Neighborhood Church Podcast

You’ve probably never plotted to steal a first-class seat from a stranger. But have you ever felt that twinge when someone else got what you wanted—a job, a relationship, an opportunity—and you wondered why it wasn’t you? Envy rarely shows up with fangs and a villain’s laugh. It hides behind our comparisons, our scrolling, and our silent resentment. And unlike other destructive habits, envy never...

When you think of gluttony, you might imagine massive meals or exaggerated appetites. The hunger we carry often goes far beyond food. Many of us live with a quiet, persistent ache we try to soothe in all kinds of ways: another snack, another drink, another purchase, another scroll. Underneath it all, we’re searching for comfort, peace of mind, or even just a moment of relief. This week, we’re look...

Sex is everywhere. It’s on our screens, in our headlines, and in the stories people tell. But with all the noise, it's easy to feel lost about what love, desire, and connection are really supposed to look like. The messages are loud, but they rarely lead to peace. This week in our Seven Deadly Sins series, we’re talking about lust. Not to point fingers, but to help us pause and think honestly abou...

Greed doesn’t always look like luxury cars and swimming pools full of gold coins. It’s actually more subtle. It can hide behind packed schedules, careful planning, or a desire to be “smart” with our resources. But underneath it all, there’s a question gnawing at us: Will I have enough? In Part 2 of Seven Deadly Sins, Stephanie Benthin unpacks how greed quietly steals our peace and convinces us to...

You’ve been told to be confident, assertive, and in control—maybe even that it’s the only way to get ahead. But what if the very thing driving your success is quietly sabotaging your relationships, your peace, and your ability to be fully known? Pride is easy to spot in others but nearly invisible in ourselves, and while it promises strength, it often leaves us isolated, guarded, and exhausted fro...

You’ve probably been told at some point that life is one big competition. The better you look, the faster you climb, the more you achieve, the more valuable you are. But what if chasing the win is actually costing you more than you realize? In a world that tells us to succeed at all costs, many of us are quietly wondering: Was the win even worth it? In Part 4 of The Unwanted Awards, Jordan Brokaw...

You say yes because it feels easier than conflict. You take the extra shift, carry the emotional load, agree to things you never wanted to do—all because saying no feels selfish or scary. But over time, that habit starts to chip away at your peace. You’re burned out, stretched thin, and wondering if anyone even notices how much you’re carrying. In Part 3 of The Unwanted Awards, we’re handing out T...

You’ve tried to get everything just right. Perfect plans. Perfect words. Perfect image. But no matter how hard you work, it still doesn’t feel like enough. Perfectionism promises love and safety, but delivers pressure and exhaustion. If you’ve ever felt like you have to earn your worth, you’re not alone. And you don’t have to keep living this way. In Part 2 of The Unwanted Awards, we’re naming the...

You’ve been holding it together for everyone—at work, at home, in your relationships. You smile. You show up. You push through. But beneath the surface, you're tired. The kind of tired that comes from pretending you're fine when you're not, and carrying burdens you were never meant to carry alone. We’re starting our series The Unwanted Awards with a trophy too many of us have earned: The “I Never...

If you’ve ever felt like church was a place you had to clean up for—where only the already-convinced, already-behaving, already-belonging were welcome—you’re not alone. Many people walk away from faith not because they don’t believe in Jesus, but because they’ve experienced churches that made grace feel gated. At Neighborhood, we think church was never meant to be that way. Faith should be less ab...

Parenting is hard enough without the silent pressure to be perfect. Whether you're a mom, a dad, a grandparent, or someone simply doing their best to love the kids in your life, the world offers no shortage of reminders that you're not measuring up. But what if perfect parenting isn’t the goal? What if what your kids need most isn’t someone who never fails—but someone who never gives up? In Part 3...

Parenting today feels like a constant tug-of-war between protecting our kids and preparing them for real life. In a world of fear, screens, and pressure, it’s easy to drift into isolation—without even realizing it. But what if the thing we think is keeping our kids safe is actually holding them back? This week at Neighborhood, we’re exploring how to raise resilient kids by choosing community over...

You love your kids. You want to get this parenting thing right. But what happens when your love turns into pressure—on them, or on you? Most of us are doing the best we can with what we’ve got, but somewhere along the way, we can start tying our own worth to how well our kids behave, succeed, or turn out. Whether you’re a new parent, stepparent, grandparent—or just someone trying to break the cycl...

At some point—at a funeral, in a hospital room, or lying awake at night—we all ask the same question: What happens after I die? Culture offers guesses. History offers philosophies. But deep down, most of us are hoping for something real—something more than a comforting theory. Easter tells us there is. Not through wishful thinking, but through a historical moment where Jesus didn’t just talk about...

Palm Sunday is the story of a King who enters with no army, no crown, and no throne—but carries the weight of the world’s brokenness on His shoulders. It’s a day that challenges everything we assume about power, success, and salvation. Whether you’re religious or not, this moment in history invites all of us to ask: What kind of King do we really need… and would we recognize Him if He came riding...

We all want to be remembered for something. Whether it’s the way we love, the way we lead, or the way we show up for others—there’s something inside us that craves purpose and impact. What happens when what we want to be known for doesn’t match what people actually experience from us? That gap can feel frustrating—and most of us don’t even realize it’s there. t’s not just for individuals. It’s a c...

Are you part of something that truly matters? At Neighborhood Church, we believe the answer is a resounding yes—and not just for a select few, but for everyone. Two years ago, we launched a bold vision called Unfinished—a commitment to add value to our city and create real transformation. We’ve seen incredible progress but the story isn’t over yet. The good news? You don’t have to wait for the per...

Most of us have been shaped by relationships that come with conditions. Whether it's at work, in families, or even in faith, there’s often this unspoken rule: stay useful, stay good, stay worthy—or risk being left behind. It’s exhausting. Many carry the weight of believing they have to earn love, prove themselves to God, and hold everything together on their own. But what if that’s never how it wa...

We live in a world built for consumption—everything is designed to meet our needs instantly. And if we’re honest, we can bring that same mindset into church, treating faith like a product rather than a movement. But something still feels off. We chase more—more knowledge, more experiences—yet remain spiritually hungry. Jesus flipped the script, showing that true fulfillment comes not from consumin...

Something’s not right. No matter how hard we try, things keep falling apart—relationships get strained, stress builds, and just when we think we’ve got things under control, something else breaks. It feels like we’re constantly managing the slow unraveling of everything around us, and deep down, we wonder if this is just how it’s always going to be. People have spent centuries searching for answer...

Many of us carry outdated ideas about God—ideas that reduce faith to rule-keeping, judgment, and striving to earn love. But what if all those religious checklists and rituals are no longer needed? In Part 3 of our series Greater series, we’re exploring why Jesus is greater than dead religion. Jesus didn’t come to pile on more rules—He came to set you free from the exhausting cycle of trying to be...

Ever felt like something was taking up too much space in your life—your career, relationships, fears, or even your need for control? It’s easy to let these things become bigger than they should, overshadowing everything else. In Part 2 of our series Greater, we’re diving into an ancient conversation from the book of Hebrews that asks a powerful question: What’s taking the place of Jesus in your li...

We live in a world of competing voices––political leaders, cultural icons, and self-help gurus––all claiming to have the key to a better life. But 2,000 years ago, a man with no wealth, no power, and no army quietly reshaped history in a way no one ever has––before or since. His name is Jesus, and the question we have to ask is: How? And more importantly—why does it matter to you? In Part 1 of our...

Ever had an invitation you couldn’t resist? Whether it’s a VIP experience, a free trip, or even just the promise of amazing buffalo wings, some invites pull us in without a second thought. But what about the invitations that aren’t so obvious at first—ones that can change everything if you take that first step? In this two-part teaching, Jordan Brokaw and Forrest Jenan dive into how Jesus extended...

Ever feel like you’ve hit a wall in life or your faith? You’re not alone. In this teaching, Jordan Brokaw talks about what happens when the spiritual momentum fades, and you're left wondering whether to push forward or give up. Through the lens of Peter and Jesus’ disciples, he explores confronting doubt, disappointment, and unmet expectations head-on—and how those moments aren’t the end of the st...