What does it actually mean to obey the Great Commission — and is it really for everyone? In this episode, Nathan sits down with Colin, Forge speaker and youth ministry leader, to do a deep dive into Matthew 28 and unpack one of the most well-known — and most misunderstood — passages in all of Scripture.Colin and Nathan walk through the Great Commission line by line, exploring why Jesus took the disciples all the way back to Galilee, what "all authority" really means, and why making disciples is far more approachable than most Christians think. They also talk honestly about the fear of evangelism, the difference between saving people and pointing them to Jesus, and why discipleship is about intimacy with God — not behavior management.Whether you're a ministry leader, a student, or someone who's never shared your faith before, this conversation will encourage and equip you to step into your unique role in the Great Commission.Topics covered:-Why the setting of Galilee matters in Matthew 28-Breaking down "all authority in heaven and on earth"-Baptism, the Trinity, and what it means to belong to God's family-Why you don't have to be a gifted evangelist to share Jesus-The importance of teaching people to know Jesus — not just manage their behavior-How God's presence is a promise, not just a feeling🎙️ Connect with Colin Villanueva and watch him speak on the Forge YouTube channel — search Forging Lives to find it.📌 Subscribe for new episodes of Fuel for the Harvest — equipping believers to advance the gospel everywhere they go.

Do you want to pray for missionaries but don't know where to start — or wonder if it even makes a difference?

In this episode of Fuel for the Harvest, Nathan sits down with fellow Forge speaker Santiago Fuentes, joining all the way from Mexico City, for one of the most theologically rich and practically helpful conversations the podcast has ever had on the topic of prayer.

From a deep dive into Colossians 4 to a list of real ministries you can follow today, this episode will challenge you to stop treating prayer like a spiritual band-aid — and start treating it like the powerful act of devotion it actually is.

In this episode, Nathan and Santiago Fuentes cover:

• Why God answers prayer — and what we miss when we don't pray
• The difference between God being limited and us limiting our own experience of God
• A powerful breakdown of Colossians 4:2-4 and what it means to truly "devote yourself to prayer"
• What the Apostle Paul asked for from prison — and why it wasn't what you'd expect
• Three specific categories of people to pray for: unreached people groups, persecuted believers, and missionaries themselves
• Trusted ministries to follow for fresh, specific prayer requests: Open Doors, Voice of the Martyrs, and the Joshua Project
• Why Billy Graham's answer to "how can I help your ministry?" was always the same one word

Santiago Fuentes is a bilingual Forge speaker available to speak at your event. Find more from Santiago — in both English and Spanish — on the Forge YouTube channel.

🔔 Subscribe to Fuel for the Harvest and join the movement of kingdom laborers praying for the ends of the earth!

Do you know you need Christian community but have no idea where to start? In this episode of Fuel for the Harvest, Nathan sits down with fellow Forge speaker Joshua McFann — one of the most naturally gifted community builders you'll ever meet — for a warm, honest, and deeply practical conversation about how to find, build, and maintain real Christian friendships.

From Joshua's own story of isolation, a painful relationship, and a wedding that brought him back to Jesus, to step-by-step advice for the shyest introvert in the room — this episode is for anyone who is running the race alone and knows something needs to change.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why Christian community isn't optional — and what the early church in Acts shows us about it
• The "marble jar" concept and why empty jars lead to bad decisions
• How Joshua went from spiritually isolated to leading a thriving Saturday morning Bible study that grew from 5 to 25 people — including non-believers who came to faith
• What to do if you're introverted and the idea of making friends feels overwhelming
• The simple 8-second act of courage that could change everything
• Practical first steps: prayer, coffee, shared activities, asking "what's your story?"
• Why you don't need to meet every week — and what actually keeps community alive long-term

Joshua McFann is a Forge speaker available to come speak at your event. Find more of his content on the Forge YouTube channel.

🔔 Subscribe to Fuel for the Harvest — you weren't meant to run this race alone!

You've heard the word "lukewarm" your whole Christian life — but what if most people have completely misunderstood what Jesus actually meant? In this episode of Fuel for the Harvest, Nathan sits down with co-host Charlie to dig into one of the most well-known — and most misinterpreted — passages in all of Scripture: Revelation 3 and the letter to the church at Laodicea.

Spoiler: Jesus wasn't saying he'd rather you be lost than mediocre. The real meaning is far more convicting — and far more hopeful — than that.

In this episode, Nathan and Charlie unpack:

• Why the common interpretation of "hot or cold" is probably wrong
• The fascinating historical and geographical context behind Laodicea's water supply
• Why lukewarmness is really about being useless to God's purposes — not being spiritually "in the middle"
• How pride and comfort combine to create dangerous spiritual blindness
• What it means that Jesus is standing at the door knocking — from the outside
• The difference between being a bucket and being a conduit of God's grace
• The powerful promise Jesus makes to anyone who will open the door and repent

Charlie is a Forge speaker and a featured voice across the first 200 episodes of Fuel for the Harvest. Find more from Charlie on the Forge YouTube channel or invite him to speak at your event.

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What does it look like when God shows up in one of the hardest places on earth to be a Christian? In this episode of Fuel for the Harvest, Nathan sits down with three teammates — Stephen, Kaylee, and Olivia — fresh off a mission trip to North Africa where they served Muslim background believers: men and women who left Islam to follow Jesus, often at tremendous personal cost.

From a seeker who encountered Jesus and believed, to a Muslim woman on a plane who had seen a vision of Jesus four months earlier and had never told anyone — this episode is full of stories that will remind you that God is on the move, even where the laborers are few.

In this episode, you'll hear:

• What it's like to worship while the Muslim call to prayer echoes through the city
• Why Muslim background believers are often caught between two worlds — rejected by both their Muslim families and local churches
• The surprising lesson Nathan learned about going alone vs. going as a team
• How weeping with those who weep became the most powerful ministry of the entire trip
• A miraculous divine appointment on an airplane that is still bearing fruit today
• Specific prayer needs for persecuted believers that you can begin praying right now

Please pray for our brothers and sisters who are suffering. It's never just a prayer — it's never just one.

🔔 Subscribe to Fuel for the Harvest and join the movement of kingdom laborers going to the ends of the earth.

What if the way most Christians date is still missing the mark? In Part 2 of this conversation, Nathan continues his discussion with Paul and Natalie Epperson — Forge speakers, premarital counselors, and young adult ministers with over 20 years of experience — diving deep into what a truly God-honoring dating and engagement season actually looks like.

This episode is honest, practical, and genuinely counter-cultural in the best possible way. Whether you're single, dating, engaged, or married, there's something in this conversation for you.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why location and proximity matter more than willpower when it comes to physical boundaries
• The simple mindset shift that transformed one engaged couple's relationship overnight
• Why the dating and engagement season is actually God's invitation to build a lasting friendship
• What it looks like to pursue someone without rushing to put a label on it
• The phrase that reframes everything: "Love is patient, lust is in a hurry"
• Why you should stop asking your single friends for relationship advice — and who to ask instead
• A powerful word of encouragement for those who are single, dating, engaged, and married

Paul and Natalie Epperson are available to speak at your event. Find more from Paul on the Forge YouTube channel, or reach out at forgeforward.org.

🔔 Haven't heard Part 1 yet? Start there first — then come back for this one!

Is Christian dating supposed to look like what we see on TV? In this episode of Fuel for the Harvest, Nathan sits down with Paul and Natalie Epperson — married 23 years, parents of five, and passionate young adult ministers — for an honest, practical, and refreshing conversation about what it actually looks like to date as a follower of Jesus.

With two decades of walking alongside college students and young adults, Paul and Natalie have seen it all — the mistakes, the heartbreak, and the beauty of what happens when people invite God into their relationships. This is Part 1 of a two-part conversation you won't want to miss.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why so many Christian relationships still end in bitterness and broken friendships
• The #1 thing most young people skip before pursuing a relationship
• Why building friendship first is more powerful than jumping straight into dating
• How to stop letting the fear of the "friend zone" run your love life
• What's really behind men's passivity in dating — and why it's getting worse
• How godly women can position themselves to be pursuable without compromising who they are
• Why waiting on the Lord in relationships is not passive — it's powerful

Paul and Natalie Epperson are available to speak at your event. Find more from Paul on the Forge YouTube channel.

🔔 Subscribe and tune in next week for Part 2!

How do you find a good church? It's one of the most important decisions a believer can make — and one of the most overcomplicated. In this episode of Fuel for the Harvest, Nathan sits down with Nicholas Hindes, a fellow Forge speaker and experienced church leader, to break down exactly what to look for when searching for a local church.

Whether you're a brand-new believer or someone who's been following Jesus for decades, this conversation will help you cut through the noise and focus on what actually matters.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• The very first question to ask when starting your church search
• How to use a simple Google search to find a Bible-believing church near you
• Why proximity to your church matters more than you think
• The key markers of a healthy church (straight from Acts 2)
• Which groups to avoid — and why they don't qualify as Bible-believing churches
• The difference between essential and non-essential church qualities
• Why a consumeristic approach to church will leave you perpetually unsatisfied

Nicholas Hines is a Forge speaker available to speak at your event. Find more of his content on the Forge YouTube channel.

Subscribe so you never miss an episode of Fuel for the Harvest.

What does it really mean to be a mature Christian — not just in words, but in substance?
In this episode of Fuel for the Harvest, Nathan sits down with pastor and Forge speaker Caleb McNaughton for a bold and honest conversation about spiritual depth.

Using the image of pine trees and seeds that sink versus seeds that float, Caleb challenges believers to examine whether their faith is rooted deeply enough to withstand storms. From integrity and generosity to obedience and consistency, this episode explores the difference between shallow Christianity and a life of lasting fruit.

If you’ve ever wondered why some believers endure and flourish while others fade, this conversation is for you.

Fuel for the Harvest is a podcast to stir hunger for Jesus, strengthen laborers for the harvest, and spotlight what God is doing through ordinary believers all over the world.

Are you developing roots that can sustain fruit for a lifetime?

Have you ever wondered if God is really still working through ordinary people today?
In this episode of Fuel for the Harvest, Nathan is joined by Forge staff member and Firebrand graduate Joshua McFann to share fresh, real-time stories of kingdom laborership happening right now.

From coffee shops to ski lifts, pickleball courts to skate parks, Josh tells powerful stories of everyday believers stepping into obedience and seeing God move. These aren’t stories from decades ago — they’re unfolding right now through people with no titles, no platforms, and no special training beyond loving Jesus and loving others.

This episode is an encouragement for anyone who feels alone, unqualified, or unsure where to start. God is still answering Jesus’ prayer — and He may be inviting you to be part of it.

Fuel for the Harvest is a podcast to stir hunger for Jesus, strengthen laborers for the harvest, and spotlight what God is doing through ordinary believers all over the world.

Subscribe for weekly conversations on mission, discipleship, and living on purpose with Jesus.