John Meador, lead pastor and author, discusses his new book 'God's Not Done With You.' He shares personal stories of adversity and the transformative power of challenges. The podcast explores biblical characters and their struggles, highlighting the importance of faith, redemption, and confession. Meador also reflects on his journey with alpha-gal disease and finding compassion for those with chronic conditions.
Challenges in our lives can be used by God to shape and grow us.
Listening to God's guidance and embracing His plan, even when it seems unlikely or challenging, is essential for discovering our calling.
Deep dives
The Power of Challenges in Shaping Us
The podcast episode discusses how challenges, struggles, and adversities in our lives can be used by God to shape us and grow us. The guest, John Mater, shares his personal struggle with deafness and how it shaped him as a pastor. He emphasizes that God often uses challenges to mature and prepare us for His purposes. Mater's own story and the examples of biblical characters like Joseph and Moses demonstrate how going through trials can lead to personal growth and a deeper reliance on God.
Discovering Your Purpose in the Midst of Challenges
John Mater shares his journey of discovering his calling to ministry despite initially feeling inadequate due to his deafness. He recounts how he resisted the idea of being a pastor, wanting to pursue a career in coaching instead. However, through reading scripture and God's persistent voice, Mater realized that he needed to surrender his plans and trust God's calling. This story highlights the importance of listening to God's guidance and embracing His plan even when it seems unlikely or challenging.
The Stories of Biblical Characters as Comeback Stories
The podcast explores how the stories of biblical characters like Joseph, Peter, David, and others are comeback stories that offer hope and inspiration. Mater discusses how these characters faced setbacks, failures, and disillusionment but experienced redemption and restoration through their encounters with God. Their stories demonstrate that God can use even our biggest mistakes or failures for good, ultimately working in us to conform us to the image of Christ.
Finding Hope in Comeback Stories
The podcast episode concludes by emphasizing that God is not done with us and that comeback stories are still happening today. Mater encourages listeners by reminding them of God's faithfulness and the countless examples of redemption throughout the Bible and in his own pastoral experience. He assures people facing discouragement, disillusionment, or difficult circumstances that God is at work, shaping them and offering hope for a brighter future. The episode encourages listeners to trust in God's plan and to embrace the process of becoming more like Christ through their challenges.
John Meador has served as a lead pastor for 40 years, most recently at Cross City Church, in Euless, Texas since 2006. The church is intergenerational and multi-ethnic.
He and His wife Kim have been married for 44 years and are the grateful parents of six grown children. John loves sports—and enjoys working on and driving around in his old Ford truck.
He joins me to talk about his new book, God’s Not Done With You: Encouragement from the Bible’s Greatest Comeback Stories.