Jim and Jon have some tough love for the western Church this week. While the majority of Americans still identify as Christians, a cursory glance around the country will tell you that this is not entirely accurate - and the high profile Christians and churches you do see often have the aroma of anything but Christ. But we believe in the God of hope and this is far from a lost cause! What, then, can we do to reverse the damage, and contribute to the resurrection of the American Church? Tune in to...
Oct 25, 2021•49 min•Ep. 130
Inspired by 'In the Name of Jesus' by Henri Nouwen, this week's conversation takes another look at the temptations of Christ in the wilderness and reveals what those temptations truly meant - and how they are temptations we as disciples face every day whether we know it or not. We are huge fans of this concept and highly encourage you to listen 'till the end!
Oct 18, 2021•57 min•Ep. 129
Generally, you can trust the words of a dying man. Or at least you know he chose the words he is saying to you very carefully. So, when we get to the Last Supper in John 17, and Jesus prays with His disciples for the last time before His resurrection, what He prays for must be extraordinarily important – and He decided to pray for you! And we believe the American church is entirely missing out on the gift that He prayed for us to have that day.
Oct 11, 2021•55 min•Ep. 128
As the public sphere grows both more crowded and more contentious, is it still possible for a Christ follower, being fully committed to a life of servitude and humility, to be a social media "influencer"? We discuss this question this week in light of some recent clarity Jon has had on his personal life calling, and further convictions on the posture that disciples should take when communicating - especially to the masses. Have opinions on this week's conversation? Let us know!
Oct 04, 2021•57 min•Ep. 127
Ouch! In this conversation, we each share three recent "whacks on the side of the head" we have had - meaning a sudden realization that provided a fresh way of viewing things. Each one has given us recent clarity on ways we can reach out to, serve, and empathize with those around us. Did one of these reach out and smack you, too? Let us know!
Sep 27, 2021•42 min•Ep. 126
If you asked a dozen Christ-followers you know to describe themselves in single words, chances are the word 'holy' would not come up once. And yet Scripture tells us not just to try to be holy, but that holy is already what we are! So what does this mean? Is holiness a way of living, or a state of being? And what does holiness look like in 2021? Let us know if you had a takeaway from this week's conversation!
Sep 20, 2021•57 min•Ep. 125
Responding to a listener question this week, we address the few passages in scripture that, in English translations, refer to God hating certain people. In the context of Jesus' character and teachings, the thought of Father God hating any human is alarming! So what does scripture mean in these instances? And how do we reconcile these, or any other, conflicting Bible passages? We give our two cents on these questions in this episode. Thanks for listening.
Sep 13, 2021•43 min•Ep. 124
Experienced missionary Tim Southerland joins us this week for a conversation on his experiences with faith in other countries and cultures around the world. What surprised him about Christians in these countries? What are some idiosyncrasies of American church culture that we don't even notice? Tim answers these question and more in this episode - thanks for listening!
Sep 06, 2021•45 min•Ep. 123
Thanks for tuning in! We go deep this week with a multi-faceted conversation on those who believe different than us, and explore how these relatively small differences lead us to dehumanize, consciously or otherwise, our fellow man. We are called to love past the petty barriers between us, and when we do beautiful things happen! All feedback is welcome, we love hearing from you.
Aug 30, 2021•55 min•Ep. 122
Continuing a conversation from episodes 115 and 116, this week we look at the lives of three amazing Christ-followers as case studies for what God can do in people with vastly different personalities, stories, and abilities. These practical examples showcase the variety of the Body of Christ, and how every one of us has a purpose we have been specifically designed for, with all our strengths and weaknesses. Our listeners mean the world to us, thanks so much for your time!
Aug 23, 2021•57 min•Ep. 121
This week we look at three different examples from the Gospel of Mark where Jesus interacted with those who were either socially outcast, physically crippled, or were caught in their sin. We discuss the lessons we can learn from Him here, and how these lessons often go against our individualist American values. Jim also shares a very powerful thought exercise that has enhanced his scripture reading. We love our listeners, see you next week for episode 121!
Aug 16, 2021•1 hr•Ep. 120
With Jim out this week, Jon takes the mic for another round of Jon Thoughts! This episode he talks about time, its impact on our relationships with God, and how it affects our worldviews and values. Jim will be back next week for another father-and-son conversation - as always, thanks for listening!
Aug 09, 2021•31 min•Ep. 119
This week we dig deep in the three parables Jesus presents in Mathew 25, about His great return, to see how we can know we are ready for it. These include the parables of the ten virgins, the bags of gold, and the sheep and the goats. What is Jesus trying to teach us with these metaphors? How can we use them to enrich our own lives, and honor Him? Listen to find out! Talk to you next week.
Aug 02, 2021•52 min•Ep. 118
We welcome guest Jon Corcoran back to the studio this week to finish the story of his conversion to Catholicism, and ask some of the questions we had last time but didn't have time for. What appealed to him about the Catholic church that other Christian denominations didn't have? What was that process like? How does he feel about those other denominations now? Jon answers these questions and more! Thanks for listening this week, if you have any other questions for our guest let us know and we wi...
Jul 26, 2021•59 min•Ep. 117
After our last conversation about the Gift Passion Story assessment tool, Jon took the test and has brought back his results! This week we go over what the assessment told him, what the results may or may not mean, and how he can use them going forward. We hope this is helpful for you and your own results, after taking the free assessment at giftpassionstory.com. As always, thank you so much for listening!
Jul 19, 2021•56 min•Ep. 116
For episode 115, we talk over the challenges everyone faces with finding their purpose, the difference between purpose and meaning, and review yet another great assessment tool to help those who my be struggling in this arena. We would love to hear from our listeners, all feedback is welcome!
Jul 12, 2021•47 min•Ep. 115
Following our discussion on letting Jesus lead your life in a practical way, this week we talk about what the word "disciple" even means, and what it looks like to be one today. We also unpack a framework for self examination that can help you further your discipleship under Jesus. That model, and a link to the Examen prayer mentioned last week, can be found on our Instagram! We are so grateful for our listeners.
Jul 05, 2021•49 min•Ep. 114
There is a big difference between considering Jesus to be, in a symbolic sort of way, your figurative leader, and placing him firmly, purposefully, as the leader of your life in a very real way. How do we go from the former, a way of frustration and disappointment, to the later, a way of adventure and fulfillment? Tune in this week to find out!
Jun 28, 2021•51 min•Ep. 113
Back in the studio this week, Jim and Jon discuss the famously contentious passages found in the book of James concerning our faith and our works, or deeds. They both have a bit of a breakthrough in this conversation and are excited to share it. Jim also shares a great story from the recent Ladd family reunion, and Jon raves some more on one of his new favorite novels for Show and Tell. We are so grateful for our listeners, talk to you next time!
Jun 21, 2021•51 min•Ep. 112
Jim and Jon come to you this week from vacation in Estes Park, Colorado! They are joined by the third Ladd man, brother and son Tim Ladd, to talk about the ways their spread out family has stayed connected and healthy despite some hefty geographical distances between them, and ways they could still improve. Story time is at the end of this episode, thank you to all of our listeners!
Jun 14, 2021•40 min•Ep. 111
It's been a wild few years for the United States. As the country continues to push on through times of almost unprecedented division, made worse by the lingering pandemic, Jim and Jon take a minute to discuss their individual concerns for their beloved home and native land. While we consider these serious threats to the nation, through everything we rejoice and trust in the sovereignty of our God. He is so good! Tune in next week for an episode abroad, as we record from Estes Park, Colorado.
Jun 07, 2021•48 min•Ep. 110
This week Jim and Jon discuss the power of your moment-to-moment thoughts, how they are the building blocks of not only who you currently are, but also will be in the future, and how to change these thoughts and break destructive behavioral patterns. We wish you a restful Memorial Day, and ask that you take a moment today to pray for our servicemen and women, and their families. Thank you for listening, we are so grateful!
May 31, 2021•49 min•Ep. 109
Often through the New Testament, Christ followers are called to submit to the authorities over them, and not to treat any human as our enemy. But if there is a point where a Christian ought to oppose their rulers or fellow man, to take a stand, when is that? And how should they go about it in a way that resembles Jesus and is pleasing to God? We are passionate about this conversation and are excited to share it with you. Thanks for listening!
May 24, 2021•37 min•Ep. 108
This week, Jim and Jon are reunited! Join us as we talk about the nature of sin and how God sees it, and how your view on this, and other frameworks of your beliefs, can end up shaping your entire faith. Jim shares a story from his recent anniversary and Jon shows off one of his coolest book finds. Thanks for tuning in!
May 17, 2021•46 min•Ep. 107
Jon discusses how to find God's help when your life or faith become disrupted. Also a great book review and Jon offers Ulysses S. Grant a formal apology.
May 10, 2021•28 min•Ep. 106
Jim was abroad this week, so join him for a Jim Thoughts from Dallas Texas! He shares a list of ongoing convictions he has had lately concerning such things as the future of the church, and the depth of the love of God. Thank you for listening as we enter our second year of Upstream!
May 03, 2021•35 min•Ep. 105
It's officially been two years of Upstream episodes! We have had a great time sharing our conversations with you, and are so, so grateful for our listeners. If you didn't get a question in in time, still send it our way. If we don't make an episode out of it we will discuss it in another special like this one down the road. Here's to another year of Upstream!
Apr 26, 2021•58 min•Ep. 104
It’s another episode on identity! We have devised a model that may help you sort out your identity, who exactly you are, without relying on shifting, dynamic factors such as your career, abilities, etc. But instead of forgetting those factors completely, this model recognizes the powerful ways that God uses that information and experience in redeeming your story. We think it’s a great episode, tune in next week for our two-year anniversary special!
Apr 19, 2021•57 min•Ep. 103
The Gospel (and Jesus Himself) is full of tension in what it calls Christ-followers to do. Are we to sell all we have and give to the poor, or to leave an inheritance to our children's children? Are promised a prosperous, blessed life, or a life of servitude and suffering? We observe these tensions and more this week, and discuss the ways they can actually prove very powerful in our lives. Have a great week!
Apr 12, 2021•1 hr•Ep. 102
It is news to no one that we are in the middle of a mental health epidemic even more severe and long-lasting than that of COVID. Especially for those in the Millennial and Gen-Z generations, anxiety and depression are brutally common. In this episode, we review some data and theories from professionals of the field as to why that is, and share some wisdom on how to navigate these challenges if you yourself struggle here. Got any feedback? Leave it in the comments below!
Apr 05, 2021•51 min•Ep. 101
