ML Podcast

What if the Christian life is less about doing more and more for God, and more about becoming someone whose very nature reflects him? That is the heart of what we explore in this message, and it challenges some of our deepest assumptions about faith and spiritual growth. 

Drawing from Matthew 11, we are invited to see that Jesus himself pushes back against the idea that outward religious activity is the measure of a genuine spiritual life. Wisdom, he tells us, is proved right by her deeds, but the deeds are the evidence of something deeper, not the foundation of it. The central insight here is this: what we do reveals who we are, it does not make us who we are. This is an important distinction. We are not trying to earn an identity through Christian-looking behavior. We are being transformed from the inside out, and that transformation naturally produces fruit in our lives. 

The image of a vine and its branches from John 15 becomes a powerful anchor. The branch does not strain to produce fruit. It simply remains connected to the vine, and fruit is the natural result. For us, that means the goal of our faith journey is not a longer to-do list. It is a deeper, more intimate connection with Jesus himself.

What if the most transformative spiritual decision you could make was not a solo journey but a family one? This conversation with Ryan and Stacy Daubenspeck takes us into the heart of what it looks like when a family stops treating faith as a Sunday habit and starts living it as an everyday identity.

Pointing people toward Jesus does not require having all the right words. Sometimes it simply means showing up, serving others, and choosing to love people well. When we give our kids opportunities to be part of that, we are teaching them that following Jesus is not just something we talk about. It is something we live out.

That is what Jesus modeled for us. He noticed the people. He moved toward them. He welcomed them in. He met them where they were and loved them there.

And as families, we have the opportunity to do the same.

This teaching explored the difference between attending church as a spectator and engaging with the church as a disciple. Drawing from Matthew 11:9-11, where Jesus declares that even the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than John the Baptist, Pastor Paul challenged us to recognize that every believer holds a significant place in God's kingdom. The message invited us to shift our thinking from what we come to church to see or find, to what we come to church to become. 

Using Ephesians 4:11-13, which describes how God gives leaders to the church not to do all the work themselves but to equip every believer for works of service, the conversation invites us to move from spectatorship to discipleship, and from simply attending the "little c church" to actively becoming the "Big C Church", the living, breathing body of Christ in the world.

What does it mean to truly follow Jesus when the path leads somewhere we never would have chosen? This message takes us into a searching and honest conversation about the difference between being comfortable and being comforted, and why that distinction matters deeply for our faith. Drawing from Matthew 11, where Jesus asks the crowd what they went into the wilderness to find, we are invited to ask ourselves the same question about our own spiritual lives. Were the people drawn to John the Baptist because he offered ease and fine surroundings? Absolutely not. And yet something real and true was happening out there in the wilderness that they could not find in the king's palace. 

When we examine our own hearts honestly, we may find that we have quietly built our faith around the assumption that closeness to God should feel comfortable. But the witness of Scripture and the testimony of countless lives tells a different story. God does not waste the hard moments. He meets us in them, shapes us through them, and draws us closer to himself precisely when we have run out of easy answers.

Before you walk into church, take your seat, or tune in online, there is a simple question worth asking: What did you come to see?

What if, instead of coming with expectations of what we want to happen, we came with expectancy for what God might do? That means loosening our grip on our own plans, opening our hands, and making room for an encounter with the living God. 

Come expecting that He is here, He sees you, and He has something to say.

Because He does. He always does.

In our latest ML Podcast, Angie Hart shares how she and her 10-year-old daughter Avery are discovering Jesus in the everyday moments. From washing each other's feet during Holy Week to texting prayers when emotions run high, they are proving that faith doesn't have to be complicated. Kids see Jesus everywhere, in the smallest bug, in a painted sunrise, in simple acts of service. They remind us that we don't need to check all the boxes or be perfect. We just need to keep the conversation open and let Jesus into every moment.

The most powerful discipleship happens when we stop overcomplicating faith and start living it together. What if the best thing we could teach our kids is simply to give their hard stuff to Jesus because He can take it?

At IYC, our students experienced worship with thousands of their peers, powerful conversations about Jesus, and moments that challenged them to make faith a daily priority, not just a weekend event.

Earl gave his life to Jesus. Anthany is learning to let his love for God overflow into everything. Gracie discovered the power of serving others through simple acts like sharing pizza with the homeless. 

Each came back different, challenged to fight for intentional time with God and to share Jesus wherever they go. Thank you to everyone who supported this trip through fundraising, prayers, support, and encouragement. God is changing lives in our students!

Rebecca Rhoton shares her journey of following Jesus from childhood through various ministry contexts, from Spain to anti-trafficking work with Scarlet Hope. Her story beautifully illustrates how God faithfully leads us step by step, even when we cannot see the full picture. Throughout her life, Rebecca has learned that faith doesn't require having everything figured out, it simply requires trusting that God goes before us and will provide the direction we need for each season.

Bill Bruns and Mo Carpenter join us on the ML Podcast for Special Father's Day conversation about discipling their children and grandchildren. From the chaos of busy schedules to the intentional moments of prayer before bed, they remind us that our kids are watching everything, how we treat our spouse, how we handle stress, how we live out our faith daily.

The most powerful truth? You do not need to be perfect or have all the answers. You just need to be present, authentic, and willing to grow alongside your children. Whether you are a young parent or seasoned grandparent, this conversation will encourage you to pour into your family more than the world does.

We have the privilege of introducing our new interim pastor, Pastor Paul Strozier, through a special podcast conversation that gives us insight into his heart, his journey, and God's faithfulness in bringing him to us.

As we move forward together, let's remember that nothing can happen to us that God is not aware of, not in charge of, and will not work for our good. Our call is simply to trust His heart, even when we can't see His hand, and to be ready to say "yes" to whatever He has next.