When Worship Becomes Real Again | Heart of Worship + A Powerful Personal Encounter

What Real Repentance Looks Like (And What It’s Not) | Shepnaz Podcast

Today on the Shepnaz Podcast, Pastor Zack and Pastor Brett continue their conversation (Part 2) unpacking a powerful moment from 1 Samuel 24—when David spares King Saul’s life. At first glance, Saul’s response sounds like repentance… but is it really?In this episode, we explore: * The difference between feeling sorry and true repentance * How actions—not just emotions—reveal real change * Why we often fall into the same patterns as Saul * The incredible hope we have that our story is still being written by God No matter how far you feel gone, this conversation reminds us: God offers real forgiveness, real freedom, and real transformation.🙌 We’d love to connect with you! If you need prayer or want to take a next step, email us at podcast@shepnaz.org 🔗 Learn more about Shepherd Church: 👉 https://shepnaz.org 🎧 More episodes: https://shepnaz.org/podcast 📺 Watch sermons: https://shepnaz.org/media 👍 Don’t forget to LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and SHARE to encourage others! Chapters 00:00 – Welcome + Part 2 Intro 00:49 – Recap: Saul’s Story So Far 02:35 – The Cave Moment (1 Samuel 24 Explained) 04:18 – When Opportunity Feels “God-Ordained” 05:22 – David’s Response: Honor + Restraint 06:07 – Saul’s Emotional Reaction 07:11 – Is This Real Repentance? 08:02 – Tears Without Change 09:37 – Why Saying “You’re Better Than Me” Isn’t Repentance 10:33 – Empty Words vs Real Responsibility 11:18 – No Real Change After the Moment 12:23 – Signs of False Repentance 13:08 – When We Do the Same Thing 13:49 – Mourning Sin vs Turning From Sin 14:39 – What If You Want to Change But Can’t? 15:25 – The Hope: God Has Not Left You 16:11 – True Forgiveness Explained 16:39 – Your Story Isn’t Finished Yet 17:32 – The Enemy’s Lie vs God’s Truth 18:13 – You Are Not Too Far Gone 18:30 – Invitation to Reach Out + Closing

The Tragic Story of King Saul | What We Can Learn From His Fall (1 Samuel 24)

Today on the Shepnaz Podcast, Pastor Zack is joined by Pastor Brett to unpack a powerful and sobering story from 1 Samuel 24—but with a deeper look at King Saul rather than David. This episode explores the tragic rise and fall of Saul, a man chosen and anointed by God… who still made crucial mistakes. What can we learn from his impatience, fear, and disobedience? And how does his story challenge us to trust God—even when the ending isn’t what we hoped for? If you’ve ever struggled with waiting on God, dealing with failure, or walking through a hard season where the outcome seems uncertain, this conversation will remind you: God is still with you—even in the valley. 🙌 Featuring: Pastor Zack & Pastor Brett Learn more about our church: https://shepnaz.org 🎧 More podcast episodes: https://shepnaz.org/podcast💬 We’d love to hear from you! Email us at podcast@shepnaz.org👍 Don’t forget to LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and SHARE to encourage someone today! ✏️ Comment below: Have you ever struggled with waiting on God? Chapters 00:00 Welcome + Monday encouragement 00:18 Introducing Pastor Brett 00:45 Series recap: “Lessons from the Legends” 01:05 Why focus on Saul instead of David? 02:00 The tragedy of King Saul’s story 03:28 Saul’s strong beginnings as king 04:10 The mistake that changed everything 05:26 Impatience and fear vs. trusting God 06:13 Consequences of disobedience 07:03 Putting ourselves in Saul’s shoes 08:09 Losing everything—Saul’s heartbreak 09:18 Comparing Saul and David 10:22 Why Saul’s story feels relatable 11:26 When life feels like it’s already lost 12:09 Wrestling with spiritual struggle 13:11 When you’re not yourself 14:16 Trusting God beyond understanding 15:00 Scripture as real history—not just stories 16:07 When life doesn’t have a happy ending 17:15 Why real faith includes hard seasons 18:12 God’s plan is still perfect 18:48 Final encouragement: God meets you in the valley

From New Age to Jesus: Pastor Natalie’s Powerful Testimony | Finding True Purpose

Today on the Shepnaz Podcast, Pastor Zack sits down with Pastor Natalie, our Connections Pastor, to share a powerful and personal testimony of transformation. Natalie opens up about her journey growing up without a church background, searching for meaning in New Age practices, and walking through deep brokenness. But everything changed when she encountered Jesus. Her story is one of redemption, healing, and discovering true identity in Christ.Whether you’re searching for meaning, walking through a difficult season, or just need encouragement today—this episode is for you. 💬 We’d love to hear from you! Has God brought you through something? Share your story with us at podcast@shepnaz.org 🙌 About Shepherd ChurchS hepherd Church of the Nazarene (Shepnaz) is all about helping people know Jesus, grow in faith, and find community. 🌐 Learn more: https://shepnaz.org 🎧 More episodes: https://shepnaz.org/podcast & https://shepnaz.org/media 👍 Don’t forget to: * Subscribe to the channel * Like this video * Share with a friend * Comment your thoughts or testimony Chapters 00:00 – Welcome + A New Podcast Approach 00:38 – Meet Pastor Natalie 01:36 – Ministry Reflections & Life Stages 04:11 – Growing Up Without Church 05:48 – Brokenness & Life Struggles 06:32 – Searching for Truth in New Age Practices 08:16 – Spiritual Warfare & Conviction 09:30 – Encountering Jesus 10:23 – Learning Identity in Christ 11:40 – We’re All Searching for Something 12:44 – Temporary Fulfillment vs True Freedom 14:11 – Why Sin Never Satisfies 15:14 – True Completion is Found in Christ 16:42 – Life After Salvation Isn’t Easy 17:03 – Family, Waiting Seasons & Faith 19:32 – God’s Faithfulness Through Change 20:42 – Remembering What God Has Done 21:22 – Encouragement for Hard Seasons 22:08 – Why Your Story Matters

From Rock Bottom to Calling: Pastor Nick’s Powerful Testimony | Hearing God’s Voice

What does it really look like to hear God’s voice—and follow it? Today on the Shepnaz Podcast, Pastor Zack sits down with Pastor Nick Shaner to unpack his powerful testimony. From growing up in a small town with a surface-level faith, to experiencing loss, depression, and confusion after high school—Nick shares how God met him in his lowest moment and radically changed his direction.You’ll hear about:✅ A childhood moment that sparked real faith ✅ A season of feeling lost and without purpose ✅ The turning point when everything changed ✅ How God’s calling isn’t always loud—but always faithful ✅ Why saying “yes” to Jesus doesn’t mean life gets easier—but it does bring peaceThis conversation will encourage anyone waiting on God, wrestling with purpose, or learning to trust Him through uncertainty. 📍 Shepherd Church of the Nazarene (Ohio) 🌐 Learn more: https://shepnaz.org 🎧 More episodes: https://shepnaz.org/podcast💬 We’d love to hear from you! Email: podcast@shepnaz.org👉 Don’t forget to LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and SHARE this episode 👉 Drop a comment: Have you ever experienced a moment where God redirected your life? Chapters 00:00 Intro & Guest Welcome 00:45 Why We All Have a Story 02:30 Growing Up in a Small Town Faith 05:15 A Childhood Decision to Follow Jesus 07:30 Faith on the Back Burner 10:30 Life Falls Apart After High School 12:30 Hitting Rock Bottom 14:00 “What Do You Want Your Life to Be About?” 16:00 Hearing God’s Call to Ministry 18:00 A Defining Spiritual Moment 20:00 Confirmation Through Others 21:30 Saying Yes to the Call 23:00 Ministry Journey Begins 25:00 The Reality of Following Jesus 26:30 Peace in Uncertainty 27:45 Final Encouragement & Prayer Invitation

When Worship Becomes Real Again | Heart of Worship + A Powerful Personal Encounter

Today on the Shepnaz Podcast, Pastor Zack leads a special Worship Wednesday focused on coming back to the true heart of worship. Starting with the powerful story behind“The Heart of Worship” by Matt Redman, this episode reminds us that worship isn’t about production, music quality, or performance—it’s about the posture of our hearts before Jesus. Then, Pastor Zack shares a deeply personal moment from a spiritual retreat that inspired a rewritten version of“As the Deer.” In a season of burnout and exhaustion, God used a powerful real-life encounter to remind him—and us—that true refreshment comes only from the Lord. If you’re feeling tired, overwhelmed, or spiritually depleted, this episode will encourage you to pause, worship, and return to the One who sustains you. 🙏 We’d love to pray for you — email us anytime at podcast@shepnaz.org 🔔 Subscribe for daily encouragement from the Shepnaz Podcast 💬 Share your thoughts or prayer requests in the comments 📲 Connect and explore more at: * https://shepnaz.org * https://shepnaz.org/podcast Chapters 00:00 – Welcome to Worship Wednesday 00:27 – A Different Kind of Episode (Solo Worship Time) 00:46 – The Story Behind “The Heart of Worship” 02:09 – When Worship Becomes Entertainment 02:50 – Stripping Worship Back to the Basics 03:31 – What Worship Really Is 04:23 – Reflection: Simple Worship Matters 04:46 – A Personal Song & Missed Goals 05:31 – Rewriting “As the Deer” 06:16 – A Spiritual Retreat in a Hard Season 07:14 – Why That Song Wouldn’t Leave My Mind 08:03 – The Deer Encounter (Powerful Moment) 09:09 – God’s Message in the Encounter 09:54 – Encouragement for the Weary 10:45 – Final Reminder: God Sustains 10:58 – Prayer Invitation & Closing