What if the most powerful ministry in your city is happening around kitchen tables and shop benches rather than stages? We walk through Romans 16 and watch a roll call of ordinary people—business owners, freedwomen, civil servants, travelers—carry the gospel across Rome. The theme threading it all together is simple and weighty: every believer is a priest, approved in Christ, and called to represent Him where they stand.

We start with Phoebe, a trusted leader who hand-delivers Paul’s letter and builds her business in Rome while serving the church. From there we reconnect with Priscilla and Aquila—the tentmaking couple who risked their lives and opened their home for a congregation—showing how vocation can fund mission and hospitality can become a sanctuary. Names become stories: Andronicus and Junia, noted among the apostles; Ampliatus and Stachys tied to Caesar’s household; Urbanus the slave; Persis who labored much; Rufus, likely the son of Simon who carried Jesus’ cross; Hermas with a redeemed name and a writer’s pen. Each person widens the map of grace, proving that the gospel levels status and multiplies influence through faithful presence.

Along the way we press into practical takeaways. Real unity looks like culture-shaped affection and concrete support—housing travelers, resourcing callings, and honoring quiet labor. Real discernment means marking teaching that adds requirements to grace or rebuilds walls the cross tore down. And real mission happens in public roles too, as believers act as salt and light within civic life, work, and neighborhood networks. If you’ve ever doubted your place because your stage seems small, Romans 16 invites you to see your ordinary obedience as part of God’s extraordinary plan.

Listen to be encouraged, challenged, and re-centered on the gospel that approves and sends you. If this conversation helped you see your calling with fresh eyes, follow the show, share it with a friend who serves behind the scenes, and leave a review with the name of an unsung saint you want to honor.

Come On Up is the radio ministry of The Mountain Cross in Waynesville North Carolina. To learn more about us please visit: TheMountainCross.com.

What if the biggest barrier to unity isn’t doctrine but our need to win? Walking through Romans 15, we explore why the cross frees us to receive one another, how the Old Testament fuels New Testament hope, and what it looks like when Jews and Gentiles rejoice with one voice. Pastor Carl paints a vivid picture of a church that chooses people over preferences and mission over minor victories, anchored by the God of patience and encouragement who makes us like-minded in Christ.

We dig into the heart-level shift that happens when reproach falls on Jesus and not on us: guilt and shame lose their grip, and hope, joy, and peace take root through believing. That inner freedom translates into outward love. We talk about generosity as worship, as Gentile churches support Jerusalem, and about practical restraint that refuses to trip a brother for the sake of flaunting liberty. Unity becomes credible when it costs us something—and it becomes compelling when it sings the same gospel in many voices.

Paul’s calling to pioneer new ground comes alive here. He refuses to boast in what Christ did not do through him, relying on the Spirit’s power rather than polish or pressure. From Jerusalem to Illyricum and onward to Spain, the pattern is clear: God works, we participate, and the pressure is off. We share Paul’s plans to visit Rome, his request for prayer amid real danger, and a blessing that lands with weight: may the God of hope fill you with joy and peace so you abound in hope by the Holy Spirit. 

Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs courage, and leave a review telling us where you’re trusting God to build unity and open new doors.

Come On Up is the radio ministry of The Mountain Cross in Waynesville North Carolina. To learn more about us please visit: TheMountainCross.com.

What if the strongest thing you can do with your freedom is lay it down for someone else’s good? We walk through Romans with Pastor Carl to explore a countercultural vision of Christian liberty—one that refuses to flaunt rights and instead chooses love that protects tender consciences and builds real community.

We start where everything begins: the cross. Christ bore reproach and died for us while we were still sinners, setting the pattern for self-denial that lifts others. From food and drink to technology and daily habits, we unpack how neutral things become harmful when they distract, divide, or entice a brother back into chains. Paul’s warning about the judgment seat of Christ brings gravity to our choices, while his call to pursue peace, righteousness, and joy in the Holy Spirit gives us a positive map for everyday decisions.

Along the way, we address modern flashpoints like alcohol in a culture marked by addiction, the hidden idolatry of devices, and the subtle pride of “proving” our freedom. Pastor Carl highlights how true strength bears with the weak, enters only when invited, and aims for edification over ego. We also celebrate the gospel’s power to unite Jews and Gentiles—people with deep, different histories—into one body that majors on Christ rather than minors on preferences.

If you’ve ever wondered how to hold convictions without becoming judgmental, or how to enjoy liberty without becoming a stumbling block, this conversation offers clear, Scripture-shaped guidance. Listen, reflect, and consider where love might ask you to yield. If the message resonates, share it with a friend, subscribe for more verse-by-verse teaching, and leave a review to help others find the show.

Come On Up is the radio ministry of The Mountain Cross in Waynesville North Carolina. To learn more about us please visit: TheMountainCross.com.

What if our biggest church fights aren’t about truth, but about taste? We open Romans 14–15 and face the everyday places where convictions collide—food choices, holiday practices, styles, even the trivial stuff that somehow derails our love. Paul’s counsel to the Roman church becomes a roadmap for us: receive the weak without quarrels, refuse to despise or judge, and remember that the person across from you has already been received by God.

We unpack how “put on the Lord Jesus Christ” reframes liberty, conscience, and community. One believer eats, another abstains; one marks a day, another treats every day alike—each unto the Lord, each giving thanks. The point is not uniformity but maturity: deny yourself when your freedom might wound a brother’s conscience, and pursue what makes for peace and mutual upbuilding. Along the way we tackle modern mirrors of ancient debates—technology that can serve or enslave, health choices that differ by person, and the magnetism of petty preferences that scatter fellowship. The warning lands with weight: do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died.

If the Kingdom of God is not eating and drinking but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit, then our priorities must shift. We talk about living and dying to the Lord, the sobering hope of the judgment seat of Christ, and the practical habits that foster unity without diluting conviction. Expect clear teaching, honest stories, and concrete takeaways on how to protect a brother’s conscience, choose love over leverage, and let the gospel—not our preferences—set the tone.

If this conversation helps you rethink community, share it with a friend, subscribe for more verse-by-verse teaching, and leave a review to help others find the show.

Come On Up is the radio ministry of The Mountain Cross in Waynesville North Carolina. To learn more about us please visit: TheMountainCross.com.

What if the most powerful way to confront evil is not outrage, but love that refuses to strike back? We walk through Romans 12–13 and unpack how agape love fulfills the law, why blessing enemies is possible only by the Spirit, and how living prayerfully keeps us from chasing what never satisfies.

We then face a thorny tension with clarity and care: honoring governing authorities while guarding conscience before God. Respect, taxes, and public integrity are part of Christian maturity, yet there are moments when obedience to God must overrule the demands of people. We look to Acts 4, where Peter and John model respectful defiance—boldly proclaiming Jesus when told to be silent—and we ask what that looks like in our time. The goal is not rebellion for its own sake, but a steady witness that exalts what is good, restrains what is evil, and keeps Jesus at the center.

Urgency threads through the whole conversation. The night is fading and the day is at hand, so we cast off works of darkness, put on the armor of light, and make no provision for the flesh. Hope fuels that urgency: the promised return of Christ strengthens weary hearts and sharpens our mission. We explore how this blessed hope shapes courage, kindness, and a public faith that is both humble and unafraid. Render to Caesar what is Caesar’s; render to God what is God’s—and let your whole life speak the gospel.

If this message encouraged you, share it with a friend, subscribe for more verse-by-verse teaching, and leave a review to help others find the show. What stood out most, and where do you feel called to act this week?

Come On Up is the radio ministry of The Mountain Cross in Waynesville North Carolina. To learn more about us please visit: TheMountainCross.com.

Love without hypocrisy sounds simple—until you try to live it. We walk through Romans to explore how to hate evil, cling to good, and love people with the same mercy God showed us while we were still sinners. Pastor Carl unpacks spiritual gifts with practical clarity—prophecy in proportion to faith, teaching that aligns with lived conviction, leadership that refuses to quit, and mercy delivered with cheer—so service becomes a response to grace rather than a search for applause.

From there, we tackle one of the hardest calls of the Christian life: blessing those who persecute us. We name sin plainly without demeaning people, resist the pull of revenge, and practice the shocking strategy of overcoming evil with good. That looks like rejoicing in hope, being patient in tribulation, staying steadfast in prayer, and “killing them with kindness” by meeting needs—even when emotions run hot. Humility anchors the community as we consider others above ourselves, weep with the hurting, celebrate wins, and refuse to be “wise in our own opinion.”

We also wrestle with life under authority. Scripture urges us to live peaceably and respect governing structures that God uses for the common good, while acknowledging the conscience questions that arise when rulers stray from righteousness. The thread through it all is trust—trusting God with justice, with timing, and with hearts, including our own. If you’re ready to trade outrage for faithful action, this message offers a clear, hopeful path shaped by the gospel.

Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs courage today, and leave a review to help others find the teaching. Then tell us: where do you see good overcoming evil this week?

Come On Up is the radio ministry of The Mountain Cross in Waynesville North Carolina. To learn more about us please visit: TheMountainCross.com.

Ever feel like following Jesus is an impossible checklist you’ll never complete? We walk through Romans 12 and 13 to show why Paul calls surrender a “reasonable” way to live, how grace—not willpower—fuels real change, and what a renewed mind looks like in everyday choices. After grounding the conversation in the gospel’s “therefore,” we explore how presenting our bodies as a living sacrifice reshapes ambition, identity, and practice. From there, we unpack discernment: learning to recognize God’s good and perfect will through Scripture, honest prayer, and wise community while resisting the world’s pressure to conform.

We also get practical about humility and calling. God measures faith and distributes gifts, so the church thrives as one body with many roles. You’ll hear how prophetic conviction, patient teaching, steady service, generous giving, diligent leadership, and cheerful mercy work together—not as spiritual status symbols but as acts of worship. Along the way, we confront a counterfeit kindness that blesses what breaks people. Love without hypocrisy means abhorring evil, clinging to what is good, and pointing hurting hearts to the cross where forgiveness and freedom are found.

Finally, we draw a simple map for resilient discipleship: honor others, keep at it when it’s hard, rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, stay steadfast in prayer, and practice hospitality that turns beliefs into welcome. If you’re weary from trying to be “good enough,” this conversation will help you trade striving for Spirit-empowered living and find your place in the family of God. 

If the message resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend who could use some hope, and leave a review telling us which part of Romans 12 challenged you most.

Come On Up is the radio ministry of The Mountain Cross in Waynesville North Carolina. To learn more about us please visit: TheMountainCross.com.

What if your life is part of a story that started long before you—and your calling can’t be taken back? We open Romans and trace the arc from creation, fall, and covenant to the Messiah who grafts Jew and Gentile into one living vine. Along the way, we confront pride, despair, and spiritual drift with Paul’s olive tree image, learning why abiding in Christ isn’t a slogan—it’s the only way to bear real fruit.

We walk through the mystery of Israel’s partial hardening and the “fullness of the Gentiles,” exploring how mercy to the nations becomes a witness back to Israel. Pastor Carl unpacks why “the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable,” what it means to be grafted in by faith, and how God’s kindness and severity steady our steps. Expect clear teaching on abiding, repentance, and hope, plus a sober reminder that boasting has no place in a salvation built on grace. If God could graft wild branches into a cultivated tree, he can graft the natural branches back—and he can restore you when you’ve wandered.

This conversation blends theology and practice: honoring the Old Testament roots that feed the gospel, recognizing Jesus as the true vine who sustains us, and stepping into a lived response—witness boldly, return quickly, worship deeply. We end where Paul ends, in awe: of him, through him, and to him are all things. 

If this stirred your heart or clarified your next step, subscribe, share with a friend who needs courage, and leave a review so others can find the message. What’s one way you’ll abide and act on your calling this week?

Come On Up is the radio ministry of The Mountain Cross in Waynesville North Carolina. To learn more about us please visit: TheMountainCross.com.

Grace changes everything, and Romans 11 shows us how. We open with Jesus’ image of the grain of wheat that dies to bring life, then follow Paul’s clear line: if it’s grace, it cannot be earned. From there we unpack the olive tree and vine metaphors to reveal why holiness flows from the Root—Christ himself—and how real fruit only grows when we abide. Along the way, we confront spiritual stupor, the danger of pride, and the subtle drift that leaves us busy yet brittle.

We also explore a tension many skip: Israel’s stumble and the Gentiles’ salvation. Rather than fuel boasting, Paul says this story should humble us. Gentile believers are grafted into promises first entrusted to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and our rescue is meant to spark a holy jealousy that draws Israel back to their Messiah. That perspective reframes church identity, encourages deeper engagement with the whole Bible, and pushes back against the myth that we support the root of our faith. The root supports us.

If you’re tired of striving, this conversation offers a way back to life. We talk through practical habits for abiding—staying near the Word, seeking God in prayer, repenting quickly, and encouraging one another when we drift. We hold together the goodness and severity of God, the hope of future restoration for Israel, and the daily hope of life from the dead for anyone who clings to Jesus. Subscribe, share with a friend who needs grace today, and leave a review to help others find the show. What part challenged you most, and where do you sense God inviting you to abide?

Come On Up is the radio ministry of The Mountain Cross in Waynesville North Carolina. To learn more about us please visit: TheMountainCross.com.

We walk through Romans 11 and the dramatic story of Elijah to show why God preserves a remnant by grace and how that changes the way we live, pray, and speak. Paul’s opening claim sets the tone: God has not cast away His people. From there, we unpack Israel’s recurring pattern of drift and return as a mirror for our own hearts, then follow Elijah to Mount Carmel where fire falls from heaven, the people repent, and a single threat from Jezebel sends a weary prophet running. That whiplash becomes the lens for a deeper truth: courage fades when we rely on ourselves, but hope returns when we remember God’s quiet work and His seven thousand who haven’t bowed.

We dig into the remnant “according to the election of grace,” contrasting grace and works with Paul’s blunt clarity. If salvation is a gift, it cannot be earned; if it must be earned, it isn’t grace. That distinction isn’t abstract—it’s the difference between a faith crushed by striving and a faith sustained by Christ’s finished work. We talk about how Scripture protects us from spiritual stupor, how idols like approval and comfort sneak in, and why steady habits of prayer and simple witness bear fruit in ways we can’t always see. Along the way, we connect Jesus’ picture of the seed that dies and produces much fruit to a resilient life that chooses eternal gain over short-term applause.

Expect a grounded, practical invitation: keep praying for those far from God, keep speaking the gospel with humility and courage, and keep trusting that hidden faithfulness counts. God’s work often runs under the noise of culture, and that’s good news for anyone who feels alone. If this conversation encouraged you, subscribe, share it with a friend who needs hope, and leave a review to help others find it.

Come On Up is the radio ministry of The Mountain Cross in Waynesville North Carolina. To learn more about us please visit: TheMountainCross.com.