Israel at Its Best

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!Some of the best disciples of Jesus never see the spotlight.

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!In this week's Disciple:He isn’t chasing status. He isn’t fighting for the spotlight. He simply finds people and brings them to the Messiah.What if the calling of Israel was always meant to look like this—not keeping God to ourselves, but becoming the kind of people who help others encounter Him?Andrew may be one of the quietest disciples, but his life asks a loud question:What if faithfulness isn’t being noticed by everyone, but making sure everyone has a chance to see Jesus?

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!In this episode, Scott Ritsema joins us to talk about the disciple history remembers as “Doubting Thomas”, a label that may not tell the whole story.Thomas wanted to see before he believed. The problem is, so do we.We live in a world of screens, algorithms, headlines, notifications, and endless content constantly fighting for our attention. We see more than any generation before us, yet somehow we may be becoming less capable of actually seeing.Jesus calls us to something deeper: eyes of faith.

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!In this episode, we discuss the disciple none of us want our spiritual journey compared to. How does someone walk beside Jesus for three years and still fall apart spiritually? Joining us in the studio is our good friend, Pastor Adam Stacey, as we explore betrayal, self-deception, and the danger of being close to Jesus without truly surrendering to Him.

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!Simon the Zealot is one of the most mysterious figures among the disciples, identified only by his political label. If Matthew the Apostle was seen as a sellout to Rome, Simon would have been viewed as a patriot—aligned with the zealots, a movement marked by resistance and violence against Roman rule.Why would Jesus call someone shaped by that kind of ideology, and then place him in the same circle as a Roman collaborator? This episode explores how Jesus builds a community that forces enemies to sit at the same table, and what that says about calling, identity, and kingdom politics.

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!Matthew the Apostle was an outsider everywhere he went. Rejected by his own people yet never fully accepted by the Romans he worked for, Matthew lived between two worlds. As a tax collector, he profited from the very fishermen and villages where Jesus was performing miracles. So why would Jesus call a man many viewed as a traitor? In this episode, we explore Matthew’s calling and what grace looks like for people no one thinks belong.

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!On our first episode of this season Garhett and Jermaine are joined by their good friend Pastor Justin Mertz. We explore not just the call of Peter, but the personality that Jesus willingly took on with much polishing needed. Peter is called the rock, but most of his story looks more like a rolling stone. We narrow in on the moment the disciples mistook Jesus for a ghost on the water. What does fear, chaos, and uncertainty reveal about faith and even your unique call?

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!The book of The Gospel of John is often chosen as the favorite Gospel of many Christians. John is known as the disciple Jesus loved, who was present in some of the most intimate moments of Christ’s earthly ministry. But one detail we often overlook is just how young John was when Jesus called him. What does John’s story reveal about calling, risk, and the willingness to follow God at a young age? Joining us for this conversation is Jeff Akenberger, chaplain at Great Lakes Adventist Academy.

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!At Great Lakes Adventist Academy, education is more than academics—it’s about purpose. In this episode, we sit down with school leaders to unpack what makes Adventist education unique, from faith and character to real-world impact. Hear how they’re shaping students into thoughtful, service-driven leaders for today and tomorrow.

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!Hey everyone! We miss you! We just wanted to give you an update on the Season 3, recap season 2, and talk about GYC!