Neighborhood Church Podcast

We're all pretty good at building velvet ropes... deciding who's in, who's out, who belongs. Even the church has done it, trading the wide-open door of Jesus for membership requirements and fine print. In Part 3 of I AM, Jordan Brokaw unpacks Jesus's claim in John 10:9 — "I am the gate" — and how the way to God was never a system to master, but a person to walk through. In This Teaching Why Club 3...

Most of us are navigating life by feel … chasing what we think we want, following what looks like the right path, hoping it leads somewhere good. But what if the direction you're looking for isn't something you figure out on your own? In Part 2 of I AM, Brian Ross unpacks Jesus's claim in John 8:12 — "I am the light of the world" — and explores what it actually means to follow someone who says tha...

We all have a hunger underneath our hunger … a soul-level ache that food, success, relationships, and endless scrolling never quite satisfy. We press the lever. We chase the next thing. And the hunger comes back. In this first message of the I AM series, Jordan Brokaw unpacks Jesus's claim that he alone is the bread of life … and what it means that true satisfaction isn't found in what Jesus gives...

Bob Wiley had a plan. Take a vacation from his problems. The only flaw? Bob came with him. Most of us do the same thing every summer. We book the flights, pack the bags, and quietly hope a change of scenery will do what only real transformation can do. But escapism and real rest are not the same thing. In Part 2 of Searching for Summer , Jordan Brokaw traces the thread of escapism through one of t...

You've been looking forward to it. Planning for it. Quietly counting on it. But what happens when summer arrives and still doesn't deliver the peace, the connection, or the reset you were hoping for? Maybe the problem isn't the season. Maybe it's the weight we put on it. In Part 1 of Searching For Summer, Forrest Jenan unpacks what happens when good things carry too much weight … and what it looks...

A son leaves home, makes a mess of his life, comes back, and his father forgives him. But what if you've heard it so many times that you've stopped feeling it? In this message, Forrest Jenan unpacks the story behind the song Prodigals — and shows us that Jesus isn't just telling a nice story about forgiveness. He's introducing a complete paradigm shift about what God is actually like and how God m...

What does worship actually mean when the music stops? Most of us associate worship with what happens on a Sunday morning. In Part 3 of Playlist Theology, Darrin Cantrell traces the word back to its roots: worth-ship. Assigning worth to something. Darrin shares openly from his own story of addiction, loss, and the long road to recognizing that God was God and he was not. And he closes with a pictur...

The name of Jesus shows up in nearly every worship song we sing — but do we know what we're actually saying when we speak it? In this teaching, Forrest unpacks the power, the history, and the allegiance behind the name of Jesus. In this teaching: Why names in the ancient world carried authority, not just identity — and why the name of Jesus was anything but impressive at first How the Roman Empire...

Why do we sing? It's a stranger question than it sounds — and it's worth asking. In this first message of Playlist Theology , Forrest traces worship music all the way back to its roots: an ancient hymn fragment discovered in an Egyptian trash dump, written on the back of a corn contract, sung by Christians who were being arrested for their faith. At the center of that tiny, 35-word song is a claim...

The Church has a reputation problem ... and it's not entirely undeserved. But what if the Church isn't broken, just sleeping? In this final message of the Sleeping Giant series, Forrest explores what it looks like when ordinary people wake up to the way of Jesus and commit to loving their neighbors on purpose, every day. From a surprising chapter of Church history to the walls of ancient Jerusalem...

What does it look like when a church stays true to its mission for 78 years? Forrest traces Neighborhood Church's story — from a handwritten note about "Children and Community Friends" to a new campus and ending generational poverty in our community. None of it is random. It's what happens when a community chooses consistent, intentional generosity over time. You'll also hear from Jordan Brokaw (K...

We're living through a hinge point in history — and the data shows most of us aren't handling it well. When everything is shifting, the instinct is to find what works and hold on tight. But Paul's letter to the Romans carries an honest warning: a strong commitment to a very specific way of life will eventually lead to turmoil and cut you off from God himself. In This Teaching Why clinging to a spe...

Nobody argues with the weather. You grab a jacket or you get wet — either way, you adjust. But when something that actually matters falls apart, adjusting isn't so simple. In this episode, Forrest opens the Accept It series by walking through one of the most emotionally honest stories in the Gospels — the death of Lazarus — and what it reveals about where God is when life doesn't go the way you pl...

Two billion people gathered this Easter weekend to celebrate the name of Jesus. But how does a carpenter from a tiny corner of the Roman Empire become the most remembered person in human history — two thousand years later? In this message, Forrest Jenan makes the historical case for the resurrection of Jesus. You'll hear about the women who showed up at the tomb expecting to prepare a body — and f...

What does it look like to stay on mission when the road gets hard? In this message, Brian Ross traces the journey of the Apostle Paul — from zealous persecutor to faithful witness — and asks what made him effective. Using Paul's account in Acts 22 and the sweeping arc of his ministry through Acts 27-28, Brian shows that mission begins when you live into the reality of Jesus as Lord, pursue what is...

In 2026, every philosophy, lifestyle, and spiritual path is a finger tap away. So how do you know which one actually leads somewhere good? This week, Brian Ross steps into Acts 17 — where Paul walked into one of history's most pluralistic cities and raised a deeper question about truth, character, and what ultimately defines a life well lived. Whether you've been following Jesus for decades or you...

Everywhere you turn, someone is telling you what it takes to belong. Have the right views. Follow the right rules. Fit the right mold. In Acts 15, the early church faced a question that still matters today: Who gets welcomed in? YOUTUBE LINK: https://youtu.be/2THo13eHNmM

What if the most influential movement in history began with a handful of ordinary, uncertain people? The Book of Acts tells the story of how a small group, convinced something extraordinary had happened, carried a message that reshaped cultures and lives. YOUTUBE LINK: https://youtu.be/N7U9MBwm9uE

Many people long for connection, purpose, and a place to belong. What if the next step isn’t finding the right place, but helping create it for someone else? In It’s Our Turn, Forrest Jenan explores how simple acts of service open the doors for hope, community, and faith to grow in real, everyday life together for everyone.

Life can feel steady one moment and unravel the next. Plans shift, news arrives, pressure builds, and suddenly you’re navigating waters you never expected to face. In Surviving Mayhem , Darrin Cantrell recounts the powerful moment between Jesus and Peter, and uncovers a steady presence in the middle of life’s storms.

We don’t rise to the occasion; we default to our training. When life gets heavy, we rely on what has been shaped inside us. In Part 2 of Beyond the Playbook, discover how simple, daily rhythms create the right conditions for a life of purpose, allowing deep transformation to take root so you can play the game with confidence. YOUVERSION NOTES: http://bible.com/events/49560801

Life often feels like being thrown onto a field without knowing the plays. We try to play the game and follow the rules, yet we still feel overwhelmed when the ball snaps. In Part 1 of Beyond the Playbook, discover how to move beyond religious performance and internalize a rhythm of grace that makes love your second nature.

What am I doing with my life? This questions usually shows up around big moments—birthdays, transitions, burnout—or late at night when everything finally quiets down. Deep down, there’s a desire to believe our lives are pointed toward something meaningful—something worth the energy we’re giving to it. In Part 4 of Being Human, Forrest Jenan leans into a simple but challenging idea: our lives are a...

Most of us feel the pressure to explain who we are—what defines us, what makes us matter, and how we should be seen. In a world where everything feels fluid and constantly changing, that pressure can be exhausting. When identity becomes something you have to build, edit, and defend, it never really feels finished. In Part 3 of Being Human, Forrest Jenan explores a deeper question beneath all the n...

Most of us answer the question “Who are you?” with job titles, family roles, or interests. But somewhere along the way, those answers stop feeling solid. Careers shift, families are complicated, and interests change. Underneath the small talk is a deeper tension: If all these labels disappeared, would I still know who I am—and would it matter? In Part 2 of Being Human, Brian Ross explores the grou...