Why Wait For Heaven

Episode 32

In this powerful episode of Be the Storm, host John Eckhardt welcomes special guest Rik Collins to the studio in snowy Lisbon, Maine for a conversation that challenges traditional Christian thinking.

What if Jesus didn't come primarily so we could go to heaven?

What if the goal was never just a future destination… but a present relationship?

Through Tuesday worship gatherings, personal encounters with the Lord, and fresh revelation, Rik began sensing God whisper something unexpected: "I did not come so that you could go to heaven." That statement launched a deeper exploration of Scripture and Kingdom truth.

They unpack how much of modern Christianity has emphasized eternal reward while unintentionally minimizing daily communion. From Jesus appointing the twelve "that they might be with Him" (Mark 3:14) to God walking with Adam and Eve in the garden in Genesis, the heartbeat of God has always been relationship.

Heaven is real. Eternal life is promised. But the invitation starts now.

#BeTheStorm #JohnEckhardt #RikCollins #ChristianPodcast #KingdomNow #RelationshipNotReligion #WalkWithGod #Emmanuel #AbideInChrist #FaithRenewal #SpiritualGrowth #JoyInTheLord #BiblicalTruth #ChristianLiving #KingdomMindset

Why Life Sucks Part 6

Episode 31

Why does life feel stuck sometimes?

In Part 6 of the "Why Life Sucks" series, John Eckhardt and Skip Simons confront a hard truth: we don't grow by avoiding discomfort — we grow by walking through it.

Too often we spend our energy praying for rescue instead of pressing into resurrection power. We want the miracle check in the mail. The unexpected deliverance. The quick escape route. But God's higher plan isn't always rescue — it's resurrection.

Drawing from Psalm 23, they revisit the image of the valley of the shadow of death. Skip shares a powerful illustration: pride and fear build a six-lane superhighway around the valley. It looks faster. It looks easier. But it only brings you back to the beginning.

Progress is not going around the valley.
Progress is going through it.

#BeTheStorm #JohnEckhardt #ChristianPodcast #WhyLifeSucks #OvercomingFear #ResurrectionPower #FaithOverFear #Psalm23 #Philippians310 #SpiritualGrowth #ChristianLeadership #KingdomLiving #HopeInChrist #WalkThroughTheValley #BreakTheCycle

Why Life Sucks Part 5

Episode 30

Why does life sometimes feel harder than it should be?

In this powerful episode of Be the Storm, John Eckhardt and Skip Simons tackle Reason #5 in their ongoing series "Why Life Sucks" — unrecognized pride.

Sometimes frustration is more than bad luck. As Dr. Eckhardt shares, "Frustration is God's crowbar." It may be the force prying us out of faulty thinking and misplaced confidence. Scripture tells us plainly that God gives grace to the humble but resists the proud — and that resistance isn't personal rejection. It's divine opposition to the pride we cloak ourselves in.

#BeTheStorm #JohnEckhardt #ChristianPodcast #WhyLifeSucks #PrideAndHumility #SpiritualGrowth #Repentance #GraceOfGod #ChristianLeadership #FaithWalk #BiblicalTruth #Psalm23 #KingdomLiving #HeartChange #GodResistsTheProud #WalkInHumility

Why Life Sucks Part 4

Epispode 29

Is it possible to have a relationship with God… but not enjoy fellowship with Him?

In this bold and practical episode of Be the Storm, John Eckhardt and Skip tackle Reason #17 in their ongoing series "Why Life Sucks" — the failure to differentiate between relationship and fellowship with God.

Many believers live secure in their salvation but struggle with distance, dryness, or frustration in their daily walk. Why? Because relationship is established through Jesus Christ — but fellowship is cultivated through daily communion, humility, repentance, and listening.

Using the story of the prodigal son in Luke 15, they unpack a powerful truth:
The son never stopped being a son — but he stepped out of fellowship.

Sin does not break your relationship with God.
But it absolutely disrupts your fellowship.

#BeTheStorm #JohnEckhardt #ChristianPodcast #RelationshipWithGod #FellowshipWithGod #Repentance #GraceOfGod #ProdigalSon #SpiritualGrowth #ChristianTeaching #FaithWalk #IntimacyWithGod #KingdomLiving #BiblicalTruth #DailyDevotion #AbideInChrist

What Happens When the Holy Spirit Interrupts Your schedule?

Episode 28

In this powerful episode of Be the Storm, John Eckhardt sits down with worship leader Jackie Baker for a raw and deeply challenging conversation about honoring the move of God over protecting ministry structure.

Are we so committed to our order of service, time constraints, guest appearances, and polished excellence that we miss the very thing we're praying for — the manifest presence of God?

Drawing from Romans 12:1–2, they discuss transformation, renewal of the mind, and the mystery of encountering God face-to-face. They reflect on the administration of spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians 12–14 and how biblical order was never meant to suppress the Spirit — but to remove hindrances so His flow could bring life change.

Jackie transparently shares a humbling moment early in his worship ministry when he sang right past a powerful move of God because he was more committed to the setlist than the Spirit. The result? A sobering lesson that the anointing matters more than the agenda.

They explore:

• How celebrity culture can subtly replace reverence
• Why "pretty" has replaced "power" in modern church culture
• What it means to be spiritually dependent instead of performance-driven
• Why sometimes the most spiritual thing you can say is, "I don't know what to do right now."

The conversation also references the bold worship of David before the Ark in 2 Samuel 6 — a moment where dignity was abandoned for devotion — and contrasts it with the barrenness of criticism.

The central challenge is clear:
Will we preserve our brand? Or will we protect the anointing?

Because when the Spirit of the Lord begins to move, everything else becomes secondary.

If we truly want transformation, revival, healing, deliverance, and life change, we must create room for Him to interrupt us.

#BeTheStorm #JohnEckhardt #JackieBaker #HolySpirit #WorshipLeadership #Anointing #MoveOfGod #ChurchLeadership #SpiritLed #ChristianPodcast #RevivalCulture #PresenceOfGod #FiveFoldMinistry #KingdomLeadership #ChristianGrowth #LetTheSpiritMove

The True Nature Worship

Episode 27

In this powerful episode of Be the Storm, Dr. John Eckhart sits down with worship leader Jackie Baker for a deep and thought-provoking conversation about the true nature of worship, anointing, giftedness, and the fear of the Lord.

What is the real role of a worship leader? Is it performance, personality, and excellence — or is it facilitating an encounter with God? Together, they explore biblical examples from 1 Samuel, examining the qualifications of David as a skillful musician "and the Lord was with him." They also unpack lessons from the lives of Moses, Balaam, and Paul, highlighting the difference between operating in gifting and walking in genuine intimacy with God.

Is modern worship emotional manipulation — or is it meant to engage the whole soul in authentic spiritual encounter? What happens when celebrity Christianity replaces humility? And how does the fear of the Lord guard us from pride and self-promotion?

This episode challenges ministers, worship leaders, pastors, and believers alike to examine their motivations. Are we drawing people to ourselves — or handing them off to Jesus?

This is not a surface-level conversation. This is a call to depth. A call to humility. A call to encounter.

Because worship is not about stealing the show. It's about creating a garden where God can meet His people.

And sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do… is get out of the way.

#BeTheStorm #JohnEckhart #JackieBaker #ChristianPodcast #WorshipLeader #Anointing #FearOfTheLord #ChristianLeadership #CharismaticChristianity #SpiritFilled #WorshipMinistry #ChurchLeadership #BiblicalTruth #EncounterGod #ChristianGrowth #KingdomMindset

Episode 26

In this episode of Be the Storm, Dr. John Eckhardt is joined by Skip Simonds and Abby Navarra to explore what it truly means to live out Jesus' teaching in Matthew 5—turning the other cheek, going the extra mile, and choosing healing over division. Through honest stories from Abby's experiences in both Christian and secular environments, they unpack how humility, patient listening, and genuine love open more hearts than arguments ever could. This conversation will encourage you to value people over winning debates, trust the Holy Spirit with the results, and love like Jesus—one interaction at a time.

Episode 25

In this uplifting episode of Be the Storm, Dr. John Eckhardt, Skip Simonds, and Abby Navarra dive into one of the most overlooked spiritual disciplines—the gift of listening. Together, they unpack how truly hearing someone communicates value, builds trust, and opens hearts in ways debate never can. Abby shares real-life stories that highlight why slowing down, asking good questions, and resisting the urge to "fix" people creates space for the Holy Spirit to work. This conversation will remind you that listening isn't weakness—it's love in action, and it can transform relationships one moment at a time.