Episode 39: When Tragedy Strikes – Processing the Death of Charlie Kirk

This week has been heavy. The tragic loss of Charlie Kirk has left many of us brokenhearted, wrestling with questions of evil, justice, and God’s purposes. But here’s the truth: even in the darkest moments, God is still working. Nothing is wasted in His hands.
In today’s episode, we’re processing the heartbreaking death of Charlie Kirk and asking: Where is God when tragedy strikes? We’ll look to Romans 8:28 and see why it’s not just a verse to memorize, but a rock to stand on.

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

“We know.” This is not a guess or blind faith; this promise is rock solid.

· The promise is for those who love God.

· The promise is for those called according to His purpose.

· The promise stands firm not because of our performance, but because of God’s purpose.

· It’s God’s love and God’s work, not ours, that keeps this promise true for us.

“Your love for God may be shaky, but His call on your life is unshakable.”

Three ways God uses ALL THINGS, even suffering, for our good:

1. To Deepen Our Devotion

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness…” (James 1:2-4)

· Evaluate trials through the lens of eternity

· Joy is delight in God in the middle of pain

· Steadfastness is remaining under the pressure

2. To Advance the Gospel

“What has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard…” (Philippians 1:12-13)

· Paul’s pain had a purpose.

· We don’t know the why, but we can know and trust God is at work.

3. To Bring Us Back to Him

“Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret…” (2 Corinthians 7:10)

· Suffering wakes us up

· The Holy Spirit is working, drawing us to do more, to bring us back to our purpose in Christ.

Examples from Scripture:

· Joseph said to his brothers, “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good…” (Genesis 50:20)

· Job lost everything and still declared, “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” (Job 1:21)

· Esther was placed in a pagan king’s court “for such a time as this” to save her people.

· The Cross was God’s plan to save the world.

“Romans 8:28 isn’t a vague encouragement. It’s a battle cry.”

Bottom Line: The trial might bend you, but it will not break you, because if you love God and you're called according to His purpose, nothing is wasted.

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Episode 38: Real Friends: Why You Can’t Follow Jesus Alone

Have you ever felt completely alone, even in a crowded room? Maybe you're surrounded by classmates, coworkers, or followers online, yet deep down, you're starving for something real. What if I told you that your loneliness isn't a flaw? It's a signal. It's a holy ache, pointing you to the kind of friendship your soul was made for.

Today’s episode is not just about friendship. It’s about spiritual growth. It’s about how God designed your soul to grow and thrive, and why you’ll never become the leader He’s calling you to be if you’re alone. Real friends don’t just make life better – they make you more like Jesus.

The Most Connected Generation is also the Loneliest:

· Almost half of Americans say they feel alone

· 43% believe their relationships aren’t meaningful.

“We were created for deep connection, but we’ve become professionals at pretending we’re just fine while we quietly drown in isolation.”

What Happens When We Don’t Have Real Friendships?

· We lose perspective

· We isolate

· We grow selfish

· Our health suffers

“Loneliness isn’t just about the absence of people. It’s about the absence of meaningful connection.”

A Real Friend Helps You Grow Closer to Jesus:

· Proverbs 13:20

· The people closest to you either pull you toward Jesus or away from Jesus

· All friendships share a common bond. When the common bond of a friendship is Jesus, it changes everything.

· Proverbs 18:24

“If you want a real friend, you’ve got to start being a real friend.”

Why Small Groups are so Important:

· A small group is not just another church activity. It’s a place where you can be real, ask honest questions, be with people who will point you to Jesus, help you study the Bible, celebrate your wins, and pray with you.

· The theological anchor of why real friendship is so important goes back to Genesis.

· Gensis 1:26: “Let us make man in our image.” - Community is seen in the Godhead

· Genesis 2:8: “It is not good for man to be alone.” – Isolation is a spiritual danger.

· Because of sin, we run from the relationships and settle for shallow connections.

· Ephesians 4:1-3: You need to be connected to God’s people through a local church to “walk in a manner worthy of your calling.”

Roadblocks to Real Friendships:

· Busyness - Even good things can become barriers to God’s best for you.

· Laziness

· Spiritual Apathy – people don’t care enough about Jesus to care about the people who follow Him

How to Prioritize Gospel-Centered Relationships:

“If you want real friends, you’ve got to make space for them.”

· Show up – go to small group. Don’t just attend, engage.

· Open up – let people see the real you

· Reach out – don’t just wait for an invitation. Jesus was always the initiator.

Bottom Line: You were made for community, and real friends don't just make life more fun, they help you follow Jesus.

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What if the biggest threat to your calling isn’t failure—but comfort?

In this episode, Pastor Trent unpacks a powerful message from Acts 20:22–24 that reveals four phases every leader walks through when God calls them to step into something greater. If you’ve ever felt a divine nudge, battled fear of the unknown, or wondered how to move forward when life gets hard—this message is for you.

We’re not called to live a safe life. We’re called to live a significant one. Don’t settle for success that’s void of purpose. Learn to recognize the Spirit’s prompting, embrace uncertainty with confidence, endure opposition with faith, and live on mission with gospel urgency.

Key Scripture: “And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there… However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.” — Acts 20:22–24 (NIV)

In This Episode You’ll Learn:

• Why Deo Pneuma moments (being “compelled by the Spirit”) are critical to your calling
• How to move forward in “confident uncertainty” even when you don’t know what’s next • What to expect when opposition comes—and how to push through it
• Why a clear sense of mission matters more than comfort or security
• How to stop chasing success and start pursuing significance
• Practical leadership questions to ask yourself in every phase of your journey
• Why your story, your obedience, and your courage matter for God’s Kingdom

Episode Highlights:

• The Mission Beneath the Process - You’re not in a holding pattern. God is refining you for His purpose—today.
• Phase 1: A Nudge You Can’t Ignore – Learn how to discern the Holy Spirit’s prompting.
• Phase 2: Confident Uncertainty – Why God often gives light for only the next step.
• Phase 3: Expect Opposition – Faithfulness doesn’t guarantee ease. It guarantees resistance.
• Phase 4: A Mission That Matters More Than Comfort – Purpose always outweighs security.

Leadership Challenge: Identify which phase you’re in—and take your next step with courage.

Reflection Questions:

1. What’s a God-given nudge you’ve been ignoring?
2. Are you waiting on full clarity before stepping out in faith?
3. How has fear, opposition, or comfort kept you from moving forward?
4. What mission would you be willing to give your life to?

Challenge of the Week: God isn’t calling you to a safe life—but a significant one. Don’t waste your life. Take the next step He’s calling you to.

Resources Mentioned:

• Main Text: Acts 20:22–24 (NIV)
• Visit trentstewart.org to subscribe and get free access to the "How to Pray" video course.
• Connect on socials to stay up-to-date with content and leadership insights.

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• Subscribe to the podcast
• Leave a review on your favorite platform
• Share this episode with someone who needs it

Welcome to the Trent Stewart Leadership podcast! I’m here to help everyday leaders make every day count. My goal is to help you grow as a leader and make a difference in your church, business, and home by influencing others to look to Jesus.

Episode 36: “A Holy Unrest: When Your Soul WantsMore”

What if your dissatisfaction isn’t a problem to be solved—but a gift from God? What if the ache inside you isn’t meant to be silenced by more noise or numbed by more stuff, but awakened into something eternal? Today, we’re talking about that divine discontent—that holy unrest—and what it really means to thirst for God.

When your body is thirsty, it’s not just a mild suggestion—it’s a desperate signal. Your brain is telling you, “You need water to live.” If that’s true physically—how much more essential is the spiritual thirst within us?

We try to quench the thirst of our souls in different ways that might feel satisfying in the moment—but actually make things worse. This is because we often drink from the wrong spiritual cups.

Cups We Reach For:

· Entertainment, achievement, appearance, relationships

· It might feel good going down, but it’s not going to fill us.

· What tastes good to our flesh often harms our soul.

· These cups are designed to gratify your senses and not nourish your spirit.

· We laugh, indulge, chase while quietly dying of spiritual dehydration

King David Truly Thirsted for God (Psalm 63):

· To thirst for God, you have to know who God is(v1-2)

· Thirst changes your perspective of God (v3)

· Thirst leads to worship (v4-5)

· Thirst awakens spiritual attentiveness (v6-8)

· Are you thirsting for God?

Symptoms of Spiritual Dehydration:

· Negative attitude – complaining has become your default

· Loss of purpose – you’re just going through the motions

· Increased appetite for sin – and less conviction when you indulge

· Apathy towards Jesus – you’re not against Him, you just don’t care about Him

· Lack of gratitude – you only focus on the negative

Only Jesus Can Quench the Thirst of Your Soul:

· We naturally thirst for love, friendships, and happiness

· God designed your body to tell you when you’re thirsty, so you won’t die of dehydration

· The love, acceptance, hope and peace you need is found in Jesus, the Living Water

When your spirit is craving more, run to Scripture, run to prayer, and drink deep of the living water that Jesus promises to give you when you worship Him.

Welcome to the Trent Stewart Leadership podcast! I’m here to help everyday leaders make every day count. My goal is to help you grow as a leader and make a difference in your church, business, and home by influencing others to look to Jesus.

Episode 34: “How Jesus Fulfills Your Deepest Need”

What’s your biggest need today? Most of us immediately know what that is. It might be a financial need, it might be healing, or maybe it’s a relationship you need restored. We all have needs and they all feel urgent. Today we’re going to talk about how Jesus fulfills your deepest needs.

In Luke 5:17-26, we read the story of a paralyzed man whose friends went to extreme measures to bring him to Jesus. They lowered him through a roof, expecting a miraculous healing, but Jesus says something unexpected, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”

1. Jesus Knows Your Deepest Need.

• Jesus started with the man’s spiritual condition instead of just healing him physically.
• Our greatest need is spiritual health and that starts with God’s forgiveness.
• At the core of every human being is the need to be reconciled to God.

2. Jesus Wants to Meet Your Biggest Need.

• Jesus wanted them to understand that He was God in the flesh.
• Jesus proved His authority to forgive sin by healing the man.
• Sometimes we’re so focused on our immediate need that we forget Jesus is working on something greater.
• I think I know what I need, but I can trust that Jesus KNOWS what I need.

3. Jesus Heals Every Day.

• In John 14:12, Jesus says, “Whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do”
• God has blessed humanity with medicine so that our needs can be met.
• We see God heal people every day through the use of technology.

4. Sometimes What You Think You Need Isn’t Your Deepest Need.

• Whatever your biggest need is, it’s tied to your spiritual health.
• God wants you to be spiritually healthy.
• The problems in your life become tests.
• Will you trust God? Will you depend on Him? Will you repent of sin? Will you humble yourself and say you’re sorry?

It’s all part of the journey of growing closer to Christ. We have to go through challenges to grow. Trust that God knows what you need and is giving it to you right now. Thank Him in advance and trust Him in the waiting.

How Do We Respond?

1. Be honest about your commitment to Christ.
2. Be a friend who brings people to Jesus.
3. Be filled with praise, and share your story.

Jesus fulfills our deepest needs. He knows exactly what you need today. You can rest in that. The question is, will you trust Him?

Episode 33: “Hanging Out with God”

Just as a car's fuel gauge lets you know when you're running low on gas, there are signs when your spiritual life is running on empty. Anxiety, frustration, stress, anger, and depression can be indicators that you need to refuel spiritually. Daily habits, such as time spent in God’s Word and in prayer, are essential to keeping your spiritual tank full.

Who we are is shaped by the commitments we make and habits we develop. The good news is you can start new habits that will transform your life, and I believe one of the most powerful habits you can develop is spending time with God.

The Apostle Paul writes to the Philippian church:

“Therefore my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, so now, not only in my presence, but even more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God who is working in you both to will and to work according to his good purpose.” (Philippians 2:12-13)

• To “work out your salvation” means to be on a path of growth.
• Are you on a path of growth? What steps are you taking?
• An authentic Christian will develop the habit of spending time with God.
• Paul is saying, “When I was with you, teaching you, leading you, you were growing. Now that I’m gone you must continue to grow even though I’m not there.”

We can’t just depend on Sunday mornings. It requires more.

Some Truths about Spiritual Growth:

• Your relationship with God is meant to grow.
• Spiritual growth is a lifelong journey.
• Developing spiritual habits helps you grow on your own.

The Habit of Having a Daily Devotion:

• If the only time you eat is on Sunday, you’re going to be a starving Christian.
• You must be able to feed yourself spiritually.
• Hanging out with God is consistent time in His Word and in prayer.

What Happens When You Hang Out with God?

• He changes your heart. “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10)
• He gives you direction. “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path." (Psalm 119:105)
• He offers His presence during your problems. “He comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction, through the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” (2 Corinthians 1:4)

Practical Tips: What to do when you sit down with your Bible.

• Manage your expectations – Change happens over time with consistency.
• Start with Prayer – Ask God to open up your heart to the truth.
• Read the Bible – There’s no set amount; the important thing is that it’s consistent.
• Ask Questions: What do I learn about God? What do I learn about myself? What is God telling me to do?
• Close with Prayer – Make the Scripture personal by praying it for yourself.

Resource: “How to Pray,” a seven-session online course on how to develop your prayer life. Available at trentstewart.org.

PETS Acronym:

• P – Promise to hold on to
• E – Example to follow
• T – Truth to put into action
• S – Sin to confess

I hope this episode inspires you to develop the habit of spending time with God. This simple practice is going to fuel your faith in ways you've never imagined.

The brands that we love are known for something. They’re known for their quality. They’re known for being cool or for looking good. They’re known for something that we like, and that’s why we acquire them. That’s why we want to wear them. But what are you known for? What’s your “brand”?

Today, we’re talking about what it means to be branded by a commitment and what it would look like for you to commit this year, specifically to God and a church.

Put a Stake in the Ground.

• Make a commitment.
• Make a change.
• Claim this decision.
• What stakes do you need to put in the ground before the year ends?

Paul writes to the church in the city of Colossae:

“We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints.” (Colossians 1:4)

They were known for their commitment to Jesus – “we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus…”

• Their reputation preceded them. People knew about their faith.
• Do people know you as a follower of Jesus? Have people heard of your faith?
• What would it look like for you to be known as a person who is committed to Jesus?

They were known for their commitment to their church family – “… the love that you have for all the saints.”

• Attend church on Sunday and spend time in a small group.
• Our culture has a consumer mindset when it comes to church.
• Don’t treat God’s church like a restaurant.
• Go where God calls you to go and commit to helping resolve issues and making ministry better.

When You’re Committed, You Get:

1. Help to Strengthen Your Faith - “For this reason also, since the day we heard this, we haven’t stopped praying for you.” (Colossians 4:9)

• Your church family prays for you.
• Everybody needs at least one prayer partner.

2. Help to Guide Your Decisions - “We are asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding,…” (Colossians 4:9)

• Everybody has the potential to drift from the Lord.
• Be alert to behavioral changes in the people in your life.
• The responsibility to keep one another from drifting is a group thing.

3. “So that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God.” (Colossians 4:10)

• The whole point is so that you walk worthy of God.
• Pleasing God, producing fruit by your actions, and knowing God’s will.
• When you struggle to know God’s will, your church friends, leaders, and pastors will help you make decisions.

As we get ready to close out this year, think about what decisions you need to make. I encourage you to put a stake in the ground that you will be committed to the Lord and committed to a church.

Welcome to the Trent Stewart Leadership podcast! I’m here to help everyday leaders make every day count. My goal is to help you grow as a leader and make a difference in your church, business, and home by influencing others to look to Jesus.

Episode 31: “Branded as a Disciple of Jesus”

We all like various brands. Maybe you love Lulu Lemon, or Nike, or Apple. Whatever brand you think is cool, you begin to subscribe to. Cost doesn’t matter because you’ve been convinced that this particular brand offers a superior product. Because of marketing and the quality of the product, these brands become known for something.

So, what’s your brand as a human being? In other words, what are you known for? Today we’re going to explore the idea of being branded. Not by the latest fashion trend, but as a disciple of Jesus Christ.

What are you going to be known for?

“From now on, let no one make trouble for me; for I carry the marks of Jesus branded on my body.” - Galatians 6:17 (NRSV)

• The Apostle Paul made it clear that he belonged to Jesus.
• He was persecuted for preaching the Gospel and had the scars that proved his devotion to Jesus.
• True followers of Jesus want to be known as such.
• If you’re a follower of Jesus you might not get invited to the party, you might not make the sale, some people may not want to be around you.
• Are you willing to follow Jesus anyway?

What does it mean to be branded as a disciple of Jesus?

“And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” – Matthew 4:19

• Someone who is committed to follow Jesus
• Do you spend time with Jesus?
• You can’t be a part-time disciple. It’s a full-time relationship.

You will grow spiritually when you spend time with Jesus.

“If you want to be my disciple you must come and follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And if they follow me, the Father will honor them.” – John 12:26

Three important truths about spiritual growth:

1. Spiritual Growth is a CHOICE.

• “If you want to be my disciple…”
• You’ve got to want it.
• Spiritual growth is not automatic. It’s intentional.

2. Spiritual Growth is a COMMITMENT.

• “… you must come and follow”
• It’s going to take action.
• Any kind of commitment is going to require change.
• You can’t be committed to everything.
• Spiritual mentors & coaches help us sort through our commitments when we over commit, and prod us along when we don’t want to make commitments.

3. Spiritual Growth is a RELATIONSHIP.

• “… be where I am.”
• It’s not about rules, rituals, formulas, or expectations you have to meet.
• Spiritual growth is about being with Jesus in a relationship.

“He appointed twelve, whom he also named apostles to be with him, to send them out to preach.” - (Mark 3:14)

• Jesus helped 12 guys grow spiritually as leaders to send them out to preach.
• Small Groups model that relational approach.
• Not everyone will be called to full-time ministry, but we all have the capacity to grow and then lead other people in their faith journey.

What does it mean to be with Jesus?

• Are you talking to Him consistently?
• “Pray without ceasing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:17)
• Prayer is really just having a conversation with Jesus.
• The more you grow spiritually, the more you’re able to determine God’s voice.
• The more time you spend with Him and in the Word of God, the more you’ll be able to apply it to your life.
• The more you’re around godly people, the more you’ll be influenced to be godly.

We should be seeking to be branded as a disciple of Jesus and want others to know that’s the brand that we care about.