Doable Discipleship

“If we have eyes to see, we uncover joy almost everywhere. Like someone searching for sand crabs on the coastline, we may not find her under every rock. But we also don’t need to look too hard before we uncover her.” This is a quote from the new book, Longing for Joy. There are many misconceptions about joy. There are many people who may struggle with joylessness because of anxiety, depression, or other factors. But there is also an availability of joy, true deep joy, to be found in Christ and his creation. This episode today is one of those moments where I think God is up to something. I’ve seen, heard, and read a lot about joy as of late. When I hear something pop up in a lot of conversations, that’s usually a sign to me that God is wanting to do a work in us related to this topic - and it was an added nudge from God when I saw the new book, Longing for Joy, by Alastair Sterne, which quickly turned into one of my favorite books of the year. I’m joined today by Alastair to talk about the reality of longing,

A third time the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”Then Eli realized that the Lord was calling the boy. So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!”Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”And the Lord said to Samuel: “See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears about it tingle. 1 Samuel 3:8-111 Samuel, the 9th book of the Old Testament, is without a doubt one of my favorite books of the Bible. Continuing the narrative of God’s people, Israel, we transition from the time of the Judges into a new season – but, as is with the case of most of Israel’s history, all was not to go so easily. 1 Samuel contains a lot of well-known stories: the calling of Samuel, the anointing of Saul, the anointing of David, David a

I have a very vivid memory of a specific church service about 10 years ago. My wife and I go into the worship center, find seats in our usual section, but the stage looks different. There are instruments I’ve never seen on our stage, and in a configuration that I didn’t recognize. When the service starts, a group of people come out onto the stage in long coats, suspenders, moppish hair, and then the drum starts. The rap of the single snare drum (make sound) that I hadn’t heard in that way before but have come to be very familiar with now. That service sticks out so much in my mind because that’s the kind of effect For King & Country have. The experience was so exciting, so fresh, and the music itself had a similar effect. Since then, For King & Country have become one of the biggest names in Christian music as four-time Grammy winners with hit songs such as Crave, The Proof of Your Love, Fix Your Eyes, Priceless, Joy, and so many more. But they’ve also now ventured into other forms of storytelling, wi

Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, "Go back to your mothers’ homes. And may the Lord reward you for your kindness to your husbands and to me." But Ruth replied, “Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.” Ruth 1:8, 16. The Book of Ruth, the 8th book in the Old Testament, is surely one that stands apart from everything we’ve read so far in the Bible. We’ve been reading epic stories of nations, but Ruth is a little shining jewel that focuses in on one little family – really just something that happened in the lives of 3 connected individuals. While it’s a short book, only 4 chapters, it is not one to be ignored or forgotten. We learn so much about God in how he works in the lives of Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz – and yet as with all Scripture there is always still much more goodness to reap. To help us navigate the book of Ruth is Dr. Eric Redmond, Professor of Bible and Executive Director of the

When we talk about reading the Bible, we usually talk about it in a personal context or in a church setting. We talk about developing personal Bible-reading habits, studying God’s Word, or growing a healthy devotional life. But today, we want to talk about reading the Bible in a different way – reading it with non-believers. Perhaps this idea is new to you, perhaps you may think I sound crazy or maybe your muscles automatically tightened at the mere notion of reading the Bible with non-believers, but I hope you stay with me. Reading the Bible with people who don’t know Jesus does not have to be as scary as it sounds. Saddleback Church is actually spearheading a new, multi-church initiative called One Million More – asking the question what if one million more fell in love with the Bible. For today’s conversation on reading the Bible with non-believers host Jason Wieland sits down with Saddleback Executive Pastor Jason Williams. Jason Williams has a long history of hosting Bible book clubs with non-believers s

"Whenever the LORD raised up a judge over Israel, he was with that judge and rescued the people from their enemies throughout the judge’s lifetime. For the LORD took pity on his people, who were burdened by oppression and suffering. But when the judge died, the people returned to their corrupt ways, behaving worse than those who had lived before them. They went after other gods, serving and worshiping them. And they refused to give up their evil practices and stubborn ways." – Judges 2:18-19. The book of Judges, the 7th book in the Bible, is a fascinating look at the life of Israel, now in the land of Canaan. It’s a book of tribes, a book of land, but ultimately it’s a book about God and his people. Moses has died. Joshua dies in the beginning of chapter 2 of this book, and now the people are left to make the choice for themselves of whom they are going to follow. The influence of the Canaanite people is strong and we see quickly that Israel falls into disobeying the Lord. The verse immediately following Josh

On this Election Day in America, host Jason Wieland offers a prayer of hope, love, and peace for the nation. Doable Discipleship is a Saddleback Church podcast produced and hosted by Jason Wieland. It premiered in 2017 and now offers more than 400 episodes. Episodes release every Tuesday on your favorite podcast app and on the Saddleback Church YouTube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/saddleback).Related Doable Discipleship Episodes: Living with a Non-Enemy Mentality - https://youtu.be/YqgVVtjFgB4Being People of Peace - https://youtu.be/4jKaSS3r4V4How to Talk with Others with Civility - https://youtu.be/9tA07RTKaI8The Power in Gentleness - https://youtu.be/So3n7PaBbYMHow to Live with Humility - https://youtu.be/UHroSMEUkXUInspiring Dreams by Keys of Moon | https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoonMusic promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/Creative Commons CC BY 4.0https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

For the past two months we’ve been on an exploration of Christlike Character – and in particular, how to maintain and live with Christlike character in an election season. As of the day this episode releases, we are one week away from election day in the United States. It’s expected to be an extraordinarily close election and polarization is, if not at an all-time high, very near it. The closeness of the election and polarized nature of our politics means that one side, the Right or the Left, is going to lose, that half of the voters are going to be disappointed, and tensions will be incredibly high – which is saying something as tensions and rhetoric have already been high. Today's episode is about a matter of choice we all have. We can choose how we think about others, particularly those we disagree with. We can choose whether or not to approach others with an enemy mindset. This episode is an exploration of what the Bible says about how to think of others, our call as Christians to treat others with love,

“You have seen everything the LORD your God has done for you during my lifetime. The LORD your God has fought for you against your enemies . . . Deep in your hearts you know that every promise of the LORD your God has come true. Not a single one has failed . . . If you refuse to serve the LORD, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 23:3, 14; 24:15. The Book of Joshua, the 6th book of the Bible and the first book after the Pentateuch, begins a new chapter in the history of God and his people. Moses the patriarch has died and God now charges Joshua to lead the people of Israel into the Promised Land. The years and decades of wandering is done: God’s people can now finally enter into the land He had called them to. However, it’s not just as simple as walking across a river – there are many obstacles that await them a

What does it mean to be at peace? I would venture to say that true peace is something deeper, more profound, and actually more attainable than maybe you’ve ever imagined. The world wants you to think that peace is not caring, or avoiding conflict, or not disagreeing . . . but those are just facades – bandages that actually do more to cripple relationship than they do to bring peace. I say that peace is more attainable than you may realize because true peace is found in a person – in a relationship – and it's a relationship with somebody who so genuinely wants you to experience the deep-seeded peace that only his can bring. We’ve been in a series on Christlike Character – particularly focusing on how Christlike Character should be exhibited in an election season that so wants to take away all semblances of peace in your life. So what does it mean for Christians to be people of peace – to be at peace and to be peace-makers in a volatile culture? For this conversation host Jason Wieland is joined by Meaghan Grid

The Book of Deuteronomy, the fifth book of the Bible and the final book of the Pentateuch, is a book about the precipice of transition. The Israelites have been wandering the desert for decades, seemingly marching towards the Promised Land but wondering if and when they would ever make it. Now they are at the doorstep, they can see the promise of God before them, but Moses knows he will not be the one leading them from that point on. Moses, the prophet and leader of Israel, has final words for this people of God – and that is the book of Deuteronomy. It’s a look at Moses’ heart for Israel, at God’s heart for his people. It’s a call to choose the Lord – Moses can no longer choose God for them. Deuteronomy is a wonderful book and to help navigate it today is Dr. Sandra Richter. Dr. Richter is the Robert H. Gundry Chair of Biblical Studies as Westmont whose books include The Epic of Eden, and an upcoming commentary on Deuteronomy. Doable Discipleship is a Saddleback Church podcast produced and hosted by Jason Wi

When we talk about character, particularly in an election season, we have to talk about civility. At its heart, civility is about respect – respect for other people – and that is something that we’ve seen to move away from. One could say it's a lost art . . . but it shouldn’t even be considered an art – it should be an inherent value. Yet as a culture we seem all the ready to disregard the opinions and considerations of others and lose civility in the process. So, how should Christians consider civility? All people should be civil, but  today's episode is specifically talking to the church and offering that reminder that Christlike character is expressed civilly. And there are many deep elements about this truth that my guest is going to guide us through today. That guest is Tom Holladay, frequent guest on this podcast and former teaching pastor at Saddleback Church. In this conversation, Tom and I talk about whether the loss of civility really is a modern thing or is seen in history as well, the winsomeness

“Please, Lord, prove that your power is as great as you have claimed. For you said, ‘The Lord is slow to anger and filled with unfailing love, forgiving every kind of sin and rebellion. But he does not excuse the guilty. He lays the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected – even children in the third and fourth generations.’ In keeping with your magnificent, unfailing love, please pardon the sins of this people, just as you have forgiven them ever since they left Egypt.” - Numbers 14:17-19 (NLT) This passage from Number 14 gives us a rather significant peak into the heart of the book of Numbers, the fourth book of the Bible. Numbers continues the story of the Israelites, bringing us deeper into the life of Moses, Aaron and the rest of Israel as a people in-between Egypt and the Promised Land, all the while learning to live with the God who wants to dwell with them. This is an extraordinarily rich book where we find life in the Israelite camp, the beautiful priestly blessing of c

Today’s conversation is about gentleness. Two weeks ago we started a series on Christian Character with an episode on humility. Today we are going to couple that with a look at gentleness. In Matthew 11:29, Jesus says, “Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” There’s a link here between being humble and being gentle, but they are indeed two distinct characteristics and worth talking about separately. Now, many people may consider gentleness in the same light as soft or weak, but my guest today will put this idea on its head and show the strength that is to be found in gentleness. That guest is Buddy Owens – a teaching pastor at Saddleback Church and a fan favorite on this podcast. In this conversation, Buddy and host Jason Wieland talk about what biblical gentleness really looks like, how biblical gentleness compares to what the world says about it, the winsomeness of gentleness, how we need to be extra intentional in an electio

“The Lord also said to Moses, ‘Give the following instruction to the entire community of Israel. You must be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy.'” - Leviticus 19:1-2 Genesis begins the story of humanity and the God who wanted a family to love and to love him. Exodus offers the first look at the lengths God will go to care for his people on a grand scale. Leviticus, the third book of the Bible, shows us the lengths God will go to care for his people on a personal scale. Leviticus is, ultimately, about relationship – it is a holy God telling the people of Israel how they can be in relationship with him despite the brokenness of sin. It’s an extraordinary book in teaching about who God is and who we are. Now, Leviticus has a reputation of being a rather difficult or tedious book – one that many people skip. But as we navigate through Leviticus, today's guest will make you want to dive into Leviticus head first and see it in a new, exciting way.  To help us navigate Leviticus, host Jason Wieland is joined

“Before destruction a man’s heart is haughty, but humility comes before honor.” - Proverbs 18:12. Humility is, without question, an integral part of what is means to be a Christian – a follower of Jesus, as we humbly acknowledge that there is a better way than what I could come up with on my own devices. When we get down into it, humility is an integral part of what it means to be saved – the acknowledgement that I cannot save myself from my sin and the humility to realize that I need a savior. But we have an interesting relationship with humility because the line between genuine and disingenuous humility is so, so thin. Jane Austen said, “Nothing is more deceitful than the appearance of humility. It is often only carelessness of opinion, and sometimes an indirect boast.” So what makes biblical humility different and how should humility look in our daily life? What are the marks of a genuinely humble person? For this conversation host Jason Wieland is joined by Jamin Goggin, co-author of the books Beloved Dus

“Moses protested, ‘If I go to the people of Israel and tell them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ they will ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what should I tell them?’ God replied to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM. Say this to the people of Israel: I AM has sent me to you.’ God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: Yahweh, the God of your ancestors-the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob-has sent me to you.” - Exodus 3:13-15Genesis introduced us to the world and to ourselves. Exodus, the second book of the Old Testament of the Bible, does more to introduce us to God – to he who was, and is, and is to come. To a God so eternal that he identifies himself as I AM, but also a God so personal that he also chooses to identify himself in relation to people – the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Exodus is a book of movement, propelling the true story of God and his people forward in such a way that sets forth not just the rest of the Biblical narrative, but human history up t

Do you feel you get enough rest in the course of your day or your week? Most people would probably say no – who couldn’t use more rest? What if I were to tell you that you could be at rest right now. Even in the midst of whatever you’re doing at this very moment, you can enjoy rest – the way God intended it. Because true rest is different than what we generally think it means. In fact, we can go all the way back to the story of creation to learn about how God sees rest and how it can completely change the way we view and experience genuine rest. In today's episode, host Jason Wieland is joined by Rachel Booth Smith, author of the new book Rest Assured. In this conversation Rachel and Jason talk about how what the Bible teaches about rest is different than our typical understanding, the role of intention, the uniqueness of the creation story found in Genesis, the difference between forced and relaxed faith, and much more. Doable Discipleship is a Saddleback Church podcast produced and hosted by Jason Wieland.

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” With that single sentence, thus unfolds the Bible, the word of God, and the beginning of history. Genesis, the first of 66 books of the Bible, takes the reader on an incredible journey from the creation of the universe to the creation of man to the fall of man to an ark that survives a global flood to a childless man who God promised would have descendants outnumbering the stars to a man who wrestles with God to a young man who goes from being a slave and prisoner to the second in power of all of Egypt. But Genesis isn’t just a series of historic accounts, it is an introduction to who God is, to the Gospel message, and to his never-ending love for us . . . for you. There are themes in Genesis that resonate throughout all of Scripture and truths in this book that can impact your life today.For this episode, host Jason Wieland is joined by Dr. Andrew Steinmann, a recently retired professor from Concordia University Chicago and author of many books includ

Have you ever prayed hard for something - maybe for someone to be healed or for a job or for a healed relationship - and you didn't get the answer you were hoping for? Have you felt like God said "no" to your prayer? It can be very difficult for us when our prayers aren't answered the way we hope they would be. But what does this say about God and what does it say about us? How should we approach things when God says no? For this episode, host Jason Wieland is joined by Saddleback Church Teaching Pastor Buddy Owens to talk about when God says no. Jason and Buddy talk about what we should know about prayer and how it affects what we expect as a response from God, the reality of not understanding all of God's ways, the role of faith and much more. Doable Discipleship is a Saddleback Church podcast produced and hosted by Jason Wieland. It premiered in 2017 and now offers more than 380 episodes. Episodes release every Tuesday on your favorite podcast app and on the Saddleback Church YouTube Channel (https://www.y