# A Pastoral Start to 2026

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-ezra-institute-podcast-for-cultural-reformation-5285519/a-pastoral-start-to-2026
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-ezra-institute-podcast-for-cultural-reformation-5285519/a-pastoral-start-to-2026.md
Podcast: [The Ezra Institute Podcast for Cultural Reformation](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-ezra-institute-podcast-for-cultural-reformation-5285519)
Published: 2026-01-01T15:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://app.dropwave.io/episode/ac6d86f2-85f1-441b-9e0a-d022af76bf14/a-pastoral-start-to-2026.mp3
Audio file: https://app.dropwave.io/episode/ac6d86f2-85f1-441b-9e0a-d022af76bf14/a-pastoral-start-to-2026.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-ezra-institute-podcast-for-cultural-reformation-5285519/episodes/a-pastoral-start-to-2026
Duration seconds: 3197

## Resource

As a new year begins, Christians face mounting cultural pressure, constant bad news, and growing anxiety. In this opening episode of 2026, the Podcast for Cultural Reformation takes a pastoral turn—calling believers to lift their eyes from the chaos and fix them firmly on Christ. Ezra Institute Fellow Pastor Aaron Rock joins Joe Boot and Dr. Michael Thiessen to discuss fear, time, habits, and courage. Together they explore how constant media consumption shapes anxiety, why godly discipline matters more than short-lived resolutions, and how courage is cultivated through obedience, conviction, and love for God. This episode offers a steady, hope-filled call to faithful living—reminding Christians that victory in uncertain times is found not in fear, but in faithfulness to Christ.

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## Transcript

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