The Coworkers Podcast

Jesse, Shanee
  • 5.0 (100)
  • Religion & Spirituality
  • Updated Monthly

Do you want to grow in teaming with others to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ? Do you want to help others embrace their unique roles in the work? God wants to use all believers in powerful and diverse ways in His mission. In this podcast, we dig into the Bible, hear from fruitful coworkers around the world, and share practical tools from our almost 20 years of missions experience. Join us on The Coworkers Podcast... Where Every Believer is a Coworker in God's mission.

  1. Sep 28

    JD Greear on Thriving for Life (and Not Shipwrecking Your Faith!)

    Our friend JD Greear, best-selling author, preacher, and pastor of The Summit Church RDU, joins us to share wisdom on longevity in ministry: how do we continue thriving spiritually and in ministry as we age, especially as we see so many ministry leaders experience moral failures?

  2. Sep 14

    Keep Your Soul: Obsessed with the Word, Holding Fast to God

    I (Shanee) have been studying Deuteronomy all summer, and wanted to share with you a special lesson from the Lord from Deuteronomy: We must guard our souls diligently, lest we fall into idolatry and disobedience, by being obsessed with God's Word and holding fast to God. I also share some ways that this lesson has helped me to re-intentionalize rhythms for guarding my soul and our family's souls diligently as we start a new school year. Enjoy!

  3. Aug 31

    Summer Spotlight: Dealing with Personal Failure: Self-Talk and Walking in the Light

    How we respond when we fail reveals a lot about our hearts and how well we are believing and applying the gospel to our lives. Listen in as Jesse shares about how God unexpectedly used a recent "failure" in Jesse's life to reveal pride and shame in his heart, and to open up some powerful communication in our family on how we should respond when we fail.

  4. Aug 24

    Summer Spotlight: Should Missionaries Pursue Multiplication or Maturity? Movements or Healthy Churches?

    There is a lot of discussion in the missions world on "multiplication vs. maturity" or "movement vs. healthy church." How should we think about these 2 different emphases in the work? Which is more important? Listen in as Jesse shares from Colossions that all missionaries must be furiously committed to both.

  5. Aug 17

    Summer Spotlight: From Shame to Radiance

    Shame is a universal emotion, but God does not want His beloved children to live in ongoing shame. Listen in for 3 necessities to be delivered from shame- Know you are acceptable to God; see yourself as God sees you; and tell the hard parts of your story to others.  Psalm 34:5- “Those who look to Him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed.” Resources Mentioned: Curt Thompson- The Soul of Shame; The Soul of Desire Brene Brown- Daring Greatly Lysa Terkuerst- Forgiving What You Can't Forget John Bradshaw- Healing the Shame That Binds You Jamie Ivey- If You Only Knew Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast- Therapy and Theology: Good Guilt vs. Destructive Shame; Therapy and Theology: Stop the Shame Scripts Holding You Back Connect with Us: The Coworkers Podcast website Email: coworkersstudy@gmail.com

  6. Aug 10

    Summer Spotlight: Shame: What Does the Bible Actually Say About It?

    Shame  and being set free from shame is such a hot topic, in both Christian and secular circles. Resources abound, but what does the Bible actually say? As we completed a biblical survey on shame, we were surprised at how much the Bible had to say on this topic! Listen in as we share key biblical principles that are necessary in order to deal with the universal emotion of shame. Biblical Survey on Shame: I. Genesis 2-3- Naked and unashamed… No sin, nothing to hide from one another or God, perfect unity in relationships, acceptance of one another. After sinning, they hid and covered themselves and were afraid… shame leads to fear, hiding parts of ourselves, isolation, and disconnection. Shame came when sin entered the world.  Now, there are two general sources of shame- directly from personal and/or corporate sin, or indirectly due to the brokenness in the world.  There are also biblical examples of people trying to make others feel ashamed for things they shouldn’t feel ashamed of, such as barrenness. So there is appropriate shame and inappropriate shame.  II. Appropriate shame due to sinful behavior in Proverbs and prophets:Proverbs: There are ways of foolish or sinful living, such as dishonesty, gluttony, and laziness, that are shameful, that bring shame on oneself and one’s parents or spouse. -Prov 10:5 -Prov 12:4 -Prov 13:5 -Prov 17:2 -Prov 18:13 -Prov 19:26 -Prov 28:7 -Prov 29:15Sexual sin/misconduct is especially shameful: -Lev. 20:17 -2 Sam. 13:12-13 -Matt. 1:19 -Rom. 1:27Isaiah: A life of rejecting God and worshipping idols is the most shameful life. Idolatry always leads to shame and disappointment. -Is 30:3-5 -Is 41:8, 10, 11 -Is 42:9-11 -Is 42:17 -Is 45:16-17, 19, 24-25 -Is 49 -Is 50:6-9 -Is 51:7, 12-13 -Is 61:7 Sometimes shame is due to both sin and resulting defeat from enemies and/or God’s judgment: -Ezra 8:22 -Ezra 9:6-7 -Neh. 1:3 -Daniel 9:7 III. Shame not directly due to personal sin, but due to perceived failure, deficiency, or defeat:Barrenness was considered shameful by society: -Gen. 30:23 -1 Sam. 1:6 -Luke 1:6 Being defeated by enemies feels shameful: -1 Sam. 17:26 -2 Sam. 10:5 / 1 Chron. 19:5 -2 Kings 18 -2 Chron. 32:21 2 Sam. 19:3, 5-Shame due to disapproval from others, but not necessarily personal sin.Sometimes shame is a result of seeing others’ devotion and our lack of devotion (comparison): 2 Chron. 30:15 Now let’s see how God responds. IV. When shame is an appropriate response to sin and a part of true confession and repentance, God is always ready to receive His children, welcome them into His Presence, replace their shame with gladness, and heal their faithlessness.  -Jer. 3:19-25; 4:2, 4, 14 -Jer. 31V. When people continue in shameless sin, pride, and idolatry, God shames and judges them. In the book of Jeremiah, God’s people are persisting in unrepentant idolatry, defiling God’s places of worship with idolatry, and prophets are lying to the people in the name of God. God warns His people many times, but they are stiff-necked, stubborn, and unashamed of their idolatry. “They do not know how to blush.” God shames Israel and sends judgment upon them- for their unrepentant idolatry, for changing their glory (God) for that which does not profit (false gods), which is appalling, evil, and bitter. But God’s heart is ALWAYS that His judgment (and shaming words) would lead to them feeling a proper shame over their sin, confess, turn back to God, and be restored. He remains ready to receive them, heal them, and turn their shame into joy. God’s judgment of Israel’s shameless idolatry and refusal to repent in Jeremiah:-Jer. 2:11-13, 26, 36-Jer. 5:3, 30, 31; 6:13-15-Jer. 6:13-20-Jer. 7:18-20 -Jer. 8:5-6, 9-Jer. 10:14-16-Jer. 11:12-15-Jer. 13:24-27-Jer. 17:13-Jer. 23:40 The book of Jeremiah ends with God’s judgment on foreign nations and Israel’s enemies who rejected God and continued in shameless sin, pride, and idolatry (Jer. 46-51). Their sin and idolatry led to their shame, disappointment, and God’s judgment. This is the fulfillment of God’s promise that His enemies would be ultimately shamed, and His people would be ultimately honored.  Jer. 46:12, 24 Jer. 51:17, 47-53 Ezekiel, Hosea, Joel, Obadiah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, and Zechariah all continue the theme of unrepentant idolatry leading to shame and God’s judgment, and when repentant, to restoration with God.  Ez. 7:18; Ez. 16:61, 63; Ez. 32:24, 25, 30 Ez. 39:25-26 Ez. 43:10-11 Ez. 44:10-13 -Hosea 2:5; Hos. 4:7, 18; Hos. 9:10; Hos. 10:6. NT examples of God shaming prideful, unrepentant, shameless people: -Luke 13:16-17 -1 Cor. 1:27 -Rev. 3:18 VI. God promises not to let His people be put to shame (be ultimately defeated, ridiculed, or proven wrong), but to in the end to defend them, give them justice, honor, and eternal life. God’s enemies will ultimately be put to shame. -Psalm 25:2-3, 20 -Psalm 34 -Psalm 71:1, 13, 24 -Ps 97:7 -Daniel 12:2 -Rom. 5:3-5 -Rom. 9:33 -Rom. 10:11 -Phil. 1:20 -Heb. 11:16 -1 Peter 2:6-7 VII. Jesus was shamefully treated (ridiculed, mocked, considered a failure, embarrassed, dishonored)- by others and b/c of our sin- in our place on the cross. On the cross he took not only our sin, but also the accompanying shame, for us. On the cross, he defeated Satan and all his enemies, putting them to shame. -Psalm 22 -Isaiah 53 -Luke 18:32 -Heb. 12:2 -Col. 2:15 -Rom. 8:1VIII. Jesus-followers are commanded by Jesus to follow Him and not be ashamed of Him, the gospel, or suffering for the gospel, at all cost. -Jeremiah warned the people of judgment for their sin and idolatry, in the face of persecution and rejection (and feeling shamed), and trusted God to ultimately honor him and shame the people.-Jer. 17:  -Jer. 20:11, 18-  -Jer. 37-38- -Mark 8:38; Luke 9:26 -Rom. 1:16 -1 Thess. 2:2- -2 Tim. 1:8, 12 -2 Tim. 1:16 -1 Peter 4:16 -Heb. 2:11 IX. Believers have been set free from sinful lifestyles that lead to shame, unfruitfulness, and death. Believers should live honorable lifestyles that will not put them to shame, but that results in fruit, sanctification, and eternal life, and puts their opponents to shame. -Rom. 6:21-22 -Phil. 3:19 -2 Tim. 2:15 -Titus 2:8 -1 Peter 3:16  -1 Peter 5:2 -Jesus taught His followers to purposefully humble themselves, take lower positions, and allow other people to exalt us, instead of exalting ourselves, which could lead to shame (embarrassment). Luke 14:9. -Believers can be put to shame by other believers’ behavior. 2 Cor. 7:14. X. Sometimes believers need to rebuke one another for doing shameful things. -1 Cor. 6:5 -1 Cor. 14:35 -1 Cor. 15:34 -Eph. 5:12 -2 Thess. 3:14 -Titus 1:11 -We also can call out and rebuke others’ sin without shaming them. 1 Cor. 4:14. XI. Sometimes, people “shame” others in order to express their anger, contempt, or criticism, and when it is unfair, we can refuse to be ashamed. -1 Sam. 20:30, 34 -2 Sam. 6:20-22 -Job’s friends tried to shame him many times: 6:20; Job 8:22. Job 10:15 Job 11:3; Job 19:3In the face of unfair criticism, Paul defended his ministry and refused to be ashamed: 2 Cor. 10:8; 2 Cor. 11:21

  7. Aug 3

    Summer Spotlight: What is a Missionary Calling and Do I Have One?

    Many times believers will say, "All Christians are missionaries," probably in an effort to encourage believers to preach the gospel to the lost. While all believers are evangelists and disciple-makers, all believers are not missionaries. The Bible teaches that some believers are set apart by God to be sent out to take the gospel to the unreached (aka missionaries). In this episode, we look at 3 passages in the New Testament that refer to the missionary calling: Acts 13:1-3, Romans 1:1-15, and Galatians 1:15-17. Read Acts 13:1-3: Who called Saul and Barnabas? What were they called to do? What was the church’s role in Saul and Barnabas’ sending? What had Saul and Barnabas been doing prior to their calling (Acts 11:19-30)? Read Rom. 1:1-15: How does Paul describe his calling? (v. 1, 5) Why did Paul want to go to Rome? (v. 15) How does Paul describe his desire to do the ministry? (under obligation-v. 15, and eager to do it- 15). Read Gal. 1:15-17: How does Paul describe his calling? What was he called to do? From this study, four foundational truths about the missionary calling emerge: 1. The missionary calling comes from an encounter with God and His heart for the nations. 2. The missionary calling comes through faithful engagement in God’s work where we are. 3. The missionary calling produces a godly ambition to be a part of God’s mission among the nations. 4. The missionary calling includes affirmation by God’s people. Download the full biblical study, along with helpful resources, from the website.

  8. Jul 27

    Summer Spotlight: New Testament Norms Part 4: Prayer

    Our 4th and final NT norm is the centrality of prayer in the life of the early church. Listen in as we share 4 "P" observations on prayer - It was a Priority; It Preceded the filling and work of the Spirit; It was the church's response to Persecution; and it was Personal and Persistent. 4 P’s: 1-Priority. Begins the book of Acts—“All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers" (1:14).  In Ch. 2, the church was praying when the Holy Spirit filled them.  Acts 2:42- he church was devoted to prayer. It was one of the first things that marked them out—alongside the apostle’s teaching, breaking the bread, and fellowship. Acts 6: We see the priority of prayer even more strikingly when the apostles single out prayer alongside of the ministry of the Word as their primary responsibility. “But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” “I stand here to confess frankly that from my inmost heart I attribute the large prosperity which God has given to this Church vastly more to the prayers of the people than to anything that God may have given to me. I know it is so.” - Charles Spurgeon 2-Precedes the filling and work of the Spirit.  Acts 2 begins with the believers all together in one place, praying. And we know what happened next—the sound from heaven like a mighty rushing wind, filling the house where they were.  Acts 4- The believers are gathered together praying in the midst of persecution—praying specifically for boldness. “And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness" (4:31). Acts 13- The prophets and teachers of the church in Antioch were gathered and they were worshipping the Lord and fasting. Just then the Holy Spirit calls out Barnabas and Saul. And after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.  These are pretty pivotal moments in the history of the gospel—especially in Chapters 2 and 13. And we see that God’s people had been devoting themselves to prayer in the time leading up to these great events—these experiences of the Spirit’s work. Prayer had paved the way for these people to respond when the Spirit showed up.  3-Persecution- Prayer was the church's consistent response to persecution. Acts 4- Peter and John have just been threatened by the high-priestly council. "When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord. . .” (4:23-24). Their immediate reaction to the threat of violence from the ruling authorities was to pray. And hear what they prayed: “And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”  Acts 12- Peter is in prison and miraculously rescued by an angel of the Lord. When he is rescued, it says “he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying.” Again, the response of the church to the persecution of her people is to pray.  Acts 16- Paul and Silas in prison. “About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.” In the midst of persecution, we find these two workers praying and singing hymns.  Prayer is what we do when we are persecuted. It is the response of God’s church to the threats and persecutions. In each of these moments, God miraculously answered. 4-Personal and Persistent. In Acts, we don’t get much details about the personal prayer lives of the apostles. Many references are to the church praying corporately. However in Paul’s epistles, we find Paul talking about his own prayer life all over the place – way too many to reference, will just name a few- Eph. 1:16- "I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers…" and we see his personal prayer for the Ephesian believers.  Eph. 3:14-19. Paul's prayers were important enough for him to write out for them and for us. A few examples from 1st Thessalonians: 1 Thess. 1:2- "We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers." 1 Thess. 5:17- "Pray without ceasing." 1 Thess. 5:25- "Brothers, pray for us."  Paul was not voicing prayers for believers every moment of every day. He was sometimes preaching the gospel; he was sometimes sleeping; he was sometimes eating or traveling. But he had such a habit of prayer that he described it as day and night, constant.  Eph. 6:10-20- Paul teaches us that we are in a spiritual battle and prayer is an essential weapon. Paul commands us to take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. The Word, The Spirit, and constant prayer. As we’ve found these 4 NT norms, we have seen in a new way for us how intertwined they are. The Word bears fruit by the power of the Spirit. The Spirit honors and responds to the preaching of the Word and obedience to the Word and prayer. Prayer is what invites the Holy Spirit to work in our lives, and there is no real prayer without the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Prayer was seen as part of the work of the church. It was at the center of their ministry. We have a saying among our teams here that prayer is the greater work. We believe that because we ultimately believe that this work we’re doing is His work. It doesn’t move forward unless He moves and the Spirit grants repentance and life. Paul said, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gives the growth.” Prayer is an admission of our helplessness and a plea for God to do what only He can do. That’s why we see the early church devoting themselves to it. Prayer was necessary to them—it was just a part of their lives, and of their gathering together. If you are listening and feel like you’re a terrible pray-er, don’t give into discouragement or paralysis or accusations --- just start! Read a good book on prayer. Make sure you’re spending daily time with God alone in the Word and in prayer. Use your drive or shower to pray. Post a prayer list by your bathroom mirror and pray as you brush your teeth. Set a timer for a certain time each day. 12:12, 3:10. And ask God for help!  This concludes our series on NT norms – daily ministry, the Word, the Spirit, and prayer.

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Do you want to grow in teaming with others to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ? Do you want to help others embrace their unique roles in the work? God wants to use all believers in powerful and diverse ways in His mission. In this podcast, we dig into the Bible, hear from fruitful coworkers around the world, and share practical tools from our almost 20 years of missions experience. Join us on The Coworkers Podcast... Where Every Believer is a Coworker in God's mission.

Information

  • Creator
    Jesse, Shanee
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    201
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2020 The Coworkers Podcast
  • Show Website
    The Coworkers Podcast

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