5d ago

How Can Christians Celebrate on Halloween Night?

Halloween brings out strong opinions, and we get it. Some Christians avoid it completely, others lean in with costumes and candy, and plenty of us are somewhere in the middle trying to honor Jesus without living afraid. We talk honestly about the question people keep asking: should Christians celebrate Halloween? More importantly, what beliefs are driving our answer? We walk through a grounded “Christian liberty” approach. Jesus is Lord over every day on the calendar, and Satan does not get a special 24-hour window of extra authority. That does not mean anything goes. We share why conscience matters, why violating it is sin, and why we should be careful about judging other believers who land differently. We also talk practical boundaries around gory costumes, haunted houses, Halloween Horror Nights, and the ways culture can use the night as an excuse for immodesty, partying, or immature choices that would be wrong on any other day. Then we flip the script to opportunity. Halloween is one of the few nights where your neighbors actually open their doors, which makes it a surprisingly natural moment for hospitality, kindness, and starting relationships. We share simple ideas like inviting neighbors to walk with you and using small gift bags to create conversation. If you want a thoughtful Christian perspective on Halloween, trick-or-treating, and raising kids with wisdom instead of fear, this conversation is for you. Subscribe to Pursuing Joy, share the episode with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find it. Where do you draw the line, and why?

Oct 16

Death Penalty, Public Executions, & Being Pro Life

We hear the claim all the time that Christians can’t be pro life and support capital punishment. We slow down and define terms, starting with the difference between taking an innocent life and a state sanctioned consequence for someone convicted of murder. I also give three non negotiable safeguards: limit it to true capital crimes, require an overwhelming standard of proof, and treat it as deterrence rather than entertainment. From there we walk through a biblical framework for justice using Genesis 9 and the image of God, then Romans 12 and Romans 13 to separate the role of the individual Christian from the role of civil government. We also talk about modern concerns like decades on death row and the troubling idea of livestreamed executions that become permanent internet content. If you care about biblical justice, a consistent pro life ethic, and how Christians should think clearly in a messy culture, hit play. Subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review with where you land on the death penalty and why.

Oct 9

The Cost of Christianity

The heart of the message Pastor Trent preached this morning at Redeemer City Church was: counting the cost of following Jesus. We sit with Luke 9 and Luke 14 and talk about the way Jesus calls people to discipleship without hiding the fine print. He names the loss of comfort, reputation, relationships, and even life itself. We wrestle with why Jesus’ “hard sayings” are not cruelty but kindness, and why the church can’t afford to undersell the cost while overselling how simple faith will feel in real life. We also tackle the honest pushback: does that mean the Christian life is miserable? We connect Jesus’ warning to his invitation, “Come to me” and “my yoke is easy,” and explain how both are true when Jesus is truly what we want most. Then we get practical for pastors and teachers: how do you preach this without becoming a hype machine or a doom-and-gloom hammer? Our answer is straightforward. Stay close to the text, let the tone of the passage set the tone of the sermon, and trust the Holy Spirit to apply God’s Word to the right hearts. If you’re near Knoxville, we also share details about our “Ask Anything” night (anonymous questions via QR code) and how to join us at 111 East Columbia Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37917. Subscribe, share the episode with a friend, and leave a five-star review so more people can find Pursuing Joy, then tell us: what “cost” do you think Christians avoid talking about most?

Oct 2

Five Habits for a Strong Marriage

In this episode, we lay out five pieces of practical, biblical marriage advice we’ve seen work again and again in real pastoral ministry: pray together, plant your life in the church, live out Ephesians 5 love and respect, protect sexual intimacy by cutting out porn, and handle conflict with honesty by talking to your spouse before talking about your spouse. Then we address the questions people hesitate to ask out loud. Should a Christian marry a nonbeliever if they’re a “great person”? Why is missionary dating so risky? What does 1 Corinthians 7 actually say if two unbelievers marry and later one spouse becomes a follower of Jesus? We also challenge modern expectations that make marriage collapse under pressure: your spouse cannot be your savior, your therapist, and your source of meaning. If you want Christian marriage help that’s clear, Bible-centered, and realistic, listen through and share it with a friend, then subscribe, leave a review, and tell us: which of the five habits would most change your marriage right now?

Sep 25

Assurance of Salvation and The Unforgivable Sin

In this episode we talk about how assurance of salvation, eternal security, and why the believer’s hope can’t rest on a perfect track record. We walk through how Christ’s death covers sin past, present, and future, why grief and conviction over sin may actually be evidence of the Holy Spirit at work, and how God finishes what he starts. We also address the hard questions people are often afraid to say out loud, including the “unforgivable sin” from Mark 3 and concerns about suicide and salvation, keeping the focus on what Scripture actually says. We close with clear markers of genuine faith from 1 John and practical steps you can take when your heart feels cold: repentance, honest prayer for restored joy, time in the Word, and staying close to a healthy church community. If you’ve ever searched “can you lose your salvation” or wondered whether your ongoing struggle means you’re not real, this conversation is for you.

Sep 18

Heaven and What's Coming After

Most of us have a mental picture of heaven that comes from cartoons, funerals, or cultural “common sense” more than from Scripture. We talk through what the Bible actually promises and why the Christian hope is bigger than “my soul goes somewhere nice when I die.” Along the way, we clear up a major misconception: believers are not destined to float around forever as disembodied spirits. Being with Christ after death is real and comforting, but it’s not the finish line. We dig into the difference between the intermediate state and the new heavens and new earth, then trace the Bible’s emphasis on resurrection. Philippians 3 and 1 Corinthians 15 reshape how we think about the body, death, and eternity. Jesus is not only risen as a proof point; he is the firstfruits, the preview of what’s coming for everyone in Christ. We finish with honest curiosity about what resurrected life might be like, what work could look like without the curse, and why the book of Revelation pictures God’s people as those who “followed the Lamb wherever he went.” If you’ve ever felt unsure what Christians mean by heaven, resurrection, and end times hope, this conversation is for you.

Sep 12

Lindsay Clancy, Toxic Empathy, The Role of Government, & The Death Sentence

A listener asked us a question that’s heavier than most: how should Christians respond to the Lindsey Clancy trial? Once you strip away conspiracy theories and social media hot takes, you’re left with a brutal reality and an urgent need for moral clarity. We talk through why truth matters, why evidence matters, and why the victims can’t become an afterthought just because a narrative feels more comfortable. We also draw a bright line between two things people love to mash together: personal forgiveness and public justice. As Christians, we’re called to forgive, even when the offender is truly guilty. At the same time, God gives governing authorities the responsibility to punish evildoers. That framework changes how we talk about accountability, prison, and even the death penalty. We reference Genesis 9 and the logic of “life for life,” not as a celebration of violence, but as a way of underscoring the value of human life and the seriousness of murder. Then we zoom out to the culture war layer that’s been swirling around this case. What does it mean when people publicly rally around an accused killer while barely mentioning the murdered children? We talk about “toxic empathy,” the performance of compassion without moral judgment, and why that mindset can warp our hearts and our public witness.

Sep 4

Church Community in the Age of AI & A Biblical Mandate to Support Israel?

A phone can give you unlimited sermons, instant theology answers, and a steady stream of Christian content, yet so many people feel more isolated than ever. We sit down as pastors to talk plainly about what the local church offers that a screen never can: real community, real shepherding, and real relationships where someone knows your name, notices your absence, and walks with you through anxiety, temptation, and suffering. If you’ve ever wondered why church still matters when you can watch the “best preachers” from your couch, we make the case that information is not the same as discipleship. We also get practical about loneliness in church. We share three diagnostic questions that help separate true exclusion from unintentional distance, and we talk about why serving alongside other believers is one of the fastest ways to build genuine friendships. We address the “that church is clickish” objection with nuance, offering a better goal than forced friendliness: open circles, eyes up, and life-on-life discipleship that goes beyond Sunday pleasantries. Then we shift to a big cultural and theological question: do Christians have a biblical obligation to support the modern nation-state of Israel no matter what? We argue no, and we explain why that position is not anti-Semitic. We walk through key passages that shape a biblical view of the people of God, how Jews and Gentiles are united in Christ, and why political blanket statements often confuse Scripture’s categories. If you want clearer biblical thinking, deeper church community, and a better way to talk about Israel without slogans, press play. Subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find the show.

Aug 28

The Matt Gaskin Interview

In this episode, I sit down with Matt Gaskin, worship leader at The Mount Church in Keller, Texas, to talk about the convictions that quietly shape a Sunday gathering and the kind of worship leadership that serves people instead of chasing trends. Matt shares his story from pastor’s kid to worship pastor, including seasons of doubt, the mentors who discipled him, and the “life-on-life” leadership that formed his character as much as his musicianship. From there we dig into his practical philosophy for planning worship: Isaiah 6 as a pattern of revelation and response, and a simple weekly commitment to sing about God’s holiness because that’s what Scripture shows happening around the throne of God. We also tackle the questions churches keep bumping into: how to blend hymns and modern worship, why “worship wars” are mostly self-made, and how Colossians 3:16 gives us a better rubric for song selection than style preferences or internet debates. Matt explains how he evaluates lyrics for biblical faithfulness, how to think about songs written by artists you may disagree with, and why humility sometimes means singing what isn’t your favorite for the good of the room. Then we end on a lighter note with rapid fire worship hot takes and a surprisingly serious segment on coffee brewing, travel kits, and why Keurigs need to retire.

Aug 21

On Church and Travel Sports

A packed weekend can feel innocent until you realize it’s discipling your family. We start light with fantasy football and dad-life updates, then we step straight into a real tension for a lot of Christian parents: travel sports and the church. When tournaments take over Sundays, what are we training our kids to believe is truly essential, and what happens to faith, community, and maturity in Christ when church becomes the thing we “fit in” later? We share our pastoral perspective from years in student ministry, the patterns we’ve watched play out, and why we think the calendar is often a spiritual report card. We talk about sports as a good gift that can still become an idol, the scholarship argument and the hidden costs behind it, and how kids form their closest friendships around the people they actually spend time with.

Aug 14

The Dean Inserra Interview

Pastor Dean joins us (from City Church in Tallahassee) to argue that the most important thing you can be for your city is a dynamic, vibrant local church that reaches people, disciples people, and sends people out for the long run. In the episode we dig into church culture and leadership. Dean explains why City Church tries to “take the gospel seriously, but not take ourselves too seriously,” how that fights pride, and why culture fit matters when you hire. We also talk about the Tallahassee church landscape, how biblical authority shows up in real public issues, and why “for the city” becomes clearer when you focus on specific mission fields like the capital, the campus, and the cul-de-sac.

Jul 30

Pursuing Joy Trailer

Pursuing Joy with Pastor Trent is a weekly podcast exploring biblical truth, cultural issues, and everyday life through the lens of Scripture. Each Friday, Pastor Trent Roseman offers thoughtful conversations on topics like theology, preaching, church membership, prayer, counseling, missions, apologetics, Christian living, and the questions shaping the church today. Along the way, you'll also hear interviews with pastors, missionaries, authors, ministry leaders, and other faithful voices about the work God has called them to and what Christians can learn from their experiences. Whether we're discussing difficult passages of Scripture, responding to cultural trends, or reflecting on what God is doing around the world, every episode is driven by one conviction: lasting joy is found in knowing Christ and seeing all of life through His Word.

Pursuing Joy with Pastor Trent & Spencer

Episodes

How Can Christians Celebrate on Halloween Night?

Death Penalty, Public Executions, & Being Pro Life

The Cost of Christianity

Five Habits for a Strong Marriage

Assurance of Salvation and The Unforgivable Sin

Heaven and What's Coming After

Lindsay Clancy, Toxic Empathy, The Role of Government, & The Death Sentence

Church Community in the Age of AI & A Biblical Mandate to Support Israel?

The Matt Gaskin Interview

On Church and Travel Sports

The Dean Inserra Interview

Pursuing Joy Trailer

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