God Made Podcast

Greg Rains
  • 5.0 (5)
  • Christianity

Real conversations about following Jesus when life doesn't slow down — from a pastor who's still figuring it out too.

  1. Sep 16

    Many Dads Are in the House. They're Still Not There.

    Many dads live in the house. A lot of them still aren't there. Alex Proffitt is the Area Director of Young Life for Sevier County, Tennessee. He came back from camp this summer angry — because half the boys he talked to and a lot of the girls were carrying the same wound. One kid looked at him through tears and said, "I just don't understand why my dad won't choose me." Alex knows something about that. He grew up in a divorced home. He signed up for Young Life leadership as a front so people back home would think he was a good Christian kid. What pulled him out wasn't a program. It was an area director who welcomed him back when he knew he didn't deserve it. In this conversation we talk about what teenagers in his county are actually carrying, what Christian parents keep handing off that they shouldn't, and why an adult who thinks he's too old and not cool enough is exactly who a sixteen-year-old needs. This is the first in a series of conversations with the ministry partners Northview Church supports. — Young Life needs male leaders. About 75% of Alex's current team is women, and they need men willing to step into the lives of boys. If that's you: www.younglifeseviercounty.com — CHAPTERS 00:00 The kid I still think about 03:03 Divorced at three, church every Sunday 11:55 The dealer's apartment that scared me straight 19:41 What Young Life actually is (and isn't) 23:53 70% of teenagers aren't in any youth group 25:42 What kids around here are carrying 26:20 "Why won't my dad choose me?" 29:31 Getting students into a local church 34:18 The part of this job that wears you down 37:13 Ministry at night, family at home 38:25 Seniors leading freshmen 40:56 What Christian parents keep getting wrong 43:46 You're not too old to reach a teenager 45:09 What Alex needs you to pray for 49:50 What God made me for — The God Made Podcast with Greg Rains Northview Church | Kodak, TN

  2. Sep 8

    This Is Quietly Changing Who You Are

    The conversation explores the formation of beliefs, the authority of Scripture, the impact of outrage and exhaustion, the influence of content consumption, the labor pains of formation, the role of people in formation, and evaluating content consumption. Key takeaways include the impact of repetition on beliefs, the contrasting effects of Scripture and content consumption, and the deceptive nature of the absence of correction. Takeaways Repetition shapes beliefsScripture confronts, feed conformsThe absence of correction feels like peace Chapters 00:00 Evaluating Content Consumption

  3. Sep 2

    Why AI Is a Terrible Spiritual Authority

    Christians are already using AI for Bible study, theological research, prayer, and spiritual questions. So maybe the question isn't whether Christians should use AI. It's how we should use it. In this episode, Greg explores the growing role of artificial intelligence in the Christian life and one important distinction: AI can be a great research assistant, but it makes a terrible spiritual authority. What happens when AI gives us answers so quickly that we stop wrestling with Scripture? Can we trust theological answers from a system that has learned from both sound doctrine and false teaching? And what do we lose when a chatbot begins replacing pastors, mature believers, and real Christian community? We'll work through four major concerns and a simple framework for using AI wisely: Research. Verify. Wrestle. Discuss. AI can help us gather information—but it should never replace Scripture, the Holy Spirit, or the people God has placed around us. God Made Podcast — practical conversations about following Jesus in everyday life.

  4. Aug 19

    9 Things Strong Christian Marriages Do Differently

    What do strong Christian marriages actually do differently? A healthy marriage usually isn’t built on one huge romantic gesture. It’s built through small, intentional choices made over and over again—how we talk to each other, prioritize each other, handle disagreement, protect our relationship, pray for one another, and remember the covenant we made before God. In this episode of the God Made Podcast, we walk through 9 practical habits of healthy marriages and look at the biblical principles behind each one. Some of these are direct commands from Scripture. Others are practical marriage habits that flow from biblical wisdom. Either way, they give us some great questions to ask about our own marriages. The 9 principles and Scriptures we discuss: 1. Put your spouse’s needs ahead of your own Philippians 2:3–4 • Ephesians 5:21, 25, 28–29 • 1 Corinthians 10:24 2. Don’t expect your spouse to complete you Colossians 2:9–10 • Psalm 73:25–26 • Philippians 4:11–13 3. Spend time together Genesis 2:24 • Ecclesiastes 9:9 • Song of Songs 2:10–13 4. Prioritize your marriage over your career Genesis 2:24 • Ephesians 5:25–33 • 1 Timothy 5:8 • Mark 8:36 5. Prioritize your marriage over your kids Genesis 2:24 • Ephesians 5:31–33 • Deuteronomy 6:6–7 6. Set  boundaries Proverbs 4:23 • Proverbs 25:28 • 1 Corinthians 6:12 • Ephesians 5:15–16 • Matthew 5:27–30 7. In front of others, we only speak compliments about our spouse. Ephesians 4:29 • Proverbs 31:28–29 • Proverbs 18:21 • James 3:5–10 8. Pray for your spouse instead of trying to change them Philippians 1:9–11 • Colossians 1:9–12 • 1 Peter 3:1–2 • James 5:16 • Philippians 2:13 9. We agreed to a covenant where divorce is not an option Malachi 2:14 • Matthew 19:4–6, 9 • Genesis 2:24 • Mark 10:9 • 1 Corinthians 7:15 Marriage doesn’t become strong by accident. It grows stronger when two people continually choose to love, serve, forgive, encourage, pursue, and pray for one another. Which of these 9 comes naturally in your marriage—and which one needs more attention? Let us know in the comments. If this episode encouraged you, subscribe to the God Made Podcast for honest conversations about marriage, family, faith, and following Jesus in everyday life. For more information about Northview Church visit www.mynorthview.church #ChristianMarriage #BiblicalMarriage #MarriageAdvice #ChristianCouples #GodMadePodcast

  5. Aug 12

    Have Christians Overcomplicated Marriage?

    What does it really mean to have a biblical marriage? Christians often talk about marriage in terms of roles, rules, responsibilities, headship, and submission. Those things matter, but it’s also possible to become so focused on defining everyone’s role that we lose sight of the heart of marriage itself. In this episode, Greg and Kristi talk honestly about what biblical marriage looks like, the difference between Scripture and cultural expectations, and why marriage was never meant to become a checklist. They discuss sacrificial love, leadership, submission, service, grace, and what it means for a husband and wife to pursue Christ together. Ultimately, a biblical marriage is not just about getting the roles right. It’s about two people learning to love, serve, forgive, sacrifice, and follow Jesus together.

  6. Jul 29

    7 Habits That Made Paul Unshakeable

    What made the Apostle Paul so resilient, useful, and faithful through opposition, suffering, and change? In this episode, Greg and Kristi look at seven habits and disciplines that shaped Paul’s life and helped him remain faithful to the end. Paul didn’t rush to be validated. He prayed for people specifically. He never stopped learning. He kept his hands dirty. He refused to walk alone. He never graduated from grace. And he trained with the finish line in mind. These habits were not a formula for earning God’s favor. They were patterns of faithfulness formed by grace—patterns that shaped Paul’s character, strengthened his ministry, and helped him endure when following Jesus became costly. This conversation explores both sides of Paul’s life: the private habits that prepared him for powerful ministry and the deeper convictions that kept him faithful through hardship. The question is not only, “What shaped Paul?” It is also: What habits are shaping us into people God can use—and what will help us remain faithful to the end?

  7. Jul 22

    What Really Happens When You Stop Going to Church? | The God Made Podcast Ep. 13

    What really happens when you stop going to church—and is attending church every Sunday enough to make someone a faithful follower of Jesus? In this episode, Greg and Kristi have an honest conversation about both sides of church involvement. First, they explore what Christians can gradually lose when they become disconnected from a local church. The greatest danger is usually not missing a single Sunday. It is allowing isolation to become the normal way we attempt to follow Jesus. Christian community provides encouragement, accountability, relationships, opportunities to serve, and people who help us remain faithful when life becomes difficult. While sermons and online content can be valuable, they cannot fully replace life within the body of Christ. But simply showing up is not the finish line. A person can attend church regularly, listen to sermons, sing worship songs, and still remain spiritually passive. Presence in the room is not the same as becoming a devoted disciple of Jesus. Greg and Kristi discuss the difference between attendance and engagement, how church hurt can make connection difficult, and how Christians can begin moving from merely attending toward building relationships, serving others, obeying Scripture, and participating in the mission of the church. This conversation is not about earning salvation or shaming people into attending more services. Salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus. The goal is not merely better attendance—it is meaningful engagement with Jesus and His people. The God Made Podcast helps everyday Christians navigate the real struggles of following Jesus with biblical truth and practical wisdom.

  8. Jul 15

    This Is Why Reading the Bible Isn’t Changing You | The God Made Podcast Ep. 12

    Why are you reading the Bible, hearing sermons, and consuming Christian content—but still not seeing real change in your habits, reactions, relationships, and decisions? In this episode of the God Made Podcast, Greg and Kristi unpack James 1:22–25 and the difference between simply hearing God’s Word and actually obeying it. The problem may not be that you need more biblical information. It may be that you have learned to consume truth without responding to it. We talk about why Bible reading plans can become checklists, how devotionals can sometimes replace real meditation on Scripture, and why exposure to truth is not the same as surrender to truth. You will learn a simple three-part framework for Bible study that leads toward real spiritual growth: Slow Down → Respond → Repeat Instead of rushing through chapters just to finish a plan, learn how to read smaller passages more carefully, identify one clear act of obedience, and stay with that truth long enough for it to shape your everyday life. In this episode: -Why knowing more Scripture does not always lead to transformation -What James means by being a hearer but not a doer -How Bible reading can create spiritual self-deception -Why consistency matters—but frequency alone is not enough -How to use repeated reading and Scripture immersion -A practical 30-day challenge to help the Bible move from information to obedience -How to identify one specific response every time you read Scripture The Bible is not failing to change you. You may simply be walking away too quickly. Key Scripture: James 1:22–25 Subscribe to the God Made Podcast for practical Christian living, biblical discipleship, spiritual growth, and honest conversations about what it really looks like to follow Jesus in everyday life. #BibleStudy #ChristianLiving #SpiritualGrowth #ChristianPodcast #Discipleship #BibleReading #James1 #FollowingJesus #BiblicalTruth #FaithInAction

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About

Real conversations about following Jesus when life doesn't slow down — from a pastor who's still figuring it out too.

Information

  • Creator
    Greg Rains
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    19
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Greg Rains
  • Show Website
    God Made Podcast

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