It's A Pod Deal: Ministry Conversations With Lifelong Pastor Ronnie Worsham

We’re introducing something new: Pod Deal Minis—shorter conversations that tackle one focused topic at a time.

In this first mini episode, Ronnie and William introduce a new series called Bent Out of Shape. Together they explore why so many people carry deep feelings of being different, broken, or out of place, and how the gospel speaks into those experiences with both truth and compassion. Rather than offering quick answers, this series aims to help us think more carefully about identity, suffering, discipleship, and what it means to become more like Jesus.

Timestamps

• 00:00 – Introducing Pod Deal Minis and the new series
• 01:20 – Why we chose the title Bent Out of Shape
• 04:40 – Ronnie’s heart behind this conversation and his counseling approach
• 11:20 – Beyond labels: helping people who feel different or out of place
• 15:40 – Why “normal” isn’t the goal of discipleship
• 22:00 – Ronnie’s personal story and where this perspective came from
• 29:20 – God’s strength in our weakness and the purpose of this series
• 30:20 – Final thoughts and invitation for listeners to reach out

Do you have questions or topic ideas for future episodes? Email any or all one the following:

• [email protected]
• [email protected]
• [email protected]

After months of working through Discovering Jesus, we finally reach the final lesson: The Mission and Organization of the Church. But before diving into church leadership, unity, mission, and community, Ronnie reflects on the purpose behind the workbook itself and what he hopes readers will ultimately discover.

What is the church actually supposed to be? Is it an institution, a service provider, a weekly gathering—or something much deeper? This conversation explores God’s vision for His people, the role of leadership, the importance of unity, and why every Christian is called to participate in the mission of Christ. Along the way, there are plenty of stories, laughs, and reflections on what it means to follow Jesus together.

Timestamps

• 00:00 – Introduction and final lesson in Discovering Jesus
• 02:20 – Ronnie reflects on the purpose and structure of the workbook
• 13:10 – Lesson 13: Mission and Organization of the Church
• 18:30 – Why God appoints leaders and equips the church through them
• 29:30 – Leadership development, discipleship, and the limits of strategic planning
• 45:20 – The church as a fellowship and partnership in God’s mission
• 51:50 – The unity of the Spirit vs. mere uniformity
• 59:20 – Spiritual gifts, discipleship, and helping people flourish
• 01:05:20 – What it means to belong to one another in the body of Christ
• 01:08:40 – The Great Commission and every Christian’s role in the mission
• 01:17:20 – The church as God’s family and learning to serve one another
• 01:22:00 – Final words from Discovering Jesus and closing reflections
• 01:23:00 – What’s next for the podcast?

Do you have questions or topic ideas for future episodes? Email any or all one the following:

• [email protected]
• [email protected]
• [email protected]

We wrap up Living as a Christian by exploring some of Jesus’ most challenging teachings from the Sermon on the Mount. What does it mean to move beyond rule-keeping and actually develop the heart of Christ? How do we love our enemies, handle authority, navigate anxiety, build healthy relationships, and discern truth from deception? Along the way, we wrestle with questions that are anything but simple, and discover why following Jesus is ultimately less about mastering a list of commands and more about knowing the One who gave them.  

Timestamps

• 00:00 – Intro + Part 2 of Living as a Christian
• 03:00 – Why the gospel must come before imitation of Christ
• 12:30 – The attitude of Christ: spirit of the law vs. letter of the law
• 25:50 – Loving your enemies and praying for those who oppose you
• 32:00 – A listener-worthy discussion on war, enemies, and difficult moral questions
• 42:50 – The life of Christ: humility, generosity, and avoiding performance spirituality
• 51:00 – “Seek first the Kingdom”: priorities, anxiety, and trust in God
• 56:30 – Relationships, forgiveness, and being a friend of sinners
• 01:05:50 – Ask, seek, knock: developing the focus of Christ
• 01:10:40 – The narrow way, false prophets, and recognizing genuine faith
• 01:23:00 – What should we look for in spiritual leaders?
• 01:28:00 – Final reflections on the Sermon on the Mount
• 01:34:40 – Closing song and wrap-up

Do you have questions or topic ideas for future episodes? Email any or all one the following:

• [email protected]
• [email protected]
• [email protected]

What does it actually mean to “live like Jesus”?

Is Christianity mostly about being a good person and going to church… or have we settled for something much smaller than what Jesus intended? Why do churches so easily drift into comfort, consumerism, and performance? And what would happen if we took the Sermon on the Mount seriously, not just as nice sayings, but as a vision for an entirely different kind of life?

In this episode, we begin Lesson 12 of Discovering Jesus and wrestle with the uncomfortable beauty of the Beatitudes. We talk about sacrifice, mercy, mourning, purity, peace-making, and why the people Jesus called “blessed” are usually the exact people our world overlooks. We also dig into what it means to actually be “salt and light” instead of just talking about it.  

Timestamps

• 00:00 – Intro + Lesson 12: Living as a Christian
• 03:10 – What does it really mean to live like Jesus?
• 11:10 – Why Christians are often seen as hypocrites
• 17:30 – Shepherding people vs. just growing churches
• 24:20 – Grace, weakness, and following Jesus honestly
• 27:20 – The Sermon on the Mount and “living gracefully”
• 31:30 – The Beatitudes: who Jesus calls “blessed”
• 47:20 – Mourning, compassion, and learning to truly care
• 58:00 – Purity of heart and becoming peacemakers
• 01:07:10 – Salt and light: influencing the world around us
• 01:15:40 – Compassion, politics, and listening to people’s stories
• 01:24:40 – Closing singalong: “This Little Light of Mine”

Do you have questions or topic ideas for future episodes? Email any or all one the following:

• [email protected]
• [email protected]
• [email protected]

What if we’ve misunderstood the church? Is it something you attend… or something you become part of? Why does “doing church” feel so normal, and yet so disconnected from what Jesus actually intended? And what would change if we really believed the church is a living, breathing body… not a building, not a service, not a weekly habit? In this episode, we wrap up our conversation on the body of Christ and push into some uncomfortable territory. Why isn’t church about preference? Why can’t you just “do Jesus on your own”? And what does it actually look like to live like you belong to one another?

Timestamps

• 00:00 – Intro + returning to the “body of Christ” conversation
• 02:00 – What this study is really trying to do (and not do)
• 06:30 – Why so many people misunderstand “church”
• 10:00 – Knowing Jesus vs. just knowing Bible language
• 14:30 – The Holy Spirit and what makes the church different
• 18:00 – Big “C” Church vs. little “c” church
• 20:00 – Why you don’t “shop” for a church
• 24:30 – One body, one Spirit (1 Corinthians 12)
• 34:50 – “You can’t do Jesus alone” (strong challenge)
• 41:00 – A chosen people, a royal priesthood (1 Peter 2)
• 45:00 – The church’s mission: not a club, but a calling
• 50:30 – What it really means to take God’s name seriously
• 53:10 – Gifts, roles, and participation in the body (Romans 12)
• 59:00 – What healthy church actually looks like in real life
• 01:08:00 – Building up the body vs. just attending
• 01:11:00 – “Encourage one another daily” (practical vision)
• 01:14:30 – Why dedicate your life to building the church?
• 01:19:00 – The power of real community (not programs)
• 01:27:30 – How do people live without this kind of community?
• 01:34:40 – Final challenge + prayer

Do you have questions or topic ideas for future episodes? Email any or all one the following:

• [email protected]
• [email protected]
• [email protected]

What is the church, really? Is it something we attend… or something we belong to? Why do so many people feel disconnected from it, or even justified in walking away? And what if we’ve misunderstood it from the start? In this episode, we wrestle with some big questions about the body of Christ—what Jesus actually intended, why it matters more than we think, and what might be off in the way we approach it today.
 

Timestamps

• 00:00 – Intro + 52 episodes reflection
• 02:30 – All-church gathering: what stood out
• 04:30 – The surprising scale and impact of the church family
• 06:30 – Emotional reflection on years of ministry
• 10:30 – What makes a church actually work
• 13:00 – Why connection matters more than performance
• 18:00 – Transition: introducing “The Body of Christ”
• 20:00 – What the church actually is (not just attendance)
• 24:00 – Is church optional? A direct challenge
• 27:00 – “Who do you say Jesus is?” and why it matters
• 32:00 – Misunderstanding the church (then and now)
• 38:00 – A strong word on individualistic Christianity
• 45:00 – Authority, leadership, and “binding & loosing”
• 01:05:30 – Acts 2: what the early church looked like
• 01:13:00 – Fellowship as partnership (not just hanging out)
• 01:19:30 – 1 Corinthians 12: the body metaphor
• 01:27:00 – Unity vs. uniformity in the church
• 01:34:00 – Real-life examples of leadership decisions
• 01:37:00 – Grace, imperfection, and the purpose of the church
• 01:39:00 – Closing prayer + wrap-up

Do you have questions or topic ideas for future episodes? Email any or all one the following:

• [email protected]
• [email protected]
• [email protected]

We’re continuing Part 2 of Encounters with Jesus, these stories get personal fast. What happens when Jesus shows up in ordinary moments… and we miss Him? Why do some people recognize Him immediately, while others walk right past? And what do these encounters reveal about us? From Mary and Martha to the Samaritan woman to Peter’s lowest moment, this episode invites us to slow down, look again, and ask: have we been missing something right in front of us?  

Timestamps

• 00:00 – Welcome back + Part 2 setup
• 01:00 – What “Encounters with Jesus” is all about
• 03:05 – Mary & Martha: distracted vs. present
• 12:30 – The deeper question: what actually matters most?
• 18:30 – “Have I done enough?” and the trap of performance
• 26:00 – Tension: being with God vs. doing for God
• 31:30 – The Samaritan woman: an unexpected encounter
• 44:20 – Cultural context that changes everything
• 56:00 – Missing “God moments” right in front of us
• 01:03:00 – Peter denies Jesus: fear, failure, and reality
• 01:10:00 – God using deeply flawed people
• 01:17:45 – Rapid-fire reflections: Thomas, Paul, and doubt
• 01:23:20 – Final takeaway: recognizing Jesus in real life
• 01:25:40 – Wrap-up + closing song

Do you have questions or topic ideas for future episodes? Email any or all one the following:

• [email protected]
• [email protected]
• [email protected]

William and Ronnie continue their series through Ronnie’s book Discovering Jesus, covering Lesson 10, “Stories of Encounters with Jesus,” focused on using Gospel encounters to help listeners experience God personally and “put themselves in the story” by considering individual, cultural, and religious context. Ronnie emphasizes that God relates uniquely to each person and that the Bible’s human storytelling helps us recognize God’s work and join it. They discuss the bleeding woman (Mark 5), the leper healed by Jesus’ touch (Matthew 8), the centurion’s faith as an outsider (Matthew 8), the rich young ruler’s hidden idol of wealth and goodness (Matthew 19), and Zacchaeus’s seeking and repentance (Luke 19), highlighting desperation, boldness, grace, and seeing people through God’s eyes rather than judgment.

Timestamps
00:00 Welcome Back Setup
01:21 Why Encounters Matter
02:48 God Relates Personally
07:25 Reading Scripture In Layers
13:43 Ronnie Calling Story
20:26 Touching God Mark 5
27:43 Desperation And The Crowd
39:42 Leper Healed Matthew 8
44:10 Bold Faith And Reaching People
51:28 Grace in Weakness
52:32 Leper Lessons
54:20 Centurion Faith
55:36 God Beyond Our Box
01:04:54 Rich Young Ruler
01:06:17 Good Kid Facade
01:10:55 Hidden Idols Exposed
01:21:04 Zacchaeus the Seeker
01:22:33 Jericho Context
01:31:26 Seeing Through Jesus
01:37:27 Encounter That Changes
01:38:54 Closing and Next Week

Do you have questions or topic ideas for future episodes? Email any or all one the following:

• [email protected]
• [email protected]
• [email protected]

We’re back with Part 2 of our conversation on life in the Holy Spirit, and this one goes deeper. What does it actually mean to live by the Spirit, not just talk about Him? How do you know He’s at work in you? And what changes when you begin to see the Christian life less as rule-following and more as something happening inside you? Along the way, we’re joined by a guest who’s experienced years of one-on-one discipleship, giving us a real-life picture of how the Spirit works through people over time—not just in theory, but in lived experience.

Timestamps

• 00:00 – Introducing our guest Kole Von Runnen (and some immediate chaos)
• 01:10 – What it was like studying “Discovering Jesus” one-on-one  
• 04:40 – The long-term impact of discipleship and mentorship  
• 08:00 – Funny (and slightly questionable) Ronnie stories  
• 09:10 – Comparing “Discovering Jesus” and “Focus on Jesus”  
• 12:50 – Accidental double booking and podcast origins
• 15:30 – Generational discipleship and the “torch” vision  
• 18:00 – Carrying the mission forward personally  
• 23:40 – Advice for starting one-on-one discipleship anywhere  
• 26:00 – Transition into Discovering Jesus (Holy Spirit section)
• 31:45 – Acts 2: The promise of the Holy Spirit  
• 44:00 – Asking for the Spirit vs. living by the Spirit
• 50:00 – What the Holy Spirit actually does in us  
• 01:09:30 – 1 Corinthians 13: the “most excellent way”
• 01:23:15 – Final reflections: what we’re most thankful for about the Spirit
• 01:27:00 – Wrap-up, jokes, and closing scripture/song

Do you have questions or topic ideas for future episodes? Email any or all one the following:

• [email protected]
• [email protected]
• [email protected]

Join us this week for our conversation on Lesson 9 of the Discovering Jesus study: Living by the Holy Spirit. What does it actually mean for Christians to live by the Spirit? Why has the Holy Spirit often been minimized in modern churches? Is the Spirit best understood as a force, or as a person who actively guides and works in believers? We also explore why many Christians feel hesitant to attribute experiences or guidance to the Spirit, how different traditions have approached spiritual gifts like tongues, and how passages such as Pentecost and the conversion of Cornelius help shape our understanding of the Spirit’s role in the life of the church today. Along the way, we discuss the tension between purely intellectual Christianity and a faith that expects God to be actively at work in and through His people.  

00:00 – Intro and a joke that falls flat

03:45 – Lesson 9: Why living by the Holy Spirit may be the most critical lesson for Christians

05:30 – The Enlightenment, intellectual faith, and why the Spirit is often overlooked

07:40 – Knowing Scripture vs. truly knowing God

12:00 – The origins of the charismatic movement

16:00 – The Holy Spirit in Genesis and the complexity of God

21:00 – Why Christians often refer to the Spirit as “it”

25:30 – Why we hesitate to say God is moving or speaking

32:00 – Why encounters with God can feel unsettling

33:30 – Jesus’ baptism and the Spirit descending like a dove

41:30 – Was this the moment Jesus was empowered for ministry?

46:00 – Pentecost: wind, fire, and the Spirit poured out

52:00 – What “speaking in tongues” means in Acts 2

59:00 – Cornelius and the Spirit coming to the Gentiles

1:03:30 – Why some churches teach that tongues prove salvation

1:14:00 – Do spiritual gifts like tongues and prophecy continue today?

1:22:00 – Do Christians need signs—or simply trust the promise of the Spirit?

1:24:00 – Why the Holy Spirit may be the most misunderstood part of the Christian life

Do you have questions or topic ideas for future episodes? Email any or all one the following:

• [email protected]
• [email protected]
• [email protected]