Recorded from Raleigh during chaplaincy training with the NC State Highway Patrol.

In Luke 10:38–42, Martha is busy, sincere, and missing the one thing. We sit with her tension and ask why the same thing happens to us — why we can be loud, faithful, and still distracted from the only voice that matters.

A story from the SHP training floor becomes the picture: one instructor giving clear orders, another knocking things off the table. We hear both. We only obey one.

This episode is about the quiet, off-platform shaping no one applauds — formation over performance, faithfulness over flash.

A show for the average believer, pursuing Christ faithfully, in ordinary life.

Hosted by Jon — a bi-vocational pastor who lives most of his week the same way you do: working a job, raising a family, showing up for people, trying to follow Jesus in the unglamorous middle of it all. This isn’t a podcast about platform Christianity or performance spirituality. It’s about formation over performance, faithfulness over flash, and the slow, unimpressive work of pursuing Christ in a life that nobody’s going to make a documentary about.

If you’re tired of Christian content that feels like it was made for someone louder, busier, or further along than you — this is the show for you. New episodes weekly. Part of Pursuit Media.

After months of silence, The Average Pursuit is back.

This episode isn’t a comeback announcement. It’s a re-entry - honest, unhurried, and grounded in the one thing the silence kept teaching: that waiting on God is not the opposite of pursuing Him. It’s part of how the pursuit gets shaped.

Jon opens the season with a brief word about where he’s been, a reading of Psalm 62, and a clear picture of what The Average Pursuit is now - a show for ordinary believers pursuing Christ faithfully in ordinary lives. No performance. No platform-chasing. Just the quiet, steady work of formation.

There’s also more coming than just this show. Jon hints at what’s being built around The Average Pursuit, with the full story to follow soon.

New episodes weekly. The next one drops in just a few days.

“For God alone my soul waits in silence.” Psalm 62:1

In this episode, Jonathan Sheppard explores the critical moment in a believer's life when faith transitions from mere belief to active movement. He emphasizes the dangers of remaining stagnant on the 'shore' of faith, where comfort and safety can lead to delayed obedience and a slow fading of conviction. Through the lens of Joshua 3, he challenges listeners to identify their own 'river'—the call to action that God has placed in their lives—and encourages them to step forward in faith, despite the uncertainties that may lie ahead.

Learn more by visiting us online HERE

In this conversation, Jonathan Sheppard explores the theme of spiritual refinement through the metaphor of fire, as introduced by John the Baptist. He discusses the process of exposing impurities, entering the fire of trials, and emerging transformed. The conversation emphasizes the importance of authenticity in faith, the transformative power of Jesus, and the invitation to surrender to God for true renewal.

In this conversation, Jonathan Sheppard explores the theme of spiritual refinement through the metaphor of fire, as introduced by John the Baptist. He discusses the process of exposing impurities, entering the fire of trials, and emerging transformed. The conversation emphasizes the importance of authenticity in faith, the transformative power of Jesus, and the invitation to surrender to God for true renewal.

As we step into a new year, this episode is a pause — not a pivot.

The Average Pursuit is continuing with weekly episodes, but we’re also adding new tools designed to help listeners move from inspiration to lived faithfulness.

In this episode, Jonathan explains:

• What is not changing about the podcast

• Why inspiration alone often isn’t enough for real formation

• How the new website and discipleship tracks are meant to serve — not replace — Scripture, church, or community

• Why structure can help when it leads outward into obedience

• What success actually looks like for this ministry

This is not an announcement about scale or growth.
It’s a statement of intent.

If these resources ever become a substitute for obedience in your real life, they’ve missed the point.

Weekly episodes continue next week.

Grace and peace.

Visit our new website www.theaveragepursuit.com

In this episode, Jonathan takes us beneath the surface of spiritual life to explore why so many believers feel tired, unstable, or inconsistent in their walk with Christ. We live in a culture obsessed with visible results—busyness, productivity, output—and without realizing it, we bring those same pressures into our faith.

But Jesus isn’t asking us to perform.
He’s asking us to abide.

Through personal reflection, biblical insight, and honest examples from everyday discipleship, this conversation uncovers the simple truth: fruit that grows faster than its root system can sustain will always be fragile. If you’ve ever felt spiritually thin, easily shaken, or frustrated that your growth doesn’t “stick,” this episode will feel like a deep exhale.

Jonathan walks through:

What burnout culture has done to our faith
How hurry, pressure, and comparison convince us that spiritual value equals spiritual productivity.

His own story of passion without rootedness
A vulnerable look at what it felt like to have momentum in ministry but shallow spiritual stability underneath.

Five signs of shallow-rooted faith
Real-life, relatable examples—from Sunday-strong/Monday-weak Christianity to serving without being spiritually filled.

What Jesus actually wants for you (John 15)
Why abiding—not performing—is the foundation of a life that can withstand storms.

The three essential root systems every disciple needs
• Truth – Scripture that forms and stabilizes you
• Communion – Honest daily presence with Jesus
• Community – Interlocking roots with God’s people

What deep roots make possible
Imagine peace that doesn’t disappear, joy that doesn’t depend on a good week, and strength that isn’t tied to your emotions.

A gentle, pastoral warning
For the listener who feels tired, thin, or inconsistent—this part is for you. Not shaming, but freeing.

A simple, permission-giving call to action
Small rhythms that actually grow spiritual roots:
Three minutes in Scripture, one honest prayer a day, and one connection with another believer.

Key Quote

“Fruit without roots is fragile fruit. If you want a spiritual life that lasts, build your roots in Christ.”

Next Steps

If this episode encouraged you, share it with someone who might be living with shallow roots without realizing it. And subscribe to stay connected as we continue pursuing deeper, quieter, more resilient spiritual formation.