Ep. 203 - Forbearance

In this episode, hosts Katy and Luke welcome Connor Torrealba, First Baptist Arlington's College Minister, to the studio. Connor recently preached on the topic of patience (or "forbearance," as Dr. Wiles originally titled it), and the conversation digs into what it really looks like to wait well, on God, on circumstances, and on the people around us. Connor shares how he thinks about preaching practically, always asking himself what listeners will actually do with a message on a Tuesday, and reflects on the feedback he received from Sunday's sermon. The group also catches up on Connor's big year: buying his first home, welcoming baby daughter Phoebe in March, biking to work, and navigating the joys of wired smoke alarms going off at midnight. The heart of the conversation turns to what Connor shared with the church staff the morning after his sermon, that First Baptist Arlington is itself in a waiting season, with staff roles to fill and future direction to discern. Connor encourages everyone, staff and congregation alike, to resist cynicism in seasons of waiting, reminding listeners that cynicism is usually a sign we've taken our eyes off Jesus. Drawing from Abraham's story and his own experience between ministry positions, he challenges people to stop waiting for a specific outcome and instead ask what God might be doing in the waiting. The episode closes with prayer requests for multiple summer mission trips, the upcoming college ministry trip to Denver, the Government of Jordan's World Cup events hosted at FBCA, and a faith-filled goal of seeing 20 students come to Christ this fall.