Step Up with Chris Kouba

We live in a world that celebrates busyness, productivity, and always being available. But what happens when we slow down long enough to hear from God?
In the Season 3 premiere of the Step Up Podcast, Pastor Chris Kouba and Josh Thomas discuss the life-changing lessons Chris learned during his recent sabbatical. From disconnecting from technology and creating healthier boundaries to rediscovering the biblical practice of Sabbath, Chris shares how stepping away from the constant noise of life transformed his understanding of rest, productivity, and trusting God.
Together, they explore why rest is more than simply taking a day off, how our desire to stay busy can reveal a deeper struggle with control, and why creating space for God's presence is essential to spiritual health. This conversation challenges men to stop measuring their worth by what they accomplish and begin living with a greater dependence on the Lord.
Whether you're feeling overwhelmed by responsibilities, struggling to disconnect, or simply looking for a healthier rhythm of life, this episode is a reminder that sometimes the most productive thing you can do is stop, rest, and trust God.
To find out more about Pastor Chris, follow him on all social platforms (@ckouba) and to connect with the ministry of United City visit https://unitedcity.church.
 
Connect with Us
Follow on Instagram: @stepup.podcast
Follow United City: @untdcitychurch
Connect with Pastor Chris: http://chriskouba.com
More About United City: https://unitedcity.church/
 
Chapter Markers
00:00 – Intro
01:05 – Why Pastor Chris Took a Sabbatical
02:21 – Disconnecting from Technology and Discovering Digital Freedom
06:03 – Creating Healthier Boundaries with Technology
09:27 – Slowing Down to Hear God's Voice
13:20 – Rediscovering the Biblical Practice of Sabbath
16:15 – Trusting God to Work When You're Not Working
19:20 – It's Not a Productivity Problem. It's a Trust Problem.
21:20 – Finding Your Identity Beyond What You Accomplish
26:57 – Learning to Follow God's Timing Instead of Your Own
28:04 – Becoming More Spirit-Led Than Plan-Led
32:24 – Practical Ways to Start Practicing Sabbath

Fatherhood can feel overwhelming. Whether you’re a brand-new dad, raising teenagers, watching your kids leave the house, or trying to reconnect after a difficult season, most dads carry the quiet fear that they’re not doing enough.In this Father’s Day episode of the Step Up Podcast, Josh and Pastor Chris have an honest conversation about what fatherhood really requires. They talk about the pressure to provide, the danger of being present physically but passive emotionally, what kids most need to hear from their dads, and how spiritual leadership starts with simply following Jesus in front of your family.This episode is a reminder that dads don’t have to be perfect. But they do need to be present, humble, prayerful, and intentional. Your greatest ministry may not be the work you do outside your home, but the life you live inside it.To find out more about Pastor Chris, follow him on all the social platforms (@ckouba) and to connect with the ministry of United City visit https://unitedcity.church.Show NotesFollow on Instagram: @stepup.podcastFollow United City: @untdcitychurchConnect with Pastor Chris: http://chriskouba.comMore About United City: https://unitedcity.church/Chapter Markers00:00 – Welcome to the Step Up Podcast00:45 – Father’s Day, Coaching, and Family Stories05:59 – What Fatherhood Really Feels Like13:09 – Provision, Presence, and the Pressure Dads Carry17:56 – Fighting Passivity at Home20:03 – What Kids Need From Their Dad22:59 – Leading Your Family Spiritually Without Being Perfect27:50 – Encouragement for Overwhelmed and Disconnected Dads36:19 – Final Father’s Day Encouragement

Marriage is one of the most important relationships in a man’s life, but it does not stay healthy by accident. In this episode of the Step Up Podcast, Pastor Chris Kouba and Josh Thomas talk honestly about what causes couples to drift emotionally, how to pursue your spouse through exhausting seasons, and why communication, forgiveness, and intentionality matter so much.From intimacy struggles and unmet expectations to conflict, betrayal, and rebuilding trust, this conversation gives men practical handles for loving, leading, and serving their wives with humility and faithfulness. Whether your marriage is thriving or barely hanging on, this episode is a reminder that God sees you, your church is with you, and your marriage is worth fighting for.To find out more about Pastor Chris, follow him on all the social platforms (@ckouba) and to connect with the ministry of United City visit https://unitedcity.church.Show NotesFollow on Instagram: @stepup.podcastFollow United City: @untdcitychurchConnect with Pastor Chris: http://chriskouba.comMore About United City: https://unitedcity.church/Chapter Markers00:00 — Golf, Marriage, and Ridiculous Arguments05:16 — Why Couples Drift Emotionally09:59 — Pursuing Your Wife Again11:27 — Protecting Marriage in Exhausting Seasons15:48 — Intimacy, Affection, and Feeling Wanted21:25 — Unspoken Expectations and Communication25:33 — Forgiveness, Trust, and Rebuilding After Hurt31:04 — Quick Tips: Boundaries, Date Nights, Books, and Marriage Advice

In this episode of the Step Up Podcast, Pastor Chris Kouba and Josh Thomas have a conversation around relationships, dating, and biblical manhood through the lens of the Song of Solomon.They talk honestly about singleness, fear of commitment, dating with clarity, and why men should approach relationships with intention instead of ambiguity. Pastor Chris challenges men to stop treating dating casually, to lead with honesty, to pursue holiness before boundaries are tested, and to trust God with their relationship status.Whether you are single, dating, engaged, married, or raising sons and daughters, this conversation offers practical and biblical wisdom for honoring God and others in every season.To find out more about Pastor Chris, follow him on all the social platforms (@ckouba) and to connect with the ministry of United City visit https://unitedcity.church.Show NotesFollow on Instagram: @stepup.podcastFollow United City: @untdcitychurchConnect with Pastor Chris: http://chriskouba.comMore About United City: https://unitedcity.church/Chapter Markers00:00 – Why Talk About Dating?05:30 – Singleness Is Not a Disease11:00 – What Is Dating For?17:30 – Fear, Ambiguity, and Commitment24:30 – Boundaries, Purity, and Honoring God’s Daughter34:00 – Know God, Walk with the Church, and Date In Community

In this continuation of their conversation on depression, Pastor Chris Kouba and Josh Thomas talk about what it looks like to begin coming back from a dark season. Looking at Elijah’s story in 1 Kings 19, they unpack how God meets His people with tenderness, rest, food, presence, community, and eventually renewed purpose.Pastor Chris shares more from his own experience recovering from a traumatic burn accident and the depression that followed, reflecting on the friends, mentors, and church community who helped carry him through. This episode is a reminder that sometimes the most spiritual next step is to rest, ask for help, let others sit with you, and slowly step back into the work God has given you.For any man who feels too far gone, this conversation offers a deeply personal word of encouragement: God is not done with you.To find out more about Pastor Chris, follow him on all the social platforms (@ckouba) and to connect with the ministry of United City visit https://unitedcity.church.Show NotesFollow on Instagram: @stepup.podcastFollow United City: @untdcitychurchConnect with Pastor Chris: http://chriskouba.comMore About United City: https://unitedcity.church/Chapter Markers00:00 – Welcome Back: Continuing the Conversation on Depression04:15 – Sometimes the Most Spiritual Thing You Can Do Is Rest07:15 – The Ministry of Presence12:30 – Asking for Help When You Can’t Muscle Through17:20 – Getting Out of the Cave and Changing the Routine22:20 – From Avoidance to Purposeful Action27:30 – You’re Not Too Far Gone

In this honest and deeply personal conversation, Josh Thomas and Pastor Chris Kouba talk about depression, emotional health, and why so many men struggle to admit when they are not okay. Pastor Chris shares his own story of trauma, burnout, fear, and the dark season that followed a life-altering injury, while also pointing listeners to the story of Elijah in 1 Kings 19.Together, they explore how depression can show up through anxiety, irritability, overwork, isolation, and emotional numbness, and why men often hide it behind phrases like “I’m just tired,” “I’m just stressed,” or “I just need a vacation.” This episode offers biblical encouragement, practical insight, and a reminder that getting help is not weakness. It is wisdom.To find out more about Pastor Chris, follow him on all the social platforms (@ckouba) and to connect with the ministry of United City visit https://unitedcity.church.Show NotesFollow on Instagram: @stepup.podcastFollow United City: @untdcitychurchConnect with Pastor Chris: http://chriskouba.comMore About United City: https://unitedcity.church/Chapter Markers00:00 Why men say “I’m good” when they’re not03:07 Why guys struggle to name what they’re feeling04:52 Pastor Chris shares his 2016 burn injury and dark season12:28 Why men resist calling it depression17:36 Elijah’s collapse after victory in 1 Kings 1922:12 Physical, emotional, relational, and spiritual causes36:22 Get help, say it out loud, and move toward healing