Are there areas in your life where you are trusting in religious activity—rather than in God’s Word? What would it look like for your church to lose the presence of God but keep the appearance of faith? In 1 Samuel 4, Israel suffers a devastating defeat—not merely militarily, but spiritually—as the ark of God is captured and His glory departs. Desp…

Is the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament? What was he doing before Jesus gave him to the disciples? This is the question sent to Bryan Catherman and Josiah Walker. So on today’s episode of Salty Believer Unscripted, the guys are dealing with a mailbag question. What was the Holy Spirit doing in the Old Testament? How should we think about the contin…

When was the last time you slowed down enough to hear God's voice? What do you do when God's Word is hard to receive? In a time when God's voice was rarely heard and spiritual darkness covered the land, the Lord broke His silence—not through a priest or a king, but through a young boy named Samuel. This moment would mark a turning point in Israel’s…

By Salty Believer Unscripted

Does your worship reflect a heart that fears and honors God—or is it centered on yourself? Are you faithfully serving the Lord even when no one notices? In a world where spiritual leadership is often compromised and worship reduced to performance, 1 Samuel 2:12–36 reveals a sobering truth: God is not indifferent to how He is worshiped. As the sons …

Should I go to a funeral for an unbeliever? What should I think about celebration of life services compared to traditional funerals? Is this like going to a same-sex wedding? Am I supporting something that I shouldn’t be supporting, or is this an opportunity for me to display my faith? How should we think of funerals for nonbelievers? That’s the to…

Are you looking for hope in the middle of your brokenness? What if the silence you're experiencing is the soil where God is preparing your heart for the King? In a time of deep spiritual darkness, God heard the cry of a broken woman named Hannah—and through her sorrow and surrender, He began a redemptive movement that would ultimately lead to the t…

In this episode of Salty Believer Unscripted, Josiah Walker and Bryan Catherman discuss the length of discipleship. How long should I disciple someone? How long should I be discipled? Is there a time that’s too short? Is there a time that’s too long? Copyright 2025.By Salty Believer Unscripted

What are some of the major concerns in your life? What is something God is calling you to care about today? In his sermon “Caring Enough to Change” centered on Nehemiah 1:1-2:8, Doug Reed shared how Nehemiah cared enough about the community that God placed him in that he helped lead the charge to rebuild the city walls in only 52 days that had been…

When most of us think about discipleship, we quickly think about a program or programming. That’s fine. There’s nothing wrong with formal discipleship. But what about all the other ways we disciple others that do not fit neatly into formal discipleship plans? This is the topic of this episode of Salty Believer Unscripted. Josiah Walker and Bryan Ca…

Are you searching for hope but not sure where to find it? Have you heard the Resurrection story but never truly experienced the risen Jesus for yourself? Mary came to the tomb expecting death—but instead, she encountered the risen Christ. In this Easter message centered on John 20:1–18, Pastor Josiah shared how Jesus meets us in our brokenness, cal…

Discipleship is simple obedience in the ordinary. In this episode of Salty Believer Unscripted, Bryan Catherman and Josiah Walker return to the basics, reminding us that discipleship often looks like a consistent, faithful presence in the church's life. They unpack the simplicity and weight of just showing up, investing in relationships, and ground…

When everyone else abandons you, who will stand with you? When the time comes, will Christ be your Advocate—or your Judge? In his final words to Timothy, the apostle Paul describes a time when it appeared as if he stood defeated and alone in a Roman courtroom—but Paul wasn’t truly alone. In this powerful conclusion to 2 Timothy, Pastor Josiah share…

The first and most important step in discipleship is to prioritize attending the gathering of the body of Christ. Go to church. Sit under biblical, expositional preaching, sing with the saints, pray corporately, take the Lord’s Supper, celebrate baptisms, etc. In this episode of Salty Believer Unscripted, Josiah Walker and Bryan Catherman discuss h…

Who do you turn to when life gets tough? Could your friends count on you to stand by them in their darkest hours? In this week’s message, based on 2 Timothy 4:9-15, Pastor Josiah explores how the Apostle Paul, facing his final days in a Roman prison, longed for the companionship of faithful friends like Timothy, Mark, and Luke to help him endure hi…

How do we know we’re getting the application correct? On this episode of Salty Believer Unscripted, Josiah Walker and Bryan Catherman discuss the danger of getting in the weeds with Bible study application and how to stay on safe footing. Copyright 2025. For more information, please visit SaltyBeliever.com.…

In a world where the end often feels near, Paul’s words to Timothy ring out with unshakable hope and enduring resolve. In his sermon, “The End Is Near” centered on 2 Timothy 4:6-8, Pastor Josiah shared how even though Paul is facing his final days in a cold prison cell, he has no reason to fear, because the reward waiting for him in eternity, far o…

Josiah Walker and Bryan Catherman discuss the two ordinances of the Church: Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. What are these? When do these ordinances happen within the local church? Should you take the Lord’s Supper if you have not been baptized? How do these things relate to membership? How does this work in the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC)? Wh…

You’re feeling called to teach a class but you’ve never done that before. Or maybe you are feeling a call to ministry. Where do you start? This is the topic of this episode of Salty Believer Unscripted. Bryan Catherman and Josiah Walker discuss where to start if you’re a new Christian, where to start if you’ve been a Christian for a few years, and …

In his sermon, “Keep On Truckin’” based on 2 Timothy 3:14-17, Pastor Josiah emphasizes the importance of holding fast to Christ and His teachings, especially in times of suffering and persecution. He reminds us that, just as Timothy was encouraged to stay rooted in what he had learned, we too must cling to the truth of Scripture, which is inspired,…

There are many spiritual disciplines. Some might be short-lived, and some may sustain us for the long haul. In this episode, Bryan Catherman met with Kevin Lund, Pastor of Trinity Church, to discuss the disciplines that have been better for him over the years.By Salty Believer Unscripted

In his sermon entitled "Mentorship Matters," Pastor Josiah emphasizes the importance of learning from godly mentors by looking at Paul’s relationship with Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:10-13. He highlights how Paul’s example—his teachings, way of life, faith, patience, and endurance—serve as a model for us today. Pastor Josiah encourages us to seek out me…

Join Bryan Catherman as he discusses missions and shifting trends in mission work with Doug Reed. Doug works with Possibilities Africa and was a pastor for many years. His perspective and experience make him the perfect guest to discuss mission work. Copyright 2025. For more information, please visit SaltyBeliever.com.…

In his sermon, “Surviving Hard Times” centered on 2 Timothy 3:1-9, Pastor Josiah examined Paul's counsel to Timothy about the last days, where people will turn away from God and false teachers will lead many astray. Just as Timothy faced challenges in Ephesus, we, too, navigate a broken world filled with deception and hardship. Yet, Paul’s words se…

You got off to a great start, but now you’ve hit Leviticus, and your Bible reading plan has crashed and burned. How do you start up again? Start over? Get going, but end late? Read a ton in one day? The better question might be, what is at the heart of your reading plan? Join Josiah Walker and Bryan Catherman as they discuss what we might do when o…

This week, we were truly blessed by Pastor Erik Tisher from Sojourn Church, who delivered a powerful sermon titled 'The Fine China' based on 2 Timothy 2:20-26. It's part of our ongoing series 'Endure,' exploring the book of 2 Timothy.By Pastor Erik Tisher (Guest Preacher)

Martin Luther was an anti-semite. He had strong feelings against the Jewish people. Hundreds of years later, Hitler used some of Luther’s statements to build a national argument against the Jews. What are we to think about this? What do we do with Luther? That’s the topic of this episode of Salty Believer Unscripted. What now? What about when a per…

What is the best way to combat false teachings in the church? What role do all Christians—not just pastors—have in rightly handling God’s Word? In his sermon, "An Approved Worker," based on 2 Timothy 2:14-19, Pastor Josiah unpacks these questions and challenges believers to stand firm on biblical truth. As followers of Christ, it’s important that w…

In this episode of Salty Believer Unscripted, Bryan Catherman and Josiah Walker recommend good books for the man or woman in the pew. What books help people be good churchmen and women? SBU has a new intern (Daniel the Intern), which prompted this conversation. If you’re in church and you want to grow in your Christian walk, this episode offers som…

Join us this week as we continue in our series through 2nd Timothy as Pastor Josiah delivers a message entitled, “Remember Christ In Your Suffering,” centered on 2 Timothy 2:8-13. In his message, Pastor Josiah outlines the importance of remembering Jesus Christ and holding on to His faithful promises to help us endure times of trials or suffering.…

Most people think hospitality is opening your home to others and eating with them. It’s not less than that, but it is so much more. Is hospitable thinking what causes a church to be friendly to new people? Is there a way for those who don’t have a home to open up and be hospitable? Is there a more robust way to think about hospitality that may caus…

What does it look like to remain strong in the grace of Christ Jesus? How do the roles of Soldier, Athlete, and Farmer relate to the gospel ministry? How can we ensure that others will carry the gospel forward after we are gone? In his sermon, “Endure In Grace” centered on 2 Timothy 2:1-7, Pastor Josiah answers these questions and more as he shares…

Good preparation for Bible study is essential, but it’s not over until the class is done. We have to get the Word of God right, and we have to get it across. How do we go from a good Observation-Interpretation-Application (OIA) study or a good Charles Simeon Trust worksheet pathway to leading a class or preaching a sermon? In this episode of Salty …

This week we are continuing in our sermon series through the book of 2nd Timothy as Pastor Josiah delivers a sermon centered on 2 Timothy 1:13-18. In his sermon, “Hold Fast,” Pastor Josiah stressed the importance of holding fast to the gospel and standing firm on the truth of God’s word. Just as in Timothy’s day, there are heretics and false gospel…

In this episode of Salty Believer Unscripted, Bryan Catherman and Josiah Walker discuss a simple Bible study resource: the O.I.A. Bible study method. In this case, Bryan printed it on a bookmark, and they discussed the value of simplicity in this resource. Are you looking to start a Bible study? Here’s an easy way to start. Copyright 2024. For more…

As Christians, many of us will experience hardships and difficulties in this life as a result of our faith in Christ. In his sermon, “Walk Boldly,” centered on 2 Timothy 1:6-12, Pastor Josiah speaks to the importance of enduring suffering for the sake of the gospel as he examines Paul’s charge to Timothy not to be ashamed of the gospel, but to endu…

On this episode of Salty Believer Unscripted, Josiah Walker and Bryan Catherman discuss the nuts and bolts of printed Bibles. When picking a Bible, what should we think about the binding, paper quality, number or ribbons, font size, red letter, and even the $300-500 Bibles? Journaling Bibles? What about cross-references? Double or single column? Go…

Join us this week as Pastor Jeff Winters (Guest Preacher) outlines what it means to “Live On Mission” as he unpacked Christ’s command from Mark 16:15, in which Christ instructed his followers to go out into all the world proclaiming the good news of the gospel. We all know that as Christians it is important that we share the gospel with those who a…

When you move to a new city, you need to find a new church. This is not always an easy task. How do you do it? What should you look for? What should you avoid? Any tips? This is the topic of this episode’s conversation. Copyright 2024. For more information, please visit SaltyBeliever.com.By Salty Believer Unscripted

Join us this week as we begin a new study through the book of 2nd Timothy. In his sermon, 'Heritage of Faith,' based on 2 Timothy 1:1-7, Pastor Josiah explores Paul’s heartfelt encouragement to Timothy to remain steadfast in faith and endure challenges for the sake of the gospel. This message emphasizes the importance of passing down a 'heritage of…

Do you ever struggle with knowing what to pray or even how to pray? Join us this week as Pastor Josiah preaches a sermon entitled, “How To Pray,” centered on Matthew 6:5-15. In his sermon, Pastor Josiah walks through the Lord’s Prayer verse by verse and unpacks the model for prayer that Christ gave to us during his sermon on the mount.…

What should we think about the documentary “The Real David Platt?” Is this a controversy we should get sucked into? Is this anything those not at McLean Bible Church should be concerned about? How should Christians think about quarreling documentaries? Copyright 2024. For more information, please visit SaltyBeliever.com.…

This week we continued in our Christmas series as Pastor Josiah preached a sermon centered on Matthew 2:1-12. In his sermon, Pastor Josiah shared the importance of worshiping Christ and seeking him first above all other things in this world.By Pastor Josiah D. Walker

This week we are continuing in our Christmas sermon series as Pastor Josiah delivered a sermon centered on Luke 2:1-20. In his sermon Pastor Josiah shared how Christ’s birth in Bethlehem was not only the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy but that through his birth, Christ became the Lord, Messiah, and Savior that the world had been longing for …

In this episode of Salty Believer Unscripted, Bryan Catherman and Josiah Walker compared the ESV and CSB Study Bibles. They used them both together for a few weeks, using them to prepare sermons and study side by side. Which one is better? Why? What are the strengths and weaknesses of these two Study Bibles? This is the topic of the conversation. C…

How can we know that John the Baptist and Jesus Christ were the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy? How can we trust in the promises of God? What does it look like to truly be a servant of the Lord? How can we find contentment in this life? In his sermon, “The Promise Fulfilled,” centered on Luke 1:5-38, Pastor Josiah answered these questions an…

How would those living 2000 years ago know that Christ was the Messiah? What signs were they looking for? Who was the Elijah that would prepare the way for Christ’s arrival? And how can we know for sure that Christ will return again one day? In his sermon, “A Final Promise,” centered on Malachi 3:1-6 & 4:1-6, Pastor Josiah Walker addressed these qu…

Do you read a regular devotional? How about a special Christmas devotional? In this episode of Salty Believer Unscripted, Josiah Walker and Bryan Catherman discuss devotionals and how to pick one. They also consider devotionals for Christmas. Copyright 2024. For more information, please visit SaltyBeliever.com.…

What do we do when it appears that all hope is lost? How should we respond when we are persecuted for our faith? What does it look like to trust God and truly rely on Him? In his sermon, “The Gospel Prevails,” centered on Acts 11:27-12:25, Pastor Josiah answers these questions and others as he shares how like Peter and the first-century church we c…

What happens when people join our church who are different than we are? How should we react when other believers have different preferences or opinions about various matters than we do? Are Christians allowed to associate with people who aren’t like them? In his sermon, “Factions & Family,” centered on Acts 11:1-30, Pastor Jeff Winters (Guest Preac…