Between Sundays with The Chandlers

In this episode of Between Sundays, Lauren and I talk about something that’s foundational to life in Christ but often overlooked: friendship. God made us for connection. You and I were not designed to walk this life alone, and yet so many of us are doing just that. We unpack the epidemic of loneliness, how real transformation happens in community, how to pursue meaningful friendships, and how to discern who is safe to be vulnerable with. It’s not easy. It takes time. It takes risk. But it is also worth it. Our hope is that this conversation gives you vision and practical tools to form the kind of deep, gospel-centered friendships we all need.
In This Episode
[00:00] Lauren’s Dad Joke
[02:00] The "At the Table" Series and the Loneliness Epidemic
[04:49] Transformation Happens in Community
[06:00] What Real Friendship Looks Like (and Why It’s Hard to Find)
[09:02] Risk, Vulnerability, and the Role of Wisdom
[10:00] How to Spot a Fool (and Why You Shouldn’t Be Friends with One)
[13:10] Wise vs. Simple vs. Foolish: Who Can You Trust?
[15:00] Belonging Deficits and Misreading Social Cues
[18:00] Hurt, Healing, and How We Grow in Relationships
[21:00] You Are Becoming Like Your Closest Friends
[23:00] Inside Lauren’s Closest Friendships: A 20-Year Story
[31:00] Evaluating Your Current Friendships
[34:00] Inviting Friends Into the Journey (Without Breaking Up With Them)

Resources and Mentions
Proverbs 13:20, Proverbs 22:24–25 – On choosing friends wisely
U.S. Surgeon General’s 2023 report on loneliness as an epidemic
The Overcomers: The King's Table episode - On Male Friendships
Becoming Like Jesus - Matt’s Forthcoming Book

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Follow Lauren | Follow Matt | Youtube | Website | Newsletter
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Thank you to our Sponsors
Global Christian Relief
GCR comes alongside persecuted Christians with prayer, Bibles, and real help so the church can endure and shine as a light for the Gospel. Stand with the persecuted Church and be a lifeline of prayer and support. — visit Globalchristianrelief.org to learn more.
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Editing and support by The Good Podcast Co. 
For sponsorship inquiries, email [email protected]

Hey friends—Matt Chandler here. If you’ve followed The Overcomers, you know I’ve spent years telling stories of God’s grace amidst unimaginable pain. But we’re starting a new chapter doing something Lauren and I have desired to do for awhile now. We are pulling up two chairs and inviting you into the kinds of conversations we’ve had over two decades of marriage—some tender, some funny, all rooted in grace and truth.
In this first episode, we walk through our first seven years of marriage. We talk about unmet expectations, brokenness, and the power of covenant love. We dig into how God met us—not with quick fixes, but with the slow, steady work of transformation. If you’re married, want to be, or walking with someone who is, our prayer is this gives you some practical steps for building a strong marriage and reminds you we are all in need of God’s work in our lives.

FOLLOW and SUBSCRIBE:
Follow Lauren | Follow Matt | Youtube | Website | Newsletter
If you’ve enjoyed this episode, one of the best ways to support the show and make sure others find it, is to subscribe and leave a review. Thank You!

Thank you to our Sponsors
Global Christian Relief
GCR comes alongside persecuted Christians with prayer, Bibles, and real help so the church can endure and shine as a light for the Gospel. Stand with the persecuted Church and be a lifeline of prayer and support. — visit Globalchristianrelief.org to learn more.
–
Editing and support by The Good Podcast Co. 
For sponsorship inquiries, email [email protected]

Between Sundays with the Chandlers is a candid podcast hosted by Matt and Lauren Chandler that invites listeners into the everyday conversations that happen between church services and busy weeks. With warmth, honesty, and humor, the Chandlers talk about real life, marriage, parenting, faith, leadership, suffering, joy, and the ordinary moments that shape who we’re becoming.
Rather than polished answers or Sunday morning soundbites, Between Sundays offers thoughtful reflections rooted in Scripture and lived experience. Matt and Lauren share openly about the challenges and blessings of walking with Jesus in the middle of work, family life, and personal growth, creating space for listeners to feel seen, encouraged, and grounded.
This podcast is for anyone who wants faith to connect to real life, not just on Sundays, but in the in-between moments where discipleship is actually lived.

FOLLOW and SUBSCRIBE:
Matt | Lauren | Youtube | Website | Newsletter
If you’ve enjoyed this episode, one of the best ways to support the show and make sure others find it, is to subscribe and leave a review. Thank You!

Thank you to our Sponsors!

Global Christian Relief: We’re grateful for partners like Global Christian Relief. They are on the front lines supporting our persecuted brothers and sisters around the world — delivering food, shelter, Bibles, and hope where it’s needed most, and calling the Church to pray boldly and stand faithfully with them.Visit GlobalChristianRelief.org to learn how you can pray, give, and stand with believers who are a light for Jesus in the darkest places. Global Christian Relief is helping faithful believers stand firm for the Gospel.
–
Editing and support by The Good Podcast Co. 
For sponsorship inquiries, email [email protected]

I got to sit down with Olga Reed, a longtime member of The Village Church and someone I deeply admire. Olga walks us through her story—from battling depression and loneliness as a first-generation college student, to coming to faith in Christ, and then surviving one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history at Virginia Tech.
Her testimony is a resounding declaration that the darkness did not win and Christ was at work even in the darkest places. Through pain, trauma, and even survivor's guilt, Olga clung to the Word of God, discovered healing in community, and found that Jesus is better than life. 
In This Episode
Meet Olga Reed: First-Gen Faith and Virginia Tech
Depression, Isolation, and Searching for Belonging
Surrender to Jesus: "Fine"
Finding Cru and Her First Bible Study
April 15: The Suicide Attempt
April 16, 2007: Waking to Sirens
After the Shooting: Fear, Grief, and Loneliness
Hope in Romans 8 and the Power of Scripture
Triggers, Therapy, and Talking About It
Evil Exists, But So Does Resurrection

FOLLOW and SUBSCRIBE:
Instagram | Youtube | Website | Newsletter

If you’ve enjoyed this episode, one of the best ways to support the show and make sure others find it, is to subscribe and leave a review. Thank You!

Thank you to our Sponsors
Qava.tv
QAVA is a Christian streaming platform that helps you understand the Bible and live out your faith with confidence. Think of it as digital discipleship in your pocket. Visit qava.tv/theovercomers and use code OVERCOME50 for 50% off your first 6 months. That’s only $4.99 a month!
Overcoming the Darkness by Nate Pickowicz
This book offers biblical wisdom and the stories of faithful saints to help you see God’s faithfulness in the darkest seasons. Grab Overcoming the Darkness today at MoodyPublishers.com or wherever good books are sold.
On Our Way Home by Colleen Chao
Through Scripture and her own journey of suffering, Colleen Chao reminds us that all our longings point to the joy of our true Home with Christ. Get your copy of On Our Way Home at MoodyPublishers.com or wherever good books are sold.
 
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Editing and support by The Good Podcast Co. 
For sponsorship inquiries, email [email protected]

In this episode, I sit down with my lovely wife Lauren to explore her story. She shares about growing up as a “good girl,” always chasing approval, achievement, and the A+. But beneath that pursuit was a deeper struggle: the fear of being weak, broken, or not enough. We talk about how that mindset shaped our marriage, her ministry, and her identity—and the powerful moment when she finally laid it all down at Recovery. This conversation is filled with the kind of grace that sets people free. If you’ve ever struggled with perfectionism, people-pleasing, or performance-driven faith, I believe this episode will offer truth and healing to where you are.
In This Episode
Childhood roots of perfectionism and people-pleasing
How "being good" can become a way to avoid needing God
Marriage as the first wake-up call to grace
Hitting the idol of achievement in music ministry
The surrender chip moment: Letting go of control
Embracing powerlessness and understanding grace
How fixed mindset stifled creativity and risk-taking
Moving toward a growth mindset in songwriting
Learning to say “no” and disappoint people with peace
Parenting and people-pleasing under the spotlight
Shame, criticism, and trusting God with your reputation
Remaining vigilant: How perfectionism tries to sneak back in
Final encouragement for those stuck in performance

Resources 
Beth Moore's Bible Study: Believing God
TVC Recovery Ministry
Follow Lauren

FOLLOW and SUBSCRIBE:
Instagram | Youtube | Website | Newsletter

If you’ve enjoyed this episode, one of the best ways to support the show and make sure others find it, is to subscribe and leave a review. Thank You!

Thank you to our Sponsors
Qava.tv
QAVA is a Christian streaming platform that helps you understand the Bible and live out your faith with confidence. Think of it as digital discipleship in your pocket. Visit qava.tv/theovercomers and use code OVERCOME50 for 50% off your first 6 months. That’s only $4.99 a month!
Overcoming the Darkness by Nate Pickowicz
This book offers biblical wisdom and the stories of faithful saints to help you see God’s faithfulness in the darkest seasons. Grab Overcoming the Darkness today at MoodyPublishers.com or wherever good books are sold.
On Our Way Home by Colleen Chao
Through Scripture and her own journey of suffering, Colleen Chao reminds us that all our longings point to the joy of our true Home with Christ. Get your copy of On Our Way Home at MoodyPublishers.com or wherever good books are sold.
 
–
Editing and support by The Good Podcast Co. 
For sponsorship inquiries, email [email protected]