Cabin Conversations
Join Dave Bondeson and Whitney Swenson as they process Sunday's sermon with a guest. Each week we have a fun, casual conversation through that week's biblical text and try to apply what we heard on Sunday in a conversational, comfortable setting. We'll nerd out a bit on the Bible, laugh a lot, and also try to find things to do over the weekend in the community of Central Wisconsin!
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Humble Forgiveness
04/25/2024
Humble Forgiveness
The final episode of season 3! Where Dave, Whitney and Jon talk about sports (ha, not for long!), and the upcoming baptism service. Jon and Dave agree it's going to be one of the best preached services ever. They talk about the faithful service of missionaries, and then pivot to last Sunday's service. How do we navigate conflict in the church? And how do we pursue humility in all things? We need to learn to be humble and we need to learn to eagerly forgive. Books mentioned: Habits of the Household - Justin Whitmel Earley
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Community through the Seasons
04/17/2024
Community through the Seasons
Where Dave, Whitney and Doug sit down and talk about community - what it looks like in different seasons, and how different communities can speak truth into different areas and seasons of our lives. Life groups are important, but so are friends who have walked through specific circumstances and who can speak into different needs that we have. Our community is a gift provided by God. As we pursue life-changing community, Doug challenges us to pray, "Help me not to grieve the things I give up that are not important."
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Together with Jesus and Others
04/10/2024
Together with Jesus and Others
Where Dave, Whitney and Barry sit down and talk about community - especially community in a new stage of life. How do we keep navigating family tensions, amidst life transitions and new expectations? They talk about Sunday's sermon - in particular wondering, "What learning gaps do we have? How do we know?" After all, sometimes you don't know what you don't know! At the base level, what does it look like to intentionally be with Jesus, as a course of life?
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He Is Risen!
04/03/2024
He Is Risen!
Where Dave, Whitney and Jaime talk about reading vs listening to books, and consuming content. They talk about Easter! The victory and excitement of Easter, even compared with the joy and hope of Christmas. And they talk about our Redeemed Identity - how do we keep that in mind? How do we not forget who we are - how do we keep that in front of us? Also, really. Is a hotdog a sandwich? Books: Gentle and Lowly - Dane Ortlund Be Thou My Vision: a Liturgy for Daily Worship - Jonathan Gibson Every Moment Holy - Douglas McKelvey Valley of Vision - Arthur Bennett Living the Christian Year - Bobby Gross Book of Common Prayer
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Reading and Serving Together
03/27/2024
Reading and Serving Together
Where Dave, Whitney and Keelea sit down and talk about Keelea and Dave's ridiculous video from Sunday. They then discuss how serving can provide community, and what it looks like to use our gifts for the gospel, in the church. They talk about Justin's sermon from Sunday, and what it means to be saved - and what we might need to be saved from. And then they talk about reading Scripture - in community and with grace. Trust God to use His Word in your life!
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Talking about Jesus
03/13/2024
Talking about Jesus
Where Whitney, Dave, and Justin wrestle through personal evangelism in Acts, and the specific scriptural texts. They spend a lot of time digging into the text and exploring in Acts. They then talk about sharing the gospel, and baptism - do we talk about baptism like the early church did? Do we think about baptism like the early church did? Justin comments about the night before his baptism, "The night I felt unworthy, but that didn't qualify or disqualify me from baptism." Books: How to Talk to Anyone, Anywhere, Anytime by Larry King With by Skye Jethani
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Doing Life Together
03/06/2024
Doing Life Together
Where Dave, Whitney, and Jed sit down and talk about the busy last week, and what it means to die to self. They process the upcoming church-wide push into Discipleship Life Groups, and explore what the model is as a whole. Ultimately, talking about the value of doing life together. As they process the church, they talk about the unity of the church, and what it looks like to disagree in grace, but to also take differing positions.
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The One Where Dave Forgot to Send Me Information in Time
02/14/2024
The One Where Dave Forgot to Send Me Information in Time
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Growing Together
02/07/2024
Growing Together
Whitney, Dave, and Jon sit down and chat about community in the church and what that looks like, especially when you move. Finding community in the church starts in the lobby, and then it goes to coffee, and then beyond. Jon points out that when it comes to community, our expectation tends to be our best experience from the past. But what does it mean to allow our family to be our community? They talk about Sunday's service, the elders, and the health of the church. And then they chat about what it means to fear God - the fear of God is the remedy to the fear of man. The fear of man is crouching at the door, waiting to affect the way you follow Jesus; lets pursue God, not man.
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Influencing for Christ
01/31/2024
Influencing for Christ
Where Dave, Whitney and Doug talk about the book of Jude and the difference between influencers and teachers - who are you allowing to influence you? They talk about love, and the great example found in John that love is the fullness of grace and truth. What will this look like in our relationships and in our lives? They also talk about Christ-centered responsiveness towards pain and brokenness - not always feeling a responsibility towards it, but acknowledging that regardless of our ability to help, we can still show love and value. Books: Encountering the Book of Romans - Douglas Moo The Gagging of God - Don Carson
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Guarding our Hearts
01/10/2024
Guarding our Hearts
Where Dave, Whitney and Keelea settle back into regular podcasting life, and talk about reading, not finishing, and skimming leadership books. In talking about 2 John, they process walking in truth and love. They talk about walking in love as bearing with a person through the muck and junk of life. They love Pastor Jon's quote, "Following God's commands isn't legalism, it's wisdom." And then they wrestle with the question, "What does it mean to teach sound, biblical truth?" How do we know when someone has gone off the rails? How do we guard against untruth? And how do we disagree in love? Get a Cabin Conversations mug: Books: All The Light We Cannot See - Anthony Doerr The Pastor - Eugene Peterson
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Cabin Conversations LIVE
01/03/2024
Cabin Conversations LIVE
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God Came Down
12/21/2023
God Came Down
Where Dave, Whitney and Jon sit down to talk middle names and reeding habits. They talk about the incarnation, and God's desire to have a relationship with mankind, so much so that He chose to do it himself - come as a vulnerable baby. As befits the sermon, they wrestle with songs and the lyrics of Christmas tunes. And talk State fair food. Books referenced: Leading the Church Through a Time of Sexual Questioning - Bruce Miller Evangelical Convictions - Greg Strand Developing Female Leaders - Cadi Cole Necessary Endings - Henry Cloud The Comfort Crisis - Michael Easter
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Regular Formation
12/13/2023
Regular Formation
Where Dave, Whitney and Gabby sit down to talk about life, reading, and letting your light shine. They discuss that we have a liturgy whether you're intentional about it or not, and your affections follow your liturgies. Letting your light shine - is that a passive thing or an active thing? Community does not equal small groups. Proximity is so important for letting your light shine. Letting your light shine in situations with unbelievers. Books/Content: Three Big Questions that Change Every Teenager - Kara Powell The Bible Project Podcast How to Talk to Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere - Larry King Living the Christian Year - Bobby Gross You Are What You Love - James Smith Habits of the Household - Justin Earley Liturgy of the Ordinary - Tish Harrison Warren Every Moment Holy - Douglas Kaine McKelvey
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Reading Together
12/06/2023
Reading Together
Where Dave, Whitney and Jed sit down and talk puppies and dogs, reading patterns and habits. How much content do you consume - and how and when do you read, listen or process that content? They then turn their attention to "turning on the lights" when we're facing tough situations - which is reading the Bible. But how and when do we read the Bible - especially if it's something we've struggled with before? They talk about the value of corporate Bible reading. Book List: When People are Big, God is Small - Ed Welch Marriage - Paul David Tripp Shoe Dog - Phil Knight The Boys in the Boat - Daniel Brown
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Thankfully Thanksgiving
11/22/2023
Thankfully Thanksgiving
Where Dave, Whitney, and David process a gratitude journal, and the joys of raising Ebenezer's in the midst of walking through the hard stuff of life. There's a realization that in cultivating gratitude, it allows you to say that you can see God's movement in the course of your life. As they process the sermon, they ask, "Where is your place to process?" You can't microwave community.
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The Long Game
11/15/2023
The Long Game
Where Dave, Whitney and Doug sit down and discuss seasons in life and how they affect our morning routines. They talk about Scripture - it's both convicting and affirming as we walk through life! And they wrestle with prayer: how often do we pray , only to have God answer it in a way we didn't expect - different but better than we could have expected? Sometimes answers to prayers take decades and years. Doug states, "If not for a view of eternity, how could we be faithful?" Books: The Praying Church - Paul Miller
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Being Courageously Authentic
11/08/2023
Being Courageously Authentic
Where Dave, Whitney and Colton sit down and talk about listening to the podcast, and being embedded in a local church. They wrestle with what community looks like, and how we can let down our guards and let other people into our messy and authentic selves. What does Christ-centered, local church embodying hospitality look like? They wrestle with the nature of courage, and the fact that courage comes from the Holy Spirit. But how do we discern if we're being Spirit-led courageous, or just brash? Ultimately, if we're defined by a love of Jesus, we need to be shaped by a loving of Jesus and what he does. Books: Living Like Monks, Praying Like Fools - Tyler Stanton
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Following God's Leading
11/01/2023
Following God's Leading
Where Whitney, Dave and Jaime sit down and talk about morning simplicities, the New York Times game Connections, and using your phone in the morning. They wrestle with the big questions of how God works - in the simple, unknowable ways and in the complex, obvious ones. And they discuss Sunday's sermons, and the heartbeat that ministry is a posture, not a program. It's part of who we are and flows into what we do. Books: Abiding in Christ - Andrew Murry
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Quickly Slowing Down
10/18/2023
Quickly Slowing Down
Where Dave, Whitney and Justin talk (slowly) about the speed of podcasts and the medium of content consumption. Please, email us at and let us know how quickly you listen! They talk about going through the fruit of the spirit and allowing it to move to confession and aspiration. And, they process preaching, preaching prep, and the participatory nature on Sunday mornings. It's a lot of fun! Books Referenced: Cooked by Michael Pollen Godspeed Documentary on Right Now Media - find the link at
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Be More Awkward!
10/11/2023
Be More Awkward!
Where Whitney, Dave, and Jed talk about morning coffee and speaking in tongues (two things that probably shouldn't happen together!). They continue to talk about Sunday morning authenticity, and slowing down and quieting down. Jed comments that, "The best ministry happens in the margins," and encouraged people to be more awkward!
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Trusting and Seeking our Gracious God
10/04/2023
Trusting and Seeking our Gracious God
Where Dave, Whitney, and Keelea talk through seeing God in creation, and the beauty of special revelation and general revelation. Dave goes on a few tangents and tells stories, and then the three process how God leads His church - how are we supposed to understand this, especially when people mess up? They wrestle with the reality that what's best for "the body" might not be best for "me." We need to die to self... Books Referenced: Turning of Days Devotional Voyage of the Dawn Treader Psalm 19
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Intentionality in prayer and witnessing
09/27/2023
Intentionality in prayer and witnessing
Where Dave, Whitney, and Gabby sit down and talk about international travel, God's faithfulness in the midst of transitions, and the difference in churches between Europe and America. They process a wonderful morning routine that Gabby shares, and then dive into talking about the sermon, witnesses, and the value of humility. A great reminder: when we're talking with others, we're not witnessing to our own perfection - we're witnessing to Jesus' perfection.`` Join us! Books Referenced: A Praying Life, Paul Miller
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It's Easy to Destroy Stevie's Legos!
09/20/2023
It's Easy to Destroy Stevie's Legos!
Where Dave, Whitney and Barry sit down to talk about breaking legos, morning routines, and being transparent at church. What does it really mean to be authentic in a big church, with lots of people? Is there are time it's ok to be fake - what does that even mean? The takeaway challenge asks, "What's one way you can personally step towards deeper authenticity in church?" How can we slow down, make margin, and value people? How can we avoid throwaway phrases with others? Cabin Conversations is now on YouTube! Check out @woodlandschurchwi for the video of today's conversation!
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A New Season in Cabin Conversations!
09/12/2023
A New Season in Cabin Conversations!
Where Jon, Whitney and Dave sit down and talk about Jon's beautiful morning routines, and redeeming breakfast time with kids. They discuss the relatability of Peter, and the fact that faith is something that we practice, not necessarily have. In life with Jesus, scary does not mean dangerous! And failure and disobedience, while walking with the Spirit, can result in growth. If this is true, how do we invite people into life together and do community with others? References:
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A Place of Creation Goodness
06/28/2023
A Place of Creation Goodness
Where Dave, Whitney and Doug sit down and talk about vacations and birds - and they talk a lot about birds - and then God's Kingdom as a place of creation goodness. They discuss God's intentional purpose is for our goodness. Doug asks "What's so enticing about evil - it runs off the cliff towards destruction?" And they talk about the sinful human drive for significance - and how in heaven, we'll have perfect relational freedom, because their significance won't diminish ours. Books Referenced Live No Lies - John Mark Comer A Severe Mercy - Sheldon Van The Lion and the Lamb - Charles Causey
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Just Follow Jesus
06/05/2023
Just Follow Jesus
Whitney and Dave talk about Justin's fantastic sermon from Sunday, look forward to the upcoming Senior Pastor candidating week. They talk about the fruit that God is working in their lives, and are reminded that God does that work for the sake of others! Ultimately, we need to know and follow Jesus; if you consume God's Word, you'll know Jesus better and be able to more faithfully follow Him. Book and Resources Referenced: Book - Abiding in Christ - Andrew Murry Book - Systematic Theology - Millard Erickson Podcast - Annie F Downs - Let's Read the Gospel's
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Jesus is Fully Human (and so are we!)
06/01/2023
Jesus is Fully Human (and so are we!)
Where Whitney, Dave and Jed spend time talking about Jesus' humanity in the book of Mark. In his humanity, Jesus is ordinary - there's not even a physical description of Jesus in the Bible! And yet he's extraordinary too - how do we wrestle with this? Jed tells the podcast that preparing for last week's sermon helped increase his intimacy with Jesus: it's always worth it to spend time with Jesus! Time with Jesus will transform you - just like spending time with your spouse. Afterall, you study your spouse - not to earn their love but to get to know them more; studying Jesus will help you spend time with Him. Books Referenced: Jesus is King, Tim Keller The Reason for God, Tim Keller
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Digging into Mark 1:1
05/23/2023
Digging into Mark 1:1
Where Whitney, Dave, Mia and Elizabeth talk about the Sunday service and sermon, first processing what it means to look to Jesus and how to think about Spiritual Formation. Get giddy for Jesus! Then, they take a dive into Mark 1:1, looking at Greek words, study skills, manuscript evidence, and wrestling with how to find confidence to teach a text. It's a ride! Referenced: Logos Bible Software
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Mark: Jesus, His Kingdom, and His People
05/18/2023
Mark: Jesus, His Kingdom, and His People
Where Dave and Whitney sit down and kick off the new sermon series, focusing on how the series is layed out, how it came to be, and all the resources that are available throughout the summer for spiritual growth.
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