Advertise on podcast: Community Church

You can be surrounded by people and still feel alone. We all need people who know us. People we can be honest with. People who see us, hear us, and value us. In part three of Marks of the Movement, Lou explores the kind of community Jesus envisioned for his followers and what can happen when we have the courage to stop pretending we have it all together. Start with one simple question: “What’s one thing you wish I understood about you?”

The good that’s been given to you wasn’t meant to end with you. In “Never Buried,” Part 2 of Marks of the Movement, Lou Pizzichillo explores Jesus’ parable of the talents and another defining mark of his followers: multiplication. The gifts, opportunities, and faith we’ve received can bring good into someone else’s life. Through everyday generosity, inviting others in, serving, and investing in the next generation, we can help people experience the goodness of God. Lou also shares why Community Church is looking for more room to grow, and how that next step connects to the same calling. What will you do with the good that’s been given to you?

Love is more than how we feel about people. It’s choosing to notice them, care about what’s best for them, and show up even when it isn’t convenient or doesn’t benefit us. Sometimes that starts simply by paying attention to the people right in front of us—our neighbors, our community, and the people we might otherwise pass by. Because loving our neighbor starts with noticing them.

The people we spend the most time with have more influence on us than we may realize. They shape the way we think, the decisions we make, what we value, and even the direction our lives take. When we walk with the wise, we become wise. Who we surround ourselves with matters. Because wisdom isn’t only something we learn—it’s something that can grow through the people we choose to walk through life with.

Wisdom isn’t always about knowing the right answer. Sometimes it’s about being willing to slow down long enough to find it. Patience gives us space to listen, think clearly, and respond with greater understanding instead of simply reacting in the moment. In our conversations, relationships, and decisions, slowing down can help us see what we might have missed—and choose a wiser way forward.

We all want to make good decisions. But wisdom isn’t something you just have. It’s something you find along the way. In part one of Ways to Wisdom, We're exploring an overlooked path to wisdom and why the way we think about ourselves might be affecting more of our decisions than we realize. What if making wiser decisions starts somewhere we wouldn’t expect?

It’s easy to turn faith into a scorecard. Do the right things. Follow the rules. Be a good person. And somewhere along the way, we can start believing that our performance is what earns us something from God. But the story of the older brother reminds us that the Father was never looking for perfect performance. He wants relationship. Because you can follow all the rules and still miss the heart of the Father. What He wants most isn’t what you do for Him—it’s you.

We often think we have to get our lives together before we can come back to God. Change first. Clean ourselves up. Become someone better. But Jesus tells a different story. No matter how far you've wandered, your Father isn't waiting with crossed arms—He's waiting with open arms. He isn't asking you to fix yourself before you come home. He simply wants you. Because His grace is greater than your past, and His love never runs out.

We're all building something with the way we live. Jesus invites us to live with eternity in mind—to use our time, gifts, resources, influence, and the way we treat others to bring a glimpse of God's kingdom into the world around us. The choices we make today may seem ordinary, but they have the potential to leave an eternal impact.

It's easy to focus on what someone has done to us. But Jesus reminds us that on the other side of the hurt is a person deeply loved by God—someone with a story, struggles, and a need for grace, just like us. Forgiveness isn't just for their sake—it's for ours too. When we choose empathy over resentment, we make room for healing, freedom, and relationships that reflect the heart of Jesus.

We tend to overlook the small things. The small decisions, brief conversations, simple acts of kindness, or moments that seem insignificant at the time. But Jesus often pointed to ordinary things to reveal extraordinary truths. A mustard seed may seem small, but it carries the potential for far more than anyone would expect. Sometimes the things that feel insignificant today become the very things God uses in a significant way tomorrow. Because when God is involved, small beginnings can lead to something much greater than we can see.

Relationships in this life often feel transactional. We bring something to the table, prove our worth, and earn our place. But Jesus paints a very different picture. One that isn't built on what you can do for Him, what you've accomplished, or what you have to offer. The invitation of Jesus is surprisingly simple: come as you are. Not with a perfect track record or an impressive résumé, but with your whole self. Because what He wants most isn't what you bring—it's you.

Some passages make us pause. They seem confusing, uncomfortable, or hard to reconcile with the God we know. Sometimes what first appears harsh or confusing reveals something deeper when we stay with it long enough. And maybe that's true of some seasons in life, too. Maybe you're waiting for an answer, a breakthrough, or a prayer that feels unanswered. While things don't always unfold the way we hope, we're reminded that God is still good, we can trust Him, and one day all things will be made right. Until then, there can be purpose in the waiting.

Faith can feel intimidating when we think it requires certainty, confidence, or having it all figured out. But Jesus points to something much smaller—a mustard seed. A reminder that faith isn't about how much we have, but where we place it. Sometimes we struggle to believe that change is possible, that God can work in our circumstances, or that He can do something meaningful in us. Yet Jesus sees more in us than we often see in ourselves. He specializes in taking small beginnings and doing what seems impossible. Because sometimes all it takes is a mustard seed of faith to trust that God is still at work.

Following Jesus often sounds inspiring—until we come across a teaching that feels costly. If God is truly good, if He is for us, and if He can be trusted, then His invitations aren't leading us away from life—they're leading us into it. Sometimes the hardest teachings of Jesus begin to make more sense when we view them through the lens of God's character rather than our fears. Because trusting God means believing that what He asks of us is ultimately for our good, even when we don't fully understand it.