More than Roommates

Latest Episodes:

Episode 160 - How to be Intentional during Christmas Dec 23, 2025

Show notes

In the midst of a busy and often distracting Christmas season, this episode challenges couples to choose presence over just more presents. The More Than Roommates team offer practical, biblical encouragement to help you slow down, be intentional, and truly connect with your spouse and Jesus during the holidays.

Discussion Questions:

1- When you think about this Christmas season so far, where have you been most distracted? Where have you felt most present?

2- What tends to pull your attention away from your spouse during the holidays (phones, stress, schedules, comparison, etc.)?

3- What does presence look like for you personally? What about for your spouse?

4- How can you intentionally create moments of connection in the days ahead—even if Christmas has already passed?

Resources

Episode 51 - How to make this Your Best Holiday Season

Episode 159 Goodbye Scott.... kind of Dec 16, 2025

Show notes

Scott is changing jobs! This week, the team honors Scott as he transitions off Harris Creek's staff and shares the story behind his big vocational change—how he processed the decision, invited community, and listened to the Lord’s leading. The conversation offers couples a model for making major decisions with humility, unity, and intentionality. The MTR team also discusses the exciting future to come with the podcast!

Discussion Questions for Couples

1- When you face a big decision, do you tend to move fast or slow? How does that impact your spouse?

2- What role does community currently play in your decision-making? What role should it play?

3- How do you personally respond to vulnerability—your spouse’s and your own?

4- Are there areas where you might be making decisions independently rather than mutually?

Resources:

Episode 43- The not so secret Guide to In Laws (ft. Dave Willis)

Episode 49- We are Made for People (ft. Justin Whitmel Earley)

Episode 63 - Celebrating One Year of MTR

Episode 102 - A Story of Redemption and Forgiveness (ft. Kevin Kelli Mainz)

Episode 103 - Protecting Your Marriage from Infidelity

Episode 121- Christ is the Melody of Your Marriage (ft. John Elmore)

Episode 158 - Love and Respect Dec 09, 2025

Show notes

In this episode, Scott, Derek, and Gabrielle explore the often-misunderstood ideas of love and respect in marriage, grounding the conversation in Scripture while sharing real-life stories from their own relationships. They unpack why spouses may long for different forms of affirmation and how understanding those needs can transform everyday connection.

Resources

- Love and Respect by Emerson Eggerichs

Discussion Questions:

1- When do you feel most loved or most respected by your spouse? Can you describe a recent moment?

2- Do you think you naturally communicate more love or more respect? How does your spouse typically receive it?

3- Have past misunderstandings ever come from giving your spouse what you value instead of what they value?

4- What is one simple action this week—public or private—that would communicate either love or respect more clearly?

Episode 157 - The Silent Killer of Marriage: Busyness, Margin, and Mission Together Dec 02, 2025

Show notes

Busyness may look normal, but it’s quietly draining your marriage emotionally, physically, spiritually, and sexually. In this episode, Scott, Derek, and Gabrielle unpack why most of our busyness is a choice, how to discern when to say yes or no, and practical ways to create margin, live on mission, and protect what matters most at home.

Scriptures:

Romans 12:1-2

Ephesians 5:15-17

Matthew 16:25

Genesis 2:25

Questions to Discuss:

1. What are some of the reasons you and your spouse are overly busy in your lives and schedule?

2. What is the cost of your busyness to your marriage and family? (i.e., health, money, intimacy)

3. Which of your current commitments are true needs and which are really choices that reflect your lifestyle preferences or fear of missing out?

4. Who in your community group or trusted circle needs to speak into your level of busyness and help you evaluate your commitments?

Resources:

Podcast - More Than Roommates, Episode 41 - Why Busyness Might Destroy Your Marriage (feat. Gary Thomas)

Podcast - More Than Roommates, Episode 31 - Too Busy to Get Busy (Part 2 of 3 in a series on marital intimacy)

Book - Emotionally Healthy Spirituality, by Peter Scazzero

Book - Practicing the Way, by John Mark Comer

Episode 156 - Five Priorities for a Faithful Marriage (Inspired by Dr. Gary Chapman) Nov 25, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of More Than Roommates, Derek, Gabrielle, and Scott share five priorities that shape a faithful life and marriage, drawing insight from Dr. Gary Chapman’s long obedience in the same direction. They walk through what it looks like to keep Jesus first, prioritize your spouse and kids, live on mission together, and aim to finish faithful to the very end.

Questions to Discuss:

1. Who was your favorite teacher when you were growing up? Share with your spouse.

2. What does look like to be faithful for you right now in your current season of life?

3. When you look at your current rhythms, what (honestly) seems like your true first priority—Jesus, marriage, kids, work, comfort, or something else?

4. Which of the five priorities (Jesus, spouse, kids, mission, finishing faithful) do you sense the Lord highlighting most strongly for this season?

Scriptures:

MT 6:33

MT 22:37-40

PR 4:23

PS 127:3

2 Corinthians 5:18

Hebrews 12:1-2

2 Cor 4:2

Resources

Book - The 5 Love Languages, by Gary Chapman

Episode 155 - More Blessed to Give: Learning to Be a Generous Couple Nov 18, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of More Than Roommates, Scott, Derek, and Gabrielle talk about what it looks like for couples to pursue generosity together—especially when fear, comparison, or family history make giving hard. They unpack biblical principles, personal stories, and practical ideas to help you build a thoughtful, cheerful, and faith-filled approach to money in your marriage.

Scriptures:

Luke 21:1-4

Acts 20:35

2 Corinthians 9:6-7

1 Tim 5:8

Questions to Discuss:

1. What keeps you from being generous with your finances as a couple?

2. When you think about being generous, what emotion rises up first—excitement or anxiety? Why do you think that is?

3. What will you and your spouse do if you differ in your views on generosity?

4. Where do you see a lack of faith showing up in how you handle money? Are you tempted to find security in a savings account more than in God’s provision?

Episode 154 - Youth Sports Without Losing Your Marriage (feat. Ed Uszynski & Brian Smith) Nov 11, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of More Than Roommates, Scott and Derek interview authors of the book Away Game and longtime sport-ministry leaders Ed Uszynski and Brian Smith to help couples reframe youth sports as a discipleship opportunity instead of an all-consuming lifestyle. They unpack how to make thoughtful choices about Sundays, money, travel, and expectations—all for the sake of your marriage and your kids’ formation.

Scriptures:

Romans 12:1-2

Hebrews 10:24-25

PR 22:6

Questions to Discuss:

1. When we leave a game, what do we celebrate first—performance or character (effort, joy, self-control, love)? What does that reveal about our priorities?

2. Which fruit of the Spirit do we want to cultivate most in our family through sports this month? What’s one habit to reinforce it (before, during, and after games)?

3. Money & time check: Are our sports expenses and calendar aligned with our values for marriage, family, generosity, and rest? What needs adjusting?

4. Expectations audit: Are we subtly tying our child’s performance to our identity? How can we speak freedom and grace over them—and each other—this week?

Resources:

Book - Away Game, by Brian Smith & Ed Uszynski

Website - TheChristianAthlete.com

Follow Brian Smith and Ed Uszynski on Instagram

Episode 153 - What Every Married Couple Needs to Know About Going to Church Together Nov 04, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of More Than Roommates, Gabrielle, Derek, and Scott discuss non-negotiables, preferences, wise process, and why commitment to a local body is essential for your spiritual growth and your marriage. They discuss what to do when you and your spouse don’t see eye-to-eye.

Scriptures:

Hebrews 10:23-25

Acts 2:42-47

1 Corinthians 12

Romans 12

PS 19:14

Questions to Discuss:

1. What are our top five non-negotiables for a church? Where are we currently aligned—and where are we not?

2. How are we currently using our gifts to build up the body (1 Cor 12; Rom 12)? What’s one next step we can take to use our gifts?

3. If we’re considering a change, have we fasted, prayed, and invited community/leadership into the decision?

4. What past church experiences (good or painful) might be shaping our expectations today?

Resources:

Sacred Pathways, by Gary Thomas

Episode 152 - 5 Daily Conversations That Build Oneness Oct 28, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of More Than Roommates, Derek, Gabrielle, and Scott discuss some conversations couples that strengthen oneness every day. Couples won’t find the satisfaction, joy, and happiness they desire apart from intentional conversations with one another.

Scriptures:

Genesis 2:25

Galatians 6:2

1 Peter 5:7

Psalm 55:22

Psalm 139:14

Deut 31:6

Phil 4:8

Questions to Discuss:

1. Which one of you is more of the talker in your relationship/marriage?

2. On a scale of 1–10, how would you rate our marriage this week—and why?

3. What are you currently into (Scripture insight, song, show, book, podcast) and why does it resonate?

4. Share one future hope or dream—how might God use us there?

5. What one small daily or weekly rhythm would help us keep these five conversations going?

Resources:

Article - People in the Happiest Relationships Talk about 5 Things Every Day

One of Scott’s favorite Instagram followers - Everydaywithhk

Episode 151 - Four Marriage Trends You Can’t Ignore in 2025 Oct 21, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of More Than Roommates, Derek, Gabrielle, and Scott unpack four marriage trends—crisis of resilience, digital disconnect, financial anxiety, and blurred lines between work and home—and offer practical ways to push back with biblical wisdom. We hope this episode helps you move from “roommates” to a joy-filled, God-honoring marriage.

Scriptures:

1 Cor 7:28

John 16:33

MT 7:24-27

Col 3:23

1 Cor 10:31

Jeremiah 17:5-8

Questions to Discuss:

1. Where have we expected marriage to be “easy,” and how can we build grit (perseverance + hope) together this month?

2. What are our top two phone/tech boundaries for date nights, evenings, and weekends? (Be specific: chargers, baskets, Focus modes, no-phone zones.)

3. What’s driving our financial anxiety—math, lifestyle, or comparison? What’s one action we’ll take this week (budget meeting, cut a subscription, set a savings/giving goal)?

4. How are our work/home lines blurred right now? Name one habit to protect family time (e.g., no email after 6pm, a daily shutdown ritual, office hours).

Resources:

Financial Peace university

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