Leader, explores the dual nature of humanity, highlighting our tendency to blame others and the liberation offered through Christ's sacrifice. He reflects on the crucifixion as the ultimate act that puts an end to the cycle of scapegoating and blame that has plagued humanity. As Christians, we are called to embrace a life of advocacy and pea...

Elisabeth Lectka serves as our Student Minister and she joined host Ross Cochran at the very beginning of Lent this year. We're intentionally releasing this conversation now because Lent is, as Elisabeth describes here, a "season of preparation." Yet we live in a "microwave culture" that wants everything to happen immediately. How do we navigate that tension, particularly...

In her sermon, Elisabeth emphasizes the significance of recognizing true beauty, contrasting it with the superficial beauty standards set by pop culture. She discusses how the cross, though initially perceived as grotesque, reveals the beautiful humility of Christ and serves as a model for living a life of self-giving love. Elisabeth highlights that true beauty stems from humility and self-sacrifi...

In his sermon, Pastor Jake explores the concept of beauty and the profound significance of the cross, and asserts that true beauty, which draws us in and fills us with peace, often gets overshadowed by superficial pursuits dictated by pop culture. In the context of Lent, he reflects on how the cross serves as a pivotal point between two worlds: the world of sin and the promise of new creation thro...

Pastor Tara Beth Leach reflects on the multifaceted nature of the cross, emphasizing that it represents not just personal salvation but a cosmic victory over darkness and evil. Emphasizing that our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but rather a spiritual battle, she urges the church to engage in love, justice, and righteousness. Ultimately, despite the apparent defeats we encounter daily, w...

Pastor Jake returns to the podcast to dive into a tension that many listeners might feel around Lent. Many of you likely came from backgrounds where Lent was not emphasized and "all of the sudden" it was Easter. Many of you also came from backgrounds where you celebrated Lent every year. Both of those backgrounds can lead to the same point of not being sure what to focus on in 2025, and...

Pastor Greg shares the powerful message of the decisive battle between Christ and sin, emphasizing that it was on the cross where sin and death were ultimately defeated. He explores the ongoing cosmic battle for our lives, reminding us that even though the devil has been conquered, we must choose to resist evil in our daily lives.  SHOW NOTES The Encounter Faith Podcast is dedicated to creating sp...

Pastor Greg Wenhold returns to the podcast to share his perspective on Lent, why it matters in 2025, and how we can get the most out of this season. 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, a...

Pastor Greg continues our Lenten series diving into what the cross represents, why we overlook the scandal of the cross, and ultimately how the cross reflects the power and wisdom 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 Shepherd. We fundamentally believe that you canno...

Pastor Tara Beth continues our Lenten series by focusing on the scandal of the cross, why we often overlook all that the cross represents, and ultimately how the cross reflects the power and wisdom 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 Shepherd. We fundamentally beli...

Brian Zahnd is a pastor and author, and he joined host Ross Cochran to discuss his book  The Wood Between the Worlds : A Poetic Theology of the Cross.  Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Naperville is using this book for their Lenten series, so Ross and Brian discuss how we must reexamine the scandal of the cross and the opportunities that Lent provides for individuals and churches to examine their...

Melanie Hester is the Director of Discipleship and Engagement at Awana. She joined host Ross Cochran to offer her perspective on the role all leaders in a church play in the lives of the kids in their communities. Melanie also encourages parents, who are the primary discipleship influence over their kids, to meet their kids "exactly where they are during Lent," and offers lots of practic...

Pastor Jake kicks off our Lent series based on the book The Wood Between the Worlds, where he openly shares about the baggage he has that prevents him from hoping. He also helps us understand the significance of the cross, and how we are all meant to bring hope forward in today's weary world SHOW NOTES The Encounter Faith Podcast is dedicated to creating space to slow down and dive deeper int...

In her sermon, Pastor Tara Beth starts our Lent Series based on the book  The Wood Between the Worlds where she dives into the hope we can find in the cross, and how today's world needs plenty of hope. 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 bel...

Pastor Tara Beth returns to the podcast to share how she engages in the church season of Lent with host Ross Cochran. They discuss how everyone can connect with the practices commonly associated with Lent, how grace is reflected on Ash Wednesday, and ultimately what those at Good Shepherd can expect this Lenten Season. Keep listening to the end for one of our favorite stories we've ever gotte...

Pastor Tara Beth Leach emphasizes the importance of addressing conflicts in relationships, highlighting that miscommunication often leads to deeper rifts. She discusses the concept of "ruptures and repairs" in relationships and how avoidance, aggression, or healthy engagement can shape our responses to conflict. Ultimately, Pastor Tara Beth calls for self-reflection and the courage to me...

Alex Regets is a pastor in Bradenton Florida, Amanda's husband, and dad to four kids. He joined host Ross Cochran to preview Lent, offer his experience on how to approach this time in our church calendar with a fresh perspective, and to discuss his new book,  Abandon the Orderly House: Good News for Skeptics and Burned out Believers. SHOW NOTES Rev. Alex Regets is the Lead Pastor at Kirkwood...

Pastor Ryan and Bethany Hammer discuss the complexities of romantic relationships, emphasizing that both partners are created in the image of God and should treat each other with respect and love. Ultimately, they encourage all of us to see ourselves and others as image bearers of God, fostering unity and understanding in all relationships. SHOW NOTES The Encounter Faith Podcast is dedicated to cr...

Pastor Barbara Roberts explores the meaning of love and romance through the lens of biblical teachings, drawing on her personal experiences in marriage. Pastor Barbara highlights the need for unity and intentionality in marriages, encouraging couples to serve God together and support each other's flourishing. Ultimately, she assures that even in a broken world, with Christ at the center, marr...

Pastor Tara Beth joins host Ross Cochran for a special two part episode all about how men and women relate in the world. In this episode, the conversation focused on individual relationships, marriages, and what we all can do to help those around us live lives to the full. If you missed last week, make sure you listen to part one where they discuss the church, the differences between an egalitaria...

Pastor Tara Beth discusses the importance of sacred friendships, drawing inspiration from Bill Withers' song about community support. She emphasizes that true friendships require effort and commitment, likening them to the process of flying a kite—sometimes erratic, but ultimately rewarding when nurtured properly. She encourages us to reflect on their friendships and prioritize those that fos...

Students Minister, Elisabeth Lectka, continues our series about relationships that we're calling Mixtapes.  In her sermon, emphasizes the profound significance of sacred friendships and the intentionality required to cultivate them in a world plagued by loneliness. She reinforces that sacred friendships are not solely about enjoyable moments but require sacrifice, shared missions, and a conne...

Pastor Tara Beth joins host Ross Cochran for a special two part episode all about how men and women relate in the world. In this episode, the conversation focused on the church, the differences between an egalitarian worldview and a complementarian worldview, and the impact decisions made by church leadership can have on women and men in their communities.  Next week you'll hear part two, whi...

In his sermon, Greg emphasizes the need to recalibrate our understanding of love, particularly as Valentine's Day approaches. He highlights that while we often conflate love with personal desires or preferences, true love is rooted in the selfless nature of God's love for us. Using examples from scripture, particularly the letters of John and the teachings of Paul, he encourages embracin...