Podcast
A Little Better
Hosted by Northridge Church · EN
We want to see more and better followers of Jesus in Rochester, NY, and around the world. So listen along as some of our team take a little deeper dive to help us know Jesus better to do better and ultimately be a little better. Have any thoughts, comments… or criticisms? Email us at podcast@northridgerochester.com
32episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
235 | How Should Christians Be Involved In Politics PT2
3d ago01:15:27Tap to summarizeHow should Christians engage in a politically divided world? When the "other" we are supposed to love becomes the enemy we fight, something has to change.In this episode of A Little Better, host Calum Shaw is joined by Matt Sones to close out our series on Christians and Politics. While there is no one-size-fits-all approach to political involvement, we dive into how to navigate today's landscape with humility, discernment, and a commitment to doing good for others.In this episode, we cover:Moving past the "us vs. them" political mentality to love well.The importance of being humbly informed rather than reactively outraged.Practicing discernment in our media consumption and political engagement.LINKS & RESOURCESCompanion PDF Guide: pages | spreads
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234 | How Should Christians Be Involved In Politics PT1
1w ago01:11:08Tap to summarizeIn a culture deeply divided along ideological lines, it’s easy for Christians to find themselves caught up in the same tribalism, anger, and anxiety that dominate the evening news. But is that how God intended public life to look? This week on A Little Better, Calum Shaw sits down with Matt Sones for Part 1 of a vital conversation: How Should Christians Be Involved in Politics? Together, they step away from the shouting matches of partisan platforms to examine what scripture actually commands of us as citizens of an earthly state who hold a primary allegiance to the Kingdom of God.In this episode, they unpack the first of six principles for a healthy political engagement as a Christian. Chances are, they aren’t what you’d expect. If you want to move past the anxiety of modern politics and step into a lifestyle of unshakable hope and love for your neighbor, this episode is for you.LINKS & RESOURCESCompanion PDF Guide: pages | spreadsSubmit a Question: Got a question you want answered on the show? Submit it here: https://forms.gle/faT1hp7kngFv1NkA6
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233 | The Christian Citizen
2w ago01:07:22Tap to summarizeWhat happens when your faith collides with your passport?As believers, we live with a unique tension: we are residents of an earthly nation, but our ultimate allegiance belongs to the Kingdom of God. So how do we navigate the messy world of politics, voting, and cultural division without compromising our higher calling?In this episode of Christians and Politics, Calum Shaw and Matt Sones dive into what it truly means to be The Christian Citizen. We challenge the status quo, look at how our faith should inform our civic engagement, and discuss how to keep the Kingdom first in a deeply divided world.LINKS & RESOURCESCompanion PDF Guide: Single | SpreadsSubmit a Question: Got a question you want answered on the show? Submit it here: https://forms.gle/faT1hp7kngFv1NkA6
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232 | The Kingdom of God and Government
3w ago00:51:45Tap to summarizeWhat is the true purpose of government, and how should Christians engage with political powers?In this second episode of the Christians and Politics series, Calum Shaw and Matt Sones dive into one of the most tension-filled topics of our time: the relationship between the Kingdom of God and earthly governments.Every day, we are pulled by competing loyalties. We pay taxes, follow laws, and participate in a political system, yet our ultimate allegiance belongs to a completely different Kingdom—one led by Jesus, whose blueprint for power and authority looks nothing like human politics. This creates a natural, ongoing struggle for believers: How do we live as faithful citizens of our country while keeping our hearts entirely devoted to the Kingdom of God?Is it possible to engage in politics without losing our way, or should we pull back entirely?In this episode, we tackle the big questions:The Purpose of the State: Why does government exist, and what is it fundamentally designed by God to do?The Temptation to Withdraw: Should Christians completely pull away from earthly politics to focus solely on God’s Kingdom?The Divine Order: What is the actual role of earthly governments within God’s grand, global design?The Breaking Point: How do Christians respond when a government becomes corrupt, evil, or fails to live up to its purpose?Whether you are trying to navigate your own political anxieties, feeling exhausted by the cultural divide, or simply looking for a grounded, biblical perspective on citizenship, this conversation will challenge you to re-examine where your ultimate loyalty lies.LINKS & RESOURCESCompanion PDF Guide: Single | SpreadsSubmit a Question: Got a question you want answered on the show? Submit it here: https://forms.gle/faT1hp7kngFv1NkA6
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231 | Can Christians Talk About Politics?
May 2601:05:09Tap to summarizeWith cultural tribalism, division, and anxiety at an all-time high, public life has become incredibly fraught. Too often, the Christian witness is tarnished when the allure of power and the desire to be on the "winning team" overshadow our primary allegiance to Jesus.In this first episode, Calum Shaw and Matt Sones launch a new stand-alone series aimed at evaluating what a mature political witness looks like for a Christian. Together, they break down a working definition of politics, address the paradigms of pursuing change through law or love, and introduce the 7 Layers of Political Discourse to help us have healthier, more humble conversationsIn this episode:What is “politics”? Moving past simple voting to understand how communities organize power, resources and rules.Law and Love: The paradigm of how change happens and our tendency to misplace our expectations.7 Layers of political discourse: Why political conversations collapse when we view complex issues through a single, reductionistic lens.LINKS & RESOURCESCompanion PDF Guide: Single Page, SpreadsSubmit a Question: Got a question you want answered on the show? Submit it here: https://forms.gle/faT1hp7kngFv1NkA6
Transcribe →Bonus: Can We Even Be Here? | Nate Bantle | The Egypt Trip
May 1900:34:29Tap to summarizeIn our final bonus episode of The Deliverer, Nate Bantle and Drew Kaschner reflect on the highs, lows, and everything in between from the Egypt trip. Tune in to hear the tense moments, the unexpected lessons, and how they learned the lessons of the series they were about to teach on.Sunday’s Message
Transcribe →230 | The Unlikely Road to Freedom and the Struggle to Embrace It.
May 1900:38:49Tap to summarizeWhat happens after you’re finally free?In this episode of the Deliverer series, host Calum Shaw and Drew Karschner dive into the complex reality of life after liberation. We often think of freedom as a destination, but the transition can be overwhelming, confusing, and even harder to embrace than the struggle itself.Drawing from the journey of the Israelites leaving Egypt, we explore:The Muscle Memory of Sin: Why our minds and bodies often cling to old patterns even after the chains are broken.The "Other Side" of Deliverance: Navigating the instability and regression that can happen on the road to redemption.Finding Jesus in the Mess: Understanding that the path to true freedom is rarely a straight line.Sunday’s Message
Transcribe →Bonus: Falling Off The Mountain | Javi Torres | The Egypt Trip
May 1200:31:37Tap to summarizeLess than half of Americans have a passport. Much less travel transatlantically. For Javi, this was his first time out of the country. How does someone who hasn’t experienced a foreign country’s culture and food do on an intense filming trip? Let’s just say hummus is a takeaway. Sunday’s Message
Transcribe →229 | How Does God Get Your Attention?
May 1200:37:34Tap to summarizeIs God still "flexing" today, or have we just stopped paying attention? In this episode of A Little Better, Drew and Calum dive into one of the most intense showdowns in history: God vs. Pharaoh.We often think of the ten plagues as random natural disasters, but they were actually a calculated, direct assault on the false gods of Egypt. We’re asking the hard questions: If the plagues struck modern-day America, what would those "gods" look like? How do we know if we are accidentally playing the role of Pharaoh in our own lives by ignoring God’s wake-up calls?In this episode, we discuss:The Collision of Power: Why God appeared to be "toying" with the most powerful man on earth.The Hardened Heart: How to identify when you’re ignoring God and what Moses teaches us about interacting with difficult people.The Firstborn Plague: Wrestling with the "meanness" of the final plague and seeing it through the lens of eternity.Freedom’s Cost: How a 430-year wait ended in a release that foreshadowed the ultimate Passover Lamb—Jesus.Whether you’re in a season of waiting for your own "430-year" relief or you’re trying to understand the character of God in the Old Testament, this conversation explores how the God of the Exodus is the same God pursuing your heart today.Sunday’s Message
Transcribe →Bonus: A Cat For Comfort | Drew & Meg Davidson | The Egypt Trip
May 500:31:50Tap to summarizeCan God really use a cat? In this episode, videographers Drew and Meg share their take on their trip to Egypt. What did it take to capture the beautiful scenery of The Deliverer?Sunday’s Message
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