Stronger with Andy Wood

Saddleback Church
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  • Christianity

Welcome to Stronger with Andy Wood. Life is heavy, and you were never meant to carry it on your own. Every week, Andy Wood, lead pastor of Saddleback Church, hosts honest conversations about building a stronger faith, family, and community. Each episode picks up where the weekend message leaves off, because there's always more to say than a weekend allows, and gets practical about living it out in your home and relationships. Real questions, real stories, and one next step you can take this week. New episodes every Monday, recorded at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California. Wherever you're listening from, this is for you too.

  1. 2d ago ·  Bonus Video

    How Should Christians Think After the Midterms?

    Andy Wood and his friend of sixteen years, Washington, D.C. pastor Aaron Graham, the week after the midterms: the notebook full of friends who drifted from faith, the three stages nobody notices until the third one, why "God's not a socialist" got Andy flagged by his own feedback bot, the Bible verse a teacher said not to put on a card, and how to be politically engaged without being used by anyone. This is a bonus episode. New here? Start with Episode 8, "Boy Math, Girl Math, and God's Math": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpeyEgN8U4Q In this bonus episode of Stronger, Andy sits down with Aaron Graham, lead pastor of The District Church in Washington, D.C. and author of Unshakable Faith, with Jay Kranda from the Saddleback team asking the questions. They start with the church Aaron planted two miles north of the White House and the notebook he filled with the names of friends who walked away, then work through the three stages of drift (doubt, deconstruction, denial), the short-form videos about doubting Scripture that win because they're persuasive, who gets to define love, why the felt need of this hour is truth, the sermon line that got Andy flagged by an AI, why Aaron raises hard topics when the temperature is low, controversial versus scandalous, the Bible verse on the veteran's card, how justice got hijacked, the people who skip church but come to Bible study, progressive theology versus progressive politics, and then the midterms: why the vote swung, principle over policy, the exhausted majority, wet-finger politicians, and how to be engaged without being used. They close on why socialism draws a younger generation, whether democracy is under threat, and why this is a moment in church history worth being alive for. If your feed is full of reasons to doubt, if you don't know how to talk about faith or politics without losing a friend, or if you're a parent or pastor trying to disciple a generation that's being discipled by its phone, this one is for you. ONE THING TO DO THIS WEEKCount the hours. Add up your time in Scripture this week and your time with political podcasts and cable news, then flip the ratio for seven days. Andy: "I refuse to make an argument without using Scripture, because that's the authority." BOOKS MENTIONEDUnshakable Faith: How to Stand Firm in a Culture of Lies by Aaron Graham: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FM79BLZV CHAPTERS0:00 Coming up0:53 Welcome from Andy2:32 Hundreds of hours of conversation3:53 Two miles north of the White House6:02 The notebook full of names9:37 Drifting vs. shipwrecking: doubt, deconstruction, denial12:24 "What if my kid came out?"13:21 Southern California, the Bay, and D.C.15:20 Short-form videos about doubting Scripture16:04 A missionary kid in a post-Christian West18:02 Who gets to define love?19:17 The felt need of the hour is truth21:05 Covid, 2020, and a staff conversation23:54 Why did Jesus spit on the Sabbath?25:09 "God's not a socialist": the feedback bot26:01 Talk about it when the temperature is low29:12 When do you lean in with a friend?31:20 Controversial vs. scandalous33:16 Don't put a Bible verse on the card34:52 Unbiblical beliefs on both sides35:18 When justice gets hijacked37:32 What a traditional view costs in D.C.38:28 They skip church but come to Bible study39:24 "I felt lied to": two years in41:06 Progressive theology vs. progressive politics42:22 A Bible full of holes43:39 Into the midterms45:11 Forrest Frank's warning to Christians47:42 Debriefing the midterms49:24 Principle over policy51:15 Voting your wallet or your worldview?53:30 The exhausted majority55:42 Wet-finger politicians57:59 Engaged, not used; biblical, not ideological1:01:02 Shaping Gen Z's worldview1:02:44 Why socialism draws a younger generation1:05:40 Acts 2 was voluntary1:06:41 Is democracy under threat?1:09:34 The market can't solve everything either1:10:29 What a moment in church history1:12:04 Revival or retreat1:13:52 Thanks and close SCRIPTURE IN THIS EPISODEJude 1:22 · 2 Corinthians 11:14 · John 8:32 · 2 Corinthians 2:15–16 · John 9:1–7 · Matthew 25:14–30 · Acts 17:16 · Matthew 25:40 · Mark 12:24 · Malachi 4:6 · Genesis 1–2 · John 3:16 · Matthew 6:10 · Acts 2:44–45 · Philippians 2:10 NEW EPISODES EVERY MONDAYEvery episode: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOvtcV3aqv-MApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id6812944219Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0MhCJU9jhDFc89e5HwigDwShow site: https://stronger.saddleback.com Stronger is recorded at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California, and every episode starts with what was taught that weekend. Wherever you're listening from, this is for you too. Find a campus or join online: https://saddleback.com You were never meant to be strong on your own. #StrongerWithAndyWood #AndyWood #StacieWood #Saddleback #AaronGraham #UnshakableFaith

  2. 4d ago ·  Video

    Boy Math, Girl Math, and God's Math

    Boy math says it's a tool. Girl math says if you return it, you made money. God's math says nobody's richer than God, and the Woods found out when they gave away their savings and ended up in a house for free. Andy and Stacie Wood on the zero-interest payment plan that's still debt, Disney passes on a monthly, Andy's five coffee makers, the plasma Stacie sold to buy his birthday present, and the line the Bible actually draws, which isn't rich and poor. This conversation picks up where the weekend message left off. Watch Andy's message "We Put First Things First" first: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofsrYS7Rwyg In Episode 8 of Stronger, Ariel Amaro sits down with Andy and Stacie Wood the week Andy taught that we put first things first, and they react to what the internet is telling a generation about money: a clip that says stop saving and start spending, boy math and girl math and the hobby that always has an alibi, whether a zero-interest payment plan is debt (Andy and Stacie don't agree), paying for your phone up front, how a 30-year-old couple buys a home in Orange County when the math doesn't work, the five-year plan Andy would run today, dying to a dream or just to a timeline, what your 20s are for, charging your adult kids rent and giving it back, whether investing is gambling, and what Jesus meant by blessed are the poor and woe to the rich. Paying for something on a plan, wondering how anyone buys a home here, or living at home and trying to launch, this one is for you. BONUS EPISODE WEDNESDAYAndy with Washington, D.C. pastor Aaron Graham, the week after the midterms: "How Should Christians Think After the Midterms?" Wednesday, on the Stronger playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOvtcV3aqv-M NEXT WEEKAriel Amaro sits down with Kurt and Rachel Johnston on kids and money. ONE THING TO DO THIS WEEKFind the one thing in your house you haven't paid for in full, and pay it off or let it go this month. Then, if money has a grip on your heart, give more than you planned this weekend. "In those moments where greed starts to creep in, that's a moment to fight against that with generosity." RESOURCES MENTIONEDFinancial Peace University at Saddleback: https://saddleback.com/events/?campus=0&q=fpuGive at Saddleback, and set up recurring giving: https://saddleback.com/giving/ CHAPTERS0:00 Coming up0:48 Welcome from Andy1:48 Why is my feed all money videos?2:19 Stop saving, start spending: agree or disagree?3:58 Where the philosophy crumbles5:19 Who actually thinks this way?6:38 Andy's $300 of lacrosse gear7:23 Boy math, girl math7:59 How broke the Woods were8:45 The hobby has an alibi10:35 Andy's five coffee makers12:35 "One latte outside the house"13:28 A payment plan for three books14:20 The mouse tax: Disney passes on a plan15:11 Pay in full: "That's called debt"17:23 Andy's case: let the money earn interest18:21 How much is freedom worth? (Romans 13:8)19:24 Is it wise? The borrower and the lender20:20 The litmus: a budget, six months, a plan20:41 Can the 25% rule work in Orange County?21:55 The Woods' story: renting, giving, and a house they couldn't have bought23:19 Starting today: the five-year plan25:18 Live on it first, then buy25:55 Die to the dream, or die to the timeline?26:18 "I may never own a home"28:16 Buying young, and the 3% trap29:43 God's math is different than our math31:35 Young men living at home32:10 Your 20s are a season for training33:34 Charge your adult kids rent, then give it back35:21 Handing the bills over, one at a time36:12 No phone until you can pay for it38:08 Would you date a guy who lives with his parents?40:16 Robinhood vs. sports betting40:57 A trap, or an investment?43:38 Money grows little by little44:22 Blessed are the poor, woe to the rich45:09 Not rich and poor: greedy and generous47:48 Nobody thinks they're greedy49:47 What are you loving with your life?51:08 Thanks and close SCRIPTURE IN THIS EPISODELuke 6:20, 24 · Matthew 5:3 · Romans 13:8 · Proverbs 22:7 · Proverbs 13:11 · Luke 12:15 · 1 Timothy 6:17 · Matthew 6:24 · Matthew 6:25–33 · Matthew 27:57–60 NEW EPISODES EVERY MONDAYEvery episode: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOvtcV3aqv-MApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id6812944219Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0MhCJU9jhDFc89e5HwigDwShow site: https://stronger.saddleback.com Stronger is recorded at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California, and every episode starts with what was taught that weekend. Wherever you're listening from, this is for you too. Find a campus or join online: https://saddleback.com You were never meant to be strong on your own. #StrongerWithAndyWood #AndyWood #StacieWood #Saddleback

  3. Nov 2 ·  Video

    Stop Calling It Your Money

    Stop calling it your money. Andy and Stacie Wood on why Paul writes two chapters about money without using the word, the friendship bread that cost Andy 20 pounds, the P90X photos that showed no change at day 30, the PetSmart cats Andy won't give to, and the plan that gets you out of debt and into a habit of generosity. This conversation picks up where the weekend message left off. Watch Andy's message "We Reap What We Sow" first: https://youtu.be/Rw0VSrNAP0o In Episode 7 of Stronger, Ariel Amaro sits down with Andy and Stacie Wood the week Andy taught from 2 Corinthians 9 that we reap what we sow, and they take it past money: what a worldview is and why the Bible is true and also real, the difference between a principle and a promise, why doing it God's way is simple but not easy, the sunrise-or-sunset picture in Proverbs 4, Paul's two chapters on money that never use the word, who's shaping what you want, what to do when generosity feels like someone prying your fingers open, the boy who gave Jesus his lunch, guilt, compulsion, and the 24-hour rule, and how to build a plan: one area at a time with gazelle intensity, settling in for the long run, and giving out of every paycheck. Carrying financial stress, starting a plan you've quit before, or sowing and not seeing anything yet, this one is for you. NEXT WEEKAndy and Stacie on tithing. Andy: "God does things when we tithe that we don't experience when we don't." ONE THING TO DO THIS WEEKPick one place to sow, and make it recurring. Give something out of every paycheck, not just one, and set it up once so it runs without a decision each time. "Just get consistent and then watch it grow over the course of time." RESOURCES MENTIONEDStewardship resources and giving at Saddleback (budgeting tools, classes, courses, and recurring giving): https://saddleback.com/giving/Return Night, a night of worship and prayer, Thursday, November 5: https://saddleback.com/event/return-night/695?startDateTime=2026-11-05T18%3A30%3A00-08%3A00&timeZone=America%2FLos_Angeles&eventItemOccurrenceId=2132 CHAPTERS0:00 Coming up0:49 Welcome: resources and Return Night1:57 The friendship bread that cost Andy 20 pounds3:56 This weekend: we reap what we sow5:17 What a worldview is6:13 True and real: God's design works like gravity8:19 Andy's thirties and the habits that compound9:41 Principles vs. promises12:34 Why is doing it God's way so hard?14:21 No change at day 3015:38 Sunrise or sunset? (Proverbs 4:18)16:38 Saving vs. the $8 matcha17:49 Paul never says "money": money is seed18:46 Frugal all year for one family vacation19:44 Who's shaping what you want?22:21 What do I actually need?22:51 Call it seed, not money24:04 Why does God love a cheerful giver?25:13 We give through our wallet, from our heart25:49 Let your giving lead your heart26:38 Why not try God's way? It's a get-to28:39 The joy comes after: the boy's lunch30:21 You can't give to everything31:02 Guilt, compulsion, and the PetSmart cats32:47 The 24-hour rule34:28 Making a plan when money is the pressure36:18 The Baby Steps, with gazelle intensity38:11 A marathon, not a sprint39:27 Settle in. The pain will move around.41:26 Sprint out of debt, then endure43:33 One area at a time44:35 Start here: give out of every paycheck46:03 Make it recurring and watch it grow46:45 Thanks and close SCRIPTURE IN THIS EPISODE2 Corinthians 8–9 · 2 Corinthians 9:6–11 · Galatians 6:9–10 · Philippians 4:19 · Proverbs 4:18–19 · Matthew 6:21 · Malachi 3:10 · John 6:9 NEW EPISODES EVERY MONDAYEvery episode: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOvtcV3aqv-MApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id6812944219Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0MhCJU9jhDFc89e5HwigDwShow site: https://stronger.saddleback.com Stronger is recorded at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California, and every episode starts with what was taught that weekend. Wherever you're listening from, this is for you too. Find a campus or join online: https://saddleback.com You were never meant to be strong on your own. #StrongerWithAndyWood #AndyWood #StacieWood #Saddleback

  4. Oct 26 ·  Video

    How Andy and Stacie Wood Handle Money

    Andy and Stacie Wood on how they actually handle money: the MacBook that put them in debt, the course that got them on the same page, the plan they've lived on since their first years of marriage, the student loan God paid off in one year, and what to do when you're doing everything right and still can't get ahead. This conversation picks up where the weekend message left off. Watch Andy's message "God Is the Owner. We Are the Stewards." first: https://youtu.be/kVpq5krVZs4 In Episode 6 of Stronger, Ariel Amaro sits down with Andy and Stacie Wood the week Andy taught on stewardship from Matthew 25, and they get specific: the Mac laptop Andy carried home from CompUSA on zero-down financing, the calculator Stacie took down the grocery aisle, the kitchen table conversation that made Andy own their finances, why money is the last thing most of us surrender to God, the gift Andy felt prompted to give before he'd talked to Stacie, Stacie's $100 birthday money, whether the church is after your money, the 10-10-80 plan and the debt snowball, the year their student loan disappeared, the righteous rich and the righteous poor, how to start out when the cost of living is this high, and a lightning round on credit cards, joint accounts, used cars, and how much you can spend before you tell your spouse. Newly married, carrying debt, carrying the budget alone, or doing everything right and still waiting on God to come through, this one is for you. ONE THING TO DO THIS WEEKFind out where your money actually went last month. Every dollar. Then sit down with your spouse, or a friend who'll be honest with you, and pick one next step: the 10-10-80 plan, the first debt in the snowball, or Financial Peace at your campus. And start tomorrow the way Andy does: "Today, Lord, you have my yes." RESOURCES MENTIONEDFinancial Peace University at Saddleback: https://saddleback.com/events?campus=0&q=FPU&categoryIds=&tags=Estate and trust planning at Saddleback: https://saddleback.com/events/?q=estate&campus=0&categoryIds=&tags=Financial tools and resources: https://saddleback.com/sections/resources/financial-tools/Give at Saddleback: https://saddleback.com/giving/ CHAPTERS0:00 Coming up0:54 Welcome: money, God's way1:53 A money story from early marriage2:27 The MacBook from CompUSA5:32 What they learned about money as newlyweds7:02 Newsletters, birthday money, and the tithe8:49 "You need to go through Financial Peace"10:23 A calculator in the grocery aisle12:06 The kitchen table conversation13:37 TurboTax, prayer, and switching roles15:22 The heart shift: it's God's money16:59 Returning to God what's already his19:09 Money is the last man standing20:24 The gift Andy hadn't told Stacie about21:28 Stacie's birthday money22:47 When you delay a prompt to give23:18 "Today, Lord, you have my yes"24:31 The joy of stewardship (Matthew 6:33 and Matthew 25)27:07 Why is the church afraid to talk about money?28:38 Pastors' salaries, trust, and giving to the mission30:52 A practical first step: know where your money goes33:05 The 10-10-80 plan and the debt snowball34:25 The student loan God paid off in one year37:10 Doing everything right and God isn't providing?38:39 Righteous rich, righteous poor41:02 How Saddleback can help42:28 Starting out when the cost of living is this high45:14 "We serve a God of miracles"46:48 Lightning round: credit cards47:23 Joint or separate accounts?47:54 New or used cars (the Nissan Leaf)48:43 How much can you spend before you tell your spouse?49:27 Tight budget or loose guidelines?50:04 Best investment advice51:08 When there's no hope left in your finances52:00 Thanks and close SCRIPTURE IN THIS EPISODEMatthew 6:33 · Matthew 25:14–30 · Galatians 5:22–26 NEW EPISODES EVERY MONDAYEvery episode: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOvtcV3aqv-MApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id6812944219Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0MhCJU9jhDFc89e5HwigDwShow site: https://stronger.saddleback.com Stronger is recorded at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California, and every episode starts with what was taught that weekend. Wherever you're listening from, this is for you too. Find a campus or join online: https://saddleback.com You were never meant to be strong on your own. #StrongerWithAndyWood #AndyWood #StacieWood #Saddleback

  5. Oct 19 ·  Video

    How to Pass Your Faith to Your Kids and Grandkids

    Andy and Stacie Wood with David Nasser on how faith gets handed from one generation to the next, the people who saw something in them first, what changes when your kids are grown, and why following Jesus is a daily yes. This conversation picks up where the weekend message left off. Watch David's message "Stronger Generations" first: https://youtu.be/TyB1N7obvDg In Episode 5 of Stronger, Andy and Stacie Wood sit down with author and speaker David Nasser the weekend he closed the Stronger series, and they go where a Sunday message can't: the baton that runs from Barnabas to Paul to Timothy to whoever you're raising up, the people who told Andy and Stacie "I see this in you" before they could see it themselves, what it meant for David to be the first in his family to follow Jesus, policing, coaching, and releasing your kids, why grandparents ride in the back seat, what to weigh before you move away from your grandkids, what it cost the Wood kids when God moved their family to Saddleback, the 25-year story behind A Call to Die, and the open-door hospitality that has put more than 2,000 people through the Woods' home. Grandparent, parent of grown kids, a family weighing a move, or someone who needs one person to say "I see this in you," this one is for you. ONE THING TO DO THIS WEEKThink of one person a step behind you in faith and tell them what you see in them: "I see this in you." Then ask David's question: who am I handing my faith to? If you're a parent or grandparent, name what you want to hand down, not just what you'll leave behind. Then send this to the person who saw something in you first. RESOURCES MENTIONEDA Call to Die, 25th anniversary edition (preorder): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0HB2V69R1David's message on hospitality at Saddleback: https://youtu.be/G8fbM05MVvY BOOKS MENTIONEDA Call to Die, David NasserHero Maker, Dave Ferguson and Warren BirdThe Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren CHAPTERS0:00 Coming up1:00 Welcome: a conversation with David Nasser2:09 Why Saddleback is an easy place to preach3:55 Forty Persians on the patio5:30 The weekend message: Stronger Generations6:26 Barnabas, Paul, Timothy, and the baton7:22 Your kids and your spiritual kids8:40 Stacie's high school Sunday school class10:17 "I see this in you"11:21 The eighth-grade trip that changed Andy's life12:56 When the parenting books run out14:27 The first in his family to follow Jesus15:44 Policing, coaching, releasing17:01 Why grandparents ride in the back seat18:03 A five-year-old with "special eyes"19:40 The salmon worship song21:41 Shade and shelter for the next generation22:26 When grandparents move away24:53 "Every yes has a price tag"27:01 Spiritual grandparents when family is far27:56 Does it make spiritual sense?29:11 What the move to Saddleback cost the Wood kids31:14 The secret of Saddleback: kids and students33:15 A Call to Die, 25 years later36:31 Fasting from the world, feasting on God38:06 Stacie's night at the altar40:30 Preaching it, then living it: the bedspread42:41 "Tune my ear to your voice"44:35 When God calls you to die to something45:54 "This book changed my life"47:58 25 churches, 40 days50:38 Where the Woods' hospitality came from51:20 2,000 people through the Wood home52:33 A table for 13853:37 Thank you, David SCRIPTURE IN THIS EPISODEPsalm 119:60 · Proverbs 22:6 · Hebrews 4:12 · Hebrews 12:1 NEW EPISODES EVERY MONDAYEvery episode: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOvtcV3aqv-MApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id6812944219Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0MhCJU9jhDFc89e5HwigDwShow site: https://stronger.saddleback.com Stronger is recorded at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California, and every episode starts with what was taught that weekend. Wherever you're listening from, this is for you too. Find a campus or join online: https://saddleback.com You were never meant to be strong on your own. #StrongerWithAndyWood #AndyWood #StacieWood #DavidNasser #Saddleback

  6. Oct 12 ·  Video

    God Doesn't Do the Ideal. He Does the Impossible.

    Andy and Stacie Wood on building a home with a vision, the habits that hold it together, where phones and club sports fit, and why God doesn't need your family to be ideal. This conversation picks up where the weekend message left off. Watch "Stronger Homes" first: https://youtu.be/eTb0sc7OKDg In Episode 4 of Stronger, Andy and Stacie Wood sit down with Ariel Amaro the week Andy taught Joshua 24, "as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord," and they go where a Sunday message can't: the family Andy grew up in (a divorce, a single dad, and a blended family), how the Woods wrote a vision and four values for their home, the model week and the yearly rhythms that keep them on it, and how they handle phones, the car, and kids who would rather be on a device. Then the hot takes: one activity per kid and the club sports question, church every weekend, when a kid is ready to date, the two things that cover a lot of parenting mistakes, and what Stacie would tell her younger self. Single parent, blended family, a home you never saw modeled, or kids who are already 14 with no plan yet, this one is for you. NEXT WEEKStronger Generations: what it looks like to pass your faith from one generation to the next. ONE THING TO DO THIS WEEKSit down and answer one question together: what do we want to see in our kids when they leave our home? Write it down. Then start one rhythm this week: a family night, phones away at dinner, or a high, low, buffalo around the table. If you're single or living with roommates, ask Andy's question instead: what habits am I building in my home now that I'll live in the fruit of later? Then send this to a family who needs it. RESOURCES MENTIONEDFamily Vision Guide (vision, values, and habits for your home): https://sbstoragecdnprod.blob.core.windows.net/media/Resources/family_vision_guide.pdfHey-O! Stories of the Bible (Saddleback Kids): https://www.amazon.com/dp/0310159253 BOOKS ANDY RECOMMENDSShepherding a Child's Heart, Tedd TrippParenting with Love and Logic, Foster Cline and Jim FayRaising a Modern-Day Knight, Robert LewisHabits of the Household, Justin Whitmel EarleySacred Parenting, Gary Thomas CHAPTERS0:00 Coming up0:47 Welcome: God's design for the home1:31 Episode four: Stronger Homes1:45 Joshua 24: "As for me and my household"3:02 Andy's story: a divorce, a single dad, a blended family5:52 "God doesn't do the ideal. God does the impossible."7:16 How the home you grew up in shapes the one you build10:10 A puzzle without the picture on the box11:07 Where to start: a vision and values for your family13:30 The biggest win for your kids, and four values that spell WOOD16:19 Too late to start? "My kids are already 14"17:15 Lead your home like you lead at work18:31 Habits and rhythms: Taco Tuesday and the school-morning prayer19:15 The model week19:57 Sunday family night and fighting for family dinner22:33 Yearly rhythms: the family giving summit, vacation, one-on-ones24:54 Small moments: high, low, buffalo, question cards, Nerf wars27:27 Expect resistance: tech-free zones and bedtime28:28 Bedtime stories, the Hey-O Bible, and RJR29:46 Car time is talk time31:47 Phones: limits, the age question, blocking social media34:25 Careful in the real world, careless online34:57 Hot take: kids on e-bikes35:32 Church every weekend38:35 Hot takes39:05 Andy's go-to parenting books39:28 When is a kid ready to date?41:31 "Have you ever lost it with your kids?"43:45 Two things that cover a lot of wrongs44:32 Kids' sports and club leagues47:32 Advice to my younger parenting self48:34 Couples putting off or saying no to kids50:32 To the one who isn't sure the home is worth the work53:11 Stacie: "You're not doing it alone"55:09 To the parent of a wayward child57:09 Next week: Stronger Generations SCRIPTURE IN THIS EPISODEJoshua 24:14-15 · Psalm 127:3 · Mark 10:13-16 · Galatians 6:9 NEW EPISODES EVERY MONDAYEvery episode: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOvtcV3aqv-MApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id6812944219Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0MhCJU9jhDFc89e5HwigDwShow site: https://stronger.saddleback.com Stronger is recorded at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California, and every episode starts with what was taught that weekend. Wherever you're listening from, this is for you too. Find a campus or join online: https://saddleback.com You were never meant to be strong on your own. #StrongerWithAndyWood #AndyWood #StacieWood #Saddleback #Parenting

  7. Oct 7 ·  Bonus Video

    What If He Leaves?

    Andy and Stacie Wood on the night Stacie was scared Andy would leave, what he said back, and the one idea that has held their marriage for 23 years: it's a covenant, not a contract. This is a bonus episode, recorded live at Saddleback's marriage retreat. New here? Start with Episode 3, "Are You Married, or Just Roommates?": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iq7Q2S5aq1U The first twelve minutes are their story: the first week of college, the year Andy spent as a cheerleader, the 18-month breakup, the summer he told her the only way she'd be part of the church he was going to plant was as his wife, and the email she ended with two words from a Nicolas Cage movie. Then the hard part: married at 21, broke, opposite personalities, and the season when home was so miserable Stacie asked what would happen if he left. From there, Andy and Stacie walk through why God calls marriage a covenant, how a covenant is different from a contract (the phone-plan story explains it), what "in sickness and in health" costs when sickness actually comes, the night Stacie locked the bedroom door and Andy quoted Scripture through it, why marriage was never meant to make you happy, and five commitments that make a covenant practical: receive your spouse as a sacred gift, put God at the center, close every side door and lock the back door, work on it instead of running from it, and love, cherish, and sacrifice for your spouse above all others. Including your kids. Whether you're newly married, decades in, or carrying a hard story into a second marriage, this one is for you. MORE FROM ANDY AND STACIE ON MARRIAGEEpisode 3, "Are You Married, or Just Roommates?": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iq7Q2S5aq1UBonus: marriage hot takes on conflict, money, and in-laws: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q45wyFL5O6kThe weekend message, "Stronger Marriages": https://youtu.be/XFandtFb3A8 ONE THING TO DO THIS WEEKTell your spouse the sentence Andy asked the room to say: "You are the most important person on planet Earth to me." Then close one door. If there's a conversation, a friendship, or an account your spouse doesn't have access to, hand it over this week. And if it's been a hard season, say the three words from the end of the prayer: "You have my yes again." RESOURCES MENTIONEDThe Meaning of Marriage by Timothy KellerLet Me Be a Woman by Elisabeth ElliotThe Purpose Driven Church by Rick Warren CHAPTERS0:00 Coming up0:54 Welcome: a bonus episode from the marriage retreat1:31 How Andy and Stacie met3:03 Andy the college cheerleader5:03 The breakup: 18 months6:09 Venezuela, Cambodia, and the ex-boyfriend7:28 "The only way you'll be a part of it is if you're my wife"9:06 Two weeks to pray10:04 The movie night that decided it12:19 "I choose us"12:53 Married at 21: the first five years13:32 Why marriage and family are the need of the hour15:11 Covenant: what sets a marriage apart16:20 Genesis 2: bone of my bones17:57 Matthew 19: Jesus reaffirms the design19:28 A biblical definition of marriage, and second chances21:50 Covenant is the language of God23:51 The cross is the picture of marriage25:35 The hardest season: "what if he left?"28:35 Contract vs. covenant: the phone-plan story29:52 Tim Keller: vows are a promise of future love30:19 Four differences between a contract and a covenant31:35 "In sickness and in health" is part of the vow34:18 The husband who stayed up all night for his sick wife36:11 The locked door37:14 The other side of covenant: "we better make it better"38:20 Marriage doesn't exist for your happiness39:02 Elisabeth Elliot: marriage is dynamic, not static40:19 Commitment 1: Receive your spouse as a sacred gift41:10 Get around a widow43:12 Commitment 2: Put God at the center43:41 Commitment 3: Close every side door, lock the back door45:03 "I will never have a meal alone with a woman"46:46 Text threads, passwords, and your location48:56 Commitment 4: Work on it, don't run from it49:37 Who apologizes first? Stay at the table51:38 Commitment 5: Love, cherish, and sacrifice above all others53:37 If you're hanging on by a thread54:41 A prayer over your marriage58:56 Thanks for joining us SCRIPTURE IN THIS EPISODEGenesis 2:22-24 · Matthew 19:4-6 · Malachi 2:14 · Ephesians 4:26 · Proverbs 19:11 · Ecclesiastes 7:2 NEW EPISODES EVERY MONDAYEvery episode: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOvtcV3aqv-MApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id6812944219Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0MhCJU9jhDFc89e5HwigDwShow site: https://stronger.saddleback.com Stronger is recorded at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California. This episode was recorded live at Saddleback's marriage retreat. Wherever you're listening from, this is for you too. Find a campus or join online: https://saddleback.com You were never meant to be strong on your own. #StrongerWithAndyWood #AndyWood #StacieWood #Saddleback #Marriage

  8. Oct 6 ·  Bonus Video

    Marriage Hot Takes: Conflict, Money, In-Laws

    Andy and Stacie Wood on the marriage questions that didn't fit in Episode 3: how to fight, what to do about money, phones at 9:30 at night, what a single person should look for, forgiveness, and in-laws. This is the bonus round. Watch Episode 3, "Are You Married, or Just Roommates?", first: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iq7Q2S5aq1U Rapid fire, on a thirty-second clock Andy ignores: why your spouse is never the problem and what "stay at the table" means when you disagree. Die to yourself on the small stuff (go eat where your wife wants to eat). The class Andy and Stacie took at 21 that changed how they handle money. Why phones need tight boundaries inside the home. What to look for in a spouse: how they treat their family, the wake they leave behind them, and the football-stands test. What Andy and Stacie tell their kids when a couple they know gets divorced. Why forgiveness is not the same as trust, and the Corrie ten Boom story Andy can't tell in thirty seconds. And what to do when parents are too involved in their kids' marriage. Married, engaged, or single and paying attention, this one is for you. THE WEEKEND MESSAGEThis conversation started with "Stronger Marriages," taught by Andy and Stacie Wood: https://youtu.be/XFandtFb3A8 ONE THING TO DO THIS WEEKPick one hot take and run it for seven days. Phones down at 9:30. One meal where your spouse picks. One thing you've been holding onto that you forgive out loud. If you're single: look at the wake. Then send this to someone who needs the eleven minutes. RESOURCES MENTIONEDFinancial tools and resources at Saddleback: https://saddleback.com/sections/resources/financial-tools/ CHAPTERS0:00 Coming up0:39 Welcome to the first bonus episode1:01 Andy: best advice on conflict1:21 Stacie: what do you do when you disagree?2:12 Die to yourself: go where your wife wants to eat2:20 Andy: best advice on money in marriage3:03 Stacie: phones in marriage, yes or no?4:01 Andy: what should a single person look for in a spouse?5:30 The football-stands test5:48 Stacie: what do you tell your kids when people you know get divorced?6:56 Andy: how important is forgiveness in marriage?7:40 The Corrie ten Boom story8:51 "I don't think you understand hot takes"9:05 Stacie: when parents are too involved in their kids' marriage10:52 One last hot take10:59 Next week: Stronger Homes SCRIPTURE IN THIS EPISODEGenesis 2:24 · Luke 9:23 · Ephesians 4:31-32 · Hebrews 12:15 NEW EPISODES EVERY MONDAYEvery episode: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOvtcV3aqv-MApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id6812944219Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0MhCJU9jhDFc89e5HwigDwShow site: https://stronger.saddleback.com Stronger is recorded at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California, and every episode starts with what was taught that weekend. Wherever you're listening from, this is for you too. Find a campus or join online: https://saddleback.com You were never meant to be strong on your own. #StrongerWithAndyWood #AndyWood #StacieWood #Saddleback #Marriage

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5
out of 5
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About

Welcome to Stronger with Andy Wood. Life is heavy, and you were never meant to carry it on your own. Every week, Andy Wood, lead pastor of Saddleback Church, hosts honest conversations about building a stronger faith, family, and community. Each episode picks up where the weekend message leaves off, because there's always more to say than a weekend allows, and gets practical about living it out in your home and relationships. Real questions, real stories, and one next step you can take this week. New episodes every Monday, recorded at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California. Wherever you're listening from, this is for you too.

Information

  • Creator
    Saddleback Church
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    13
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Saddleback Church
  • Show Website
    Stronger with Andy Wood

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