Well, hello there! Welcome to the Faith First Podcast, we’re so glad you stopped by today. I am Jonathan Gouthier the Associate Pastor here at the First Church in Torrington CT. How grateful are you? God blesses us more than we can imagine and that thankfulness is to overflow and show through our own giving. Today I sit down with our Lead Pastor Steve Darr and discuss “blessed by the Best.” Hello Steve, welcome.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• What is a generous life
• The difference between being blessed by God and the prosperity gospel
• What the misconceptions are about giving to the church
• Find out the truths about being a generous giver
• Why being true to God has an impact on our giving

Reflect upon the blessings in your life and ask yourself is what I return to God holy and pleasing? Does what I give truly reflect the gratitude in my heart? The answer is found in praying for God to reveal what He longs for you to give with your whole heart.

Maybe this episode spoke to you and you know someone else it would encourage, well, spread the word about the Faith First Podcast to friends and family and have them click on the notification bell to be alerted to when the next episode will be available. Until next time, live with a grateful heart faith first.

Welcome to the Faith First Podcast. I think we can all say we are grateful for something or someone— things we value most in our lives. Yet, do we live a generous life? That’s what we will be diving into today as we listen to a message by our Lead Pastor Steve Darr called, “Blessed by the Best.”

In this episode, you'll discover:

• Why we ought to be grateful to God for His blessings
• What we value most in our lives is where we place our trust
• How God provides all things for His people
• Why gratitude is part of our worship

God is a generous and loving Father who wants an active relationship with each of us. When we pursue Him daily, we get to know Him more. Then our giving is no longer a mundane task but a meaningful worship experience. 

Thank you for being one of our listeners of the Faith First Podcast. We are grateful for you. And maybe you happened upon us by accident and enjoyed what you heard, well then subscribe by hitting the notification bell below to be alerted to when the next episode will air. Until next time know you are blessed by the best faith first.

Hello and Welcome, I'm Jonathan Gouthier, the Associate Pastor at First Church in Torrington, CT, and you are listening to the Faith first Podcast. I'm excited to have you join us for another inspiring episode. Today, I am here sitting down with our Lead Pastor, Steve Darr, as we delve into a topic that hits close to home: "Where Would You Be?"

Have you ever stopped to ponder where your life would be if someone had not shared the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ with you? It's a thought-provoking question that reminds us of the transformative power of personal testimony and the impact it can have on the lives of others. Good to see you Pastor Steve, glad you’re here. 

In this episode, you'll discover:

• Why do we have a difficult time sharing our faith in Jesus
• How you can take action on what you have witnessed in your life with Jesus
• How our relationship with God through Jesus is both private and public
• What we can do to break out of the fear that often holds us back from sharing our faith

Here at First Church Torrington, we believe that our stories of encountering God's love, grace, and redemption have the power to touch hearts, break down barriers, and lead others to the life-transforming truth found in Jesus Christ.

If you stumbled upon the Faith First Podcast and liked what you heard, hit the subscribe button or notification bell below so that you’ll be alerted when a new episode becomes available. Maybe it's time to go tell someone about Jesus and go faith first. 

Welcome to the Faith First Podcast, your destination for deepening your faith, embracing God's truth and living out your purpose. I'm Jonathan Gouthier, Associate Pastor at First Church in Torrington, CT, and I'm excited to have you join us for today's episode.

We are going to be listening in on a message delivered by our Lead Pastor, Steve Darr, where we explore the thought-provoking question, "Where Would You Be?" Pastor Steve invites us to reflect on our own spiritual journey and consider the divine opportunities that God places before us to share our testimony with others. From the remarkable encounters in our everyday lives to the intentional moments of ministry, we'll uncover the transformative power of personal stories and how they can impact the lives of those around us. So, get ready as he steps up to the podium.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• Why most people are willing to listen to stories about faith
• How do we make our faith public
• What makes us a witness about Jesus
• How to put fear aside and step out in faith to share your story

Pastor Steve has reminded us of the profound impact our testimonies can have on those around us. Each of us has a unique story to share, and when we surrender to God's leading, He will reveal the opportunities for us to shine His light and touch lives. We hope that this message inspires you to seek those divine moments, to boldly share your faith, and to trust that God will use your testimony to bring hope and transformation to others. Remember, your story matters, and God has placed you in specific circumstances for a purpose.

Here at First Church and the  Faith First Podcast, we produce a new episode almost weekly! So, go ahead and hit the subscribe button or notification bell below so that you’ll be alerted to when a new episode becomes available. Until next time, keep walking with Jesus and sharing your story with courage and conviction faith first.

Welcome to the Faith First Podcast! I'm, Jonathan Gouthier, the Associate Pastor at First Church in Torrington, CT. Today, I am thrilled to sit down once again with our Lead Pastor, Steve Darr, for a conversation that will ignite our hearts and challenge us to embrace the urgency of our faith. In this episode, we delve into the powerful topic of "In This Together." We draw inspiration from Jesus' poignant statement, "I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer." This urgency in Jesus' words resonates deeply, as it reflects His mission to bring the light of His life, death, and resurrection to a dark world. Steve, you even mentioned how much this statement touches you in the message you gave, can you expound upon it?

In this episode, you'll discover:

• Why the Last Supper is so significant
• What the term atoning sacrifice means
• How come Jesus brought His disciples together right before His death
• Why do we need the church community

Jesus explained the purpose of His life, death, and resurrection. He showed the importance of developing genuine relationships, demonstrating compassion, and offering the hope found in God's love through community.

We certainly hope that you’ve gotten something out of this episode and if you have, we’d love for you to hit that subscribe button or notification bell below so that you’ll be alerted to when a new episode becomes available. Until next time, we, the followers of Jesus Christ are in this together faith first. 

Welcome to the Faith First Podcast and in this episode, we will explore the power of community and the unbreakable bonds we share as the Body of Christ. I'm Jonathan Gouthier, Associate Pastor at First Church in Torrington, CT, and I'm thrilled to have you join us today. We will be delving into a message by our Lead Pastor, Steve Darr. He will be speaking on the topic of "In This Together," highlighting the significance of coming together as followers of Christ. Whether we gather in worship, serve our community, or support one another through life's challenges, we are strengthened and unified as we fulfill our purpose as the Body of Christ. So, get ready and listen in…

In this episode, you'll discover:

• Why Jesus was eager to gather His disciples together
• How we are to come to the table of the Lord
• What God's plan was through the sacrifice of Jesus
• Why we come together

Pastor Steve’s message reminds us that we are not alone, that we are stronger when we stand together, and that our shared journey of faith is one of hope, encouragement, and security.

We certainly hope that you’ve gotten something out of this episode and if you have, we’d love for you to hit that subscribe button or notification bell below so that you’ll be alerted to when a new episode becomes available. Let’s remember the love God has for us, that He arranged it all for us so we can walk together faith first.

Welcome to the Faith First Podcast, where we guide you on a journey to make faith your first step. I'm your host, Jonathan Gouthier, the Associate Pastor at First Church in Torrington, CT. In each episode, we aim to provide practical steps and insights to help you deepen your faith and navigate life's challenges through the lens of spirituality.

In today's episode, I have the privilege of sitting down with our Lead Pastor, Steve Darr, as we delve into a topic close to our hearts—the Value of the Lost. We believe that every person has inherent worth and that their journey toward faith is a significant one. Through this conversation, we hope to shed light on the importance of reaching out to those who may feel disconnected or lost, offering them a place of love, understanding, and acceptance within our faith community. Welcome Steve

In this episode, you'll discover:

• Why God's word uses sheep to describe human beings
• Learn more about the four ways God pursues you
• Why people have not grasped how much God loves them

We are in the midst of a series on The One. That One person who may need to know that God loves them and pursues them relentlessly, tenderly, and joyfully.

If you’ve been listening to the Faith First Podcast for a while, you know we try to upload a new episode every week. We’d also like to hear from you, so go to our website at www.firstcong.org and send either myself or Pastor Steve a message and we will be sure to connect with you. Until next time know that you are valued by God as you step out faith first.

Welcome to the Faith First podcast where we explore matters of faith, hope, and biblical truth. I'm Jonathan Gouthier, Associate Pastor at First Church in Torrington, CT. Today, we’ll be listening to a message by our Lead Pastor, Steve Darr. In this episode, Pastor Steve shares insights on the value of the lost, drawing inspiration from Jesus' parable of the lost sheep. So, let's dive in and discover the significance of this timeless story in our lives.

In this episode, you'll discover,

• How God pursues you
• Why we learn about God's searching for us through parables
• Four ways that God pursues you
• Why God pursues you

Remember, no matter how lost or alone you may feel, God's love for you is unending. He would pursue you even if you were the only person on this entire planet. You are valued, cherished, and deeply loved by Him with everlasting love. Thank you for joining us today, and may this truth resonate in your heart as you go forth in your journey of faith.

 We hope you’ve gained something by listening to the Faith First Podcast. We launch a new episode each week, so be sure to hit the notification bell below and be alerted when we have uploaded something new for you to listen in on. So, until next time, know that you are highly valued faith first. 

Welcome and hello, you’ve joined us here at the Faith First Podcast where we help to guide you in steps to take to live out your faith first in this world. In today’s episode, I am joined by our Lead Pastor Steve Darr as we discuss the topic of being sought after by God’s Love.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• What prevenient grace is and how God pursues you
• Is a thirst for God necessary before accepting Jesus
• Why Jesus is necessary for our lives
• How we know Jesus is the answer to life

Jesus revealed himself so that all who recognize who He is— the Son of God the one who created heaven and earth. Nothing satisfies like Jesus. It is a relationship with God that makes life worth living.
 
We hope that you are getting something out of the Faith First Podcasts. We launch a new episode each week so, hit the subscribe button below and be notified when a new episode is available. Until next time, know that God’s love is seeking and pursuing you faith first 

Hello and welcome to the Faith First Podcast. We have all heard testimonies of people who have accepted Christ as their Lord and Savior, but what about that time before they received Him? Did they go searching for Him, or does God actually pursue us? Well, in this episode, we will be listening to a message by our Lead Pastor Steve Darr, on being sought after by God’s love.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• Many stories show how people sought out Jesus
• Why God doesn't wait
• Jesus intentionally goes and seeks after you
• Why having Christ is essential as water

The perfect Scripture that points to God pursuing us with His love is Romans 5:8 “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Did you see that? God demonstrated His love even before we recognized who Jesus was for us. So, God does pursue us with everlasting love.

 We launch a new episode of the Faith First Podcast every Tuesday so make sure you hit the subscribe button and be alerted to when the next episode is ready for listening. Until then, know that God’s love for you seeks you out faith first.