Knowing God With Heart and Mind

The Desert as a Place of Prayerful Pursuit

"People do not drift toward holiness."

We live in a world that majors in three things: noise, hurry, and crowds. In an age where our attention spans are shrinking and our digital lives are louder than ever, how do we find the "lonely places" where Jesus met with His Father?

In this Ash Wednesday message, we kick off our Lenten series, The Desert as a Place of Prayerful Pursuit. We draw wisdom from the ancient Desert Fathers and Mothers—radical believers who fled the distractions of the 3rd-century city to find deep intimacy with God in the wilderness.

In this recording, you’ll explore:

• The Theology of Effort: Why grace isn't opposed to effort, only to earning.

• The "Proskartereō" Life: What it means to have a "steely determination" in our prayer life.

• The Parable of the Bow: How to avoid the trap of "excessive religiosity" and find the unforced rhythms of grace.

• The Identity of the Beloved: Why we go into the wilderness because we are loved, not to prove we are worthy.

Lent is not a season of passive waiting; it is an intentional journey. Whether you feel spiritually vibrant or completely parched, join us as we "shut the door" on the noise and step into the desert to reignite our passion for Jesus.

Making Jesus First: Living in the End Result

In this final message based on Frank Viola's "Hang On, Let Go: What to Do When Your Dreams Are Shattered and Life Is Falling Apart" (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale Momentum, 2021) Pastor Dan reminds us the crisis you're walking through isn't meant to destroy you—it's meant to transform you. God isn't trying to get you back to "normal." Normal is what got you here. He's the Architect of your crisis, and He's been working toward an "End Result" all along: making Jesus first in every area of your life.

Romans 8:28-30 isn't just a comfort verse—it's your roadmap. The "good" God is working toward isn't a better job or easier circumstances. It's conforming you to the image of His Son. Version 1.0 of you relied on self-control and panic. Version 2.0 reflects the character and peace of Jesus.

You can't move forward while clutching the past. Philippians 3:13-14 calls us to forget what lies behind and strain toward what's ahead. The prize isn't a problem-free life—it's Christ in you, the hope of glory. This week, ask yourself: "If Jesus is truly first in this situation, what's my very next move?"

 

Echo 40 -- Small Levers, Big Kingdom: How Tiny Choices Shift Your Soul

Pastor Dan and Adrienne continue their discussion of Frank Viola’s Insurgence nook and introduce the idea of “kingdom levers.” Using everyday analogies—light switches, train track switches, wheelbarrows, and anchors—they explain how small, faithful actions and changes in perspective gradually move us from a flesh-centered worldview into the kingdom of Christ. Practical takeaways include changing the narrative, growing in love instead of pride, and choosing faithfulness over dramatic moments as the steady way the kingdom advances.

Don't Believe Everything You Think--Focus on Mindset

Most of our "crisis" isn't what's happening to us—it's the story we're telling ourselves about what's happening. When dreams shatter and life falls apart, we become trapped in toxic narratives: "Everything is ruined." "God has abandoned me." "It's never going to work out."

But God calls us to a different posture. We must hang on to Jesus as our anchor while letting go of how we think the story should end. Stop staring at the wall you're afraid of hitting. Take every thought captive (2 Corinthians 10:5). Fix your eyes on Jesus, not the obstacle (Hebrews 12:2).

The most spiritual thing you can do in a crisis? Breathe. Exhale your panic. Inhale His peace. "Be still, and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10). You can't control the crisis, but through Christ, you can control the narrative. God is the author, and He hasn't finished the book yet.

Echo Podcast – Episode 39 - Kingdom on Tuesday

Echo Podcast – Episode 39

“What Does the Kingdom Look Like on a Tuesday?”

In this episode of Echo, Adrienne and Pastor Dan move from theology to everyday life as they continue exploring the gospel of the Kingdom. After weeks of clarifying what Jesus actually preached and lingering on the beauty of Christ Himself, the conversation turns practical: What does it mean to live under the reign of Jesus in ordinary places like work, family, and relationships?

Drawing from Luke 4 and the Sermon on the Mount, they reflect on how the Kingdom is not a religious program or checklist, but a way of seeing and responding to real life. Rather than adding new pressure, Kingdom life begins with a simple posture of attention—learning to ask, “Jesus, what would Your reign look like here today?”

This episode is an invitation to reimagine the everyday as sacred space where God is already at work. No formulas, no quick fixes—just a gentle, hopeful conversation about noticing the nearness of the Kingdom.

Different rooms. Different conversations. The same center—Jesus as King.

Abandoning Fix-It Mode: The Art of Letting Go

In this episode we read Luke 22:39–44 and explore Jesus' agony in Gethsemane as he faces what he cannot control, asking God to remove the cup but ultimately surrendering to the Father: "not my will, but yours be done." The sermon contrasts our natural "fix-it" instincts with the courage of surrender.

Pastor Dan shows the difference between giving up and surrendering: letting go of outcomes is an act of faith that releases anxiety, invites God’s sovereignty, and brings peace and joy as we trust God to be the hero of the story.

Beholding the Beauty of Christ: From Snowfields to the Throne

Pastor Dan Sinkhorn and Adrienne Tarullo slow down to explore the beauty of Christ, drawing from Frank Viola's Insurgents, Colossians, and Revelation. They weave scripture with real-life moments — snow-covered fields, childbirth, and Psalm 23 — to show how beholding Jesus transforms us.

Through stories about adoration, sanctification, and the Holy Spirit’s reflection, the episode invites listeners to pause, gaze at Christ’s glory, and let that beauty shape their lives.

The Trial of Faith: Finding God in the Fire

What if your current season of suffering isn't an interruption to your spiritual journey, but the very geography where God does His deepest work? In this message, Pastor Dan explores the biblical paradox of trials—viewing our storms not as detours, but as divine furnaces of refinement. Drawing from the lives of Job and the Apostle Paul, we discover that endurance isn't about having all the answers, but about refusing to let go of who God is. Learn how to navigate the "dark night of the soul" and step into Resurrection Territory, where human possibility ends and divine life begins.

Echo 37 - The True Gospel: It’s Not What You Think

Is the Gospel just a ticket to heaven, or is it something much more radical? This week on Echo, Pastor Dan Sinkhorn and Adrian Tarullo strip away the layers of legalism and libertinism to rediscover the "Gospel of the Kingdom." They explore why the true message of Jesus isn’t a middle ground between extremes, but a total shift in citizenship. From the "loss of entitlement" to the grit of real forgiveness, learn what it actually looks like to live under the ruling presence of King Jesus.

Regrip Your Faith: Intimacy in the Storm

Psalm 46 frames God as our refuge and strength amid shattering losses. This message explores how God’s presence—like a hidden river—sustains us when dreams collapse, urging us to ‘be still’ and loosen our grip.

Through stories of Hezekiah’s tunnel and the support of others (Aaron and Hur), Pastor Dan calls listeners to surrender control, seek God’s steady refreshment, and invite community to hold them up in times of grief and change.