The More and Better Disciples Podcast

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Why should we keep praying when we don’t understand what God is doing?

In Exodus 17, Moses raises his hands as Israel battles the Amalekites, revealing a powerful connection between prayer and God’s victory. But what does this story teach us about persistent prayer, God’s sovereignty, and our responsibility to keep asking, seeking, and knocking?

In this episode of the More and Better Disciples podcast, we explore how the Old Testament points us to Jesus, how to understand God’s promises today, and why we should be cautious of teachings that promise guaranteed healing or prosperity. We also discuss why God may use seasons of persistent prayer to expose our motives, deepen our faith, and grow us, even when the answer doesn’t come as we expected.

We may not always understand how prayer works, but we can trust the God who invites us to keep praying.

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To glorify God by making more and better disciples. This is the vision of Grace Fellowship, led by Pastor Rex Keener and based in New York’s Capital Region.

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What does it mean when God says, “I am the Lord who heals you”?

In Exodus 15, the Israelites reach the bitter waters of Marah shortly after experiencing one of Scripture's greatest miracles. Their journey reminds us that life can move quickly from victory to disappointment, but God reveals Himself as Jehovah Rapha, the God who heals.

In this episode, we explore what God’s healing can look like in our physical bodies, our emotions and minds, and our spiritual lives. We talk about the role of Christian community, wise counselors, and professional therapists, while recognizing that God’s work of healing often happens gradually rather than instantly.

Ultimately, salvation itself is part of God’s healing work: a process we experience in the tension of the “already and not yet” as God continues to transform us.

Thanks for joining us for this episode of The More and Better Disciples Podcast.
Because discipleship doesn’t end on Sundays.

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To glorify God by making more and better disciples. This is the vision of Grace Fellowship, led by Pastor Rex Keener and based in New York’s Capital Region.
——
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What’s the difference between a trial, a test, and a temptation? And when life gets difficult, how can we discern what God may be doing?

In this episode of the More and Better Disciples podcast, Rex, Jesse, and Tim go deeper into the story of Abraham and Isaac from Genesis 22 and explore how Scripture helps us understand difficult seasons of life. They discuss trials that come from living in a broken world, tests that God may use to strengthen and deepen our faith, and temptations intended to pull us away from Him.

They also tackle listener questions about how to discern God’s leading when Scripture doesn’t give a direct answer, the role of wisdom and godly counsel, and what our response should look like when we don’t fully understand what God is doing. Throughout the conversation, one theme keeps coming back: whatever the circumstance, our calling is to honor God, walk in the truth we know, and trust Him.

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After spending the past year walking through the book of Acts, Rex, Jesse, and Isaac reflect on the journey and the lessons the early church still has for us today. They discuss the Holy Spirit’s work, trusting God when plans change, persevering through difficulty, and the sacrifices the early disciples made to spread the gospel. As the Real Christianity series comes to a close, they look back at what Acts has taught us and look forward to what God may continue to do through His people.

To submit questions: [email protected]

Subscribe to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/gracefellowshipny

To give online: https://gracefellowship.com/give/

To glorify God by making more and better disciples. This is the vision of Grace Fellowship, led by Pastor Rex Keener and based in New York’s Capital Region.

——

Stay Connected

Website: https://gracefellowship.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/gracefellowshipny

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/gracefellowshipny

What does it really mean to be a Christian? Is it simply praying a prayer and knowing you’ll go to heaven, or is there something much deeper happening in the life of someone who follows Jesus?

In this episode of the More and Better Disciples podcast, Pastor Rex and Jesse go deeper into recent sermons from Acts, exploring what genuine faith looks like, the work of the Holy Spirit, assurance of salvation, and the process of spiritual transformation. They discuss why Christians should examine their lives for evidence of faith, what it means to truly delight in God, and how spiritual disciplines help cultivate a growing relationship with Him.

They also tackle an important question about personal experience and Scripture: How do we know when something we experience is biblical and when we're simply making a theology out of our experience? Along the way, they discuss how to read the narrative portions of Acts, why not everything recorded in Scripture is necessarily prescribed for us today, and why our theology must ultimately be grounded in God's Word.

Plus, Pastor Rex answers listener questions about whether the Holy Spirit works in unbelievers and why the book of Acts describes people being baptized “in the name of Jesus.”

Christianity is more than fire insurance. It’s about knowing Christ, being transformed by His Spirit, and learning to delight in God... because discipleship doesn't end on Sunday.

To submit questions: [email protected]

Subscribe to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/gracefellowshipny

To give online: https://gracefellowship.com/give/

To glorify God by making more and better disciples. This is the vision of Grace Fellowship, led by Pastor Rex Keener and based in New York’s Capital Region.

——

Stay Connected

Website: https://gracefellowship.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/gracefellowshipny

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/gracefellowshipny

Discouragement is something every Christian faces, even the people who seem the strongest. In Acts, we see Paul arrive in Corinth after a difficult season, seemingly alone, tired, and discouraged. So why does God tell him, “Do not be afraid… keep on speaking”?

In this episode, Rex, Tim, and Jesse go deeper into the reality of discouragement, sharing personal stories of seasons when they wanted to quit. They talk about David Brainerd, the danger of letting discouragement spiral into despair, the importance of people who speak truth into our lives, and why God’s Word is often the encouragement we’re looking for.

Ultimately, the reminder is simple: God is still at work, even when we can’t see it. Romans 8:28 is a truth we can live as though we actually believe.

To Submit Questions: [email protected]

Subscribe to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/gracefellowshipny

To give online: https://gracefellowship.com/give/

To glorify God by making more and better disciples. This is the vision of Grace Fellowship, led by Pastor Rex Keener and based in New York’s Capital Region.

——

Stay Connected

Website: https://gracefellowship.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/gracefellowshipny

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/gracefellowshipny

Jesse and Tim sit down with Pastor Mat to unpack a stretch of campus-specific sermons through the book of Acts. They trace the unlikely trio at the center of the church in Philippi: Lydia, the enslaved girl, and the Gentile jailer. They discuss what it means that Jesus assembled a church out of people who never would have chosen each other. From there, the conversation moves through Paul's evangelism strategy across different audiences: reasoning from the Old Testament in the synagogues, then finding common philosophical ground with the Epicureans and Stoics at Mars Hill, and what "pre-evangelism" looks like when the gospel has to be built up to rather than delivered all at once.

They also dig into the Macedonian call and what it teaches about discerning God's will, not as a bolt of certainty received before acting, but something often "concluded" only in the process of stepping out. Mat closes with a challenge from his own sermon: that truly believing the gospel is the power of God unto salvation looks different than simply knowing it is, especially in the everyday, low-visibility moments of sharing faith with the people around us. We also put Pastor Mat's Sunday matcha comments to the test with a live taste review... Tune in to see the verdict!

Submit questions: [email protected]

Subscribe to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/gracefellowshipny

To give online: https://gracefellowship.com/give/

To glorify God by making more and better disciples. This is the vision of Grace Fellowship, led by Pastor Rex Keener and based in New York’s Capital Region.

——

Stay Connected

Website: https://gracefellowship.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/gracefellowshipny

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/gracefellowshipny

On this episode of the More and Better Disciples Podcast, Jesse, Tim, and Isaac continue the conversation from this weekend's messages on Acts 15:36–41, where Paul and Barnabas experienced one of the New Testament's most significant disagreements.

Together they discuss how Christians can navigate conflict without sacrificing unity, why not every disagreement is over a core doctrine, and how Grace Fellowship's Three Circle Thinking framework helps us distinguish between essential beliefs, biblical convictions, and personal preferences. They also explore what Scripture teaches about humility, extending grace, and trusting God even when faithful believers don't see eye to eye.

Whether you're facing conflict in your family, workplace, friendships, or church, this conversation offers practical encouragement for disagreeing well while keeping Christ at the center.

Submit your questions to [email protected]


Subscribe to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/gracefellowshipny
To give online: https://gracefellowship.com/give/


To glorify God by making more and better disciples. This is the vision of Grace Fellowship, led by Pastor Rex Keener and based in New York’s Capital Region.
——
Stay Connected
Website: https://gracefellowship.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/gracefellowshipny
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/gracefellowshipny

In this episode, we continue a conversation around what it means to “stand firm in the faith,” moving beyond theory and into the everyday realities of marriage, parenting, and family life.

We’re joined by Allee and Debbie, who bring their perspective as both daughters and mothers, reflecting on faith being woven into daily decisions, conversations, and even moments of conflict.

A major focus of this discussion connects back to the recent Father’s Day message where we explored what biblical fatherhood looks like beyond provision alone. While providing for a family is essential, the conversation challenges the idea that it stops there. We talk honestly about the call for fathers to also be present, emotionally engaged, spiritually grounded, and intentional in nurturing the hearts of their children.

From there, the conversation opens up into real stories about how faith was modeled in the home, how disagreements were handled in front of the kids, what it looked like to navigate seasons of pressure and church leadership, and how those experiences shaped their understanding of God, family, and forgiveness.

We also reflect on the tension many families feel between work and home life, and how intentional decisions, both good and imperfect, form the culture of a household over time.

At the center of it all is this idea: standing firm in the faith isn’t just about what you believe, it’s about how those beliefs are lived out in marriage, parenting, and the everyday rhythms of family life, especially when things get messy.

Submit your questions to [email protected]

Subscribe to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/gracefellowshipny
To give online: https://gracefellowship.com/give/


To glorify God by making more and better disciples. This is the vision of Grace Fellowship, led by Pastor Rex Keener and based in New York’s Capital Region.
——
Stay Connected
Website: https://gracefellowship.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/gracefellowshipny
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/gracefellowshipny

In this episode of the More and Better Disciples Podcast, the conversation starts with a light “Better Call Saul” reference that quickly turns into a deeper reflection on what it feels like when God seems silent in your life.

From Paul’s hidden years in Tarsus to the unexpected growth of the church in Antioch, the discussion explores how God is often doing His most important work in seasons that do not look like much from the outside.

We talk about leadership not as position or platform but as influence formed in obscurity. What does it mean when you know you have a calling but nothing around you seems to confirm it yet? And how do you stay faithful in those in between seasons?

The conversation also turns to Antioch, a church that embraced diversity, sent people out instead of building inward comfort, and became a launching point for the expansion of the gospel.

Whether you feel unseen, stuck, or simply unsure of what God is doing, this episode is a reminder that silence is not absence and formation often happens long before clarity arrives.

To submit questions: [email protected]

Subscribe to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/gracefellowshipny

To glorify God by making more and better disciples. This is the vision of Grace Fellowship, led by Pastor Rex Keener and based in New York’s Capital Region.
——
Stay Connected
Website: https://gracefellowship.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/gracefellowshipny
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/gracefellowshipny