Made Alive

Ministry requires us to be interruptible, but is it ever okay to say no in those moments? In this episode, we discuss how to be interruptible without allowing it to control your life. 

Burnout seems inevitable, but what if there were signs we could use to protect ourselves? In this episode, we look at a tool to assess burnout, and how best to avoid burnout. Original Carey Nieuwhof Video on Burnout: https://youtu.be/FA0yH17KFCM?si=18s18jaUElhYRP2z

It’s easy to get cynical—about people, the church, even God. In this episode, we talk honestly about where that cynicism comes from and how it shows up in our lives. But we also explore how to keep our hearts soft, hold on to hope, and move toward something better. Resources Mentioned in this Episode: Children's Creativity Study Philip's Blog Post: Shame ⁠All The Buried Women Podcast⁠ Becoming the...

Is there a difference between a political stunt and a true protest? We think there is, and that becomes a really big deal when you involve the name of Jesus. Resources mentioned in this episode: - Seattle Protest - Rotunda Prayer - Jesus and John Wayne by Kristen Kobez Du Mez - Jesus and the Powers by N.T. Wright & Michael Bird - The Ballot and the Bible by Kaitlyn Scheiss - Bearing God's...

Another fan-submitted episode! We were asked, "What's the difference between pursuing tradition, religion, and God? Is there one?" We felt like this is a question that we've wrestled through and many other Christians have wrestled through. This episode hopes to show that there is a tension to be managed and there is a proper way to manage that tension. Resources mentioned in this...

AI generated Jesus? AI led church services? AI deceased pastors? Is this use of AI going to kill the church. There must be a right way to use AI in the church. And we have to figure out how to use it without missing the opportunity. Resources mentioned: https://www.forbes.com/sites/lesliekatz/2024/12/14/when-ai-jesus-entered-the-confessional-lessons-from-a-divisive-experiment/ https://apnews.com/a...

We previously released an episode on politics. That's episode 41 if you want to check that out first. This time we wanted to cover the right way for Christians to think about politics and how to faithfully engage with politics without compromising your spiritual integrity.

Church is important. Here is our recommendations of how to find the right one for you.

On Friday, January 24, the federal government issued a stop work order for all work associated with the refugee resettlement and placement program. This means that refugees, who were invited to come to America, are left without the core services that they were promised to receive. The question is, how must the church respond? What do we do in the face of such an injustice? Resources mentioned in t...

Episode 50! Family fighting at the holidays can ruin the whole day, so how can we avoid it? In this episode, we dive into what it means to be peacemakers with that relative who loves to pick fights.  Referenced materials: Disarming Leviathan by Caleb Campbell

It’s emotional manipulation, part 2. On this episode, we interview Worship Pastor Chris Correa about emotional manipulation and how to keep Jesus as the primary focus of a worship service. 

Leaving a church can be messy, complicated, and stressful, but how do you know when it is actually time to leave? On this episode, Seth and Philip discuss what that might look like and how to leave well. 

Our first fan-submitted episode! We were asked what are five things that Christian men should do every day. Naturally, we thought that was a silly question to answer so we decided to change it to three things that every Christian should do every day. But not just the spiritual disciplines, those are a given, rather a helpful starting place for some things in your daily life that your pastor might...

What would you do if you found out that someone was going around intentionally manipulating your emotions? Would you be confused? Frustrated? Hurt? Now what if you found out that a church was the one doing it? On this episode, we talk about the dangers of spiritual manipulation, and just how dangerous it is to play around with people’s emotions from a place of spiritual authority.

We all have a rule of life. A rule of life is a principle or set of principles that guide a person's actions, decisions, and overall approach to life. Most of us are unintentional about our rule of life and we find ourselves constantly feeling exhausted and overwhelmed. Resources mentioned in this episode: Domestic Monastery by Ronald Rolheiser Rule of Life Podcast Practicing the Way by John M...

Hypocrisy is a huge problem. It is often given as one of the primary reasons somebody doesn’t want to be a part of the American church. We want to address the validity of this, and how we must address hypocrisy before we lose the opportunity to do so. Resources mentioned: Jesus & John Wayne by Kristin Kobes Du Mez The Kingdom, The Power, and The Glory by Tim Alberta

How do you know when it’s time to leave a job? And how do you leave well? On this episode, we talk about just that as we walk you through Philip’s recent job change from pastoral ministry to non-profit work.

What is one topic you’re not supposed to talk about? Money. So why does the church talk about it so much? This month, we continue destigmatizing the church by addressing money, and all that comes with it. 5 Lies Christians Tell About Money https://ca.thegospelcoalition.org/columns/ad-fontes/5-surprising-things-that-the-bible-says-about-money/ https://katjellicorse.medium.com/money-the-church-2153b...

You've been asking for it so Philip and Seth are delivering! Just kidding... no one asked for politics. But it needs to be discussed. Exvangelicals are increasing and fewer people are regularly attending church. Philip and Seth believe that this is largely due to the poor reputation the church has earned for itself. This is the first in a series on destigmatizing the church as the discussion c...

Your pastor probably struggles with pride, and the Bible says that's one of the most concerning sins. Seth and Philip share their own struggles with pride. They break down how the intentionally pursue humility while remaining confident in the gifts God has given them.

Another life update because big things are changing in Seth's life. Spoiler alert, he's gotten a job as a lead pastor and shares his story. Our hope is that this behind the scenes look at getting a ministry position will be helpful to some of you!

Kyle Big Boi Relph is back! This time we talk about why the Christmas season isn't all it's cracked up to be in the church. Maybe this is actually just a therapy session for the three of us, but we figured we'd bring you along anyway! Top 5 Draft Results: Kyle Elf The Santa Claus National Lampoons Christmas Vacation The Grinch (2000) The Holiday Seth Jingle All the Way Edward Scissor H...

The conflict in the Middle East that we are witnessing is horrendous and devastating. In this situation, and other situations like it, how are Christians supposed to respond? While we are not experts, that is the question that we are processing in this special release episode. Articles referenced: Esau McCaulley | "The Theological Truth we Must Press During War" | NY Times https://www.ny...

We had Seth's wife Katie on the podcast to talk about her experience with purity culture. Seth, Katie, and Philip all grew up in the same religious denomination which had a high emphasis on purity culture. Unfortunately, if you know about purity culture then you know that it has a tendency to put all the emphasis on women and men are considered the victims. Philip and Seth believe there is a b...

Anxiety Sucks. Depression sucks. Like seriously, they're terrible. The sad reality of life is that many of us deal with mental health issues on a regular basis, and as leaders, we need to acknowledge that. In this episode, Philip and Seth talk about their experiences dealing with their mental health struggles, and how Jesus meets us where we are and loves us. Struggling with mental health does...