The Wake-Up Call

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P.S. Join Us for Taco Tuesday Today! 

Come join us for Taco Tuesday today at 11:30 a.m. CST! RSVP HERE: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/ojlMT1ZMQnicKTmCLQruoA#/registration.

Bring your favorite taco and hang out with Shelbi Shutt, the host of our Behold Advent series. Order your books here: https://seedbed.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=108956&action=edit&classic-editor.

Bonus: Use code 30OFF today to get 30 percent off of an order of three or more Behold books!

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JD Walt reflects on Romans 9 and frames “What if God?” as the essential posture for approaching difficult questions about faith, suffering, and God’s purposes. He encourages humility over certainty, arguing that Scripture should shape how believers understand the world—like stained-glass windows that both filter light and give us a lens for seeing life. The message closes this teaching portion with a prayer to live a “what if God” kind of life.

He then expands on the stained-glass image, describing how churches tell the larger story of creation, Jesus, redemption, and new creation through their art and architecture. The episode shifts into a warm conversation with his father, David, about perseverance and hope in Jesus, followed by their singing “My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less.” They end by encouraging listeners to offer support, encouragement, and second chances to people they meet.

CHAPTERS:
00:04 Awakening to Jesus
01:37 The First and Last Question of Theology
10:06 The Power of 'What If God?'
11:19 Interpreting Life Through Scripture
15:01 Finding God in Tragedy
16:10 Introduction and Personal Reflections
20:40 Building on Solid Ground
22:01 Encouragement and Support for Others

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Sing along with us! ► https://seedbed.com/hymnal/

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Get the Wake-Up Call in your email each day ► https://seedbed.com/wakeupcall ⛪️ Are you a pastor? We'd love to connect ► https://seedbed.typeform.com/to/dymjFhUB Join the Field Team and help us sow the Wake-Up Call into new hearts ► https://seedbed.typeform.com/fieldteam Join the conversation: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/seedbedwakeupcall/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewakeupcall/ Listen to the podcast: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-wake-up-call/id1040184070 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7t5qb5dpC7n0yxdyNsTKzTsi=e87495c982f145f6

P.S. Join Us for Taco Tuesday Tomorrow! 

Come join us for Taco Tuesday on October 20th at 11:30 a.m. CST! RSVP HERE: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/ojlMT1ZMQnicKTmCLQruoA#/registration.

Bring your favorite taco and hang out with Shelbi Shutt, the host of our Behold Advent series. Order your books here: https://seedbed.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=108956&action=edit&classic-editor.

Bonus: Use code BEHOLD30 today to get 30 percent off of an order of three or more Behold books!

P.P.S. Again, here’s the link to the Romans 12 Jesus Manifesto PDF in case you missed it: https://seedbed.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Romans-12-The-Jesus-Manifesto.pdf

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J.D. Walt reflects on Romans 9 and the tension between God’s sovereignty, mercy, and human understanding. Using Paul’s transformation from persecutor to champion of Jesus, he argues that our lives are not the main story—they become part of the greater story of Christ. The central invitation is to stop trying to fully explain God before trusting him: faith begins with trusting God’s goodness, justice, and mercy even when his ways exceed our understanding.

The message turns to the image of God as the potter and people as clay. Joined by his father, David, J.D. connects Jeremiah’s potter’s-house vision with the hymn “Have Thine Own Way,” emphasizing surrender, healing, and the hope of endless second chances. They close by encouraging listeners to carry that hope to people who are wounded, weary, and looking for Jesus in the world around them.

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Sing along with us! ► https://seedbed.com/hymnal/

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Get the Wake-Up Call in your email each day ► https://seedbed.com/wakeupcall ⛪️ Are you a pastor? We'd love to connect ► https://seedbed.typeform.com/to/dymjFhUB Join the Field Team and help us sow the Wake-Up Call into new hearts ► https://seedbed.typeform.com/fieldteam Join the conversation: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/seedbedwakeupcall/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewakeupcall/ Listen to the podcast: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-wake-up-call/id1040184070 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7t5qb5dpC7n0yxdyNsTKzTsi=e87495c982f145f6

P.S. Join Us for Taco Tuesday

Come join us for Taco Tuesday on October 20th at 11:30 a.m. CST! RSVP HERE: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/ojlMT1ZMQnicKTmCLQruoA#/registration.

Bring your favorite taco and hang out with Shelbi Shutt, the host of our Behold Advent series. Order your books here: https://seedbed.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=108956&action=edit&classic-editor.

Bonus: Use code BEHOLD30 today to get 30 percent off of an order of three or more Behold books!

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JD Walt reflects on Romans 9 and the difficult questions surrounding predestination, arguing that the passage should be understood through the Bible’s larger story of God’s mercy. Rather than seeing God as choosing some people for salvation and others for condemnation, he emphasizes God’s desire for everyone to come to repentance and frames Jesus as the open door into God’s kingdom. He acknowledges the complexity of the theology and offers the reflection as a “practice swing,” inviting listeners to hold Scripture’s individual passages within its broader message of mercy and redemption.

The episode then turns to a warm conversation with JD’s father, David, about a lifetime in church and his decades teaching five-year-olds in Sunday school. They encourage listeners—especially younger men—to serve children in the church, before singing verses from “The Church’s One Foundation.” They close with an invitation to a forthcoming Taco Tuesday Zoom gathering, where the community can share lunch and hear about upcoming opportunities.

CHAPTERS:
00:04 Morning Wake-Up Call and Consecration
01:23 Exploring Predestination and Its Complexity
04:03 Understanding Mercy in the Context of Predestination
09:30 The Mission of Mercy and Redemption
11:09 Reflections on Calvinism and Free Will
17:02 A Legacy of Faith and Teaching
19:48 The Importance of Church Foundations
22:57 Community Engagement and Upcoming Events

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Sing along with us! ► https://seedbed.com/hymnal/

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Get the Wake-Up Call in your email each day ► https://seedbed.com/wakeupcall ⛪️ Are you a pastor? We'd love to connect ► https://seedbed.typeform.com/to/dymjFhUB Join the Field Team and help us sow the Wake-Up Call into new hearts ► https://seedbed.typeform.com/fieldteam Join the conversation: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/seedbedwakeupcall/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewakeupcall/ Listen to the podcast: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-wake-up-call/id1040184070 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7t5qb5dpC7n0yxdyNsTKzTsi=e87495c982f145f6

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P.S. Join Us for Taco Tuesday

Come join us for Taco Tuesday on October 20th at 11:30 a.m. CST! RSVP HERE: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/ojlMT1ZMQnicKTmCLQruoA#/registration.

Bring your favorite taco and hang out with Shelbi Shutt, the host of our Behold Advent series. Order your books here: https://seedbed.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=108956&action=edit&classic-editor.

Bonus: Use code 30OFF today to get 30 percent off of an order of three or more Behold books!

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JD Walt reflects on Romans 9:1–5, where Paul expresses deep sorrow over Israel’s rejection of Jesus. He frames the biblical story of creation, redemption, and new creation through Christ as the true story of the world, and emphasizes Israel’s unique role in carrying that story. Paul’s anguish becomes the central challenge for listeners: if they truly believe this story is real and decisive, do they feel a similar burden for those who do not know or believe it?

The episode closes with a prayer for deeper conviction, humility, and a willingness to care more deeply about others. JD offers journal prompts that invite listeners to examine whether their lack of sorrow reveals a lack of belief, then encourages them not toward self-condemnation but toward going deeper with Jesus. He leads part of “The Church’s One Foundation,” sends listeners into the day with encouragement, and invites them to an upcoming online Taco Tuesday gathering.

CHAPTERS:
00:04 Awakening to the Presence of Jesus
02:48 Understanding Sorrow and Anguish
09:02 The True Story of Creation and Redemption
16:03 The Call to Reflect and Respond
18:56 Invitation to Community Engagement

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Sing along with us! ► https://seedbed.com/hymnal/

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Get the Wake-Up Call in your email each day ► https://seedbed.com/wakeupcall ⛪️ Are you a pastor? We'd love to connect ► https://seedbed.typeform.com/to/dymjFhUB Join the Field Team and help us sow the Wake-Up Call into new hearts ► https://seedbed.typeform.com/fieldteam Join the conversation: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/seedbedwakeupcall/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewakeupcall/ Listen to the podcast: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-wake-up-call/id1040184070 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7t5qb5dpC7n0yxdyNsTKzTsi=e87495c982f145f6

P.S. Join Us for Taco Tuesday

Come join us for Taco Tuesday on October 20th at 11:30 a.m. CST! RSVP HERE: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/ojlMT1ZMQnicKTmCLQruoA#/registration.

Bring your favorite taco and hang out with Shelbi Shutt, the host of our Behold Advent series. Order your books here: https://seedbed.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=108956&action=edit&classic-editor.

Bonus: Use code 30OFF today to get 30 percent off of an order of three or more Behold books!

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J. D. Walt reflects on Romans 8 as a declaration of God’s unbreakable love in Christ. He contrasts the “clean” cross he grew up with—one that emphasized the empty tomb—with the crucifix, which holds Christ’s suffering in view. Through a story about his young son David asking whether a small crucifix was “for looking at,” J. D. arrives at the episode’s central invitation: to behold Jesus as both crucified and risen, trusting that his brokenness holds our own pain, loss, and struggle.

The episode closes with a prayer, a journal question about whether our view of the cross has become too clean, and a call to keep Jesus in focus throughout daily life. J. D. and his father, David, then sing “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross,” returning to the idea that the empty tomb and the full cross belong together. Their final encouragement is that beholding Christ transforms believers into people who give themselves in love to others.

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Sing along with us! ► https://seedbed.com/hymnal/

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Get the Wake-Up Call in your email each day ► https://seedbed.com/wakeupcall ⛪️ Are you a pastor? We'd love to connect ► https://seedbed.typeform.com/to/dymjFhUB Join the Field Team and help us sow the Wake-Up Call into new hearts ► https://seedbed.typeform.com/fieldteam Join the conversation: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/seedbedwakeupcall/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewakeupcall/ Listen to the podcast: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-wake-up-call/id1040184070 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7t5qb5dpC7n0yxdyNsTKzTsi=e87495c982f145f6

P.S. Join Us for Taco Tuesday

Come join us for Taco Tuesday on October 20th at 11:30 a.m. CST! RSVP HERE: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/ojlMT1ZMQnicKTmCLQruoA#/registration.

Bring your favorite taco and hang out with Shelbi Shutt, the host of our Behold Advent series. Order your books here: https://seedbed.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=108956&action=edit&classic-editor.

Bonus: Use code 30OFF today to get 30 percent off of an order of three or more Behold books!

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John David Walt reflects on Romans 8 and the idea that the Holy Spirit meets people in weakness, turning what feels like ruin into a foundation for faith. He shares a moving story from a festival in England, where he prayed with a priest named Patrick facing severe kidney failure. Rather than focusing on the mechanics of prayer, the group centered on receiving Jesus’ healing and trusting that God is at work even when outcomes are uncertain.

The episode then invites listeners to bring their own losses, illnesses, and impossible situations to God with that same posture of faith. John encourages a shift from simply asking and pleading toward receiving, finding, and opening—trusting that God is working for good in all things. He closes with his father, David, singing “Seek Ye First,” followed by warm conversation about choir practice and a sendoff to carry that faith into the day.

CHAPTERS:
00:04 Awakening and Consecration
01:19 The Spirit's Role in Transformation
03:10 Personal Testimony of Healing
10:29 Prayer and Faith in Healing
12:54 God's Goodness in All Circumstances
15:24 Shifting from Asking to Receiving
16:06 Introduction and Song Selection
17:31 Faith: From Asking to Receiving
19:27 Musical Memories and Choir Reflections
21:26 Conclusion and Call to Action

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Sing along with us! ► https://seedbed.com/hymnal/

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Get the Wake-Up Call in your email each day ► https://seedbed.com/wakeupcall ⛪️ Are you a pastor? We'd love to connect ► https://seedbed.typeform.com/to/dymjFhUB Join the Field Team and help us sow the Wake-Up Call into new hearts ► https://seedbed.typeform.com/fieldteam Join the conversation: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/seedbedwakeupcall/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewakeupcall/ Listen to the podcast: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-wake-up-call/id1040184070 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7t5qb5dpC7n0yxdyNsTKzTsi=e87495c982f145f6

P.S. Join Us for Taco Tuesday

Come join us for Taco Tuesday on October 20th at 11:30 a.m. CST! RSVP HERE: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/ojlMT1ZMQnicKTmCLQruoA#/registration.

Bring your favorite taco and hang out with Shelbi Shutt, the host of our Behold Advent series. Order your books here: https://seedbed.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=108956&action=edit&classic-editor.

Bonus: Use code BEHOLD30 today to get 30 percent off of an order of three or more Behold books!

- - - - - - - The episode reflects on Romans 8 and the idea that faith does not remove struggle—it transforms it from a losing battle into the work of redemption. Drawing on the image “when I feel like ruins, you see foundations,” JD encourages listeners to see suffering, spiritual struggle, and seasons of despair not as evidence of abandonment, but as places where God is building something new. He emphasizes consecration, surrender, and choosing hope over despair through God’s word.

JD then shares a personal morning practice of renouncing despair and receiving God’s joy, friendship, and encouragement. The conversation closes with David Walt joining to sing “Holy, Holy, Holy” and reflect on worship that centers directly on God. Together, they send listeners out with the reminder that Jesus continues to pray, love, heal, teach, and encourage through ordinary people who offer themselves to him.

CHAPTERS:
00:04 Awakening to the Presence of Christ
01:46 Understanding Suffering and Redemption
06:13 The Struggle of Losing vs. Winning
10:01 Renouncing Despair and Embracing Joy
13:56 Encouragement in the Struggle
14:40 Introduction to Worship and Hymns
17:37 The Importance of Praise Songs
20:43 Living Out Faith in Action

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Sing along with us! ► https://seedbed.com/hymnal/

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Get the Wake-Up Call in your email each day ► https://seedbed.com/wakeupcall ⛪️ Are you a pastor? We'd love to connect ► https://seedbed.typeform.com/to/dymjFhUB Join the Field Team and help us sow the Wake-Up Call into new hearts ► https://seedbed.typeform.com/fieldteam Join the conversation: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/seedbedwakeupcall/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewakeupcall/ Listen to the podcast: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-wake-up-call/id1040184070 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7t5qb5dpC7n0yxdyNsTKzTsi=e87495c982f145f6

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P. S. ❗️ Jesus Manifesto Again, here’s the link to the Romans 12 Jesus Manifesto PDF in case you missed it: https://seedbed.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Romans-12-The-Jesus-Manifesto.pdf

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JD Walt reflects on Romans 8 and the call to put sin to death—not through harsh self-denial or self-punishment, but by living from the identity the Holy Spirit gives believers as God’s beloved children. He shares his own morning practice of saying “Abba, Father,” then speaking God’s affirmation over himself: that he is loved, belongs to God, and is well pleased in Christ. For him, this daily remembrance breaks the grip of shame, fear, image-management, and striving.

He encourages listeners to make this a long-term spiritual practice: begin each day by receiving God’s love and blessing, trusting that transformation happens gradually through God’s Word and Spirit. He expands the message into three simple affirmations—“I love you, I like you, and I’m proud of you”—and encourages listeners to offer that same kind of unconditional blessing to their children. The episode closes with prayer, worship, and a call to carry that secure, loved identity into the day.

CHAPTERS:
00:04 Awakening to the Morning Call
02:58 Understanding Our Identity in Christ
09:11 Daily Practices for Spiritual Growth
11:13 The Power of Abba Father
17:01 Affirmation and Belonging in God
20:27 Closing Reflections and Call to Action

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Sing along with us! ► https://seedbed.com/hymnal/

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Get the Wake-Up Call in your email each day ► https://seedbed.com/wakeupcall ⛪️ Are you a pastor? We'd love to connect ► https://seedbed.typeform.com/to/dymjFhUB Join the Field Team and help us sow the Wake-Up Call into new hearts ► https://seedbed.typeform.com/fieldteam Join the conversation: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/seedbedwakeupcall/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewakeupcall/ Listen to the podcast: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-wake-up-call/id1040184070 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7t5qb5dpC7n0yxdyNsTKzTsi=e87495c982f145f6

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P.S. Behold, Advent!  Advent is the season of preparation and expectation leading up to Christmas. This year Shelbi Shutt will be walking us through the season of Advent. Shelbi is an amazing witness to Jesus and has an incredible story to share with us.  Beginning December 1, Shelbi will be leading us on the Wake-Up Call. It's a great time to start planning and extending the invitation to others to join in. Check it out and order your copy of Behold here: https://my.seedbed.com/product/behold/

In the earliest days of Seedbed, we crafted one of our first seeds. It’s me on a chalkboard. I’m talking about why we are stuck in our lives and faith and how we might get unstuck. Look for a lot more on this in the coming season of our work. If you haven’t seen this, please watch it. And no making fun of my younger self’s haircut! Watch it here: https://vimeo.com/77166888

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John David Walt reflects on Romans 8 as “the second half of the gospel”: moving beyond forgiveness and freedom from sin’s penalty into a Spirit-led life transformed by freedom from sin’s power. He contrasts a faith that is true in principle with one lived in practice, urging listeners to move from commitment to consecration and to become people whose lives make the reality of Christ visible to those around them. He closes the devotional portion with prayer and journal prompts about whether listeners are ready to let the Spirit govern their lives.

Later, JD welcomes his father, David Walt, to join him in discussing and singing “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling.” Their conversation connects the hymn’s message of full salvation with the episode’s central idea: Jesus does not merely save people for a future heaven, but brings his life, love, and freedom into the present. They encourage listeners to carry that love into everyday life, trusting that a visibly transformed life can awaken others to Jesus.

CHAPTERS:
00:04 Awakening to Christ's Presence
01:28 Understanding Romans 8: The Second Half of the Gospel
04:46 The Shift from First Half to Second Half of the Gospel
08:38 Living the Second Half: A Call to Action
10:07 Research Insights: The State of Christianity Today
11:48 Introduction and Special Guest
13:24 The Power of Salvation
18:18 Living Heaven on Earth

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Sing along with us! ► https://seedbed.com/hymnal/

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Get the Wake-Up Call in your email each day ► https://seedbed.com/wakeupcall ⛪️ Are you a pastor? We'd love to connect ► https://seedbed.typeform.com/to/dymjFhUB Join the Field Team and help us sow the Wake-Up Call into new hearts ► https://seedbed.typeform.com/fieldteam Join the conversation: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/seedbedwakeupcall/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewakeupcall/ Listen to the podcast: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-wake-up-call/id1040184070 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7t5qb5dpC7n0yxdyNsTKzTsi=e87495c982f145f6

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P.S. Behold, Advent!  Advent is the season of preparation and expectation leading up to Christmas. This year Shelbi Shutt will be walking us through the season of Advent. Shelbi is an amazing witness to Jesus and has an incredible story to share with us.  Beginning December 1, Shelbi will be leading us on the Wake-Up Call. It's a great time to start planning and extending the invitation to others to join in. Check it out and order your copy of Behold here: https://my.seedbed.com/product/behold/

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In this episode, John David Walt reflects on Romans 7 and the struggle many Christians experience when they want to do good but still feel trapped in old patterns. He argues that lasting transformation requires more than information, Bible studies, or individual effort—it takes consecration to Christ and trusted, honest relationships. His central invitation is to move beyond isolation by forming small, committed groups of two to four people who can become truly known, deeply loved, and accountable to one another in faith.

He calls this practice “banded discipleship,” sharing how it has shaped his own life and ministry and encouraging listeners to explore joining or starting a band. The episode closes with prayer, journal prompts about participants’ experience with these relationships, and an invitation to learn more through an upcoming survey and resources. He also shares a hymn centered on Christian friendship and previews an Advent series, Behold, led by Shelbi Shutt.

CHAPTERS:
00:04 Awakening to Transformation
01:28 Understanding Vertigo and Consecration
04:50 The Role of Community in Transformation
07:52 Banded Discipleship: A Path to Freedom
11:02 Invitation to Join a Band
13:00 Living Out Transformation in Daily Life
18:13 Preparing for Advent and Community Engagement

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Sing along with us! ► https://seedbed.com/hymnal/

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Get the Wake-Up Call in your email each day ► https://seedbed.com/wakeupcall ⛪️ Are you a pastor? We'd love to connect ► https://seedbed.typeform.com/to/dymjFhUB Join the Field Team and help us sow the Wake-Up Call into new hearts ► https://seedbed.typeform.com/fieldteam Join the conversation: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/seedbedwakeupcall/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewakeupcall/ Listen to the podcast: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-wake-up-call/id1040184070 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7t5qb5dpC7n0yxdyNsTKzTsi=e87495c982f145f6