Paying Ridiculous Attention to Jesus

Each day Samuel Kimeu knowingly puts himself in harm’s way and works tirelessly fully aware his actions could cost him everything. Why? Because he loves Jesus; and because he loves Jesus, he’s compelled to seek justice. Join Rick for as he welcomes very special guest Samuel Kimeu (executive director of Transparency International) for an interview recorded in Nairobi, Kenya. Continuing a month long...

Discipleship. It’s a word Christ followers are probably familiar with, especially if they’ve spent any time around a church. But when we try to explain it, a wide range of descriptions, categories and even practices emerge. Is it really that complicated? Or is discipleship actually much simpler? Join Rick as he kicks off a month long series on discipleship with an interview with special guest John...

When you feel attacked, especially from an unseen enemy, it’s easy to want to fight back. But what if the best way to retaliate is not to battle, but to remain calm and rest instead? Join Rick as he wraps up a series examining Jesus’ interactions with dark forces by focusing on spiritual warfare and the do’s and don’ts of battling evil. Have you joined the Pigs? We're a group of friends ready to g...

Harry Potter, yoga, meditation, and Dungeons and Dragons—for some Christ-followers, these are fun, entertaining, and healthy activities. Others firmly believe they're a gateway to evil. Which view is correct? Join Rick and co-host Stephanie Hillberry (producer and author) as they explore what it means to "open yourself to dark influences." Using Paul's advice to the Corinthian church as a guide (1...

As Jesus walked the earth, nearly every day he encountered demons, the supernatural, and even Satan. But in our modern, Western society, it can be easy to believe these occurrences have lessened, or even completely stopped. Why? And if they’re still happening, how does that impact our daily lives? Join Rick and special guests Conrad Gempf (Professor at the London School of Theology) and Jay Pathak...

Deep in our core lies a basic desire to belong--a need we often try to meet through our earthly families. But when that desire is met with dysfunction or brokenness, how can Jesus meet us in our pain and offer the promise of a bigger, more fulfilling family? Join Rick and special guest Charles Moore (a graduate of Denver Seminary and a member of a Bruderhof community) as they conclude a month-long...

Humans can be brutal; we marginalize people, mocking and judging them for their flaws. But when someone acknowledges their imperfections and admits them to Jesus—like the woman in Luke 7 who weeps at his feet—something downright counter-cultural happens. Join Rick as he dives into her story, and invites us into a discussion about Jesus' unexpected response to imperfect and marginalized people…incl...

As Jesus-followers we often believe that "doubt" is a dirty word pointing to a lack of faith. But what if our doubts are actually embraced by Jesus, and even lead us down a path of all-in belief? Join Rick and guest host Stephanie Hillberry as they continue a month-long series examining the tender aspects of Jesus. They'll focus on his response to Thomas’ skepticism about the resurrection, and how...

Living a life dedicated to following Jesus includes pain. In fact, pain is expected. What’s often unexpected, however, is Jesus’ response to that pain. Join us as we continue a month-long series examining the tender aspects of Jesus by revisiting our most popular podcast of the year so far. In this episode Rick and the Beckynator slow down and pay attention to the story of the rich young ruler fou...

We all have ugly inside whether we want to admit it or not. Anger, greed, lust, jealousy, and a host of other qualities plague us all. While admitting our ugly to others often initially triggers hurt feelings, acknowledging our ugly to Jesus leads to a very different response. Join Rick and special guest Scotty Priest (pastor of Journey Church in Denver) as they focus on Jesus’ unexpected tenderne...

As Christians, we’re probably most familiar with the loving and grace-filled side of Jesus. And we’ve heard about the angry, flipping tables in the temple side of Jesus. But what about the bothered, miffed, or the downright annoyed side of Jesus? Join Rick as he wraps up a month-long series highlighting tough aspects of Jesus by focusing on examples when Jesus seems frustrated and annoyed with peo...

Profanity. It has the ability to shock, disrespect, and hurt people. Your mom would wash out your mouth for using it, and the Bible gives warnings about speaking it. So why did Jesus use it? Join Rick and special guest Stephanie Hillberry as they continue a month-long series looking at tough aspects of Jesus by examining what’s behind Jesus’ use of seemingly profane words. Diving into to the Bible...

Hell. It’s the theme of TV shows, books, and Halloween costumes, but it’s rarely brought up in church, let alone in everyday conversations. Surprisingly, it was a subject Jesus focused on a lot. Join Rick and special guest Tom Melton (a longtime pastor and now leadership consultant) as they continue a month-long series examining tough aspects of Jesus by zooming in on what he says about Hell, part...

If you've ever taken a personality test and then followed it up with a lively conversation about how you compare with others, then you know how affirming it is for people to get you, and to get them in return. Naturally we want this same experience with Jesus, but just when we think we've got him figured out, he seems to contradict himself. This summer we'll be paying attention to one particular c...

Sometimes Jesus’ teachings seem straightforward. Possibly difficult to execute, but straightforward. Love your enemies. Love God and love others. Ask in faith. Other times, Jesus creates a big “mud puddle”—a question or statement that causes people to wonder, speculate, or debate. Join Rick and special guest Carl Medearis (author of the new book 42 Seconds) as they jump into a “mud puddle” stateme...

Knowing what to expect and when to expect it can make life easier, which is why daily routines are comforting. But could the familiarity of a daily routine also make you become less dependent on Jesus and more dependent on the routine itself? Join Rick and his special guest Becky (aka the Beckynator) as they discuss how purposely disrupting the rhythm of everyday life (including going on the road)...

Imagine that you’re stuck. You've hit a rut or a roadblock and you’re not sure how to move forward. Could the answer you’re looking for come by asking a simple two-word question? Join Rick and guest host Stephanie Hillberry as they conclude a 4-week series on growing spiritual grit by discussing the freedom that can be found in asking "Why Not?" Turning to the Bible, they’ll slow way down and pay...

What do you stand for? It’s a question that cuts to your identity, and displays the true story of your heart. The answer often becomes clearer as you develop spiritual grit. Join Rick as and his very special guest host as they continue a month-long sampling of the newly released book, ‘Spiritual Grit’. They'll discuss how someone's character, not accomplishments, forms the building blocks of what...

It's natural for us to be our own biggest critics, scrutinizing ourselves more than we scrutinize others. This tendency isn't all bad, and can even be helpful at times. But at what point does our ongoing internal conversation turn into a trap, locking us into an untrue identity? Join Rick as he continues a month-long sampling of the newly released book, Spiritual Grit, by examining the impact a pe...

It’s often frowned upon in parenting, but celebrated in the world of entrepreneurs. It’s necessary in extreme sports, but can be dangerous in relationships. It’s RISK and it’s one of the main ways Jesus develops grit in us. Join Rick and special guest Stephanie Hillberry as they celebrate the release of the new book, Spiritual Grit, by discussing what it means to risk in a culture often obsessed w...

Life storms are raging and your strength is quickly diminishing. But as a Christian, you know it’s going to be okay because all things work together for good… right? Join Rick as he closes out a month-long series exploring Biblical beliefs that may not be true by focusing on the idea that all things work together for good, an idea commonly borrowed from Romans 8:23-30. During the program, Rick wil...

When it comes to sin, is there a clear line in the sand that helps define what it is and isn't? Or is it a gray area where we make our own judgment calls? Join Rick and his special guest Becky (aka the Beckynator) as they continue a month-long series exploring common Biblical beliefs that may not be true by examining sin, what it really is, and what Jesus wants us to do about it. Digging deeper, R...

As followers of Jesus, we frequently want to be used by God to accomplish his will on earth. But what if this desire is fundamentally contrary to the heart of Jesus? Join us as we continue a month-long series exploring common beliefs about Jesus that may not be true, including challenging the idea that we should be “used” by Jesus. Turning to the Bible, we’ll dive into John 15, a passage where Jes...

During tough times, when all your limits are being pushed, it's nice to take comfort in the verse that says Jesus will never give you more than you can handle. Except there's just one problem: even though we hear that saying all the time, that verse doesn't exist. So why do we keep saying it? Join us as we kick off a month-long series exploring common beliefs about Jesus we often profess even if t...

We call ourselves “followers” of Jesus, but how do you follow when you’re having a hard time seeing where the path is leading? Or…what if you can’t see the path at all? Join Rick and author Mikal Keefer as they discuss what it means to understand God’s will and examine why people, even those close to Jesus, can have a difficult time with it. Turning to the Bible, Rick examines two parables Jesus u...