Best COTR Podcasts (2025)

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Episode 247 - Shadow and Mane 1:59:10

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3d ago1:59:10

1:59:10

Welcome to Jon, Chris, and Eric Thank you to Eddie G, Derek B, Brian C, Chris K Announcements News In Depth World Series Wrap Up Mirror of Galadriel Player Card Review Retro Preview - Shadow and Flame Deck Spotlight - Rohan https://ringsdb.com/decklist/view/23293/gamling-motivationalspeaker-1.0 https://ringsdb.com/decklist/view/6125/rohan-for-solo-…

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Episode 246 - Con of the Rings 2025 2:20:28

26d ago2:20:28

2:20:28

Welcome to Jon, Chris, Rena, and.....CHAD!? Thank you to Ammon T, Tobias L, Tim G (BeatsMD), Johan O Announcements Vlog Playlist https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6agV3Ll1nNi-rUspGTRKWL8Ewui6xBpl&si=dgzjoycu3kY0a-gF Con of the Rings 2025 Talk AMA Soliloquy

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Sequence | Cultivated Earth 35:28

25d ago35:28

35:28

Two halves of the same coin. Light and dark. Day and night. The husband and the wife. Scripture contains the idea of two parts being unified when they come together, two parts equating to one. The same is true when we consider our being. Mankind is less than a whole when separated from God. Genesis 1 says that God’s creation exists as the heavens a…

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Sequence | Bigger, Better 33:36

1M ago33:36

33:36

As a young boy growing up in artsy little Homer, Alaska I too caught the bug and wondered about my ability to make it as an artist. At the ripe old age of nine I drew a pencil sketch of the Space Shuttle Discovery in the upright position and attached to its external tanks. My sketch was approximately 30 inches tall and was of such high caliber, it …

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Sequence | The Catalyst of Creation 38:52

1M ago38:52

38:52

When Maranatha and I got married we decided to narrow the scope of what was important on our wedding day. We were going to have a beautiful wedding, but we were determined not to blow the bank account. In the process of making those decisions, I had the bright idea to make our wedding cake. My future wife and my immediate family gave me THE LOOK. Y…

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Before the Beginning | The Audacity of Belief 41:57

2M ago41:57

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Physicist Stephen Hawking once said, “If we discover the theory of everything, it would be the ultimate triumph of human reason, for then we would know the mind of God.” Yet Hawking himself rejected the idea of a Creator. In this message we take on that question head on: Is it reasonable to believe in God? We look directly at Hawking’s arguments an…

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Before the Beginning | The Only True Good 41:19

2M ago41:19

41:19

A few years back, while working in our backyard at ABI, I built a swing for Maranatha under our porch and started clearing out weeds and debris. We laid down fabric, hauled mulch, and turned the space into something new. As I carried the bags down the hill, one of my kids looked at me and said, “Dad, I’m stronger than you.” For a moment I thought a…

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Episode 245 - Most Improved Podcaster 1:49:07

2M ago1:49:07

1:49:07

Welcome to Jon, Chris, and Eric Thank you to Tyler T, Chad P, Richard I, Fiona G News Retro Preview - Foundations of Stone Deck Spotlight - Dwarves https://ringsdb.com/decklist/view/45355/thorinscompanyoffriendship-2.0 https://ringsdb.com/decklist/view/60267/minercoonedeck-1.0 https://ringsdb.com/decklist/view/17880/miningdeckwithspoiledcontract-1.…

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Before the Beginning | One Grand Story 42:12

2M ago42:12

42:12

How many times have you attempted to capture the expansive view of the Kenai Mountains, opposite Homer across Kachemak Bay, only to be disappointed by the result? Photos just don't seem to convey the grandeur, especially when condensed down to a six inch phone screen. "This picture doesn't really do it justice, but TRUST me, the mountains and the o…

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Episode 244.5 - Second Breakfast 2025 1:02:43

2M ago1:02:43

1:02:43

Once again, Jon was joined by many members of the community at breakfast on Saturday at Con of the Rings. First, our old buddy Chad sits down with Chris and Jon to recap the first day of the Con. Then, some familiar voices and new friends sit down to share bad beats, narrow escapes, and ridiculous jank. There's poetry, there's marriage advice, ther…

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2025 Global Missions Conference | Global Missions Sunday 57:37

2M ago57:37

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On Saturday, October 18, we launch into one of my favorite weekends of the year, our annual Global Missions Conference. This is your opportunity to connect in new ways to God's story both near home and across the globe. This weekend God wants to speak to you--to ignite something new. Whether you've been involved in missions for decades or you've ju…

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2025 Covenant Sunday 44:48

3M ago44:48

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Episode 244 - The Long Shark 1:50:31

3M ago1:50:31

1:50:31

Welcome to Jon, Eric, and Rena Thank you to Josh M, Robert H, Drew M, Jamie O, John S, Mika M, Daniel T, James E Announcement Retro Preview - The Long Dark Deck Spotlight - Perilous Voyage https://ringsdb.com/decklist/view/19316/discard100-1.0 https://ringsdb.com/decklist/view/21185/dwarfmining-1.0 Con of the Rings Preview Talk AMA Soliloquy…

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Letters to Homer | The Internal Superstructure of the Independent Christian Man 52:16

3M ago52:16

52:16

To the Men of Church on the Rock, I want to speak to you this Sunday. This is a message I have not shared. I would ask that you would come prayerfully, humbly, and prepared to take action. Do not be like the one who looks in the mirror and then walks away unchanged. I am praying for our time together, Pastor Dr. Aaron Weisser…

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Letters to Homer | One God, One Kingdom 46:01

3M ago46:01

46:01

Over the past several years I have been on a personal mission. Maranatha and I got married in our early thirties which meant that we were combining the lives of two self-sufficient adults. Our wedding registry didn’t include the typical newlywed items. Many of those items we already had, like pots and pans. Last year I noticed that our sauce pan wa…

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The Final Word | Maranatha 36:53

3M ago36:53

36:53

I remember it like it was yesterday! For months my parents had been talking about a vacation. They’d heard about Destin, FL and were making plans for our family to go. We'd looked over the brochures, picked the best place to go, and booked the trip. My dad came home the evening before our 7½-hour drive with a rented minivan. I thought we were livin…

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Episode 243 - A Mind of Metal and Tentacles 2:10:21

4M ago2:10:21

2:10:21

Welcome to Jon, Chris, and Eric Thank you to... Announcement Retro Preview - Watcher in the Water Deck Spotlight - Bond of Friendship https://ringsdb.com/decklist/view/51669/bondofrangersmd-dnedainsolo-1.0 https://ringsdb.com/decklist/view/35803/smagolsfriendship-1.0 Fangs in the Dark Review AMA Soliloquy…

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The Final Word | Babylon Falls 42:36

4M ago42:36

42:36

As we walk further into the chapters of Revelation, it can be easy to get trapped in the weeds of imagery and imagination. Dragons, beasts, harlots, and everything else tend to distract us from the true purpose of the book, though it was never intended to. From the beginning of the book, the Holy Spirit is revealing to God’s servants (us) the Lord …

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The Final Word | The Nature of the Beast 39:10

4M ago39:10

39:10

When I was single and living in Columbia I had a buddy named Jimmy. Jimmy was a punk teenage kid that showed up to our church. He had been kicked out of his home and at first when you heard his story you’d be very angry at his prior caregivers. He appeared to be a very sweet and innocent kid who also had intellectual disabilities. His demeanor was …

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The Final Word | It's Going Down 39:54

4M ago39:54

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Have you ever walked into a place and felt the heeby jeebies? You couldn’t put your finger on it exactly but something about the space kinda creeped you out or filled you with a sense of dread? Confession; abandoned underground tunnels kinda do that for me. Especially when they include giant balls of clustered daddy longlegs overhead. Eek. I’m gett…

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The Final Word | As It Is In Heaven 27:33

4M ago27:33

27:33

At our church in SC I lead a men’s house church. It was full of young men who had recently decided to follow Jesus. Every week we sat around a table and discussed life and what Jesus was doing. In that group was a young man named Dustin. He was from sticks and even to my trained southern ear, he spoke “uniquely”. He was rough around the edges, no f…

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The Final Word | Seven Churches 37:48

5M ago37:48

37:48

I want my kids to do well. I want them to see how growth now leads to a reward later. Some bad habits die only painfully. But there is a promise of something good, something better, something more permanent. And I realize this is always a hard sell for kids, but “I PROMISE that you will be glad you pressed through the pain and pursued the good.” In…

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The Final Word | Five Intentions 41:26

5M ago41:26

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Earlier this summer we held our annual planning meeting for the coming year. In that meeting we lay out our teaching schedule and discuss what we’ll study as a church. We also have a pattern at COTRH to teach through the Bible sequentially, and laid out our return to Genesis. At the thought of skipping over the last text in Scripture, I insisted th…

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Episode 242 - Stroll Into Mordor 1:47:03

5M ago1:47:03

1:47:03

Welcome to Jon, Rena, and Eric Thank you to Robert H, Drew M, John S, Mike M Announcement Retro Preview - Road to Rivendell Deck Spotlight - Messenger of the King https://ringsdb.com/decklist/view/18229/andtheyrejusttheentre-1.0 https://www.ringsdb.com/decklist/view/55238/greenpowermonolore-1.0 https://ringsdb.com/decklist/view/19018/musterofannmin…

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Love and Light | Recreating Eden 45:52

5M ago45:52

45:52

You’ve heard me talk about God dealing with my hard heart toward my younger sister. The hypocrisy and unforgiveness that I held onto in my relationship with her was a burden. He refused to leave unaddressed. I remember the relentless onslaught of people in my life, sermons and teachings I listened to, and the Scriptures He brought to my attention. …

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Love and Light | Light 41:39

5M ago41:39

41:39

I don’t know what is happening to me but it is getting more and more difficult to hold it together during weddings. My son Damon got married last week and I was doing pretty good until I saw my son see his bride in white for the first time. All of the joyous celebration of love touches something deep in my heart and triggers of wave of gratitude fo…

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Christ: The Unveiled Mystery | Christ In You 41:54

6M ago41:54

41:54

Eight kids in and I still have never succeeded convincing a young child of mine of their future love of naps. A good nap seems to be the bane of childhood existence. Even once they resolve that it is definitely happening and there will be no negotiation, they want to express their displeasure in some form. Then I tell each one the truth; some day y…

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Christ: The Unveiled Mystery | Live in the Reality of Christ 37:48

6M ago37:48

37:48

I have heard on many occasions that at some point I will miss the phase of childrearing that I am currently lamenting. I can say that I have not missed changing diapers, nor do I anticipate missing it. In a couple days my oldest hits double digits. It’s hard to believe and I do have the sense that how I interact with my older kids is changing. They…

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Episode 241 - A Functional Fatty 2:25:00

6M ago2:25:00

2:25:00

Welcome to Jon, Chris, and Eric Thank you to James S, Gary L, Bert D, Mike W. Announcement Retro Preview - Redhorn Gate Deck Spotlight - Council of the Wise https://ringsdb.com/decklist/view/25903/eventrecyclingcouncilofthewise-1.0 https://ringsdb.com/decklist/view/46083/councilofthewiseinmusic-1.0 https://ringsdb.com/decklist/view/29534/thewhiteco…

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PeopleChurchProblems | A Core Reality 44:59

6M ago44:59

44:59

This week our family took a little trip down the Diamond Creek trail. When I arrived home from work, the car was loaded and ready to go. Once on the beach, we gathered up some wood to start a fire. Jenny handed me a lighter, a bottle of lighter fluid and a bunch of old newspapers to make my job easier. She then spread out some blankets to make our …

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PeopleChurchProblems | The Excellent Way of Love 39:26

7M ago39:26

39:26

The concept of love changes over the course of life. At an early age, love is represented by various entities. Disney portrays one sense where love leads us to a place of “happily ever after.” Our parents' marriages, whether for good or bad, teach us the ins and outs of what a loving relationship is or is not supposed to be. As we age, our experien…

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PeopleChurchProblems | The Spiritual Gifts 40:34

7M ago40:34

40:34

It is our routine every Tuesday to gather as a leadership team and eat pizza with chicken salad, celebrate what God is doing, and talk about what is ahead. Although this is primarily a staff meeting, our elders and board members are always welcome to attend. A while back, my uncle Kerry, one of our elders, dropped in to attend our little powwow. He…

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PeopleChurchProblems | The Prisons We Live In 34:37

7M ago34:37

34:37

I’ve been to prison… …and there is a difference between prison and jail. Jail is a place where you wait to be moved to your final destination. Prison is where you go to stay, to be confined…where you go to rot. I was recently reminded of a trip I took to San Francisco. While there I visited Alcatraz and I distinctly remember refusing to stand insid…

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Episode 240 - Your Outie Plays Easy Mode 1:35:05

7M ago1:35:05

1:35:05

Welcome to Jon, Chris, and Eric Thank you to Jamie T, Tim E, Christopher H, Dan M Announcement Retro Preview - Flight from Moria Deck Spotlight - Grey Wanderer https://ringsdb.com/decklist/view/49851/thewoodenwanderermd-rcoc-1.0 https://ringsdb.com/decklist/view/17160/wanderingelvenking-1.0 https://ringsdb.com/decklist/view/16339/erestorthemarvelch…

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PeopleChurchProblems | A Sacred Call 42:47

8M ago42:47

42:47

You know that moment when your brilliant idea suddenly reveals itself to be... not so brilliant? Mine came on our first vacation as a family. We were camping in Estes Park, down to our last few dollars before payday. When the kids wanted candy at the grocery store, I proudly stood firm: "No candy. Put it all back." Father of the Year material, righ…

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PeopleChurchProblems | Stop It 37:43

8M ago37:43

37:43

It gets messy. And complicated. “What about this?” “What about that?” And “Oh wow, didn’t expect that!” Look around, take a poll, everyone seems to agree, the world is broken and is inhabited by broken people. But few agree as to why. According to the Proverbs, “Where there are no oxen, the stalls are clean.” You want a clean home? Get rid of the i…

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PeopleChurchProblems | The Odd Elements of Unity 41:44

8M ago41:44

41:44

You know what it's like to go to a new church as an adult not knowing what to expect. There are so many variables to consider especially if you're exploring or new to faith. What will they talk about, who will be there, will they ask anything of me, how much will I have to donate, will there be snakes on stage…etc. Coming to church as an outsider i…

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Praise the King | He Is Alive 33:29

8M ago33:29

33:29

Isn’t it interesting that we sing “O come O come….. Emmanuel?” Do you remember what Emmanuel means? It is a title given to God that means “God with us.” In other words, He is the God who is with us. And to the God who is with us, we sing “O come O come.” To the God who is already with us, please come CLOSER! Please engage! Please get involved in al…

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Backboard of the Rings 2025 Playoff Preview 2:33:16

8M ago2:33:16

2:33:16

Join Bard Lee, Shellin, and Beorn as they arrive late to the party (the playoffs) and give their thoughts on round 1 and make some picks for them and the future. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Episode 239 - Quest of the (21) Week(s) 2:03:47

8M ago2:03:47

2:03:47

Welcome to Jon, Rena, and Autumn Thank you to Blair B, Brian G, Steven P, Zach M News Retro Preview - 7th Level Deck Spotlight - 3 Hunters https://www.ringsdb.com/decklist/view/16267/threehuntersmtdoomcampaign-1.0 https://ringsdb.com/decklist/view/52230/3huntingrohirrimmd-rcoc-1.0 https://ringsdb.com/decklist/view/23601/ifitsstupidbutitworksitsnots…