Between Sundays with The Chandlers

Brooke Ledbetter joins us to talk about a journey that many people quietly walk through—depression, anxiety, loneliness, and the surprising gift of friendship. Brooke shares how a painful college breakup opened the door to a season of depression, how anxiety and social fear followed, and how God met her through His Word, wise counseling, medication, and, perhaps most powerfully, the faithful presence of Christian friends.We talk about the role of community in healing, what it looks like to let people carry your burdens when you can’t carry them yourself, and the moment God used a simple prayer gathering to bring a dramatic turning point in Brooke’s story. Along the way, we discuss friendship with Jesus, why deep relationships require vulnerability and conflict, and how isolation can quietly keep us from the healing God intends.Whether you’re longing for deeper friendships, struggling with depression or anxiety, or simply wondering how to cultivate meaningful relationships in a disconnected world, we hope this conversation encourages you to keep moving toward Jesus and His people.Mentioned ResourcesCloser Than a Brother — Brooke’s book on friendship and belonging. ORDER MY LATEST BOOKBecoming Like Jesus is a book about “progressive sanctification” that takes it beyond church words into the honest conversation so many Christians have navigated. Rooted in the Beatitudes, this book unpacks the lifelong series of highs and lows that the Holy Spirit uses to shape us into a person who looks like Jesus.FOLLOW and SUBSCRIBE:Follow Lauren | Follow Matt | Youtube | Website | NewsletterIf you’ve enjoyed this episode, one of the best ways to support the show and make sure others find it, is to subscribe and leave a review. Thank You!Thank you to our SponsorsGlobal Christian ReliefGCR comes alongside persecuted Christians with prayer, Bibles, and real help so the church can endure and shine as a light for the Gospel. Stand with the persecuted Church and be a lifeline of prayer and support. — visit https://bit.ly/GCRMatt to learn more.Psalms of TrustIn Psalms of Trust, H. B. Charles walks through ten Psalms, including Psalm 27, Psalm 42, Psalm 73, and Psalm 91, helping readers discover fresh confidence in God's character and care.You can find it at MoodyPublishers.com or wherever you get good books.Authentic MasculinityIf you want clarity around the topic of masculinity, or you want to help the men in your life find it, pick up Authentic Masculinity.You can find it at MoodyPublishers.com or wherever you get good books.–Editing and support by The Good Podcast Co. For sponsorship inquiries, email sponsor@thegoodpodcast.co

I sat down with artist, writer and friend Josh Nadeau to explore his path from theological precocity to personal crisis and ultimately, redemptive beauty. Josh shares how growing up steeped in Reformed theology didn’t insulate him from a slow descent into apathy, addiction, spiritual numbness, and walking through life “as a ghost”. It was beauty—raw, embodied, soul-stirring beauty—that woke him up. We talk about deconstruction, embodiment, addiction, the love of God, and why aesthetics — embodied faith — might be what Saints are made from. If you’re barely hanging on or wondering what a holy life could look like beyond checklists, I commend his book Room For Good Things to Run Wild to you.In This EpisodeGrowing up “super Christian” and deeply catechizedUniversity: the intellectual wrestling match of faithBurnout, apathy, and alcohol: five years of slow unravelingRock bottom: bourbon at 5am and the call of hidden musicChurchy clichés and the need for something that can bear the weightThe boxing gym: embodied weakness and discipleshipGnosticism, disembodied faith, and hunger for incarnationTheology of the Body & rediscovering the sacred in fleshBecoming a saint: not instant, not easy, but beautifulGod’s love beyond usefulness, the danger of returning to slaveryWhy Josh wrote Room for Good Things to Run WildBeauty as the apologetic for a disenchanted ageSpeaking to the silent middle: the “4 out of 10” Christian lifeGuest Resources Room for Good Things to Run Wild by Josh Nadeau Josh’s InstagramJosh’s SubstackFOLLOW and SUBSCRIBE:Instagram | Youtube | Website | NewsletterIf you’ve enjoyed this episode, one of the best ways to support the show and make sure others find it, is to subscribe and leave a review. Thank You!Thank you to our SponsorsOvercoming the Darkness by Nate PickowiczThis book offers biblical wisdom and the stories of faithful saints to help you see God’s faithfulness in the darkest seasons. Grab Overcoming the Darkness today at MoodyPublishers.com or wherever good books are sold.On Our Way Home by Colleen ChaoThrough Scripture and her own journey of suffering, Colleen Chao reminds us that all our longings point to the joy of our true Home with Christ. Get your copy of On Our Way Home at MoodyPublishers.com or wherever good books are sold. –Editing and support by The Good Podcast Co. For sponsorship inquiries, email sponsor@thegoodpodcast.co

I sat down with Luke Lezon and Will Chung to explore how Gen Z and Millennials are wrestling with identity, dignity, and discipleship in a rapidly shifting culture. These young pastors are preaching into cities like Orlando and LA—transient places that offer gospel-sending opportunities—and we unpacked the dangers of comfort culture and over-therapeutic narratives. We talked about how the call to follow Christ includes self-denial, repentance, and mission. Each of us shared stories of wilderness seasons, pastoral burnout, and the deep healing required to lead from wholeness. This is a deep dive into the joys and costs of courageous ministry today. I pray it encourages you — whatever context you’re in.In This Episode[02:00] Identity vs. Dignity: Will’s Pastoral Lens[05:30] Cultural Pressures and Fragile Worth[06:30] Luke on the “Identity Fair” and a Better Story[07:45] Gospel Ministry in a Collapsing Secularism[08:45] Ministering in Transient Cities: Orlando & LA[10:00] Mission Field Mindsets and “Sending Capacity”[12:00] Five-Year Discipleship Windows[14:00] Lies This Generation Believes About God[17:30] The Overcorrection of Self-Care & Gospel Rest[21:00] Rest vs. Replenishment: Jefferson Bethke’s Shift[23:00] Gen Z’s Pain Tolerance & Hunger for Mission[24:00] Will’s 2020 Breakdown: Performing to Be Enough[29:00] Depression and Identity[31:00] Luke’s Story: Betrayal, Leadership, and God’s Timing[35:00] “Cut Robes, Don’t Kill Kings”: Leading Through Hurt[38:00] Repentance + Healing = Transformation[41:00] Therapy, Trauma, and the Gospel of Repentance[45:00] What Christian Therapy Is—and What It’s Not[47:00] Courage in the Pulpit: What It Looks Like Now[50:00] Don’t Be Lazy with the Word: Clarity Over Comfort[52:00] Hermeneutical Bubbles and Pastoral Cowardice[54:00] What the Church Needs to Repent Of (Apathy)[56:00] The Radical Disciple and the Lost Mission[58:00] Stop Selling Out for Ministry Success[01:01:00] Hearing from God, Not Social Media[01:04:00] Final Words + A Call to Spiritual FathersGuest ResourcesFollow LukeLuke’s ChurchFollow WillWill’s ChurchFOLLOW and SUBSCRIBE:Instagram | Youtube | Website | NewsletterIf you’ve enjoyed this episode, one of the best ways to support the show and make sure others find it, is to subscribe and leave a review. Thank You!Thank you to our SponsorsCovenant EyesVictory by Covenant Eyes is a powerful tool that helps Christians who are serious and want to quit porn for good or never start. Victory combines industry-leading technology with decades of experience and leadership in recovery content, accountability, and behavior change.The Victory app, with powerful accountability features built in and the optional blocking technology, makes it an unparalleled tool in the fight to live a porn-free life.Anyone can get started on their path to recovery for free by visiting: Covenanteyes.com/overcomers for 30 days free.Acts 29This episode of The Overcomers is sponsored by Acts 29, with an invitation to the Acts 29 Conference this coming October in Dallas. To learn more and register, visit acts29.com/conference. Overcomers listeners will receive a special discount of $20 off registration prices using the code OVERCOMERS in all caps anytime before October 1.–Editing and support by The Good Podcast Co. For sponsorship inquiries, email sponsor@thegoodpodcast.co

This is a sobering yet hope-filled episode. I sit down with Summer Vinson Berger and Adam Paa to discuss the pain, complexity, and redemptive potential of shepherding care in the local church. From owning massive failures in 2015 to building a robust, gospel-centered care framework at The Village Church, we discuss stories, strategies, and heartfelt convictions about what real, redemptive care looks like when the church chooses humility over image.Whether you’re walking through trauma, burnout, addiction, or just longing for your church to care better—you’ll find wisdom and honesty here. This episode is a call to take the mess seriously, to listen better, and to believe that Jesus still heals through His body.In This EpisodeThe Weight of Shepherding2015: Owning the Failures of CareIntroducing Summer Berger and Adam PaaBuilding a Comprehensive Care MinistryWhat Is Redemptive Care?Why Recovery Must Stay MessyThe Three Buckets of RecoveryMinistry through Recovery: A Front Door to the ChurchIntegrating Gospel and TherapyPsychology Catching Up to ScriptureGratitude, Paul, and NeuroscienceCommon Grace and CounselingWhen Churches Resist Therapeutic ToolsWhy Shepherding Is So ComplexTrust, Time, and Trauma RecoveryThe Risk of Mislabeling ProblemsThe Weight and Cost of Church HurtTraining Churches to Respond BetterA Call to Action for Pastors and the BrokenFOLLOW and SUBSCRIBE:Instagram | Youtube | Website | NewsletterIf you’ve enjoyed this episode, one of the best ways to support the show and make sure others find it, is to subscribe and leave a review. Thank You!Thank you to our SponsorsCovenant EyesVictory by Covenant Eyes is a powerful tool that helps Christians who are serious and want to quit porn for good or never start. Victory combines industry-leading technology with decades of experience and leadership in recovery content, accountability, and behavior change.The Victory app, with powerful accountability features built in and the optional blocking technology, makes it an unparalleled tool in the fight to live a porn-free life.Anyone can get started on their path to recovery for free by visiting: Covenanteyes.com/overcomers for 30 days free.Moody PublishersFind Grace Beyond Salvation and I Choose Joy wherever you get your books or at Moodypublishers.comActs 29This episode of The Overcomers is sponsored by Acts 29, with an invitation to the Acts 29 Conference this coming October in Dallas. To learn more and register, visit acts29.com/conference. Overcomers listeners will receive a special discount of $20 off registration prices using the code OVERCOMERS in all caps anytime before October 1.–Editing and support by The Good Podcast Co. For sponsorship inquiries, email sponsor@thegoodpodcast.co

This episode is special to me. I sit down with two of my heroes in the faith—Ray Ortlund and Crawford Loritts. These men have been anchors for me in moments of doubt and discouragement, and I wanted to ask them the questions that most pastors eventually ask themselves: How do you stay faithful for the long haul? How do you finish well when so many don't? We talk about the rhythms that sustained them over decades, the call of ministry that’s far more than a career, and what it looks like to fight pride and pursue humility every single day. We also dive deep into marriage, legacy, and the sacredness of being a pastor. If you're in the trenches—especially in your 20s to 40s—this one's for you. I want to finish well, and I know you do too.In This Episode[02:00] Rhythms That Sustain the Soul[05:00] The Call of God vs. a Career in Ministry[08:00] Shepherding, Not Hiring: A Vision for Pastoral Ministry[13:00] The Crisis of Calling in a Careerist Culture[16:00] The Tragedy of Falling Away[20:00] Discerning the Dangers in Different Seasons[25:00] Kill the Lion: Confronting Sin Early[30:00] The Deception of Success[33:00] The Call to Vulnerability and Brotherhood[36:00] Marriage, Legacy, and Intimacy[40:00] Cultivating Lifelong Love with Your Spouse[45:00] Final Encouragement: Stay Low, Stay FaithfulResourcesFinishing Strong by Steve FarrarDangerous Calling by Paul David TrippFOLLOW and SUBSCRIBE:Instagram | Youtube | Website | NewsletterIf you’ve enjoyed this episode, one of the best ways to support the show and make sure others find it, is to subscribe and leave a review. Thank You!Thank you to our SponsorsCovenant EyesVictory by Covenant Eyes is a powerful tool that helps Christians who are serious and want to quit porn for good or never start. Victory combines industry-leading technology with decades of experience and leadership in recovery content, accountability, and behavior change.The Victory app, with powerful accountability features built in and the optional blocking technology, makes it an unparalleled tool in the fight to live a porn-free life.Anyone can get started on their path to recovery for free by visiting: Covenanteyes.com/overcomers for 30 days free.–Editing and support by The Good Podcast Co. For sponsorship inquiries, email sponsor@thegoodpodcast.co

In this episode, I sat down with Mason King and Nick Crawford—two of my fellow elders at The Village—to talk about plurality. Not because it’s trendy, but because it’s biblical, and because it has been a safeguard in my ministry. Early on, I had all the power, all the control—and I knew it. It was efficient, it was fast, and it was dangerous. So we talk about why one-man leadership is a bad idea, what true elder plurality actually looks like, and how it’s protected us, humbled us, and served the body over the years. If you’re planting a church, rethinking leadership, or just wondering how to build something that lasts—this one’s for you.In This Episode[03:00] The Biblical Case for Plurality[06:00] Why We Avoid Plurality[12:00] What Plurality Has Given Us[16:00] Shield-to-Shield Leadership[21:00] How We Choose Elders[30:00] When Plurality Prevents Church Hurt[38:00] Signs of Fake Plurality[43:00] First Steps Toward Plurality[49:00] Final Encouragements to Young LeadersFOLLOW and SUBSCRIBE:Instagram | Youtube | Website | NewsletterIf you’ve enjoyed this episode, one of the best ways to support the show and make sure others find it, is to subscribe and leave a review. Thank You!Thank you to our SponsorsCovenant EyesVictory by Covenant Eyes is a powerful tool that helps Christians who are serious and want to quit porn for good or never start. Victory combines industry-leading technology with decades of experience and leadership in recovery content, accountability, and behavior change.The Victory app, with powerful accountability features built in and the optional blocking technology, makes it an unparalleled tool in the fight to live a porn-free life.Anyone can get started on their path to recovery for free by visiting: Covenanteyes.com/overcomers for 30 days free.CommunioCommunio is not another program. It’s a non-profit organization that comes alongside churches, training and equipping them to evangelize through the renewal of healthy relationships, marriages, and the family. Family structure is key for passing on faith to children, yet 72 percent of churches lack significant relationship ministry. That’s where Communio comes in. Communio has worked with hundreds of churches across the country. These churches have seen divorce rates drop – attendance rise – weekly generosity increase – and marriage and family bonds restored. Visit: communio.org/overcomers to learn more about the Communio impact and how Communio can come alongside your church. –Editing and support by The Good Podcast Co. For sponsorship inquiries, email sponsor@thegoodpodcast.co