Knowing God With Heart and Mind
by Dan Sinkhorn
Our fundamental goal is ”knowing God.” The essential assumption is that the Bible is God’s message to humanity so that God will be known and loved by God’s Creation. The Bible is sufficient in and of itself, so that thoughtful study of it will lead to ever-increasing intimacy with God. Each week we’ll endeavor to engage Scripture and tradition and to bring them into our present reality. Since I am a working pastor I will use the same sources for this podcast that inform my weekly preaching and teaching duties. These days I am drawing upon the Revised Common Lectionary. This examination of the Word will be based on all but one of the scheduled readings from the RCL, since a podcast of my weekly sermon message covering one of the readings is already posted each week.
Episodes
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When God Speaks
What happens when God finally breaks the silence in the midst of our deepest pain and unanswered questions? In this installment of the When Life Breaks series, Pastor Dan explores Job 38:1–41 and Job 40:1–5, where the Lord answers Job out of the whirlwind. Far from a petty or condescending...
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Where to Find Real Wisdom
In this installment of the "When Life Breaks" series, Pastor Dan examines Job 28 to explore where true wisdom is found when life falls apart. While human intellect, science, and industry have accomplished extraordinary feats, Job reminds us that divine wisdom cannot be mined from the earth or...
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Where Is the Fairness?
In a message focusing on the biblical book of Job, Pastor Dan challenges the traditional religious premise that good behavior guarantees prosperity and suffering is always a punishment for sin. By examining Job’s questions regarding why wicked individuals thrive while the innocent and poor suffer...
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The Invisible Bodyguard
In this message from the "When Life Breaks" series, Pastor Dan delves into Job's profound sense of isolation and his cry for a true advocate. Sitting in the ashes of devastating loss and facing harsh judgment from comfortable friends, Job appeals beyond earthly courts to a heavenly witness. He...
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I Still Hope, Even If It Kills Me
What do you do when life breaks and easy theological formulas no longer fit your reality? In this episode, we dive into Job 13–14 to explore one of the most honest and daring moments in Scripture. Facing immense personal calamity and the rigid accusations of his friends, Job refuses to curse God,...
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When God is Silent
In this message from the series "When Life Breaks," Pastor Dan explores Job Chapter 9 and addresses what to do when God feels silent, distant, or overwhelming. Responding to his friend Bildad’s simplistic claim that suffering is always the result of personal sin, Job acknowledges God’s absolute...
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Presence in the Ashes: Kindness Before Correction
When life breaks, well-meaning words often add a heavy burden to those already in pain. In this message from our When Life Breaks series on the Book of Job, Pastor Dan Sinkhorn explores the dialogue between Job and his friend Eliphaz to uncover a vital truth: kindness must always precede...
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When Life Breaks: Wishing It Would All Just End
In this message Pastor Dan explores the necessity of expressing raw grief and spiritual despair. By drawing parallels between the national mourning of 2001 and the biblical lamentations of Job, Pastor Dan states that vocalizing one's pain is a profound act of faith rather than a sign of weakness....
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When Life Breaks: The Art of Sitting in Silence
This sermon, delivered by Pastor Dan Sinkhorn as part of the series "When Life Breaks: Honest Questions About Pain, Fairness, and Finding Footing," explores the "ministry of presence" and the profound value of quiet companionship in moments of overwhelming grief. Drawing from the Old Testament…
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When Life Breaks: The Day the Music Died
We all have a day when life changes without warning — the sudden 2:00 a.m. phone call, a unexpected medical diagnosis, or a life-altering loss that leaves us wondering what just happened. In those moments, it feels as though the soundtrack of our lives has abruptly stopped. In this foundational...
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Hero Makers: The Discipleship Generating System
In this message Pastor Dan explores the final themes of the "Hero Makers" series, using Matthew 9 and Ephesians 4 to show how the church should move people from passive attendance to active discipleship. It emphasizes Jesus' compassion for the harassed, the need to pray for and raise up equipped...
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Bridge Builders: Becoming God's Means of Grace
In this episode from the "Hero Makers" series, Pastor Dan celebrates recent community outreach—Vacation Bible School, a Back to School Bash, and more—and explains how the church is called to be a means of Gods grace by serving others. Using Luke 10 (the sending of the 72), he urges believers to…
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Freedom in Christ: Living Beyond the Law (Galatians 5)
Pastor Dan discusses Paul’s message about freedom in Galatians 5. He frames Christian freedom as freedom from the old law and freedom to live by the Spirit, not the flesh, producing the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, and self-control. Pastor Dan connects this spiritual liberty to civic...
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Hero Makers: The Power of the Pivot
This message marks the ninth anniversary of Pastor Dan's leadership at Shiloh Church, reflecting on the providential timing of assigned theme for the day. Drawing on the biblical metaphor of new wine and old wineskins, Pastor Dan argues that the congregation must remain flexible and adaptable to...
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Faith Handed Down: A Pastor's Kid on Fathers and Mentors
Bethany, a pastor's kid for 30 years, reflects on Father’s Day and 2 Timothy 2:1–2, showing how faith is passed on through relationships rather than programs. She shares personal lessons learned in the parsonage—empathy, discernment, humor, boundaries, and resilience—and urges believers to invest...
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Growing Bigger by Getting Smaller
This message encourages a return to intimate discipleship by contrasting the modern obsession with megachurch success against the Wesleyan model of small groups. Pastor Dan uses the biblical account of the Road to Emmaus to illustrate how Jesus prioritized personal, transformative encounters over...
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Hero Makers: The Metemorphosis
In this episode, Pastor Dan explores the idea of being "hero makers": people who, shaped by Christ's victory, are called to make disciples rather than seek personal glory. Using Matthew 28, Acts 1, and Romans 12, the message urges listeners to undergo a slow, daily transformation—renewing their...
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Hero Makers: Where Do Pastors Come From?
Pastor Dan reflects on Romans 12:1-2 and launches the "Hero Makers" series, encouraging listeners to notice and nurture God’s work in others. He shares his personal journey of calling from childhood curiosity to vocational ministry, illustrating how God often uses ordinary moments and people to...
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Pentecost Unleashed: Fire, Wind, and the Gift of Comprehension
In this message, Pastor Dan explores Acts 2:1–24, explaining Pentecost’s Jewish roots, its reversal of the Tower of Babel, and how the Holy Spirit enabled people to hear the gospel in their hearts and minds. The message emphasizes that spiritual gifts exist to proclaim Jesus, encourages openness…
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The Familiar Stranger: Living in the Overflow
Pastor Dan draws living water from Ephesians 5 and Acts 2 and explores the Holy Spirit as a constant, life-changing presence rather than a temporary high. He contrasts being "under the influence" of alcohol with being filled from beneath by the Spirit, calling listeners to steady rhythms of...
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The Familiar Stranger: Hearing the Voice
This episode of the Familiar Stranger series explores the Holy Spirit as a close companion whose voice often comes as a gentle whisper—easy to miss in the noise of daily life. Using Elijah’s encounter in 1 Kings 19 and the image of divine ‘frequency’ and dialect, the message shows how scripture,...
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The Familiar Stranger: The Empowered Life ~ Fruit vs. Gifts
Pastor Dan continues the Familiar Stranger series as we explore how the Holy Spirit transforms believers from the inside out by producing fruit (love, joy, peace, patience, etc.) and distributing spiritual gifts according to God’s will, drawing on Galatians 5 and 1 Corinthians 12. Using vivid...
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The Familiar Stranger The Spirit of Truth and Conviction
What if the Holy Spirit isn't the hall monitor you've been hiding from, but the Helper who's been trying to set you free? In John 16:8-15, Jesus reveals something revolutionary: the Spirit's conviction isn't meant to shame you into hiding like Adam and Eve in the bushes. It's meant to liberate…
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An AI generated discussion of the latest sermon message
It is interesting to let Google's Notebook LM with Gemini listen to the sermon recording and then generate a conversational "deep dive". Once you get past the scary and amazing technology that produces two believable voices in conversation, there is surprising insight and extraction. We share…
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The Familiar Stranger: The Breath of Life
This episode explores Ezekiel 37:1-14 and the work of the Holy Spirit (Ruach) in bringing life and order to chaos, using the image of dry bones to show how God methodically restores and revives. Pastor Dan invites listeners to welcome the Spirit into their lives, join small groups for spiritual...
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The Familiar Stranger--The God Who Is a Person
In this sermon Pastor Dan marks the beginning of a six-week series focused on understanding the Holy Spirit as a distinct person rather than a vague power or force. Using Tyler Staton’s book, The Familiar Stranger, as a structural guide, the speaker encourages the congregation to move beyond an...
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Wisdom in the Desert: The Lessons of the Desert
Palm Sunday is often remembered as a parade, but it was actually a confrontation. In this final installment of the "Wisdom in the Desert" series, Pastor Dan Sinkhorn breaks down the deep, prophetic meaning behind Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem and what it reveals about the human heart. Why did the...
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Sermon Discussion - Sunday, March 29, 2026 A.I. Generated
This is a very interesting A.I. generated discussion of the message by Pastor Dan Sinkhorn from March 29, 2026. It has the potential to enrich lives, so it seemed worthy of broadcast here.
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Wisdom in the Desert: Choosing the Way of Humility
In this Lenten message from Shiloh Church of Jasper, Pastor Dan Sinkhorn continues the "Wisdom in the Desert" series by challenging the American myth of the self-made person and our cultural sense of entitlement. Drawing inspiration from the early Desert Fathers and Mothers, Pastor Dan explores...
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Echo 45: Continuing Under the Reign of Christ
As this season of the Echo Podcast concludes, Pastor Dan reflects on the journey through Insurgence and the rediscovery of the gospel of the Kingdom. In a world that often feels contested and uncertain, this episode re-centers us on a steady truth: Jesus is King, and His Kingdom is already…
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Wisdom in the Desert: The Foolish Way of Wisdom
In a world drowning in noise and chasing curated perfection, where do we find real wisdom? Not in another life hack or influencer's feed, but in the "foolish" way of the Cross. Jesus tells us in Matthew 7 that the wise person doesn't just hear His words—they put them into practice. The storms…
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Echo 44 - Advancing the Kingdom: Overflow, Not Pressure
In this episode, Pastor Dan and Adrienne explore the concept of Kingdom advancement, emphasizing that it is driven by an overflow of a Christ-aligned life rather than human pressure or recruitment tactics. They argue that believers are not responsible for building the Kingdom, as Jesus already...
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Wisdom in the Desert: The Freedom of Renunciation
This episode reflects on Matthew 6 and the warning against laying up treasures on earth, exploring the biblical term "maimon" (money/idol) and how consumer culture pulls us away from God. Drawing on the Desert Fathers, Pastor Dan invites listeners into a Lenten practice of fasting, silence, and...
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Echo 43 - Kingdom Freedom: How Surrender Brings True Liberty
Pastor Dan and Adrienne unpack what it means to live free under the reign of Christ, arguing that surrender to a loving King creates true liberty rather than restrictive bondage. Using vivid analogies and scripture, they contrast law and grace, discuss healthy boundaries, leadership, and anxiety,...
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Testimony and Desert Wisdom
Shiloh member, Tim Bolton, shares his powerful testimony and Pastor Dan follows with a brief message from our Desert Wisdom series.
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Echo 42-Turning Toward the Kingdom: Repentance as Soil-Tending
Pastor Dan and Adrienne explore repentance as a hopeful turning toward the kingdom, using seed and soil metaphors to explain how repentance differs from shame and guilt. The episode walks through repentance as both a one-time turning to enter God’s kingdom and a daily, practical process of...
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Wisdom in the Desert ~ Intensifying my Hunger for Holiness
In this message, "Intensifying My Hunger for Holiness," we continue our Lenten journey, "Wisdom in the Desert,"by exploring the wilderness as a spiritual mirror that strips away our modern distractions and brings us eye-to-eye with our own brokenness. Drawing on the ancient wisdom of the Desert...
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The Desert as a Place of Prayerful Pursuit
"People do not drift toward holiness." We live in a world that majors in three things: noise, hurry, and crowds. In an age where our attention spans are shrinking and our digital lives are louder than ever, how do we find the "lonely places" where Jesus met with His Father? In this Ash Wednesday...
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Making Jesus First: Living in the End Result
In this final message based on Frank Viola's "Hang On, Let Go: What to Do When Your Dreams Are Shattered and Life Is Falling Apart" (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale Momentum, 2021) Pastor Dan reminds us the crisis you're walking through isn't meant to destroy you—it's meant to transform you. God isn't...
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Echo 40 -- Small Levers, Big Kingdom: How Tiny Choices Shift Your Soul
Pastor Dan and Adrienne continue their discussion of Frank Viola’s Insurgence nook and introduce the idea of “kingdom levers.” Using everyday analogies—light switches, train track switches, wheelbarrows, and anchors—they explain how small, faithful actions and changes in perspective gradually…
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Don't Believe Everything You Think--Focus on Mindset
Most of our "crisis" isn't what's happening to us—it's the story we're telling ourselves about what's happening. When dreams shatter and life falls apart, we become trapped in toxic narratives: "Everything is ruined." "God has abandoned me." "It's never going to work out." But God calls us to a...
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Echo Podcast – Episode 39 - Kingdom on Tuesday
Echo Podcast – Episode 39 “What Does the Kingdom Look Like on a Tuesday?” In this episode of Echo, Adrienne and Pastor Dan move from theology to everyday life as they continue exploring the gospel of the Kingdom. After weeks of clarifying what Jesus actually preached and lingering on the beauty…
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Abandoning Fix-It Mode: The Art of Letting Go
In this episode we read Luke 22:39–44 and explore Jesus' agony in Gethsemane as he faces what he cannot control, asking God to remove the cup but ultimately surrendering to the Father: "not my will, but yours be done." The sermon contrasts our natural "fix-it" instincts with the courage of...
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Beholding the Beauty of Christ: From Snowfields to the Throne
Pastor Dan Sinkhorn and Adrienne Tarullo slow down to explore the beauty of Christ, drawing from Frank Viola's Insurgents, Colossians, and Revelation. They weave scripture with real-life moments — snow-covered fields, childbirth, and Psalm 23 — to show how beholding Jesus transforms us. Through...
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The Trial of Faith: Finding God in the Fire
What if your current season of suffering isn't an interruption to your spiritual journey, but the very geography where God does His deepest work? In this message, Pastor Dan explores the biblical paradox of trials—viewing our storms not as detours, but as divine furnaces of refinement. Drawing…
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Echo 37 - The True Gospel: It’s Not What You Think
Is the Gospel just a ticket to heaven, or is it something much more radical? This week on Echo, Pastor Dan Sinkhorn and Adrian Tarullo strip away the layers of legalism and libertinism to rediscover the "Gospel of the Kingdom." They explore why the true message of Jesus isn’t a middle ground...
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Regrip Your Faith: Intimacy in the Storm
Psalm 46 frames God as our refuge and strength amid shattering losses. This message explores how God’s presence—like a hidden river—sustains us when dreams collapse, urging us to ‘be still’ and loosen our grip. Through stories of Hezekiah’s tunnel and the support of others (Aaron and Hur), Pastor...
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Episode 36: Distorted Gospels and the Kingdom of Christ
The Echo Podcast Episode 36: Distorted Gospels and the Kingdom of Christ In this episode, Adrienne Tarullo and Pastor Dan Sinkhorn delve into the complexities of the "distorted gospels" as outlined in Frank Viola's book, The Insurgence: Reclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom. They explore the...
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Hang On, Let Go: Anchored Beyond the Veil
Pastor Dan Sinkhorn launches a sermon series based on Frank Viola's book, exploring how to 'hang on and let go' when life forces us to make a new plan. It contrasts everyday disruptions (type 1 crises) with major life-altering events (type 2 crises) and includes a personal story of sudden change…
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Echo 35: Reclaiming the Kingdom: From Ritual to Insurgency
In this episode of the Echo Podcast, Pastor Dan Sinkhorn and Adrienne Tarullo of Shiloh Church in Jasper, Indiana explore the transformative power of reclaiming the Gospel through the lens of faith confirmation and Frank Viola’s book, Insurgence. Moving beyond traditional "checkbox" rituals, the...
About this show
Our fundamental goal is ”knowing God.” The essential assumption is that the Bible is God’s message to humanity so that God will be known and loved by God’s Creation. The Bible is sufficient in and of itself, so that thoughtful study of it will lead to ever-increasing intimacy with God. Each week we’ll endeavor to engage Scripture and tradition and to bring them into our present reality. Since I am a working pastor I will use the same sources for this podcast that inform my weekly preaching and teaching duties. These days I am drawing upon the Revised Common Lectionary. This examination of the Word will be based on all but one of the scheduled readings from the RCL, since a podcast of my weekly sermon message covering one of the readings is already posted each week.
Hosted by
Dan Sinkhorn
Categories