With Thanksgiving just days away, the Resident Strangers crew sat down to reflect on the themes of gratitude and thankfulness. After swapping their own Thanksgiving plans, the conversation shifted toward what it truly means to live with a thankful heart.

Rich shared that growing and maturing in Christ is deeply tied to learning contentment, that gratitude is, in many ways, the opposite of selfishness. Sometimes all it takes is stepping back and gaining a fresh perspective to rekindle a spirit of thankfulness.

Steve pointed to Psalm 50:23 and Psalm 100 as reminders that thanksgiving and worship go hand in hand. The New Testament echoes this as well when Paul famously calls believers to be thankful in all circumstances in Philippians. There’s something powerful about refusing to let our circumstances define our gratitude.

Rich also admitted that the more he intentionally focuses on what he can be grateful for, the less miserable he becomes. Gratitude really does matter whether it’s for something as simple as a warm cup of coffee or as meaningful as the love of family. Every bit of thankfulness counts, touches God’s heart, and ultimately shapes our own.

Happy Thanksgiving from the Resident Strangers team!

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What does it actually mean to grow as a Christian? In today’s episode, Steve, Rich, and Sarah dig into the idea of spiritual maturity. After a fun conversation comparing the TV shows they each grew up with they shift to what really matters: growing in Christ.

Steve kicks things off in 1 Peter 2, where spiritual growth is pictured through the human life cycle. Just like a baby slowly learns to eat and move, even an adult who becomes a Christian starts out spiritually “new.” But the goal isn’t to stay there; growth is essential. Rich highlights this from 2 Peter 1, emphasizing the diligence and intentionality required, and then points to 1 Corinthians 13, another passage that uses growth imagery to describe maturing in our faith.

Sarah brings in the importance of understanding how that growth actually happens, especially when life gets messy. Trials and challenges often become the very place where spiritual maturity is formed. Steve ties it all together by reminding us that one of the clearest signs of maturity is recognizing that life isn’t ultimately about us; it’s about Jesus. Rich also opens up about his own recent steps toward spiritual maturity, offering a real-life picture of what growing in Christ can look like day to day. We hope this conversation challenges and encourages you as we head into a new year!

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Does the Bible actually teach the sinner’s prayer as the way to receive salvation? It’s Tuesday, which means a new episode of Resident Strangers is here!

This week, Steve and Rich are revisiting a topic from earlier this summer during the predestination series and bringing some clarification to a big question: What does it truly mean to believe?

They unpack what it means to genuinely place your faith in Jesus and what Scripture means when it talks about salvation, a word that can also mean deliverance. So what does salvation include? Is it simply forgiveness and the promise of heaven, or is there more to the life Jesus offers?

Rich also explores the question of how we can know someone is saved, while Sarah brings in the role of spiritual fruit and how it shows up in a believer’s life. Ultimately, only God and the individual can truly know the heart but one thing is clear: trusting Jesus changes everything. There’s a lot in this episode so listen in and take notes if needed!

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Steve is back in the studio with Rich and Sarah for another great conversation! This episode marks the third and final installment in our unofficial mini-series on prayer. Steve dives right in with one of the most beautiful prayers in Scripture which is Elijah’s prayer in 1 Kings 18. He reminds us that prayer doesn’t have to be complicated; it’s simply talking with God, expressing what’s already in your heart. When we do that, it transforms us more than anything else can.

Rich brings another layer to the conversation by exploring what prayer is not. He unpacks the cultural idea of “manifesting” and how even some Christians have adopted the belief that our words can create worlds. But true prayer isn’t about shaping reality through ritual, it’s about engaging with the living God. Together, Steve and Rich challenge us to consider what it really means to take God at His word and trust Him completely. We hope you’ve enjoyed this three-part journey as we’ve explored what it means to commune deeply with God through prayer!

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Happy Lies by Melissa Dougherty

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Larissa joins Sarah and Rich once again as they continue their conversation on prayer. Many believers would agree that some of the most powerful moments of prayer and closeness with God often come during seasons of difficulty. Scripture is full of prayers born out of hardship, many of them being expressions of lament.

In this episode, Rich highlights Psalm 13 as a model of lament: it begins with a raw complaint, moves into a heartfelt petition, and concludes with a declaration of trust in who God is, even in the midst of pain. He reminds us that this is not only something believers can do, but something we should do. Bringing our grief, confusion, and sorrow honestly before God is both deeply biblical and deeply healing.

Rich and Larissa open up about their own experiences of lament, past and present, and how God has met them in those moments. While lament is not a step we can skip on the path to healing, it is often one of the most transformative parts of the journey. This real and vulnerable conversation offers encouragement and practical insight for wherever you are in life and in your own prayer journey.

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Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy by Mark Vroegop

Larissa Holland's testimony on The Stories Collective, Episode 82

Aaron Holland's (Rich & Larissa's son!) testimony on The Stories Collective, Episode 138

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If you’ve enjoyed today’s episode, we’d be so grateful if you’d subscribe and leave a review as it really helps us reach more people with this message. We’d also love it if you’d share the podcast with your friends, on social media, or anywhere you connect with others. Join us next Tuesday as we continue the discussion on how to think like a Christian in this foreign world. 

Sarah and Rich are joined by a very special guest — Larissa Holland! Larissa is Rich’s wife, and we’re so glad she could be part of this meaningful conversation.

While Steve will be back soon, the crew wanted to begin a new series of discussions around prayer, starting with Jesus’ model of prayer from Matthew 6. In this passage, Jesus clearly answers the question, “How should we pray?”

Together, they unpack what it means to be mindful of how we pray, especially when praying in front of others. Larissa shares candidly about how this can be a real struggle and how her prayer life has grown over the years. One major shift for her has been becoming more intentional, even asking God daily to reveal sin and draw her closer to Him. Sarah opens up about what prayer looks like in this current season of motherhood, and Rich reminds us that no matter what season we’re in, God always hears our prayers.

The crew highlights three key takeaways from Jesus’ example:

• Begin with praise and adoration.
• Invite God into your present moment.
• Humbly ask for conviction before bringing your requests.

This heartfelt conversation is full of encouragement, no matter where you are in your prayer journey.

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Larissa Holland's testimony on The Stories Collective, Episode 82

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Today on Resident Strangers, Steve, Rich, and Sarah tackle a topic that continues to stir deep discussion in the church—women in ministry.

Right out of the gate, Steve clarifies that spiritual gifts are not tied to gender. In the same way, he says, the use of those gifts within the church should not be restricted by gender. Rich builds on that thought, reminding listeners that every follower of Christ is called into full-time ministry, a theme they’ve unpacked in previous episodes.

Sarah, however, notes that this conversation remains necessary because culture still struggles with how to approach it. Steve then turns to Scripture, pointing to 1 Corinthians 14:34 and 1 Timothy 2:12, which two passages often cited in this debate. He poses the critical question: Are these verses addressing roles or offices? According to Steve, understanding that distinction makes all the difference.

Meanwhile, Sarah presses into what it actually means for a woman to teach and how believers should respond when she does.

This episode dives deep into a nuanced and often emotional conversation. So, as you listen, stay open, thoughtful, and ready to wrestle with the Word.

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Learn how to read & study the Bible this fall with Rich Holland, starting October 19th 

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In today’s episode, Rich and Steve take a big picture look at different church leadership structures. Leadership within the church can vary widely from one congregation or denomination to another, and even individual churches often interpret these structures in unique ways.

Most of what we understand about church leadership comes from the New Testament. In Acts, we see both the rapid spread of the church and the development of formal leadership offices, primarily elders (or bishops) serving as overseers, and deacons. Steve highlights the important distinction between an office and a role, noting that the word “pastor” actually appears only once in the New Testament. He and Rich unpack how “elder” and “pastor” are often used interchangeably and what that means for church leadership today. They also explore how every believer, whether in a leadership position or not, shares the same call to live faithfully. 

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Learn how to read & study the Bible this fall with Rich Holland, starting October 19th

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If you’ve enjoyed today’s episode, we’d be so grateful if you’d subscribe and leave a review as it really helps us reach more people with this message. We’d also love it if you’d share the podcast with your friends, on social media, or anywhere you connect with others. Join us next Tuesday as we continue the discussion on how to think like a Christian in this foreign world.

Resident Strangers is BACK! 🎉 And so is Sarah Schalow, from maternity leave. The whole crew is together again! After a full summer run of episodes, the team took a short breather, but you can now expect new episodes to drop regularly back into your feed.

Today kicks off the first in a 3-part series on church polity. We start at the beginning: what exactly is a denomination? Rich explains it as a formal organizational structure that individual churches fit into. The episode also touches on some key historical moments that led to the wide variety of denominations we see today, most often arising from theological differences or questions of church polity and politics. From baptism to the autonomy of the local church, to the authority of Scripture, these topics have shaped major denominational “splits” throughout history. Steve also unpacks what it means for churches to be part of associations (like Desert Springs is) and what that entails.

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Learn how to read & study the Bible this fall with Rich Holland, starting October 19th

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If you’ve enjoyed today’s episode, we’d be so grateful if you’d subscribe and leave a review as it really helps us reach more people with this message. We’d also love it if you’d share the podcast with your friends, on social media, or anywhere you connect with others. Join us next Tuesday as we continue the discussion on how to think like a Christian in this foreign world. 

Does anyone really love change? It’s uncomfortable and often hard but necessary for growth. Churches especially can struggle with it. The world is always shifting, so how can the church stay anchored in truth while adapting to culture?

Steve emphasizes that churches must stay mission-minded, and Rich puts it this way: if every Christian is a missionary, then every Christian should also be a student of culture. And when you study culture, you can’t miss change.

The longer a church exists, the stronger the pull to turn inward but that must be resisted. Sometimes evaluation needs to be ruthless: What’s working? What’s not?

The gospel, the Great Commission, and the truth never change but how we live them out often must. May this conversation challenge you to embrace change where needed and follow Jesus more fully!

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Learn how to read & study the Bible this fall with Rich Holland

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If you’ve enjoyed today’s episode, we’d be so grateful if you’d subscribe and leave a review as it really helps us reach more people with this message. We’d also love it if you’d share the podcast with your friends, on social media, or anywhere you connect with others. Join us next Tuesday as we continue the discussion on how to think like a Christian in this foreign world.