In this week's conversation, Aaron and Kevin are having a conversation about Christian freedom. What are we free from, and what are we free for? As Americans, and... perhaps just as people in general... we tend to focus on our own individual freedom. We want to believe that we are our own boss and that things are best when we have the say over our lives. Yet, that's not the fullness of what God gives to us when he frees us from sin, death, and the devil. When we are freed from those enem...
In this week's episode, Pastor Kevin sits down with office manager - Carrie Rich. In this conversation they chat about New Years Eve and New Years Resolutions, as well as the story from Luke 2 - where the boy Jesus is found in the temple in Jerusalem.What significance does that story have in the lives of Christians? Why should our ears be "struck" when we hear people call God "Father" (or use that term ourselves!)? Listen and consider your own relationship to God...and what it means to be cal...
Xin grew up in Beijing China in a religiously secular home. In her pursuit of science and engineering, she came to the United States for continuing education. It was upon her arrival to the US that she was introduced to Christianity. At the time, this was not a positive experience for her, and she continued to keep distance from Christian people. Eventually, she and her husband were looking for childcare in the Copper Country for their daughters. A place they had hoped to attend rejected them...
In this week's episode, Aaron and Kevin discuss the visit of Mary to Elizabeth. In this scene, John (inside Elizabeth's womb) leaps for joy because Jesus is there! Think about that. It's amazing that these children are interacting within the wombs of their own mothers. What role does joy play in your life? Do you have a joyful life? There are a lot of misconceptions about what it means to live a life of joy. The guys will discuss those in this conversation and help us to get to...
Have you ever heard that phrase "in the shadows" before? What sort of image does that conjure up in your mind? Likely, you think of the activity of criminals or secret societies. In Luke 1, the angel Gabriel tells Mary that the "power of the most high will overshadow her." What do you think? Is that a negative comment or a positive one? In this week's conversation, Aaron and Kevin are talking about this announcement to Mary, and the metaphorical language of light and shadows. We hop...
In this week's episode, Aaron and Kevin have a conversation about waiting. Why is it so hard for us to patiently wait? Is there something we're missing by rushing through the waiting? What if God is showing up and giving us unique opportunities in those daily interruptions? We'll discuss this and more as we enter the season of Advent and longingly, and eagerly wait for the coming of Christ into our lives.
The Greek word "Apocalypse" is the name of the last book of the Bible. Sometimes when we hear that word - Apocalypse - we think of catastrophe and destruction and chaos. But the word actually means what it's translated into in our Bibles: "Revelation" or "revealing."In this week's episode, Pastor Kevin sits down with Nancy Smith - a long time member of Saints Peter & Paul. Nancy "reveals" stories of her life, and how the Gospel - and the grace that it teaches - shaped her marriage, her fa...
In this week's episode, Aaron and Kevin are discussing what it means to be new people. The new testament often describes the Christian life as being "new." "The old has gone, the new has come" (2 Corinthians 5:17). But what does it mean to "be new?" The guys talk practically about this and share stories of people's lives who have drastically changed as they found freedom in the newness of life Christ offers. If you're struggling to let go of your past sins, and the guilt associated ...
In this week's episode, Aaron and Kevin are talking about Jesus. You might think...but...don't you always talk about Jesus? And you're right, we do. Want to know why? Because, without Jesus, Christianity is nothing. He's the one guy on which the whole thing stands and falls. Every page of the Bible is pointing to Jesus and is fulfilled in Jesus. As we've been looking at the story line of the Scriptures the last few weeks, in this episode we see how Jesus is at the climax of the stor...
In this week's episode, Aaron and Kevin discuss what the Bible tells us about the rise of the Kingdom of Israel. It wasn't necessarily a good idea for the people to demand a king. They were expressly warned against how it might not go so well. God relented and still gave them what they wanted. And, it certainly didn't go perfectly. Yet, God still worked through an imperfect system and imperfect people. This conversation was recorded on November 6th, 2024 after the national elections in t...
The stories of Moses' life are well told throughout movies, children's books, Sunday school lessons, etc. Many of the events that unfolded in his life play a pivotal role throughout the entirety of the Bible in the Old and New Testaments. One of the things that he was involved in, which is a huge part of the Scriptural story is the giving of the Law of God to the people. In this week's conversation, Aaron and Kevin discuss the role that the law plays in our lives. That leads into fu...
In this week's episode, Aaron and Kevin are discussing God's call to Abram. How do you know if God has called out to you? What does his voice sound like? How do you know it's him and not someone/something else? In this conversation we'll give you some helpful ideas to think through and apply in your own life. As always, we hope you enjoy it!
In this week's episode, Aaron and Kevin discuss the fall into sin and all of its horrible effects. I'm sure you've asked questions like, "Why does God allow so much suffering?" Or, "Why would God allow Adam and Eve to even be tempted in the first place?" In this week's conversation, the guys discuss these questions and many others in order that we might find hope in Jesus and his victory over sin for us for all of eternity. We hope you enjoy it!
In this week's episode, Aaron and Kevin have a conversation about what the Bible says regarding creation. In a modern society like ours, that is dominated by data and scientific proofs, is there any possibility of us still believing that God is the Creator? Does it even matter what we believe about how everything came to be? In this conversation, the guys discuss the reality that we all have a story that we believe. We have a story we believe about where we came from, why we're here...
In this conversation Aaron and Kevin have a conversation about finding peace in politics. When this podcast was recorded, it was a month away from the 2024 presidential election. In a political season that seems to be more polarized and divided than anything we've experienced, it may seem that this idea is foolish. But it's not. We have a theology that reminds us that God is sovereign over all things. In particular, within Lutheran theology, we hold to a doctrine called the Two King...
In this week's episode Aaron and Kevin have a conversation about how to find peace in our relationships. Even in the best relationships, there are strains and struggles that we need to learn to communicate and ultimately forgive. But then, there are other relationships that are totally broken. Is there a path towards peace for broken relationships? Yes. The way of Jesus. The way of forgiveness. In this conversation, the guys talk very practically about the freedom that forgiven...
Is life hectic? Do you feel like you're running around with too much to do? When people ask you: "How are you?" Do you often respond: "Busy."?In the world today, we are faced with all sorts of schedule challenges that busy up our lives. But, time management has always been a challenge. We see the same tendency of the ancient people of Israel to struggle with finding "rest" within their schedules.This is why God invented the "Sabbath." What is the Sabbath? In this conversation, Pastor Kevin an...
Peace and finances. Those are two words that we don't often speak in the same sentence. For most of us, peace is something nice, easy, quiet, relaxing. Finances are stressful, frustrating, anxiety-inducing. Did you know that the Bible speaks about money often? Even Jesus, speaks about money almost more than anything else. It's because money is part of almost every single decision we make. So, is money a peaceful thing in our lives? In this conversation, the guys discuss the ways the...
In this week's episode, Aaron and Kevin are discussing 1 John chapter 5 where John says that God's laws are not burdensome. That is hard for us to imagine. We always imagine that laws will be a burden on us. So, what does it meant that God's laws are not burdensome? It means that we will actually love God's laws and want to do them because we recognize that they're good for us and good for the world. But, this change of heart will not come of our own doing, it will only come through...
1 John 4:8 tells us, "God IS love." It is in his nature. It is in his character. He just IS love. What does this say then about how we ought to love one another? It begins with the fact that we are God's "beloved." We are, literally, his loved ones. Because he first loved us, we have to love one another. Love is not a suggestion. Love is not an option. If you consider yourself to be someone who loves God, than you must love one another. We hope that you'll take something you hear in...