Dustin Kleinschmidt Podcast

Do I matter?
Most of us don’t ask the question directly, but it sits underneath far more of our lives than we realize.
It’s why success feels so satisfying.Why failure feels so personal.Why comparison is so exhausting.Why criticism can linger for days.
We’re all searching for value, worth, purpose, and significance.
In this episode, Dustin continues the By Design series by exploring Ephesians 2 and what Scripture teaches about our identity.
Before Jesus, we were spiritually dead and separated from God. Through His grace, we are made alive, rescued, restored, and remade as His workmanship.
In This Episode
Why the search for significance drives so much of our lives
What Paul means when he says we were “dead in our trespasses”
The difference between finding identity and receiving identity
What it means to be saved by grace through faith
Why God’s grace is displayed through ordinary, imperfect people
How your flaws, failures, and limitations do not disqualify you from being used by God
Why every follower of Jesus is a masterpiece on display
Key Passage
Ephesians 2:1–10
Links / Resources
Buy Me a Coffee
The Wilderness Way Book:Finding freedom in life’s fractures
The Wilderness Way WorkbookFor individual reflection or group study.
DustinKleinschmidt.comLearn more about resources and upcoming projects.
dustinkleinschmidt.com/coaching
Dustin offers coaching for pastors, leaders, and individuals navigating the complexity of faith, life, and leadership.
You can schedule a free 30-minute introductory session to explore whether coaching might be helpful for your season.
Music: Wilderness Worship Collective
IN WILD DAYS OUT NOWAvailable now on all streaming platforms.
Recent Podcast Appearances
Dustin has recently been a guest on several podcasts discussing ministry, leadership, and the themes behind The Wilderness Way.
SOUL SENSE PODCASTFRESH HOPE FOR MENTAL HEALTH
LIFE AFTER MINISTRY PODCAST
Connect
If something in this episode resonated with you, consider sharing it with someone who might need it. You can also reach out with feedback or part of your own story.
Website
Social Media: Instagram | Facebook | YouTube 

Strength isn’t the goal.
In a world that constantly pushes us to be more capable, more put together, and more in control, this episode flips that assumption on its head. What if the life God designed us for doesn’t come through strength—but through surrender?
Looking at 2 Corinthians 4, this conversation explores the tension between how we define success and how Jesus actually forms us. Weakness, limitation, and struggle aren’t obstacles to spiritual growth—they’re often the very place it happens.
Description
Most of us are trying to become stronger versions of ourselves.
More disciplined. More certain. More in control.
But what if that instinct is actually working against us?
In this episode, we explore the idea that we weren’t designed to be strong in the way we think—we were designed to be dependent. Drawing from 2 Corinthians 4, this message reframes weakness, suffering, and limitation not as problems to solve, but as part of how God forms us.
The Apostle Paul describes our lives as “jars of clay”—fragile, ordinary containers carrying something extraordinary. And that’s the point.
This episode unpacks three key ideas:
Fragility frames our focus (it keeps the attention on God, not us)
Fragility isn’t fatal (there’s hope even in pressure and pain)
Fragility forms us (it deepens our dependence and trust)
If you’ve been feeling the tension between who you thought you’d be by now and where you actually are…If you’re tired of trying to hold everything together…If you’re wondering why following Jesus doesn’t feel like “winning”—
This episode is an invitation to stop trying to be the strong one…and start learning how to trust the One who is.
What This Episode Is About
Why our definition of strength often works against spiritual formation
The tension between cultural success and the way of Jesus
What Paul means by “treasure in jars of clay”
How weakness actually reveals God’s power
Why suffering isn’t meaningless—and isn’t final
The difference between trying harder and surrendering more
Scripture Referenced
2 Corinthians 4:7–18
Links / Resources
Buy Me a Coffee
The Wilderness Way Book:Finding freedom in life’s fractures
The Wilderness Way WorkbookFor individual reflection or group study.
DustinKleinschmidt.comLearn more about resources and upcoming projects.
dustinkleinschmidt.com/coaching
Dustin offers coaching for pastors, leaders, and individuals navigating the complexity of faith, life, and leadership.
You can schedule a free 30-minute introductory session to explore whether coaching might be helpful for your season.
Music: Wilderness Worship Collective
You Are There
Light & Love
My Heart Sings
Available now on all streaming platforms.
Song Stories / Devotionals
Articles about the heart and scriptures behind the songs.
Chord Charts
Available on the website for churches or musicians who want to use the songs.
Recent Podcast Appearances
Dustin has recently been a guest on several podcasts discussing ministry, leadership, and the themes behind The Wilderness Way.
FRESH HOPE FOR MENTAL HEALTH
BLEEDING DAYLIGHT
LIFE AFTER MINISTRY PODCAST
Connect
If something in this episode resonated with you, consider sharing it with someone who might need it. You can also reach out with feedback or part of your own story.
Website
Social Media: Instagram | Facebook | YouTube 
 

What this episode is about
We spend a lot of time paying attention to what’s happening around us.
Cultural shifts.
Moral confusion.
A growing sense that things are moving away from the way of Jesus.
But Scripture points us somewhere unexpected.
In Colossians 2, Paul warns that the greater danger isn’t just what’s happening outside the church—it’s what can quietly take root within us. Ideas, assumptions, and ways of thinking that sound spiritual but slowly pull us away from the simplicity of the gospel.
This episode explores:
Why distraction—not just opposition—is the real threat to spiritual life
How we subtly add to Jesus and dilute the gospel
The danger of spiritual “mixtures” (faith + control, faith + performance, faith + identity)
What it means to be rooted and established in Christ
Why Jesus is not a part of your life—but the center of it
Key idea
Jesus is enough.
When we add to Him, we lose sight of Him.
When we trust Him, we discover we lack nothing.
Scripture referenced
Colossians 2:8–15
Ezekiel 36:25–27
Romans 12:1–2
Links / Resources
Buy Me a Coffee
The Wilderness Way Book:Finding freedom in life’s fractures
The Wilderness Way WorkbookFor individual reflection or group study.
DustinKleinschmidt.comLearn more about resources and upcoming projects.
dustinkleinschmidt.com/coaching
Dustin offers coaching for pastors, leaders, and individuals navigating the complexity of faith, life, and leadership.
You can schedule a free 30-minute introductory session to explore whether coaching might be helpful for your season.
Music: Wilderness Worship Collective
You Are There (New Single) Out April 10
Light & LoveMy Heart Sings
Available now on all streaming platforms.
Song Stories / Devotionals
Articles about the heart and scriptures behind the songs.
Chord Charts
Available on the website for churches or musicians who want to use the songs.
Recent Podcast Appearances
Dustin has recently been a guest on several podcasts discussing ministry, leadership, and the themes behind The Wilderness Way.
FRESH HOPE FOR MENTAL HEALTH
BLEEDING DAYLIGHT
LIFE AFTER MINISTRY PODCAST
Connect
If something in this episode resonated with you, consider sharing it with someone who might need it. You can also reach out with feedback or part of your own story.
Website
Social Media: Instagram | Facebook | YouTube 
 

What this episode is about
At the core of the human experience is a desire for comfort and control.
 
We want to follow Jesus—but we also want our lives to make sense. We want things to work. We want to feel like we’re moving forward and that our faith is producing results we can see and measure.
 
But Jesus offers a very different framework.
 
In Matthew 16, He says that anyone who wants to follow Him must deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow. Not as a call to self-rejection, but as an invitation to let go of control and trust Him with our lives.
 
This episode explores:
Why we instinctively try to control our lives—even while following Jesus
How we build “kingdoms within His Kingdom” to protect comfort and predictability
The difference between consuming faith and actually following Jesus
What Jesus means by denying ourselves and taking up our cross
Why trying to save our lives often leads to more anxiety, not less
How surrender becomes the pathway to real life
Key idea
Following Jesus is not about trying harder—it’s about surrendering control.
Buy Me a Coffee
Wilderness Way Resources
The Wilderness Way Book: Finding freedom in life’s fractures
The Wilderness Way WorkbookFor individual reflection or group study.
DustinKleinschmidt.comLearn more about resources and upcoming projects.
Coaching
dustinkleinschmidt.com/coaching
Dustin offers coaching for pastors, leaders, and individuals navigating the complexity of faith, life, and leadership.
You can schedule a free 30-minute introductory session to explore whether coaching might be helpful for your season.
Music: Wilderness Worship Collective
My Heart Sings (New Single)
Available now on all streaming platforms.
 
Light & Love
The first single from the upcoming album
 
Song Stories / Devotionals
Articles about the heart and scriptures behind the songs.
 
Chord Charts
Available on the website for churches or musicians who want to use the songs.
Recent Podcast Appearances
Dustin has recently been a guest on several podcasts discussing ministry, leadership, and the themes behind The Wilderness Way.
FRESH HOPE FOR MENTAL HEALTH
MY DASH STORY
BLEEDING DAYLIGHT
LIFE AFTER MINISTRY PODCAST
CRUSHING STRONGHOLDS WITH MICKEY
Connect
If something in this episode resonated with you, consider sharing it with someone who might need it. You can also reach out with feedback or part of your own story.
Website
Social Media: Instagram | Facebook | YouTube 

Our culture talks a lot about authenticity. But most of what we call “authentic” is still a performance—just a more carefully curated one.
In this episode, we explores what the Bible actually means by authenticity. In 1 John 1, the apostle John describes a life lived in the light—where we stop hiding, stop pretending, and begin to live honestly before God and others.
Real authenticity isn’t something we manufacture. It grows out of encountering Jesus, embracing the exposure that His light brings, and learning to confess what’s real so His grace can begin to transform us.
This episode is an invitation to step out of hiding and into the freedom of the gospel.
In This Episode
Before the message, Dustin shares an update on the Wilderness Way ecosystem—resources and conversations designed to help people learn how to live well in the complexity of real life.
Topics include:
The heart behind The Wilderness Way
New opportunities for coaching and leadership development
Guest appearances on other podcasts
New music releases from Wilderness Worship Collective
The upcoming album rollout
Then we move into a teaching on Authentic Authenticity
Teaching Highlights
Authenticity flows from encountering Jesus
(1 John 1:1–4)
Real authenticity begins when we realize we are fully known by Jesus and still loved by Him.
Authenticity means embracing exposure
(1 John 1:5–7)
God is light. Walking in the light means allowing Him to expose what we would rather hide—and discovering that exposure is actually grace.
Authenticity compels confession
(1 John 1:8–10)
Confession is how we let the light back in. When we stop pretending, God’s grace begins to reshape us.
The episode closes with a reflection on Psalm 139, inviting us to pray:
“Search me, God… know my heart… and lead me in the way everlasting.”
Wilderness Way Resources
The Wilderness Way Book: Finding freedom in life’s fractures
The Wilderness Way WorkbookFor individual reflection or group study.
DustinKleinschmidt.comLearn more about resources and upcoming projects.
Coaching
dustinkleinschmidt.com/coaching
Dustin offers coaching for pastors, leaders, and individuals navigating the complexity of faith, life, and leadership.
You can schedule a free 30-minute introductory session to explore whether coaching might be helpful for your season.
Music: Wilderness Worship Collective
My Heart Sings (New Single)
Available now on all streaming platforms.
 
Light & Love
The first single from the upcoming album
 
Song Stories / Devotionals
Articles about the heart and scriptures behind the songs.
 
Chord Charts
Available on the website for churches or musicians who want to use the songs.
Recent Podcast Appearances
Dustin has recently been a guest on several podcasts discussing ministry, leadership, and the themes behind The Wilderness Way.
LIFE AFTER MINISTRY PODCAST
CRUSHING STRONGHOLDS WITH MICKEY
Connect
If something in this episode resonated with you, consider sharing it with someone who might need it. You can also reach out with feedback or part of your own story.
Website
Social Media: Instagram | Facebook | YouTube 

What this episode is aboutBefore Jesus ever preaches the Beatitudes, before he tells us not to worry, before he teaches us to love our enemies, he says something simple and disruptive: “Repent. The kingdom has come near.”Repent doesn’t mean grovel. It means turn.Which is good news if you are facing the wrong direction.We’ve built habits, thought patterns, identities, coping strategies, and small personal kingdoms that feel normal—even necessary. And then Jesus announces that a different kingdom is here.That announcement requires reorientation.In this episode, we explore:Why the Sermon on the Mount may be the theological nucleus of the New TestamentWhat it means that the kingdom has “come near”Why following Jesus requires unlearning old instinctsThe cost of laying down what once defined usWhy you can’t build your own small kingdom inside Jesus’How restoration begins with surrender, not controlEvery human longs for a world made whole.Free from anxiety.Free from division.Free from the quiet exhaustion of trying to hold everything together.Jesus doesn’t offer better coping strategies.He offers a kingdom.And he invites us to follow.Please help spread the wordIf this episode helped you, the simplest way to support the podcast is to leave a review and share it with a friend who’s trying to follow Jesus in the long middle.Explore MoreWilderness Worship Collective: light & love singleSpotify | Apple Music | YoutubeDustinKleinschmidt.comThe Wilderness Way (Book)The Wilderness Way (Workbook)Substack (Updates & Reflections)InstagramFacebookIf this episode resonated with you, subscribing on Substack or following along on social is the best way to stay connected with upcoming Wilderness Way resources—writing, teaching, and worship designed to help people live well in a complicated life.

What this episode is aboutIn a world marked by instability, uncertainty, and constant pressure, worry often feels unavoidable—even responsible. But in Matthew 6, Jesus challenges that assumption head-on.In this episode, we walk through Jesus’ teaching on worry from the Sermon on the Mount and explore how anxiety is often tied to deeper questions of trust, control, and identity. Worry may feel protective, but it never produces peace—and it often reveals where our hearts are actually anchored.Jesus doesn’t just tell us to “stop worrying.” He reframes our perspective, reminds us of the Father’s ongoing care, and gives us a new center for life: seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.This conversation looks at:Why worry is more than an emotion—it’s a worldviewThe difference between scarcity and abundance mindsetsHow worry reveals what we’re trying to controlWhy trusting God doesn’t mean ignoring responsibilityWhat it means to seek God’s kingdom in everyday, ordinary lifeHow righteousness is about alignment and relationship, not perfectionWhy Jesus calls us to live one day at a timeThis episode is especially for anyone feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or exhausted from trying to hold everything together—and for those learning how to trust God in the long, complicated middle of life.Please help spread the wordIf this episode helped you, the simplest way to support the podcast is to leave a review and share it with a friend who’s trying to follow Jesus in the long middle.Explore MoreWilderness Worship Collective: light & love singleSpotify | Apple Music | Youtube DustinKleinschmidt.comThe Wilderness Way (Book)The Wilderness Way (Workbook)Substack (Updates & Reflections)InstagramFacebookIf this episode resonated with you, subscribing on Substack or following along on social is the best way to stay connected with upcoming Wilderness Way resources—writing, teaching, and worship designed to help people live well in a complicated life.

What this episode is aboutMost of us reduce worship to songs on Sunday. But biblically, worship is much bigger—and much more personal. Worship is what you assign ultimate value to. It’s what your life is orbiting around. And whether you realize it or not, you’re worshiping all day, every day.In Romans 12:1–2, Paul says the only reasonable response to God’s mercy is to offer ourselves—our whole lives—as a living sacrifice. That’s worship: not performance, not religious routine, but surrender. And as we resist the patterns of the world, God does the deeper work of transformation in us, renewing our minds and reshaping our desires until we can recognize and align with what matters most to him.Included in this episodeSneak peek: Light & Love — Wilderness Worship Collective (single releases Jan 27)Search “Light & Love” (use the & symbol) or “Wilderness Worship Collective” on Spotify / Apple Music / YouTube Music / Amazon Music.Key ScriptureRomans 12:1–2 — worship as living sacrifice + renewed mindJohn 4 — worship in spirit and truthIsaiah 1 — the warning about empty worshipPsalm 119:32 — freedom that fuels obedienceBig ideas you’ll hearWorship is not something you generate—it’s a response to who God is and what he’s done.You were designed more to be a mirror than a lightbulb: you reflect what you value most.The question isn’t if you worship—it’s what (or who) is on the throne.True worship becomes a lifestyle of surrender, not a Sunday compartment.“Do not conform” is our responsibility; “be transformed” is God’s work in us.As God renews your mind, he reshapes your desires—and you begin to find real freedom.Resources mentionedThe Wilderness Way (book)The Wilderness Way Workbook (6-session companion for groups or personal study)Wilderness Worship Collective — single “Light & Love” releases January 27Please help spread the wordIf this episode helped you, the simplest way to support the podcast is to leave a review and share it with a friend who’s trying to follow Jesus in the long middle.Explore MoreDustinKleinschmidt.comThe Wilderness Way (Book)The Wilderness Way (Workbook)Substack (Updates & Reflections)InstagramIf this episode resonated with you, subscribing on Substack or following along on social is the best way to stay connected with upcoming Wilderness Way resources—writing, teaching, and worship designed to help people live well in a complicated life.

In this episode, we explore John 15:1–17, one of Jesus’ final teachings to his disciples before the cross. Spoken in a moment of fear, confusion, and impending loss, Jesus offers a vision of life with God that runs counter to our instincts for control, self-management, and independence.Using the image of a vine and branches, Jesus reframes what it means to follow him. Life, fruitfulness, and transformation do not come from effort, religious activity, or spiritual maturity, but from remaining—staying actively dependent on him as the source of life.This conversation invites us to examine the subtle ways we begin living parallel to God—still believing, still showing up, but no longer living from deep dependence.In this episode, we reflect on:The hidden danger of independence in the spiritual lifeWhy “abiding” is not passive, but an intentional posture of dependenceHow Jesus’ image of vine, branches, and gardener reshapes our view of growthThe role of pruning and why God’s care sometimes feels painfulWhat it means to let Jesus’ message shape us, not just inform usThe difference between religious activity and relational closenessHow obedience flows from trust in love, not fear or obligationWhy joy rooted in Christ can endure unresolved circumstancesHow agape love becomes the primary evidence of a life connected to JesusExplore MoreDustinKleinschmidt.comThe Wilderness Way (Book)Substack (Updates & Reflections)InstagramIf this episode resonated with you, subscribing on Substack or following along on social is the best way to stay connected with upcoming Wilderness Way resources—writing, teaching, and worship designed to help people live well in a complicated life.

What does it actually mean to be transformed—not just improved, managed, or spiritually “held together,” but changed from the inside out?In this episode, Dustin explores the quiet flaw many of us live with: the belief that our flourishing depends on our circumstances. Drawing from 1 Peter 1, this teaching looks at how the resurrection of Jesus offers something deeper than survival—a living hope that reshapes how we face suffering, uncertainty, and loss.This conversation is about moving beyond crisis management, learning to trust God in the middle of unresolved life, and discovering how faith can bring stability and peace even when circumstances don’t change.Explore MoreDustinKleinschmidt.comThe Wilderness Way (Book)Substack (Updates & Reflections)InstagramIf this episode resonated with you, subscribing on Substack or following along on social is the best way to stay connected with upcoming Wilderness Way resources—writing, teaching, and worship designed to help people live well in a complicated life.