Followed By Mercy
The Followed By Mercy Podcast
Real Grace, Honest Hope
You might notice a new name and a fresh look, but the heart behind this podcast is the same. After years as the World Evangelism Podcast, I sensed God leading me to a deeper, more personal path centered on His relentless mercy and the kind of honest hope that can reach into every hurting place. That’s why this show is now called Followed By Mercy Podcast. The format may shift, and the tone may be a bit more personal, but my mission hasn’t changed: I still believe the world desperately needs to hear the good news of God’s love in Jesus Christ. You are welcome here if you’ve been with me from the beginning or just found us now.
What if God’s love is more personal, stubborn, and relentless than you ever imagined?
Welcome to The Followed By Mercy Podcast, where we get honest about pain, hope, and the kind of grace that finds you right where you are, five days a week. This isn’t about religious performance or church routines. It’s for anyone who’s ever felt worn out, unseen, or unsure if they belong in the story of God’s love. Every conversation is rooted in this reality: God loves you right now, just as you are, and He isn’t giving up on you.
Here’s what you’ll find in every episode:
Experience God’s Relentless Love
Every show starts by reminding you that the Shepherd knows your name, cares about your story, and isn’t offended by your failures or questions. This is personal—it’s about God’s unwavering affection for you.
Find Your Place in His Heart
Once you grasp how fiercely you’re loved, sharing that love with others doesn’t feel forced. It becomes the most natural thing in the world. Real grace overflows.
Prayer That Changes You
We pray together—not just for the world “out there,” but for the battles and hopes you’re carrying right now. These prayers are honest, rooted in Scripture, and meant for hearts that need a gentle touch from the Shepherd.
Discover Your Unique Role
Whether you’re called to go, give, serve, or show kindness in your corner of the world, God’s mercy meets you where you are. You’re not just a bystander. You are His beloved, invited into the story He’s writing.
When life knocks the wind out of you, this is a place to catch your breath. You’ll hear the encouragement that meets you on your hardest days, and your honest questions will be welcomed. No pretending, no heavy-handed advice—just the reminder that your Shepherd is right there with you, walking every step with you, even when you feel like giving up.
Why does this matter? Because some days, it feels like nobody sees you or cares what you’re going through. But the truth is, you have a Shepherd who never takes His eyes off you, lets you slip through the cracks, and never gives up on you. That kind of love can put you back on your feet, and it might be the hope someone else is waiting to see in you, too.
If you’re longing for more than just religious talk—if you want to know you’re not alone and that God’s mercy is following you all the way home, you’re in the right place. Whether you listen in the car, on a walk, or in a quiet moment, let every episode remind you: God’s mercy is after you right now, ready to bring real grace and honest hope.
Subscribe today and join a community to discover what happens when loved people become loving people. The journey’s just beginning, and there’s a place for you here.
Followed By Mercy
Answering the Divine Call: Lessons from Paul’s Mission in 1 Corinthians 9
What does it truly mean to heed the call of God in your life? In this thought-provoking episode, we delve into the depths of 1 Corinthians 9, drawing inspiration from the apostle Paul's relentless drive to preach the gospel despite overwhelming personal challenges and fears. We explore the compelling necessity Paul felt to fulfill his calling—a burden so intense that it was inescapable. By sharing personal stories, such as the daunting journey to Peru, we illustrate how answering God's call can often push us out of our comfort zones and into uncharted territories.
Paul's perspective on ministry and financial compensation provides a fascinating angle on his motivations. Paul was driven by a profound desire to spread the gospel, not by financial gain. We dissect how this mindset contrasts with the common perception that ministry is a pursuit of profit. Join us for an inspiring discussion on the unique nature of God's call and the intrinsic rewards of faithfully answering it. Discover how Paul's example can illuminate your own path and inspire you to embrace the challenges and blessings that come with living out your faith.
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Well, due to travel, I'm not quite as sophisticated in this recording, but I try to do five minutes five days a week, and so I would like to talk to you more about the call of God on our lives. You know, all I can do is what I know to do, based on the Word of God. I will serve Him and obey Him. I will trust Him to show me whatever he wants me to do and I will just continue doing what God has called me to do. I like 1 Corinthians 9. When we talk about the call, paul said in 1 Corinthians 9.16, for, though I preach the gospel, I really want you to consider that when I think about the call, this verse really comes to mind. I really want you to consider that when I think about the call, this verse really comes to mind.
Austin Gardner:Paul felt that necessity was laid on him. Paul felt like if he didn't preach, woe is unto me. In other words, he had to preach. He felt like he had to do it. I don't know what God does, I can't explain it, but I tell you I would believe that most men that feel like God called them to the ministry would say to you something happened and put a powerful desire in them, a hunger, a need, maybe something they didn't even want to do. I know that when God was calling me to Peru, I was afraid to come to Peru because it was against everything I'd ever done. It was giving up what I knew. It was going where I didn't know. I already knew I was no good in languages and my wife didn't want to go. But more and more every day until I surrendered. I felt the woe, the necessity. I felt like God was really pushing me to do it, and so I would tell you in a lot of ways that's a good way to describe the call and not trying to be spooky but something will happen and you'll be like oh, I just feel like this is something I have to do.
Austin Gardner:Paul continues in 1 Corinthians 9, 17. He says this for if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward. No-transcript. He was going to be doing it because, basically, the Lord was pushing him to do it. He was afraid not to do it. There was a weight put on him to do it. He said well, if I do it willingly, I'll get a reward, and if I do it against my will, well, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me, even if I do it against my will. I need to know God gave me a job to do with my life. That's what makes the call so different. It's not like a Sunday school teacher, it's not like somebody who disciples people. It's not like a regular church member. Laymen like to try to act like you know well, you're just like me, except you get paid to do it. But Paul said there was a weight put on me that I couldn't escape from. If I did try to escape it, I was afraid of what might happen to me. And he said if I did it right I'd get a reward, and if I didn't, then it would be a totally different situation. I don't know how you see that, but to me it's very obvious, very clear that Paul felt something special. Notice what we have.
Austin Gardner:Paul loves what he does and he said in verse 15, he wasn't doing it to get the money. He said in 1 Corinthians 9, 15,. But I have used none of these things, neither have I written these things that it should be done unto me for it were better for me to die than that any man should make my glorying void. But what happens in 1 Corinthians 9, verses 1 through 14, is the apostle Paul explains that God expects the man of God to be paid by those he preaches to that a man who preaches the gospel is ordained of of God, that that man live of the gospel. Paul said I didn't do that. I didn't do it. I wanted to preach the gospel. I didn't do it. I didn't ask you to pay me anything because, to be honest, I wanted to build a glory and say I did it just because I want to. I had a guy tell me one time that people only serve God for the money, that people in the ministry only serve God for the money. You take away their money, they'll all quit, not Paul. Paul said I don't even want your money, not Paul. Paul said if I do it willingly I get a reward. And if I do it and I don't do it willingly, then I still got the weight on me, I still got the job to do, and so I want to challenge you to consider this call of God on your life.
Austin Gardner:Paul didn't preach to get the praise of men or to magnify himself. Paul said a necessity was laid on him. Paul felt constrained, forced, pressured, obligated. Paul felt like it would be torture. Not to preach Sounds a lot like a call to be. Paul said if he didn't preach it was a woe to him, a displeasure, a hardship, distress. He felt even doomed. If he didn't preach, two thoughts come to mind. Paul doesn't do what he thought was a good career choice. He felt called by God, compelled by God and sent by God. My second thought is if you feel that way, you'll be able to stay on the mission field until God calls you off. There's too much flippant. Give it a shot, see if you like it attitude. And it hurts the churches, it hurts the nationals, it hurts you and it hurts your family. I'd love to talk to you some more about the call, if you'll check in again tomorrow.
