Locker Room - A Southland Christian Church Podcast

Locker room is a men's podcast from Southland Christian Church in Kentucky. When you think about the kinds of conversation that happen in locker rooms you probably think about vulgar, childish and demeaning language. In this podcast we are redeeming men's conversations by talking about the right things in the right ways.

Season 14 Wrap-up, with Ian Schweitzer 04/04/2025

Southland Men: Mike Mueller (The View From Rock Bottom) 03/28/2025

Southland Men: Mike Mueller (The View From Rock Bottom) Most of us know a family member, a friend, a co-worker, or someone we went to school with that is in a battle with some kind of addiction. The truth is, it may be you, reading this now. Maybe you’ve never acknowledged it. Maybe you’ve lived in denial about the daily struggle that you’re experiencing. Regardless of how this subject has impacted you, we hope that you’re encouraged in our conversation today. Our guest this week is Mike Mueller. Mike is a husband, father and coach in our community who has been a part of Southland for 13 years. On this episode Mike shares the story of how God changed his life and is now using him to impact lots of people who have struggled with some of the same things. DISCUSSION GUIDE Have you ever coached at the youth sports level? What is your favorite story from coaching kids? Mike has served in several areas in the church (Connections, security, small groups, Men’s Retreat). What areas have you served in? If you don’t currently serve, what areas of ministry would you be best suited for? Scott talks about how even if we don’t have the big name vices, most people have an addiction to something. What do you find yourself going back to time and time again despite the negative consequences? What are you addicted to? Mike describes himself as a functional alcoholic. He did so much to cover up his addiction. Have you experienced this yourself or with someone you know? Why is this so dangerous? Scott & Mike discussed the beauty of Rock Bottom. It’s the pivot point, it’s your opportunity to change, and to meet God. Have you ever had a Rock Bottom moment? What did God teach you there? What changed about you? Read James 4:8-10. What does this passage teach us about how we deal with sin? What do you need to take from this passage to utilize in your own life? Read Luke 9:23-24. What do you need to deny yourself of to follow Jesus? What are you still holding onto that’s keeping you from full life in Jesus? Read Psalm 40:1-10. What does it look like to be fully authentic in front of God and others? Do you have a place to share the good, the bad, and the ugly of your story? For those who have shared their story, what was that experience like? How did God use that to grow you? We want men to experience freedom. Is there something you are hiding and need to reveal to somebody? Will you confess it in this group? If not, will you email and let us connect you to somebody to confess to? What else from the podcast spoke to you? What did God/Holy Spirit speak/prompt/say to you? What’s God asking you to do? What does He want to give you? What does He want you to lay down? NEXT STEPS Visit the AA meetings that happen at our church: NIC Campus Thursday 6-8pm LEX Campus Tuesday 6-8pm GEO Campus Tuesday 7-8pm. Join a Group at For any other questions or comments email [email protected] /episode/index/show/lockerroomscc/id/35792270

Southland Men: Bryan Taylor (Even If You Don't) 03/21/2025

Southland Men: Bryan Taylor (Even If You Don't) “I need you to know that God seems to throw me hard things. You just need to know what you’re getting into.” - Kailen Combs Taylor This week on Locker Room our guest Bryan Taylor sits down with Scott to share a powerful story of love, loss and hope. Bryan and Kailen shared five years together before they were separated by her death from cancer in 2015. In our conversation today, Bryan shares about navigating the grief that began with Kailen’s diagnosis and what life was like after she passed away. Bryan also shares how he was able to move forward, choosing hope and rediscovering life after such a profound loss. DISCUSSION GUIDE If you had to give a title to the last 9 months of your life, what would it be and why? “War” is the title of the story that Bryan labeled such a hard period of his life. Has there been a time in your life that looking back you would label as “war?” In grief you often don’t know what to say, and sometimes people say things that aren’t helpful. What is something someone has said to you that was helpful in a moment of grief? Read Hebrews 2:17. Jesus was fully human. He knew exactly what it was like to have to navigate grief and feel the weight of life being thrown at him. Jesus understands what it is like to experience loss, because he experienced loss during his life. When you’re navigating grief, is it easy for you to run to Jesus? Why or why not? Scott and Bryan talked about how the physical act of writing and journaling has been helpful as they navigated grief. When you listen to the concept of writing and journaling, what does that make you think? Is it something you are open to trying? Read Isaiah 55:8-9. How does choosing to accept the truth of these verses help us to navigate grief by putting it in the proper perspective? “It’s not the load that breaks you down; but the way you carry it.” What are some healthy ways we can choose to carry the circumstances life throws our way that won’t break us down? Read Romans 8:35-39. The promise we can hold onto is that there is absolutely nothing in all creation that can separate us from the love of God that is in Jesus Christ. Of the three insights Bryan gave at the end of the podcast, which one is hardest for you to hold onto when navigating hard times? (1) No amount of agony is enough to dim Christ’s love for you. (2) If you make your pain available to God, he won’t waste it. (3) Hold onto the hope of the resurrection. What else from the podcast spoke to you? What did God/Holy Spirit speak/prompt/say to you? What’s God asking you to do? What does He want to give you? What does He want you to lay down? RESOURCES - Bryan Taylor - Bryan Taylor - C.S. Lewis - A Locker Room Podcast - February 28, 2025. - A Locker Room Podcast - March 22, 2021. NEXT STEPS Memorize Romans 8:38-39. Join a Grief Share Group at For any other questions or comments email [email protected] /episode/index/show/lockerroomscc/id/35780100

Southland Men: Daniel Mitchell (Hope Dealer) 03/14/2025

Southland Men: Daniel Mitchell (Hope Dealer) Providential relationships and pivotal circumstances are critical parts of great stories. Providential relationships are significant people God orchestrates to guide, support and shape our faith journey. Pivotal circumstances are events—both good and bad—that mark us, shape us and become a critical part of our story and testimonies. Our guest this week—Daniel Mitchell—has lived a life marked by many providential relationships and events. Daniel joined the U.S. Marine Corps at age seventeen, landing in Tactical Air Navigation and later becoming a SERE instructor, also serving as a Chaplain. Daniel and his wife Angela met while serving together at Southland's Lexington campus. Daniel now runs a handyman business/ministry and is also a counselor specializing in PTSD and sexual assault. Jump in with us this week as we hear Daniel’s story, pivotal moments in his life and how, with God’s help, hope can drive out despair. DISCUSSION GUIDE If you could have any accent besides your own what would it be? (British, Western, Boston, etc.) What is your favorite military movie of all time? Daniel shared a miracle healing story from when he was 5 years old. Have you ever witnessed or experienced a miracle? Will you share that story? “God has the best detours.” Daniel shared how God detoured his night of drinking to experience God’s love in a church. What detours has God placed in your life that showed you His grace and goodness? Take 5 minutes or so for everyone to write down those 8-10 pivotal circumstances (good and bad) that have marked and changed your life. Does writing it down help you see how God was moving throughout your mountains and valleys? Who have been the providential relationships that have guided, supported, & shaped your faith journey? Will you reach out to them and express gratitude for them? Will you look for opportunities to be that person for others around you? “Where there is hope, despair doesn’t live.” Did you get a bit of joy or hope out of Daniel’s dog park story? Where do you find hope? In what ways can you manufacture hope if you don’t have any resources right now Read Acts 9:15-16, 2 Corinthians 11:23-29, & 2 Corinthians 12:7-10. What can we learn from the suffering of Paul, how he handled it & how God handled it? What suffering or weakness do you need to bring to Jesus so He can be sufficient for you? Read Romans 8:28 & 2 Corinthians 1:3-4. How can you cling to the promises God has made to us even in the darkest of time? “Where you stare is where you will steer.” What have you been staring at (focusing, dwelling on) in your life? Does where you stare need to change? What else from the podcast spoke to you? What did God/Holy Spirit speak/prompt/say to you? What’s God asking you to do? What does He want to give you? What does He want you to lay down? NEXT STEPS Join a Group at For any other questions or comments email [email protected] /episode/index/show/lockerroomscc/id/35467855

Southland Men: Brian Ray (Man on Purpose) 03/07/2025

Southland Men: Brian Ray (Man on Purpose) For most men, the key to our future and the quality of their life is in direct proportion with how we engage our past. We have to move towards our wounds in order to find healing. Regardless of our earthly father/step dad/absent dad, we need our good Heavenly Father to begin the work of healing us by fixing our past. Our guest this week is no stranger to a challenging past. Brian and Scott sit down at the table to share from his life story of being put up for adoption and growing up in a tough family, but then allowing Jesus and godly people to help by acknowledging his wounds and finding healing. We’ll also dive into investing in our marriages, being an intentional dad, and expanding the circle through mentoring and discipling others. DISCUSSION GUIDE Brian takes the first 5 minutes of the episode to brag about his wife. It is so important to verbally express the things that you love about your wife. What are 2-3 things you are grateful for related to your significant other? Be sure to also express those feelings to them this week. Brian mentions that despite everything that has happened in his life, he is a victor through Jesus, not a victim of the enemy. What have been the times in your life where you have felt like you were a victim of the enemy instead of being a victor through Christ? How has God been faithful through those times? Scott and Brian take some time to talk through their relationship with their wives and kids and a word that summarizes their conversation well is intentionality. As men, we have to intentionally fight for what is most important. What are some ways you have been intentional in your relationships and what are some ways that you need to be more intentional? Love for Jesus overflows into your love for your wife, which then overflows into your love for your kids. It has to be in that order. Do you find yourself prioritizing your kids over your wife? Do you find yourself prioritizing your wife over Jesus? What can we do to prioritize the right relationships so that we can best serve those we are about? Read Ephesians 5:1-2. Think through some people who have made a strong impact on your life. Who is someone in your sphere right now that is doing what you want to be doing? Make a plan to talk to them this week to learn from them and to hear their story. What are the areas in your life that you feel like you have to be perfect? Don’t put a burden on yourself that Jesus hasn’t placed on you. You don’t need to be perfect, because Jesus is perfect. Read 1 Thessalonians 5:11. One of the best ways that we can love people as Jesus loves them is by speaking encouragement. Who is someone in your life that you can serve by encouraging them? It could be your wife, one of your kids, a co-worker, someone in your small group. Shoot them a text or give them a call and see how the Holy Spirit will move. What else from the podcast spoke to you? What did God/Holy Spirit speak/prompt/say to you? What’s God asking you to do? What does He want to give you? What does He want you to lay down? NEXT STEPS Join a Group at Join a Serving Team at For any other questions or comments email [email protected] /episode/index/show/lockerroomscc/id/35369475

Breaking Chains: Navigating Grief, with Gary Black 02/28/2025

Breaking Chains: Navigating Grief, with Gary Black Today’s episode is big topic in this Breaking Chains series: Navigating Grief. It’s not called overcoming grief, it’s not called conquering grief or dismantling grief, because—like it or not—grief is part of the story. You have to go through it. It’s not good for us to avoid it or go around it. Grief is universal. Join us In this episode as Scott and Gary walk through many different types of profound loss we may experience in life, including stories from their own experiences. Along the way, we will find wisdom and hope in God’s word on how to move forward. DISCUSSION GUIDE Grief is a heavy topic so let’s start with a light question: Can you remember the time you laughed the hardest? (Or one of the times you’ve laughed the hardest?) Share the story with the group. How do you define grief? The podcast defines grief as feelings of great sorrow, distress and emotional pain that stems from significant loss. What significant losses have you grieved in life? The 5 stages of grief: Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, & Acceptance. When you look back on your times of grief are these stages evident? Gary’s 5 emotions connected to grief: Profound sadness, guilt, fear, physical fallout/symptoms, & aimlessness. Which of these emotions have you experienced the most in your times of grief? Scott’s 7 things to help navigate grief: Community, anticipate awkwardness, lean into your faith, support groups, grief counseling, anticipate and plan for “grief triggers”, & grieve well. Which of those help you the most in times of grief? “A good friend won’t lecture, correct, or react to our insanity [in times of grief].” What does it look like to help others when they are dealing with grief? The enemy will lie to us in our grief. Read 1 Peter 5:7 & Matthew 11:28-30. What do these passages say about God’s heart for us during our grief? Gary and Scott talked about grieving the loss of people to suicide. What from that discussion did you need to hear? Read Revelation 21:4. Some grief will never go away on this side of Heaven. What hope can we place in this truth from Revelation about when Jesus returns? “Please, don’t turn the helpers away.” - Paul David Tripp. Are you in need of help right now? Who can be your helper? What else from the podcast spoke to you? What did God/Holy Spirit speak/prompt/say to you? What’s God asking you to do? What does He want to give you? What does He want you to lay down? RESOURCES Suicide: , Matthew Sleeth, M.D. Grief: , Joe Bayly , H. Norman Wright , Granger Westberg , Megan Divine NEXT STEPS Look at our Care resources for Grief Share, counseling referrals, and more at Join a Group at For any other questions or comments email [email protected] /episode/index/show/lockerroomscc/id/35369325

Breaking Chains: Overcoming Habitual Sin, with Will Briggs and Matt Williams 02/21/2025

Breaking Chains: Overcoming Habitual Sin, with Will Briggs and Matt Williams Our enemy understands the power of sin: the impact it can have on our lives and those we love. He knows if he can tempt, lie and deceive us into choosing sin—anything other than God’s best—then he can send us down a path that can really destroy our lives as men and wreck the things that matter to God. Guests Will Briggs and Matt Williams join us this week on the podcast as we look at how we can recognize the plays of the enemy, the temptations and tendencies in our own hearts, and move forward on God’s path, breaking free of the chains of habitual sin. DISCUSSION GUIDE What are some of the daily habits in your life? Did these parts of your day become a habit intentionally or unintentionally? What comes to mind when you think of the term “habitual sin.” Is it a specific sin? It is a certain memory? Is it a particular feeling or emotion? The guys talked about how no one chooses to just blow up their life one day, but that sin begins to creep into our lives in small ways. Sometimes just a “small” lie of asking for a water cup to fill up with a coke. These “small” sins are ways that the enemy can get a foothold into our lives and a foothold can easily become a stronghold where the enemy has control over our actions. What are the “small” sins that the enemy is attempting to use to pull you away from Jesus? Share a time when you struggled with habitual sin and the freedom you now have. What is a habitual sin that you struggle with right now? Celebrate the victory and acknowledge the struggle now. Read Romans 6:5-7. When it comes to habitual sin, what do you believe is true? The enemy tries to convince us that we will always struggle with this and that we will never be truly free. But followers of Jesus are promised that they have everything they need to overcome this sin. Who are you listening to? The guys mention 5 keys to overcoming habitual sin. Which of these keys have you overlooked in your struggle with habitual sin that you need to implement? Practice confession and repentance daily (Hebrews 4:16 & James 5:16). Ask God for help through prayer (Psalm 121:1-2). When we become a Christ-follower, sin is no longer our master (Romans 6:6-7 & Romans 6:22). God’s Word gives us the promise of God’s help in the face of temptation (1 Corinthians 10:12-13). We leverage the Holy Spirit in our lives (Galatians 5:24-25). “You can’t heal from what you hide.” The Bible teaches us that we do not have to hide in our sin and our shame but we can confidently come to God in our sin so that we may receive mercy and find grace. Is there a specific habitual sin that you need to confess to God and to another follower of Jesus? What else from the podcast spoke to you? What did God/Holy Spirit speak/prompt/say to you? What’s God asking you to do? What does He want to give you? What does He want you to lay down? NEXT STEPS Take 45 minutes this week to read through and reflect on Romans 6. Bring a journal and a pen and sit with the Holy Spirit as you reflect on the truth of Scripture. Join a Group at For any other questions or comments email [email protected] /episode/index/show/lockerroomscc/id/35224700

Breaking Chains: Demolish Perfectionism, with Gary Black 02/14/2025

Breaking Chains: Demolish Perfectionism, with Gary Black This week on Locker Room we’re starting a three-part series called Breaking Chains, looking at three things that can lock us down and stop the work Jesus wants to do in us. First up is perfectionism. Join Scott and returning guest Gary Black as we talk about some of the downsides of perfectionism and offer practical suggestions to get a handle on it, so we can step onto the path of freedom—freedom from self-imposed guilt, needless anxiety, unnecessary pressure, and the many compulsions associated with perfectionism that can drain the joy from our lives. DISCUSSION GUIDE Who was your favorite teacher growing up? What made them so great? Has anyone made an impact on your life that you only met once? Who was it and what impact did it have? What comes to mind when you hear the word “perfectionism”? Is that something you struggle with? Or are you on the other side and no one would ever call you a perfectionist? The Dangers of Perfectionism: It destroys your initiative. It damages relationships. It destroys happiness. It leads to a rules-dominated life. It leads to constant over-analysis and fear-based decisions. Which of these dangers have you witnessed from your life or those around you? Action Step 1: Admit you have a problem. Read Psalm 32:1-5. Is there a problem of perfectionism you need to admit today? Or anything else you need to confess? Action Step 2: Stop demanding perfection from others. Read 1 John 1:8. No one is perfect, including you! Where do you find yourself demanding perfection from others? (Friends, coworkers, kids, wife, etc). How can you release them from those demands? Action Step 3: Develop a realistic awareness of God’s love. Read Romans 8:38-39. Do you really believe God the Father has adopted you and loves you unconditionally? Even in the highs and lows? What does it look like to “relax and enjoy God’s love” as Gary says? Action Step 4: Go out of your way to love others. Read Colossians 3:12-14. Who are you serving in life? Where are you serving? Where are you living out what Paul calls us to in this passage? The best time to change is now. What will you change today to start becoming who you want to be tomorrow? What else from the podcast spoke to you? What did God/Holy Spirit speak/prompt/say to you? What’s God asking you to do? What does He want to give you? What does He want you to lay down? NEXT STEPS Join a Group at For any other questions or comments email [email protected] /episode/index/show/lockerroomscc/id/35224680

Watch Your Mouth: Speak Life, with Rob Campbell and Rob Workman 02/07/2025

Watch Your Mouth: Speak Life, with Rob Campbell and Rob Workman The words we speak should reflect a heart transformed by God. Grace and truth should drive us in our conversations, whether it be with our wives, our kids, our friends, people at church, people at work, people that don’t believe what we believe, and those who aren’t fans of Christianity at all. Grace and truth, in every conversation. Our special guests this week are two of Southland’s elders, Rob Campbell and Rob Workman. Join us as we dive into how to speak life with our words. DISCUSSION GUIDE What is something you learned from the guys as they talked about the ways other men have invested in them and how they’re investing in their marriages & their kids? Scott mentions a number of times in the Bible where the words that are said have power. God speaks creation into existence. Jesus literally speaks life into Lazarus. Jesus speaks the words “Be still!” and a storm ceases. What do these passages say about the importance of words? Read Matthew 12:36-37. What is Jesus saying about the impact our words have? Has there been a moment when someone has spoken life into you? Scott and the guys talked through 4 points of how we can be better at using our words to speak life. Below are some thoughts and questions to reflect on each of these points: (1) Bring grace and truth into every conversation. One of the best things we can do to gauge how we use our words is to ask someone close to us what they think of the language we use. Who can you ask this week? What do you imagine they would say? (2) Using our words to talk to people about Jesus through telling your story. Vulnerability and authenticity lead to curiosity. When we’re talking to people who don’t follow Jesus, two of the best ways to reflect the love of Jesus to them are to be vulnerable and authentic. Is it easy for you to do these two things? What can you do to be more vulnerable or more authentic in your relationships with people? (3) Own it when you mess up. Who do you need to have a conversation with to own a way that you’ve messed up? Is there someone at work? Your wife? One of your kids? If you never apologize, you cannot expect other people to apologize to you. You need to own it and take the first step in order to set the culture. (4) Express gratitude, appreciation, and encouragement. Encouragement means to breathe courage into people. It is easy to forget what is true. Who is one person in your life you can encourage by telling them you are thankful for or proud of them? What can you tell your wife to remind her that you love her and want to serve her? What can you tell your kid to remind them that you are proud of them? What can you tell a friend to show them you’re thankful for them? What else from the podcast spoke to you? What did God/Holy Spirit speak/prompt/say to you? What’s God asking you to do? What does He want to give you? What does He want you to lay down? NEXT STEPS Join a Group at For any other questions or comments email [email protected] /episode/index/show/lockerroomscc/id/35183510

Watch Your Mouth: Out of the Overflow, with Jason Byerly and Kevin Comp 01/31/2025

Watch Your Mouth: Out of the Overflow, with Jason Byerly and Kevin Comp This week on the podcast we’ve invited returning guests Jason Byerly and Kevin Comp to kick off a two-part series called Watch Your Mouth. Even though this series is short, be prepared for it to get into your business and step on your toes. Today’s episode is about the power of our words—an area that all of us men need to work on. DISCUSSION GUIDE The Super Bowl is just a week away. Who are you picking to win? Who will be the MVP? Is the NFL rigged Three important Questions: What did you learn from Kevin & Jason about how they are investing in their marriages & kids and the men that made an impact in their lives? What comes to mind when you hear the phrase “Watch your mouth”? Share a story of when your words got you into trouble. Read Luke 6:45. What would you say your heart is full of based on what comes out of your mouth? Read James 3:1-12. How have you seen words set things on fire and cause destruction? Why do you think man cannot tame his tongue? If this is impossible for man, what are we to do? What areas of leadership do you carry? How have you been utilizing your words in these spaces? What did you take from the challenge of Kevin and Jason? Talk through these Biblical principles. Which of these principles do you need to apply to your life now to watch your mouth? Repent, Confess, Let Jesus be Lord of this area of your life. (Acts 3:19, 1 John 1:8-9, Psalm 81:13-14) Acknowledge the wounds that have come from those who have hurt you and ask God for healing. (2 Corinthians 10:4-5) Apply God’s Word and partner with the Holy Spirit. (Romans 12:2, Galatians 5:22-25) Do something drastic. Limit, eliminate or take a time out from things that are working against you. (Ephesians 5:15-16) Surround Yourself with Men who are on the same journey. (Proverbs 13:20) Praying God’s Word in our lives. (James 1:19-20, Ephesians 4:29) What else from the podcast spoke to you? What did God/Holy Spirit speak/prompt/say to you? What’s God asking you to do? What does He want to give you? What does He want you to lay down? NEXT STEPS Join in Georgetown Join a Group at For any other questions or comments email [email protected] /episode/index/show/lockerroomscc/id/34945620

Encounters with Jesus: Come on Out (Peter Walks on Water), with Ian Schweitzer and Ariea King 01/24/2025

Encounters with Jesus: Come on Out (Peter Walks on Water), with Ian Schweitzer and Ariea King Every day we have to choose between comfort or growth. Comfort may be the American Dream, but it’s not God’s heart for us. God calls us to grow, and grow up. We have to take risks, step out on faith and trust Him if we’re going to become the men He created us to be. This week we are looking at a story found in Matthew 14, Mark 6, and John 6. It’s the account of Jesus walking on water and Peter asking Jesus to call him out to walk on the water too. Join us as Scott and our guests, Ian and Ariea break down what it looks like to push through fear and step out on faith. DISCUSSION GUIDE Winter has been in full swing the past couple weeks. What are your thoughts on the winter season? Do you love the cold and the snow? Do you hate it because scraping off your car in the morning is annoying? Are you somewhere in between? What is one way you’ve been winning this past week? This could be in your marriage, with your kids, with your career, or any other part of your life. Read Matthew 14:22-32. Is there anything from this passage that sticks out to you? What does this passage say about who Jesus is? What does this passage say about how we should respond to Jesus? When Jesus says “Take courage! It is I. Do not be afraid.” what comes to mind? Our relationship with Jesus is one where we can come to him no matter how we have fallen short or how much we have failed. Do you believe that to be true? Read Matthew 14:29. Take a moment and imagine you are one of the disciples sitting in the boat. You see this figure walking out towards you. You hear this figure tell you to not be afraid. Then you see Peter step out of the boat and onto the water. Then you see Peter WALKING on the water towards Jesus. What would your initial reaction be? What would you be feeling? Where in your life do you need to trust Jesus? What circumstances in your life have the chance to get in the way of keeping your eyes on Jesus? Is there anything you can be doing to best set yourself up to keep your eyes fixed on Jesus even when these circumstances come up? As Christian, we are called to treat others as Jesus has treated us. Is there anyone in your life you need to treat with the same tenderness as Jesus treated Peter? Is there anyone you need to ask forgiveness from because you have treated them without tenderness? Which of these applications that Scott mentioned stood out to you the most? Which of these are hardest for you to run after? (1) Taking risks are necessary for growth. (2) Faith in God is crucial. (3) Failure is not the end. (4) Overcoming fear is essential. (5) Stepping out in obedience leads to life change and missional impact. What else from the podcast spoke to you? What did God/Holy Spirit speak/prompt/say to you? What’s God asking you to do? What does He want to give you? What does He want you to lay down? RESOURCES If You Want to Walk on Water, You’ve Got To Get Out of the Boat, John Ortberg. , Hillsong UNITED NEXT STEPS Join Register for the Pre-marriage Workshop at Join a Group at For any other questions or comments email [email protected] /episode/index/show/lockerroomscc/id/34945570

Encounters with Jesus: Get Up (The Man at the Well), with Mike Allen and Neil Gregory 01/17/2025

Encounters with Jesus: Get Up (The Man at the Well), with Mike Allen and Neil Gregory Sometimes when we bring our pain and circumstances before God—if we don’t see results or quick fixes to our lives instantaneously—we just give up. Or we forget that we’ve journeyed off the path for years or even decades and we think we can microwave it and just instantly be better, healed or whole. Jesus isn’t looking for you to give him the one thing that’s keeping you up at night—He wants you. He wants everything. He wants your heart. He wants all of you. He wants to build our faith. He wants to build our relationship with Him. This week on the podcast, Scott sits down with our guests Mike Allen and Neil Gregory to unpack a conversation Jesus had with a man at a pool, when he asked, “Do you want to get well?” DISCUSSION GUIDE Did you grow up going to the pool? What comes to mind when someone says “Let’s go to the pool?” Share any good pool stories you have. Read John 5:1-15. What stands out to you about how Jesus interacts with this paralyzed man? What came to mind when the guys were discussing the prosperity gospel and churches that lean too heavily on supernatural healings & miracles? Do you have any experience with this? How would you feel if you or someone you loved was sick for 38 years? Have there been any moments in your life where you felt stuck, hopeless, or frustrated at God like this? Jesus asks this man “Do you want to get well?” When have you tried to “get well” in the wrong ways? When have you given up on “getting well” too easily? Is there something you need to do to “get well” that you have been unwilling to do? What circumstances has Jesus called you up out of to get you where you are today? What is Jesus telling you to “Get Up” from in your life right now? What do you need to heal from that can only come from God’s power? Do you follow Jesus and have the power of the Holy Spirit? If yes, how can you listen to the Holy Spirit and what he is convicting you of? If not, what is holding you back? What else from the podcast spoke to you? What did God/Holy Spirit speak/prompt/say to you? What’s God asking you to do? What does He want to give you? What does He want you to lay down? NEXT STEPS Join Register for the Pre-marriage Workshop at Join a Group at For any other questions or comments email [email protected] /episode/index/show/lockerroomscc/id/34777975

Encounters with Jesus: Through the Roof 01/10/2025

Encounters with Jesus: Through the Roof Welcome back to Locker Room! We’re kicking off Season 14 with a series called Encounters with Jesus. We’ll be zeroing in on some cool moments Jesus had with different people in the gospels. We’ll learn about who Jesus is, the mission he’s on and gain practical insight on who we are as men, and how we are called to live our lives. The first encounter we’re looking at is described in Mark chapter 2, when Jesus was moved by the faith of four men who acted by any means necessary to get their paralyzed friend in close proximity to him so he might be healed. Join us this week for Encounters with Jesus: Through the Roof. DISCUSSION GUIDE What were some highs and lows of your Christmas season? What were the best parts? What were the worst parts? For all the new Locker Room groups, how have you been involved with Southland? Have you gone through Fight Club? Are you part of a serving team? Do you attend Sunday mornings with your family? Read Mark 2:1-12 with your group. Stop after each verse and discuss anything that catches your attention. What does this verse say about Jesus? What does this verse say about you? Is there anything that we can apply from this verse? “Sometimes Jesus gives us what we need before he gives us what we want.” Presence before joy. Grace before freedom. Hard conversations before a healed relationship. Are there any ways in your life right now that Jesus is giving you what you need rather than what you want? Jesus forgives sin. This is one of the most important messages of the Bible. Jesus has the ability to forgive sins because he is God and because he was the one who took the punishment of our sins when he went to the cross. What sins do I need to bring to Jesus and be forgiven of? Imagine how the crowd reacted to this interaction between the paralyzed man and Jesus. How would you have reacted if you saw this interaction? Make no mistake, the greatest miracle in this story is that this man received salvation. Have you received the salvation that Jesus offers? If so, tell your group the story of how you came to know Jesus. How do you view the interruptions in your day? Do you find them frustrating? Are you listening for the Holy Spirit in your day to day in order to love people like Jesus loves? Do you want Jesus to be moved by your faith? What about your faith do you need to be more intentional about? Is it the way you parent your kids? Is it the time you spend in the Word before anything else? Is it the way you intentionally spend time with your wife? What else from the podcast spoke to you? What did God/Holy Spirit speak/prompt/say to you? What’s God asking you to do? What does He want to give you? What does He want you to lay down? NEXT STEPS Groups kick off January 17th. Join a Group at Start a Locker Room Group. Sign up for Fight Club at the Danville Campus - starting Monday January 20, 7-9pm. Sign up for the , March 7-8 at the Lexington Campus. For any other questions or comments email [email protected] /episode/index/show/lockerroomscc/id/34369400

Battle Ready: Declare War and Fight 12/13/2024

Battle Ready: There Will Be Blood 12/06/2024

Battle Ready: Warrior King 11/29/2024

Battle Ready: Open War is Upon You 11/22/2024

Giants to Fight: Doubt, with Dusty Bailey and Kevin Comp 11/15/2024

Giants to Fight: Doubt, with Dusty Bailey and Kevin Comp This week we’re wrapping up season 13 and this Giants series with a big one: DOUBT. Men doubt God’s existence, God’s Word, His promises, making sense of the problems in our world and they even have doubts around God’s Son, Jesus. The cool thing about God is He’s not afraid of our doubts and questions. He actually invites us to bring our doubts and questions to Him. God has given us a mountain of evidence to draw us into an encounter with Him. If you’ve got doubts and questions, that means you’re normal. In this episode, we won’t answer every big question. But we’ll try and create some clarity for some of the bigger ones we run into in life. Join us this week as we sit down with guests Dusty Bailey and Kevin Comp to talk about the Giant of Doubt. DISCUSSION GUIDE Have you ever participated in a Trust Fall? Were you the faller or the catcher? What did it teach you about trust? Doubt: the wavering between two minds or lacking confidence, assurance, or complete trust in God. How have you defined doubt in the past? How did this conversation help you reshape it? The driving question of the podcast was “What if doubt isn’t the enemy of faith but the primary element of it?” For your own faith, has doubt been an enemy or primary element of it? What specific ways does the enemy use doubt to discourage and destroy you? Read Genesis 1:1 - Creator and Creation - how were you encouraged in your faith by what was shared about the world and universe we live in? What do you still struggle with when it comes to fully trusting Genesis 1:1? Read 2 Timothy 3:14-17. What does your relationship with the Bible look like? Do you see a correlation between spending time in the Word and having a stronger faith? How can you rely more on God’s Truth and less on yourself/the world? How has the enemy used pain and suffering to cause you to doubt? What has been the hardest season for you to cling to your faith? Scott, Kevin, & Dusty all mentioned times of doubt in their own lives. They also mentioned several heroes of the faith in the Bible who doubted God. Which of those stories encouraged your faith the most? Why? What else from the podcast spoke to you? What did God/Holy Spirit speak/prompt/say to you? What’s God asking you to do? What does He want to give you? What does He want you to lay down? RESOURCES , C.S. Lewis , , Lee Strobel. ; , Josh & Sean McDowell. , Tim Keller NEXT STEPS Join a Group at For any other questions or comments email [email protected] /episode/index/show/lockerroomscc/id/33809217

Giants to Fight: Criticism, with Scott Nickell and Jon Weece 11/08/2024

Giants to Fight: Criticism, with Scott Nickell and Jon Weece If you lead in any way, you are going to face criticism. Dealing with criticism is a part of leadership—period. One of the greatest weapons that the enemy uses for leaders is discouragement. Discouragement can often come from criticism. It doesn’t matter how hard you try, how much you care, how pure your motives and right your decisions are—criticism is coming—and you shouldn’t try to avoid it. It’s something that we all have to navigate. Join us this week as we welcome back Scott Nickell and Jon Weece to talk about how to face and process criticism in a healthy way. DISCUSSION GUIDE What is the wildest piece of criticism you have ever received? Read John 15:18-21. There are so many areas of life where we can be criticized. We can receive criticism at work, at home, in church, from friends, from relatives, and the list just goes on and on. What are the areas of your life that you receive criticism most often? Whenever you experience criticism, what is your gut reaction? Do you get defensive? Defeated? Something else? Oftentimes when we receive criticism, our gut reaction is to get defensive. However, there are times when there is some truth in the criticism we are receiving. How can you determine when criticism has some truth in it and when it does not? Is there anybody in your life you can ask to speak truth to the criticism you have received? Our identity as followers of Jesus is not dependent on what others say about us or to us, but is dependent on who God says we are. Is this easy for you to remember? How can we remind ourselves of who God says we are in the midst of the criticism we receive on a consistent basis? Whenever we receive criticism, our body begins to build up stress. When our body builds up stress we can unintentionally become critical of those we care about. What spiritual and mental checkpoints do you have in your life to be able to process the stress that comes from criticism? Read 1 Peter 2:23. Jesus handled criticism in two ways: He would either respond in truth and grace, as he did with the religious leaders, or he wouldn’t respond at all. One of the best things we can do when we experience criticism is to listen to the criticism and not respond. Is this something that is easy for you? How could it help you navigate criticism better? What else from the podcast spoke to you? What did God/Holy Spirit speak/prompt/say to you? What’s God asking you to do? What does He want to give you? What does He want you to lay down? NEXT STEPS Join a Group at For any other questions or comments email [email protected] /episode/index/show/lockerroomscc/id/33805657

Giants: Resentment and Bitterness, with Jason Koerner & Parker Sherwood 11/01/2024

Giants: Resentment and Bitterness, with Jason Koerner & Parker Sherwood Resentment and bitterness can infiltrate our lives in so many ways. Things that have happened to us beyond our control can darken our hearts and eat us up from the inside, negatively impacting our emotional and physical health, even affecting our relationship with Jesus. The enemy loves to capitalize on this too, because we as men sometimes struggle to acknowledge our feelings, frustrations and fears.! Many men don’t have strong relationships where they talk about real things and it leaves them with gaping holes of unaddressed pain and legitimate frustration. We end up harboring resentment, holding grudges and building up cancerous bitterness. When we don’t address our wounds, it always, always comes out at some point. We can’t control what people do to us, but we can control our response. The only thing we control is our response to the stuff that comes our way and we need God’s power to be able to respond in the right way! On this episode of Locker Room, we sit down with our guests Jason and Parker to talk about how to move forward with processing resentment and bitterness, while still guarding our hearts and minds. DISCUSSION GUIDE Talk about the worst/best camp experience you’ve had. What were your first thoughts when you saw the topic was Resentment and Bitterness? Do you struggle with these giants? Do you tend to hold a grudge? READ Hebrews 12:14-15. What can this passage teach us about these giants and how to deal with them? The only way that we can kill the giant of bitterness is FORGIVENESS. That starts with understanding we have been forgiven by God from a multitude of sins we can’t even fathom. Is that difficult to accept? What does it feels like to be forgiven by God and by others? READ Mark 11:25. Share a time when you forgave someone. How did you feel afterwards? God commands us to forgive. Do you take this command seriously? Three steps to forgiveness - Step 1: We own what happened. Step 2: We acknowledge the pain that it brought on us. Step 3: We choose to forgive. Which step is the most difficult for you? Where in this process do you get caught up? READ Romans 12:19. Our world and our flesh loves revenge, but we are commanded as Jesus followers to have none of this. How can you fight feelings of wanting to get revenge? The guys talked about the difference between forgiveness and reconciliation. What stood out to you about that conversation? Have you had a time when you were able to reconcile with someone you forgave? READ Romans 12:18. We can only choose our own actions and responses. Is this hard for you to accept? What else from the podcast spoke to you? What did God/Holy Spirit speak/prompt/say to you? What’s God asking you to do? What does He want to give you? What does He want you to lay down? NEXT STEPS Join a Group at For any other questions or comments email [email protected] /episode/index/show/lockerroomscc/id/33684197

Giants: Guilt & Shame, with Nate Head & Mike Vandemark 10/25/2024

Giants: Guilt & Shame, with Nate Head & Mike Vandemark Shame is a necessary emotion. Shame can be helpful. The way we feel about our wrong decisions and choices is meant to steer us towards God, towards repentance and towards healing. If we never feel shame, it means something is broken inside of us. There are things that we should be ashamed of, but with God’s help we don’t need to stay there. Satan tries to manipulate our emotions in an effort to keep us locked up in our shame. He wants us to fixate on our sin, poor choices, bad decisions, to live in regret. Today on the podcast we will discuss steps we can take to move forward, to repent and bring this stuff to God for forgiveness and healing. DISCUSSION GUIDE At the start of this episode, the crew talked about their childhood bully stories. Did you have a bully growing up? How did you deal with them? With an episode surrounding guilt and shame, it is important to know the difference between the two. Scott defines guilt as, “to break or disregard God’s commands,” and shame as, “the feelings that come from sin and breaking God’s good commands for our lives.” Guilt is what comes from willfully sinning and shame is the emotion that comes from guilt. How do these definitions help you better understand the giants of guilt and shame? Read Philippians 3:18-19. What does this say about those who choose what they want over what God wants for them? Read Philippians 3:19-21. What is the difference between the person described in the verses 18-19 and the person described in verses 19- 21? What is the difference between shame and toxic shame? This is an important distinction because shame is an emotion we all feel, but toxic shame is what the enemy uses against us. How we respond to guilt and shame often says a lot about what we believe about what God thinks of you. What does shame drive you towards? Does it drive us towards God or away from God? Does it drive us towards repentance or to something that numbs the feeling of shame? A lie Vandee pointed out in the episode is that "we are enough." The thought that we are enough to fight our own sin and pull ourselves up without help is a lie. The truth is that we aren’t enough. Confession acknowledges we need God and other godly people in our lives. Is confession difficult for you? If yes, why? Read James 5:16. Who are a couple of godly people you can take a risk on trusting, and confess what you’re going through? This could be your wife, a godly neighbor, someone in your group, or someone you look up to. One of the best ways to fight the giants of guilt and shame is to fully trust God’s word. Read Psalm 32:1-2 & 103:12 & Hebrews 8:12. Do you believe these verses to be true? Do you believe what God says about your sin? As men, one of the hardest things for us to do with our guilt and shame is to forgive ourselves. Nate suggested an exercise to help us see our need to forgive ourselves from what God has already forgiven us. Finish the sentence: “If ________ did ________, I would still forgive them.” Now replace their name with your name and read the sentence again. What else from the podcast spoke to you? What did God/Holy Spirit speak/prompt/say to you? What’s God asking you to do? What does He want to give you? What does He want you to lay down? Resources “Take You at Your Word” Cody Carnes Shame and Guilt, Lewis Smedes Victory Over Darkness, Neil T. Anderson NEXT STEPS Join a Group at For any other questions or comments email [email protected] /episode/index/show/lockerroomscc/id/33510007

Giants: Lies Men Believe, with Greg Chandler 10/18/2024

Giants: Lies Men Believe, with Greg Chandler There are no harmless lies. They all have consequences. When we exchange the truth of God for a lie, there is a price to pay. Join us in the conversation as Scott and guest Greg Chandler drill down on five specific lies that the enemy wants us to believe and how we can counter each lie with truth from God’s word about who we are and what we are called to. DISCUSSION GUIDE Everyone in a group, play the game “Two truths and a lie.” Try and learn something new about each person in the group. Scott and Greg dove into the idea that all lies begin with Satan; that Satan is seeking to steal, kill, and destroy. One of the most significant ways Satan attacks us is through lies. Satan twists God’s word. He lies. Do you believe that Satan has the power to deceive us? Have there been any times that you realized that Satan was trying to deceive you through a lie? What comes to mind when asked this question: “What do you think you deserve?” Is this a thought that is true from God or a lie from the enemy? Which of the 5 popular lies that Scott and Greg talked about do you find yourself believing most often? It’s all about me. I am damaged goods. God doesn’t love you and won’t forgive you. Things will never be different. Things will never change. I can’t recover from that. I can't spiritually lead my home. What lies does the enemy bombard you with on a consistent basis? How do you see these lies affecting your life? What lies do I need to renounce? Read 2 Corinthians 10:5. Do you have consistent time set aside in your life to take captive every thought? If not, what can you do to set aside 20 minutes a day to read God’s word and wrestle with these thoughts? Our thoughts could potentially be true thoughts from God or they could be lies from the enemy. By taking every thought captive and comparing it with God’s word, we can know what is truth and what is a lie. Take a moment and think about this question: Do you want the truth? Do you really want to know the truth about what Jesus says about you? You will never fully know the truth if you do not want it. What else from the podcast spoke to you? What did God/Holy Spirit speak/prompt/say to you? What’s God asking you to do? What does He want to give you? What does He want you to lay down? RESOURCES Lies Men Believe, Robert Wolgemuth Live No Lies, John Mark Comer NEXT STEPS Join a Group at For any other questions or comments email [email protected] /episode/index/show/lockerroomscc/id/33298872

The Power of Community with John Sampson and Matt Williams 10/11/2024

The Power of Community with John Sampson and Matt Williams God has hardwired all of us for biblical community. One of God’s greatest gifts are his people. It’s found in doing life with others. All men need this. Every man should experience this. We never graduate from the need for community and accountability. When we leverage the power of community, it helps us to deepen our faith, make us more like Jesus and empowers us to live our lives on mission. This week on the podcast, Scott and our guests John Sampson and Matt Williams sit down at the table to talk about group life: getting into a group by taking a step out of a row on the weekend to experience community with other men, and building solid, healthy relationships with other guys. DISCUSSION GUIDE What was the first time you remember feeling part of a community or a group? (Examples could include being on a sports team growing up, participating in a school extracurricular, living in a college dorm, etc.) What has been your experience with finding community with people who follow Jesus? Has it been difficult? For guys in a group, what held you back from joining a group before joining a group? For guys who are not in a group, what is currently holding you back? Read Proverbs 13:20 and 18:24. Who we let into our lives is an important decision that we sometimes don’t consciously make. However, it is important to think through who we let speak into our lives. What are some characteristics of people you would want to be in community with? Are you also attempting to live out those characteristics? Read James 5:16. Biblical community is a space in our life where we can be vulnerable; we can’t heal from what is hidden. The Bible calls for Jesus followers to confess their sins to one another and to pray for one another. We must be men who confess to one another and pray for one another. What needs to be confessed in your life to another Jesus follower? Who is another man that you can be praying for? Read Romans 12:15. Biblical community isn’t exclusively about sharing what’s going wrong in your life. Biblical community is also about having fun and rejoicing with your community--to celebrate when celebration is called for. What are some fun ways you can connect with your community? (Host a bonfire, share a meal together, get outside.) Sometimes when a group has met for a while, expectations can be forgotten. If you’re in a group, what expectations need to be reset for your group to be the best group possible? Most of the time we don’t have the margin to add another thing to our already busy schedules. However, there are probably some things in your life that are taking up your time and aren’t as beneficial as joining a group. By saying “no” to certain things, we can say “yes” to joining a group. What are some areas of your life that you need to say “no” to in order to make time for biblical community? Question for those who are not in a group: What questions do you still have about joining a group? What can you do this week to find answers to those questions? Make a goal that by the end of the week you’ve found your answers. Question for those who are in a group: What can your group do to shake things up a little bit? Is there someone you can serve in your group? Do you guys want to start serving together? Do you want to find something fun to do as a group? What else from the podcast spoke to you? What did God/Holy Spirit speak/prompt/say to you? What’s God asking you to do? What does He want to give you? What does He want you to lay down? NEXT STEPS Join a Group at For any other questions or comments email [email protected] /episode/index/show/lockerroomscc/id/33187802

The Power of Healthy Boundaries 10/04/2024

The Power of Healthy Boundaries Boundaries are easy to see in the physical world: fences to define property, lines in the road to define lanes, and boundaries at a sporting event to define what is in and out-of-bounds. Physical boundaries are for our good, and for the good of those around us. In our spiritual, relational, and emotional worlds, boundaries are just as real, but often harder to see. Establishing healthy boundaries increases our ability to love, interact, lead and care for others in a way that God is honored. It also empowers us to have healthy hearts and healthy relationships. Join us for today’s episode where we dive in on the power of establishing healthy boundaries. DISCUSSION GUIDE If you could go back and relive one moment of your life, what would it be and why? If you had to forget one moment of your life, what would it be? Scott mentions that healthy boundaries do two things. (1) They protect what belongs to us and what's under our care and concern. (2) They keep the wrong things out and the wrong people out. What are some examples of both of these purposes for setting up healthy boundaries? What do we need to protect? What do we need to keep out? Are what we need to protect and what we need to keep out related to either memory you would relive or forget? Sometimes hindsight is the best teacher. Has there ever been a time when you wish you had set up a boundary that might have protected you or someone you care about? After listening to the episode, on a scale of 1-10, how important did you think healthy boundaries were? Do your current boundaries, or lack of boundaries, reflect your answer? Read Ephesians 5:15-17 | How can setting healthy boundaries with others help us to make the most of every situation as Paul is encouraging us to do? It isn’t always natural for men to set boundaries. We don’t always think about them, and we end up in situations where we realize we need to set a boundary. Are there any areas in your life where you may need to set up a boundary to protect what is most important? What area is that? Read Proverbs 4:23 | Setting boundaries cannot be an optional thing we do. It is something we HAVE to do. What specific boundary do we need to set in order to protect ourselves and those we care about? Who can you ask in your life to help hold you accountable to the necessary healthy boundaries that you are going to set up? Maybe your wife, your roommate, your small group? Set up a plan to talk to them right now. Many of us probably wish there was someone in our lives at some point who could have pointed out the need for setting a healthy boundary? Is there anyone in your life that might benefit from being told about the need to set healthy boundaries? Can you be the person to gently point them in the right direction? What else from the podcast spoke to you? What did God/Holy Spirit speak/prompt/say to you? What’s God asking you to do? What does He want to give you? What does He want you to lay down? RECOMMENDED BOOKS Boundaries, Dr. Henry Cloud & Dr. John Townsend 9 Things You Simply Must Do, Dr. Henry Cloud Boundaries For Leaders, Dr. Henry Cloud Necessary Endings, Dr. Henry Cloud NEXT STEPS Sign up for Men’s Retreat (October 18-20) at Join a Group at For any other questions or comments email [email protected] /episode/index/show/lockerroomscc/id/33187782

The Power of an Invitation, with Jon Weece 09/27/2024

The Power of an Invitation, with Jon Weece To follow Jesus is to fish. To say yes to Jesus’ invitation is to say yes to personal evangelism. To receive the gospel is to also share the gospel; the good news. Yet, there’s an awful lot of churches and there’s an awful lot of people who sit in the boat and they don’t fish. They don’t fish for all kinds of reasons. In this episode we will zero in on some practical things to empower men to share the gospel with people in their lives. DISCUSSION GUIDE If we asked the person closest to you (wife, relative, friend) what is a fun fact they could give us about you Have you ever rescued someone or something? Think big or small rescues. Share a story of when you “saved the day”. Read Luke 19:10. Jesus made it clear: He was here on a RESCUE MISSION. He invites his followers to join him in that mission. How does it make you feel when you are told you are on a rescue mission for the Kingdom of God? Jon equated spiritual maturity with three verbs: serving, giving, & loving. Based on that measure, how spiritually mature are you? What evidence do you have to support that evaluation? How do you define discipleship? How does that line up with how Jesus made disciples and sent them out? Read Matthew 28:18-20 & Mark 12:30-31. How do you strive to build your life around the Great Commission and Great Commandments? Scott & Jon discussed three categories of people who do not participate in evangelism: Those who isolate themselves from the world, those who feel they aren’t capable, & those who think it’s someone else’s job. Which of those three categories are you in danger of falling into? Praying, serving, inviting, & sharing your testimony were all practical examples of how to get involved in evangelism. Which of those comes more naturally to you? Which requires more work? Think through the stories of the woman at the well (John 4), the Blind man who was healed (John 9), and Matthew throwing a party with sinners, disciples, & Jesus (Matthew 9:10). How did those people participate in evangelism? What example does that set for us in our modern context? Who is someone in your life that doesn’t know Jesus? How can you help them come to know Jesus this week/month/year? Will you commit to doing it? What else from the podcast spoke to you? What did God/Holy Spirit speak/prompt/say to you? What’s God asking you to do? What does He want to give you? What does He want you to lay down? NEXT STEPS Sign up for Men’s Retreat (October 18-20) at Join a Group at For any other questions or comments email [email protected] /episode/index/show/lockerroomscc/id/32898387

The Power of a Biblical Worldview, with Scott Nickell 09/20/2024

The Power of a Biblical Worldview, with Scott Nickell Today's culture is attempting to push us off the path Jesus walked, and instead onto a wide road of personal preference and, “living your own truth.” We are increasingly encouraged to choose tolerance-based values and strike down our conceptions of right and wrong about sex, gender and marriage. Even the definitions of words are changing. If we take a step back, we can see how culture at large is twisting and affecting even those inside the church. Join us for this episode of Locker Room, where our goal is to talk about the importance of choosing God’s Word to be our ultimate authority, which creates a filter (worldview) for how we interact with God and the world around us. DISCUSSION GUIDE Do you have any favorite old-school rappers? What music did you listen to in your younger days? Did you watch breakdancing in the Olympics? Could you win a dance battle? The Bible tells us we have three enemies: Satan & demons, the flesh, and the World. How have these enemies affected your worldview? (Worldview defined by how you answer questions like: How did I get here? Who am I? Why am I here?) Read Psalm 119:160, Proverbs 30:5-6, John 14:6. Our worldview is affected by where we find Truth. Do you believe the Bible is Truth? If yes, do your actions and beliefs line up with Biblical Truth? If no, where do you look for answers? What keeps you from believing the Bible? Progressive Christianity seeks to unhitch itself from a Bible worldview to have a “seat at the cool kids table” - to earn the applause of people who do not love or follow Jesus. Why is this so dangerous? Read Romans 1. How have you seen this progression of people worshiping created things over the creator leading to God giving them over to their sinful ways? How have you fallen victim to this in your life? Jesus was radically inclusive and radically exclusive. Anybody can come follow Jesus, but they must submit to Him as King and His Word as truth. Does Jesus have complete authority over your life? What areas have you yet to submit to him? Biblical worldview: “To see the world the way Jesus sees the world and to love the world the way Jesus loves the world”. Which of these is more challenging for you? How can you grow in that? Read 2 Timothy 4:2-5. What avenues do you have to preach the word (don’t think about this being limited to a stage)? How can you prepare to speak the Truth to those around you? How to build a Biblical Worldview? Start by reading the book of John, then the other Gospels. See how Jesus interacts with people, what he says, and what he does. Then work towards understanding the grand narrative of the Bible but regularly come back to the life of Jesus in the Gospels. What is your next step in building a Biblical Worldview? Once you build a Biblical Worldview you then start to live your life according to that worldview. Looking at your life through that lens, what needs to be filtered out? What needs to change? What needs to be added? What else from the podcast spoke to you? What did God/Holy Spirit speak/prompt/say to you? What’s God asking you to do? What does He want to give you? What does He want you to lay down? RECOMMENDED RESOURCES , Alisa Childers , Alisa Childers & Tim Barnett , Gordon D. Fee & Douglas Stuart , Sean McDowell NEXT STEPS Sign up for Men’s Retreat (October 18-20) at . The deadline is Join a Group at For any other questions or comments email [email protected] /episode/index/show/lockerroomscc/id/32898007

The Power That is In Us (Holy Spirit), Part 2 09/13/2024

The Power That is In Us (Holy Spirit), Part 2 The Holy Spirit is aware of what’s going on in our world. He can see things that we can’t. He knows us. He knows what we need. He partners with us to encourage us. He partners with us to challenge us and even convict us of sin. He partners with us because He knows best on how to use our lives to love and serve others. This week on Locker Room, we are continuing a conversation with Scott and Gary on the Holy Spirit. If you missed last week’s episode, be sure to listen first and then jump in with us here. DISCUSSION GUIDE Did you watch the Olympics this Summer? What was your favorite sport to watch? If you could participate in any event what would it be? Read Acts 2:1-4. This empowering of the Holy Spirit gave the apostles the ability to lead the first church. If they needed the Spirit back then we certainly need it today. Read 2 Corinthians 13:14. When you hear the word “fellowship” what comes to mind? Gary defines three levels of fellowship with the Spirit: 1. Companionship. 2. Partnership. 3. Intimacy. Which of those three levels is the easiest to understand in your relationship with the Holy Spirit? Which is the most challenging? Read Galatians 6:25. What’s the bigger struggle for you: lagging behind the Spirit or getting too far ahead of the Spirit? How can you find the right stride to walk in step with the Holy Spirit? Essentials for walking in the Spirit: Obedience, humility, holiness. Where do you need to grow in those areas Read Galatians 5:22-23. When you submit your life to the Holy Spirit He will produce this fruit in your life. Where in your life or someone you know have you seen the Holy Spirit bring transformation and produce fruit? To bear fruit you must understand that it is a process and a struggle, but we must never give up! What part of yourself is the hardest for the Spirit to change? How can you commit to not giving up and letting God transform you? What else from the podcast spoke to you? What did God/Holy Spirit speak/prompt/say to you? What’s God asking you to do? What does He want to give you? What does He want you to lay down? RECOMMENDED BOOKS , Francis Chan , Jim Cymbala , Charles Stanley , R.T. Kendall , A.W. Tozer NEXT STEPS Sign up for Men’s Retreat (October 18-20) at Join a Group at For any other questions or comments email [email protected] /episode/index/show/lockerroomscc/id/32692882

The Power That is In Us (Holy Spirit), with Gary Black, Part 1 09/06/2024

The Power That is In Us (Holy Spirit), with Gary Black, Part 1 When we accept the grace of Jesus and decide to follow him, God desires for us to turn from our own way of thinking and live Spirit-filled lives too. Yet many of us don’t. We meet Christians all the time whose lives could be summed up in two statements: One: “Nobody’s perfect. And two: “God understands.” There’s almost a despair about those two statements. It seems that, for many, life is merely a long string of joy and sorrows, but with the hope of Heaven at the end. Here’s the problem with that. If the Christian list is merely “doing our best,” then there’s no need for the Holy Spirit in the first place. So, all we have is OUR best, not GOD’S best for our lives. I don’t know about you, but my VERY, VERY best is still FAR from being like Jesus. Join us this week as Scott and Gary Black begin a conversation about the power God provides IN us—the Holy Spirit. DISCUSSION GUIDE How would you rank the four fast food restaurants that Scott and Gary discussed at the beginning of the podcast: Chick fil a, Cane’s, Taco Bell, and McDonald’s? Gary lists off a number of the names of the Holy Spirit found throughout Scripture: The Spirit of God, The Spirit of Christ, The Spirit of Truth, The Eternal Spirit, The Spirit of Glory, The Spirit of Life, The Spirit of Wisdom, The Spirit of Adoption, The Spirit of Promise, The Spirit of Holiness, The Spirit of Faith and our Comforter. Which of these names is the most intriguing to you and why? When discussing who the Holy Spirit is, Gary points out the Holy Spirit is a person, not a “thing,” and that the Holy Spirit dwells in us and gives life to our bodies. How would your relationship with God change if you saw him as a real person? Read John 16:7 & John 16:13. Jesus tells his disciples that it is better for him to leave than for him to stay with them. This is because when Jesus leaves, the Father will send the Holy Spirit to be their helper and their guide. When you think of the Holy Spirit being your “helper” or your “guide,” what comes to mind? Read 1 Corinthians 6:19. We are a permanent residence with God. Where we go, the Holy Spirit goes with us. What we experience, the Holy Spirit experiences. When we see sin, the Holy Spirit sees sin. How does this motivate you to live a life of purity? Read Romans 8:1-2 and 2 Timothy 1:7. The Holy Spirit has set you free! He gives you the boldness and confidence you need to live and lead like Jesus. What areas of your life can you boldly lead, knowing that the Holy Spirit is guiding you? Scott said, “Men who love God are led by God.” Allowing the Holy Spirit to lead is a necessary element of following Jesus. What are some habits that you can start this week to better LISTEN for the Holy Spirit and to follow where he is leading you? When you look back on your life, are there any ways you can now see that it was the Holy Spirit who was working in your life even when you couldn’t see or understand it? What else from the podcast spoke to you? What did God/Holy Spirit speak/prompt/say to you? What’s God asking you to do? What does He want to give you? What does He want you to lay down? RECOMMENDED BOOKS , Francis Chan , Jim Cymbala , Charles Stanley , R.T. Kendall , A.W. Tozer NEXT STEPS Sign up for Men’s Retreat (October 18-20) at Join a Group at For any other questions or comments email [email protected] /episode/index/show/lockerroomscc/id/32692852

The Power of Rest 08/30/2024

The Power of Rest We’re kicking off a new series in season 13 of Locker Room, and it’s simply called Power. We’re going to look at some key aspects and opportunities God gives us to usher His power into and through our lives. This week we’re digging out the power of rest. Jesus invites us into a healthy rhythm, where we pour out our lives for the Kingdom: pouring into our home, our work and the world around us; and then we stop and rest. We connect with the King, and allow Him to fill us and replenish us. DISCUSSION GUIDE Scott just spent a portion of his Summer on Sabbatical. What has been the longest period of time you’ve had to rest? What would you do if you had a month off of work to intentionally rest? Is it easy for you to rest? Why or why not? What does it look like for you to rest in a healthy way? “If you don’t know how to stop, life will do it to you.” Have you ever come to a breaking point where life forced you to stop? What stuck out to you when Scott mentioned the symptoms of hurry sickness? (You treat everything like it’s a race. You can’t just do one task at a time. Hurry sickness creates highly irritable people. You always feel behind. You interrupt people. Obsessed with checking things off a list.) Hurry makes us sick. The cure is Sabbath rest. Do you really believe this? Why or why not? Read Genesis 2:1-3 & Exodus 20:8-10. What can we learn from these passages? Do you take pride in breaking this commandment of God? Do you feel guilty when you keep this commandment? Why or why not? Sabbath is really an act of faith. Do you trust God to do in 6 days what the world tries to do in 7? Do you trust God enough to Sabbath? Read Mark 2:27. Sabbath was made as a gift for you. How can you best utilize this gift? What are some practical steps you can take towards a rhythm of weekly Sabbath in your life? What else from the podcast spoke to you? What did God/Holy Spirit speak/prompt/say to you? What’s God asking you to do? What does He want to give you? What does He want you to lay down? NEXT STEPS Sign up for Men’s Retreat (October 18-20) at Join a Group at For any other questions or comments email [email protected] /episode/index/show/lockerroomscc/id/32659407

Season 12 Wrap Up 05/17/2024

Locker Room - A Southland Christian Church Podcast

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