Transformation Church Podcast

Episode: Don't Waste Your Faith // Mustard: The Seed That Can Change Everything (Part 1)

Speaker: Pastor Michael Todd
Date: April 27, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode launches a new series titled "Mustard: The Seed That Can Change Everything." Pastor Michael Todd challenges listeners to examine the function and focus of their faith. Using the biblical analogy of the mustard seed, he teaches that a small, properly planted faith has the potential to radically transform individuals, families, and even generations. Pastor Mike emphasizes that faith should not be wasted on what practical action could resolve—faith is for launching into the extraordinary, not simply surviving the ordinary.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Power and Purpose of Mustard Seed Faith

• Object Lesson: Pastor Mike physically shows a mustard seed to highlight how something so tiny can be the catalyst for miraculous change.

  • "It's so crazy that the thing the Bible tells us can move a mountain—it's so small, I can lose it if not taken care of." (04:45)

• The Problem of Unplanted Faith:

  • Many Christians "display" their faith but never plant or exercise it:
    • "We would rather show people a mustard seed. 'Look, I got seed.' God said, put it in some soil." (09:00)

• Faith As Action, Not Exhibition:

  • Real faith grows when it's put into practice, hidden under prayer, action, and obedience, not simply possessed.

2. The Paramount Importance of Faith

• Definition & Foundation:

  • Faith is shown as paramount—central and foundational to the Christian life.
    • "If you're gonna get anything out of this journey with God, you need to know faith is so important to God that he weaves it into the fabric of every area of our spiritual walk." (13:40)

• Faith Forms the World:

  • Referencing Hebrews 11:3, Pastor Mike emphasizes that faith—not intellect, not resources—formed the universe.
    • “Faith formed the world. It was God having faith to show us a blueprint.” (18:40)

• Faith and Salvation:

  • Citing Ephesians 2:8-9, faith is the "guts" of the gospel—it is through faith, not works, that people are saved.

3. Faith Pleases God, Not Outcomes

• Obedience Over Results:

  • It’s the exercise of faith—not necessarily the outcome—that pleases God.
    • "Your faith working is never the result, because God may have wanted something different to happen. It’s about the obedience." (28:00)
  • "Every time you use faith, God’s like, 'There my boy goes. There my daughter is. They stepped out on faith.'” (27:00)

• Faith Shapes the Future:

  • Hebrews 11:1 reframed: Your present faith is building your future.
    • “Most people think the future is waiting on them. The future is being created by your faith today.” (31:15)

4. How NOT to Waste Your Faith

Pastor Mike lists five practical areas where faith is often wasted instead of used for what's possible only with God's help:

i. Discipline

• Don’t waste faith on things discipline can delete.
  • "I'm believing God that when I go take this test, I don't have diabetes. That’s a fork problem. And now we're in a huddle, praying for you…" (44:45)
  • Prioritize practical action (diet, health, habits) before invoking faith for miracles.

ii. Communication

• Don’t waste faith on things communication can correct.
  • "You're using your faith just to focus at your job because you won’t have a conversation." (48:49)
  • Honest, sometimes uncomfortable conversations (apologies, clarifications) can resolve more than silent suffering and prayer alone.

iii. Budgeting

• Don’t waste faith on things a budget can build.
  • "A season of less can produce a lifetime of freedom. But do you have the faith to create it?" (53:36)
  • God calls for stewardship and planning, not persistent crisis-mode faith for financial needs.

iv. Integrity

• Don’t waste faith on things integrity can avoid.
  • "If you were just integrous, we wouldn't have to be believing for that situation." (57:35)
  • Faith shouldn’t be invoked to get out of trouble caused by lack of honesty.

v. Scheduling

• Don’t waste faith on things a schedule can solve.
  • "If you got another day, you’d do the same thing you’re doing with this." (61:00)
  • Time management is an act of stewardship and discipline, not a matter of faith.

5. Faith’s Full Potential: The Ferrari Analogy

• Underutilized Faith:
  • Pastor Mike compares misused faith to driving a Ferrari in city traffic—faith was designed for much more.
    • “Your faith is supposed to look like this Ferrari because there is an atmosphere that your faith can get into where it goes at the speed God called it to go.” (63:00)
• Raising the Function of Your Faith:
  • Faith performs best under high demand—not for surviving day-to-day, but believing God for what seems impossible.
• Entering the “Autobahn” of Faith:
  • "If you get on the autobahn, you better put your foot on the gas because it's dangerous for you to be in that climate not actually using the car's full potential." (63:45)
  • Next week: exploring the audacity required to fully deploy mustard seed faith.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Mustard Seed as Object Lesson

• “It’s so small, I can lose it if not taken care of…This could change the family line that I come from. This could give me the ability to forgive somebody who is unforgivable.” — Pastor Mike (05:40)

The Essence of Faith

• “If you’ve been using your faith as a side thing in your Christian walk, you have mislabeled what God thinks about faith.” (38:15)
• “Faith is always going to be attached to anything God is a part of.” (21:10)

Faith vs. Practical Action

• “Don’t waste your faith on things discipline can delete.” (44:50)
• “Most people I talk to with financial problems haven’t been consistent with a budget for more than three months.” (54:06)

Ferrari Analogy

• “A Ferrari is not supposed to be an everyday drive-around-the-city car. It was made for high-performance environments.” (62:00)
• “It’s dangerous for you to not use your faith at its full potential in the season that God is calling you to—faith like a Ferrari.” (63:45)

Important Timestamps

• 00:45 — Series Introduction & Mustard Seed Object Lesson
• 09:00 — The Problem of Unplanted Faith
• 13:40 — Faith is Paramount: Foundational Statements
• 18:40 — Faith Formed the World (Hebrews 11:3)
• 27:00 — Faith Pleases God, Not Just the Outcome
• 31:15 — Faith Shapes the Future (Hebrews 11:1)
• 44:50 — Five Things Not to Waste Faith On (Begins)
• 53:36 — Seasons of Less Can Produce Lifetime of Freedom
• 62:00 — Ferrari Faith Analogy
• 63:45 — Faith Performs Best Under Demand ("Autobahn" metaphor)
• 64:40 — Closing Prayer & Commitment to Audacious Faith

Conclusion & Takeaways

• Faith is the key that unlocks God’s plans—beyond survival, into transformation.
• Practical action should be paired with faith; don’t misuse faith as a replacement for wisdom or discipline.
• Stop limiting your faith to everyday solutions. God wants you to believe for more—“faith like a Ferrari.”
• Audacity is the next step: have the courage to plant your mustard seed and expect God to move.

Next Week: Pastor Mike will dive into "audacity"—the boldness required to plant mustard seed faith and watch God move.

Call to Action:

• Examine where you might be using faith to compensate for a lack of action, discipline, or integrity.
• Commit to raising the level and function of your faith—prepare for a season of "crazy faith."
• Community connections and resources are available at Transformation Church for those wanting support in stewardship, relationships, health, and spiritual growth.