The Next Step Community

The Next Step Community is a group of people, like you, who need other people to help them take a next step following Jesus. You won’t find any preconceived notions or quick fixes here; just real people trying to follow Jesus in real life. You are welcome to join in!

About

As The Next Step Community, we are sold out on helping each other delight in taking a next step following Jesus. Not everyone is going to resonate with our values or our basic vibe, and that’s OK; we believe having a variety of options is the best way to sustain…Continue reading “About”

Discipling Leaders…

The Parable of the Pottery Class

21 Mar 202221 Mar 2022

By Justin Rossow The regular habit of following Jesus requires regular habits...In short, you are saved by grace alone. And you can actually get better at following Jesus. Back in…

Exegetical Study…

Why am I so Thirsty?

By Justin Rossow As dropsies, though filled with fluid, crave drink,so money-lovers, though loaded with money, crave more of it;yet both to their own demise. —Diogenes the Cynic (ca 300…

Discipleship Tools

Take a S.M.A.R.T. Next Step

16 Mar 202218 Mar 2022

By Justin Rossow Following Jesus can seem like an overwhelming challenge. Of all the things I could do, what should I do? Of all the steps I might take, which…

Ashes and Curtains

1 Mar 202216 Mar 2022

By Justin Rossow “Dust you are and to dust you will return.” Those words, spoken to Adam in Genesis 3:19, come right after the Fall. They are words of judgment;…

Cultural Studies…

Getting to the Heart of the Matter

25 Feb 202225 Feb 2022

By Justin Rossow I recently heard my good friends Steve and Jamie from Breathe Life Ministries lead a presentation on noticing yourself with God. As part of that workshop, they…

Exegetical Study…

Paul’s Letter of Recommendation

24 Feb 202224 Feb 2022

By Conrad Gempf If you want to understand the difficulties Paul had in his relationship with the church he founded in Corinth, 2 Corinthians 3:1-6 tells you almost everything you need…

Walking in the Light

5 Feb 20225 Feb 2022

By Kristeen Bruun I am in love with God again. It won’t last, I know that. It never does. But for now, I am enjoying walking light upon the earth,…

Be Mine

By Alli Bauck Fear not, for I have redeemed you;I have called you by name, you are Mine. Isaiah 43:1b (ESV) For the past seven months I’ve been carrying around…

Faith Experiment

Where is Jesus Speaking?

31 Jan 202231 Jan 2022

By Justin Rossow Ask even a faithful follower what Jesus has been speaking into their life lately, and you should expect to get a blank stare. What do you mean,…

Dooby Dooby Doo

27 Jan 202227 Jan 2022

By Kim Longden “Look mom!” my three-year-old said proudly, “I’m decorating!” I looked up from my computer to see that I had been so engrossed in typing, I hadn’t noticed…

Discipleship Tools…

Overcoming Momentum

25 Jan 202225 Jan 2022

By Justin Rossow What do you need to follow Jesus? In a very real sense, the answer to that question is, quite simply, nothing. You don’t need anything more than…

Click

By Katie Helmreich We’re near the finish line! A 1000 piece puzzle, with 360 Lego Minifigure Faces, almost done! Almost. With this particular puzzle, few of our standard puzzle-solving tricks…

My Winter Retreat

By Rachel Hinz January 15th, 2022. It finally snowed in St. Louis! And the magic of the winter wonderland was only magnified in that it arrived on a Saturday morning.…

Discipling Leaders…

A Ripple Effect of Blessings

By Amy Meyer from Neighboring Life I was pleasantly surprised by what God did with me during and after my experience being a guest on the Next Step Podcast. I…

Exegetical Study

Speak, O Lord, Your Servant Listens

By Justin Rossow Yesterday I got to sit in as an impromptu guest on a daily devotion video for St. Paul Lutheran Church. The pastor who usually does Tuesday through…

Enough for the Next Step

By Alli Bauck The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. Isaiah 9:2 (NIV) It…

Star Day!

By Katie Helmreich I mailed my sister some star-shaped post-it notes this week. A package with a shiny star garland will arrive at her house tomorrow! My brother-in-law is out…

Little Helpers

By Kim Longden Last month, I came across a photo taken over ten years ago that made me smile. I had just finished making Christmas cookies with my kids (all…