The podcast explores the concept of seeking God and surrendering our desires. They discuss the journey of prayer and discernment for future plans. The importance of joining people on their journeys and aligning with God's plan is highlighted. It also explores the process of finding a new teaching pastor and committing to a church plant for success.
Living with an undistracted pursuit of God leads to unexpected places.
Surrendering our desires to God and seeking His direction impacts all areas of life.
Discerning desires, praying, and embracing discomfort are essential in following God's will.
Deep dives
The Undistracted Pursuit of God
The podcast explores the concept of living with an undistracted pursuit of God, seeking first His kingdom and righteousness. It delves into what it means to truly follow God and the challenges of aligning our lives with His kingdom. The episode emphasizes the importance of understanding what it means to seek God first and the impact it can have on our lives individually and as a community.
Discerning Desires and Surrendering to God
The episode highlights the significance of discerning and understanding our desires and ambitions in the context of seeking God. It explores the misconception of compartmentalizing our desires or trying to convert God to our ambitions. Instead, the episode encourages surrendering our desires and ambitions to God's leading and seeking His direction in all areas of our lives.
Following God's Call in Unexpected Ways
The episode shares the story of Philip from the Book of Acts as an example of following God's call in unexpected ways. It discusses the importance of listening to the Spirit's guidance and being open to new directions and possibilities. The episode also emphasizes the value of discernment, prayer, community, and allowing God to work in and through our desires as we pursue Him.
Discerning desires and the importance of prayer
The episode discusses the process of discerning desires and the role of prayer in decision-making. The speaker shares how they sought guidance from spiritual directors and engaged in a year of prayer to navigate their desires, concerns, and tensions within their marriage. They emphasize the significance of surrendering desires to God and seeking His will, acknowledging the importance of both individual desires and the story God is telling through their lives. The speaker also highlights the need to embrace the discomfort and uncertainty that can arise when discerning God's will.
Leadership transitions and trusting God's plan
The podcast episode addresses the leadership transition within the church. The speaker discusses the process of seeking a new teaching pastor and shares the surprising return of a former pastor, Casey Fritz. They describe the discernment and prayer involved, with God orchestrating the pieces like a Rubik's Cube. The speaker acknowledges the disruptions and complexities that come with such transitions. They emphasize the church's commitment to transparency and following God's plan, even when it deviates from their own expectations. The episode concludes with a focus on supporting the former pastors in their future church planting endeavors and the anticipation of what God will do in the church's future.
As we continue in our series, "Seek First" Pastor Ryan Smith looks at the story of Philip in Acts 8 and the surprising places a purposeful pursuit of God can lead us.
Get the Snipd podcast app
Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode
Save any moment
Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways
Share & Export
Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode