9: Friendship, Forgiveness & Hard Conversations: Grow as a Christian (Part 3 with Pastor Marcus Anderson)

9: Friendship, Forgiveness & Hard Conversations: Grow as a Christian (Part 3 with Pastor Marcus Anderson)

Following Jesus doesn't erase our past experiences, cultural differences, or personal struggles—but He does transform how we love one another. In Part 3 of my conversation with Pastor Marcus Anderson, we move from history to everyday discipleship. Pastor Marcus shares how God met him as he wrestled with resentment, learned to forgive, and built genuine friendships across cultural differences. Together, we discuss what it looks like to follow Jesus when conversations about race, relationships, and community become difficult. Whether you've struggled with prejudice, felt misunderstood because of your background, or simply want to become more like Christ in the way you love others, this episode is an invitation to pursue biblical unity with honesty, humility, and grace. In this episode, we discuss:  • How to have difficult conversations in Christian community  • Loving people from different cultural backgrounds  • Navigating emotions when relationships cross cultural or racial lines GET TO KNOW PASTOR MARCUS! Pastor Marcus is the Lead Pastor of DUCC) Divine Unity Community Church in Greensboro, North Carolina.  If you would like to get to know him more or support him, please email pastormarcus@ducchurch.org HIS INSTAGRAM: @maonmission SUPPORTING THIS PODCAST If this podcast has encouraged your faith, challenged your thinking, or reminded you that you're not walking through life alone, I'd love to invite you to become part of what we're building here. VENMO: @builtbythefather @gabbythorne20 CASH APP: @gabbythorne20 Every episode is made possible by listeners who believe these conversations matter. Your support helps cover production costs, equipment, and creating free biblical resources that point women back to Jesus. Whether it's a one-time gift or a monthly partnership, every contribution helps this ministry continue reaching women who are searching for a purpose, truth, and a place to belong.

8: 500 Years of Christianity Before Islam & Where Are Black People in the Bible? (Part 2 w/ Pastor Marcus Anderson)

This is the history most Christians have never learned. Many people have asked, "Why would a Black person follow Jesus?" Others wonder whether Christianity is simply a Western religion or if people of African descent have always been part of God's story. In Part 2 of my conversation with Pastor Marcus Anderson, we explore the history that many people have never been taught. We discuss the first 500 years of Christianity before Islam, the deep African roots of the early Church, and the men and women of African descent who played significant roles throughout Scripture and early Christian history. If you've ever struggled to see yourself in the Bible or questioned whether Christianity belongs to one culture more than another, this episode offers historical context and biblical perspective that may challenge what you've heard before. In this episode, we discuss:  • The first 500 years of Christianity before Islam  • Where Black people appear throughout the Bible  • The African roots of the early Christian Church  • Historical figures such as Simon of Cyrene and the Ethiopian eunuch  • Why Jesus invites people from every nation, tribe, and language into His family Whether you're a follower of Jesus, exploring Christianity, or simply curious about the history of the Christian faith, this conversation is an invitation to learn, ask questions, and discover more about God's story for all people. GET TO KNOW PASTOR MARCUS! Pastor Marcus is the Lead Pastor of:  (DUCC) Divine Unity Community Church in Greensboro, North Carolina. If you would like to get to know him more or support him, please email pastormarcus@ducchurch.org HIS INSTAGRAM: @maonmission SUPPORTING THIS PODCAST  If this podcast has encouraged your faith, challenged your thinking, or reminded you that you're not walking through life alone, I'd love to invite you to become part of what we're building here. VENMO: @builtbythefather @gabbythorne20 CASH APP: @gabbythorne20 Every episode is made possible by listeners who believe these conversations matter. Your support helps cover production costs, equipment, and creating free biblical resources that point women back to Jesus. If you'd like to partner with Built by the Father, our info is listed above.  Whether it's a one-time gift or a monthly partnership, every contribution helps this ministry continue reaching women who are searching for a purpose, truth, and a place to belong.

7: The Conversation We Can't Avoid: Slavery, The Bible & The Slave Bible (Part 1 w/ Pastor Marcus Anderson)

For many people—especially Black Americans—one question continues to create a barrier to faith: If slavery is in the Bible, why would I ever follow Jesus? In Part 1 of this conversation with Pastor Marcus Anderson from Divine Unity Community Church in VA + North Carolina,  we tackle one of the hardest questions Christians and skeptics alike wrestle with.  Together, we discuss the history of the Slave Bible, how Christianity was misused during American slavery, the difference between biblical slavery and chattel slavery, and what Scripture actually says about freedom, justice, and human dignity. Pastor Marcus also shares his personal experience of wrestling with faith as a Black Christian and what helped him find himself within the story of Scripture. Whether you're a committed follower of Jesus, someone exploring Christianity, or someone carrying questions about the Church's history, this episode creates space for an honest conversation about faith, race, history, and truth. My prayer is that this discussion helps you move beyond assumptions and discover who the Lord is for yourself.  In this episode:  • What the Slave Bible was and how it was used  • The difference between biblical slavery and American chattel slavery  • Why slavery happened and the role sin played in it  • Why many Black Americans struggle with Christianity  • How to have difficult conversations about faith and history Listen with an open mind, an open Bible, and a willingness to wrestle with these hard questions. GET TO KNOW PASTOR MARCUS! Pastor Marcus is the Lead Pastor of a Church Plant:  (DUCC) Divine Unity Community Church in Greensboro, North Carolina. If you would like to get to know him more or support him, please email pastormarcus@ducchurch.org -or- INSTAGRAM: @maonmission SUPPORTING THIS PODCAST  If this podcast has encouraged your faith, challenged your thinking, or reminded you that you're not walking through life alone, I'd love to invite you to become part of what we're building here. VENMO: @builtbythefather @gabbythorne20 CASH APP: @gabbythorne20 Every episode is made possible by listeners who believe these conversations matter. Your support helps cover production costs, equipment, and creating free biblical resources that point women back to Jesus. If you'd like to partner with Built by the Father, our info is listed above.  Whether it's a one-time gift or a monthly partnership, every contribution helps this ministry continue reaching women who are searching for a purpose, truth, and a place to belong. Thank you for listening, for sharing these episodes, and for helping build a home where people can encounter Christ

6: When I Want to Leave My Job, Want Kids, and Feel Behind — But God Still Has Me Here

Do you feel stuck at a job you’ve outgrown? Are you longing for kids, a new season, or a life that looks different than the one you’re living right now? If you’re in a waiting season and wondering why God still has you here, this episode is for you. In this episode, Gabby shares 5 truths that help believers stay grounded when they want to leave a job, feel behind in life, or don’t understand the purpose of their current season. You’ll learn how to find joy at work, trust God’s timing, and see purpose in the place you’re ready to leave. If you’re navigating a college transition, career frustration, wanting motherhood, feeling behind, or questioning your purpose, tune in. This episode will help you stop despising the season you’re in and start seeing what God may be doing through it. 23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. Colossians 3:23- 24 SUPPORT THIS PODCAST If you want to support this work and help it grow, here’s a way to help! Venmo: @builtbythefather https://www.venmo.com/u/builtbythefather [https://www.venmo.com/u/builtbythefather] Whether it’s a one-time gift or monthly subscription, your support helps keep these conversations going.

5: The Idolatry of Success: Why You Feel Behind in Your Career, Why We Keep Chasing Money, & What God Is Actually Asking of You & Your Career

Why do you feel behind… even when you’re doing everything “right”? “Who told us that this is what success is supposed to look like?” “Am I in the career that the Lord wants me to be in?” In this episode, I bring on a few special guests- Trent Pace, Kathryn Tucker, Ebenezer, & Paige Condrey. We’re breaking down the quiet pressure so many of us live in at our current age—the pressure to always be doing more, building faster, and becoming “successful.”  But what if the issue isn’t our discipline.. what if it’s our definition of success? This conversation challenges the way we look at productivity, waiting seasons, and what it actually means to trust the Lord with our life- including our careers.  Because it’s possible to say we trust Him—and still live like everything depends on us. If you’ve been: * Feeling behind in life * Questioning what’s next for your career  * Not trusting the Lord’s will with your career and college timeline at your age this episode will meet you there. You’ll walk away rethinking what you’re chasing, why you’re chasing it, and whether it’s actually aligned with what the Lord is asking of you. 🎙️ Press play if you're ready to stop striving and start seeing your season differently. 👉 Follow/Subscribe so you don’t miss the next conversation. GIVING YOUR SUPPORT  If you want to support this work and help it grow, here’s a way to help. Venmo: @builtbythefather https://www.venmo.com/u/builtbythefather [https://www.venmo.com/u/builtbythefather] Whether it’s a one-time gift or monthly subscription, your support helps keep these conversations going.