In February of 2023, the film, The Jesus Revolution, debuted in theaters. The faith-based story about a pastor who sparked a 1970’s revival among the Hippie generation would shock the film industry as it gathered great reviews and earned over 50million dollars at the box office. Mark Skalberg was one of those Hippies, and he shares about the Jesus revolution from his personal experience, what we can learn from that era and how we might apply it to church life today.
Does it feel like everyone around you is waiting to get married? Well, it seems like they are waiting longer - because they are! In the US the average age to getting married in 29 for men and 27 for women. Today we are going to discuss that trend and the challenges to finding your life-long partner.
GUESTS: Austin Pugh and Pastor Andrew Reichart
HOST: Pastor Kurt Birky
PRODUCER: Dale Wentzel
There seems to be a rash of high-profile Christians who have left the faith in rather public ways. The popular terms is “deconstructing” your faith or becoming an “exvangelical”. We will take a look at these popular terms and explore how re-evaluating beliefs may actually lead you toward “reconstruction” a deeper understanding of a life patterned after Jesus
GUESTS: Corrie Smith and Kim Chuckray
On this episode of the Woodmen Social, Pastor Josh and other Woodmen leaders provided practical insights on how we can reflect the light of Jesus in our everyday lives. Recorded during the Everyday Jesus workshop - A workshop on sharing your faith where you are.
War came suddenly to the Ukraine in February 2022. With it came a global outcry for the people of the Ukraine. Separated by thousands of miles, what can we do for the church in the Ukraine and the people of Eastern Europe? What is the status believers in that region? Can we find hope in the midst of the escalating tensions and doomsday scenarios? And how do we talk about difficult issues with our kids?
Show Notes:
M4 Church Planters
https://m4europe.com/
How to Talk to kids about the War in Ukraine
The Gospel Coalition
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/talk-kids-war-ukraine/
How to Talk to Kids About the Conflict in Ukraine
AWANA
https://www.awana.org/2022/03/03/how-to-talk-to-kids-about-the-conflict-in-ukraine/
Pray For Children in Conflict
Compassion International
https://www.compassion.com/get-involved/pray-for-ukraine.htm?referer=628744&j=810246&sfmc_sub=150574283&l=2416_HTML&u=13916885&mid=524004730&jb=1795&alias=%%linkname%%&utm_source=mc&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Compassion_Connection_Mar10_2022_212437
Loss is difficult. The loss of a child during pregnancy can be devastating. About 10-20% of pregnancies end in a miscarriage. Infant loss may be a reality for you or perhaps you want to be better equipped to come along side those who are hurting. In today’s podcast, we hear from three women who have travelled through this journey of pain and loss, and how they have rediscovered joy and healing.
GUESTS: Alyson Brown & Kelsi Cole of Foreknown Ministries and Karen Farhart
HOST: Pastor Kurt Birky
"You can connect with Alyson and Kelsi at www.foreknownministries.org or text them at 719-626-8486:
- Text "❤" to sign up for daily texts of encouragement
- Text "help" to receive next steps immediately following a loss
- Text "support" to gain info on support groups
- Text "Men" to receive resources for Fathers
Foreknown Ministries' next weekend retreat is April 8-10, 2022 in Colorado Springs, CO. Visit their website for more information or to register.
The images from Afghanistan were shocking and heart-breaking. In a matter of moments it seemed as if decades of tentative progress was swallowed up in a wave of violence, confusion and despair. Is there hope for Afghanistan? What can we do, some 7,300 miles away? We will hear from those with first-hand knowledge of the situation in Afghanistan and its people.
What is the role of the local church? Some would say it is simply about sharing the Gospel and building disciples. Other’s believe the church should be deeply involved in the civic and political arenas to promote a godly culture. Still others believe the church should be leading the way in areas of social justice. Who is right? Join this special live conversation as we look at the charge given to the church.
According to sources, Some 2.3 million people are incarcerated in the United States. What is the role of the church to those behind bars? Could prisons be fertile ground for the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Often with prison ministry we focus on what we can do for the incarcerated. What if we looked deeper, what might they be able to teach to those of us on the outside?
Are we starting to see the storm clouds of religious persecution gathering on the horizon here in the United States? What is the state of Christian persecution around the world? How can we help our brothers and sisters suffering around the world and what can we learn from them as we live in an increasingly post-Christian culture ourselves?
“…and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.” Paul’s message to the church in Corinth is just as important for the church today. The Christian faith stands or falls on the resurrection of Jesus Christ. In this episode we will take a deeper look into the familiar story, how we celebrate it and why it matters.
Sometimes retirement and golden years can sound pretty peaceful, relaxing and fun. It sure seems like many folks around here aren’t very good at retirement because they have packed their schedules with the work of ministry and are busy as ever! In this conversation we discover how leave a lasting legacy and prepare the next generation for the path ahead.
SHOW NOTES:
- Woodmen Legacy: WoodmenValley.org/Legacy
- Joni & Friends: joniandfriends.org
- Christian Grandparents Network: christiangrandparenting.com
Abortion and the Sanctity of Human Life continue to be hot topics in the culture of today. The debate on abortion has even made in-roads within the church. The argument for abortion used to be “safe, legal and rare.” Now it is being championed as a basic human right. Are we losing the battle for life?
We wrap up our four-part series on race with a discussion with Pastors Derrick DeLain and Josh Lindstrom. How can the local church be a light and an example in the midst of a hurting culture? Derrick and Josh share real life stories and give us their perspectives and vision for the church.
Do you find it more and more difficult to keep Christ at the center of Christmas? With an onslaught of commercialism, secularism, sentimentality and maybe even familiarity – it can be easy to loose sight of what really matters. To help us sort all of this out, we welcome Paul Finch and Tim Davis onto the podcast to take a deep, fresh look at this familiar story. Have your Bibles handy as we take a deep look at the Christmas story.
The issue of race is polarizing and confusing. What are we to make of Systemic Racism, Critical Race Theory and Black Lives Matter? Robert Moody and Shaun Pringle share their perspectives on how believers can bring biblical truth into the conversation in ways that honor God and bring hope and encouragement to those around us.
Paul said it’s better to be single. Hey, even Jesus was single! There are a lot of blessings with being single but for those desiring to be married, it can also be a heartbreaking journey at times. What about online dating, blind dates and those well-meaning friends who are always trying to set you up? Our Guests discuss the joys and struggles with being single in the church today.
SHOW NOTES:
Book: The Significance of Singleness by Christina S. Hitchcock
https://amzn.to/39k5Mb1
Book: Confronting Christianity by Rebecca McLaughlin
https://amzn.to/33e3LJt
WoodmenU Class: Singleness, Community, Kingdom (Starting in January)
https://bit.ly/2V2haA2
Sometimes we feel far removed from racial issues. Didn’t everything change with the Civil Rights Movement? How do we see identity, understand the purpose we were created for and seek unity today? Noah Collins, Dorothea Mapp and Stephen Chuckray share their stories and provide an inspiring vision for where we go from here.
We all know the best way to ruin a great party is to start talking politics. Why is talking politics so hard? How is it that Bible believing Christian’s can have different political views? What are the pitfalls an landmines that we need to be aware of in this culture of hyper polarized opinions? We sit down with believers who see politics differently and seek to understand each-others perspective.
What was it like growing up during the Civil Rights movement? Listen in as Ardyce Johnson, Don Needham and Bob Jackson share personal stories and insights of coming of age during that time. Each has a unique experience and perspective of how their families and those events have shaped them to this day and how they see the current volatility in our culture.