Hot Takes & Holy Things

A Faith That Grows Through Challenge w/ Jimmy Scroggins

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2601927/fan_mail/new] What happens when faith moves beyond comfort and becomes an adventure? In this episode of Hot Takes and Holy Things, hosts Jarvis Koyate, Cole Bearden, and Jake Kimbrell welcome Pastor Jimmy Scroggins for the season one finale. Jimmy is the lead pastor of Family Church in West Palm Beach, and a husband, father of eight, grandfather, and longtime mentor to students and families. Together, they talk about why faith grows when it is challenged and lived out in real life. Jimmy shares stories from his own childhood and young adult years, the ways his mentor helped him see the Christian life as bold, risky, and full of purpose. They explore why students need challenging spiritual experiences, how comfort can produce fear, and why following Jesus means being willing to be different. They also debate the best level of football to watch and address the rumor that Jarvis is not actually Jarvis. Tune in for a funny and faith-filled finale about confidence, perseverance, and stepping forward with Jesus. Key Points From This Episode: * Meet Pastor Jimmy Scroggins and hear the bio written by his sons. * Learn about the family and what is new in the Scroggins household. * Hear the full story behind how Jarvis accidentally became known as Jarvis. * Today’s great debate: high school, college, or professional football? * Celebrate a student from the Gardens campus for inviting others and sharing the gospel. * Why Jimmy is encouraged by students who are committed to Christ and dreaming big. * Explore the hot take that faith cannot grow without being challenged. * How Jimmy’s mentor influenced his faith through Scripture, missions, and leadership. * Consider why the Christian life should feel more like an adventure, not a simulation. * Discover how fear and the need for comfort limit faith. * Uncover why real Christianity is not safe, but good. * Reflect on Jesus’ call to take up your cross and follow Him. Quotes: “Now, it almost seems like the argument that is happening is that, not only do I want the fastest way to get there, but I also want the easiest to get there, and I don’t think that’s God’s design for our spirituality.” — Jake Kimbrell [00:15:29] “That is what I think is missing from a lot of young people. They get disenchanted with Christianity because they don’t see what God wants to do in their life as an amazing adventure.” — Jimmy Scroggins [00:18:08] “Let’s face it, if you can’t be different, you can’t really do it for Jesus.” — Jimmy Scroggins [00:19:54] “The real Christianity, the kind of Christianity that has taken over the world for the last two thousand years, is a Christianity people will die for.” — Jimmy Scroggins [00:23:56] “Just because you’re faithful to God doesn’t mean it’s going to work out the way that you want.” — Jimmy Scroggins [00:25:03]

High School Graduation Is Not Church Graduation

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2601927/fan_mail/new] What happens to your faith when no one is making you go to church anymore? In this episode of Hot Takes and Holy Things, hosts Jarvis Koyate, Cole Bearden, and Jake Kimbrell tackle a timely question: why do so many students drift from church after high school? Centered on the idea that “high school graduation is not church graduation,” the conversation explores the shift from inherited faith to personal responsibility. The hosts reflect on how independence can feel freeing but also carries weight, especially when it comes to staying connected to a church community. They unpack common reasons students disconnect, from viewing church as just a phase to never fully making their faith their own. Drawing on personal experiences and biblical insight, including the example of Priscilla and Aquila in Acts 18, they challenge students to see new seasons not as an ending, but as an opportunity to stay rooted and step into a new role. Listen in for a thoughtful and inspiring look at what it means to carry your faith forward! Key Points From This Episode: * An update from our hosts, including golfing, donations, and Mother’s Day gifts. * Today’s word of the day: “SALTS” and a debate of its meaning. * Student shoutout: Celebrating a student from Family Church Downtown for inviting friends and building church community. * Today’s hot take: high school graduation is not church graduation. * Why so many students drift from church after high school. * The shift from inherited faith to making faith a personal decision. * Independence after graduation and the weight of spiritual responsibility. * How treating church as a phase leads to disconnection. * Personal examples of staying rooted in church through college. * Biblical example in Acts 18: Priscilla and Aquila staying rooted through change. * Using new seasons as opportunities to find and build church community. * Moving from consuming church to contributing to it. * This week’s challenge: explore church options and reflect on what you value in one. Quotes: “High school graduation is not church graduation.” — Jake Kimbrell [00:14:39] “We don't actually understand the weight of that independence. We don't understand how heavy that burden is to carry.” — Jake Kimbrell [00:16:27] “Why do so many students disconnect from church after graduation?” — Cole Bearden [00:17:06] “Your faith is your faith. It’s not your parents faith, it’s not your grandparents faith, it’s not your small group leaders’ faith, it’s yours. You've got to make the decisions on how you're going to prioritize church in your own life.” — Jarvis Koyate [0:18:09] “Don’t simply just be a consumer at your church, but be a contributor.” — Jake Kimbrell [00:26:09] “Don't let fear hold you back from finding community as you're going to college and as you're having to get plugged in and find a new church on your own.” — Jarvis Koyate [00:27:37]

Being the Church Out There w/ John MacTaggart

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2601927/fan_mail/new] Episode 08: Being the Church ‘Out There’ with John MacTaggart We cannot just live out our faith within the church walls; we have to embody it outside the church, too! In this episode of Hot Takes and Holy Things, Jarvis Koyate, Cole Bearden, and Jake Kimbrell are joined by Family Church student Pastor, John MacTaggart, to discuss today’s hot take about the importance of being the church ‘out there’. As always, we start with our Word of the Day Segment before shouting out our student leader at Family Church in the Farms. Pastor John goes on to share a personal story of a student who massively impacted his faith, and he talks about how we can define being the church ‘out there’ and the power of embodying God’s love for us in the way we interact with the world. He even touches on the tension students may face between identity and performance and discusses how faith and ‘works’ can complement each other, instead of competing with each other. Finally, we discuss how students can practically share the Gospel and live out everyday, ordinary, radical faithfulness. If you want to be inspired to be a ‘doer’ of the Word, not just a ‘hearer’, then this is for you, so be sure to tune in now! Key Points From This Episode: * Introducing today’s guest, John MacTaggart. * Today’s word of the day: Larping. * A shoutout to a high school student leading at Family Church in the Farms. * Why you cannot only live out your faith within the walls of the church. * The disconnect students feel between their beliefs and the way they live their lives. * Pastor John tells us about the impact a student had on his faith during his youth. * What it means to be the church ‘out there’ and the power of embodying God’s love. * Identity versus performance and how faith and ‘works’ can complement each other. * How to live this out practically and how students can share the Gospel. * Today’s challenge for students: plan a Church event ‘out there’ with your student pastor. Quotes: “The simplest definition that we have for [being the church ‘out there’] is simply loving other people. – To me, that’s the key to Christian growth.” — John MacTaggart [00:18:14] “True spirituality is when we start to understand God’s love for us, and as our knowledge of that expands, it begins to shift the way that we think about other people.” — John MacTaggart [00:18:35] “We’re so used to working for things that we think we have to work for grace.” — John MacTaggart [00:22:40] “It’s His kindness that leads us to repentance. It’s what He’s done. – We’re not trying to earn God’s grace; we’re living from it.” — John MacTaggart [00:23:25] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: John MacTaggart on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-mactaggart-0715571b1/] Matthew 5:16 [https://biblehub.com/matthew/5-16.htm] Romans 1:16 [https://biblehub.com/romans/1-16.htm] Larping Definition [https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Larping] Family Church | South Florida Church Campuses [https://gofamilychurch.org/our-locations/] Family Church Students on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/gofcstudents/] Family Church Students Linktree [https://linktr.ee/gofcstudents] Family Church [https://gofamilychurch.org/] Family Church Network [https://www.familychurchnetwork.com/] Family Church on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/gofamilychurch/]

You’re Not Just Skipping Church, You’re Weakening The Body!

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2601927/fan_mail/new] Episode 07: You’re Not Just Skipping Church, You’re Weakening The Body!    We’re back with another episode of Hot Takes and Holy Things with your hosts, Jarvis Koyate, Cole Bearden, and Jake Kimbrell. Today, they dig into why your church attendance actually matters. They kick things off with Jarvis’s full-circle asthma story, then jump into a fun Starbucks vs. Dunkin’ debate and share some student shoutouts. The main takeaway is simple: showing up matters, and when people don’t, it impacts the whole church community. They unpack why the “lonewolf” Christian mindset is a dangerous game to play and help students rethink how they view Sunday morning, encouraging them to make it a priority. From there, they explore different ways to get involved through serving, how to recognize your own spiritual gifts, and wrap up with a challenge for the week. Thanks for tuning in!    Key Points From This Episode:  * Jarvis tells listeners about this week’s full-circle asthma story.  * The great date’s topic: Starbucks or Dunkin’ Donuts?  * Shouting out to our graduating senior students.  * Today’s Hot Take: Why your church attendance matters.  * Why church attendance and school attendance are not the same.   * A dangerous game to play: the lone wolf Christian.  * How students should be thinking about church.  * Why refusing to use your gifts can hurt both the church and you.  * Cole breaks down why they’re so passionate about church attendance.  * How to figure out what your spiritual gift is.  * Applying our family values to be present in all areas of our lives.  * We look at different ways students can get involved in serving on Sunday mornings at church.  * Our challenge to students for this week!    Quotes:  “If you're not at church, then you're not only affecting yourself and your own spiritual health, you're also affecting the people that you attend church with.” — Cole Bearden [00:10:05]  “Doing the Christian walk on your own is a dangerous game to play.” — Jarvis Koyate [0:11:14]  “I think the devil loves isolation. I think the devil loves it whenever, like, you know, you're alone, and he can tempt you alone. And that I think one of the biggest weapons we have to fight against the devil is the people around us.” — Jake Kimbrell [00:11:58]  “Instead of thinking of church like school, where my attendance really only affects me or impacts me, we really need to think about church more like a team and more like sports.” — Cole Bearden [00:13:05]   “[We’ve got to] make Sunday morning a priority.” — Jarvis Koyate [0:21:40]    Longer Quotes:   “When we don't show up to church, we're hurting the body and the family that we're a part of because all of us have a role to play. All of us have gifts that God has given us that impact the team or the church or the family, the body that we're a part of when we attend church on Sunday mornings.” — Cole Bearden [00:13:45]  Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:   1 Corinthians 12 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians%2012&version=NIV]  Family Church Students on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/gofcstudents/]  Family Church Students Linktree [https://linktr.ee/gofcstudents]  Family Church [https://gofamilychurch.org/]  Family Church on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/gofamilychurch/]

The Heart of Christian Dating: Guidance for Students w/ Kristin Scroggins

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2601927/fan_mail/new]  Episode 06: The Heart of Christian Dating: Guidance for Students w/ Kristin Scroggins  Today on Hot Takes and Holy Things, we’re joined by Kristin Scroggins, speaker, author, and the heart behind a beautiful, thriving family. She’s a mom of eight and grandma to seven, building a legacy of love, strength, and unwavering support. She’s here today to dig into the heart of Christian dating and share her insights and wisdom on the hot take from today’s episode: Christians should only date other Christians. Tune in to hear more, including our word of the day segment, our student shoutouts, and how programs like Advance can have a true and lasting impact on our students. Plus, we dive into God’s purpose for dating, why it should ultimately point toward marriage, and the risks of being unequally yoked. We also unpack the danger of looking to relationships for what only the Lord can provide, the importance of spiritual maturity, and how to discern whether someone is truly aligned with your faith—all while challenging students to root their identity in Christ and pursue accountability in community.    Key Points From This Episode:  * We are introduced to today’s guest, Kristin Scroggins.  * Our word of the day segment: Calm.  * Shoutout to Rachel Fader & all of our engaged students (on Sundays and in the week!)  * Mrs. Kristin shares how our three big events, like Advance, shape students’ lives.   * Jake shares a personal dating story (and why no one in the 6th grade should be dating!)  * Today’s hot take: Christians should only date other Christians.   * They dig into the real reasons why dating should happen.  * Reasons why people go outside of God’s design for dating.   * Mrs. Kristin shares her thoughts on what’s more important: who you’re dating or who you’re becoming.  * What happens when relationships try to replace what only the Lord can provide.  * We discuss the question: when is someone ready to date?  * They unpack what could happen if you, as a Christian, date a non-Christian.  * What Mrs. Kristin is concerned about as a parent: what kind of company are they attracting?  * Advice on how to get out of a relationship that isn’t the right one for you.  * Our weekly challenge to our students: start a group Bible reading plan.   * Quotes:  “[Our] big three programs — [are] giving our students opportunities that we can’t possibly provide as [parents] on our own. To give them the confidence to share the gospel, to give them opportunities to do that, to pray for people, even to get rejected. It builds character, and it shows them how important all of this is.” — Kristin Scroggins [0:10:45]   “I think that the conflict that I think a lot of people feel is the standards of dating have dropped significantly, but I think the expectations of dating have climbed through the roof.” — Jake Kimbrell [00:15:51]  “There's only one reason for why we should be dating. There's only one reason that the Bible shows us for why we should be dating, and it's that dating is for marriage. — God's design for dating is that it leads to marriage.” — Cole Bearden [00:16:41]  “Dating doesn't create health. It confirms it.” — Jake Kimbrell [0:23:56]    Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:   2 Corinthians 6:14 NKJV [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Corinthians%206:14&version=NKJV]  Matthew 6:21 NKJV [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%206:21&version=NKJV] Family Church Students Linktree [https://linktr.ee/gofcstudents]  Family Church [https://gofamilychurch.org/]