Episodes

Pastor Adam and Steph wish all the listeners of The Messy Walk Podcast a happy Easter!

Unavoidably, a pastor’s family feels the weight of ministry more than anyone else in the church. Furthermore, the family members didn't necessarily choose that life for themselves—especially the children, who are born into the reality of being "pastor’s kids." Pastors often feel immense pressure as their time and attention are shared among so many; the energy spent on another church member is often energy taken away from the immediate family. Pastor Adam and Steph discuss the importance of prote...

Pastors are overwhelmed with requests, meetings, conversations, emergency situations, events, and other responsibilities nearly every single day. People don't say it out loud, but the common expectation is that a pastor should always be available. The demand to commit to everything is impossible to meet without disappointing someone along the way. For those who care about others, turning someone down can lead to frequent feelings of guilt. Pastor Adam and Steph are learning that faithfulness is ...

Without a doubt, pastors spend much of their time loving people, listening to people... and sometimes disappointing people. In a world that prefers comfort, faithfulness to God can sometimes sound offensive. Furthermore, teachers and leaders carry the weight of responsibility to communicate the truths of Scripture clearly and honestly, knowing they will be judged by God for it. Pastor Adam and Steph launch a new podcast series to say "I’m NOT sorry" for a list of things—the first of which is pre...

Sometimes when reading the Bible, you will find details in one book that differ from those in another. At times, these details may seem to pertain to the same event—even if they do not—while in other instances, they may provide an alternative perspective of the same event with a different focus. Without further study, it can look like the authors of scripture have a disagreement. This leads many to believe that the Bible is contradictory. Pastor Adam and Steph unravel the lie by defining what a ...

There are hundreds of English Bible translations, all of which differ slightly. This causes many to question how a text so ancient—and one that has been translated so many times—could possibly remain the same today as it was thousands of years ago. However, it is precisely because there are so many translations with only minimal variations that we can be confident the Bible has been well preserved, along with the core teachings of its authors. Pastor Adam and Steph break down the distinct differ...

The lie is that no one with intelligence reads the Bible anymore, and that those who do are merely religious fundamentalists and extremists. Even as higher education shuns biblical knowledge, the fact remains that some of the world's most brilliant minds—scientists, professors, and philosophers—still read and cherish the Holy Bible. Pastor Adam and Steph cite examples such as Dr. Younghoon Kim and Blaise Pascal, presenting a simple argument based on Pascal’s Wager: believers have nothing to lose...

There is a common idea that reading the Bible is so complex that it is best left to church leaders and clergy to read and interpret. No one would want to misunderstand the Word of God, after all. However, if people place all their trust in professionals, they resign themselves to following leaders blindly and will lack the discernment to identify any slant being applied to scripture. Pastor Adam and Steph challenge this notion with a hard truth: many people have put their lives on the line to ma...

Maybe you’ve felt uninterested in reading the Bible because you think it’s boring. You have so many other things you would rather do. The enemy uses this lie to keep people from even getting started, putting all kinds of distractions in front of us to keep us entertained or fixated elsewhere. Pastor Adam and Steph are coming to you through your electronic devices to retaliate against this lie. The Bible is many things, but boring is not one of them.

Pastor Adam and Steph wish all the listeners of The Messy Walk Podcast a happy new year!

Pastor Adam and Steph wish all the listeners of The Messy Walk Podcast a merry Christmas!

It's a common lie. It's said that the Bible is complex and from a different time; therefore, no one can understand it. While it is true that highly educated people are challenged by the literature and intricacies of Scripture, the fundamental truths communicated in the Bible are simple to understand. Even as Jesus encouraged His followers to approach God with childlike faith, the enemy will lie to you and say that you cannot understand God's Word. Pastor Adam and Steph tear down this lie to enco...

Pastor Adam and Steph wish all the listeners of The Messy Walk Podcast a happy Thanksgiving!

The enemy knows that he can keep us from learning and growing in our much-needed relationship with God if he can convince us not to read God's own words written to us in the Bible. Pastor Adam and Steph introduce a new series in which they call out Satan's lies about Scripture. The first lie is for those who have read the Bible before and who think they already know it all. Pastor Adam admits that even after years of study, there is still plenty he does not know, and that is why it is important ...

As often as we convince ourselves of many reasons why we don't share the gospel, we do not as often apply these reasons to other types of news. If an article catches our attention, we sometimes feel like talking about it even if we do not know all the details. The fact is, we are more likely to tell others about something that captivates our mind. Pastor Adam and Steph conclude the series by revealing that a big factor in our silence is a loss of awe. If you remind yourself of God's grace, perha...

Even among close friends, the beginnings of any social interaction can be quite awkward. Sometimes it feels a little uncomfortable to find a way to break the ice. Even more difficult is finding a way to segue a conversation into a way to share the good news of Jesus Christ. Pastor Adam and Steph discuss the importance of developing relationships with people that allow you to show you care well before you share. If a person knows that you are their friend, they will be far more interested in what...

Jesus spent a lot of time around his disciples and fellow believers, but he also was criticized because of his frequent hangouts with people who were known to be sinners and who were rejected by religious leaders. To model the way of Jesus, you will need to spend time with both Christians and non-Christians. Pastor Adam and Steph express the value of forming relationships with people who do not share your beliefs, and that it is not likely that you do not know someone who is not a Christ-followe...

Maybe you think your life is too busy, so you have to steal time from something else to make time to share your faith. But Jesus tells us to share the gospel as we go. To be busy is not an excuse for not sharing the gospel; it's actually a good thing for creating opportunities to be a witness for Christ. Pastor Adam and Steph encourage listeners to go through the busyness of ordinary life with gospel intentionality, and to use the time you already have to tell someone about Jesus. *Scripture ref...

Rejection hurts. Of course, you don't want to be turned down or ostracized in any way. People who have felt the pain of rejection often avoid situations where they feel they won't be accepted. Yet, going into something with the expectation that it will happen the same way as it has in the past is not fair when you have an opportunity to share the gospel. Pastor Adam and Steph call out this form of trauma response to remind you that Jesus was also rejected; they're not really rejecting you, they'...

A lack of interest is a real deterrent. No one wants to share something meaningful with someone when it's evident that the other person just wants the conversation to end. Pastor Adam and Steph give examples of why spiritual fruit is so critical to sharing your testimony. Anyone would want the good fruit, or qualities, that the Holy Spirit freely gives. By demonstrating these good qualities and by allowing God to lead our lives, we can be examples that pique the interest of our friends, family, ...

If someone you know needs to hear the gospel, do you feel equipped enough to share it? You could possibly tell them about the saving grace of Jesus Christ, but perhaps you don't think you know enough Bible verses or you don't have the right personality. If you are honest, you may not think what you have to share is enough. Pastor Adam and Steph tear down the excuse that you feel unequipped and invite listeners to share their story with others. While it's the Church's job to help equip you, you a...

You have friends, family m,embers, or associates who are in need of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and you know that you should share it with them. You're looking for your opening, a segue in the conversation to finally tell them what has been on your mind to say. Maybe they will ask you about it soon? Before you know it, your window of opportunity seems to be closing. It never felt like the right time. Pastor Adam and Steph debunk another reason you do not share the Gospel. You may feel like you d...

What prevents you from talking about spiritual matters with other people? It may be hard to admit, but there are several reasons many hesitate to share the Gospel. You know that you are supposed to go out and make disciples. You know all about the good news of Jesus Christ and the changes He has made in your life. Yet there often seems to be some reason why you feel locked up and unable to talk about it with your peers. In the start of a new series covering the many reasons people do not share t...

In the book of Malachi, why does God invite his people to test him when it comes to tithing? This is the only part of the Bible where God encourages people to test him. Elsewhere in scripture it is considered sinful. What did God mean? Pastor Adam and Steph break down the difference between testing the ability and character of God out of doubt versus testing the known quality of his faithfulness. God allows his people the opportunity to see that the purity of his goodness surpasses all expectati...