Can You Belong Without Believing Everything? A Conversation with Rev. Adam Arends

Can You Belong Without Believing Everything? A Conversation with Rev. Adam Arends

Coming up on the Together 4 Good podcast, Pastor Nate sits down with his longtime friend Adam Arends, a pastor in the Buffalo, NY area. They’ve known each other for years, and this conversation goes right to the heart of a question a lot of people are quietly asking: what is church actually supposed to be about? Adam shares his story—growing up in the church, stepping away, questioning a lot of it, and eventually finding his way back. Not with perfect answers, but with a deeper sense of what really matters. What You’ll Learn: * Why people still show up to church—even with doubts * How grace matters more than getting everything “right” * What Jesus actually prioritized over rules * Why community can carry your faith when you can’t * How church can be a space for truth, not certainty Chapters: 00:00 Introduction: Why This Conversation Matters 01:30 Life as a Pastor in Multiple Churches 04:00 Growing Up in the Church (Pastor’s Kid Life) 06:00 Doubt, Logic, and Questioning Faith 08:00 What Keeps People Coming Back to Church? 10:00 What Is Truth? Faith Beyond Facts 13:00 Rules vs. Grace: What Jesus Actually Taught 16:00 Power, Humility, and Who “Gets It” 18:00 Why We All Fall Short (and Why That Matters) 21:00 Why Church Still Matters Today 24:00 What We Hope for the Next Generation 27:00 What Brings People Back to Church 30:00 Faith Isn’t Solo: Doing Church Together 33:00 Final Thoughts: A Different Way Forward If this conversation resonates with you, don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share it with someone who might need it. Connect with Bethany: 📍 Bethany Lutheran Church – Denver, CO 🌐 Learn more: www.bethany-denver.org [http://www.bethany-denver.org]

Sunday School Remix: What Does Peter’s Story Teach About Shame?

What if the resurrection isn’t just about what happens after we die—but about what God is doing in us right now? In this episode of Sunday School Remix, we revisit John 21 and Peter’s story after the resurrection. It’s a moment filled with confusion, shame, and unfinished business. But instead of avoiding it, Jesus steps right into it—offering not just forgiveness, but purpose. What You'll Learn * How Peter’s shame shapes his actions—and why that matters * Why Jesus revisits painful moments instead of skipping past them * What the charcoal fire reveals about memory, guilt, and grace * How resurrection speaks to your life right now—not just someday * Why your past might actually be part of your calling 00:00 What if resurrection is about more than life after death? 01:00 Peter goes back to fishing 02:00 The miraculous catch and what 153 fish means 03:00 Peter’s impulsive response and hidden shame 05:00 Trauma, guilt, and going back to what’s familiar 07:00 Why Jesus eats with the disciples 08:30 What bodily resurrection really means 10:00 The charcoal fire and Peter’s memory 11:00 “Do you love me?”—Peter’s redemption 12:00 Resurrection as present-day transformation 13:00 How God redeems your past 15:00 Why your story still matters If this conversation resonates with you, don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share it with someone who might need it. Connect with Bethany: 📍 Bethany Lutheran Church – Denver, CO 🌐 Learn more: www.bethany-denver.org [http://www.bethany-denver.org]

REBROADCAST: Is My Life Missing Something? Finding Purpose in Christ

Coming up on the Together 4 Good podcast, we’re revisiting a conversation that feels especially timely this week. Over the last couple of months, I’ve had the chance to interview several of the speakers who will be part of the ELCA Rocky Mountain Synod Assembly. The theme this year is “Vida en Cristo / Life in Christ,” and it’s been shaping a lot of what I’ve been thinking about. So while this episode is a repeat, it fits right into that theme. What am I supposed to do with my life? It’s a question most of us carry at some point. But instead of offering one perfect answer, this conversation shifts the question—grounding us in identity first. In Christ, you are already loved, already enough, and already called. From that place, purpose becomes less about chasing something new and more about noticing what’s already in your hands and how God is at work in your everyday life. What You’ll Learn: * How “life in Christ” reshapes the question of purpose * Why identity (not achievement) is the starting point * What it means to be named, claimed, and sent in baptism * How to recognize your gifts in ordinary, everyday life * Why you don’t need one perfect calling to live with purpose Chapters: 00:00 A Timely Conversation: Life in Christ 01:20 Why We Keep Asking “What Should I Do With My Life?” 04:00 You Are Already Loved: Identity Before Purpose 06:30 Baptism as Calling: Named, Claimed, and Sent 08:45 “What’s in Your Hands?” (Moses and Everyday Gifts) 11:30 Giving Your Gifts Away for the Sake of Others 14:30 You Don’t Have One Calling—You Have Many 17:30 The Myth of the Perfect Life or Career 19:30 Life in Christ Happens in Ordinary Moments 21:45 Letting Go of Pressure and Trusting Today 24:00 Noticing Where Christ Is Already at Work If this conversation resonates, like, subscribe, and share it with someone who’s been asking these same questions. Connect with Bethany: 📍 Bethany Lutheran Church – Denver, CO 🌐 Learn more: www.bethany-denver.org [http://www.bethany-denver.org]

Sunday School Remix: Why Did Jesus Say Love Your Enemies?

What if Jesus’ most famous commands—turn the other cheek and love your enemies—aren’t about weakness at all, but something far more radical? In this episode of Sunday School Remix, we take a closer look at Matthew 5 and the Sermon on the Mount, uncovering a deeper, more honest way of living that invites us into transformation rather than avoidance. It’s a conversation about self-reflection, community, and a God who meets us right in the middle of our struggles. What You’ll Learn: * Rethink what “turning the other cheek” actually means * Discover how loving your enemies reveals something within you * Understand Jesus’ “third way” beyond retaliation or submission * Explore how community forms through honesty and grace * See how God meets us in weakness, not perfection Chapters: 00:00 Introduction: Radical commands of Jesus 01:00 The upside-down nature of the Sermon on the Mount 02:10 Honor and shame in Jesus’ time 03:00 What “turn the other cheek” really means 04:00 A third way: confronting injustice without violence 05:00 Why loving your enemies is so radical 06:00 The people who trigger us (and why) 07:00 Recognizing ourselves in others 08:00 Communion and confronting despair 09:00 Finding new life through honesty and community 10:00 Loving others by facing ourselves 11:00 Faith isn’t about fixing—it’s about going through it 12:00 Closing reflections Connect with Bethany: 📍 Bethany Lutheran Church – Denver, CO 🌐 Learn more: www.bethany-denver.org [http://www.bethany-denver.org]

Why Does Church Music Still Matter in Worship Today? A Conversation with Rick Seaton

What is worship actually meant to be? In this conversation, Pastor Nate sits down with Bethany’s Director of Music, Rick Seaton, to talk about the role music plays in shaping faith, community, and the experience of worship. Together, they explore the depth of Lutheran musical tradition, the tension between old and new, and why worship is about something far deeper than personal preference. This is a fun conversation with two people who truly appreciate the power music can play in your life.  What You’ll Learn: * Why music has always been central to the life of faith * What makes worship feel grounded, meaningful, and alive * The role of tradition in shaping how we experience God * Why participation matters more than preference * How churches can think differently about worship today Chapters: 00:00 Why this conversation took 6 years to happen 01:00 Rick’s journey into church music 03:00 Why Lutherans have such a strong musical tradition 06:00 Why churches don’t create music like they used to 09:00 Why variety in worship actually matters 11:00 Contemporary vs. traditional worship 13:00 Why people are returning to deeper practices 17:00 Why quality and intention matter in worship 20:00 What churches should focus on moving forward 26:00 What music is really meant to do 27:00 A powerful Good Friday reflection 31:00 Why music has always been part of faith 34:00 The importance of singing together 36:00 Creating new music for the church 38:00 Final thoughts on worship and creativity And if you’re in the Denver area join Rick for the Get Outta Here Postludes Concert at Bethany Lutheran Church, May 1st at 7pm! More info here: https://www.bethany-arts.org/ Connect with Bethany: 📍 Bethany Lutheran Church – Denver, CO 🌐 Learn more: www.bethany-denver.org [http://www.bethany-denver.org]