Thriving in The Word

This discussion features: Judah Thomas, David LaManna, Lenny Selgado, Johnny V., Ben Cossette, Mike McHugh, and James Gowell.

Edited by: Tim Nicholson.

In Week 15 of Thriving in the Word, we begin exploring Hebrews 11 and the biblical meaning of faith as the evidence of things not seen. We talk about real questions, the search for truth, and why the evidence in creation, reality, and Scripture points to Jesus Christ.

This faith-based podcast episode is for anyone asking hard questions about the Bible, Christian faith, God, and the reason believers trust in what they cannot see.

If you’re searching for a Christian podcast about faith, evidence, apologetics, truth, and Jesus, this conversation will encourage and challenge you.

Help us spread the word about Thriving in the Word—and thanks for being part of the family.

Have a blessed day.

More info: ⁠https://www.thrive.church⁠ Give: ⁠https://www.thrive.church/give/⁠ Need prayer? ⁠[email protected]⁠

This is a presentation of Thrive.Church.

© All Rights Reserved.

This discussion features: Judah Thomas, David LaManna, Lenny Selgado, Johnny V., Mike McHugh, James Gowell, and special guest Steve Carr.

Edited by: Tim Nicholson.

In Week 14, we wrap up our discussion on Hebrews chapters 7–9 with one big truth front and center: Jesus doesn’t just make you look clean—He cleanses you from the inside out.

He is the Supreme High Priest. He is the perfect sacrifice, and without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sin.

It was really hard to come up with a title for this episode, so i'll share just a few of the ideas before landing on "Inside Out Cleansing"...so here they are:

• Supreme High Priest
• The Perfect Sacrifice
• Without the Shedding of Blood
• The Wages of Sin is....?
• Out Damned Spot! Out I Say!
• IOU Sacrifice
• I Can Walk Confidently
• I Don't Deserve it, You're Right!
• Who Am I?
• You are Forgiven
• The Accuser
• No Condemnation
• You Don't Have to be Set Free at Church
• Church is Not a Place
• Welcome Thrive Church (not to)
• Jesus Did Not Care About a Building
• Falling in Love with God
• Who Told You...You Were Naked
• Anecdotal Faith
• Secrets of the Universe
• Don't Listen to Thriving in the Word.

In this episode we discuss: This is the gospel: You don’t deserve it. You’re right. And that’s exactly why grace is, so shocking!

If you’ve been carrying shame, guilt, fear, or the weight of never feeling good enough, this conversation is for you. Jesus didn’t come to polish the outside. He came to make you new.

Help us spread the word about Thriving in the Word—and thanks for being part of the family.

Have a blessed day.

More info: https://www.thrive.church
Give: https://www.thrive.church/give/
Need prayer? [email protected]

This is a presentation of Thrive.Church.

© All Rights Reserved.

This discussion features: Judah Thomas, David LaManna, Lenny Selgado, Mike McHugh, and James Gowell.

Edited by: Tim Nicholson

In Week 13 We continue our discussion on Hebrews chapter 7 through 9. What if the sign on the door to God’s presence really did read: Authorized Personnel Only?

In Hebrews 7–9, the writer walks us through a “diagram” of holiness and access...why the old system kept people at a distance, why even the best human priest couldn’t get you all the way in, and why Jesus is better than every substitute we’ve ever trusted.In this episode, we talk about:

• Why “good people”  still need a Jesus (yes… even the pope sinned)

• What it means that if Jesus were on earth, He wouldn’t even qualify as a priest

• Standing in the gap and why death must be paid

• A quick tour of the tabernacle: Keep out. Authorized personnel only.

• The veil, the blood, and the moment everything changed: the veil is torn—now we have access

• Covering sin vs. removing sin: what true forgiveness actually means

• The New Covenant as a last will and testament—and why it goes into effect through His blood

If you’ve ever felt unworthy, far away, or locked out, this is the good news: in Jesus, the door isn’t just cracked open. Access is granted!! Come close!!

Help us spread the word about Thriving in the Word—and thanks for being part of the family.

Have a blessed day.

More info: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.thrive.church⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Give: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.thrive.church/give/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Need prayer? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

This is a presentation of Thrive.Church

© All Rights Reserved

This discussion features: Judah Thomas, Lenny Selgado, Mike McHugh, and James Gowell.

Edited by: Tim Nicholson

In Week 12 of Thriving in the Word, we continue our discussion on Hebrews 7–9 and talk about covenants, what they are, what the mean/meant and how the old law evolved into bending rules.

We unpack the difference between the old covenant (old contract) and the new covenant (new heart), and why God’s plan was never just “try harder and do it all right.” From types and shadows to the real thing, we trace how the Old Testament system pointed forward to Jesus—our spotless Lamb, our better Priest, and the One whose blood speaks a better word.

Along the way, we get practical (and a little humorous):

• What does it mean for God to write His law on our hearts?

• Why do we have an innate sense of right and wrong, and why doesn’t that save us?

• How does hardness of heart keep people stuck in performance mode?

• We chat about Simon who carried the Cross for Jesus and what it must've felt like to actually have Jesus “blood on you”?

• Why the first mile is obligation, but the second mile is where we share our faith.

If you’ve ever felt crushed by the idea that you have to be perfect to be close to God, this episode is for you. 

Jesus doesn’t upgrade your effort, He has a new contract.

Help us spread the word about Thriving in the Word—and thanks for being part of the family.

Have a blessed day.

More info: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.thrive.church⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Give: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.thrive.church/give/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Need prayer? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

This is a presentation of Thrive.Church

© All Rights Reserved

This discussion features: Judah Thomas, David LaManna, Lenny Selgado, Ben Cossette, Mike McHugh, and James Gowell.

Edited by: Tim Nicholson

In Week 11, we kick off our study of chapters 7 through 9 in the Book of Hebrews.

In this episode, we circle back to Melchizedek, King of Peace, and why his “out of nowhere” appearance in Scripture matters more than most people realize. We talk about Abram getting the call from God, taking Lot, splitting their herds and Lot setting up facing Sodom. We talk about the battle of the four kings and the appearance of Melchizedek to bless Abram. Judah shares a takeaway about Abraham as the father of many nations (plural), and how God’s plan was always bigger than one family tree.

Then we get brutally honest about the limits of the Law: it never made anyone perfect. It could point, warn, and reveal, but it couldn’t transform. That’s why the old system was full of types and shadows, real, meaningful signposts…but still not the destination.

We also tackle modern religious habits, like confession as a “barrier of entry”—and ask the hard question: are we trying to manage forgiveness, or receive it from the One who supplies it? (And yes… we use a weird illustration: why eat the cow when you can just eat the grass?) Ben also takes on a journey of when he used to shave and how to avoided the middle man and went direct to the supplier.

The headline of Hebrews 7–9 is simple and explosive: Jesus did it once and for all. No repeat sacrifices. No spiritual paywalls. No endless striving. It is finished.

If you’ve ever felt like you had to “earn your way in,” this episode is for you, because Jesus didn’t just open the door…He broke down the barriers.

Help us spread the word about Thriving in the Word—and thanks for being part of the family.

Have a blessed day.

More info: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.thrive.church⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Give: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.thrive.church/give/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Need prayer? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

This is a presentation of Thrive.Church

© All Rights Reserved

This discussion features: Judah Thomas, Lenny Selgado, Johnny V., Mike McHugh, and James Gowell.

Edited by: Tim Nicholson

In Week 10 we continue our study on Hebrews 4 through 6 and we encourage you to read along with us.

This episode is called “God's Not Done Carving.”

We talk about the kind of faith that doesn’t just start, it stays. Hebrews confronts our obsession with instant results and exposes the quiet drift that happens when we want maturity without process, peace without practice, and a “gold medal” life with zero training.

We riff on the temptation to put spiritual growth on a credit card, aka pay later, skip the work now and why God won’t let us shortcut when He’s forming in us. Like a sculptor who keeps carving long after the first shape appears, God is not finished with you. The waiting isn’t wasted. The slow start isn’t the story.

And the pressure isn’t punishment, it’s precision.

If you’ve been stuck, sleepy, discouraged, or craving a deeper walk with God, this is your nudge to move forward toward maturity. We’ll unpack the why behind the what, talk honestly about discipline and endurance, and remind you that you can’t trust a God you don’t know, but there’s also no way to keep showing up and not fall in love with Him.

Listen in, let the Word redirect your thoughts, and take your next step, steady, rooted, and growing.

Help us spread the word about Thriving in the Word—and thanks for being part of the family.

Have a blessed day.

More info: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.thrive.church⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Give: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.thrive.church/give/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Need prayer? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

This is a presentation of Thrive.Church

© All Rights Reserved

This discussion features: Judah Thomas, David LaManna, Johnny V., Ben Cossette, Mike McHugh, and James Gowell.

Edited by: Tim Nicholson

In Week 9 we continue our study on Hebrews 4 through 6 and we encourage you to read along with us.

This episode is called “Tasted It and Walked Away.”

Hebrews 4–6 doesn’t let us stay casual with God: it invites us into His rest, then warns us what it looks like to get close to the fire—taste it, feel it, even be moved by it—and still turn away.

We dig into the “once saved always saved” debate, deconstructing faith, and why Scripture draws a hard line between honest wrestling and willful rejection.

We also zoom out to the bigger story—Jesus’ spiritual lineage and the mysterious figure of Melchizedek—and what it means when Jesus is greater than the ancestors we revere.

Along the way, Johnny shares a wild moment of almost falling out of a roller coaster, and we use it as a picture of what Hebrews is pleading with us to do: hold on, don’t drift, and don’t “lean on your own understanding” when God is calling you deeper.

If you’ve been curious, cynical, burned, or just spiritually stuck, this is your invitation to open yourself up to the wonders of Scripture, move past milk to maturity, and take a real step toward growing closer to God—with reverence, confidence, and a faith that actually endures.

Help us spread the word about Thriving in the Word—and thanks for being part of the family.

Have a blessed day.

More info: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.thrive.church⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Give: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.thrive.church/give/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Need prayer? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

This is a presentation of Thrive.Church

© All Rights Reserved

This discussion features: Judah Thomas, David LaManna, Mike McHugh, James Gowell, and Tim Nicholson.

Edited by: Tim Nicholson

In Week 8 we continue our study on Hebrews 4 through 6 and we encourage you to read along with us.

In this episode, we talk through Hebrews storyline of forgiveness: the Old Testament sacrificial system, what sacrifices could (and couldn’t) do, and why the Red Heifer matters in the conversation about cleansing. We also tackle the idea of purgatory, and how Hebrews reframes the conversation around sin, conscience, and access to God.

And yes, we go there: the veil being torn, what it actually signaled, and why the Ark of the Covenant still captures our imagination (Indiana Jones included).

Then we zoom out and go straight at a hard question: why are so many grown believers still spiritually malnourished?

If you’re “hungry” but living on milk, it’s not because God isn’t feeding or you're only going to church one hour a week...you might just be refusing to chew. We talk about stunted spiritual growth, the milk vs. meat tension in Hebrews, and the uncomfortable picture of a 40-year-old still drinking out of a baby bottle.

The point isn’t trivia, it’s transformation: Jesus didn’t come to keep you on spiritual baby food. He came to bring you into maturity, confidence, and a faith that can actually carry weight.

Help us spread the word about Thriving in the Word—and thanks for being part of the family.

Have a blessed day.

More info: ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.thrive.church⁠⁠⁠⁠

Give: ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.thrive.church/give/⁠⁠⁠⁠

Need prayer? ⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠

This is a presentation of Thrive.Church

© All Rights Reserved

This discussion features: Judah Thomas, David LaManna, Ben Cossette, Johnny V., James Gowell, and Tim Nicholson.

Edited by: Tim Nicholson

In Week 7 we continue our study on Hebrews 4 through 6 and we encourage you to read along with us.

Hebrews says God’s Word isn’t a butter knife—it’s living, active, and sharp, and we talk about what it looks like to stop using the Bible for comfort-only Christianity and start letting it form us into people who actually rest in Christ, not in control.

Then we zoom in on the good news: Jesus isn’t a vague spiritual concept, He is the actual High Priest. He sympathizes with our weakness, invites us to come boldly for mercy and help, and leads us into maturity.

Help us spread the word about Thriving in the Word—and thanks for being part of the family.

Have a blessed day.

More info: ⁠⁠⁠www.thrive.church⁠⁠⁠

Give: ⁠⁠⁠www.thrive.church/give/⁠⁠⁠

Need prayer? ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠

This is a presentation of Thrive.Church

© All Rights Reserved

This discussion features: David LaManna, Lenny Salgado, Johnny V., Mike McHugh, and James Gowell.

Edited by: Tim Nicholson

In Week 6 we kick off our first week of studying Hebrews Chapters 4 through 6.

James kicks us off by sharing Hebrews sharing about entering God's rest and compares this to talking about a chair, we can talk about it all day, but until we actually sit in the chair, we are carrying our weight. Johnny then jumps (yes, he's back, praise God!!) and shares his takeaways from Hebrews, learning obedience through suffering, that Good News is for EVERYBODY (including, you, the listener) and we go all over the place from there.

This is an epic episode: thought provoking conversation, great detours, real issues, many laughs and lots to think about. Please come along for the ride.

Read along with us as we move onto: Hebrews 4–6

Help us spread the word about Thriving in the Word—and thanks for being part of the family.

Have a blessed day.More info: ⁠⁠www.thrive.church⁠⁠ Give: ⁠⁠www.thrive.church/give/⁠⁠

Need prayer? ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠

This is a presentation of Thrive.Church

© All Rights Reserved