Ginghamsburg Church Podcast

Yours is the Kingdom Each one of us has a kingdom problem. We want to build and rule our own kingdom. We want the attention, the platform, the success, the authority, and most of all the adoration that comes with those things. But as we've seen in the life of Jesus, we're not supposed to long for this kind of kingdom. Our minds and hearts are to be focused on an eternal one - the Kingdom of God. T...

Kate Johnsen has been part of Ginghamsburg for more than thirty years. She’s seen it all—from the early days of folding chairs and donuts in the unfinished worship center to watching her children grow up in the church she helped nurture. Her story isn’t one of dramatic conversion or fame. It’s one of quiet obedience and faith that has stood the test of time.

Deliver Us Evil can seem like a foreign concept to many of us. We think our lives are great, and that the difficult or inconvenient things are just coincidences. The truth is, there is an enemy who wants nothing more than to see us fall. But Jesus provides us with hope. We have the power in our lives to resist the evil one, in Jesus' name. We don't have to live as slaves to fear, addiction, shame,...

Forgive Us Forgiveness is something that makes or breaks relationships all the time. Wars have been started and ended because of forgiveness. Families have been broken apart and restored because of forgiveness. There is power in forgiveness. This is why it's so important for us to live with forgiveness. But forgiveness is a two-way street. We can't simply ask for forgiveness. We must also forgive....

If you’ve been around Ginghamsburg Church for any length of time, chances are you’ve experienced Dan Bracken’s work—even if you didn’t know it at the time. From the powerful videos capturing our mission in places like Louisiana, Beirut, and South Sudan, to the graphics and stories that frame our worship each week, Dan’s fingerprints are everywhere. He’s our Communications Director, a creative forc...

Daily Bread Everyone has to eat. It's a fact of life. If we don't eat for long periods of time, or don't eat properly, it has significant impact on our health and well being. But as Jesus taught his disciples to pray for their "daily bread," he was showing them that it's much deeper than simply having bread to eat. This is a prayer of trust and dependence. This is a prayer asking the Lord to provi...

Your Kingdom Come When Jesus prayed 'your Kingdom come,' he was showing that God's kingdom was a much different one than the kingdom of humanity. The kingdom of God is one of love, servanthood, and humility. Jesus not only taught his disciples, and us, to pray for God's kingdom to come. He also showed us how to live with our hearts and lives focused on making God's kingdom a reality in our communi...

In the fall of 2021, Derick contracted Covid-19. At first, he thought it was just a bad cold, but his condition quickly deteriorated. For days he was weak, unable to walk to the bathroom without carefully planning each step. At night he was plagued by nightmares of darkness and despair, praying desperately for God to spare his life.   Eventually, Derick was admitted to the hospital for four days....

To the One Above To many, God can feel impersonal and distant. But in reality, God is the exact opposite. God is deeply personal and as close as we will allow God to become in our lives. God wants to be in a relationships with us, the way a parent is deeply connected with their children. Jesus teaches the disciples, and us, that prayer is a deeply personal conversation. We can approach the creator...

Tamar Sometimes a story carries such weight that it leaves us speechless. This week's campfire story is one of these stories. Tamar was a daughter of King David, but her half-brother destroyed her life. She was helpless, voiceless, and humiliated. So many people live with this terrible reality every day. Rather than ignoring these stories, we can learn to listen, grieve and change. We all have voi...

In this heartfelt episode of People of the 'Burg, Pastor Sarah sits down with Todd Shiverdecker to explore his faith journey, his deep roots in church life, and the powerful role community has played in shaping his walk with Christ. Todd’s story begins in a small United Methodist church where his grandmother—his spiritual rock—instilled in him the importance of faith. Though his church attendance...

Mephibosheth Everyone feels like they don't fit in. It can happen in many ways and places: on a team, in a social group, or even at work. We desire to feel like we belong. Mephibosheth was a man in the Bible who was an outcast for multiple reasons - his family history and a disability both prevented him from finding a place to belong. But his story is like our story. He was shown grace, kindness a...

Abigail Everyone loves the fairytale, where the beautiful girl shows kindness, love and grace to the coldhearted beast of a man and by the end he changes, they fall in love, and live happily ever after. Sounds perfect, right? But life isn't like a fairytale. How do you find joy when your relationship is cold and difficult? How do you live with peace when there's constant turmoil? The answer is by...

Meet Sarah. From age 11 to the age of 18, Sarah was essentially taking care of herself, and also her mentally ill mother. Her mother, in her illness, had taken up some odd and expensive projects, and she ultimately blew through her inheritance. Sarah and her mother became destitute. Then her mother was institutionalized in Sarah’s senior year of high school. Sarah was at that point living alone in...

Samuel Have you ever heard your name called in a crowded place? Sometimes it's someone you know, or your kids are looking for you. But other times, you turn to look and it's a complete stranger, calling for someone else - who just happens to share your name. Hearing your name called can be sign of affection or praise. Other times it can lead to uncertainty, embarrassment, or even fear. This week's...

Reflecting on his recent decision to leave his role at Ginghamsburg, Chris emphasizes the importance of obedience to God's direction. Despite the uncertainties ahead, he firmly believes that listening to God means recognizing when his season at Ginghamsburg has concluded. Chris openly shares his thoughts leading up to his final weekend as the worship pastor, affirming his trust in God’s provision....

Samson Strength and power are some of the highest valued attributes in the world. People are always trying to gain more strength and power every day - sometimes honestly by putting in the work, and other times by manipulating and cheating their way to it. This week we're going to hear the story of Samson - a man whose strength was a gift from the Lord. God used Samson to accomplish some amazing th...

Growing up without a strong father figure, Andrew gravitated toward fictional characters, particularly Dallas Winston from The Outsiders, whose rebellious persona provided a relatable but flawed model. For years, Andrew sought fulfillment through independence, alcohol, and substances, building what he describes as a self-made kingdom. "I thought I had everything," he reflects. "Yet I felt empty."...

One thing (almost) everyone loves in a great story is the plot twist. You never see it coming, but it changes the entire feel and flow of the story. Everything from short stories to the most epic cinematic tales have used this storytelling device to draw in the audience. The stories from the Bible are no different. God has an amazing way of doing the most unexpected things and using the least like...

Ahab Life is filled with strategy. Sometimes it's as simple as knowing what move to make while playing a game with your children. Other times strategy requires complicated moves to achieve its end goal. This week we'll look at the story of King Ahab - one of the kings in the nation of Israel's history. Under Ahab's reign, Israel experienced a time of prosperity, but that allowed them lose their ed...

When someone tells their stories of how God has worked and continues to work in their lives it speaks to our hearts. We begin to feel a connection to them and see them in a new light. It is with that truth in mind that we created  "People of the 'Burg."  It's our hope that you will get to know your neighbor, see a member of the church family in a new light and possibly find unity in your struggles...

Jacob There's something divine that happens when you're under the stars at night by a warm fire. The dancing glow and gentle noises of a summer night invites you into nature's intimacy. Twilight conversations hold no agenda, leaving us open to ancient threads of truth and wonder. These fireside chats hold timeless truths passed down from the beginning of time. The Old Testament is full of rich sto...

Taking The Heat People around the world face persecution every day because of their faith, race, gender, economic standing, and even birthplace. We know in the deepest parts of our being that persecuting others is wrong. But what do we do when we face persecution? Jesus addressed this very idea in his message from the mountain. He said "you will be happy even when you face insults, persecution and...

Where Happiness is Found When it comes to happiness, Jesus said we would find it in places we least expect. His Sermon on the Mount says we'll find happiness when we mourn, when we're meek, when we hunger and thirst for the things of God, and when we live as peacemakers. A lot of these things mean giving up something valuable. We find happiness in the unexpected. We find happiness when we give our...

Working Through Conflict What might the world look like if instead of putting up walls and barricades, we built bridges? How might things change if we looked for common ground instead of highlighting the things dividing us? What if we live as peacemakers instead of fighters? The world would be filled with peace - and not just temporary peace. Peace that lasts eternally and changes everyone and eve...