TEMPTATION: Why Couples Are Tempted to Skip Church | Love By Faith with Kyle & Selina Almodovar #087
November 18, 2025 • 37 mins
We confront the real reasons why couples are tempted to skip church and offer honest, practical ways to rebuild trust, rhythm, and community without pretending church is perfect. From burnout and offense to pride and preference, we point back to grace, ownership, and shared responsibility.
• why church exists as a body, not an event
• healthy vs emotionally unhealthy church cultures
• who leads the family to church and why it’s shared
• seasons of weakness and how to cover a spouse
• offense, burnout, and serving from an empty cup
• the limits of Sunday-only relationships
• petty but real preferences about worship and teaching
• discernment vs cynicism when judging hypocrisy
• how to show up ready to serve and connect
• simple questions that spark real community
• building weekly practices that make Sunday overflow
If skipping church is something that you (or your partner, or both!) are struggling with, we encourage you to take advantage of our latest FREE download within the LOVE BY FAITH COUPLE'S PLAYBOOK!
Asking how to spiritually connect and how to lovingly serve can both become a catalyst for the return of a church setting in your relationship or the start of one.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Selina Almodovar (00:00):
The temptation to skip church.
I just want to show.
Because not every church isemotionally healthy.
Kyle Almodovar (00:06):
I've been going all these Sundays.
I don't have any fill in theblank to show for it.
Yeah.
Selina Almodovar (00:10):
I'm gonna be super petty about this, okay?
But I know there's super pettypeople out there who are
listening, they're gonna belike, ooh, that hurt.
People skip church becausewe're not perfect people by any
means, but by trusting in God,we learned what it takes to
build a friendship, arelationship, and marriage that
has stood the test of time.
(00:31):
With a keeping it real style,we're gonna talk to you about
everything, everything thatwe've been through, are going
through, and have overcome allby learning how to lean on God
and each other in order to helpyou learn how to love by faith.
Kyle Almodovar (01:01):
Good morning.
Selina Almodovar (01:03):
How are you?
Kyle Almodovar (01:04):
I'm great, man.
I'm I'm feeling it today.
In a good vibe.
Selina Almodovar (01:07):
We're in a good vibe.
Kyle Almodovar (01:08):
Had a good, you know, you know, we record after
we dropped the kids off atschool.
Selina Almodovar (01:12):
Right.
Kyle Almodovar (01:13):
And we had a great morning, great drop off.
So it just makes everythingeasier.
Makes it feel like the Lord isleading the way.
Selina Almodovar (01:20):
It is uh pleasantly good considering we
just had daylight savings andthe adjustment, but I'm sure by
tomorrow everyone's gonna belike tanked and toast and no
bones.
Kyle Almodovar (01:33):
You think we'll get the Wednesday, the Wednesday
no bones?
Selina Almodovar (01:35):
Usually comes on Wednesday.
Kyle Almodovar (01:36):
The hump day blues.
Selina Almodovar (01:37):
Yeah, usually comes on Wednesday.
Kyle Almodovar (01:39):
I can see that.
Selina Almodovar (01:40):
Yeah, so but hey, as long as we're here
today.
Kyle Almodovar (01:43):
Man, season three is going by so quickly.
Selina Almodovar (01:46):
This is a very heavy topic that we're talking
about with temptation.
Yeah, yes, because we arereally shining a light on things
that people I would think issecretly struggling with, maybe
openly struggling with, andwe're taking a mirror with all
of these discussions, and we'rereally just holding it up, and
(02:08):
we're like, do you see yourselfin this?
Kyle Almodovar (02:10):
That's great.
Yes.
I I like that it has so manyfacets to it that even though
we're talking about temptationto look and tempted to keep
secrets, like it gets into thatdeeper of what's in your heart.
Selina Almodovar (02:20):
Yeah.
Kyle Almodovar (02:20):
And I think that's the whole point of our
ministry is talking to people'shearts and helping you
understand who you are so thatyou can be better in your
marriage and in yourrelationship.
Selina Almodovar (02:29):
Absolutely.
So, speaking of hearts, welcomeeveryone.
We're glad that you're here andyou're joining us today.
If you're new for the firsttime, this is Love by Faith.
And here we speak directly tohearts, apparently.
This is what we do, this is ourministry, and we love that
you're here with us.
We hope you enjoy this ride.
If you've been with us for along time, we're glad you're
back.
Thanks for coming back.
Thanks for supporting.
(02:50):
Thanks for all of the seedsowers who are also supporting
us off the screen to help makeall of this possible.
We're very thankful for youguys as well, you know, being in
that season of gratitude.
And as Kyle mentioned, we'retalking about temptation.
And last week we talked aboutthe temptation to keep secrets.
The week before that, we talkedabout the temptation to look
(03:11):
away.
This week, I think is gonna bevery interesting because it is
speaking about the temptation toskip uh church.
Kyle Almodovar (03:23):
Yeah, tempted to skip church, tempted to skip
church.
So should we go like baseline?
Why is church important?
Why is church important realquick?
Selina Almodovar (03:35):
Church is important because the body is
one, and when you come togetherwith other like-minded people
who also have their faith inChrist, then we become the body,
and when the body comestogether, we are able to do
things with that body.
We're able to edify each other,we're able to strengthen one
(03:55):
another, we're able to serveoutside, and we're able to
fulfill the commission by usingthat that shared spirit being
the Holy Spirit.
Okay, and that shared faith,we're able to do more together.
Kyle Almodovar (04:09):
So, love your answer, right?
It's it's a book, good, goodbook answer.
I think my my answer to thatsame question is we need the
church because it helps us seethat being flawed is okay.
Selina Almodovar (04:21):
Yeah, okay.
Kyle Almodovar (04:22):
Because it helps us see that we're going through
something, and and the rest ofour believers are going through
something, and we're goingthrough it together, and we're
able to share in that experienceand share in that in that
shortcomings and work togetherto grow together and to make
that body better.
Selina Almodovar (04:39):
It gets tricky though, okay, because not every
church is emotionally healthy.
Oh, okay.
Not every church is emotionallyhealthy, which means there are
a lot of churches out there whoare using the cover up of Christ
has redeemed me, I am healed,but by his grace, I am free, and
they're not talking about thehuman things that they're going
(05:00):
through.
Either because of their shame,either because of their pride,
either because they arewrestling with the concept of
why am I imperfect if I am aChristian?
Sh I shouldn't be, you know,like for example, like I
shouldn't be depressed becauseGod set me free of that.
So why am I going, I don't haveit.
You know, they're in a denialstate.
(05:20):
I don't, I don't have that.
In Jesus' name, I'm healed.
I don't have a mental illnessin Jesus' name.
But deep inside, but deepinside we're going through these
human things because we live ina broken, fallen world and
these things are coming at us.
And so, as Christ-like familybelievers, we should see them
for what they are, and we shouldwork together to not just
(05:41):
expose what the enemy is doing,but we should expose that God is
greater and we're gonna getthrough this.
Kyle Almodovar (05:47):
So, in in a relationship, yeah, who is in
charge of making sure the couplegoes to church?
Selina Almodovar (05:52):
Ooh, Kyle.
Wow.
Kyle Almodovar (05:56):
But we're tempted to skip, who's who's
giving in, who's succumbing tothat temptation?
Selina Almodovar (06:00):
Listen, it's so complicated.
It's different for everybody.
You're laughing because you'relike, I she fell right into my
plan.
Kyle Almodovar (06:09):
I'm my agenda is talk about being tempted to
skip church.
Selina Almodovar (06:13):
I'm gonna speak just for Selena.
Okay.
I'm only speaking for Selena,and people will have different
opinions because every situationis completely different.
And I'm gonna understand that.
And I want the listeners andthe watchers to understand that
every situation is different.
Whatever is working for you asbeing convicted by the Holy
Spirit, that's your business.
(06:33):
That my name is Paul, that'sbetween y'all.
I'm talking to me, Selena.
This is what I think.
I think who is in charge as thespiritual leader of the
household, I'm gonna say with mywhole chest, it is the
husband's responsibility to makesure that the family that he is
in stewarding, that he isleading, should have the access
(06:59):
and the consistency to go tochurch.
I'm locking that answer in.
Kyle Almodovar (07:03):
Final answer the dude is responsible for getting
the family to church.
Selina Almodovar (07:06):
But again, every situation's different, you
know.
Like maybe that dude can't makeit to the church service times
because of work or because ofwhatever reason.
I don't know.
Kyle Almodovar (07:17):
Right.
Selina Almodovar (07:18):
I can't I can't say that you have to do it
in because maybe there's asituation where they can maybe
they're deployed.
I don't know.
Then what?
Kyle Almodovar (07:24):
Love it.
Great example.
Then what?
Selina Almodovar (07:26):
What what do you do if the if he's removed
and he's not he's not able to gothere?
Kyle Almodovar (07:30):
That's beautiful, you know?
Yeah.
Selina Almodovar (07:31):
What if he's out of town and he travels a lot
and he just happens to betraveling during the weekends
because of his job?
Then what?
Then it's like, oh, well, youweren't here to do it, so
therefore I'm not gonna no, thenI guess it falls back to it
falls onto the wife.
Gotta get them kids in.
No matter what, you're sharingthis stewardship of a family and
a legacy.
So however you and we know wetalked about legacy in season
(07:52):
two.
Kyle Almodovar (07:52):
Yeah.
Selina Almodovar (07:53):
However, you want that legacy to look like
when you're not there, whenyou're long gone for
generations, you're setting thestandard now.
Kyle Almodovar (08:02):
Good answer.
Good answer.
I'm good with that.
Selina Almodovar (08:04):
Good answer.
Good answer.
Okay.
Kyle Almodovar (08:07):
So ask me the same question.
Selina Almodovar (08:08):
Okay.
Kyle, what was the question?
Kyle Almodovar (08:10):
Who's responsible?
Selina Almodovar (08:12):
Kyle.
Who's responsible?
Who's responsible forinitiating?
Is that initiating?
Making sure.
Making sure.
Just tell me.
Kyle Almodovar (08:23):
Making sure that the family goes to church.
Selina Almodovar (08:24):
Who's responsible, Kyle, for making
sure that the family goes tochurch?
Kyle Almodovar (08:31):
So you did fall right into my trap because this
is a trick question.
Both people are responsible.
Selina Almodovar (08:36):
But I thought I said it.
Kyle Almodovar (08:37):
We are both responsible for A, our own
salvation.
Yes.
And yes, the husband is theleader of the household, but at
times the leader's got to knowwhen to to step back and look at
the bigger picture and saywhat's best, right?
Selina Almodovar (08:49):
Okay.
Kyle Almodovar (08:49):
If your wife is sick and not not feeling it and
out of it, you're not just gonnadrag her and force her and say,
You have to go to church.
Selina Almodovar (08:56):
Because my husband's can't be legalistic,
and I like that.
I like that approach.
Kyle Almodovar (09:01):
And and if if the husband has been like in a
slump or in a depression, likeyou said, like people get
depressed.
Like it sucks, it's hard, it'sreal, right?
Really human.
Selina Almodovar (09:11):
Absolutely.
Kyle Almodovar (09:12):
The wife's gotta be able to be like, honey,
listen, I know you're notfeeling it.
Just come in, let's hear themessage, and let's get out of
here.
Selina Almodovar (09:19):
Listen, I remember um when I was first
pregnant with William.
Yeah.
First baby, first pregnancy,never before happened to this.
I was nine months, I wasmiserable.
It was in July, and going tochurch made me want to just cuss
people out.
I'm sorry, people who knew meback then, because they would
just, when is the baby do?
(09:39):
When are you doing?
How are you doing?
How are you feeling?
And I was just like, I was sooverwhelmed and just hearing the
same questions over and overand over.
And if you're pregnant, you getit, you know, you know.
And I was just like, I don'twant to be here because you're
making me upset.
And I'm only going to, I feellike a spectacle.
I'm not going to church.
And I didn't go to church.
And so then I had the baby,right?
I had the baby.
So I'm like, I can't go tochurch until like I feel better,
(10:01):
right?
So then you heal.
Six weeks after I got after Ihad William and I did the
six-week checkup, and I'm like,okay, I think it's time for me
to get back into the world.
Yeah, I got hit with Bell'spalsy.
Yeah.
And my entire left side of myface was paralyzed.
And I told you, I was like, I'mnot leaving this house.
(10:22):
I'm not going to church.
I'm not stepping foot aroundanybody who's gonna look at me
and think I'm quasi-modal.
Like I'm not having thatbecause it was a really hard
season.
And so I must have been out ofchurch for a minimum of 12
weeks, three months, a wholeseason.
Yeah.
And I felt that spiritually.
Kyle Almodovar (10:42):
Okay.
Selina Almodovar (10:42):
I felt that, but you didn't pressure me and
you kept going.
You kept going to church.
And I think that was verysignificant.
Why?
Because it helped us keep Godat the center.
When I was too weak to go, orwhen I was unable to go, you
going in to church and havingthat encouragement and having
(11:05):
that support and getting filledby the word and having that
weekly time of worship, youknow, with other believers, that
strengthened you to then comeback to our house and pour that
back into what we needed.
Kyle Almodovar (11:21):
Wow.
Selina Almodovar (11:22):
I think if both of us would have stayed
home at that time, where wouldwe have been inspired and
motivated to keep going?
Where would the hope have been?
Where I mean, sure, we can readour Bible.
Kyle Almodovar (11:32):
Yeah.
Selina Almodovar (11:33):
Yes, we can listen to sermons online, but
there's something about having aperson that you know that you
have done life with, who knowswhat you're going through, see
you and give you a hug, or giveyou a dap, or share a smile with
you, or pray over you, or justgenuinely care for you, for you
(11:53):
to be like, I'm not alone.
Kyle Almodovar (11:55):
It's good.
Selina Almodovar (11:56):
I'm not alone in this.
I can I can do this.
Kyle Almodovar (12:00):
Your memory is so crazy, and it's crazy in a
beautiful way, because like Iremember obviously we had the
baby, I remember obviously youhad the Bell's palsy, but I
don't remember the the littlethings of of the routine of life
during that season.
I remember we went to I madeyou go to Dairy Queen one time,
and that was not fun for you.
I remember what you had to doto help like take care of your
(12:23):
eyes, but to remember the megoing to church, yeah, I think
it just was such an ingrainedinto my routine of of what I
needed to stay spiritually saneand to say physically sane.
Yes, in a in a rough seasonwhere my wife doesn't feel
pretty, and to be there and justpray for you and to connect
with the spirit for you.
(12:44):
I guess looking back on it nowthat you've reminded me like
that was really intentional tojust keep the family covered.
Selina Almodovar (12:51):
And just because you were going out, you
know, you're able to tell peoplelike what's happening in our
home.
Yeah.
You know, we had the emotionalintelligence to be like, hey,
I'm vulnerable right now.
I'm gonna share what'shappening because this is where
like we're real, okay, we'regenuine.
We're not perfect, but we'rereal, and we could at least
share what's happening.
And so it was our churchfriends that ultimately like
(13:12):
dragged me out, and like we wenton a we went to a restaurant
with like our all our newbabies, like we all had like new
babies at the time.
And it was our friends.
Kyle Almodovar (13:19):
I remember that.
Selina Almodovar (13:20):
I remember that didn't that motivated me.
And then like I remember Iwould like they would say
something to make me laugh, andI would remember trying to laugh
and like my face couldn't, likehalf of my face couldn't do it,
and then it like it was funny,and like that was the first time
that I laughed in thatcondition of like wow, this is
actually how I'm gonna getmissed the eye because of
(13:41):
beautiful, because the wholetime it just felt like people
were laughing at me, and for thefirst time I felt like people
were laughing with me, and I wasable to like get through that
really hard season.
Kyle Almodovar (13:54):
Amen.
Selina Almodovar (13:54):
For because of the church family, because of
the church family.
Kyle Almodovar (13:58):
So I think I think we're we're pushing time
good.
When we get to the second half,I want to talk about more um
practical, like what temptationscause people to skip.
Selina Almodovar (14:09):
Absolutely.
Kyle Almodovar (14:10):
That's so like what what cause what really
tempts us to miss church on aSunday or Saturday or whatever
day you'd like to go.
Selina Almodovar (14:17):
Hey everyone, we hope that you're enjoying
this episode.
And right now, we want to justtake a small minute to introduce
to you the latest thing that wecreated to help you elevate
your relationship and take it tothe next level.
It's called the Love by Faithplaybook.
Kyle Almodovar (14:32):
Every good coach knows they have to have winning
plays.
We went through our foundationseries and we pulled out some of
the best winning plays andcreated strategies for you guys.
Plays like how to be betterfinancially, how to do ministry
together, how to be betterromantically, how to be better
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We went through all thesedifferent areas from the
foundation series and put ittogether in a playbook.
Selina Almodovar (14:53):
So grab your love by faith playbook today.
You can use the link in thedescription below, enter it.
And the good news about this isthat it is a living document.
So you download it one time,and every single month, we are
gonna be updating this documentto give you fresh new plays to
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(15:14):
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Go ahead and get your love byfaith playbook now, and let's
get back into this episode.
So you said that you wanted totalk about the temptations,
right?
What makes people skip church?
Kyle Almodovar (15:29):
Right.
Selina Almodovar (15:29):
I think the number one thing that makes
people skip church is they getoffended and they get a church
hurt and they pull back on.
Kyle Almodovar (15:37):
Okay.
Offense and church hurt.
Selina Almodovar (15:39):
Yes.
I think something happenedinside the church with human
beings.
I don't think the Holy Spirit,maybe the Holy Spirit corrected
them and they didn't like it.
But nine times out of ten, it'sanother person who's also
imperfect, who's also broken,and they bumped heads and it
caused them to be like, you knowwhat?
I'm gonna take I'm gonna taketime off.
(16:00):
I'm not gonna go to thatservice because I know they're
gonna be there.
Or, you know, I'm not I'm notgonna participate as much
because I don't want to have tohave conflict with this person.
Yeah, you know, I think anotherreason if I can keep going,
because I'm on a trail now.
Kyle Almodovar (16:14):
Yeah, if you got it, good luck.
Selina Almodovar (16:16):
Burnout, number one, they're all number
one.
Kyle Almodovar (16:18):
That's what you said.
Selina Almodovar (16:19):
They're all number one.
These are all the number onethings offense with someone
else, burnout, yeah, absolutelyburnout.
It has stopped us from going tochurch for a time.
Certainly, because we were justlike, we're doing too much and
we're not getting anything backin return, you know, and not to
say that we were serving and wewere leaders of the ministries
(16:39):
because we were expecting to getsomething, but it came to a
point where we were so muchabout the logistics of running
this church that we lost sightof building the relationships
that the church should be caringfor.
And so when we were goingthrough hard times and other
people who were in that samementality was not checking on us
(17:01):
and we weren't checking onthem, then there was a huge
disconnect, and it felt like,well, we're overexerting
ourselves, and so we're justgonna fall back.
Kyle Almodovar (17:10):
We got to a point where we were ministering
from an empty cup.
Selina Almodovar (17:12):
Yes, and that cup was empty for a long time
and didn't we didn't stop tofill it up, and it was just
yeah, yeah, we were ministeringfrom an empty cup, and so we had
nothing to pour out, and thenwe were because we had nothing
to pour out, you know,everything everything comes with
a layer of you know, justweakness, right?
Our flesh is just weak.
Yeah, and when your flesh isweak, you tend to get offended
(17:34):
easily, you tend to get angereasily.
The flesh things come out more,right?
You know, and so when you'recoming from an empty cup,
because you're oh you're burnedout and you're tired, now all of
a sudden you're gettingoffended easier.
Yeah, now all of a suddenyou're starting to realize,
well, so and so is not checkingin on me, and that how come they
didn't care for me?
You know, you're starting titfor tat, and then it's just
(17:56):
like, well, you know, thesepeople, they're so they only
talk to me about this one thing.
How come they're not asking meabout more things?
And it's just like if you werejust coming from a better filled
cup, okay, I think you wouldsee grace and you would see love
and you would feel um led toshare.
You know, a lot of times peopleare waiting for people to to
(18:17):
ask and to pour and to to becurious instead of just sharing.
A lot of people are waiting andthey're like, Well, you never
asked.
You never asked, so that's whyyou don't know.
You never asked what happened,what was going on with me, and
you never, so therefore youdon't care because you didn't
ask.
And it's like, how am Isupposed to know to ask?
I talk to you all the time andyou never brought it up, you
(18:39):
know.
So then you get into this wholethey're not interested in me
because they're not asking me,versus I should have just been
open and honest and vulnerable,and I should have just shared.
So it's all offense, it's allexhaustion, it's all these
things mixed together into thishuge perfect storm of people
just decide not to come.
(19:01):
They don't want to meet theconflict, and so they decide not
to come.
Kyle Almodovar (19:04):
So, what I hear there is that one of the big
hangups is that it's it's aSunday-only relationship.
And they're expecting thatwhole relationship to grow and
to blossom and to get deep onjust Sunday.
Selina Almodovar (19:17):
Yeah.
Kyle Almodovar (19:17):
And I think that's that's a big thing that's
gonna tempt you to miss.
If you're expecting that Sundayonly is going to be enough
spiritually, be enough uh withrelationally, then you're you're
gonna miss it.
That's gonna tempt you thatthis Sunday isn't that this this
church isn't working.
Right.
Let me not go to this churchbecause I've been going all
these Sundays and I don't haveany working.
(19:39):
I don't have any fill in theblank to show for it.
Selina Almodovar (19:43):
Yeah.
Kyle Almodovar (19:44):
But it's it's not church isn't a Sunday only
thing.
Selina Almodovar (19:47):
Yeah.
Kyle Almodovar (19:47):
The body is not only alive on Sunday.
Selina Almodovar (19:50):
Yes, right?
Yes.
Kyle Almodovar (19:51):
That's why all those other connections that
have to happen are true.
Selina Almodovar (19:56):
Can I say another temptation?
Sure.
I'm on a roll.
Kyle Almodovar (19:59):
Okay.
Selina Almodovar (19:59):
I got a lot.
Holy Spirit just dropped one inme.
I'm gonna be super petty aboutthis, okay?
But I know there's super pettypeople out there who are
listening are gonna be like,ooh, that hurt.
Kyle Almodovar (20:08):
So is this a personal temptation?
Selina Almodovar (20:10):
No, it's not, it's not okay.
People skip church because theworship is not good.
Kyle Almodovar (20:16):
Okay.
Selina Almodovar (20:17):
People are like, so-and-so is gonna sing,
it's not my favorite worshipleader, it's not my favorite
worship person, so I'm gonnaskip it.
So and so is not preaching.
Kyle Almodovar (20:27):
So-and-so is not preaching, so I'm not gonna go.
Selina Almodovar (20:30):
I'm not gonna go until they until that person
preaches again.
Kyle Almodovar (20:33):
I wait for for Pastor So-and-so to be back.
Selina Almodovar (20:35):
You know what I'm saying?
Like, yeah, that's real.
Yeah, people pick favorites,and it's like, why are you truly
you gotta check your heart?
Why are you truly going tochurch then?
Kyle Almodovar (20:45):
Has the Holy Spirit chosen this person to
minister this week?
Okay, that is who you shouldsubmit to the Holy Spirit as who
they want you to hear the wordfrom.
Selina Almodovar (20:53):
Yes.
Kyle Almodovar (20:54):
So, one of the things that I think people get
tempted from a dude'sperspective, yes, I'm gonna
bring the guy's perspectivehere, is just tempted to skip
church.
A just straight lazy.
Selina Almodovar (21:02):
Yeah.
Kyle Almodovar (21:03):
I just want to chill.
I just want to keep my feet up.
It's such a vibe, and this it'syou know, it could be it sucks
outside.
Selina Almodovar (21:11):
Yeah.
Kyle Almodovar (21:12):
I'm just I'm just gonna just gonna chill
today.
Yeah, just gonna take it easytoday.
And take it easy next week.
Take it easy the followingweek.
Oh, I got the golf outing.
I no, we're talking about guyshere.
I got the golf outing.
Selina Almodovar (21:22):
Oh, the game starts.
Kyle Almodovar (21:24):
We're playing in London this week.
I gotta be up early to watchthe game.
Selina Almodovar (21:27):
Yes.
Kyle Almodovar (21:28):
Come on, bro.
Selina Almodovar (21:29):
Yes.
Oh, it was late last night.
Oh, I don't wake up.
I don't I can't wake.
I'm not a morning person.
Kyle Almodovar (21:36):
One of the things I love about guys is that
we have great standards.
There's a lot of guys withreally good standards that I
know.
Selina Almodovar (21:41):
Amen.
Kyle Almodovar (21:42):
And who are men of quality and men of
consistency.
Selina Almodovar (21:45):
Yes.
Kyle Almodovar (21:46):
And one of the things that will tempt you to
avoid a group of people is whenyou don't see the same level of
effort.
Wow.
In their fill in the blank, intheir appearance, in their
appreciation, in the in the waythey worship, in how they come
up to you and shake your handand greet you.
And so is this being judgy?
Selina Almodovar (22:06):
Are you guys judging?
Kyle Almodovar (22:07):
Some of it could be judgment, some of it could
be just uh hypocrisy, being uhnot afraid of hypocrisy, but
seeing it and being like, uhfake.
This right.
This guy just saying hi to mebecause he's at church.
Yeah, he wouldn't say hi to meif we were at Target.
Selina Almodovar (22:22):
Wow.
Kyle Almodovar (22:22):
Or if we were at wherever.
Selina Almodovar (22:24):
Yeah.
Kyle Almodovar (22:24):
Right?
And so there's a certain levelof healthy judgment that we need
to use as Christians and asbelievers, and to know who to
surround ourselves with, eveninside the church.
Selina Almodovar (22:34):
Yeah.
Kyle Almodovar (22:34):
But there's also an unhealthy judgment of this
person's not this person's notdoing all the things.
Yeah.
Right?
This person doesn't even holdhis wife's hand.
Selina Almodovar (22:43):
Yeah.
Kyle Almodovar (22:43):
That's that's a poor judgment.
Yeah.
Because you don't know, maybeshe don't like having her hand
held in public.
Selina Almodovar (22:48):
Yeah.
Kyle Almodovar (22:49):
Maybe it makes her feel like a child, right?
You don't know.
And so you get into this, thisthe temptation is to avoid
hypocrisy.
And there's hypocrisyeverywhere, though.
You're gonna have people whoare new, one of my new favorite
words, duplicit.
Selina Almodovar (23:04):
Okay.
Kyle Almodovar (23:05):
Right?
And so you're gonna act one wayhere and one way there, and and
that's gonna stop people andtempt you to avoid that that
situation.
Selina Almodovar (23:13):
So I just to understand you, so going into a
crowd and not feeling respectfor the people that you're in
this church setting with willcause you to skip church because
you feel like you're better, oryou feel like they're you're
not you're not able to grow inthat environment.
Kyle Almodovar (23:33):
Yeah.
Selina Almodovar (23:35):
Okay.
Kyle Almodovar (23:35):
Yeah.
Not better.
They're not able to grow.
Selina Almodovar (23:37):
You're not able to grow.
Kyle Almodovar (23:38):
You're not able to connect.
Selina Almodovar (23:39):
Yeah.
Kyle Almodovar (23:39):
You're not able to grow and connect.
Selina Almodovar (23:43):
What's up, love by faith family?
We want to say thank you somuch for your support in
watching and engaging in everysingle episode that we have put
out thus far.
We could not have made it thisfar without you.
Kyle Almodovar (23:54):
That's right.
And we want to grow more, wewant to create new resources, we
want to increase our reach, andwe want to provide more for you
guys.
But the only way to make thathappen is for you to come
alongside and partner with us tosow a seed into this ministry
to help it grow.
Selina Almodovar (24:09):
Because at the end of the day, it's not about
getting new equipment or puttingout new resources, it's about
expanding the kingdom.
It's about creating godlymarriages.
And we can do that if youpartner alongside us with your
financial support.
There's a link below that youcan click on.
You can contribute one time, oryou can partner with us on a
(24:30):
monthly basis and help us sow aseed so that love by faith can
continue to grow and reach themasses.
Kyle Almodovar (24:36):
If you want to see this ministry grow, follow
the link below and thank you.
We thank you for giving and forbeing just part of this journey
with us.
Selina Almodovar (24:44):
So that together we can love by faith.
Kyle Almodovar (24:48):
Love by faith, y'all.
That's not a joke.
Selina Almodovar (24:54):
Love by faith is a joke.
Kyle Almodovar (24:56):
Love by faith, y'all is not a joke.
Selina Almodovar (24:57):
That's not our tagline.
Kyle Almodovar (24:58):
It's a catchphrase.
Selina Almodovar (25:00):
Can you please just use the link and click
below and we would be gratefulin Jesus' name.
Kyle Almodovar (25:07):
But I think you nailed it before when you said
it's all people problems.
Selina Almodovar (25:14):
Yeah.
Kyle Almodovar (25:14):
It's all people problems.
And and we all have peopleproblems.
Selina Almodovar (25:18):
And no church is perfect.
Kyle Almodovar (25:20):
Right.
Selina Almodovar (25:20):
No church is perfect.
Kyle Almodovar (25:22):
And so my encouragement to be temptation
is that is that no church isperfect, right?
We're not going to a place fullof all-star athletes.
We're going to a hospital forthe sick.
Yes.
And we're all in differentstages of getting better.
Selina Almodovar (25:38):
Yes.
Kyle Almodovar (25:39):
How about you?
What's your practical onavoiding temptation to skip
church?
Selina Almodovar (25:43):
So I think when it comes to skipping
church, I think a lot of peopleare thinking about the other
people at church.
And they're not thinking enoughabout you contributing to that
church.
So for you to skip church,you're blaming other people for
the problems within the church.
(26:03):
But instead of focusing on theproblem, why don't we flip it
and instead we focus on us asbecoming a solution?
Why don't we become morevulnerable?
Why don't we become moreservant-like?
Why don't we become morecheerful to be around?
If you feel like theenvironment is not going to grow
(26:24):
you, then how can we growothers so that they can in turn
grow?
You know?
Like how can we become thelight and the salt inside the
church so that we can encouragethe church to leave the church
walls, establish thosecommunities outside of Sunday
service, and then become betteras people?
Kyle Almodovar (26:45):
Yes.
Selina Almodovar (26:45):
I think it starts with you.
And the reason why people aretempted to skip church is
because they're focused on them.
It's not a them problem, it's ayou problem.
And the more you focus onyourself and the more you're
going to church, not for thepeople, but because God has
called you there and God hasbrought you here to hear this
particular sermon, to listen tothese particular worship songs,
(27:07):
to participate in thoseparticular events, to meet those
particular souls, because maybesomething that you have inside
of you is something that youneed to partake into them on
that particular Sunday.
Maybe that's the reason.
Maybe if we are moreChrist-minded and less
people-minded, then we can lookat the church not as something
that we have to go to orsomething that we're tempted to
(27:27):
skip.
We can instead use it as a wayof God calling us closer to Him.
Kyle Almodovar (27:33):
Let's go.
Let's go.
Jesus didn't go to the wellbecause he was thirsty.
Selina Almodovar (27:36):
Yes.
Kyle Almodovar (27:37):
He went to the well because he had he had
someone to help.
Selina Almodovar (27:39):
Yes.
Kyle Almodovar (27:40):
He went to the well because he had a woman to
help understand her situationand show her that there was
still love for her and there wasstill God was still on her
side, regardless of how she feltor how she was living.
Selina Almodovar (27:51):
Yes.
Kyle Almodovar (27:52):
And when we get caught up in I think in leaving
just the church to be on Sunday,right?
If the church is just Sunday,if you're not connecting with
your for the guys, if you're notconnecting with with your guys
outside of Sunday, if you're notconnecting with with the word
outside of Sunday, if you're notconnecting with God in prayer
(28:12):
outside of Sunday, you are gonnabe tempted to not value Sunday.
Selina Almodovar (28:17):
Yeah.
Kyle Almodovar (28:18):
Because it's just it's just uh checking it
off of the box.
It's just a box to check off ofyour things to do this week.
Selina Almodovar (28:24):
Yeah.
Kyle Almodovar (28:24):
It it does just become just part of that routine
that you just all right, honey,we gotta go to church.
Let's go, kids.
Alright, church is over.
Everybody get out as fast asyou can.
Take those ten minutes toconnect with someone.
Selina Almodovar (28:37):
Yes.
Kyle Almodovar (28:37):
Take those ten minutes to meet somebody new.
If you gotta read a book andfigure out some questions some
conversation starters to take tochurch, do it.
You gotta run ChatGPT to figureout what's some good questions
to ask people at church to get aconversation, go and do it.
That's not crazy.
That's caring about the bodyand pouring in.
Selina Almodovar (28:55):
I think if if if there's any if there's any
question, and I I have anotherthought after this, but if
there's any question, it couldbe, hey, how can I pray for you
this week?
You know, let's let's let'sopen up that dialogue so that
people can be vulnerable.
Let's open up the dialogue sothat people can feel less
lonely.
Because there are people whoare listening to this episode
and they're like, I am thechurch.
(29:17):
I don't need other people, Idon't need the walls.
I am the church.
I I read my Bible at home, Ilisten to sermons, I listen to
worship music.
I don't need to go there tomeet with God.
I don't need to go there tohave experiences with God.
Kyle Almodovar (29:32):
So their their pride is the is the temptation
to skip Sunday.
Selina Almodovar (29:36):
Their yeah, their pride is I don't need
these people, I don't need thisestablishment to have a
spiritual life and to be Christminded.
But if that were the case,Christ did not stay by himself.
Kyle Almodovar (29:51):
Right.
Selina Almodovar (29:52):
Christ met with others, he communed with
other people.
And maybe I know we I think wementioned this in season one,
but you're Your church might notlook like a church with a
steeple and stained glasswindows.
Your church might look like theplace where you donate your
charity and your communityservice to, you know, that that
group of people, you know, yourchurch might look like an AA
(30:16):
group, your group of peoplewhere you're being vulnerable
and you invite Christ into thecenter of that, and you you ask
for his, you know, all that hehas, his love and his grace and
his mercy, and all of the thingsthat come out of that grace and
love and mercy through people.
Okay.
And so going to a churchestablishment is great because
we cannot do this life alone.
(30:37):
Right.
We're not strong enough.
We're not meant to, we weremeant to grow and multiply.
We were meant to have domainover the world.
We were meant to do this inconnection with others.
We were meant to go and makemore disciples.
We were meant to pour into whatGod has poured into us onto
others, and you cannot do thatalone.
Kyle Almodovar (30:56):
No, that community connection is so key
to the growth.
Selina Almodovar (30:59):
Churches are great because they have a pastor
who has a message because youcan worship in a time when you
probably don't worship on yourown.
It has events where you can goout and you can be the hands and
feet for Christ.
It has places where yourchildren can meet other children
and develop their Christ-likefaith, their childlike faith.
Church is a great place to doall of these things, especially
(31:23):
to connect with people who alsohave the same shared beliefs as
you.
And you can do it in othersettings, but a church is a
really good place to start.
And so we encourage you guys,consider it, reconsider it.
If there is an offense, ifthere's pride, if there's
laziness, if there's any othertemptation that we have
discussed in this podcast, ormaybe some that we haven't
(31:43):
talked about yet, bring that upto God.
Bring up the conversation ofshould I go back to my church?
Should I go to a new church?
Where are you calling me?
Because wherever you are, yes,it should be God's yes and amen.
Kyle Almodovar (31:57):
God's leading you there.
Selina Almodovar (31:59):
Okay.
So we are just encouraging youto do life with other people
where they are in agreement withthat truth that wherever you
go, it is your yes and amen ontothe Lord.
And that's what I have to say.
Kyle Almodovar (32:12):
That's awesome.
What an episode.
Selena, you had some somebangers in there.
I'm so grateful to do this withyou.
I hope that you guys have beenblessed by this episode.
Let's close in prayer.
Selina Almodovar (32:24):
Wait, wait, wait.
You had bangers in there aswell.
Kyle Almodovar (32:27):
Okay.
Selina Almodovar (32:28):
You touching on the guys thing, you touching
on the truth of the matter ofthings.
All of this was good.
It wasn't just me.
Kyle Almodovar (32:35):
I thanks, honey.
Thanks.
I appreciate that.
Selina Almodovar (32:38):
Yes.
Kyle Almodovar (32:39):
The church is so important.
The church is is the hands andfeet of Christ.
You said it multiple times, andit's absolutely God's plan for
the church to be united.
That's why go where you go,connection, community,
communion, and just Christianfellowship will help your
spiritual life in ways youcannot imagine.
(33:00):
Amen.
Let's pray.
Lord, I'm grateful to be herewith my wife and to be used by
you, for us to be used by yourHoly Spirit, to share a message
each week, to share uh thoughtsand to provoke discussion each
week.
We pray that your word lands ongood soil, Lord, that the
hearts of people in marriage andrelationships who are seeking
(33:24):
the good words would hear us andwould feel connected to us,
Lord.
We give you the glory for allof it.
We're not here on our own,we're not here by ourselves,
Lord.
We are here with you, and weare led by you.
We give you the glory for allof it, and we just pray for
blessings in the relationshipsand in the churches who who are
listening in this podcast inJesus' name.
(33:46):
Amen.
Selina Almodovar (33:47):
Amen.
You know, uh one of the thingsthat came to my mind as we were
praying is when a husband andwife are tempted to skip church
together, and whether they'retempted to skip church, you
know, one is tempted to skipchurch and the other isn't, and
really encouraging couples whoare in these kind of situations,
(34:08):
as Kyle mentioned earlier, youknow, going because you have a
relationship with the Lord thatyou need to fulfill is very
crucial.
But also, you know, whatever ifyou're if your spouse is
struggling with skipping churchand you really want them to join
you in that, then taking thosequestions, how can I pray for
(34:29):
you?
How can I serve you?
Taking those church-relatedquestions and those
church-related service ideas andstarting at home with your wife
or with your husband could bethe first step to getting them
back into a place where they areeager and excited to go to
church with you.
Kyle Almodovar (34:47):
Practice those conversation starters on each
other.
Selina Almodovar (34:50):
Yes.
Kyle Almodovar (34:51):
Amen.
That's great.
Selina Almodovar (34:52):
Yes.
And so I just want to be clearthat you guys know that that
starts at home and then itcarries into the rest of the
church setting.
And we have lots ofaccountability questions that
are included in our newestresource.
You guys can find that in thecouples playbook.
Make sure you download that.
It is completely free and wecontinue to add to it.
So your your value is onlyincreasing over time.
(35:14):
So make sure that you get thatand you have those questions.
And maybe this week you guyscan have some really good
conversations to get you back tochurch on Sunday.
Kyle Almodovar (35:22):
Man, we appreciate you listening.
We appreciate you watching.
If you're on YouTube, uh, like,share, subscribe, show your
friends what we're doing.
Spotify, give us the fivestars.
We appreciate you being hereand listening.
Apple podcasts.
Please review it and five stareverything.
Selina Almodovar (35:41):
Yes.
Kyle Almodovar (35:42):
We're grateful for you.
We're grateful for this season.
And you guys can beattemptation with the power of
God.
With the power of the HolySpirit, you can defeat
temptation.
Selina Almodovar (35:52):
If this episode blessed you and you
would like to do more, we arecurrently in the middle of a
crowdfunding campaign.
You can go ahead and sow a seedinto us so that you can help us
create godly marriages.
The link is in the descriptionbelow, and you can take part in
that as well.
Thanks so much for joining us.
We'll see you again next week.
Kyle Almodovar (36:09):
Love by faith, yeah.
Selina Almodovar (36:10):
Bye.
Kyle Almodovar (36:12):
I love you.
I freaking love you.
I love you.
You're awesome, bro.
Selina Almodovar (36:15):
You're awesome.
No, you're awesome.
Kyle Almodovar (36:21):
The thing you said after I prayed, that would
be a good end credit scene.
Selina Almodovar (36:29):
No.
Kyle Almodovar (36:29):
No.
Okay.
Selina Almodovar (36:31):
This is our end credit scene.
Kyle Almodovar (36:33):
Look at me trying to trying to direct and
getting shot down by theproducer.
Selina Almodovar (36:39):
I I thought about it, but it's too, it's too
good.
You know, there was one episodewhere I think we were doing
finances, and you were like,make sure this goes in.
And I like cut the end creditscene and I like brought it back
to video form.
And like you, you did yourwhole spiel on that, and that
was that was an interesting takeon it.
And I was I was thinking aboutthat in my head.
Yeah.
And I was like, no, we're justwe're gonna keep that in the in
(37:01):
the full episode because peopleneed to hear that part.
And I don't know if people tuneout of the end credits scenes
or not.
Kyle Almodovar (37:10):
So love by faith, y'all.
Selina Almodovar (37:13):
Love by faith, y'all.
Are we gonna have coffee mugsone day that say love by faith,
y'all?
Sure.
Maybe one of those neon signsin the back that says love by
faith, y'all.
Kyle Almodovar (37:22):
If you want to love by faith, y'all, mug.
Selina Almodovar (37:24):
You're gonna have to sell some seeds so we
could like establish that.
Comment below.
Yeah.
All right, let's go uh do somereels, eh?
Wanna do some reels with me?
Wanna really, really oh?
Kyle Almodovar (37:37):
We could probably do one, maybe two.
Selina Almodovar (37:39):
Maybe it took okay.
All right, thank you.
Let's get to work.
The temptation to skip church.
I just want to show.
Because not every church isemotionally healthy.
Kyle Almodovar (00:06):
I've been going all these Sundays.
I don't have any fill in theblank to show for it.
Yeah.
Selina Almodovar (00:10):
I'm gonna be super petty about this, okay?
But I know there's super pettypeople out there who are
listening, they're gonna belike, ooh, that hurt.
People skip church becausewe're not perfect people by any
means, but by trusting in God,we learned what it takes to
build a friendship, arelationship, and marriage that
has stood the test of time.
(00:31):
With a keeping it real style,we're gonna talk to you about
everything, everything thatwe've been through, are going
through, and have overcome allby learning how to lean on God
and each other in order to helpyou learn how to love by faith.
Kyle Almodovar (01:01):
Good morning.
Selina Almodovar (01:03):
How are you?
Kyle Almodovar (01:04):
I'm great, man.
I'm I'm feeling it today.
In a good vibe.
Selina Almodovar (01:07):
We're in a good vibe.
Kyle Almodovar (01:08):
Had a good, you know, you know, we record after
we dropped the kids off atschool.
Selina Almodovar (01:12):
Right.
Kyle Almodovar (01:13):
And we had a great morning, great drop off.
So it just makes everythingeasier.
Makes it feel like the Lord isleading the way.
Selina Almodovar (01:20):
It is uh pleasantly good considering we
just had daylight savings andthe adjustment, but I'm sure by
tomorrow everyone's gonna belike tanked and toast and no
bones.
Kyle Almodovar (01:33):
You think we'll get the Wednesday, the Wednesday
no bones?
Selina Almodovar (01:35):
Usually comes on Wednesday.
Kyle Almodovar (01:36):
The hump day blues.
Selina Almodovar (01:37):
Yeah, usually comes on Wednesday.
Kyle Almodovar (01:39):
I can see that.
Selina Almodovar (01:40):
Yeah, so but hey, as long as we're here
today.
Kyle Almodovar (01:43):
Man, season three is going by so quickly.
Selina Almodovar (01:46):
This is a very heavy topic that we're talking
about with temptation.
Yeah, yes, because we arereally shining a light on things
that people I would think issecretly struggling with, maybe
openly struggling with, andwe're taking a mirror with all
of these discussions, and we'rereally just holding it up, and
(02:08):
we're like, do you see yourselfin this?
Kyle Almodovar (02:10):
That's great.
Yes.
I I like that it has so manyfacets to it that even though
we're talking about temptationto look and tempted to keep
secrets, like it gets into thatdeeper of what's in your heart.
Selina Almodovar (02:20):
Yeah.
Kyle Almodovar (02:20):
And I think that's the whole point of our
ministry is talking to people'shearts and helping you
understand who you are so thatyou can be better in your
marriage and in yourrelationship.
Selina Almodovar (02:29):
Absolutely.
So, speaking of hearts, welcomeeveryone.
We're glad that you're here andyou're joining us today.
If you're new for the firsttime, this is Love by Faith.
And here we speak directly tohearts, apparently.
This is what we do, this is ourministry, and we love that
you're here with us.
We hope you enjoy this ride.
If you've been with us for along time, we're glad you're
back.
Thanks for coming back.
Thanks for supporting.
(02:50):
Thanks for all of the seedsowers who are also supporting
us off the screen to help makeall of this possible.
We're very thankful for youguys as well, you know, being in
that season of gratitude.
And as Kyle mentioned, we'retalking about temptation.
And last week we talked aboutthe temptation to keep secrets.
The week before that, we talkedabout the temptation to look
(03:11):
away.
This week, I think is gonna bevery interesting because it is
speaking about the temptation toskip uh church.
Kyle Almodovar (03:23):
Yeah, tempted to skip church, tempted to skip
church.
So should we go like baseline?
Why is church important?
Why is church important realquick?
Selina Almodovar (03:35):
Church is important because the body is
one, and when you come togetherwith other like-minded people
who also have their faith inChrist, then we become the body,
and when the body comestogether, we are able to do
things with that body.
We're able to edify each other,we're able to strengthen one
(03:55):
another, we're able to serveoutside, and we're able to
fulfill the commission by usingthat that shared spirit being
the Holy Spirit.
Okay, and that shared faith,we're able to do more together.
Kyle Almodovar (04:09):
So, love your answer, right?
It's it's a book, good, goodbook answer.
I think my my answer to thatsame question is we need the
church because it helps us seethat being flawed is okay.
Selina Almodovar (04:21):
Yeah, okay.
Kyle Almodovar (04:22):
Because it helps us see that we're going through
something, and and the rest ofour believers are going through
something, and we're goingthrough it together, and we're
able to share in that experienceand share in that in that
shortcomings and work togetherto grow together and to make
that body better.
Selina Almodovar (04:39):
It gets tricky though, okay, because not every
church is emotionally healthy.
Oh, okay.
Not every church is emotionallyhealthy, which means there are
a lot of churches out there whoare using the cover up of Christ
has redeemed me, I am healed,but by his grace, I am free, and
they're not talking about thehuman things that they're going
(05:00):
through.
Either because of their shame,either because of their pride,
either because they arewrestling with the concept of
why am I imperfect if I am aChristian?
Sh I shouldn't be, you know,like for example, like I
shouldn't be depressed becauseGod set me free of that.
So why am I going, I don't haveit.
You know, they're in a denialstate.
(05:20):
I don't, I don't have that.
In Jesus' name, I'm healed.
I don't have a mental illnessin Jesus' name.
But deep inside, but deepinside we're going through these
human things because we live ina broken, fallen world and
these things are coming at us.
And so, as Christ-like familybelievers, we should see them
for what they are, and we shouldwork together to not just
(05:41):
expose what the enemy is doing,but we should expose that God is
greater and we're gonna getthrough this.
Kyle Almodovar (05:47):
So, in in a relationship, yeah, who is in
charge of making sure the couplegoes to church?
Selina Almodovar (05:52):
Ooh, Kyle.
Wow.
Kyle Almodovar (05:56):
But we're tempted to skip, who's who's
giving in, who's succumbing tothat temptation?
Selina Almodovar (06:00):
Listen, it's so complicated.
It's different for everybody.
You're laughing because you'relike, I she fell right into my
plan.
Kyle Almodovar (06:09):
I'm my agenda is talk about being tempted to
skip church.
Selina Almodovar (06:13):
I'm gonna speak just for Selena.
Okay.
I'm only speaking for Selena,and people will have different
opinions because every situationis completely different.
And I'm gonna understand that.
And I want the listeners andthe watchers to understand that
every situation is different.
Whatever is working for you asbeing convicted by the Holy
Spirit, that's your business.
(06:33):
That my name is Paul, that'sbetween y'all.
I'm talking to me, Selena.
This is what I think.
I think who is in charge as thespiritual leader of the
household, I'm gonna say with mywhole chest, it is the
husband's responsibility to makesure that the family that he is
in stewarding, that he isleading, should have the access
(06:59):
and the consistency to go tochurch.
I'm locking that answer in.
Kyle Almodovar (07:03):
Final answer the dude is responsible for getting
the family to church.
Selina Almodovar (07:06):
But again, every situation's different, you
know.
Like maybe that dude can't makeit to the church service times
because of work or because ofwhatever reason.
I don't know.
Kyle Almodovar (07:17):
Right.
Selina Almodovar (07:18):
I can't I can't say that you have to do it
in because maybe there's asituation where they can maybe
they're deployed.
I don't know.
Then what?
Kyle Almodovar (07:24):
Love it.
Great example.
Then what?
Selina Almodovar (07:26):
What what do you do if the if he's removed
and he's not he's not able to gothere?
Kyle Almodovar (07:30):
That's beautiful, you know?
Yeah.
Selina Almodovar (07:31):
What if he's out of town and he travels a lot
and he just happens to betraveling during the weekends
because of his job?
Then what?
Then it's like, oh, well, youweren't here to do it, so
therefore I'm not gonna no, thenI guess it falls back to it
falls onto the wife.
Gotta get them kids in.
No matter what, you're sharingthis stewardship of a family and
a legacy.
So however you and we know wetalked about legacy in season
(07:52):
two.
Kyle Almodovar (07:52):
Yeah.
Selina Almodovar (07:53):
However, you want that legacy to look like
when you're not there, whenyou're long gone for
generations, you're setting thestandard now.
Kyle Almodovar (08:02):
Good answer.
Good answer.
I'm good with that.
Selina Almodovar (08:04):
Good answer.
Good answer.
Okay.
Kyle Almodovar (08:07):
So ask me the same question.
Selina Almodovar (08:08):
Okay.
Kyle, what was the question?
Kyle Almodovar (08:10):
Who's responsible?
Selina Almodovar (08:12):
Kyle.
Who's responsible?
Who's responsible forinitiating?
Is that initiating?
Making sure.
Making sure.
Just tell me.
Kyle Almodovar (08:23):
Making sure that the family goes to church.
Selina Almodovar (08:24):
Who's responsible, Kyle, for making
sure that the family goes tochurch?
Kyle Almodovar (08:31):
So you did fall right into my trap because this
is a trick question.
Both people are responsible.
Selina Almodovar (08:36):
But I thought I said it.
Kyle Almodovar (08:37):
We are both responsible for A, our own
salvation.
Yes.
And yes, the husband is theleader of the household, but at
times the leader's got to knowwhen to to step back and look at
the bigger picture and saywhat's best, right?
Selina Almodovar (08:49):
Okay.
Kyle Almodovar (08:49):
If your wife is sick and not not feeling it and
out of it, you're not just gonnadrag her and force her and say,
You have to go to church.
Selina Almodovar (08:56):
Because my husband's can't be legalistic,
and I like that.
I like that approach.
Kyle Almodovar (09:01):
And and if if the husband has been like in a
slump or in a depression, likeyou said, like people get
depressed.
Like it sucks, it's hard, it'sreal, right?
Really human.
Selina Almodovar (09:11):
Absolutely.
Kyle Almodovar (09:12):
The wife's gotta be able to be like, honey,
listen, I know you're notfeeling it.
Just come in, let's hear themessage, and let's get out of
here.
Selina Almodovar (09:19):
Listen, I remember um when I was first
pregnant with William.
Yeah.
First baby, first pregnancy,never before happened to this.
I was nine months, I wasmiserable.
It was in July, and going tochurch made me want to just cuss
people out.
I'm sorry, people who knew meback then, because they would
just, when is the baby do?
(09:39):
When are you doing?
How are you doing?
How are you feeling?
And I was just like, I was sooverwhelmed and just hearing the
same questions over and overand over.
And if you're pregnant, you getit, you know, you know.
And I was just like, I don'twant to be here because you're
making me upset.
And I'm only going to, I feellike a spectacle.
I'm not going to church.
And I didn't go to church.
And so then I had the baby,right?
I had the baby.
So I'm like, I can't go tochurch until like I feel better,
(10:01):
right?
So then you heal.
Six weeks after I got after Ihad William and I did the
six-week checkup, and I'm like,okay, I think it's time for me
to get back into the world.
Yeah, I got hit with Bell'spalsy.
Yeah.
And my entire left side of myface was paralyzed.
And I told you, I was like, I'mnot leaving this house.
(10:22):
I'm not going to church.
I'm not stepping foot aroundanybody who's gonna look at me
and think I'm quasi-modal.
Like I'm not having thatbecause it was a really hard
season.
And so I must have been out ofchurch for a minimum of 12
weeks, three months, a wholeseason.
Yeah.
And I felt that spiritually.
Kyle Almodovar (10:42):
Okay.
Selina Almodovar (10:42):
I felt that, but you didn't pressure me and
you kept going.
You kept going to church.
And I think that was verysignificant.
Why?
Because it helped us keep Godat the center.
When I was too weak to go, orwhen I was unable to go, you
going in to church and havingthat encouragement and having
(11:05):
that support and getting filledby the word and having that
weekly time of worship, youknow, with other believers, that
strengthened you to then comeback to our house and pour that
back into what we needed.
Kyle Almodovar (11:21):
Wow.
Selina Almodovar (11:22):
I think if both of us would have stayed
home at that time, where wouldwe have been inspired and
motivated to keep going?
Where would the hope have been?
Where I mean, sure, we can readour Bible.
Kyle Almodovar (11:32):
Yeah.
Selina Almodovar (11:33):
Yes, we can listen to sermons online, but
there's something about having aperson that you know that you
have done life with, who knowswhat you're going through, see
you and give you a hug, or giveyou a dap, or share a smile with
you, or pray over you, or justgenuinely care for you, for you
(11:53):
to be like, I'm not alone.
Kyle Almodovar (11:55):
It's good.
Selina Almodovar (11:56):
I'm not alone in this.
I can I can do this.
Kyle Almodovar (12:00):
Your memory is so crazy, and it's crazy in a
beautiful way, because like Iremember obviously we had the
baby, I remember obviously youhad the Bell's palsy, but I
don't remember the the littlethings of of the routine of life
during that season.
I remember we went to I madeyou go to Dairy Queen one time,
and that was not fun for you.
I remember what you had to doto help like take care of your
(12:23):
eyes, but to remember the megoing to church, yeah, I think
it just was such an ingrainedinto my routine of of what I
needed to stay spiritually saneand to say physically sane.
Yes, in a in a rough seasonwhere my wife doesn't feel
pretty, and to be there and justpray for you and to connect
with the spirit for you.
(12:44):
I guess looking back on it nowthat you've reminded me like
that was really intentional tojust keep the family covered.
Selina Almodovar (12:51):
And just because you were going out, you
know, you're able to tell peoplelike what's happening in our
home.
Yeah.
You know, we had the emotionalintelligence to be like, hey,
I'm vulnerable right now.
I'm gonna share what'shappening because this is where
like we're real, okay, we'regenuine.
We're not perfect, but we'rereal, and we could at least
share what's happening.
And so it was our churchfriends that ultimately like
(13:12):
dragged me out, and like we wenton a we went to a restaurant
with like our all our newbabies, like we all had like new
babies at the time.
And it was our friends.
Kyle Almodovar (13:19):
I remember that.
Selina Almodovar (13:20):
I remember that didn't that motivated me.
And then like I remember Iwould like they would say
something to make me laugh, andI would remember trying to laugh
and like my face couldn't, likehalf of my face couldn't do it,
and then it like it was funny,and like that was the first time
that I laughed in thatcondition of like wow, this is
actually how I'm gonna getmissed the eye because of
(13:41):
beautiful, because the wholetime it just felt like people
were laughing at me, and for thefirst time I felt like people
were laughing with me, and I wasable to like get through that
really hard season.
Kyle Almodovar (13:54):
Amen.
Selina Almodovar (13:54):
For because of the church family, because of
the church family.
Kyle Almodovar (13:58):
So I think I think we're we're pushing time
good.
When we get to the second half,I want to talk about more um
practical, like what temptationscause people to skip.
Selina Almodovar (14:09):
Absolutely.
Kyle Almodovar (14:10):
That's so like what what cause what really
tempts us to miss church on aSunday or Saturday or whatever
day you'd like to go.
Selina Almodovar (14:17):
Hey everyone, we hope that you're enjoying
this episode.
And right now, we want to justtake a small minute to introduce
to you the latest thing that wecreated to help you elevate
your relationship and take it tothe next level.
It's called the Love by Faithplaybook.
Kyle Almodovar (14:32):
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We went through all thesedifferent areas from the
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Selina Almodovar (14:53):
So grab your love by faith playbook today.
You can use the link in thedescription below, enter it.
And the good news about this isthat it is a living document.
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(15:14):
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Go ahead and get your love byfaith playbook now, and let's
get back into this episode.
So you said that you wanted totalk about the temptations,
right?
What makes people skip church?
Kyle Almodovar (15:29):
Right.
Selina Almodovar (15:29):
I think the number one thing that makes
people skip church is they getoffended and they get a church
hurt and they pull back on.
Kyle Almodovar (15:37):
Okay.
Offense and church hurt.
Selina Almodovar (15:39):
Yes.
I think something happenedinside the church with human
beings.
I don't think the Holy Spirit,maybe the Holy Spirit corrected
them and they didn't like it.
But nine times out of ten, it'sanother person who's also
imperfect, who's also broken,and they bumped heads and it
caused them to be like, you knowwhat?
I'm gonna take I'm gonna taketime off.
(16:00):
I'm not gonna go to thatservice because I know they're
gonna be there.
Or, you know, I'm not I'm notgonna participate as much
because I don't want to have tohave conflict with this person.
Yeah, you know, I think anotherreason if I can keep going,
because I'm on a trail now.
Kyle Almodovar (16:14):
Yeah, if you got it, good luck.
Selina Almodovar (16:16):
Burnout, number one, they're all number
one.
Kyle Almodovar (16:18):
That's what you said.
Selina Almodovar (16:19):
They're all number one.
These are all the number onethings offense with someone
else, burnout, yeah, absolutelyburnout.
It has stopped us from going tochurch for a time.
Certainly, because we were justlike, we're doing too much and
we're not getting anything backin return, you know, and not to
say that we were serving and wewere leaders of the ministries
(16:39):
because we were expecting to getsomething, but it came to a
point where we were so muchabout the logistics of running
this church that we lost sightof building the relationships
that the church should be caringfor.
And so when we were goingthrough hard times and other
people who were in that samementality was not checking on us
(17:01):
and we weren't checking onthem, then there was a huge
disconnect, and it felt like,well, we're overexerting
ourselves, and so we're justgonna fall back.
Kyle Almodovar (17:10):
We got to a point where we were ministering
from an empty cup.
Selina Almodovar (17:12):
Yes, and that cup was empty for a long time
and didn't we didn't stop tofill it up, and it was just
yeah, yeah, we were ministeringfrom an empty cup, and so we had
nothing to pour out, and thenwe were because we had nothing
to pour out, you know,everything everything comes with
a layer of you know, justweakness, right?
Our flesh is just weak.
Yeah, and when your flesh isweak, you tend to get offended
(17:34):
easily, you tend to get angereasily.
The flesh things come out more,right?
You know, and so when you'recoming from an empty cup,
because you're oh you're burnedout and you're tired, now all of
a sudden you're gettingoffended easier.
Yeah, now all of a suddenyou're starting to realize,
well, so and so is not checkingin on me, and that how come they
didn't care for me?
You know, you're starting titfor tat, and then it's just
(17:56):
like, well, you know, thesepeople, they're so they only
talk to me about this one thing.
How come they're not asking meabout more things?
And it's just like if you werejust coming from a better filled
cup, okay, I think you wouldsee grace and you would see love
and you would feel um led toshare.
You know, a lot of times peopleare waiting for people to to
(18:17):
ask and to pour and to to becurious instead of just sharing.
A lot of people are waiting andthey're like, Well, you never
asked.
You never asked, so that's whyyou don't know.
You never asked what happened,what was going on with me, and
you never, so therefore youdon't care because you didn't
ask.
And it's like, how am Isupposed to know to ask?
I talk to you all the time andyou never brought it up, you
(18:39):
know.
So then you get into this wholethey're not interested in me
because they're not asking me,versus I should have just been
open and honest and vulnerable,and I should have just shared.
So it's all offense, it's allexhaustion, it's all these
things mixed together into thishuge perfect storm of people
just decide not to come.
(19:01):
They don't want to meet theconflict, and so they decide not
to come.
Kyle Almodovar (19:04):
So, what I hear there is that one of the big
hangups is that it's it's aSunday-only relationship.
And they're expecting thatwhole relationship to grow and
to blossom and to get deep onjust Sunday.
Selina Almodovar (19:17):
Yeah.
Kyle Almodovar (19:17):
And I think that's that's a big thing that's
gonna tempt you to miss.
If you're expecting that Sundayonly is going to be enough
spiritually, be enough uh withrelationally, then you're you're
gonna miss it.
That's gonna tempt you thatthis Sunday isn't that this this
church isn't working.
Right.
Let me not go to this churchbecause I've been going all
these Sundays and I don't haveany working.
(19:39):
I don't have any fill in theblank to show for it.
Selina Almodovar (19:43):
Yeah.
Kyle Almodovar (19:44):
But it's it's not church isn't a Sunday only
thing.
Selina Almodovar (19:47):
Yeah.
Kyle Almodovar (19:47):
The body is not only alive on Sunday.
Selina Almodovar (19:50):
Yes, right?
Yes.
Kyle Almodovar (19:51):
That's why all those other connections that
have to happen are true.
Selina Almodovar (19:56):
Can I say another temptation?
Sure.
I'm on a roll.
Kyle Almodovar (19:59):
Okay.
Selina Almodovar (19:59):
I got a lot.
Holy Spirit just dropped one inme.
I'm gonna be super petty aboutthis, okay?
But I know there's super pettypeople out there who are
listening are gonna be like,ooh, that hurt.
Kyle Almodovar (20:08):
So is this a personal temptation?
Selina Almodovar (20:10):
No, it's not, it's not okay.
People skip church because theworship is not good.
Kyle Almodovar (20:16):
Okay.
Selina Almodovar (20:17):
People are like, so-and-so is gonna sing,
it's not my favorite worshipleader, it's not my favorite
worship person, so I'm gonnaskip it.
So and so is not preaching.
Kyle Almodovar (20:27):
So-and-so is not preaching, so I'm not gonna go.
Selina Almodovar (20:30):
I'm not gonna go until they until that person
preaches again.
Kyle Almodovar (20:33):
I wait for for Pastor So-and-so to be back.
Selina Almodovar (20:35):
You know what I'm saying?
Like, yeah, that's real.
Yeah, people pick favorites,and it's like, why are you truly
you gotta check your heart?
Why are you truly going tochurch then?
Kyle Almodovar (20:45):
Has the Holy Spirit chosen this person to
minister this week?
Okay, that is who you shouldsubmit to the Holy Spirit as who
they want you to hear the wordfrom.
Selina Almodovar (20:53):
Yes.
Kyle Almodovar (20:54):
So, one of the things that I think people get
tempted from a dude'sperspective, yes, I'm gonna
bring the guy's perspectivehere, is just tempted to skip
church.
A just straight lazy.
Selina Almodovar (21:02):
Yeah.
Kyle Almodovar (21:03):
I just want to chill.
I just want to keep my feet up.
It's such a vibe, and this it'syou know, it could be it sucks
outside.
Selina Almodovar (21:11):
Yeah.
Kyle Almodovar (21:12):
I'm just I'm just gonna just gonna chill
today.
Yeah, just gonna take it easytoday.
And take it easy next week.
Take it easy the followingweek.
Oh, I got the golf outing.
I no, we're talking about guyshere.
I got the golf outing.
Selina Almodovar (21:22):
Oh, the game starts.
Kyle Almodovar (21:24):
We're playing in London this week.
I gotta be up early to watchthe game.
Selina Almodovar (21:27):
Yes.
Kyle Almodovar (21:28):
Come on, bro.
Selina Almodovar (21:29):
Yes.
Oh, it was late last night.
Oh, I don't wake up.
I don't I can't wake.
I'm not a morning person.
Kyle Almodovar (21:36):
One of the things I love about guys is that
we have great standards.
There's a lot of guys withreally good standards that I
know.
Selina Almodovar (21:41):
Amen.
Kyle Almodovar (21:42):
And who are men of quality and men of
consistency.
Selina Almodovar (21:45):
Yes.
Kyle Almodovar (21:46):
And one of the things that will tempt you to
avoid a group of people is whenyou don't see the same level of
effort.
Wow.
In their fill in the blank, intheir appearance, in their
appreciation, in the in the waythey worship, in how they come
up to you and shake your handand greet you.
And so is this being judgy?
Selina Almodovar (22:06):
Are you guys judging?
Kyle Almodovar (22:07):
Some of it could be judgment, some of it could
be just uh hypocrisy, being uhnot afraid of hypocrisy, but
seeing it and being like, uhfake.
This right.
This guy just saying hi to mebecause he's at church.
Yeah, he wouldn't say hi to meif we were at Target.
Selina Almodovar (22:22):
Wow.
Kyle Almodovar (22:22):
Or if we were at wherever.
Selina Almodovar (22:24):
Yeah.
Kyle Almodovar (22:24):
Right?
And so there's a certain levelof healthy judgment that we need
to use as Christians and asbelievers, and to know who to
surround ourselves with, eveninside the church.
Selina Almodovar (22:34):
Yeah.
Kyle Almodovar (22:34):
But there's also an unhealthy judgment of this
person's not this person's notdoing all the things.
Yeah.
Right?
This person doesn't even holdhis wife's hand.
Selina Almodovar (22:43):
Yeah.
Kyle Almodovar (22:43):
That's that's a poor judgment.
Yeah.
Because you don't know, maybeshe don't like having her hand
held in public.
Selina Almodovar (22:48):
Yeah.
Kyle Almodovar (22:49):
Maybe it makes her feel like a child, right?
You don't know.
And so you get into this, thisthe temptation is to avoid
hypocrisy.
And there's hypocrisyeverywhere, though.
You're gonna have people whoare new, one of my new favorite
words, duplicit.
Selina Almodovar (23:04):
Okay.
Kyle Almodovar (23:05):
Right?
And so you're gonna act one wayhere and one way there, and and
that's gonna stop people andtempt you to avoid that that
situation.
Selina Almodovar (23:13):
So I just to understand you, so going into a
crowd and not feeling respectfor the people that you're in
this church setting with willcause you to skip church because
you feel like you're better, oryou feel like they're you're
not you're not able to grow inthat environment.
Kyle Almodovar (23:33):
Yeah.
Selina Almodovar (23:35):
Okay.
Kyle Almodovar (23:35):
Yeah.
Not better.
They're not able to grow.
Selina Almodovar (23:37):
You're not able to grow.
Kyle Almodovar (23:38):
You're not able to connect.
Selina Almodovar (23:39):
Yeah.
Kyle Almodovar (23:39):
You're not able to grow and connect.
Selina Almodovar (23:43):
What's up, love by faith family?
We want to say thank you somuch for your support in
watching and engaging in everysingle episode that we have put
out thus far.
We could not have made it thisfar without you.
Kyle Almodovar (23:54):
That's right.
And we want to grow more, wewant to create new resources, we
want to increase our reach, andwe want to provide more for you
guys.
But the only way to make thathappen is for you to come
alongside and partner with us tosow a seed into this ministry
to help it grow.
Selina Almodovar (24:09):
Because at the end of the day, it's not about
getting new equipment or puttingout new resources, it's about
expanding the kingdom.
It's about creating godlymarriages.
And we can do that if youpartner alongside us with your
financial support.
There's a link below that youcan click on.
You can contribute one time, oryou can partner with us on a
(24:30):
monthly basis and help us sow aseed so that love by faith can
continue to grow and reach themasses.
Kyle Almodovar (24:36):
If you want to see this ministry grow, follow
the link below and thank you.
We thank you for giving and forbeing just part of this journey
with us.
Selina Almodovar (24:44):
So that together we can love by faith.
Kyle Almodovar (24:48):
Love by faith, y'all.
That's not a joke.
Selina Almodovar (24:54):
Love by faith is a joke.
Kyle Almodovar (24:56):
Love by faith, y'all is not a joke.
Selina Almodovar (24:57):
That's not our tagline.
Kyle Almodovar (24:58):
It's a catchphrase.
Selina Almodovar (25:00):
Can you please just use the link and click
below and we would be gratefulin Jesus' name.
Kyle Almodovar (25:07):
But I think you nailed it before when you said
it's all people problems.
Selina Almodovar (25:14):
Yeah.
Kyle Almodovar (25:14):
It's all people problems.
And and we all have peopleproblems.
Selina Almodovar (25:18):
And no church is perfect.
Kyle Almodovar (25:20):
Right.
Selina Almodovar (25:20):
No church is perfect.
Kyle Almodovar (25:22):
And so my encouragement to be temptation
is that is that no church isperfect, right?
We're not going to a place fullof all-star athletes.
We're going to a hospital forthe sick.
Yes.
And we're all in differentstages of getting better.
Selina Almodovar (25:38):
Yes.
Kyle Almodovar (25:39):
How about you?
What's your practical onavoiding temptation to skip
church?
Selina Almodovar (25:43):
So I think when it comes to skipping
church, I think a lot of peopleare thinking about the other
people at church.
And they're not thinking enoughabout you contributing to that
church.
So for you to skip church,you're blaming other people for
the problems within the church.
(26:03):
But instead of focusing on theproblem, why don't we flip it
and instead we focus on us asbecoming a solution?
Why don't we become morevulnerable?
Why don't we become moreservant-like?
Why don't we become morecheerful to be around?
If you feel like theenvironment is not going to grow
(26:24):
you, then how can we growothers so that they can in turn
grow?
You know?
Like how can we become thelight and the salt inside the
church so that we can encouragethe church to leave the church
walls, establish thosecommunities outside of Sunday
service, and then become betteras people?
Kyle Almodovar (26:45):
Yes.
Selina Almodovar (26:45):
I think it starts with you.
And the reason why people aretempted to skip church is
because they're focused on them.
It's not a them problem, it's ayou problem.
And the more you focus onyourself and the more you're
going to church, not for thepeople, but because God has
called you there and God hasbrought you here to hear this
particular sermon, to listen tothese particular worship songs,
(27:07):
to participate in thoseparticular events, to meet those
particular souls, because maybesomething that you have inside
of you is something that youneed to partake into them on
that particular Sunday.
Maybe that's the reason.
Maybe if we are moreChrist-minded and less
people-minded, then we can lookat the church not as something
that we have to go to orsomething that we're tempted to
(27:27):
skip.
We can instead use it as a wayof God calling us closer to Him.
Kyle Almodovar (27:33):
Let's go.
Let's go.
Jesus didn't go to the wellbecause he was thirsty.
Selina Almodovar (27:36):
Yes.
Kyle Almodovar (27:37):
He went to the well because he had he had
someone to help.
Selina Almodovar (27:39):
Yes.
Kyle Almodovar (27:40):
He went to the well because he had a woman to
help understand her situationand show her that there was
still love for her and there wasstill God was still on her
side, regardless of how she feltor how she was living.
Selina Almodovar (27:51):
Yes.
Kyle Almodovar (27:52):
And when we get caught up in I think in leaving
just the church to be on Sunday,right?
If the church is just Sunday,if you're not connecting with
your for the guys, if you're notconnecting with with your guys
outside of Sunday, if you're notconnecting with with the word
outside of Sunday, if you're notconnecting with God in prayer
(28:12):
outside of Sunday, you are gonnabe tempted to not value Sunday.
Selina Almodovar (28:17):
Yeah.
Kyle Almodovar (28:18):
Because it's just it's just uh checking it
off of the box.
It's just a box to check off ofyour things to do this week.
Selina Almodovar (28:24):
Yeah.
Kyle Almodovar (28:24):
It it does just become just part of that routine
that you just all right, honey,we gotta go to church.
Let's go, kids.
Alright, church is over.
Everybody get out as fast asyou can.
Take those ten minutes toconnect with someone.
Selina Almodovar (28:37):
Yes.
Kyle Almodovar (28:37):
Take those ten minutes to meet somebody new.
If you gotta read a book andfigure out some questions some
conversation starters to take tochurch, do it.
You gotta run ChatGPT to figureout what's some good questions
to ask people at church to get aconversation, go and do it.
That's not crazy.
That's caring about the bodyand pouring in.
Selina Almodovar (28:55):
I think if if if there's any if there's any
question, and I I have anotherthought after this, but if
there's any question, it couldbe, hey, how can I pray for you
this week?
You know, let's let's let'sopen up that dialogue so that
people can be vulnerable.
Let's open up the dialogue sothat people can feel less
lonely.
Because there are people whoare listening to this episode
and they're like, I am thechurch.
(29:17):
I don't need other people, Idon't need the walls.
I am the church.
I I read my Bible at home, Ilisten to sermons, I listen to
worship music.
I don't need to go there tomeet with God.
I don't need to go there tohave experiences with God.
Kyle Almodovar (29:32):
So their their pride is the is the temptation
to skip Sunday.
Selina Almodovar (29:36):
Their yeah, their pride is I don't need
these people, I don't need thisestablishment to have a
spiritual life and to be Christminded.
But if that were the case,Christ did not stay by himself.
Kyle Almodovar (29:51):
Right.
Selina Almodovar (29:52):
Christ met with others, he communed with
other people.
And maybe I know we I think wementioned this in season one,
but you're Your church might notlook like a church with a
steeple and stained glasswindows.
Your church might look like theplace where you donate your
charity and your communityservice to, you know, that that
group of people, you know, yourchurch might look like an AA
(30:16):
group, your group of peoplewhere you're being vulnerable
and you invite Christ into thecenter of that, and you you ask
for his, you know, all that hehas, his love and his grace and
his mercy, and all of the thingsthat come out of that grace and
love and mercy through people.
Okay.
And so going to a churchestablishment is great because
we cannot do this life alone.
(30:37):
Right.
We're not strong enough.
We're not meant to, we weremeant to grow and multiply.
We were meant to have domainover the world.
We were meant to do this inconnection with others.
We were meant to go and makemore disciples.
We were meant to pour into whatGod has poured into us onto
others, and you cannot do thatalone.
Kyle Almodovar (30:56):
No, that community connection is so key
to the growth.
Selina Almodovar (30:59):
Churches are great because they have a pastor
who has a message because youcan worship in a time when you
probably don't worship on yourown.
It has events where you can goout and you can be the hands and
feet for Christ.
It has places where yourchildren can meet other children
and develop their Christ-likefaith, their childlike faith.
Church is a great place to doall of these things, especially
(31:23):
to connect with people who alsohave the same shared beliefs as
you.
And you can do it in othersettings, but a church is a
really good place to start.
And so we encourage you guys,consider it, reconsider it.
If there is an offense, ifthere's pride, if there's
laziness, if there's any othertemptation that we have
discussed in this podcast, ormaybe some that we haven't
(31:43):
talked about yet, bring that upto God.
Bring up the conversation ofshould I go back to my church?
Should I go to a new church?
Where are you calling me?
Because wherever you are, yes,it should be God's yes and amen.
Kyle Almodovar (31:57):
God's leading you there.
Selina Almodovar (31:59):
Okay.
So we are just encouraging youto do life with other people
where they are in agreement withthat truth that wherever you
go, it is your yes and amen ontothe Lord.
And that's what I have to say.
Kyle Almodovar (32:12):
That's awesome.
What an episode.
Selena, you had some somebangers in there.
I'm so grateful to do this withyou.
I hope that you guys have beenblessed by this episode.
Let's close in prayer.
Selina Almodovar (32:24):
Wait, wait, wait.
You had bangers in there aswell.
Kyle Almodovar (32:27):
Okay.
Selina Almodovar (32:28):
You touching on the guys thing, you touching
on the truth of the matter ofthings.
All of this was good.
It wasn't just me.
Kyle Almodovar (32:35):
I thanks, honey.
Thanks.
I appreciate that.
Selina Almodovar (32:38):
Yes.
Kyle Almodovar (32:39):
The church is so important.
The church is is the hands andfeet of Christ.
You said it multiple times, andit's absolutely God's plan for
the church to be united.
That's why go where you go,connection, community,
communion, and just Christianfellowship will help your
spiritual life in ways youcannot imagine.
(33:00):
Amen.
Let's pray.
Lord, I'm grateful to be herewith my wife and to be used by
you, for us to be used by yourHoly Spirit, to share a message
each week, to share uh thoughtsand to provoke discussion each
week.
We pray that your word lands ongood soil, Lord, that the
hearts of people in marriage andrelationships who are seeking
(33:24):
the good words would hear us andwould feel connected to us,
Lord.
We give you the glory for allof it.
We're not here on our own,we're not here by ourselves,
Lord.
We are here with you, and weare led by you.
We give you the glory for allof it, and we just pray for
blessings in the relationshipsand in the churches who who are
listening in this podcast inJesus' name.
(33:46):
Amen.
Selina Almodovar (33:47):
Amen.
You know, uh one of the thingsthat came to my mind as we were
praying is when a husband andwife are tempted to skip church
together, and whether they'retempted to skip church, you
know, one is tempted to skipchurch and the other isn't, and
really encouraging couples whoare in these kind of situations,
(34:08):
as Kyle mentioned earlier, youknow, going because you have a
relationship with the Lord thatyou need to fulfill is very
crucial.
But also, you know, whatever ifyou're if your spouse is
struggling with skipping churchand you really want them to join
you in that, then taking thosequestions, how can I pray for
(34:29):
you?
How can I serve you?
Taking those church-relatedquestions and those
church-related service ideas andstarting at home with your wife
or with your husband could bethe first step to getting them
back into a place where they areeager and excited to go to
church with you.
Kyle Almodovar (34:47):
Practice those conversation starters on each
other.
Selina Almodovar (34:50):
Yes.
Kyle Almodovar (34:51):
Amen.
That's great.
Selina Almodovar (34:52):
Yes.
And so I just want to be clearthat you guys know that that
starts at home and then itcarries into the rest of the
church setting.
And we have lots ofaccountability questions that
are included in our newestresource.
You guys can find that in thecouples playbook.
Make sure you download that.
It is completely free and wecontinue to add to it.
So your your value is onlyincreasing over time.
(35:14):
So make sure that you get thatand you have those questions.
And maybe this week you guyscan have some really good
conversations to get you back tochurch on Sunday.
Kyle Almodovar (35:22):
Man, we appreciate you listening.
We appreciate you watching.
If you're on YouTube, uh, like,share, subscribe, show your
friends what we're doing.
Spotify, give us the fivestars.
We appreciate you being hereand listening.
Apple podcasts.
Please review it and five stareverything.
Selina Almodovar (35:41):
Yes.
Kyle Almodovar (35:42):
We're grateful for you.
We're grateful for this season.
And you guys can beattemptation with the power of
God.
With the power of the HolySpirit, you can defeat
temptation.
Selina Almodovar (35:52):
If this episode blessed you and you
would like to do more, we arecurrently in the middle of a
crowdfunding campaign.
You can go ahead and sow a seedinto us so that you can help us
create godly marriages.
The link is in the descriptionbelow, and you can take part in
that as well.
Thanks so much for joining us.
We'll see you again next week.
Kyle Almodovar (36:09):
Love by faith, yeah.
Selina Almodovar (36:10):
Bye.
Kyle Almodovar (36:12):
I love you.
I freaking love you.
I love you.
You're awesome, bro.
Selina Almodovar (36:15):
You're awesome.
No, you're awesome.
Kyle Almodovar (36:21):
The thing you said after I prayed, that would
be a good end credit scene.
Selina Almodovar (36:29):
No.
Kyle Almodovar (36:29):
No.
Okay.
Selina Almodovar (36:31):
This is our end credit scene.
Kyle Almodovar (36:33):
Look at me trying to trying to direct and
getting shot down by theproducer.
Selina Almodovar (36:39):
I I thought about it, but it's too, it's too
good.
You know, there was one episodewhere I think we were doing
finances, and you were like,make sure this goes in.
And I like cut the end creditscene and I like brought it back
to video form.
And like you, you did yourwhole spiel on that, and that
was that was an interesting takeon it.
And I was I was thinking aboutthat in my head.
Yeah.
And I was like, no, we're justwe're gonna keep that in the in
(37:01):
the full episode because peopleneed to hear that part.
And I don't know if people tuneout of the end credits scenes
or not.
Kyle Almodovar (37:10):
So love by faith, y'all.
Selina Almodovar (37:13):
Love by faith, y'all.
Are we gonna have coffee mugsone day that say love by faith,
y'all?
Sure.
Maybe one of those neon signsin the back that says love by
faith, y'all.
Kyle Almodovar (37:22):
If you want to love by faith, y'all, mug.
Selina Almodovar (37:24):
You're gonna have to sell some seeds so we
could like establish that.
Comment below.
Yeah.
All right, let's go uh do somereels, eh?
Wanna do some reels with me?
Wanna really, really oh?
Kyle Almodovar (37:37):
We could probably do one, maybe two.
Selina Almodovar (37:39):
Maybe it took okay.
All right, thank you.
Let's get to work.
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