In today’s podcast, we want to tackle a topic that seems to come up from time to time, but from another angle…and that’s community. What does it take to foster and grow in community? Fulfillment and life come in community…but at the cost of getting let down or not accepted. The big idea today is that vulnerability leads to community. This is the weekly grind and this is Courage to Belong.

In today's podcast, we confront one of the biggest obstacles in our culture. It has become the new way we measure success: our busyness. Our society has turned from Christianity at an alarming rate, but they are not turning away from religion. Replacement religions--our politics, our kids, our health, the types of food we eat--have become a moral stomping ground where we strive to get ahead and gain credibility in our comparison culture.

Resource:

"Seculosity" by David Zahl

In today's podcast, we look ahead at 2020 while also looking back at the life of Mister Rogers. What is it about Mister Rogers that fascinates us to this day? His gentleness? His humility? His love for others? Mister Rogers was a great man of faith who showed us what it looks like to live out the Fruit of the Spirit. Let's be more like Mister Rogers in 2020 and beyond!

In today's episode, we talk about how difficult it can be to wait. We are impatient people. But if we manage to wait upon the Lord, it's amazing what He can do in our lives--what He WANTS to do in our lives!

God's pace is perfect. The enemy wants us to rush...God wants us to be silent and wait upon Him.

* Faith is experienced in the waiting

* Perseverance is lived out in the waiting

* Strength is developed in the waiting

* Endurance is tested in the waiting

Resources:

StrengthsFinder 2.0 by Tom Rath

New American Standard Bible - Psalm 62

Mental health has become a national conversation...and rightfully so. Mental health is key to healthy living. But how do we pursue good mental health? In today's podcast, we join the conversation and offer what we believe is the key: pursuing Christ and allowing the Holy Spirit to transform us and work through us.

Mentioned resources:

Get Out of Your Head: Stopping the Spiral of Toxic Thoughts

https://www.amazon.com/Get-Out-Your-Head-Stopping/dp/1601429649/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1W1914A5839UJ&keywords=jennie+allen&qid=1574390823&sprefix=jennie+all%2Caps%2C380&sr=8-1

It's simple--we are all called to go and make disciples. But what does that mean and what does that look like lived out? One of the best ways we can make disciples of Christ is by inviting others into our lives: in our work, our personal life, our family life, our church life. In doing this, we show them what it truly looks like to be a Christ follower...more than just words.

In today's podcast, the question is: Did God Change? The God of the Old Testament and the New Testament seem very different. What happened? It's a question that is often asked, so we do our best to show how God is actually constant. His character is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Today on the podcast, we dive into one of Chip's heroes: John Wesley. His method to better understand and live out Scripture is often known as the Wesleyan Quadrilateral. Ultimately, this method puts the influence of Scripture in its proper place...above things like tradition, reason, and experience. But it's tradition, reason, and experience that help us understand and live our Scripture to the fullest.

Today on the podcast we discuss the Biblical idea and mandate that our American culture seems to bulk at: rest. Not only is the principal of rest relevant in the physical, it is vital in our spiritual lives as well.

Today on the podcast we are joined by the newest member of the NapNaz team: Justin Braun. We spend some time talking with him about God’s call on his life and how he has navigated finding God’s will through the past few years from a successful engineering major to pastoral ministry.