Westside Podcast

Westside Community Church

This is the official weekly podcast of Westside Community Church in Beaverton, Oregon. We’re made up of a variety of people who like to keep it real, don’t take themselves too seriously and who want to get the most out of life.  At Westside, we welcome people from all walks of life – in fact, there are NO PERFECT PEOPLE ALLOWED! We strive to be a "safe place to investigate faith" so people can come as they are and be themselves while they explore who Jesus is, find friends and make a difference.   We post content here that is practical, helpful, and relevant to real life. We hope you'll find the inspiration, motivation and help to grow. #help #hope #practical #jesus #growth #spiritualgrowth #nojudgment

  1. The Next Generation Is Already Pulling Their Parents to Church — Here's What's Happening

    May 31

    The Next Generation Is Already Pulling Their Parents to Church — Here's What's Happening

    Send us Fan Mail What if the students in your community were the ones leading their families back to church? That's exactly what's happening at Westside — and it's not an accident. In this episode of Midweek Motivation, Jess sits down with Tim Wooten, a 30-year financial advisor, youth pastor, and son of Westside's founding pastor, to talk about what it really means to invest in the next generation — one kid, one conversation, and one sacrifice at a time. Discover: How Tim went from teenager in the youth group to leading it for over two decadesWhy "stick and stay" is the most underrated strategy in ministry — and in lifeThe story of a student who wakes up at 3AM to make pizza dough so he can make it to church by 10:30How dozens of students have brought their entire families to church — and why that's flipping the script on discipleshipWhat truth and love actually looks like when you're sitting across from a 15-year-old making hard decisionsWhy legacy requires letting go — and what Tim's dad modeled by passing the torchA real, honest conversation about sacrifice, finances, and why you probably can give more than you thinkReflection paragraph: Legacy isn't built in a moment — it's built in years of showing up, sticking around, and investing in people who don't yet know what they're capable of. Tim's story is a reminder that the voices playing in someone's head at the right moment came from a person who chose not to quit. Whether it's time, money, relationships, or leadership — the question isn't whether you can afford to invest. It's whether you can afford not to. Key Takeaways: Readers are leaders — invest in your own growth so you can pour into othersStick and stay: trust and legacy are built over years, not monthsThe next generation is hungry for truth — biblical truth spoken in love changes livesLegacy requires releasing control and training up the people around you to carry it forwardYou cannot out-give God — that's not a slogan, it's a promiseEvery sacrifice looks different — what matters is that it costs you somethingQuestion for you to think about: Who invested in you — and who are you investing in right now? Calls to Action: If this episode encouraged or challenged you, share it with someone who needs to hear it — and subscribe so you never miss a new episode. Drop a comment below: Who's a person who invested in you and helped shape who you are today? LINKS & RESOURCES: SUBSCRIBE to always see our content and let us reach more people for Jesus: https://www.youtube.com/westsidecommunitychurchpdx?sub_confirmation=1 Give to support this ministry and help us reach people all around the world: https://www.westsidecommunitychurch.com/giveSTAY CONNECTED: Website: https://www.westsidecommunitychurch.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westsidecommunitychurch Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/westsidecommunitychurchpdxHashtags: #MidweekMotivation #WestsideCommunitychurch #YouthMinistry #NextGeneration #ChristianPodcast #Legacy #Discipleship #FaithInAction #InvestInOthers #ChristianLiving #StudentMinistry #GenerosityChallenge #YouCannotOutgiveGod #StickyFaith #ChurchGrowth

    44 min
  2. Stop Giving God Your Leftovers — He's Asking for What's in the Safe

    May 22

    Stop Giving God Your Leftovers — He's Asking for What's in the Safe

    Send us Fan Mail Every parent knows the pre-Christmas closet clean out — toss the old stuff, make room for the new. It feels generous. But what if that same instinct is quietly shaping the way we give to God? In this episode of Midweek Motivation, we take an honest look at what our sacrifices actually reveal about our hearts — and why God isn't after what we were planning to get rid of anyway. Discover: The two very different heart postures behind the classic closet clean outWhat Abel and Cain's offerings in Genesis 4 reveal about sacrifice and the heartWhy the widow's two coins in Mark 12 is the ultimate "toy chest vs. closet" momentThe difference between giving from your closet versus unlocking your safeA practical, personal audit of what God might actually be asking you to give — time, money, gifts, relationships, control, and moreWhy some of the hardest sacrifices live inside wounds — and what to do with that It's easy to give what we're ready to let go of. It costs us nothing — and deep down, we know it. But real sacrifice? That's what's locked in the safe. The thing you're protecting with everything you have because it matters. Your time, your plans, your relationships, your reputation, your need for control. God's not asking for your clutter. He's asking for your best. And the invitation today is to pause, pray, and ask Him honestly — what's He calling you to unlock? Key Takeaways: God sees the heart behind the gift — not just the gift itselfFirst and best is the standard Abel modeled, and it still applies todayGiving from abundance is easy; giving from sacrifice is what honors GodThe "safe" represents whatever you're holding onto most tightly — that might be exactly what God is asking forThis applies to more than money: time, gifts, relationships, rest, plans, reputation, and rights all countSurrender isn't loss — it's an invitation for God to do more than you could imagine Question for you to think about: What's in your safe right now — and what would it look like to unlock it and offer it to God? If this episode challenged you, share it with someone who needs to hear it — and subscribe so you never miss a new episode. Drop a comment below: What's one area where God is calling you to give your best instead of your leftovers? LINKS & RESOURCES: SUBSCRIBE to always see our content and let us reach more people for Jesus: https://www.youtube.com/westsidecommunitychurchpdx?sub_confirmation=1 Give to support this ministry and help us reach people all around the world: https://www.westsidecommunitychurch.com/give STAY CONNECTED: Website: https://www.westsidecommunitychurch.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westsidecommunitychurch Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/westsidecommunitychurchpdx #MidweekMotivation #ChristianPodcast #Sacrifice #Generosity #FaithInAction #WestsideCommunitychurch #GivingToGod #ChristianLiving #BiblicalGenerosity #Genesis4 #OpenHanded #SpiritualGrowth #Stewardship #JesusFollower #Surrender

    12 min
  3. Stop Painting Doorways on Brick Walls: How to Discern God's Will & Recognize an Open Door

    May 13

    Stop Painting Doorways on Brick Walls: How to Discern God's Will & Recognize an Open Door

    Send us Fan Mail What do you do when you're standing in front of a decision and you're not sure if it's God opening a door — or if you're forcing one open yourself? In this episode, Pastor Jess and Pastor Gabe unpack a framework for discerning God's will that has shaped Westside's biggest current decision as a church, and works just as well for parenting, marriage, career, and the everyday moments where you're asking, "Is this from the Lord, or is this just me?" Discover: The "painted doorway on a brick wall" picture and what it reveals about forcing God's handThe 5-filter framework for discernment: Word, Spirit, Counsel, Circumstances, Spiritual UnityWhy God's will never contradicts God's Word — and why that has to be filter number oneHow to tell the difference between the Holy Spirit's confirmation and His convictionThe "rudder vs. rowing against the current" picture for Spirit-led livingWhy every believer needs a Paul, a Barnabas, and a Timothy in their cornerThe "squeeze the lime" principle — stewarding what you already have before asking for moreWhy favorable circumstances alone aren't enough to confirm an open doorHow spiritual unity protects big decisions in marriage, family, and the churchReal examples from parenting school choices, waiting on a spouse, and Westside's current building decisionMost of us have tried to muscle our way through a wall we painted to look like a door. It hurts, it doesn't work, and it leaves us exhausted. The good news is that God isn't hiding His will from you. He's already given you His Word, His Spirit, godly people, real-life circumstances, and a community to walk with. When you slow down enough to let those five things speak together, what felt foggy starts to feel clear — and when an actual door opens, you'll recognize it because you won't have to break it down. Key Takeaways: God's will never contradicts God's Word — if it fails filter one, you don't pass goThe Holy Spirit is your rudder; peace and dissonance both have something to teach youCounsel that never challenges you isn't counsel — it's an echo chamberDon't mistake favorable circumstances for confirmation; run them through the other filters firstSteward what's already in your hand before you ask God for moreWhen the wind is in the sail, you know it — stop trying to blow into your own sailsQuestion for you to think about: What's a decision in front of you right now where you've been forcing a door — and what would change if you ran it through all five filters this week? Calls to Action: Subscribe so you don't miss next week's episodeDrop a comment with the decision you're discerning right now — we'll pray for youShare this with someone in a season of big decisionsConnect with us at Westside Community ChurchLINKS & RESOURCES: SUBSCRIBE to always see our content and let us reach more people for Jesus: https://www.youtube.com/westsidecommunitychurchpdx?sub_confirmation=1 Give to support this ministry and help us reach people all around the world: https://www.westsidecommunitychurch.com/give STAY CONNECTED: Website: https://www.westsidecommunitychurch.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westsidecommunitychurch Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/westsidecommunitychurchpdx #MidweekMotivation #WestsideCommunityChurch #GodsWill #Discernment #OpenDoors #HolySpirit #ChristianPodcast #FaithDecisions #HearingGod #ChristianLiving #BiblicalWisdom #WalkingWithGod #ChristianCommunity #FaithAndLife #SurrenderToGod

    44 min
  4. Hearing God's Voice, Recognizing His Nudges & Why Most People Miss the Moment

    May 6

    Hearing God's Voice, Recognizing His Nudges & Why Most People Miss the Moment

    Send us Fan Mail What if the most important thing that was supposed to happen this week… didn't? Not because God didn't show up — but because you didn't recognize the moment when He did. In this week's Midweek Motivation, Jess sits down with Rita — former atheist of 13 years and now one of the most spiritually tuned-in people you'll meet — for a powerful, honest conversation about hearing God's voice, stepping into His nudges, and what happens when we explain them away. Discover: How a 13-year atheist heard God's voice for the first time on an ordinary Sunday morningWhy knowing Scripture is the foundation for recognizing God's voiceThe "quiet persistence" test — the clearest sign God is actually speakingHow to tell the difference between God's nudge and your own thoughtsWhy intellectualizing and debating pushes you away from obedienceA real-time story of a late-night call that came straight from the Holy SpiritThe Esther 4:14 principle and what "such a time as this" really meansThe simplest prayer for hearing God: "Speak, Lord, your servant is listening"Reflection paragraph: God is still speaking. He still nudges. He still calls ordinary people into extraordinary moments. The question was never whether He's talking — the question is whether we're listening, and whether we'll move when He moves us. Some of the most important assignments of your life are hiding behind a quiet thought you keep brushing off. Don't explain it away. Stay in the Word, stay close, and when the nudge comes — go. Key Takeaways: God's voice always lines up with His Word and His character — no exceptionsFamiliarity is everything; you recognize the voice you spend time withQuiet persistence is one of the clearest signs God is speakingDebating and "logicking it out" is how we lose the momentDon't ask "why me?" — God chose you because you're uniquely positioned for thisEven if you miss the nudge, God will still work. But you miss the privilege of being used.The simplest response you can give is: "Speak, Lord, your servant is listening" — and then actually listenQuestion for you to think about: When was the last time you felt a quiet, persistent nudge from God — and what did you actually do with it? Calls to Action: If this conversation hit you, do three things: hit subscribe so you never miss an episode, share this with one person who needs to hear it, and drop a comment telling us about a time you obeyed (or missed) a nudge from God. We read every one. LINKS & RESOURCES: SUBSCRIBE to always see our content and let us reach more people for Jesus: https://www.youtube.com/westsidecommunitychurchpdx?sub_confirmation=1 Give to support this ministry and help us reach people all around the world: https://www.westsidecommunitychurch.com/giveSTAY CONNECTED: Website: https://www.westsidecommunitychurch.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westsidecommunitychurch Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/westsidecommunitychurchpdx#MidweekMotivation #WestsideCommunityChurch #HearingGodsVoice #HolySpirit #ChristianPodcast #FaithJourney #SpiritualDiscernment #ChristianDiscipleship #SuchATimeAsThis #SpeakLord #ChristianGrowth #FaithInAction #PortlandChurch #JesusFollower #BiblicalTeaching

    26 min
5
out of 5
11 Ratings

About

This is the official weekly podcast of Westside Community Church in Beaverton, Oregon. We’re made up of a variety of people who like to keep it real, don’t take themselves too seriously and who want to get the most out of life.  At Westside, we welcome people from all walks of life – in fact, there are NO PERFECT PEOPLE ALLOWED! We strive to be a "safe place to investigate faith" so people can come as they are and be themselves while they explore who Jesus is, find friends and make a difference.   We post content here that is practical, helpful, and relevant to real life. We hope you'll find the inspiration, motivation and help to grow. #help #hope #practical #jesus #growth #spiritualgrowth #nojudgment