The Ordinary Way: Life and Holiness

Church is supposed to be a place of grace, community, love, and belonging. So why can it sometimes become the place where we experience some of our deepest wounds?

In this episode of The Ordinary Way, we have an honest conversation about church hurt, being hurt by pastors, church members, ministry leaders, or even the communities we've faithfully served. We talk about why wounds within the church can cut so deeply, how to distinguish normal relational conflict from unhealthy or abusive behavior, and why “Christians aren't perfect” can never be an excuse for manipulation or spiritual abuse.

We also talk about what healing can look like: anchoring our faith in Jesus rather than people, honestly processing our hurt, building genuine community, setting healthy boundaries, and seeking help when we need it. And perhaps most importantly, we ask the question we don't always want to ask: What do I do when I realize I've hurt someone else?

Church hurt is real. But the failures of imperfect people don't change the faithfulness of Jesus.

What if you have questions about your faith?

What if you're not sure God is listening? What if you struggle to understand something in Scripture? What if something happened in your life that made you question whether God is really good?

Does having doubts mean something is wrong with your faith?

In Episode 28 of The Ordinary Way, we continue our series Questions Christians Are Afraid to Ask by tackling one of the questions many Christians wrestle with quietly: Is doubt a sin?

We explore the difference between doubt and unbelief, and look at the different ways doubt can enter our lives, through intellectual questions, suffering, and even painful experiences with the church.

We also look at people throughout Scripture who wrestled with questions, including Thomas, John the Baptist, and the father in Mark 9 who prayed:

"I believe; help my unbelief."

Maybe mature faith isn't having every answer.

Maybe it's learning where to take our questions.

If you're wrestling with doubt, you don't have to hide it or run from God. Bring your questions to Him, seek truth, and keep walking with Jesus even when you don't have everything figured out.

God isn't afraid of our questions and we shouldn't be either.

Why doesn't God answer every prayer?

We've all asked it.

Maybe you've prayed for healing and didn't see it. Maybe you've prayed for a relationship to be restored, a job to come through, a child to come home, or someone you love to be healed, and the answer seemed to be silence.

In this episode of The Ordinary Way, we begin a new series called Questions Christians Are Afraid to Ask and tackle one of the hardest questions Christians wrestle with: Why doesn't God answer every prayer?

We're joined by Pastor Troy Stallings for an honest conversation about prayer, disappointment, waiting, and trusting God when His answer isn't the one we hoped for.

We explore:

• What does it actually mean when we say God "didn't answer" a prayer?
• Why might God say no?
• What does Scripture teach about waiting?
• Can God be working even when we can't see it?
• How does prayer change us, not just our circumstances?
• What do we do when we don't understand God's answer?

"Christianity is about being a good person."

It sounds reasonable. Christians should be good people, right?

But what if being good isn't actually the point of Christianity?

In this episode of The Ordinary Way, we explore how Christianity has increasingly been reduced to morality, kindness, and self-improvement, and what gets lost when we make "being good" the center of our faith.

We talk about Moralistic Therapeutic Deism, the difference between grace and performance, and why Scripture teaches that identity comes before behavior, grace comes before obedience, and relationship comes before transformation.

We also explore what happens when churches become focused on appearances instead of grace, why vulnerability becomes difficult, and why some young adults walk away from Christianity because they've encountered moralism instead of the gospel.

Join us as we explore what Christianity is actually about and why the gospel offers something far greater than self-improvement.

Does having enough faith guarantee happiness?

In this episode of The Ordinary Way, we examine the common belief that strong faith should lead to health, wealth, success, and an easy life. While Scripture certainly speaks about God's blessings, healing, provision, hope, and joy, it never promises that faithful Christians will be free from suffering or disappointment.

We explore the influence of prosperity theology and the "name it and claim it" mindset, and why this way of thinking can become spiritually dangerous when suffering is interpreted as evidence of weak faith.

What happens when someone faithfully prays for healing and doesn't receive it? When financial struggles continue despite generosity? When grief doesn't disappear? When life simply doesn't turn out the way we hoped?

Through the stories of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, Jesus' prayer in Gethsemane, Paul's thorn in the flesh, and the message of Philippians, we explore the difference between believing God must give us what we want and trusting God with whatever comes.

"Just be true to yourself." It's one of the most common pieces of advice in our culture. We hear it in movies, graduation speeches, social media, self-help books, and even everyday conversations.

It sounds empowering, but is it actually biblical?

In this episode of The Ordinary Way, we explore where this famous phrase originated, why it resonates so deeply with our culture, and what Scripture teaches about identity, the human heart, and true transformation.

Together we discuss:

• The surprising origin of "Be true to yourself"
• Why authenticity has become one of our culture's highest values
• What the Bible says about the old self, the new self, and the human heart
• Why Jesus calls us to transformation and not simply self-expression
• How to find your identity in Christ rather than your feelings

The gospel doesn't call us to become the best version of our old selves, it calls us to become new creations in Christ.

Join us as we discover that our greatest identity isn't found by looking inward, but by looking to Christ, who is continually transforming us into the people He created us to be.

"God won't give you more than you can handle."

It's one of the most comforting, and most commonly quoted, phrases in Christian culture.

But is it actually biblical?

In this episode of The Ordinary Way, we explore where this popular saying came from, what 1 Corinthians 10:13 really teaches, and why Scripture paints a very different picture of suffering and dependence on God.

Together we discuss:

• Where the phrase originated
• What Paul was actually talking about in 1 Corinthians 10
• Why life often gives us more than we can handle
• How God uses weakness to teach dependence
• Why the gospel is about God's strength—not ours

Throughout Scripture, God consistently works through people who know they aren't enough.

Because the Christian life was never meant to be sustained by our strength.

It is sustained by His grace.

Join us as we discover why admitting our weakness isn't the end of faith, it's often where faith truly begins.

"Everything happens for a reason."

It's one of the most common phrases people hear after tragedy, but is it actually biblical?

In this episode of The Ordinary Way, we examine where this popular saying came from, why it's become such a universal response to suffering, and what Scripture actually teaches about God's sovereignty, suffering, and hope.

Together we discuss:

• Where the phrase "everything happens for a reason" originated
• What Romans 8:28 really means
• The difference between God causing suffering and God redeeming suffering
• Why Jesus often refused simplistic answers to pain
• How Christians can comfort people without offering clichés

The Bible doesn't promise that life will always make sense.

It promises something far greater:

That God is with us, even when it doesn't.

Join us as we discover why biblical hope isn't found in having all the answers—but in trusting the One who walks with us through every season.

"God helps those who help themselves."

It's one of the most quoted "Bible verses" that isn't actually in the Bible.

In this episode, we explore where this popular saying originated, why so many Christians assume it's biblical, and how its message actually points in the opposite direction of the gospel.

Together we discuss:

• The surprising history behind the phrase
• Why it resonates so deeply with our culture
• What Scripture really says about grace and self-reliance
• The difference between working for God's acceptance and working from God's acceptance
• Why spiritual maturity isn't becoming more self-sufficient, but more dependent on Christ

Jesus doesn't wait for us to get our lives together before coming to Him. He meets us in our helplessness, saves us by grace, and then begins transforming us from the inside out.

Episode 20: Follow Your Heart? Maybe Not.

"Just follow your heart."

It's one of the most common pieces of advice in modern culture. We hear it in movies, songs, graduation speeches, and across social media. It sounds empowering, but is it actually biblical?

In this episode, we unpack where the phrase "follow your heart" came from, why it's so appealing, and what Scripture actually teaches about the human heart.

Together we discuss:

• Why our culture encourages us to trust our feelings
• Bible verses that are often misunderstood or taken out of context
• What Scripture says about the condition of the human heart
• Why feelings make great indicators but poor foundations
• How to make decisions that honor Christ instead of simply following our emotions

Join us as we explore what it means to let Jesus shape our desires instead of allowing our desires to shape our lives.