Living Covenant

Most of us know of Nehemiah. Fewer know that his story can't really be understood without two other men who came before him, Zerubbabel and Ezra.

In this episode, Jesse Herford, former pastor and associate editor of Signs of the Times magazine, joins us to explore the interconnected stories of these three leaders who rebuilt Jerusalem after exile—each with their own mission and each with their own blind spots. We talk about what happens when ministry falls apart, why the Bible is more honest about failure than we are, and what it looks like to trust that God is still at work even when everything you built seems to collapse. Jesse also opens up about his own experience in ministry and why he wishes the church talked about failure more.

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Esther's story has all the elements of a TV drama: palace politics, a secret identity, a dangerous request and a people on the brink of destruction. But at the centre of it all is a young woman trying to figure out what God is asking her to do. 

In this episode, journalist Kira Bridcutt joins us to unpack the story of Esther—a woman chosen for her beauty, thrust into royalty and faced with a choice that could cost her everything. We talk about what it looks like to act courageously when you're scared and how God works behind the scenes even when He's nowhere to be seen. Kira also reflects on her own journey with faith and what Esther's courage has stirred in her.

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Most of us know the storybook version of Jonah: man overboard, big fish, three days, dry land. But the part we often forget to zoom in on is where Jonah sits outside Nineveh, furious that God showed the people mercy.

In this episode, Pastor Quintin Betteridge joins us to unpack one of the Bible's most reluctant prophets. We talk about what Jonah's story reveals about the limits we place on God's grace, why it's easier to receive mercy than to extend it and what it looks like when our image of God is shaped more by culture than by Scripture. Quintin also draws on his experience growing up in apartheid South Africa to explore what it really means to love people we'd rather God just judged.

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Have you ever been rejected, or felt the pain of loving someone who didn't love you back? In this episode, Zanita Fletcher, assistant editor of Signs of the Times, opens up about a painful breakup that led her to the story of Hosea. In conversation with Jarrod Stackelroth, she unpacks what the universal experience of heartbreak tells us about God—and why He might be far less stoic and emotionless than we imagine.

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Elijah called down fire from heaven. He outran a chariot. He raised the dead. And then he collapsed under a tree and asked God to let him die.

In this episode, Jarrod Stackelroth, former editor of Adventist Record and creator of this series, joins us to explore 1 Kings 19. Together, we unpack what Elijah’s crisis reveals about faith, expectations and the compassion of God. We talk about why Elijah’s despair wasn’t a failure of faith and what it looks like to let God reframe the story you’re telling yourself. Jarrod also opens up about his own season of burnout and learning to go to God honestly in prayer.

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The Old Testament gives us plenty of examples of what not to do. But Jonathan is an exception. He's not known for his failures, but for his loyalty, his sacrifice and his friendship. 

In this episode, Ashley Jankiewicz, assistant editor for Adventist Record, joins us to tell the story of a man who gave up his crown, his clothes and his birthright for a friend. We explore what made Jonathan and David's friendship so extraordinary, why deep friendships are so rare today, and what it might look like to bring a covenant mindset to the people we love.

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Saul had everything going for him. He was chosen by God, anointed as king and was head and shoulders above everyone around him. But his story did not end well.

In this episode, therapist and former pastor Blake Penland joins us to unpack the life of Saul and what his slow unravelling reveals about leadership, accountability and the stories we tell ourselves. We talk about the difference between guilt and shame and why it matters, what it looks like to be intentional with God rather than just passive, and why God's patience with Saul outlasted Saul's patience with himself. Blake also opens up about the mental health tools he's found most useful, including music and creativity.

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What does it actually look like to hear from God?

In this episode, Joëlle Weekes joins us to explore the story of Samuel—a boy who heard God's voice in the silence of the night, at a time when the word of the Lord was rare. We talk about why silence can feel so uncomfortable, what it means to be busy for God without actually being with God, and how to stay connected to Him in the middle of a full and noisy life. Joëlle also reflects on her own seasons of waiting and silence and the question that shifted everything for her: what if it's not God who's silent, but me?

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Most people come to the Book of Ruth for the love story. But zoom out and there's something much bigger going on. It's a story about family, faithfulness and how God works through ordinary people to change the world.

In this episode, Pastor Robby Morgan joins us to talk about the complicated history that makes Ruth's loyalty so remarkable and how family is at the heart of God's redemptive plan. Robby  reflects on his own experience of having families care for him when he moved to Australia and how their actions taught him more about the love of God than any sermon he's heard.

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Gideon is introduced to us at his lowest—crouched in a wine press, hiding grain from the enemy, hoping no one notices. It's hardly the picture of someone God is about to send into battle.

In this episode, we're joined by Zoe Cochrane, an ancient history teacher, who brings scholarly depth and personal honesty to the story of Gideon. We talk about what it looks like to question God when His plan doesn't make sense and why God deliberately reduced Gideon's army before sending him into battle. Zoe also opens up about a time when God answered her request for a sign, as well as the moments she's asked and heard nothing.

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