During today's conversation on Back Porch Theology we're wading into sober, heart-rending, deep water. If you've got little ears around right now, I encourage you to pause this podcast until those precious punkins aren't within earshot. However, in light of some of the spiritual giants who've been felled by moral failures lately, we believe an honest conversation about human frailty even among Christian leaders is both timely and necessary. Please know we will NEVER name names, belittle other believers, or sensationalize what is causing deep sorrow to any member in the Body of Christ here on BPT. Frankly, it grieves us deeply that modern culture feeds a voracious appetite for gossip and tends to applaud the cruel sport of gang-piling people who've gotten tripped up by sin - especially if they have a public platform. I think far too many folks who identify as Christians have gotten comfortable squeezing into moral police uniforms and then posting uninformed critiques on social media with sanctimonious impunity. Therefore, we think this season during which several high-profile spiritual leaders have seemingly toppled over into messy heaps of humanity is an opportune time to search the Scriptures for how we can more faithfully respond when a pastor - perhaps even a personal mentor - falls into sin. What does it mean to disqualify yourself from leadership but not from Christianity? How can laypeople remain devoted to following Jesus when their leaders disobey His commands? And how do we stay engaged in the process of biblical restoration when we're just so stinkin' sad & disappointed about yet another church scandal in the news? If you've been wounded in church or by a church leader, please linger with us until the end of the episode today because while we won't wrap our time together up with a perky bow or a pithy sentiment, I can assure you there's tangible hope at the end of this tunnel. So please grab something to sip, something to snack on - on days like today I think the calories might not count quite as much - and your Bible, then pull your chair up as close as you can. We're really grateful we get to hang out with y'all today.
The Adventure Bible is available here.
Purchase Storyteller from Lifeway here.
Click here to get a 25% discount on the Dwell Bible App.
In this episode, Christine Caine empowers you not to give up when the journey to your dreams is difficult, but to start persevering instead. The truth is, that our dreams never happen as fast or as easily as we want them to. But if we persevere through the difficulties we face along the way, we will discover that God is forming us into who we need to be so that by the time the dream is realized, we can carry the weight of that dream. Get your free Permission to Dream resources, including a Dream Worksheet and episode reflection guide, here.
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Christine Caine is a speaker, activist, and best-selling author. She and her husband, Nick, founded the anti-human trafficking organization The A21 Campaign. They also founded Propel Women, an initiative that is dedicated to coming alongside women all over the globe to activate their God-given purpose. Each week she brings you a Gospel-centered message filled with Biblical truths that will equip and empower you to step into the life God has for you.
Do you ever feel anxious? I know there's plenty to worry about - between wars and extreme weather and the economy, not to mention the more personal concerns of health struggles or strained relationships. But I also know what God says about worry. If you want to worry less, today's message is just what you need.
Experiencing God is available at Lifeway.com/ExperiencingGod
Learn more about The Solomon Foundation here.
In this episode of the Dream Big Podcast, I sit down with Peter Mutabazi as he shares his journey from being a street kid in Uganda to becoming a foster parent to over 41 kids in the United States. His story is a powerful testament to the impact of love, compassion, and community support in transforming lives.
Learn more about Peter and his mission at nowiamknown.com or connect with him on Instagram, @fosterdadflipper. Peter's book-Now I Am Known-is available everywhere!
Connect with Bob: @bobgoff
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Come join Bob and some of his friends for a workshop this fall! Visit bobgoff.com/events to learn more.
Today's conversation on Back Porch Theology is like getting to eat dessert before the entree because Alli and I get to sit down with my long-term spiritual mentor, Scotty Smith. Scotty became my pastor when I moved to Nashville in my early twenties - almost forty years ago. He was also the adjunct professor at Covenant Seminary and shepherded me through a master of theological studies during my first seminary stint back in my thirties. He's been my pastor, professor and spiritual big brother for three and a half decades now and getting to sit at his feet and learn more about Jesus remains one of God's great gifts in my life! And while Scotty is one of the most brilliant theologians I've had the privilege of learning from, he's also very transparent about how he spent the first half of his adult life accruing and disseminating biblical data because he didn't know how to have relational intimacy with God, much less anybody else. However, our Creator Redeemer is so kind and mercifully pursued Scotty's heart until he was finally able to experience the deep emotional healing he'd been desperate for since his mom died when he was in high school. I really believe the next forty-five minutes are going to usher in tangible hope for some of you precious saints who subconsciously put a fence around your heart after childhood trauma too. So many of us want to experience deeper intimacy with God and others, we just aren't sure how to go about dismantling our self-protective fences. Today's going to be an awesome kind of group-demo-day, y'all so please grab your favorite summer beverage - mine is sparkling water mixed with strawberry Crystal light and freshly squeezed lime - and your Bible, unless both of your hands are now occupied rummaging through the utensil drawer trying to locate your lime squeezer - and come hang out on the porch with us. We're so glad we get to spend this time leaning into God's embrace with you.
Join the free Hidden Online Bible Study here
Sponsored by BetterHelp. Save 10% at BetterHelp.com/LisaHarper
In today's episode of the Max Lucado Encouraging Word podcast, we're looking back at the most important days in the history of our faith - the first Easter weekend. If you're struggling in the pain of Friday or the silence of Saturday, may you remember that, in Christ, the celebration of Sunday is coming.
Experiencing God is available at Lifeway.com/ExperiencingGod
Learn more about The Solomon Foundation here.
When you feel God calling you to a dream that seems daunting or difficult, it's tempting to look back to your past and start reminiscing over the comfortable and simple moments you remember. In today's episode, Christine Caine empowers you to stop settling for what's familiar and convenient and give your yes to God so that you can begin to experience the abundant life of purpose you truly desire. Because even though it may be a lot easier to go your own way, on the other side of your obedience to God is revival, breakthrough, and perhaps the very thing that you've been praying for. Get your free Permission to Dream resources, including a Dream Worksheet and episode reflection guide, here.
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Christine Caine is a speaker, activist, and best-selling author. She and her husband, Nick, founded the anti-human trafficking organization The A21 Campaign. They also founded Propel Women, an initiative that is dedicated to coming alongside women all over the globe to activate their God-given purpose. Each week she brings you a Gospel-centered message filled with Biblical truths that will equip and empower you to step into the life God has for you.
Candace + Jennie are wrapping up Season 6 with a special episode all about YOU - our listeners! They are answering several listener questions about emotions, connecting with those in a different generation than you, navigating burnout and finding JOY again, and more.
As they reflect on their conversations from this season, they want to encourage you once more in your journey towards emotional health.
Living life tangled up emotionally is not really living at all. And although the enemy wants to attack you with hopelessness, You are never helpless or hopeless. Through Jesus, you have authority over your feelings. Wholeness and freedom are available to us not just in heaven but here and now.
What is ONE thing you are walking away with as a tool from this season? Head to Instagram and tell us @candacecameronburepodcast
Connect with Candace and Jennie:
Grab Jennie's book: Untangle Your Emotions
Today's conversation on Back Porch Theology is part two with my dear friend, Kristi McClelland, because she's kind of like a hot Krispy Kreme donut, one simply isn't enough! Kristi's a best-selling Bible teacher, author, and college professor - but I think the most fitting description of her is "revival coach" because she's so saturated with Jesus that if you get anywhere near her, Gospel joy will inevitably slosh out on you! However, I should probably issue a good-natured warning before we dive in and let you know that Kristi and I are both very energetic, fast-talking windbags when it comes to matter of faith so you might want to tighten your seatbelts for this proverbial ride through all things redemptive because we'll likely careen from raving about the beef jerky at Bucees to the practical theology of A.W. Tozer within the first few minutes! Frankly, if you're listening to this while on a Peloton, you might pause and unclip out of those fancy biking shoes for a while because this isn't going to be a passive-listening kind of podcast - it's more of a hands in the air, hollering with glee gabfest because we're exposing the difference between the performative, sin-avoidant, stale kind of religion some of us were brought up in and the vibrant, life-giving, Spirit-filled reality that an intimate relationship with Jesus gives us access to. So please grab some iced coffee and your Bible - unless you're hanging onto a wakeboard rope with both hands realizing that you're probably too old to be dragged behind a speedboat in your skirty bathing suit - oh wait, is that just me? - and come hang out on the porch with us.
Join the free Hidden Online Bible Study here
Click here to get a 25% discount on the Dwell Bible App.
Storyteller is available by clicking here
Sponsored by BetterHelp. Save 10% at BetterHelp.com/LisaHarper
In today's episode, I'm joined by my friend, Jon Gordon. Jon is an author and public speaker perhaps most well known for his words regarding positivity and leadership. We chat about the practical integration of faith and positivity, the importance of difficult conversations, and the power of metaphors in communication. Jon shares his model for having difficult conversations, which includes focusing on the mission, telling the truth, assuming positive intent, maintaining respect, and establishing rules of engagement. He also emphasizes the need to understand one's role in a conversation and to approach it with intention and a desire for unity. Listen in with me and let's learn a thing or two.
Connect with Jon: jongordon.com
Connect with Bob: @bobgoff
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Come join Bob and some of his friends for a workshop this fall! Visit bobgoff.com/events to learn more.
Today's conversation on Back Porch Theology took place very recently at The Kerygma Summit here in Franklin, TN and this particular conversation was kind of the "chips and queso" moment of the whole weekend for me because I had the undeserved privilege of sitting down with some of my favorite female Christian leaders from around the country and gleaning from their collective wisdom. I framed the question that I posed to all of them like this: At sixty I know much less about God than what I thought I knew about Him at forty and what I pretended to know about Him at twenty. But what I now know to be true of God - namely His unconditional love and immutable faithfulness - I know in the very marrow of my bones. Then I asked each of them - many of whom are leading large ministries - what they now know to be true of God in the marrow of their bones. Their answers were gut-level honest, deeply encouraging, appropriately convicting at times, and always God and others honoring. This conversation was a living example of Psalm 68:11 - the Lord announces the word, and the women who proclaim it are a mighty throng. Plus, since these saints came from various streams of the church, it was also a master class in unity and it reminded me of Jesus's response to John's question in Mark 9: "Teacher," said John, "we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop because he was not one of us." "Do not stop him," Jesus said. "For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whoever is not against us is for us. Christian unity is not the same thing as uniformity, y'all. We don't have to agree on every, single jot and tittle of what is theologically nuanced, but if we can agree on the fact that faith in Jesus Christ is the only way sinners like us can be reconciled with God, as well as the authority of God's Word, we're family. Remember the Bible also reveals that a divisive spirit is one of the six things that God hates (Proverbs 9) and whenever possible He calls us to be at peace and harmony with each other (Romans 12). Today's conversation is going to be like spiritual Gorilla Glue, it's going to fasten us tighter to our Creator Redeemer and tighter to the community of faith so please grab a cup of coffee or a glass of sparkling water with a wedge of lime or a thimbleful of wheatgrass juice and your Bible - unless you're trimming your roses, of course; mine have sprouted out with more enthusiasm than Einstein's eyebrows during the past few weeks of warm weather - and come hang out on the porch with us.
Sponsored by BetterHelp. Save 10% at BetterHelp.com/LisaHarper
Buy The Overcomers at
HarperChristianResources.com\overcomers
Do It Anyway is available wherever you buy books.
Candace + Jennie are wrapping up Season 6 with a special episode all about YOU - our listeners! They are answering several listener questions about emotions, connecting with those in a different generation than you, navigating burnout and finding JOY again, and more.
As they reflect on their conversations from this season, they want to encourage you once more in your journey towards emotional health.
Living life tangled up emotionally is not really living at all. And although the enemy wants to attack you with hopelessness, You are never helpless or hopeless. Through Jesus, you have authority over your feelings. Wholeness and freedom are available to us not just in heaven but here and now.
What is ONE thing you are walking away with as a tool from this season? Head to Instagram and tell us @candacecameronburepodcast
Connect with Candace and Jennie:
Grab Jennie's book: Untangle Your Emotions
What is the universe made? No, really? On this journey Dr. G revelas the surprising answer.
CLICK HERE for Dr. G's OFFICIAL WEBSITE.
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ORDER DR. G's EXCITING NEW BOOK! Let Creation Speak!
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Biosphere 2: Wikipedia
There is a connection between your emotional health and your body. Just think about what you feel physically when you experience different emotions:
When you feel joy, where in your body do you feel it?
When you feel sadness, how do you express it physically?
When you feel fear or worry, how does your body respond?
Our bodies feel our emotions, they are connected. And often the feelings we are struggling with are exacerbated by how we are treating (or mistreating) our bodies.
In this episode, Candace and Jennie are talking about emotions + our body. They discuss how they have seen their physical health positivity impact their emotional health, and vice versa. They also share healthy physical habits that have helped them when they are feeling certain emotions (like sad or stressed).
What are ways you keep your body healthy so that it can support your emotional health well? Head over to Instagram to tell us! @candacecameronburepodcast
Connect with Candace and Jennie:
Listener Question:
Candace + Jennie answer 3 questions from listeners that ask about balance, routines, and habits. From managing time and energy to taking care of yourself without letting it become an idol. Tune in to hear more!
Today is our 12th and final biblical pearl for Season 1 of our Pearls Podcast. How in the world do we finish this season? What is the biblical pearl to leave you with for now? How do we end such a rich and generous season in the Word of God together? How do we get up from the biblical table and live forward into our lives today?
I spent quite a bit of time in prayer thinking through what the 12th pearl would be. What is ONE more thing in the "better than" Story of the Bible that I would want impart to you, bless you and wash you with today?
In today's final episode, our biblical pearl is located in John 14: 1-6. These are words in red - the words of Jesus given to his disciples at the Last Supper right before crucifixion and resurrection. It's about to go down and he knows it. What will some of his final words be at this final meal before the Garden of Gethsemane, arrest, trial, crucifixion and resurrection?
Today we are going to learn about the beit av - the house of the father. THIS is some of the encouragement Jesus chose to give his disciples in this final meal and final hours. The imagery and metaphor, the deep meaning that these words would have held for Jesus and his disciples 2,000 years ago speaks a WORD to us in our own lives today. The promise that Jesus speaks of in these verses are a right now promise for you and me today.
No matter what's going on in your life, now matter how high or low, how deep into sadness, ruin and loss - we are headed to the Father's House.
As we end Season 1 of Pearls, I pray these words get worked into your soul like yeast into dough. Shalom to you and your families.
Every day you are faced with a choice. As you experience different emotions, what will you do with them? How will you respond to them? You name them, but now what?
Whether we realize it or not, we are all doing something with our feelings - addressing them and growing through them, or ignoring them and letting them control us. But what if our emotions draw us closer to God and lead us to connection with others?
What will you choose? Listen in as Candace and Jennie talk about how they choose daily to embrace + grow in their emotions, why you cannot be a great parent, spouse, student, or Christian while remaining emotionally unhealthy, and ways Jesus has transformed their lives as they have walked with Him.
Connect with Candace and Jennie:
What is your favorite memory from your childhood? What makes those memories good memories?
In this episode, Candace and Jennie are focusing on emotions and parenting. The truth is that we all need to know that we are seen, soothed, and safe in our emotions - especially kids. We aren't alone in our emotions, and neither are our children. We get to be there for them emotionally, so does Jesus. Feelings don't heal when we ignore them; they heal when we are wrapped up by the people we love in the middle of them.
Listen in as Candace and Jennie talk about their personal experiences parenting young children + adult children, being fully present to the emotions of your children (no matter their age), and what they have learned from struggling to "fix" things for their kids.
Parenting isn't a one-size fits all - and emotions aren't the same for every child. How do we foster emotional health in our children? Tune in to hear more!
In this episode, Jennie talks about the book: Story of God. If you are interested in grabbing a copy for yourself, click HERE.
Connect with Candace and Jennie:
Thank you to this episode's sponsors:
Two words can push emotions to a deeper place ... "I feel." Do you have community that you can safely share your emotions with? That you can vulnerably say ... "I feel" without fear or shame?
Emotions are best healed in community - to be truly seen, soothed, safe, and not alone in pain heals you in ways you cannot believe unless you feel it. Candace and Jennie sit down to talk about friendship + how God calls us to "bear one another's burdens." If you are looking for encouragement around:
What makes friendships stick long-term
How to show up well for friends when they need you most
Ways you can "go there" emotionally with community
Healing friendships that have caused emotional wounds
Then tune in! Better yet, send this episode to someone in your community to listen together and talk about. We hope this episode inspires vulnerable conversations within your friendship!
Connect with Candace and Jennie:
Thank you to this episode's sponsors: Good Ranchers
During today's conversation on Back Porch Theology, we're going to run further and faster in the thematic lane of giving ourselves away and talk about the healthy tension between self-care and selfless. One of my favorite pretend theological boyfriends, St. Augustine, said "Charity is a virtue which, when our affections are perfectly ordered, unites us to God. For by it, we love Him." In other words, generosity for the sake of Christ actually accelerates our awareness of His unconditional love. Therefore, giving yourself away in a healthy, biblical context comes with the penultimate payoff of increased intimacy with God. It's what can never honestly be said about the stock market - choosing to live a generous, God and others-oriented lifestyle also means our investment comes with a perfectly secure dividend. Which is the theme of Jesus's message in Luke chapter 6: Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Speaking of pouring, how about pouring yourself a big cup of coffee and grabbing your Bible - unless you're still trying to figure out how to fit those newfangled LED Christmas lights back into the box they came in so you can finally cram all of the holiday trimmings back into the attic until next November, of course - and come hang out on the porch with Alli, Dr. Howard and me!
Find Allison's new video Bible study at ChurchSource.com/Hidden.
Today's biblical pearl is one of those deeply beautiful truths that calms, soothes, and raises a sabbathed rest in my heart. It makes me slow down, worry less and breathe deeper. It makes me trust more, longer and wider in the person of Jesus. It stirs faith within me. It tells me that I am going to make it through this life because of who Jesus is. You are going to make it through this life because of who Jesus is.
John 10 is one of the most well known passages in the New Testament. Jesus says that He is the good shepherd, the shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep (John 10:11). But Jesus doesn't just say this out of nowhere. We often study John 10 by itself, but this moment in John 10 is actually mid-story. Jesus doesn't just say these things out of nowhere but in response to something. In the same way that we do not go to a movie an hour late or start reading a book mid-way through, we have to go back and pick up this story at its beginning - which is John 9.
In today's episode we will unpack John 9 & 10 together, seeing this story through Middle Eastern eyes with its rich imagery and meaning in Jesus' world 2,000 years ago. We are going to learn about Jesus as not only the Good Shepherd but also the Great Gate in this passage.
I pray this teaching richly blesses your heart and deepens your affection and trust in Jesus, your Good Shepherd and Great Gate.