Fresh Cup

War is loud. Opinions are louder. But what does it actually look like to follow Jesus in a world shaped by both?In this episode, we step away from hot takes and ask a deeper question: How should a Christian think about and respond to war? From the battles of the Old Testament to the enemy-love of Jesus, we explore how the story of Scripture reframes power, violence, and what it means to be faithful in a broken world.We wrestle with the tension between pacifism and Just War Theory, examine the dangers of calling modern conflicts “holy,” and reflect on how easily faith can get entangled with nationalism. Along the way, we consider what it means to live as people of peace while acknowledging the reality of war.This isn’t a conversation with easy answers. It’s an invitation to deeper formation.Because if our allegiance is ultimately to Jesus, then even our instincts about conflict, justice, and enemies must be reshaped by Him.

In a culture that rewards outrage and where anger equals engagement, how can we as ministers of the Gospel and followers of Christ participate in meaningful conversation about difficult subjects? How can we speak with conviction AND humility in areas that can lead to division? Most importantly, how can we be a voice of hope, affirming God's good creation and his church where everything else seeks to cancel and tear down?

God is faithful.He is trustworthy.He is a safe place to bring your heart in surrender.As we learn from Romans 8…nothing can separate us from God’s love. Advent reminds us that Love came near—not guarded, not armored, but open.God placed His heart into human hands.That is how deeply He loves.

This is how joy works in the kingdom of God.Joy is not self-generated or self-contained.It is deeply relational.The quality of our joy is inseparably tied to the quality of our love.

This is Advent joy: Not loud or forced, not dependent on how life is going, but steady and deep—rooted in the presence of the One who opens the door invites us into His light.Reflect on scripture today as you spend time in God's presence. 

Make room for the presence of the One who brings peace on earth through this listening practice. Only when we shift our focus from gaining glory to giving glory, is when we can start to experience deepest joy and true peace.

Spend time with the Prince of Peace today!Jesus is Peace not because He prevents us from ever encountering darkness, but because He joins us in it.

Spend time in God's presence today through this guided prayer. Hope is the courage to rearrange our lives for a promise we haven’t yet seen.

Spend time with Jesus as you listen to this guided prayer. Advent reminds us that Hope is not naïve. Hope is not passive. Hope is rebellion—a fierce, steady, defiant trust that light is coming.

There's a lot of talk lately about what a woman's role is in God's Kingdom. The Nazarene Church has commissioned women to use all their gifts since it's inception in 1895. On this episode, Pastors Alanna, Katie, and David unpack the theology behind why we ordain women and how we can reclaim God's original vision for gender equality as we live in this world He's redeeming. 

In addition to healthy soil and roots, we need to have a favorable climate in order to grow effectively. The climate of our tree positions our lives to be transformed by the Holy Spirit and to start producing fruit. We create a healthy climate when we participate in practices and rhythms that form us into the likeness of Christ. The closer we get to center (Jesus) the more fully alive we become...but the more costly the journey can be. VIEW THE GATHER GIVE & GROW MODEL 

At New Life, we are all about living fully alive in Jesus...but what do we actually mean when we say that? Join us as we unpack how we live fully alive by encountering the Gospel of Jesus and learning to walk in His ways. 

No tree can thrive without healthy roots. Today, we discuss our Nazarene roots as a church as well as some of our personal roots that have shaped our faith and lives. While it may be a lesser known denomination, the Nazarene church has a rich history and theology that speaks to our real life experiences.  

A healthy tree begins with healthy soil. That is why the New Life "tree" (and our lives) is firmly planted in the soil of scripture. The story of God revealed in the Bible is what nourishes us and sustains us. Join us as we talk about who we are as a church and as a people, starting with the rich soil of God's Word. 

We each were given a name at birth. Some have meaning. Some just sound cool. However, the Holy Spirit gives us Gospel names; names that have great meaning to meet the needs of others we encounter. Our Gospel names can change based on the daily assignment the Spirit has for us. May we have eyes to see others and prophetically become what people need from Jesus that day. This is a topic we started to explore at our Crew Rally, but thought it would be a great conversation for people to ponder no matter where and how you serve the Lord!

As we come out of the summer season and into the business of fall, how can we effectively make that transition? From floating on rafts to deadlines and to-do lists? The fall transition can be stressful, but it can also be an opportunity to recalibrate our rhythms and prioritize what's important. 

The FRUIT of the Spirit and the GIFTS of the Spirit are expressed, practiced, and refined all WITHIN community. As our culture becomes more and more transient and superficial the kind of biblical community described on the pages of scripture begins to fade from our collective memory. While we may desire this type of life-giving community, the art of cultivating and sustaining these deep roots can elude us. 

The Holy Spirit is just as present and active in times of suffering as He is in times of triumph. In fact, when we can learn to pray for God to redeem the pain rather than simply remove the pain, is when we can really see signposts of God working through our suffering, for the sake of glory and goodness for others. 

Believers live in the tension between knowing Jesus was all about sharing the Good News of His Kingdom while also feeling like "evangelism" is a bit icky. However we ALL are sharing a Gospel: our favorite restaurants, workouts, books, ways of eating, etc...the question is WHAT Gospel are we sharing. Let's have a conversation about how we can be His witnesses in a way that is Holy Spirit led and full of hope, authenticity and love. Watch Video Podcast

Divine healing is a sign of the kingdom, not the substance. It's a taste of fullness of life that is to come. It should be something we yearn for and also a regular part of church ministry...while also keeping in mind that healing this side of eternity is always temporal. Our real hope comes in the kingdom that is breaking through and will one day be here in its fullness!Watch Video Podcast

Prophecy... a gift of the Spirit that has been often hijacked by culture and made to be something it's not. While it is amazing and beautiful when God chooses to speak specifically and intimately to an individual through another believer, this should be an ordinary occurrence in the life of the Church, simply a byproduct of spending time in the Spirit, discerning God's voice. Watch Video Podcast

Discernment is the gift and practice of attuning to God's voice amid the competing counterfeit noise. If we have such a hard time hearing it, why doesn't God just yell instead of whisper? Let's have a conversation about how we can recognize God's voice as we learn to walk in step with the Spirit. Watch Video Podcast

When it comes to our understanding and experience with the Holy Spirit, we usually swing between 2 sides of a pendulum: either we seek after the GIFTS of the Spirit over and above His presence...OR...we diminish the miraculous gifts usually out of fear of their wildness. Both are about trying to control something (someONE) that cannot be tamed. Watch Video Podcast

Throughout scripture, the Holy Spirit is represented by water and a dove...bringing healing, power and order from darkness and chaos. Join us as we discuss the importance of venturing beyond the "safety" and control of the riverbank and wading into deeper waters as we surrender to the life-giving current of the Holy Spirit. Watch Video Podcast

Often we read the pages of Scripture and the lives of the Holy Spirit empowered disciples don't always match up with our day-to-day lives. If we are also living with the Holy Spirit inside of us, why is there such a gap? Join us as we start a journey to discover how to close this gap and live a story closer to the story we see play out in the Word. 

A little info on how to connect and grow during Holy Week.A prayer for Easter services and a preview on where we're going after Easter on the podcast. We'll be in the season of Pentecost so we'll be leaning into our understanding and communion with the Holy Spirit by reading a book together. Join us for a book club on "The Familiar Stranger" by Tyler Staton. Holy Week Prayer Walk Audio DevotionalsGet the Book

Join us for some talk about how our March Madness brackets turned out...as well as discussion about our progress and learnings from the first half of lent and leaning in to the presence of God this season!

Pastor David shares some cool God stories and learnings from being on a missions trip this past week, partnering with Open Arms in Mexico. Plus, we have discussion around the experience of encountering the Lord in greater ways when we're at a retreat or on mission because we have greater expectations than we might in our day-to-day lives. Watch Video Podcast

Today we are joined by Lizette Aguilar, a servant-hearted staff member who usually likes to serve behind the scenes. Join as we hear how God has pursued Lizette throughout her life, called her back home to his heart and his church, and called her to step out and use her gifts in greater and greater ways! Watch Video Podcast

Hey Fresh Cuppers! Today is a little different. Pastor David had the opportunity to share his story and his journey of healing on another podcast called, A Holy Mess, and we thought it would be so great to share with our listeners too! So enjoy and be encouraged today!A Holy Mess Podcast

Pastors David and Alanna share some of their personal learnings and growth that has taken place over the recent weeks and discuss the importance and impact the practice of Lent has had on them. It's a valuable time to evaluate where we've drifted off course a bit and realign with the heart of Jesus. 

All too often we settle. In relationships. In personal development. And even in our faith. It's hard and even scary to go deeper and face what lies beneath the surface. But God has SO MUCH MORE. Join us and THE Courtney Mayberry as we discuss how real, abundant life is found when we don't settle and are willing to do what it takes to go deeper with Jesus. 

Learning to rely on God and others can be hard. Listen in to our conversation with Tami Lundquist as she shares how she navigated hard times, learned to see God's goodness running after her, and came to see the beauty of trusting God and inviting others into life...even when it isn't pretty. Watch Video Podcast

What are the "small" things in life that turned out to be a big catalyst in your life? Has the trajectory of your life changed through simple, "mundane" ordinary occurrences. God often uses these "small things" to equip and shape us and produce big fruit. Pastors Alanna & Jared Moine share some of there small/big moments in their faith. Watch Video Podcast

This week we are joined by our resident Mr. Fixit and SoundMaster, Curtis Wood. If you've been around New Life, you've undoubtedly noticed the blessings of Curtis' ministry, but you probably haven't had the chance to know the depth and wisdom of Curtis' faith in Jesus. Hear a bit of his story, and allow it to encourage you today!Watch Video Podcast

Hi and welcome to a new season of The Fresh Cup! Over the next few weeks we'll be inviting some guests on to share how God HAS worked and IS continuing to work in their lives. Today, we welcome Katie Powell who can testify of the grace of God that has gone before her and drawn her to Him throughout the course of her life. In addition, she shares the struggles and beauty of praying for our unbelieving family and modeling persistence in prayer!Watch Video Podcast

Listen in for a holiday update of highs and lows as well as some thoughts on the new year. What do you do when you want a fresh start this year but many of your same challenges have followed you into 2025? Watch Video Podcast

The greatest commandment according to Jesus is all about LOVE. However, "love" is often so cliche or elusive. How does love actually take root in our lives? Join us as we discuss how we can let God love us into people of love. Merry Christmas!Watch Video Podcast

"'Don't be afraid!' he said, 'I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.'" Sometimes we forget that "all people" includes ME! This great joy isn't something that we have to seek after or strive for...it's a gift that God BRINGS. Let's discuss how we can reach out and accept this gift of joy...not just for a season but a joy that sustains and persists even after the boxes and decorations are put back in the garage. Watch Video Podcast

Often the peace we seek at Christmastime is simply the reduction of chaos and noise in our lives and circumstances. However, the peace God offers is SO much more. It's the ceasing of striving and pining in our lives. It's the assurance that comes when we allow Jesus to be the prince (or captain) of our peace. Coming under His authority is when we experience the peace that goes beyond human understanding. Watch Video Podcast

Merry Christmas! It's always great to take a pause and focus on the care and tending of our souls. Advent does that when we intentionally set our hearts on the Bread of Life that actually satisfies, rather than the cheap, processed "Christmas spirit" that always leaves us lacking. Watch Video Podcast

Liturgy is a very churchy word...in fact it's a HIGH churchy word often associated with Catholicism and other traditions. However, we ALL have a liturgy in our lives, whether we realize it or not. Join us as we talk about what liturgy is and what it means for something to be "liturgical".Watch Video Podcast

Continue the conversation surrounding hermeneutics, the lens by which we interpret scripture. In this second half, we'll explore more of a balanced way of viewing scripture in order to get the full picture of God's Word, that it might shape us further into His image!Watch the Video Podcast

We all read scripture through a particular lens, whether we realize it or not. However, this can greatly influence how we interpret God's Word. Join us as we explore the churchy word for this: hermeneutics. We had a lot to say about this churchy word, so we are breaking it down into 2 separate episodes. Come back next week for part 2!Watch the video podcast

This was a request from a listener! If you have a suggestion for a churchy word or topic for us to discuss, email it to: [email protected] actually talked a lot about money. Why? Join us as we discuss the "debate" between tithes and offerings, explore the differences, and try to speak to what is "required" of believers today. You can WATCH the video podcast here.

Atonement is a word that can seem foreign or even archaic...especially if you grew up outside of a faith context. Join us as we unpack this word and concept and what it means to be "covered by the blood" of Jesus. ALSO....Surprise! We also now have a video version of the podcast available to WATCH on YouTube. Click here to watch on YouTube

Took a little longer than 20 minutes to unpack this impactful churchy word! It's a big word with big significance...not only theologically, but in how we see ourselves and how we live our lives. So let's dive in and get sanctified! 

1 Peter says, "But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.” But what does that actually mean? Is being holy even attainable? Join us as we discuss what holiness actually is and what it is not and find out how we can live out this calling in our lives. Have an idea for a churchy word you'd like us to unpack and discuss? Email your suggestions to [email protected]

Surprise! We took an unexpected hiatus but we are excited to be back with you and with our fresh cup! Find out what we've been up to, how God has been shaping us since we've been "gone", and where we're planning on going in the next season of Fresh Cup!

We spend a lot of time focused on building the areas of our life that are seen and appreciated by others...yet Jesus teaches us that it's the unseen foundation of our lives that determine the course, destiny, and health of our life. He even tells us specifically what to build our house on...obedience to His teachings. Do we trust Him and His wisdom to actually follow through on that advice?