Dear Saints | RCC Pastors Podcast

This week we're talking about the reading of Scripture in our Sunday worship gathering!

As we prepare to say goodbye to a number of members this summer, we talk about practical ways to think and act rightly toward departing brothers and sisters.

This week we explore a "B-Side" from this past Sunday's sermon--what's going on with the Holy Spirit in John 20:22 and discuss how to handle things in the text that we don't understand.

This week we talk about trust and belief in the truthfulness and trustworthiness of the Christian faith. Is the Bible true? Can we trust it? Is it reasonable to believe in the bodily resurrection of Jesus? How should we even conceive of the questions themselves? What can we know with certainty?

This week we discuss the place and purpose of corporate prayer in our Sunday Worship Gathering's liturgy.

This week we discuss the place and purpose of the Assurance of Pardon in our Sunday Worship Gathering's liturgy.

Every church has to say goodbye to members at some point. RCC is preparing to say a lot of goodbyes in the coming months. How should we think about this and what should we do? In this episode, we cover why leaving is a real ecclesiological act (not just a personal decision), discuss good and bad reasons for leaving, explore the categories we use as pastors when a member departs, clarify what the congregation is doing when they vote to release a member, and offer practical suggestions for both those preparing to leave and those caring for people on their way out.

What does Jesus actually mean when he prays "that they may be one"? We dig into what real unity looks like — why committed local membership isn't the enemy of Christian unity, what we're actually looking for when we call a church gospel-believing, and how to think about fellowship across denominational lines.

This week we talk about the inevitability of death, pastoring to prepare people to die, and living in light of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. --Ben Sasse on Life, Cancer, and the Gospel: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/know-what-you-believe-with-michael-horton/id1776875542?i=1000750316469 --Sermon Excerpt, Don't Waste Your Life by John Piper: https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/boasting-only-in-the-cross/excerpts/dont-waste-your-life --How Few There Are Who Die So Hard! Adoniram Judson Missionary Biography by John Piper https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/boasting-only-in-the-cross/excerpts/dont-waste-your-life

This week we take a closer look at John 16:8-11 and the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

This week we talk about the various times in John's gospel where Jesus invites the disciples to pray in his name, promising that "it will be given." What does it mean and how should we respond?

This week we dive a little more into application from John 15:18-16:15. What does it mean to be hated by the world? And how do we know whether we've fallen into one of the various pitfalls that misapply this biblical truth?

This episode builds on the theme of valuing Sunday mornings by getting into the everyday, human work of ministering to one another when we gather. We walk through simple practices to use ordinary moments for spiritual care.

Not really an episode, just an announcement of our plans for Sunday, February 1, 2026 given the snow forecast.

This week we talk about what it is that we're doing when we gather as the church to worship and what can't be substituted when we are unable to gather. We make no predictions about this weekend's weather.

This week we talk about God's sovereignty--how this biblical truth affects our Christian walk and some pitfalls to watch out for. We also talk about Sunday dinners!

As a new year invites fresh plans and inevitable frustration, we reflect on the difference between treating the Christian life as a system to improve and receiving it as a relationship to remain in. Drawing from John 15, we explore how abiding in Christ shapes fruitfulness without turning faith into a performance project—and how reclaiming our attention from constant digital noise can make room not for more productivity, but for deeper delight in God.

It's Christmas week, so our gift to you is a short and completely off-topic episode where we answer some questions from members, most of which are very un-serious. If you skip this one, you won't have missed much.

Advent isn't just about nostalgia—it's about cultivating a holy longing that runs throughout Scripture and into our own lives today. In this episode, we explore how figures like Simeon, Anna, Zechariah & Elizabeth, embodied patient yearning for God's promises, and how even after the incarnation, believers still live in the tension of "already but not yet." We discuss what it means to long for the resurrection of our bodies, deliverance from sin, and the restoration of all things, and how the season of Advent prepares us to live faithfully in that posture of expectant hope.

Happy Thanksgiving! This week’s episode is pure stuffing—totally unnecessary, debatably enjoyable. We wander through a spread of Thanksgiving-adjacent tangents, and never serve up a main dish. Think of it as a light holiday bonus episode to enjoy between bites. We're so grateful for you, Risen Christ Church!

This week we try a fun 'draft' approach to the topic of Gospel hope. We each take turns highlighting Biblical themes and passages that bolster our faith in the midst of sorrows.

This week we talk about giving as we explore the neglect of the Levite's portions in Nehemiah 13 and how it relates to the neglect of God's worship. How should Christians think about giving and stewardship?

This week we discuss the Confession of Sin—the moment in our Sunday worship gathering liturgy when we confess and repent of our sins corporately. We discuss how confessing sin allows us to enjoy the access we have to God in Christ by the Spirit and some of the principles and mechanics of how it functions in our worship gathering.

This episode explores what life together looks like after the excitement fades—how ordinary faithfulness and shared commitment form the heart of the church’s witness. Here's the recommended article: https://www.russellmoore.com/2008/10/13/jesus-didnt-die-for-a-campus-ministrythe-spiritual-danger-of-unchurched-spirituality/

In this episode, we talk about what genuine, gospel-centered repentance looks like in the Christian life. Coming out of Nehemiah 9–10, we explore how God graciously reveals our sin and how we should respond when he does. We’ll unpack the tension of “Do I really mean it this time?” and show why true repentance always leads us back to trust—to believe again that Jesus’ mercy is greater than our sin, and his Spirit is powerful enough to change us.

This episode explores the Call to Worship—the moment in our Sunday worship gathering liturgy when God, through his Word, calls his people to worship him. We’ll consider its biblical roots, why it’s a vital part of our gathering, and how it helps orient our hearts toward God from the very start.

In this episode, we talk about the two foundational spiritual disciplines—Bible intake and prayer. We explore why they’re essential for every Christian’s life, how Scripture and prayer work together as hearing and responding to God, and what these practices can look like in real life. We also share some helps from our own rhythms and offer simple encouragement for growing in these habits with grace, not guilt.

In this episode, we explore the practice of self-examination—why it’s necessary, where it can go wrong, and how the gospel reshapes the way we look inward.

We’re talking about leadership in the local church. What do pastors actually do? How does the authority of the congregation fit with pastoral authority? Does the Bible point to a team of elders instead of one lead or senior pastor? Along the way, we’ll share how the two of us—Manny and Shane—work together as co-pastors of Risen Christ Church.

What does it really mean to please God? In this episode, we dig into some bible passages to see that pleasing the Lord isn’t about earning His acceptance — it’s about living in relationship with Him. We’ll talk about common mistakes we make, why this is the heart of the Christian ethic, and how joy and love fuel a life that honors God.

How should Christians labor for God’s kingdom in a world that resists it? In this episode, we reflect on Sunday’s sermon from Nehemiah 4, considering the reality of opposition, the danger of culture-war responses, and the better way of confident, gospel-shaped witness.

This week we’re talking about what it means to pray God’s promises, picking up on something Shane mentioned in Sunday’s sermon. We’ll share some ways this can be particularly helpful in everyday life, and also touch on a few common mistakes we make with biblical promises.

This week, we explore the role of small groups in the life of our church. How do small groups complement the larger church community, and what pitfalls should we watch out for? We’ll also explore the different types of small groups at RCC and share specific opportunities to get involved this fall.

At our members meeting last week, we introduced a few practical guidelines for thinking about practicing hospitality on Sundays during our worship gatherings. Today, we wanted to re-list those (plus an extra!) as well as provide some brief gospel reminders that help foster a heart of hospitality among the people of God.