AFTERWORDS: A Riverview Church Podcast

That Deflection Mechanism

This week, Alex talks with Tony, Hezekiah, and Andrew about James 1:13-18, trials, temptation, and how God uses hardship to mature his people without ever being the source of temptation. They discuss the difference between lament and grumbling, why suffering can narrow our view of reality, and how James expands our timeline toward the hope of Christ’s return. The conversation also explores self-deception, cultural “truths” that pull us away from Scripture, and why knowing God’s character is essential when life feels confusing or painful. Listen to Andrew's message [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dont-be-deceived-andrew-bolkcom/id73802582?i=1000769673540] Listen to Tony's message [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dont-be-deceived-tony-pyle/id73802582?i=1000769673443] Listen to Hezekiah's message [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dont-fall-for-it-hezekiah-trevino/id73802582?i=1000769676300] Subscribe to our Messages podcast (Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/riverview-church-message-podcast/id73802582] / Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/6m7Hg7CJSIyFJ3zp2u3bj6?si=3ccf91d033054248]) Download a copy of the One More Series Journal [https://cdn02.rivchurch.com/assets/One-More-Studuy-Journal.pdf] Visit us online: rivchurch.com [https://rivchurch.com/] Follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/rivchurch] Send us feedback: podcast@rivchurch.com [podcast@rivchurch.com] — About Riverview Church Riverview Church is a multi-venue church based in Lansing, Michigan, where we invite everyone to know and enjoy Jesus as we stumble together in our pursuit to love like Him. Learn more at https://rivchurch.com [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbF9FbDhfeXVYUnhtMmJvUmhuOGZvaW54cGxoQXxBQ3Jtc0ttSjM2TUNWVE9SNzJBSEh4M3lleElpanYtNzFaWFBrV0VBTnNNaEpMSFNoWnY1N01IQ3ZXSi1Jd1dvMVkxc19OR0t4cE1sR1lIQUpIZndrTWFtZTd1dzVlYUs4clh2a3cxbzNPNEJKbV9ia1FiVHhfQQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Frivchurch.com%2F&v=W_rwoS5Yf4o]

A Particular Type Of Person

This week’s episode kicks off Riverview’s new series through the book of James with a conversation about why this short, complicated, and deeply practical book has been surprisingly difficult to teach. Jason and Noel unpack how James differs from books like Acts or Philippians, why it reads more like Proverbs than a linear argument, and how misunderstanding it can turn faith into a checklist instead of a life transformed by grace. They also explore what it means to “consider it pure joy” in trials, why wisdom is tied to endurance, and how James keeps pointing believers back to the promise of the “crown of life.” Finally, they discuss Martin Luther calling James the “epistle of straw,” the danger of reading James without the rest of Scripture, and why this series is ultimately meant to produce joy, not guilt. Listen to Noel's message [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sweet-maple-syrup-of-joy-noel-heikkinen/id73802582?i=1000768424252] Subscribe to our Messages podcast (Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/riverview-church-message-podcast/id73802582] / Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/6m7Hg7CJSIyFJ3zp2u3bj6?si=3ccf91d033054248]) Download a copy of the One More Series Journal [https://cdn02.rivchurch.com/assets/One-More-Studuy-Journal.pdf] Visit us online: rivchurch.com [https://rivchurch.com/] Follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/rivchurch] Send us feedback: podcast@rivchurch.com [podcast@rivchurch.com] — About Riverview Church Riverview Church is a multi-venue church based in Lansing, Michigan, where we invite everyone to know and enjoy Jesus as we stumble together in our pursuit to love like Him. Learn more at https://rivchurch.com [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbF9FbDhfeXVYUnhtMmJvUmhuOGZvaW54cGxoQXxBQ3Jtc0ttSjM2TUNWVE9SNzJBSEh4M3lleElpanYtNzFaWFBrV0VBTnNNaEpMSFNoWnY1N01IQ3ZXSi1Jd1dvMVkxc19OR0t4cE1sR1lIQUpIZndrTWFtZTd1dzVlYUs4clh2a3cxbzNPNEJKbV9ia1FiVHhfQQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Frivchurch.com%2F&v=W_rwoS5Yf4o]

Not the Preferred Method

This week, Jason and Noel unpack the deeper tension underneath Jesus’ teaching on money in Luke 12: not just greed, but anxiety, control, and the way we struggle to think eternally. The conversation explores why we live as though this life is all there is, even while believing eternity is real, and how that shapes the way we view possessions, generosity, and security. They also discuss what it means to invest in people instead of things, the complicated balance between enjoying what God provides and holding it with open hands, and why anxiety may actually be one of the most common forms of greed.  Listen to Noel's message [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/eternal-roi-noel-heikkinen/id73802582?i=1000767213874] Subscribe to our Messages podcast (Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/riverview-church-message-podcast/id73802582] / Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/6m7Hg7CJSIyFJ3zp2u3bj6?si=3ccf91d033054248]) Download a copy of the One More Series Journal [https://cdn02.rivchurch.com/assets/One-More-Studuy-Journal.pdf] Visit us online: rivchurch.com [https://rivchurch.com/] Follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/rivchurch] Send us feedback: podcast@rivchurch.com [podcast@rivchurch.com] — About Riverview Church Riverview Church is a multi-venue church based in Lansing, Michigan, where we invite everyone to know and enjoy Jesus as we stumble together in our pursuit to love like Him. Learn more at https://rivchurch.com [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbF9FbDhfeXVYUnhtMmJvUmhuOGZvaW54cGxoQXxBQ3Jtc0ttSjM2TUNWVE9SNzJBSEh4M3lleElpanYtNzFaWFBrV0VBTnNNaEpMSFNoWnY1N01IQ3ZXSi1Jd1dvMVkxc19OR0t4cE1sR1lIQUpIZndrTWFtZTd1dzVlYUs4clh2a3cxbzNPNEJKbV9ia1FiVHhfQQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Frivchurch.com%2F&v=W_rwoS5Yf4o]

We Won't Move On

This episode of the AfterWords Podcast digs deeper into Noel's recent sermon from 2 Corinthians 8 and 9, exploring the tension between cheerful giving, pressure, and spiritual formation. Jason and Noel talk about what it’s like to preach the same passage years later in a completely different context, why generosity is more about grace than obligation, and how habits of giving shape our hearts over time. The conversation also wrestles with practical questions from college students about cultivating generosity when resources feel limited, and what it would look like for the church to truly function as a “currency of grace” community. Listen to Noel's message [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-currency-of-grace-noel-heikkinen/id73802582?i=1000766078295] Subscribe to our Messages podcast (Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/riverview-church-message-podcast/id73802582] / Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/6m7Hg7CJSIyFJ3zp2u3bj6?si=3ccf91d033054248]) Download a copy of the One More Series Journal [https://cdn02.rivchurch.com/assets/One-More-Studuy-Journal.pdf] Visit us online: rivchurch.com [https://rivchurch.com/] Follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/rivchurch] Send us feedback: podcast@rivchurch.com [podcast@rivchurch.com] — About Riverview Church Riverview Church is a multi-venue church based in Lansing, Michigan, where we invite everyone to know and enjoy Jesus as we stumble together in our pursuit to love like Him. Learn more at https://rivchurch.com [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbF9FbDhfeXVYUnhtMmJvUmhuOGZvaW54cGxoQXxBQ3Jtc0ttSjM2TUNWVE9SNzJBSEh4M3lleElpanYtNzFaWFBrV0VBTnNNaEpMSFNoWnY1N01IQ3ZXSi1Jd1dvMVkxc19OR0t4cE1sR1lIQUpIZndrTWFtZTd1dzVlYUs4clh2a3cxbzNPNEJKbV9ia1FiVHhfQQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Frivchurch.com%2F&v=W_rwoS5Yf4o]

I Want to Talk About Dragons

In this episode, Alex sits down with James, Tony, Justin, and Jordan (in his first appearance as a Riv Pastor) to reflect on a weekend focused on stewardship and an eternal mindset. The conversation weaves together Jordan’s pastoral recognition, the growth of the MSU venue, and the deeper tension of what it means to live as if nothing we have is truly ours. The group explores how money, time, and habits quietly shape us—often exposing where we place our security—and why obedience rarely waits for perfect motives. Finally, they wrestle with awareness versus action, the challenge of forming better patterns over time, and how an eternal perspective can bring peace to present pressures. Listen to James' message [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-steward-james-granger/id73802582?i=1000763882551] Listen to Jordan's message [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-is-your-life-jordan-allen/id73802582?i=1000763884010] Listen to Justin's message [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fear-that-cures-financial-foolishness-justin-detmers/id73802582?i=1000763888198] Listen to Tony's message [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wisdom-with-wealth-tony-pyle/id73802582?i=1000763888197] Subscribe to our Messages podcast (Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/riverview-church-message-podcast/id73802582] / Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/6m7Hg7CJSIyFJ3zp2u3bj6?si=3ccf91d033054248]) Download a copy of the One More Series Journal [https://cdn02.rivchurch.com/assets/One-More-Studuy-Journal.pdf] Visit us online: rivchurch.com [https://rivchurch.com/] Follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/rivchurch] Send us feedback: podcast@rivchurch.com [podcast@rivchurch.com] — About Riverview Church Riverview Church is a multi-venue church based in Lansing, Michigan, where we invite everyone to know and enjoy Jesus as we stumble together in our pursuit to love like Him. Learn more at https://rivchurch.com [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbF9FbDhfeXVYUnhtMmJvUmhuOGZvaW54cGxoQXxBQ3Jtc0ttSjM2TUNWVE9SNzJBSEh4M3lleElpanYtNzFaWFBrV0VBTnNNaEpMSFNoWnY1N01IQ3ZXSi1Jd1dvMVkxc19OR0t4cE1sR1lIQUpIZndrTWFtZTd1dzVlYUs4clh2a3cxbzNPNEJKbV9ia1FiVHhfQQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Frivchurch.com%2F&v=W_rwoS5Yf4o]