Latest / Main Thing Podcast / INSIDE COVENANT | Pastors Caden & Eden Jones

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INSIDE COVENANT | Pastors Caden & Eden Jones · Main Thing Podcast

• 0:02
  SPEAKER_02: Main Thing Podcast with Pastor Steve, equipping you to respond and thrive in the world we live in today.
• 0:08
  SPEAKER_02: Keep the main thing the main thing has been a saying that Pastor Steve has told for decades.
• 0:13
  SPEAKER_02: It means no matter what is happening around us, Jesus is what we need to have front and center in our lives.
• 0:18
  SPEAKER_02: There couldn't be a more powerful reminder for us to recall in today's divisive and dark culture.
• 0:24
  SPEAKER_02: From foundational truths and scripture to the hot topics of today's culture, allow this podcast to inspire and motivate you on your faith journey.
• 0:33
  SPEAKER_02: All right.
• 0:33
  SPEAKER_02: Well, hello, Caden and Eden.
• 0:36
  SPEAKER_02: Welcome to the podcast.
• 0:37
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you.
• 0:38
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you.
• 0:38
  SPEAKER_02: Episode 36, running strong.
• 0:40
  SPEAKER_02: Glad you guys get to be with us today.
• 0:43
  SPEAKER_02: Before we begin, I'm going to say a prayer.
• 0:45
  SPEAKER_02: Heavenly Father, we thank you so much for those listening and watching.
• 0:49
  SPEAKER_02: God, I pray that this episode will bless them and encourage them, Father, to know that Jesus is who he says he is.
• 0:56
  SPEAKER_02: And Lord, he's the one that gives peace.
• 0:58
  SPEAKER_02: He's the one that gives hope.
• 0:59
  SPEAKER_02: And he's the one that wants to have a relationship with us.
• 1:01
  SPEAKER_02: So, Father, I pray you're with us during this episode.
• 1:04
  SPEAKER_02: Let us learn more about pastors Caden and Eden.
• 1:07
  SPEAKER_02: And Lord, that we would have a fun time together.
• 1:09
  SPEAKER_02: It's in Jesus' name I pray.
• 1:10
  SPEAKER_02: Amen.
• 1:11
  SPEAKER_00: Amen.
• 1:11
  SPEAKER_02: All right, guys.
• 1:12
  SPEAKER_02: So y'all have been around for what, six months?
• 1:15
  SPEAKER_00: No, like three.
• 1:16
  SPEAKER_02: Three months.
• 1:17
  SPEAKER_02: Okay.
• 1:17
  SPEAKER_02: Feels much longer than that.
• 1:19
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, it actually does.
• 1:21
  SPEAKER_00: It's been a whirlwind.
• 1:22
  SPEAKER_02: The real question is like, has all your decorations gone up yet in your new house?
• 1:26
  SPEAKER_00: For the most part, yes.
• 1:28
  SPEAKER_00: So we were so blessed.
• 1:29
  SPEAKER_00: A bunch of our friends came back.
• 1:31
  SPEAKER_00: They moved us in one day and they came back the next day and unpacked us.
• 1:35
  SPEAKER_02: Wow.
• 1:35
  SPEAKER_00: So we have been unpacked since weekend.
• 1:38
  SPEAKER_02: Now, did they offer that or did y'all ask?
• 1:40
  SPEAKER_02: They offered.
• 1:40
  SPEAKER_02: They offered.
• 1:41
  SPEAKER_00: We've had the most amazing friends and family.
• 1:43
  SPEAKER_00: Yes.
• 1:43
  SPEAKER_02: That is great.
• 1:44
  SPEAKER_03: We had some all-stars here that helped us too.
• 1:46
  SPEAKER_03: We did.
• 1:47
  SPEAKER_00: Mr.
• 1:48
  SPEAKER_00: Barry.
• 1:48
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, Mr.
• 1:49
  SPEAKER_03: Barry, Rebecca, um, Arabian, Jonathan.
• 1:54
  SPEAKER_00: A lot, a lot of a lot of covenant questions.
• 1:56
  SPEAKER_02: That's awesome.
• 1:57
  SPEAKER_00: It was great.
• 1:58
  SPEAKER_02: Both here and there.
• 1:59
  SPEAKER_02: That's awesome.
• 2:00
  SPEAKER_02: So the first question I want to jump into is let us know a little bit about your family.
• 2:04
  SPEAKER_02: Like, how did you guys meet?
• 2:05
  SPEAKER_02: And then, of course, introduce Sweet Glimmer to the audience, as if they don't already know her and her beautiful smile.
• 2:11
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 2:12
  SPEAKER_00: So we met, um, it's it's hard to explain.
• 2:16
  SPEAKER_00: The Bible college we ended up going to would do a mission strip of sorts on Bourbon Street during Mardi Gras, and we would evangelize.
• 2:26
  SPEAKER_00: And so Caden and I, as seniors in high school, both went on this mission trip to evangelize.
• 2:32
  SPEAKER_00: And that's how we first met.
• 2:34
  SPEAKER_00: And then we went to the same Bible college.
• 2:36
  SPEAKER_03: That's where we both decided to go to the same college.
• 2:38
  SPEAKER_00: Mm-hmm.
• 2:39
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 2:39
  SPEAKER_00: And then as far as family, you know, it's just us two in Glimmer and our dog Dolly.
• 2:45
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 2:46
  SPEAKER_00: Yep.
• 2:46
  SPEAKER_00: So small family.
• 2:48
  SPEAKER_02: Normally it's the other way around.
• 2:50
  SPEAKER_02: And you hear that people meet each other at on Bourbon Street, but they don't last long together.
• 2:55
  SPEAKER_02: But you guys met on a mission trip down Bourbon Street.
• 3:00
  SPEAKER_02: What a miracle.
• 3:00
  SPEAKER_02: That's awesome.
• 3:01
  SPEAKER_02: I love that.
• 3:02
  SPEAKER_02: Did y'all notice like how many, how many times have y'all been to Bourbon Street on mission?
• 3:06
  SPEAKER_02: Like, was this a yearly thing or is this like a one-year?
• 3:09
  SPEAKER_00: Around what, four or five times we did that.
• 3:11
  SPEAKER_00: Probably five.
• 3:12
  SPEAKER_02: The smell.
• 3:13
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, it was awful.
• 3:14
  SPEAKER_02: Is very distinct down there.
• 3:16
  SPEAKER_02: It makes you sick.
• 3:17
  SPEAKER_02: Yes, very much so.
• 3:18
  SPEAKER_02: That is great.
• 3:18
  SPEAKER_02: That is great.
• 3:19
  SPEAKER_02: I love that.
• 3:19
  SPEAKER_00: Definitely during Mighty Girl.
• 3:20
  SPEAKER_00: We would call it bourbon juice, the liquid on the ground that is various things that you're walking through.
• 3:28
  SPEAKER_03: And it like it sticks to your clothes.
• 3:30
  SPEAKER_02: Yes.
• 3:31
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 3:31
  SPEAKER_02: Okay, I've noticed that too in your shoes.
• 3:33
  SPEAKER_02: It's like a and like the grime eats away at your soul, whatever's down there.
• 3:38
  SPEAKER_00: And at your soul as well.
• 3:39
  SPEAKER_02: Yes.
• 3:41
  SPEAKER_02: Yes.
• 3:41
  SPEAKER_02: Powerful.
• 3:42
  SPEAKER_02: Um, so Caden, let's start with you.
• 3:44
  SPEAKER_02: What's something that maybe the church or the audience doesn't know about you yet?
• 3:49
  SPEAKER_03: Yes.
• 3:51
  SPEAKER_03: So fun fact, I have only I've shared this really.
• 3:54
  SPEAKER_03: I used to be a cow at Chick-fil-A.
• 3:57
  SPEAKER_03: Come on.
• 3:58
  SPEAKER_03: In college.
• 3:59
  SPEAKER_03: I was I was literally hired from the marketing team to be the cow.
• 4:04
  SPEAKER_03: Nice.
• 4:05
  SPEAKER_00: So I feel like you need to give background on that though.
• 4:08
  SPEAKER_00: He we were like getting ready to get engaged, and he was looking for a job.
• 4:12
  SPEAKER_00: He applied at how many places would you say?
• 4:15
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, just like was trying so hard to find a job, and the one place that called him back was Chick-fil-A to be the cow.
• 4:20
  SPEAKER_03: So I was all in.
• 4:21
  SPEAKER_00: He was, he was the best cow.
• 4:22
  SPEAKER_00: He would be, I'd pass by Chick-fil-A, he'd be down by the side of the road, like doing lunges out there in the heat in the Chick-fil-A cow.
• 4:29
  SPEAKER_03: I was on the news a couple of times.
• 4:31
  SPEAKER_02: Nice famous Chick-fil-A cow.
• 4:32
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 4:33
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 4:33
  SPEAKER_02: Was there any type of airflow or fan in the uh there was, but it didn't work.
• 4:39
  SPEAKER_02: Go figure.
• 4:40
  SPEAKER_03: Unfortunately.
• 4:41
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 4:41
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 4:42
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 4:42
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, but it was it was pretty fun for a season.
• 4:46
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, that's right.
• 4:47
  SPEAKER_02: That's right.
• 4:47
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 4:48
  SPEAKER_02: So Eden, what about you?
• 4:50
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 4:50
  SPEAKER_00: I was gonna say, I feel like a couple things people may not know.
• 4:55
  SPEAKER_00: Well, actually, if you know me, then this is gonna make sense.
• 4:58
  SPEAKER_00: I'm not like super rule follower.
• 5:01
  SPEAKER_00: I can be a little like march to the beat of my own jobs.
• 5:05
  SPEAKER_00: I see some laughter coming from the stage.
• 5:07
  SPEAKER_00: Um and Caden, when we were in ministry school, he was our RA.
• 5:13
  SPEAKER_00: We had dorms.
• 5:14
  SPEAKER_00: So this was like the boss man, and I would give him a hard time.
• 5:19
  SPEAKER_00: We were not dating yet.
• 5:20
  SPEAKER_00: I would give him a hard time.
• 5:21
  SPEAKER_00: And so I was thinking about one night in particular.
• 5:24
  SPEAKER_00: I had um Miss Curfew, you know what I'm saying?
• 5:28
  SPEAKER_00: Rolled up late onto the ground, and he was doing his nightly check to make sure everyone was back for curfew.
• 5:34
  SPEAKER_00: And I saw him come, I was like, oh no, he's about to bust me.
• 5:38
  SPEAKER_00: So I got my seat, the automatic, and was like, made it lay down.
• 5:44
  SPEAKER_00: And he walked right up to the car window and was like knocked on it, and I was like, rolled down the window.
• 5:49
  SPEAKER_00: He's like, get inside, Eden.
• 5:51
  SPEAKER_00: I was like, okay, that is awesome.
• 5:53
  SPEAKER_00: I've gotten better now.
• 5:55
  SPEAKER_00: I've gotten better.
• 5:55
  SPEAKER_00: I wouldn't say rebellious spirit, because I was like, good kid, grew up in church, like never, I've never had like a wild face, but you know, not just not like an avid rule follower where this this is an avid rule follower right here.
• 6:09
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 6:09
  SPEAKER_00: So balance, yeah, yeah, it balances it out.
• 6:12
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, totally.
• 6:14
  SPEAKER_02: So, as far as meeting Jesus and him just transforming your lives one at a time, like how how did how did that come to be and how did you meet Jesus and what happened around?
• 6:25
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, so um for I really I think for both of us, we really blessed and fortunate.
• 6:31
  SPEAKER_03: Um both of us grew up in church, families going to church, um parents, but also grandparents, grandparents both sides.
• 6:40
  SPEAKER_03: So you know, Wednesday, Sunday, VBS, um church is what what we did.
• 6:47
  SPEAKER_03: So at an early age, I accepted Jesus when I was five.
• 6:52
  SPEAKER_03: Honestly, like you go deeper.
• 6:54
  SPEAKER_03: Um I was first baptized when I was five, but in um the bathtub at our home is I was That is awesome.
• 7:02
  SPEAKER_03: I was too shy to like do it in front of church.
• 7:06
  SPEAKER_03: So it it took maybe a couple years until I was eight.
• 7:10
  SPEAKER_03: So I was like, all right, I'm ready to do this in church.
• 7:13
  SPEAKER_03: That is awesome.
• 7:14
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, yeah.
• 7:14
  SPEAKER_03: But um, it was very very early for me.
• 7:17
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I would say the same.
• 7:19
  SPEAKER_00: Um, I we that's part of how we really connect is we have really similar backgrounds as far as like our family life in church, just really strict Christian households, which we're very grateful for um that we grew up in in that environment.
• 7:34
  SPEAKER_00: But for me, it was uh a church, Cedar Crest Baptist in Westborn River, Louisiana.
• 7:40
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and my mom had become the kids' pastor at this church, and you know, it was just they were presenting the gospel in such a beautiful way.
• 7:48
  SPEAKER_00: I want to say I was seven years old, and that was the first time I walked an aisle and and went down to the front, and I was baptized.
• 7:55
  SPEAKER_00: I want to say, like the next Sunday, they baptized me.
• 7:58
  SPEAKER_00: And um, and yeah, it's just been a journey with Jesus ever since.
• 8:01
  SPEAKER_00: I share this sometimes, but we ended up transitioning to a different church, and that church um had experienced like a church slip, and a new pastor came in and you know, was dealing with all the disarray of things.
• 8:16
  SPEAKER_00: And I remember he would get down and just cry out to God on the platform in front of the congregation, just asking God to heal the church body to come and move, and he did.
• 8:26
  SPEAKER_00: The Lord showed up and revival broke out in this church.
• 8:30
  SPEAKER_02: Wow.
• 8:30
  SPEAKER_00: And um, I got to witness that as a little girl, and so we ended up having these revivals that would go on night after night for months at a time.
• 8:40
  SPEAKER_00: We were be at church every night, and because of that, we couldn't keep kids' care.
• 8:44
  SPEAKER_00: And so in those services, I got to be in the altar with the adults, experiencing things like what we've experienced here recently.
• 8:52
  SPEAKER_00: And I saw a lot of healings and miracles and God do incredible work.
• 8:56
  SPEAKER_00: Um, like I saw people get out of wheelchairs, I saw a man um who was blind, he'd been blind his whole life.
• 9:03
  SPEAKER_00: I saw him see for the first time, I saw him see his wife for the first time, things like that.
• 9:08
  SPEAKER_00: And so I think because of those experiences as a little girl, it really rooted my faith in Jesus.
• 9:15
  SPEAKER_00: And I had, I feel like, a great understanding of who he is.
• 9:19
  SPEAKER_00: And because of that, I've never wavered from that, and neither has Caden.
• 9:23
  SPEAKER_00: So that's kind of our story.
• 9:25
  SPEAKER_00: Like I I say like it's not like a cool testimony of like I did this and God radically delivered me, but it is a testimony of like we've just known the goodness of God all our lives and and gotten to live in that.
• 9:38
  SPEAKER_02: That's right.
• 9:39
  SPEAKER_02: I want to press in on a little bit on that because so many times when I'm I'm trying to encourage someone to share their faith or encourage them to share their testimony, they'll say, Well, I just don't have a cool testimony.
• 9:51
  SPEAKER_02: But your your experience is just as powerful.
• 9:56
  SPEAKER_02: So, like, what do you say to the people that feel like, oh, I don't I don't really have anything to share?
• 10:00
  SPEAKER_02: Like, what would you say to someone like that and to encourage them to to do the will of God and the call that he has on their life and be bold in in what he's calling them to do?
• 10:09
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, no, that's that's big.
• 10:11
  SPEAKER_03: Um I kind of focus it's like there's you can focus on different aspects of your story too.
• 10:17
  SPEAKER_03: So, like for me, one aspect I I was super shy.
• 10:21
  SPEAKER_03: Um so just you know, focus on that.
• 10:24
  SPEAKER_03: I I literally I remember praying for boldness and that I can pinpoint that was one prayer that I remember it I feel like it changed my life.
• 10:33
  SPEAKER_03: Once I prayed for boldness, I feel like everything changed after that.
• 10:38
  SPEAKER_03: Um so you know, whatever you know, maybe is personal to you, whether it's you know um boldness, um you know, maybe anxiety or maybe fear, family stuff, wherever it might be, maybe hone in on that um and just share that.
• 10:59
  SPEAKER_03: And that that's a testimony of Jesus.
• 11:01
  SPEAKER_03: That's how Jesus changed your life.
• 11:03
  SPEAKER_03: Amen.
• 11:04
  SPEAKER_00: I I like where you're running with that, and I agree with you.
• 11:07
  SPEAKER_00: I think even if you have a story like ours, Caden does have some things that happen in him.
• 11:13
  SPEAKER_00: I have like a cleaner or uh maybe an easier walk.
• 11:17
  SPEAKER_00: Is that how you would describe it?
• 11:18
  SPEAKER_00: Like he's got divorce and different things that he went through that you know, people make him relate to, but I don't I don't have that, and I can understand what you're saying.
• 11:27
  SPEAKER_00: There was a time where I was like embarrassed when I would get in rooms where everyone was like, Let's share our testimony, and I was like, Oh, you know, like what do I say?
• 11:36
  SPEAKER_00: And I remember feeling that way.
• 11:37
  SPEAKER_00: But I also like get where you're coming from, where well, we all go through things, we all battle things, and the testimony is serving Jesus and leaning on him throughout every season of life.
• 11:50
  SPEAKER_00: So for me, like my mom um got cancer when I was very, very young.
• 11:55
  SPEAKER_00: And so I had to, you know, sit there and watch her lose all her hair and and go through all the treatments and kind of watch her for a minute, you're kind of watching somebody die because the medicine, it it is if it feels like it's killing them, it's taking the life out of them.
• 12:12
  SPEAKER_00: And so as a young girl, I watched that, and that those are moments where I had to lean on Jesus.
• 12:17
  SPEAKER_00: And so even if you don't have a story where you went wayward, I think that like Caden said, there are different moments you can pinpoint where you leaned on Jesus and what he's brought you through.
• 12:28
  SPEAKER_00: And those are testimonies that I think are just as powerful and valuable.
• 12:32
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 12:32
  SPEAKER_02: So that's good.
• 12:33
  SPEAKER_02: As y'all were sharing, I'm just thinking about the genealogies in scripture, Old Testament and New Testament, and it just shows the goodness of God.
• 12:40
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, yeah.
• 12:40
  SPEAKER_02: That's a testimony in and of itself.
• 12:42
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, yeah, absolutely.
• 12:43
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 12:44
  SPEAKER_02: So you guys have been in ministry for a while, and and and maybe there's some people listening that don't understand this, but ministry can be grueling, it can drain you.
• 12:53
  SPEAKER_02: It it you're constantly giving.
• 12:55
  SPEAKER_02: I was just having a conversation with someone the other day.
• 12:57
  SPEAKER_02: You know, my day is full of giving.
• 12:59
  SPEAKER_02: We don't we we we get when we're in the word with with the Lord, we're praying to him and and we get what we need.
• 13:05
  SPEAKER_02: But like what do you guys do, maybe as a family or individually, that you enjoy that's kind of outside of ministry that gives life to you?
• 13:16
  SPEAKER_03: Um it's probably different for both of us.
• 13:19
  SPEAKER_03: Um more like a I guess like a re reset for me.
• 13:24
  SPEAKER_03: I I I I can enjoy just watching a movie.
• 13:28
  SPEAKER_03: Um or honestly, watching a movie or researching, um, you know, it gets kind of yeah, a little nerd.
• 13:37
  SPEAKER_03: Um but I I and find enjoyment doing that, you know?
• 13:41
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 13:41
  SPEAKER_03: Um I could I could get lost doing that for hours.
• 13:45
  SPEAKER_02: And when you say when you say research, like what are you reading books?
• 13:48
  SPEAKER_02: Are you just you're looking up articles?
• 13:50
  SPEAKER_02: Like how how does that research look out look forward to?
• 13:52
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, so really it all of that yeah.
• 13:56
  SPEAKER_03: I mean it varies, you know, audiobooks, um, reading books, physical books, um, you know, as simply as watching documentary.
• 14:07
  SPEAKER_03: Um I I love documentaries and watch a documentary and then all right, I want to do my own research about this.
• 14:13
  SPEAKER_03: Like let's go fact check this, you know.
• 14:16
  SPEAKER_03: Did this really happen?
• 14:17
  SPEAKER_03: And then I there's just so many rabbit trails where we can do all that with it.
• 14:22
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 14:23
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I would say for me, I'm really people oriented.
• 14:27
  SPEAKER_00: So I just get refreshed by being around people who I feel like really know me and understand me and value me.
• 14:33
  SPEAKER_00: And I like like this is good for me.
• 14:35
  SPEAKER_00: I like having um like one-on-one conversations.
• 14:39
  SPEAKER_00: Like me and Pastor Brent had a great chat yesterday for you know, a while and learned a lot talking to him, and he shared a lot of things with me about his faith.
• 14:48
  SPEAKER_00: So I just love having you know deep conversations for me.
• 14:51
  SPEAKER_00: That is like refreshing.
• 14:53
  SPEAKER_00: I think because I'm so extroverted, being around people in a non-work setting is very like recharging for me.
• 15:00
  SPEAKER_00: So yeah, I would say that.
• 15:02
  SPEAKER_02: So the next staff retreat, you'll be the life of the party.
• 15:04
  SPEAKER_02: For sure.
• 15:05
  SPEAKER_02: No doubt.
• 15:05
  SPEAKER_02: Oh, yeah, absolutely.
• 15:07
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 15:07
  SPEAKER_00: If I get an audience, it gets more and more.
• 15:11
  SPEAKER_00: I love it.
• 15:12
  SPEAKER_02: I love it.
• 15:13
  SPEAKER_02: Um, what burden has God specifically put on your hearts for the impact student ministry?
• 15:21
  SPEAKER_03: You know, we're talking about our testimonies, um, and just the goodness of God, and it again it's one aspect that um folks on it, it looks good, but it's also for me, like it I it wasn't always easy in a sense.
• 15:37
  SPEAKER_03: Or the first year in college, you know, after that summer break, that's when my parents they divorced.
• 15:44
  SPEAKER_03: And I would say those were probably um the toughest years of my life.
• 15:51
  SPEAKER_03: And I really debated dropping out of college um probably several handful of times.
• 15:58
  SPEAKER_03: They haven't really told me people.
• 16:00
  SPEAKER_03: Um but I was really just having a hard time and I feel like that's really when my my faith really rocked.
• 16:08
  SPEAKER_03: Um, really just questioned a lot of things.
• 16:11
  SPEAKER_03: Ultimately, I kind of had to decide, am I doing this for myself or am I doing this for my parents?
• 16:17
  SPEAKER_03: Right.
• 16:18
  SPEAKER_03: And I get that's my burden where it comes down to when my goal is for when students when they graduate, whether they go into college or workforce or wherever they go after high school, I want their foundation to be so solid in their faith that when when life gets hard, when when maybe seems like they're maybe questioning their faith, they're anchoring deep in their faith, like they turn to God rather than turn to anything else.
• 16:49
  SPEAKER_03: Um if we do that, then I feel like we have a successful ministry.
• 16:53
  SPEAKER_03: Amen.
• 16:54
  SPEAKER_03: It's a good word.
• 16:55
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, it is.
• 16:56
  SPEAKER_00: I was gonna say, I keep sharing about the church I came from, but the church I grew up in was just absolutely incredible.
• 17:02
  SPEAKER_00: Um and in my youth group, I I experienced so much.
• 17:08
  SPEAKER_00: And I remember there was one night in particular, my youth pastor was like mid-sermon, and he just stopped all of a sudden.
• 17:16
  SPEAKER_00: And we had a guy, he was a football player, he'd been injured, and he's on crutches, and he called him to the front, and he was like, Who has faith that if they come up and pray for him right now, he'll be healed?
• 17:26
  SPEAKER_00: And we were all kind of like, you know, looking around the room, like, whoa.
• 17:31
  SPEAKER_00: And um, and one brave guy got up and was like, you know, and kind of waddles up there and just bends down and quietly prays.
• 17:38
  SPEAKER_00: And he's like, Students, just stretch your hands out and just pray quietly at your seat that God's gonna heal him.
• 17:43
  SPEAKER_00: And um he prayed and then he was like, All right, I want you to try to walk.
• 17:49
  SPEAKER_00: So he put down the crutches and he had on a boot.
• 17:51
  SPEAKER_00: They took off the boot, and not only did he walk, but he took off running around the room.
• 17:56
  SPEAKER_00: And so we, I mean, as students, like we erupted.
• 17:59
  SPEAKER_00: We started praising God and we're just in awe.
• 18:04
  SPEAKER_00: And so I got to have those radical encounters with Jesus like that.
• 18:10
  SPEAKER_00: And I want our students, not saying it has to look like that, but however, however the Lord wants to do it uniquely for impact, I want them to have radical encounters with Jesus and an extreme understanding of who he is and his love for them, kind of like what Caden said, so that they they never waver because there's no denying that, you know, that moment was so powerful, I'll never forget it.
• 18:36
  SPEAKER_00: And so I want them to have experiences with Jesus on a on a grand scale like that, where it's like, man, like no matter what anybody says, there's no denying who Jesus is and how real he is, you know.
• 18:49
  SPEAKER_00: So yeah.
• 18:50
  SPEAKER_02: Amen.
• 18:51
  SPEAKER_02: Amen.
• 18:52
  SPEAKER_02: Uh for the and and apologize to the listeners.
• 18:56
  SPEAKER_02: This is pastors Caden and Eden.
• 18:58
  SPEAKER_02: They are the student pastors at Covenant Church Homework, uh, specifically called Impact Student Ministries.
• 19:03
  SPEAKER_02: So let's back up a little bit.
• 19:05
  SPEAKER_02: Um along that same vein, what's something about the Impact Student Ministry that you guys have come to love, or maybe something that you see that you can really raise the sail on and and just maybe a direction you see you sense the Lord leading?
• 19:20
  SPEAKER_02: I know you haven't been here long, but you've been here long enough to at least get to know the students and kind of see where their hearts are.
• 19:26
  SPEAKER_02: So where where's that direction look for you guys as far as leading the ministry?
• 19:31
  SPEAKER_03: It's it's all been exciting.
• 19:33
  SPEAKER_03: Like, you know, we got here October, and I feel like immediately since we moved in, uh, we're really just able to see like um just the I guess the heart, like the the passion of the church is we we had fall fest and then immediately went to Far Retreat.
• 19:50
  SPEAKER_03: Right.
• 19:50
  SPEAKER_03: And just on those two big things, we were able to see um just how much the the church you know loves the community and we're also like gotta see how so many students and leaders help with the fall fest.
• 20:05
  SPEAKER_00: And their parents, like the parent involvement, yeah.
• 20:08
  SPEAKER_03: And also, you know, and then two weeks later to go to Fall Fest without a voice too.
• 20:14
  SPEAKER_03: So it was pretty cool um just see like so many people being bought in and believe in impact.
• 20:21
  SPEAKER_03: Um I think it just it speaks volumes um in the student ministry and and in all the students, so it's it's exciting to see.
• 20:30
  SPEAKER_03: Um so it was it was cool to just see that early on in the beginning.
• 20:35
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I think we've really come to love the students early on.
• 20:39
  SPEAKER_00: Um and we lead from a place of like relationship, and so we're trying to, you know, go to the school and have lunch with them often and you know, just be really intentional about talking to them and getting to know them.
• 20:55
  SPEAKER_00: Um, because for us to have real influence in your life and be able to speak into your life, we have to have those those deep relationships where you can receive.
• 21:05
  SPEAKER_00: And so I think that's like as far as like you asked about vision.
• 21:09
  SPEAKER_00: And so as far as that, like I think our main party right now is like how can we really, really invest in those deep relationships so that we can go to a deep place in the Lord together?
• 21:20
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 21:20
  SPEAKER_00: Um, that's the main thing.
• 21:22
  SPEAKER_00: But yeah, I think we just want to create a place where they feel safe and comfortable and we can have those deep encounters with God.
• 21:29
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and a lot of it is about discipleship, but you know, I'm a worship leader, and so we want to create a place where they can really worship and encounter God's presence and and hear the word, but again, it just all goes back to them feeling safe and comfortable and having a relationship with us.
• 21:47
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 21:47
  SPEAKER_02: So that's good.
• 21:48
  SPEAKER_02: I one of the things I've learned early on in in student ministry is trust is the biggest thing.
• 21:54
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 21:54
  SPEAKER_02: You hit you hit on it for sure.
• 21:56
  SPEAKER_02: And and students can smell inauthenticity.
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah like they can smell whether or not you're genuine or not.
• 22:02
  SPEAKER_02: You know, I love that about students.
• 22:04
  SPEAKER_02: So awesome, awesome.
• 22:06
  SPEAKER_02: So in what ways, just to lighten the the tone a little bit, in what ways living south of I-10 is much different than living north of I-10?
• 22:14
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, well you want to go?
• 22:17
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, I'll go.
• 22:18
  SPEAKER_03: Um I mean, for one, uh I love BF Po Boys.
• 22:24
  SPEAKER_03: So love it.
• 22:25
  SPEAKER_02: Po boy man.
• 22:26
  SPEAKER_02: He really does.
• 22:27
  SPEAKER_03: That's just like all right, favorite, favorite kind of po-boy.
• 22:30
  SPEAKER_03: Just a BF Po boy.
• 22:31
  SPEAKER_03: Just okay.
• 22:32
  SPEAKER_03: With gravy.
• 22:33
  SPEAKER_00: Like he's a B to a boy connoisseur, and it must be gravy on the side.
• 22:36
  SPEAKER_03: I feel like they're definitely better.
• 22:38
  SPEAKER_03: Um and also gumbo.
• 22:41
  SPEAKER_03: You know, we got some good gumbo, um, but we got definitely a little bit better.
• 22:44
  SPEAKER_02: All right, so take though, your take, personal take, gumbo north Louisiana or gumbo south Louisiana?
• 22:50
  SPEAKER_02: Like which which gumbo's better?
• 22:52
  SPEAKER_03: So look, uh may not be the purpose to ask.
• 22:56
  SPEAKER_03: Like, I really I didn't really start liking gumbo until we moved to Mississippi.
• 23:00
  SPEAKER_03: Gotcha.
• 23:00
  SPEAKER_03: So, like, still kind of like the south in a sense.
• 23:04
  SPEAKER_00: I have a I'll have a hot take on this that might ruffle some feathers.
• 23:08
  SPEAKER_02: Come on, let's ruffle them.
• 23:09
  SPEAKER_00: It's not that different.
• 23:11
  SPEAKER_02: It's not that different.
• 23:12
  SPEAKER_00: No, it's really not.
• 23:13
  SPEAKER_00: There's a large supply of kingcake here.
• 23:16
  SPEAKER_00: Um kinkake festival.
• 23:18
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and we have been blessed with so many kinkakes, which we are so grateful for, but we have had kink before.
• 23:23
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 23:24
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and I will say the gumbo, I'm I'm sure if we like as we get invited to people's homes more and eat, but as far as like restaurant, it's about the same.
• 23:33
  SPEAKER_02: About the same, yeah.
• 23:34
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, yeah.
• 23:35
  SPEAKER_00: Because you know what?
• 23:36
  SPEAKER_00: People that probably live down here have family up there or they move and relocate, and there's the gumbo.
• 23:42
  SPEAKER_00: So um I would say the biggest difference is actually the people, and the people are warmer here, are more friendly.
• 23:52
  SPEAKER_00: In North Louisiana, people are like less warm, like they may or may not talk to you in line at the grocery store.
• 23:58
  SPEAKER_00: I've had some great conversations with Walmart since being here.
• 24:02
  SPEAKER_00: So I would say people are friendlier here.
• 24:04
  SPEAKER_00: That's actually the main difference I notice.
• 24:06
  SPEAKER_00: For sure.
• 24:07
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and everybody's like hugging and and stuff.
• 24:10
  SPEAKER_02: So I love that.
• 24:11
  SPEAKER_02: We were we we were visiting from Virginia one time and we went to Rouse's and we were missing our people.
• 24:16
  SPEAKER_02: We go up to the deli and the lady's like, What's up, honey?
• 24:19
  SPEAKER_02: How you doing today?
• 24:20
  SPEAKER_02: What kind of meeting you want?
• 24:21
  SPEAKER_02: I'm like, Oh, I'm this home.
• 24:22
  SPEAKER_02: But that it's that kind of thing that you'll find.
• 24:24
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, yeah.
• 24:25
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I noticed that as well.
• 24:28
  SPEAKER_02: What's a season of ministry, if you're mind getting a little a little deeper, but like can you pinpoint a season of ministry or something in your life that stretched you and changed you as a minister, like for the better?
• 24:42
  SPEAKER_00: I have something if you you don't mind.
• 24:45
  SPEAKER_00: I I would say our season in Ocean Springs.
• 24:48
  SPEAKER_00: Because would you agree with that?
• 24:51
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, I would you would say right now.
• 24:53
  SPEAKER_03: I would say even like Yeah, different again, different aspects.
• 24:57
  SPEAKER_03: Um Ocean Springs right now would be one.
• 25:01
  SPEAKER_03: Honestly, when we first moved, maybe the first six months um or year being in the ministry, um, it's pretty tough.
• 25:11
  SPEAKER_00: It was hard because we this is a fun fact for you if you want.
• 25:16
  SPEAKER_00: We got married.
• 25:17
  SPEAKER_00: We when we were like looking at pastoral positions, we were engaged.
• 25:22
  SPEAKER_00: And so they they hired us but waited till we were married, obviously, for us to relocate and move to Ocean Springs for that pastoral position.
• 25:30
  SPEAKER_00: And so we got married and moved there immediately, and we knew no one.
• 25:35
  SPEAKER_00: So we didn't, it's not like here where we knew Pastor Nathaniel coming in.
• 25:39
  SPEAKER_00: We didn't have friends or family in the area.
• 25:41
  SPEAKER_00: We as 20, 21-year-olds, relocated by ourselves and moved to a community where we knew no one.
• 25:49
  SPEAKER_00: Wow.
• 25:50
  SPEAKER_00: So that that was we knew the Lord was asking that of us, but I would say that was incredibly difficult to leave all our friends and family and be totally alone.
• 26:01
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, so young.
• 26:03
  SPEAKER_00: And also starting out in ministry and you're trying to kind of like fit find your way and build confidence.
• 26:10
  SPEAKER_00: And yeah, I would say that was pretty.
• 26:13
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 26:14
  SPEAKER_03: That was and then as far as like being in ministry first time, the team, um, a lot of the team like just moving in, they just you know naturally left.
• 26:27
  SPEAKER_03: Um, we got talked bad about like not even fully known yet, too.
• 26:32
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 26:32
  SPEAKER_00: The context of that, the transition, um, the leadership prior to us, I don't think it was like a peaceful exit for them.
• 26:41
  SPEAKER_00: And so when we got there, things were kind of rough.
• 26:43
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, nobody warned us.
• 26:45
  SPEAKER_00: So we came in, we're kind of like, oh no, you know, yeah, yeah, yeah.
• 26:49
  SPEAKER_00: So but you know, God let us.
• 26:52
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, but that's one thing it it might be seems small, but been so grateful um on different perspective being here because it's been such opposite.
• 27:02
  SPEAKER_03: Everyone's been so loving, so kind.
• 27:05
  SPEAKER_03: Um, the way Pastor Dylan, you know, set up everything in transition.
• 27:10
  SPEAKER_03: Um I feel like he built us up for success, but not just us for impact student at ministry itself.
• 27:17
  SPEAKER_03: Um, so it's been really cool to see that.
• 27:19
  SPEAKER_00: Agreed.
• 27:19
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 27:20
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 27:20
  SPEAKER_03: Awesome.
• 27:21
  SPEAKER_02: How do you uh this is the last deep question?
• 27:25
  SPEAKER_02: How do you guard your walk with God while serving others?
• 27:28
  SPEAKER_02: So let me just preface that.
• 27:30
  SPEAKER_02: Um and this is a good opportunity for people listening to understand more about what pastors uh do and and what is involved.
• 27:38
  SPEAKER_02: I I've been in ministry for the it's going on 14 years now, full time.
• 27:43
  SPEAKER_02: And so I have naturally developed some guards around my heart.
• 27:48
  SPEAKER_02: Good, bad, and indifferent sometimes.
• 27:51
  SPEAKER_02: And um it's a natural thing that takes place because we're constantly giving of ourselves to others, and and honestly, people are constantly failing us, right?
• 28:01
  SPEAKER_02: That's people, right?
• 28:02
  SPEAKER_02: We fail people, people fail us.
• 28:03
  SPEAKER_02: And so what are some ways that you guys like guard yourself from hurt in the in the sense of you love God, you love people, you're all in in the ministry.
• 28:13
  SPEAKER_02: Like, what are some whether that be like a time set aside during the day for certain things or a rhythm of quiet time or whatever, like what are some things in your life that you do to guard yourself from from hurt and um continuing to feed yourself uh for the ministry that God has called you to?
• 28:29
  SPEAKER_00: From like burnout as well, would you say?
• 28:32
  SPEAKER_00: I think it's a lot of prayer.
• 28:34
  SPEAKER_00: Uh we really believe in the power of prayer.
• 28:38
  SPEAKER_00: And um, and I think it's just praying really specific prayers.
• 28:44
  SPEAKER_00: I feel like God's really faithful.
• 28:45
  SPEAKER_00: So it's like God help us to see people how you see them.
• 28:48
  SPEAKER_00: But I think in ministry, you have to develop a really thick skin and just kind of learn to let things roll off because people will disappoint you or, you know, say things and you're like, what?
• 29:00
  SPEAKER_00: And so I think it's just constant, constant dedication to prayer and like submitting, you know.
• 29:08
  SPEAKER_00: Sometimes, if I'm being really honest, I will visibly picture somebody in my mind during prayer and I will imagine myself laying them at the foot of the cross and walking away.
• 29:19
  SPEAKER_00: And I'll be like, Jesus, help me to lay this down, help me to lay this situation or this person down.
• 29:25
  SPEAKER_00: Um, you know, because it you just gotta continually let things roll off.
• 29:30
  SPEAKER_00: So yeah, I don't know if it's a guard, but I I would say that for at least for me, I think for both of us, like the answer is prayer.
• 29:39
  SPEAKER_00: And and also um as a physical guard, like just guarding what you say.
• 29:47
  SPEAKER_00: Like I can be like a bit of an open book, especially if I feel comfortable, like I'll tell you anything.
• 29:53
  SPEAKER_00: And so just in ministry, sometimes you cannot say everything you think or feel, right?
• 30:01
  SPEAKER_00: And starting in ministry so young, that's something I had to learn really young, um, which was hard, you know, because you think we're all Christians and we're all safe and we should all be able to share.
• 30:13
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but you know, sometimes, as unfortunate it is, it's not that way.
• 30:17
  SPEAKER_00: And so it's just guarding and protecting yourself, but also each other in front of people, like being careful what we say about each other and speaking life, um, right, and and being intentionally positive, you know.
• 30:34
  SPEAKER_00: So, and keeping some things private, I think that's healthy.
• 30:37
  SPEAKER_02: So, did y'all find that experience at Ocean Springs?
• 30:41
  SPEAKER_02: Did y'all find that the Lord almost it was a way that he kind of forced y'all to draw closer together because y'all were y'all were it, right?
• 30:49
  SPEAKER_02: That was it.
• 30:50
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, yeah, absolutely.
• 30:51
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, for sure.
• 30:52
  SPEAKER_00: I feel like we would say when we first got there, we were like back-to-back guns blazing.
• 30:57
  SPEAKER_00: Because it's true, like we don't know any of you, you know.
• 31:00
  SPEAKER_00: And not that they're they weren't good people, but yeah, we it was just sure nerve-wracking.
• 31:06
  SPEAKER_00: So, and you guys were going through like family things recently during that time.
• 31:13
  SPEAKER_00: And so, yeah, we really had to band together and you know and grow up together too.
• 31:20
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 31:21
  SPEAKER_03: I would for me like a guard too, it's just um you can call it a guard.
• 31:26
  SPEAKER_03: I guess like being intentional because I feel like you know, as pastors in ministry, we're consistently pouring out.
• 31:34
  SPEAKER_03: Like if you look at it as a you know, cup, we're you know, pouring out so much.
• 31:38
  SPEAKER_03: So being intentional, am I filling my cup up?
• 31:43
  SPEAKER_03: You know, I feel like we're intentional about going to um like charity gale coming up soon or show up.
• 31:50
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, looking for things like that.
• 31:52
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, how can we fill ourselves up, but also like week to week, day to day, how can I fill myself up?
• 31:58
  SPEAKER_03: Um not just looking at you know, message for a message, how can I like pour into me?
• 32:06
  SPEAKER_03: But also like one thing I I really appreciate in college um was taller as a mentor, and so I I have someone important in my life, you know, consistently.
• 32:16
  SPEAKER_03: That's good.
• 32:17
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 32:17
  SPEAKER_00: Um like weekly.
• 32:18
  SPEAKER_00: He calls weekly.
• 32:20
  SPEAKER_03: So it's just you know, finding you know, someone that I can look up to and again to me as much as I'm pouring out.
• 32:28
  SPEAKER_03: I feel like that's um really appreciative of that.
• 32:31
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and they can hold you accountable, speak to things, you know.
• 32:34
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, you give someone the room to speak to things in your life.
• 32:38
  SPEAKER_00: And like Caden was saying, in our ministry school, we were required to have mentors that we met with, and so we've continued that model on launching into ministry, and it you're right.
• 32:49
  SPEAKER_00: It's it's very, very fruitful.
• 32:51
  SPEAKER_00: It's something that's helped us a lot.
• 32:53
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, that's good.
• 32:54
  SPEAKER_02: That's good, good word.
• 32:56
  SPEAKER_02: Well, that's the questions I have.
• 32:57
  SPEAKER_02: Do y'all have any last burning desires that you'd like to share with the audience?
• 33:02
  SPEAKER_00: I don't think so.
• 33:04
  SPEAKER_00: You got anything?
• 33:06
  SPEAKER_03: Um I mean just we're talking about prayer.
• 33:11
  SPEAKER_03: I feel like it kind of um was like a good segue.
• 33:14
  SPEAKER_03: Right now we're in a a series of first response.
• 33:17
  SPEAKER_03: Um really talking about prayer, you know, letting prayer be our foundation, prayer be our first response.
• 33:26
  SPEAKER_03: Um definitely it fits which yeah, this is organic, this is fine.
• 33:30
  SPEAKER_02: Don't cut this.
• 33:31
  SPEAKER_02: Sean, this is gonna be released in two weeks, right?
• 33:34
  SPEAKER_02: Yes, yeah, okay.
• 33:35
  SPEAKER_02: So, how long is the this uh series?
• 33:38
  SPEAKER_02: It's five weeks.
• 33:39
  SPEAKER_02: Okay, so this is a plug.
• 33:41
  SPEAKER_02: Get to the first response series here at Impact Student Ministry Wednesday nights at 6 30 p.m.
• 33:46
  SPEAKER_02: Let's go.
• 33:47
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, yeah.
• 33:48
  SPEAKER_02: Well, good deal.
• 33:49
  SPEAKER_02: Well, thank you all so much for being on with us.
• 33:51
  SPEAKER_00: Of course.
• 33:52
  SPEAKER_00: Glad we could do it.
• 33:53
  SPEAKER_02: Yes, thank you.
• 33:54
  SPEAKER_02: Thanks for inviting us.
• 33:55
  SPEAKER_02: Absolutely.
• 33:55
  SPEAKER_02: All right, guys, see you on the next one.