Restoring Our City

25/12/2023

Merry Christmas! Thanks for listening this year and we’ll be back with new episodes of the pod after the holidays. As we wind down the year, let’s take a look back at some of our favorite Christmas promo videos from the past!

We’ve always enjoyed giving back, and had fun doing it. Check out the page today as we’ll be posting 3 of our favorite Christmas promo videos from years past. Hope you enjoy them as much as we did making them.

Have a safe and happy holiday season!
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🎄 🎄

23/11/2023

Grace ➡️ Gratitude ➡️ Glory

Heard a great sermon at church describing what fuels our gratitude and how it’s lived out. Take a moment today to think about how much you’ve been given and how it can flow out of you to serve your community and glorify God.

It’s always mind boggling when listeners reach out and tell us how an episode of the pod or a clip has impacted them. We’re grateful for all of you! More to come to serve our community Happy Thanksgiving!! 🦃

🍁 Grace is receiving something we don’t deserve.

🍁 Gratitude grows in direct proportion to how much the gift is undeserved.

🍁 Gratitude fuels our act of service which directs glory to God.

27/10/2023

You need to eat healthy, That goes for physically, as well as spiritually, and this content creator provides snack sized truths that's easy to digest. A long time friend of ROC, John Stephenson cooks up positive creativity through !

For true insight from a marketing pro, check out this episode on how to live out your creativity from a Biblical point of view.

Latest episode of the Restoring Our City podcast is streaming wherever you get your pods!

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27/10/2023

Do you want to create content? Want to tap into your creative side? FaithfulFlavorsorg and our good friend John Stephenson talks about the positive and practical ways you can share your creativity with the world.

You need to eat healthy, That goes for physically, as well as spiritually, and this content creator provides snack sized truths that's easy to digest. A long...

13/10/2023

Emerging South Asian Leaders are desperate for guidance, and have the unique position to lead from their story.

Check out our conversation with creative leader Sabina Pappu, founder of Se.Cure Leadership who is empowering emerging Indian leaders to find community, receive leadership training and mentorship, and boldly share their stories.
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26/07/2023

There's a lot of macho talk these days, and toxic masculinity seems all the rage. But are there actual problems we should be aware of when it comes to raising young men? Are more men lacking ambition and purpose today?

The guys discuss the alarming stats that young men face, and react to a great pod from Dr. Anthony Bradley on "How Churches Should Respond to the Boy Crisis".

Check out that episode too from Dr. Bradley's pod; its a great listen: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1fd6d5WW2s3VrZXKXAC7Nl?si=262eac250a5d4186

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17/06/2023

Dad’s matter.

It’s staggering to see the impact of absent fathers in our society. This Father’s Day, let’s remember those who don’t have a father figure in their life, and be the community that surrounds them.

Sources: Census.gov and Pewresearch.org . See links below for full articles:

https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/families/children.html
https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2019/12/12/u-s-children-more-likely-than-children-in-other-countries-to-live-with-just-one-parent/

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07/06/2023

Father's Day is a great holiday where we celebrate an amazing responsibility. But we dive into some tough questions every aspiring parent should think of. Should everyone have kids? How does discipline look like in today's world? What's it like being an Indian dad in today's culture?

We discuss life and the cultural differences from being raised as brown kids to brown dads.

New episode streaming now!

26/05/2023

We’re #1 ! 🥇

If you’re South Asian, there’s lots to celebrate during month. However, with a rich culture and history comes an important responsibility.

• India has become the most populous country in the world

• It makes up 18.2% of the global population

• 40% of its people are under the age of 25

• Only 2-3% identify as Christian

Our latest pod discusses our culture and the unique responsibility our identity plays in reaching our community.

Sources:
buff.ly/3IDkRp5
Pewrearch.org

24/05/2023

A whole month celebrating Asian American culture, but what responsibility comes with that? Is there a place for ethnic centric churches or should we strictly pursue a multicultural approach all the time?
The guys discuss how our unique identity plays into who we are, and the special ability it allows us to connect with others. A fun conversation with a challenge to reach those around us.

20/05/2023

If the world is full of chaos, and we’re all broken people, what can we do as a society?

Put our faith in the only place that will not fail us.

18/05/2023

A few stats. 📲

When discussing gun violence, it’s important to look at the big picture. How do these stats influence your response to gun violence in America? Drop a comment below 👇🏾 ⬇️

Note: 2021 was the last year where the complete data set was available related to gun deaths. All credit goes to Pew Research for these statistics and you can read the full article here: https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/04/26/what-the-data-says-about-gun-deaths-in-the-u-s/

16/05/2023

Do we only care about moral issues when it fits our politics?

Check out the latest episode of The Restoring Our City podcast streaming everywhere!

12/05/2023

Lack of action is frustrating. But will new laws change the human condition?

11/05/2023

By now the news seems repetitive. Another mass shooting in America, calls for action, but nothing takes place. As the world lashes out against empty thoughts and prayers, how should our community respond? The guys discuss the polarizing topic of gun violence in America and what our response as a community must be.

Latest episode out now streaming wherever you get your podcasts 🎧
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29/04/2023

Our seasons of waiting can build our character. What seems like tough times now will build us up for where we need to be.

27/04/2023

If you were given a blank check, what would you do with the rest of your life?

Sometimes our calling starts with a question that leads us to discovering our purpose.

26/04/2023

Finding your calling in life is daunting, and obstacles can prevent us from getting started on the path to discovery. The guys discuss all the barriers that stop us, and whether it's truly the calling we should be pursuing in the first place.

New episode now streaming wherever you get your podcasts!

21/04/2023

If you think you've got a calling, put in the work to figure it out.

We discuss how to explore where we're supposed to be and the healthy ways to pursue it.

12/04/2023

After a year long hiatus, WE ARE BACK.

We said we would be right back, but a few things happened along the way: babies , moves, travel, and callings in different directions. We are back to talk through it all, especially how we decipher the calling in our lives.

Link to the episode in our bio.

27/04/2022

4 Seasons are in the books! Thank you to all the listeners for following along and engaging in topics impacting our community 🗣

We’re taking a short break from posting new episodes but would love to hear your feedback on how we can get better! Check out the survey via the link below and we can’t wait to continue candid conversations on todays topics to help connect our community! ✌🏽

Survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WB5CCP6

20/04/2022

In our Season Finale, what better way to wrap up than to have a candid conversation on whether we can continue to have candid conversations? With Elon Musk on the verge of buying Twitter, renewed talks of free speech have come up. Will a takeover of social media open up more free thought? How do we guard against misinformation without censoring conversation?

The guys discuss the fight for free speech along with looking ahead to topics you want to hear about in the next season. Thanks for listening all season long!
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16/04/2022

We bet you’ve got friends who may attend church for the first time this weekend. So what makes them stick around? Are people looking for a church that is more relevant than reverent?

There are some churches out there where the service looks like a laser light show, and the preachers have the latest sneakers. Are these trendy features necessary or even helpful in reaching people today?

The guys discuss the latest fads in American churches, and whether we need to decorate the message shared to the world.

The latest episode of the Restoring Our City podcast is now available everywhere you get your podcasts! 🎙
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06/04/2022

The only slaps contained in this episode are hopefully knee slaps from all the laughs. But there are important lessons in here too. The guys discuss the fallout from the slap heard 'round the world at the Oscars, and the bigger idea surrounding dealing with conflicts in a healthy manner.

30/03/2022

After cranking out 12 episodes in a row, we’re taking a quick pause 😴 Check out the latest episodes to get caught up via the
New episodes resume next week!
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24/03/2022

What better way to celebrate hitting the 50 episode mark than taking on more of your questions! The guys tackle some important topics like the problems of virtue signaling, and why Christians are secretive and not vulnerable enough. Feel free to send in your anonymous questions via the link in our bio!

23/03/2022

We made it to 50 episodes!

It's been a fun ride filled with candid conversations on today's topics, and we've certainly been able to connect with our community over these 50 episodes. Special thanks to all of our collaborators, co-hosts, guests, and most of all... the listeners 😁 Here's to the next 50! 🎙

16/03/2022

We asked you to submit anonymous questions, and you definitely did that! On this episode, the guys tackle a few questions that came from our "Ask Us Anything" page and discuss some spicy ones like: Should we care about social issues if they don't directly affect us? Should Catholics be referred to as Christians?
Thanks for not sending us any softballs, and we encourage you to keep sending your questions in so we can bring them up on future episodes!

You can send in your questions right on our website at https://restoringourcity.org/ask-us-anything

15/03/2022

Pain can drive us to isolation or it can lead us to community.
Don't give up on finding a healthy community because of the pain, seek it out because you were fundamentally designed for it.

14/03/2022

What does love look like? Surrounding you in the moments where you need it the most. This is why we don’t give up on being the church we are meant to be.

The latest episode of the Restoring Our City podcast is streaming now!

12/03/2022

You’ve probably had some painful church experiences, but what makes you stick around? What keeps you connected to community?

The guys discuss how the church plays a role in how we are known as Christians and ways we can better portray that to the world.
Check out the latest episode of the Restoring Our City podcast streaming now!

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3pZ3XYF
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/37jGavX
Youtube: https://bit.ly/3q1QM9f

09/03/2022

Does your church represent Christians in a healthy way?
We wrap up our series on “They’ll Know We Are Christians” , but this time we dive into the perceptions our churches make on what Christians look like. Many of us have been burned, but we’ve also grown because of these experiences.

Check out the final episode of this series via the
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03/03/2022

02/03/2022

We’re taking a short pause from our current series to talk about the invasion into Ukraine. Not because it’s a trending topic, but because we should care for our communities and understand how to respond.

In this special episode, we discuss the response to war, challenge the notion of being politically passionate, and ultimately find ways to better love our neighbors. If we care about restoring our cities, we will speak up when they’re being destroyed. Check out the latest episode of the Restoring Our City podcast now available.

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16/02/2022

Our latest series is all about how we are perceived as Christians, and a recent opinion from the shows how relevant this topic really is.

They even highlighted the well known song we are using for our theme, “And They’ll Know We Are Christians”… but for the record, we thought of it first 😝

Our next episode drops tomorrow and revolves around the failures we’ve seen from leaders in the Christian community. While our intention isn’t to call people out or highlight the fall of influential leaders, we need to speak about this to learn from past mistakes. Our hope is that in the future, more articles will be written about how we’re known for our love than anything else.

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12/02/2022

What’s a crazy, strict rule you had to deal with growing up?

Some people enforce rules without knowing their intended purpose, and that just leads to a toxic culture…like forcing you to get rid of your pool table 🤦🏾‍♂️

Check out the latest episode of the Restoring Our City podcast streaming now!

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3suA0jC
Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3gMBrEo

09/02/2022

Play by the rules or get your hands slapped. That's the culture a lot of us grew up in when it came to being a church goer. Unfortunately, that culture led to the perception of Christians as strict rule followers and excluding anyone who broke them.

The guys explore the skewed perceptions of Christianity, and how the rules and standards we claim to hold can have an adverse look on what it truly means to be a Christian.

The latest episode of The Restoring Our City podcast is streaming now!
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05/02/2022

Your friends may not hold the same beliefs in 5 years.

People might feel better making up a God to believe in because it’s comfortable, or leave the faith all together. A challenging question we all need examine.

Check out the full episode of the Restoring Our City podcast streaming now!

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/34zQa31
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3Hwbrcq
YouTube: https://bit.ly/34zXZFI

27/01/2022

We've all heard them. We've probably used them. Father God. Traveling mercies. Bless your heart. All of the go to phrases in Christian jargon commonly known as "Christianese". How should we avoid empty phrases and fall out of the habit of talking in familiar terms, and start being more intentional with our words?
Jeswin, Bijoy, and Jobbin talk through all the fun and familiar phrases we are all guilty of saying. Except "daddy-God". There's no excuse for using that one.
Check out the latest episode and let us know your favorite phrases in the comments!