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How can I tell the difference between God's will and my own desires? Why does God seem to close doors to good opportunities? And how do I keep following Him when life gets difficult? In this episode of Curious Faith, we tackle five important questions about discovering and following God's will. From making difficult decisions and recognizing God's direction to navigating closed doors, challenging environments, and seasons of uncertainty, we explore what Scripture teaches about living faithfully when the next step isn't clear. What if discovering God's will is less about finding a hidden path and more about faithfully following what He's already revealed? Subscribe Here Apple >> https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/curious-faith/id1877935555 YouTube >> https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOkqKbd0uSF8 Spotify >> https://open.spotify.com/show/6zyxH8zC6xTmUE8V820Dcx?si=DiC5VwNGTgiHoEO-bmvyVQ

Raising children with special needs is glorious work, but it's work nonetheless. In this deeply personal episode of Stuff That Works, Tommy Bates, Licensed Professional Counselor and father of two adult children with autism, shares his family's 27-year journey navigating the challenges of special needs parenting. From caregiver burnout, financial strain, and battles for educational services to medical crises, grief, and the strain on marriage and family relationships, Tommy offers an honest look at the struggles that many families face but few outsiders truly understand. Through heartbreaking experiences, hard-earned lessons, and beautiful moments of grace, Tommy explores the unexpected blessings that can emerge from life's greatest challenges. You'll also hear practical advice on early intervention, finding support, asking for help, protecting your marriage, managing caregiver stress, and recognizing the small victories that make the journey worthwhile. Above all, this episode is a reminder that even in life's hardest moments, there is hope, purpose, and evidence of God's redeeming grace. Practical tools. No fluff. Real life.

What are our children learning about what matters most as they watch our lives? In this message, we explore Ephesians 6:1–4 and Deuteronomy 6:6–9 to show how the love we receive in Christ shapes the care we give. Discover how intentional, consistent care responds to children’s changing needs—and how our everyday priorities can help lay a foundation for following Jesus. From limiting distractions to protecting shared life and participation in the church, faithful caregiving begins with our own discipleship.

Are children too young to think deeply about God, Scripture, and the Christian faith? Or have we underestimated their ability to ask meaningful questions and understand biblical truth? In Episode 33 of Curious Faith, Ryan Johnson is joined by Noah Moon, who works with students at First Baptist Church, Ft. Payne, AL, as the Curious Companion to challenge the assumption that theology is only for adults. Together, they explore why children are already thinking theologically, how we can help them develop a biblical worldview, and why teaching kids to ask good questions is essential to developing a lasting faith. Maybe the question isn't whether kids are ready for theology—but whether we're ready to take their questions seriously. Subscribe on Apple >> https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/curious-faith/id1877935555 YouTube >> https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOkqKbd0uSF8 Spotify >> https://open.spotify.com/show/6zyxH8zC6xTmUE8V820Dcx?si=DiC5VwNGTgiHoEO-bmvyVQ

Not everyone is raising children, but every believer has a part to play in helping the next generation follow Jesus. In “Built Together,” we explore God’s calling for fathers, mothers, and the church family. Through Ephesians 6, Timothy’s story, and Titus 2, discover how ordinary moments shape children, why our parenting must grow out of our discipleship, and how the church can support families—including those carrying the responsibility alone. I have a part to play. We have a generation to disciple.

What are we really building in our homes? In this message from Built By Design, we explore children as gifts entrusted to our care and parenting as an expression of our own discipleship. Drawing from Psalm 127 and Deuteronomy 6, we consider how love, structure, roots, and wings help children grow—and what our everyday habits teach them to value. Whether you are a parent, grandparent, or another member of the church family, you have a part in welcoming, protecting, and discipling the next generation.

How do I know? In Episode 31 of Curious Faith, Ryan and Duane wrestle with some of faith's biggest questions: How do we know God is real? Can we trust the Bible? And how can we know we’re truly saved? It’s a conversation about evidence, doubt, faith, and the kind of assurance Christianity actually offers. Subscribe through: Apple .Spotify YouTube

What are we building together—and how are our daily responses shaping it? In “For His Good: The Calling of a Spirit-Filled Wife, Part Two,” we explore how wisdom, loving influence, and respect strengthen the oneness God designed. A wife’s contribution matters, and honoring her husband does not mean silencing her voice. For husbands and wives alike, the challenge is personal: Are we so focused on the response we want that we have stopped examining the response we are giving?

For some believers, Halloween is little more than costumes, candy, and family fun. For others, its association with witches, demons, sorcery, and the occult raises serious concerns. In Episode 32 of Curious Faith, Ryan Johnson joins Pastor Jordan Hoge to ask how Christians should think biblically about Halloween and our culture’s fascination with the supernatural. Rather than telling every Christian where to draw the line, the conversation applies Scripture to questions of witchcraft, spiritual evil, Christian freedom, wisdom, conscience, and differing convictions. The goal isn’t simply to answer, “Can I do this?” but to help believers ask better questions about how to honor Christ in areas where faithful Christians may reach different conclusions. Subscribe Here Apple >> https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/curious-faith/id1877935555 YouTube >> https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOkqKbd0uSF8 Spotify >> https://open.spotify.com/show/6zyxH8zC6xTmUE8V820Dcx?si=DiC5VwNGTgiHoEO-bmvyVQ

In Episode 30 of Curious Faith, we return to more questions from teenagers, and this time they take us from heaven back to our mission on earth. What will eternal life with Christ really be like? Will heaven ever get boring? And what does the Bible actually tell us about what believers will do forever? Then we turn to another set of important questions: How do I share the Gospel with someone else? What does a person need to understand about salvation? And how can we talk about Jesus naturally without making the conversation awkward or confusing? From eternity to evangelism, these are honest questions about where Christians are going—and what Christ has called us to do until we get there. Subscribe through: Apple .Spotify YouTube

What does it mean to be a Spirit-filled wife? This message shows how God’s design for oneness calls for a wife’s meaningful contribution, not her disappearance. We also examine three habits that fracture relationships: punishing, prosecuting, and proving. Whether married or unmarried, this message invites us to examine our own responses, depend upon the Holy Spirit, and take a concrete step of obedience to Jesus. For wives, the calling begins here: “I belong to Christ. I am here for his good.”

Trauma can affect far more than our memories - it can shape anxiety, our need for control, trust, relationships, emotions, and even the way we respond to situations we don't fully understand. In this episode of Stuff That Works, we explore how trauma can influence the brain and body, including dissociation, emotional numbness, pessimism, and difficulty trusting others. We also discuss approaches such as EMDR and other trauma-focused therapies, along with practical strategies for healing: developing emotional awareness, challenging unhealthy thought patterns, learning to regulate your emotions and body, rebuilding trust, strengthening faith, and developing meaningful connections with others. Trauma may be part of your story, but it doesn't have to define the rest of it.

It’s a question that gets at the heart of what it means to follow Jesus. Is discipleship an optional next step for more serious believers, or is it inseparable from genuine Christian faith? In this episode of Curious Faith, we have a live phone call with our Curious Companion to explore the difference between identifying as a Christian and actually living as a disciple. We look at some of Jesus’ strongest statements about following Him, the cost of discipleship, and how passages like the Parable of the Soils help us think about what real, lasting faith produces. This episode asks an uncomfortable but important question: Are we simply calling ourselves Christians, or are we actually following Christ?

What does it mean to love your wife as Christ loves His church—especially when love is costly? In this continuation of “For Her Good,” Pastor Ryan explores Ephesians 5 and the husband’s calling to cultivate oneness through sacrificial, Spirit-empowered love. Discover how following Jesus changes everyday words, habits, and responsibilities—and why our obedience cannot depend on someone else’s performance.

What do high school students really want to know about God, faith, and the Bible? In this episode of Curious Faith, Ryan joins his AI Curious Companion to work through real questions submitted by high school students. Some are deep, some are difficult, and some are unexpectedly hilarious—including why cows have so many stomachs. From serious questions about God and Scripture to the kinds of things teenagers genuinely wonder about, this episode reminds us that curiosity is not the enemy of faith. It can begin deeper understanding.