*This episode mentions suicide and may be triggering for some listeners.

This week, we’ll hear from Ed Newton, pastor of Community Bible Church in San Antonio, Texas. Growing up as a CODA (Child of Deaf Adults), Ed bridged the hearing and deaf worlds for his parents, fostering immense empathy but also hardship. Later, following his parents’ deaths, he faced a tidal wave of despair and suicidal thoughts. He sought professional help and openly shared his struggle with his church, who responded with grace. Now, Ed advocates for the church to be a hospital for the broken, urging people to seek help and recognize it’s okay not to be okay, but not to stay that way.

Later in the episode, we’ll hear from Wendell Vinson and Todd Lamphere from CityServe, an organization that helps equip and empower churches to serve their communities. They discuss CityServe’s mission to equip local churches and to meet the last mile of need in their communities. They highlight the church’s role in community transformation, citing reduced recidivism rates, and its essential “ministry of presence” before, during, and after crises like natural disasters or war. Finally, they acknowledge compassion fatigue, emphasizing that faithful service requires spiritual replenishment in order to continue to serve others well.

Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned:

Jesus Calling Podcast

Jesus Calling

Jesus Always

Jesus Listens

Past interview: Erica Campbell

Upcoming interview: Kathie Lee Gifford

Jesus Calling app

Ed Newton

CODA (Child of Deaf Adults)

Romans 8:28

www.ednewton.com

Why Not You? Believing What God Believes About You

This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. If you are struggling with debt, call Trinity today. Trinity’s counselors have the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps! Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | https://trinitycredit.org

TrinityCredit – Call us at 1-800-793-8548. Whether we’re helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments, Trinity has the knowledge and resources to make a difference. https://trinitycredit.org

Interview Quotes:

“My mission was to actually be the voice for two people that could not speak and to help them understand how to aggregate and acclimate into a hearing world.” - Ed Newton

“It’s okay not to be okay. It’s just not okay to stay that way. God can break every chain.” - Ed Newton

“I believe some of the healthiest people I have ever met sit on somebody’s couch. I actually think the red flag of danger is for somebody that says, ‘I’m good. I don’t need counseling.’ I would say watch out for that slippery slope of destruction that’s about to happen.” - Ed Newton

“I just think for most people, life gets shaken up and they don’t know what to do with that. Don’t live life all bound up when you can find somebody that would love you, sit with you, and go, ‘Hey, let me tell you what I hear and see. You’re not alone.’” - Ed Newton

“Sometimes churches get it wrong and we slap Bible verses on a chemical disruption in the body. And I want to say, ‘I’m sorry you got hit with a Bible verse when you just needed someone to sit in the puddle of your tears.’” - Ed Newton

“We’re constantly hearing and listening and feeling, but when we do not align our heart to what God says, who is the ultimate voice, then it just conflicts with the directional, navigational component of our life.” - Ed Newton

“There’s a God who never changes, who operates out of the character of sovereignty and goodness, and who’s always working for your greater good. So why not begin a day with Him, and let Him frame the filter of how you’re to see the world?” - Ed Newton

“It’s a beautiful partnership that allows pastors and churches that have a desire to meet the practical, physical needs of the community it was called to serve, and to have an organization come alongside it to help make that happen. This is the beauty of the partnership between the local church and CityServe.” - Todd Lamphere

“When a person connects with the body of Christ and starts moving down a different path, it transforms community.” - Wendell Vinson

“What people need in times of disaster more than anything, is they need the ministry of presence.” - Todd Lamphere

“Compassion is scalable. You start where you are with what you have, and God will take you further.” - Wendell Vinson

“Compassion fatigue is just a reality. You cannot give out what you do not have in you. This is why being saturated in God’s Word every day is so vitally important. It’s a non-negotiable to stay in God’s Word to commune with Him, to listen to worship music, to pray for God to just continue to be your strength, to be your source, to be your all in all.” - Todd Lamphere

“If any of us think that we can in our own strength or power just live out what the Lord’s called us to, we’re mistaken. It all flows out of that personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.” - Wendell Vinson

________________________

Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel!

Audio Episodes: https://bit.ly/3zvjbK7

Bonus Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3vfLlGw

Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer: https://bit.ly/3Sd0a6C

Peace for Everyday Life: https://bit.ly/3zzwFoj

Peace in Uncertain Times: https://bit.ly/3cHfB6u

What’s Good? https://bit.ly/3vc2cKj

Enneagram: https://bit.ly/3hzRCCY

________________________

Connect with Jesus Calling

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.