A former pastor, church planter, and author breaks down why the wilderness isn't a detour from the Christian life — it IS the Christian life. After walking through identity collapse, the silence of God, and the slow road to restoration, Dustin Kleinschmidt is now doing more actual ministry OUTSIDE vocational ministry than he ever did inside it. An honest voice for the honest Christian! Dustin is an author, coach, worship songwriter, and the writer behind "The Wilderness Way: Finding Freedom in Life's Fractures." His mission is to help believers stop pretending they have it figured out and start trusting God in the fractures — where real faithfulness is forged.

He Explains:

1. Why your identity gets wrapped up in significance (not just ministry) — and how to spot it.
2. How the Western church traded "go and be" for "come and see" — and what we lose when belonging comes after believing.
3. Why lament is faith's most faithful expression (and why Jesus wept at Lazarus' tomb even though He knew the ending).
4. 3 tips for Christians standing at a crossroads who feel stuck in the forest with no clear path forward.

⏱️ CHAPTERS
00:00 – Intro: Meet Dustin Kleinschmidt
02:52 – The Panera Sip Club & Dustin's booth
04:23 – Catching up: The Wilderness Way book study & new worship album
06:54 – Club volleyball, parenting, and the money grab
09:53 – Why this book hit different (Chase's reaction)
12:10 – Doing more ministry OUTSIDE vocational ministry
17:05 – Identity, significance, and the next book Dustin is writing
19:34 – Chase opens up: navigating his own deconstruction
23:11 – "Go and be" vs. "Come and see": rethinking how the church operates
26:50 – The long game: how a volleyball team led someone to Jesus
30:37 – Can the Western church actually change?
33:54 – Theology, philosophy, and practice: what's actually negotiable
38:30 – Reimagining church buildings as community spaces
42:39 – Christian karaoke and why all kinds of churches are needed
49:34 – Chase's home church dissolved: processing the grief
53:23 – Lament as faith's most faithful expression
59:48 – Jesus at Lazarus' tomb: He didn't shortcut the grief
1:05:34 – Where were you when I created? God's tenderness in our temper tantrums
1:08:30 – Why transparency with God changes everything
1:12:05 – Affection languages: how YOU uniquely connect with God
1:19:56 – 3 steps for Christians stuck in the forest of a big decision
1:28:38 – What makes Dustin smile (5 words)
1:29:00 – Where to find Dustin's book, album & coaching

🎵 Stream Dustin's new worship album "In Days" on Spotify & Apple Music
📖 Grab "The Wilderness Way" on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Wilderness-Way-Finding-Freedom-Fractures/dp/B0FWZBVJTX
🌐 Work with Dustin: www.dustinkleinschmidt.com

Follow The Road to Worship:
Website: https://roadtoworship.org
YouTube - / @roadtoworship
Listen on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/4I44Jkv...

Follow Chase:
Follow Chase on Instagram - / chase1avery
Learn more about Chase: https://chaseavery.com