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”

Rosemary

10 Jan 202310 Jan 2023

By Kristeen A. Bruun By the rivers of Babylon I sat and wept...How could I sing the song of the Lord in a foreign land? Paraphrase of Psalm 137:1, 4…

Top Blogs from 2022

30 Dec 202230 Dec 2022

2022 was another engaging year for the Next Step Community blog! Close to 12,000 visitors viewed our discipling content almost 19,000 times over the last 12 months. Here are some…

Messy Christmas

24 Dec 202224 Dec 2022

By Justin Rossow It’s Christmas Eve, and my daughter was supposed to be home three days ago. She made it to the Minneapolis airport. She made it onto the plane.…

Christmas Lights in the Dark

15 Dec 202215 Dec 2022

By Kim Longden I have always loved Christmas lights. Some of my most treasured childhood memories are driving around as a family oohing and aahing at houses all decked out…

The Christmas Cardinal

13 Dec 202211 Dec 2022

By Raelyn Pracht Growing up, we always decorated the Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving. My father would string the lights on the tree and wrap it in shiny, silver…

Exegetical Study

Jesus, Son of Solomon

11 Dec 202211 Dec 2022

Extended Edition By Justin Rossow and Conrad Gempf I was asked to talk about Jesus as the "son of Solomon" in a devotion for Day 11 of this video devotion…

Faith Experiment

Priorities of Joy

By Alli Bauck I shuffled down the dark hallway, letting out a sigh. It feels like I’ve been holding my breath; the half hour leading up to the boys’ bedtime…

Exegetical Study

What Then is This Child Going to Be?

6 Dec 20226 Dec 2022

By Conrad Gempf Zechariah and Elizabeth are excited about their child. And for good reason: the events surrounding John’s birth amazed everyone who heard about it! All the neighbors were…

Cultural Studies…

Why I Owe My Faith to the Jews

2 Dec 20223 Dec 2022

By Kristeen Bruun When I was in my twenties and very definitely searching in my faith life, I spent several years working in New York City. I loved my time…

Exegetical Study…

The Winds of Change

30 Nov 202230 Nov 2022

By Justin Rossow ‘Tis the season for package arrivals, so when our Alexa lit up last night, we kind of expected more of the same. “Alexa, what are my notifications?”…

Exegetical Study…

Walk in Newness of Life

17 Nov 202217 Nov 2022

By Justin Rossow We use Romans 6:5 at funerals all the time, but to paraphrase Inigo Montoya, “You keep using that verse; I don’t think it means what you think…

Discipling Leaders…

Let Zacchaeus Have His Day

15 Nov 202215 Nov 2022

By Justin Rossow You probably know the story. Or at least the song: “Zacchaeus was a wee little man, and a wee little man was he.” You likely know the…

Reflections on God, Faith, and Promises

By Jamie Wiechman Exactly five years and three months ago, I believed God for something impossible. It wasn’t a promise directly out of Scripture (though it was surrounded by Scripture…

Cultural Studies

Your Eternal Life Starts Now

8 Nov 20229 Nov 2022

By Justin Rossow In his famous allegorical narrative, The Great Divorce, C. S. Lewis has his most reliable character say: “Both good and evil, when they are fully grown, become…

Lasts

By Kim Longden I was surprised at church yesterday when my six-year-old daughter asked me to hold her during the liturgy. I almost told her no, that she’s too big;…

Cultural Studies…

Holiday Prep with Lüthla and Güthla

By Katie Helmreich Don't panic, but it's November. Blink and it will be Thanksgiving. Blink twice and it will be Christmas! THERE IS SO MUCH TO DO!! When Elise, my…

Exegetical Study

Clearing a Way Forward

By Justin Rossow We couldn't get to the back part of our property most of the summer; it rained more than usual this spring, and it turns out I have…

Today is Where the Gift is.

By Jamie Wiechman A few years ago, it was brought to my attention that I had a lot of discontentment. I’ll be honest: that feedback stung a bit. I was in…