Episodes

Gratitude gives us a deeper, holy fear and respect for God, and that allows us to be awakened to what really is important in life. No matter what we have to deal with during our day, we must realize that God is true, and He gives good gifts that we can be thankful for. Pastor Adam and Steph continue their meditations on a quote from John Milton, who lived in the 17th century and is considered one of the greatest British poets of all time.

We naturally attribute godliness to specific actions, but the motives matter too. If we're doing things for appearances or to complete a personal checklist, it's not necessarily an indication of holy, righteous living. Yet if we are able to view everything as a blessing, and we are able to quickly turn the things that we have or what happens to us into reasons to praise God, we find ourselves closer to him, and our thoughts more like his. Pastor Adam and Steph meditate on a quote from 18th-centu...

Pastor Adam and Steph begin a new series of episodes by meditating on quotes from respected Christian leaders throughout history about the profound practice of being thankful. This week's quote comes from 20th-century Christian apologist G.K. Chesterton who believed that thanks are the highest form of thought. Pastor Adam and Steph reflect on how that could be, drawing connections between a thankful mindset and the funnel of gratitude that inevitably leads to acknowledging our creator.

God is generous, and we are to be like him; therefore, we are to be generous. We have been so abundantly blessed, and God has given us freely everything we have, beyond anything we deserve or what our own efforts could achieve. Given this, we should know that everything we have belongs to the Lord, just as we belong to the Lord. In this final episode of the "Pastor Pleas" series, Pastor Adam levels with listeners about the necessity of putting God first in how we manage our money and more. *Scri...

God lovingly crafted us in the wombs of our mothers, and He made us with distinct features and personalities. We do not need to hide our quirks and feelings to impress other people. We can be silly, we can be open about what bothers us, and we can choose to be joyful. The Messy Walk host Steph and special guest Chloe are here to remind us of the importance of living authentically before God and others, and that the people who are meant to be in our lives are not going to leave if we are honestly...

The Bible has a lot to say about sexual purity and holiness, and you don't have to read too far to know that its authors agree that sharing a bed and a home is intended for marriage. However, in today's culture, many couples who are not legally married find reasons to cohabitate. Unfortunately, couples who live together before marriage are 31% more likely to have their marriage end in divorce. Pastor Adam and Steph share statistics that show why living together before marriage is a bad idea, and...

Church attendance is on the decline. Many people consider themselves regular church attenders if they go to services once every couple of months. However, when we skip out on corporate worship, we miss the most important thing that happens when Christians gather: the act of honoring God together in unity. Pastor Adam and Steph plead with listeners not to isolate themselves, but to prioritize church attendance and being in community with fellow believers so that the body of Christ can continue to...

Social media is a tool that is neither inherently good nor bad. Studies have proven that extended usage of social media platforms can have many harmful side effects on the human mind. At the same time, there are good things that can be done through social media to spread awareness and connect people. Pastor Adam and Steph warn that if we are not careful, social media can monopolize our time. These online platforms are designed to suck you in, and you need to be careful about the things you let i...

In today's culture, people are less interested in church and are less likely to trust that pastors have good intentions. The internet has a wealth of content from famous church leaders, Christian authors, and influencers, but when people consume content online instead of building personal relationships with other believers, the seeds of true discipleship are not allowed to grow. With these things in mind, Christians tend to assume that other people will be led to Christ if we can just get them t...

At the start of any romantic relationship, it is wise to make sure values are aligned before getting too deep. Intentional dating is for the purpose of finding a partner who demonstrates the potential for a healthy marriage. In matters of faith, it is of high importance to be sure that each person shares similar beliefs. Pastor Adam and Steph stress the significant issue with couples dating when they do not have the same level of faith as one another. They plead for listeners to know that linkin...

Church leaders and scholars of the Bible have been known to make mistakes. Pastors can be wrong, and even well-meaning people can teach things incorrectly. This is why it is so important for everyone to read the Bible for themselves. Do not be manipulated or misled, instead learn the scriptures and know the difference between what is true and false. Pastor Adam and Steph plead with followers of Jesus to take advantage of the accessibility of the Bible, to use study materials, and to determine ev...

No one enters into a marriage from the beginning with plans for the relationship to fail, but the unfortunate reality is that more than half of marriages in the USA end in divorce. Marriage is hard. It is also true that couples who spend even 2 hours in premarital counseling cut their likelihood of getting a divorce in half. Pastor Adam and Steph discuss the importance of identifying potential weaknesses, being clear about non-negotiables, and bringing in an unrelated third party to talk about t...

In an age where we can access the world's finest orators and preachers with a simple click, it is very easy to shop around for the perfect church to attend. There is beauty in the diverse expressions of faith and worship in Jesus, and it's good when you find something that lines up well with your preferences. Even so, Pastor Adam and Steph caution against hopping from one church to another instead of plugging in and committing to a local church community. Listening to the best sermons online eac...

If we are being honest with ourselves, there are many frequent questions and circumstances that make us doubt the existence of God. At the very least, these things make us doubt that he cares about us, or that things in the Bible are really true. Many people see doubt as a sign of weak faith, but whenever genuine followers of Jesus came to him with questions he did not reprimand them. Jesus always gave his followers just enough to prove God is trustworthy. In this episode, Pastor Adam and Steph ...

Pastors want to see people grow into deep, meaningful relationships with God and others. They desire people to have a strong, developed understanding of scripture and to live in the ways that God has instructed, as that is what is best for humanity. According to Pastor Adam, there are many common pitfalls that he has observed people slipping into time and time again. The goal of this series is to share the things he would urge listeners to do or avoid. This week, Pastor Adam and Steph encourage ...

To tease the start of a new series, Pastor Adam and Steph reveal the title and topic of the episodes to come. *Scripture referenced in this episode: 1 Peter 5:1-3, Hebrews 13:7

Politics. Even the word itself has become evocative, stirring up strong emotions in many who hold firmly to their views on policies, leadership, and morality. As the United States of America approaches another presidential election, Pastor Adam and Steph offer a series of questions we can ask ourselves to see where our true allegiances lie. Are we being misled by the sneaky golden calf of politics, or are we putting our trust in Jesus and allowing his teachings to be the filter by which we shape...

It is good for people to have positive relationships, be they platonic, professional, or romantic. On the other hand, when the relationship becomes the ultimate concern in our lives it creates a problem of controlling our thoughts and actions. Thus the relationships we have with the people closest to us can become a sneaky golden calf. To help us keep our priorities straight, Pastor Adam and Steph refer to the command of Jesus to love God above all else, and to love our neighbors as ourselves. *...

Every person, when faced with enough hurt, shame, regret, loneliness, or stress is susceptible to falling into the tight grip of addiction. We can become addicted to all sorts of things. Unfortunately, these addictions take positions of power and cause more harm than good. Although the sneaky golden calf of addiction may leave us high and dry, Pastor Adam and Steph seek to reveal how Jesus Christ is the long-term solution for dealing with human struggles. *Scripture referenced in this episode: R...

One of the most common sneaky golden calves in our culture is money. Not that money is objectively evil; it can be a great resource to accomplish all sorts of good in the world. However, when the pursuit of money becomes the most important thing in our lives it makes it impossible for us to earnestly serve God. With this in mind, Pastor Adam and Steph talk about the idolization of money, and how to practice gratitude and contentment. *Scripture referenced in this episode: Matthew 6:24, 1 Timothy...

Reputation is a double-edged sword, and it can easily become a sneaky golden calf. When speaking of a person's reputation, we are often describing how their character is perceived by others, which is closely tied to whether the person is well-liked or not. As we read our Bible, we find both passages that encourage having a good reputation, and passages that give caution to being liked by everyone. How do we reconcile the two? Pastor Adam and Steph help us break down the differences between activ...

The value of success, particularly career success, is instilled in us from a very young age. There are those of us who are driven to achieve, to become the best we can be, and we want to accomplish it by almost any means necessary. The value of success and career climbing can become a sneaky golden calf in our lives when we don't take the time to humble ourselves before God. Pastor Adam and Steph remind us that even the most successful people can lose it all in a moment. It is the Lord who gives...

Being a parent is a great gift and honor. For those who have children, their kids are a joyful piece of life, and nothing seems more important than making sure their sons or daughters have the best there is to offer. It's not wrong to love your children. The problem is that sometimes our love for our children can easily overshadow our love for God and our commitment to Him. We can find ourselves worshipping another sneaky golden calf without realizing it. Pastor Adam and Steph discuss the danger...

In the first episode of a new series called "Sneaky Golden Calves," The Messy Walk Podcast host, Steph, is joined by her husband Jonathan as they talk about idols that we commonly have without realizing it. This week's episode focuses on the sneaky golden calf of entertainment. Oftentimes the things we enjoy are not inherently sinful, but our desire to be entertained can become more important to us than our need to spend time with God. With a little intentionality we can pay closer attention to ...