We celebrate episode 100 with a new tradition: honoring a GBC member who models quiet faithfulness, starting with security leader and servant-heart, Bart Perry. Then we preview our Nehemiah “rebuilding” series, share why process beats quick fixes, and map out 2026 priorities from service to Sunday night formation.

• Nehemiah as roadmap for rebuilding people, not just walls
• Prayer first, unity through opposition, mission continues
• Buildings vs Church: sanctification as ongoing process
• Embracing small wins over instant gratification
• 2026 vision: new volunteers and first impressions
• Sunday nights: Regen recovery, discipleship.
• Growth defined as spiritual maturity and service
• Mobilizing committees and teams in prayerful unity

We mark Ep 99 with laughter and then lean into childlike wonder, tackling honest Christmas questions about Jesus’ birth, humanity, and the meaning behind the Magi’s gifts. 

• why a king was born in a barn
• the humanity of Jesus and whether he cried
• whether animals “knew” and what Scripture does and does not say
• who could see the star and why the wise men followed it
• the meaning of gold, frankincense, and myrrh
• the trek from Nazareth to Bethlehem and its cost
• how Mary parented Jesus
• whether Jesus celebrated Christmas in any form

Join Jake and Maverick as we dive deeper into making Jesus the center of our Christmas celebration and our lives.

- Reading Scripture with your family

- Spending time with your family and setting the example 

- Pointing everyday things back to Christ.

- Being intentional

We talk about gratitude, calling out the moments, meals, and mentors that shape our lives. From cornbread dressing to discipleship, we explore how honesty, prayer, and community guide us in choosing depth over hype this holiday season.

• sports that pull families together.
• Thanksgiving foods that carry memory and meaning, from dressing to sourdough rolls
• honest, ungrateful list, including late nights and the myth of Black Friday
• a church growing in prayer, worship, hunger, and patient discernment
• the Paul, Barnabas, Timothy model for everyday discipleship
• small groups as the engine of trust, care, and spiritual growth
• gratitude for spouses, mentors, and the people sustaining us

Think about what you’re thankful for. Ask yourself these questions as you enter this season of gratitude.

 A grounded look at prayer through Hannah’s vow in 1 Samuel, asking how personal desires align with God’s will and serve His kingdom. We lay out a simple framework: pray biblically, trust God’s timing, and aim for answers that honor Him.

• Hannah’s longing and vow set within God’s larger plan
• praying within Scripture’s boundaries and language
• trusting God’s will and timing even when delayed
• asking if the answer would honor God and serve His kingdom
• reframing requests for home, work, and family toward mission
• shifting parenting prayers from comfort to consecration
• learning from misaligned prayers and growing in maturity
• gratitude for who God is and how He shapes desire

• Paul’s warning to elders and why vigilance matters
• Government persecution abroad and legal pressure at home
• Works-based religion versus grace as the root
• Secular ethics challenging Christian identity and practice
• Scripture twisting and the need for context and testing
• Sheep stealing and protecting unity in mission
• Secularized Christ and guarding core doctrine
• Practical steps for discernment and hope

Show up to church on Sunday because Jake will dive more into it!

We explore why small groups turn church from a crowd into a family, tracing a biblical pattern from Acts 2 and Ecclesiastes 4 to real stories from our Iron Men group. This week, we share how we measure health by circles, not rows, and outline simple ways to plug into a class.

• fellowship as a central discipline alongside teaching and prayer
• Acts 2 model shaping service, meals and shared needs
• Ecclesiastes 4 and the danger of isolation
• Iron Men example prioritising service over schedule
• measuring church health by group connection
• leadership that hosts, teaches and protects culture
• practical on-ramps into Sunday classes and midweek groups
• growth that spreads from circles to Sundays

What are modern idols, and how do they form us? How worship shapes character and how to keep good things in their place.

• defining idols in Scripture and today
• Exodus 32 and the golden calf pattern
• you become what you behold
• phones, influence, money as subtle idols
• worship that reforms us into Christlikeness
• practical ways to grind down idols
• John 4 and living water as true fulfillment
• enjoying good things without worshiping them

Two pastors untangle the difference between inherited religion and a lived relationship with Jesus, moving from family patterns to personal responsibility, testimony, and daily practices that form resilient faith. Scripture, stories, and a few laughs ground a clear path to owning what you believe.

• defining generational sin versus personal standing before God
• baptism, discernment, and how we listen for real testimony
• Allie’s courageous conversion story and what changed
• two-part testimony framework: saved by Jesus and life since
• Ezekiel 18 on responsibility and hope beyond family patterns
• three diagnostic questions for authentic faith
• moving from knowing about God to knowing God intimately
• practices of Scripture, prayer, worship, and discipleship
• encouragement to write your story and pursue steady obedience

Spiritual disciplines can be challenging in our instant-gratification culture, but they're essential for growing as Christians. The path to spiritual growth involves daily, incremental steps rather than dramatic overnight transformation.

• Spiritual disciplines extend far beyond Bible reading and prayer
• Inward disciplines include meditation, fasting, simplicity, and solitude
• Outward disciplines involve service and submission to God
• Corporate disciplines include confession, worship, and celebration
• Psalm 119:105 compares God's word to a lamp showing just enough for our next steps
• Daniel's faithfulness in daily prayer prepared him for the lions' den test
• Modern culture's desire for instant results makes spiritual disciplines challenging
• Faithfulness in small daily practices leads to growth over time
• Discipleship and spiritual growth work best in community
• Embrace where you are in your spiritual journey while pursuing growth

Join us in exploring how consistent, small acts of faith create lasting spiritual transformation. The journey itself—where God teaches and shapes us—is as valuable as the destination.