Faith Unfiltered Podcast

Someone once said, “you get out of life what you put into it.” Well, David Anderson ought to be getting a lot out of life, because he has certainly put a lot into his life, his career, his family, and his ministry. And, at the heart of it all, a love for people ... and food! Now he’s ready to focus most of his energy on his grandchildren. Join hosts, Mary Anne and Kassie, as they sit down with Dav...

There are other ways to determine your abundance than just by counting what’s in your “net.” Sometimes our abundance lies in the gifts and skills with which God has blessed us. In today’s Gospel passage from Luke, the disciples end up with enough fish to fill two nets and sink their boats, only to have Jesus ask them to leave it behind and follow him. Jesus seemed to know that God’s abundant grace...

Imagine a world where we worked together, sharing physical, financial and human resources ... a world where the skills and creativity of a variety of persons across geographical spaces were shared in order to magnify the possibilities of ministry and growth. Imagine a place called Guthrie Grove, where that’s exactly what happens all the time. You actually don’t have to imagine.  Instead, grab a cu...

February is a month that has been established as Black History Month. Wouldn’t it be great if we didn’t need a month dedicated to persons and voices that have not otherwise been acknowledged for their incredible contributions to our shared history? Join host Blake Smith for this time of meditation meant to focus our attention on the forgotten and/or silenced voices that are equally important in th...

We tell ourselves ‘It’s just not fair!’ ... when someone gets something they don’t deserve, especially when we think it ought to be given to us ... you know, the righteous ones!  But Jesus was famous for turning things on their head, rather than doing things the way they “ought” to be done. It is, after all, the way of God’s reign. Too often we, like those who were in the synagogue when Jesus read...

It’s funny how God can move in your life in ways that you feel both a comforting sense of knowing and a discomforting sense of panic at the same time. Kind of like when you’re called into a new leadership role, like ... say ... President of the Quorum of High Priests and member of the World Church Leadership Council. In this Nice to Matcha episode with host Robin Linkhart, Jenn Killpack shares her...

Some people just can’t seem to get enough of Graceland University, and that’s because it is a safe place to explore who you are and who you want to become. Andrew Wolsey, the guest for this episode of Coffee in the Swarm is about to finish up six years at Graceland ... four years as an undergrad student, and two years as a graduate assistant in Campus Ministries. Join Andrew and hosts, Aliyah Farr...

We don’t need a sermon, we need a call to action... and that’s what we get in the fourth chapter of Luke. And, it’s at the heart of the Community of Christ Mission Initiatives. In this episode of Coffee to God, hosts Karin Peter and Blake Smith talk about Christ’s brief appearance in the synagogue where he quotes from Isaiah, and then proclaims that “this has been fulfilled in your hearing.”  The...

The call to prayer made by one woman in Lamoni, IA in the late 1800s sparks the interest of thousands of women around the world and raises the ire of a lot of men. Eleanor Kearney hasn’t been spoken of much in the church, but she’s another of the unsung women heroes of the church.  Because of her feistiness and determination, and in spite of her hearing disability, Eleanor played a significant rol...

So much energy. So much passion. So many gifts and interests. Picking up where they left off, Robin Linkhart and Joey Williams continue the conversation surrounding Joey’s faith and calling journey. Part two of the conversation moves beyond Joey’s college years and into full-time ministry followed by ministry through other avenues, and then back again. In this episode, you’ll get a real glimpse in...

How many 30-year-olds still do what their mother tells them to do?  Well, maybe it depends on whether or not the mom is the “Holy Mother.” This week at Coffee to Go, hosts Karin Peter and Blake Smith take a dive into the Wedding at Cana, the story from the Gospel According to John that records Jesus’ first sign or miracle.  And, it wasn’t “the devil that made him do it.”  It was an act of justice...

From camp brat to boy band to a call to serve in the Counsel of Twelve Apostles, Joey Williams has been on a long and exciting journey with each step leading him to new adventures and opportunities.  Join host, Robin Linkhart, as she sits down for part one of an interview with Joey where he tells his growing up story. See what happens when you say yes in the face of uncertainty... step out in fait...

For this episode of Common Grounds on Epiphany, we reached back into the archives and pulled out a conversation between host, Karin Peter, and guest. Mike Hoffman.  The episode first ran on Epiphany in 2020. Grab a cup of coffee, and sit down with Karin and Mike for a look into Epiphany: what it’s all about, where we get the story from, and how we can experience it in our lives each year during th...

Anticipation! If after reading that word, an old ketchup jingle started playing in your head, you’re probably not one of the younger listeners to Project Zion Podcast.  If a jingle didn’t start playing in your head, you’ll just have to Google it. This episode of Coffee to Go is about anticipation, but there is no ketchup involved. Listen in as hosts, Karin Peter and Blake Smith, take a close look...

In January of 2023, our Percolating on Faith crew took a look at Epiphany, and we thought it was worth bringing back! This is an important day in the Christian community and marks the end of the Christmas season. Hear more about the history and its significance in today’s world from our spunkiest guests, Tony and Charmaine Chvala-Smith, and arguably our spunkiest (former) host, Carla Long. Downloa...

In this season of Epiphany, a time when we remember the revealing of God’s presence to all people in the person of Jesus Christ, we are encouraged to pause from the busyness of life and pay attention to how God is revealing God’s self to us each day. Robin Linkhart, host of this episode of Awaken to God’s Presence, asks the question, “What if we approached Epiphany like we would a blessing for a h...

Today marks the celebration of the day in which the light of the world was revealed to all people ... when God’s presence was made manifest among us. One might expect such a special occasion to be attended by religious leaders ... at least the ones close by.  But that’s not the way the story goes. Those who responded were likely astronomers from a foreign land.  The unexpected revealed to the unex...

“This little light of mine... I’m gonna let it shine...” That is part, after all, of what it means to follow Jesus. In this episode of Coffee to Go, Karin and Blake discuss the significance of the second Sunday after Christmas. They delve into the Gospel of John, emphasizing Jesus' divine nature and the role of John the Baptist in pointing to Him. Hopefully, you’ll get a sense of the importan...

A new year has begun, and the pressure is on, whether you fall prey to it or not, to make some new year resolutions.  Many will do it. Some will succeed. Some know better than to even try. In this short episode of Coffee Connect, host, Blake Smith, reminds us to focus on the small steps. Setting goals can be a good thing because it keeps us growing and moving forward.  What’s important is that the...

When we think of hospitality, we often think about how we treat those we consider guests ... when others enter our spaces.  But, what does hospitality mean for us (and require of us) when we enter the spaces of others? In this Extra Shot episode in the hospitality series presented by the Council of Presidents of Seventy, Larry McGuire, shares what he has gleaned from his years of worldwide ministr...

Rag ‘n Bone Man, Rory Graham, put the words to song ... “I’m only human after all.” Too often, we put our heroes on pedestals, lauding only their good traits and overlooking their more “human” traits. This week’s passage from the Gospel of Luke gives us a glimpse into the human side of our greatest “hero,” Jesus. Join hosts, Karin Peter and Blake Smith for a look at the other side of the story. It...

In a world full of refugees (political, climate, and otherwise), we ought to remember that those who began this movement ... this church ... were refugees more than once. The importance of having a place to belong that is safe and welcoming ... where everyone, including women and children, can thrive while maintaining connections to their cultural beginnings cannot be forgotten. Get ready to be bl...

A peaceful night with a star up above. A beautiful newborn wrapped in swaddling clothes. Kings...shepherds...clean, quiet animals watching quietly as they lay perfectly still. It makes for a nice story, but it also covers up the real-life grit and struggle that the Holy Family encountered in and around the birth of Jesus, not to mention the radical nature of a God at work in the midst of an unsuit...

Sometimes we might think that our life journey is “all over the map.” From the outside looking in, one might say that about Mary Anne and Kassie’s guest in this episode of Say What, Matt Frizzell. From the lakes of Michigan as a child to ministry as a young adult, then on to the halls of academia, and back to ministry Matt has been on a constant (and intentional) journey to find his place of belon...

Two expectant women, one old and one young, both wondering why God would choose them, yet both filled with joy ... that’s where we find ourselves on this last Sunday of Advent. Karin and Blake are always asking, “Where are we with Jesus this week?” Well, technically, he’s there too! Listen in to experience the joy that Mary and Elizabeth share as they come together in support of one another away f...