Growing Undone: Recent Episodes
Calvary Life Brooklyn
To be “undone” in Christ does not mean failure, but instead reflects an always GROWING in Christ’s Image while being UNDONE to self.
In this thought-provoking podcast, two young women, Kayla and Ajadah, embark on a journey of spiritual growth and self-discovery as they delve into the profound narratives of Genesis 2-3. Through personal reflections and insightful discussions, they seek to unpack the complexities of the creation story and the human experience of being "undone" to self. #growingundone #calvarylife
In this thought-provoking podcast, two young women, Kayla and Ajadah, embark on a journey of spiritual growth and self-discovery as they delve into the profound narratives of Genesis 2-3. Through personal reflections and insightful discussions, they seek to unpack the complexities of the creation story and the human experience of being "undone" to self. #growingundone #calvarylife
In this thought-provoking podcast, two young women, Kayla and Ajadah, embark on a journey of spiritual growth and self-discovery as they delve into the profound narratives of Genesis 2-3. Through personal reflections and insightful discussions, they seek to unpack the complexities of the creation story and the human experience of being "undone" to self. #growingundone #calvarylife
Join Deborah and Kayla as they dive into the first chapter of the Book of Genesis. With open minds and lively discussions, they explore creation from a personal perspective, sharing their unique insights and personal reflections...Prepare to be enlightened, entertained, and perhaps even challenged, as Deborah and Kayla navigate a desire to grow spiritually.
Join Deborah and Kayla as they dive into the first chapter of the Book of Genesis. With open minds and lively discussions, they explore creation from a personal perspective, sharing their unique insights and personal reflections...Prepare to be enlightened, entertained, and perhaps even challenged, as Deborah and Kayla navigate a desire to grow spiritually.
Join Deborah and Kayla as they dive into the first chapter of the Book of Genesis. With open minds and lively discussions, they explore creation from a personal perspective, sharing their unique insights and personal reflections...Prepare to be enlightened, entertained, and perhaps even challenged, as Deborah and Kayla navigate a desire to grow spiritually.
When you’re given a fresh bouquet of flowers, you willingly accept them! You may have had some flowers from before, but they got old, and these new ones came just in time, replacing the old ones. Did you know that Jesus is kind of like that fresh bouquet of flowers? Pastor Richie teaches today how Jesus brought something new, replacing the law that all the people were under. He brought a newness and hope for a future with Him! Jesus fulfilled the law, but He also brought something new.
There’s a difference between writing something down that you know, versus having it written on your heart, from memory. In either case, your mind is striving to keep track of something that’s important to you. Today, Pastor Richie is teaching about things that were in the past, with the law, versus things that were brought about in a new covenant, with Jesus. As you listen, you’ll realize that all the things written in the Old Testament were a foreshadowing of what was to come, with Jesus and His fulfillment.
There’s a term for “killing them with kindness.” Although God’s heart is not to kill anyone, wouldn’t it make a difference in this world if the church, as a whole, made an effort to do things for the community that expressed love and kindness, rather than hate and judgment? Pastor Richie is teaching today about God’s desire for the church to go out and show love and kindness, to bless others. You may not realize the impact you could have on a person, by doing things that are different than what they expect!
How much easier it would be to stay away from people you don’t relate to. If you just stayed on the other side of the room from those “sinners,” it would be better for you and for them! Is that what Jesus would want of you? Today, Pastor Richie shares that it’s valuable to connect with people in your community who might be different, but that you can show your love for Jesus and for them! A huge part of your life should be reaching out to those who are around you, and spreading God’s love and grace.
Forgiving is one of those character-building opportunities that shows the true nature of your heart. It’s not easy to forgive. It’s not easy to set aside the hurt and the past, for the sake of a healthy relationship with that person, moving forward. In today’s teaching, Pastor Richie is talking about doing the hard things in relationships, that then reflect that you’re a follower of Jesus. When a person’s heart has changed and they’re wanting to restore the relationship, it’s important to leave that door open!
Buildings that are built near the ocean many times have to have a foundation of concrete, even concrete walls so that they can withstand the storms. The foundation is established in such a way that it won’t be swayed or moved by the onslaught of water and wind. In the message today, Pastor Richie expresses that when you’re established by the foundation of Jesus, you’ll be able to withstand the storms and attacks of the enemy. So no matter what kinds of wind or waves come, God’s holding you firm.
As Pastor Richie continues his teaching series through the book of 2 Corinthians, he'll be encouraging you to keep your eyes focused on Jesus during times of trial. There's no one who could relate to your suffering more, than Jesus Himself. Between betrayals and emotional heartache, to physical beatings and torture, Jesus understands suffering. Jesus is your Great High Priest who can sympathize with your sufferings and weaknesses. Seek Him in prayer and ask for supernatural strength.
Although Paul was an Apostle, and he was used by God to write most of the New Testament, he was still just a man who needed to rely on the power of God. Today, Pastor Richie will be reminding you that even the Apostle Paul went through trials and hardships, but instead of staying defeated, he went forward in victory. In order to have a victorious Christian life like Paul had, you need to realize that you can do nothing apart from the Lord. Your own strength is never sufficient, you need to seek Him daily!
Maybe the disciples were stressed out from some of the confusing events they’d experienced earlier on the night Jesus prayed for God to find another way. Or maybe they just didn’t realize the weight of the moment they were living in. Whatever the case, Jesus had asked them to be awake and alert. As Pastor Richie will point out in today’s message, all of us are susceptible to this. We get lulled off into a kind of trance by the things of this world when Jesus wants us to be alert and busy with His work.
God’s calling doesn’t always line up with your ambitions or the causes you care deeply about. It’s easy to misinterpret those strong feelings as being the leading of the Holy Spirit, but that’s where you need to be diligent in prayer and study, seeking discernment as you follow Jesus in this life. As Pastor Richie will point out in today’s message, experiencing “success” in a certain pursuit doesn’t mean it has God’s stamp of approval. Seek Him diligently and He’ll make your paths straight.
There’s a lot to be afraid of in this world. One of our biggest fears is death. A close second for many is loneliness. We could easily come up with a long list of the things that we’re afraid of. But, as Pastor Richie will assure us in today’s message, as believers, we have a reason for peace and joy. We know that even one of our worst fears – death – has lost its power because of Christ. Death means we get to be with Him, and we don’t even need to be lonely, because He’s with us and He’s given us a family.
Only Jesus and His work on the cross can grant you access to the eternal Kingdom of God. There’s nothing you can do, say or give to earn access. You should do good work and serve God in whatever way you can, but don’t make the mistake of thinking that Heaven is your reward for those deeds. As Pastor Richie will remind us in today’s message, you need to trust in Christ for salvation and that’s it. When you do that, He secures your place and will change your heart, motivating your good deeds for His glory.
Being born as humans, we’ve inherited a sinful nature from Adam as well as a path toward destruction. But, included with that is the image of God Adam was created in. God values us and desires to save us from the destructive path we’re born into. As Pastor Richie will explain in today’s message, Christ made a way for us to escape that sinful course and be made new in Christ. Not only are we made new spiritually, but we’ll be transformed into new bodies when we enter eternity with our Savior.
Whether you’re someone who takes great pride in yourself or is more self-deprecating, you likely think of yourself as a reasonably good person. You see the faults in others, and by comparison, you feel like you’re much more worthy of God’s love and grace. As Pastor Richie will point out in today’s message, even just one sin, which is far less than any normal human being commits, is enough to separate you from the perfect righteousness in God. You can’t be good enough on your own.
Some church-goers think that “church stuff” happens only within that building. And throughout the week life continues fairly unaffected by faith. Yet, as Pastor Richie teaches today, that shouldn’t be. Church gatherings serve as a way to gain understanding, become built up in the word, and gain courage and boldness for living out of faith in the world. Gathering in the church is important, but faith can’t stop there. It must be lived out in the world, among those who desperately need God!
We live in a very consumeristic culture today. Everyone seeks to be happy, comfortable, built up, and encouraged. It’s even like this in the church. People come in and want, above all, to be served. Today, Pastor Richie will challenge you instead, to seek to serve, to build up, and to express love. Don’t just come to consume as the world does. Come to be filled up, with the intention to then pour out God’s goodness on others. The body of Christ will thrive the most when its people have this perspective.
Do you ever look at another believer and wonder in awe at their gifting and maturity? You may wish you had their spiritual gifts and seek after those things. Well, today, Pastor Richie will encourage you to remember that God gives each believer spiritual gifts and He views all spiritual gifts as important. Don’t envy others but instead love them and pursue God with your whole heart. Thank God and use what He has gifted you with to glorify Him and build up the church as you love each other.
Paul said this in Romans: For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man, someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. In Today's Message, Pastor Richie challenges us to love others, in the same way, that Jesus loves us. Sure, you might be willing to put yourself at risk of harm, or even death, for someone that you love, but would die for someone that betrayed you? That's the kind of love, Jesus has for us.
Hollywood has given us this sensationalized idea of what it means to “fall in love.” Our culture has its own ideas of what love is and so on, but do you know what love, really is? Do you know what God's word reveals to us about true love? In today's message, Pastor Richie takes us for a deep dive into what love is, as defined by the author of love Himself – God. Did you the Bible says that “God is love?” If God IS love, don't you think in order for us to know how to love, we should look to Him?
In our culture, we often look at different people and examine them by the status they hold, or the perceived value they bring to the community. Often times we think, “oh, they're a Doctor, or a Lawyer, or the Mayor...” Pastor Richie teaches us in today's message that the body of Christ doesn't operate in that same way... God gives each one gift as He wills, and all are beneficial to the whole. Can you imagine if all we had were doctors, Lawyers, and Mayors? Could we function without firefighters, plumbers, or Garbage truck drivers?
Sometimes we look at the great things that have been done through those that have gone before us, like Billy Graham or John Wesley, or Martin Luther. We look at the gifts that they had and then fall into the trap of comparison. Pastor Richie teaches us in Today's message that it is not in a person to be great on their own, but it's by the power of the Spirit living in them, that great things are done. Do you feel inadequate when it comes to serving God? Don't worry, so did everyone else that God has used!
What kind of world would it be if everyone was the same? If we all spoke the same language, and shared the exact same customs, with no variation. What if all food tasted the same? What if all flowers smelled the same? In today's Message, Pastor Richie teaches us that God's intent for the church is diversity. He doesn't call everyone to be pastors or evangelists or to like the same music, or speak the same vernacular. God wants His church to be diverse, He wants you, to come as you are.
We love it when we’re able to conquer everything on our own. We love the feeling of solving our own problems and revel in the satisfaction of our success. But what do you do when nothing seems to change? In today’s message, Pastor Richie wants you to know that God’s free gift of grace is available to you and you need to stop trying to fix everything on your own. It doesn’t matter how hard you work or how much time you put you in, you’ll never solve your own issues. Follow God and be saved in eternity.
Often times in religion, we are taught that there are things we need to do on our own to be worthy of the love of God. We are told that we need to clean ourselves up before entering His divine presence, but this is so far from the truth. Today in his message, Pastor Richie wants you to know that God has a plan for your life through His free gift of grace. If you want to find true purpose in your life, surrender to Him and be saved from yourself. God’s free gift of grace is waiting for you. Follow Him and find the truth.
Pastor Richie points out today that the spirit of the Lord’s Supper is a spirit of sacrificial love. Jesus instructed His followers on taking communion the night before He went to the cross to die for our sins. So, when we take communion, we ought to take it in a way that reflects Jesus’ sacrificial love. If we take it in a way that puts ourselves before others, then we are missing the point and misrepresenting what this observance is all about – just like the church of Corinth in Paul’s first letter.
Today, Pastor Richie reminds us that biblical authority is not like the world’s perception of authority. The world says that the one who is in authority is superior, but the Bible shows that God the Father is the head of Jesus, yet they are equal. In the same way, a husband is the head of his wife, yet they are equal in value and dignity, and they are interdependent on each other. While many in our culture regarding this system of authority as bad, the reality is that marriage is difficult only because of the presence of sin in the world.
Today, Pastor Richie teaches on biblical authority. Authority is something our culture tends to be uncomfortable with – whether it’s authority from the government or the family or the church, we generally don’t like being told what to do. But as Christians, respecting authority is non-negotiable, because we are all under God’s authority. Pastor Richie notes that men are under the direct authority of Christ, meaning we can’t pass the buck for our actions, while wives are under the direct authority of their husbands.
One of the Enemy’s favorite tactics is to convince you that you’re all alone – that you’re the only one who struggles with the sin you struggle with, and that there’s no hope for you. But today, Pastor Richie exposes this lie and reminds us of the truth: all of our struggles are common, and Jesus died for them all! In reality, Christ has freed you from your sin and given you power over it! God won’t let you be tempted beyond what you can handle, and He wants freedom for you even more than you want it!
As Christians, we can easily make the mistake of reading the Old Testament and criticizing Israel’s lack of faith. While we are correct to notice Israel’s failure, we are remiss if we think we are superior. Today, Pastor Richie reminds us that we too fall into faithlessness. Israel’s problem was that they didn’t trust God – they thought they knew better whenever He asked them to do something that didn’t make sense. But we often make the same mistake in our lives, choosing our own way over Jesus’ way.
Sometimes it can be hard to wrap our heads around God’s immense grace. Pastor Richie urges us today to seek Christ instead of seeking evil. But in this, he reminds us that we cannot forget God’s grace. When we hear that voice telling us that we’re a failure or that God could never love us, we can be assured that this voice is not from Christ. God’s goodness is what propels us to live our lives for Him; while we won’t be perfect, we can make progress. And we can decide every day to please God instead of other people.
Today, Pastor Richie reminds us that it’s not always best to defend ourselves against people’s claims – even if we know we’re in the right. While this is extraordinarily countercultural, it’s what Jesus demonstrated for us. He remained silent when Jesus withstood trial and was presented with many false accusations. Just because we can fight back rightly doesn’t make it the most loving thing to do. Our mission isn’t to get everything we think we deserve – it’s to serve Jesus by loving a broken world.
Because of Jesus, we get to experience immense freedom in life! But, as Pastor Richie points out today, sometimes there are things more important than our freedom. Jesus’ example is to lay down freedoms to love others. And in First Corinthians, Paul describes how he is willing to put aside his rights to love his brothers and sisters. To follow this example, we must love those around us and regard them above ourselves, so we are happy to make sacrifices for them.
While the Bible contains many commandments and gives us guidance about morality, its purpose is not to tell us what’s right and wrong in every situation. Today, Pastor Richie explains that there is something greater than knowledge when Christians have disagreements – and that love is more significant. Even though we may know certain activities aren’t wrong, love causes us to recognize that those behaviors could cause a brother or sister to stumble. In these cases, we honor others by laying our freedom down.
Today, Pastor Richie speaks on what the Bible says about marriage. And while marriage is a beautiful thing, the Bible does not shy away from some of the challenges that can come as a result. There are ways that marriage and family can prevent someone from doing what they may feel called to. While we are to obey God, part of that means honoring our spouse. And if God is calling us to something that our spouse isn’t receptive to, then we need to respond by trusting God and remaining patient and loving.
When the Apostle Paul wrote the Corinthian church, he encouraged single people to seriously weigh whether they should marry based on the environment they were living in. Today, Pastor Richie explains some of the contexts behind this: the Church was facing persecution, and to become bound to a spouse at that time could lead to tragedy if a family member was persecuted. While our situation today may be different, it’s still wise to heed this suggestion to consider our environment before marrying.
In his message today, Pastor Richie reminds us to live as God has called us, rather than rushing to what we think is best. For example, new believer doesn’t have to uproot their entire life once they are saved. On the contrary, God wants us to remain where He has called us, and this often involves staying in our current job and location. And the beauty of this is that people in your life can see the way Jesus has changed you, contrasting how you lived before you met Christ with after your conversion.
By God's design, marriage is the most intimate of all human relationships. But when one of the two falls from grace in some way, they often get divorced. Why would a Christian imagine God desiring them to separate from their spouse? Many Christians believe that being in union with an unbeliever would make them unclean in God's eyes. Well Today Pastor Richie will be reading through the Book of 1st Corinthians, where Paul instructs Christians who are married to unbelievers to do the opposite.
As the church has taught through the centuries, God created marriage as a loyal partnership between one man and one woman. It is one of God's greatest gifts to mankind, an image of God's love. But the bible also says being single is good. If that's true, then how should Christians think about marriage? Is it better to be married or not? Today Pastor Richie will be reading through the Book of 1st Corinthians, where Paul provides clear and sometimes surprising answers to these questions.
God's word is filled with the truth of who you are, who He is, and His power. And if you meditate on His word you can use it to fight negative thoughts. Today Pastor Richie will be reading through the Book of 1st Corinthians, where you will learn how to take every thought captive. It's simple, but not easy. It takes dedication and self-awareness. It requires repentance from sin and faith in God, but it may be the most rewarding gift you ever give yourself. A truly free spirit, that can live for The Lord!
Many times Christians hesitate to make the right choices because they try to please the Lord without offending the world. As you contemplate the decisions you make in your life each day whether to make this choice or that. But if you choose Christ, you will have always made the correct choice. Well Today Pastor Richie will be reading through the Book of 1st Corinthians, where you will see that God does not set us free so that we can do whatever we want, but so that we can do whatever God wants.
Going to see a movie with 3D glasses is a different experience. But it wouldn’t be quite the same without those glasses. They enhance and make things come to life in a way that without, things fall a bit flat. Now think about God’s Spirit working in you like those 3D glasses. All of a sudden, you start to see things differently. You start to act and react in ways that clearly aren’t your own doing. Today, Pastor Richie expresses the need for God’s Spirit within you to override what you want to do.
Being on the fence isn’t a good place to be. You’ll surely fall to one side or the other. So as you think about this analogy today, think of the fence as the place where you are “playing it safe” – saying you want to follow God, but still doing whatever it is you think is right or good for you. This is dangerous, and it’s something that’s spoken strongly about in the Bible. Today, Pastor Richie teaches through a challenging chapter in the Bible about holding to God’s standards, and cutting out sin in the church.
You’ve heard plenty these days about a virus being contagious and spreading uncontrollably. But most people don’t think of sin having the same effect. Sin is something that, if left unchecked, just spreads and gets worse…like a virus! Today, Pastor Richie expresses the need for churches to remove that sin in order to keep the rest of the church healthy and unharmed. If that sin festers within the church, then it’s only going to grow and become even more problematic. Protecting against sin is good.
You’ve heard plenty these days about a virus being contagious and spreading uncontrollably. But most people don’t think of sin having the same effect. Sin is something that, if left unchecked, just spreads and gets worse…like a virus! Today, Pastor Richie expresses the need for churches to remove that sin in order to keep the rest of the church healthy and unharmed. If that sin festers within the church, then it’s only going to grow and become even more problematic. Protecting against sin is good.
All too often, believers who experience fame or wealth struggle to balance them with the call of Christ on their lives. All of us, no matter our position in society, share a struggle with pride. Some may think they’re too good to need God’s help. Others may think they’re too bad and that God couldn’t possibly want them. Most of us want to earn our way into God’s favor. As Pastor Richie will remind us in today’s message, to come to Christ, we must humble ourselves and acknowledge that we’re nothing without Him.
The blessings of God are given for His glory. We like to think we’ve earned our way in this world – that our hard work has brought good our way. But, as Pastor Richie will remind us in today’s message, even the capacity to work is a gift from God. The material possessions you cherish and the money in your bank account – all are a product of God’s gift of creativity and ingenuity to mankind. You can express your gratitude to Him by offering all these things back to Him for His glory.
In today's message, Pastor Richie will remind you that your body is the living temple of the trinity! When you accept Jesus into your life as your Lord and Savior, He takes up residence in your heart. The choices that you make reflect on your body, the temple of God. If you're choosing to overindulge in alcohol or other substances, that is damaging to the temple. If you choose to use your body to sin, that damages the temple. As the dwelling place of the Lord, it's important that we keep it safe and healthy.
In today's message, Pastor Richie will remind you that no church is better than another. Sometimes Christians can get this mindset of their church as the best and maybe even the only option. However, any church that believes in Jesus and the teachings of the Bible is another extension of the greater Church body. We're all people who are rooted in Christ... And because of our shared identity in Christ, there is absolutely no reason for there to be any division among us. We all just want to grow closer to Jesus.
In today's message, Pastor Richie will share with you one of the greatest dangers to the Christian faith, complacency. In life, it's very common for people to get into a routine of things and settle for what they have... And settle for where they are in their relationship with God. However, it's this idea of complacency that can cause us to backslide. When we stop pursuing God and attempt to stay stagnant, we slide backward. You can't stay stagnant, you are either moving forward or backward.
In today's message, Pastor Richie will remind you that sometimes the Gospel message needs a little more than simply good delivery. You could give the world's best Gospel presentation to someone... But unless their hearts are open and ready to receive it... It won't matter. So what can you do? Whether you come across an opportunity to share or you're going out into your community with the intention to share... Pray and ask God to open the hearts and minds of those you meet.
There's nothing quite like the growth and fruit that's produced by home Bible study groups in between our regular Church schedule. However, if we're not careful, gathering in groups can actually become a point of contention, pride, or otherwise. In today's message, Pastor Richie discusses how the Church at Corinth fell into such problems, which resulted in division. In his study, you'll be reminded that while it's perfectly fine to prefer different teachers over others, at the end of the day we're all of Christ, not certain individuals.