Enduring faith does not grow by accident. In this episode, Pastor Chris explores Hebrews 12 and shows how God’s discipline functions not as punishment, but as loving coaching from a perfect Father. Using the imagery of athletic training and the Winter Olympics, this message helps listeners understand how God shapes His children through correction, perseverance, and trust so they can live holy, fruitful lives.

Link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2285086/episodes/18528866

Key Points:

1. God disciplines like a good coach, not an angry judge
    Hebrews 12:5-6 shows that God’s correction flows from love, not rejection. Just as a coach understands an athlete’s strengths and weaknesses, God knows how He has formed us and trains us accordingly.
2. Discipline is proof of sonship, not abandonment
    Believers are disciplined because they belong to God. Through adoption in Christ, we become sons and daughters who are cared for, corrected, and shaped by a loving Father. Scripture reminds us that discipline confirms our identity, not our failure.
3. God uses discipline to remove misplaced priorities
    Through pruning, hardship, or redirected paths, God trains His people to let go of idols and focus on what produces lasting fruit. Discipline often reveals what we depend on and teaches us to trust God more deeply.
4. Present pain produces lasting gain
    Though discipline can be painful, it yields righteousness, peace, and endurance. God uses seasons of difficulty to prepare us for future ministry, leadership, and faithfulness.

Personal Stories from Pastor Chris:
 Pastor Chris shares stories from athletics, early Christian growth through Christian radio and teaching, and personal experiences where God used discipline and redirection to prepare him for ministry, endurance, and long-term faithfulness.

Notable Quotes:
 God disciplines us because He loves us, not because He is finished with us.
 Discipline is training for holiness, not punishment for failure.
 God’s correction is always preparing us for what lies ahead.

Actionable Takeaways:

Reflect on how you respond when God corrects your path
 Ask where God may be training you rather than punishing you
 Trust that current hardship may be preparation for future fruit
 Choose obedience and humility when God invites change

Scripture References:
 Hebrews 12:5-11
 Proverbs 3:11-12
 John 1:12
 Romans 8:15
 Romans 10:9-10
 Galatians 4:4-7
 1 John 5:11-13
 John 15:1-2
 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
 Revelation 3:19

Keywords:
 God’s discipline
 Enduring faith
 Hebrews 12
 Spiritual growth
 Christian perseverance
 God as Father
 Biblical discipleship
 Faith under pressure

Challenge:
 Ask God this week to help you see His discipline not as something to resist, but as loving coaching meant to strengthen your faith and shape your future.

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The WELL Faith Podcast offers encouraging, Bible-based messages from Pastor Chris Teien and guests. New sermons are released every Sunday. Replay episodes are marked with an asterisk. Visit the well.faith media page and find us online at ChrisTeien.com and Rockwell.Church in Virginia, MN. Email comments to [email protected]