"Discernment isn't knowing the difference between right and wrong, but between right and almost right." Satan doesn't lead us astray with bold lies but with partial truths. How do we recognize bad theology? And what do we do about it? Huge thanks to Mike Bridgewater our engineer, JD Miller our musical wizard, and Mt Gilead Church our home to record…

The foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom. The weakness of God is greater than man's strength. In our ever-darkening world, we need the light of God's word. Huge thanks to Mike Bridgewater our engineer, JD Miller our musical wizard, and Mt Gilead Church our home to record. Thank YOU for listening. We pray our efforts help you focus on Jesus…

None of us is flawless. How can we be holy? What does it mean to be holy? We do not make ourselves holy. Jesus makes us holy. Huge thanks to Mike Bridgewater our engineer, JD Miller our musical wizard, and Mt Gilead Church our home to record. Thank YOU for listening. We pray our efforts help you focus on Jesus the author, editor, and publisher of e…

So many things vie for our attention. Even this podcast, the ads in the sidebar, the notifications on your screen, your phone, the doorbell. So many things. When you're sinking or barely making it, it's easy to feel like you're drowning, losing ground, losing hope. Ready to give up. But God hasn't given up on you. And as long as you have breath in …

Sharing your faith can be scary and intimidating, but for some it can be life-threatening. I'm troubled by how casual and complacent I can be in my faith, and I'm challenged when I see the faith of believers who live under threats, who live through violent assaults, legal attacks, and false imprisonment. Even more, I'm inspired by their compassion …

Church. That word means so many different things and brings so many different feelings. And so often, we get it wrong. In our humanity, at least in some measure, we always get it wrong. What does it really mean? What should it mean to us? How can we do our part to make it better, more meaningful, more impactful? One thing I know. We can't do it alo…

This is our 122nd episode and the story stays the same and ever changes. Our God's mercies are the same and never-failing yet they are new every morning. The day after Jesus fed thousands and walked on water, the people asked him for a sign. Wow! I picture a meme, a face-palm emoji, someone holding a sign that reads, "You had ONE JOB." Jesus basica…

Sometimes God speaks to your heart when you need him most. I was restless and not sleeping due to self-doubt. When I finally surrendered to opening my eyes and giving up on sleep. I clicked on the verse of the day and read, "You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord …

Join us for a quick dive into Isaiah Chapter 40. Got a problem? God is bigger our problems. Isaiah says that the nations are like a drop in the bucket in God's eyes. So many of the things we consider important pale when we think of what's important to God. What is important to God? You are. How do we know? He sent His Son to die for us. He is more …

Someone asked that question saying, "We talk about the dead and say 'Rest in peace.' Why can't we live in peace?" It's a great question because we all want peace. Even those who wage war want to live in peace themselves. They don't want war to come into their homes or communities. Everyone is looking for peace. In this episode, we talking about fin…

Jesus rebuked no one more severely than the religious leaders. Why? Because they lived as though they didn't need God. Their idea of right living came from following the rules as they defined them. They elevated themselves and looked down on everyone else. Jesus, on the other hand, humbled himself and became the servant of all. "He who would be gre…

Jack and John interview a dear friend who's husband passed five years ago. Her faith and hope in Christ have carried her through her grief, and she has learned to hold on to memories with joy that is greater than her sorrow. It started with making teddy bears for each of her grandchildren using her husband's old T-shirts. She has shared that gift w…

A large part of following Christ is leading others in following him as well. Reggie Epps devoted his life to ministry. He was a senior pastor for more than 30 years and in youth ministry before that. In those four decades, he lead thousands of people to Christ and raised them up in Christ. In this episode, Jack and John remember him and the legacy …

What is worship? Whom or what do we worship? WHY do we worship? HOW do we worship? Before we worship, we need a reason. Imagine you're drowning, and you lose consciousness and sink into the cold murky water. You awaken days later warm, dry, and comfortable, listening to the steady beeping of a heart monitor that is telling everyone around that you'…

How do you find satisfaction in life? How do you find life? Would you start by reading Leviticus? That's a book I used to read if I was having trouble falling asleep. But there is life in that book. Jack and John unpack some beautiful truths from Leviticus and Romans. Huge thanks to Mike Bridgewater our engineer, JD Miller our musical wizard, and M…

In the midst of "cancel culture" how do we create a healthy culture. Jesus calls his disciples the salt of the earth and the light of the world. He became one of us in a dark time in Jewish history. He was born into Roman-occupied Judea, a land that longed for peace and freedom. He grew up among people who longed for a leader to strike a blow again…

One of the toughest things is love. It's hard sometimes to love people. And of course, Jesus is our best example because God is love, right? In Matthew, he says to his disciples, “Don't let your love grow cold. In the last days, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will receive a crown of life.” Jesus demonstrated his …

"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has imagined what the God has prepared for those who love him." 1 Corinthians 2:9 "Now to him who is able to who is able to do more than we could ever ask or imagine according to his power working within us, to him be the glory in the church and in Jesus Christ throughout all generations forever and ever.…

What if everyone was kind? What if everyone was trustworthy? What if everyone regarded everyone else as important? What if... Fill in the blank. The list is never-ending. So is the answer. Jesus is the answer. Sounds ridiculous. Sounds simplistic. Well, it is, and it is. It was so ridiculous that no one understood. They couldn't confuse him. They c…

Jesus spent at least three years with his disciples. Three times we read about him telling them what's going to happen to him. As he approaches Jerusalem before the Passover, he tells them he is going to be betrayed, handed over to the chief priests, tried, convicted, and murdered. And he goes on to tell them he would rise from the dead. They still…

Where do you find Jesus? Where do you serve Jesus? Visit Jesus? Jack and John interview the Indiana Field Director of Prison Fellowship and discuss a recent Hope Event from the Madison Correctional Facility. Huge thanks to Mike Bridgewater our engineer, JD Miller our musical wizard, and Mt Gilead Church our home to record. Thank YOU for listening. …

Life isn't easy. It's a series of challenges, but we are not alone. We have the presence of our savior in our hearts and all around us. He gives us the strength, the desire, the motivation, and the hope to press on. Huge thanks to Mike Bridgewater our engineer, JD Miller our musical wizard, and Mt Gilead Church our home to record. Thank YOU for lis…

Jack pours out his heart in humble honesty. We are called to love. It ain't always easy. It doesn't always come naturally, but if we look to Jesus and understand even a tiny bit of how much he loves us, then love becomes our new nature. Look to him and begin to think with his mind. Love as he loves. Huge thanks to Mike Bridgewater our engineer, JD …

Ann Coker is a dear friend. She married her husband Bill when she was still a teen, and they've been married 65 years. Bill was a pastor most of their shared life. He never considered his words particularly special, though many others did, including his wife. She and others asked him why he didn't want to convert his sermons into books, and he said…

There's a lot of talk about deconstruction. What is it? What does it mean? How should we respond? Jack and John certainly don't have all the answers? They don't even know all the questions? But they firmly believe Jesus is the answer and our source for hope, love, and a forever future. Thanks for joining us. Huge thanks to Mike Bridgewater our engi…

So many things try to steal our joy. Jesus is the source of our joy. Jack and John share their experiences and the power of living in the joy of the Lord. Huge thanks to Mike Bridgewater our engineer, JD Miller our musical wizard, and Mt Gilead Church our home to record. Thank YOU for listening. We pray our efforts help you focus on Jesus the autho…

Jack and John review their favorite moments from the first two years of the podcast. Huge thanks to Mike Bridgewater our engineer, JD Miller our musical wizard, and Mt Gilead Church our home to record. Thank YOU for listening. We pray our efforts help you focus on Jesus the author, editor, and publisher of everything worth believing in. jackandjohn…

Jack and John discuss their favorite moments of the past two years from the podcast. Huge thanks to Mike Bridgewater our engineer, JD Miller our musical wizard, and Mt Gilead Church our home to record. Thank YOU for listening. We pray our efforts help you focus on Jesus the author, editor, and publisher of everything worth believing in. jackandjohn…

It's hard to believe this is our 100th episode. Thank you for joining us on this journey. There are so many distractions that steal our attention. Our goal has always been to encourage you to keep your focus on Christ. To further our mission, we welcome Gary Johnson this week. Gary is an elder at the Creek. Before becoming an elder, he had been the…

The agreement God has made with us is similar to a last will and testament. He gives us everything, and the will isn't executed until the testator (the one who makes the will) dies. And in the case of our relationship with God, the added twist is that the giver of our testament not only died to give us our inheritance but has offered us the inherit…

One of the common complaints about the Bible is that it's hard to understand because it's got so many big words, and it was written a long time ago. All true, but we are not alone. God has given us the gift of his spirit to lead us deeper into his truth, and he has given us each other. Join us as Jack and John discuss more big Bible words. Huge tha…

If you can say propitiation and know what it means, good for you. We have no budget for prizes, but your reward is in heaven. These big words are tough, but we are so thankful they are there, and we're thankful for what they mean. Jesus is the propitiation for our sins. He stood in our place, took the penalty of a brutal death for us. He became sin…

Sometimes reading the Bible can be overwhelming, and big words can make it difficult to understand, especially with some older translations. Jack and John tackle some of the Bible's big words like propitiation and sanctification. Their hope is to deepen our understanding of those words and to help us appreciate why they are important. Huge thanks t…

Julia Renee is the worship leader at Trader's Point Christian Church: North Campus in Carmel, Indiana. She is also John's daughter. Julia has a heart for God and a passion for worship. Listen as she opens her heart and speaks her thoughts about Jesus, his church, and what it means to worship him. Huge thanks to Mike Bridgewater our engineer, JD Mil…

Dr. John Caldwell has been in ministry for the better part of six decades. Even in his retirement from full-time ministry, he continues to preach most weekends. He has been a long-time inspiration to Jack and John, and he is a most-welcome guest. He began his ministry at Kingsway Christian Church with a message about Jesus, and he completed his min…

Jack and John interview a long-time friend, JD Miller. JD is a song writer, producer, Grammy award winner, and so much more. He is a musical wizard with a story too big to tell. Huge thanks to Mike Bridgewater our engineer, JD Miller our musical wizard, and Mt Gilead Church our home to record. Thank YOU for listening. We pray our efforts help you f…

Happy New Year! This is a special episode with John and our good friend and engineer, Mike Bridgewater. Listen as Mike and John discuss setting goals as we head into the new year. Huge thanks to Mike Bridgewater our engineer, JD Miller our musical wizard, and Mt Gilead Church our home to record. Thank YOU for listening. We pray our efforts help you…

It's that time of year. The songs. The lights. Our favorite Christmas movies. Parties with family and friends. Presents. We all have our favorite memories of Christmas and hopes and dreams of Christmases to come. Our greatest hope was born in a cave near Bethlehem. The king of kings, unheralded except to humble shepherds. He had no court to welcome…

Nothing in all of human history compares to the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. Our creator became one of us, lived among us, loved everyone he met, and changed the world with his words and his miracles. But none of his miracles changed the world for everyone like the miracle of raising from the dead. Watch and listen as Jack and John discuss …

The story seems to take a dark turn. Hope seems to wane. Judas betrays Jesus. Jesus is arrested. The disciples scatter. And Peter denies knowing Jesus three times. But hope never dies. And the light remains even in the deepest darkness. As we read about Jesus approaching trial and resurrection, we know the outcome. We know that death could not hold…

Jack and John discuss Jesus on the cross. The crucifixion is truly the central focus of human history. Jesus's death on the cross was the final and ultimate sacrifice. He spilled his own blood to cover our sins once and for all. Huge thanks to Mike Bridgewater our engineer, JD Miller our musical wizard, and Mt Gilead Church our home to record. Than…

Jack and John discuss the hours leading up to the crucifixion of Jesus. Huge thanks to Mike Bridgewater our engineer, JD Miller our musical wizard, and Mt Gilead Church our home to record. Thank YOU for listening. We pray our efforts help you focus on Jesus the author, editor, and publisher of everything worth believing in. jackandjohnpodcast.com F…

Where do we even begin to give thanks to our creator, our sustainer, the one who loves us and provides everything we need? Our challenge today is to pause and reflect on all that God has done for us. How much he loves us. How his love in us changes us, stretches us, and moves us to love others. Today and every day, let us give thanks to the author …

Jesus is nearing his arrest and trial. Jack and John contrast the love of the woman who anoints Jesus with her tears and extravagant perfume with the hate of his enemies, including his own disciple, Judas. Huge thanks to Mike Bridgewater our engineer, JD Miller our musical wizard, and Mt Gilead Church our home to record. Thank YOU for listening. We…

Jack and John ask the question, "What really matters?" Jesus walks outside of Jerusalem with his disciples and tells them the temple will be destroyed and prophesies about the coming troubles for Jerusalem and his disciples. He teaches us that the things of this world are temporal, but his kingdom is everlasting. Huge thanks to Mike Bridgewater our…

Jesus in the temple. Jesus schools the Pharisees and establishes himself as the authority in their presence and before the people. Huge thanks to Mike Bridgewater our engineer, JD Miller our musical wizard, and Mt Gilead Church our home to record. Thank YOU for listening. We pray our efforts help you focus on Jesus the author, editor, and publisher…

Join Jack and John on their journey through the gospel of Mark. Huge thanks to Mike Bridgewater our engineer, JD Miller our musical wizard, and Mt Gilead Church our home to record. Thank YOU for listening. We pray our efforts help you focus on Jesus the author, editor, and publisher of everything worth believing in. jackandjohnpodcast.com Facebook …

Jack and John continue their journey through the book of Mark. It seems the followers of Jesus continually find ways to focus on themselves and their worries. It was true during Jesus's ministry, and it's still true today. Jack and John explore the fumbles and foibles of the disciples and try to learn from their mistakes while they embrace their ow…

Jack and John continue their journey through the gospel of Mark. For more on the triumphal entry, we recommend listening to episode 54. Thanks for listening. Please share this message with someone today. Special thanks to Mike Bridgewater our behind the scenes guru, JD Miller our music man, and Mt. Gilead Church who provides our space to record. We…

Jack and John continue their journey through the gospel of Mark. Thanks for listening. Please share this message with someone today. Special thanks to Mike Bridgewater our behind the scenes guru, JD Miller our music man, and Mt. Gilead Church who provides our space to record. We would love to address questions or topics you think will help our list…