Episodes
If you care about the gender conversation at all, we believe this conversation is critical.
Dr. Abigail Favale wrote Laurie’s favorite book on gender this year called “The Genesis of Gender,” and the conversation about it is—*chef’s kiss*—rich and practical.
Together, they talk about:
—Is sexual difference an afterthought of the Bible?
How can we define woman and man?
Is the fact that intersex people exist the proverbial “trump card” for more than two sexes?
How can people walk alongside those they love who wrestle with gender? (And what if we wrestle ourselves?)
| Highlights |
“The gend...
We LOVED this conversation.
In the midst of divisive ... everything… in the world today, it reminded us about what really matters: JESUS. THE GOSPEL. And that sharing Jesus (evangelism) is an absolute joy when you love Him.
Theologian, author, and our friend, David Bennett, is the one who reminds us of our first love (Jesus), and also helps us think through:
—Why should we tell people about Jesus?
How can we make it less awkward?
Should it feel natural to us?
What if people respond poorly?
| Highlights |
“If I was married, I would tell people how amazing my spouse is all the tim...
We’re trying something new called Laurie’s Book Club, where “she reads the book so you don’t have to.
Granted, we would love it if you read the book and “discussed” it alongside us on the pod, but if you’re anything like most of the world, you’d love to hear a summary of the book, any major nuggets, a little discussion, and call it a day.
That’s what we are starting today!
The book of focus is Jonathan Haidt’s instant NYTimes best seller, The Anxious Generation. It’s globally shaking up families, school systems, and even legislation around phones and screen times for the Gen Z—and we ...
Suffering, eh? Sounds … super … fun.
Ya know, the older we get, the more we realize just how important our theology of suffering is when we are … well, suffering.
As Kelly Kapic said in today’s episode, “You don’t realize how flimsy your theology of suffering is until you use it as a resource to live on.”
For example, if we think suffering should be escaped, *when* we suffer we will try to outrun it. (Which is hard to do if we are enduring physical pain.)
If we think suffering should be embraced, *when* we suffer we might try to make it our identity.
Let’s get a proper theology of sufferi...
When I [Laurie] met Kat, she was planning to marry her girlfriend and was considering transitioning to male.
But God was already drawing Kat to Himself, and He tapped me on the shoulder to join the process.
Hear the whole discipleship journey between us today on the podcast.
| Highlights |
“I would be doing absolutely nothing and I would feel this conviction … This fear of ‘Am I making the right choice? Am I rejecting The One?’” —Kat LaPrairie
“This is going to be difficult, it is not solved, my life is still a mess, but this is the first choice in a series of choices that is going to make ...
A new Barna study says 54% of Christians watch p*rnography. This number is only 7 percentage points behind the percent of all U.S. adults who consume it (61%).
We need help. How can we get the help we need for our addictions at a soul-deep level? Author and therapist Sam Jolman is here to assist.
Together, we discuss:
—Is male sexuality just extra broken or what?
—How can we (as men and women) process our first encounter with p*rnography?
—How can we as parents help ready our kids for a porn-pervasive world?
—What can we do if we are caught in an addiction cycle? Is there anything to do ot...
Many of us grew up in the church hearing that weakness was a good thing: In our weakness, God is strong through us.
If that’s true, why does weakness feel so terrible?
Today, we talk with author, podcaster, and pastor, Eric Schumacher about “the good gift of weakness,” why many of us don’t like it, and why it is the best place to thrive as a human being.
We also discuss:
—How did Eric’s “failing at ministry” help him to recover his life?
—Is weakness found in creation and in the new heavens and new earth, not just in the sinful world?
—What if we are tired of being weak?
| Highlights |
“I...
Something we so appreciate about Dr. Preston Sprinkle is he doesn’t tell us what to think, he encourages us to think about what we are thinking about.
When it comes to engaging politics, we need people to help us think about politics biblically first.
If you’re like us, you’re all done with politics…yesterday.
And yet, we cannot escape it. Is there a way to engage it without losing our minds (and faith)?
Theologian, author, podcaster, and friend of the podcast, Preston Sprinkle, is just the expert we need to help us think about politics biblically.
We discuss:
How can we vote with a Kingdo...
If you have ever struggled to process your story (and who hasn’t??), this episode is for you.
Author, teacher, and child-of-a-one-time angry father, Lisa Jo Baker, takes us by the hand and guides us to take the tiniest look back so we can move forward into healing.
| Main Themes |
Why do we avoid going back into our stories?
Why do we need to? (Do we need to?)
How can you write a book about the most painful places in our lives?
What if those we love don’t want to or can’t reconcile?
| Highlights |
“A thought dropped into my head, ‘You need to speak about what it was like to be the child o...
If you’re a parent or mentor of young kids right now like we are, I am pretty sure you could marinate in fear every day of the week.
Add the fact that it is up to us parents and mentors to teach these kids facts and wisdom about sexuality and body safety, and you can just find us in a panic attack on the floor every-other day of the week.
But what if we didn’t have to? What if we could learn how to wisely lead them in the midst of this wild world?
Today, psychologist and author Julia Sadusky helps us to do just that. Together we discuss:
• Why is avoiding conversations about bodies and sex...
It’s that time again: Let’s take your questions and try to respond with wisdom!
Here are the ones we respond to today!
How do you know when or if you need to move on from a therapist?
How can we walk with people experiencing unwanted sexual desires?
How do I recover my soul from burnout?
How do I talk with my kids about a family member who is transitioning?
How do I know if a temptation is spiritual attack or fruit from my sinful nature?
| Highlights |
“Our kids do not have to be fed rage and othering in order to cultivate a heart that is both passionate for truth and grieves over sin.” —L...
Today, we conclude our two-part series looking at strategies to intentionally and evangelistically approach Pride Month.
To continue the conversation, we talk with Elizabeth Delgado Black who is an evangelist and the co-founder and president of Kaleidoscope. Together, we talk about practical ways to love LGBTQ people like Jesus as well as:
Can we talk a little bit about language? Why use LGBTQ language at all?
How do LGBTQ people in New York City seem to view Christians generally? Why?
How does Elizabeth’s nonprofit seek to love LGBTQ people into the Kingdom of God?
What contextual ways d...
Some Christians write off June’s Pride festivals as Sodom and Gomorrah. They don’t think anyone there could possibly want God.
Are we so sure about that?
At least two ministries in the U.S. are regularly going to Pride festivals in their areas, and they are seeing people come to know Jesus because of their presence, preaching, and practical love of neighbor.
This week, we interview a street evangelist who has been going to Grand Rapids, Michigan’s Pride Festival for the last five years. We ask:
Why does he go?
What heart does he have when he goes?
What pushback does he receive?
What fruit d...
When we are going through suffering, we don’t usually think, “Hmm, what treasures might God have for me to discover here?”
It just feels like suffering.
However, author and major stroke survivor, Katherine Wolf, has a message for us: God has gems for us to find in the darkness. “If you have to go through hardship, why not get the treasure? My goodness, don’t waste the pain,” she says.
What else do we talk about?
What exactly are these “treasures” anyway?
How should we respond to our friends’ immediate suffering?
What if we are in a major depressive season? Is there hope for us?
What if we ...
“Hope in the gospel and discouragement are not mutually exclusive,” Pastor Derwin Gray encouraged us on today’s episode.
But, how is that possible? The world can feel so defeating:
Politics, racial division, pastor scandals, congregant sin, and the drudgery of faithfully trying to do this thing called advancing the Kingdom of God wherever we are called can overwhelm anyone. How can we both experience grief, discouragement, or mourning, and allow it to propel us further into the heart of God?
Author and pastor of one of the fastest growing churches in America, Derwin Gray, preaches exactly ...
This is a very gentle but powerful episode.
Since having the conversation, I (Laurie) can’t stop seeing the people-as-trees metaphor everywhere.
How? You’re just going to have to listen to find out. :)
// Highlights:
“We all have the seasons in life. We can’t expect the same things of ourselves in every single season. When we don’t experience seasons that are fruitful or blooming, it doesn’t mean that something is wrong with us, it can just mean we are in a different season.” —Joy Marie Clarkson
“You can’t have buds and the blooms [on a tree] without ... the old leaves dying.” —Joy Mar...
Christy grew up in a hyper-legalistic system that added rigid rules to the gospel of Jesus.
(You might have seen glimpses of it if you watched the documentary, ‘Shiny Happy People.’)
Even after leaving, Christy internally battled the legalism that attached itself to her knowledge of the real Jesus. How did she break free—not only physically, but mentally and spiritually?
We also explore:
What is the difference between authority and authoritarianism?
How can you tell if you’re in a legalistic system?
Why would someone be drawn to such a structure?
How can we break free from either a direct ...
Oh, wow. This story.
How does one woman go from a childhood of following Jesus as much as she knows how, to professional hockey, to same-sex relationships, to transitioning to male for six years, to finding the real Jesus, and then to de-transitioning in the midst of a loving church community?
This episode has her story.
Hear a testimony and take part in a conversation on how to walk well with people who wrestle with gender today on the podcast.
// Highlights:
“I was crying out to God on the bedroom floor, and I heard him say, ‘Kyla. Return to me.’ And I was like, ‘What do you mean, retu...
Is anyone else feeling like they are in a rut in their marriage?
Maybe you’re not in crisis mode, but it’s kinda just . . . meh?
It’s easy to function; to sit on opposite couches and scroll on your phone. But, do you wonder if marriage could be better than that—not with some fantastical potion or even a weekend intensive per se, but what if it began with small, simple movements of risk toward one another?
Today, marriage experts Tracy Johnson and Chris Bruno guide those of us who feel “in a rut” toward a gentle path of hope.
How?
Grab a coffee drink you’ve never ordered before (you’ll get ...
We are going to talk about singleness until we as the Church get this right, friends.
People talk about how marriage gives us a vision of eternity in how two different people seeking union shows the world a picture of how God (who is so different from us) will be one with His church. But, how does singleness show us a picture of what we will experience in the new heavens and new earth?
Author and ministry leader, Dani Treweek, is here to tell us how.
// Highlights:
“I have become absolutely convinced that singleness is not just the absence of something good, but it is the presence of some...
It’s the end of 2023, so we are reflecting, looking ahead, and asking, “Do Laurie and Steve look alike?” Lol… (Matt and Laurie’s kids seem to think so…)
HOWEVER, the conversation mostly revolves around…
What did we learn in 2023?
Based on what we learned, how do we want to engage 2024 with more wisdom?
What simple tool did and are we using (and you can use, too) to plan the year?
Grab the last of the egg nog, and let’s hang out!
// Highlights:
“There were times throughout this year that God felt really distant. But in that, I found myself longing for His presence.”—Steve
“I st...
This time of year can feel unfair:
“Just kick back and enjoy the season! But also get the perfect present for everyone. But don’t do too much! #selfcare But do enough so that you tell people you love and appreciate them. But don’t! But also do.”
Thank the Lord we brought in our friend and wellness expert, Bonnie Gray, to help us learn how to approach this and every season not with another way to perfectly-imperfectly self-care your way into health and wholeness, but to sink deeply into the love of Jesus.
We also discuss:
Are people either helpers or those who are helped?
What does the left ...
Ya’ll. This episode.
It could put language to some things some of us have been holding onto for too long. How? Author and scholar Zach Wagner, author of ‘Non-Toxic Masculinity,’ unpacks:
What is toxic masculinity?
How does it relate to Purity Culture?
How did Purity Culture affect both men and women?
How can men and women approach each other with a gospel lens instead of a sexual-threat lens?
How do we process the science (or is it even science?) that men are more visual than women?
How can men (and women) heal from what was taught?
If you wonder if you have been affected by Purity Cultu...
How would you pastor a congregation filled with a range of people from academics to farmers, and then walk them through the human sexuality conversation?
Pastor Aaron Henning, lead pastor at State College Alliance Church in Pennsylvania, tells us how engaged the topic with a congregation that was and is exactly that makeup.
How did he do it?
What did he learn?
How did fear interplay with his preaching?
How did it go?
Join us on our third and last in our courageous pastors series to hear how you can encourage yourself or a pastor-friend in engaging this important conversation.
// Highli...
Today we continue our Courageous Pastors series by interviewing Tom Kang, a lead pastor in Los Angeles, CA, on how he led his congregation through the human sexuality conversation.
Additionally, we explore:
What is unique about Tom’s West Coast church and their cultural vibe?
How can pastors cascade the human sexuality conversation to all of their leaders in a realistic way?
Why did he choose a dialogue over a monologue?
How did it go? (How many people walked out, and how many were grateful?)
What would he say to a pastor considering preaching about this topic?
This series has been enco...
We are so excited about this:
Today, we are launching a mini-series interviewing three pastors from the South, the West Coast, and the East Coast on how they went from conceptualization of a sermon series on human sexuality to actualization. Why?
In 2019, Barna shared the results of a study that said three of the top four things pastors feel both pressured and limited to speak on are related to human sexuality.
If pastors feel so limited and yet pressured to speak on this, how in the world do they do it? Instead of hypothesizing, we put the microphone in front of three pastors who did it.
F...
We get questions related to this topic often.
Parents and disciple-makers of young kids are understandably anxious and wondering; How can we guide kids in a way that makes them both courageously truthful and loving?
Pastor and author, Sam Allberry, comes back on the show to help us answer discipleship questions based on his new children’s book on marriage, ‘God’s Signpost.’ In addition to questions about teaching kids about marriage, Sam unpacks:
What are Christians doing poorly when it comes to engaging gender/sexuality/marriage?
What are we doing well?
What did Sam need from his Christia...
Moving forward can feel terrifying: Like we are jumping out of an airplane and we don’t know if we have a parachute. Why does it feel that way?
Today, author, multi-ministry founder, and teacher, Christine Caine, joins us to answer this question as well as:
What happened to us in Covid that made us extra afraid of moving forward?
Why is moving forward not automatically betraying or ignoring our pasts?
How do we know when it’s time to move on?
What if we feel we have to do penance for past sin? How can we move on from that?
How does cancel culture play a role in this?
//Highlights:
“Fixa...
Today on the podcast, ministry leader Brenna Blain joins us to help us discern how, when, and where to share our own stories with others.
Together, we unpack:
How do you know when you are ready to share?
What was Brenna’s most challenging audience to share with?
What are the benefits and challenges to opening up?
//Highlights:
“The question I have not always gone to but I need to go to is, ‘Why? Why do I feel I need to share this or want to share this? Is it because I want attention?’… Or is it that I truly feel like God is asking me to share this, and then I need to work out what parts ...
It’s the season seven launch!!
We are so glad to be back with you all, and are equally glad to engage last season’s identity theme one more time to ensure we take it from the ethereal to the practical. The person here to help us do this is the author of ‘Finding Your Best Identity’ and ministry leader, Andrew Bunt.
Andrew joins the team today to talk about:
How can we know which parts of us are the true us, and which are not?
Is sexual identity and gender identity core to who we are?
How can we engage the world’s mantra of “Listen to your heart” to know who you are?
How can we engage the wo...