There is something that is so powerful about
a personal story. I mean, a story where God has
worked in another person's life. I love to hear
testimonies. And today, you're going to hear
a couple stories that will inspire your faith,
encourage your heart, and make you want to live
for Jesus like never before. Welcome to this
weekend edition of Living on the Edge with Chip
Ingram. We are an international discipleship
ministry devoted to helping Christians worldwide
live out their faith for the glory of God and
the benefit of all people. I'm Dave Drew. And
this past week, we interrupted our study in the
book of Philippians to share a special broadcast.
Chip's here in studio now to set up this program
and unpack how it connects to the heart of what
we do. Chip? Thanks, Dave. If you've listened
to Living on the Edge for a very long time, you've
heard us talk about Christians really living
like Christians. For years, we've been passionate
about equipping believers to move beyond the
basics and truly embody the life Jesus modeled.
We believe that discipleship isn't just a program.
It's a lifestyle. It's about following Jesus.
It's about knowing him. It's about his life impacting
every area of your life. I think it's so easy
to make the Christian life a bunch of rules and
it's about morality. When you walk with Jesus,
your morality will change, but that isn't the
focus. The heartbeat of this ministry is believers
not just hearing God's Word, but actually living
it out. Today, we're not just going to talk about
the concept of discipleship. We've gathered some
powerful testimonies from individuals like you,
and we've asked some of the Living on the Edge
team if they would read them. I'm not going to
teach today directly, but I'm going to highlight
some principles from these testimonies. And here's
what you need to remember about testimonies.
In Revelation 12, 11, it says, They overcame
Satan by the blood of the Lamb and by the word
of their testimony, and they loved not their
life even unto death. There's something powerful
about testimonies. And so I want you to get to
hear them, to be inspired by them, and then I
hope you'll do what I did when I read them and
listened. I want to be like some of these people.
I want to obey God and trust God and experience
Him with the same kind of power that they have.
So, let's get started. Hi, my name's Greg, and
I'm on staff here at Living on the Edge, and
I'd like to share Mike's story with you. I first
came across Living on the Edge when I was not
a Christian, but I've since committed my life
to Christ and listen every day on the app. I
want you to know that God is working through
your ministry. Personally, I was in a very dark
place in my life, and God used you, Chip, and
Living on the Edge to completely change my life.
The teaching I listened to through the app has
strengthened my faith and helped me build a better
understanding of the Bible. It's almost as if
God places lessons in front of me to help me
understand and deal with the issues that I'm
facing at that time. After I accepted Jesus,
I had a very limited knowledge of godly principles.
But through studying Romans 12, I've come to
understand what it truly means to be a follower
of Christ. Living on the Edge has been a tremendous
blessing in my life. And after the Bible, the
Chip Ingram app is my go -to resource. Hey, this
is Adele, and I work on the international team
here at Living on the Edge. And I wanted to share
a testimony we received from a woman named Kathy.
Thank you, Living on the Edge, for all the work
you do. I have listened to Chip on the radio
for over 16 years as I'm getting ready for work
each morning. I also use many of your resources,
too. Through the ups and downs of everyday life,
this ministry has encouraged and challenged me
to have a real relationship with Jesus, renew
my mind daily, and, as Chip always says, keep
pressing ahead. Also, I went through the real
you, and I've come to better understand my personality
and how God desires to use me, which goes way
beyond what I learned in church growing up. I
so appreciate how real Chip is. He's so honest
about his insecurities and struggles with pride
and believing the lies that trip all of us up.
Also, I am very grateful for Teresa and her bravery
in sharing her story. Her testimony has been
a great encouragement to me, too. Wow. Thank
you so much, Mike and Kathy, for sharing your
story. And actually, I'll make sure my wife,
Teresa, gets to hear that as well. Isaiah 55
says, God's word goes forth. and it always accomplishes
exactly what he wants it to accomplish. It never
returns void. And, you know, we teach over a
million people every week, and then there's over
a million readers on YouVersion and all kind
of different places. But what we want to do,
we want God's Word to go forth that's biblical,
accurate, relevant, practical, with the goal
of life change, with the goal of really meeting
Jesus. And those two testimonies are just two
of literally hundreds and hundreds that we receive
all the time, wherever I go. It's just amazing
that these stories of how God uses his word.
And I would say to those of you that pray for
and give to Living on the Edge, God's answering
your prayers and he's using your gifts in a powerful,
powerful way. Now, the next testimonies talk
about that journey of transformation. How does
it really work? What is it that we do at Living
on the Edge in this core concept of discipling
God's people? So take it away, team. My name
is Kitty, and I'm on staff here at Living on
the Edge. I'd like to share an email we got from
Billie. She writes, I have just finished Chip's
daily discipleship series, Growing Deeper with
God. And before that, I went through Discover
Your True Self from the book of Ephesians. I
just wanted to write in and say thank you to
Chip and everyone at Living on the Edge. God
is working through this ministry in incredible
ways. For most of my life, I have wrestled with
feeling like I don't measure up, like I keep
trying to make time to read and study the Bible,
but fail to be consistent. With Chip's help,
I realized I was living for God's approval and
not from it. I cannot begin to describe the freedom
I'm experiencing now in Christ. I have deep joy
in reading His Word and hearing His voice. If
not for the work of this ministry, I would have
continued to struggle with that weight for the
rest of my life. Thank you so much. Well, Billy,
thank you so much for sharing your story. And
what a great reminder for all of us. Did you
hear what she said? I have learned to live from
God's approval, not for his approval. I still
struggle with this. The Christian life is just
a transaction. It's checking a box. It's trying
hard and never feeling like you measure up unless
you understand grace, unless you understand you're
already loved. And once Billy did that, then
her time with God, her reading of scripture,
her developing some of those habits, it wasn't
about... getting God to love her. It was about
recognizing she was already loved. I never tire
of reading and listening to testimonies that
remind me of truth that I know, but I need to
hear it again. Hey there, this is Erin, and I'm
on staff with the Ministry Partners team here
at Living on the Edge, and I wanted to read a
touching testimony we got from Will. I grew up
in the church, and I always thought Christianity
was just another religion, nothing really unique
or special from what others believe. To me, everyone
was doing certain things or acting right to get
on God's good side. I didn't think I could ever
live up to that standard. I spent more than 20
years chasing happiness and security in a bunch
of things that didn't deliver and brought a lot
of anxiety. So I began to do some soul searching,
and that's where God started to pursue me. I
came across Living on the Edge in my car, and
one night as I listened to Chip, God suddenly
became all too real to me. I got to know his
heart. He didn't need anything from me. He just
wanted a relationship with me. Chip explained
that God had wanted that since the fall in the
garden, and His love continued pursuing us by
sacrificing His Son, Jesus, who paved the way
for all of us to be reconciled to our loving
Heavenly Father. When I heard all of that, I
broke down in tears right there in my car, and
I had to pull over. On the side of the road,
I surrendered my life to Jesus. confessed my
sin, and decided to make Him the number one priority.
My new life with Jesus has been incredible, but
not easy, and I am eternally grateful for the
ways God has used living on the edge to call
me back to Him, and I've been a faithful supporter
of this ministry ever since. Will, thank you
so much for sharing your story. I am always amazed
at the unusual ways that God uses living on the
edge to take people from the kingdom of darkness
to the kingdom of light. You know, that last
line of Psalm 23, goodness and mercy will follow
us all the days of our life. Jesus in John 4,
he says to this woman at the well, The Father
is seeking, literally He's pursuing those who
would worship Him in spirit and in truth. God
is pursuing us. He's longing for people. And
as we get the broadcast on radio and on apps
and in every way possible, the Spirit of God
takes the Word of God in individuals' lives and
He transforms them. And we get to be a part of
that. And those of you who pray are a part of
that. And those of you who give are a part of
it. I don't think there's anything more exciting
than watching a life being transformed. And then
one of the areas that I find that people need
the most help in is guidance or direction. I
don't know how many emails that we'll talk about.
I need God's will for my money, for one of my
kids, or what school should they go to. God speaks
by His Spirit, through His Word, to guide and
direct our lives. And some of the most encouraging
testimonies are about how God uses Living on
the Edge to be His instrument to give guidance
and direction. Hi, my name is Steve, and I work
on the Living on the Edge team. And I want to
share a quick story we received from Chad. I
found Chip on SiriusXM during my long commute
to work each day. I am really enjoying my time
in God's Word. I've learned so much with Chip
as he's turned a meaningless drive to work into
something of continuous wisdom. And because I
listen every day, that led me to discover daily
discipleship with Chip, which has elevated my
time in the Bible to another level I did not
even know was possible. I'm so excited to see
what God has next for me. I pray for continued
blessing on Chip Ingram and living on the edge.
Your impact on my life is greater than you'll
ever know. Hey, this is Taylor, and I work on
the ministry partner team here at Living on the
Edge, and I'm excited to share a powerful testimony
from a young woman named Natalie. I discovered
Living on the Edge when I moved to North Carolina
for college over 10 years ago. Being raised in
the church, I would listen to music stations
like The Light FM or His Radio, but it wasn't
until I went out on my own that I started listening
to sermons too. Chip has been one of my favorite
pastors to listen to. He's always sounded like
a wise dad giving practical, biblical advice.
There's always been something in his voice that
has made me feel like I could trust him. While
Chip and this ministry are dear to me, it was
actually a simple phone call from someone on
the Living on the Edge team that truly impacted
me and my family. As I grew in my career and
could give back to the ministry, a sweet woman
named Robin called me to thank me for my donation.
Little did I know that this beautiful soul would
become a longtime friend and prayer warrior to
me and my family. For years, Robin and I connected
through monthly donations. She listened and prayed
with me through life's ups and downs, and her
calls were a constant reminder of God's love.
I have been so blessed by Chip and the Living
on the Edge team, and while I'm blown away by
how they're changing the world, I will be forever
grateful for the ways Robin has changed my world.
Wow, thanks so much, Natalie, for being willing
to share your journey. And I guess I take it
as a real compliment that I sound like a wise
dad. And what's also encouraging for me that
many of you don't know is that we have a team
of people at Living on the Edge that call and
pray and listen and care. And we have a mantra
that we live by, ministry first. And as we minister
to people, we'll trust that whatever we need
financially, the Lord will provide. But ministry
always has to come first. We believe if we will
do what God wants us to do, He knows what we
need and He knows how to provide it. Hey, this
is Christian. I work on the IT team on Living
on the Edge. And I'd like to share an email from
Naomi. She writes to us from Romania. She says,
the resources your ministry sends out have been
an absolute lifeline for me, as I've discovered
them exactly when I've needed them. Especially
the Yes, You Really Can Change discipleship series.
It completely transformed my life. As someone
who deeply cherishes God's Word and has journeyed
through countless Bible studies, I've often struggled
to find trustworthy Christian resources here
in Romania that consistently guide me closer
to God's heart. Your ministry has filled that
void. It's like the resources were designed to
speak directly to the longings of my heart for
a deeper connection with God. Thank you for providing
such valuable tools. Hello, this is Wadani, and
I work on the audio production team here at Living
on the Edge. And here's another international
story, this time from Bianca. Living on the Edge
is a ministry that is so close to my heart. I
thank God for the incredible work the Lord is
doing in the many lives around the globe, and
I'm deeply grateful for how Chip has impacted
my life. I see Living on the Edge as the first
significant influence in my life, like the first
face on my personal Mount Rushmore. Since then,
God has added other important influences. Secondly,
a close friendship with a co -worker in the ministry.
Thirdly, the opportunity to connect with and
serve a hybrid church in the US, even though
I live far away in Denmark. And fourthly, studying
God's Word with other women through the organization
Bible Study Fellowship. But the Lord is continuing
to show me that while these four influences are
great and helpful, they are not enough. He wants
me to rely on Him above all else. I'm continually
reminded to walk with Him daily. Thank you, Chip,
for all you do. Thanks so much, Naomi and Bianca.
It's exciting to see God's Word go all around
the world. And over the last 15, 20 years or
more, we have just said we want to scatter the
seed of God's Word wildly. And so anybody who
asks us, can we use this? Can we use that? The
answer is simple. Yes, freely we've received
and freely we give. And when I hear testimonies
like this, it reminds me our labor is not in
vain, most especially. When I hear stories of
people that are in very, very painful situations
and where God has intervened, emotional healing
and God at work are the next few testimonies.
So lean back and give praise to God as you listen
to these. Hey, my name is Davis, and I work on
the Living on the Edge team. I wanted to share
this powerful story that we've gotten from Dustin.
Dustin says, a few years ago, I survived a terrible
motorcycle accident, walking away with only bruises,
praise God. When I started to drive again, I
began listening to Christian radio and I heard
a lot of powerful testimonies. Hearing all of
that sparked something in me and I decided to
give my life to Jesus. Living on the edge was
there and Chip taught me what it meant to live
like a Christian and take my relationship with
Jesus to the next level. After that, I ended
a 12 -year relationship. and I began looking
for a local church to get plugged into. Now,
I even work on a church staff. I will forever
be thankful for Chip and Living on the Edge.
Hey, this is Michael, and I work on the Ministry
Partnerships team here at Living on the Edge,
and this testimony came to us from a woman named
Amy. I first connected with Living on the Edge
when I was 24. Growing up Catholic, I didn't
really understand how to have a personal relationship
with the Lord. But in college, through friends
and church, I experienced the Holy Spirit in
a profound, intimate way, and it transformed
my life. That's when I started asking, how do
I live this out? How do I really live for Christ?
I found the answer through Living on the Edge's
material. I started listening to their podcast
and reading books like Balancing Life's Demands
and Love, Sex, and Lasting Relationships. My
job is in psychology, and I started applying
what I was learning to my work with trauma survivors.
I also used the Love, Sex, and Lasting Relationships
material with high school students, and it was
amazing to see the transformations, even though
they had no idea that these practices were based
on a Bible study. The impact on me personally
has been tremendous, too. When I faced challenges,
the material from The Invisible War gave me the
context to understand and navigate spiritual
warfare. Now as a supervisor, I'm able to share
these resources with others I work with, and
I've seen the same transformation in them. Living
on the Edge has been a vital part of my journey,
and I'm grateful for how all of these resources
have shaped my life and the lives of others.
Hi, my name is Vida, and I work on the Living
on the Edge team. And I want to share a quick
story we received from Jesse. Jesse writes, Chip's
series, Overcoming Emotions That Destroy, was
incredibly helpful to me in one of my most trying
times. God put this fantastic resource in front
of me at just the right moment. This teaching
is so biblically sound and challenged me to rid
my heart of deep anger or allow unforgiveness
to fester while I walk through this difficult
trial. Because of how God transformed my life
and the healing I've received by putting these
techniques into practice, I've shared this impactful
series with numerous people. I've even had one
person commit their life to Jesus through this
teaching. I look forward to using the resources
this ministry creates to help even more believers
in their faith journey. Thanks, Living on the
Edge. These are very powerful stories and they
had something in common. Specific tools or resources
we've developed thanks to your generosity that
have made a difference in people's lives. The
other thing I heard about these stories, God
changed their life and then what did they do?
They're passing it on to others. Our target is
that we will help Christians live like Christians.
But the bullseye of our target is that we get
to help people and their life gets transformed
and they catch the vision and they take tools
that we have made and they begin to share it
with others. And so when you help us create those
kind of tools, you are making a difference as
the ripples of discipleship go from one person
to the next person to the next person. And as
we do that, I will tell you, there's nothing
better. There's no amount of likes or fame or
money or anything that compares with being in
the center of God's will and Him using you to
love others. Hi there, my name is Carly, and
I work on the Living on the Edge team, and I'd
like to share Janet's story with you. I'm a nurse,
and for a few years, I felt God prompting me
to start a Bible study for the other young moms
I work with. But I've been afraid to take that
step. It's crazy how powerful that fear of rejection
is. But anyway, three months ago, a handful of
coworkers and I were getting dinner, and I shyly
threw out the idea of doing a Bible study. And
all of them said yes. It's amazing how loudly
God speaks sometimes. We are about to finish
true spirituality and how to be Romans 12 Christians.
Next, we'll tackle the real God study. I've been
blessed beyond measure to have these sweet young
women at my house to grow in faith and wisdom
together. Hi, this is Donna, and I work on the
operations team here at Living on the Edge. And
this testimony came to us from a mom named Melissa.
I'm experiencing a wonderful season with my three
boys. One's in eighth grade, the other a sophomore,
and the oldest is about to go to college. I'm
grateful he's decided to go to a Christian school,
but it's so hard to see him go. We're trying
to soak in all the time with him, but I'm so
grateful for Chip's teaching that I listen to
daily, and now my boys are listening to the podcast
too. My oldest came to me recently after listening
to one of your series and said, Mom, the narrow
path to follow Jesus is even more narrow at a
private school. Sometimes it feels like no one
else is on it but me. Chip, I want you to know
how valuable your resources and podcasts are
to my family because the narrow path is getting
narrower for parents guiding their kids, and
the kids are realizing what it really takes to
follow Jesus wholeheartedly. Thank you from a
mom and her boys. I love that story by Melissa
because it really sums up what we're all about
at Living on the Edge. We want to help Christians
live like Christians, and that's just our terminology
for discipleship and disciple -making. And we
have three very clear strategies. The first is
to disciple God's people, teaching, training,
and tools. The second is equipping pastors and
leaders, because if you really want to disciple
people, you go upstream. Who are the people that
have the influence? Healthy pastors with disciple
-making resources and mindset produce healthy
churches. Healthy churches transform families.
Healthy families transform communities, and you
get the idea. It's the way God made it to be.
So we disciple God's people, we equip pastors
and leaders, and the third is reaching the next
generation. Thanks for being with me. And by
the way, we would love to hear your story. Why
don't you write us an email or write a letter
and tell us this is how God is working in your
life. And finally, if these stories inspire you.
and you want to be a part of seeing people's
lives changed forever and ever and ever, can
I encourage you to give to Living on the Edge.
And there's never been a better time because
every gift will be matched dollar for dollar.
Would you pray about that and then join the team?
Thanks, Chip. Well, if you'd like to partner
with us during our mid -year match, visit livingontheedge
.org or call 888 -333 -6003. And like Chip said,
every dollar we receive until midnight on June
30th will be doubled for greater impact. So if
you want to help us create discipleship resources,
encourage and support pastors, and share the
gospel with today's youth, prayerfully consider
becoming a financial partner. Go to livingontheedge
.org or call us at 888 -333 -6003 to give a gift
today. App listeners tap donate. And thanks in
advance for doing whatever God leads you to do.
You've been listening to a selected program that
we wanted to share from this past week. For more
information about our ministry, visit livingontheedge
.org. Until next time, I'm Dave Drewy, saying
thanks for listening to this weekend edition
of Living on the Edge.