Truth Trauma Theology

What is Toxic Shame? How does it affect those trying to live for Christ? What does the Bible say about shame? In this Patreon Spotlight Dr. Conny Nussbaum joins the discussion to share insight regarding what the Bible says about shame. Conny previously presented her research during a Patreon-exclusive meeting and I wanted to make sure it saw the light of day! Her research is clear, meaningful, and practical. About Connie: Studied PhD in Immunology (Psychoneuroimmunology) at Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-Universität Greifswald and is now studies Clinical Counseling (MA) at Winebrenner Theological Seminary. She formerly worked as a Consultant Scientific & Clinical Editor/Writer. Since 2010 she has worked with grief working as a Certified Grief Recovery Specialist. What is Patreon Spotlight? Patreon Spotlight is exclusive content from those who have expertise in the Patreon Community. Many of them present at our Mastermind Meetings and are then selected to share for a public interview depending on the topic. If you are interested in becoming a patreon member you will have the opportunity to join a Mastermind Group. Please visit: https://www.patreon.com/kylespears

In this episode we explore how the Old Testament portrays the Holy Spirit's presence. It seems confusing to reconcile how the OT describes the Spirit's activity as opposed to what we see in the NT. Dr. Monje joins to discuss the fundamental questions Christians have when reading the Holy Spirit of the OT. Q.What was the Jewish understanding of the Spirit? Definition of ruach? Uses of ruach? Q. Is the “Spirit" in the OT also “holy”? Q.How is the Holy Spirit present in creation? Q.What does it mean when the Spirit came upon various characters throughout the OT? Senses of Ruach? Empowerment? Q. What happened with the elders of Israel? Q. What happened with Saul? Q. What about Saul’s evil spirit? Q. Is this the spirit of God or something else? Q. What does this say about Saul? Q. What are some OT prophecies regarding the Spirit that are fulfilled throughout the NT? Q. Do the Dead Sea Scrolls have something to say on the Spirit? Rolan Monje (BD, MMin, DMin) serves as an evangelist and teacher. He is Professor of Hebrew and Old Testament at Rocky Mountain School of Ministry and Theology in Colorado, and also directs the Asia-Pacific Leadership Academy in Manila. Dr. Monje travels extensively (over 100 cities across 6 continents) and has spoken in countries as varied as Germany, Turkey, Qatar, Greece, UAE (Dubai), Ecuador, Canada, Nigeria, Myanmar, and Australia. He and his wife, Weng, oversee a region of churches in the Philippines and have been on staff over 20 years. They have two daughters, Yana and Stefi. Dr. Monje's Bachelor of Divinity is in Biblical Languages from the University of London; his Master of Ministry is from the American Bible College in Florida, USA; his Doctor of Ministry is in Pastoral Theology. Personal website: rolanmonje.com Published books: www.ipibooks.com “Into the Psalms” (2010), “Exodus: Making Israel’s Journey Your Own” (2013), “After the Storm: Hope and Healing from Ezra-Nehemiah” (2014), “Finish Strong: The Message of Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi” (2016) Podcasts: Ten podcasts on Interpreting the Psalms (download at douglasjacoby.com)

How do we know if we are hearing God's voice or our own? How do we know if we are in step with the Spirit? Is it possible to lose the Spirit? How does the Spirit direct our thoughts or emotions? In this conversation we explore the various ways the Holy Spirit speaks to us. How does the Holy Spirit speak to our conscience? How does the Holy Spirit sanctify us? How does the Holy Spirit convict us? How can we grieve the Spirit? How can we quench the Spirit? What does it mean to blaspheme the Spirit? How can we learn to distinguish the Spirit’s voice from our own? Dr. Bill Moulden has served in the full-time ministry for over 28 years throughout the Southwest, Midwest, and now the Heartland family of churches. He currently serves as an Evangelist and Teacher with the Gateway City Church in St. Louis, MO. Bill has Masters of Divinity and a Doctorate in Ministry from Trinity Southwest University in Albuquerque, NM. Happily married to Kristin Moulden for 28 years and father to three amazing daughters.

In this episode we begin a 4-part series on the Holy Spirit. Dr. Andy Boakye joins the discussion to help clarify the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of a New Covenant Christian. Andy masterfully explains the original greek context and gives us an understanding of why Paul taught a specific theology regarding the Holy Spirit. This is just the beginning of this conversation! The Holy Spirit as a seal? The Holy Spirit as a deposit, guarantee? How does the Holy Spirit intercede for us? How does the Holy Spirit create special intimacy with God (abba)? How are we temples for the Holy Spirit? How can Paul’s understanding of the Holy Spirit inspire us towards greater confidence? Dr Andrew Boakye Lecturer in Religions and Theology and Member of the Centre for Biblical Studies at the University of Manchester and co-chair of the Paul seminar of the British New Testament Society. He is author of Death and Life: Resurrection, Restoration and Rectification in Paul's Letter to the Galatians (Wipf & Stock, 2017) and co-author of Rethinking Galatians: Paul's Vision of Oneness in the Living Christ (T&T Clark, 2021 with Professor Peter Oakes). He is currently working on the Word Biblical Themes Commentary on Ephesians for Zondervan Press and his research interests include Pauline Christianity, resurrection theology, masculinity studies and intertextuality. He has been consulted on issues of racial harmony and reconciliation across the Protestant communion and is part of a colloquium combating domestic violence in religious spaces. Andy is married to Chi and has two children - Aaron (21) and Storm (19).

If you are interested in becoming a Patreon Member visit www.patreon.com/kylespears Sam Youngblood is one of my Patreon Community members who helps to research various topics on the Biblical Literacy Team. This is also part of a new interview series where I interview various members who are in the Patreon Community. Churches are faced with a constant need to understand the cultural demands around them. Sometimes churches can borrow from the culture in ways that create an unhealthy environment. Of course this is in effort to reach the world for Christ. Sam outlines three keys in conceptualizing church growth. There are 3 primary ways that churches can emphasize church growth: 1) …by an exaltation of “The Great Commission” -“The Great Commission” is used for rhetorical power -That title is a new invention -Matthew 28:18-20 points to a wider mission (“I have been given all authority…teaching them to obey”) 2)…by missing the big picture of God’s mission -Old Testament portraits of God’s aims are wider -Focus on “souls” rather than humans and creation -Eschatology as an influence on the “then” and the “now” -What kind of fruit do disciples bear? 3)…by misunderstanding church history -Paul’s failure to thrust evangelism as the central task of churches -How the early church following the apostles regarded Matt. 28:18-20 and their growth -Supposedly almost 2000 years of no movement of true disciples until now -Impulse of Christ, or Constantine?

Lisa Euthon was baptized while a college student at the University of Missouri-St. Louis and has spent the last 30 years serving in different ministries in Missouri, Texas, and Kansas. She, and her husband Tyler, are the proud parents of two boys. Lisa has worked within the medical and education settings walking alongside individuals of all ages and backgrounds as they have navigated diagnoses that have included dementia, traumatic brain injury, cancer, and learning disabled. Equipped with a dual certification in life and spiritual coaching and drawing from her own experiences, she is unafraid to dive into the deeper and more uncomfortable layers of the human experience for the purpose of providing hope and healing to others. For more information and to work with Lisa, email her at lisa.v.euthon@gmail.com or check out her website at www.euthoncoaching.com Quote from Diane Landberg’s presentation at the Restore 2022 Conference titled Understanding Abuse of Power in the Church. "When you sit with others you are in essence to be a living breathing model of the character of Jesus Christ." The late Bill O’Brien served as CEO of Hanover Insurance. When asked by Otto Scharmer to sum up his most important learning experience in leading profound change, Bill responded, “The success of an intervention depends on the interior condition of the intervenor”. From Theory U: Leading from the Emerging Future by Otto Scharmer Morgan Harper Nichols, poet and artist at https://morganharpernichols.com and @morganharpernichols. "You are worthy of the time it takes to work through this breath by breath."

Becky Aste is a trauma-informed marriage coach and the host of “Your Breakthrough Blueprint”, a top 10% globally ranked podcast. She is the CEO and creator of “I Do Breakthrough”, a company dedicated to equipping highly ambitious wives to repair thriving connection in their marriage by moving trauma out of the body. After spending a decade researching and going through every mainstream modality of healing to save her own marriage, she found herself 2 kids later, separated from her husband and on the verge of divorce. At the final hour, she stumbled upon the unconventional game-changer of somatic work that took her marriage from dying to thriving in less than a year and has made it her mission to get this into the hands of every woman possible ever since. To contact Becky visit https://www.idobreakthrough.com 1. Tell us a little bit about your journey and why you started your podcast? 2. As a Trauma-Informed Executive Marriage Coach, how do you approach the challenges of trauma? How do you involve the body? 3. You specialize in healing marriages, what are some factors to lead to emotional separation? 4. On your website you mention the idea of “How You Can Save Your Marriage Without Your Husband Being On Board”, how do you do this? 5. What advice do you have for those in churches who are on the brink of divorce?

In her latest book, Free and Fully Alive: Reclaiming the Story of Who You Were Created to Be, popular faith-leader, speaker, and certified life coach Karrie Garcia shares something most Christians can identify: “I was taught that God wants us to live freely, but I never understood what that kind of freedom meant or felt like. It seemed like a good idea in theory, but elusive—I had no idea how to grab hold of it.” In Free and Fully Alive, Karrie draws on her own experiences and expertise to create a dynamic, practical guide for readers to learn how to embrace their past and discover a deeper connection to themselves, God, and others.

1. What is the difference between being free versus being free AND fully alive?
2. What’s the first step someone needs to take to embrace his/her story – and why is it so crucial?
3. How does understanding trauma help us understand sin and brokenness?
4. Why do we need to lament our places of wounding?
5. Though it’s difficult—as you note—why is it necessary to talk about the Enemy? How does he use isolation, doubt, and chaos to trap us?
6. How can you determine if you’re caught in a “cycle of false freedom”? What’s the harm in these often benign behaviors?
7. What are some biblical references that underscore the power of invitation?

After the release of their groundbreaking book, A Church Called Tov, which recorded the stories of abuse and toxic church cultures at some of the most prominent churches in the United States, New Testament scholar and blogger for Christianity Today Scot McKnight and Laura Barringer heard from a flood of people who had experienced similar instances of abuse. After all they’ve seen and heard, they still believe it’s possible for church cultures to be transformed from toxic to tov—from oppressive to good.  

In Pivot, Scot and Laura help churches to implement practices,establish priorities, and cultivate the Kingdom Gospel-centered qualities that form goodness cultures. Readers will find answers to the four most common questions people have about culture transformation: How can I transform the culture in my church or organization to make it tov? 

• I believe my workplace has unhealthy values. How do I initiate change? How do I unleash a culture of goodness in my ministry? 
• I’m not in a position of church leadership. What are some red flags that indicate a toxic culture, and what can I do if I see them? Pivot also includes the following practical features: 
• The “Tov tool,” a survey to help you discern your organization’s culture and to promote spiritual conversations 
• A “getting to work” section at the end of each chapter with questions and next steps for application Transformation is never easy. But for the sake of the next generation, we must do it.  

Scot McKnight (PhD, University of Nottingham) is a world-renowned speaker, writer, professor, and equipper of the Church. He is a recognized authority on the historical Jesus, early Christianity, and the New Testament. His books have been translated into Chinese, Korean, Russian, and Portuguese. He is the author of The Jesus Creed, The Blue Parakeet, The King Jesus Gospel, Revelation for the Rest of Us, numerous commentaries, and is now writing a sixteen-volume series of reflections called The Everyday Bible Study.

Although Christians are followers of the Truth, many find themselves tempted by the alternate “truths” offered by conspiracy theories. Christianity and conspiracy theories have had a long, complicated relationship. But today conspiracy theories are bringing our already polarized society to the brink of chaos. QAnon, the Big Lie, and anti-vaccination theories thrive online, disrupting faith communities. This timely essay collection explores the allure of conspiracy theories and their consequences—and ultimately offers gospel-based paths forward. Michael W. Austin is professor of philosophy at Eastern Kentucky University and senior fellow at the Dietrich Bonhoeffer Institute. He has published twelve books, including Being Good: Christian Virtues for Everyday Life (Eerdmans, 2012), Humility and Human Flourishing (Oxford University Press, 2018), and his latest, God and Guns in America (Eerdmans, 2020). Gregory L. Bock is assistant professor of philosophy and religion and program director for the philosophy, religion studies, and Asian studies at the University of Texas at Tyler. He also serves as director for UT Tyler's Center for Ethics. He is editor of volumes 3 and 4 of The Philosophy of Forgiveness (Vernon, 2018, 2019) and coeditor of Righteous Indignation: Christian Philosophical and Theological Perspectives on Anger (Fortress, 2021). Tell us about your background and why you decided to write this book? Let’s start out with the basic definition of a conspiracy theory? In what ways are Christians susceptible to conspiracy? You mention the demographic of the white evangelical several times in the book, let’s start out with a basic definition of evangelical? What are some themes that you observe within evangelical circles? You have a chapter on reasonableness. You mention that the conviction dial is on max strength. Can you describe Teflon hermeneutics? What makes racism so challenging to accept?

Most Christians have encountered phony posts on our feeds meant to rile us up. But not everything we see on social media is so obviously absurd. As online spaces increase in importance, we urgently need to consider how to love our neighbors on the internet—and this includes sharing the truth. Rachel I. Wightman is a librarian, an educator, and a believer in finding the integration of faith and fact-checking. She is the associate director for instruction and outreach at Concordia University, St. Paul. Prior to moving to Minnesota in 2012, she spent two years as librarian and missionary in Kampala, Uganda.

1. Tell us about your background and why you decided to write this book? 2. The last handful of years have been challenging with the pandemic, politics, and racial tension. What are some observations you have noticed about how people educate themselves on these matters? -You mention that algorithms influence us in Chapter 1. -In Chapter 2 you mention paywalls that myth of free information. 3. In Chapter 4 you cover “noticing our emotions”, why is this important? -In chapter 3 you mentioned that if a comment is removed we can become mistrustful or we label something as fake news out of frustration. Why do we respond this way? 4. In Chapter 5 “learning to evaluate” you talk about lateral reading. Give us an overview of what a healthy information gathering process looks like? -People have become quite cynical towards supposed “experts”, what might you want people to consider? (It seems like people see themselves as the experts!) 5. As Christians, how do we balance God’s word with the realities of the culture around us? -Sometimes people can become aloof or culturally out of touch in the name of being separate from the world. This can lead to being insensitive towards those who are hurting or different. How can we balance being not of the world and being all things to all people?

This is the second installment of the interview with Amy that discusses the grief of the next generation. Amy shares from her presentation from the Telios Conference in February which specifically addresses the various losses GenZ has experienced.

• How has the securitization of schools affected the next gen?
• How the challenges of the pandemic has stripped their hopefulness about the future.
• How can we incorporate practices that help Gen Z become more hopeful?

In this conversation we discuss the impact of trauma on our theological imagination. Amy discusses her doctoral research from a theoretical trauma studies perspective. Amy describes the impact of suffering on our theological imagination and preaching. She discusses what she calls an "Enfleshed homiletic" where she describes the relationship between the body and the sermon. Dr. Amy McLaughlin-Sheasby is a professor in the College of Biblical Studies at Abilene Christian University, where she specializes in practical theology, homiletics, and wisdom literature. Her scholarship has been published in the peer-reviewed journals Interpretation, Homiletic, and The International Journal of Homiletics, with a forthcoming article to be published in Religions. Her most recent scholarship focuses on the impact of suffering on theological imagination and discourse. Amy and her husband, Nathan, currently live in Abilene, Texas, and are members of Highland Church of Christ.

In this conversation we discuss the various ways that we can partner with the Spirit to help us transform into the image of Christ. 1. You have written a series called Drawing Near to God. What made you create this study series? 2. How long did it take you? What have you learned from writing this series? What is different? 3. You talk about how the way you teach can impact someone’s thinking, perspectives, etc. How do you see that playing out? 4. Do you want to give a quick overview of your series? 5. This is by far the first complete study about the Holy Spirit in a series. What were your thoughts when you included this in your series? Can you share more about the Spiritual Formation group that you mentioned earlier. 6. I am sure you have used the series to study the Bible with someone. How has that been? Matt Anjilivelil (pronounced an-jili-vel) has been a Christian for almost 37 years, baptized in the campus ministry. He has served in secular ministry roles in Boston, Los Angeles, Atlanta and Denver. He was part of the mission team to Amman Jordan in 1990 and then in 1999, he along with his wife Sandy and two kids moved to Kuwait to start the church. He led the church for 7 years, while holding a fulltime job. He has worked in the supply chain space for 30+ years. He has been married to Sandy for almost 29 years and they have three adult children including their son-in-law. They have served as shepherds for the campus ministry and young professionals for many years. For more information on the study series email Matt at matt.anjilivelil@gmail.com

In this episode we ask some though questions about forgiveness in the church. We know that we are commanded to forgive, but is forgiveness also a process? Andrew wrote a paper that has received criticism due to his perspective on forgiveness. I invited him onto the channel to discuss his perspective and the criticism he has received.

Where do house churches fit into the call of the Great Commission? In this conversation we discuss role of house churches in the call to share the good news. Matt Dabbs who also has a YouTube channel called Revolution of the Ordinaries joins the conversation to discuss his experience making disciples through the house church model. Support the channel through Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/kylespears Tell us about your background and why you started your channel What denomination do you associate with? How do you interpret Mt. 28:18-20? How do house churches fit into the Great Commission? What are some traps churches that are eager to grow fall into in trying to fulfill the Great Commission In what ways has a corporation culture made discipleship transactional? What about the concern regarding teaching and appointing elders? How do you connect with Legacy churches? Why don’t you take a financial collection? What do you mean by the “system is broken”? Resources and Books: To Dream Again - Robert Dale (church lifecycle) Tombstones to Cornerstones - Rick Krug (change language from Church is dying to church is finishing) The Speed of Trust - Stephen M.R. Covey Multipliers (free ebook) by Todd Wilson. I did not name of this book, but I believe this is where the 99% of churches not live past 100 statistic comes from. https://multiplication.org/product/multipliers/ Curtis Sergeant https://Zume.training - 20 hours of free dis joke making training. Amazing material! https://2414now.net Resources for disciple making and house churches Revisiting the Master Plan of Evangelism by Coleman free ebook - https://discipleship.org/shop/revisiting-the-master-plan-of-evangelism/ For more content from Matt Dabbs go to his channel! https://www.youtube.com/@revolutionofordinaries

House Churches is becoming one of the hot discussions in modern churches. Are they a threat? Are they biblical? Should we see them as a way that God is working? John Porter joins the channel to discuss his experience of leading a house church. Why did you decide to pursue a house church model? What does the New Testament say about house churches? Why do you think house churches seem to create tension with modern church movements? House church vs small group are they the same? Money/failed church plantings

House Churches and Trauma Survivors What are some ways movements and house churches can partner together? John's Website: fromhousetohouse.org

Books:

“House Church and Mission” by Roger W. Gehring "Relational Revolution: 5 Shifts for Rediscovering Church as Heart to Heart Connection” by White/Daniels/Smith Academic Papers: "Ecosystems of Grace: An Old Vision for the New Church" by Dr. Kent Smith - https://missiodeijournal.com/issues/md-7/authors/md-7-smith “Economy of Grace: An Early Take on Vulnerable Mission” by Dr. Kent Smith - https://missiodeijournal.com/issues/md-4-1/authors/md-4-1-smith

About John: John and Barbara were both baptized as college students in the early 1980’s. John was studying Mechanical Engineering at Clemson University and Barbara was a student at Harvard Law School. After graduating, they entered the ministry in 1985. Barbara was part of the Toronto church planting and John served as the leader of the church in Clemson, South Carolina. While still single, they went as missionaries to Mexico City in 1987 where they were married in 1988. Shortly after their wedding, they moved to Sāo Paulo, Brazil to work with a newly planted church; they lived for a total of 9 years in Sāo Paulo, and both their children, Joseph (32) and Jacqueline (30), were born there. They have served several churches in Florida and also lived in the Miami area for more than 10 years, training ministers and missionaries. After being in the traditional ministry for 30 years they decided to step out on faith and do ministry in a different way. Their new ministry is focused on developing a house church model. They currently live in Clemson, South Carolina where they are working to develop this model, train others and provide resources for those interested in planting churches in this way.

Have multicultural churches made racism in modern churches a thing of the past? Are movements that pride themselves on being racially diverse effective in addressing racial injustice in the church? Should multicultural churches address racial injustice from the pulpit? In this episode, Kevin Holland who serves as the Lead Evangelist for the Turning Point congregation in LA joins the conversation to discuss his approach to addressing racism in the modern church.
Kevin serves as the Senior Pastor of Turning Point Church Los Angeles and an Evangelist and Elder with the Los Angeles International Church of Christ. He has a Master of Arts in Christian Ministry degree from the Harding School of Theology, is a coach in the Racial Justice and Unity Center network, is a member of the Christians Seeking Justice (CSJ) national justice ministry, and mentors church leaders around the United States. He and his wife Tracena have two daughters, Tory and Kennidy, a son-in-law, Tory's husband, Derrick Hinton, and a perfect granddaughter, Mia Love Hinton. Tell us about your conversion and why you went into the ministry? What has it been like to be minister and advocate for social justice and openly talk about racism? It has almost been taboo for ministers to talk about it. Why have you decided to take a stand? There are many folks in the church who feel like racial conversations have created more division than anything else. What would you say to those folks? What are some ways that churches can begin to engage racism in a biblical manner? What impact is the churches’ conflict over racism impacting the next generation?

Kylie and Romika have recently launched their coaching business that seeks to help women move forward in the healing process. In this episode we discussing the process of forgiveness and the pitfalls we fall into that keep us stuck. We discuss the misconceptions about forgiveness and how we can develop a healthy definition of forgiveness. Tell us about why you decided to start your podcast and coaching? Why is forgiveness so challenging? What are some ways that forgiveness is taught incorrectly? What does the forgiveness process look like? What resources, books would you recommend? Tell us about how we can get in touch with you? For more information visit Beyondthewallspodcast.com Instagram page: Beyondthewalls.podcast

Our traditional understanding of church and unity is being stretched as we make room for unconventional forms of community such as house churches and independent congregations. The Holy Spirit is moving, revealing, shifting, empowering, guiding, and gifting churches in new ways! It can be kind of scary too. In this interview we discuss the difference between biblical unity versus organizational conformity.

What does the Bible say about Unity?

In what ways has your congregation embraced unity?

How has conformity affected the next generation?

Why did your congregation leave the ICOC?

How does culture contribute to an understanding of unity?

About Will Archer:

William Archer is a visionary Lead Pastor with over twenty-five years of experience leading missional communities in diverse ministry settings. He is an innovative Evangelist with a proven capacity to cultivate and amplify theologically sound and culturally relevant messaging across multiple digital platforms. He is deeply devoted to developing healthy communities of faith that engage the business community and community partners committed to helping the least of these in the Commonwealth of Virginia. He has served on several boards nationally and internationally. He is an alumnus of the 2019 Class of Leadership Prince William and of the 2022 Class of Lead Virginia. Pastor Archer has an Undergraduate degree in Public Policy from Arcadia University and a Master's degree from Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, DC. He is currently a Doctorate of Ministry candidate at Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria, Virginia. He has been married to the love of his life, Latosha Archer, for 23 years, and they have two adventurous children, 20-year-old Mekhi and 14 year-old Journey. He serves as the Lead Pastor for the Potomac Valley Church. The Potomac Valley Church is an Independent Christian congregation in Northern Virginia with a deep commitment to serving all people.

Where is God when our life is literally falling apart? How do we process the most challenging parts of our human existence? How does the book of Job apply to our lives today? How can those who love us support us more effectively? Darryl Potter joins the discussion to introduce us to his commentary on Job and how he worked through his own crisis of faith. Darryl's website is https://www.darylpotter.com

I wanted to say thank you for your support and dedication to the ministry! It is truly an honor to provide content that helps you heal and mature in Christ.

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For more information on coaching or consulting please contact Holly Toguchi at holly@truthtruamtheology.com

In this episode we will discuss Moral Injury & Evangelism: Betrayal of Others.

Why do people have such conflict about evangelism years or decades later? If churches have put an end to harmful practices, why can't people simply move on?

You might be wondering what is moral injury? What does moral injury have to do with evangelism? 

This is the first of two conversations regarding Moral Injury and Evangelism. If you purchased the book Trauma Informed Evangelism by Dr. Charles Kiser & Dr. Elaine A. Heath, I will be covering pages 36-39. We will discuss the long-term effects of when we ignore our relationship with the Holy Spirit and instead follow someone in authority. It creates a deep sense of mistrust of leadership or authority even if people have changed. If people misled us in the past, then they could mislead us in the future. We will discuss this in detail!

The next episode will cover Moral Injury & Evangelism: Betrayal of Self and will only be accessible through Patreon.

Thank you for your support!

Kyle Spears

For exclusive content become a Patreon subscriber today! www.patreon.com/kylespears  

God's word is the standard yesterday, today, and forever. Whether you are a Baby Boomer, Generation X, Y, or Z, God's word equally applies to us all. Each generation has both strengths and weaknesses in how they view the world. As each generation faces new challenges in living for the Lord, how do we discuss healthy biblical interpretation in a productive manner? We are excited to announce a special event taking place on January 13th, 2023 at 3:00pm CST entitled Bridging the Gap! Nick Zola of Common Grounds Unity will be co-hosting the discussion as we are looking to bridge connections between the various Restoration Streams. We have invited Douglas Jacoby, Marty Solomon, and John Mark Hicks because of their decades of research and expertise:

Nick Zola Common Grounds Unity Podcast www.commongroundsunity.org  

Marty Solomon  www.bemadiscipleship.com  

Douglas Jacoby International Bible Teaching Ministry  www.douglasjacoby.com  

John Mark Hicks  www.johnmarkhicks.com  

We have asked several Next Generation creators to submit both observations and questions for the panelists in effort to facilitate healthy conversation: 

Women in the Church Corina Espejo and Travis Albritton podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/women-in-the-church/id1579403468  

Eikon Podcast Michael Burns and Jason Alexander  https://eikonpodcast.buzzsprout.com 

Space Makers Janai Johnson and Meigan Whitcomb www.spacemakerspodcast.com  

Wound of My People Jian White www.facebook.com/woundofmypeople/  

Disciples Today Lai-Yan Faller and Justin Renton www.disciplestoday.org  

Bend ICOC Joey Hungerford www.youtube.com/@BendICOC 

HOPEww Matt Rollins www.hopeww.org  

That Bible Guy Simon Dinning www.youtube.com/@thatbibleguy 

I can not Tom McGuirk www.youtube.com/@Icannot 

Revolution of the Ordinaries Matthew Dabbs https://www.youtube.com/@revolutionofordinaries

What does the science reveal about how parents can connect with their children? How do parents more effectively engage their children? How do we repair the relationship after it has been damaged? How do we take biblical principles in light of what science reveals? Jayna Baczwaski is a fellow colleague who is incredibly gifted with children and parents. She has extensive training working with small children all the way to working with teens. She has helped countless families work through attachment whether the children are biological, foster, or adopted.

Parenting is challenging and yet it is a God-given responsibility. But what role does the community play? What about parents who did their best and yet their kids have not decided to follow Jesus? Are churches set up for success or failure? There is a generational disconnect in many of our communities. The older and younger generations are struggling to see eye to eye. Matina joins the channel to discuss how the scriptures paint a generational picture for adolescent spiritual formation. Matina has joined the channel previously to discuss her research and joins us again to share new findings. 

0:00 Intro 5:15 What research have you done since our last interview? 

13:00 What is the difference between youth of today versus the youth of yesterday? 

17:10 How does healthy Old Testament Theology contribute to healthy adolescent formation? 

21:00 How has the approach to reach the youth evolved? 

41:00 What advice do you have for the older generation? 

45:00 What support is there for parents and kids? 

54:00 How does biblical literacy influence how parents engage their kids? 

56:00 What about parents who did a good job but their kids don't become Christians?

Why are so many kids leaving the church? How do we as parents cultivate genuine community for our children? Is it okay to move to another church that will help grow our children's faith? How do those who are single parents cope with the pressure of raising kids? In this episode we explore the approaches that are helpful and unhelpful for building your kids' faith. Dr. John Louie has conducted research that has been applied in many people's families. His research is highly regarded by others researching biblical parenting. This is the first installment in a three-part series in parenting.  

For access to exclusive content please consider joining my patreon community: www.patreon.com/kylespears  

Good Enough Parenting website: https://goodenoughparenting.com

0:00 Intro 

12:30 There is a high leave rate average in the next generation how do we address it? 

17:45 What is Good Enough Parenting? 

35:10 How do approach the Grit Culture or heavy- handedness that exists within parenting? 

47:00 How do we avoid giving our children an inflated or deflated sense of self? 

51:00 What about the concern that kids are too soft? 

58:40 How do deal with limited resources? 

1:01:00 What about parents who want to move to a different congregation that will better meet their child's needs?

How do we know if we are in an unhealthy spiritual environment? How do we know if we are becoming resentful? How do we deal with past or current hurts? Mark DeJesus is a YouTuber, transformational consultant, teacher, and former pastor. Mark joins the channel to discuss the healing process from his book Bitter free: How to Forgive Anyone, Resolve Conflict and Overcome Anger.  

Please visit Mark's website for more information: https://markdejesus.com 

0:00 Intro 

2:15 Conversion and ministry experience 

9:15 Did you reach a breaking point? 

22:00 Why did you write this book? 

32:00 How do we heal when there is still abuse occurring? 

46:00 Why do people lash out at people who are trying to help? 

49:00 Should we consider leaving our faith community? 

1:00:00 What are first steps for the forgiveness process?

Gender Roles is a hot topic to say the least. Ed and Deb Anton join the discussion to present the complementarian perspective and how women function within this specific paradigm. Ed and Deb have a unique perspective on the attitude of the heart that transcends the discussion as well.

0:00 Intro 

2:50 Conversion and ministry experience 

11:05 What do you believe is at the core of this topic? 

14:58 How do you teach the complementarian theological perspective? 

26:00 How have people responded to the kenotarian theological perspective? 

31:44 How important is biblical literacy in this discussion? 

38:30 Do you consider Gender Roles a fellowship issue or salvation issue? 

43:30 To what degree are women involved in preaching and making decisions? 

50:00 What is your stance on women teaching? 

58:00 How can congregations offer a a living example of women thriving in the church? 

1:05:00 What about the example of Junia?

There seems to be a divide between Psychiatry and Christianity. Ellie Stevens is a board-certified psychiatrist who joins the channel to discuss her experience of healing from trauma in her new book Unshackled. Ellie bridges the gap between the reality of mental health and the reality of healing that comes from a relationship with Jesus.  

Ellie's Website: https://www.drelizabethstevens.com 

Order Book Today! https://www.drelizabethstevens.com/order-unshackled

Gender Roles is the probably the most loaded topic anyone can cover at the moment. Whether you land on mutuality or complementarian, people are passion about their perspective. Steve and Lisa join the discussion to share about their journey to their perspective about gender roles.  

For those who are interested in the Johnson's recent experience in the NW, we discuss their experience in a new series called "Off the Record". In the Off the Record, we discuss personal experiences of loss, controversial issues, and Patreon Q&A. Patreon Members will also receive early access and exclusive access to content not released publicly. www. patreon.com/kylespears

How do we heal from painful experiences while holding onto our relationship with God? What about when the place we came to heal is the same place that has injured our hearts? There are many Christians who find themselves lost in loss. Healing is a path and without direction we will remain stuck. Marilyn Kriete joins the channel to share her experience of disenfranchised grief. She interweaves trauma into her story and describes how it creates a specific type of loneliness. We will be discussing her upcoming book "the box must be empty" as we navigate through her journey towards greater healing.  

*For those who are interested in her experience of the events that preceded and followed the 2003 Henry Kriete Letter, we discuss her experience in a new series called "Off the Record". In the Off the Record, we discuss personal experiences of loss, controversial issues, and Patreon Q&A. Patreon Members will also receive early access and exclusive access to content not released publicly. 

www. patreon.com/kylespears

0:00 Intro 3:00 Why did you write "The Box Must Be Empty" 24:00 How did you come to the understanding that you were stuck in grief? 32:00 What things that muffle grief? What are things that provide voice for grief? 41:00 How do people find safety for their grief journey?  

Marilyn's Website https://marilynkriete.com

Paradise Road: A Memoir 

https://www.amazon.com/Paradise-Road-Memoir-Marilyn-Kriete-ebook/dp/B0912MW8PV/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=paradise+road&qid=1663074304&rnid=2941120011&s=books&sr=1-1

Is there a New Testament blueprint that marks who the true church is? Is there a pattern of New Testament culture that we are to imitate or is there more to the story? Every congregation wants to align themselves with the New Testament examples seen in scripture, but have we missed the story of God in the process? John Mark Hicks is a notable scholar in the Restoration Movement and joins the discussion as we discuss his book "Searching for the Pattern".   

Off the Record is a new series that takes the conversation to a deeper level. In the Off the Record interviews we discuss personal experiences of loss, controversial questions, and Patreon Q&A.  John Mark is the first of the new series! Patreon Members will also receive early access and exclusive access to content not released publicly. www. patreon.com/kylespears  

0:00 Intro 2:50 John Mark's story 13:05 The Traditional Blueprint Method 30:00 The Narrative Reading Strategy 47:52 Where do you see the Restoration Movement right now? 54:20 How do we reconcile the Bible being divine vs being human? 1:00:00 What cultural issues have you noticed the Restoration churches struggling with?

John Mark's Website https://johnmarkhicks.com Searching for the Pattern https://www.amazon.com/Searching-Pattern-Journey-Interpreting-Bible/dp/1689634626/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2GN69XS75CFPV&keywords=John+mark+hicks&qid=1661811138&sprefix=john+mark+hicks%2Caps%2C94&sr=8-3 

Around the Bible in 80 Days: The Story of God from Creation to New Creation https://www.amazon.com/Around-Bible-80-Days-Creation/dp/1684264618/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2GN69XS75CFPV&keywords=John+mark+hicks&qid=1661811138&sprefix=john+mark+hicks%2Caps%2C94&sr=8-2 

Women Serving God https://www.amazon.com/Women-Serving-God-Journey-Understanding/dp/1735343307/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2GN69XS75CFPV&keywords=John+mark+hicks&qid=1661811138&sprefix=john+mark+hicks%2Caps%2C94&sr=8-1

How do we hold a both-and? One of the most concerning issues in our culture is the inability to hold two truths together at the same time. People are living in extremes and have become more reactive than ever. Hope joins the discussion to share about the concept of Radical Acceptance or Reality Acceptance through the model of Dialectical Behavior Therapy.

0:00 Intro 2:00 Hope's story 6:23 Where does DBT fit with other approaches? 12:30 Who is a good fit for DBT? 21:00 How do you structure your DBT classes? 27:00 What are the core concepts of DBT? 35:00 What is Wisemind? 38:00 What is Radical Acceptance?

Hope Peabody, MSW, LIMHP, is a licensed clinicial social worker, independent contractor, and partner with The Attachment and Trauma Center of Nebraska in Omaha. Although Crisis Intervention and treating symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is Hope’s area of expertise, she also has experience in a number of counseling areas. She is a trained Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) counselor who regularly facilitates DBT groups, and has level 2 training in EMDR. Prior to private practice, Hope was with YWCA Omaha as a sexual assault counselor and Clinical Coordinator. She has also provided in-home therapy and helped develop an aftercare program for incarcerated women. Hope has experience training area law enforcement, other mental health professionals, as well as medical personnel in the treatment of psychological trauma, particularly in the area of sexual assault. Hope earned her bachelor’s and master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Adultery is one of the most damaging experiences a human being can endure. Infidelity not only affects our ability to trust others, but even more our ability to trust others. After the discovery we wonder to ourselves where do we turn? Kim Pullen is the creator of Hope for Spouses which has helped a multitude of individuals and marriages heal from betrayal. Kim shares her personal journey of recovery from betrayal and gives specific direction to those who feel clueless.  

Please visit www.patreon.com/kylespears to access early access as well as exclusive access to more content!

0:00 Kim's story 4:00 What is the initial discovery like for partners? 8:15 What is the difference between a partner coming forward vs getting caught? 11:05 What are the various types of affairs? 18:00 Ways to respond after being betrayed? 28:00 How do we keep ourselves sane after a betrayal? 43:00 What does the forgiveness look like? 47:00 Coaching vs counseling

Hope for Spouses Website https://hopeforspouses.com 

Hope for Spouses Network (Community) https://hopeforspouses.network

Going into the ministry is one of the most significant moments in a person's life. Leaving the ministry is an equally significant moment. There are more ministers leaving the ministry today than we've seen in recent history and we have a shortage of people entering the ministry. Ministry is challenging to say the least and yet it is something God values. Although there are ministers who have contributed to making things worse, there are many ministers who have made things better. There are many Spirit-led ministers who have the heart of Jesus who are contemplating leaving the ministry. Honestly, this is the last thing we need in churches. Marshall Meade is a journeyman who has been in ministry for decades and has left and returned several times. He joins the channel to share from his journey into and out of the ministry.

0:00 intro 

8:43 What are some of the pressures that ministers face today? 

18:00 How do social issues, politics, race, gender, generational issues affecting ministers? 

28:00 What are some things that are misunderstood about being an evangelist? 

40:00 Why is being a regular church member so beneficial for maturing ministers? 

47:50 Is really okay if a person wants to get out of the ministry?

For Exclusive Access to all content become a Patreon Member www.patreon.com/kylespears  

What is Cancel Culture and why is so rampant? How should Christians approach the issue? Is cancelling people the same as setting healthy boundaries or different? David Jung joins the channel to discuss these questions and many more. One of the biggest issues is that we do not know how to deal with conflict in a healthy manner. David is a conflict-resolution expert who shares his knowledge on conflict and how it fuels cancel culture.

0:00 Intro 9:24 Why is conflict so challenging and what types of conflict exist? 25:55 Does interpersonal conflict drive our reactivity? 30:45 Why is Cancel Culture so rampant today? 39:00 How do the words we use trigger people to cancel us? 1:01 How do we set healthy boundaries through the lens of scripture? 1:05 What are our other options other than cancelling people?

David Jung will be facilitating a workshop on Conflict Resolution July 19-20 virtually! Register at https://ca.ctrinstitute.com/organizer/david-jung-mediation/ 

Resources: The Emotional Intelligence of Jesus- Oswald 

Emotionally Healthy Spirituality- Scazzero 

Peacemaker Series- Ken Sande

Patreon Membership: https://www.patreon.com/kylespears 

Healing from emotional pain is some of the most challenging work that we face. Jim and Lindsey have not only participated in the journey of Soul Shepherding, but also help lead others through the program. Jim and Lindsey were recently entrusted to facilitate the "Soul Shepherding Institute" in Atlanta.  

Topics covered: 

-Spiritual Direction vs Discipleship 

-What do Christians do when they hit the wall spiritually? 

-Why are spiritual disciplines essential to growth? 

-Christ Stages Map  

Soul Shepherding is a program focused on spiritual direction which was created by Bill & Kristi Gaultiere.  

Books: Journey of the Soul: A Practical Guide to Emotional and Spiritual Growth 

Journey of the Soul: Leader Guide

Please consider supporting the channel on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/kylespears 

There have been some recent events that have taken place that I wanted to address. Why did I take the last video down? Why haven't I posted in a month? What do I have planned next?   

I want to sincerely thank everyone for their support and encouragement during this challenging time.

Please consider supporting the channel on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/kylespears 

Finding a trauma specialist can be challenging to say the least. Where do we start? What do I look for? How long do I give it? In this video I attempt to provide information that will benefit those who need to see a trauma specialist.

0:00 Intro 

2:47 How is trauma different? 

5:13 What approaches are helpful with trauma? 

7:02 Do I need to see a Christian Counselor? 

10:48 What questions should I ask a trauma therapist? 

12:55 So how do I find a trauma therapist?

EMDRIA https://www.emdria.org/find-an-emdr-therapist/

IFS https://ifs-institute.com/practitioners

Timeline Therapy http://www.cresendajones.com

Trainspotting https://brainspotting.com

NeurOptimal https://neuroptimal.com

TMS https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/transcranial-magnetic-stimulation/about/pac-20384625

The Attachment and Trauma Center of Nebraska http://www.atcnebraska.com

American Association of Christian Counselors https://www.aacc.net

AAMFT https://aamft.org/Directories/Find_a_Therapist.aspx

APA https://www.apa.org

NASW https://www.socialworkers.org

CACREP https://www.cacrep.org

APA (Psychiatry) https://www.psychiatry.org

Psychology Today https://www.psychiatry.org

Please support the channel via Patreon https://www.patreon.com/kylespears 

Basics of Trauma https://youtu.be/0DohhpIfa14

4 Types of Negative Thoughts https://youtu.be/KEbTto5fAHo

What is Ukraine Triggering in You? https://youtu.be/69CPJGEVEQc 

The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk 

What Happened to You? by Oprah Winfrey & Bruce Perry  

Ministers Health Webinar https://www.disciplestoday.org/next-minister-s-health-webinar-sabbath-solitude-and-retreat 

0:00 Intro 

3:25 History of PTSD 

5:05 Intrusive Memories 

6:42 Avoidance 

8:13 Negative Alterations 

9:53 Hypervigilant 

12:29 Effects on the brain 

14:50 Treating PTSD 

19:15 Upcoming content

What does the conflict in Ukraine trigger in you? What stress did you already have going into the situation? How have you been dealing with your stress?   

Please consider supporting the channel with Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/kylespears

0:00 intro 

1:53 Pacing 

3:29 Window of Tolerance 

6:02 Generational vs direct burdens