One of the concepts that is foundational to the idea of Heaven Here Now, is that Heaven starts in the Heart. This is why the ancient wisdom says, "Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it" (Proverbs 4:23) and why Jesus said, "the Kingdom of God is within you" (Luke 17:21). In today's episode we sit down with therapist and author, Connie Jones to talk about how vital the environment of "the heart" (our minds and emotions) is for experiencing Heaven Here Now.   

In this week's episode, we discover a kindred spirit with former pastor and current non-profit founder Frank Mercer. Frank led Rolling Hills Baptist Church in Fayetteville, GA for over a decade. The church thrived under his leadership, but instead of following the normal trajectory of growth which usually leads to bigger buildings (and budgets), Frank and his leadership team sensed God leading them down a different path. One that resulted in them selling their facility and investing in local ministry, including his current non-profit that provides spiritual and emotional support for first responders (http://4ourheroes.org/). His story is powerful and you won't want to miss it!

What will the Next 50 Years look like for Christianity in America? In this week's episode, we welcome back Shelby Barker to discuss the recent Pew Recent Center on the continued decline of Christianity and the rise of "the Nones". Each of us shares our unique take on what the story behind this decline is, and how pastors and ministry leaders can shift to reach the next generation.

https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2022/09/13/modeling-the-future-of-religion-in-america/