Pastor Jake returned to the podcast to dive into his message from Pentecost Sunday. He and host Ross Cochran discussed what faith looks like in this current moment of division, and ultimately how we can move towards unity without expecting uniformity.

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!

We are moving forward in faith. Join us.

Check out the sermon this conversation is based on from Sunday June 8, 2025.

Pastor Tara Beth Leach illustrates the transformative power of the Holy Spirit during Pentecost, emphasizing that the event began not with a speech or revival, but with a powerful sound resembling wind that ignited change in the lives of ordinary people. She highlights how this moment marked a radical inclusivity, where the Spirit fell on all—men and women, young and old—uniting diverse individuals as the new dwelling place of God.

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!

We are moving forward in faith. Join us.

Today’s message was originally delivered on Sunday June 8th in our Sanctuary and you can watch it here.

On Pentecost Sunday, Pastor Jake highlights the significance of the Holy Spirit descending upon the early church, emphasizing that this moment addresses the personal and communal aches we carry. He acknowledges the unseen struggles many face, from personal traumas to societal divisions, and reassures that God meets us in our pain, reminding us that we are seen and loved. Ultimately, he calls for a renewed identity in Christ, encouraging the congregation to let the Holy Spirit redefine who they are and to participate in healing and reconciliation in a fractured 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!

We are moving forward in faith. Join us.

Today’s message was originally delivered on Sunday June 8th in our Worship Center and you can watch it here.

Aubrey Sampson is an pastor and author. Her most recent book is What We Find in the Dark and she joined host Ross Cochran to discuss what she hopes people take away from this book, how those of us in the church have mishandled caring for people in a season of grief, and ultimately what we can be thinking about if we find ourselves in a season of grief.

SHOW NOTES

Check out more about Aubrey, her books, and her ministry.

Get your copy of What We Find in the Dark

Aubrey is a pastor at Renewal Church in West Chicago

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!

We are moving forward in faith. Join us.

Check out the sermon this conversation is based on from Sunday June 3rd, 2025.

Aubrey Sampson is a pastor and author and her most recent book, What We Find in the Dark, is for anyone who is dealing with loss and looking for hope in God’s presence during a season of grief. In her sermon, Aubrey emphasizes the importance of maintaining faith and hope during seasons of grief and darkness, offering insights from her own experiences with loss. She encourages the congregation to approach God with "shameless audacity" in their prayers, highlighting that true friendship with God allows for honest expression of feelings, including anger and despair.

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!

We are moving Forward in Faith. Join us.

Today’s message was originally delivered on Sunday June 1 in our Worship Center and you can watch it here.

Rem & Jennifer Fairlamb have been a part of Good Shepherd for many years and joined host Ross Cochran to discuss the impact of our church, particularly with our disability ministry, sometimes referred to as "FUSION." Their son Preston is an active participant in that ministry, and Jennifer and Rem reflect on how their entire family feels like they can belong at Good Shepherd and how the generosity they've seen in others inspires them to be generous as well.

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!

We are moving forward in faith. Join us.

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

Pastor Jake Roberts wraps up our teaching series "The Art of Bouncing Back" by diving into Godly sorrow. If you want to "bounce back" that begins with repentance.

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 25 in our Sanctuary and you can watch it here.

Pastor Tara Beth wraps up our series "The Art of Bouncing Back" by diving into Godly sorrow. If you want to learn to rebound, you have to learn to repent.

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 25 in our Worship Center and you can watch it here.