Rethink & Return with Jason Shepperd

Latest Episodes:

Wrestling With God for a Move (Acts 11:19-24) Sep 22, 2026

Show notes

This episode covers Acts 11:19-24 and the pivotal moment when the gospel began moving beyond the familiar and comfortable. Jason Shepperd and Dave Edwards explore what happened when some believers went further than they had gone before and began sharing the good news of Jesus with people outside their normal circles.

Through the story of Barnabas and the believers in Antioch, they unpack what it looks like to step outside our comfort zones, trust the Holy Spirit, and become people who genuinely want others to know Jesus. Barnabas wasn’t known as a great orator or a front-and-center leader. He was simply a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and God used him to encourage people and see a great number of people come to the Lord.

The conversation also explores what it means to pray and wrestle with God for an obvious move of God. Rather than simply looking for the event of revival, the focus is on the movement of revival—believers who are willing to contend for the hearts of people around them and live with a sense of urgency for the gospel.

Jason and Dave challenge Christians to embrace a “one more” mindset: one more person hearing the gospel, one more person coming to Christ, and one more life being changed by Jesus. They discuss how spiritual growth is never ultimately about ourselves, but about allowing God to use our lives for the benefit of others.

Whether you feel equipped to share the gospel or not, this conversation is a reminder that you don’t have to wait until you feel fearless. You can do it afraid, trust that the Lord’s hand is with you, and simply take the next step.

Additional Resources

Watch or listen to Past Sermons
Start With 7 (Daily Audio Devotionals)
GOOD.GOD.GOSPEL. (How to Have Conversations Toward Salvation)
Learn about Church Project Network and follow our NEW Instagram (@churchprojectofficial)
Read this book by Jason: “A Church of House Churches: An Articulated and Applied Ecclesiology”
Website

The Supremacy of Jesus (Colossians 1:18-20) Sep 15, 2026

Show notes

This episode covers Colossians 1:18-20 and the supremacy of Jesus over His Church, His power over death, the fullness of God found in Him, and the reconciliation He accomplished through the cross.

Paul describes Jesus as the head of the body, the Church. Jesus does not simply call us into a relationship with Himself; He makes us part of His body and calls us to belong to one another. We cannot claim to love the Head while remaining disconnected from the body. The more we love Jesus, the more we will love what He loves—and Jesus loves His Church and the lost.

Jesus is also the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead. He entered creation but was not created. He existed before all things, and through His own power He conquered death. Because He is before all things, He should be before everything in our lives. Jesus does not settle for second place. He is supreme over our relationships, emotions, desires, decisions, plans, possessions, fears, careers, families, and futures.

Paul then makes an extraordinary declaration: all the fullness of God dwells in Jesus. Everything that makes God, God, is found fully in Christ. This gives us confidence and clarity about who Jesus is and why He alone can reconcile us to God.

We were not alright. We were separated from God and needed reconciliation, but God initiated peace. Through the blood of Jesus shed on the cross, He paid the price necessary to bring us back to Himself. We do not reconcile ourselves through good works, shame, suffering, or trying harder.

The cross was God’s complete plan. Jesus paid for our reconciliation, made peace with God possible, and finished the work.

Additional Resources

Watch or listen to Past Sermons
Start With 7 (Daily Audio Devotionals)
GOOD.GOD.GOSPEL. (How to Have Conversations Toward Salvation)
Learn about Church Project Network and follow our NEW Instagram (@churchprojectofficial)
Read this book by Jason: “A Church of House Churches: An Articulated and Applied Ecclesiology”
Website

Through Him and for Him (Colossians 1:15-17) Sep 08, 2026

Show notes

This episode covers Colossians 1:15-17 and the supremacy of Jesus over all creation. Paul gives us one of Scripture’s clearest pictures of who Jesus really is—not simply a good teacher, prophet, or spiritual guide, but the visible image of the invisible God, the Creator of everything, and the One who holds all things together.

What does it mean that Jesus is “the image of the invisible God” and “the firstborn over all creation”? We explore why seeing Jesus is seeing God, why Jesus didn’t begin at His birth, and why understanding His eternal nature changes the way we understand Christianity altogether. Jesus is co-eternal, co-equal, and co-existing with the Father—God in the flesh.

Colossians also tells us that everything in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, was created through Jesus and for Jesus. That includes more than what we can see or fully understand. While we may not have answers for everything about the physical and spiritual worlds, we can have faith beyond our best understanding. Everything exists for His glory—and that includes us. We were made for Him, and our fullest selves are found in Him.

Finally, Paul reminds us that Jesus doesn’t create and abandon. “In him all things hold together.” When it feels like everything in life is falling apart, Jesus is still holding it all together. Instead of pulling away when life becomes uncertain, we can get closer to Him.

The more clearly we see who Jesus is, the more our response becomes awe, worship, and wonder. Jesus was before us, He is beyond us, and everything ultimately depends on Him.

Additional Resources

Watch or listen to Past Sermons
Start With 7 (Daily Audio Devotionals)
GOOD.GOD.GOSPEL. (How to Have Conversations Toward Salvation)
Learn about Church Project Network and follow our NEW Instagram (@churchprojectofficial)
Read this book by Jason: “A Church of House Churches: An Articulated and Applied Ecclesiology”
Website

How to Know God's Will (Colossians 1:9-14) Aug 31, 2026

Show notes

This episode covers Colossians 1:9-14, where Paul gives us a powerful picture of what it looks like to follow Jesus and how we should pray for ourselves and others. As the gospel continues to move and grow, Paul reminds the church that gospel participation requires the power and protection of prayer to persevere.

We’ll explore why one of our greatest desires should be to know the will of God and how spiritual wisdom and understanding come from walking by the Spirit. We’ll also look at what it means to live a life worthy of the Lord—not because we could ever earn His grace, but because honoring His name becomes our aim.

This passage challenges us to consider whether our lives are ultimately being lived to please ourselves, others, or the Lord. We’ll talk about how the same grace that saved us continues to sanctify us and how good works are not a way to earn salvation, but the visible fruit of a life transformed by the gospel.

The conversation also explores what it means to continually grow in the knowledge of God and become stronger in His strength. God’s goal is not for us to remain the same, but to grow in endurance and patience so we can keep going and wait for Him to work.

Finally, we’ll celebrate the joyful reality at the heart of the gospel: we were disqualified, but Jesus has qualified us. He rescued us from the dominion of darkness, brought us into His kingdom, and gave us redemption. This is why we pray, why we care about those who are far from God, and why we step into the lives of others with the message of salvation.

Join us as we discover what it means to become people who pray, grow, endure, give thanks, do good works, and live fully for Jesus.

Additional Resources

Watch or listen to Past Sermons
Start With 7 (Daily Audio Devotionals)
GOOD.GOD.GOSPEL. (How to Have Conversations Toward Salvation)
Learn about Church Project Network and follow our NEW Instagram (@churchprojectofficial)
Read this book by Jason: “A Church of House Churches: An Articulated and Applied Ecclesiology”
Website

We Live Here So Others Hear (Colossians 1:3-8) Aug 25, 2026

Show notes

This episode covers Colossians 1:3-8 and what it looks like when the Gospel takes root in a church, transforms individual lives, and continues to grow through people who faithfully share it.

Paul begins by thanking God for the Colossian church and praying for them. His example reminds us that praying for our church should become normal—not casually, but always, often, passionately, and with faith. We are in a spiritual war, and prayer is part of the work God has called His people to do.

The Colossians were known for their faith in Christ Jesus and their love for God’s people. But that faith and love didn’t originate within themselves. They sprang from the hope stored up for them in heaven. The Gospel leads to salvation, salvation leads to the giving of the Spirit, and the Spirit becomes a source that is continually flowing and growing in the life of a believer. Jesus remains the ongoing source of our faith and love.

We also see that the Gospel is meant to be heard. People hear the Gospel from other people, and there are still people around us who have never heard its true message. As the Gospel goes throughout the world, it bears fruit, changes lives, produces holiness, and invites every believer to participate in its growth.

Finally, we look at Epaphras—a faithful servant who carried the Gospel to others—and ask a personal question: Who has heard the Gospel from you? Sharing Jesus isn’t pressure; it’s a privilege, a purpose, a passion, and a deep pleasure.

Additional Resources

Watch or listen to Past Sermons
Start With 7 (Daily Audio Devotionals)
GOOD.GOD.GOSPEL. (How to Have Conversations Toward Salvation)
Learn about Church Project Network and follow our NEW Instagram (@churchprojectofficial)
Read this book by Jason: “A Church of House Churches: An Articulated and Applied Ecclesiology”
Website

You Were Made For More (Colossians 1:1-2) Aug 18, 2026

Show notes

This episode covers Colossians 1:1-2 and the powerful truths found in the opening words of Paul’s letter to the church in Colossae. Though only two verses, they reveal what it means to be changed by Jesus, called according to God’s will, committed to His mission, connected to His Church, and growing in grace and peace.

Paul begins by identifying himself as “an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God.” His story is a reminder that you are no longer what you were. Paul went from opposing Jesus and persecuting His followers to becoming an apostle proclaiming the Gospel. Salvation by Jesus changes people—He forgives, reconciles, gives His Spirit, and makes us new. Jesus always moves us in the direction of grace, not guilt.

We also explore what it means to live according to the will of God. God calls, gifts, and places people for His purposes, and Jesus is the reason for our calling—not our own satisfaction. The question we should ask first and most is, “What does God want?”

Paul’s mention of Timothy shows us how the mission moves forward: everybody uses their gifts, no one sees themselves as lesser by comparison, and we bring other people into the mission with us.

Finally, Paul addresses God’s holy people—the Church. The Church is not a common community and cannot be treated commonly. It is spiritual family, a people God is making holy together. As we grow in Christ, we walk toward giving more grace, receiving more grace, receiving more peace, and making more peace.

These two verses challenge us to leave behind our old identity, pursue God’s will, use what He has given us, value His Church, and live as people transformed by Jesus.

Additional Resources

Watch or listen to Past Sermons
Start With 7 (Daily Audio Devotionals)
GOOD.GOD.GOSPEL. (How to Have Conversations Toward Salvation)
Learn about Church Project Network and follow our NEW Instagram (@churchprojectofficial)
Read this book by Jason: “A Church of House Churches: An Articulated and Applied Ecclesiology”
Website

Remembering The Way Of God // Sermon Conversations Mar 24, 2026

Show notes

This episode covers 2 Peter 3:1-9 and Peter’s urgent call to remember the way of God.
We talk about how Peter, near the end of his life, writes to stir up wholesome thinking by reminding us of the words of the prophets and the commands of Jesus through the apostles. We look at the scoffers who mock the promise of Christ’s return, deliberately forgetting God’s power in creation, the flood, and the coming judgment by fire.
At the heart of it is God’s patience: He is not slow, but patient, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance. We also discuss what it means to be people of the Word, hiding Scripture in our hearts, praying it back to God, and using it to disciple others in everyday life.
If you need a fresh reminder to trust God’s timing and keep your mind fixed on Him, this episode is for you.

Additional Resources

Watch or listen to Past Sermons
Start With 7 (Daily Audio Devotionals)
GOOD.GOD.GOSPEL. (How to Have Conversations Toward Salvation)
Learn about Church Project Network and follow our NEW Instagram (@churchprojectofficial)
Read this book by Jason: “A Church of House Churches: An Articulated and Applied Ecclesiology”
Website

False Teachers, God’s Vengeance and the Dog’s Vomit // Sermon Conversations Mar 17, 2026

Show notes

This episode covers the raw warning in 2 Peter 2:13-22 about false teachers infiltrating the church, God’s certain payback for the harm they cause, and the shocking reality of those who taste the gospel but return to sin. We unpack how these teachers carouse in broad daylight, seduce the unstable with greed and adultery, promise freedom while enslaved to depravity, and why leaving the straight path leads to worse destruction than never knowing the way at all.
You’ll see the powerful progression of moral decay, the truth that vengeance belongs to the Lord alone, and the sobering Proverbs Peter uses—a dog returning to its vomit and a washed pig wallowing back in the mud—to show that real transformation only happens when we fully submit to Jesus’ lordship. If you’re studying 2 Peter, wrestling with discernment in the church today, or want to protect the purity of the gospel, this deep dive will sharpen your faith and help you spot the fake by knowing the real Jesus.
Perfect for anyone doing Bible study on false teaching, gospel protection, or Christian leadership.

Additional Resources

Watch or listen to Past Sermons
Start With 7 (Daily Audio Devotionals)
GOOD.GOD.GOSPEL. (How to Have Conversations Toward Salvation)
Learn about Church Project Network and follow our NEW Instagram (@churchprojectofficial)
Read this book by Jason: “A Church of House Churches: An Articulated and Applied Ecclesiology”
Website

2 Peter 2:4-12 // Sermon Conversations Mar 10, 2026

Show notes

This episodes covers 2 Peter 2:4–12 and explores the sobering reality that God is both the righteous Judge and the faithful Rescuer. The passage walks through examples of divine judgment—from angels who sinned, to the ancient world destroyed by the flood, to the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah—to show that no one ultimately escapes God’s justice.

At the same time, Scripture highlights God’s pattern of rescuing the righteous, as seen in the lives of Noah and Lot, reminding us that His heart moves toward redemption even while He judges sin. The episode wrestles with how we approach difficult truths about hell, condemnation, and God’s sovereign authority over righteousness and judgment. It also challenges listeners to examine whether they approach Scripture through humility and trust in God’s Word or through a predisposed lens that questions the Judge Himself.

The conversation contrasts those who humbly live under God’s righteousness with those who arrogantly follow their own desires, reject authority, and speak against what they do not understand. Ultimately, the episode points listeners back to the hope of rescue found in Jesus—the One whose righteousness covers us and secures our salvation even in a world still awaiting final judgment.

Additional Resources

Watch or listen to Past Sermons
Start With 7 (Daily Audio Devotionals)
GOOD.GOD.GOSPEL. (How to Have Conversations Toward Salvation)
Learn about Church Project Network and follow our NEW Instagram (@churchprojectofficial)
Read this book by Jason: “A Church of House Churches: An Articulated and Applied Ecclesiology”
Website

How to Recognize False Teaching and Heretics // Sermon Conversations Mar 03, 2026

Show notes

This episode covers 2 Peter chapter 2 and the reality of false teachers among the people of God.
We talk about what actually qualifies as heresy, the difference between disputable matters and gospel essentials, and why denying the lordship of Jesus crosses a line. The covenant changed, but the human condition did not. That means false teaching did not disappear either.
We also wrestle with the danger of saying a whole lot without ever saying the whole thing, and how to examine what we hear without becoming heretic hunters.
This is a needed conversation for anyone who wants to love the gospel, protect the gospel, and live with both conviction and humility.

Additional Resources

Watch or listen to Past Sermons
Start With 7 (Daily Audio Devotionals)
GOOD.GOD.GOSPEL. (How to Have Conversations Toward Salvation)
Learn about Church Project Network and follow our NEW Instagram (@churchprojectofficial)
Read this book by Jason: “A Church of House Churches: An Articulated and Applied Ecclesiology”
Website

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