For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge.

Now, Israel, hear the decrees and laws I am about to teach you. Follow them so that you may live and may go in and take possession of the land the Lord, the God of your ancestors, is giving you.

08.23.24. Why do we struggle to believe that God's grace is for everyone—even for those who have hurt us? That's the same struggle Jonah had as he wrestled with God for saving Jonah's enemies. It is tempting for us to draw a line, put ourselves on the right side of it, and think we're the only pe...

This is the first episode in the Abundantly More series that examines the characteristics of a life that brings glory to God. Most of us know there is something in our lives we really should address. Perhaps it's a tendency to eat or drink too much. Maybe we spend far too much time on our phones ...

Have you noticed how easy it is to complain about the things that you were praying for not long ago? How do you remedy that? We will turn to Scripture for guidance and help!

Get ready for a special, one-of-a-kind series!

Pastor Mike and Amber Albee Swenson give a sneak peek at our next sermon series that was shot on location from the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C.! In this new three-part series, "Why the Bible Matters," Pastor Mike dives deep into the Bible...

08.16.24. If God so loved the world that he sent Jesus to die for us, why do we need to repent? What does "repent" even mean? To answer these questions, Pastor Mike takes us through chapter 3 of the book of Jonah and gives us four takeaways about what it means to repent and how we know we are rep...

08.09.24. When we mess up and feel so far away from God, one of the hardest things to do is to cry out to God. We find ourselves thinking, "Why would God listen to the cry of someone in such a desperate, rock-bottom situation?" However, as Pastor Mike teaches from the book of Jonah, sometimes we ...

We all have skeletons in our closets (things we're ashamed of, embarrassed about, things we want to bury and act like they never happened). If you think you don't have any skeletons, I can guarantee you that someone close to you does. Our skeletons are disgusting, but how we deal with them shapes...

We're taking a short break in August. We'll see you in September! In the meantime, peruse our Little Things collection for some of your favorite episodes!

Spoiler alert: the book of Jonah is NOT about a big fish.

Pastor Mike and Amber Albee Swenson talk about what the book of Jonah IS actually about: God's love for his people. In their deep dive discussion, they also found ways to talk about poisonous frogs, how we can avoid falling into political...

08.02.24. The book of Jonah isn’t about a big fish. In fact, it’s not even about the prophet Jonah. Instead, it’s about God and his insane love for ALL people—even “those people,” those we often regard as being furthest from God and least deserving. Which, Pastor Mike says, actually includes . . ...

Who doesn’t love a good movie, TV show, or book? It’s entertaining, it keeps our attention, and it oftentimes gets us to place ourselves in a character’s position. The Bible has this same effect (if you actually read it). The book of Judges is one of those books of the Bible you may not be very f...

07.26.24. There's always another awful headline, another hypocrite, another problem we want to fix in our broken world. If only it were as easy as plucking out the bad people from the good. But we know it's not that simple. It's for these moments of frustration that Jesus told this particular sto...

Have you ever felt you've fallen too far to love? Do you buy into the unbecoming labels the world puts on you? Today's the day to put that to rest. Scripture assures us that God loves us and that no one and nothing can change that.

Are you the type of Christian that the world doesn't mind putting up with and has even come to love? The world is fond of those who hold close the philosophies of the culture around them but still call themselves Christians. This episode highlights when we mix messages and looks at the dangerous ...

07.19.24. It's going to cost us to follow Jesus. He was upfront about us needing to give up the things we treasure. But, Jesus also said, joyfully giving up the things we have is possible when we find a superior treasure. Through two short parables Jesus told, Pastor Mike helps us see what this t...

Sharon Buck was looking to stay at home with her children. So with her mom's encouragement, she started selling makeup even though she didn't wear it! God opened some big doors for her. But her life was not without hardship. Her son, Russ, went to be with Jesus while he was serving in the Coast G...

We worship Jesus, and they worship the enemy of Jesus . . . How do we bridge a gap like that?

Is dancing immoral, sinful, and inherently sexual? What does the Bible say?

For those who repeatedly battle thoughts of harming themselves, where in the Bible can they turn? Pastor Mike reminds us that God knows his plans for us.

There is always help. If you are struggling with thoughts of suicide, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988. Help is ava...

God could have chosen many ways to achieve his plan of salvation, so why a cross?

Is pornography the same as having an affair? Does it cause the same damage?

Pastor Mike mentions his book "Taboo: Topics Christians Should Be Talking About but Don't." You can purchase a copy at taboobook.org. He also mentions the ministry Conquerors through Christ, which helps in the battle aga...

What do you do when someone you love and are close to proclaims that Jesus is not their Savior? This is tough and can weigh down on us. C.L. has struggled with this and has come up with some non-microwaved truths based on God's Word and God's capabilities.

Matthew 28:19
Luke 10:16
Phil...