Connect the Kingdom

This week on Connect the Kingdom, Trent, Chris, and Jonathan continue the DOORS conversation with a surprising question: What if the thing holding you back isn't something bad—but something God once used for good?

We all have doors in our lives. Some lead to freedom, some lead to purpose, and others are trapdoors that pull us right back into the things God has already brought us through.

But here's where it gets interesting: Sometimes we're so busy looking back at what God did that we miss what He's doing.

From the Israelites longing for Egypt to Hezekiah destroying the bronze serpent, the guys explore how regret, comparison, disappointment, and even past blessings can quietly become barriers to our future.

Along the way, there's a women's retreat that leaves the dads fending for themselves, questionable dinner choices, a little talk about Spam, and a powerful testimony about finding God's peace in the middle of a difficult season.

In this episode, we're asking:

• Are you allowing your past to define your identity?

• Can something God once blessed become something you're now holding too tightly?

• Are you seeking God's presence—or trying to recreate an old experience?

• What does it look like to close the trapdoors and walk forward in freedom?

God isn't asking you to live in yesterday's victory. He's inviting you into what He's doing today.

Maybe it's time to stop staring at the door behind you and start walking through the one He's opening in front of you.

This week on Connect the Kingdom, Trent, Chris, and Jonathan continue the DOORS series with a conversation about the doors we open in our hearts, the things we try to keep hidden, and the incredible treasure God places inside imperfect people.

But first, the guys celebrate a very special moment as Jonathan shares the story of finally adopting his two daughters after three and a half years. What follows is a powerful conversation about belonging, redemption, and the beautiful truth that our past doesn't have to determine our future.

Then it's back to the Bible as the guys explore King Hezekiah's radical housecleaning, why worship keeps the door of our hearts open to God's presence, and how the story of a sunken Spanish treasure ship reveals something remarkable about the treasure we carry in Christ.

And somehow, all of that leads to ancient idols, biblical outhouses, the Valley of Gehenna, Judas's thirty pieces of silver, and a surprisingly meaningful discussion about what happens when we stop making room for the things that are destroying us.

Because God isn't looking for perfect vessels. He's looking for hearts willing to open the door. And no matter how broken your past may be, the treasure He's placed inside you is worth more than you know.

Are we allowing our politics to interpret our Bible instead of allowing our Bible to inform our politics?

It's a question worth asking—especially when faith, government, and personal convictions become deeply intertwined.

In this extended bonus episode, Trent, Chris, and Jonathan discuss Christianity's relationship with political power, the responsibilities of pastors, and the challenges of applying biblical principles in a divided culture.

Through a close examination of public statements by James Talarico, the conversation addresses competing theological interpretations, Christian nationalism, abortion, and the role of the church in public life.

The discussion is direct, and the disagreements are real. But underneath the political questions is a spiritual one: What does it mean to put Jesus first when the world demands that we choose sides?

This is a call to all Christians: Don't forfeit your voice!

Our faith doesn't exist in isolation from the world around us. Politics shapes our communities, our families, and our culture. The question isn't simply whether Christians should engage, but how we can do so with biblical conviction, wisdom, and love—without allowing political differences to divide the body of Christ.

This week on Connect the Kingdom, Trent, Chris, and Jonathan kick off the DOORS series with a question we've all wrestled with: How do you know when God is opening a door, closing a door, or simply asking you to wait?

From the Key of David in Scripture to the surprising ways God directs our everyday lives, the guys unpack what it means to hear His voice, trust His timing, and stop trying to force open doors that were never meant for us.

Along the way, Trent shares how preaching about open doors got an entire school office upset with him, Chris reveals his impressive three-year journey to running two miles (ten feet at a time), and the guys discover why walking through a doorway might actually make you forget what you were doing.

But the conversation takes a powerful turn when special guest Cindy calls in with an incredible story about a grieving family, an unexpected presidential suite, and a God who cares about even the smallest details.

Because sometimes God's closed door isn't rejection. It's protection. And sometimes the door you never could have opened yourself is the very one He's been preparing all along.

This week on Connect the Kingdom, Trent, Chris, and Jonathan unpack a battle every believer faces but doesn't always recognize: You vs. You.

Why do we keep doing things we know we shouldn't? Why does following Jesus sometimes feel like a fight against ourselves? And what if the biggest obstacle to becoming who God created you to be is the person staring back at you in the mirror?

Building on Pastor Gary Dockery's powerful message, the guys explore the difference between flesh, soul, and spirit, what sanctification really looks like, and why God's process of transforming us isn't always comfortable.

Along the way, there's a little rock collecting, some questionable family traditions, a few expensive tire problems, and a powerful reminder that not every thought deserves a seat at the table—or a vote in your decisions.

Because when we let our flesh take control, we spend more time cleaning up yesterday's messes than stepping into tomorrow's purpose.

The question isn't whether there's a battle happening inside you. It's which version of you you're feeding—and who's going to win.

Apathy rarely announces itself. More often, we slowly get comfortable, stop paying attention, and before we realize it, we’re spiritually asleep.

In this episode, Trent, Chris, and Jonathan unpack Arrows of Apathy and the subtle ways complacency can creep into our relationship with God. What does it look like to have one foot in and one foot out? How do we recognize when our faith has shifted from passionate participation to simply going through the motions? And most importantly—how do we wake up?

The conversation also turns practical as the guys talk about raising the next generation: surrounding our kids with the things of God, praying intentionally over their futures, and modeling a faith that’s alive Monday through Saturday—not just on Sunday.

If you’ve felt yourself drifting, getting comfortable, or simply going through the motions, this episode is a call to wake up, get zealous again, and become everything God has called you to be.

The guys go everywhere—from finding a long-lost coin collection and a very questionable DIY flooring project to some surprisingly deep conversations about following God.

What does it mean for God to actually be our “lot” in life? Are we sometimes so busy doing things for God that we miss simply being with Him? And what happens when we look at Jonah’s storm and ask the uncomfortable question: Did God send it, allow it, or simply redeem what was already happening?

Then things get REALLY interesting.

The guys dig into Jonah, Jesus, the “sign of Jonah,” Psalm 16, Psalm 22, the casting of lots, Nineveh, and some fascinating Assyrian imagery involving… men dressed like fish.

It’s funny, unexpected, occasionally nerdy, and full of those moments where a familiar Bible story suddenly looks completely different.

In part two of our conversation on Abraham and Lot, Trent, Chris, and Jonathan dig into Melchizedek, tithing and stewardship, the strange covenant ceremony of Genesis 15, and an incredible picture of what Jesus would ultimately do for us on the cross.

But at the heart of the conversation is a question we’ve probably all asked: God, I’ve been faithful—so why am I still waiting?

What if the season you’re trying desperately to escape isn’t wasted? What if God is working in places you can’t see yet?

From Abraham waiting for his promise, to Ruth breaking generations of dysfunction, to Lot’s wife looking back at what God was rescuing her from, this episode is a reminder to protect the promise, fight off the bad-news buzzards, and keep standing.

Don’t grow weary. Don’t lose heart. Your waiting season may be preparing you for your due season.

This week on Connect the Kingdom, the conversation goes from hilarious to surprisingly deep as Trent, Chris, and Jonathan unpack one of the strangest stories in the Bible: Why did God tell Moses to put a bronze serpent on a pole—and why does Jesus later connect that moment to the cross?

Then the conversation turns to Abraham and Lot, finding a faith that’s actually your own, recognizing God’s calling wherever He’s placed you, fighting for people who keep making bad choices, and the danger of believing the grass is always greener somewhere else.

Because maybe the circumstances you’ve accepted as “just my lot in life” aren't as permanent as you think. One choice can change your lot—and one encounter with Jesus can change everything.

What do you get when you put thirty men, a game ranch, a shofar, a questionable wildlife identification system, some skeet shooting, and a whole lot of Holy Spirit conversations in one weekend?

Apparently… the Connect the Kingdom Podcast. 😂

This week, Trent, Chris, and Jonathan unpack the highs, hilarity, and God moments from the men’s retreat—But underneath all the laughs was one question everyone seemed to be carrying:

What’s next?

What do you do when you’re stepping into a season you’ve never been in before? When you can’t see the road ahead? When God asks you to take a step before you understand the whole plan?

From Joshua stepping into uncharted territory to the power of the Holy Spirit, the guys unpack why you may not need to know what’s next—you just need to know who you’re following.

And then comes the story that ties it all together:  LISTEN TO THE END for the best clip about what to know when you feel like you're out of options and don't know what's next.

If you feel like you’re in a season where you’re asking, “God… what’s next?”—this episode might be exactly what you need.