SMC Podcast

Following Jesus is supposed to be joyful, not boring. Even in a world of hardship and stress, Jesus promised a life FULL of joy. It’s possible! Instead of a faith filled with chores and checklists, enjoying God and experiencing true joy can be your life story. Come discover the keys that will unlock the life you truly desire. 

In a world full of hookups, breakups, and makeups, it's hard to know what is actually good for you. Come hear about God’s best for our sexuality. No boys allowed.

Today’s pornified culture is undermining your manhood, walk with God, and future sex life and marriage in ways most men don’t realize. Get equipped to avoid the pitfalls and maximize your manhood. Guys only.

It's estimated that we make 35,000 decisions every single day. What am I going to eat? What am I going to wear? What do I major in? What should I do after college? Who should I marry? With so many decisions to be made, how can we know if we're making the right ones? Come learn how to make decisions that honor God and leave you with no regrets. 

What does 'Disciple Making' even mean? Isn't it just for pastors or the spiritual elite? Is it exclusively a 'Stumo' thing? The reality is that making disciples can be an intimidating and unclear task. But what if I told you it's simpler than we often make it out to be? Come discover how easy it is to live out our purpose when we follow the playbook laid out for us by Jesus.

Listen to our live recording from SMC 2024!

How is your clock management?  God might care more about how you spend your time than anything else in your life.  Discover how to handle your time like God wants you to and how to live with less stress and more free time to do the things you ACTUALLY want to do!  Time Management.

Listen to our live recording from SMC 2024!

Have you ever spent more time on your phone than you realized? Do you find yourself mindlessly passed time by staring at your iPhone? Do you lose track of time when on your phone? If so, you aren't alone but you are missing out on the greatest things in life. The way you use your phone might be the most significant factor that determines your spiritual depth and future growth. Come learn how to rid yourself of digital distraction and become the person you were meant to be!

Listen to our live recording from SMC 2024!

It has been said that our character is what defines us. Because of that, we exist in a culture that is constantly looking for ways to better ourselves. Is the life God is calling us to just about being better or could there be more to the story? Come listen to how Jesus lifts the heavy burden of “just being better” and opens a new pathway to kingdom living that produces true godly character in your life.

Listen to our live recording from SMC 2024!

God is good, but he doesn't stop bad things from happening to the good people? Why not? How do we reconcile this?

Listen to our live recording from SMC 2024!

Aren't there contradictions in the Bible? Is it merely a fable? How can we be certain that the apostles did not fabricate these stories? Doesn't science disprove the Bible? Discover the answers to these questions and more.

Listen to our live recording from SMC 2024!

Why are relationships often so confusing and complicated? Is being single the only way to avoid the drama? The world tells you to follow your heart, but God’s word points us in a different direction with our romantic lives. Come learn how to have the right perspective and thrive in your relationships! 

Listen to our live recording from SMC 2024!

Feeling overwhelmed by anxiety and wondering if there's a better way? In our high-speed, high-stress world, finding inner peace can feel impossible or a thing of the past. We'll look into the heart of anxiety - understanding why it grips us and how God provides a roadmap to overcoming anxiety and reclaiming the peace He promises.

How did we get here? Can I trust Genesis 1? But what about science? And can somebody PLEASE explain to me where dinosaurs fit in?! Find out answers to these questions and more as we engage this great debate from a biblical worldview!  

Ever wondered if Making Disciples has an expiration date? Spoiler alert: It doesn't. Come hear about what it looks like to keep making disciples as your life-long purpose, not just that thing you did in college. 

Caught between the world's idea of fun with drugs and alcohol and the fear of missing out? You're not alone. There's a lot of talk about drugs and alcohol, but how much of it holds true? Time to move past the fluff and dig into something deeper - the Bible's take on it. Come find out what it looks like to be wise with drugs and alcohol according to the Scriptures

AW Tozer once said, "What comes to mind when we think about God is the most important thing about us." The Bible is clear on God's character, but our experiences with people and the world can get in the way of believing the truth about God. Let's talk about who God really is and find out why you can trust Him. 

Have you ever wondered, “Am I going to heaven when I die? Can I be certain that I’ll spend eternity with God? How do I know if I am ‘real’ Christian?” When it comes to eternity, uncertainty can be unsettling. Come discover how to practically evaluate your faith so you can answer with confidence the crucial question: “Am I going to heaven?”

Whether at the Eras Tour or a major football game, we all know the feeling when your phone tells you "poor connection." But how do we avoid a "poor connection" in our relationship with God? Come see what it takes to avoid the spiritual "no service" zones and to live continually connected to Christ.

Listen to our live SMC 2024 recording!

This used to be a night life activity at SMC, but it got to lit and rowdy so we pushed it to the AM. Come get trained on next years best night life activity. This one practice will help you have a firm handle on Gods truth and have scripture hidden in your heart. 

Listen to our live SMC 2024 recording!

Ever opened up the Bible and have no idea what is happening? Why is it that some people walk away from reading the Bible confused and uninterested while others understand and enjoy it?  Beginning to read the Bible can be a challenging task but what if when you read the Bible you could understand it and enjoy it? Come learn a proper perspective towards the Bible and a practical tool that’ll have you hanging on every word, helping you understand and enjoy reading God’s Word.

Enjoy our live recording from SMC 2024!

Prayer is a simple concept but difficult to do. Does God really listen? How do I know if I'm doing it right? Walk away from this time motivated and equipped to take steps toward a life marked by prayer!

Here is our live audio from SMC 2024!

Am I in the right major? What if they don't like me back? Am I friends with the right people? is it possible that I can mess up God's plan for my life? Thankfully, there's a truth about God that can lead you to a life with more security and peace than you thought possible. Join us this week as we welcome Sarah Hufnagel on the pod!

Do you feel like your friends are pushing you to God or away from Him? Did you know following God is a team sport? Find out why you need to have fellowship with other believers as Cole Davis joins us on this weeks episode!

If I follow Jesus, will I miss out on the party? Will I be bored while my friends have all the fun? How should Christians handle alcohol? Join us as Dave Edwards helps us walk through this topic!

Danny Points  - We live in a world that tells us to do what feels right, but for any of us when it comes to relationships following our heart has led to a lot of pain and regret. Romantic relationships are often challenging and confusing, but they don't have to be -- we just need someone to shoot us straight. Learn how to properly avoid blindspots, gain a proper perspective, and thrive in relationships - your future self will thank you!

TikTok, Snapchat, Tinder. It seems normal to live our lives through a screen. But what if all the scrolling, snapping, and swiping is actually making you unhappy? What if the social media apps you love are not loving you? Maybe you need to "unfollow" what's trending to find what's true. Join us as Leah Riner walks us through this weeks topic!

Charley Gardner joins us to discuss what the Bible says about anxiety and also shares some helpful resources to help assist you  

Todd Ahrend joins us on the first episode of the SMC 2023 Podcast to:

• Discuss his experience going back to campus after his first SMC
• Provide some advice for you as you go back to campus
• Share some potential hurdles that may stand in your way & keep you from being anchored to Christ during your time in college

Tik tok, Tinder, the Metaverse. It seems like life is found on our screen. But what if scrolling, snapping, and swiping is actually making you miserable? What if the social media apps you love are not loving you? Maybe you need to “unfollow” what’s trending to find what’s true. Come hear what you’re really looking for on your screen and how to find it.

Podcaster: Leah Riner

Making the right decision can be hard. Sometimes the hardest thing and the right thing are the same. Sometimes it’s the easiest. How do you know the difference? If you feel crippled by making decisions, you are not alone. Come check out how to make decision with clarity and confidence.

Podcaster: Cooper Cadle

Have you ever experienced something amazing only to have it quickly fade away? Has there ever been a time in your life where you feel like you were deeply connected to God but eventually you slipped back into those same old sinful habits and patterns you swore you would never go back to? Check this podcast out to hear about how to have an abundant, unwavering faith for a lifetime!

Podcaster: Drew Barnett

If God is good, why do we experience so much hardship, pain, and even death. If he's a loving God, why do these bad things happen? Why would people still follow Him? Let's discuss these very real and important questions and see how the bible speaks to the age old question: Why do bad things happen to good people?

Podcaster: Matt Smith

Is there only one true religion? If so, how can I be sure that Christianity is the right one? Is there something about Christianity that makes it unique among the other religions of the world? Tune in to this podcast to hear these questions answered.

Podcaster: Bryan McGaha

How do we deal with all these negative thoughts? Does your mind feel like a prison of all the never-ending list of things you have to do? Are you consumed with thoughts that your life isn't the way you want it to be? Have you ever wanted to just hide in your room and binge Netflix or YouTube or mindless videos because you can’t stand to be alone with your thoughts? Have you ever tried to just distract yourself from...yourself? This is not how we were created to live. God has an answer to your anxiety.

Podcaster: Brandon Rietz

Scriptures:

• Matthew 6:19-25
• Matthew 6:25-34
• Philippians 4:6-8
• Proverbs 12:25
• Proverbs 14:30

Resources:

• Carl Trueman, “the rise and triumph of the modern self.”
• David Mathis, “habits of grace”
• Phillip Cary, "Good News for Anxious Christians"

Culture tells us to keep our beliefs to ourself. The world pulls us toward silence, while its voice gets louder and louder, but following Jesus isn't about just playing defense. We need to learn to play offense. We know God wants us to share our faith, but if we're honest we're afraid! What if Jesus wants you to follow him courageously? What if you could help your friends find the life they've always longed for? If you want to have a lasting impact in this world, come learn how to share your faith.

Podcaster: Dave Edwards

In a world full of hookups, breakups, and makeups it's hard to know what is actually good for you. Come hear about God’s design for our sexuality. No boys allowed.

Podcasters: Kaitlynn Ingram & Cat Coyle

Questions to Consider:

• What your views of sexuality growing up?
• Have you ever thought about the fact that God created our sexuality? How does this change the way that you view sexuality?
• How do you think that knowing we are known and loved by God actually meets our deepest need?
• Why do you think trust is a central part of intimacy? In what ways do you think God is the most trustworthy person?
• Which lasting benefit for choosing God's design sticks out the most to you? Why is it worth choosing?
• Do you need to look up, look in, or look out the most? What will that look like for you?

Scripture Referenced:

• Romans 3:23
• Jeremiah 2:13
• John 8:1-12
• Genesis 1:28
• Ephesians 5:31-32
• 1 Timothy 4:4
• 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5
• Psalm 139:1-4
• 1 Corinthians 6:17-20
• Psalm 63:3
• Philippians 2:14-15
• 2 Peter 1:3

How did we get here? Am I the result of an evolutionary process or something more? If God did create the world, why would he even do that? Come learn about the beginnings of humanity and put those nagging questions to rest.

Podcaster: Rob Blankenship