The Deep Dish

Courtney and Melissa talk to Tara-Leigh Cobble about how she got over her lack of desire to read the Bible, and how, over time, reading the Bible made her fall in love with its author. They talk about the transformative impact that can come from giving just 20 minutes to Bible reading each day, and they recommend free tools to help readers understand difficult parts of the Bible.

Resources Mentioned:

The Bible Recap (Podcast)

The Bible Recap (Book)

ESV Study Bible

Free Tools for Studying the Bible:

Faithlife Study Bible

The Bible Project

Blue Letter Bible

TGC Bible Commentary

Desiring God Sermon Archive

Look at the Book



Related Resources: 

Read the Bible

My Favorite Bible in a Year Reading Plan

Easy Schedule for Bible-in-a-Year Rookies

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. What has your relationship with Bible reading looked like over the years? Has it changed in different seasons of life?

2. What would it look like to pursue consistency in Bible reading without making perfection the goal?

3. What habits, practices, or resources have helped you stay engaged in God's Word?

4. What benefits of reading and studying God's Word with other believers have you experienced?

5. Can you remember a time when God's Word met you in a particular need? What did you learn about him?

6. How does remembering that the Bible reveals God's character (not just information) change the way you approach difficult passages?

7. What is one practical step you want to take toward spending more meaningful time in God's Word this week?

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Courtney and Melissa discuss why Christians should not be quick to take offense and how we should live in a world of people who are. They talk about how to resist a victim mentality by getting your eyes off yourself. They commend overlooking and absorbing offenses when possible. They discuss why we must boldly hold to Christian doctrines that the world finds offensive, but that it’s possible to hold and even articulate offensive views in a way that communicates love and grace.

Related Resources: 

How to Find Peace When You Feel Offended

We’re Hurt, and Healed, in Community

Recognizing Our Own Marks of Righteousness

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. When you're offended, what’s your first instinct—to overlook it, confront it, replay it in your mind, or tell someone else? Why do you think that is?

2. What kinds of comments or situations are most likely to offend you? What might that reveal about what you value?

3. The Bible describes people in the last days as "lovers of self" (2 Tim. 3:2). How might a self-focused culture make us more easily offended?

4. Can you think of a time when someone graciously overlooked an offense from you? How did that affect your relationship?

5. Before addressing an offense, what questions might be helpful to ask yourself?

6. How does knowing that God is our Defender free us from needing to defend ourselves all the time?

7. Who in your life demonstrates the kind of patience, humility, and long-suffering described in Scripture? What have you learned from his or her example?

Pick up a copy of Stand In Awe wherever books are sold or visit crossway.org/standinawe to learn how to get 30 percent off with a free Crossway plus account.

Get 20% off a course of your choice when you use code DEEPDISH20 at checkout. Learn more and register now at lifeway.com/academy. That’s lifeway.com/academy

Click here for more information about Women's Initiatives at The Gospel Coalition!
Click here to sign up for notification of on-demand access to keynotes and breakout sessions from our recent conference, TGCW26!

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Courtney Doctor talks with Rory Shiner and Kyle Worley about the difference the doctrine of union with Christ makes in how we understand our relationship to God and how we live our lives day to day. They provide analogies to help us understand this seemingly abstract concept as well as examples of the practical difference this truth makes in their own lives.

If you’ve struggled to understand why union with Christ is a big deal, or struggled with doubts about your relationship with God, this conversation is for you.

Resources Mentioned:

One Forever: The Transforming Power of Being in Christ by Rory Shiner

Home with God by Kyle Worley

Related Resources: 

Union with Christ (Overview Essay)

Union with Christ Fills Our Deepest Longings

Union with Christ: A Key Doctrine for Global Partnerships

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. Before listening to this episode, how would you have explained what it means to be "in Christ"? Has your understanding changed?

2. What are you most tempted to find your identity in besides Christ (accomplishments, relationships, struggles, failures, etc.)?

3. Why do you think Scripture so often describes believers as being "in Christ"? What does that communicate about salvation?

4. How does knowing that your union with Christ is secure change the way you approach communion with God through prayer, worship, or confession?

5. How might the truth of union with Christ encourage someone struggling with shame, anxiety, or depression?

6. Union with Christ means we’re united not only to Christ but also to his people. How should that shape the way we view the church and other believers?

7. In what area of your life or current struggle do you most need to be reminded of your union with Christ? How can your discussion partners pray for you?

Pick up a copy of Stand In Awe wherever books are sold or visit crossway.org/standinawe to learn how to get 30 percent off with a free Crossway plus account.

Get 20% off a course of your choice when you use code DEEPDISH20 at checkout. Learn more and register now at lifeway.com/academy. That’s lifeway.com/academy

Click here for more information about Women's Initiatives at The Gospel Coalition!
Click here to sign up for notification of on-demand access to keynotes and breakout sessions from our recent conference, TGCW26!

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Courtney and Melissa discuss how to apply biblical discernment to the question of when to prioritize wise self-care and when to put aside your needs for the sake of others. They emphasize the need to know yourself and whether you naturally tend to protect yourself or to allow your own needs to go unmet. They discuss how to set wise boundaries while showing Christlike love, and they emphasize that our goal should be to move beyond thinking so much about ourselves to turning our eyes to Jesus.

Resources Mentioned:

The Future Tenses of the Blessed Life by F. B. Meyer

Related Resources: 

Self-Care or Soul-Care? Yes

Sabbath Is More than Self-Care

Does ‘Turn the Other Cheek’ Mean ‘Get Walked All Over’?

Think Biblically About Relational Boundaries

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. When you hear the phrase “self-care,” what ideas come to mind? What forms of self-care are most attractive to you?

2. Which extreme do you tend to drift toward more naturally: prioritizing your own comfort or neglecting your own needs? Why do you think that is?

3. What are some ordinary, everyday ways Christians are called to deny themselves?

4. How can self-sacrifice become unhealthy if disconnected from abiding in Christ?

5. When you’re tired or discouraged, where do you instinctively turn for comfort? What might that reveal about your heart?

6. How can Sabbath rest help reshape our understanding of both work and self-care?

7. How does the gospel free us from both self-indulgence and self-reliance?

Pick up a copy of Stand In Awe wherever books are sold or visit crossway.org/standinawe to learn how to get 30 percent off with a free Crossway plus account.

Get 20% off a course of your choice when you use code DEEPDISH20 at checkout. Learn more and register now at lifeway.com/academy. That’s lifeway.com/academy

Click here for more information about Women's Initiatives at The Gospel Coalition!
Click here to sign up for notification of on-demand access to keynotes and breakout sessions from our recent conference, TGCW26!

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Melissa talks with Amy Gannett and Laura Wifler about how to parent in a way that passes on the Christian faith. They talk about the atmosphere in their own homes growing up and the importance of passing on—in addition to knowledge—a delight in the things of God. They encourage moms who might feel awkward talking to their kids about their own faith, and they share some favorite resources they’ve used with their own children.

Resources Mentioned:

Barna study on church attendance in childhood

First Catechism

Teaching Theology to Young Children (Melissa’s thoughts on teaching the catechism)

Slugs and Bugs, Sing the Bible 

Tiny Theologians

Long Story Short: Ten-Minute Devotions to Draw Your Family to God by Marty Machowski

Dispatches from the Front

Related Resources:

Parenting with Hope in an Anxious Age

A Theological Vision for Discipling the Next Generation

Redeem the Drive Time: Audio Resources for Families

The Good News Family Devotional by Mike and Melissa Kruger

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. When you think back on your own childhood or spiritual upbringing, what particular people God used to shape your faith?

2. In busy seasons of life, what tends to crowd out intentional spiritual conversations in the home?

3. What are some realistic ways families can pursue spiritual rhythms without feeling pressured to do everything perfectly?

4. How has parenting, or investing in the next generation, revealed your own need for dependence on the Lord?

5. How can admitting our failures actually strengthen our witness to those we shepherd?

6. Whether or not you have children of your own, how might God be calling you to invest in the next generation spiritually?

Pick up a copy of Stand In Awe wherever books are sold or visit crossway.org/standinawe to learn how to get 30 percent off with a free Crossway plus account.

Get 20% off a course of your choice when you use code DEEPDISH20 at checkout. Learn more and register now at lifeway.com/academy. That’s lifeway.com/academy

Click here for more information about Women's Initiatives at The Gospel Coalition!
Click here to sign up for notification of on-demand access to keynotes and breakout sessions from our recent conference, TGCW26!

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.