Send a text

I'm a "failed" church planter.

We've spoken about many things over the last 26 episodes, but I feel like it is time to really be open about our journey with church planting and where it led us. 11 years of waiting for 6 months of services? That doesn't exactly track, does it?

Maybe it does.

This episode is designed to encourage you that obedience doesn't mean a direct path, and that disappointment does not mean the journey is over. For every person feeling lost post- "failure", I pray that you will find courage and strength to keep trusting in the goodness of God, no matter what the "success" looks like.

Your pause has purpose! It is never pointless! Get your copy on Amazon by clicking the link!

Connect with us via our Instagram: @faithformed_pod

Email us any questions or comments to yourpursuitpodcast@gmail.com

Order your copy of my latest book, "The Purpose in the Pause", here

Learn more about me at www.justindbelt.com

Send a text

Can you forgive someone and still block their number? Can you pray for your ex while keeping the locks changed? Can you wish someone well from 50 miles away?

If you've ever been told that "real forgiveness" means letting toxic people back into your life, this episode will set you free.

In this extended episode of Faithformed, we tackle the most dangerous lie in Christian culture: that blessing equals trust and forgiveness equals reconciliation. The truth? You can bless your enemy without being a doormat. You can practice the spiritual discipline of blessing while maintaining healthy boundaries that protect your peace.

We live in the Age of the Arsonist—a culture addicted to criticism, contempt, and cancel culture. From social media outrage to family feuds, we've weaponized our words and turned our tongues into weapons of mass destruction. But James warned us: the tongue is "a restless evil, full of deadly poison" that can set entire forests ablaze.

What if your words could build instead of burn?

Drawing on Genesis 1 (where God speaks worlds into existence), the story of Jacob and Esau (the irrevocable power of blessing), neuroscience (why your brain screams "danger!" when you try to forgive), and the Japanese art of Kintsugi (filling broken things with gold), this episode gives you a biblical framework for breaking free from toxic relationships without becoming toxic yourself.

In This Episode, We Cover:

• Blessing vs. Trust: Why blessing is a spiritual posture (happens in a moment) and trust is a track record (takes years to build)
• Forgiveness vs. Reconciliation: How to release bitterness without re-opening the door to abuse
• The Neuroscience of Anger: Why cursing feels like safety but actually keeps you trapped and tethered to your enemy
• The Culture of Contempt: How social media rewards the "dunk" and why cynicism is spiritual laziness (Arthur Brooks)
• Boundaries as Blessing: Why sometimes the most loving thing you can do is stop someone from sinning against you
• The Theology of Speech: How your words create reality—are you building a world of anxiety or a Kingdom?
• The Ministry of Prophetic Encouragement: How to "call out the gold" in people instead of defining them by their failures

Perfect For:

• Anyone struggling with toxic family members, narcissistic exes, or emotionally abusive relationships
• Christians who feel guilty for setting boundaries
• Parents who want to break generational cycles of cursing and create a culture of blessing in their homes
• Anyone battling criticism addiction, outrage fatigue, or social media toxicity

Theologians, Sources & Concepts Mentioned:

• Dallas Willard (The power of blessing)
• Arthur Brooks (Love Your Enemies, The Culture of Contempt)
• James 3 (The tongue as fire)
• Genesis 1 & 27 (Creation by speech, Jacob steals Esau's blessing)
• Japanese Kintsugi (The art of repairing with gold)

Featured Free Resource: Download the 7-Day Fast from Criticism guide, a simple PDF to help you track your speech,

Your pause has purpose! It is never pointless! Get your copy on Amazon by clicking the link!

Connect with us via our Instagram: @faithformed_pod

Email us any questions or comments to yourpursuitpodcast@gmail.com

Order your copy of my latest book, "The Purpose in the Pause", here

We can't wait to build momentum and create a movement of pursuit with you!

Send us a text

How do Christians use hospitality to create change?

The U.S. Surgeon General recently declared "Loneliness" a public health epidemic, stating that isolation is as lethal as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. But political philosopher Hannah Arendt warned us decades ago that isolation isn't just a health crisis—it is the primary preparation for tyranny.

In a world that wants us to build bunkers and fear our neighbors, the most radical act of rebellion is to unlock the front door.

In this extended episode of Faithformed, we explore why the dinner table is the ultimate weapon of spiritual warfare. We move beyond the "Pinterest" view of entertaining and dive into the gritty, subversive history of Radical Hospitality. We travel from the tables of First Century Judea to the secret kitchen of Georgia Gilmore during the Civil Rights Movement, discovering how movements are fueled by food.

We also confront the "Gentile Problem"—the arrogance of the "Benevolent Host"—and look to Indigenous wisdom to defeat the spirit of Scarcity (the Windigo) that keeps our doors locked.

In This Episode, We Cover:

• The Lethality of Loneliness: Why isolation is the soil where fear and hatred grow (Hannah Arendt).
• The Politics of the Snack: Why Jesus was killed for his table manners, not just his theology (N.T. Wright).
• The Kitchen of the Revolution: The untold story of Georgia Gilmore and the "Club from Nowhere" that funded the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
• The Theology of the Guest: Why we must stop hosting like "Colonizers" and start hosting like "Cousins" (Dr. Willie James Jennings).
• Exorcising the Windigo: How to overcome the fear of inflation and scarcity by practicing the "Harmony Way" (Randy Woodley).

Theologians & Sources Mentioned:

• Dr. Vivek Murthy: Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation (U.S. Surgeon General Advisory)
• Hannah Arendt: The Origins of Totalitarianism
• Georgia Gilmore: The Club from Nowhere
• Dr. Willie James Jennings: The Christian Imagination
• Randy Woodley: Shalom and the Community of Creation
• Robin Wall Kimmerer: Braiding Sweetgrass (The Windigo Spirit)

Featured Resource: The Resistance Dinner Kit Don't let the fear of awkward silence keep you from the fight. Download this free, double-sided field guide. It includes:

• Side A: The "Liturgy of the Open Door" (to consecrate your home).
• Side B: The "Resistance Conversation Menu" (questions to deepen the connection). https://payhip.com/b/fzbAC

Memorable Quote: "When you invite an immigrant family over, or a neighbor who is struggling, you aren't the 'Master of the House' granting them a favor. You are just one beggar telling another beggar where you found bread."

Your pause has purpose! It is never pointless! Get your copy on Amazon by clicking the link!

Connect with us via our Instagram: @faithformed_pod

Email us any questions or comments to yourpursuitpodcast@gmail.com

Order your copy of my latest book, "The Purpose in the Pause", here

We can't wait to build momentum and create a movement of pursuit with you!