Step Up with Chris Kouba

Presence Over Perfection: What Kids Really Need From Their Dad

Fatherhood can feel overwhelming. Whether you’re a brand-new dad, raising teenagers, watching your kids leave the house, or trying to reconnect after a difficult season, most dads carry the quiet fear that they’re not doing enough. In this Father’s Day episode of the Step Up Podcast, Josh and Pastor Chris have an honest conversation about what fatherhood really requires. They talk about the pressure to provide, the danger of being present physically but passive emotionally, what kids most need to hear from their dads, and how spiritual leadership starts with simply following Jesus in front of your family. This episode is a reminder that dads don’t have to be perfect. But they do need to be present, humble, prayerful, and intentional. Your greatest ministry may not be the work you do outside your home, but the life you live inside it. To find out more about Pastor Chris, follow him on all the social platforms (@ckouba [https://www.instagram.com/ckouba/]) and to connect with the ministry of United City visit https://unitedcity.church [https://unitedcity.church/]. Show Notes Follow on Instagram: @stepup.podcast [https://www.instagram.com/stepup.podcast/] Follow United City: @untdcitychurch [https://www.instagram.com/untdcitychurch/] Connect with Pastor Chris: http://chriskouba.com [http://chriskouba.com] More About United City: https://unitedcity.church/ [https://unitedcity.church/] Chapter Markers 00:00 – Welcome to the Step Up Podcast 00:45 – Father’s Day, Coaching, and Family Stories 05:59 – What Fatherhood Really Feels Like 13:09 – Provision, Presence, and the Pressure Dads Carry 17:56 – Fighting Passivity at Home 20:03 – What Kids Need From Their Dad 22:59 – Leading Your Family Spiritually Without Being Perfect 27:50 – Encouragement for Overwhelmed and Disconnected Dads 36:19 – Final Father’s Day Encouragement

Fight for a Healthy Marriage: Building a Godly Relationship That Lasts

Marriage is one of the most important relationships in a man’s life, but it does not stay healthy by accident. In this episode of the Step Up Podcast, Pastor Chris Kouba and Josh Thomas talk honestly about what causes couples to drift emotionally, how to pursue your spouse through exhausting seasons, and why communication, forgiveness, and intentionality matter so much. From intimacy struggles and unmet expectations to conflict, betrayal, and rebuilding trust, this conversation gives men practical handles for loving, leading, and serving their wives with humility and faithfulness. Whether your marriage is thriving or barely hanging on, this episode is a reminder that God sees you, your church is with you, and your marriage is worth fighting for. To find out more about Pastor Chris, follow him on all the social platforms (@ckouba [https://www.instagram.com/ckouba/]) and to connect with the ministry of United City visit https://unitedcity.church [https://unitedcity.church/]. Show Notes Follow on Instagram: @stepup.podcast [https://www.instagram.com/stepup.podcast/] Follow United City: @untdcitychurch [https://www.instagram.com/untdcitychurch/] Connect with Pastor Chris: http://chriskouba.com [http://chriskouba.com] More About United City: https://unitedcity.church/ [https://unitedcity.church/] Chapter Markers 00:00 — Golf, Marriage, and Ridiculous Arguments 05:16 — Why Couples Drift Emotionally 09:59 — Pursuing Your Wife Again 11:27 — Protecting Marriage in Exhausting Seasons 15:48 — Intimacy, Affection, and Feeling Wanted 21:25 — Unspoken Expectations and Communication 25:33 — Forgiveness, Trust, and Rebuilding After Hurt 31:04 — Quick Tips: Boundaries, Date Nights, Books, and Marriage Advice

Dating with Intention: A Biblical Conversation for Men

In this episode of the Step Up Podcast, Pastor Chris Kouba and Josh Thomas have a conversation around relationships, dating, and biblical manhood through the lens of the Song of Solomon. They talk honestly about singleness, fear of commitment, dating with clarity, and why men should approach relationships with intention instead of ambiguity. Pastor Chris challenges men to stop treating dating casually, to lead with honesty, to pursue holiness before boundaries are tested, and to trust God with their relationship status. Whether you are single, dating, engaged, married, or raising sons and daughters, this conversation offers practical and biblical wisdom for honoring God and others in every season. To find out more about Pastor Chris, follow him on all the social platforms (@ckouba [https://www.instagram.com/ckouba/]) and to connect with the ministry of United City visit https://unitedcity.church [https://unitedcity.church/]. Show Notes Follow on Instagram: @stepup.podcast [https://www.instagram.com/stepup.podcast/] Follow United City: @untdcitychurch [https://www.instagram.com/untdcitychurch/] Connect with Pastor Chris: http://chriskouba.com [http://chriskouba.com] More About United City: https://unitedcity.church/ [https://unitedcity.church/] Chapter Markers 00:00 – Why Talk About Dating? 05:30 – Singleness Is Not a Disease 11:00 – What Is Dating For? 17:30 – Fear, Ambiguity, and Commitment 24:30 – Boundaries, Purity, and Honoring God’s Daughter 34:00 – Know God, Walk with the Church, and Date In Community

You’re Not Too Far Gone: Coming Back from Depression

In this continuation of their conversation on depression, Pastor Chris Kouba and Josh Thomas talk about what it looks like to begin coming back from a dark season. Looking at Elijah’s story in 1 Kings 19, they unpack how God meets His people with tenderness, rest, food, presence, community, and eventually renewed purpose. Pastor Chris shares more from his own experience recovering from a traumatic burn accident and the depression that followed, reflecting on the friends, mentors, and church community who helped carry him through. This episode is a reminder that sometimes the most spiritual next step is to rest, ask for help, let others sit with you, and slowly step back into the work God has given you. For any man who feels too far gone, this conversation offers a deeply personal word of encouragement: God is not done with you.To find out more about Pastor Chris, follow him on all the social platforms (@ckouba) and to connect with the ministry of United City visit https://unitedcity.church [https://unitedcity.church/]. Show Notes Follow on Instagram: @stepup.podcast Follow United City: @untdcitychurch Connect with Pastor Chris: http://chriskouba.com [http://chriskouba.com] More About United City: https://unitedcity.church/ [https://unitedcity.church/] Chapter Markers 00:00 – Welcome Back: Continuing the Conversation on Depression 04:15 – Sometimes the Most Spiritual Thing You Can Do Is Rest 07:15 – The Ministry of Presence 12:30 – Asking for Help When You Can’t Muscle Through 17:20 – Getting Out of the Cave and Changing the Routine 22:20 – From Avoidance to Purposeful Action 27:30 – You’re Not Too Far Gone

Naming the Darkness: A Biblical Conversation on Depression

In this honest and deeply personal conversation, Josh Thomas and Pastor Chris Kouba talk about depression, emotional health, and why so many men struggle to admit when they are not okay. Pastor Chris shares his own story of trauma, burnout, fear, and the dark season that followed a life-altering injury, while also pointing listeners to the story of Elijah in 1 Kings 19. Together, they explore how depression can show up through anxiety, irritability, overwork, isolation, and emotional numbness, and why men often hide it behind phrases like “I’m just tired,” “I’m just stressed,” or “I just need a vacation.” This episode offers biblical encouragement, practical insight, and a reminder that getting help is not weakness. It is wisdom. To find out more about Pastor Chris, follow him on all the social platforms (@ckouba [https://www.instagram.com/ckouba/]) and to connect with the ministry of United City visit https://unitedcity.church [https://unitedcity.church/]. Show Notes Follow on Instagram: @stepup.podcast [https://www.instagram.com/stepup.podcast/] Follow United City: @untdcitychurch [https://www.instagram.com/untdcitychurch/] Connect with Pastor Chris: http://chriskouba.com [http://chriskouba.com] More About United City: https://unitedcity.church/ [https://unitedcity.church/] Chapter Markers 00:00 Why men say “I’m good” when they’re not 03:07 Why guys struggle to name what they’re feeling 04:52 Pastor Chris shares his 2016 burn injury and dark season 12:28 Why men resist calling it depression 17:36 Elijah’s collapse after victory in 1 Kings 19 22:12 Physical, emotional, relational, and spiritual causes 36:22 Get help, say it out loud, and move toward healing