AFTERWORDS: A Riverview Church Podcast

In this episode, Alex sits down with James, Tony, Hezekiah, and Jon to unpack a weekend of messages centered on contentment and the tension between ambition, wealth, and faith. The conversation explores how desire shapes our lives, why contentment is something learned rather than found, and how both scarcity and abundance can pull us away from trusting Christ. Drawing from Scripture, personal stor...

In this Episode, Alex talks with Noel about what turned out to be a chaotic but revealing weekend, as a flooded auditorium at the Holt Venue forced us to scatter across venues and live out its “one house, many rooms” identity in real time. From there, the conversation turns to the launch of the Rivals series, where Jesus Christ teaching about money as a competing master becomes the focus. Noel ref...

Jason sits down with Noel and Jordan to unpack Easter weekend, from the challenge of preaching to a mixed crowd of regular attenders, first-time guests, and “Christmas and Easter” visitors to the joy of seeing lives changed through baptism. They reflect on why the Easter message does not need a fresh twist as much as it needs a clear, faithful retelling, and they compare the different ways Noel an...

In this episode of AfterWords, Jason and Noel wrap up the church’s long journey through Acts and reflect on what surprised them most about the One More series, especially the way it captured the imagination of the church and led to more than 200 baptisms (including this upcoming Easter weekend). They talk about the intentionally unresolved ending of Acts, whether Paul ever actually got his audienc...

This episode of AfterWords unpacks Acts 27 through a lively group conversation about cruises, storms, and what it means to trust God when life feels out of control. Alex is joined by Jordan, Tony, Hez, and James, and they explore how God’s sovereignty and human responsibility meet in the middle of suffering, and why Paul’s confidence rested not in calm circumstances but in God’s promises. The conv...

Jason talks with Noel about Paul’s trial before Agrippa and what it reveals about purpose in difficult circumstances. Noel explains how Paul’s situation wasn’t just something to escape, but a position God was using, even when the outcome was uncertain. The conversation explores the tension of interpreting narrative Scripture without turning it into a formula, while still drawing meaningful princip...

In this episode of AfterWords , Jason and Noel talk through a passage in Acts that initially felt “administrative,” but unexpectedly resonated with many people who feel like life is heading in the wrong direction. Their conversation centers on the tension between God’s promises and the long seasons of waiting that often come before those promises are fulfilled. They reflect on how God’s faithfulne...

Jason sits down with Noel to unpack the weekend message from Acts, starting with Noel’s brand-new status as a grandfather and ending with a deeper look at how Paul navigated conflict and opposition. The conversation explores why fear often leads people to silence, how to “drop the temperature” in difficult conversations, and what it looks like to speak about faith naturally instead of treating peo...

In this episode, Jason and the teaching team unpack the tension in Acts 21 around Paul’s decision to go to Jerusalem despite repeated warnings of suffering. They explore whether anyone was “wrong,” how to interpret prophecy faithfully, and what it means to test our understanding of suffering rather than avoid it. The conversation moves into the difference between contextualizing the gospel and com...

In this episode, Jason sits down with Tony, James, Jordan, and Hezekiah to unpack Acts 20, including Paul’s farewell to the Ephesian elders and the late-night gathering where Eutychus falls from a window. They reflect on what it reveals about the early church’s rhythms, Paul’s long obedience to his mission, and what it means to say, “my life is of no value to myself.” The conversation also explore...

In this episode of the Afterwards Podcast, Jason and Noel unpack Acts 19, focusing on what it means to have an incomplete understanding of faith and why the Holy Spirit matters in the life of a believer. They explore baptism—where it came from, what it signifies, and why belief in Jesus comes before having everything figured out. The conversation widens to the idea of the gospel not just changing...

In this episode, Jason and Noel unpack the sermon from Acts 18, moving behind the scenes to talk about sermon prep, manuscripts, teleprompters, and why experienced pastors still feel panic before preaching. Noel reflects on imposter syndrome as a possible means of grace, how God works through weakness, and why humility and confidence often coexist in faithful leadership. The conversation also expl...

Jason and Noel dive into Acts 17, exploring how Paul masterfully adapted his message to different audiences without compromising the Gospel. They discuss the tension of maintaining a "cross-eyed" perspective—holding fast to Scripture while remaining culturally fluent—and address listener questions about idols and engaging with secular art. The conversation also highlights the importance of becomin...

This week, Jason talks with all four teachers to unpack one of the most layered stretches in Acts, where a single passage could have turned into a dozen different sermons. The conversation explores how pastors decide what to emphasize, how audience and venue shape application, and why disagreement, blocked plans, and hardship can still be part of God’s direction. The group digs into Paul and Barna...

Alex fills in for Jason again and dives deep with Noel into Acts 15 and why it represents a pivotal, make-or-break moment for the early church. Noel unpacks how the Jerusalem Council wrestled with grace, law, unity, and cultural difference, and why that tension still matters today. The conversation explores how good preferences can quietly turn into expectations and even requirements, often withou...

In this episode, Noel and Alex dive into the challenges of living authentically in a culture that often tries to "neutralize" the edges of Jesus to fit a personal or social algorithm. They discuss the biblical account of Paul in Lystra, exploring what it means to truly deny oneself and prioritize Christ over the modern idols of politics, money, and comfort. The conversation also touches on the cos...

Jason sits down with Hezekiah and James to debrief Christmas Eve at the venues and talk about what made the night feel like a full-family celebration. From there, the conversation moves into Acts 13, including the very real geography of Paul’s journey and why seeing “scripture in stone” changes how you read the text. They wrestle with how the early church balanced planning with Spirit-led pivots,...

In this episode of the AfterWords Podcast, Jason sits down with Tony and James to talk through their Acts messages, starting with the church in Syrian Antioch as a strategic, multicultural “launching pad” for the gospel. They trace how persecution in Acts repeatedly backfires on the opponents of the church and becomes “rocket fuel” for the spread of Jesus’ message, often through unnamed believers....

Jason and Noel unpack a pivotal passage in Acts where baptism, obedience, and the gospel’s expansion collide in real time. They talk through Riverview’s decision to offer spontaneous baptisms whenever they appear in Acts and share stories of lives changed on the spot. The conversation widens to Peter, Cornelius, and the uncomfortable work of letting go of deeply held beliefs when God does somethin...

In this conversation, Jason talks with Tony, Jordan, and Hezekiah, and unpacks Acts 9:32–10:8. They start by exploring how each wrestled with finding the “thread” that ties together a set of seemingly disconnected stories. They discuss the purpose of miracles, why they often weren’t for the person healed, and how that shapes the way we think about suffering and unanswered prayer today. The group d...

In this episode, Jason and Noel unpack Saul’s surprising transformation in Acts 9, exploring how a man who seemed spiritually flawless—and deeply dangerous—could be so radically redirected by Jesus. They discuss Saul’s early influence, his role in the persecution of the church, and why his conversion required such extraordinary trust from the first believers. Noel explains how Scripture frames mis...

This episode of the Afterwards Podcast starts with a lighthearted debate about Christmas decorations—real vs. fake trees, timing, and “country living”—before pivoting into a deeper conversation about two consecutive weeks of baptisms across Riverview’s venues. Jason, Tony, Justin, and Jordan share stories of planned and spontaneous baptisms, including students at MSU, families driving in from out...

This week, Noel recaps a whirlwind weekend that included church planters, Harley rides, and the unexpected guest star of the morning: a spider swimming in his water cup. Jason and Noel unpack the message from Acts 8, exploring why Philip went to a place everyone assumed was irredeemable—and how God upended those assumptions. They dive into persecution, joy, baptism, Simon the Sorcerer, and why ear...

In this episode of the Afterwards Podcast , Alex and Noel talk about the message from Acts 7 and how Stephen’s boldness, forgiveness, and faith in the face of death challenge believers today. Noel explains how Stephen’s sermon before the Sanhedrin exposed Israel’s history of resisting God’s work, connecting it to how the church today must fight comfort and remain open to being sent out. They discu...

In this episode of the AfterWords Podcast , Jason and Noel unpack Acts 6, where rapid growth in the early church led to tension, complaints, and the creation of a new leadership structure. They discuss how the apostles handled the challenge of unmet needs without losing focus on prayer and preaching, and how that model still shapes church life today. The conversation ranges from coffee cleanups to...