Team Time: Recent Episodes
First Student Ministries
Living the Christian life is a team endeavor. Join Josh, Cameron, and KJ as they discuss and unpack Scripture, engage relevant cultural issues, and interview some special guests along the way. Whether you're a student, parent of a student, or just a curious passerby, this podcast has truth and encouragement for you!
In this episode of Discipleship Moments, KJ interviews former FSM student and recent graduate, Jackson McCrudden. Tune in as Jackson shares about what it has been like learning to see himself and live as a disciple of Jesus - with the ups, downs, and everything in between.
What exactly does it mean for a church to be lukewarm? This week we're concluding our series by diving into Jesus' faithful and true words to the church at Laodicea. Join us as we discuss the ways in which the exhortation to this church are still applicable and profitable for understanding and faithfully walking with Jesus today.
What do you do when your church has a reputation of being alive, when it actuality it is dead? This week we're journeying to Sardis and looking at Jesus' words to a sleeping congregation. Join the team as they work through and faithfully wrestle with what this difficult passage means for us today.
This week we're looking at Jesus' impactful words to one of the lesser known churches - Thyatira. Join the team as they work through one of the longest letters to the churches and have some lively discussion about the changes walking with God over time has brought about in their lives and how faithfulness necessitates the hard but fruitful work of removing sin from our lives.
So what's going on in Pergamum that warrants Jesus calling it the place where Satan's throne is? This week the team takes an in-depth look at the letter to the church in "Perg" and discusses the challenges of being a Christian in this bustling and culturally relevant region of the world and how we can learn from and apply it to our lives today.
How would you react if Jesus said you'd be facing tribulation, poverty, suffering, and even death as a result of following Him? This week we're looking at the letter to the church in Smyrna. Join us as we discuss the differences between persecution and the discomfort we often feel as Christians in America and how to practice living a life of faithfulness, even unto death.
What is the one quality the Church absolutely cannot afford to lose? This week we unpack Jesus' words to the well-known church of Ephesus and look at the lessons we can learn from their faithfulness and their failure.
What does it look like for a church to be faithful to its King? We're kicking off a new series where we look at the letters to the seven churches in Revelation. Join the team as they unpack the letter to the church in Philadelphia and reflect on some of their their teaching at the recent FSM Spring Retreat.
What is God's true purpose and plan for our lives...and how does Amos reveal it? This week we come to the end of an era - the last chapter of Amos. Join us as we discuss the things that influence our response to God's character and what His ultimate purpose for all creation means for the world and our lives. Plus, the team looks back and reflects on some of their favorite highlights from the series.
When God speaks, how do you respond? This week we dive into Amos 8 and unpack all the things - a vision of a basket of summer fruit, the failure of Israel to love God and love their neighbor, and a tragic famine of hearing God's Word. Join us as we discuss all this and what it means for God's Word to work effectively in those who believe in Jesus.
What happens when faithfulness and obedience to God costs us our reputation and social status in the world's eyes? This week, things are heating up in Amos. Join us as we look at and discuss Amos' tense encounter with the not-too happy priest of Bethel, Amaziah, and see how it encourages us in the difficult but rewarding practice of trusting and obeying God rather than men.
What happens when the God of Israel is replaced with the gods of comfort and ease? This week the team walks through Amos 6 and discusses the difference between godly rest and sinful ease, the slippery slope of pride, and the often overlooked freedom and abundance that is found in humility and surrender to Jesus.
What does it really mean to know God? This week the team is diving into the second half of Amos 5 and we're doing some special Q&A along the way - featuring questions submitted by some of our very own students: 1) Does God still punish us for our sins or did Christ take that for us at calvary? 2) Why does it seem that the OT comes across more harsh than the NT? 3)How do we deal with knowing that we're held to a higher standard and knowing that we cannot live up to that?
What are the implications for our everyday lives when God calls us to radical repentance? This week the team talks through some common misconceptions we often have about repentance (even in the church) and how God's words to Israel give us a proper and healthy understanding of repentance in the Christian life.
Let's talk about everybody's favorite subject - change. But how should we understand change and maturity in the Christian life? And what can the church learn from the multiple opportunities God gives Israel to change? Join the team as we discuss all this and more!
Today we're tackling one of the most important and commonly misunderstood aspects of the Christian life - worship. Join the team as we discuss what it looks like to engage in genuine and authentic worship and how to address the obstacles that hinder it.
Consider this statement: "With great deliverance comes great responsibility". This week we're diving back into Israel's tumultuous history and unpacking how we should understand and apply this truth in the Christian life today as a people with a new identity and purpose in Christ.
What can we learn from the Lord's word of judgment against Judah and Israel? Join us we talk through some common lies we believe when we lay aside God's truth, how God uses fire to complete His work in us, and the joys and challenges of being confronted when we're caught in sin.
Why is Amos relevant to us as believers in the Church today? The team is kicking off a new series and entering into the tumultuous time of this often overlooked minor prophet. Join the team as they intro the book and discuss the difficult topics of God's judgment and the ways we struggle to think properly about our sin and its impact.
What does it really mean to be idle and why is it so dangerous in the Christian life? Join the team as they wrap up 2 Thessalonians and discuss how to properly understand idleness and think through some practical strategies for faithfully guarding against it as believers.
Do you find yourself struggling to maintain a healthy and robust prayer life? In this week's episode, we're taking a more focused look at the discipline of prayer. Join the team as they share about their own personal experiences with prayer and the lessons and insights they've learned along the way. Our hope is that this episode will be a practical and encouraging tool to help you grow in your understanding of prayer and better incorporate it as a regular rhythm in your daily walk.
How would you describe salvation and the way you experience it daily as a believer? This week the team talks through why we should understand God's work of salvation and our sanctification as two sides of the same coin and some of the challenges to standing firm and holding to truth in our culture today.
In this episode of Discipleship Moments, Josh interviews FSM seniors, Jake and Kendall. Tune in as they discuss the importance of biblical accountability, why it's challenging for us, and the ways they are seeking to practically incorporate it into their own lives.
1 John 3:4 says that "sin is lawlessness", so what are we to make of the "man of lawlessness" that precedes Jesus' second coming? Join the team as we unpack this complex passage of Scripture to see what truth and encouragement God has for us and the practical application we can draw from it for today.
How do suffering and God's righteous judgment inform our understanding of what it means to be worthy of God's calling as believers? Join the team this week as we wrap up chapter 1 and discuss the ways the gospel brings forth a counter-intuitive way of life and testimony of endurance for God's people.
How would you describe a faith that is growing and flourishing? This week we begin our journey through the book of 2 Thessalonians and discuss what it looks like for the people of God to have a testimony of endurance and steadfastness in faith and love in the world.
In this episode of Discipleship Moments, KJ interviews longtime friend, Taylor Farmer. Tune in as Taylor shares about her story and how discipleship is impacting her journey and ministry as a follower of Jesus.
As believers in Jesus, how would we describe the quality of our relationship with the Holy Spirit who dwells inside us? Join the team as we conclude our 1 Thessalonians series by unpacking encouraging truth concerning the person and ministry of the Holy Spirit, the use of spiritual gifts, and living faithfully as those who hold fast to what is good.
Does the way we relate to the people around us reflect the way we are called to follow and relate to Christ and His Church? This week we're talking about the hard work of relating well to all the people God has called us to do life with and why it's vitally important to our faith. Join us as we discuss a biblical way forward to better loving and understanding our spiritual leaders, family, peers, those who are lazy, discouraged, and weak in faith - and everyone in between!
What is the Day of the Lord and what does the reality of Jesus' second coming mean for the world we see around us today? Join the team as we unpack these questions and see how the believer's status and identity in Christ gives us confidence to live faithfully in light of His return.
In this episode of Discipleship Moments, Cameron interviews pastor Philip Turner. Tune in as they discuss how discipleship has impacted Philip's own life and ministry over the years and why a clear vision and commitment to relational discipleship is essential for the success of the church today.
Consider this - Paul boldly declared that if there is no resurrection from the dead, then our faith in Jesus is futile and Christians should be pitied more than anyone (1 Corinthians 15:16-19). This week the team discusses the hope of the resurrection and how the reality of Jesus' second coming shapes our perspective and provides encouragement for every believer to persevere in faith.
How seriously do we take Christ's command to love one another and what's at stake if we don't? Join the team as we continue to unpack Paul's letter to the Thessalonians and learn what it truly means for the believer to be continually governed by love in every aspect of life.
How do we as Christians faithfully wrestle with the tension of God's expectation of our obedience and the Christian sexual ethic? Join the team as we walk through Paul's teaching and encouragement on the issue and discover how Scripture provides much needed light and clarity.
In this episode of Discipleship Moments, Josh interviews his former student Zane Gibson about how the Lord used relational discipleship to grow and mature him in his faith as a teenager in student ministry.
What if the greatest threat to unity and the advancement of God's Kingdom through His body is not outside the church but within? Join us this week as we walk through the second half of chapter 3 and see how Paul's ministry to the Thessalonians presents a beautiful picture of Jesus' vision for our life together and mission as fellow believers.
This week we arrive at an interesting and insightful passage of 1 Thessalonians. Join the team as we unpack and discuss Paul's defense and what it teaches us about discernment, spiritual realities, responding in faith, and having a proper perspective of suffering and affliction.
What do we need to effectively carry the gospel forward in word and deed in our society today? This week we discuss how Paul's ministry to the Thessalonians teaches, encourages, and challenges us to press forward confidently in the work of ministry and furthering God's kingdom.
We're starting a new series of interviews called Discipleship Moments - where we interview some special guests and discuss how discipleship has shaped their faith and lives. This week, the team shares about our personal testimonies and how we have personally been impacted by discipleship over the years.
Does the gospel have power in our lives and world today? Join the team this week as we discuss the challenges of responding to the gospel and develop a better understanding of turning from idols, serving God, and waiting on Jesus faithfully.
We're kicking off a new series and beginning our journey through the book of 1 Thessalonians. Join the team as we discuss the introduction of the book and seek to better understand what it looks like for faith, hope, and love to characterize the life of the Christian.
This week the FSM team unpacks Matthew 4:19 and lays out the vision for discipleship in our ministry. Join us as we define a disciple by discovering what it means to 1) follow Jesus 2) be changed by Jesus and 3) be committed to the mission of Jesus in going out and making other disciples.
Join us this week as we conclude our series on Esther by discussing the value of the Old Testament and Scripture to the modern day Christian and how Mordecai's legacy foreshadows the person and work of Jesus Christ.
Cameron leads an encouraging discussion this week on Esther 8. Join us as we continue to unpack this incredible story of God working faithfully and mightily in the midst of His people.
This week we walk through Esther 9 and discuss confidence in God's faithfulness, the importance of unity among believers, the counter-cultural reality of self-denial, and celebration in the Christian life.
Join us as we continue to unpack the story of Esther and discuss divine appointments, responsibility in the Christian life, and more!
This week we traverse four chapters of the book of Esther and look more deeply at the heart behind Haman's plot to destroy the Jews and the divine realities underlying Esther and Mordecai's plan to save their people.