Deep Spirituality

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Real Ones: Why People Don't Go To Church Sep 15, 2021

Show notes

If we’re going to be real enough who show people God, we have to take our masks off.

The worst culture that can exist in our families and communities is when we feel the collective peer pressure to put a mask on and appear to be something we’re not. God wants us to be our real selves, and when we decide not to hide what’s really inside, we can see that sin is not who we are, but the obstacle we are meant to overcome.

Those kinds of cultures make people attracted to church. Join Russ and Mike as they discuss how our relationship with God should make us real, and how to overcome the hypocrisy that gets in our way.

How To Have A Spiritual Conversation | ReUpload May 13, 2021

Show notes

This is a reupload of a previous podcast. We are releasing it because in a world where relationships are strained by the Pandemic this one is perfectly timed and at tune with what we need, relationships. Visit DeepSpirituality.com to sign up for our newsletter if you want devotionals, podcast and more delivered straight to your inbox.
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While David was at Horesh in the Desert of Ziph, he learned that Saul was coming to kill him. [16] But Saul’s son Jonathan went to David at Horesh and strengthened his faith in God. [17] Jonathan told him, “Don’t be afraid, because my father won’t touch you. You will be king of Israel, and I will be second to you. Even my father Saul knows this.” [18] The two of them made an agreement before the LORD. Then Jonathan went home, but David stayed at Horesh.
1 Samuel 23:15-18 NCV

Our conversations are what change us. When we can understand the art of having a conversation we can then address one another's faith and deal with the fear inside that keeps us from growing. Russ Ewell sits down with Ray Kim and Nathan Schaffernoth to talk about the 5 steps to having spiritual conversations.

Listening is having the curiosity to learn from every conversation. Set aside the Time, put in the time to have a relationship that has great conversations is important. Once you've heard, you want to Reflect, to know what you don't know and think deeply about what was said. Then you can ask Questions, but you want to Understand yourself enough to know what questions to ask. Finally, Respond to share your lifeand continue deepening your conversations.

Episode References:

Staying Focused On What Really Matters In The Midst Of Worry | ReUpload May 07, 2021

Show notes

This is a reupload of a previous podcast. We are pairing this episode with the article, "Staying Calm | How To Have Faith That Stills Storms" for our Quiet Time Kick-Starter this week. Visit DeepSpirituality.com to sign up for our newsletter if you want devotionals, podcast and more delivered straight to your inbox.
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In this scripture, Martha’s worry and stress makes her focused on the wrong things.

She is so fixated on getting everything done and checking on her to-do list that she loses sight of what really matters – our relationships, especially our relationship with God.

When we get caught up in the stress of life, we miss out on the peace and contentment God really wants to give us. We must decide to dig deep in our hearts to find the source of our anxiety and worry so that God can relieve and heal us.

Join Russ and Nick Straw as they discuss Nick’s article, “A Bible Study on Staying Focused (for the Chronically Anxious),” and how to get focused back on what really matters.

If you’d like to email the show, send us a message at podcast@deepspirituality.com

References

A Bible Study on Staying Focused (for the Chronically Anxious)
Father Heart of God by Floyd McClung
Healing for Damaged Emotions by David Seamands
Forrest Gump
Penny Hardaway
Michael Jordan
Magic Johnson
Jackie Chan
The Karate Kid
Steven Seagal
Tom Brady
Joe Montana
Clint Eastwood
The Outlaw Josey Wales
Anxiety and Depression in the Classroom: A Teacher’s Guide to Fostering Self-Regulation in Young Students by Nadja Reilly
Mindfulness for Teen Anxiety: A Workbook for Overcoming Anxiety at Home, at School, and Everywhere Else by Christopher Willard
Parenting the New Teen in the Age of Anxiety: A Complete Guide to Your Childs Stressed, Depressed, Expanded, Amazing Adolescenceby John Duffy
Under Pressure: Confronting the Epidemic of Stress and Anxiety in Girls by Lisa Damour

6 Ways to Surrender Anxiety Apr 21, 2021

Show notes

Matthew 6:33-34 TPT

"So above all, constantly chase after the realm of God's kingdom and the righteousness that proceeds from him. Then all these less important things will be given to you abundantly. [34] Refuse to worry about tomorrow, but deal with each challenge that comes your way, one day at a time. Tomorrow will take care of itself."

When we are anxious, our minds are almost always focused on the material rather than the spiritual. We need God’s help to let go of control, defeat the anxiety in our hearts and lives, and embrace the joy and freedom that comes with relying on our relationship with God.

Join Russ and friends as they conclude their podcast series on Why Anxiety is the Enemy of Spirituality, and discuss helpful and practical ways to break free from the grip anxiety has on many of our lives.

Resources

The Pursuit of God - A.W. Tozer

Defeating Anxiety with Spirituality Apr 15, 2021

Show notes

Surrender your anxiety! Be silent and stop your striving and you will see that I am God. I am the God above all the nations, and I will be exalted throughout the whole earth.
Psalm 46:10 TPT

APA defines anxiety as “an emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts, and physical changes like increased blood pressure.” All of us have anxiety, and we need to be aware of how it affects us and our relationships. God wants to give us the peace we need to surrender anxiety and silence our hearts.

Join Russ and friends as they discuss how God’s peace can calm our hearts, along with defeating our anxiety with spirituality.

Resources:

APA’s definition of anxiety

Psalm 46:2-3 TPT

Psalm 46:4-5 TPT

Psalm 46:8-9 TPT

Why Anxiety is the Enemy of Spirituality Apr 07, 2021

Show notes

John 15:8 TPT

When your lives bear abundant fruit, you demonstrate that you are my mature disciples who glorify my Father!

One of the best parts of our relationship with God is the opportunity and capacity for change. But when we become self-reliant, change feels more like a burden than a cause for joy. We need God-reliance to relieve ourselves of the anxiety self-reliance brings, and simply enjoy how God transforms our lives.

Join Russ and friends as they discuss the spirituality behind why we resist growth, in this first episode of a multiple-part series about why anxiety is the enemy of spirituality.

Scripture References:

John 15:1-8 TPT

2 Corinthians 3:16-18 NIV

God is Not an Imaginary Friend Apr 01, 2021

Show notes

Psalm 73:1-3 NIV

[1] Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. [2] But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. [3] For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

Many of us struggle in our relationship with God and he becomes distant and unreal, and it can be hard to admit that we doubt God. Like the psalmist in the above scripture, when we go through difficulty, seeing the lives of others make us feel empty and we can see God as unreal.

But the psalmist saw that he didn’t have a people problem, but a God problem. When we focus on people and religion instead of knowing God, we will see and portray God as an imaginary friend.

Join Russ and friends as they discuss the importance of having such a dynamic and impactful relationship with God that others can’t help but see God as real.

Resources:

Joseph Campbell
Secret Friends: Tapping Into The Power Of Imagination
Sarah Pulliam Bailey - Washington Post
George Carlin
Scripture references
- Psalm 90:14
- Matthew 9:37-38
- Psalm 62:7 VOICE
- James 2:16-23
Richard Dawkins - Outgrowing God

Becoming the Church God Wants Us to Be Mar 24, 2021

Show notes

Romans 15:20 NLT

My ambition has always been to preach the Good News where the name of Christ has never been heard, rather than where a church has already been started by someone else.

In order to build a non-traditional church, we need to focus less on getting religious people to join our church rather than someone else’s, and focus more on reaching people who don’t know God. When this is our mindset, we will be more inclusive, creative, and bold in reaching others.

Join Russ and friends as they discuss the 14 ideas for building the 21st-century church, and how living like a Christian is simply about loving, caring, and getting to know others.
Resources:

Eight Reasons People Are Leaving Denominational Churches for Non-denominational Churches
- https://churchanswers.com/blog/eight-reasons-people-are-leaving-denominational-churches-for-non-denominational-churches/
The rise of the nons: Why nondenominational churches are winning over mainline churches
- https://www.deseret.com/2011/2/26/20175868/the-rise-of-the-nons-why-nondenominational-churches-are-winning-over-mainline-churches
New Harvard Research Says U.S. Christianity Is Not Shrinking, But Growing Stronger
- https://thefederalist.com/2018/01/22/new-harvard-research-says-u-s-christianity-not-shrinking-growing-stronger/
Shuffling Sheep: Church Growth Does Not Necessarily Equal Reaching People
- https://keelancook.com/2016/09/09/shuffling-sheep-church-growth-does-not-necessarily-equal-reaching-people/
Lessons We Can Learn from J.Cole’s “Change”
- https://deepspirituality.com/lessons-we-can-learn-from-j-coles-change/

How to Get Churches More Comfortable with Change Mar 18, 2021

Show notes

He saw the sky open, and something like a large sheet was let down by its four corners. [12] In the sheet were all sorts of animals, reptiles, and birds. [13] Then a voice said to him, “Get up, Peter; kill and eat them.” [14] “No, Lord,” Peter declared. “I have never eaten anything that our Jewish laws have declared impure and unclean. ” [15] But the voice spoke again: “Do not call something unclean if God has made it clean.” [16] The same vision was repeated three times. Then the sheet was suddenly pulled up to heaven.

Acts 10:11-16 NLT

The New Testament church was faced with a cultural change. When Gentiles became Christians, it was first met with resistance from the more religious Jewish Christians. They wanted to make them conform to their culture, like eating certain kinds of foods, instead of accepting and embracing their differences. But God taught Peter that he is about so much more than culture. He wants to reach hearts, not conform behaviors.

Our churches today are faced with the same dilemma. We too must question our traditions and be willing to change. This doesn't mean compromising spiritual and biblical convictions, but welcoming and embracing people who are different. Join Russ and friends as they continue to discuss how to get churches more comfortable with change.

Building a Church for the 21st Century Mar 10, 2021

Show notes

Meanwhile, the believers who had been scattered during the persecution after Stephen’s death traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch of Syria. They preached the word of God, but only to Jews. [20] However, some of the believers who went to Antioch from Cyprus and Cyrene began preaching to the Gentiles about the Lord Jesus. [21] The power of the Lord was with them, and a large number of these Gentiles believed and turned to the Lord

Acts 11:19-21 NLT

The New Testament Christians lived in a world very much like today, where the majority of people don’t participate in the culture that Christians live in. Just as the New Testament Christians reached the Gentiles of their time - the people who had no association with church - we must do the same. In this 21st century, our churches must have the capacity to ask themselves if what they’ve done up until now is not going to work moving forward. What does it mean to be a non-traditional church?

Join Russ and friends as they discuss how to make the church accessible to someone who’s not “on the inside,” and how to experience and spread spirituality that is not only intellectual or philosophical, but relational.

Resources:

Paula Fredriksen - Paul: Apostle to the Pagans

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