This week, we launched a new series called “Failure to Thrive.” In it, we are taking a look at why some of us aren’t growing spiritually the way God intended. Jesus came to give us life to the full (John 10:10), but many believers feel stuck, exhausted, or spiritually dry.

In this first message, we explored the importance of Proper Rest, beginning with the truth that Jesus is our Sabbath Rest (Hebrews 4:9-11). True rest isn’t about escapism or laziness. It’s about trusting in Christ’s finished work, slowing down to sit at His feet like Mary, and rooting our identity in who we are in Him.

We rest by:

• Letting go of self-righteous striving (Philippians 3:7–9),
• Slowing our pace to enjoy God’s presence,
• Standing firm in our God-given identity (Colossians 3:3).

If you're feeling spiritually depleted, don’t just try harder, learn to rest better. Sabbath Rest is where healing begins, and where thriving becomes possible.

Next week: Proper Diet—how to nourish your soul. Don’t miss it!

Welcome back to the Christ Street Fellowship podcast. This week wraps up our summer series, Get Smart!—a deep dive into the wisdom of Proverbs. In this final message, Pastor Nate unpacks the incredible power of our words.

Proverbs 18:21 reminds us that "Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” And throughout the message, we see how words can either wound deeply or bring healing and hope.

We explored three key areas of wisdom when it comes to speech:

• Understanding vs. Ignorance – Are our words grounded in knowledge and humility, or are we just venting opinions?
• Restraint vs. Venting – Are we speaking to be heard, or listening with self-control and grace?
• Timeliness – Are we learning to speak the right words at the right time, led by the Spirit and godly counsel?

The message also called us to be peacemakers with our words, just as God made peace with us through The Word made flesh, Jesus Christ. Using the acronym P.E.A.C.E., Pastor Nate gave practical tools for de-escalating conflict and speaking life into hard situations.

In this message from our Get Smart series, Pastor Nate explores the path of humility through the wisdom of Proverbs. Pride is a subtle but totally pervasive and destructive force—often hiding in insecurity, self-righteousness, and even our faith. But humility, rightly understood, is living in reality: God is God, and we are not. With Scripture, real-life examples, and practical steps, this episode shows how choosing the low place leads to joy, freedom, and wisdom.

Key Passage: Proverbs 11:2 – “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.”

Keeping your "family car" running smoothly 

When you come to Christ, you don’t just get saved—you become a vessel, a vehicle God uses to accomplish His will. And that includes your family, both your natural family and your spiritual family in the Church.

God designed families to be like cars: built to move His mission forward, generation to generation. Parents are called to train their children, and spiritual leaders to shepherd the next generation in truth and grace. But let’s be honest, family life often breaks down. Sin, stress, and misalignment can leave us stranded.

Thankfully, God gave us an Owner’s Manual. Proverbs, and all of Scripture, offers wisdom to keep our relationships running smoothly. This Sunday, we’ll lift the hood and explore what it takes to get your “family car” tuned up and back on mission.

Is your family running at peak performance—or are there warning lights you’ve been ignoring? Join us as we dig into God’s Word and discover His roadmap for a thriving home.

In this teaching, Pastor Nate continues the "Get Smart" teaching series from the book of Proverbs with a focus on the topic of sex. What is the biblical view of sex? Why is sex so powerful? What can I do if I struggle in this area of my life? These are just a few of questions he answers while looking at both the book of Proverbs and the Song of Solomon. 

In this week’s message, we continued our summer series "Get Smart" through the book of Proverbs by turning our focus to God’s wisdom for marriage. Whether you’re married, single, dating, or hoping to be married one day, this teaching offered timeless truths for every heart. Pastor Nate discusses 5 truths that we see in Proverbs concerning marriage:

 1. A spouse is a blessing and gift from God

 2. Our character greatly affects our marriage

3. Faithfulness, romance and sex are vital to the health of a marriage

4. An argumentative spirit can harm the marriage, so we need to learn to fight fair, 

5. Marriages need support from other married friends. 

In this episode of our Get Smart sermon series through the book of Proverbs, we explore one of the most influential—and often neglected—aspects of godly living: Friendship. Proverbs is rich with wisdom on how to build, choose, and maintain friendships that are life-giving and Christ-centered! 

Benefits of friendship, which Proverbs outlines clearly:

*Support in Hard Times (Proverbs 17:17, Ecclesiastes 4:12)

*Counsel and Joy (Proverbs 27:9, 27:17)

*Becoming Like Family (Proverbs 18:24)

We then walked through how Proverbs teaches us to choose friends wisely:

*Walk with the wise (Proverbs 13:20)

*Avoid angry, foolish, or violent people (Proverbs 22:24–25; 14:7)

*Look for character, not just chemistry (Proverbs 18:24b)

But starting friendship isn’t enough—we need to maintain it:

*Speak truth with love (Proverbs 27:6; Ephesians 4:29)

*Be trustworthy (Proverbs 11:13, 16:28)

*Don’t abandon them (Proverbs 27:10)

In this episode, Pastor Nate invites us to see our daily work not as a burden, but as a calling. Through Proverbs and other Scripture, we’re reminded that God not only values effort and commands us to rest, and but our work is actually a reflection of Him and His love.

Key Scriptures: Genesis 1–3, Proverbs 10:4, 16:3, 24:30–34, Colossians 3:23, Luke 19:26, Ephesians 4:28
Big idea: Work is not about what we do—it’s about Who we reflect.

So whether you're flipping burgers, building homes, raising kids, crunching numbers, or leading a team, you’re working for the glory of God! 

This week, Pastor Nate  continues our journey through the book of Proverbs by exploring the theme of self-control—a powerful, protective, and essential virtue for godly living.

We start by reflecting on Proverbs 25:28, which compares a person without self-control to a city with broken-down walls—vulnerable and defenseless. Without self-control, we open ourselves to temptation, attack, and despair. But by applying the wisdom of Proverbs, we can begin rebuilding those protective walls.

We focus on three key areas where self-control matters most:

1. Guarding Our Words
   Proverbs teaches us to restrain our lips and think before we speak—not everything on our mind needs to be said. Wisdom comes when we acknowledge that we don't know it all and choose our words carefully, asking: Is it True, Helpful, Inspiring, Necessary, and Kind?
2. Practicing Patience
   Proverbs 16:32 tells us that patience is more powerful than physical strength. We saw this modeled in the lives of Jackie Robinson, MLK Jr., and Joseph, who all overcame injustice through patient endurance. We, too, must fix our eyes on the reward, trusting God’s timing.
3. Delaying Gratification
   From time and money to food and technology, Proverbs urges us to store up wisely and avoid overindulgence. Lack of self-control in these areas leads to regret, unpreparedness, and bondage. Small, daily decisions in stewardship and restraint lead to long-term peace and freedom.

Lastly, we look at self-control as a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23). This isn’t just about willpower or Stoic philosophy. True self-control comes from walking with the Spirit, surrendering our fleshly desires to God, and letting His power work in us. It's not behavior modification—it's spiritual transformation.

In today's episode, Pastor Nate dives into what the Book of Proverbs has to say about happiness. Spoiler alert: it’s not about chasing feelings — it’s about living wisely while pursuing Christ. Proverbs shows us that true happiness comes from a life rooted in wisdom, righteousness, and trust in God.

We explore verses like Proverbs 3:13 — “Happy is the one who finds wisdom and who gets understanding” which remind us that happiness isn’t found in quick fixes or external success, but in the choices we make daily to meditate on God's Word and live in humility, and generosity.

We finish up with a picture given to us in Psalm 1 by King David  about a person who finds his/her happiness in pursuing God. That person is like a tree planted by the rivers of water! Tune in for practical takeaways and spiritual encouragement as we unpack biblical wisdom for a happy life.