Pleasing God Podcast
A podcast focused on helping Christians think biblically, engage practically, and live faithfully for the glory of God.
Episodes
What is faith?
In our culture, faith can mean many different things. It can refer to optimism, sincerity, strong feelings, or simply believing in something. But what does the Bible actually mean when it speaks about faith?
In this first episode of a new series, What Does the Bible Say About?, we slow down and look carefully at Scripture to understand what true, saving faith really is.
Is faith blind belief?
Is it merely...
Most Christians believe they should share the gospel — but when the moment comes, anxiety, pressure, and a fear of saying the wrong thing often get in the way. In this episode, we tackle one of the most common struggles in the Christian life: how to talk about Jesus naturally and faithfully without it feeling forced or awkward.
We dig into what the Bible actually says about evangelism through key passages in Colossians 4,...
In today’s polarized cultural moment, many Christians feel caught in a tension:
If we speak clearly, we’re labeled as harsh. If we speak gently, we’re accused of compromise.
So how do followers of Jesus hold firm convictions without losing Christlike character?
In this episode of The Pleasing God Podcast, we explore what Scripture teaches about truth, gentleness, and courage, and why the Bible never separates convicti...
What kind of faith truly lasts? In a culture shaped by distraction, instability, and constant change, many Christians feel pressure to pursue visible growth, spiritual intensity, or quick transformation. Scripture, however, directs our attention deeper to the unseen roots that sustain a lasting Christian faith.
In this episode of The Pleasing God Podcast, we explore what it means to be rooted in Christ and why enduring fa...
If Christians are saved by grace alone, why does obedience still matter? In this episode of The Pleasing God Podcast, we explore the biblical relationship between grace and obedience, and why the gospel does not weaken obedience but produces it.
Drawing on passages such as Titus 2:11–14, Ephesians 2:8–10, and John 14:15, this episode unpacks the difference between legalistic obedience driven by fear and grace-driven obedi...
In a world shaped by constant visibility and comparison, contentment has become increasingly elusive. From social media to ministry metrics, we are regularly tempted to measure our lives against others rather than live faithfully before God.
In this episode, we explore what Scripture teaches about contentment in an age of comparison. Drawing from Philippians 4, Galatians 6, and 2 Corinthians 10, we consider how comparison...
Work occupies much of our lives, yet many Christians give little theological attention to it. Is work merely a necessity, a burden of the fall, or something to endure until “real ministry” begins?
In this episode, we explore a biblical theology of work and vocation, rooted in creation, marked by the fall, and reoriented through redemption in Christ. Beginning in Genesis and moving through the New Testament, we consider ho...
As we begin 2026, it’s helpful to pause and ask not simply what we plan to do, but how we are walking before the Lord. In this episode, we turn to Colossians 1:9-10 to consider what it means to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord and fully pleasing to Him.
From that biblical foundation, Jonathan shares the heart and direction of Pleasing God Ministries for the year ahead and how the Pleasing God Podcast, Pleasing God Week...
We explore why clarity about Jesus in the Gospel of Mark is the key to steady discipleship and how a sermon-shaped book, Behold the Christ, can help believers behold him rather than blur him. We share the pastoral burden, structure, and practical ways churches and groups can use it well.
• Why the question “Who do you say Jesus is?” matters most
• Why sequential exposition through Mark sharpens the vision of...
Feeling stretched thin and spiritually tired, we turned to the Psalms—not to skim, but to slow down. What we found is both practical and profound: these ancient songs give honest words to modern emotions and lead us straight to Jesus. From the cross to the empty tomb, Christ stands at the center of the Psalter, and reading with that lens changes how we pray, how we hope, and how we face the day.
We start by aski...
What if better theology could actually make your church kinder, calmer, and more unified? We sit down with Dr. Matthew Haste of Southern Seminary to explore how loving God with our minds translates into healthier congregations, steadier leaders, and clearer discipleship. From the joy of “light bulb” moments to the hard work of guarding against drift, we unpack why training pastors isn’t elitist—it’s practical care for th...
What if the life you want can only be found on the other side of surrender? We open Luke 9:23 and sit with Jesus’ words to deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, and follow Him—then we trace what that actually looks like when comfort collides with calling.
Jonathan walks through the stark paradox at the heart of discipleship: losing life to find it, dying to truly live. We contrast the rich young ruler’s sorro...
Ever wonder why so many sincere believers still feel unmoored—attending services, sampling sermons, but never truly belonging? We explore how Scripture paints a richer, sturdier vision of the local church and why being counted and known is essential to a healthy Christian life. With Pastor Jim at the table, we walk through Acts 2’s immersive community, where teaching, prayer, generosity, and the Lord’s Supper form a shar...
The most important conversations in a church rarely happen behind a desk; they start in pews, hallways, and kitchens. We sat down with Pastor Seth to explore how counseling can move from a specialized silo to a normal rhythm of discipleship, where Scripture, the Spirit, and the local church work together to bring hope, clarity, and change. Instead of outsourcing every struggle, we outline a path to recover competent Chri...
What if the strongest marriages are built on simple, steady friendship? We dive into how liking your spouse—laughing together, choosing small moments of care, and protecting time that isn’t about the kids—creates a marriage that feels safe, joyful, and resilient. From a spur-of-the-moment golf date to “sushi Sundays” after bedtime, we share real rhythms that keep us connected in the middle of ministry, parenting, and pac...
What if the whole Bible is one story with Jesus at the center? We open the text with that question and follow the thread from Genesis to Revelation, letting the Emmaus Road guide how we read, interpret, and apply Scripture. Rather than treating the Bible as a grab bag of inspirational lines or moral tales, we explore how Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms bear witness to Christ—and why that lens changes our daily walk.<...
What if the church’s health could be seen in the air—balanced, steady, and lifting—because evangelism and discipleship finally fly on two wings? That image frames a rich conversation with Pastor Jim about a calling forged in the Navy, nineteen years of waiting that taught presence over programs, and a pastoral philosophy where outreach grows from love of souls and discipleship is built on clear, human-scale spaces.
<...
What sustains a pastor through decades of ministry in one church? In this deeply personal conversation, Jonathan Sole interviews his father, Pastor Jim Sole, about his remarkable 23-year journey leading Quinnessett Baptist Church.
The conversation traces Pastor Jim's unlikely path from Navy sailor to church leader, beginning with his conversion at age 21 aboard a destroyer in the Mediterranean Sea. Unlike traditional...
What does it truly mean to follow Jesus? In a world where Christianity is often reduced to Sunday attendance and general morality, we need to rediscover the radical nature of discipleship that Jesus actually calls us to.
The call to follow Jesus is fundamentally personal. When Jesus walked along the Sea of Galilee calling his first disciples, he wasn't inviting them to join a religion or adopt a philosophy—he was cal...
Jonathan and Katelyn return with a fresh start in Season 4, sharing life updates and discussing the challenges and blessings of remaining faithful to God during difficult seasons.
• Season 4 begins with personal updates, including the addition of twin boys to their family of seven children
• Biblical perspective on faithfulness from James 1:2-4 - counting trials as joy because they produce steadfastness
• Four practical way...
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