Together 4 Good: Making Sense of Life and Faith

Coming up on the Together 4 Good podcast, we’re revisiting a conversation that feels especially timely this week. Over the last couple of months, I’ve had the chance to interview several of the speakers who will be part of the ELCA Rocky Mountain Synod Assembly. The theme this year is “Vida en Cristo / Life in Christ,” and it’s been shaping a lot of what I’ve been thinking about. So while this episode is a repeat, it fits right into that theme.

What am I supposed to do with my life? It’s a question most of us carry at some point. But instead of offering one perfect answer, this conversation shifts the question—grounding us in identity first. In Christ, you are already loved, already enough, and already called. From that place, purpose becomes less about chasing something new and more about noticing what’s already in your hands and how God is at work in your everyday life.

What You’ll Learn:

• How “life in Christ” reshapes the question of purpose

• Why identity (not achievement) is the starting point

• What it means to be named, claimed, and sent in baptism

• How to recognize your gifts in ordinary, everyday life

• Why you don’t need one perfect calling to live with purpose

Chapters: 00:00 A Timely Conversation: Life in Christ 01:20 Why We Keep Asking “What Should I Do With My Life?” 04:00 You Are Already Loved: Identity Before Purpose 06:30 Baptism as Calling: Named, Claimed, and Sent 08:45 “What’s in Your Hands?” (Moses and Everyday Gifts) 11:30 Giving Your Gifts Away for the Sake of Others 14:30 You Don’t Have One Calling—You Have Many 17:30 The Myth of the Perfect Life or Career 19:30 Life in Christ Happens in Ordinary Moments 21:45 Letting Go of Pressure and Trusting Today 24:00 Noticing Where Christ Is Already at Work

If this conversation resonates, like, subscribe, and share it with someone who’s been asking these same questions.

Connect with Bethany: 📍 Bethany Lutheran Church – Denver, CO 🌐 Learn more: www.bethany-denver.org

What if Jesus’ most famous commands—turn the other cheek and love your enemies—aren’t about weakness at all, but something far more radical? In this episode of Sunday School Remix, we take a closer look at Matthew 5 and the Sermon on the Mount, uncovering a deeper, more honest way of living that invites us into transformation rather than avoidance. It’s a conversation about self-reflection, community, and a God who meets us right in the middle of our struggles.

What You’ll Learn:

• Rethink what “turning the other cheek” actually means

• Discover how loving your enemies reveals something within you

• Understand Jesus’ “third way” beyond retaliation or submission

• Explore how community forms through honesty and grace

• See how God meets us in weakness, not perfection

Chapters: 00:00 Introduction: Radical commands of Jesus 01:00 The upside-down nature of the Sermon on the Mount 02:10 Honor and shame in Jesus’ time 03:00 What “turn the other cheek” really means 04:00 A third way: confronting injustice without violence 05:00 Why loving your enemies is so radical 06:00 The people who trigger us (and why) 07:00 Recognizing ourselves in others 08:00 Communion and confronting despair 09:00 Finding new life through honesty and community 10:00 Loving others by facing ourselves 11:00 Faith isn’t about fixing—it’s about going through it 12:00 Closing reflections

Connect with Bethany: 📍 Bethany Lutheran Church – Denver, CO 🌐 Learn more: www.bethany-denver.org

What is worship actually meant to be? In this conversation, Pastor Nate sits down with Bethany’s Director of Music, Rick Seaton, to talk about the role music plays in shaping faith, community, and the experience of worship. Together, they explore the depth of Lutheran musical tradition, the tension between old and new, and why worship is about something far deeper than personal preference. This is a fun conversation with two people who truly appreciate the power music can play in your life. 

What You’ll Learn:

• Why music has always been central to the life of faith

• What makes worship feel grounded, meaningful, and alive

• The role of tradition in shaping how we experience God

• Why participation matters more than preference

• How churches can think differently about worship today

Chapters: 00:00 Why this conversation took 6 years to happen 01:00 Rick’s journey into church music 03:00 Why Lutherans have such a strong musical tradition 06:00 Why churches don’t create music like they used to 09:00 Why variety in worship actually matters 11:00 Contemporary vs. traditional worship 13:00 Why people are returning to deeper practices 17:00 Why quality and intention matter in worship 20:00 What churches should focus on moving forward 26:00 What music is really meant to do 27:00 A powerful Good Friday reflection 31:00 Why music has always been part of faith 34:00 The importance of singing together 36:00 Creating new music for the church 38:00 Final thoughts on worship and creativity

And if you’re in the Denver area join Rick for the Get Outta Here Postludes Concert at Bethany Lutheran Church, May 1st at 7pm! More info here: https://www.bethany-arts.org/

Connect with Bethany: 📍 Bethany Lutheran Church – Denver, CO 🌐 Learn more: www.bethany-denver.org

What if the resurrection doesn’t tie everything up neatly, but actually disrupts how we understand God, faith, and even reality itself? In John 20, the story is full of confusion, questions, and unexpected encounters—and maybe that’s exactly the point.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why belief in John’s Gospel is more about trust than certainty

• How the resurrection story invites questions, not just answers

• What it means that Mary “sees” Jesus but doesn’t recognize him

• How God can be at work even when things feel unclear or unsettling

• Why Easter is really about new beginnings, not perfect understanding

Chapters:00:00 What if Easter isn’t clear?01:00 Belief as trust, not certainty03:00 The three ways of “seeing” in John05:00 The eighth day and new creation07:30 Different responses to the empty tomb09:00 When we misread what God is doing11:00 God’s presence in unexpected places13:00 Mary is called by name14:30 The garden and new creation15:30 Why the story isn’t over

Connect with Bethany:📍 Bethany Lutheran Church – Denver, CO🌐 Learn more: www.bethany-denver.org

You wouldn’t expect a conversation about Robert’s Rules of Order to say something meaningful about faith—but this one does. Pastor Nate sits down with Kirby Glad to explore how structure, fairness, and even the way we run meetings can reflect something deeper about life in Christ. It’s thoughtful, surprisingly engaging, and grounded in a simple truth: when people come together with different perspectives, what holds it all together isn’t perfection—it’s grace.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why structure can actually create space for belonging

• How disagreement can deepen understanding—not divide us

• What “life in Christ” looks like in real community

• Why grace matters more than getting everything right

• How every voice plays a role in the body of Christ

Chapters: 00:00 Why this conversation matters more than you think 01:00 What a parliamentarian actually does 03:00 The real purpose behind Robert’s Rules 07:00 Why structure helps people participate 09:00 Life in Christ and unity in disagreement 12:00 Why no one person has all the answers 16:00 When rules fall short (and grace steps in) 20:00 Faith, imperfection, and real life 31:00 Connecting Robert’s Rules to Christian life 34:00 Grace, striving, and what really matters

If this conversation resonated with you, like, subscribe, and share it with someone who’s navigating faith, community, or even just hard conversations.

Connect with Bethany: 📍 Bethany Lutheran Church – Denver, CO 🌐 Learn more: www.bethany-denver.org

What if the cross isn’t just about what happens after we die, but about how we live right now? In this episode of Sunday School Remix, Pastor Nate reframes the crucifixion—not as a transaction, but as liberation. Instead of asking how we earn God’s favor, we’re invited to see how God meets us in the middle of real life: in struggle, in grief, and in the mess we try to hide.

This conversation opens up a deeper, more honest way of understanding faith—one rooted not in fear or performance, but in presence, grace, and freedom.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why the cross is about freedom, not just forgiveness

• How transactional faith can lead to burnout and despair

• What it means that God meets us in suffering

• How the crucifixion reframes how we live and love

• Why you don’t have to “get it all right” to belong

Chapters:00:00 What if the cross is about now?01:00 The limits of “Jesus died for your sins”02:00 Why the crucifixion mattered most04:00 Rome tried to end it—why it didn’t work06:00 A Savior who saves by dying08:00 The human experience and “sonder”10:00 God enters the mess of being human12:00 Where is God in suffering?14:00 Betrayal, shame, and the cross15:30 Freedom from performance16:30 Living without spiritual anxiety17:30 What the cross means for your life today

If this conversation encouraged you, take a moment to like, subscribe, and share it with someone who might need it.

Connect with Bethany:📍 Bethany Lutheran Church – Denver, CO🌐 Learn more: www.bethany-denver.org

What does it look like to show up for people on the hardest days of their lives? In this episode, Pastor Nate sits down with Pastor Laurie Jeddeloh, a hospital chaplain and Director of Pastoral Care, to talk about faith, grief, and what it really means to care for people in moments of uncertainty. Together, they explore how God meets us not with easy answers, but with presence, compassion, and grace.

What You’ll Learn: 

• What chaplains actually do in hospitals day-to-day
  

• How to support people without forcing beliefs
  

• Why faith isn’t about having all the answers
  

• What “destructive spirituality” looks like—and how to reframe it
  

• How presence can matter more than words in hard moments
  

Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Pastor Laurie & Chaplaincy 02:00 What Does a Hospital Chaplain Do? 04:00 Faith, Ethics, and Hard Decisions in Healthcare 07:00 Why We Blame Ourselves—and How to Let Go 11:00 Showing Up in Life’s Hardest Moments 15:00 Why Presence Matters More Than Answers 19:00 Sacred Moments at the End of Life 25:00 Following a Call into Chaplaincy 29:00 Leaving Parish Ministry Behind 35:00 Why Church and Community Still Matter

If this conversation encouraged you, take a moment to like, subscribe, and share it with someone who might need it.

Connect with Bethany: 📍 Bethany Lutheran Church – Denver, CO 🌐 Learn more: www.bethany-denver.org

What if we’ve been reading the story of the prodigal son all wrong? In this episode, Pastor Nate invites us to look again at Luke 15 and notice the tension we often miss—who is actually lost, and what does grace really look like? This is a story about more than one son, and a God whose love doesn’t wait for us to get it right.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why context changes how we understand Jesus’ parables

• How grace moves before we finish our apology

• What the older brother reveals about judgment and belonging

• Why this story is about community, not just individuals

• How God’s love restores dignity, not just forgiveness

Chapters:00:00 What if we’ve misunderstood the story?01:00 Why context matters in Jesus’ parables02:00 Lost sheep, lost coin, lost son04:00 The younger son’s story and cultural context08:00 Why the son’s downfall looks different to different people11:00 The turning point: returning home12:00 The father runs—what that means14:00 Grace interrupts the apology15:00 The older brother’s response17:00 Who is really lost?18:30 Grace doesn’t negotiate

If this conversation gave you a new way to see this story, take a moment to like, subscribe, and share it with someone who might need to hear it too.

Connect with Bethany:📍 Bethany Lutheran Church – Denver, CO🌐 Learn more: www.bethany-denver.org

What is it about camp that stays with us long after summer ends? In this conversation, Pastor Nate sits down with Dave “Packer” Gunnlaugsson, the new executive director of Rainbow Trail Lutheran Camp, to talk about calling, leadership, and the kind of faith formation that happens when kids are given space to be fully themselves. Together, they explore how camp becomes a place where anxiety can loosen its grip, where leadership is discovered, and where God meets people exactly as they are.

What You’ll Learn:

• How camp creates space for kids to discover who they are
  

• Why leadership development is at the heart of outdoor ministry
  

• What faith looks like in the middle of anxiety and uncertainty
  

• How the church can better support young people beyond Sunday mornings
  

• Why relationships—not programs—shape lasting faith
  

Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Dave & Rainbow Trail 02:00 Dave’s journey into ministry and camp 05:00 A calling that never quite let go 08:00 Why camp helps kids discover who they are 11:00 The summer theme: faith and anxiety (Philippians 4) 14:00 Leadership, transition, and listening well 17:00 Bringing camp into everyday church life 20:00 Why stay connected to the church? 22:00 The impact of camp on future leaders 25:00 What makes Rainbow Trail so special 27:00 Closing reflections on faith and calling

If this conversation encouraged you, like this video, subscribe to the channel, and share it with someone who could use a reminder that faith is still alive and active in the world.

Connect with Bethany: 📍 Bethany Lutheran Church – Denver, CO 🌐 Learn more: www.bethany-denver.org

Connect with Rainbow Trail Lutheran Camp:

https://www.rainbowtrail.org/

What if Genesis 1 isn’t just about how the world was made—but about how we’re meant to live within it? In this episode of Sunday School Remix, Pastor Nate explores the deeper structure of the creation story and what it reveals about God, humanity, and the rhythm of life itself. From chaos to order, from constant work to intentional rest, this ancient text speaks directly into our modern, overwhelmed lives.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why Genesis 1 is more about meaning than mechanics

• How God brings order out of chaos—and still does

• What it means to be created in the image of God

• Why rest is not optional, but essential

• How rhythm shapes a faithful and grounded life

Chapters:00:00 What if Genesis 1 isn’t about creation mechanics?01:00 God brings order out of chaos03:00 Water, Spirit, and the presence of God05:00 Creation through Word and meaning07:00 Silence and spiritual practice08:00 Light, darkness, and separation10:00 Creation as structure and intention13:00 Filling creation: sky, sea, and land16:00 Created in God’s image (Imago Dei)18:00 Why rest is built into creation20:00 The rhythm at the center of Genesis23:00 Sabbath as resistance to constant work26:00 Living differently in a restless world

Call to Action:If this conversation gave you a new way to see an old story, like this video, subscribe to the channel, and share it with someone who could use a little more rhythm and rest in their life.

Connect with Bethany:📍 Bethany Lutheran Church – Denver, CO🌐 Learn more: www.bethany-denver.org