Welcome to Season Three! This short episode introduces the theme of the season, which is "How To..." and asks you, the listener, what topics should be covered. Chapters:  00:00 - Welcome to Season Three  02:08 - Send In Your Questions Thanks for listening!  Questions or comments? Say something:  Email: matthew@finchwood.media  YouTube: @FinchwoodDiscipleshipPodcast  Website formerly known as Twitter: @Mr_Finchwood   All other socials: @FinchwoodPodcast  Please consider supporting us via Patreon. Opening and closing music excerpted from A Long Cold - Riot (CC)

Prayer is the kind of thing that sounds like it should be very simple and easy, yet it doesn't always turn out that way. This in-depth look at both what prayer is and how to do it has something for everyone; whether you're a brand new Christian or a seasoned believer, take some time this week to get to know God better, starting with this episode!   Chapters:  00:00 - What is Prayer?  02:26 - A Relationship  04:39 - More than a Conversation  07:26 - Talking to God  09:06 - Examples to Follow  11:20 - Methods and Models  14:39 - Making Requests  18:01 - God Responds  22:17 - Speaking in Tongues  24:31 - Additional Thoughts and Resources  "God's there, listening for all who pray, for all who pray and mean it." Psalms 145:18 (The Message) "Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done." Philippians 4:6 (NLT)  "Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." Hebrews 4:16 (NIV)  See also: How to Pray: A Simple Guide for Normal People by Pete Greig (ISBN: 978-1641581882) Thanks for listening!  Questions or comments? Say something:  Email: matthew@finchwood.media  YouTube: @FinchwoodDiscipleshipPodcast  Website formerly known as Twitter: @Mr_Finchwood   All other socials: @FinchwoodPodcast  Please consider supporting us via Patreon. Opening and closing music excerpted from A Long Cold - Riot (CC)

Other than prayer, the Bible is perhaps the greatest resource we have when it comes to growing in our faith and following Jesus. In this episode, we take a look at why reading the Bible is so important, how to not beat yourself up about it, and some strategies that will help us read it both consistently and fruitfully.  Chapters:  00:00 - Motivation = Transformation 03:13 - Eating Spiritual Food  05:46 - Resolutions and Guilt Trips 07:58 - Establishing Sustainable Habits 10:27 - The Skill of Reading Well 13:09 - Seven Principles for Biblical Interpretation  19:47 - Conclusion   "All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NLT) Thanks for listening!  Questions or comments? Say something:  Email: matthew@finchwood.media  YouTube: @FinchwoodDiscipleshipPodcast  Website formerly known as Twitter: @Mr_Finchwood   All other socials: @FinchwoodPodcast  Please consider supporting us via Patreon. Opening and closing music excerpted from A Long Cold - Riot (CC)

Like it or not, we're not designed to be "Lone Wolf" Christians. God made us for community, and existing in fellowship with other people is an integral part of following Jesus... but finding the right church is hard work. This episode breaks down many of the factors that go into choosing a community of faith, and how to make yourself a part of it.  Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction  01:07 - The Lone Wolf Myth  03:27 - Selected Scriptural Support  06:48 - The Church is Many Churches  08:48 - Unity in Diversity  13:35 - Healthy and Unhealthy Churches  18:39 - Becoming a Member  24:09 - When it's Time to Leave  28:36 - Conclusion  "Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another!" Hebrews 10:24-25a (NIV)  Thanks for listening!  Questions or comments? Say something:  Email: matthew@finchwood.media  YouTube: @FinchwoodDiscipleshipPodcast  Website formerly known as Twitter: @Mr_Finchwood   All other socials: @FinchwoodPodcast  Please consider supporting us via Patreon. Opening and closing music excerpted from A Long Cold - Riot (CC)

We Christians talk a lot about worship, but when we stop and think about it... we really don't think much about what worship is... let alone how to actually do it. This episode explores this essential, but not well understood, aspect of the Christian life. So often our worship simply consists of a sing-along that we participate in once a week, but worship is supposed to be far more than that. It's a life we live, not only a song we sing. Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction  01:49 - What is Worship?  04:26 - Many Forms of Worship  08:07 - Acceptable Sacrifices Unto God  12:48 - About Norms and Regulations  "Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship." Romans 12:1 (NASB) Thanks for listening!  Questions or comments? Say something:  Email: matthew@finchwood.media  YouTube: @FinchwoodDiscipleshipPodcast  Website formerly known as Twitter: @Mr_Finchwood   All other socials: @FinchwoodPodcast  Please consider supporting us via Patreon. Opening and closing music excerpted from A Long Cold - Riot (CC)

This is a follow-up to a previous discussion in which we took a look at how to join a church. At least one listener still had questions about the church-search process after hearing that episode, so this is a closer look at the actual process of selecting a church that you can call your spiritual home for the foreseeable future. A brief discussion about dress codes, as well as a bit about the possibility of starting your own church, are also included.  Chapters: 00:00 - Michael's Question  01:53 - Principles to Search By  08:56 - Selected Approaches to the Process  15:20 - What to Wear  16:42 - Starting Your Own Church  Jesus said, "where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.” Matthew 18:20 (NLT) Thanks for listening!  Questions or comments? Say something:  Email: matthew@finchwood.media  YouTube: @FinchwoodDiscipleshipPodcast  Website formerly known as Twitter: @Mr_Finchwood   All other socials: @FinchwoodPodcast  Please consider supporting us via Patreon. Opening and closing music excerpted from A Long Cold - Riot (CC)

The Bible says that all have sinned, so it's not like it's a big secret that we all struggle with things. But what can we do about that? This episode looks at the key to receiving not only forgiveness, but actual, lasting freedom from sin. The keywords are repentance and confession, but they might not mean what you think they mean... Chapters: 00:00 - Review: What is Sin?  04:04 - Our Need for Forgiveness  07:23 - Receiving God's Mercy  10:52 - The True Meaning(s) of Repentance  12:48 - Avoiding Sin in the Future  "Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen." Jude 1:24-25 (ESV) Thanks for listening!  Questions or comments? Say something:  Email: matthew@finchwood.media  YouTube: @FinchwoodDiscipleshipPodcast  Website formerly known as Twitter: @Mr_Finchwood   All other socials: @FinchwoodPodcast  Please consider supporting us via Patreon. Opening and closing music excerpted from A Long Cold - Riot (CC)

Continuing the discussion from the previous episode, how should we respond to sin in others? In a word, the answer to that question is "mercy." This episode covers topics surrounding the forgiveness we can offer to people who sin against us, from the reasons why forgiveness is so important, to practical advice for how to walk through that process in real life. Chapters: 00:00 - Review: God's Mercy  02:36 - Q&A: The Unforgivable Sin  05:22 - Q&A: Can You Lose Your Salvation?  07:32 - Forgive Us as We Forgive  10:21 - The Desire For Revenge  13:01 - How to Forgive Others  15:09 - The Internal Battle  19:13 - Offering Forgiveness through Confession "Yes, if you forgive others for their sins, your Father in heaven will also forgive you for your sins. But if you don't forgive others, your Father in heaven will not forgive your sins." Matthew 6:14-15 (NCV) "If we say openly that we have done wrong, he is upright and true to his word, giving us forgiveness of sins and making us clean from all evil. If we say that we have no sin, we make him false and his word is not in us." 1 John 1:9-10 (BBE)  Thanks for listening!  Questions or comments? Say something:  Email: matthew@finchwood.media  YouTube: @FinchwoodDiscipleshipPodcast  Website formerly known as Twitter: @Mr_Finchwood   All other socials: @FinchwoodPodcast  Please consider supporting us via Patreon. Opening and closing music excerpted from A Long Cold - Riot (CC)

Finally, we've arrived at the big question: what do we do when people around us are caught up in sin? Do we keep our mouths shut? What authority do we have to correct them, and how would we go about doing that? In this 30th episode of the Finchwood Podcast, we take a close look at the Biblical guidelines for confronting other people's sins. Chapters: 00:00 - Review of Episodes 7 & 8  03:39 - What is "A" Sin?  07:48 - Judge Not...  11:37 - Correcting a Fellow Christian  16:05 - About Church Leadership 17:28 - We're Not the World's Morality Police 21:36 - Exceptions and Special Circumstances   "My friends, you are spiritual. So if someone is trapped in sin, you should gently lead that person back to the right path. But watch out, and don't be tempted yourself. You obey the law of Christ when you offer each other a helping hand. If you think you are better than others, when you really aren't, you are wrong." Galatians 6:1-3 (CEV)

In the context of modern Christianity, fasting is something we don't really talk about much, and unfortunately we do it even less. To put it bluntly, we're missing out. This ancient, largely forgotten habit has transformed countless generations of Christians, and it can transform us too by tenderizing and sensitizing our hearts to what God is doing to transform us. Chapters: 00:00 - Tell a Friend about Finchwood 00:56 - Introduction to Fasting 05:40 - What Fasting Is and Isn't 14:12 - Motives are Everything  21:55 - Real Life Advice 26:29 - All Things in Moderation "Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; the one who comes to Me will not be hungry, and the one who believes in Me will never be thirsty." John 6:35 (NASB) Thanks for listening!  Questions or comments? Say something:  Email: matthew@finchwood.media  YouTube: @FinchwoodDiscipleshipPodcast  Website formerly known as Twitter: @Mr_Finchwood   All other socials: @FinchwoodPodcast  Please consider supporting us via Patreon. Opening and closing music excerpted from A Long Cold - Riot (CC)

Let's be honest: time management is something we all struggle with. Some of us are too busy, and some of us feel like maybe we're not busy enough. Time is life, it's money, it's everything. So how we manage it obviously matters to God. In this episode, we look time in the face and ask some very important questions, and then attempt to strike a balance between work and rest, because both are important. Chapters: 00:00 - Review: Opposite Extremes  04:29 - The Problem of Time  08:25 - The Purpose of Good Work  11:39 - Part of a Balanced Diet  17:41 - Finding Your Appetite  20:31 - Agricultural Rhythms  24:19 - Avoiding Burnout "Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." Psalm 90:12 (NIV)  Thanks for listening!  Questions or comments? Say something:  Email: matthew@finchwood.media  YouTube: @FinchwoodDiscipleshipPodcast  Website formerly known as Twitter: @Mr_Finchwood   All other socials: @FinchwoodPodcast  Please consider supporting us via Patreon. Opening and closing music excerpted from A Long Cold - Riot (CC)

In this long-awaited return from the mid-season break, we're talking about finances: what does the Bible really have to say about wealth? Because there's historically been so much misinformation about money in Christian circles, the answers to that question just might surprise you. Give it a listen, and by the way welcome back!  Chapters: 00:00 - Welcome Back!  03:02 - The Love of Money  06:14 - Good Money Management  10:01 - Reasons to Live Generously  13:17 - About Tithing  19:38 - But What About Taxes?  21:44 - What and Where to Give  25:17 - A Common Concern  Remember to check out Amberley with Combined Finances: https://www.combinedfinances.com/  "Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work." 2 Corinthians 9:6-8 (NIV)  Thanks for listening!  Questions or comments? Say something:  Email: matthew@finchwood.media  YouTube: @FinchwoodDiscipleshipPodcast  Website formerly known as Twitter: @Mr_Finchwood   All other socials: @FinchwoodPodcast  Please consider supporting us via Patreon. Opening and closing music excerpted from A Long Cold - Riot (CC)

God made each of us for a unique and wonderful purpose, and He's equipped us to step into those purposes and truly enjoy them. Unfortunately most of us don't know what we're made for! In this episode of the Finchwood Discipleship Podcast, we take a look at the gifts God gives us, along with some practical advice on putting them into practice. Chapters: 00:00 - Gifted to Serve One Another  06:47 - Identifying Your Gifts 15:51 - Putting Your Gifts Into Practice "God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ." 1 Peter 4:10-11a (NLT)  "Well, my brothers and sisters, let’s summarize. When you meet together, one will sing, another will teach, another will tell some special revelation God has given, one will speak in tongues, and another will interpret what is said. But everything that is done must strengthen all of you." 1 Corinthians 14:26 (NLT)  Thanks for listening!  Questions or comments? Say something:  Email: matthew@finchwood.media  YouTube: @FinchwoodDiscipleshipPodcast  Website formerly known as Twitter: @Mr_Finchwood   All other socials: @FinchwoodPodcast  Please consider supporting us via Patreon. Opening and closing music excerpted from A Long Cold - Riot (CC)

This is a short introduction to Season Two, which is called "The Basics." We're starting with the most fundamental parts of what it means to be a Christian. As a reminder, your feedback, questions, and ideas are more than welcome.  P.S. At the time of recording, this episode was the beginning of Season One. However, things have been re-numbered since then.  Chapters: 00:00 - The Basics  00:33 - A Strong Foundation  01:57 - How You Can Help  Thanks for listening!  Questions or comments? Say something:  Email: matthew@finchwood.media  YouTube: @FinchwoodDiscipleshipPodcast  Website formerly known as Twitter: @Mr_Finchwood   All other socials: @FinchwoodPodcast  Please consider supporting us via Patreon. Opening and closing music excerpted from A Long Cold - Riot (CC)

Now that we've decided to follow Jesus, what's the most important thing to keep in mind on the road a head? The answer is love.  Chapters: 00:00 - Purpose before Mission  02:47 - Loving God  04:10 - Being Loved By God  07:12 - Loving Others 10:08  - Conclusion  Thanks for listening!  Questions or comments? Say something:  Email: matthew@finchwood.media  YouTube: @FinchwoodDiscipleshipPodcast  Website formerly known as Twitter: @Mr_Finchwood   All other socials: @FinchwoodPodcast  Please consider supporting us via Patreon. Opening and closing music excerpted from A Long Cold - Riot (CC)

As followers of Jesus, we have a job to do, a mission to accomplish. God has given us all a critically important assignment: to make disciples.  Chapters: 00:00 - Purpose before Mission  01:33 - The Mission: Make Disciples!  03:13 - What is a Disciple?  05:14 - What Would Jesus Do... and Why?  07:57 - The Process  11:43 - Disciples Who Make Disciples  Thanks for listening!  Questions or comments? Say something:  Email: matthew@finchwood.media  YouTube: @FinchwoodDiscipleshipPodcast  Website formerly known as Twitter: @Mr_Finchwood   All other socials: @FinchwoodPodcast  Please consider supporting us via Patreon. Opening and closing music excerpted from A Long Cold - Riot (CC)

As followers of Jesus, we have a secondary mission: to proclaim a message known as "the Gospel" to all creation. But what is the Gospel? What does it entail? This episode delves into that very question.  Chapters: 00:00 - What is the Gospel?  02:32 - Credible Witnesses  04:44 - False and Incomplete Gospels  07:58 - Good News about Jesus  10:07 - Good News about Forgiveness  13:32 - Good News Here and Now  16:05 - Good News about the King  19:04 - Conclusion  Thanks for listening!  Questions or comments? Say something:  Email: matthew@finchwood.media  YouTube: @FinchwoodDiscipleshipPodcast  Website formerly known as Twitter: @Mr_Finchwood   All other socials: @FinchwoodPodcast  Please consider supporting us via Patreon. Opening and closing music excerpted from A Long Cold - Riot (CC)

Community: what is it, and what does the Bible say about it? This episode begins to explore two communities: one that the Bible calls "God," and one it calls "The Church."  Chapters: 00:00 - God is a Community  03:40 - The "Church"  07:24 - About Denominations  10:04 - A Family and a Kingdom  13:43 - The Body of Christ  Thanks for listening!  Questions or comments? Say something:  Email: matthew@finchwood.media  YouTube: @FinchwoodDiscipleshipPodcast  Website formerly known as Twitter: @Mr_Finchwood   All other socials: @FinchwoodPodcast  Please consider supporting us via Patreon. Opening and closing music excerpted from A Long Cold - Riot (CC)

In the previous episode, we talked about how the Church is like a body, with each member playing a different part. In this episode, we’ll get into what those different roles might look like, what the Bible says about them, and how to discover what gifts each of us has received from God.  Chapters: 00:00 – Review: One Body, Many Parts  02:36 – Many Gifts, One Giver  04:52 – Types of Spiritual Gifts  07:19 – Have Some Gifts Disappeared?  08:38 – Identifying Your Gifts  10:22 – Context and Comparison  "God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.” 1 Peter 4:10 (New Living Translation)  Thanks for listening!  Questions or comments? Say something:  Email: matthew@finchwood.media  YouTube: @FinchwoodDiscipleshipPodcast  Website formerly known as Twitter: @Mr_Finchwood   All other socials: @FinchwoodPodcast  Please consider supporting us via Patreon. Opening and closing music excerpted from A Long Cold - Riot (CC)

How are Christians supposed to act? What are the principles that should govern our day to day behavior? This episode starts to explore the answers to those questions, which might be different from what you would think.  Chapters: 00:00 - Lifestyle  02:04 - Lawful vs. Profitable  03:17 - Situational Morality  05:11 - The Litmus Test  09:26 - Spiritual “Disciplines”  11:24 - Vitamins and Minerals  “All things are permitted, but not all things are of benefit. All things are permitted, but not all things build people up.” 1 Corinthians 10:23 (New American Standard Bible)  Thanks for listening!  Questions or comments? Say something:  Email: matthew@finchwood.media  YouTube: @FinchwoodDiscipleshipPodcast  Website formerly known as Twitter: @Mr_Finchwood   All other socials: @FinchwoodPodcast  Please consider supporting us via Patreon. Opening and closing music excerpted from A Long Cold - Riot (CC)