New Life Wichita artwork

New Life Wichita

275 episodes - English - Latest episode: 9 days ago - ★★★★★ - 4 ratings

Weekly messages from New Life Wichita

Christianity Religion & Spirituality
Homepage Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed

Episodes

Life Apps: Application is Everything

October 04, 2020 16:15 - 29 minutes - 31.3 MB

Your doctor can prescribe you the best medicine, but it does no good if you don’t take it. You can own the top-rated running shoes, but they do nothing if you don’t exercise. You can gather all the nutritional information regarding the foods you eat, but it does no good if you don’t adjust your diet. Application is the only thing that makes a difference.

Prayer That Actually Works

September 27, 2020 16:30 - 28 minutes - 28.8 MB

Have you ever wondered: “Does prayer work? Am I doing it right? Is it making a difference?” You’re not alone. This is the prayer that works and will make a difference...every...time.

The Trap of Autonomy

September 20, 2020 16:15 - 31 minutes - 32.8 MB

There is something in us, especially men, that drifts toward isolation, independence, and autonomy. In many ways, we see it as a life goal, but if we attain it, it has the potential to destroy everything we love and hope for the most.

Choosing to Cheat: Who wins when family and work collide?

August 23, 2020 16:00 - 18 minutes - 19.9 MB

Work. Family. Hobbies. Fitness. Housekeeping. Socializing. Sleep. Church. With only 24 hours in each day, we simply can’t fit everything in. There’s not enough of you to go around and what we choose to “cheat” matters more than we know. There is a solution, and strangely enough, the solution is similar to the problem.

How to Maintain Hope When the World Seems Hopelessly Broken: Hope

August 16, 2020 15:30 - 29 minutes - 31.2 MB

Every one of us will wrestle/are wrestling at some level with this dilemma. If you have ever had something you placed your hope in come crashing down around you, you know: Pandemic, marriage, career, wealth, health, engagement, academic, athletics. If you have ever thought, “Why even try? What’s the use? What’s the point?” then you know this dilemma.

How to Maintain Hope When the World Seems Hopelessly Broken: Until the Peace Comes

August 09, 2020 19:02 - 28 minutes - 29.6 MB

Uncertainty is God’s favorite environment. It seems that’s when he gets the most accomplished.

How to Maintain Hope When the World Seems Hopelessly Broken: Nothing New

August 02, 2020 18:50 - 34 minutes - 36.3 MB

Here’s the question we must each answer for ourselves as we face our personal, national and global uncertainty: Is it possible that God is still active, still accomplishing his purposes when there is no indication of his activity? Active in your world and the world? When everything seems to be going backwards? Dark?

Ask It: Hold My Hand

June 21, 2020 16:50 - 27 minutes - 27.8 MB

You always have something working against you when making personal decisions: you. Personal decisions are emotional, yet emotionally charged environments aren’t ideal for decision-making. When it comes to making decisions, we have a real problem: It’s next to impossible to hear the voice of wisdom when emotions are raging.

Ask It: Edged Out

June 14, 2020 18:34 - 29 minutes - 29.6 MB

When it comes to temptation and decision-making, we all look for loopholes. We ask, “Is there anything wrong with this? Is it illegal? Will it hurt anyone?” But it’s a bad idea to assume that if something is not wrong, it’s right. In no area is this more important than decisions related to our sexual expression. There’s no area where we’re more prone to self-deception.

What Does Love Require of Me

June 07, 2020 20:50 - 30 minutes - 31.6 MB

How do we respond to the unrest and injustice around us? Why aren't we further along? It's no surprise that Jesus set the example for us. Because this is a time to build a better tomorrow and not tear it down. It all starts with you and me.

Ask It: Time Over Time

May 31, 2020 18:07 - 23 minutes - 23.8 MB

Scripture says God has determined the number of your days. You can make more money and you can make more friends, but you can’t make more time. You can count your money and your friends, but you can’t count your time. In light of that truth, knowing what to do with your time matters. It’s vital that you use your time wisely.

Ask It: Musical Chairs

May 24, 2020 21:21 - 27 minutes - 27.6 MB

Solomon, the third king of Israel, wrote more about wisdom than any other biblical writer. In his writing, he laid out three kinds of people who lack wisdom. Eventually, people in each of these categories need wisdom . . . but they may not find it.

Ask It: Question Everything

May 17, 2020 18:02 - 21 minutes - 21.9 MB

Every day brings new questions. Should I stay? Should I go? Buy it? Sell it? Start it? Stop it? Did you know there's a question that makes it easy to determine the answer to all the other questions? It's true. All you have to do is ask it!

I Love Jesus, But I Cuss A Little

May 10, 2020 16:05 - 25 minutes - 25.6 MB

You're not perfect and God knows that. Spoiler alert: He wants a relationship with you anyway. And it's not just Heaven someday when you die, it's so much better than that!

Where's God?: Boyfriend god

May 03, 2020 15:49 - 22 minutes - 23.4 MB

Boyfriend god, the god whose presence is always felt…a god that is so close, you feel him all the time. So, when you don’t feel him, you assume he’s not there or doesn’t care. That god does not exist.

Where’s God?: On-Demand God

April 26, 2020 16:04 - 25 minutes - 25.7 MB

On-Demand God, the God who responds to fair and selfless requests the way we would; like a genie in a bottle, does not exist. While we have permission to ask God to ask God for anything, God has the right to say “no” to our requests. God my not give us what we ask for, but he will give us what we need: sustaining grace.

Where's God?: Bodyguard God

April 19, 2020 16:59 - 28 minutes - 28.5 MB

Body-guard God…the God who doesn't allow bad things to happen to good people…the God that will protect you from all things harmful, does not exist. Your personal circumstances do not (necessarily) coincide with God’s feelings about you. God’s apparent inactivity in your life is not a reflection of his existence, presence or activity in the world…or your world.

Easter 2020

April 12, 2020 16:22 - 28 minutes - 30.3 MB

We all have problems. Problems we know of, and an ultimate problem we may not. What if God offers the solution to it all?

Tough as Nails: Once Upon a Time

January 27, 2020 01:04 - 29 minutes - 23.3 MB

There was once a version of Christianity that was awe-inspiring. Once upon a time . . . Jesus stood against the injustice of an empire and the hypocrisy of the temple. He introduced God as Father. He taught his followers to love their enemies and forgive everyone. Jesus never wrote a word or traveled farther than he could walk. But he taught a way of thinking, believing, and behaving that, though it was foreign and seemingly impractical, changed the world forever. Jesus isn’t finished changi...

Tough as Nails: Fix your eyes

January 19, 2020 19:54 - 40 minutes - 74.6 MB

Is our version…your version of Christianity worth the price paid for it? What does that version look like? The New Testament records that early Christians didn’t fear loss or even death. They were humble because their confidence wasn’t in themselves; it was in Jesus. That faith in who Jesus was and what he had done for them freed them to boldly love others. Does our faith look like that?

Tough as Nails: In the Beginning

January 12, 2020 19:51 - 40 minutes - 74 MB

With danger and uncertainty in the world…with division, violence, terrorism and mainstream and social media filled with stories that feed fear…in an election year with a nation that is utterly divided, filled with anger and angst and divisive rhetoric, it’s difficult not to be anxious and afraid, to take sides and to operate out of fear. But Jesus offers us another option.

Wishful Thinking

January 06, 2020 03:36 - 41 minutes - 76.2 MB

We all have wish lists. But there are some wishes that, if we keep them front and center, they will make our lives better, our relationships richer and our faith journeys more exciting.

Unexpected God: The greatest promise never to be broken

December 24, 2019 18:39 - 34 minutes - 25.5 MB

Making a promise is easy. Keeping a promise is much harder. Yet, despite our sin, God keeps his promise…a promise that the door will always be open to a relationship with him. So, what’s keeping you from taking God up on his promise?

Unexpected God: Grandma was from the red-light district

December 15, 2019 21:53 - 29 minutes - 22.2 MB

In life, we tend to experience labels. Many times we battle internal labels, but some of us get public labels that we hate. One of the most significant people in the lineage of Jesus had a label that she carried for the rest of her life, and in spite of that, we discover that regardless of what our labels, our pasts or our reputations might suggest, God is able to do something big through us all, if we are willing.

Unexpected God: Inviting the Unqualified

December 08, 2019 22:29 - 34 minutes - 26.3 MB

Do you have any famous ancestors in your family tree? Do you have a few questionable characters in your family tree? Are you one of them? The great news is, Jesus family tree is full of them!  If you’ve ever felt you could never be good enough to be good with God, you’re right! But we learn from the lineage of Jesus that has never been based on our merits, but Gods!

When Life Sucks

December 02, 2019 00:12 - 40 minutes - 31.3 MB

The most wonderful time of the year? Maybe it isn't. Maybe life just sucks. We get it and you're not alone.

Christian Confusion: Working It Out

October 27, 2019 23:49 - 30 minutes - 23.2 MB

Jesus never called his followers “Christians.” He called them to something far simpler yet more demanding that centers on one question.

Christian Confusion: Loopholes

October 20, 2019 18:50 - 35 minutes - 27.4 MB

We all try to get around rules. Loophole Christians ask, “How close can I get to sin without actually sinning?” But Jesus didn’t mean for his followers to game the system. He intended something far better.

Christian Confusion: Religious and angry (Guest Speaker: Jon Morris)

October 14, 2019 02:30 - 45 minutes - 36.9 MB

Wherever Jesus went, he was followed by tax collectors and sinners- all the worst people in his society. The religious leaders complained. They assumed he condoned their sin. But Jesus never worried about being found guilty by association. Instead, he fully embodied God’s truth and God’s grace. Christians should too.

Christian Confusion: The Collision of Grace and Truth

October 06, 2019 23:23 - 36 minutes - 27 MB

Jesus calls his followers to love the way he loved. But there’s a tension in the way he loved - it was messy, inconsistent, unfair, and confusing. So, what does it look like to love like Jesus?

Christian Confusion: Showing Up

September 29, 2019 22:58 - 40 minutes - 30.4 MB

By the third century, despite incredible persecution and “religious cleansing” by Rome, Christianity had grown into the official religion of Rome. How did such a hated, powerless people become so influential?

Christian Confusion: Insiders Outsiders

September 22, 2019 23:24 - 37 minutes - 28.9 MB

When we judge nonbelievers, we lose our influence. Can you imagine where we’d be if we’d never abandoned love as our primary influence? Let’s decide together that we’re going to work to love one another better and we’re going to stop judging outsiders.

Christian Confusion: Quitters

September 15, 2019 18:36 - 36 minutes - 28.7 MB

The idea that Christians can be quarrelsome, hostile, and disputatious isn’t surprising. How is it that people—people devoted to Jesus—sometimes feel driven from Christianity? Why are there Christians on all sides of cultural and political issues, arguing with non-believers and fellow Christians alike? Is this really what Jesus intended for his disciples?

Christian Confusion: Brand Recognition

September 08, 2019 22:39 - 33 minutes - 27 MB

Are we going to be content just being Christians, or are we going to be disciples (followers)? Can you imagine what your workplace and community would be like if you loved the way Jesus calls us to love? Can you imagine what would happen in our nation—in our world—if Christians everywhere began living like disciples? What if for the next three to six months, Christians (you!) committed to love the people around them like Jesus?

Winning

August 25, 2019 21:05 - 41 minutes - 32.2 MB

We all want to win. After all, winning is better than not winning. In a game a win is defined, but life is not a game. And winning in the most important areas of our lives isn’t always clear. So, how do we win?

You Need a Better Name - Guest Speaker TJ Lawson

August 19, 2019 02:13 - 32 minutes - 24 MB

Names are powerful. We tend to think it’s just about identification, but we know that isn’t true. There’s something powerful that happens when we learn to carry the right name.

Get In The Boat

August 11, 2019 21:34 - 41 minutes - 31.7 MB

 Jesus invites us, He won’t force us, but we have no idea what we will miss out on if we don’t get in.

The N Commandments: Doubt Not

August 04, 2019 19:09 - 36 minutes - 27.2 MB

Wouldn't it be great to have a faith without doubts? Yet most believers wrestle with doubt at some level. We face circumstances that don’t add up. We see suffering and injustice in the world. Doubt grabs our minds and emotions. We wonder if we’re just making excuses for a God who isn’t really there or, who isn’t there in the way we assumed. Jesus commanded: “Doubt not.” But when he said that, he didn’t mean for us to quit feeling doubtful. One question posed by Jesus has the power to help yo...

The N Commandments: Judge Not

July 28, 2019 20:36 - 38 minutes - 30.8 MB

Perhaps the most popular commandment among those who don’t follow Jesus is “judge not.” It’s the command Christians are most often accused of violating. It’s also one of the most misunderstood of Jesus’ commands. People size each other up all the time. We all do it. This command from Jesus has the power to change all of your relationships.

The N Commandments: Worry Not

July 22, 2019 00:47 - 43 minutes - 32.5 MB

The future is uncertain and sometimes scary, and most of wish we could obey this command! Is it possible? It is. This one truth can help you to live free of worry.

The N Commandments: Sin Not

July 15, 2019 02:42

We assume that our sin makes God angry. But Jesus gave us a new reason not to sin, and it's better than fear or guilt. After the resurrection, the early church couldn’t go back to embrace a Temple Model: sacred men in sacred places with special interpretations of sacred texts. Instead, they now had one new commandment: love one another as Jesus had loved them. Jesus gave his followers another commandment related to the love one another command: sin no more. But how are we supposed to do that...

The N Commandments: Fear Not

July 07, 2019 19:46 - 35 minutes - 27.4 MB

Thou shalt not fear. We all want to keep that commandment, but too often it feels impossible. Life can be scary. Believe it or not, there's a way to live without fear . . . even when there's something to be afraid of.

Aftermath: Not Difficult

May 05, 2019 18:51 - 41 minutes - 32.5 MB

While Christianity draws many roots from the Old Testament, the early days of the New Testament church were marked by radical decisions that would set it on a new trajectory. These decisions continue to shape and challenge the church today.

Aftermath: Mix ‘N Match

April 28, 2019 20:29 - 43 minutes - 34 MB

Jesus was irresistible. People from all different backgrounds were drawn to him. But as the early church was forming, there was a tendency to go back to their familiar old religious traditions rather than live by Jesus’ new covenant. Sometimes we do the same.

Aftermath: Stand Alone

April 21, 2019 23:06 - 40 minutes - 30.4 MB

Did you walk away from church or your faith because of something about the Bible? Were you raised on a version of Christianity that was eventually dismantled by academia or the realities of life?  Maybe it’s time to consider a version of Christianity that relies on something entirely different...something far more reliable. Maybe you walked away unnecessarily. Maybe it’s time to reconsider Jesus.

Let’s talk about: LGBT+

April 14, 2019 19:41 - 46 minutes - 34.9 MB

The “church” has a painful history when it comes to the LGBT+ community. We intend to not repeat the same mistakes of the past.

Let’s talk about: Politics

April 07, 2019 22:54 - 37 minutes - 29.6 MB

Politics is not an emotionally neutral topic. It has the power to divide us instead of bringing us together. What would it look like if Christians filtered their politics through their faith rather than filtering their faith through their politics?

Changemakers: Burst Your Bubble

March 31, 2019 21:45 - 42 minutes - 34.3 MB

We can’t change what we don’t understand. True Changemakers are learners first. Men and women who first seek to understand and then act on hard-gained knowledge.

Change Makers: Refusing to Die

March 24, 2019 22:30 - 39 minutes - 30 MB

Life is a battle of wills: My will vs. God's will, and we never know what hangs in the balance of making the right choice.

Change Makers: Compelled

March 17, 2019 19:14 - 38 minutes - 28.9 MB

Too often, the church doesn't feel like a safe place for people who are far from God. They experience judgment and rejection. But that's not what Jesus intended when he established his church. He meant for the church to be a magnet for the unchurched, a place where they could find reconciliation with God.

Books

In the Beginning
1 Episode