Paying Ridiculous Attention to Jesus

You got out of bed at 5:30 a.m., crawled to the coffee pot, grabbed your Bible and journal and hit the couch for your quiet time. You're proud of yourself for getting there, making the time, and being present. But at the end you were left a little bit disappointed. Why is that? Why is it when we went to the Bible for a deeply satisfying relationship with Jesus, we ended up with a missed expectatio...

In the Old Testament it’s hard to avoid a God who seems angry a lot, and sometimes even vindictive. And it’s hard to square that version of God with the Jesus of the New Testament, who (we like to tell ourselves) is essentially a nice guy. A kinder, gentler God. But Jesus tells us, over and over, that if we see Him we see His Father, too. He’s a mirror image of the God we can’t see. If we understa...

Pornography is a rapidly growing epidemic in our culture. Both kids and adults, men and women, Christians and non-Christians are all caught in its net. At the root of this “normalizing” of addiction to sexually explicit material is a diminishing ability to make and maintain intimate relationships. In one sense, Jesus is a tradesman who specializes in hand-crafted relationships, and that’s why he c...

God never promises an easy, or pain free life. But when struggles and challenges surface, how does God actually bring comfort to us? Is this comfort an instant fix, a tangible feeling, or something else altogether? Join us this week with special guest Sam Worthington (star of the soon-to-be released film, “The Shack”) as we focus in on what it looks like to be comforted by God when everything seem...

If 80% of communication is non-verbal, learning how to listen and respond to others with “Third Level” skill can be powerfully transforming in our relationships. This is the way Jesus interacted with people, and our attachment to Him enables us to do the same as we serve and love the people in our life. What does it mean to hear beyond a person’s words—to listen both horizontally (to the person’s...

We sat down with William Paul Young the author of the New York Times best selling book, The Shack, which is now being made into a movie releasing in theaters March 3rd across the country. This story is a story of redemption, love and Jesus’ relentless pursuit of our hearts. We look forward to the conversations that this movie will bring about and will be designing devotions and discussion guides f...

In classical music it is imperative that every musician hit their note exactly right and at the exact time. In the world of Jazz musicians have a plan going into the song, but the role of the band is to take a note and make it into something beautiful. There are not mistakes in Jazz, other than if the band doesn't work around a bad note and turn it into something. How do we see the role of using o...

The current of technology is compounding around us, and with virtual and augmented reality exploding, it begs the question, "What happened to real reality?" This question, among others, is the topic of discussion for today's episode featuring an interview with special guest Joani Schultz about her recent experience at the Computer Electronics Show. Plus hear a clip with author and speaker Simon Si...

It's Luke chapter 4 beginning with verse 18. Jesus has finished his time of tempting in the desert. He has come back to his home town of Nazareth and is giving his inaugural speech into ministry. This is the speech that results in him being kicked out and rejected in his home town. Join us as we ZOOM in on this story the story of a speech about setting captives free. This week Rick Lawrence and Be...

Prayer. It's something we can often take for granted. How do you pray? What does it mean for your prayers to be heard...and answered? How do you know? When should you pray? How long should you pray? Join Rick Lawrence and Becky Hodges as the ZOOM in on Matthew 6:5-18, also known as the Lord's prayer. We will pay close attention to how Jesus taught us to pray and also share some of our favorite pra...

It's that time of year. Exactly one week from now you're going to wake up and instantly start making lists of goals and plans in your head that will help you become the person you want to be this year. Lose weight, start a gratitude journal, learn a new hobby, read a new book, finally plan that trip you always wanted to take. Oh yeah and finally become perfect in every way. Join us as we take a go...

In a world that is consumed with themselves and their own happiness it is a certain treasure to see people who are completely unaware of their own success and also not afraid to boldly say exactly what they mean. Join Rick Lawrence, Becky Hodges and special guest Eugene Peterson (author of The Message and many other well known books) as they unpack technology, observing the Sabbath, the Megachurch...

In a culture today that is completely consumed with fear, what did Jesus do with fear? And what kinds of challenges was the culture Jesus living in facing politically? Join Rick Lawrence and Becky Hodges as they ZOOM in on Mathew 24, a place where Jesus shares some very scary things with his disciples about what was going to happen to them and what we can expect. Despite this story we also see tha...

What does it mean to be like children? When kids get on the playground they rarely get too caught up in whether they can actually climb that tree, they just climb it. And if they don't get themselves up on the branch the first time, they just keep trying again. They are free from expectations; they're just playing around after all. Join Rick Lawrence, Becky Hodges and extra special guest Stephanie...

We know we need to check food labels, and restaurant menus, if our goal is healthy nutrition—that’s why it’s ironic that we're more desensitized to the “cultural diet” we're feeding our souls than ever before. What does a “soul diet” that helps you feel grounded and congruent look like in comparison to a diet that makes you feel dissonant and unsatisfied? And how do we “dine with sinners” while ab...

In a culture where “civil discourse” is the stuff of nostalgia, and brutal back-and-forths are the norm, there are no more “safe zones” for respectful disagreement. Conversations are now simply an onramp for scorched-earth diatribes and personal attacks. And what does Jesus think about all of this? Well, that’s a no-brainer, we say, because he’s such a nice guy. That would be comforting if it was...

It doesn't matter who you are voting for, one thing Americans can agree on is that we need a hard reset and this election is making us crazy. Join us as we unpack Kirk Cameron's Revive Us event and what Christians in America need to do now. ps. You can get tix to the next Family Meeting being hosted by Kirk Cameron called Revive us Monday October 24th in a theater near you here: http://www.fandang...

The pursuit of happiness is often perceived as a human right, something we all deserve if we are good. Join us this week as we zoom in on some parables where Jesus shared what the Kingdom of Heaven was like and how joy would reign there. What is joy? Is it the same thing as being happy? What is the tension between joy and happiness and does it even matter?

Can you really hear the voice of Jesus? How do you know if it's Jesus's voice or your own voice? What if I try to talk to Jesus and he doesn't say anything back? Do I really believe Jesus can talk to me?

When we are asked to describe the Kingdom of God and how we live it out in our everyday lives, it’s easy to come up blank. We know what it is, but it can be difficult to know how to put it on display at work, at home and in our relationships. Join us as we focus in on the backbone of the Kingdom of God, grace, and discuss how we can live it out in an everyday way.

We all want to achieve great things in our life. Whether that is in our careers, our families or making the world a better place. We are wired to succeed in life. But what did Jesus pay attention to as success? The answer is surprising. Join us this week as we ZOOM in on three stories where Jesus was impressed with people. Pay close attention to the things that he pointed out and called out to oth...

There are only two questions that really matter in life. Who do you say Jesus is? And who does Jesus say I am? This week we will tackle the emotion of shame. Join us as we zoom in on a story where a woman who lived in shame not only had her physical problem healed but was given a new identity by Jesus, healing what really mattered- her shame.

Have you ever had that moment in your life where you have been working so hard, and doing everything you can and at the end of the day you're just coming up empty? Join us as we zoom in on a story when the disciples were at the end of their rope and Jesus came in and helped in an unexpected way.

What would you do if Jesus showed up tomorrow, asked you to quit your job, and then invited you to follow him on a campaign trail for people’s souls? When Jesus asks Peter to leave his business and follow him, he presents a sensational request that has everything to do with priorities, risk, and finding your passion and purpose. Rick Lawrence and Becky Hodges wrestle with this request, and what it...