Practicing the Practices

As we enter the season of Lent, we’re invited to slow down, pay attention, and return our hearts to God. In this special episode, Casey guides us through a simple, 10-minute Examen—a historic Christian prayer practice that helps us reflect on our day in God’s presence.

Stage 6 is the culmination of the Critical Journey — a life marked by humility, simplicity, and overflowing love. In this episode, we talk about what it looks like to become a person who naturally radiates the love of Jesus. We’ll offer a few final thoughts about next steps for walking with Jesus in every season of faith.

On the other side of The Wall is a deeper, freer life with God. Stage 5 is all about living out of inner freedom, not performance or striving. We explore what this stage looks like and share a practice for loving others from a place of abundance rather than obligation

Have you ever felt like you’ve hit a wall in your faith — where prayer feels empty, God feels silent, and nothing seems to work the way it used to? This is what Janet Hagberg and Robert Guelich call The Wall, a pivotal moment in Stage 4 of the Critical Journey. In this episode we unpack why The Wall shows up, what God might be doing in this season, and how you can lean into it instead of walking a...

Stage 4 is often called The Journey Inward — it is about moving toward a deeper encounter with God. This is the season where we begin to ask harder questions, wrestle with our motives, and allow God to reveal what’s beneath the surface of our faith. In this episode of Practicing the Practices, we’ll explore the beauty and challenge of this inward turn, and why it’s essential for maturing in Christ...

Stage 3 is when we pour ourselves into serving God, our church, and our world. But it’s also a season where we can overwork, overcommit, and tie our identity to what we produce. We explore Stage 3: The Productive Life and give you a practice to keep your soul rested and grounded in God’s grace.

Faith deepens when we learn from others, belong to a community, and are shaped by teaching and practice. In this episode, we talk about Stage 2: The Life of Discipleship, and introduce a practice to help you root yourself more deeply in Scripture and community.

Stage 1 of the Critical Journey is all about awakening to God’s presence — whether through conversion, wonder, or curiosity. We’ll explore what this first step looks like, why it matters, and a practical way you can reflect on and share your own story of recognizing God.

Ever wonder why your spiritual life doesn’t always feel “up and to the right”? In this episode of Practicing the Practices, we introduce The Critical Journey — a framework for spiritual growth that explains the stages of faith, why you sometimes feel stuck, and how God is inviting you into a deeper walk with Him.

Brad and Casey sit down with Tim Hood, the President of Shepherd's Staff - a missions facilitating organization dedicated to supporting and equipping local churches to send their own members as missionaries. Tim talks about his experience on the mission field and his ordinary evangelism efforts here at home, including one of the most important aspects of evangelism that often gets overlooked: pray...

While the gospel message doesn’t change, the presentation must. In this episode, Brad and Casey discuss three critical pivots that we need to make for our evangelism to be more effective and compelling in this cultural moment.

What comes to mind when you think of evangelism? In this episode Brad and Casey make the case that evangelism is non-negotiable for the follower of Jesus AND that our methods of evangelism should be compelling and faithful.

Neil is naturally wired for justice. Casey leans toward mercy. How do we navigate relationships when our friend/spouse/parent/coworker is more oriented towards a different default position than we are?  This interview will help you navigate practicing justice + mercy in your everyday life.

In this episode, Brad and Casey explore the pitfalls of a “justice” Gospel AND the pitfalls of a gospel with no implications for justice in our world.  How can we more fully embrace our role as citizens of a New Kingdom? Listen to find out. 

Life with Jesus is less about 'balance' and more about fullness. Mercy & Justice are fundamental aspects of the Gospel. Being a people who live out a Gospel Culture means practicing Mercy & Justice in our everyday lives.  The "AND" of Mercy AND Justice is critical to understanding and applying this essential discipleship practice. Listen as Brad and Casey unpack what mercy & justice ar...

In a new feature on the Practicing the Practices Podcast, Casey & Brad interview an “Apprentice of Jesus” who models the practice we’re focusing on. In our first Practice Interview, we welcome Brent Crenshaw, known by those around him as a “servant”. Brent will answer our 5 Big Questions and help us imagine how we can all live a “Life of Service.”

Yes, a Life of Service means picking up your “cross”. But it is also the doorway into the good life. In this episode, Brad & Casey unpack some of the supposing emotional and physical benefits of serving. Plus, we’ll help you reimagine where and how you should serve.

The Way of Jesus is the way of service. "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” A life of service is one of the most counter-culture, upside-down, "against-the-grain" aspects of the Way of Jesus. This practice flies in the face of modern philosophy. And yet, is one of the aspects of Jesus’ life that EVERYONE loves.

Can men and women be friends? The answer for followers of Jesus must be yes. Yet, in a broken, over-sexualized, post #MeToo world – a vision for healthy male/female friendships is hard to come by. Often, it seems the cultural structures of the day put men and women against one another as adversaries. Casey and Brad share from their own experience about the possibility and principles needed for Jes...

What is Spiritual Friendship? Brad and Casey dig deeper into this vision for Spiritual Friendship, and suggest key practices for building, maintaining, and growing meaningful, spiritual friendships Books referenced: Find Your People: Building Deep Community in a Lonely World by Jennie Allen Safe People: How to Find Relationships that are Good for You and Avoid Those That Aren't by Henry Cloud and...

As we grow older, friendship gets more difficult. Work, family, and community responsibilities can make connecting with people on a friendship level challenging. Data suggests that we are in the middle of a loneliness epidemic. Yet, the Way of Jesus is meant to be followed in Community. We NEED Spiritual Friends. So what can we do about this problem? Brad & Casey unpack a path forward over the...

Brad and Casey tease out what to expect in Season 3 of Practicing the Practices.

Forgiveness is a practice that needs to be cultivated. There are phases and steps to consider as we embrace the Grace of God needed to offer and receive forgiveness. In season two's final episode, Casey and Brad discuss HOW we can forgive, step by step. 

Forgiveness plays a crucial role in our journey of following Jesus. Our world is tainted by sin and shame, where relationships are frequently marred by hurt, betrayal, and sorrow. Throughout the Scriptures, God's Word urges us to let go of our desire to hold others accountable for their wrongs against us. This practice is exemplified best in the life of Jesus, who, when faced with sin, didn't igno...

In episode 212, Brad & Casey discuss the role of Repentance in a healthy "Koinonia." The Gospel offers a vision for transformation in the Christian life. Repentance is a key part of the change process. The ultimate goal of repentance is to bring about restoration - not only with God, but with one another.