The Reality Is

Crossroads Community Church
  • 5.0 (14)
  • Christianity
  • Updated Weekly

Welcome to "The Reality Is," a podcast where the pastors of Crossroads Community Church gather to discuss the practical application of biblical principles in our daily lives. Join us as we explore how faith can guide us through the challenges and triumphs of real life. Whether it's relationships, work, or personal growth, we're here to help you live out your faith meaningfully. This podcast's premise is about how to apply biblical principles to our everyday lives. Tune in for insightful conversations that inspire and empower you to pursue Christ with every moment of your life. Available on all major audio podcast platforms and YouTube.

  1. 3d ago

    The Cute Fox That Ate Your Devotion

    Send us Fan Mail You can be trying your best and still be drifting. That’s the uncomfortable truth we sit with as we talk about “little foxes” the small, cute, easy-to-excuse compromises that quietly chew through your spiritual life until you look up and can’t find your way back to where you started. We open with a simple beach story that becomes a gut-level metaphor for spiritual drift: the current moves you even when you’re not trying to move.  From there, we get practical and specific. We talk about how sin rarely barges in through the front door, why Hebrews 2:1 frames the danger as neglect, and how “just this once” turns into patterns like skipped devotions, fading church attendance, and prayer that only shows up at meals or in emergencies. We also challenge the comfort-language we use to justify disobedience, including the way “it’s a season of life” can quietly become a lifestyle.  We walk through biblical warnings that hit close to home: Samson’s slow slide into compromise, the church at Ephesus leaving its first love, and the enemy’s strategy of distraction with “good” things that keep us from the best things. Then we name five foxes to watch for, including God’s Word becoming information instead of transformation, sin no longer bothering us, the world starting to look better than Christ, and losing the joy of salvation. We close with daily-heart prayers from Psalm 139 and Psalm 51 to help you reset, refocus, and rebuild spiritual habits that last.  If this challenged you, share it with a friend who’s been feeling stuck, subscribe so you don’t miss the rest of the series, and leave a review that helps more people find the show. What’s one “little fox” you’re ready to confront this week? We hope you enjoyed this episode of The Reality Is. If you have found our podcast to be an encouragement to you, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, and sharing it with your friends and family. Your support means the world to us. Don't forget to connect with us on social media to stay updated on upcoming episodes and engage in the conversation. We love hearing from our listeners! YouTube Apple Podcast Spotify Facebook We value your input and can't wait to hear your thoughts on this episode. Connect with us on social media, leave a review, and write a comment sharing your thoughts on this episode on YouTube. Your involvement keeps our podcast community thriving!

  2. Sep 10

    How Sin Sneaks In

    Send us Fan Mail Sin almost never shows up looking dangerous. It shows up looking small, reasonable, and easy to manage, like a “cracked window” you leave open because you’re sure nobody will notice. That’s why so many sincere Christians wake up years later and say, “I don’t know how I got here.” We start this five-week series by getting brutally honest about how temptation works and how spiritual compromise takes root in everyday life. We talk through three big entry points: what we tolerate, what we compromise, and what we defend. We unpack how repeated exposure can desensitize us, especially through entertainment, habits, and relationships, until what once bothered us becomes “normal.” We also map the progression that traps people over time: noticing sin, tolerating it, making excuses, practicing it, then defending it. Along the way we ground the conversation in Scripture like Galatians 5:16, James 1:14–15, 1 Peter 5:8, and John 8:34, because real faith has to hold up under real pressure. We also pivot to hope and action. Purpose ahead of time like Daniel did, take temptation seriously, watch your unchecked desires, and remember that choices always come with consequences. Most importantly, we land on the promise of 1 John 1:9: confession is not the end of the story, it’s the start of cleansing and change. If this helped you spot a “crack” you’ve been ignoring, subscribe, share the episode with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find real-life help rooted in real faith. We hope you enjoyed this episode of The Reality Is. If you have found our podcast to be an encouragement to you, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, and sharing it with your friends and family. Your support means the world to us. Don't forget to connect with us on social media to stay updated on upcoming episodes and engage in the conversation. We love hearing from our listeners! YouTube Apple Podcast Spotify Facebook We value your input and can't wait to hear your thoughts on this episode. Connect with us on social media, leave a review, and write a comment sharing your thoughts on this episode on YouTube. Your involvement keeps our podcast community thriving!

  3. May 28

    The Two-Month Challenge

    Send us Fan Mail “How are you doing?” is a loaded question when we never slow down long enough to hear the real answer. For our season finale, we leave you with a two-month challenge that sounds simple but cuts straight through superficial relationships: ask someone how they’re doing every day, listen with genuine care, then offer encouragement and pray right then, not later. We talk about why this matters in a world shaped by isolation, nonstop screens, and “fine” as a default mask. Real communication still looks like face-to-face conversation or a phone call, and real Christian community shows up as support in hard seasons, daily encouragement, and accountability that stirs up love and good works. We also dig into the difference between comforting someone and correcting them, why presence matters when people are grieving, and how sharing God’s faithfulness and our own scars can bring hope without turning into a lecture. We close with practical ways to build a lifestyle of outward focus: call out the good you see in people, thank them specifically, let them know you’re praying for them, and choose “ask, listen, speak” as a natural way to connect with nonbelievers and speak the gospel into their story. If you want stronger relationships, deeper discipleship, and a more grounded prayer life, start here. Subscribe, share this with a friend, leave a review, and then tell us in the comments who you checked on today and what happened. We hope you enjoyed this episode of The Reality Is. If you have found our podcast to be an encouragement to you, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, and sharing it with your friends and family. Your support means the world to us. Don't forget to connect with us on social media to stay updated on upcoming episodes and engage in the conversation. We love hearing from our listeners! YouTube Apple Podcast Spotify Facebook We value your input and can't wait to hear your thoughts on this episode. Connect with us on social media, leave a review, and write a comment sharing your thoughts on this episode on YouTube. Your involvement keeps our podcast community thriving!

  4. May 21

    Simple Daily Habits That Strengthen Your Walk With God

    Send us Fan Mail Your calendar may be packed, but your spiritual life doesn’t have to run on leftovers. We talk about a hard truth with a simple picture: when we stay distracted, we end up treating God like social media, scrolling past old highlights instead of building a real relationship day by day. We walk through practical, doable habits for strengthening your walk with God in as little as ten minutes at a time. That includes daily Bible reading that actually fits into real mornings, praying for nonbelievers in your circle of influence, and learning to “count your blessings” so gratitude starts to replace constant frustration. We also dig into how your outlook shapes your response to hardship, and why the small things you overlook might be the very places God is growing your faith. Then we get ultra practical about your inputs: what you listen to on your commute, why Christian music and Scripture-centered content can reshape your focus, and how prayer walks turn ordinary neighborhoods and workplaces into mission fields. We close with the power of memorizing Scripture, because what you hide in your heart is what comes out when stress hits, and praying God’s Word back to Him builds confidence and peace. If you want simple Christian habits for discipleship that you can start today, hit play. Subscribe, share, leave a review, and tell us which ten-minute practice you’re committing to this week? We hope you enjoyed this episode of The Reality Is. If you have found our podcast to be an encouragement to you, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, and sharing it with your friends and family. Your support means the world to us. Don't forget to connect with us on social media to stay updated on upcoming episodes and engage in the conversation. We love hearing from our listeners! YouTube Apple Podcast Spotify Facebook We value your input and can't wait to hear your thoughts on this episode. Connect with us on social media, leave a review, and write a comment sharing your thoughts on this episode on YouTube. Your involvement keeps our podcast community thriving!

  5. May 14

    Christian Accountability That Actually Helps

    Send us Fan Mail “Am I my brother’s keeper?” sounds like a simple question, but it exposes a huge gap in modern Christian community. We’ve heard it used as a shutdown line, a way to avoid getting involved. We take the opposite stance: yes, we are responsible to love our brothers and sisters with real action, real honesty, and real presence, even when it costs us comfort. We start in Genesis 4 with Cain and Abel, then move into 1 John 3 where love is defined as a choice that shows up. From there, we get practical with Romans 14 and the idea of a stumbling block: even when something isn’t technically sinful, it can still harm a weaker believer’s conscience. We also unpack 1 Corinthians 8 where Paul lays down a tough principle for Christian freedom: if my choices confuse or damage my brother, love tells me to lay down my rights. We also talk about what accountability should actually look like. Galatians 6 calls us to restore people gently, which means trust, prayer, and the right attitude, not random public correction. And we go deeper than “sin management” into real care: meeting needs, offering comfort we’ve received from God, and refusing to accept “I’m fine” when someone is clearly carrying silent suffering. Finally, we bring it home with Proverbs 27: iron sharpens iron, and that sharpening only happens when we make time and do life together. If this challenged you, share it with a friend you trust, subscribe so you don’t miss what’s next, and leave a review that tells us what part hit home most. We hope you enjoyed this episode of The Reality Is. If you have found our podcast to be an encouragement to you, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, and sharing it with your friends and family. Your support means the world to us. Don't forget to connect with us on social media to stay updated on upcoming episodes and engage in the conversation. We love hearing from our listeners! YouTube Apple Podcast Spotify Facebook We value your input and can't wait to hear your thoughts on this episode. Connect with us on social media, leave a review, and write a comment sharing your thoughts on this episode on YouTube. Your involvement keeps our podcast community thriving!

  6. May 7

    Six Biblical Ways To Break Habitual Sin

    Send us Fan Mail Touch a candle once and you learn fast. Keep reaching for it anyway and you learn something deeper about yourself. That’s where Pastor Joey and Pastor Richard start: the strange pull of sin, the way we argue with warnings, and the moment consequences finally make the danger feel real. If you’ve ever thought, “I know this is wrong, so why do I keep choosing it?”, you’re not alone and you’re not stuck. We ground the conversation in Romans 6 and the tension every Christian feels between God’s grace and daily obedience. Grace is a rescue, not a permission slip, and Paul’s command “do not let sin reign” means real change is possible. We talk about strongholds and “pet sins” that grow when we nurture them, why “the devil made me do it” and “I was born this way” become excuses, and how temptation often hooks us through our own desires. Sin may be “fun for a season,” but the payday is real and it always costs more than it promised. Then we get concrete with six anchors for overcoming temptation and breaking habitual sin: don’t go back to prison, don’t give in to sinful passions, don’t fight for the enemy, embrace God’s authority, remember your story, and serve the King. Along the way we unpack what it means to starve the flesh and feed the Spirit, change what you consume, build practical boundaries, and live like someone who’s actually been set free by Jesus. If this helped you, subscribe to the show, share it with a friend who’s battling a stronghold, and leave a review so more people can find Real Life and Real Faith. What’s the one area you’re ready to stop feeding today? We hope you enjoyed this episode of The Reality Is. If you have found our podcast to be an encouragement to you, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, and sharing it with your friends and family. Your support means the world to us. Don't forget to connect with us on social media to stay updated on upcoming episodes and engage in the conversation. We love hearing from our listeners! YouTube Apple Podcast Spotify Facebook We value your input and can't wait to hear your thoughts on this episode. Connect with us on social media, leave a review, and write a comment sharing your thoughts on this episode on YouTube. Your involvement keeps our podcast community thriving!

  7. Apr 30

    A Practical Guide To Thriving Church Life Groups (Part 2 of 2)

    Send us Fan Mail If you’ve ever heard “join a life group” and thought, OK but what do you actually do there, we get it. Pastor Joey sits down with Pastor Ed to spell out the real nuts and bolts of a healthy church life group, including the simple rhythm that makes it sustainable: a little fellowship, clear prayer requests, then a Scripture-centered discussion that follows a sermon-based Bible study guide. We also talk about why “hard start, hard stop” matters more than people think, especially for parents, commuters, and anyone hesitant to get stuck in a three-hour meeting. From there, we dig into what makes a good group different from a bad one. The goal is participation, not one person talking the whole time, and creating an environment where you’d feel comfortable inviting an unbelieving neighbor. That means keeping the Bible as the center, treating it like shared ground, and refusing to derail the night with politics or awkward rabbit trails. Ed also explains how leader training and mentorship help groups handle tough questions without requiring leaders to be scholars. We end with the big obstacle most people feel: “What if it’s not the right fit?” You’ll hear why chasing a perfect match can miss the point, why intergenerational community accelerates maturity, and why the best group is often the one you can consistently attend based on distance and schedule. If you’re on the fence, let this be the push to take one concrete step: show up, try a few groups, and stick with it long enough to see real change. Subscribe for more conversations on real life and real faith, share this with a friend who needs community, and leave a review with the biggest question you still have about life groups. We hope you enjoyed this episode of The Reality Is. If you have found our podcast to be an encouragement to you, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, and sharing it with your friends and family. Your support means the world to us. Don't forget to connect with us on social media to stay updated on upcoming episodes and engage in the conversation. We love hearing from our listeners! YouTube Apple Podcast Spotify Facebook We value your input and can't wait to hear your thoughts on this episode. Connect with us on social media, leave a review, and write a comment sharing your thoughts on this episode on YouTube. Your involvement keeps our podcast community thriving!

  8. Apr 23

    What Happens To Faith When You Stay Isolated (Part 1 of 2)

    Send us Fan Mail Church can be packed and still feel lonely. We’ve both seen it: you can worship with hundreds of people, shake a few hands, and leave with zero meaningful connection. That gap is exactly why we’re talking about life groups (small groups, community groups, Sunday school). For many believers, a life group is the difference between attending a church and actually living as the church. We break down three big reasons life groups matter.  First, connection: if you don’t build real relationships, it’s easy to drift away without anyone noticing.  Second, ministry and care: in a larger church, most real support happens through a smaller circle that knows your name, your story, and your needs, whether that’s a hospital visit, a crisis at home, or simply showing up when life gets heavy. Third, discipleship and Bible study: Scripture was meant to be read with God’s people, and learning to slow down, observe the text, and talk it through together protects us from shallow takes and confident misreads. We also get honest about what keeps people away: busyness that’s really a priorities fight, the awkwardness of walking into a group for the first time, and the fear of being known. If you’ve ever thought, “I’m fine on my own,” we challenge that assumption and talk about the spiritual danger of voluntary isolation. Part one closes with a clear reality check and sets up part two on what actually happens inside a life group and how it can change you. We hope you enjoyed this episode of The Reality Is. If you have found our podcast to be an encouragement to you, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, and sharing it with your friends and family. Your support means the world to us. Don't forget to connect with us on social media to stay updated on upcoming episodes and engage in the conversation. We love hearing from our listeners! YouTube Apple Podcast Spotify Facebook We value your input and can't wait to hear your thoughts on this episode. Connect with us on social media, leave a review, and write a comment sharing your thoughts on this episode on YouTube. Your involvement keeps our podcast community thriving!

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
14 Ratings

About

Welcome to "The Reality Is," a podcast where the pastors of Crossroads Community Church gather to discuss the practical application of biblical principles in our daily lives. Join us as we explore how faith can guide us through the challenges and triumphs of real life. Whether it's relationships, work, or personal growth, we're here to help you live out your faith meaningfully. This podcast's premise is about how to apply biblical principles to our everyday lives. Tune in for insightful conversations that inspire and empower you to pursue Christ with every moment of your life. Available on all major audio podcast platforms and YouTube.

Information

  • Creator
    Crossroads Community Church
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    94
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Crossroads Community Church
  • Show Website
    The Reality Is