When I Heard This - Podcast

Why does temptation always feel manageable right up until it isn’t? Temptation rarely shows up wearing a warning label. In this episode, the conversation digs into how Christians actually experience temptation in real life, not the dramatic, headline-worthy stuff, but the quiet decisions that add up over time. The kind that usually starts with “this isn’t a big deal” and ends with “how did I get h...

Is Santa a harmless tradition or a theological headache? And why does Christmas bring out so many unspoken church rules? Christmas tends to magnify every tension we already have about faith, family, and church culture. In this episode, we talk through Christmas from a Christian perspective, including Santa, tradition, and why December turns simple beliefs into complicated debates. Nate and Dr. Jos...

Leadership does not end when the service does. This episode continues part two of the conversation on Christian leadership, shifting the focus away from church roles and toward real life. What does leadership look like at home, in marriage, with kids, at work, and in friendships when there is no platform, no applause, and no title attached. Nate and Dr. Joseph Tillman talk through the gap many peo...

What does Christian leadership look like when it actually leaves the church building and enters your real life? 👀 In Episode 163, Nate and Pastor Joseph take the conversation home. Literally. From family rhythms to friendships to the quiet places where character shows up (or doesn’t), this episode breaks down what spiritual leadership looks like in everyday life. Honest, sarcastic, relatable, and...

What actually counts as Christian leadership… and why does it fall apart so often inside the church? In this episode, Nate and Pastor Joseph dig into the truth about leadership in the church and why so many believers end up confused, hurt, or just straight-up annoyed by how authority works in different Christian spaces. They break down what healthy spiritual leadership looks like, how influence ca...

Is it revival or just really enthusiastic chaos? 👀🔥 Welcome to part two of our deep dive into the world of Christian charismatics, where Nate and Pastor Joseph unpack the power, the tension, and the pushback surrounding modern charismatic faith. If you’ve ever wondered why Christians split into entire denominations over one tiny detail, or why some church services feel like a theology class and...

What happens when revival turns into reality TV? 🔥 In Episode 160 – Charismatic Chaos: Faith, Fire, and the Fallout, Nate and Pastor Joseph dive headfirst into the world of Christian charismatics. From powerful worship moments to questionable “miracles,” they unpack what’s real, what’s hype, and how faith sometimes flirts with frenzy. It’s honest, funny, and just uncomfortable enough to make you...

🎃 Should Christians celebrate Halloween—or leave it alone? 👻 In Episode 159 – Haunted or Holy, Pt. 2: A Christian Wrap-Up on Halloween, hosts Nate and Pastor Joseph finish their deep (and sometimes hilarious) dive into how believers should approach Halloween. From spiritual caution to cultural fun, they explore the tension between faith, fear, and fall festivals. It’s funny, honest, and refreshi...

🎃 Should Christians celebrate Halloween… or steer clear of it? 👻 In Episode 158 – Haunted or Holy: Christians and Halloween, hosts Nate and Pastor Joseph dig into one of the most debated questions in the church—how should believers approach Halloween? From trick-or-treating and haunted houses to “fall festivals” and spiritual caution, this first part of the two-part series explores whether Hallo...

😳 Still carrying shame even after saying you’re forgiven? Yeah… you’re not the only one. In this episode, Nate and Pastor Joseph dive into what shame really is, how it sticks, and why so many Christians still walk around burdened with what Jesus already dealt with. With their usual combo of sarcasm, honesty, and zero fluff, they unpack a deeply human struggle through a Gospel-centered lens. 🙌 Th...

Everyone loves the idea of starting a church… until the calling gets complicated. 😅 In this episode of When I Heard This, Nate and Pastor Joseph keep it real about what church planting actually looks like — the calling, the chaos, and the cost no one talks about. From emotional exhaustion to unexpected blessings, they unpack how obedience can feel messy, meaningful, and absolutely worth it. 👉 In...

Think starting a church is just a sermon and some folding chairs? Think again. In Episode 155 – Church Planting: DIY or Die Trying, Nate and Pastor Joseph go all in on the holy hustle of church planting—the wild world of building a brand-new church from the ground up. We’re talking vision boards, volunteer burnout, and maybe a few trauma responses along the way. Whether you’re an aspiring church p...

Spiritual warfare isn’t just demons and dramatic church folks. This week, Nate and Pastor Joseph continue the convo on spiritual warfare—minus the smoke machines and exorcism clichés. Think less “Hollywood horror” and more real-world spiritual struggle: burnout, doubt, distractions, and that one Christian friend who swears everything is “a spirit.” In true When I Heard This fashion, the guys mix h...

Spiritual warfare isn’t just about demons and deliverance. Sometimes it looks like burnout, shame, temptation, confusion… or the lies you tell yourself on a Tuesday afternoon. In this episode, Nate and Pastor Joseph go deep—but with plenty of sarcasm and side-eyes—into what the Bible really says about spiritual warfare. Spoiler alert: it’s less ghost stories, more everyday battles. Whether you gre...

Is the church evolving… or just slowly fading out? In this episode, Nate and Pastor Joseph unpack the subtle (and not-so-subtle) ways secularism is reshaping the American church—from cultural Christianity and cringey compromises to the real reasons people are walking away. With their usual balance of sarcasm, insight, and honesty, the duo dives into what happens when tradition clashes with a socie...

What happens when political influence meets national tragedy? In this In the Headlines episode, Nate and Pastor Joseph weigh in on the shocking assassination of Charlie Kirk — and what it means for American culture, Christian politics, and the ever-blurring lines between pulpit, platform, and protest. They dive into faith, media, and the raw tension of leadership in a divided nation, with their si...

🥴 Is it spiritual… or just skipping lunch? In this episode, Nate and Pastor Joseph break down fasting—not the cute, curated version, but the real, biblical one. From juice cleanses disguised as devotionals to guilt-fueled church fasts, they tackle the confusion, comedy, and convictions around how modern Christians view this ancient practice. Whether you’ve fasted out of faith, peer pressure, or f...

Are mission trips changing lives—or just locations? ✈️🌍 In this final part of our two-episode dive into Christian mission trips, Nate and Pastor Joseph ask the uncomfortable question: When does “doing good” turn into religious tourism? This episode is part reflection, part roast, and totally honest. Whether you’ve been on 10 trips, fundraised for one, or just wondered why your church is always fl...

🌍✈️ Mission trips: life-changing service or just jet lag, bug bites, and burnout? In this episode, Nate and Pastor Joseph dive into the reality behind short-term Christian mission trips. From inspiring moments to the messy chaos (literally), they unpack what makes these trips meaningful—and what makes them exhausting. With humor, sarcasm, and honesty, they explore how the church frames mission wo...

🎙 Suitcase packed. 📸 Selfies staged. ✝️ Savior proclaimed. In this wrap-up of our two-part series on missionaries, Nate and Pastor Joseph dive into the highs, lows, and awkward realities of life on the mission field. From Insta-worthy mission trip moments to the real challenges of carrying faith across borders, this episode is equal parts honest, sarcastic, and thought-provoking. This isn’t your...

They’ve got the luggage, the calling, and… a selfie stick. In this first of two episodes on Christian missionaries, Nate and Pastor Joseph dig into the passion, pitfalls, and awkward realities of bringing the Gospel across borders. From inspiring sacrifice to culture shock, they talk about what’s beautiful, what’s complicated, and what’s just plain weird in the world of missions. No guilt trips he...

We survived Christian dating… but just barely. 😅 In Episode 146 - We Survived Christian Dating - Barely, Nate and Pastor Joseph wrap up the series on dating and courtship through a Christian lens—this time unpacking what happens when purity culture, adult responsibilities, and overinvolved parents all crash into each other like a bad youth group mixer. This episode dives into real, raw, and sligh...

Still Trying to Date the “Christian Way”? You’re Not Alone. In Episode 145 – Still Figuring Out the “Christian Way” to Date, Nate and Pastor Joseph dive back into the chaos of Christian dating and courtship with brutal honesty, plenty of sarcasm, and the kind of real-talk the church usually avoids. This episode takes on big, uncomfortable questions: 👉 Is sex before marriage always wrong, even for...

Christian dating: still confusing, still hilarious. In Episode 144 – Sanctified Situationships, Explained, Nate and Pastor Joseph continue their no-fluff, occasionally too-honest conversation on what dating and courtship really look like through a Christian lens. They’re tackling the big questions: – Can Christians “cheat” without crossing that line? – When’s the right time to say “I love you”? –...

So… is Jesus cool with DMs? Let’s talk. 😅💬 In Episode 143 – Jesus, Courtship, and DMs, Nate and Pastor Joseph take a brutally honest (and sometimes hilarious) dive into what dating and courting actually look like through a Christian lens. If you’ve ever been confused about how physical is too physical, what “courting” even means anymore, or how to balance faith with modern romance—this one’s for...