Paying Ridiculous Attention to Jesus

We know that rash decisions made in our own strength lead to trouble. But the alternative--timid prayers that tiptoe around each and every step--is not much better. So how do we make decisions about what's right and wrong? How do we walk the line between our own common sense and Jesus' divine guidance? Join Rick and dear friend of the show Becky (aka the Beckynator) as they dive into a discussion...

Just about everyone likes Jesus. Christians adore him. Muslims respect him. Even Jews think he has interesting things to say. If only Jesus didn’t have a habit of being completely unreasonable. Join Rick and special guest Thomas Christianson (author of the new book The Unreasonable Jesus) as they focus on “mud puddle moments:” passages in the Bible where Jesus says or does something that seems sho...

It’s often said that too much of a good thing can be bad. It’s true of ice cream and sunshine, but does it also apply to reading the Bible? Join Rick as he welcomes author Mikal Keefer to discuss common misconceptions about reading the Bible, including a surprising revelation about yearlong Bible reading plans. This episode continues our series on core spiritual strengths by examining the practice...

Imagine you’re facing hardship and you call out to Jesus. There’s an answer, but maybe it’s not quite what you envisioned or desired. Now what? Join Rick and special guest (and dear friend of the show) Becky Hodges as they examine what it looks like to have a genuine belief in the goodness of Jesus’ heart, particularly when facing dark circumstances. Diving into the Bible, they'll slow down and pa...

If prayer is just conversation with Jesus...why do we talk so funny when we do it? For instance, why do we speak in a softer voice than normal, and close our eyes? Why do we adopt strange prayer-ish sayings we don’t use anywhere else? Does Jesus hear us better this way...or have we just picked up weird customs along the way? Join Rick as he continues a month-long look at core spiritual strengths b...

Lament, which stems from pain, mourning, and loss, is often viewed in a negative light. But what if we told you that lamenting is actually a core spiritual strength? Join us as we kick-off a month-long series on core spiritual practices by focusing on lament and paying ridiculous attention to how Jesus forms grit in people through lamenting. Personalizing this practice, Rick and Becky tell their o...

Empathy is usually seen as a positive thing...so why didn't Jesus use it to set people free? Join Rick and Becky as they wrap up a month-long focus on resetting your life by examining the difference between empathy and compassion and why they shouldn’t be used interchangeably. Turning to the Bible, they’ll explore Lazarus' death and resurrection (John 11) through a new lens, paying ridiculous atte...

“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson Join Rick and Becky as they discuss what it looks like to pursue a life of self-differentiation, which is staying true to yourself particularly when surrounded by forces trying to make you a different person than who Jesus says you are. Turning to the Bible, they’l...

Wouldn’t it be nice if the difficult things we faced in life really turned out to be easy? Unfortunately, living a Jesus-centered life isn't a free pass from difficulty. In fact, following Jesus often leads us into challenge and sacrifice. Join Rick and Becky as they dive into the story of the rich young ruler (Matthew 19), focusing on how Jesus asks him to do something seemingly impossible. Conti...

It's January and if you're like many, you woke up the day after Christmas and vowed to change your life this year. You bought a new planner, dusted off the bucket list, set a career goal, and possibly spent $500 at the local health store to start a new diet. There's something enticing about taking control of our lives...but it takes an enormous amount of discipline to reset life. To make it happen...

Join us for the first episode of the new year! We'll share our plans for this podcast in 2018, our hopes and dreams for you, and also a special message about how attaching ourselves to Jesus has everything to do with finding freedom this new year. We're also re-releasing our favorite new year's message where we take a dive into Acts chapter nine, exploring how Jesus likes to come into our lives an...

As we say goodbye to 2017, we want to look back on two of our most popular episodes this past year. The second episode in the "Best of 2017" series asks a provocative question that struck a chord with you when it was originally aired in early summer of 2017. The question was "Does everything happen for a reason?" and it was one of our most listened to and shared episodes all year. Join us as we re...

As we say goodbye to 2017, we want to look back on two of our most popular episodes this past year. Unsurprisingly, both episodes touch on the most universal question on Earth: "What am I here for?" The first popular episode is "What is God's will?" which we aired in Spring of 2017. In the episode we tackled the tension between God's will and our free will, and zoomed in on the story of the Roman...

What is Advent? Is it in the Bible? How do church traditions during Advent season relate to the calendar full of treats we open every day leading to Christmas? Join Rick and Becky this week as they look at the traditions of Advent and relate them back to the incarnation of Jesus Christ. We'll ZOOM in on the principles of Advent and help you pay ridiculous attention to Jesus this Christmas season....

As a member of today's culture, you’ve inherited practices, beliefs, values, and purposes that shape what your everyday life looks like. Over time, this bundle of influences creates what's normal and comfortable for you. But how does your normal compare to what's normal in the Kingdom of God? Join Rick and Becky as they dive into this question, exploring the contrasts between our culture and the c...

Safety and security. Together, they’re quickly becoming an obsession in our culture, especially considering recent events. Who we can trust and where we can feel safe? Join Rick and special guest Craig Cable, an active member of an armed church security team and tactical trainer as they zoom in on our growing concern about security and how it contrasts with a kingdom Jesus never described as “safe...

If you live in America (although we know all about our few thousand listeners in the UK) you might not have any experience with what it's like to be a subject to a King. And if you're relying on popular television shows like Game of Thrones or Downton Abbey to color your opinion on the issue, you might not feel super inclined to live in a Kingdom. Join us this week as we examine what it looked lik...

How do we build and nurture a relationship with a Person we can’t see, touch, hear, smell, or taste? We’re told the goal of the Christian life is a close relationship with Jesus, but how do we do that without the benefit of our senses? In this fifth podcast in our month-long series focusing on the supernatural, we explore the mechanics of our relationship with Jesus—how we can lean into every day,...

Revelation is one of the most misunderstood books of the Bible. It's tantalizing reputation for offering signs that predict the future attract many people. But many others are skeptical, and even alarmed, by the images it depicts. How does this strange book apply to our lives? Is it a secret code that can accurately predict future events, or just a vision John (author of Revelation) had that only...

Welcome to part three of our series on the supernatural. We started off our series defining the supernatural. Then last week we tackled the ugly underbelly of the supernatural, plus how you can spot red flags. This week we examine the positive role of the supernatural and how you can experience its power in your life. Join us as we speed read through Acts Chapters 9 & 10 and look at how the early...

From gold dust falling from the sky to people giving a word from God without permission, encountering the supernatural can be confusing (and even hurtful) sometimes. This week we kick-off part 2 of our series on the supernatural as we examine Jesus' interactions with the supernatural, including the creepiest guy around (Satan). Based in part on our own personal experiences, we also discuss a list...

Join us for this special 15 minute interview about how one woman is using the Jesus-Centered Bible to make a huge impact in her community.

Welcome to October! If you're like Becky, you might be keeping your head down as you walk through town, afraid that a creepy zombie poster will leave you with bad dreams for a week. What better time to talk about the supernatural, right? In spite of its modern-day spooky reputation, the supernatural was a natural part of Jesus’ life. And if you're spending time with him today, it’s likely that you...

It's the last week of September and we're heading into the fastest time of the year—like boarding a water slide that’s about to speed us through the weeks ahead and then drop us feet-first into the new year. In addition to the rush, Rick also likes to call this the season of "overs," like overspending, over-scheduling, and over-obligating ourselves. How do we pay attention to the right things duri...

We don't know about you, but the prospect of personal and spiritual growth is encouraging. Even more encouraging is the promise of the Holy Spirit to actively help us grow. If only he didn't use change as a way to do it. At least when we get to choose the change--like accepting a new job or deciding to move--we can embrace the inevitable bumps with a sense of "well, I did ask for this" bravery. Bu...