New Work Fellowship Podcast

This week on the Beyond Sunday podcast, Michael Shearon, Josh Hensley, and special guests Wendy Westerfield, Noell Robinson, and Tressy Wells share heartfelt and hilarious stories from the front lines of foster care. From kids eating chicken bones and discovering sweat for the first time to touching conversations about reunification, adoption, and opening your home, the episode balances laughter with powerful reminders of what it means to care for others in tangible ways. The conversation also highlights how foster care impacts the entire family and how God uses those experiences to shape compassion, patience, and perspective.

Altared: God’s Design in Life and Relationship
Walking the Aisle - Where It All Begins

Genesis 15:8-21

Wedding ceremonies are filled with moments we recognize, but many of them carry deeper biblical meaning than we realize. From covenant to relationships, these traditions often point to something greater than themselves. One of the most iconic moments in any wedding is the walk down the aisle and it carries a far deeper meaning than most people realize.

This week’s episode of Beyond Sunday starts with hilarious stories about siblings, childhood memories, and the random things people refuse to throw away. From old Nintendo systems to mysterious keys and worn-out keepsakes, the conversation naturally shifts into a deeper discussion about forgiveness and why some hurts are much harder to release than others. Using the story of Hosea and Gomer, the team reflects on God’s relentless love and the challenge of choosing forgiveness even when it costs something deeply personal.

 

The second half of the episode dives into what it means to truly forgive, receive forgiveness, and choose love again. The hosts talk about bitterness, relationships, worship, and how God’s forgiveness toward us changes the way we treat others. There are heartfelt moments, honest reflections, and somehow a story about Josh dressing up as a giant foam tongue in a children’s musical. It’s meaningful, funny, and full of reminders that grace changes everything.

Forgiveness is a journey. We fear it because it costs so much, but grace wins when we keep choosing it. Forgiveness is not a moment; it’s a lifestyle.

Grace Wins - Over Fear
Hosea 3:1-3

This week on Beyond Sunday, Josh, Michael, Evan, and special guest Lorin Borntrager follow up on week two of Grace Wins with a conversation about bitterness, forgiveness, and the freedom God wants for us. After a very memorable taste-test game full of bitter foods and drinks, the conversation turns to Joseph’s story and the challenge of forgiving even when the apology is weak, the hurt is real, and bitterness feels justified.

The episode also gets practical about boundaries, reconciliation, family patterns, anger, and what it looks like to keep choosing forgiveness without pretending the hurt never happened. It is a thoughtful and honest reminder that forgiveness does not always happen overnight, but it does open the door to healing, freedom, and a heart ready to love again.

Grace Wins - Over Bitterness
Genesis 50:14-21

Forgiveness is the hard work of releasing bitterness. Grace wins when we choose release over revenge, even while keeping wisdom and boundaries.

ASK A QUESTION - TELL A STORY - CONNECT WITH US

This week’s episode starts with a fun, laid-back vibe, featuring stories and a “Forgiveness Scale” game, but quickly turns into a meaningful conversation about the reality of forgiveness in everyday life. As the team works through lighthearted scenarios, it becomes clear how differently we respond to being wronged and how much harder it gets when the situation hits closer to home. The discussion naturally shifts toward the deeper truth behind the Grace Wins series: forgiveness isn’t just about what others have done to us, but what we continue to hold against ourselves.

The heart of the episode centers on Peter’s story and the powerful reminder that failure is real, but it’s not final. The group unpacks the difference between guilt and shame—one drawing us back to God, the other trying to redefine who we are—and highlights how often we live under condemnation that Christ has already removed. Forgiving yourself is not a one-time moment but a daily decision to believe what God says over what you feel. Grace doesn’t just restore... it moves you forward, calling you into what’s next rather than leaving you stuck in what was.

Grace Wins - “Forgiving Ourselves” -John 21:15-19

The journey begins by receiving Christ’s forgiveness and letting go of guilt and shame. If we cannot forgive ourselves, we will remain stuck in failure rather than walking in resurrection life.

LISTENER ENGAGEMENT- ASK A QUESTION - TELL A STORY - CONNECT WITH US

This week on Beyond Sunday, the conversation starts with some unbelievable stories—massive pumpkins, oversized watermelons, and gardens producing way more than expected. But what begins as lighthearted fun quickly turns into a deeper question: if your life were a garden, what would it be producing right now?

From honest reflections on things that didn’t grow the way we hoped to meaningful encouragement around relationships, leadership, and faith, this episode challenges us to take a closer look at what we’re cultivating. Growth doesn’t happen by accident—it takes care, consistency, and trust in what God is doing beneath the surface. And as the team looks ahead, there’s a powerful reminder that grace meets us right where we are and leads us forward.

IF LIFE WERE A GARDEN - The City Garden of God—Where Death Will Die - Revelation 22:1-5

The final City Garden of God is the place where everything broken is fully restored and God dwells with His people forever. Prepared from before the foundation of the world, it is a perfect and eternal home that far surpasses anything we know. Our story is not ending in loss, but in victory, moving toward complete restoration, renewed creation, and life with Him that we were made for.