In this episode, we will discuss one of the most common questions that we ask as followers of Jesus. How does my sin affect my relationship with God once I am saved? Once I put my faith in Jesus, what affect does my sin have? This is something we all think about because all of us sin. Even after we come into relationship with Jesus, we still deal with lingering sin in our hearts and our lives. What does that do in terms of our relationship with God.

As we study Scripture, we find passages that speak to security in salvation by God’s grace to us in Jesus Christ. And yet we also find passages that tell us that God’s blessing is reserved only for those who obey God, and that tell us God opposes those who are sinful and disobedient. How are we to understand this seeming contradiction and tension?

Listen to learn about the difference of relationship with God and fellowship with God. Additionally, you will learn how this distinction makes personal and practical difference in our lives.

Many voices in our culture these days tell us to look WITHIN for the resources we need. We're told to embrace and believe this declaration: “I am sufficient." But this is not what the gospel teaches. As the people of God, we have a different declaration: "GOD is sufficient!"

In this episode, we will explore an interesting story in the Old Testament when the Spirit of God comes upon an ordinary man, Saul, to empower Him to serve God as King of Israel. In that moment, he experienced the ability to do something that he had never experienced before. What does this teach us? Is this supernatural empowerment to be an ordinary experience for God's people? How can we better understand and experience the person and empowering work of the Holy Spirit in our lives? How can rely on Him in everyday life?

I feel convicted that - now more than ever - we need to fill our minds with this truth... and share it with others. In our increasingly self-reliant culture, we must remember that our only calling and hope is to rely upon God. God alone is sufficient. Listen to this episode for opportunity to learn and receive encouragement to depend on the sufficiency and empowerment of God.

In recent years, political conversations and tensions have reached a fever pitch - in our society and also within the church. Some feel the need to be very engaged. Some feel the need to withdraw. Rather than go along with our personal feelings or our culture's norms, we need to know what God's Word says about these things. What does the Bible teach Christ followers about our relationship with government and politics?

In this episode, we will answer the questions: Is civil government biblical? What was God's original desire and design for government? What are the ways the people of God should be involved in government? Should Christ followers be involved in politics today? What are the priorities Christ followers embrace if politically involved?

Do you long to grow in your view of the bigness of God? This podcast episode is meant to remind you that it is an important and worthy pursuit to grow in our understanding of the character and purposes of God. If there is anything else we desire in life, we need to desire a growing vision of who God is.

What happens when the ark of God is taken from the people of Israel into enemy territory? As we examine this critical moment in the history of the people of Israel, we examine three lessons we can learn about God from this interesting story in the book of 1 Samuel.

“I want and need to hear from God! Will he speak to me?”

Many people long to hear from God. Many of us read stories in the Bible and wonder: "Will God will speak to me in similar and/or personal ways?" In this episode, Pastor Barrett will work to answer this common question. You will learn that God IS still speaking today. Through a compelling story, Scripture verses, and practical application, you will have opportunity to learn more about the way in which you can hear God’s voice speak to you today. Pastor Barrett will share three primary ways to listen to God’s voice… and encourage you to try it personally!

In this season of our podcast, we will be answering common questions that arise when studying the Bible. As I have pastored and taught the Bible over the last decade, I know that there are many things in the Scripture that can be complicated and confusing. We hope this episode and this season of our podcast provides help and hope to you!

In today’s episode, you will learn four helpful tools to study the Old Testament faithfully and meaningfully: You will learn to:

(1) Understand Old Testament Chronology
(2) Understand Old Testament Genres
(3) Understand the Right Approach to the Old Testament
(4) Understand Right Questions to Ask in the Old Testament

In this season of the podcast, we will be answering common questions that arise when studying the Bible. We will take one common question per episode & spend to try to provide help from the Word in a concise and interesting way.

If you desire to grow in your ability to study the Old Testament meaningfully and faithfully, this episode is for you. You will have opportunity to better understand the timeline of Old Testament history. You will hear how to piece together a proper historical timeline and chronology with Old Testament books, understanding how they all fit together in the grand story.

In this episode, you will also have opportunity to understand the different types of Old Testament genres. What makes each genre unique? How does our approach to Scripture change with each type? Finally, you will have opportunity in this episode to discover some good questions to ask when approaching any Old Testament text. These questions will help you to make the right observations, interpretations, implications, and application as you study the Word.

“Help! The Old Testament is complicated and confusing! Is it really that necessary for me to spend time trying to read it and figure it out?” Find out in this episode!

Welcome to Season Two of our podcast! This season, we will be answering common questions that arise when studying the Bible. As I have pastored and taught the Bible over the last decade, I know that there are many things in the Scripture that can be complicated and confusing.

Where do we go to find information and answers on these things from a trusted source in a concise & interesting way? In this season of our podcast, I will take one common question per episode & spend to try to provide help from the Word.

In today’s episode, we ask the question: “Is the Old Testament important?” Many of us have faced frustration and confusion trying to read the Old Testament. It is full of unfamiliar things to us - customs, cultures, systems of religion, laws, geographical places, and more. Additionally, how are you supposed to understand the timeline of everything that is happening?

Perhaps you’ve heard or thought: “Now that we have the New Testament and relationship with Jesus, can’t we just leave the Old Testament behind? It is not that relevant for us anymore, right?”

In this episode, we will identify some common struggles, feelings, and concerns when approaching the Old Testament. Then, we will work to answer the question: “Is this important for Christians today?” Using God’s Word and biblical examples, you will be encouraged and challenged by five reasons to value and prioritize the Old Testament in your heart and personal study. In very personal and practical ways, you will have opportunity to consider how you can recommit to receiving from the whole counsel of God.

We continue today with our series, “Suffering Transformed.” I’m excited to bring you a conversation I had with a pastor friend, Jonathan Nason. Jonathan pastors in the heart of New York City, in Queens, at New Hope New York Church.

Have you ever wondered what is really happening in New York City right now? We’ve all seen stories on the news and statistics about how bad this pandemic has been in New York. But do you ever wonder on a personal level what’s been happening in the communities, on the streets, and in churches in New York? Bigger than that, are you curious about what’s happening in cities in general right now around the world? Are you interested in the trends of urbanization and what church planting looks like now in the midst of all that is going on? Have you ever been curious about what it looks like to share the Gospel in meaningful, yet normal ways? Have you ever been curious about what it could look like in the community that you live to take a next step to meet the needs of your community and to see opportunities to connect with people so that they might have a chance to know God? In this episode, we are going to be covering a variety of topics and answering these questions.

Jonathan is originally from Memphis, Tennessee, and is an authentic man with a sincere love for God. He’s been transplanted into a city that is very different, but in some ways similar to the one he grew up in here in Memphis. He is faithful and is finding great effectiveness at the work of relationally sharing the Gospel, planting churches, and leading a movement to be concerned for the city of New York. He has a lot to teach us from his own heart and experience as a pastor. His stories are riveting, and I’m really excited that you’ll have the opportunity to hear from him today. I hope you enjoy this conversation with Jonathan. I think you will be greatly helped!

On today’s episode, we continue with our series, “Suffering Transformed.” This episode is a very practical and incredibly helpful conversation on what it looks like to release to God and to live in deep trust and ongoing surrender before Him in the midst of seasons of suffering-- and really, in all seasons of life.

I am so excited to be able to welcome onto this episode a dear friend of ours, Kristin Hertler. Kristin is an OBGYN who recently moved back to Memphis from a season overseas. She is practicing medicine here in Memphis now, but before this season she served as a medical missionary for almost 7 years in some of the hardest and most needy places in the world both in terms of physical and spiritual need (places in Africa and South Asia). She has been a part of our church family for over 10 years, and we have had the joy of seeing God work incredibly in her life: growing her relationship with Him, calling her to missions, and then walking alongside of her as she was sent and as she was serving during her time overseas.

In today’s episode, she is going to be opening up in her conversation with me very personally and practically about how she has learned to release to God in three main categories:

1. Releasing to God when our plans go wrong, and when things don’t turn out as we expected, desired, or hoped.

2. Releasing to God when things we have built our identity on are stripped away from us, and what it looks like to release to Him then.

3. Releasing to God in some of the most messy and difficult seasons of life, situations we encounter, and people we face.

All of us have experienced these three things and all of us have room to grow. I really believe today as you listen to Kristin, you’ll have the opportunity to hear God’s voice inviting you into deeper surrender and an opportunity to know what it looks like practically how to live in that.

On one final note, I am really excited that this interview is flavored with a global perspective. Kristin can’t help but bring that global perspective into the stories she shares about people she knew and the struggles she faced as a missionary. All of these things are really helpful for us to understand as we grow to be global Christians, because our God is a global God. Thank you for tuning in and listening attentively to this interview. I believe you will be encouraged and helped.

In this two-part interview, we continue our series Suffering Transformed, honest conversations about some of the hardest days and seasons in our lives and where we can go for help and hope. Barrett interviews Sladjan Milenkovic, who is from the country of Serbia. Barrett first met Sladjan during the season when he his daughter Sara were Memphis in receive treatment at St Jude for a serious, aggressive form of pediatric cancer that Sara had been diagnosed with in Serbia. A close relationship was formed between their families and Barrett’s church, which served as their church home while they were in Memphis. That relationship continues to this day, now in form of a partnership with Camp Hope, started by the Milenkovic family to minister to pediatric cancer families across the entire Balkan region. Sladjan is the director of HUB Bible.

Sladjan speaks about the topic of suffering out of his life’s experience. He discusses suffering he knows as a man, as a dad, and as a citizen of his country in Serbia. He speaks not only from his experience with Sara’s cancer but also, more recently, his personal experience battling COVID-19 in Serbia.

This interview discusses a variety of topics related to suffering, including how to make sense of it and deal with it as children of God. The conversation speaks from depth of experience and desire for knowing more of the beauty and purposes of God. In this second part of the interview, Sladjan opens up about the big questions he had during his suffering and the frustration he felt with trite things others would say in their attempts to comfort him during such dark and broken times. He discusses the ways he found strength and hope in God during such a difficult season, the unique opportunities suffering has given him to relate to others who have experienced similar brokenness, and how to take a bigger perspective of all that's going on in the midst of suffering. Sladjan also shares the profound and moving quote from his daughter Sara that completely transformed his thinking about what they had experienced together.

Not many people talk about these things as directly and authentically as Sladjan does, from his own heart, God’s Word, and the pain of his own experience. If you are in the midst of suffering, desire to know how to minister to others in the midst of suffering, or desire to be prepared for future season of suffering, this interview will benefit your greatly. As you listen to this conversation, you will be led to help and hope in realization that you are not alone in your experience and, more importantly, that God sees, knows, cares for, and loves you even (and especially) during suffering seasons.