The WoodsEdge Podcast

In this episode of the WoodsEdge Podcast, Dave Ray sits down with Student & Young Adult Pastor Justin Kessler for an honest conversation about growing up around the church without really knowing God, a years-long battle with substance abuse, and what it looks like when someone finally says yes to Jesus — and means it.

In this episode of the WoodsEdge Podcast, Dave Ray sits down with longtime WoodsEdge member Sunbo Eze for an honest conversation about growing up in a family of mixed faith, her son's difficult diagnosis, and what it really means to trust God when life doesn't go the way you planned.

In this episode of the WoodsEdge Podcast, Dave Ray sits down with WoodsEdge elder and guest preacher DeLeon Bennett for a conversation about calling, trust, and the cost of following God into the unknown. DeLeon opens up about growing up in church while missing the main thing, a reluctant call into preaching, and what it looked like to obey God through years of uncertainty in business and life.

In this episode of the WoodsEdge Podcast, Dave Ray sits down with Rob Renfroe — retired pastor and beloved guest preacher — for an honest and life-giving conversation about joy. Together, they unpack what Rob calls the "joy stealers" — bitterness, busyness, guilt, negativity, and worry — and why worry tends to top the list for most people in every season of life. But this conversation doesn't stop at what robs us. It goes deeper into what restores us, and why joy is less a feeling to chase and more a series of decisions to make.

Resources: The Joy Stealers - https://a.co/d/0hNqVA2d

In this episode of the WoodsEdge Podcast, Pastor Jeff Wells joins Dave Ray and Dr. Paul Looney to have an honest conversation about mental health and the Christian life. Together, they explore the realities of anxiety, depression, and emotional struggle, and how the church can become a place where brokenness is met with compassion instead of shame.

Through biblical truth and clinical insight, the conversation highlights how God often meets us in our weakness, why vulnerability matters in the body of Christ, and what practical steps believers can take toward healing and hope. This episode reminds us that even in seasons of deep struggle, God is present and faithfully at work in our lives.

In this episode of the WoodsEdge Podcast, we delve into one of the most challenging and often overlooked aspects of the Christian life: evangelism. Joined by our Missions Pastor, John Carswell, and Pastor Armando Anguiano of La Iglesia, the conversation explores why sharing our faith feels so difficult—and why it still matters deeply to the heart of God.

Together, they unpack common fears, cultural barriers, and practical ways believers can live on mission through everyday relationships. Rather than separating proclamation from compassion, this episode shows how the gospel naturally flows through both word and action. Whether you feel hesitant, untrained, or simply unsure where to start, this conversation is an invitation to take your next step in living a life that brings hope to others.

In this episode of the WoodsEdge Podcast, Pastor Jeff Wells and our Prayer & Care Pastor, Carol Ham have an honest and practical conversation about fasting—what it is, what it isn’t, and why it still matters today. For many believers, fasting can feel unfamiliar, intimidating, or even unnecessary. But throughout Scripture, fasting is assumed as a normal rhythm of dependence, often paired with prayer and repentance.This conversation reframes fasting not as punishment or performance, but as “fasting away to feast on the Lord.” Fasting is about surrender—aligning our hearts with God’s and seeking Him for breakthrough, revival, and deeper intimacy.

Resources:

Awaken Houston:

https://www.awakenhouston.org/

Holy Here App:

https://holyhere.com/

In this episode of the WoodsEdge Podcast, we step into one of the most challenging and important conversations of the Christian faith: Can the Bible really be trusted? Joined by Pastor Scot Pollok, the discussion explores the history, transmission, and reliability of Scripture, addressing common objections, misconceptions, and hard questions many believers quietly wrestle with.

Resources:

The Journey From Texts to Translations: https://a.co/d/0aRpFsBp

Scribes and Scriptures https://a.co/d/01ILZ7GB

Miracles https://a.co/d/07WAXAmx

In this new season of the WoodsEdge Podcast, we start a series called "The Hard Stuff." Pastor Jeff Wells joins the conversation to tackle one of the most challenging aspects of the Christian life: suffering. Rather than offering easy answers or neat explanations, this honest discussion explores why suffering challenges our faith, how fear and uncertainty shape our experience, and what the Bible actually teaches about pain, mystery, and hope.

The fourth and final week of Advent focuses on Love. God’s love is not fickle or fragile. It is faithful, steadfast, and everlasting. It is a love that pursues, protects, and provides. It is a love that knows each of us by name.