The Orchard Podcast Mike and Michelle Tessendorf & Brian LaMew

In this episode, we embark on a transformative journey from legalism to love, guided by Jesus' radical teachings on the law of love. As we explore Matthew 5:17-20, we confront the temptation to approach spirituality like studying an owner's manual—meticulously memorizing and reciting passages without experiencing genuine transformation. Instead, Jesus invites us to leave behind the confines of rule-based religion and embark on a life-giving road trip of heart transformation. By embracing the law of love for God and others, we unlock the power to live lives of genuine faith, holiness, and impact in the world. Join us as we navigate the twists and turns of this spiritual journey and discover the freedom and joy that come from embracing the transformative power of love.

Often we underestimate the impact we can make in the world and fail to see our full capacity. In this episode of the Orchard Podcast we take a look what Jesus says about our influence when we serve in his kingdom. We also welcome Theuno Swart, Orchard: Africa's National Director of South Africa, to join in the conversation as he shares his insights and stories living a missional life.

As we kick off a new year of the Orchard Podcast, we are going to start with a conversation about Jesus' seemingly backward vision for life and society. We will unpack the beatitudes found in Matthew 5 and talk about the picture these famous one-liners give us of God's kingdom.
Listen and then shoot us an email with a thought or a story at podcast@orchardafrica.org. We'd love to hear from you and have you join the conversation.

We have all heard the song that goes "this little light of mine...I'm going to let it shine..." How do you think our world would change if we not only "let our light shine," but we helped those around us shine brightly too. In this episode, we will talk about the connection between God's light, our light and our neighbor's light. We will also wrap up 2023 with this final episode of the year and share some reflections on our Orchard Zoolights event in November.

Amidst the echoing cries of global conflict and the overwhelming weight of suffering, this episode dives deep into the transformative power of love. Discover how being rooted and grounded in love can offer solace, inspire resilience, and propel acts of compassion.
Join us as we uncover together the steps to anchoring ourselves in love, even when the storm rages on.

You will face plenty of roadblocks when serving Jesus. Sometimes the challenges are so great that you feel like giving up. What does it take to endure long enough to make a lasting impact in the world for Christ?
In this episode, Michelle will share what it took to endure apartheid, multiple pandemics, extreme economic uncertainty and the long road of slow change. Then Michelle and Brian will share about how you can cultivate a spiritual strength that never gives up.