"Living my best life" is a phrase thrown around in modern culture. But maybe more often than not, we feel lacking and circumstances keep us from living our best lives. Thankfully, Pastor Mike reminds us, God is with us and will use even our struggles and tough times for our good. We are all seeking rest and relief in our fast paced society and hope for the uncertain days ahead.  There's only one place to go to find what we seek and that is to Jesus.  Kick off 2025 by seeking Jesus every day...

Being a Chrstian is both easy and hard. Jesus lived a perfect life, died for all sin, and rose for us; there's nothing we need to do to earn heaven. That's the easy part. But loving God above everything can seem difficult. In this message, Pastor Mike teaches from the book of Hebrews to remind us of a very important truth: God will help us through the hard parts of being a Christian. We are all seeking rest and relief in our fast paced society and hope for the uncertain days ahead.  There's...

Next time something difficult or unexpected happens, will you go into a place of panic, uncertainty, and worry? Or is there a beautiful narrow path of peace and hope that you can take? That path is the promises of God—the topic of Pastor Mike's next sermon series, "God's Promises to You." Join Pastor Mike and Amber Albee Swenson as they talk about why it's best to memorize God's promises BEFORE something bad happens, how to keep ourselves free from the love of money, how amazing things can...

Sometimes we may feel as though we're not blessed financially. Even though we live in a prosperous age, many factors determine the kinds of financial struggles we have. In the first message of this new series, "God's Promises to You," Pastor Mike explains a true and comforting promise of God. Namely, despite any struggle we have, God will be there for us. We are all seeking rest and relief in our fast paced society and hope for the uncertain days ahead.  There's only one place to go to find...

In the final message of “Confusing Things Christians Say,” we explore what “being called” means. Often, when we have a strong desire to do something good or something that betters society, we tend to say we felt called to do it. But what does that actually mean in the Bible? Pastor Mike explains what being called as a child of God means and why that can be a source of comfort. He also explains why we need to be wary of what we "feel" called to do. We all struggle with loneliness at times. ...

“Hate the sin; love the sinner” is something most Christians have heard or even said. But can that actually work? Our emotions are tied to the people we love while the same emotions are also tied to the sin that we know God detests. It can certainly feel like we’re walking on a narrow road. But, Pastor Mike says, we can walk that narrow road with the help of Jesus, our perfect example. We all struggle with loneliness at times.  We'd like to encourage you with Pastor Mike's new book Lonely...

It's been said that taking 10,000 steps a day is beneficial for our physical health. And just like walking physically, we walk spiritually too. In this message, Pastor Mike unpacks three essential connections between our daily, physical steps and our spiritual walk with God. He also provides encouragement for aligning our paths with God’s promises, because by walking with God, we can live fulfilling lives. We all struggle with loneliness at times.  We'd like to encourage you with Pastor...

Loneliness affects our personal health. But what can we do to stop this loneliness epidemic when work is online and relationships take the form of texts and social media? There's something we can take part in today—but it is a confusing word called "fellowship." And fellowship requires work. In this message, Pastor Mike explains what kind of work goes into the meaningful Christian relationships we define as “fellowship.” We all struggle with loneliness at times.  We'd like to encourage you...

"It's a relationship, not a religion” is something often said in Christian communities. But is it possible to live somewhere in the middle of those two words? Can we be religious and seek a relationship with God at the same time? Pastor Mike teaches that the two words truly mingle and that being a Christian means you are a part of a “religious relationship.” Get your own leathersoft NIV value thin line Bible. This slim easy to read Bible is a great way to engage with God's Word every day.  We...

Even though there are meaningful, rich, and even profound sayings in the church, sometimes they do not make sense. Understanding them comes before appreciating them. And that is what Pastor Mike will help us do in this series, “Confusing things Christians Say.” In this episode, Pastor Mike outlines what the phrase “born again” means, from repenting and believing in God to having our very own spot in heaven. Get your own leathersoft NIV value thin line Bible. This slim easy to read Bible is a...

What exactly does "born again" mean? How about "a relationship, not a religion"? Pastor Mike and Amber Albee Swenson dissect some of the phrases Christians often say—but may not know what they mean—as they preview the next six-part TV message series, "Confusing Things Christians Say." Other phrases they tackle: "fellowship," "walk with God," "hate the sin; love the sinner," and "God called me." We want to send you a Leathersoft NIV Value Thinline Bible during September as thanks for your gift...

Many people, believers and unbelievers alike, have questions about the Bible and its legitimacy. No matter where you fall on this scale, sometimes you just want evidence. In this final message from the series at the Museum of the Bible, Pastor Mike teaches from the Bible Manuscript Room, proving the authorship of the Bible and explaining the key pieces of evidence associated with it. Get your own leathersoft NIV value thin line Bible. This slim easy to read Bible is a great way to engage with...

Was the Bible written by a person with an agenda? Or maybe by someone who simply held strong spiritual ideas? How would you finish the question, “The Bible is ... ”? If you are unclear about where the Bible comes from, in this message Pastor Mike explores the Bible's origins and shows why you can trust it and why trusting it matters. Get your own leathersoft NIV value thin line Bible. This slim easy to read Bible is a great way to engage with God's Word every day.  We also have a special...

How do we get past life's hurdles? The answer to our shame, sin, and weakness is in the Bible. From the first of three messages from the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C., Pastor Mike teaches about the most prolific book ever—the Bible. From Abraham Lincoln to Rosa Parks, people throughout history have found the Bible impactful. And it continues to impact us today. Get your own leathersoft NIV value thin line Bible. This slim easy to read Bible is a great way to engage with God's Word...

Get ready for a special, one-of-a-kind series! Pastor Mike and Amber Albee Swenson give a sneak peek at our next sermon series that was shot on location from the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C.! In this new three-part series, "Why the Bible Matters," Pastor Mike dives deep into the Bible's impact, its origin, how God speaks to us through the Bible, and the evidence that proves the Bible is God's Word. Continuing the theme of the Bible's importance, we want to send you a Leathersoft...

Why do we struggle to believe that God's grace is for everyone—even for those who have hurt us? That's the same struggle Jonah had as he wrestled with God for saving Jonah's enemies. It is tempting for us to draw a line, put ourselves on the right side of it, and think we're the only people God should love. But as Pastor Mike wraps up the book of Jonah, he challenges us with the question: Because God is a gracious God, shouldn't he also care about the people we don't care about?  Get your...

If God so loved the world that he sent Jesus to die for us, why do we need to repent? What does "repent" even mean? To answer these questions, Pastor Mike takes us through chapter 3 of the book of Jonah and gives us four takeaways about what it means to repent and how we know we are repenting.  Get your copy of “Rewrite Your Story: A Guide to the Life-Changing Parables of Jesus” by Pastor Daron Lindemann! This easy-to-read study and workbook shows you how the parables of Jesus speak directly...

When we mess up and feel so far away from God, one of the hardest things to do is to cry out to God. We find ourselves thinking, "Why would God listen to the cry of someone in such a desperate, rock-bottom situation?" However, as Pastor Mike teaches from the book of Jonah, sometimes we need to hit rock bottom to realize our constant need for God and the grace that reaches us in our lowest places. Get your copy of “Rewrite Your Story: A Guide to the Life-Changing Parables of Jesus” by Pastor...

The book of Jonah isn’t about a big fish. In fact, it’s not even about the prophet Jonah. Instead, it’s about God and his insane love for ALL people—even “those people,” those we often regard as being furthest from God and least deserving. Which, Pastor Mike says, actually includes . . . us. This message kicks off a series that takes us through the book of Jonah as we discover how God’s grace shows up continually for unlikely people and in unlikely places. For more resources that help you...

It's tempting to think that we just need to wait out this broken world until Jesus comes back, to think that joy only begins with heaven. But the apostle Peter tells us that right now, even during our struggles and challenges, an inexpressible joy is possible. Part 2 of 2. Today's Tough Question: Is Manifestation Compatible With Christianity? ** Program note: This is the radio edit of our program! On April 29, "Time of Grace With Mike Novotny" started broadcasting on the many FM and AM...

It's tempting to think that we just need to wait out this broken world until Jesus comes back, to think that joy only begins with heaven. But the apostle Peter tells us that right now, even during our struggles and challenges, an inexpressible joy is possible. Today's Tough Question: Is it Sinful to Use Preferred Pronouns? ** Program note: This is the radio edit of our program! On April 29, "Time of Grace With Mike Novotny" started broadcasting on the many FM and AM stations of the Faith...

Spoiler alert: the book of Jonah is NOT about a big fish. Pastor Mike and Amber Albee Swenson talk about what the book of Jonah IS actually about: God's love for his people. In their deep dive discussion, they also found ways to talk about poisonous frogs, how we can avoid falling into political divisions (hang out with Amber!), what God may think about Americans' prayers, and the impressive chart of accountability levels Pastor Mike developed right there on the spot. This month, thanks to...

What happens if something gets in between you and the promise of heaven? At first glance, the Bible's answer may sound contradictory. But as Pastor Mike digs into the apostle Peter's letter that he wrote to friends who were being persecuted, we see why we can turn our fear into peace. Part 2 of 2. Today's Tough Questions:1. Where is heaven?2. Why Are Christians Judgmental? ** Program note: This is the radio edit of our program! On April 29, "Time of Grace With Mike Novotny" started...

Amber Albee Swenson, co-host of the "Behind the Series" episodes on this podcasts, shares an announcement regarding podcast programming.