Together 4 Good: Making Sense of Life and Faith

Why We’re Still Here: Stories of Hope, Belonging, and Grace

When faith feels complicated or life gets messy, why do we still show up? In this guest-hosted episode of Together 4 Good: Making Sense of Life and Faith, Kimberly—Bethany’s podcast producer—takes over while Pastor Nate is away and looks back at our summer series, Why Are You Still Here? This collection of stories from the Bethany community reminds us what keeps us grounded in faith—hope, belonging, and grace. From the “God-size hole” that faith fills to the “foreverness” of church that anchors us, these voices reflect what it really means to be part of something bigger than ourselves. You’ll hear moments of honesty, humor, and deep connection that show how faith is lived through people—on mountaintops, in worship, and everywhere in between. 💙 Whether you’ve been at church forever or you’re just finding your way back, may these stories remind you why you’re still here, too. 🎧 Listen now:Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/together-4-good-conversations-on-faith-family-and/id1529196060https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/together-4-good-making-sense-of-life-and-faith/id1529196060 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/together-4-good-making-sense-of-life-and-faith/id1529196060]  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0aFHcs9xjcRK54uXJzUBbH?si=VwBUEjyQQnieXyKHdkcfvA [https://open.spotify.com/show/0aFHcs9xjcRK54uXJzUBbH?si=VwBUEjyQQnieXyKHdkcfvA] Follow Bethany Lutheran Church for more reflections and the best moments from the show: https://linktr.ee/bethanydenver [https://linktr.ee/bethanydenver]

Everyday Spiritual Practices: How to Find God Between Sundays

It’s Pastor Nate’s birthday episode and he’s using it to talk about one of his favorite topics: spirituality in everyday life. Because let’s be honest sometimes faith can start to feel like another thing on the to-do list. Go to church.  Read your Bible. Say your prayers.And all of that matters, but having faith is so much more than just going to church or reading your Bible. It’s about connection and relationships. Remembering that God is bigger than any one practice or person. After 15 years as a pastor, Nate admits that worship and Bible study can sometimes feel more like work than rest, so he’s learned to look for God in other places, too: in gratitude before a meal,in a walk under the trees,in the rhythm of a ritual that brings you peace,or even in a sticky note on your bathroom mirror that reminds you:God’s here. He shares how the Bible talks about forgetting and remembering God and how spiritual practices are really just ways to help us remember who God is, who we are, and who we’re called to love. 📖 In this episode: * Forgetfulness vs. sin and why “ah shoot, I forgot” might be a gentler way to understand grace * How your faith practices can change with the seasons of your life * Why ritual and repetition (yes, even lighting the same Advent wreath every year) matter * What gratitude and nature teach us about remembering God * And why even a few seconds of stillness can be an act of worship This episode is a reminder that God’s already here — in your work, your car, your chaos, and your quiet. You don’t have to be in church to be close to Him. 🎧 Listen now:Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/together-4-good-conversations-on-faith-family-and/id1529196060 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/together-4-good-conversations-on-faith-family-and/id1529196060] Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0aFHcs9xjcRK54uXJzUBbH?si=VwBUEjyQQnieXyKHdkcfvA [https://open.spotify.com/show/0aFHcs9xjcRK54uXJzUBbH?si=VwBUEjyQQnieXyKHdkcfvA] Follow Bethany Lutheran Church for more reflections and the best moments from the show: https://linktr.ee/bethanydenver [https://linktr.ee/bethanydenver]

AI Anxiety, Faith, and the Search for What’s Real

Everyone’s talking about artificial intelligence, but beneath the headlines and hot takes, many of us are quietly wondering: what does this mean for our faith? In this episode of Together 4 Good, Pastor Nate explores our shared AI anxiety, that uneasy feeling that technology might outpace our humanity, and what Scripture has to say about it. From the story of creation to the healing miracles of Jesus, this conversation reminds us that the heart of the Gospel has always been about relationship, incarnation, and community. As AI reshapes how we live, learn, and even pray, Nate challenges us to see the hope within the change, that God is still at work, calling us back to real human connection and reminding us that we are more than what we produce. You’ll hear about: * Why AI is changing everything — but maybe for the better * How technology can push us toward deeper community instead of away from it * What Jesus’ incarnation teaches us about the importance of being physically present * The danger of idolatry when we start thinking we can “save ourselves” * How faith invites us to hope beyond our fears of the future 💬 Whether you’re fascinated or fearful about AI, this conversation will help you see how faith still holds steady — even when the world feels like it’s upgrading faster than we can keep up. Key Scripture: Genesis 1:27 Luke 10: 25-37 Download the podcast here: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/together-4-good-conversations-on-faith-family-and/id1529196060 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0aFHcs9xjcRK54uXJzUBbH?si=VwBUEjyQQnieXyKHdkcfvA [https://open.spotify.com/show/0aFHcs9xjcRK54uXJzUBbH?si=VwBUEjyQQnieXyKHdkcfvA] Follow Bethany Lutheran Church on social media for all the best moments from the show: https://linktr.ee/bethanydenver

What if Losing Your Faith is Actually Part of Finding It?

What if the moment you thought your faith was slipping away… was actually the moment it started growing deeper roots? In this episode of Together 4 Good, Pastor Nate wrestles with a truth that’s both unsettling and freeing: sometimes, you have to lose your faith to find it again. He explores why doubt isn’t a failure—it’s often the beginning of a more honest, mature faith. This episode unpacks how God meets us in our uncertainty, how compassion heals more than clichés ever could, and how even in the silence, God is already showing up, sometimes right in the palm of your hand. You’ll hear about: * Why “childlike faith” isn’t the same as childish faith. * The harm in faith clichés like “God never gives you more than you can handle.” * What it really means to suffer with someone (compassion’s truest definition). * How doubt and belief can coexist and why faith actually requires both. * A personal story about doubt, communion, and discovering God in the middle of it all. Whether you’ve ever felt disconnected from church, uncertain about your beliefs, or frustrated by easy answers, this episode is for you. It’s a reminder that resurrection comes after death of faith, of certainty, of what we thought we knew. Maybe what feels like losing faith is really God inviting you into something more real. 👉Share this episode with a friend who’s asking the same big questions. Read: The Great Dechurching https://www.amazon.com/Great-Dechurching-Leaving-Going-Bring-ebook/dp/B0BN19KT5M Download the podcast here: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/together-4-good-conversations-on-faith-family-and/id1529196060 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0aFHcs9xjcRK54uXJzUBbH?si=VwBUEjyQQnieXyKHdkcfvA [https://open.spotify.com/show/0aFHcs9xjcRK54uXJzUBbH?si=VwBUEjyQQnieXyKHdkcfvA] Follow Bethany Lutheran Church on social media for all the best moments from the show: https://linktr.ee/bethanydenver

Why Am I Not Happy?

Let’s be honest, a lot of us are doing everything right. We’ve got the job, the family, the house, the hobbies. Maybe even a decent morning routine. And yet…we’re not happy. Why? In this episode of Together 4 Good, Pastor Nate digs into that question we all wrestle with but rarely say out loud. Why do we keep chasing the next thing, the next achievement, the next purchase, the next version of ourselves, only to end up feeling restless again? It’s what psychologists call the hedonic treadmill: the more we get, the more we want. And that cycle can leave even the most faithful among us exhausted and unsatisfied.  But grace tells a different story. Grace says you don’t have to keep running. Grace says you are enough, right now, exactly as you are.  Nate shares a real-life confession about stress-buying on Amazon (because we’ve all been there) and even pulls a surprisingly wise lesson from NBA star Kevin Durant. This episode paints a picture of how our endless pursuit of happiness, more stuff, more success, more “nexts” can blind us to the joy that’s already sitting right in front of us. Because maybe the question isn’t “Why am I not happy?” Maybe it’s “What if I already have everything I need?” Listen if you’ve ever felt like: * You should be happier than you are * You’re stuck chasing “the next thing” * You can’t rest until life finally feels perfect * You want to find a joy that actually lasts 👉Share this episode with a friend who’s asking the same big questions. Download the podcast here: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/together-4-good-conversations-on-faith-family-and/id1529196060 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0aFHcs9xjcRK54uXJzUBbH?si=VwBUEjyQQnieXyKHdkcfvA [https://open.spotify.com/show/0aFHcs9xjcRK54uXJzUBbH?si=VwBUEjyQQnieXyKHdkcfvA] Follow Bethany Lutheran Church on social media for all the best moments from the show: https://linktr.ee/bethanydenver