In this episode of Soul Talk, Pastor Rick reflects on aging as a Christian and what it means to walk faithfully with God through later seasons of life. With honesty, Scripture, and gentle humor, he explores the challenges of growing older—shifting identity, loss, and uncertainty—while highlighting the deep spiritual gifts that maturity brings. This conversation reminds listeners that God’s presence does not diminish with age; it often grows richer, and His purpose continues as a powerful force of wisdom, prayer, testimony, and blessing for others.

In a culture obsessed with size, scale, and visibility, this episode of Soul Talk offers a needed correction: the small church is not a problem to solve—it’s a gift to treasure. Pastor Rick begins by inviting listeners to honestly examine their soul—peaceful, weary, hopeful, or burdened—before turning to a timely encouragement for pastors and congregations who may feel overlooked or insecure. Drawing from Scripture, current research, and lived ministry experience, this conversation highlights how small churches foster deep relationships, authentic discipleship, and meaningful “micro-touches” that form people more faithfully than large events ever could. In a loud and anxious world, the small church stands as a quiet miracle—faithful, relational, and exactly where God is powerfully at work.

As the new year begins, Pastor Rick invites us on Soul Talk to pause and honestly examine the state of our soul—whether we’re weary, hungry for God, burdened by responsibilities, quietly hopeful, or resting in peace. This episode reframes New Year’s resolutions through the lens of grace, focusing not on perfection but on faithfulness. With practical, realistic guidance, Pastor Rick explores how to build a sustainable habit of Bible reading that lasts beyond January—through small steps, daily rhythms, habit stacking, accountability, and grace-filled restarts. Along the way, we’re reminded that God delights in new beginnings, meets us in ordinary moments, and uses His Word to shape our hearts, guide our actions, and draw us closer to Him.

In this extended Christmas episode of Soul Talk, Pastor Rick invites us to slow down and take an honest look at the state of our soul—whether we’re weary, hungry for God, burdened, hopeful, or quietly at peace. Drawing from Scripture, personal reflection, and three beloved Christmas columns, this conversation explores joy as a gift from God, the danger of letting worry and busyness steal it, and why Christmas can’t be taken away—no matter how hard the Grinch tries. Through stories of waiting, celebration, generosity, and grace, we’re reminded that Christmas is ultimately about Emmanuel—God with us—and a Savior who grows our hearts, restores wonder, and fills our souls with lasting joy.

In a season filled with lights, noise, and expectations, where does real hope come from? In this episode of Soul Talk, Pastor Rick invites us to pause and honestly ask how our soul is doing. Through Scripture, the Advent story, and the lives of Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, and the wise men, we rediscover a hope that doesn’t depend on circumstances—but on Jesus, who entered the darkness and stayed. Together, we explore how to cultivate hope through slowing down, remembering God’s faithfulness, serving without return, and bringing both our disappointments and joys to Christ. Christmas reminds us that light overcomes darkness, God is closer than we think, and the story is not finished. Hope has come—and He still lives within us.

At Christmas, we celebrate peace—but what happens when peace feels impossible? In this episode of SoulTalk, we slow down and ask an honest question: How is your soul really doing? Through the powerful true story of Corrie ten Boom, we wrestle with forgiveness not as a feeling, but as a costly decision—one that Christ both commands and empowers. This conversation invites us to release bitterness, confront what’s holding us back, and discover how forgiveness doesn’t just free others, but frees us. As Christmas approaches, we explore why the greatest gift may not be under the tree, but in a heart willing to let go

In this episode, we invite you to pause with us and look honestly into your soul as Christmas draws near. Together, we reflect on the kind of grace that doesn’t wait for us to reach upward, but instead comes down into the real places where we struggle, hope, and long for God’s touch. We explore how that grace has met us—how it has softened what was rigid, lifted what was heavy, and brought light into places we thought were beyond repair.

And then we turn outward. We challenge ourselves—as a community—to let that same grace flow through our lives this season. Christmas isn’t just something we remember; it’s something we embody. Every act of kindness, every moment of forgiveness, every quiet step toward someone who feels forgotten becomes another way grace comes down into the world.

This episode is an open invitation: as we let God meet us where we truly are, we also step together into the calling to carry His grace to those who need it most. Let’s enter this season ready to be part of the healing our world is longing for.

This episode of Soul Talk with Pastor Rick Qualls and Matt encourages listeners to look beyond the surface of Thanksgiving dinner and focus on true gratitude for God's gifts. Pastor Rick outlines three essential steps to help listeners have a more meaningful and God-centered holiday season:

1. Be Present with God: Slow down during the busy season to be still, acknowledge dependence on God, and actively remember His blessings.

2. Shift Your Perspective: Move from focusing on scarcity (what you lack) to abundance (what you have). Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life and turns what we have into enough.

3. Pass It On: Gratitude should be an action, not just a feeling. Share your thanks, forgiveness, and grace with others to positively impact your community and reflect God's love.