WRC Young Adults

A message on the importance of rest.Hosts: Sawyer Strickland & Blake OdgersClick here to let us know what you think about today's episode and give us suggestions for future episodes. Click here to follow us on Instagram. Click here to check out our website.

A message from Matthew 13 about the Kingdom of God.Hosts: Sawyer Strickland & Blake OdgersClick here to let us know what you think about today's episode and give us suggestions for future episodes. Click here to follow us on Instagram. Click here to check out our website.

One of the core questions of humanity (and your life) is "What is my purpose?" or to ask it another way "What is my calling?" In today's episode, we want to give you a biblical worldview for calling. Maybe you're anxious because you feel like you're missing out on your purpose. Maybe you feel like a failure because you were told you needed to change the world or do something important but you work a normal job. Maybe you've heard you're supposed to make disciples at your job but don't know what that looks like in your context. Maybe you're just a student and feel like you're calling is on hold until you get your degree. Guess what: God isn't hiding your calling from you and He isn't trying to confuse you. He wants you to flourish and fulfill your God's designed purpose. We hope today's episode sets you free and gives you clarity and confidence. Hosts: Sawyer Strickland & Blake OdgersClick here to let us know what you think about today's episode and give us suggestions for future episodes. Click here to follow us on Instagram. Click here to check out our website.

What if you don't sense a call to "full-time vocational ministry"? How can we live on mission here and now in our everyday lives? In this episode, we are joined by Tyler Godfrey and Kayla McDonald who not only lead YA Groups here but also led our GenSend Boston team this summer. GenSend's mission is to help develop "everyday, spirit-led missionaries" who view their neighborhoods, workplaces, schools, etc. as potential ground for God to move. Tyler and Kayla share a bit about their experience, what they learned, and how they've seen God use it here at home. For more on GenSend Summer, click here.For more on GenSend Boston, click here.Hosts: Sawyer Strickland & Blake OdgersClick here to let us know what you think about today's episode and give us suggestions for future episodes. Click here to follow us on Instagram. Click here to check out our website.

All throughout Scripture and human history, we see God's heart for the world. He desires for His glory to be seen and known among the nations (Ps. 46:10) and that none would perish but all would come to the knowledge of the Truth (1 Tim. 2:3-6). But what can that practically look like in our every day lives?  In today's episode, we are joined by our good friend "Reuben" who spent the past two years serving in Russia, Turkey, and Kazakhstan specifically among unreached groups with little to no access to the Gospel. Our goal is to share his journey and experiences and discuss we can support the global mission of God in our everyday lives within the local church.   If you are someone prayerfully considering or discerning a call to global missions, we would love to talk with you. Simply reach out to our YA Team at westridge.com/ya!Resources Mentioned:International Mission Board Unreached People GroupsHosts: Sawyer Strickland & Blake OdgersClick here to let us know what you think about today's episode and give us suggestions for future episodes. Click here to follow us on Instagram. Click here to check out our website.

We all have a desire to see our lives count. None of us woke up today and thought: "I'd love to waste my life on things that don't matter." Yet, we hear story after story of people getting to then and being filled with regret. How can we ensure that we don't make that same mistake? How can we live a life that makes a difference now, leaves a legacy later, and ripples in eternity? On today's episode, we discuss the biblical pursuit of legacy versus the way the culture tempts us to pursue legacy. We hope you'll respond to God's invitation to live now for what lasts forever. Hosts: Sawyer Strickland & Blake OdgersClick here to let us know what you think about today's episode and give us suggestions for future episodes. Click here to follow us on Instagram. Click here to check out our website.

In this series, we are diving into how we are meant to relate to and connect with church as followers of Jesus. In today's episode we're asking the question of "what should we be looking for in a church?" As a young adult, this will likely be the most transient season of your life. Odds are you will one day be in a new season of life, a new community, and looking for a new church to connect with. Whether it's moving off to college, transitioning to a new job, or a major life shift like marriage or family, when that day inevitably comes, it's important to know not only WHAT you should be looking for in a church  but HOW you should go about looking for a church family.Next YA Gathering: Thursday, May 18th @ 7PMHosts: Sawyer Strickland & Blake OdgersClick here to let us know what you think about today's episode and give us suggestions for future episodes. Click here to follow us on Instagram. Click here to check out our website.

In episode one of our three-part series on the church, we discuss the basic question: "What's up with the Church?" We not only want to talk about what the Church is meant to be but we also want to address the common misconceptions (sometimes rightfully so) people have of the Church. We all have different experiences and expectations that we carry into the Church today but what does Scripture say? Let's lean in and talk about it! Hosts // Sawyer Strickland & Blake OdgersNext YA Gathering // April 20th at West Ridge ChurchHosts: Sawyer Strickland & Blake OdgersClick here to let us know what you think about today's episode and give us suggestions for future episodes. Click here to follow us on Instagram. Click here to check out our website.

We decided to cancel episode three of "The Bible never said..." to talk about a compelling and potentially controversial topic: Revival. This has been a trendy topic of late and we've seen the word "revival" tossed around quite a bit. What is revival? Why do need it? How do we get it? When do we know it's happening? We want to bring some much-needed clarity to the conversation and cast a compelling vision for revival for our community in these days. Hosts // Sawyer Strickland & Blake OdgersNext YA Gathering // 04.20.2023Hosts: Sawyer Strickland & Blake OdgersClick here to let us know what you think about today's episode and give us suggestions for future episodes. Click here to follow us on Instagram. Click here to check out our website.

This is the second of three episodes discussing things we often hear (or say) that are actually never seen in Scripture. Today's topic is: "The Bible never said that we must live an extraordinary life." Far too often, we see cultural pressures dressed in cheap theology and this is one of them. It's easy to dress the pressures of greatness and influence in missional language that positions Jesus as the mascot for our own selfish ambition. Today's conversation poses the question: "What kind of life has Jesus called us to live?" Our hope and prayer is that you are set free from pressures and expectations placed on you (maybe even in the name of Jesus) so that you may rest in the "blessed" life God calls you to in His upside-down, inside-out Kingdom.Hosts // Sawyer Strickland & Blake OdgersNext YA Gathering // Thursday 02.16.2023Hosts: Sawyer Strickland & Blake OdgersClick here to let us know what you think about today's episode and give us suggestions for future episodes. Click here to follow us on Instagram. Click here to check out our website.

This is the first of three episodes discussing things we often hear (or say) that are actually never seen in Scripture. Today's topic is: "The Bible never said that we are all God's children."  We believe everyone has inherent value, worth, and dignity as people made in the image of God. However, not everyone is a child of God. Is that true? Where do we get that from?  How do we know where we stand? How can we know for sure that we are children of God? Let's talk about it!PSA // YA Gathering is this Thursday (01.19.2023) 7PM at West Ridge Church!Hosts: Sawyer Strickland & Blake OdgersClick here to let us know what you think about today's episode and give us suggestions for future episodes. Click here to follow us on Instagram. Click here to check out our website.

The beginning of 2023 is here. We have a fresh start—a blank canvas—calling for us to pick up the brush and paint something beautiful. That’s the power and hope of The New Year. But the fact of the matter is... we’ve been here; we’ve done this. We’ve been at the end of one year peering over into the next making bold proclamations and heartfelt promises only to see them shattered and broken days (if not hours) later. We make our resolutions with all the best intentions and sincerest motivations but why? What is it about this moment—the flipping of the calendar page—that makes us do this year after year? It’s the belief that we can change; that our lives don’t have to stay the way they are; that we don’t have to stay the way we are. But how? How do we change? In this episode, we discuss what God might have for us 2023 and how we, as His people, might partner with him in the transformation of our lives. Hosts: Sawyer Strickland & Blake OdgersClick here to let us know what you think about today's episode and give us suggestions for future episodes. Click here to follow us on Instagram. Click here to check out our website.

At this month's gathering, we were joined by author, speaker, and mental health advocate Hannah Brencher who preached a powerful message from God's Word and gave us practical applications or "battle tactics" in our fight for mental health. Although the recording got cut a little short (our apologies), there is plenty packed into these 30+ minutes for you to build on.Battle Tactics:1. Get honest with the people around you.2. Clear out the noise.3. Learn how to feast.4. Cultivate lasting discipline.Click here to let us know what you think about today's episode and give us suggestions for future episodes. Click here to follow us on Instagram. Click hereto check out our website.Hosts: Sawyer Strickland & Blake OdgersClick here to let us know what you think about today's episode and give us suggestions for future episodes. Click here to follow us on Instagram. Click here to check out our website.

In this week's episode, we continue in our series on the spiritual disciplines by discussing the Christian's call to give (specifically financially). The relationship between humanity and money is a difficult one. In today's market-driven and materialistic society, it's hard to know how Christians are supposed to relate to money. Are we supposed to fear it? Are we supposed to hate it? Are we supposed to pursue it? Thankfully, this isn't unique or new to us. This is a conversation Jesus had many times throughout his life and ministry.  Rather than avoiding this conversation, we want to allow Jesus to shape and direct us on what it means to be good stewards of what He has given us. Hosts: Sawyer Strickland & Blake OdgersHosts: Sawyer Strickland & Blake OdgersClick here to let us know what you think about today's episode and give us suggestions for future episodes. Click here to follow us on Instagram. Click here to check out our website.

When you serve the Lord or others, do you feel a sense of duty or joy? Have you felt that inner shame of entitlement (desiring to do literally ANYTHING else) while serving and thought, "What is wrong with me?" Do you even really serve at all? We know that Christians are called to have a heart of humility like Jesus that loves and serves others but many of us struggle to really care or want to...  On today's episode, our question is simple: How do we cultivate this heart of humility and service? Join us as we discuss what the Scriptures teach us, what Jesus exemplified for us, and what our own lives have shown us about serving others and growing in humility.   Hosts: Sawyer Strickland & Blake OdgersHosts: Sawyer Strickland & Blake OdgersClick here to let us know what you think about today's episode and give us suggestions for future episodes. Click here to follow us on Instagram. Click here to check out our website.

Maybe you're like us and often feel as if your prayers are hitting the ceiling. Maybe you struggle to even start praying at all. We know that God calls us to pray but why? If He's God and He's just going to do His will anyway, then why does praying even matter? In this week's episode, we wrestle through all these questions and how God's Word instructs us to respond. Prayer can be difficult for a host of reasons but the reward of prayer is life-changing in the way God uses it to transform our hearts and make us more like His Son. "Come to Me all who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let Me lead you, because I am gentle and lowly at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear and the burden I give you is light." (Matthew 11:28-29)Hosts: Sawyer Strickland & Blake OdgersSuggested Resources:Praying Like Monks, Living Like Fools by Tyler StatonA Praying Life by Paul E. MillerWhat if Jesus was serious about prayer? by Skye JethaniHosts: Sawyer Strickland & Blake OdgersClick here to let us know what you think about today's episode and give us suggestions for future episodes. Click here to follow us on Instagram. Click here to check out our website.

You have no choice: we are all being formed by something. However, you can choose who/what you are formed by. We are all becoming someone. Jesus invites us to become someone healthy and whole but this doesn't happen by accident. There is a kind of spiritual resistance and rebellion we must have against the ways and pace of this world in order for us to be formed by the One who designed us and loves us. This takes discipline, courage, and intentionality... but through Christ and by His spirit, it is possible. Today's podcast is the first of a series of conversations through Spiritual Disciplines that resist the ways of the world and form us to be more like Jesus. This episode will focus on the rhythm of silence and solitude. "Come to Me all who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let Me lead you, because I am gentle and lowly at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear and the burden I give you is light." (Matthew 11:28-29)Hosts: Sawyer Strickland & Blake OdgersHosts: Sawyer Strickland & Blake OdgersClick here to let us know what you think about today's episode and give us suggestions for future episodes. Click here to follow us on Instagram. Click here to check out our website.

One of the common fears amongst the followers of Jesus in our generation is legalism. We believe a lot of this derives from a misunderstanding of what biblical obedience is and the role it should play in our lives. In this episode, we want to take the time to actually define legalism and answer a few questions. What does it mean that Jesus has set us free from the law? Is there any expectation or reason we should prioritize obedience in our lives if we're under grace? If we no longer have to fear punishment, then why should we even obey? The fact of the matter is the Gospel shouldn't take away our desire to obey but actually inspire and empower us to obey. Hosts: Sawyer Strickland & Blake OdgersClick here to let us know what you think about today's episode and give us suggestions for future episodes. Click here to follow us on Instagram. Click hereto check out our website. Hosts: Sawyer Strickland & Blake OdgersClick here to let us know what you think about today's episode and give us suggestions for future episodes. Click here to follow us on Instagram. Click here to check out our website.

Continuing in our theological series of topics, it's time to talk about sanctification. Maybe you've heard it said that people can't change... Is that true? Can people change? If so, how do we change? That's what this episode is all about. God's desire for us is that we become like Jesus. Not only does He desire it, but He's given us His Spirit to empower us to actually do it! We can become like the greatest person who has ever lived. Our lives can be filled with power and used by God to influence the world around us. Hosts: Sawyer Strickland & Blake OdgersClick here to let us know what you think about today's episode and give us suggestions for future episodes. Click here to follow us on Instagram. Click here to check out our website. Hosts: Sawyer Strickland & Blake OdgersClick here to let us know what you think about today's episode and give us suggestions for future episodes. Click here to follow us on Instagram. Click here to check out our website.

Last month we discussed the fact that by grace through faith in Jesus we have been justified (declared innocent) by God and made righteous in His sight. That changes our position but it doesn't change us... In this episode, we continue our discussions around core doctrines as we dive into the topic of regeneration. We constantly see the term "born again" throughout Scripture but what does it mean? Why is it necessary? How are we born again? And what does it or should it produce in the life of a believer? Join us as we lean into Titus 3 and other portions of Scripture to figure out... what is regeneration?Host: Blake OdgersGuest: Chase GentesClick here to let us know what you think about today's episode and give us suggestions for future episodes. Click here to follow us on Instagram. Click here to check out our website.Hosts: Sawyer Strickland & Blake OdgersClick here to let us know what you think about today's episode and give us suggestions for future episodes. Click here to follow us on Instagram. Click here to check out our website.