Consider It Joy

Clinging to Faith through Trauma - with Jason Gray

Faith can be hard sometimes just by itself, but can feel near impossible when dealing with hurt and trauma.  Jason Gray has been making hopeful and encouraging music for over 20 years, but has faced some real hurt and trauma. This is a raw and honest conversation is also relatable, and it carries a lot of hope through it.  Jason Gray is a great musician, but also just a great human being.
Be sure to check out Jason's music (including the new acoustic album) as well as concert dates ands ways to connect here.
 
Consider It Joy is a production of 88.3 Life FM in Bakersfield, CA.  Find all the ways to listen and connect here!

Is it Divisive, or is it Truthful? (With Nate Parrish)

Sometimes, the line between being divisive and being truthful is hard to find.  Sometimes division is used as an excuse to not be truthful, but on the other side, truth can be misused to needlessly divide.  Confused yet?  We talk to our long time friend and musician Nate Parrish, who has spent some time on this, especially having gone through some real church hurt.  Nate is a rock musician, a worship leader, an artist, and an excellent communicator, and brings fun and depth to the conversation!
Find Nate's latest music, videos and news here.   You can also connect with him here on Facebook.
 
Consider It Joy is a production of 88.3 Life FM in Bakersfield, CA.  Find all the ways to connect and listen here!

When An Artist Falls (with Jon Engen and Chris Hauser)

The Christian music industry was completely shaken be the recent accusations towards Newsboys lead singer Michael Tait, which he confessed to.
This has left a lot of people angry, confused, even resentful.  We wanted to have a level headed discussion about when an artist (or pastor or leader) falls, so we invited two important voices on this; Chris Hauser, who is a well established music promoter in the industry, and Jon Engen, who is a pastor and psychologist.  We are able to take both an inside look at the situation, and a ministry based approached.
Please note that while this episode does not contain any explicit details, it does reference drug use and sexual abuse, so listener discretion is advised for younger listeners. 
 

STRESS!! (with Jon Engen)

It seems to be a constant for us all.  There is stress at work, stress at home, stress when you turn on the news.  We know it's bad for us, but how can we avoid that feeling?  What can we do to minimize stress in every day life?  We brought back our friend and psychologist Jon Engen to talk about practical ideas to manage and avoid that every day stress that seems to be around every corner.  This is an episode we ALL can relate to!
 
Consider It Joy is a production of 88.3 Life FM in Bakersfield, CA.  Find all the ways to listen and connect here!

Weird and Unique Moments in CCM - with Logan Sekulow

Every industry has its fads, phases, and even disruptions.  We talked with the owner of CCM magazine, Logan Sekulow, about some of the trends and times that really stuck out in CCM history.  For those who have been around Christian music a long time, this will be a trip down memory lane, and for those who are newer, it's a fun look at what made the industry what it is today!  And this episode is FULL of fun CCM facts you likely didn't know!
Be sure to check out the new CCM Magazine here!  With LOTS of big things coming to that site!
Consider It Joy is a production of 88.3 Life FM in Bakersfield, California.  You can find all the ways to listen and connect here!

The Importance of Storytelling (with Josh Walsh)

As humans, we are wired for stories.  We resonate emotionally and even spiritually through stories. Why do we resonate so deeply with them, and how can we ourselves be better story tellers in every day life?  Matt talks with movie producer Josh Walsh (I Can Only Imagine 1&2, Jesus Revolution, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever) about why stories matter, and why every one of us is a story teller.
Consider It Joy is a production of 88.3 Life FM in Bakersfield, CA.  Find all the ways to connect and listen here!
And be sure to check out all the movies (including what's coming next) from Kingdom Story Company!

The Line between Loving Your Neighbor and Burning Out

On one hand, we know the Bible says to not only love our neighbor (and the poor, and the outcast, and marginalized) but also to love our enemy.  On the other hand, at SOME point, you can only give so much.  Where and how do we find the balance between loving those around us, and creating healthy boundaries?  We welcome back our friend, pastor, and psychologist Jon Engen to help walk through this in an episode that should take some weight off your shoulders!
 
Consider It Joy is a production of 88.3 Life FM in Bakersfield, CA.  You can find all the ways to listen and connect here!

Asking Each Other Hard Questions

We have decades of experience interviewing others and getting their stories: artists, pastors, local leaders, actors... but what if we pointed the mics at each other?
This episode, we attempt to ask each other questions we haven't been asked before, and use those years of experience to ask each other some tough and unexpected questions.  
Consider It Joy is a production of 88.3 Life FM in Bakersfield, CA.  Find all the ways to listen and connect here!

When An Artist Walks Away from Faith - (with Dan Bremnes)

You have probably seen it happen, a Christian artist announces they've walked away from the faith, or something happened in their life that is considered 'unacceptable' for a faith-based artist.  Maybe it's even just someone in the spotlight who is wrestling with doubts and questions.
The church can be quick to judge, but what if we looked closer at those situations.  On this episode we sat with Dan Bremnes, an artist who, in the midst of his Christian music career, was losing his faith.  We talk about the why, and how we as the church can better understand and respond.
Be sure to check out Dan's music wherever you stream, or get to know him more here.
Consider It Joy is a production of 88.3 Life FM in Bakersfield, CA.  To find all the ways to listen and connect, click here.

Ministry In Unexpected Places - Car Salesmen (with Anthony Cicneros)

Car salesmen have a bad rap.  The stereotype is sleazy, manipulative, and untruthful.  What does ministry look like on a car dealership lot?  We sat down with one of the best car salesmen in the country, Anthony Cisneros, to 1. confront the stereotype (is it true?) 2. Find out what ministry looks like as a car salesman  3. Uncover the strategies salesmen use when you show up to buy a car.
This is such a fun episode of not only seeing ministry in a different context, but taking away the layers of mystery behind what is and isn't true when talking to a car salesman.  
Consider It Joy is a production of 88.3 Life FM in Bakesfield, CA.  Find all the ways to listen and connect here!
And if you live in our area, and thinking about getting a car, check out Motor City GMC.   They are not a sponsor, just a great place with great people.