The Reality Is
Welcome to "The Reality Is," a podcast where the pastors of Crossroads Community Church gather to discuss the practical application of biblical principles in our daily lives. Join us as we explore how faith can guide us through the challenges and triumphs of real life. Whether it's relationships, work, or personal growth, we're here to help you live out your faith meaningfully. This podcast's premise is about how to apply biblical principles to our everyday lives. Tune in for insightful conversations that inspire and empower you to pursue Christ with every moment of your life.
Available on all major audio podcast platforms and YouTube.
Episodes
88 episodes
A Practical Guide To Thriving Church Life Groups (Part 2 of 2)
If you’ve ever heard “join a life group” and thought, OK but what do you actually do there, we get it. Pastor Joey sits down with Pastor Ed to spell out the real nuts and bolts of a healthy church life group, including the simple rhythm that ma...
What Happens To Faith When You Stay Isolated (Part 1 of 2)
Church can be packed and still feel lonely. We’ve both seen it: you can worship with hundreds of people, shake a few hands, and leave with zero meaningful connection. That gap is exactly why we’re talking about life groups (small groups, commun...
Breaking The Revenge Cycle
Revenge has a way of feeling like justice, especially when the wound is fresh and the story keeps replaying in your head. We’ve both felt that pull to even the score, to say the sharp thing, to plan the perfect comeback, or to “make it right” i...
Letting Go Of Grudges
Resentment doesn’t usually announce itself. It slips in when an offense goes unspoken, a tone gets misread, or a “that wasn’t fair” moment keeps replaying until it feels like a settled fact. Joey and Richard go straight at what most of us avoid...
Chocolate Bunnies Are Fine But That Is Not Easter
Easter gets packaged as candy, brunch, and a spring holiday, but we can’t get around the central claim: the resurrection of Jesus Christ. We lay it out plainly: Christianity hinges on whether Jesus truly died, was buried, and rose again. If tha...
Stop Measuring Your Life And Start Living For God
Jealousy can hide behind jokes, ambition, or “just being human,” but it quietly steals joy and turns gratitude sour. Pastor Joey and Pastor Richard start with a simple question: who are you really doing life for, God or yourself? From a funny b...
A Biblical Guide to Overcoming Pride
Struggling with pride? This episode offers a clear, biblical guide to developing humility. Pastor Joey and Pastor Richard share how serving others, trusting God, and giving Him glory can transform your mindset and strengthen your faith.
When Anger Takes Control
Why does anger seem so common today? Pastor Joey and Pastor Richard examine the spiritual dangers of uncontrolled anger and how it affects relationships, faith, and personal health. They point listeners back to Scripture and the work of the Hol...
Why the Old Testament Still Matters
Pastor Joey sits down with Pastor Pete, an Old Testament professor and pastor at Crossroads Community Church, to explore why the Old Testament is essential for understanding the Bible. Pastor Pete explains how the Torah shapes the entire story ...
Stop Blaming, Start Confessing: Breaking Free from Spiritual Guilt
Pastor Richard and Pastor Joey unpack the weight of guilt in the believer’s life and why denying sin only deepens spiritual bondage. Rooted in 1 John 1:8–9, they explain how confession leads to cleansing and freedom. This episode clarifies the ...
Grieving with Hope: A Biblical Path Through Loss
In this heartfelt episode, Pastor Joey and Pastor Richard discuss the reality of grief, from losing loved ones to enduring life altering changes, and how believers can process sorrow in a healthy, biblical way. They explore the difference betwe...
Pet Sins Part 3: From Isolation to Restoration
Why do we cut ourselves off when we’re struggling the most? Pastor Joey and Pastor Richard discuss how secrecy, pride, and hopelessness keep Christians stuck in repetitive sin cycles. Through Scripture and practical insight, they show how confe...
Pet Sins Part 2: Stop Feeding What’s Killing You
Why do we protect our sin like a cherished pet? In this convicting follow-up, the pastors challenge listeners to quit justifying disobedience and start setting up safeguards. Learn what it means to build spiritual walls, starve the flesh, and w...
Pet Sins Part 1: Why We Struggle and How to Fight Back
Pastor Joey and Pastor Richard launch a powerful three-part series diving into the persistent struggle with “pet sins,” those hidden, recurring behaviors we excuse or justify. In this opening episode, they explore how spiritual warfare and our ...
What It Really Means to Be Christlike
Pastor Joey and Pastor Richard dive into what true Christlikeness looks like, not just in church but in daily life. They explore Romans 8:29, 2 Corinthians 3:18, and 1 John 3:2 to show that being conformed to the image of Christ is a divine pro...
Eight Habits for 2026: A Roadmap to a Mature Christian Life (Part 2)
In this impactful continuation, Pastor Joey and Pastor Richard reveal the final four habits of a spiritually mature Christian: embracing trials, living a Christlike lifestyle, trusting God over self, and pursuing personal holiness. Through Scri...
Eight Habits for 2026: A Roadmap to a Mature Christian Life (Part 1)
Pastor Joey and Pastor Richard close the episode by tying together the first four key habits for spiritual maturity: daily Bible study, intentional prayer, committed corporate worship, and cultivating godly friendships. They remind listeners th...
A Thanksgiving Message of Hope
In a lighthearted yet powerful conversation, Pastors Joey and Richard share family Thanksgiving traditions and move into a deep discussion on spiritual thankfulness. They explore why we should be thankful for Christ’s sacrifice, our new identit...
God’s Glory Through Our Pain
This episode explores how God brings glory to Himself through our hardships. With references to Acts 12, Romans 5, and 2 Corinthians, the Pastor Richard and Pastor Joey explain that suffering isn’t pointless... it's preparation for deeper trust...
When the Body Breaks the Heart
In this heartfelt episode, Pastor Joey and Pastor Richard dive deep into the raw and often unspoken pain of church hurt. They open up about their own wounds, confront the dangers of bitterness, and remind listeners that while people may fail us...
From the Couch to the Congregation
Pastor Joey and Pastor Richard unpack the spiritual importance of church attendance, tackling common objections and cultural excuses. From corporate worship to discipleship and acts of service, they highlight why gathering with fellow believers...
What God Teaches Through Hard Times
In this heartfelt episode, Pastor Joey and Pastor Richard explore how trials are not the end, but classrooms where God teaches us endurance, faith, and trust. Drawing from Scripture and personal stories, they encourage listeners to see difficul...
Pray Charleston: A City United on Its Knees
Special Guest Craig Tuck shares the inspiring story behind Pray Charleston, a 24/7 interdenominational prayer movement uniting over 50 churches across Greater Charleston. Learn how persistent prayer is changing lives, lowering crime, and stirri...
How Christians Endure Through Battles
Pastor Joey and Pastor Richard dive into what it really means to remain faithful during life's hardest battles. With scriptural truth from Hebrews, Ephesians, and Philippians, they unpack how the armor of God, a strong church connection, and a ...
Ask. Listen. Speak. The Simplicity of Witnessing.
What’s the simplest and most effective framework for sharing your faith? Pastor Richard and Pastor Joey break it down: ask people their story, listen with the gospel in mind, and speak truth in love. Together, they share real-life moment...