What if you stopped waiting for the right moment—and just got real with God right now?

This episode of Be Free is as raw as it gets. Jim Burgen, Jesse DeYoung, and Karen Berge talk about the weight people carry, even church staff, and how retreating into “thin spaces” with God opens up places we didn’t want to go… but needed to. It’s honest talk on leadership, brokenness, parenting adult kids, false grace, and the lies culture tells us about freedom. This isn’t about being saved, it’s about living free. And it starts with choosing truth over comfort.

From carrying secret pain to stepping into calling, this is what freedom looks like in real life.

Jim unpacks what happened at the Flatirons staff retreat, tears, confession, silence, healing, and how that led to a bigger realization: freedom isn't one-and-done. It’s truth, then grace, over and over. Forgiveness doesn’t always feel good, but it’s the way forward. The Be Free journey isn’t about behavior, it’s about your heart. And this conversation might be the push you didn’t know you needed.

Why do we keep going back to the same chains Jesus already broke?This message is a gut check for anyone who’s ever tasted freedom in Christ but still finds themselves living like they’re not. Jim unpacks Galatians 5:1 and challenges us to stop rebuilding the same prison Jesus tore down. Be Free isn’t just a slogan, it’s a mission, a strategy, and a spiritual war cry for anyone who’s done being a slave to lies, sin, and fear. It’s time to drop the chains, plant your feet, and live like you’ve actually been set free.Jesus didn’t die just to forgive you; He died to free you. And free people don’t go back. This is our moment to get honest about the chains we keep picking back up and finally put them down. This isn't about being perfect, it's about standing firm in truth and grace, knowing we’re just former slaves showing others where to find freedom. Before revival happens out there, it has to happen in us.

What if the thing you thought was holding you together is actually keeping you stuck?

For two years, the Flatirons team prayed, wrestled, and dreamed about one thing—freedom. Not the feel-good kind. The real kind that changes families, saves lives, and tears chains off people stuck in shame, fear, and hidden brokenness. In this raw, unfiltered first episode of Be Free, Jim Burgen and the team talk about what led to launching this movement, the battles behind the scenes, and the burden to build outposts of hope for a world gasping for something real.Be Free isn’t a church campaign. It’s a war cry.It’s about setting spiritual ground in a culture drowning in noise, and giving men and women a place to heal, rise, and fight back. Whether you’re battling isolation, addiction, anger, or regret, this episode reminds us that Jesus doesn’t just offer heaven later—He offers freedom now. And when a church moves in unity with that mission, freedom follows.

What if your story of freedom was meant to set someone else free?Week one of Be Free isn’t just a new series; it’s a call to arms. Jim Burgen kicks off a six-week journey that’s really the start of a movement: a church stepping out of comfort, out of safety, and into the front lines of spiritual battle. This message is a fire-starter, reminding us that our freedom in Christ isn't a finish line. It’s a launchpad. It's about turning pain into purpose, and choosing to fight for those still enslaved by guilt, shame, addiction, fear, or abuse.This isn’t a metaphor, it’s a mission. From Jim’s personal story of rescue to the biblical call from Galatians 5, this is an unapologetic, boots-on-the-ground invitation to stop playing defense and go to war for the hearts and futures of others. Be Free is about building spiritual outposts for the broken, the addicted, the trafficked, and the hopeless. We don’t hide in a fortress; we carry freedom into enemy territory.

From Cowards to Courageous Leaders, the story of the early church in Acts shows how ordinary people found courage, boldness, and true freedom in Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit.This message wraps up the 35-Day Challenge and sets the tone for Be Free, Flatirons' next bold step of faith. Jim gets real about leadership, unity, and what’s coming next for the church. Drawing from Acts, he shows how the early church exploded with courage and power—not because they were perfect, but because they were filled. Filled with the Spirit. Filled with boldness. Filled with a mission. The same Spirit that transformed Peter and Paul is calling us, right now, to something bigger.If you’ve ever felt disqualified, disillusioned, or afraid, this is for you. This isn’t just a history lesson; it’s a calling. Jesus didn’t build His church with polished professionals; He used screw-ups, cowards, and skeptics who got filled and went first. And that’s the plan for Flatirons moving forward. It’s time to decide: Are you in? Fully in? Because the next move of God might come through your story, your scars, and your obedience.

Leadership Isn’t Being Perfect. It’s Owning the Mess.In one of the most raw and repentant moments of his ministry, Pastor Jim Burgen confronts his own leadership failure and the silence that followed a week of national tragedy and personal loss. What follows is part confession, part challenge, and part rally cry—not just to Flatirons Church, but to every man wondering how to lead in a world on fire. Jim doesn’t pull punches: from owning his mistakes to declaring truth in a chaotic culture, this is the moment where courage meets clarity.This isn’t about politics. It’s about obedience. Jim speaks candidly on the assassination of Charlie Kirk and the school shooting in Evergreen, calling the Church to wake up—not with rage, but with righteousness. This is about standing firm on the Word of God, even when the world calls you crazy. You’ll hear what it means to lead with conviction, love people enough to tell the truth, and follow Jesus even when it costs everything.

What if the risky sacrifice you're avoiding is the very thing that could save your most important relationships?Ben returns to Flatirons with a raw message about drifting in faith, hitting 40, and feeling stuck in a life that looks successful on the outside but is crumbling underneath. Through the story of Zacchaeus, a man hated, wealthy, and desperate, we’re challenged to consider: what’s keeping us from going out on a limb? The 35-Day Challenge isn’t about self-help or behavior management. It’s about choosing bold, relational sacrifices that lead to healing and freedom.Zacchaeus didn’t play it safe, and neither did Jesus.Ben reminds us that conviction is a gift, shame is a weapon, and grace is a choice. Jesus went out on a limb for us—literally. Now the invitation is ours: Will we risk reputation, comfort, or pride to restore what’s broken? This week, it’s not about giving up coffee or Instagram. It’s about making the calls, owning the secrets, showing up for the people who matter, and trusting Jesus to meet us out on that limb.

Why do we keep falling back into the same broken patterns—even after meeting Jesus?Most of us want Jesus to take away the bad stuff, our addictions, our shame, our past. And sometimes, He does. But what happens next? If we don’t intentionally fill the empty space with something better, something holy, something of the Spirit—then the darkness just moves back in, stronger than before. In Part 2 of the 35-Day Challenge, Jim Burgen digs deep into the roots of sin, the spiritual realm we pretend doesn’t exist, and what Jesus really came to defeat. This is not your Sunday School version of the Bible. This is war, and it’s personal.Jesus didn’t just come to forgive you, He came to fill you.Through ancient texts, spiritual warfare, and real talk about depravity, Jim shows how Jesus tackles not one, but three curses that still haunt us today. The Cross wiped your slate clean, but the Holy Spirit is how you write a new story. If your life feels stuck in neutral—or worse, going backwards—it might be because you’ve only accepted half of what Jesus offers. The Spirit is your only hope. And the Church? It's not a building, it's a battle plan.

What are you building your life on—and will it survive the next storm?When life hits hard—and it will—what foundation are you standing on? In this raw and real message, Aaron unpacks why so many of us settle for “fine” lives built on sand, instead of the rock-solid truth of Jesus. He talks about anxiety, identity, the lies we believe, and the ways we try to numb the pain—chasing success, comparison, pleasure, and performance—but none of it holds when life falls apart.The 35-Day Challenge isn’t about earning God’s love. It’s about training your heart to trust Jesus before the storm hits. Because when your marriage cracks, when your kids walk away, when the anxiety is so loud you can’t breathe—you don’t need more information. You need transformation. And that starts when Jesus moves from your head to your heart. Build your life on Him… and when the flood comes, you won’t fall.

Ever feel stuck in your faith? This week, Karl and Jesse kicked off the 35 Day Challenge with a call to get all the way in. Don't settle for shallow. God’s calling you deeper into real freedom.5 habits. 5 weeks. One step at a time:Sacrifice. Pray. Move. Bible. Serve.

Download the challenge app here: https://qrco.de/bgFb79