Living Room Worship

Let's talk about faith in the film industry! Some say that it's a lost cause, that no good for the Kingdom of God can come out of Hollywood because it's just too provocative and sinful. Well we disagree, respectfully 😌. We are closing out Women's History Month with special guest Tanikia Carpenter--wife, mom, actress, filmmaker, playwright, host of "Really Nikki" Podcast and all around dope creator. Join us in the living room as we discuss why faith has a huge place in the film industry! Connect with Nikki @reallynikkitv on Instagram to learn more.

It happens often but no one talks about it in church. What happens when a marriage ends in divorce? How does divorce effect the family? What do you do as a Christian when you are facing the reality that your marriage may end? We have two special guests joining us for this important discussion.  Ginger Gentile is the director of riveting documentary "Erasing Family." The ERASING FAMILY documentary follows young adults fighting to reunite with their broken families. The film shows how programs that encourage mediation and shared parenting which will prevent future childhood trauma, making divorce and separation less costly both financially and emotionally. Alison Donald (and husband Keith) are amazing marriage counselors dedicated to helping marriage couple sort through all the problems after the dust of marital bliss has settled.  Join us in the living room as we discuss how divorce affects the family unit, what it looks like for Christians who believe that marriage is forever, how to help prevent divorce from being the outcome, and how to keep the faith and family unit in tact when divorce is the only option.  Visit https://erasingfamily.org to learn more about the film.

I've a firm believer that art heals us. So I'm excited to have my friend Jessica Hughes joining us today to discuss her journey to healing as a visual artist! Jessica Hughes, abstract painter, international best-selling author, and creativity expert uses her triple decade experience as an entrepreneur, mom of 7, and the story of her life to fuel people up with hope, blast through creative blocks, and set others on a journey of empowerment and authenticity. Learn more at https://www.jessicahughesfineart.com

It’s Women’s Day! The world and the Bible can sometimes paint us into a corner and tell us we have no voice; but I’m here to remind you that God places honor and value on women! Celebrate your womanhood today!

Guest Yanni Brown has helped so many women, including myself, in understanding their sexuality and intimacy in oué marriages. In today’s episode, we will discuss how church jacked us up (yep I said it) in the sex department, how we can unlearn those concepts and some practical ways we can embrace our identity as sexual beings created by God.

God makes all things new, even old rags. 2020 was ROUGH to say the least. There was so much consistent loss and grief, it’s hard to imagine what life will be like without the dark gloom of the pandemic. Where do we find the strength to look forward and dare to anticipate something amazing?

God wants us to pray all the time and be cheerful and thankful...no matter what. How do we do that when we are hurt, depressed, sick, lonely, etc? Where’s our hope?

How do we navigate the rituals of sanitation amid a global pandemic and not lose sight of the most important thing—to love God and His people? Let’s talk about the priorities God wants us to have in everyday life.

To be honest, I’m amazed at how infrequently I’m asked that simple question by people who really mean it. So I want to ask you...how are you doing? If you’re struggling today, this episode is for you. Light on the corny jokes (😂), heavy on the encouragement ❤️. I’m here if you need an ear.

Could you imagine asking your enemy to walk with you, be your best friend, pouring into them everything you are, just so that they can betray you in the end? And to do it with a compassionate heart? This one is rough and deep. Let’s talk about it.

Whether it’s mental or physical, big or small, we all have flaws. But what happens when we shift our perspective to understand that it didn’t happen to us, but instead, for us? Let’s talk about it.

This one goes out to all the people who are struggling to love themselves for whatever reason. I’ve been there. Let’s talk about it.

Looking at the three Hebrew boys in the book of Daniel, I’ve learned that there’s a difference between having faith in what you think God will do vs. trusting in God whether He does what you want or not. How do we respond when the fires of life get really hot?

I’m turning 30 in a couple months 😱 I’ve been feeling so concerned about what’s next in my life and now I understand why. Let’s talk purpose.

You ever been so frustrated that something didn’t work out and you start pacing the living room floor? That’s where I am today. How do we get from pacing to placing our frustrations at the feet of Jesus? Let’s talk it out.

What happened to your host? 😩 Life yall. Life happened. The world has literally been on fire and I couldn’t figure out what to say to you. But as I started cleaning up, I learned some things I want to share. Let’s talk.

Between quarantine woes and more lifeless black bodies, I’m tired. We have the awesome Pastor Sam Hamstra talking from the unique perspective of a white male pastor of a multicultural church and the father of a biracial son. How can we find peace and purpose in this corner of the living room?

All aboard lol. Life is tough right now. Can we talk?

Christians, let us be the kind of friends that pray, speak wisely and offer to run amok if need be. (Listen for clarification) 😌

The Bible says that laughter is medicine for the heart. I don't know about you, but I NEED some meds this week. Join me for a lighthearted convo about funny church signs. 

The life that we regarded as "normal" is over and we are faced with many questions to consider about ourselves, our lives and the world around us during this eerie silence of Coronavirus. I've got some questions for you. Let's talk.

I HATE it when injustice happens. I was doing everything I was supposed to be doing and someone swoops in and disrupts my flow, taking away something that belongs to me. Vengeance is mine or nah? Where’s Jesus in all this?

This wildcard episode is bringing out some intriguing questions for me as a woman of faith. Both serious and silly questions are a go. Let’s dive in.

LOVE really does win when we learn to embrace, serve and disciple God's people, no matter who they are or where they've come from. Author and host Laurie Krieg joins us to discuss how the church can love AND disciple the LGBTQ+ community more effectively as the Church. Learn more about Laurie at https://lauriekrieg.com

Too often people struggle with real battles of the mind and get turned away with a prayer and good "God Bless." The church needs to be better about showing the love of Jesus to people who have mental health challenges--advocating for prayer and therapy. LCSW Celina Cantu joins us as we celebrate Women's Month & Social Work Month and talks about the need for education, implementation and overall support of mental health in the church.

Mompreneur branding guru Aaja Corinne joins us to discuss being a boss and a woman of faith and how to balance it all. Inspiration, ambition and sensitivity to God’s voice. Let’s dive in.

Everybody wants to be the boss but why? Is it for money and clout? Is it for a God-given purpose? What do we do when it gets hard? Let’s talk about it.

**Spoiler Alert** I saw film The Photograph and I was disappointed 😕 Is this what love looks like today?

A candid convo of love and relationships with Sam & Christal Boynes. From practical lessons learned in singleness, to biblical principles applied in our love story, tune in to learn about love from a man and woman’s perspective. This episode is seriously magical 😂

Valentine’s Day 2020 is almost here and people all over are longing for that special love. Chocolates, roses and intimate exchanges with the promise of real love. But where does God fit in? Is it possible to date and still honor God? Join me and special guest Candace Armour (founder of EpicFabGirl) as we discuss all things love, dating and Jesus. Find out more about Candace at https://instagram.com/candacejunee?igshid=vum88l03bgcm

Last week 9 people died in a tragic helicopter crash. The world lost one of the greatest basketball players of all time. Kobe Bryant was known for many things, especially his “Black Mamba” alter ego. Mamba Mentality says “kill everything.” How can this be applied in faith?

It’s a new year and everyone has all these resolutions that they’ve proclaimed to stick to this year. But what is a resolution? And where does faith fit in with it?

Going to church can be an amazing experience! You leave feeling so charged and changed for the better. And then, Monday happens. You head home on a Monday evening after work to unwind from a long day. Where’s that inspirational message? Where does Jesus fit in among the “real life” stuff that goes on? Is Jesus just for Sunday’s? Is Worship just a slow song at church? My name is Christal Luster and I’m the host of living room worship! This podcast was born out of a need to find an intersection between real life and real relationship with Christ. The living room is often the room that sees us in raw form. We laugh, we cry, we argue, we eat, we Netflix and chill in the living room. What would it look like if we invited Christ to be involved in our real lives outside of the church walls? Join me on Mondays at 5pm to discuss different facets of life and where Jesus fits in with it all. Whether Jesus is your homeboy or someone you used to know, we’re gonna take it back to the basics on an approachable and non-religious way and figure out what Worship looks like after Sunday service. Season 2 has some special guests coming to bring their thoughts on entrepreneurship, dating, politics and more and how we prioritize faith in the midst of it. Grab your spot on the couch and let’s talk about it! See you soon.

For a lot of people, the holiday season is usually synonymous with intense and increased stress. But why? Isn’t it supposed to be a time of celebration and reflection? Could we be adding this stress to ourselves unnecessarily? Let’s talk about practical ways to eliminate holiday stress. This season finale features my good friend Sam Hamstra, pastor of CLC Hammond.

Holidays can be a real pain when people are dying and having hardships. What do you do when the cheerful music and twinkling lights make you want to just punch someone in the face? Let’s talk about it in this brief (bonus) episode.

Tithing is usually a sore spot for most believers and unbelievers, especially around the holidays (sure would be easier if Santa did magically make gifts appear, huh? Lol). So where does this whole tithing thing fit in with our pursuit of Jesus in everyday life? Does God really want our money? What does tithing have to do with worship and relationship? Let’s talk about it.

Conflict is not an easy thing to deal with. It’s exhausting being offended all the time, and it’s embarrassing being the constant offender. Why should we resolve conflict? How can we pursue Jesus in the middle of conflict? Let’s talk it out.

I'm joined by the host of "I've Got Something To Say" Serena Boyd! We are wrapping up the the "Righteous & Ratchet" talk, discussing how the meaning of ratchetness has changed over time, the balance of the two concepts and the beauty of the wildness in being ratchet.

When looking at the definition of "ratchet," I think it's safe to say we can all find ourselves in the phrase "righteous and ratchet." Let me explain...

Many people struggle with living in a posture of worship and not feeling like they can't be themselves....human and sometimes (or all the time ratchet). Is it possible to love Jesus and listen to hip hop? If you live in worship, are you allowed to have a busy lifestyle or are you expected to lay on the floor praying day and night? Join me and Pastor, entrepreneur, husband and father Dezimon Alicea for part one of the discussion on Righteous & Ratchet. Learn more about Dezimon Alicea and Move Church at https://www.facebook.com/Movechurchgary/posts_to_page/. You can find out more about Christal Luster at www.christalluster.com.

It's a party! I invited some amazing people to join me in my living room and do a live recording of an intimate discussion about worship. We touched on relevant topics and sent up a spontaneous worship as friends...

Feeling lost? Maybe you aren’t on the back of a milk carton, but it’s pretty easy to feel lost in life, especially these days in such a complicated world. What can we do about feeling lost? Where does worship fit in? Let’s talk about it.

Sometimes life sucks and things are hard. Those are facts. But where does worship fit in with the hard facts of life?

What in the world are we doing worshipping in the living room? It's all about understanding what worship is and being in a completely comfortable, vulnerable, and real place where we can encounter God's presence in the midst of everything going on in our lives. Join me in my living room and let's talk it out.