The Honestly, Jess Show

Confrontation isn't something people are usually thrilled to talk about or participate in, but it is something we all face at one point or another. Jess has had her fair share of uncomfortable experiences bringing issues up to people or having them brought up to her and the only reason she felt okay handling them was because of what she'd been taught at home. That's why she brought in the very man who helped teach her, her dad! Dan's years of experience in contract negotiation in healthcare alongside his God-given gift for discerning and caring for people have helped him develop great skills for approaching confrontation with strength and care for the person across the table.

From personal examples of how to bow out of church groups gracefully, how to hold the line when you feel you're right (without being a jerk), and emphasizing that half the battle in a confrontation is actually how well you know yourself, Jess and Dan cover a lot of ground that will give you some things to think about.

Scripture referenced:

Matthew 18:15-17

Galatians 6:1

Proverbs 27:5-7

Romans 12:14-21

Article on Matthew 18 as a model of Biblical Confrontation: https://bit.ly/4dqIMYa

Follow Jess!Email newsletter | https://honestlyjess.myflodesk.com/newsletter-pod-linksInstagram | ⁠@itsjessmadison⁠Substack | ⁠itshonestlyjess.substack.com⁠

This episode jumps right into the mess of what unity as believers looks like, especially since we're all different. Spoiler alert, it is a little complex! But, God knew that we'd struggle and so he gave us his word to guide us through this essential part of life as the body of Christ! We get into 1 Corinthians 12, the concept of theological triage and more, so grab your Bible and get ready for a full-on episode that hopefully makes you think!

Extra resources:

Article from Dr. Mohler | https://albertmohler.com/2004/05/20/a-call-for-theological-triage-and-christian-maturity-2/

Podcast on Unity | https://open.spotify.com/episode/6NFntfV4wbYYCmxPpwDSUr?si=GqCEF0y5R2G43OmuCWpypA

Follow Jess!

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Substack | itshonestlyjess.substack.com

Have all the resources that support our faith journeys actually had something to do with the gaps we see in discipleship and community building in the Western church? Jess thinks there might be some connection, and it has a name, the Evangelical Industrial Complex.

This topic is super nuanced and isn't going to be universally acknowledged. Jess understands this, and does her best to give pastors and leaders the benefit of the doubt about how they're handling discipleship in their churches. But she doesn't let the group leader or member off the hook in this one—if we want the village, are we willing to sacrifice our own comfort to help build it? If we see a gap in our church's ministry, are we just complaining about it, or are we reaching out to see if we can build a bridge alongside our leaders?

Important links for this episode:

What is an Industrial Complex? | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industrial_complex

The Evangelical Industrial Complex and the Fall of Discipleship, Ben Francis | https://www.shepherdingthoughts.com/post/the-evangelical-industrial-complex-and-the-fall-of-discipleship

Skye Jethani on the EIC | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zn_UCh37qog 

When I have conversations with people, Christian or not, I’m doing my best to assess if the conversation is staying Gospel-forward or moving in a Gospel-focused direction. What do I mean by this?

We’ve grown up in a time where culture has done a really good job of keeping the secular and the sacred separated in our lives. Church stays over there, and fun non-church things are over here. You can live one way for at least five days a week and pull it together on Wednesday nights and Sunday mornings. OR maybe your Bible isn’t dusty, but you still struggle to slow down enough to recognize the Gospel at work in your life, in the ordinary.

Substack | https://itshonestlyjess.substack.com/ Instagram | @itsjessmadison

I don’t know about you, but I feel like there’s an invisible string tying content together these days—everyone wants to be unique and themselves, or in simpler terms, they want to be KNOWN. It’s hard to cultivate relationships in person because you can face the sting of rejection in real time, and leave a conversation thinking you’re a problem.

And in the church, a place where broken people are supposed to be welcomed in and encouraged and shepherded on their way to new life, we oftentimes find the biggest barriers to entry and feel pressure to be fully fixed up before we show up, no matter how many times someone tells us different. 

Could this be a systemic problem?

I think it might be, and in this episode, we break down a few of the ways I believe we can tackle this problem head on.

Want to continue the conversation? Join my Substack or follow me on Instagram!

Substack | https://itshonestlyjess.substack.com/

Instagram | @itsjessmadison

We're back to finish our conversation with Jennings Muniz, TESOL Director at YWAM Honolulu. We talk about the awe and wonder you experience when you understand the layers of the Old Testament and complicated books like Leviticus. She also shares how the Holy Spirit opened her eyes to God's love and joy throughout those books, and I think it will leave you feeling inspired, too!

Jennings also reveals why she thinks those of us living off the full-time mission field have a harder job than she does when it comes to sharing our faith!!

Want to discover more about YWAM Honolulu and TESOL? Follow them on social media!

TESOL IG | https://www.instagram.com/tesolywamhonolulu/

YWAM Honolulu IG | https://www.instagram.com/ywamhonolulu/

Leviticus isn't the go-to book in your average Bible study, but does that mean there isn't something there for you? In this episode, Jess interviews her friend Jennings, a long-term missionary with YWAM Honolulu, about this very idea. In Jenn's own life she took Leviticus for granted until she began to deeply study it and found so many connections to Jesus! And that's the point of Scripture, to connect us to Jesus!

We broke this episode up into two parts because the content was so good (and so deep)!! While you're waiting for the next episode, you can follow along with Jennings and the entire team at YWAM Honolulu on social media!

https://www.instagram.com/tesolywamhonolulu/

https://www.instagram.com/p/DYnNi4FAezH/

In the rest of Jess' conversation with Manney, they cover everything from the beginning of Manney's business journey, how her church helped her recognize her gifting and encouraged her to build a business, and how burnout helped her stop and reevaluate how she wanted to prioritize her time! And if you're only going to read the description, take Manney's closing words of encouraging us to pray and be in the Word with you! It might be cliche, but prayer really works, so pray about everything and find a community of people who do the same!

Check out and support Manney's work here: ⁠@manneygottheshot

IG | @the.honestlyjess.show#christianbusinessowners #christianlifestyle #entrepreneurlife

If you needed a conversation that encourages you to lean into the community God has given you, to embrace your giftings, and to trust Him even when it seems hard, this conversation is for you! Manney and Jess became friends through Instagram several years ago, and it was a joy to have her on the podcast talking about her upbringing, what her church life is like, and how God called her to step into the life of an entrepreneur! It was such a good conversation that we had to split it into two parts, so make sure you come back next week for part 2!

Check out and support Manney's work here: https://www.instagram.com/manneygottheshot/

IG | @the.honestlyjess.show

#christianbusinessowners #christianlifestyle #podcast #entrepreneurlife #faithvlogger

Have you ever found yourself in a season of life where you just need to know God's love? Jess has been there, and in it she realized she wasn't sure that she grasped God's love at all! In this episode, Jess discusses how reading the Old Testament helped her put words to the fact that she didn't fully comprehend the love we receive from our Father. It is an honest look at her own experience as a believer, and hopefully an encouragement to you!

Sermon mentioned: https://www.spurgeon.org/resource-library/sermons/love/#flipbook/

Instagram | @the.honestlyjess.show