Elisabeth Lectka returns to the podcast to reflect on our future hope as Christ-followers, and how so many of us are living with an incomplete picture of the Gospel.

SHOW NOTES

The Encounter Faith Podcast is dedicated to creating space to slow down and dive deeper into the critical conversations we’re having every week at Good Shepherd. We fundamentally believe that you cannot encounter the risen Lord unchanged, and through the replays of our Sunday Sermons and conversations with our pastors and community leaders, we are prayerfully pursuing the author and the perfecter of our faith, together.

We’d love to meet you! Email us, check out our website, and come worship with us!

The best way to support the podcast is to support Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Naperville Illinois.

Check out the sermon this conversation is based on from May 18th, 2025.

In his sermon, Pastor Jake emphasizes the challenges and disappointments of life that often lead to feelings of dissatisfaction and despair, much like what Paul experienced in his letters to the Corinthians. He discusses how many people question the value of their struggles and the hope of following Jesus amidst difficulties. However, Pastor Jake reassures that every act of goodness and kindness has eternal significance and echoes into the future. Ultimately, he calls the congregation to live with the hope of resurrection, understanding that their efforts in the present are part of God's renewing work in the world.

SHOW NOTES

The Encounter Faith Podcast is dedicated to creating space to slow down and dive deeper into the critical conversations we’re having every week at Good Shepherd. We fundamentally believe that you cannot encounter the risen Lord unchanged, and through the replays of our Sunday Sermons and conversations with our pastors and community leaders, we are prayerfully pursuing the author and the perfecter of our faith, together.

We’d love to meet you! Email us, check out our website, and come worship with us!

The best way to support the podcast is to support Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Naperville Illinois.

Today’s message was originally delivered on Sunday May 18th in our Worship Center and you can watch it here.

In a divided world, the Church must model a better way. Pastor Jake returns to the podcast to help listeners engage in hard conversations with humility, love, and truth, so that we move from division to reconciliation. The hope is that we all will embrace a Christ like posture as we relearn to have hard conversations.

SHOW NOTES

The Encounter Faith Podcast is dedicated to creating space to slow down and dive deeper into the critical conversations we’re having every week at Good Shepherd. We fundamentally believe that you cannot encounter the risen Lord unchanged, and through the replays of our Sunday Sermons and conversations with our pastors and community leaders, we are prayerfully pursuing the author and the perfecter of our faith, together.

We’d love to meet you! Email us, check out our website, and come worship with us!

The best way to support the podcast is to support Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Naperville Illinois.

Pastor Tara Beth Leach explores the theme of resilience in her sermon, using the metaphor of jars of clay to highlight our fragility and the divine treasure within us. She draws on the Apostle Paul's experiences of suffering and perseverance, emphasizing that despite feeling hard-pressed, perplexed, or struck down, we are not abandoned or destroyed because the power of God resides in us. She also shares personal moments of vulnerability in her journey as a parent and pastor, illustrating that our fragility can become opportunities for God's power to manifest in our lives. Ultimately, she encourages recognizing our weaknesses as avenues for God's strength and calls for community support in navigating life's challenges.

SHOW NOTES

The Encounter Faith Podcast is dedicated to creating space to slow down and dive deeper into the critical conversations we’re having every week at Good Shepherd. We fundamentally believe that you cannot encounter the risen Lord unchanged, and through the replays of our Sunday Sermons and conversations with our pastors and community leaders, we are prayerfully pursuing the author and the perfecter of our faith, together.

We’d love to meet you! Email us, check out our website, and come worship with us!

The best way to support the podcast is to support Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Naperville Illinois.

Today’s message was originally delivered on Sunday May 11th in our Worship Center and you can watch it here.

Pastor Greg Wenhold explores the theme of resilience in his sermon, using the metaphor of jars of clay to highlight our fragility and the divine treasure within us.

SHOW NOTES

The Encounter Faith Podcast is dedicated to creating space to slow down and dive deeper into the critical conversations we’re having every week at Good Shepherd. We fundamentally believe that you cannot encounter the risen Lord unchanged, and through the replays of our Sunday Sermons and conversations with our pastors and community leaders, we are prayerfully pursuing the author and the perfecter of our faith, together.

We’d love to meet you! Email us, check out our website, and come worship with us!

The best way to support the podcast is to support Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Naperville Illinois.

Today’s message was originally delivered on Sunday May 11th in our Sanctuary and you can watch it here.

Pastor Jake returns to the podcast to share why it's important to practice how we respond to hard situations, how we as the church are meant to respond to life's challenges, and ultimately what we can learn about God and ourselves during difficult seasons.

SHOW NOTES

The Encounter Faith Podcast is dedicated to creating space to slow down and dive deeper into the critical conversations we’re having every week at Good Shepherd. We fundamentally believe that you cannot encounter the risen Lord unchanged, and through the replays of our Sunday Sermons and conversations with our pastors and community leaders, we are prayerfully pursuing the author and the perfecter of our faith, together.

We’d love to meet you! Email us, check out our website, and come worship with us!

The best way to support the podcast is to support Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Naperville Illinois.

Check out the sermon this conversation is based on.

In her sermon Pastor Tara Beth reminds us that no one 'bounces back' alone and how God is the ultimate source of our comfort.

SHOW NOTES

The Encounter Faith Podcast is dedicated to creating space to slow down and dive deeper into the critical conversations we’re having every week at Good Shepherd. We fundamentally believe that you cannot encounter the risen Lord unchanged, and through the replays of our Sunday Sermons and conversations with our pastors and community leaders, we are prayerfully pursuing the author and the perfecter of our faith, together.

We’d love to meet you! Email us, check out our website, and come worship with us!

The best way to support the podcast is to support Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Naperville Illinois.

Today’s message was originally delivered on Sunday May 4th in our Sanctuary and you can watch it here.

Stephen shares his personal battle with leukemia and emphasizes the importance of how we respond to disappointment, using humor and relatable anecdotes, such as the incident with a misunderstood hamburger. He draws from scripture, particularly 2 Corinthians, to highlight God's comfort in our troubles and the necessity of community support during difficult times.

SHOW NOTES

The Encounter Faith Podcast is dedicated to creating space to slow down and dive deeper into the critical conversations we’re having every week at Good Shepherd. We fundamentally believe that you cannot encounter the risen Lord unchanged, and through the replays of our Sunday Sermons and conversations with our pastors and community leaders, we are prayerfully pursuing the author and the perfecter of our faith, together.

We’d love to meet you! Email us, check out our website, and come worship with us!

The best way to support the podcast is to support Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Naperville Illinois.

Today’s message was originally delivered on Sunday May 4th in our Worship Center and you can watch it here.