Podcasts about Lincoln Christian University

On today's program, Megachurch Pastor Robert Morris resigns as senior pastor of Gateway Church after a woman claims he abused her decades ago starting when she was 12 years old. We'll have details. And, Lincoln Christian University closes its doors debt free…with plans to continue its ministry through a new institute. We'll take a look. And, Southern Baptist Convention legend Paul Pressler died earlier this month, his legend mired with accusations of sexual abuse. But first, Appalachian Bible College fired two professors after they filed a complaint with the Association for Biblical Higher Education. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh.  We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Jessica Eturralde, Brittany Smith, Kim Roberts, Bob Smietana, Christina Darnell, and Warren Smith Until next time, may God bless you.

Today, we welcome our guest preacher, Dr. Mark Searby. Mark is a native of Illinois, where he completed his college and seminary education at Lincoln Christian University and his Doctor of Ministry degree at the Northern Baptist Theological Seminary. After serving over 20 years in pastoral ministry, he taught at Lincoln Christian Seminary for ten years. He also served as a Vice President for Lincoln Christian University for four years. He served ten years as the director of Doctor of Ministry Studies at Beeson Divinity School, Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. He currently resides with his wife, Linda, in central Florida. 

Justin Davis is the co-founder of RefineUs Ministries. He is the co-author of the 2012 bestselling marriage book, "Beyond Ordinary" with his wife Trish.  In college, Justin Davis was an All-American basketball player at Lincoln Christian University. His latest book "Being Real > Being Perfect" is out now.  Sign up for our Sports Spectrum Magazine and receive 15% off a 1-year subscription by using the code PODCAST15 http://SportsSpectrum.com/magazine 

How do we understand the soul? One of my most influential professors from my time in school shares with us some of the lessons he has learned over the course of his life when it comes to the soul. In his latest book A Soul's House, Dr. Jones helps you understand that spiritual formation goes beyond a mere checklist of activities to complete. Instead, it is a lifelong transformational journey, empowered by God's grace and pursued for His glory, as beautifully explained in this book.Dr. J.K. Jones is the former Pastor of Spiritual Formation at Eastview Christian Church, Normal, Illinois and the former director of the MA in Spiritual Formation at Lincoln Christian University. He currently teaches part-time in the graduate studies program at Ozark Christian College, while continuing to travel, teaching and preaching as opportunities arise.

In this episode, you'll also hear:How one basketball game changed the trajectory of Tyler's lifeThe difference between confidence and arrogance — and why Tyler says confidence is a game-changerThe importance of setting aside time and removing distractions to focus on writingTyler's advice for the writer who feels God's call but wrestles with self-doubt and a busy scheduleReflecting on a Life-Changing Basketball GameBetween youth ministry, sports writing, and high school basketball coaching, Tyler lives what he calls a seasonal life: his focus tends to change depending on the time of year. Many people would find it extremely challenging to make time for more writing alongside all of those other commitments, but Tyler says writing — and in particular, telling and engaging with stories — is something he's always enjoyed. “We as humans connect the most with stories,” Tyler says. Pointing to Jesus as the greatest Storyteller of all time, Tyler adds that, no matter the setting — be it listening to a sermon or watching a sports match — he's always drawn into other people's stories and always looking for a story to tell. That's why he begins his book, Searching for Seven, with the story of a high school basketball game that ultimately changed the direction of his life. During this game, Tyler was not playing well and had been arguing with his coach. “I remember sitting at the end of the bench thinking, ‘This is not looking good for my career in basketball. I'm not where I wanted to be.'” But then, just when Tyler thought he was finished playing for the night, his coach put him back in the game — and he played better than he ever had before. Thanks to his performance that day, his basketball career took off, and a few years later, Tyler was recruited to play basketball at a Bible college. Although Tyler thought he was only attending that college to play basketball, God had other plans. The opportunity to work in youth ministry one summer turned into a long-term calling. But without that one high school game where Tyler found renewed confidence and his basketball career changed, it's possible he might never have ended up at the Bible college that led him to youth ministry. Finding Confidence in GodTyler's story is a valuable reminder for us all. In the moment, we don't always see or understand what God is doing. But sometimes God is working behind the scenes to put the pieces together and bring about a greater good than we could possibly imagine. Additionally, Tyler's story reminds us of an important distinction between confidence and arrogance. While we should always keep in mind that our gifts and talents come from God, it's also important to believe that we are capable of accomplishing great things with God as our strength. What matters is that “we are putting our confidence in God, recognizing where the abilities come from,” Tyler says. “That's a game-changer: when I can face every day and every challenge knowing He's got my back, He's put me in this position. And it's not really my ability, it's what He's given. And I'm going to use that ability through Him.”Making Time & Space to WriteTyler says he had the idea to write his book several years before he actually started working on it in earnest. “I knew at some point it was going to happen,” he explains, “but life is busy. There's a lot going on. And so for many years, I did not make the time to start writing.” Instead, Tyler would write down notes and ideas here and there. He had a general idea of what he wanted to write about and which stories from his life he wanted to include, but it wasn't until later that he made a conscious decision to set aside time to write. When he decided it was time to focus on his book, Tyler took weeks off from work and used the time he would normally have spent at his job working on his book instead. Sometimes he would work at coffee shops, while other times he would go outside to be inspired by nature.Tyler explains that when doing something important — be it praying, writing a book, or spending time with family — removing distractions is key. While some people may be able to multitask effectively, Tyler has found that trying to juggle multiple things at once only divides his focus and prevents him from giving any of those things the attention they deserve. And, as Tyler has learned, environment plays a huge role in eliminating distractions and helping us focus on the task at hand. “Everything should lead us to worship, even if it's sipping a wonderful coffee or listening to a song that I love,” Tyler says. “I see the stars, I'm out in nature, I'm hanging out with friends — all these things should call us into worship. And so for me to be most creative and most in tune with God and what he wants me to do, those environments are key.”As Tyler reminds us, writing the book God has called you to write doesn't have to be a burden or a painful process. By finding the right environment and focus, you can make it into an adventure of sorts, and actually enjoy the process of writing!Pushing Through ChallengesOf course, no matter how enjoyable the process may be or how focused you are able to be, writing a book is a challenging endeavor. While Tyler believes his entire life led up to him writing this book — which made the process much easier than it might have been otherwise — he also acknowledges that setbacks and challenges are unavoidable parts of life. “There will be big challenges,” he says, “But push through. Keep going. Even if you wonder, ‘Is it worth it? Is there going to be anyone who cares?'” You never know where God may lead you, so if you feel called to do something, keep pushing through, even when it gets hard. Think about this way: There are many times in life when we, like Tyler in that high school basketball game, get second chances. But how we respond to those opportunities can make all the difference. Maybe you, like Tyler several years ago, have heard the call to write but haven't actually taken action yet. Maybe you're in that space between having an idea and following through on it. If so, Tyler advises you to take action on what God has called you to do instead of putting it off, and surround yourself with people who will help and encourage you to keep going. “Believe fully that, if you've ever felt even a nudge from God, there's a reason for it,” Tyler says in closing. “Celebrate the fact that you have a call, that you have the ability to do it. Find some help. And go after it.” BIO: Tyler D. Smith is a pastor, NBA sportswriter, basketball coach, and author; he has also worked in the Christian music industry. He graduated from Lincoln Christian University and has served in ministry since 2005. Tyler resides in Indiana with his wife, Katelyn, and their two daughters, Addi and Ellie.  GET CONNECTED:Website: www.searchingforseven.com  Instagram: www.instagram.com/searchingforseven

Erin, Paul, and Kalie discuss Kalie's experience at Lincoln Christian University, Trans inclusion in the Bible, and purity culture.Notes:Support Kalie's work: https://propheticimagination.org/Find Kalie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/propheticimagination/REAP website: https://www.thereap.org/REAP Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reap_lgbtqSupport On God's Campus: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/to-reap-2023Axis Mundi Media: https://www.axismundi.usThis podcast was created with the support of The Collaborative for Gender + Reproductive Equity: https://cgre.org/Produced by Crystal Cheatham of Our Bible App: https://www.ourbibleapp.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

State Sen. Doris Turner visits and Sam remembers a longtime coach and teacher at Lincoln Christian University. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Casey Tygrett takes us on a rich and deep dive into the sense of restlessness that many of us confront in our spiritual lives. Casey is an outstanding observer of the human experience of grace as well as the challenges of living moment by moment with the God who loves us. I found Casey's thinking and reflections on the inner life to be profound and moving. You'll also hear tips on writing as well as on spiritual direction. Casey Tygrett (DMin, Lincoln Christian Seminary) is a theologian in residence at Parkview Christian Church in Orland Park, Illinois. He previously served as teaching pastor at Heartland Community Church and has taught at Lincoln Christian University and Seminary and Emmanuel Christian Seminary. Casey now oversees the spiritual direction practice for Soul Care, hosts the Restlessness Is a Gift Podcast, and is the author of Becoming Curious and The Gift of Restlessness. Get a copy of Casey's latest book The Gift of Restlessness: A Spiritualty for Unsettled Seasons https://amzn.to/46TOoW8 Books Recommended by Casey: Nouwen, Life of the Beloved https://amzn.to/3XTvY3o James Bryan Smith, Rich Mullins: A Devotional Biography: An Arrow Pointed to Heaven https://amzn.to/3OhaeLD Wendell Barry, Hannah Coulter https://amzn.to/44Pw3ra Connecting with Casey: www.caseytygrett.com IG: @caseytygrett Interested in updates on Brian's latest book Astonished by the Word: Reading Scripture for Deep Transformation (August 2023 release): www.drbrianrussell.org Brian Russell's Information Information on Brian's Signature Deep Dive Spirituality Coaching for Pastors and Spiritually Minded Leaders: www.deepdivespirituality.com Brian Russell's Books Centering Prayer: Sitting Quietly in God's Presence Can Change Your Life https://amzn.to/2S0AcIZ (Re)Aligning with God: Reading Scripture for Church and World (Cascade Books) https://amzn.to/30tP4S9 Invitation: A Bible Study to Begin With (Seedbed) https://my.seedbed.com/product/onebook-invitation-by-brian-russell/ Connecting with Brian: Website: www.brianrussellphd.com Twitter: @briandrussell Instagram: @yourprofessorforlife Interested in coaching or inviting Brian to speak or teach for your community of faith or group? Email: deepdivespirituality@gmail.com Links to Amazon are Affiliate links. If you purchase items through these links, Amazon returns a small percentage of the sale to Brian Russell. This supports the podcast and does not increase the price of the items you may choose to buy. Thank you for your support.

Why is the geopolitical landscape critical to cybersecurity strategy? CISO Mark Houpt breaks it down in this episode. Mark also shares his advice to the college and high school students he mentors, how to approach the ever-changing nature of cybersecurity, and how to think about a college education.Mark Houpt is the CISO at DataBank. Previously he held senior security roles at organizations including State Farm, Lincoln Christian University, and Sallie Mae. Mark served in the US Navy from 1991 to 1999. Mark Houpt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-houpt/ Mark's recommended list of classes:-        Microsoft CISO Workshop: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/security/ciso-workshop/ciso-workshop -        Ascend Education: https://ascendeducation.com/monthly-subscription/ -        Amazon Cybersecurity Awareness Training: https://learnsecurity.amazon.com/en/index.html -        Center for Development of Security Excellence: https://www.cdse.edu -        ISC2 -Certified in Cybersecurity: https://www.isc2.org/1mcc -        Cisco Networking Academy: https://skillsforall.com/course/introduction-to-cybersecurity -        Cyberbit Remote Training: https://go.cyberbit.com/100k-worth-of-free-remote-cyber-range-training/?utm_source=nist_website&utm_medium=list&utm_campaign=free-remote-soc-team-training-nam -        StationX - 12 Month Trial: https://www.cybersecurityjobs.com/csj-training-fund/ -        Cyber Training 365: https://www.cybertraining365.com/cybertraining/FreeClasses -        Cyber Skyline Professional: https://cyberskyline.com/professional/purchase -        Cybrary: https://www.cybrary.it -        EC.Council: https://www.eccouncil.org/cybersecurity-exchange/free-cybersecurity-resources-2022/ -        Elastic: https://www.elastic.co/training/free -        Evolve Academy: https://www.academy.evolvesecurity.com/cybersecurity-fundamentals -        Federal Virtual Training: https://fedvte.usalearning.gov 

Joel Noble - Director of Public Policy at Samaritan Ministries International - is out guest at Courageous Leadership with Virginia Prodan Podcast. Joe  has served Samaritan Ministries International - since 2001.   He directs the ministry's legislative program, advocating with federal and state governmental bodies. Joel earned his bachelor's degree in history education from Illinois State University, with an emphasis on political science, geography and sociology. He completed a Master of Arts in leadership studies from the Seminary at Lincoln Christian University, where his final research paper focused on what the Bible teaches on the proper jurisdiction of the family, church and civil government. He has been married to his wife, Sarah, for 20 years. They have four boys. At Courageous Leadership with Virginia Prodan Podcast - we love to share Joel's work and to help you with any questions, concerns you might have or trainings. For more training - individual, group or company training - go to: https://www.virginiaprodanbooks.com/freedom-coaching           Follow Courageous Leadership with Virginia Prodan Podcast at: https://open.spotify.com/show/7kHPeoAgbkAHCg2C6RApEZ - at: https://lnkd.in/egT6U5g - or at - https://lnkd.in/g_5nqzJj - hear encouraging & inspiring messages each Wednesday & Saturday at 10:00 a.m. CST‬. Order your signed copy(s) of my memoir #SavingMyAssassin - directly here: https://virginiaprodanbooks.com/product/book/   Invite Virginia Prodan to speak at your events : https://lnkd.in/eQwj4R2u                Follow - Virginia Prodan on : Twitter : https://lnkd.in/gyDX5isA Facebook: https://lnkd.in/g7ytqY9y LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/gsFnMcsX Instagram: https://lnkd.in/gWYpEifa Youtube: https://lnkd.in/eJXWPHU Courageous Leadership with Virginia Prodan Podcast at: https://lnkd.in/g_5nqzJj Please - #Donate to Virginia Prodan Ministries - here: https://lnkd.in/e2DFdYz  

This week on Real Talk with Rachael, I'm chatting with author Michael MacKenzie about his book, Don't Blow Up Your Ministry: Defuse the Underlying Issues that Take Pastors Down. Dr. Michael MacKenzie is the executive director of Marble Retreat, an intensive counseling center for Christian leaders, and he is the supervisor of the Doctorate of Ministry Pastor Care track at Lincoln Christian University. A licensed professional counselor for 26 years specializing in caring for pastors, he has also been a chaplain and is an ordained pastor. He is an author, speaker, and teacher on ministry and counseling issues. Key Points from Our Conversation: People that work in ministry choose to do so to serve others, but often that can lead them to performance-based stress.  Ministry is stressful and Satan is cunning, so it's important to be aware of our own brokenness. When we begin to say yes out of guilt and fear, we are no longer motivated by love and freedom.  Fear of man seeps in when we're seeking love, value, and respect from others. It's a process to get the truth of God fully into our hearts, souls, and minds.  We are all works in progress, so have grace. Being aware of our wounds helps us respond with a different reaction. Most people in ministry are so focused on others, they don't inspect themselves and ask what's going on and why. What is my brokenness that's causing these situations? People in ministry can use hard work as a means to outwork their insecurities. We need to be aware of our motivations - when are we doing it for God and when does it become about ourselves? If you have trouble resting, ask what the fear is that's driving you on a deeper level. The most common problems for ministry leaders are isolation, unrealistic expectations, and poor boundaries. If you want to attack your root issues, pay attention and ask for God to reveal what you're missing and journey in relationship with others who can speak into your life. We can help care for church leaders by managing our expectations of them. Is there someone else who could assist me with my issue? Let's Get Real Practical: Is my life pace sustainable? If not, what needs to change? How am I really doing? How is my heart? Connect with Michael: website | Instagram | Facebook Connect with Rachael: website | Instagram | Facebook

Today we are joined by Nathan Davis. Nathan studied Preaching Ministry at Lincoln Christian University, and moved to New England where he served on staff at two churches. Meanwhile he also started attending the New York Film Academy in Boston, where he discovered his passion for filmmaking and storytelling. In 2005, he packed up his car and moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in film and entertainment, and ended up getting a job at Disney, where he worked for 16 years, most recently as an executive in Cinema Partnerships, leading in-theater marketing campaigns for Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, and Disney films. Then, in January of this year, he joined The Chosen as their Head of Marketing Strategy and Operations. He has an MBA and also holds an MA in Mythological Studies, and is currently working on his dissertation on humanity's narrative sense and how stories shape our understanding of the world. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Yesenia, and his five-month-old Labrador puppy, Walt. For more written, audio and video resources, go to axis.org.

Geries Shaheen is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Nationally Certified Counselor operating in and around St. Louis Missouri. Geries holds his MA in Professional Counseling from Lindenwood University, BA in Intercultural Studies from Lincoln Christian University, and holds a certificate in Life Coaching, Geries provides life coaching services to clients online globally.Resources:Geries on LinkedInOn Being a TherapistMan's Search For MeaningThe Search for SignificanceThe First Five Years of MarriageThe Body Keeps the ScoreConnect with the Clinician Development Collective:https://cliniciandevelopmentcollective.com/

This is an excerpt from an episode of the Spiritually Incorrect Podcast, with JD Lyonhart and Seth Hart.https://www.spirituallyincorrectpodcast.comJD Lyonhart is a fellow at the Cambridge Centre for the Study of Platonism and an Assistant Professor of Theology and Philosophy at Lincoln Christian University.Seth Hart is a PhD candidate in science and theology at the University of Durham. He holds masters in theology from Oxford, Regent College, and Johnson University.

This is an excerpt from an episode of the Spiritually Incorrect Podcast, with JD Lyonhart and Seth Hart.https://www.spirituallyincorrectpodcast.comJD Lyonhart is a fellow at the Cambridge Centre for the Study of Platonism and an Assistant Professor of Theology and Philosophy at Lincoln Christian University.Seth Hart is a PhD candidate in science and theology at the University of Durham. He holds masters in theology from Oxford, Regent College, and Johnson University.

Jason is currently the associate teaching pastor at Antioch Christian Church in Marion, Iowa. He is transitioning into the postion of Lead Pastor.  Jason was called to ministry at 12 and is doing exactly what he loves to do the most. He and his wife Brittney were married in 2006 and have 4 children. He graduated from St. Louis Christian College with a B.A. in Preaching and later from Lincoln Christian University with an M.A. in Church History/Historical Theology. If there's anything you should know about him, it's that he doesn't do anything halfway. From ministry to a handful of ridiculous hobbies, he's all in. Just ask him what he did to his kid's power wheels toy.

Living Wholehearted cares deeply for leaders because we know when a leader lives and leads with integrity, everyone in their wake benefits. When they don't, everyone in their wake pays. It's just a matter of time. The news headlines continue to be filled with stories of leaders who waited too long to do their own inner life work and we think it's time to reverse the trend.   In episode 125, Jeff talks with a kindred leader working in similar trenches. Dr. Michael MacKenzie is the Executive Director of Marble Retreat, an intensive counseling center for Christian leaders, and the supervisor of the Doctorate of Ministry Pastor Care track at Lincoln Christian University. Dr. MacKenzie has been a licensed professional counselor for 25 years, specializing in caring for pastors. He has also been a chaplain and ordained pastor himself.  As an author, speaker and teacher on ministry and counseling issues in various settings, this conversation will be relevant to our listeners on many levels. Michael recently published a book, Don't Blow Up Your Ministry: Defuse the Underlying Issues That Take Pastors Down, addressing the common pitfalls pastors face, how to avoid them, and how to find healing and recovery after a fall.   To find out more about Dr. Michael MacKenzie and his ministry go to:   ONLINE - www.marbleretreat.org SOCIAL - Twitter - https://twitter.com/MichaelCMac Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/michael.mackenzie.106/   BOOK - Don't Blow Up Your Ministry - https://ivpress.com/don-t-blow-up-your-ministry   Subscribe to the #living_wholeheartedpodcast anywhere you find your podcasts.   Instagram @TerraMattson @Living_Wholehearted @MyCourageousGirls #living_wholeheartedpodcast #shrinkingtheintegritygap Facebook @MyCourageousGirls @WeAreLivingWholehearted Websites LivingWholehearted.com TerraMattson.com MyCourageousGirls.com MyCourageousBook.com   Resources Shrinking the Integrity Gap (book) Shrinking the Integrity Gap e-Course Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace (book) Dear Mattsons (youtube series)

In this episode - Josh, Shawn, and Noah interview Dr. Frank Dicken, Associate Professor of New Testament at Lincoln Christian University about how to read the Bible. Dr. Dicken highlights common mistakes that can be made when reading the Bible. He then teaches practical tools and steps for how to interpret the Bible in a way that points us to Jesus and the intention of the original authors.Find us on Social MediaInstagram - eastview_yaFacebook Group - Eastview Young AdultsEastview Resources - eastviewresources.comHave any questions or topics to suggest? Email us at youngadults@eastview.churchInterested in getting plugged into our Young Adult Community? Email jjacobs@eastview.church

Knowing the heart of God Luke 15:1-7 By Ysrael De la Cruz In 2007 I attended a conference in Lincoln Christian University; the theme was “Leading your church to be a missionary community.” The idea behind is that the church live as a missionary in the community where it is located. They had invited David…

It's been a tough week for me. First, some difficult decisions have led to significant changes at Lincoln Christian University, a place I dearly love. Lincoln has been a massive part of my life and faith, and I find myself grieving. On top of that, the news from Ukraine has me praying for peace but anticipating the worst and concerned about those who find themselves in harm's way. I recognize within myself a tendency to pretend everything is ok. I anticipate that, at some point today, someone will ask, "How are you?" and I will very likely say, "Fine!" But I'm not fine. What makes it so hard for us to be honest with each other? Are we any better at being honest with God? When Jesus taught us how to pray, he included confession as a vital part of the way we communicate with God. "Forgive us our debts." Or is it, "Forgive us our trespasses?" When we tell God we have deficits in our character, and that we have stepped into places we didn't belong, we recognize all the more our need for his grace. Confession truly is good for the soul.

Join Dr. Silas McCormick President of Lincoln Christian University as he continues our Life Group series through the book of James! Speaker: Dr. Silas McCormick Sermon Title: Faith & Works Sermon Series: James 2:14-26 Connect with our Church Family! Website: www.avenuechristian.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/theavenuechristian Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theavenuechristian

Rounding out their conversations on truth and doubt, Josh, Shawn, and Noah interview Darrell Stribling, the Residency Coordinator at Eastview Christian Church, on all things apologetics. Darrell has held many different ministry roles and has an MA in Philosophy and Christian Apologetics from Lincoln Christian University. Darrell defines apologetics, talks about its role in truth and doubt, gives helpful tools on how to approach it, and even answers some of our listeners questions on the topic.  This episode will conclude the first series of the podcast. Next episode - Josh, Shawn, and Noah will begin to tackle topics surrounding how to read the Bible and where it came from.Find us on Social MediaInstagram - eastview_yaFacebook Group - Eastview Young AdultsEastview Resources - eastviewresources.comHave any questions or topics to suggest? Email us at youngadults@eastview.churchInterested in getting plugged into our Young Adult Community? Email jjacobs@eastview.church

Future of Work Sherpa Dan Smolen discusses mastering the digital workplace with podcaster Neil Miller. He helps careerists to make sense of digital workplace innovations, to be truly intentional in the future of work. Neil calls himself a "thought stealer." Actually, he is a best-practices synthesizer. Neil helps people and companies to succeed in the digital workplace. What is more, his journey through life and career is unusual. With a college degree in religious studies, Neil moved to India. There, he supported top clients with content development. His dazzling experiences living and working there shaped his thought-leadership. Main interview segment starts at 2:58 In a wide ranging discussion, Neil: Describes his work and the value proposition of The Digital Workplace. Starts at 4:15 Takes us through his adventurous move to India, to live and work. Starts at 5:06 Summarizes the 5 Levels of a Digital Workplace. Starts at 10:20 Supports how untraditional life and work experiences foster future work leadership. Starts at 20:21 Discusses how perpetual learning impacts workforce professionals. Starts at 22:35 Relates the core skills he hopes to see scale in the workplace. Starts at 26:44 Main interview segment starts at 2:58 Mastering the digital workplace. It is critical for success in the future of work. About our guest: Neil Miller earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Lincoln Christian University. He lives and works in Indianapolis, Indiana. EPISODE DATE: February 18, 2022 Social media: – LinkedIn – Podcast – Website Please Subscribe to The Dan Smolen Podcast on: – Apple Podcast – Android – Google Podcasts – Pandora – Spotify – Stitcher – TuneIn …or wherever you get your podcasts. You may also click HERE to receive our podcast episodes by email. Image credits: Digital workplace and talent, scyther5 for iStock Photo; Neil Miller portrait, The Digital Workplace; podcast button, J. Brandt Studio for The Dan Smolen Experience.

Dr. G. Steve Kinnard has served as an evangelist and teacher for more than thirty years. He has preached and taught the Bible on every continent. He received his undergraduate degree at Freed-Hardeman College and his Master of Divinity with Languages degree from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest. He then completed his Doctor of Ministry degree from Drew University. Steve and his wife, Leigh, minister in Rockland County, New York. Steve also serves as Adjunct Professor of Bible at Lincoln Christian University and Professor of Biblical Studies at the Rocky Mountain School of Ministry and Theology in Denver, Colorado. Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 07:15 How does the OT & NT describe a teacher? 16:08 What does Jesus mean when he says "you have one teacher?" 27:20 How does our fellowship recognize develop teachers? 35:06 What is the difference between appointing or recognizing a teacher? 38:52 Do you have to become an evangelist to be recognized as a teacher? 39:20 What is a kingdom teacher? 43:49 Do teachers have to establish a certain amount of influence before they are recognized? 56:02 What are the qualifications of a teacher? Teacher's Conference February 24th-26th https://www.icocteacherconference.com Telios Journal https://www.teleiosjournal.com King Jesus Translation https://www.ipibooks.com/collections/g-steve-kinnard/products/the-king-jesus-new-testament Getting the Most from the Bible https://www.ipibooks.com/collections/g-steve-kinnard/products/getting-the-most-from-the-bible-2nd-ed Jesus and the Poor https://www.ipibooks.com/collections/g-steve-kinnard/products/jesus-and-the-poor

I'm thrilled to have Jessica Culp back on the podcast. Jessica's previous interview has been one of the most downloaded interviews on this podcast!Jessica is a licensed professional counselor who works at Hope Centered Counseling, LLC, in Savoy, Illinois. Jessica graduated from Lincoln Christian University in 2018 and specializes in complex trauma. Jessica enjoys giving her energy and time in counseling to a smaller caseload of individuals in order to provide a deeper therapeutic experience from an attachment lens and often includes emotion focused, expressive arts, experiential and psychodrama therapy.This is a second career for Jessica, as she first worked in resource development for three local non profit organizations including a food bank, children's home and a crisis nursery. Jessica has always had a passion for helping others with great care and integrity.Jessica has been listening to the Trauma Therapist Podcast since 2015, and became a member of Trauma Therapist 2.0 in 2016.In This EpisodeHope Centered Counseling,This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5739761/advertisement

Bob Good, U.S. Representative for the 5thDistrict of Virginia, gives an overview of President Biden's education policies in his first year in office, the Department of Education's investigation into Lincoln Christian University, and the election takeover bill. Mike Rounds, U.S. Senator from South Dakota, discusses the Democrats pushing an elections takeover bill and gutting the filibuster. Caroline Downey, News Writer for National Review, talks about emails showing that Dr. Fauci and NIH Director Collins dismissed prominent scientists who endorsed the lab-leak theory on the origins of COVID. Nury Turkel, Commissioner for the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom and Chairman of the Board for the Uyghur Human Rights Project (UHRP), discusses the Golden State Warriors co-owner saying that “nobody cares” about China's persecution of Uyghurs. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/loving-liberty/support

On today's show: Bob Good, U.S. Representative for the 5thDistrict of Virginia, gives an overview of President Biden's education policies in his first year in office, the Department of Education's investigation into Lincoln Christian University, and

Chad Ragsdale joined the faculty at Ozark Christian College in 2005. He teaches primarily in the areas of Christian apologetics, philosophy, and biblical interpretation. In 2020, Chad was named the new Academic Dean of the institution. Chad has been married to his wife Tara since 2001 and has three kids, Logan, Adeline, and Ryane. He has a BA in preaching and an M.Div in contemporary theology both from Lincoln Christian University. He has a D.Min in engaging mind and culture from Talbot School of Theology. Book Recommendations from the podcast: Christian Convictions ~ Chad Ragsdale https://www.amazon.com/Christian-Convictions-Discerning-Essential-Important/dp/1949921514/ref=sr_1_2?crid=UA0NTBJRWIUR&keywords=christian+convictions+chad+ragsdale&qid=1639610514&sprefix=Christian+Convictions%2Caps%2C193&sr=8-2 The Coddling of the American Mind ~ Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt https://www.thecoddling.com/  

Dr. Douglas Jacoby. Holds a degree from Duke University in history, an MTS from Harvard in New Testament, and a doctorate from Drew University in Christian Education. He also serves an adjunct professor of theology at Lincoln Christian University and professor of theology in the Rocky Mountain School of Theology and Ministry. Douglas is an accomplished author, and has been an international teacher several decades, debating, teaching, and preaching in over 100 nations around the globe. Highlights: - Defining “Progressive Christianity” - “Chronological Snobbery” - Is Progressivism Really A New Thing? - Why We Tend To Like A Spiritual Salad Bar - “Intertextuality" - Is There A Christian Political Party? - The Key To Navigating The Currents Of Culture For More About Douglas’ Work: https://www.douglasjacoby.com/Video of this episode: Subscribe at tepodcast.substack.com

There is a sad reality in our culture. We see high-profile leaders fall into scandal and moral failures all too often. Unfortunately, this kind of news is not exclusive to the world outside of the church. Pastors and other Christian leaders are frequently in the headlines as the new subject in an ongoing thread of compromised integrities and broken ministries. My guest on today's show has written a book to try to help leaders from ending up in that storyline. His name is Michael MacKenzie and his book is titled Don't Blow Up Your Ministry: Defuse the Underlying Issues That Take Pastors Down. Whether you are a ministry leader or you're someone who cares about a ministry leader in your life, what Michael has to share is important for all of us. Michael MacKenzie is a licensed professional counselor, ordained pastor, and hospital chaplain. He has served for ten years as the clinical director of Marble Retreat, a Colorado retreat center that specializes in ministering to pastors and ministry leaders in crisis. He studied marriage and family counseling at Denver Seminary and has a DMin in pastor care from Lincoln Christian University. Michael and his wife, Kari, have two sons and live in Florida. Check out the full show notes for highlights and resources from this episode: https://tinyurl.com/msmwy46k SUPPORT THIS PODCAST: PayPal: https://paypal.me/AaronShamp?locale.x=en_US Venmo: @AaronShamp Cash App: $AaronShamp –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Track: Perseverance — Land of Fire [Audio Library Release] Music provided by Audio Library Plus Watch: https://youtu.be/Ue48lJLVA30​Free Download / Stream: https://alplus.io/perseverance​–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/filterpodcast/support

Pre-order a copy of Don't Blow Up Your Ministry: https://amzn.to/3ov1Lq2About Michael MacKenzie:Michael MacKenzie is a licensed professional counselor, ordained pastor, and hospital chaplain. He has served for ten years as the clinical director of Marble Retreat, a Colorado retreat center that specializes in ministering to pastors and ministry leaders in crisis. He studied marriage and family counseling at Denver Seminary and has a DMin in pastor care from Lincoln Christian University. Michael and his wife, Kari, have two sons and live in Florida.Support the Show:https://www.patreon.com/preacherboysPurchase a Preacher Boys shirt, mask, sticker, or other merch to rep the show! https://www.teepublic.com/user/preacher-boys-podcast________________Find more stories regarding the IFB movement by visiting:– preacherboysdoc.com– https://www.facebook.com/preacherboysdoc/– https://twitter.com/preacherboysdoc– https://www.instagram.com/preacherboysdoc/To connect with a community who share the Eric Skwarczynski and the Preacher Boys Podcast mission to expose abuse in the IFB, join the OFFICIAL Preacher Boys Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1403898676438188Support the Show:https://www.patreon.com/preacherboysPurchase a Preacher Boys shirt, mask, sticker, or other merch to rep the show! https://www.teepublic.com/user/preacher-boys-podcast________________Find more stories regarding the IFB movement by visiting:– preacherboysdoc.com– https://www.facebook.com/preacherboysdoc/– https://twitter.com/preacherboysdoc– https://www.instagram.com/preacherboysdoc/To connect with a community who share the Eric Skwarczynski and the Preacher Boys Podcast mission to expose abuse in the IFB, join the OFFICIAL Preacher Boys Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1403898676438188Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/preacher-boys-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Today on the show we are talking to Michael MacKenzie about his new book, 'Don't Blow Up Your Ministry: Defusing The Underlying Issues That Take Pastors Down.' Michael MacKenzie is a licensed professional counselor, ordained pastor, and hospital chaplain. He has served for ten years as the clinical director of Marble Retreat, a Colorado retreat center that specializes in ministering to pastors and ministry leaders in crisis. He studied marriage and family counseling at Denver Seminary and has a DMin in pastor care from Lincoln Christian University. Michael and his wife, Kari, have two sons and live in Florida. We would love to hear from you! You can connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. You can also find us on our YouTube channel. Make sure to subscribe to the podcast wherever you are listening! We will be back next Tuesday with another episode. Have a great week!

In this episode, you'll also hear:How one basketball game changed the trajectory of Tyler' lifeThe difference between confidence and arrogance – and why Tyler says confidence is a game changerThe importance of setting time aside and removing distractions to focus on writingTyler's advice for the writer who feels God's call but wrestles with self-doubt and a busy schedule BIO: Tyler D. Smith is a pastor, NBA sportswriter, basketball coach, and author; he has also worked in the Christian music industry. He graduated from Lincoln Christian University and has served in ministry since 2005. Tyler resides in Indiana with his wife, Katelyn, and their two daughters, Addi and Ellie.  GET CONNECTED:Website: searchingforseven.comInstagram: instagram.com/searchingforsevenTwitter: twitter.com/tylersmith_ISLFacebook: facebook.com/searchingforseven

In our last week of the "Big Ideas" series, Zach teaches out of Exodus 20 about the Ten Commandments, and how they command us to "Love God and Love People" (10/4/20).

Tyler D. Smith is a pastor, NBA sportswriter, basketball coach, and author; he has also worked in the Christian music industry. He graduated from Lincoln Christian University and has served in ministry since 2005. Tyler resides in Indiana with his wife, Katelyn, and their two daughters, Addi and Ellie. Grab the Shownotes and resources at https://dadhackers.us/124-2

This week we’re talking with a credit expert and one of our very good friends, Melvin Johnson! In this episode we're covering: Things to know in personal and business credit Common myths on credit And so much more!! Melvin Johnson is a real estate investor, personal and business credit expert. Starting his entrepreneurial journey in 2018, Melvin quickly realized that along with limiting educational and economical exposure that many possessed a poor understanding of ‘credit’ that made it impossible to possess financial literacy. Therefore, in the spring of 2019 Melvin launched Maaj Capital- a company aimed at helping individuals and businesses learn how they’re able to take advantage of credit. MAAJ Capital’s chief goal is to assist entrepreneurs in engaging their financial options in light of being financially aware of opportunity that come with having great credit. One notable achievement in Melvin’s career is how he’s been able to raise $2.5m in real estate byway of lines of credit, which was established with a few of his partners within 9months. Now training others, Melvin leads his team and is growing Maaj Capital to be the stomping grounds for entrepreneurs who intend on not only achieving but exceeding similar heights. As a husband and father of two, Melvin Johnson began his career as an entrepreneur in the summer of 2018 while pursuing his Masters Degree at Lincoln Christian University. Holding at BA in Business Administration, Melvin serves as President of Maaj Capital overseeing its day-to-day operations. Feel free to reach out and follow Melvin via these following outlets: www.Maajcapital.com https://www.instagram.com/melvin_johnson12/ Let us know how you like it. Rate us. Leave a comment. Email us at info@abundantculture.co. Do something! Connect with us at: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abundant.culture/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/abundantculture/ Rate us on your favorite podcast platform! Join our newsletter: https://www.abundantculture.co/newsletter

In this episode Skyler shares some of his own research and questions on the Apocalyptic literature in the Bible following his interview with Dr. Shane Wood (Episode 13). He looks at questions such as "Why do churches shy away from Apocalyptic parts of the Bible? Where did this literature come from? What do people actually believe about it? and why did God speak in Apocalypses? Skyler is the pastor at the Christian Church of Litchfield in Litchfield, IL and a student at Lincoln Christian University where he is finishing up his Master in the New Testament.Links:My Strange Bible: Shane WoodThe Bible Project: Apocalypse SeriesBrent Sandy, Plowshares and Pruning Hooks: Rethinking the language of Biblical Prophecy and ApocalypticNotes:Apocalyptic Passages: Isaiah 24–27; 33; 34–35; Jeremiah 33:14–26; Ezekiel 38–39; Joel 3:9–17; Daniel 7-12; Zechariah 12–14; Matthew 24; Mark 13; 2 Thessalonians 2; Revelation.The Fall out of Apocalyptic preaching in America happened through three cultural movementsThe rise of Higher criticismComparative study of religionDarwinismWhat is an Apocalypse? The literature existed for about 700 years.Distinctly Jewish and Christian literature.Was seen with great skepticism after a heretical group used Revelation to espouse new teaching.SBL Definition: "a genre of revelatory literature with a narrative framework, in which a revelation is mediated by an otherworldly being to a human recipient, disclosing a transcendent reality which is both temporal, insofar as it envisages eschatological salvation, and spacial insofar as it involves another, supernatural world."Skyler's paraphrase: "Apocalyptic literature is a writing style that reveals hidden truth in story form. Revealing future salvation and the supernatural world to humans by a heavenly messenger."Five theme of Apocalyptic literature:DualismSymbolismNarrativeCosmic EndFuture SalvationSix functions of ApocalypsesA call to worshipComfort that God is in controlInsight into cosmic issuesHope for the persecutedAssurance of God’s victoryCall to purity

This week we’re talking with one of our very good friends, Melvin Johnson! In this episode we're covering: Hearing from God in business Things to know in personal and business credit Common myths on credit And so much more!! Melvin Johnson is a real estate investor, personal and business credit expert. Starting his entrepreneurial journey in 2018, Melvin quickly realized that along with limiting educational and economical exposure that many possessed a poor understanding of ‘credit’ that made it impossible to possess financial literacy. Therefore, in the spring of 2019 Melvin launched Maaj Capital- a company aimed at helping individuals and businesses learn how they’re able to take advantage of credit. MAAJ Capital’s chief goal is to assist entrepreneurs in engaging their financial options in light of being financially aware of opportunity that come with having great credit. One notable achievement in Melvin’s career is how he’s been able to raise $2.5m in real estate byway of lines of credit, which was established with a few of his partners within 9months. Now training others, Melvin leads his team and is growing Maaj Capital to be the stomping grounds for entrepreneurs who intend on not only achieving but exceeding similar heights. As a husband and father of two, Melvin Johnson began his career as an entrepreneur in the summer of 2018 while pursuing his Masters Degree at Lincoln Christian University. Holding at BA in Business Administration, Melvin serves as President of Maaj Capital overseeing its day-to-day operations. Feel free to reach out and follow Melvin via these following outlets: www.Maajcapital.com https://www.instagram.com/melvin_johnson12/ Let us know how you like it. Rate us. Leave a comment. Email us at info@abundantculture.co. Do something! Connect with us at: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abundant.culture/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/abundantculture/ Rate us on your favorite podcast platform! Join our newsletter: https://www.abundantculture.co/newsletter

In this interview Skyler interview Dr. Tyler Stewart on the time between the Old and New Testament often referred to as the Second Temple period. This is an often overlooked period that has tremendous impact on how we understand the Bible. Without it, it would be nearly impossible to enter the world of the New Testament. Dr. Tyler Stewart earned his PhD at Marquette University and is currently teaching New Testament at Lincoln Christian University.Tyler's Recommended ResourcesNRSV Harper Collins Study BibleMatthias Henze, Mind the GapWarren Carter, Seven Events that Shaped the NT WorldSteve Mason, Josephus and the New TestamentJames VanderKam, Dead Sea Scrolls TodayKenneth Schenk, A Brief Guide to PhiloNotes:1. Three Biggest discoveriesLearning Greek and HebrewThe Unity of the BibleStudying Second Temple Judaism2. Four Reasons why we shouldn't call the period between the Old & New Testament years of silenceThis is a period of explosive literary production.The Jews then thought God was still speaking to his people. This was an important time for the formation of the Old Testament.3. Five Major eventsDeath of Alexander the Great (323 BCE)Ptolemaic Rule (301–200 BCE); the Old Testament is translated into Greek Seleucid Rule (200–167 BCE) Hasmonean Dynasty (166–63 BCE)Roman Rule (63 BCE)

On this episode Ralph talks with Tyler, sportswriter and author of the book Searching for Seven. The Christian life is meant to be a journey—a search for our Maker and a search for truth. Searching for Seven takes readers on a journey of looking for God through every aspect of life—seven days a week. Tyler D. Smith is a pastor, NBA sportswriter, basketball coach, and author; he has also worked in the Christian music industry. He graduated from Lincoln Christian University and has served in ministry since 2005. Order Searching for Seven Book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08C2795P9/... Searching for Seven FB: https://www.facebook.com/pg/searching... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/searchingfo... Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/RefinedRefre... Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/refinedandr... Credits: Into & Outro beats provided by S.Rock: https://www.facebook.com/srock15/

1 John 5:1-5 Seminary Old Testament professor at Lincoln Christian University, Dr. Paul Kissling, teaches from the New Testament in this visit to our church.  New birth, love, and obedience are all discussed.

Tyler D. Smith is a pastor, NBA sports writer, basketball coach, and author. He's also worked in the Christian music industry. He graduated from Lincoln Christian University and has served in ministry since 2005. Today we welcome him to Bleeding Daylight.    Tyler D. Smith: https://tylerdsmith.netSearching for Seven: https://www.searchingforseven.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/searchingforsevenbook   (Transcript is a guide only and may not be 100% correct.) Emily Olsen: Wherever there are shadows, there are people ready to kick at the darkness until it bleeds daylight. This is Bleeding Daylight with your host Rodney Olsen. Rodney Olsen: Today’s guest has already done so much in life but he is forever searching for more. He has just released a book titled Searching for Seven. We’re about to find out what it’s all about in this edition of Bleeding Daylight. Tyler D. Smith is a pastor, NBA sports writer, basketball coach, and author. He's also worked in the Christian music industry. He graduated from Lincoln Christian University and has served in ministry since 2005. He lives in Indiana with his wife, Katelyn and their two daughters, Addi and Ellie. He's recently released the book Searching for Seven. Over the next several minutes, we'll find out a bit more about the book and about Tyler. It's a pleasure to have you join us. Welcome to Bleeding Daylight. Tyler D. Smith:Thank you so much for having me. How are you? Rodney Olsen:I'm well, I could have said a lot more about you, including the fact that you even find time to record a bunch of music. Is there anything that you can't do? Tyler D. Smith:Well? I mean, I've been very blessed. All the things I get to do, it's a, you know, all the things kind of fit together and I still make sure I prioritize, you know, things that are most important. And yeah, I would say I'm maybe not the best dancer in the world. Rodney Olsen:Okay. Yeah. I can relate to that. Now. I mentioned your book, which starts with a lesson that you learned back when you were just 15. Tell me about that basketball game that, that changed your life and the lessons that you learned from it. Tyler D. Smith:Yeah, that's something that I didn't really understand until much later in life, which I love when, uh, when God does that for us, it was a random game. I was playing JV basketball at the time, which here in Indiana, it's the step right below the big time, the varsity team. And I was a sophomore like very well there, one particular game where it wasn't playing well, the coach pulled me out of the game and then like a minute or two later, he put me back in and I had all this adrenaline from being mad at the situation. So I got in the game and played really well at that point. Well, that game actually changed the trajectory of my basketball career. I ended up dressing varsity later that year, I played the next two years and then God actually used basketball to get me to go to this Christian university. Honest truth, the only reason at the beginning that I went, I had no intention of being in ministry or really anything of that nature. I wanted to go major in communications and play basketball and that was it. Um, but after one year that school, there was a local youth group that called me and asked me to start up a youth program. And I've actually been doing youth ministry ever since it's been 15 years. And so I look back at that moment and I think man, if it wasn't for that one random game basketball game by sophomore year, the trajectory of what I ended up being into ministry after that, it's crazy to look back and see how God used that experience. Rodney Olsen:I notice that you use a lot of stories to communicate. Do you find that you naturally think in analogies? Tyler D. Smith:Absolutely. Uh, there could be something random happened on the side of the road and I'll say, Hey, that's a good sermon analogy. Actually some of my students, a couple of them are in ministry now. Um, they, they joke with me and they'll call me or text me and say, Hey, this is a good sermon analogy because that's just the way my mind thinks. I feel like people in general just really relate to stories and analogies. And so I try to do that the best that I can. Rodney Olsen:And does your wife fear that at times knowing that anything that happens could end up being a sermon illustration? Tyler D. Smith:Well, thus far she's also a preacher's kid. So she grew up having those analogies from, so I try to make sure I don't do anything too embarrassing to her. And, and just to, if it's an analogy about her or the kids, I try to try to build them up the best I can. Rodney Olsen:You're also a sports writer and you said that you did want to work in communications. So tell me how all that fits together. Tyler D. Smith:Yeah. So going to college, you know, for that degree, I really wanted to get into broadcasting journalism, and I was doing a little bit of it on the side, just more as an outlet, a way to enjoy sports and talk about sports. But what happened was on my sports, Twitter feed, I was able to build a nice little following and that helped me land this side of sports, running for the Pacers and basketball, which is the college team here. And, you know, I feel like I'm writing constantly, whether it's for sports, writing a message for church, writing a blog, it's just something that I love doing. And it's one of those things as, as a writer, it's almost like you're, you're never fully satisfied until you write what you felt like you were called to write, and then you're onto the next project. Um, but it's cool getting a chance to combine the two, any chance that I get this project with the sports running gig, where I was able to raise awareness and money for a homeless project in Indianapolis, and one of the NBA players actually retweeted it and got involved. So there's, there's ways that you can combine, um, you know, sports and faith and writing process Rodney Olsen:Do you sometimes find, even though that you have been able to combine them, that there are conflicts between those two sides? Tyler D. Smith:I think in some situations, depending on the employer, depending on the project that you're involved in, um, I'm thankful that, uh, the sports running gig that I have, there's a lot of freedom. Uh, the, the owner of the website is a Christian himself. Um, so there's not a whole lot of conflict on, on my end. I could see for some people, especially the beat writers, that the ones that follow the team everywhere, you know, I go to the home games, but if it's a beat writer for a big paper or big station, you know, they need to report anything and everything, even if it's against, you know, maybe, uh, some of their beliefs or anything, but I've been, I've been blessed in that way.Rodney Olsen:And we are going to get to talk about your book in a little while. But another thing that actually adds into that is, is the life experience that you talk about throughout that book and the stories that come out of it. Uh, another area that you've worked in is, is Christian music. Tell me about that. Tyler D. Smith:Yeah. Another thing that was a dream job for me, a buddy of mine who is now out in San Diego, he started this company from the ground up to work in the Christian music field. Uh, putting on Christian shows, promoting them. We were mainly, uh, through the Midwest in America. And, uh, we had just, a lot of shows, got to work with artists, such as Newsboys and Toby Mac and skillet and Switchfoot and just a lot of artists. So it was really cool to get a bit of a behind the scenes look, to be able to spend some time with tour buses and get to know the artists. And really you see when you see all of the work leading up to a show, all the promotion, all the details. And then when the show actually hits, you know, that's almost like a sports analogy to, you know, all the work leading up to the game, you see the fans, the reactions, you see maybe a decisions for Christ. And it's a very rewarding thing once it all comes together, but that was a great, it was probably about three years. I was in that company. Rodney Olsen:It's interesting when we're talking about some of those musicians that have such a high profile, I've had the opportunity through radio too, to see some of that closeup too. And I was certainly, and I don't want you to name names, but I have certainly seen that there are some that absolutely live up to what's on the album and they live up to the lifestyle that they portray in public. And there are others that don't. Do you think that there's a trap for, for some musicians in, in that world? Tyler D. Smith:I think so, especially, you know, I'm just a big Christian music fan in general, you know, even apart from the company I was in and I like to listen to interviews, I like to hear their stories and you've had some artists even the last few years basically say that, yeah, this is a very tough industry. And there's a lot of people that maybe are higher than you that are only worried about the bottom line. They're only worried about streams and sales and all that. And you can fall into that trap, even though it's Christian music into that, maybe rock star mentality. I think it all comes back to the people you're surrounding yourself with. And sometimes those artists were forced to be around maybe people that aren't really building them up and care about other things. But if you can find the right support group, even if you're traveling, it's going to be really important. And you know, like you said, I agree that, you know, when you get the inside, you kind of see which artists are doing this or that, or which ones are living up to it. And, um, it can be a little disappointing at times, but it can also be a good thing when you find some of those genuine people that are really doing it for a purpose. Rodney Olsen:And there are certainly some very genuine people that are, uh, just the same as they are on stage in person. And that's always wonderful to find, but I'm wondering for your perspective, seeing as you've been close up, do you think that sometimes we, we pay too much attention on what people who are in the public eye might say, for instance, you're up close to some, some sportspeople and also some musicians, specifically Christian musicians, do you think sometimes we get it wrong by trying to take our cues from, from those people who are most of the time they're just entertaining. Tyler D. Smith:Absolutely. Um, you gotta pick your role models very carefully. Um, you know, just because they say maybe something from stage doesn't mean that they're necessarily living that out. Same thing with athletes, you know, so many times fans get upset when they see an athlete that made a mistake. And I just want to remind them, you know, these are humans, and even though they're in the public eye, they have a lot of pressure on them, a lot of stress. So I think I would, I would try to follow, um, you know, the words of Paul that said follow me as I follow Christ. And if you find those people, whether it's celebrity or, or just a friend that you can really see the fruit that they are following Christ the best I can then maybe take some cues from them and follow up some other examples. But we gotta be careful when we make people Pete Rose or even idols in our lives. I suppose. Rodney Olsen:That's the other side of it too, is that we know for ourselves that we fail. So often we mock it up and we give ourselves licensed to do that. And we say, yes, I'll ask for forgiveness or move on. I've I've messed it up again. But we often don't give those people in the public eye, the same license to mess it up, ask for forgiveness and move on, where we're holding them to an unrealistic. Tyler D. Smith:Yeah, I'm reminded of a quote. I can't remember who said it actually, but they said, you know, we often judge others by their actions and we judge ourselves by our intentions and there's kind of a, a gap there of how we treat other people compared to herself. Rodney Olsen:Having a look at you at your book now searching for seven. It's an interesting title. Maybe you could explain a little bit of what that means. Tyler D. Smith:Seven, as far as the book, title is a double meaning, a seven scripturally is the number of God. If you really look deep into it, it means completeness and perfection. So in a way I am searching for him, but I'm also searching for my own faith seven days a week. And I started to realize, as I was writing, I didn't have a title at the very beginning, but all of my notes were basically fitting into the same Mike, that same category of, I need to look for God seven days a week. Can't just be Sunday. Can't just be at a camp. Or when tragedy strikes, I have to look for him, be aware of him. I believe he seeks us and is pursuing us always. But like any relationship, there's gotta be a two way street there. Um, I don't want to say, you know, God show up and I don't do anything to return to seek him. So that is where the number seven comes in. Rodney Olsen:Going back to that very first story in the about that, that basketball game. There's a great lesson in there too, about you being put back in because many people would probably assume that God is there watching us. You're saying we're searching for him, but he's also searching for us. And we can sometimes think that that searching for us is to try and catch us out. And yet you drew something very different from that basketball game. Tyler D. Smith:Yeah. The coach that came over to put me back in the game, I couldn't believe that he did it because I was playing so poorly for so long. And I also, I mentioned in the book that I was kind of a know it all 15 year old, and I was talking back to him and stuff and I was sitting there thinking this is not good for my basketball career, but he came over to the main, you know, a minute or two later pulled me back in and said, let's go. And after the game actually told me that, you know, I know, I know there's more in there for me. It was years later that I realized, I believe that's what God does to us. You know, when we screwed up many times, he doesn't just say, you know, forget you and stay on the bed. Tyler D. Smith:He comes right back over to us. He doesn't get back in the game and you can look, you know, story after story and scripture of these people is men and women that screwed up that maybe had a bad past, or maybe they were involved in the current sin. Jesus was patient with them, comforting show compassion. And the second they came to him is the second day we're forgiven. And so that's another example of, you know, why would we think God can forgive people, but he can't forgive us. You know, he's seeking us out and it's not just to call out our sin. It's to love us and to say, Hey, get back in the game. I know, I know there's more in there. Rodney Olsen:That would be a very powerful story with the young people that you work with in, in youth ministry. What are, our young people having to face that we never had to face up to? Tyler D. Smith:One of the overlying factors is similar in terms of what people have dealt with through the years. But because of social media, I think it is, it's just spotlighted. It's, uh, it's highlighted even more for, you know, today's generation. So what I mean is I, I feel like many years people have been searching for their own identity. They're trying to find their own purpose, their own meaning. Am I valued? You know, do I have any point? Is my life, my existence mean anything to anybody? Why am I here? Those kinds of questions. But again, because of all of these things that kids have today and young people have today, they're constantly comparing themselves to others. Um, they, you know, it's like, Hey, if I had what the kids in my class had or what the kids on my street had, I was in good shape, but now I'm comparing myself to millions of people online every day. Tyler D. Smith:So even if you have something good or you have a good life, you're like, well, somebody else has something better. And you maybe, maybe never content with that. Or maybe even though, because you have all of this stuff, what's crazy is today's generation. They have, they have more than everybody else, but they're also bored. They're more bored than everybody else. Cause they just want that instant gratification. So it's a constant comparison game and game that nobody can ever win. And I'm still looking for purpose and meaning and identity, but they're looking for often times and wrong. Rodney Olsen:Most of us have experienced people that are even much older that are still looking for that identity. They're still looking for their place in the world expecting that, Hey, I thought when I get a bit older that it would all fall in place and it hasn't yet. What do you see as the antidote to that common call of the heart, to where Tyler D. Smith:I think a big thing which I touch on in chapter two is we've got to find a way to serve because we were created to do it. We were created in Christ to do good works. And I feel like sometimes when we don't put action to our faith and we don't get out there and serve people and do ministry of some kind, it's like an item that you haven't used in your house for a long time, it's going to stop working. You know, actually mentioned that in the book that I don't have something to say for things that are so serious, like depression and suicide and mental health. But I do think if someone was struggling with those things, I would point them to some of those scriptures where I would say, Hey, let's go serve somewhere together. Let's see when you help someone else. Tyler D. Smith:When you give your life to others, will you start to feel that purpose and that meaning and feel like I'm, I'm worth it. Um, you know, there's a story. I did not share this one in the book, but there's a story I heard of a lady who was that very day. She was about to take her own life. And somebody came up and asked her where the vending machine was and she walked him over to it and showed it to them. And they said, Oh, thank you so much. And kid you, not that woman decided to stay alive because for one minute she felt needed. So those kinds of stories just gives you chill sometimes because it's like, we've got to help people understand that part of their purpose and finding their own value is when they help other people, they feel like they they're useful. And so I would say, get out there and serve, and also again, surround yourself with the right people and continue to see God in every way you possibly can think of. Rodney Olsen:I was certainly going to touch on that. I noticed in the book, you, you mentioned that if you have a friend who is suffering from depression, to ask them to be involved in something with you, and I know that you're not suggesting that, that they don't take medical advice and, and all those good things, but that whole idea of actually serving rather than focusing in on oneself, it seems to be an upside down concept that we kind of know in the back of our mind, it's, it's a good thing to do, but so rarely is it practiced. And I wonder if that's part of that yearning for where do I fit in as well? Tyler D. Smith:I would agree. And you, you mentioned that phrase upside down. I think there's so many things that Jesus taught that were upside down. You know, for example, if you want to be great and his eyes, you know, especially around the country, I know it's worldwide in many places, but it's all about, you know, success means how much money and how many followers and you know, the attention you have. Jesus had that upside down approach of if you want to be great, you need to be a servant. Rodney Olsen:Do you think that sometimes we even lose sight of that in our churches? I know that there are many people searching for significance and, and searching for what is the meaning of life, and yet, sometimes our churches aren't showing the way forward in that serving one another. Tyler D. Smith:Yeah, I think the church can do a much better job. You know, if a church is to focus on just the numbers, I've heard it said before that, you know, the ABC is the attendance, attendance building and cash. And if it's just kind of like what they put their focus on, uh, then people may lose the heart of what they're doing more at the same time. It's, it's a group of Christians. They feel it in their heart to serve, but it's more of a like, look at me, you know, I'm on a trip, you know, I'm serving, look how great I am. You know, that's not groups as well. So I would, you know, find a, or at least encourage, I'm not saying, leave your church, encourage your church and other Christians to have that right mindset of, I want to serve because I do it for the least of these. I'm doing it for Christ, even a cup of cold water in his name, you know, it's for him and have the right mindset, you know, servant's heart. And that's the way to go. Rodney Olsen:One of the chapters in your book is Choose the Right Battles, uh, talking about deciding what we're going to focus on. And I think in some ways it ties into one of your blog posts, which is about the criticism that people so often get. And we seem to live in a world where everyone is open to criticism that you touched on the whole social media thing earlier. And that there are so many people willing to point the finger and accused. Do you see that as being, uh, something that's very damaging in our society? And how do you see that play out with the people that you meet with daily? Tyler D. Smith:It's a big problem. You know, I touched on it, whether it was the book or the blog about, you know, Christian artists and people saying, Oh, they don't say Jesus enough. Or, you know, this pastor said, one thing that I disagree with and therefore I should call him a false teacher and a heretic and tell everyone to stop following. And you know, the problem is when non-Christians see that kind of division and that kind of criticism, you know, it's tough because they'll think I don't want to be part of that. I want no part of that whatsoever. So we've gotta be very careful, you know, we want to build people up and I make the point, you know, imagine if the marriage work like that. Imagine if I said, Oh, I disagree with my wife over one thing. So we have to get a divorce. You know, you're not always gonna agree a hundred percent with everybody, but you just immediately go, it's tough. You know, you look at things like the super bowl, you know, what's everyone talking about, Oh, how horrible the halftime show was. And this person, I mean, every single year, it's like the first thing people want to do. And yeah, social media has played a part in that. You know, everyone says, I've got to share my opinion and I've got to join the crowd of saying what's good. And what I don't like, you know, you think of current events, everyone has an opinion, even if it's not educated about what side I want to take. And I want to be very loud about it and, and instead, can we take the approach of love? Can we take the word of scripture where it says be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow, to become angry and just take a more calm approach. Even if you disagree with someone, can you do it in love? Because that's just creeping into our society with our young kids as well. Rodney Olsen:Do you feel we hold the balance between standing up for what we believe to be right, and to be the truth, uh, and sometimes having to call out a error or heresy as many people would call it, how, how do we draw that balance between that? And, and then just throwing mud at everyone there, as we see so often in social media, Tyler D. Smith:The best thing is just to follow the best we can, the example of Christ, because he would call people out, but he would do it in a loving way. He was very passionate. Obviously following his conviction, I would always tell someone, follow your convictions if you feel led to speak up, but be very, very careful how you're doing it. Um, there's just so many examples that there's people on both sides of every debate. You know, sometimes I even think there's four sides because there's the Christian side and there's non-Christian side on each and they don't always agree with even their own team. And so you have to be very careful approach approaching. The key thing I think is conversation, ask questions, show people, you value them and care. And then maybe you have an opportunity to share why you believe, why you believe instead of just putting everything on blast, you know, ripping them apart for having a thought that's different than you. Rodney Olsen:I like that idea of showing people that you, you value them, that you, you care for them. Uh, that's in, in sharp contrast to what we see a lot of the time. And yet, if we do truly care for someone where we're wanting to, to help them, we're not wanting to just tear them down and that seems to be it's that upside down world that, that Jesus offers. And also having the humility to recognize that maybe they do have it right and we need to learn from them. That can sometimes be the hardest lesson. Tyler D. Smith:Absolutely. But it's one that I, I mean, maybe earlier in my life, I wouldn't like to have learned, but now I would love to learn that I would love to be, you know, take a humble approach, but then, um, hear other ideas and be able to truly listen to my brothers and sisters and maybe some of the hurts or some of the, you know, okay. Like why, why do you feel that way? What, what have you gone through to make you draw that conclusion? And just a better conversation better way forward is what we're looking for. Rodney Olsen:Coming back to the book. What was it that made you decide to, to ride it? Was this a journey that you yourself had to go on. And so it's those principles that you learned in that effort? Tyler D. Smith:It was, you know, I think especially through high school and in the beginning of college, I was known as a Christian, but it was more of the, you know, he doesn't really do anything too bad if he goes to church kind of Christian and I realized later in life that there's much more to it. And Jesus says the following him, not just believe in him following him. And so all these things that have happened, you know, a lot of the stories from the book or from recent, and then some are from a long time ago, but it's been my own journey. And there was a time period when I thought I cannot not write this book. You know, this is an offering to God, whoever ends up reading it. I hope it blesses them. But it's something that, you know, my kids will be able to read one day, maybe kids in the student ministry can read, you know, whoever else that God thinks needs to hear it. I hope they get their hands on it, but it's my own journey. It's an offering. And I just hope God uses it. Rodney Olsen:I was going to ask you, who do you feel that the target audience might be? And you've mentioned some people there, but do you think broadly there's a range of people that would enjoy this. I'm wondering specifically as well about those people who might be saying I'm searching for something in life. I'm not sure Jesus, is it, is this book going to work for them as well? Tyler D. Smith:That's my goal. Um, sometimes people will say, when you do a project, whether it be a book or anything else to have a really specific target audience, but for me, because of this topic being so broad, I wanted to reach a broad audience. And I've already had a lot of feedback from both teenagers and older folks. Um, you know, some that were maybe pleasantly surprised, uh, an older generation that was thinking, Hey, this, this is speaking to me, which is great. But yeah, I definitely want it to fall in the hands of some people that maybe they're non-believer, or maybe they're on the, on the fringe or maybe they, they did the whole Christian thing. And now we're not sure the really, they think there's even a chance that there could be a God, then he is worth seeking out to find out. So it is a very broad audience of who I'm trying to reach with the book, but I'm also thankful that I, I think it turned out that way that, uh, it can be, Rodney Olsen:And of course the title itself searching for seven suggests that it's not for people who may have their mind made up, but people who are still in that search and that should be all of us.Tyler D. Smith:I agree. Absolutely. And hopefully, hopefully a lot of it is, you know, I believe worded in that way that, you know, I'm not trying to come across as the one that has all the answers or, you know, the hero of the story. It's basically, you know, Hey, I'm, I'm another person that's on this journey, looking for him through all things. Here's some things that have worked scriptures that have, uh, meant a lot to me. And I hope they do to you as well, but absolutely. I hope that it helps a skeptic, uh, look for God and I hope it helps, uh, the current Christian to strengthen their faith as they continue to do. So. Rodney Olsen:And you've mentioned that even though the book hasn't been released for too long, so far, you have had some, some feedback. What are people saying about the book as they're reading it and getting back? Tyler D. Smith:It's been very humbling to see the feedback so far. Um, I've talked to some and a lot of people that I don't know, but they've, they've said things like, you know, this is the playbook, uh, like my personal playbook for looking for God. Um, I, I got to get in touch with a high school friend that I haven't talked to in probably 15 years and someone who was not always a Christian and, and, you know, came to faith a few years back. And this person said that, you know, this is the book, um, for the, for the person who is tired of being, uh, maybe preached at doesn't mean, they're tired of going to church, but just the constant, like you need this and this. And here's why. And so I was very humbled by that. Um, but yeah, just seeing I actually, I pulled the Bob Goff and put my phone number in the back of the book for anyone interested. Um, just because I'm so open in the conversation and whether it's a text or phone call or anything, not just to get feedback and, and, you know, Pat myself on the back, but more, Hey, let's discuss this further. So I've been very humbled by what I've heard so far. And it's a, it's very, very rewarding. Tyler D. Smith:And as I say, the book is all about that search. It's written in language that people are going to find absolutely accessible and what I find interesting is that again, that point that you constantly use story and we see in the scripture that there is story after story, we read those narratives. Do you think sometimes we, we break scripture down too much and we concentrate on, on verse after verse, and, and of course there is time for that deeper study, but we, we lose the, the bigger stories that we can find in scripture? Yeah, I think so. Like you said, there's a time and a place for, I think all of these different strategies when you were seeking God and looking through his word Archer, and this is not original idea, you know, we've seen other churches do it, but do this thing called storying in their small group time where, you know, the leader, instead of feeling like they have to teach a Bible study, they simply bring a story from scripture. They try to share it by memory at first, then the group read the story. Then they go around and talk about, okay, who are you in this story? And it's a very effective process that again, people relate the most to those stories. I want to be like, Jesus, what did he do? He taught so much in story. Um, and yeah, he, you know, sermon on the Mount and other times teaching in the synagogue. And that's a great thing too, and it's needed. But most of his interaction was out with people, small groups of people, large groups, but he would share stories. And I feel like, know, the more we can do that, the better off we're going to be. And the more we're gonna understand the heart of God. Rodney Olsen:You mentioned that a lot of the book came out of your own desire to keep searching for Jesus through everything that you do every day in the writing process. Did you continue to, to learn, did you continue to find Jesus in ways that you didn't expect to find Him? Tyler D. Smith:Absolutely. And that's one of the goals of my entire life is to be a continual learner and really everything that I'm doing, you know, even when I applied for the coaching position, they said, what's your greatest strength? And I said, I'm a student of the game. I'm continuing to learn. I don't have it all figured out. I want to be that way in my faith. Um, there's a lot of stuff that notes over the last few years that I wrote down that I want to include in the book and some stories that happen and then some things happen more recently. And I kept thinking, you know, thank you God for, you know, teaching me that and giving me those words, um, to include in this endeavor. And yeah, it's a great thing to be able to, uh, continue to learn and grow. Rodney Olsen:If you had to just outline a few of the great takeaways that are in the book that you want people to, to latch onto, what would they be? Tyler D. Smith:I think most importantly, I think too many people in the world want God to be real and want God to show up. But those same people often do nothing to seek him in return. And I've been in that boat myself. But as I said earlier, I believe that it needs to be an actual relationship, um, where it's not just, Hey God, you know, I'm going to spend time with you one day a week and then I'll see you next week. I'm going to go think about my own, everything else that's going on. We need to seek him. And the more we understand you have the awareness that he is there and all, you know, no matter what we're doing, that's going to help us. Um, one of the takeaways too, that I try to teach in church is that, you know, when people go off to conferences or camps or Christian concerts and those moments, they, they often feel really impacted. Tyler D. Smith:One of the reasons is their mindset when they're in those environments is it's in the right place. They know they're going to hear from God and they're open to it. The trick is how do you get to have that mindset on a day to day basis? It's easy when you're overlooking the ocean, the mountains, the stories guy, or you're going through a tragedy, or you're going through a promotion or something, you know, a blessing in life. What about the Tuesday afternoon when you're in your cubicle at work? How can you have that awareness that God is there, but that is also Holy ground that you're standing on. That is the key. And that's the process, the journey that I to encourage people with in this book. Rodney Olsen:Well, the book certainly does that it's, as I say, an easy to read book, but that doesn't mean that it doesn't challenge. When we're looking at all the things that you have done so far in life and all the things that you're currently doing, I guess it's difficult for you to project ahead and say where you might be, but do you have any inkling as to where God is going to lead you in the coming years? Tyler D. Smith:I'm not sure, but I'm looking forward to what happens. I'm very blessed and fortunate with all the things that I'm currently doing. I try to live my life one day at a time. And as far as career paths, I try to look maybe a, you know, Hey, here's the next year. Here's what I think for this year. We'll see what the year after that holds. Um, but I that's part of that, that process, you know, I have a, a chapter on, uh, your finding your calling and your will, you know, God's will for your life. And I think it's more of a day to day thing than it is a destination as a career. Um, so I, I'm just trying my best every day to, to listen, spend time with God, um, love what I'm doing for the foreseeable future. And we'll see what the future holds. Rodney Olsen:Do you think there's more books on the way? Tyler D. Smith:Very possible. I think that if I were to, if God were to reveal a specific topic or title, and that's often how even my, my blogs or my, uh, my sermons come across, if I feel that, um, that nudge from God, then I can start the process and compiling notes and him revealing even more things that he wants me to say. So no current plans. Cause I love that, you know, getting to talk about this one and promote it, but it's very possible in the future. Rodney Olsen:Tyler, if people wanted to get in touch with you, if, if some of this has sparked some thoughts for them that they want to explore with you, where's the best place to find you Tyler D. Smith:Best place is probably the book's website, because I know, especially in some parts of the country or the world, um, you can't always find the links if you want to purchase the book. But if you go to the book's website, searching for seven.com, you can find the direct links to purchase. You can also find my blog, my Twitter account, um, different ways that we can connect. And even if you don't want the book, but you want to connect with me, there's ways to do it on there. So searching for seven.com, Rodney Olsen:It has been great to chat to you to talk through such a range of things, but also to, to hear about this book, which I think is going to be very helpful for a lot of people. And we look forward to hearing a bit more about it as time goes on and, and the lives that it changes, but Tyler, thank you so much for spending time with us today. Tyler D. Smith:Thanks for having me, Rodney. I enjoyed the chat very much. Emily Olsen: Thank you for listening to Bleeding Daylight. Please help us to shine more light into the darkness by sharing this episode with others. For further details and more episodes, please visit BleedingDaylight.net

Listen to our Guest Speaker David Upchurch from Lincoln Christian University.

In this episode Skyler interviews Richard Knopp on the topic of doubt, younger generation walking away from the church, and Biblical illiteracy. Rich is the professor of Philosophy and Apologetics at Lincoln Christian University, as well as the director of Room for Doubt. Rich has first hand experience with the questions people are asking and life changing wisdom to help navigate a doubting generation.

Chat Guest Rev. Dr. Jarrod Longbons is the sixth Senior Minister of Peachtree Christian Church in its illustrious 90-year history. Dr. Longbons and his wife Colleen are natives of Central Illinois, and both have been blessed to come from Christian homes. As a teenager, Dr. Longbons sensed a calling to vocational ministry and has spent his entire adult life pursuing this calling. He preached his first sermon at age fifteen, and he has since served in each of the three main branches of the Campbell-Stone Movement: Disciples of Christ, Independent Christian Churches, and Churches of Christ. This experience combined with the movement's ethos toward unity has shaped Dr. Longbons' deep desire for inter-denominational Christian unity and authentic community. Dr. Longbons has an undergraduate degree in theology and homiletics from Lincoln Christian University, and a master's degree in contemporary theology focusing on theology, philosophy, and ecology. He earned his Ph.D. in theology from the University of Nottingham under the supervision of John Milbank. Dr. Longbons' research focuses on the doctrine of creation, ecology, and the church as a “community of creation.” In addition to serving the local church and his theological scholarship, Dr. Longbons has enjoyed the occasional adjunct teaching position and opportunities to guest lecture. His wife Colleen has been an indispensable part of his ministry for over ten years, first as a volunteer to youth and then later as a mentor to young women and as a member of various groups: worship teams, book clubs, Bible classes, and children's programs. Dr. Longbons describes Colleen as him, “partner in redemption” who “enchants the world.” They have two daughters and a son.    Chat Highlights Tell me more about your leadership of Peachtree Christian Church in the heart of Atlanta GA. How big is your staff? How big is your congregation? Challenges around COVID-19. One of the most important things for leaders to do is to take care of themselves mentally and emotionally. How are you currently doing this while we are socially distant and unable to attend in person church services while in quarantine to flatten the coronavirus curve? How are you continuing to engage your staff to ensure the necessary ministry is getting done in this new, now normal of social distancing? What changes have you had to make? How can you emotionally support and minister to people in this time (Jarrod shares a story of the impact he had on his daughter's teacher while she navigates distance learning and the coronavirus crisis)? Call to action from Jarrod: How are you leading and living to make everything around you and everyone around you flourish?   Get In Touch Rev. Dr. Jarrod Longbons www.peachtree.org jlongbons@peachtree.org facebook.com/peachtreechristian instagram.com/peachtreechristian See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Success Stories: Ruth Heinzmann on Blogging & Email Marketing On today's “Success Stories” episode, we'll hear from my friend Ruth Heinzmann, who is a writer, a hospice volunteer coordinator, and a student pursuing a master's degree in spiritual formation at Lincoln Christian University in Lincoln, Illinois. (That also happens to be where I got both of my Master's degrees.) She writes at OutOfHisFulness.com, where you can also sign up to receive her weekly “Treasure Hunt Tuesday” emails. Her goal in writing is to share encouragement and blessings God provides “out of His fullness” in the midst of every season and circumstance. Ruth shares how she began building an audience for her blog, where she gets ideas for posts, and how she shares them. She also talks about her writing tools as well as her experience with ConvertKit, which is also the email marketing service I use. You can find the full show notes here: https://kentsanders.net/159.

Welcome to part two of our conversation with Dr. Richard Knopp and Dr. Zach Breitenbach on the campus of Lincoln Christian University. We're chatting about their new apologetic program, Room for Doubt. The conversation was going so great we just let the recording run as we kept on going well beyond our normal episode time frame. So, sit back and enjoy this fun but meaningful conversation.Recommended Resources:Room For Doubt See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We’re excited to bring you this conversation with Dr. Don Sanders, who is the Director of the Merold Institute of Ministry and the Staff Development Pastor at Harvester Christian Church in St. Charles, MO. He is also a long-time adjunct for SLCC, teaching in the areas of ministry, Biblical languages, and education. Don is a 1991 graduate of SLCC, a graduate of Lincoln Christian University, and recently graduated from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary with his doctorate.  In our conversation, we focus on the role of Christian higher education in the ministry landscape today. You’ll learn about online vs. face-to-face education, how The Merold Institute brings a unique approach to ministry education, the future of Christian higher education, and much more. To access the show notes for this episode, please visit https://stlchristian.edu/podcast012.

The Basic Bible Podcast is back after a long hiatus! This is a two-part episode as Ray Jewell and I are back on the campus of Lincoln Christian University. This time we are there to explore the Room For Doubt apologetic program. Joining us are the creators of the program, Dr. Richard Knopp and Dr. Zach Breitenbach. In this first installment we talk about doubt in general and explain how this program addresses just that.Recommended Resources:Room For Doubt See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We are on location for this episode, recording in a real podcast studio hosted at Lincoln Christian University in Lincoln, IL. Joining us is the President of Lincoln Christian University, Dr. Don Green. Also joining us, a proud alumnus of LCU, our own co-host Ray Jewell. You'll want to listen to this fascinating conversation about Christian education and future of higher education itself.Recommended Resources:Excellent Sheep: The Miseducation of the American Elite and the Way to a Meaningful Life by William Deresiewicz See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We are excited to bring you this conversation with Dr. Rich Knopp, Professor of Philosophy and Christian Apologetics at Lincoln Christian University in Lincoln, IL. Dr. Knopp is also the Coordinator for Room For Doubt, a grant-­funded program that seeks to create an atmosphere in which tough questions – even doubts – about the Christian faith can be openly expressed and discussed, without intimidation. In addition, Dr. Knopp is the Program Director for WorldViewEyes, a program that has received over $1 million in grant funds to challenge youth to understand and embrace a Christian worldview.  As a graduate of SLCC, Dr. Knopp is a long-time friend of the college. In this interview, we explore his influences and background, and how those connect to SLCC. You’ll hear an amazing story about a particular Chapel service he experienced as a student, and how it changed the course of his life. Dr. Knopp also goes into detail about the Room for Doubt project and its impact on those both inside and outside the Christian faith.  To access the show notes for this episode, please visit https://stlchristian.edu/podcast007.

In this episode Ray and I are back on the road with all the background noise to prove it... Ray and I traveled back to Lincoln Christian University where we were able to record a few interviews and tour a really cool Abraham Lincoln museum. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Eugene Daniel, co-anchor of WMBD News at 4, 6 and 10 p.m. could easily be called the “hardest working man in broadcasting.” Besides his duties at WMBD-TV, he also holds down a weekend air shift at WCIC-FM, is pursuing a M.Div from Lincoln Christian University in Lincoln, IL., and volunteers at St. Paul Baptist Church among many other things!

We are thrilled to bring you this conversation with Terry Stine, the President of St. Louis Christian College. Terry came to SLCC in 2017 after serving as the President of Boise Bible College for ten years.  Before stepping into the role of President at Boise Bible College, he served as the Professor of Missions there for two years. Previous to his ministry at Boise, Terry was the Executive Director of Ninos de Mexico for twenty years, the Preaching Minister at First Christian Church in St. Peters, Missouri (now called Mid Rivers Christian Church), and held youth ministries in Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. Terry holds a Bachelor of Theology in Missions from Ozark Christian College, a Master of Arts in Preaching from Lincoln Christian University, and is in the process of PhD studies from Johnson University. He also serves on the Board of Directors for ABHE (Association for Biblical Higher Education). Terry and his wife, Carol, have four children and ten grandchildren. He enjoys golf, fishing, hunting, and collecting fountain pens.  As you can see, Terry is a busy leader! But I was grateful that he took a few minutes of his time to sit down for this interview. We met in the conference room near his office in the White House (yes, we have a building on campus called the White House, which is where the President and several others have offices).  One of the things you’ll hear in our conversation is Terry’s passion for higher education and for SLCC. I was also struck by his honesty about the challenges of higher education today. I know you’ll be blessed and challenged as Terry shares his story. In our conversation, we explore a number of topics, including Terry’s early years as a Christian, the challenges of higher education today, the impact of Ferguson on SLCC, and what advice Terry would give to his younger self. To access the show notes for this episode, please visit https://stlchristian.edu/podcast005.

Music is satisfying to me. Whether it is a screeching rock opera, a soft ballad, a jazz tune with blazing sax and trumpet jams, a beautiful symphony or a simple song sung by a talented vocalist, I am transported to that place where I am at ease and I get that tingling down my spine. I connect to God through music as well. I am transported to the throne of God through music and when I can hear everyone around me singing, it just brings tears of joy to my eyes. My mom knew this about me at a young age, so she always tried to steer me towards Christian music, so her and my dad made sure that I got to go to a lot of Christian concerts. One such concert that sticks in my mind is a concert that I went to at Lincoln Christian University with the late Rich Mullins. His main song was Awesome God, but that was not what triggered me, it was the rain storm that the audience made before that song. Rich directed the crowd to start with rubbing your fingers in your hand and then moving to a snapping of the fingers to a golf clap and a harder clap to smacking the knees and back to the rubbing of the palms. With a large crowd doing this all together, it sounds like a rain storm and just thinking about it tingles the spine. Now that I'm a parent, I'm always on the lookout for ways to help my kids connect with God and I found one for my daughter Kylie. She loves to watch ASMR videos on YouTube because they are satisfying to her. This past Christmas, she wanted a microphone that she could use to make her own ASMR videos. That same microphone inspired me to create this podcast, so I had a genius thought of creating an episode of this podcast dedicated to ASMR and how we can use it to help us connect with God better. I have to admit to you that this episode is a true proud parent moment for me and I am so glad that I get to share it with you. I think that we will explore this more in further episodes, but for now, enjoy the satisfying sounds with Kylie. I learned much from researching ASMR. It is like a lot of things in life, it's all in how you use it. There are some sides of it that I definitely want to steer my kids from and I'm looking at it from the how do I use something my kids are in to the lead them closer to God. If you would like to see what ASMR is, here are a few resources: The New York has a good article explaining ASMR and will give you some insight into how it works and why it's in the news, "'Life with Mak' Star Makenna Kelly, 13, Quits YouTube" (https://www.thecut.com/2019/06/asmr-makenna-kelly-life-with-mak-youtube-quit.html). I found a very helpful article at ASMR University (https://asmruniversity.com/about-asmr/what-is-asmr/). Brain Tingles: The Secret to Triggering Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response for Improved Sleep, Stress Relief, and Head-to-Toe Euphoria (https://www.amazon.com/Brain-Tingles-Triggering-Head-Toe/dp/150720762X/) by Craig Richard PhD. ASMR Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response - How to Use Sound for Meditation, Relaxation, Pleasure and Better Sleep (https://www.amazon.com/ASMR-Autonomous-Sensory-Meridian-Response-ebook/dp/B07HGDBZ8G/ref=sr_1_16?keywords=ASMR&qid=1560343520&s=digital-text&sr=1-16) by Jane Whitaker and Michelle Murillo Special Guest: Kylie Oyler.

GUEST SPEAKER: Dr. Paul Kissling is a professor of Old Testament at Lincoln Christian University. He has taught graduate and undergraduate courses and lectured in more than 40 countries on four continents. Lessons from Rahab - Joshua 2 (and others) Rahab is just one of many believers recorded in Scripture who seems (to religious types) as especially unlikely to ever be a recipient of saving grace.  Dr. Kissling summarizes her story and provides several points of application.

In this edition of Reining in Ray, Ray and I talk about our recent road trips. Actually, this podcast was recorded in the car, so you'll hear my muffler and a few road noises. (Shout out to Fearnside's Fix All) First, we drove down to Lincoln Christian University for a seminary lectureship on Technology, Transhumanism and Morality. This is also the college Ray spent quite some time at. In that same week, Ray and I headed north to Memorial Baptist Church in Verona, WI for a conference on forgiveness with Pastor Chris Brauns. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Guest Speaker David Upchurch from Lincoln Christian University preaches on how to be used by God and be involved in your church and throughout your community, spreading the Good News of Jesus.

Our special guest is Dr. Casey Tygrett, author of the book Becoming Curious: A Spiritual Practice of Asking Questions. Curiosity is essential to growth. A little curiosity moves us deeper into the lives of the people around us. It leads to opportunities we never knew existed. A little curiosity helps us understand our own strange emotions. If it is focused on Jesus, it will make us more like Him. Pastor and spiritual director Casey Tygrett loves to ask questions. "There's a difficult line to walk between what we need to know and what falls into the realm of mystery," he writes. "Walking that line often wears on our nerves and causes incredible tension, and so we settle for easy answers. We stop asking questions. We give up. We begin to lose the one thing that fiercely energizes the transformation of our souls—something beautiful, poetic, joyful, and happily disruptive. When we make curiosity a spiritual practice, we open up to new ways of knowing God and knowing ourselves as well. Come and discover the power of asking questions. Casey Tygrett (DMin, Lincoln Christian Seminary) is a pastor, blogger, adjunct seminary professor, and spiritual director who serves as the teaching pastor at Heartland Community Church in Rockford, Illinois. He was previously pastor of spiritual formation at Parkview Community Church in Tinley Park, Illinois, and has taught at Lincoln Christian University and Seminary and Emmanuel Christian Seminary. He is the author of The Jesus Rhythm and has written for The Christian Standard, TheOoze.com, and the Apprentice Institute blog. Visit Dr. Tygrett's website at www.caseytygrett.com

Saturday 4/15/16 1pm ET/12pm CTRL/7am MTN/6am Pac Call in and listen and ask questions or share comments at 1-347-934-0379 or online at: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/healingxoutreach/2017/04/15/debate-is-the-resurrection-of-jesus-history-or-mythology-albrecht-vs-loftus You can also listen via Six screens telenetwork at (712) 432-8710 When prompted dial 9925. Have a comment would like to talk with us press *1 to unmute yourself or by video suite at: http://www.sixscreensofthewatchtower.com/telenetwork/telenetwork-directions.php Atheist John W. Loftus is a prolific author of several books such as: Why I Became an Atheist: A Former Preacher Rejects Christianity, The Christian Delusion: Why Faith Fails, Christianity Is Not Great: How Faith Fails, and How to Defend the Christian Faith: Advice from an Atheist among many others. He is the founder of the website, http://debunkingchristianity.blogspot.com/. He earned two master's degrees at Lincoln Christian University and at Trinity Evangelical DivinityUniversity under William Lane Craig. He is an accomplished debater.  Catholic Apologist William Albrecht is also an accomplished debater who has a B.A. in theology and is a member of the Catholic Legate. You can find out more about him at: http://catholic legate.com/ and http://www.youtube.com/gnrhead 

Saturday 12/17/16 1pm ET/12pm CTRL/7am MTN/6am Pac Call in and listen and ask questions or share comments at 1-347-934-0379 or online at: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/healingxoutreach/2016/12/17/btr-the-virgin-birth-debate-atheist-john-loftus-vs-catholic-william-albrecht You can also listen via Six screens telenetwork at (712) 432-8710 When prompted dial 9925. Have a comment would like to talk with us press *1 to unmute yourself or by video suite at: http://www.sixscreensofthewatchtower.com/telenetwork/telenetwork-directions.php Atheist John W. Loftus is a prolific author of several books such as: Why I Became an Atheist: A Former Preacher Rejects Christianity, The Christian Delusion: Why Faith Fails, Christianity Is Not Great: How Faith Fails, and How to Defend the Christian Faith: Advice from an Atheist among many others. He is the founder of the website, http://debunkingchristianity.blogspot.com/. He earned two master's degrees at Lincoln Christian University and at Trinity Evangelical DivinityUniversity under William Lane Craig. He is an accomplished debater.  Catholic Apologist William Albrecht is also an accomplished debater who has a B.A. in theology and is a member of the Catholic Legate. You can find out more about him at: http://catholic-legate.com/, http://www.youtube.com/gnrhead and http://www.godtube.com/catholic/

Guest speaker Zack Thompson from Lincoln Christian University closes out our series and talks about the abundant life that is here for us now. How a life filled with relentless love is lavished on us so we share that with others. Zack talks about how we should be completely satisfied by celebrating that God loves us, by connecting with other believers for encouragement, and by contributing to the Kingdom by sharing an abundant life with others.

John W. Loftus should be a Christian. He attended and graduated from Great Lakes Christian College, Lincoln Christian University, and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School where he learned under apologist William Lane Craig. But he’s spent the last several years debunking the faith. His books include Why I Rejected Christianity, Why I Became an Atheist, and The Outsider Test for Faith. His latest book is strangely called How to Defend the Christian Faith. I spoke with John about the worst argument Christian apologists use, how learning the Bible caused him to leave the faith, and whether rejecting Christianity is the same thing as becoming an atheist.

Jill Shanteau, LCSW & Jessica Culp, LPC. Trauma Therapy in The Time of COVID This one has been a long time coming. Today I’m honored to be joined by two long-time Trauma Therapist | 2.0 members, Jill Shanteau and Jessica Culp. Jill and Jessica met through the membership a few years ago and have continued to remain in contact. Today they share their experiences of what it’s been like to deliver therapy within the context of COVID while still attempting to stay healthy and sane! Jill Shanteau, LCSW Jill is employed as a therapist at the Harry S Truman VA in Columbia, Missouri. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Life Science from Kansas State University and a Master's Degree in Social Work from Washburn University. While Jill always endeavored to be a therapist, it wasn't until 2014, after facing some personal and family challenges, that she relocated from Virginia to Missouri and began taking the steps to eventually earn full clinical licensure in 2017. As a former Department of the Army civilian employee at The Pentagon, Jill became intimately familiar with the struggles that service members face as they return from deployment or make the challenging transition from the military into the civilian community. Now with five years of experience at Veterans Affairs, Jill has spent a majority of her social work career serving service members, veterans, and  their families. Jill is married and enjoys spending time with her husband and son. She is an avid Brene Brown fan, having relished the opportunity to once shake the author's hand. Jill is a former Eagle Leader Fellow and Chapter Captain and a current volunteer for Team Red, White, and Blue (Team RWB), an organization that seeks to enrich the lives of America's veterans by connecting them to their community through physical and social activity. She loves to learn and can often be found reading several books at the same time or listening to various trauma-related podcasts. She has been a member of the Trauma Therapist 2.0 since November 2016. Jessica Culp, LPC Jessica, MA, LPC, is a licensed trauma counselor at Steadfast Center LLC in Champaign, Illinois and a 2018 masters of counseling graduate from Lincoln Christian University. Steadfast Center LLC specializes in helping individuals heal from relational and complex trauma. This is Jessica’s second career, after receiving her Bachelor’s degree in Communications in 2003 and working in the marketing and resource development field for three local nonprofit organizations that included a food bank, a children’s home, and a crisis nursery. Jessica has been listening to the Trauma Therapist Podcast since she began her studies in counseling in September of 2015, and joined Trauma Therapist 2.0 ( https://www.thetraumatherapistproject.com/community/trauma2/ ) in December 2016. In This Episode * Onsite ( https://www.onsiteworkshops.com/ ) * Trauma Therapist | 2.0 ( https://the-trauma-therapist-project.teachable.com/p/trauma-therapist-2-0-1 ) Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-trauma-therapist-podcast-with-guy-macpherson-phd-inspiring-interviews-with-thought-leaders-in-the-field-of-trauma/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

I’m very excited to have back on the podcast, Trauma Therapist | 2.0 member, Jessica Culp, MA, LPC.Jessica has joined me on the podcast a few times, sharing her journey, from intern to new trauma clinician. She was lost on the podcast on episode 275.Jessica is a licensed trauma counselor at Steadfast Center LLC in Urbana Illinois and a 2018 masters of counseling graduate from Lincoln Christian University. Steadfast Center LLC is a new practice in central Illinois specializing in helping individuals heal from relational and complex trauma.This is Jessica’s second career, after receiving her Bachelor’s degree in Communications in 2003 and working in the marketing and resource development field for three local nonprofit organizations that included a food bank, a children’s home, and a crisis nursery.Jessica has been listening to the Trauma Therapist Podcast since she began her studies in counseling in September of 2015, and joined Trauma Therapist 2.0 in December 2016.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-trauma-therapist-podcast-with-guy-macpherson-phd-inspiring-interviews-with-thought-leaders-in-the-field-of-trauma/donationsWant to advertise on this podcast? Go to https://redcircle.com/brands and sign up.

In this interview, Jessica Culp, a long-time Trauma Therapist | 2.0 member, takes the mic and interviews me. I’ve been a guest on a number of other podcasts and truly enjoy the experience. In this interview, however, Jessica does a great job of inviting me to share a number of things I honestly don’t think I’ve shared on other shows before So, if you’re looking for a little behind-the-scenes here at The Trauma Therapist | Podcast, then this episode is for you. Jessica achieved her Masters in Mental Health Counseling August of 2018 from Lincoln Christian Seminary. Jessica received her clinical training at Lincoln Christian University and Piatt County Mental Health Center. She is currently the Intake Coordinator at east central Illinois’ newest trauma focused practice, Steadfast Center, in Urbana, Illinois. She is looking forward to seeing client’s after she receives her license as a professional counselor (LPC) later this year. This will be Jessica’s second career, after six years working in the marketing and resource development field for three local non profit organizations. Jessica has been listening to the Trauma Therapist Podcast since September of 2015, and has been a Trauma Therapist 2.0 since December 2016. Jessica can be reached at: jessica@steadfastcenter.com Steadfast Center’s websiteSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-trauma-therapist-podcast-with-guy-macpherson-phd-inspiring-interviews-with-thought-leaders-in-the-field-of-trauma/donationsWant to advertise on this podcast? Go to https://redcircle.com/brands and sign up.

This week I’m so excited to have back on the podcast, Trauma Therapist | 2.0 member, Jessica Culp. Jessica first joined me on episode 237. I thought it would be a great idea to invite her back to talk about her experiences as a student, a young therapist, and as a member of Trauma Therapist | 2.0, progressing along her trauma-informed journey. Jessica is a graduate student at Lincoln Christian University in Lincoln, Illinois. As part of the University’s Seminary program, she hopes to achieve her Masters in Arts Counseling Degree in 2018. This will be Jessica’s second career, after receiving her Bachelor’s degree in Communications in 2003 and working in the marketing and resource development field for three local nonprofit organizations that included a foodbank, a children’s home and a crisis nursery. Jessica has been listening to the Trauma Therapist Podcast since she began her studies in counseling in September of 2015, and joined Trauma Therapist 2.0 in December 2016.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-trauma-therapist-podcast-with-guy-macpherson-phd-inspiring-interviews-with-thought-leaders-in-the-field-of-trauma/donationsWant to advertise on this podcast? Go to https://redcircle.com/brands and sign up.

In this episode, I continue my interviews with members of my membership community, Trauma Therapist | 2.0, and speak with Jessica Culp. Jessica is a graduate student at Lincoln Christian University in Lincoln, Illinois. As part of the University's Seminary program, she hopes to achieve her Masters in Arts Counseling Degree in 2018.  This will be Jessica's second career, after receiving her Bachelor’s degree in Communications in 2003 and working in the marketing and resource development field for three local nonprofit organizations that included a foodbank, a children's home and a crisis nursery.  Jessica has been listening to the Trauma Therapist Podcast since she began her studies in counseling in September of 2015, and joined Trauma Therapist 2.0 in December 2016.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-trauma-therapist-podcast-with-guy-macpherson-phd-inspiring-interviews-with-thought-leaders-in-the-field-of-trauma/donationsWant to advertise on this podcast? Go to https://redcircle.com/brands and sign up.