Rediscovering Faith

Limping Toward the Kingdom | From Bystander to Builder Ep. 10

Send us your questions and reflections! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2446577/fan_mail/new] What if weakness is not the end of transformation—but the beginning of it? In the final episode of this Jacob arc in our “From Bystander to Builder” series, Pastor Evan Ryder explores the closing moments of Book of Genesis 32 as Jacob limps away from his encounter with God forever changed. Jacob entered the night striving for control, security, and blessing. But after wrestling with God, he leaves wounded, dependent, and transformed. His limp becomes a reminder that God often dismantles our self-made kingdoms before inviting us into His Kingdom. This episode explores: * Why surrender often feels like weakness * How God transforms people through dependence * The spiritual significance of Jacob’s limp * Why encounter with God changes how we live in the world * What it means to move from building our kingdom to participating in God’s Kingdom If you’ve ever walked through disappointment, weakness, uncertainty, or the painful unraveling of your plans, this conversation offers hope: God still works through wounded people. Because maybe Kingdom builders are not polished heroes—but people who have wrestled with God and discovered His presence is worth more than control. #ChristianPodcast #Genesis32 #Jacob #KingdomOfGod #Faith #SpiritualFormation #Discipleship #BibleTeaching #RediscoveringFaith #FromBystanderToBuilder

When God Renames You | Bystander to Builder Ep. 9

Send us your questions and reflections! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2446577/fan_mail/new] Who gets to define your identity? In Episode 9 of our “From Bystander to Builder” series, Pastor Evan Ryder explores the powerful moment in Book of Genesis 32 when God changes Jacob’s name to Israel. After a lifetime of striving, grasping, and building a kingdom around himself, Jacob encounters a God who not only wrestles with him—but renames him. This episode explores: * How identity shapes the way we live * The difference between self-made identity and God-given identity * Why many people build their lives around achievement, approval, or fear * How God transforms people through grace * What it means to live from belovedness instead of performance In a culture obsessed with image, success, and self-construction, this conversation offers a hopeful reminder: you are more than your failures, accomplishments, or reputation. Because the world says, “You are what you achieve.”  But God says, “You are who I name.” #ChristianPodcast #Genesis32 #Jacob #IdentityInChrist #SpiritualFormation #Faith #Discipleship #BibleTeaching #KingdomOfGod #RediscoveringFaith #FromBystanderToBuilder

Alone at the Jabbok | From Bystander to Builder Ep. 8

Send us your questions and reflections! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2446577/fan_mail/new] Why are we so afraid of silence? In Episode 8 of our “From Bystander to Builder” series, Pastor Evan Ryder explores one of the quietest—and most important—lines in Book of Genesis 32: “Jacob was left alone.” Before Jacob wrestled with God, he first had to face solitude. In a world filled with noise, distraction, entertainment, and endless activity, many of us avoid being alone long enough to confront what is really happening in our souls. This episode explores: * Why solitude is spiritually transformative * The difference between loneliness and solitude * How distraction shapes our desires * Why God often meets people in quiet places * What Jacob’s night at the Jabbok teaches us about surrender If you’ve ever struggled with restlessness, anxiety, spiritual numbness, or the constant pressure to stay busy, this conversation offers a powerful invitation to slow down and encounter God in the silence. Because sometimes God waits until we are finally alone before He does His deepest work in us. #ChristianPodcast #Genesis32 #Jacob #Solitude #SpiritualFormation #Faith #Discipleship #BibleTeaching #KingdomOfGod #RediscoveringFaith #FromBystanderToBuilder

Building a Kingdom of Self | From Bystander to Builder Ep. 7

Send us your questions and reflections! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2446577/fan_mail/new] What kind of kingdom are you building with your life? In Episode 7 of our “From Bystander to Builder” series, Pastor Evan Ryder explores the early life of Jacob in Book of Genesis and uncovers how ambition, striving, and self-protection can slowly shape us into builders of our own kingdom rather than participants in the Kingdom of God. Jacob spent years grasping for blessing, identity, and security through manipulation and control. But beneath his actions was a deeper hunger shared by every human heart: the desire to be valued, secure, and significant. This episode explores: * Why humans naturally build kingdoms around themselves * The spiritual danger of self-sufficiency * How desire shapes our lives * The difference between receiving blessing and trying to seize it * Why God sometimes dismantles the kingdoms we build If you’ve ever felt exhausted from striving, trying to prove yourself, or attempting to hold your life together through control, this episode offers a deeply personal invitation into surrender and trust. Because eventually, the kingdoms we build around ourselves can no longer carry the weight of our souls. #ChristianPodcast #Genesis #Jacob #KingdomOfGod #SpiritualFormation #Faith #Discipleship #BibleTeaching #RediscoveringFaith #FromBystanderToBuilder

Everybody is Wrestling for Something | Bystander to Builder Ep. 6

Send us your questions and reflections! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2446577/fan_mail/new] What are you really wrestling for? In Episode 6 of our “From Bystander to Builder” series, Pastor Evan Ryder explores Jacob’s life-changing encounter with God in Book of Genesis 32 and uncovers a challenging truth: everybody is building something with their life. Jacob spent years striving for blessing, identity, security, and control. He was ambitious, resourceful, and driven—but he was ultimately building his own kingdom. At the Jabbok River, everything changed. In the darkness, Jacob wrestled with God and discovered that true transformation begins when our deepest desires are reordered around the presence of God. This episode explores: * Why humans are shaped by desire * The difference between building our kingdom and God’s Kingdom * How striving and self-sufficiency leave us exhausted * Why God meets people in the middle of their wrestling * What it means to cling to God instead of control If you’ve ever wrestled with fear, identity, purpose, approval, or the pressure to hold your life together, this conversation will encourage and challenge you. Because eventually our lives move in the direction of our deepest loves. Join us as we rediscover what it means to stop building around ourselves and begin participating in the Kingdom God is building. #ChristianPodcast #Genesis32 #JacobWrestlesWithGod #Faith #SpiritualFormation #Discipleship #KingdomOfGod #ChurchPodcast #BibleTeaching #RediscoveringFaith #FromBystanderToBuilder