Rise City Church Podcast

Have you ever watched the news and felt overwhelmed by the sadness? How do we simultaneously see an ever-increasing advance in technology and science yet darker things keep happening? The Bible teaches that human beings live in the midst of what it calls “Babylon” or “the World”. This is a categorical “enemy” that wars daily against our souls. So here’s the question: Where can we find hope? Can we thrive in Babylon? Listen in to this teaching from Genesis to Revelation, and find that in Jesus there is hope for people exhausted by the World.

Do you ask yourself, "Where can I play a part in the local church? Is there really a need for me? How do I grow in my discipleship and become a contributor to the church?" Listen in to this special Team Night edition where we share one big announcement and Nolan Tjaden shares seven lessons he's learned in serving at Rise for the last seven years, and how ministry can be boiled down to one simple statement.

We are at war. But who are we up against? It's not a war against people or culture—it's a war against the three enemies of the soul. This is a battle that is around us, within us, and constantly tempting us to draw our focus from the life Christ died for us to have.   In Ephesians 2, we learn that in order to walk faithfully after the Lord we need to embrace the power of grace, and understand the importance of our Gospel mission. To do that we need to identify our enemies for who they truly are— the World, the Flesh, and the Devil.

One of the main reasons people reject Christianity is because they say “Christians aren’t different”. In this teaching, our argument is that Christianity is the thing that changes you. Through the Gospel, God grabs your heart with irresistible grace and sets even the farthest of sinners on the trajectory of becoming like Christ! What about you? Are you different? Join us as we walk through Romans 8:28-30 to explore how God changes us.

Does your life feel like a cycle of pressure and difficulty? We are all either working through a problem, going through hardship or suffering, or walking through a season of pain. And if you're not, then you're about to. But why is that? Why is that we find ourselves in a place of pain and feeling limitations? Justin Anderson opens the Scripture this week to the book of Jonah to look at a man, a place, and a people that reflect the image of the Christian walk — one that is a constant cycle of need, confession, and grace. We learn how to respond in our moments of hardship and ultimately find our trust and security in God and His plan for our lives. Listen in to be encouraged and grow in your understanding of the Christian walk.

Do you ever feel fear well up in you and go out of control? Or maybe it's a deep sorrow that seems to plague you - you just can't shake it. You are not alone! We have story after story of biblical heroes walking through seasons of anxiety and depression, it's not uncommon. So, how did they move past it? How are we called to walk through these emotions and deep realities, and find hope in the battle with anxiety and depression? What does it look like to take care of our bodies and renew our minds the way God asks us to? Listen in to hear the story of Elijah walking through the lowest of lows, and learn how to rewire your mind and focus on the truth that God is not done with you.

Have you ever been hurt by someone, and don't know how to heal from it? Are your own sin and struggles keeping you in a pattern of unhealth? Do you want to break the cycle of pain that has riddled your family and have a different legacy than the generations before you? Whether your own sin, sin done to you or around you — your past has shaped your present, but it doesn't have to determine your future. This week, we read from the book of Genesis about a family marked by generations of deceit, rivalry, and deep-rooted pain. Listen in to learn how you could change your life through breaking the cycle of sin and pain, by allowing Jesus to bring healing through his work on the cross.

Followers of Jesus look, act, think, speak, and live differently. Why is that? What changes in a person when they choose to follow Jesus with their lives? How do we live in the reality of being a new creation, and not stuck in our old ways? This week, we look at the life transformation of Paul, a man that had a radical encounter with Jesus, and had his life flip upside down. Listen in to learn what it looks like to live a life compelled by the love of Christ over the approval of culture, and how wholeness and healing are uniquely found in Jesus alone.

How do you work through grief when you feel the loss of friendship? What does it look like to send someone into the next season of life with grace and generosity? How can a church say goodbye to Gospel partners — those who you've served and led alongside? This week's message looks at Paul's parting words in Acts 20 to the church in Ephesus. His example shows us that both deep sorrow and joy can coexist, because when we are moving forward as a body of believers the Kingdom's gain is always our greatest joy, even in the midst of grief. Listen in to learn how to say Gospel Goodbyes.

We live in the most hyper-connected generation in history, but a generation more isolated than ever. We crave a deep nearness that can only be satisfied by the counterintuitive practice of getting alone with God. Do you struggle to take time with God? Seeking God out will be as natural as breathing once you catch onto the wonder of His presence. In Exodus 33 Moses displays the pure beauty of God’s presence. Listen to this message to learn more.

This week, Jason worked through an incredible teaching from Mark 1 about intentional solitude. Soli-whaaat?! Jesus often went into the desert to get alone before the Father. Solitude is a missing ancient practice from most of our lives, but one we find molded by Jesus and vital to our distracted souls today. What is the value of the spiritual discipline of solitude? What’s the difference between solitude and isolation? All this in more is what we explored on Sunday! Check out this episode to learn and grow deeper in discipleship to Jesus.

You see Churches in almost every city across America. But what impact should the church have in a city? How should they see the brokenness and needs of their community? What's the impact a church should have on the citizens? Jesus gathered crowds everywhere he went, and when he did he was moved with deep compassion. He was teaching his disciples to bring the Kingdom forth. What do we, 2,000 years later learn from these miracles? Listen in as Pastor Jason teaches from Matthew 14 to a crowd of people in a city park and shares the call of the church — to love, serve, and meet the needs of our community.

Have you ever made huge sacrifices to get something? What would make you give up everything, surrender your own will, and make tremendous sacrifices daily? What we find in the pages of Scripture is that Jesus is worthy of losing everything. Discipleship to Jesus always comes with the cost of daily surrender. But what we gain in the process is infinitely better than what we give up. Listen to this message as we walk through a theology of self-denial.

Do you ever go to make a decision and aren't sure that you're doing the right thing? Do you want to be more reliant on God and less hungry for worldly things? Have you ever considered fasting for spiritual reasons, but don't know where to start? All through Scripture you see God lead and desire our growth toward Him through fasting and prayer. But do you understand why, how, and when to do it? God is seeking you. If you take time to purpose yourself through fasting you will find that you are more deeply connected to Him and relying on Him for something that sustains you far better than food — a rich relationship with God, the Creator. Listen in this week as Scott leads through Matthew 4, the story of Jesus fasting for 40 days and nights as he is lead into the wilderness before being tempted, and see how God is leading to full reliance on Him.

Opportunity isn't something we are lacking these days. Everywhere you turn there is something or someone pitching the latest idea, trying to get on your schedule, and vying to put their priority at the top of your list. God called us to live life abundantly, but how do you live life with abundance without getting caught up in the hurry? How did Jesus model living life to the fullest — a life that included plenty of time in quiet, solitude, prayer, and margin. This week, Pastor Jason unpacks Luke 4 on how to identify your most impactful priorities, and live a life that you can look back on without regrets— a life lived at a purposeful pace. Listen in for practical truths to prioritize your life based on the life of Christ.

Most of us want to be used by God, but have we actually positioned ourselves to be usable? In this Team Night message, special guest, Phil Comer, walks our church through 10 things to remember if we want to be used by God. Listen in, and have your heart and passion for ministry stoked as Phil walks our team through a unique night of equipping, growth, and pressing into the mission of the church.

In a technology-driven world that runs on non-stop work, the Scriptures offer an ancient and counter-cultural idea: Sabbath rest. Sabbath is the Hebrew word meaning “to stop” and carries the connotation of delighting in the finished work. For people in a world of overwork and exhaustion, the Scriptures invite us into a weekly rhythm of rest. The deep longing of our hearts is to experience true and perfect peace—a peace that's found in Jesus alone, and one we live out on purpose through Sabbath. Listen to this message to learn more.

Does life feel like running a marathon? You're running and running, but never stop to rest? Is your soul tired and weak from never getting the nourishment from pausing, reflecting, and breathing? Jesus walked the perfect life. He ran hard after people that needed healing, redemption, and a peace that only He offered. But after He ministered, He rested, but not like we understand rest. Join in this week as Pastor Jason talks us through the Gospels to show us the rhythm of Jesus' life and ministry, and the one thing He always made time for.

How often do you feel busy, overworked, or overwhelmed? Is your life marked more by stillness, focus, and peace, or rush, exhaustion, and distraction? We live in an age of hurry-sickness; a world where interruption, workaholism, and irritation are the norm. But what if there were another way? To those feeling burned out and anxious Jesus offers the gentle rhythms of grace. Jesus calls us to what he calls His “easy yoke”. In this message, Pastor Jason invites us into the slow walk of discipleship to Jesus. Listen in to learn more.

Many people think of Bible reading as a task. In reality, it’s anything but that! Scripture offers something nothing else in the world provides. You are designed with a profound longing that nothing can truly satisfy apart from God in Christ. The Bible is the singular location that fully, accurately, and exclusively exposes Jesus. What can satisfy the deep longings of the human heart? Where does real change come from? The power of Scripture alone. In this message, Pastor Nolan walks through one of the most exalted texts on Jesus in all of Scripture and explains these ideas.