Steve Carter chops it up with his best friend Tommy Nixon一CEO of the Urban Youth Workers Institute一about how to reach the next generation for Christ. Tommy unpacks 20+ years of urban ministry, including: What to do about the 1.2 million young people leaving the church every year How to communicate effectively to a church that’s increasingly young, urban, and multiethnic The two key ingredients for communicating to urban youth Why suffering must shape our lives and message How to use humor to connect with your audience, deliver hard truths, and show humility Why honest feedback is crucial for your soul Tommy’s voice is punchy and prophetic, courageous and catalytic. This episode will equip you to love your neighbor and communicate the gospel like never before.EPISODE LINKSWebsite: www.tommynixon.orgUrban Youth Worker Institute: uywi.orgTommy’s Church: www.onelifecitychurch.orgWhere Tommy got his stats: www.greatopportunity.org@tommyuywi@uywi@onelifecitychurch@steveryancarter@craft_character Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Every communicator must decide: Am I going to be the person pretending I don’t have flaws, or am I going to be someone with something to say?For Michele Cushatt一author, speaker, and communication coach一three bouts with tongue cancer, which left her with only two-thirds of her tongue and a permanent lisp, have taught her it’s the foundation of her life, not a polished facade, that makes her a transformative communicator.Michele’s conversation with Steve Carter explores the unwanted pain life inevitably brings and the healing work God does in the midst of it. Drawing from her own story, vulnerable about her own weakness, Michele usher us onto the holy ground between despair and denial一where we can lament, rejoice, and speak with conviction that only comes from abiding in Jesus.How can you build a stronger faith foundation? Pick up a copy of her book, A Faith That Will Not Fail, which unpacks ten simple practices to connect you with God.EPISODE LINKSMichele’s books: A Faith That Will Not Fail, Relentless, I Am, UndoneWebsite: https://michelecushatt.com@michelecushatt@steveryancarter@craft_character Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nick Benoit and Paul Johnson, the creative director and executive director of Bravingbird respectively, discuss the power of storytelling in churches and organizations. They emphasize how storytelling makes room for overlooked artists and moves truth from head to heart. They also explore the impact of storytelling in church services and highlight the themes in their collection of 11 stories. Listeners can learn how to access and download pieces from Bravingbird's website and discover the film Tracy for sermon incorporation.

Sex is designed by God to be a gift, but tragically, it’s horribly misused to objectify women一not only in the world at-large一but also in the church. In this episode, Sheila Wray Gregoire, author of The Great Sex Rescue, She Deserves Better, and The Good Girl’s Guide to Great Sex, explains some heartbreaking trends in evangelicalism: Why sex has become about male entitlement and female obligation, rather than an mutual expression of intimacy and pleasure How gender stereotypes about sexual drive and wiring have damaged women What many of the prominent evangelical books and curriculums about sex get terribly wrong (and the cost of those mistakes) Based on years of extensive research, Sheila also explains to Steve Carter how the church can recover from the blunders of purity culture: How the church can talk about sex in a healthy way Tips for pastors offering premarital counseling Advice for honeymooning couples who feel crippled by pressure to perform on their first night together Five essentials to help align a couple’s libido in a way that’s considerate, not manipulative God’s heart for us, sex included, is to find healing and wholeness. So listen well. Learn. Pray that God’s Spirit will transform the broken perceptions and practices we subconsciously (or intentionally) embody. It’s only when we recognize (and repent of) what’s marred and broken that we can savor what’s beautiful.EPISODE LINKSSheila’s books: The Great Sex Rescue, She Deserves Better, The Good Girl’s Guide to Great SexHer ministry: Bare MarriageWebsite: https://sheilawraygregoire.com@sheilagregoire@steveryancarter@craft_character Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Andrew Arndt had an airtight plan for his life: keep preaching at the same church as lead pastor until his final breath. But when God led him out of his small, artsy community into a megachurch, while grateful for his new assignment, he found himself disoriented and mourning the loss of his former role.That’s when a friend recommended, “You should read the Desert Fathers and Mothers.” So he did, and it changed everything.The Desert fathers show us that in the midst of disorientation is an invitation一not to suppress what’s inside, but to welcome God into it. Andrew explains to Steve Carter some of his key learnings, which will help anyone struggling through a disorienting season: How simple gratitude reconnects us to God Why embracing the mystery of God frees us from ego-driven expectations How to preach deeply and supplant the superficiality of our age How to replace perfunctory preaching with Scripture-sparked fire Many of us long to benefit from the wisdom of the Desert Fathers, but aren’t sure where to begin. This episode, along with Andrew’s book, Streams in the Wasteland, will plunge you into their world. Chances are, like Andrew, you’ll never be the same.EPISODE LINKSAndrew’s book: Streams in the Wasteland, All FlameThe book he read about the Desert Fathers/Mothers: Sayings of the Desert FathersWebsite: https://andrewarndt.comChurch: https://north.newlifechurch.org@theandrewarndt@steveryancarter@craft_character Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Every time James Forsyth preaches, his goal is to set hearts ablaze一like Jesus in Luke 24, when he opened the scriptures with his disciples and their “hearts burned within them.” As the senior pastor at Cedar Springs Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, TN, James is not interested in conjuring a response in himself or his people but wants to genuinely encounter the living God through Scripture. In this episode, James explains some of his best preaching practices一from prep to delivery一with Steve Carter: ●     How and why to schedule your preaching calendar for the whole year●     How to use your theological chops without getting too technical in the pulpit●     How to preach with clarity so people can follow you ●     Why the last 10% of message prep makes all the difference●     Why preaching is just as formative for the preacher as it is for the congregation  EPISODE LINKS James’ podcast: Live DeeplyChurch: Cedar Springs Presbyterian@jameswforsyth@steveryancarter@craft_character Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Prayer is the one thing we know we’re supposed to do, but often the thing we don’t know how to do一or if we’re 100% honest一the thing we don’t always want to do.In this episode, Steve Carter talks with Addison Bevere, who’s forthcoming book Words with God tackles questions like: How should we pray? Why isn’t God answering? Why do other Christians seem to hear from God daily, while we experience silence?Drawing from the prayers of Jesus himself, he also offers practical pointers: our prayers should be specific, steadfast, and surrendered. And yet, Addison reminds us that prayer is not a formula, but rather an invitation to wrestle with the God who loves us. This conversation will equip and encourage you to seek God in new ways, trusting that he is for you.EPISODE LINKSAddison’s new book: Words with God: Trading Boring, Empty Prayer for Real ConnectionOther books: Saints: Becoming More Than “Christians”Website: addisonbevere.com@addisonbevere@steveryancarter@craft_character Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Knowledge often produces hubris, not humility, which is why Joel Muddamalle is such a refreshing theological voice. As the Director of Theology and Research for Proverbs 31 Ministries, and a preaching pastor at Transformation Church in South Carolina, his passion is to show how theology can be lived out in everyday life.With grandparents who were missionaries in India, and parents who immigrated to the U.S., Joel grew up learning how to toggle between two social-ethnic worlds. He masterfully brings this cultural sensitivity to the Bible一a Book which feels foreign to many people一and helps translate the ancient world of Scripture into modern terms people can understand and apply.Joel was part of a feedback forum for Steve Carter’s most recent book, The Thing Beneath the Thing, where they discovered a mutual love for Scripture and communication. In this episode, they chop it up about how to responsibly approach historical context in a passage, balancing confidence with humility, and why it’s important to surround yourself with people who know and love you apart from any platform or achievement.EPISODE LINKSWebsite: https://muddamalle.comChurch: https://transformationchurch.tcProverbs 31 Ministries: https://proverbs31.org@muddamalle@steveryancarter@craft_character Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Back by popular demand, author and therapist Aundi Kolber shares about her forthcoming book, Strong Like Water. This book debunks stoic, soul-depleting platitudes like “No pain, no gain,” instead showing that healing from trauma is only possible through freedom, safety, and compassion.Aundi masterfully integrates psychology, neurology, and theology, and explains to Steve Carter three categories of strength: situational, transitional, and integrated. Steve and Aundi also reflect on how Jesus dignified pain一and entered into it himself一rather than denying it. If God himself engaged with the full spectrum of human emotion, as the church we must follow his example.Whether navigating your own trauma, or as someone who longs to love people more deeply, Aundi is a seasoned guide who offers brilliant insights, along with practical resources and rhythms to implement in everyday life.EPISODE LINKSAundi’s new book: Strong Like WaterOther books: Try SofterWebsite: aundikolber.com@aundikolber@steveryancarter@craft_character Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

UPDATE: Audio has been updated from the previous version. So, if you were only able to listen to the first 7 minutes, now you can hear the entire episode.For Ricky Jenkins, lead pastor at Southwest Church in Indian Wells, CA, preaching is “an exchange between heaven and earth.”He explains how diligent prep overlaps with sensitivity to the Spirit during the sermon一just as jazz music riffs freely while still submitting to the key to a song. Growing up in the black church taught him how to lean into the text while also leaning into the room. Like Paul, Ricky strives to not only share the gospel with his people, but also his very life (1 Thess. 2:8).As a fourth-generation pastor, Ricky explains to Steve Carter the importance of leaving a spiritual legacy for your children一not a legacy built on likes, livestream stats, or church size一but one of simple, consistent fidelity to God’s Word over decades.At the end of his race, Ricky hopes to hand his children a Bible saying, “Here you go. I’ve kept it intact. Your turn.”Also, check out a special worship song: "Imagine" by Carrington Gaines. May this song bless you, as we eagerly anticipate Easter.EPISODE LINKSChurch: Southwest Church@rickyjenkins@steveryancarter@craft_character Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices