Essential Church Podcast

In this episode, Andrew sits down with pastors Brady Boyd and Daniel Grothe to discuss the exciting launch of the New Life Network of Churches.

In this episode, Andrew sits down with Gary Abbot and Laurel Schumacher of Vital Church Ministries to talk about how churches can successfully navigate crisis. Find out more about Vital Church at discuss how churches can successfully navigate crisesvitalchurchministry.org

Andrew is joined by special guest Sam Jolman on this episode. Sam is a professional therapist with over twenty years of experience. He specializes in men's issues and sexual trauma recovery. Sam provides both context for the new book he is releasing, as well as how his own story of sexuality — both the beauty and the baggage that come along with it (03:22). Sam and Andrew go on to discuss the nuances of discerning beauty and lust, what it means to be moved by others without it becoming deviant, along with directing the thanks of such beauty to the One who has formed it (17:32). The remainder of the episode focuses in on the shame that so frequently haunts men and their sexuality (24:25). Guest: Sam Jolman Host: Andrew Arndt Links: Sam’s new book, The Sex Talk You Never Got: Reclaiming the Heart of Masculine Sexuality — https://www.amazon.com/Sex-Talk-You-Never-Got/dp/1400243904/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&dib_tag=se&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.-HuPuGNuuyOim-KdjXsTn-dvfZHG7bCIyqOpFUojisI.C-A-R_e5Ll8ddqzCCV44vsFzRPyEZFLkr_JECkA3_HE&qid=1718931908&sr=8-2

In this episode, Andrew and Jordan Lewis sit down to talk with author and pastor Mandy Smith about her new book Amateur Saints and how God uses us in and through our weaknesses.

In this episode, Brady and Andrew sit down to talk about Brady's newest book "Life-Minded," and the challenge of unity.

On this brief episode of Essential Church, Andrew and Rory sit down with Brit Windel a pastor and church planter from Kenosha, Wisconsin. Brit shares the story of Daybreak Church, a church that is ‘making much of Jesus’ and serving the city. Brit’s story is one of faithfulness, longevity and serving. 

Host: Andrew Arndt 

Co-Host: Rory Green

Guests: Brit Windel

Producer: Briggs Boyd

On this week’s episode Andrew and Daniel are joined by Ken Tanner, Pastor of Church of the Holy Redeemer in Rochester Hills, Michigan. Ken takes the time to wade through his own story of life and maturity, as well as the complexities of living a life devoted to ministry(2:30). Much of Ken’s life and ministry is wrapped up in the great journey he took through traditional charismatic church, into the great traditions of the church across history (17:09). The episode wraps with ken sharing three words of prophetic encouragement for the American Church(36:33).

Host: Andrew Arndt

Co-Host: Daniel Grothe

Guests: Ken Tanner

Producer: Briggs Boyd

Greg is a former university president and pastor, and Andrew and Daniel start a conversation around how to sustain longevity in ministry (01:18).  The trio lean into a discussion around Sabbath and work, and the reciprocal relationship they hold for pastoral faithfulness (11:05). The pod wraps up with an emphasis on the pastoral relationships we need to carry (29:00. 

Host: Andrew Arndt

Co-Host: Daniel Grothe 

Guests: Greg Waybright

Producer: Briggs Boyd

Andrew and Geoff Holsclaw sit down to discuss how the field of neuroscience and spiritual formation intersect in the life of faith (3:43). Andrew and Geoff go on to discuss how these new fields of combined study can actually help people who are beginning to wrestle with, or even deconstruct their faith (12:45). A rabbit trail about attachment theory and how it potentially relates to our experience of God, round out the episode (30:10).

Host: Andrew Arndt 

Guests: Geoff Holsclaw

Producer: Briggs Boyd

Andrew and special guest, Derek Vreeland have a detailed discussion around Derek’s new book Centering Jesus: How the Lamb of God Transforms Our Communities, Ethics, and Spiritual Lives. One of the core values of Essential Church is that Jesus is at the center, and this is exactly what Derek’s book reveals — from the book of Revelation, the COVID pandemic, and the power of unity (02:22). At the crux of Derek’s book is the metaphor of Jesus as the Lamb of God, and the multitude of ways that metaphor is fleshed out through Jesus’ life (15:34). This conversation lands by discussing how prayer is the ultimate act of seeing Jesus at the center of all things (24:22).

Host: Andrew Arndt

Guests: Derek Vreeland

Producer: Briggs Boyd

Derek Vreeland’s books — https://derekvreeland.com/books/ (https://derekvreeland.com/books/)

On this episode of the Essential Church podcast Andrew Arndt is joined by Pastor Daniel Grothe for a conversation with special guest Frederick Christian Bauerschmidt. The trio ask the all-important question about the nature of prayer (00:50). Andrew then guides the interview towards a breakdown of the Lord’s Prayer and raises the question: is Jesus teaching us to pray backwards (8:00)? Our hosts and guest spend the remainder of the episode having a truly honest and vulnerable discussion around the struggles and tensions of prayer — the distractions, the theological stumbling blocks, and more (18:40)! 

Host: Andrew Arndt

Co-Host: Daniel Grothe

Guests: Frederick Christian Bauerschmidt

Producer: Briggs Boyd 

Essential Church’s Andrew Arndt is joined by Rory Green, Associate Lead Pastor at New Life East to talk all things preaching and teaching ahead of the Essential Church Learning Community on September 19th. (9:49) The duo goes on to discuss the “Five key elements of successful preaching” — Preparation, Presence, Authority, Content, and Creativity. (20:05) Along with conversations around preaching as “show-and-tell”, (29:15) how to move from writing a sermon, to mind mapping one, (43:26) as well as an announcement of a brand new podcast called Preaching Lab. 

Host: Andrew Arndt

Guests: Rory Green

Producer: Briggs Boyd 

In this episode we sit down with Dr. Philip Cary to talk about unbiblical and unhelpful stuff that evangelicals believe and how the gospel liberates us. Grab his book Good News for Anxious Christians.

In this episode (part 2 of 2) we continue our conversation with Pastors Brad Baker and Sarah Jackson to talk about some of the perils and pitfalls of working with a Rule of Life. 

In this episode (part 1 of 2) we sit down with Pastors Brad Baker and Sarah Jackson to talk about what a ‘rule of life’ is, why it matters, and how to develop one.

In this episode we sit down with author and pastor Steve Carter to talk about times of crisis and what it looks like to receive the good gifts of God in them. 

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Cheryl Bridges-Johns, author of Re-enchanting the Text: Discovering the Bible as Sacred, Dangerous, and Mysterious (releases May 16), to talk with her about what it means to read the Bible in the wildness and power of the Spirit.

In this episode we sit down with Sharon and Ike Miller, co-pastors of Bright City Church in Raleigh-Durham, Carolina to talk about life, ministry, and what they’re learning about leading well together.