Rethink & Return with Jason Shepperd

This episode covers 2 Peter 3:1-9 and Peter’s urgent call to remember the way of God. We talk about how Peter, near the end of his life, writes to stir up wholesome thinking by reminding us of the words of the prophets and the commands of Jesus through the apostles. We look at the scoffers who mock the promise of Christ’s return, deliberately forgetting God’s power in creation, the flood, and the...

This episode covers the raw warning in 2 Peter 2:13-22 about false teachers infiltrating the church, God’s certain payback for the harm they cause, and the shocking reality of those who taste the gospel but return to sin. We unpack how these teachers carouse in broad daylight, seduce the unstable with greed and adultery, promise freedom while enslaved to depravity, and why leaving the straight pat...

This episodes covers 2 Peter 2:4–12 and explores the sobering reality that God is both the righteous Judge and the faithful Rescuer. The passage walks through examples of divine judgment—from angels who sinned, to the ancient world destroyed by the flood, to the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah—to show that no one ultimately escapes God’s justice.  At the same time, Scripture highlights God’s pattern...

This episode covers 2 Peter chapter 2 and the reality of false teachers among the people of God. We talk about what actually qualifies as heresy, the difference between disputable matters and gospel essentials, and why denying the lordship of Jesus crosses a line. The covenant changed, but the human condition did not. That means false teaching did not disappear either. We also wrestle with the dan...

This episode covers 2 Peter 1:12–21 and Peter’s urgency as he nears the end of his life. He calls his body a tent and knows his time is short. Instead of chasing something new, he doubles down on reminding the church of what is already true. We talk about why mature believers must stay open to being reminded, what it means to live with the brevity of life in view, and why making every effort to pa...

This episode covers 2 Peter 1:5–11 and the tension between grace and effort. What it means to participate in the divine nature without trying to earn what has already been given. Why effort is not opposed to the gospel, but apathy is. How spiritual growth actually happens, why stagnation is dangerous, and how forgetting grace leads to blindness. A call to keep growing, keep adding, and keep taking...

This episode covers formation beneath the surface, deep conviction shaped by theology not trends, and the kind of leadership that actually lasts. In a leadership conversation with Rob Wagner, we talk about the hidden cost most leaders are never warned about, crucifixion before influence, and why sustainable fruit only comes from abiding. This is a word for leaders who are more concerned with being...

This episode covers divine power and where it actually comes from, what it means that God has given us everything we need for life, and how godliness grows through waiting, endurance, and participation in the life of Christ. A slow walk through 2 Peter 1 that reframes power, maturity, and what true life really is, with guest Calvin Taylor. Website: jasonshepperd.com Audio Devotionals: startwith7.c...

This episode covers a conversation with Josh Hussman of Mercy Road Church and Multiply Indiana on leadership shaped by loss and faithfulness. Josh reflects on planting a church, the loss of a child early in ministry, and how that season reshaped his understanding of calling, success, and endurance. They talk about suffering, perseverance, and what it means to keep leading without becoming hardened...

This episode covers power, godliness, and the claim Scripture makes without softening it. God has already given everything needed for life and godliness. Not eventually. Not after growth. Not after maturity. The conversation presses on why believers live beneath what has been given, how excuses quietly replace faith, and why sanctification is not about trying harder but living from what is already...

This episode covers the opening words of 2 Peter by slowing down to consider the man God chose to speak through. Before doctrine, warning, or instruction, Peter introduces himself as a servant and apostle shaped by failure, restoration, and long obedience to Jesus. Written near the end of his life, these verses carry the weight of a man who knows who he is, why he believes, and where his hope rest...

This episode covers why the church still matters in a world that feels divided, exhausted, and increasingly hostile to faith. Through Colossians 1, we rethink what the church actually is—not a building, a brand, or a weekly event, but a committed spiritual family formed for a real battle. We talk about the spiritual, cultural, and personal wars every believer faces, and why Jesus designed the chur...

This episode covers why joy is so often misunderstood and why the gospel announces joy in the middle of difficult, uncontrollable, and disappointing circumstances. Using the Christmas story and the context of the incarnation, we confront the false beliefs that joy depends on government, control, ease, timing, possessions, recognition, or certainty of outcomes. By looking closely at how joy entered...

This episode covers the process of preparing a sermon, from sitting with the text to standing before a room of people. The conversation focuses on how sermons are actually formed over time, why preparation is more than outlining points, and how pastors learn to move a message from the page to the heart. This episode explores developing a personal process, trusting the work of Scripture and the Spi...

This episode covers how the Christmas story reveals God’s larger plan colliding with ordinary human lives. We explore the incarnation as more than a holiday tradition how God enters real stories, carries the weight of the work Himself, and invites us to trust Him when His plans disrupt our own. Through Mary’s response, we examine favor, fear, surrender, and what it truly means to live inside God’s...

This episode covers the foundational principles and perspectives on preaching, focusing on the journey from insecurity to confidence in delivering God's message. You’ll hear an honest conversation about the importance of expository preaching, the balance between exegetical, apologetic, and prophetic elements, and how to steward the gift of preaching with humility and authenticity. The discuss...

This episode covers how the story of Zechariah reveals the deeper theology of Christmas, the subtle sovereignty of God in ordinary moments, and how faith can grow even when life feels confusing or disappointing. You’ll hear a conversation about trusting God when prayers seem unanswered, how to keep your heart soft, and why miracles are real but not regular. This episode also explores the differenc...

This episode covers what it means to “lead with a limp” — the kind of humility, steadiness, and wisdom that only comes through real life pain and ministry wounds. You’ll hear an honest conversation about the difference between pre-limp and post-limp leadership, why humility matters more than talent, what younger leaders often miss, how seasoned leaders can carry the weight in tough seasons, and ho...

This episode includes a deep conversation on cultivating an enduring devotional life rooted in Psalm 1. It unpacks how God’s goodness shapes the blessed life, how the righteous walk in a distinct way defined by Scripture, and why delighting in God’s Word forms the foundation of spiritual consistency through every season. Through vivid biblical imagery—like trees planted by streams of water—the epi...

This episode covers how the gospel helps us see grief clearly. We look at Hebrews 11 to understand why suffering doesn’t mean God is absent, how faith carries us through seasons of loss, and why this world will never feel like home. If you’re hurting or walking with someone who is, this conversation offers clarity, hope, and a gospel lens for grief. Website: jasonshepperd.com Audio Devotionals: st...

This episode covers what it actually looks like when God is moving among His people. Drawing from Acts 11:19–30, we see that revival rarely happens in perfect conditions—it happens in difficulty, through evangelism, community, generosity, and deep devotion to the Word. This message reminds us that our difficult seasons don’t disqualify us; they often position us for God’s greatest work. When the g...

This episode covers what it means to not lose heart when leadership feels heavy. It walks through 2 Corinthians 4, where Paul reminds us that ministry is both a mercy and a battle. The conversation explores how to keep going when you’ve lost passion, how to rest without quitting, and why God’s strength often shows up most clearly in our weakness. This episode is for anyone feeling pressed, tired,...

This episode covers what keeps leaders from burning out and walking away when ministry gets hard. Brian Howard, president of Acts 29, joins the conversation to talk about the essential practices that lead to longevity in leadership. From mastering your craft to staying personally healthy and grounded in your calling, this conversation explores how leaders can build endurance that lasts decades, no...

This episode covers the closing of Galatians and what it means to live out the gospel with scars, humility, and grace. The conversation reflects on Paul’s final words and how they call believers to serve Jesus even while suffering, to depend on the Spirit in both preparation and presentation, and to resist impressing others with religion instead of resting in the gospel. It explores the tension be...

This episode covers Paul’s sobering warning in Galatians 6 — “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked.” It explores how deception creeps in quietly, how every action plants a seed that grows, and how living by the Spirit allows us to experience eternal life now. A conversation about discernment, endurance, and the long game of faith. Website: jasonshepperd.com Audio Devotionals: startwith7.com Ha...