Burning Questions 1

"I always believed in God, but I hated Him."-Nate & Julieth Kruse

What happens when our faith journey takes us far from home, literally and spiritually? This conversation explores the profound challenges of identity, belonging, and authentic relationship with God through the lens of two remarkable stories. We discover how growing up as a third culture kid—caught between multiple worlds and cultures—can leave us feeling rootless and disconnected, even while serving in ministry. The honesty here is refreshing: one person shares about leading worship, attending Bible college, and doing all the right Christian things while simultaneously experiencing a crisis of faith so deep it led to anger at God and a year away from church. Yet through this darkness, we see God's patient mercy at work. The turning point came not through a dramatic spiritual experience, but through raw honesty—admitting the anger, the doubts, the feeling of being lost—and through people who refused to let go. We learn that Christian community isn't just a nice addition to our faith; it's absolutely essential. We cannot walk this journey alone. Whether we're navigating cultural displacement, wrestling with our inherited faith, or simply trying to figure out who we are apart from our family's beliefs, we need mentors who will speak hard truths in love, friends who will pursue us when we're pulling away, and a church family that sees us and invites us in. The message is clear: authenticity with God and vulnerability with others are the pathways through which healing flows.

Burning Questions 1

How can I trust scripture? What happens to babies when they pass away? Can I have doubt and still be a christian? These are just a few of the questions we will tackle in our Burning Questions Episodes! We hope these episodes bless you!

Don't Be A Moron

As we conclude our journey through the Sermon on the Mount, we encounter Jesus presenting us with stark choices that define the trajectory of our spiritual lives. Through powerful metaphors of gates, sheep, trees, and houses, we're confronted with an uncomfortable truth: proximity to religious activity is not the same as relationship with Christ. The narrow gate isn't narrow because God is exclusive, but because it requires something countercultural—complete surrender. We're challenged to examine whether we're building our lives on the solid foundation of knowing Jesus or merely stacking up impressive religious résumés. The metaphor of two houses facing identical storms reveals that our foundation determines our survival, not our ability to avoid difficulty. What makes this passage particularly convicting is the warning about those who will say 'Lord, Lord' and point to their prophecies, miracles, and mighty works, only to hear 'I never knew you.' This isn't about doing more; it's about being rooted in relationship. The call to examine our fruit, recognize false teachers by their long-term impact, and ensure our houses are built through the costly work of digging deep into the Rock reminds us that authentic faith requires more than Sunday attendance—it demands daily surrender and persistent prayer.

Yo' Momma Prays

What if the prayers we've been offering aren't being answered because we've misunderstood the very nature of prayer itself? This exploration of Matthew 7:7-11 challenges us to move beyond one-time requests and embrace the radical persistence Jesus commands. The Greek verbs 'ask, seek, knock' aren't casual suggestions—they're active imperatives calling us to continual, escalating pursuit of God. Like a child who first calls out, then searches the house, then knocks on the closed door, we're invited into an increasingly intimate quest. But here's where it gets uncomfortable: Jesus illustrates this persistence through stories of shameless begging and relentless badgering. These aren't flattering portraits, yet they reveal a profound truth—God isn't annoyed by our persistence; He's honored by it. The sermon unpacks six potential barriers to answered prayer: unconfessed sin, unforgiveness, dishonoring our spouse, failing to actually pray, praying with wrong motives, and missing that God might have something better planned. Each barrier invites honest self-examination. Are we quick to confess? Do we harbor bitterness? Do we honor our spouse as a co-heir of grace? Most challenging is recognizing that sometimes our unanswered prayers aren't rejections but redirections toward something greater than we could imagine. This isn't about formulas or spiritual hacks—it's about knowing the Father's heart so deeply that we can't help but run to Him, again and again, with everything we carry.

Huntin', Fishin', Judgin' Every Day.

This week's exploration of Matthew 7:1-6 challenges us to wrestle with one of Scripture's most misunderstood passages. We're called not to abandon discernment, but to examine the posture of our hearts before we address the struggles we see in others. The imagery of trying to remove a speck from someone's eye while a log remains in our own is both humorous and convicting. It reminds us that self-examination must precede correction. The passage doesn't forbid us from speaking truth into each other's lives; rather, it demands we do so with humility, recognizing our own desperate need for a Savior. This discussion reveals that true discernment begins with proximity and permission in relationships, earned through genuine love and care. We're invited to judge the fruit, not the person, understanding that our role is to plant seeds faithfully while trusting God's sovereignty over the results. The freedom that comes from knowing we're not responsible for changing hearts, only for being obedient to speak truth in love, can transform how we approach difficult conversations. Ultimately, this passage calls us to spend twice as much time examining our own lives as we do considering the faults of others.