The Overtime | Connect Church STL

What does it look like to trust God while still taking action? How do we find rest when life feels overwhelming, and how do we respond when things don't go according to plan?

In Episode 9 of The Overtime Podcast, hosts Chris Perstrope and Darren Casper sit down with Brett to talk about trusting God's direction, finding spiritual rest, and living a life SENT by the power and compassion of our loving God.

Drawing from Isaiah 30:15, we explore four essential practices for following God: repentance, rest, quietness, and trust. Through the story of King Hezekiah, we see that trusting God doesn't mean sitting back and doing nothing. Hezekiah restored worship in Judah, strengthened Jerusalem's defenses, and helped secure the city's water supply. His story challenges us to pursue God's direction while faithfully using the skills, resources, and opportunities He's given us.

Brett also shares his personal testimony and how God has led him throughout his life. Together, we discuss how to handle failure, navigate uncertainty, and bring the hope of Jesus into the places where we spend most of our time.

Because living SENT isn't just about what happens at church on Sunday. It's about how we live, love, work, and point people toward Jesus every day.

BIG IDEA: A SENT LIFE is driven by the POWER and the COMPASSION of our LOVING GOD.

VERSE OF THE WEEK: Isaiah 30:15

“In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength.”

God doesn't call us to choose between trusting Him and taking action. He invites us to find our strength in Him as we faithfully pursue His direction. We can work diligently without relying on our own strength, rest without becoming passive, and face uncertainty with confidence in the God who meets us where we are.

As we step into our everyday fields—our workplaces, homes, neighborhoods, and relationships—we have opportunities to share Jesus' compassion through our words, our prayers, and our actions.

Welcome to The Overtime Podcast—where we go beyond Sunday, dive deeper into the message, hear real stories, and talk about what it looks like to follow Jesus in everyday life.

What does it look like to genuinely live out your faith—not just talk about it?

In Episode 8 of The Overtime Podcast, Chris and Rebecca Perstrope sit down with Mark and Jenn Perez to talk about authenticity, Christian hypocrisy, accountability, and backing up our words with action.

Drawing from Isaiah 29:13 and Jesus' words, we explore the difference between looking right on the outside and having a heart that truly belongs to God. We discuss how hypocrisy can damage our witness, why we need to examine ourselves before holding others accountable, and how to be authentic at home, at work, in relationships, and in church.

Plus, with Halloween right around the corner, we'll talk about a conversation Christians have wrestled with for generations: How should we engage with Halloween and the surrounding culture? From Trunk or Treat and building relationships with neighbors to Romans 14 and matters of personal conscience, this conversation challenges us to lead with biblical conviction, grace, and love.

BIG IDEA: A life SENT by Jesus will strive to back up words with action.

MEMORY VERSE: Psalm 86:11

“Teach me your way, O LORD, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name.”

Authentic faith is about more than saying the right things or looking the part. It's about letting Jesus transform our hearts so our lives reflect what we say we believe.

Welcome to The Overtime Podcast—where we go beyond Sunday, dive deeper into the message, hear real stories, and talk about what it looks like to follow Jesus in everyday life.

What happens when we make Jesus just another part of our lives instead of the Cornerstone everything else is built upon?

In Episode 7 of The Overtime Podcast, Pastor Chris Perstrope and Darren Casper explore what it means to build a truly SENT life around Jesus Christ.

Drawing from 1 Peter 2:6, we explore how following Jesus means more than adding Him to our finances, relationships, careers, and plans. It means allowing Him to shape every part of who we are and how we live.

We talk about recalibrating our lives when we drift from God's purpose, seeking His Kingdom above our own, and learning to make decisions that reflect Jesus' heart. From navigating money and relationships to dealing with shame, confronting sin with love, and living on mission in our workplaces, this conversation challenges us to put Jesus back at the center.

Because a life built around anything other than Christ will eventually get out of alignment.

BIG IDEA: A truly SENT life is built around the Cornerstone of the person of Jesus Christ.

“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” — 1 Peter 2:6

Jesus isn't meant to be another brick in the wall. He is the Cornerstone. When we build our lives around Him, our priorities change, our decisions align with His Word, and our greater purpose becomes bigger than ourselves.

Welcome to The Overtime Podcast—where we go beyond Sunday, dive deeper into the message, hear real stories, and talk about what it looks like to follow Jesus in everyday life.

What does it look like to trust God when life doesn't make sense?

In Episode 6 of The Overtime Podcast, Chris and Rebecca Perstrope sit down with Kurt and Robin Ervin for a deeply personal conversation about faith, trials, trust, and the peace that only God can provide.

This episode goes beyond a memory verse and gets real about what it means to trust God in the middle of circumstances we can't control or understand. Kurt and Robin share their story, including the trials they've walked through as a family and their journey of trusting God through uncertainty.

Together, we unpack Isaiah 26:13:

"You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you."

We talk about what it means to put our full weight on God, even when we don't know the outcome. Because biblical trust isn't simply believing that God exists—it's believing that God is good, God loves us, God has the power to help us, and God can be trusted with whatever we're carrying.

What does it look like to live SENT when there is a real enemy working to keep you STUCK?

In Episode 5 of The Overtime Podcast, Chris Perstrope sits down with Kurt Ervin and Darren Casper to talk honestly about spiritual warfare, the enemy's schemes, and how followers of Jesus can stay focused on God’s greater purpose.

From ancient Babylon to the systems and influences around us today, we explore how the enemy works overtly and covertly—through temptation, distraction, isolation, discouragement, and counterfeit versions of what God created.

We also get personal, talking about how the enemy can target our lives, families, churches, and calling—and why knowing the enemy isn't enough. We have to know ourselves and depend on God.

What does it look like to get unstuck and truly live SENT?

In Episode 4 of The Overtime Podcast, Pastor Chris is joined by Chris and McKayla Norman for a conversation about Isaiah 7–9, the culture around us, and the ways we can get stuck—even as followers of Jesus.

The world can teach us to settle into a life focused on ourselves, but God offers something different: freedom through Jesus and a life lived with purpose. Together, we talk about what it means to stay grounded in biblical truth, recognize how culture can shape our thinking, and intentionally build a faith that carries into every area of life.

We also talk about student ministry, young adults, parenting, staying focused on the home, Connect Groups, and the importance of biblical community—all to help people get unstuck and live SENT.

In Episode 3 of The Overtime Podcast, Chris sits down with Darren Casper to continue the conversation about what it means to live SENT. This week, we’re talking about God moments, discovering our purpose, and how we can bring the Kingdom of God to people outside the walls of the church.

Drawing from Isaiah 6 and the message series Here We Are. Send Us., we explore what it looks like when God gets our attention and calls us to step into something new. Chris and Darren share personal stories of moments when God directed their lives, from a call to ministry and preaching to church planting, missions, and building the church.

We also dive into the Connect Church STL vision of Fields and how every person can find their place in ministry. Whether you’re serving in the church, leading a family, working a job, or simply wondering how God wants to use you, this conversation will help you see that you don’t have to wait for a perfect moment to start living SENT.

What if the thing keeping you stuck isn’t your circumstances—but your perspective?

In Episode 2 of The Overtime Podcast, Chris sits down with Darren Casper for a conversation about finding freedom, finishing strong, and learning to live SENT right now.

Drawing from Isaiah 6 and the story of King Uzziah, we talk about what happens when something in our lives dies, changes, or comes to an end—and how God can use those moments to get our attention and redirect our lives.

Darren shares his story of coming to faith in Jesus, his journey through church planting and global missions, and the lessons God has taught him along the way. We also tackle what it looks like to finish strong, avoid getting stuck in the past, and recognize that there is a lie that you will live SENT tomorrow—but God says NOW. God says TODAY.

Whether you're a kid, teenager, college student, young adult, parent, empty nester, or senior adult, God has a purpose for where you are right now.