Wisdom for the Wilderness

In this heartfelt final episode of Wisdom for the Wilderness with Pastors Zack and Josh, they sit down to tell the full story of Overland Church — from the very beginning to where it stands today. Pastor Zack shares how the Lord moved his heart toward church planting while serving at Buck Run Baptist Church in Kentucky, the difficult decision to leave the Bible Belt for Fort Collins, Colorado, and...

In this episode of Wisdom for the Wilderness, Pastors Zack and Josh tackle the growing conversation around Protestants—especially young men—converting to Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, and high-church traditions. They examine the actual data (spoiler: Catholicism is flat or declining overall, and more Catholics are becoming evangelicals than the reverse), the cultural and emotional attractions to...

In this episode of Wisdom for the Wilderness, Pastors Zack and Josh address one of the most powerful cultural forces shaping our world today: expressive individualism — the idea that your deepest feelings define you, and the highest goal in life is discovering and expressing your “true self” no matter the cost. They explore: What expressive individualism really is and how it contrasts with healthy...

In this episode of Wisdom for the Wilderness, Pastors Zack and Josh tackle the latest wave of UFO and alien headlines — including President Trump’s promised disclosures, congressional hearings, and claims that alien revelation could shake people’s faith or drive them to church. With honesty and biblical clarity, they discuss: Why conspiracy theories and government secrecy stories keep resurfacing...

In this heartfelt and transparent episode of Wisdom for the Wilderness, founding pastor Zack Thurman and Pastor Josh sit down to share the difficult news of Zack’s upcoming departure from Overland Church. With honesty, tears, laughter, and deep pastoral care, they walk the church through the emotions and practical realities of transitioning from its founding pastor to the next shepherd. Zack opens...

In this episode of Wisdom for the Wilderness, Pastors Zack and Josh sit down with special guest Chris Parrish, pastor of Buck Run Baptist Church and their sending church leader. Drawing from years of pastoral experience and deep friendship, they explore one of the most practical and biblical questions in church life: What makes a good church member? They begin with why meaningful, formal church me...

In this timely episode, Pastors Zack and Josh tackle one of the most discussed worldviews of our generation: Islam. With headlines involving the new mayor of New York City (Zohran Mamdani), immigration debates in Europe and the U.S., conflicts like the recent Operation Epic Fury against Iran, and ongoing cultural shifts, Christians need a clear, biblical understanding of what Islam actually teache...

In this timely and weighty episode, Pastors Zack and Josh explore just war theory—a historic Christian framework for thinking about when (and how) war can be morally justified in a broken, sinful world. Drawing from Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, Romans 13, and the Sermon on the Mount, they walk through the classic criteria of justice before war, during war, and after war. As the podcast releases roug...

In this episode, Pastors Josh and Zack tackle a listener question about boycotting businesses that promote non-biblical values—especially around LGBTQ+ issues like Pride Month displays at Target. But they quickly move to what they see as the bigger, more personal issue: How do Christians faithfully navigate secular workplaces when companies push agendas that conflict with biblical convictions? Top...

In this follow-up to Pastor Zack's sermon on 1 Timothy 2:11-15, Pastors Josh and Zack sit down to answer your questions about women in the church, complementarianism, and what the Bible teaches about gender roles in leadership, the home, and beyond. They recap the key passage—"Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man......

In this special episode of Wisdom for the Wilderness, Pastors Zack and Josh reflect on the profound mix of sorrow and joy in "gospel goodbyes" as Overland Church commissions and sends Pastor Brandon Dupré and a launch team to plant Overland Church North Fort Collins. With rapid growth and new homes in the area, this crosstown plant (launching Easter Sunday) represents bold obedience to the Great C...

In this episode of Wisdom for the Wilderness, Pastors Zack Thurman and Josh Hutchens tackle a listener question: "What do you think about IVF?" Drawing from personal family experiences with infertility, they offer deep compassion for the "unique sorrow" of longing for children in a broken world—echoing biblical stories like Rachel and Hannah. They explain the IVF process plainly (egg retrieval, la...

In this listener Q&A episode of  Wisdom for the Wilderness , Pastors Zack Thurman and Josh Hutchens tackle a pressing question: How do we discern false teachers in an age flooded with Christian books, sermons, videos, and online content? Building on recent sermons from 1 Timothy and our episode on theological triage, the pastors define key terms—heresy (denial of core gospel truths leading to...

In this follow-up to last week's discussion on receiving criticism, Pastors Zack Thurman and Josh Hutchens explore how to cultivate true critical thinking as Christians—without slipping into a critical, fault-finding spirit.  We live in a world of two ditches: naive acceptance of everything (being tossed to and fro by every idea) or chronic cynicism that sees problems in everyone and everything. S...

In this episode, pastors discuss the biblical approach to receiving, evaluating, and giving criticism—especially in leadership, faith, and daily life. Learn how to distinguish godly critique from ungodly critique, handle it with grace, and grow through feedback. Key Topics Developing a tough yet teachable mindset towards criticism. Proverbs' teachings on loving discipline and reproof. Differentiat...

Summary In this episode, the hosts discuss the significance of the book of Proverbs in the Christian life, emphasizing its role as a source of wisdom and practical guidance. They explore common misinterpretations of Proverbs, the genre of wisdom literature, and the importance of understanding the context and guiding principles for reading these texts. The conversation highlights the balance betwee...

Join Pastors Zack and Josh on Wisdom for the Wilderness as they tackle a timely topic: video games and grown-up Christians. Building on a previous discussion about kids and gaming, this episode shifts focus to adults—who, statistically, make up the largest group of gamers (with the average age around 35–36 and nearly 60% of adults playing weekly). The pastors approach the conversation with humilit...

In this episode of Wisdom for the Wilderness, Pastors Zack and Josh dive deep into why the family remains the most foundational institution in society—designed by God from creation, not invented by humans. Drawing from Genesis, they unpack God's blueprint for marriage as a lifelong covenant between one man and one woman, the call to be fruitful and multiply, and how male-female complementarity ref...

*Note: This episode was recorded prior to the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti on January 24, 2026, in Minneapolis. That event is not covered in the discussion.* In this episode, Pastors Josh and Zack discuss a recent disruption at Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota—a fellow Southern Baptist congregation in the SEND Network—where anti-ICE protesters interrupted a worship service to protest a lay pa...

Welcome to Wisdom for the Wilderness , the weekly podcast from the pastors of Overland Church, where Zack and Josh dive into the Bible, theology, and real-life wisdom for everyday believers. In this episode, we tackle two dangerous extremes that every Christian faces daily:  legalism  (adding man-made rules to earn God's favor, like the Pharisees—or even Eve adding "don't touch" to God's command)...

Kick off 2026 with Pastors Zack and Josh on  Wisdom for the Wilderness  as they reflect on standout episodes from 2025 (and a couple from 2024) and share  six essential pieces of wisdom  to equip you for the year ahead. In this special year-end review, they revisit critical topics every Christian family needs: Protecting kids from the dangers of smartphones and social media: https://youtu.be/rOtYw...

Kick off 2026 with Pastors Zack and Josh on  Wisdom for the Wilderness  as they tackle a timely question: Is ambition a good thing for Christians? In this New Year's episode, the pastors explore the dangers of worldly ambition—rooted in pride, vanity, fame, or materialism—while making a strong case that the opposite extreme (laziness or aimlessness) is not the biblical answer. Instead, they call l...

As 2025 wraps up and 2026 approaches, Pastors Zack and Josh encourage listeners to evaluate and renew their commitment to Bible reading in this final episode of the year. They discuss the value of New Year's resolutions for spiritual habits, the dangers of neglecting God's Word (drawing from Nehemiah's "bring back the book"), and why spending time in Scripture is the most profitable use of your ti...

In this episode of  Wisdom for the Wilderness , Pastors Zack and Josh tackle a listener question that many Christian parents wrestle with: How should we think about letting our kids play video games? Drawing from Scripture and personal experience, they explore a biblical framework for discipleship in a digital age—examining issues like stewardship of time, the shaping of affections and imagination...

In this heartfelt episode of  Wisdom for the Wilderness , Pastors Zack and Josh tackle the often-thorny reality of spending holidays with extended family. Drawing from personal stories—like Thanksgiving mishaps, in-law dynamics, and encounters with "that" opinionated relative—they explore why many family conflicts stem from our own expectations and fragility rather than outright toxicity. With hum...