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What comes into our minds when we think about God shapes everything else in our lives. Yet most of us carry distorted images of God that we've picked up from our upbringing, painful experiences, or cultural messages—images that create barriers to authentic relationship with him.

In this episode, we unpack five common misconceptions about God that might be operating beneath the surface of your faith: the Distant Deity who remains uninvolved, the Sovereign Puppet Master who controls everything, the Cosmic Cop who's always disappointed, the Vending Machine God who exists to fulfill our wishes, and the Passive Enabler who never confronts our destructive patterns.

These false images create profound spiritual consequences. They make us hide when we fail, blame God when we suffer, and live as functional atheists in our daily lives. But what if there's a clearer, more accurate picture?

We explore how Jesus provides the perfect revelation of God's character. Looking at Jesus shows us a God of cruciform love—self-giving, non-coercive, and deeply present—who moves toward us in our brokenness rather than away. This truth doesn't just correct our theology; it heals our hearts.

Whether you're struggling with disappointment in God, battling shame, or simply longing for a more authentic connection with your Creator, this conversation offers practical ways to examine your core beliefs and make Jesus your interpretive key. Because when we see God as truly like Jesus, everything changes.

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What if God doesn't wait for us to clean up our act before loving us? What if He actually meets us exactly where we are—in all our messy, broken reality?

In a discussion about our second mental model for missional discipleship, we unpack the life-changing truth that "God bends to meet us in reality." This isn't just feel-good theology—it's the pattern we see throughout scripture and most vividly in Jesus himself.

From Genesis where God sought Adam and Eve after their sin to Jesus dining with tax collectors and sinners, we discover a God who consistently stoops down to meet humanity in their brokenness. The good news is that we don't need to fix ourselves before approaching God. The challenging news? We must be honest about where we truly are.

Many of us struggle with pretending, especially in church settings. We put on our "Sunday best" not just in clothes but in behavior and spiritual appearance. Yet authentic transformation begins only when we drop the masks and embrace reality—when we learn to "hug our cactus," as Mac puts it.

Whether you're wrestling with shame, struggling to trust God's grace, or finding it difficult to extend that grace to others, this episode offers practical wisdom for embracing reality and experiencing the freedom that comes with it. Because when we stop hiding, we discover God has been waiting there all along.

Listen now and discover how to live authentically in God's grace—no more pretending required.

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When was the last time you felt the pressure to "bring God" to a situation? What if God was already there, working long before you arrived? This episode challenges our fundamental assumptions about mission and discipleship by exploring the conviction that God's presence always precedes our participation.

We dive deep into what "missional" truly means – not as a trendy church growth strategy, but as a theological reality that reshapes how we engage with the world. From examining Jesus' own approach of only doing what he saw the Father doing, to unpacking common misunderstandings of missional theology, we reveal how this perspective shifts our posture from striving to discernment.

When God is the primary agent in mission, we're freed from the weight of producing spiritual results through our own efforts. All of life becomes sacred ground for spiritual formation – from workplace conversations to washing dishes. Church leadership transforms from performance to equipping, and our metrics shift from outcomes to faithfulness.

With suggestions for developing a divine detective mindset, attending to God's work in others through better questions, and prayer walking with new awareness, you'll discover how to spot God's activity all around you. This isn't just theological abstraction – it's an invitation to a lighter, more collaborative way of discipleship that centers God's movement rather than our own.

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What if the way Jesus saw the world could transform how you live your everyday life? In this illuminating conversation, we unpack the concept of mental models—those invisible frameworks that shape everything from how we parent and lead to how we interpret Scripture and engage in mission.

Think of mental models like prescription glasses. While rarely noticed, they constantly filter how we see reality.

Where do these frameworks come from? Our first formation in family, personal experiences that shape our beliefs, education that trains our thinking, and the cultural waters we swim in all contribute to our unique set of lenses. These mental models are neither inherently good nor bad—they're simply the tools our brains use to make sense of a complex world. The question becomes: are they accurate and life-giving?

What makes this conversation particularly powerful is realizing that Jesus was consistently in the business of disrupting flawed mental models. He challenged how people viewed God, showing Him as an intimate Father rather than just a distant deity. He transformed perceptions of the marginalized, treating each person as an image-bearer. He inverted models of power, demonstrating that true leadership comes through service.

Join us as we preview our exciting new series exploring the mental models behind Jesus' approach to missional discipleship—convictions like "God's presence precedes our participation," "God is like Jesus," and "God cares about who we are, not just what we do." Through examining and updating our mental models, we can align our thinking more closely with Christ and participate more fully in His mission.

How might your life change if you could see the world through Jesus' eyes? Listen now and begin the journey of transformation.

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What does it truly mean to love your enemies in the way of Jesus? This question isn't just theological theory—it's a practical challenge we face whenever someone wrongs or mistreats us. In this powerful conclusion to our forgiveness series, we explore what might be Jesus's most radical teaching: not just breaking free from cycles of enemy-making, but actively loving those who harm us.

Most people naturally default to either fight (retaliation) or flight (passive submission) when wronged. Jesus offers a stunning third way—what we're calling "Kingdom Aikido"—that refuses to mirror evil while still actively resisting it. By examining Jesus's teaching in Matthew 5:38-48 through its historical context, we discover that "turn the other cheek" wasn't advocating doormat Christianity, but a creative nonviolent resistance that exposes injustice while preserving human dignity.

Through compelling examples and personal stories, we unpack four essential components of this approach: refusing to respond in kind, reclaiming your agency, holding up a mirror to injustice, and inviting the wrongdoer to repent. This isn't just about theoretical ethics—it's about practical wisdom for transforming conflicts in our families, workplaces, and communities. What might change if we approached challenging relationships not with passive resignation or aggressive hostility, but with the creative, dignity-affirming resistance Jesus modeled?

Loving enemies isn't easy, but it's at the heart of the gospel. After all, "we love God only as much as we love our worst enemy." Join us as we explore what it means to follow Jesus in the radical art of turning enemies into friends.

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The journey from forgiveness to reconciliation is one of the most challenging paths in Christian discipleship. While many believers embrace God's forgiveness and understand the importance of forgiving others, the question of what comes next often leaves us confused, frustrated, or even stuck.

In this episode, we unpack a powerful distinction that clarifies the forgiveness process: "Forgiveness is a solo, reconciliation is a duet." Through the inspiring story of Elizabeth Elliott, who forgave and lived among the indigenous people who killed her missionary husband, we witness the transformative power of extending grace beyond our human capacity.

But what happens when forgiveness doesn't lead to reconciliation? Must we always return to relationship with those who've hurt us? We explore the nuanced spectrum of reconciliation—from simple cordial peace to full relational restoration—and the wisdom required to discern what's appropriate in each situation. When trust has been broken, particularly in cases of abuse or serious harm, reconciliation may look very different than simply returning to how things were.

At the heart of genuine reconciliation is a mutual commitment to acknowledging reality. Without both parties willing to face the truth of what happened, reconciliation becomes impossible or unsafe. Yet even when perspectives differ, grace can cover the gaps when hearts are open.

For those navigating this difficult terrain, we offer practical guidance on setting healthy boundaries, clarifying your needs, and communicating respectfully during the recalibration process. Whether you're seeking reconciliation with someone who's not ready or discerning how to respond to someone who wants to reconnect with you, these practices can help you embody both grace and wisdom.

Ready to deepen your understanding of forgiveness and reconciliation in your own relationships? Listen now, and discover how to practice the way of Jesus even in your most challenging relationships.

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What does it actually look like to forgive someone who's hurt you deeply? After acknowledging the pain and choosing to move toward forgiveness, how do you actually release the debt and free yourself from resentment?

In this episode, we dive into the mechanics of forgiveness – the practical steps of extending forgiveness to others even when our emotions haven't caught up with our decision. We unpack the difference between verbally declaring forgiveness and truly embodying it through our actions. While saying "I forgive you" matters, what follows matters more.

Through personal stories – including Mac's struggle to forgive Josie for breaking his precious vintage Coleman lantern – we illustrate how forgiveness often involves an internal battle between what we know is right and what our emotions are demanding. We share practical exercises for releasing wrongdoing, from writing letters of forgiveness to symbolic acts like releasing hurts down an imaginary river.

The benefits of forgiveness extend far beyond spiritual alignment. Research increasingly shows that holding onto bitterness keeps our bodies in chronic stress, while forgiveness brings mental, emotional, and physical healing. When we forgive, we not only free ourselves but potentially inspire others around us to do the same.

Ready to experience the freedom that comes from genuinely forgiving others? Listen now, and take your next step toward embodying the forgiveness Jesus modeled for us.

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We explore how naming and lamenting the impact of wrongful actions in Jesus's presence serves as the first step toward engaging in cruciform forgiveness. Developing this essential spiritual practice helps us move from bitterness to freedom.

• Why facing reality is essential for true forgiveness
• The cycle of enemy-making that traps us in unforgiveness
• How acknowledging pain allows healing rather than keeping us stuck
• Biblical examples of lament from David to Jesus himself
• The danger of spiritual bypassing when we minimize hurt
• How Jesus meets us in our pain when we invite him into our lament
• Personal examples of Jesus bringing healing through reimagining painful experiences
• The importance of growing our pain tolerance to increase emotional maturity

Take time this week to identify a wrong you've experienced, journal what happened, write a prayer of lament, and ask Jesus to speak to your pain. You can find resources for writing your own lament at on our website.

Writing A Lament Resource

Flywheel of Unforgiveness Illustration