CCEF Podcast: Where Life & Scripture Meet

Latest Episodes:

Created to Draw Near: Beyond Devotional Doldrums Sep 16, 2024

Show notes

Today's episode is a session from our 2020 National Conference: Created to Draw Near. The session is by Mike Emlet and is titled "Beyond Devotional Doldrums: Using Scripture and Prayer to Foster Intimacy with God." Emlet discusses some practices to faithfully and creatively engage in Scripture reading and prayer, which are two means God has provided for believers to regularly draw near to him and strengthen our faith.

We're looking forward to our 2024 National Conference: Rest in just a few weeks! There's still time to register for the conference in-person and virtually. Learn more at ccef.org/2024.

Replay: Rest Sep 04, 2024

Show notes

This fall we're taking a longer break from the podcast while we work on a new format with more frequent episodes. We're excited to launch that in 2025! In the meantime, we'll be sharing some previously released resources with you.

Today's episode is a rerun of an episode we released a few years ago titled "Rest." We hope you're encouraged by this episode to draw near to the God of rest.

Mentioned in this episode: We're thinking a lot about rest as we prepare for our national conference on the topic. We hope you'll join us for the conference this October, whether online or in Chattanooga, TN. You can learn more at ccef.org/2024.

Trauma: When Death Intrudes by Ed Welch (Bonus Episode) Jul 19, 2024

Show notes

Enjoy a bonus episode while we're on break over the summer! This episode is a recording of Ed Welch's plenary session from the 2023 National Conference: Trauma.

This year's national conference will explore the topic of rest: a foundational way of living out the Christian life that can only be learned from Christ and put into practice amid the challenges of daily life. Learn more and register at ccef.org/2024.

To receive a $25 discount on your in-person registration, use the code "podcast" at checkout. This discount is valid through the end of August 2024.

Find all the sessions from our 2023 National Conference: Trauma here.

Answering Your Questions on Emotions Jun 14, 2024

Show notes

In this last episode of our miniseries on emotions, Alasdair Groves answers 11 questions submitted by our listeners. We hope these answers are edifying to you! You can read a transcript of this episode here. Mentioned in this episode: We're excited to be doing a giveaway of some CCEF-branded items! To enter, visit ccef.org/podcast-giveaway. Winners will be chosen and notified via email on July 5. Are you looking for an answer to a particular question? See timestamps below to jump to that part of the episode.

How does a Christian deal with a tendency to struggle with joy and happiness even when life is relatively good? [3:50]
Is it a good thing when we can't control our emotions? [11:56]
Is the emotion of frustration a sin? [18:08]
What about people who don't know what they feel? [23:50]
What about when a woman's monthly period or menopause, where emotions "happen" to us and are not "our fault"? [28:00]
How do I manage or overcome strong romantic emotions that are misleading? [35:22]
What's your encouragement for someone who says he's a thinker, not a feeler? [39:48]
What do you do with emotions that you should not act out on, but are still important to process? [42:02]
How do you have empathy but also encourage resilience? [45:36]
How do we handle anger, jealousy, negative emotions, and other things that may lead to bitterness? [50:55]
Can you speak to rumination and sadness over relationships that are over? [54:12]

For further study on emotions, we want to recommend to you Untangling Emotions, a book by Alasdair Groves and Winston Smith, where they seek to biblically frame emotions and consider how to wisely engage with them.

Jesus & Happiness May 01, 2024

Show notes

Is it okay to be happy? Was Jesus happy? Are you happy? Listen as Alasdair Groves considers these three questions.

This is episode 5 in a miniseries on emotions, where we are considering how to understand Jesus's emotions and how that helps us understand our own.

Mentioned in this episode: we recently released our latest issue of the Journal of Biblical Counseling, which includes articles on topics such as trauma, the empty nest, faithfulness in marriage, and scrupulosity. Learn more here.

Find a transcript of the episode here

For more resources on emotions, including blogs, podcasts, videos, and more, click here.

New Podcast: Introducing the CCEF Blogcast Apr 22, 2024

Show notes

Today we're excited to share with you a recent project we've been working on. We started a new podcast called the CCEF Blogcast, where CCEF faculty read their own blogs. We hope you enjoy this special episode as Ed Welch reads his blog, "Become a Psalmist." For more content like this, check out the CCEF Blogcast wherever you listen to podcasts.

Music: "Created by Design" by Cody Martin

Jesus & Anger Apr 01, 2024

Show notes

How can understanding Jesus' emotions help us understand our own? Listen as Alasdair Groves focuses on one particular emotion which Jesus felt: anger, which we see in Scripture is often directed at the things that turn people away from him. "Jesus is angry about anything that pulls his people away from him, that pulls his people away from their home, the place of life, the house of the living God, where he is leading us to dwell forever and ever." Mentioned in this episode: We recently released a new podcast called the CCEF Blogcast! Listen as CCEF authors read their own blogs on a variety of topics. You can find it on your favorite podcast app! This is episode 4 in a miniseries on emotions (listen to episode 1, episode 2, and episode 3). Quick reminder: the final episode of this miniseries will be a response to listener questions. Do you have any questions about emotions? We'd love to hear from you! Email us your question at podcast@ccef.org. Related resources:

Good & Angry | Book by David Powlison
Be Angry & Do Not Sin | Blog post by Ed Welch
Untangling Emotions | Book by Alasdair Groves

Jesus & Compassion Mar 01, 2024

Show notes

How can understanding Jesus' emotions help us understand our own? Listen as Alasdair Groves focuses on one particular emotion which Jesus felt: compassion, an ache on the heart that presses toward action to make things better." God sees our frantic bleating, living like sheep without a shepherd, harassed and helpless. He is a good shepherd, and he has compassion on his sheep, even especially where we struggle to have compassion for others." Mentioned in this podcast: We're excited to announce the 2024 CCEF National Conference on the topic of rest. Learn more and register at ccef.org/nc24. This is episode 3 in a miniseries on emotions (listen to episode 1 here and episode 2 here). Do you have any questions about emotions? You can email us at podcast@ccef.org, and we'll spend the last episode of the miniseries answering some of your questions. Related resources:

Because He Cares—for Me? | Blog post by Alasdair Groves
Saints, Sufferers, and Sinners | Book by Mike Emlet

Jesus & Dread Feb 01, 2024

Show notes

How can understanding Jesus' emotions help us understand our own? Listen as Alasdair Groves focuses on one particular emotion which Jesus felt, just hours before his crucifixion: dread. How does Jesus' experience of dread encourage us in our own experience of it? Mentioned in this podcast: Head to ccef.org/school to register for Dynamics of Biblical Change, one of our foundational courses, in the March 2024 term. Pricing increases after February 5, so register soon for the discount! This is episode 2 in a miniseries on emotions (listen to episode 1 here). Do you have any questions about emotions? You can email us at podcast@ccef.org, and we'll spend the last episode of the miniseries answering some of your questions. Related resources:

"I often experience intense emotions that can feel debilitating. How can I grow?" | Video by Alasdair Groves
Untangling Emotions | Book by Alasdair Groves & Winston Smith

Why Can't I Control My Emotions? Jan 01, 2024

Show notes

"The heart poured out to the Lord is actually a form of trust." Sometimes we find ourselves unable to control our emotions. Often this produces guilt, and we wonder, "What does that say about my faith?" How do we navigate such an experience? Listen as Alasdair Groves discusses this experience and what faithful living looks like in this first episode of a miniseries on emotions. Related resources:

Untangling Emotions | Book by Alasdair Groves & Winston Smith
Emotions Are a Language | Blog post by Ed Welch
Strong Emotions, Extreme Confidence | Blog post by Ed Welch
Negative Emotions (Part 1) | Podcast episode by Alasdair Groves

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

CCEF Podcast: Where Life & Scripture Meet

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected