Apprenticing with Jesus

In 2022, a book hit the shelves by the name of Nonverts: The Making of Ex-Christian America, written by Stephen Bullivant. The author researches the current statistics surrounding those who have left the Christian faith. In a recent study, of those Americans who were surveyed, one quarter responded that they had no religion at all, the majority of whom actually grew up in religious contexts. Join a boomer and a couple of millennials as we delve into how we got here, what are the generational responses, and if we can be hopeful for the future of the western church.

Listen in to part two of our interview with Beth Kraft as she discusses practical methods of not only enjoying the love of Jesus Christ but also loving him in return.  The Christian life is often lived with echoes of commands to love Jesus ringing through our minds, and yet we know that love because he loved us at the first.  What if our growth spiritually was more centered upon the love that he has for us, a passionate, pursuing, relentless, weighty, powerful love through which he draws his people unto him?

The Christian life is often lived with echoes of commands to love Jesus ringing through our minds, and yet we know that love because he loved us at the first.  What if our growth spiritually was more centered upon the love that he has for us, a passionate, pursuing, relentless, weighty, powerful love through which he draws his people unto him.  Listen in as Beth Kraft speaks of renewed and awakened love as Jesus chases us with his unconditional love!

As we conclude our time with Aaron Gray, Assistant Pastor at Linwood Wesleyan Church, we are reminded of the eternal importance placed upon community.  Aaron's perspective will be certain to inspire you to pursue deeper, more authentic relationships, united by the presence of Christ and brought together by divine inspiration.

Continuing with last week's guest, Aaron Gray, Assistant Pastor at Linwood Wesleyan Church, we hear a God-sized tale of how friendship can occur in the most surprising ways.  Aaron's perspective will be certain to inspire you to pursue deeper, more authentic relationships, united by the presence of Christ and brought together by divine inspiration. Also, in this episode, Dr. Paul Shotsberger references a webinar from the C.S. Lewis Foundation called, "The Power of Friendship" on Saturday Feb 25, 2023.  You can find more details on their website.

Joining us all the way from South Dakota this week, Aaron Gray, Assistant Pastor at Linwood Wesleyan Church, shares his heart and experience regarding friendship and community within the Christian life.  Aaron's perspective will be certain to inspire you to pursue deeper, more authentic relationships, united by the presence of Christ and brought together by divine inspiration.

We are back this week with part two of Taylor Fancy's brilliant exposition of the concept of Shalom.  If you have ever longed for an irreplaceable, irresistible, unexplainable, yet attainable supernatural peace, this episode is for you.  Listen in as Taylor and company discuss a precious realm of existence, fully within God's heart, where His presence is stronger and weightier than the circumstances of this world.  Blessings to you dear listener as you enter God's perfect shalom!

This week we have Taylor Fancy in studio discussing her research into the concept of Shalom.  If you have ever longed for an irreplaceable, irresistible, unexplainable, yet attainable supernatural peace, this episode is for you.  Listen in as Taylor and company discuss a precious realm of existence, fully within God's heart, where His presence is stronger and weightier than the circumstances of this world.  Blessings to you dear listener as you enter God's perfect shalom!

We are back in the studio for part two of our interview with the divinely wise Abril Avendano.  A proper view of God's nature and character is crucial when dealing with His image stamped upon all of humanity.  You will assuredly be blessed as you listen to Abril's journey and the divine revelation she shares as to a God's image within us and others.  This changes EVERYTHING we think of when we think of ourselves and others!

This week we sit down with Abril Avendano for a fresh look at what the Imago Dei, the image of God, looks like within us.  Reorienting our perspective to see God's divine image stamped upon His creation causes a radical realignment of priorities and focus both within ourselves and for others.  Abril takes us on a journey of her own life, the shift within her own thinking, and the profound effects the recognition of God's image has upon us all. You will find a guaranteed blessing in the words shared here!

Hannah Stevenson joins Apprenticing with Jesus to talk about her experience with mentoring and the incredible influence upon her life.  We also introduce a concept called reverse mentoring that holds great blessing for both parties. Listen in to discover what role it may play in your own life. You can read more of Hannah's thoughts in her blog. 

Gabby Kidder is back this week, picking up where we left off with part two of her journey in finding her identity in Christ.  As we chat we discuss discarding the imitation for the real, thin spaces in which to sense a nearness of God, and how deeply God is invested in our journey in Him.  No matter the season of life in which you find yourself, God always draws us back to His heart to find our identity within Him.  No one knows you better than He does and you will be blessed to journey with Him.  No time is better than the present to find your way back home!

In the first of a two part interview, Gabby Kidder joins us in the studio to discuss her journey in finding her identity in Christ.  No matter the season of life in which you find yourself, God always draws us back to His heart to find our identity within Him.  No one knows you better than He does and you will be blessed to journey with Him.  No time is better than the present to find your way back home!

Join us again for another vibrant conversation, this week focusing on the concept of inside out.  A dear friend and beloved guest, Hunter Henderson, is in studio sharing his experience of finding the reality of Christ in a more meaningful and felt way.  Additionally, we are specifically addressing how the gospel is lived out beyond the four walls of a church.  As Paul aptly describes, the life outside is influenced by inside dynamics and ultimately the inside is evaluated by what takes place outside.  

Last episode, in discussing the power of words and the language we use in church, Natasha mentioned the need for humility and grace as we approach those who may not speak the same language as us. So, we’re devoting an episode just to the concept of cultural humility and the influence it can have on our messaging. The National Institutes of Health defines cultural humility as “a lifelong process of self-reflection and self-critique whereby the individual not only learns about another’s culture, but one starts with an examination of her/his own beliefs and cultural identities.”  Join us in walking through what this means when applied to  western Christianity in the 21st century as we become better cultural communicators for Christ. Intro and outro by Chatham Rabbits. We are especially grateful to our dear friends Austin and Sarah McCombie.  Be sure to give them a follow and check out their latest album, featuring this very song: If You See Me Riding By.

On this episode of Apprenticing with Jesus, the amazing Dusten Bybee joins the roundtable.  The term "Christian" ubiquitous today, but not always in the most positive context.  In this episode we'll be discussing other names for Christians from the New Testament and why we don't hear their use very much. But that's just our jumping-off point, as we consider what the language we use inside the Church means to a watching world in 2022. Are there ways of expressing ourselves to more fully capture God's plan for those who follow Him? Soundtrack by Chatham Rabbits, a special thank you to our dear friends Austin and Sarah McCombie.  Be sure to give them a follow and check out their latest album, featuring this very song: If You See Me Riding By.

In this very first episode of Apprenticing with Jesus, we introduce the listener to us (Natasha, Scott, and Paul) and what apprenticing is all about.