Episodes

  • The Gospel Is Still For You: Legalism & Abusing Grace

    The Gospel Is Still For You: Legalism & Abusing Grace
    Feb 19 2025
    In this episode, we explore how legalism and an abuse of grace can hinder our faithfulness to God. The gospel is not just for salvation—it shapes our daily lives. Learn how to recognize and overcome these tendencies.
    Main Takeaways:
    • Legalism turns faith into a performance checklist, making us believe God’s favor depends on our actions.
    • Abusing grace leads to complacency, excusing sin instead of growing in holiness.
    • True faith balances obedience and grace, relying on Christ’s work rather than our own efforts.
    Reflection Question:
    "As you reflect on today’s episode, ask yourself: In what areas of my life do I tend to lean toward legalism or abusing grace? How can I align my heart more closely with the truth of the gospel?"
    Next Steps:
    • Check out my LIVE Free study on Galatians—explore how the gospel transforms daily life.
    • Talk with a trusted friend or mentor about struggles with legalism or grace.
    • Pray for wisdom to live in the balance of truth and grace.
    Join the Conversation:
    We’d love to hear how you’re applying these insights to your own life. Share your thoughts, questions, or testimonies with us on Instagram @startingplacepodcast.
    Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review if you enjoyed this episode!
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    28 mins
  • The Gospel is Still For You: What is The Gospel?

    The Gospel is Still For You: What is The Gospel?
    Feb 12 2025
    Welcome back to Starting Place! Today, we’re kicking off a mini-series on why you still need the gospel—even if you've been a Christian for years.

    It’s easy to become overly familiar with Christianity, knowing all the right things to say but forgetting the basics. The gospel isn’t just the starting point of our faith—it’s the foundation we always need.


    Main Topics Covered:
    ✔️ What the gospel really is: not just about forgiveness, but fellowship with God
    ✔️ Why we slip into earning God’s favor instead of trusting His grace
    ✔️ How the entire Bible tells the gospel story—from creation to restoration


    Recommended Resources:
    This series is inspired by my new Galatians study, Live Free—pre-order now at Lifeway.com/LiveFree!


    Join the Conversation:
    We’d love to hear how you’re applying these insights to your own life. Share your thoughts, questions, or testimonies with us on Instagram @startingplacepodcast. Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review if you enjoyed this episode!


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    18 mins
  • Overcoming Obstacles to Spiritual Growth

    Overcoming Obstacles to Spiritual Growth
    Feb 5 2025
    We’re kicking off a new season of Starting Place! In this episode, I’m sharing life updates, including my new book coming in 2026, my upcoming Bible study on Galatians (Live Free), and starting a new doctoral program.
    I’m also reflecting on the year ahead—big goals, little goals, and what holds us back. Fear, self-sufficiency, and sin can sabotage our faithfulness to God, but prayer realigns our hearts, reminds us of God’s power, and reconnects us to our purpose.
    Key Takeaways:
    🔥 Fear makes us forget God’s faithfulness—prayer helps us remember.
    🔥 Self-sufficiency tricks us into thinking we don’t need God’s power.
    🔥 Sin is more than immorality—it’s idolatry that distracts us from glorifying God.
    Reflection Question:
    How have fear, self-sufficiency, or sin impacted your spiritual growth?
    Share your thoughts with a friend, because we always learn more in community.
    Recommended Resources
    Live Free Galatians Bible Study
    Join the Conversation:
    We’d love to hear how you’re applying these insights to your own life. Share your thoughts, questions, or testimonies with us on Instagram @startingplacepodcast. Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review if you enjoyed this episode!
    Follow Us:
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    24 mins
  • The Gospels, Jesus' Birth, & Redeeming Brokenness (Re-air)

    The Gospels, Jesus' Birth, & Redeeming Brokenness (Re-air)
    Dec 25 2024
    Elizabeth Woodson reviews the Old Testament story and jumps into the New Testament, seeing how the story of Jesus' birth brings us hope that God can use and even redeem the messy areas of our lives.

    Questions Covered in This Episode:
    • What is the story of the Old Testament?
    • What happens between the Old Testament and the New Testament?
    • How does the book of Matthew begin?
    • What are the three main sections of the New Testament?
    • What are the gospels?
    • What is one thing we can focus on and learn from the genealogy on Jesus?
    • What do we learn from the story of the birth of Jesus?
    • How does the complicated nature of Jesus' birth point us to the gospel?
    Reflection Question:
    Think of a situation or person you think is too broken for God to redeem. What would it look like to embody hope in this situation? Specifically hope that the same God who used broken people to bring Jesus into the world, can redeem a broken or imperfect situation for his good.

    Continue Learning:
    • Read Matthew 1 & Luke 1-2
    • Jesus’ Troubled Family History by Nancy Guthrie
    • Gospel Coalition articles on the Birth of Christ


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    33 mins
  • The Intertestamental Period & Waiting On God with Kat Armstrong (Re-air)

    The Intertestamental Period & Waiting On God with Kat Armstrong (Re-air)
    Dec 18 2024
    Elizabeth Woodson is joined by Kat Armstrong to finish up the journey through the Old Testament by talking about The Intertestamental Period and the themes of waiting on God.

    Questions Covered in This Episode:
    • What happens during The Intertestamental Period? Why is this a significant time in the life of Israel?
    • What makes waiting difficult for us?
    • What does The Intertestamental Period teach us about what it means to wait on God?
    • What does it look like for you to wait on God in your own life?
    • How does The Intertestamental Period and the theme of waiting on God point us toward the gospel?
    Helpful Definitions:
    • The Intertestamental Period: A 400-year period of silence between the Old Testament and the New Testament.
    Guest Bio:
    Kat Armstrong loves encouraging curious Christians to explore Bible stories and has also recently released a 6-Study Series called The Storyline Bible Series that will guide you through your study of the Bible. She is the co-founder of the Polished Network, an organization emboldening women in their faith and work. Kat is the author of No More Holding Back and The In-Between Place. She received her master’s degree from Dallas Theological Seminary and is pursuing a doctorate of ministry in New Testament context at Northern Seminary.

    Reflection Question:
    What would it look like for you to be faithful in your waiting season?

    Continue Learning:
    If you want to learn more about the entire story of the Bible check out Elizabeth’s new study, From Beginning To Forever.
    • Scripture Passage: Malachi 4:5-6, Jeremiah 29:1-11
    • Article: What happened in the Intertestamental Period?
    • Book: The Time Between The Old and New Testament by Henry Halley
    • Article: What happened between the Old and New Testament
    • Books: Kat Armstrong’s Storyline Series

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    31 mins
  • The Prophets, Judgment, Hope, & Returning to God with Mason King (Re-air)

    The Prophets, Judgment, Hope, & Returning to God with Mason King (Re-air)
    Dec 11 2024
    Elizabeth Woodson is joined by Mason King to have a conversation about how the prophets called Israel back to repentance but they did not listen, so God eventually responds by enacting judgment upon them by sending them into exile.

    Questions Covered in This Episode:
    • What is exile and why is this event significant in the life of Israel?
    • What hope does God give Israel while they are in exile? What is the significance of this hope being given during a season of suffering/judgment?
    • We love talking about hope, but we don’t always like talking about judgment. What are some of the reasons we have a hard time embracing this part of God’s character?
    • How has your understanding of these interconnected themes of judgment and hope impacted how you love God and love others?
    • How do The Prophet and the themes of judgment and hope point us toward the gospel?
    Helpful Definitions:
    • Exile: Having to leave where you are from to go to another place against your will, knowing you can’t go back and you want to go back.
    Guest Bio:
    Mason King serves as a pastor at The Village Church in Flower Mound, Texas. He also serves as the Executive Director of The Village Church Institute, Groups, and Leadership Development. He is currently completing Ph.D. in Church History from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and holds a D.Min. in Executive Leadership from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. A native Texan, Mason and his wife Carly have three kids and two labs. You can find him writing at masonking.org and on Instagram at @MasonKing.

    Reflection Question:
    How have you seen God use tough love or his judgment to bring you back to a place of faithfulness in your walk with Jesus?

    Continue Learning:
    If you want to learn more about the entire story of the Bible check out Elizabeth’s new study, From Beginning To Forever.
    • Scripture: Jeremiah 29, Jeremiah 31:31-34, 2 Kings 17, Ezra 3, Matthew 1:1
    • Video: The Bible Project - Exile
    • Online Course: Knowing the Bible: Daniel
    • Sermon: Bless the Block - Pastor Thabiti Anyabwile
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    36 mins
  • Moses, The Law, & Becoming the People of God with Jen Wilkin (Re-air)

    Moses, The Law, & Becoming the People of God with Jen Wilkin (Re-air)
    Dec 4 2024
    Elizabeth Woodson is joined by Jen Wilkin to talk about The Law. The Law shows us who God is and what he loves, freeing us to live in our divine design as image-bearers.

    Questions Covered in This Episode:
    • How is The Law designed not to simply restrict Israel, but to form them as the people of God?
    • Why do you think God begins this discussion by reminding Israel of how he delivered them out of Egypt?
    • Why do you think Christians say that Christianity is not about rules but about relationship?
    • How should we think about the law that we read in the book of Exodus?
    • What does it look like for you to find delight in God’s law?
    • Why do we want to obey the law?
    • How do The Mosaic Covenant and the theme of the law point us toward the gospel?
    Helpful Definitions:
    • Moralism: You do the right thing in order to win approval, favor, or status.
    • Morality: Obeying God’s law because it is right to do so, it brings glory to Him, and it is how you were designed to function.
    • Civil Law: How to deal with disputes between citizens. How the moral law is practiced.
    • Ceremonial Law: How do we approach God specifically in the worship patterns He has instituted for us. How the moral law is practiced. In our current time; shadows that have been fulfilled in the work of Christ.
    • Moral Law: Expression of the heart of God. Shows us who God is and what God loves.
    Guest Bio:
    Jen Wilkin is an author and Bible teacher from Dallas, Texas. She has organized and led studies for women in home, church, and parachurch contexts. An advocate for Bible literacy, her passion is to see others become articulate and committed followers of Christ, with a clear understanding of why they believe what they believe, grounded in the Word of God. You can follow her on Instagram.

    Reflection Question:
    How has following in the way of Jesus formed you to love God and love God’s people?

    Continue Learning:
    If you want to learn more about the entire story of the Bible check out Elizabeth’s new study, From Beginning To Forever.
    • Scripture Passage: Exodus 19-20, Matthew 5-7
    • Book: Ten Words to Live By - Jen Wilkin
    • Book: Journey to Freedom by Natasha Sistrunk Robinson
    • Video: Bible Project - Covenants
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    34 mins
  • Disciples Live Intentionally

    Disciples Live Intentionally
    Nov 27 2024
    Episode Summary:
    In this final episode of the season, we reflect on the transformative habits we’ve explored over the past weeks. Discipleship is never neutral—we are always being shaped by our choices, habits, and surroundings. Join us as we close the season with a thoughtful challenge: to evaluate how we’ve grown this year and intentionally align our lives with the way of Jesus.

    Key Takeaways:
    1. Discipleship requires intentionality—spiritual growth doesn’t happen by accident.
    2. Our habits and choices either form us into the image of Jesus or conform us to the world.
    3. A rule of life can help us structure our days, weeks, and months to live faithfully as disciples.
    Challenge:
    As you reflect on 2024, ask yourself the following questions. Also, invite your family and friends into the conversation to discern how to live intentionally for Jesus in the coming year.
    • How have I been shaped by the way I use my time and resources?
    • Where do I see evidence of God’s work in my life?
    • What simple habits can I practice consistently in 2025 to grow as a disciple?\
    Recommended Resources
    1. In Good Time - Jen Pollock Michel
    2. The Common Rule - Justin Earley
    3. Rule of Life Builder - John Mark Comer

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    19 mins