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Made for Mondays | STEPS

Step Four: The Examination: A Fearless Inventory

This week on Made for Mondays, Heather is joined by Jamey, Adrienne, and Kirk for a conversation that might sound intimidating at first—but turns out to be deeply freeing. Together, they unpack Step 4 of the STEPS journey: a searching and fearless moral inventory.

Yes… fearless. Deep breaths.
And no—this is not a shame spiral.

After some weekend chitchat and reminding us all that we’re real people with real lives, the group reflects on this week’s Bible reading, centering especially on Psalm 139—a passage that is both comforting and confronting in the best possible way.

From there, the conversation moves into the heart of the step.

Pastor Jamey reframes moral inventory not as condemnation, but as inspection—bringing what’s real into God’s light so it can finally be healed. Anchored in Psalm 139 and shaped by the truth of Romans 8:1 (“There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”), Step 4 becomes less about self-punishment and more about Spirit-led honesty.

Here’s where the conversation goes:

• First reactions to “moral inventory”
The group starts light—but honest—naming the gut reactions many of us have when we hear that phrase: avoidance, anxiety, curiosity, or something else entirely. Those reactions often reveal how we’ve been taught to look at ourselves—and what we expect to happen when we do.

• Inspection vs. condemnation
Jamey talks about the subtle but important difference between avoiding self-examination out of fear and inviting God into the process with trust. One leads to hiding; the other leads to healing.

• Shame-based introspection vs. Spirit-led inventory
The group contrasts the inner spiral of shame with the gentle conviction of the Holy Spirit. They reflect on what helps them stay honest without turning inward reflection into self-punishment—and how “no condemnation” reshapes the entire process.

• From vague to specific
Referencing Lew Smedes’ insight that vague confession leads to vague forgiveness, the conversation explores how easy it is to hide behind general phrases like “I’m just struggling.” The group encourages naming the actual thing—carefully, honestly, and safely—so freedom can take root.

• The courage of Psalm 139
Psalm 139:23–24 becomes the centerpiece: “Search me, God… lead me.”
Why does that prayer feel risky? And what picture of God helps us trust Him enough to pray it anyway? The group reflects on inviting Jesus into one specific area of life this week—not harshly, but gently and truthfully.

• Practice, not pressure
As this Year of Practice continues, the group reminds listeners that Step 4 isn’t about rushing or fixing. It’s about cooperating with God. They discuss small, realistic ways to make space this week—through prayer, journaling, or quiet—for God to surface what actually needs attention next.

The episode closes with this reminder:
Step 4 isn’t about fixing yourself. It’s about trusting God.
You don’t have to do it fast.
You don’t have to do it alone.
And nothing you uncover is a surprise to Him.

The group also highlights the value of BeGroups—wh

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Made for Mondays | STEPS

Step Three: The Decision — “I Think I Will Let Him”

This week on Made for Mondays, Heather sits down with Jamey, Chelle, and Tyler to unpack Step Three of STEPS: The Decision—the moment where we stop white-knuckling our way forward and begin practicing surrender.

After weekend chitchat and reflecting on this week’s Bible reading from Genesis 49, Exodus 1–10, and Matthew 15–18, the conversation turns toward one of the most deceptively difficult spiritual shifts:
moving from trying harder to trusting deeper.

Pastor Jamey reminds us that we cannot heal our inner world through willpower alone. But when we release control and trust God’s care, He leads us toward shalom—not just peace as calm, but peace as wholeness. Surrender, as the group explores, isn’t giving up on life; it’s giving up our own way so Jesus can form something better on the other side.

Here’s what they dive into:

• The small places control shows up
From thermostats and dishwashers to driving directions and group texts, the group laughs—and then gets honest—about how control sneaks into everyday life. Those same instincts often follow us into our faith, especially when life feels uncertain.

• “God, fix this” vs. “God, lead me”
The conversation names a tension many of us recognize: praying for relief without actually wanting transformation. Whether it’s a relationship, a stressful season, or a recurring emotional pattern, the group reflects on how surrender often feels more threatening than the pain we already know.

• When surrender feels like loss
Looking at Jesus’ words in Matthew 16, the group wrestles with the idea that surrender can feel less like peace and more like losing control. What does surrender actually look like in normal, everyday life—and how do we take a concrete step when resistance shows up?

• The parts we give… and the parts we guard
Quoting C.S. Lewis, the group reflects on the truth that Jesus doesn’t want a portion of us—He wants all of us. They discuss which parts of life feel easiest to offer God, and which parts we carefully protect, along with how that changes when we trust that Jesus is freeing us, not undoing us.

• Praying differently
Where are we most tempted to pray “fix this”—and what would it sound like to pray “lead me” instead? The conversation highlights how community plays a vital role in keeping us honest when we slide back into control mode, reminding us that surrender isn’t meant to be practiced alone.

• Open hands, not clenched fists
Jamey revisits the powerful image from Sunday’s message: clenched fists versus open hands. The group reflects on what it means to physically and spiritually release control—and what it looks like to place something we’re holding tightly back into God’s care.

• A faithful next step
Rather than trying to be the Savior, the episode closes by inviting listeners to take one faithful next step this week—perhaps inviting a trusted person into the decision so surrender becomes a lived practice, not just a good idea.

Join Us This Sunday

We’re continuing STEPS and walking this journey together.

📍 On Campus: 9 & 10:45 AM (weather per

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Made for Mondays | STEPS

Step 1. The Problem: I Can't

This week on Made for Mondays, Heather is joined by Jamey, Adrienne, and Tyler as they continue the STEPS journey by unpacking Step One—the uncomfortable, freeing, and surprisingly hopeful place where real change begins.

After weekend chitchat and reflecting on this week’s Bible reading from Genesis 18 and Matthew 6, the conversation turns toward a truth many of us quietly avoid:
we are really good at managing appearances… and not very good at admitting powerlessness.

This episode explores what it means to stop pretending we have it together and start telling the truth about where we’re stuck—not in a dramatic collapse, but in the ordinary, Monday-morning kind of struggle where we keep thinking, “I should be further along by now.”

Here’s what they talk through:

• Powerlessness vs. image management
Step One invites us to admit we can’t control what’s broken in us—but most of us are far more fluent in curating competence. The group discusses where resistance shows up when the problem isn’t out there but in here, and why naming that honestly is harder than it sounds.

• “Not that bad” as a spiritual stall tactic
The phrase “it’s not that bad” gets exposed for what it often is: a quiet way of settling for less freedom than Jesus offers. The conversation explores why minimizing our struggles feels safer than naming our real withered hand—and how that safety actually keeps us stuck.

• Stretching what can’t stretch
Looking at Jesus healing the man with the withered hand, the group reflects on why Jesus asks him to do the very thing he cannot do. What does that reveal about how transformation actually begins—and how does it confront our instinct to fix, hide, or self-improve before showing up honestly?

• What makes honesty possible in church
Jamey shares the conviction that the church should be “the safest place in the world for a sinner.” The group wrestles with what helps create that kind of safety—and what shuts it down—both personally and communally.

• Whose eyes are we most aware of?
When we imagine being fully seen, whose gaze shapes us most: other people, our inner critic, or Jesus? The answer often determines what we’re willing to bring into the light—and what we keep hidden.

• A listener question worth sitting with
A faithful listener writes in asking where Scripture encourages that first small turn toward God—the 0.1-degree shift for someone who feels far away or powerless. The group reflects on biblical moments where God meets people not after the full turnaround, but right at the first honest step toward Him.

• Weakness as the doorway to power
Paul reframes weakness as the very place where God’s power shows up. The episode closes with a practical invitation: one small stretch of faith this week—a prayer you’ve been avoiding, a confession, a text asking for help, or simply showing up to a group.

And finally, the conversation lands on this image:
Jesus with outstretched hands on the cross—not asking us to try harder, but inviting us to trust deeper.

Join Us This Sunday

We’re continuing STEPS as we move into Step Two

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Made for Mondays | Steps

The Problem: I Can’t

This week on Made for Mondays, Heather sits down with Joe and Adrienne to kick off a brand-new year—and a brand-new series—Steps. Together, they unpack Sunday’s message that reframes “new year, new you” away from willpower and toward Jesus as our Deliverer.

After catching up on Christmas break and introducing The Year of Practice Bible Reading Challenge, the conversation turns honest and deeply relatable:
Why do so many of us want to change… and still feel stuck?

The group explores how the patterns we struggle with run deeper than discipline and why real change begins not with trying harder, but with bringing our basement places into the light within safe, honest community.

Here’s what they dig into:

• Resolutions, reality, and starting the year honestly
From half-kept resolutions to abandoned goals, the group talks candidly about how the pressure to “fix ourselves” often sets us up for discouragement—and why this year is about practice, not perfection.

• “I can’t” statements and the power of naming reality
Jamey reflects on the opening pages of Steps and the familiar “I can’t” statements that resonate so deeply. The team shares what emotions surface when we admit our limits—and why that admission is actually the starting point for transformation.

• Romans 7 and the struggle we all recognize
“I do what I do not want to do.”
The conversation unpacks Paul’s letter to the church in Rome, exploring what “the Law” means, how it still enslaves us today, and why awareness without deliverance only deepens frustration.

• Discipline as a response, not a replacement
In a Year of Practice, how do we pursue discipline as a way of responding to Jesus rather than trying to substitute discipline for Jesus? The group talks about rhythms, grace-filled practices, and why effort alone can’t heal what’s broken.

• What the church can learn from recovery spaces
Jamey shares wisdom from time spent at AA meetings with his mom—including the powerful idea that while churches often celebrate miracles upstairs, the real miracles happen in the basement.
This leads to a raw conversation about sanitized faith, hidden struggles, confession, and what it would look like to build communities where honesty is safe and transformation is real.

• A radical Big Idea
“With Jesus, the worse your story, the warmer your welcome.”
The group discusses how churches can embody that truth—not just say it—and what guardrails help keep stories centered on Jesus instead of self-promotion.

• Sitting at a different table
Looking at Jesus calling Levi in Mark 2, the conversation explores what it means to practice grace like Jesus did—intentionally moving toward people others avoid—without confusing grace with enabling.

• Practicing community, not just talking about it
Before wrapping up Sunday’s service, the church practiced being in groups. The team reflects on why that mattered and how getting connected to a Steps group is a vital next step for anyone ready to pursue real change this year.

Join Us This Sunday

We’re continuing Steps by diving into Step One: The Proble

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Made for Mondays | The Christmas Playlist

Light That Can’t Be Manufactured

This week on Made for Mondays, Heather is joined by Jamey, Tyler, and Doug as they lean into the heart of Christmas week and unpack Sunday’s message about real joy and real light—the kind that doesn’t come from a playlist, a purchase, or pretending everything is fine.

After some weekend catch-up and reflections from Revelation 10–15, Psalms 145–157, and Proverbs 30, the conversation turns toward a timely and honest question:

✨ What’s the difference between manufactured cheer and received joy?

As Christmas approaches, the group reflects on the ways we often try to produce joy—through nostalgia, noise, shopping, control, or even religious performance—when what we actually need is to receive joy as the fruit of abiding in Jesus. Jamey shares how Christmas music can sometimes feel like it’s trying to convince our souls everything is wonderful, even when life feels dark.

The discussion explores:

• Chasing a mood vs. staying close to Jesus
How do we tell when we’re chasing a feeling instead of abiding in Christ? The group shares honest “litmus tests” that reveal when joy has become something we’re forcing rather than receiving.

• Darkness and light
Jamey unpacks the idea that darkness isn’t a thing—it’s the absence of light. Spiritually, that shifts the battle. Instead of staring at darkness, we’re invited to step toward the Light.
What does that look like practically? The team offers simple, doable steps—like intentional prayer, confession, community, or a single act of obedience—that help move us closer to Jesus when gloom starts creeping back in.

• Shining brighter in real life
Rooted in Matthew 5, the BIG IDEA comes into focus:
In a world getting darker, we need to shine brighter.
Not performative faith—but quiet faithfulness. Reconciliation. Costly generosity. Staying at the table with people we disagree with. The group shares real-life examples of what that kind of light looks like when it shows up in everyday moments.

• Light beyond our walls
The conversation connects to The Gift and Believers’ partners in Cuba, highlighting how faithful believers there are shining the Light of Jesus in powerful, practical ways—and why it’s such a gift to be part of what God is doing through them.

• Community in the dark seasons
Jamey revisits a story from one of his darkest seasons, where isolation played a central role. Doug and Tyler reflect on how deeply they relate—and why community isn’t optional for spiritual health.
The group also points ahead to Steps and the importance of getting connected to a small group in the New Year.

Join Us This Week

🎄 Christmas Eve Services
Two identical, family-friendly gatherings at 4:00 & 5:30 PM

💻 Online-Only Sunday Experience
No on-campus gatherings this Sunday. Join us online for a devotional time with Pastor Jamey on Sunday, December 28.

Until the New Year—Merry Christmas, friends.
Go shine the LIGHT and BE LOVE!

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Made for Mondays | The Christmas Playlist

Joy That Lasts Longer Than the Season

This week on Made for Mondays, Heather is joined by Tyler, Adrienne, and Joe as they unpack Sunday’s message on joy—not the glittery, Hallmark-movie version, but the kind Jesus promises… the kind that doesn’t disappear when the decorations come down.

After some weekend catch-up and reflections from Revelation, Psalms, and Proverbs, the team jumps into a real, honest conversation about why Christmas can feel emotionally louder than any other time of year.

🎄 First things first:
Where is everyone landing on the Christmas spectrum right now—full Elf-level hype or deep-in-your-bones Grinch-core?

Tyler opens up about the now-legendary Dragon Ball Z childhood heartbreak that shaped his inner Grinch, and the group reflects on why we often chase joy in ways that can’t actually sustain us.

The conversation explores:

• Why Christmas magnifies expectations—and disappointments
This season promises joy everywhere we look, but often delivers pressure instead. The group talks honestly about unrealistic expectations and why they hit harder this time of year.

• Pruning, not punishment (John 15)
Jesus describes pruning as an act of care, yet in real life it can feel like loss, limits, or disappointment.
How do we tell the difference between loving pruning and shame-based self-punishment—and how do we stay connected to Jesus when something gets cut back?

• Stories of fruit after the cut
The team vulnerably shares areas where God removed something they didn’t love losing at the time, but now see the fruit that came from it.

• Joy that makes room for grief
Jesus promised a joy that would fill us and overflow—but what does that look like when we’re carrying grief, loneliness, or financial strain during the holidays?
The group talks about what it could look like for our church to practice joy and lament together.

• JOY: Jesus, Others, You
The JOY wristband is a helpful reminder—but how do we keep it from becoming just a slogan?
What does “Jesus first” look like in a normal week?
How do we love others sacrificially without ignoring healthy limits?
And how does generosity—like participating in The Gift—become overflow rather than pressure?

The episode wraps with a simple, practical challenge:
If someone wants the kind of joy Jesus offers—not a seasonal sugar rush—what’s one thing they can do this week to remain in His love?

Join Us Sunday!

We’re continuing The Christmas Playlist this weekend, and we’d love for you to join us—and invite someone you’ve been praying about.

🕘 9 & 10:45A on campus
▶️ YouTube Premiere at 1P

Share this episode, invite a friend, and remember:
We’re here for good—Go BE LOVE!

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Episode 276 | December 8

The Christmas Playlist Begins: “All I Want for Christmas Is You”

This week on Made for Mondays, Joe is joined by Heather, Adrienne, and Jamey as we kick off our December message series—The Christmas Playlist. Each week, a familiar Christmas song will launch us into deeper truth about why the birth of Jesus is good news for everyone, for all time.

After some weekend catch-up and reflections from Revelation, Psalms, and Proverbs, the crew opens the conversation with a festive question:

🎶 What’s on YOUR Christmas playlist?
Everyone shares their favorite Christmas songs and the memories, nostalgia, and theology (yep!) behind the ones they love.

Heather then takes us into Week 1 of the series, built around All I Want for Christmas Is You. With help from the choir, this Sunday kicked off with a fun moment—but also a deeply meaningful look at desire, longing, and contentment.

The team unpacks:

• Needs vs. wants:
Heather shares about the season of life when she first realized the difference—and the panel reflects on when they stopped depending on parents for everything and started managing desires on their own.

• Two pictures of desire:
James 4 warns about desires at war within us, while Psalm 37 promises God will give us the desires of our hearts as we delight in Him.

• Q: What does it look like for God to rewrite our “wish list”?
Especially during a season when constant advertising pushes us toward more, the team explores how God transforms what we want.

• The “school of contentment”:
If contentment is something Paul learned, we can too. The team shares practices that help cultivate contentment—especially for those walking through disappointment or scarcity this Christmas.

• The Gift (2026):
After unveiling the projects last week, Heather recaps the goals and heart behind The Gift.
They discuss how generosity joins us to God’s heart—and why the “gifts” our church most needs to give this year aren’t all financial.

• A preview of January:
Jamey shares a first look at our upcoming churchwide series and BeGroup study based on John Ortberg’s Steps. It’s designed to help our church and community grow in spiritual practices, belonging, and next steps in faith.

To ask questions about faith, Believers, or becoming a Steps facilitator, email madeformondays@believerschurch.org
(linked in the show notes).

Join Us Sunday!

We continue The Christmas Playlist this weekend, and we’d love for you—and the people you’re praying about inviting—to join us:

Sundays at 9 & 10:45A
YouTube Premiere at 1P

Share this episode, invite someone, and remember:
We’re here for good—Go BE LOVE!

Stay Connected
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This week on Made For Mondays, Heather sits down with Jamey, Adrienne, and Megan Angel for one of the most joy-filled episodes of the year—our annual celebration of generosity: THE GIFT.

After some Thanksgiving-weekend chitchat and reflections from the Bible Reading Challenge, the team dives into the heart of what makes this Sunday so special. Since everything in this episode centers around giving, Heather kicks things off by asking the crew to share some of their most memorable Christmas gifts—the ones that meant something, made them laugh, or left a lasting mark.

From there, Jamey walks listeners through the why behind The Gift—before ever getting to the “what.” He shares the story of how it began, how it’s grown, and why it continues to shape the culture of Believers Church year after year. Adrienne and Angel share their earliest memories of The Gift and the moments that helped them understand why it matters.

The team highlights story after story of how generosity has opened doors, softened hearts, and drawn people to Jesus—simply because someone from Believers chose to be love in the community.

They unpack:
• What makes The Gift so counter-cultural in a skeptical world
• The three goals that shape The Gift every year
• Why those goals can transform how we see giving—and Christmas itself
• This week’s BIG IDEA:

“Faith that doesn’t cost you is counterfeit.”

• How each of them is personally wrestling with generosity, sacrifice, and heart-posture this year

And of course…they finally unveil The Gift 2026 projects—what they are, why they matter, and how listeners can participate.

Before closing, the team gives a sneak peek into the brand-new Christmas teaching series launching this Sunday: The Christmas Playlist.

🎧 It’s warm, inspiring, and full of stories that remind us that generosity is not something we do—it’s who we are.

📅 Join us Sundays at 9 & 10:45A
▶️ Livestream on YouTube at 1P
🌐 The Gift details → believerschurch.org
📸 Share the episode & Go BE LOVE!

#MadeForMondays #TheGift #Generosity #WeAreHereForGood #ChristmasAtBelievers

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