Behind the Message: Recent Episodes
Ben Fleming & Evan Earwicker
Former lead pastor Steve Mickel joins Evan and Ben to discuss what it's like coming back, and how faith is deepened on the other side of suffering.Former lead pastor Steve Mickel joins Evan and Ben to discuss what it's like coming back, and how faith is deepened on the other side of suffering.Show notes:Brian Zahnd prayer liturgy - https://westsidechurch.org/dailyprayer/ C.S. Lewis - Silver Chairhttps://www.amazon.com/Silver-Chair-C-S-Lewis/dp/0064471098 Cheryl Bridges Johns - Re-enchanting the Texthttps://www.amazon.com/Re-enchanting-Text-Discovering-Dangerous-Mysterious/dp/1540965139 Brian Zahnd Sermon- “Re-Enchanting the Christian Soul”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbJI-lkDkTE Steve's favorite Jedi quote"That is why you fail" - Yoda Brian Zahnd - When Everything’s on Firehttps://www.amazon.com/When-Everythings-Fire-Faith-Forged/dp/1514003333 John Williamshttps://www.imdb.com/name/nm0002354/
Pastor Mike Meeks joins the podcast to share his journey in prayer, and how letting go of control is a crucial part of living a life of prayer.
Ben and Evan discuss the 70th anniversary of Westside Church, and how prayer fits into a forward-facing vision.
What qualifies as prayer? Evan and Ben discuss how prayer is the first stop on the path towards the way of Jesus and explore how different forms of prayer are critical to "pray without ceasing".
In this episode of Westside Church's Behind the Message Podcast, author Joshua Ryan Butler joins Ben and Evan to discuss his new book, The Party Crasher: How Jesus disrupts Politics as Usual and Redeems our Partisan Divide.
In this week's Behind the Message, Pastors Ben and Evan kick off a 6 part discussion through the book of Philippians. In week 1, they explore Paul's opening address to the church in Philippi, where he expresses his gratitude and thankfulness for the young church.
This week, Behind the Message returns to discuss Westside's new approach to leadership, as Pastor Steve Mickel announces the addition of 2 senior pastors. Our panel discusses.
On this first episode of season 3, Pastor Steve Mickel announces the release of his book, Walking in the Dark: Trusting God when Life Happens. "I hope what I believe is right, like when Jesus said, 'I go to prepare a place for you where you can be with me.' I hope he was telling me the truth, not just for me but for [my son] Chase... The sun’s going to rise again. Not just on that day when Jesus comes back and we all get to experience His presence, but it’s going to rise on this day... There could still be a best day ever for me, without Chase. Why not? That’s who God is. He does want to produce beauty out of ashes." - Steve Mickel
Steve Mickel joins the live podcast to discuss being known for vulnerability and when it can cross over into over sharing.
Westside's new church plant will be pastored by Seth Waters. Seth joins the podcast to discuss his message on our new identity in Christ.
We look at ways to connect ourselves to the relationships and activities that fuel the soul. When we allow our souls to run on empty, we have little to offer those around us.
In his book, Soul Keeping, John Ortberg says that the key to a healthy soul is first to "ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life". We sit down with Pastor Steve Mickel to discuss the hectic rhythms of life and how we can find a place of rest for our souls.
In a special 4 part live series, we look back on some of the most memorable messages of 2018 and discuss on stage at Westside Church.
In a special 4 part live series, we look back on some of the most memorable messages of 2018 and discuss on stage at Westside Church.
In a special 4 part live series, we look back on some of the most memorable messages of 2018 and discuss on stage at Westside Church.
In a special 4 part live series, we look back on some of the most memorable messages of 2018 and discuss on stage at Westside Church.
In a cultural moment when civility is rare and passionate opinions are everywhere, how do we communicate our views and beliefs without rudeness and arrogance?
The #metoo movement has changed the conversation around corporate culture, the entertainment industry and politics. Does the church need to speak out? Should Christian men in leadership be taking a stand, or the back seat? Pastor Bo Stern joins Ben and Evan to discuss these hot-button issues and what to make of it all in the context of church life.
Pastor Steve Mickel joins to discuss his teaching on 1 Corinthians 13 (the love chapter), and why it's those closest to us that usually require the most effort in our attempts to love like Jesus.
We're back after a few weeks off with Casey Parnell to discuss the exit of the Parnell brothers from the staff of Westside Church.
The founder of Watercup counseling, Bill Mahnke, joins the podcast to discuss the intersection of faith and mental health with Evan and Pastor Steve Mickel.
Pastor Steve Mickel and Pastor Mike Alexander join Evan to discuss Steve's controversial message on Christian ethics.
Bo Stern and Spencer Schaber join the podcast to discuss their message on worry and how Jesus introduced a whole new way to live: anxiety free.
Pastor Steve Mickel and Pastor Mike Alexander join to discuss the purpose Jesus had in teaching on things that were unclear, difficult and confusing.
Evan hosts Steve Mickel and Casey Parnell to discuss the subversive, challenging nature of Jesus' life and teachings and if it is ever appropriate for Christians to be judgmental.
Randall Knight served on staff at Westside Church for many years. No longer working in the church world, Randall brings a different perspective to the conversation and discusses his critique of our "in-the-weeds" topics in previous Behind the Message episodes and his ideas of how to make the church more appealing to the uninitiated.
Pastor Steve Mickel joins the podcast to discuss how we handle the difficult teachings of Jesus and how God allows us to flourish even when we fall short of the ideal in our relationships.
We're back for season 2 of Behind the Message, and begin this season with a live podcast recording with a panel of pastors discussing minorities and women in ministry. With Pastors Keith Jenkins, Steve Mickel and Bo Stern.
Bo Stern joins for the last episode of season 1 to discuss what we've learned through the parables of Jesus. We also discuss techniques to get the attention of distracted crowds.
Westside's associate worship pastor Lindsay Parnell joins for a special live recording to discuss ways to overcome anxiety and depression and help those who are struggling.
Pastor Steve Mickel joins to discuss how Jesus uses individuals, not political parties to establish his way, and how his teachings and life should challenge us in how we think and live.
Bo Stern joins the podcast to discuss Jesus' parable of the weeds, and why it was important to her not to over explain or draw too much out of what Jesus was teaching the crowds.
Steve Mickel is back to discuss the way of Jesus as taught through His parables. Also discussed: multisite churches, measuring health by counting people, and the pressure pastors feel on Easter Sunday.
Pastor Steve Mickel joins to discuss his vision message for 2018, and how he models his teaching after the format of Jesus.
Pastor Steve Mickel joins to discuss his message on fighting through suffering and why we can't give into fear in times of trouble and grief.
Pastor Keith Jenkins joins us to discuss Jesus' parable of the Good Samaritan, and the implications for the American church on race relations and politics.
The Westside Student Ministries team discusses the influence adults can have on youth and children, and the importance of mentorship and 'just showing up' in kids lives.
Pastor Steve Mickel joins to discuss the function of the old covenant in light of the new, and what the book of Hebrews teaches on Moses and the Law.
Corey Parnell joins us for another top 10, this time on the top things we do in church that should never happen again. Happy 2018!
Bo Stern joins us live at Westside Church in the final episode of our 4 part series to discuss her popular message on singleness and marriage in the church.
In the third part of our 4 part live series, Bo Stern discusses the power of shame and how to come out from underneath it.
In part 2 of our live 4 part series, we look back at one of the most popular messages of 2017 at Westside Church, the Emotionally Healthy Life. With Pastor Steve Mickel.
For the first time, Behind the Message is recorded live during a Sunday service at Westside Church. This week we are looking back at some of the most talked about messages of the year. To begin, we discuss Pastor Steve's series from January 2017, Walking in the Dark.
Pastor Bo Stern joins the podcast to discuss the end of the Lord's prayer , explaining how the earliest manuscripts don't include it. What do we teach about the inerrency of scripture? Does God tempt us or not? Bo dives into these topics and more in this week's podcast.
The prayer 'forgive us as we forgive' is not an easy or small prayer to pray. Steve Mickel joins the podcast to discuss the nature of being forgiven and extending that to those who hurt us.
Steve Mickel joins the podcast to discuss petitions in prayer as we discuss the question, "Do we need to even ask if God already knows what we need?"
Casey, Ben and Evan discuss prayer and how we can find contentment in prayer as we submit to God. A discussion on the Lord's Prayer, "Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."
Pastor Steve Mickel discusses his message on The Lord's Prayer, and how getting our priorities in place when we approach God is a must in order for our prayers to be effective.
This week, we took the podcast live to a workshop at the Foursquare North Pacific District Conference in Beaverton Oregon. Pastor Steve Mickel joined Ben and Evan to discuss the relationship between lead pastors and next generation ministries, how to lead in an environment of trust, and how to release young leaders. With a live Q&A.
Pastor Steve Mickel joins the podcast for a fascinating discussion on how the church should look and act in culture, and the difference between a politically powerful religious subculture and the way of Jesus.
Pastor Steve Mickel is back to discuss the move that Church has made from the center of community life to the fringe. What can be done to bring the message of the Gospel into culture in a way that matters?
Pastor Steve Mickel discusses the role of confession in his life and how transparency as a preacher is critical when leading the church.
Pastor and Author Bo Stern stops by to discuss her experience as a preacher and pastor (a traditionally male role), what it means to live wholeheartedly, and why the gospel needs to work in and out of the church.
Ben Fleming is the co host and preacher this week, as he discusses his message on Doxology. Pastor Spencer Schaber joins.
Immigration. Racism. Politics. With the nation polarized, what is the church's role? Should we make a stand on hot button issues, or stay out of the fray? Pastor Mike discusses his message on enemies in the Psalms as we dive into the question of adversaries, conflict, and political division inside the church.
Community is a pretty complicated thing. We all want to be a part of a community that feels like our tribe or extended family, but how do we get there? How do we lead a healthy community? How do we continue to grow a healthy community? All that plus how close Spencer and Ben should should be while dancing on this episode of Behind the Message.
Ben and Casey discuss Evan's message on Repentance in the Psalms and the parable of the prodigal son in this week's Behind the Message podcast.
In this week's episode, Pastor Steve Mickel stops by to discuss how God is good, and that may or may not be tied to how circumstances play out in our lives.
Trusting God (or anyone else) is difficult in today's self sufficient culture. After a week off, Behind the Message is back with Pastor Steve Mickel to discuss what it means to really trust God with our lives.
Pastor Steve Mickel visits the podcast to discuss how God comes to our aid, why it doesn't always look like we expect, and the barrier of pride that stands in our way of receiving God's help.
Corey Parnell joins Ben and Evan to discuss the Psalms of Lament, and how the raw, difficult moments of our lives can bring us closer to the character of God.
Millennials get a bad reputation for acting entitled, but most of us get swept into consumerism, cynicism, and a sense that no amount of 'more' is ever enough. Pastor Steve Mickel discusses gratitude as shown throughout the Psalms as the effective defense against a corrosive sense of entitlement.
Casey Parnell joins Ben Fleming to discuss Evan's message on the judgment of God in the Psalms, and how we shouldn't see it as a negative.
Ben, Casey and Steve talk about the importance of remembering the past, and how that impacts how we live in our today and our tomorrow.
Bo Stern is back to discuss her message on worship and to discuss why worshipping with the community is quite possibly more important than time spent in personal prayer and devotion.
Steve Mickel joins Ben and Evan this week to talk about the book of Psalms and how it invites us to a new level of openness and honesty with God and ourselves. That openness leads us to places of quiet and safety.
Corey Parnell is back to reclaim his title of 'most listened to guest' on Behind the Message. We discuss the power of bringing back the Sabbath and Corey shares on the difference for him preaching vs. leading worship.
Bo Stern stops by to discuss how we talk to singles and married people, how our messaging on sex & singleness misses the mark, and the challenges of dating after marriage.
Ben, Steve Mickel and Casey Parnell go behind Casey's weekend message - Social Awareness. In this episode we discover how social awareness fits into our spiritual lives, awkward social interactions and what it means to "draw out the mansions in other people."
Ben and Pastor Steve Mickel discuss Part 2 of The Emotionally Healthy Life: Facing Your Shadow. Your shadow is the damaged, but mostly hidden, version of the person God created you to be. What are some practical ways that we can overcome blind spots? How do we know we're getting better as individuals and as the church?
Pastor Steve Mickel joins Ben and Evan to discuss why it is impossible to be spiritually healthy and emotionally unhealthy at the same time. Other topics of conversation include unnecessary separation of sacred and secular and how churches tend to skip over single people in our messaging.
This week, Ben and Evan officially launch Behind The Message. This episode explains what we'll be up to and how you can participate in the conversation.
Ben and Evan talk to Westside's Creative Arts Pastor, Casey Parnell, about what we do behind the scenes before and during the biggest weekend of the year.
After the death of her oldest son, Suzanne Mickel has spent months considering the reality of heaven. Ben and Evan sit down with her to discuss her message on life, loss and how to be present.
Is talking about evil and the devil in church taboo? Overused? Not talked about enough? What should we do with our doubts? Ben and Evan discuss Pastor Bo Stern's message on Ephesians chapter 6, "War this Way".
Pastor Corey Parnell stops by to discuss the top 10 (or more) worship songs of all time. Did we miss your favorite? Comment below.
Evan & Ben discuss a wide range of topics with youth pastor Spencer Schaber after he preaches at Westside's Third Wednesday service. Such as how God doesn't actually have a plan for your life and why his name means 'dirty tool' in German.
Ben and Evan are joined by Heather Morehouse for a Q&A on sex, dating and relationships during a Tuesday night at Westside Exchange.