The Cultivated Life

Spiritual maturity requires identifying and overcoming three major blind spots that keep believers stuck in patterns of immaturity. The orphan spirit causes us to strive for approval instead of resting in our identity as God's children, often stemming from childhood wounds and feelings of rejection. Entitlement flows from the same insecurity but manifests as demanding rights from God rather than t...

Life becomes difficult when we choose short-term ease over long-term satisfaction. The key principle is simple: do the hard work first, and life gets easier over time. Building character rather than reputation, mastering solitude, creating systems instead of just setting goals, and developing emotional intelligence are essential for lasting success. True power comes from accepting what you cannot...

Setting boundaries isn't selfish—it's biblical. God established boundaries throughout creation, from rivers to oceans, and even gave Adam and Eve clear limits in Eden. Satan's strategy has always been to attack our boundaries, making them seem restrictive rather than protective. Understanding the difference between walls (hard nos) and gates (situational choices) helps us navigate life wisely. The...

Money is one of the most frequently discussed topics in Scripture, with over 2,300 verses addressing wealth and finances. Yet many believers struggle to develop a biblical perspective on giving and generosity. The problem isn't money itself, but our relationship with it. Jesus identified money as the only competing god during His ministry, warning that we cannot serve both God and mammon. The revo...

The Bible presents a unified narrative pointing to Jesus Christ and His kingdom. From the Old Testament shadows to New Testament substance, God has been progressively restoring His church throughout history. After the early church declined into institutionalized religion during the Dark Ages, God began restoration through movements like the Protestant Reformation, Pentecostal revival, and modern w...

The early Christian church experienced explosive growth from 120 believers to thousands across multiple nations within 30 years. This remarkable expansion was built on four foundational devotions: apostles' teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer. Three key factors drove this growth: authentic fellowship and community, supernatural signs and miracles that built faith, and radical gener...

When you receive the Holy Spirit, you're not just getting one gift - you're receiving access to multiple gifts that will transform your life and ministry. These gifts fall into three categories: motivational gifts that energize the church, ministerial gifts that provide leadership, and manifestational gifts that demonstrate God's supernatural power. The purpose of these gifts is to equip believers...

The Great Commission involves a partnership between believers and Christ to transform lives through specific steps: faith, repentance, water baptism, and receiving the Holy Spirit. Many Christians today lack spiritual power because they haven't fully engaged the Holy Spirit in their lives. On the Day of Pentecost, 120 believers were filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues, leading to 3,00...

Being born again is a spiritual transformation that changes everything about how we relate to God. When Jesus spoke to Nicodemus about the new birth, He wasn't referring to physical rebirth but to a supernatural spiritual event. This new birth involves believing in Jesus, water baptism, and receiving the Holy Spirit. Jesus taught through parables like the sower and the seed, showing that our heart...

The New Testament marks a revolutionary shift from the Old Covenant's external laws to the New Covenant's internal heart transformation. After 400 years of prophetic silence following Malachi, God broke His silence through Jesus Christ, who fulfilled dozens of specific Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah. John the Baptist prepared the way as the forerunner, announcing the arrival of the Lam...

The transition from wilderness wandering to the promised land reveals God's faithfulness through Israel's history. After Moses died, Joshua led the conquest of Jericho through obedience to God's unusual battle plan. The period of judges followed, with leaders like Deborah, Gideon, and Samson delivering Israel from oppression. When the people demanded a king like other nations, God gave them Saul,...

Welcome to The Cultivated Life podcast! Join us for the fourth session of our journey through the Bible, where we delve deep into the histories, cultures, and divine revelations within its pages. We'll recap the story of Joseph's journey from slavery to the palace, cover the beginning of Exodus, discuss Moses' birth, his divine calling, the plagues of Egypt, and the ultimate escape of the Israelit...

The Abrahamic Covenant reveals God's extraordinary promise to make Abraham a great nation and bless all families through him. Abraham's journey teaches us that partial obedience is still disobedience, as seen when he took Lot along despite God's call to leave everything. When Abraham and Sarah tried to fulfill God's promise through Hagar, creating surrogate solutions led to lasting consequences we...

The early chapters of Genesis reveal God's redemptive plan through blood sacrifice, beginning when He clothed Adam and Eve with animal skins. From Cain's rejected offering to Abel's accepted sacrifice, we see that approaching God requires following His established pattern. God warned Cain that sin crouches at our door like a predator, but we must rule over it through faith and obedience. Enoch dem...

The Bible tells one unified story of redemption from Genesis to Revelation. Beginning with perfect fellowship in the Garden of Eden and ending with restored fellowship in the heavenly city, every story in between demonstrates God's relentless pursuit to bring His people back to Himself. The Old Testament follows distinct time periods from innocence through the patriarchs to the law and prophets. W...

Dive into an enriched conversation about the essence of generosity, stewardship, and legacy giving with special guest, Ashley Shaffer. Topics range from the importance of inculcating financial discipline, ways to leave a lasting legacy, to Ashley’s personal journey and impactful strategies on how to effectively manage and utilize resources for kingdom building. They also discuss the balance betwee...

Are you chasing what you “care about… or living out what you’re truly called to do? In this powerful episode, Pastor Jonathan Perry reveals the life-changing difference between horizontal identity (shaped by people, opinions, and circumstances that constantly shift) and vertical identity (the unshakable identity God spoke over you before you were born). You’ll discover: • Why most people live like...

In this powerful episode, Pastor Jonathan Perry sits down with Tim Schenker to share one of the most remarkable transformation stories you'll ever hear. Born into a Hare Krishna commune in West Virginia, Tim's childhood was marked by unimaginable trauma—including the mysterious death of his father and separation from his siblings at age seven. From suicidal thoughts as a child to finding radical f...

Feeling stuck in life is like sinking into mud with no clear way forward. Whether in relationships, career, or spiritual growth, we all face seasons of being trapped. The difference between staying stuck and breaking free comes down to making five essential shifts: moving from skepticism to belief, from distraction to purpose, from momentary focus to generational thinking, from passive observation...

In this episode, we explore the essence of character and credibility within the context of Kingdom culture at Central Church. Our discussion delves into the critical role of trust and how to build healthy relationships both in personal and professional aspects. We look at biblical teachings, specifically from Luke chapter 4, to understand Jesus' journey through temptation and how it aligns with ou...

Join us on The Cultivated Life as we sit down with Jon Harris, a seasoned business owner and devoted follower of Christ, whose remarkable journey showcases the power of faith-driven principles. In this inspiring episode, Jon shares how prayer, immersion in the Word, fasting, and a heart of generosity have been the cornerstones of his success in both life and business. From his humble beginnings le...

Balancing Ministry and Family with Luc Herlitz | The Cultivated Life Podcast Join us for an honest conversation with Luc Herlitz, Life Chapel's Online Experience Director and QA Engineer at Planning Center. As a pastor's kid turned ministry volunteer, Luc shares his unique journey through church plants, megachurches, and corporate America before finding his calling serving the local church. In thi...

Discover the Power of Prophecy: Insights from Life Chapel's Prophetic Community Join us on The Cultivated Life as we delve into the transformative power of prophecy within the church. In this episode, we introduce Shane and Pam Calkins from Life Chapel, who share their journey into the prophetic ministry, discuss the importance of prophecy in the modern church, and explain how they are building a...

Generational Faith and Entrepreneurship | The Cultivated Life Podcast In this episode, Pastor Jonathan Perry sits down with Kaden Kelly to discuss their shared mission of raising a generation that knows God. They explore the significance of impactful Christian literature, retreats, and the importance of sharing one's faith. Kaden shares his personal journey of growing from a shallow faith backgrou...

In this episode of The Cultivated Life Podcast, Pastor Jonathan delves into the complexities of life, particularly when things don't make sense. He emphasizes the importance of sharing the podcast to reach others who may need to hear this message. Pastor Jonathan introduces The Cultivated Life ministries and their mission to deepen discipleship and discusses several of their books. Focusing on the...