As people of faith, doubt scares us. We ask questions such as: Does doubt mean our children will never return to faith? Will I ever experience God again? Is God angry or punishing me for my doubt? How does doubt differ from unbelief? What should I say to those who are doubting?
Joining us for this important episode is A.J. Swoboda, award winning author, theology professor, and speaker. A.J. walks us through doubt vs. unbelief, how to respond to doubt, the definition of deconstruction, why this generation may be struggling with questions about faith, and why talking through doubts with trusted people matters.
We are sure the wisdom shared in this episode will speak to you and offer a fresh and helpful perspective.
SOME THINGS YOU HEARD ON THE EPISODE
After Doubt: how to question your faith without losing it
Deconstruction is the idea of undoing something. It comes out of the German post modern tradition.
Skye Jethani – The Holy Post Podcast
Preston Sprinkle: The Center for Faith, Sexuality, & Gender
In Faith & Doubt Podcast with AJ Swoboda & NiJay Gupta
John 20 – Jesus never rushes. He waits 7 days to show Thomas his scars. It is abundantly clear that Thomas’ faith crisis was not Jesus’ faith crisis.
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As we all reel from the senseless tragedy of the Robb Elementary shooting in Uvalde, Texas, once again this subject comes to forefront of our minds and hearts.
We are asking the questions: What if this happens to my child? How do I talk to my kids about this? How do survivors of school shootings ever learn to live life again? How do we stop this? These are some of the questions we attempt to address in this interview.
Beginning with Crystal’s personal story, she helps us understand what it really means to be a “survivor,” to trust God in the hardest of circumstances, and to find life again after tragedy.
When hard things happen, here at The Sisterhood we circle up. This is what we are doing today.
This is not a part of our regular series, but a special episode released in light of recent events. May God build our faith and may we trust God over our fears.
Resources:
Triumph Over Tragedy - a healing retreat for survivors of mass shootings
To my Fellow Survivors - an open letter to survivors of mass shootings
You can reach Crystal Woodman Miller through her website
What is the opposite of something that is real? A counterfeit. It's even more than that, it tries to come off as authentic and real, but it is fake. Our guest in this week's episode has a new book titled Cultural Counterfeits: Confronting 5 Empty Promises of Our Age and How We Were Made For So Much More. In this conversation we talk with Jen Oshman about five promises the world offers women today that don't follow through.
Jen is a faithful follower of Jesus that wants to face the reality of cultural norms without necessarily buying into them. She talks with us about being informed, having winsome conversations, and coming to terms with the losses we might face when we challenge cultural counterfeits. She reminds us that Jesus is worth the price of our discomfort and he always wants us to be looking for what is true and real. He asks us to face reality with full confidence that in the end grace and hope in him are what we'll find.
If you are feeling frustrated by the common narrative that you must either embrace the cultural tides or hide from them, Jen offers a third way. She encourages us to look at our closest places of influence, where we will impact the world with the most depth and begin there. As we take seemingly small steps of faith we will find ourselves on a bigger journey with God that is made up of small step after small step. This episode is certainly centered on what we charge each other with here at the sisterhood, "Be a world changer for good right where you are." Jen gives both the why and the how of this call.
Connect with Jen
You can find Jen on her website, podcast, or Instagram
Listen to this episode
Listen on iTunes or watch it here:
Things you heard mentioned
Jen's books Cultural Counterfeits and Enough About Me
Jen's podcast All Things
"Human wellbeing requires harmony with reality."
"We are called to be a porch light in a dark night."
Thank you to our sponsor
Simply Be Box
Are you looking for a gift for the teen or tween girl in your life that she will LOVE & you can TRUST? Simply Be Box is the perfect gift for her!
Simply Be Box is a faith-based subscription box for teen & tween girls filled with fun, positive, on-trend items, and encouragement to Simply Be who God created her to be.
Use Code ODSSummer10 to receive $10 Off Your Subscription Purchase.
What’s Inside a Simply Be Box:
Each box is focused around one of what they call the “Be Attitudes”. (Be You, Be Strong, Be Kind, Be a Friend…) These are reminders of who God created each girl to be and how He wants her to live.
Each box has both a seasonal & inspirational theme and includes something to…
· Read – Faith-based devotional, book, or bible study
· Do – Craft, game, puzzle, or activity
· Wear – Clothing, jewelry, or accessory
· Eat – Healthy snack or sweet treat
· Display – Candle, cross, sticker, sign, or magnet
· Use – Health & beauty product, accessory, or gadget
Boxes ship Quarterly – Fall Box in September, Winter Box in December, Spring Box in March, Summer Box in June
2 Ways to Subscribe…
1. Annual Subscription – Pre-pay for 4 boxes & save! [Total of $250 for 4 Boxes, includes shipping. Auto renews annually until paused or cancelled]
2. Seasonal Subscription – Auto renews each quarter until paused or cancelled [$67.50 per season, includes shipping]
Their goal at Simply Be Box, through the subscription box & community, is to help teen + tween girls grow in their relationship with Jesus, know & love how they are uniquely created and encourage them to live out their faith & be a light in this world.
Simply Be Box has provided a discount code for our The Open Door Sisterhood Podcast listeners! Use Code ODSSummer10 to receive $10 Off Your Subscription Purchase. Head over to their website SimplyBeBox.com and Subscribe Today! You can also follow them on Instagram @SimplyBeBox.
Standing up for truth in this cultural moment can be challenging and vulnerable, just ask Dr. Christina Crenshaw, an associate of Cultural Engagement and Leadership with Dallas Theological Seminary. In 2021 she was thrust in the media spotlight after taking a stand on a current hot button issue (which we talk about in this episode).
From asking more questions, to finding studies and data around the topic at hand, to leaning into lived experience, we get a full picture of what it means to be equipped for hard conversations as Christians.
If you have ever found yourself discouraged by current cultural norms, this whole series is for you.
You can find Christina on her website or Instagram
SOME THINGS YOU HEARD ON THE SHOW
Courage and Calling by Gordon T. Smith
SIMPLY BE BOX
Are you looking for a gift for the teen or tween girl in your life that she will LOVE & you can TRUST? Simply Be Box is the perfect gift for her!
Simply Be Box is a faith-based subscription box for teen & tween girls filled with fun, positive, on-trend items, and encouragement to Simply Be who God created her to be.
Use Code ODSSummer10 to receive $10 Off Your Subscription Purchase.
How do we live a Christian faith in today's cultural context? What is required of us? What should be concerned about? If anything? How do we talk to our kids about changing cultural norms? And what doe the Bible say about all of this uncertainty we are feeling?
We are starting a new series on the podcast this week we are calling This Cultural Moment to talk about these very questions. In fact this series is something you all have requested. We start with an incredibly encouraging and thoughtful conversation with Dr. Jerry Sittser.
Dr. Sittser recently retired as a professor from Whitworth University and his newest book, Resilient Faith: How the Early Christian "Third Way" Changed the World gives us some historical reference for where we are today. We are not the first Christians to feel disoriented or overwhelmed by our cultural environment and we can be refined as we walk through spaces that are pushing us past (maybe way past) our comfort zones.
From questions to ask ourselves as we're parenting to spiritual practices we can employ Jerry offers practical and hopeful responses for today's Christians. He also gives us hope that living a life of faith often involves a "third way" that is unfamiliar, yet intriguing, to those living near us. We can have a resilient faith as we do the internal work God asks of us to grow into mature followers of Jesus living in today's world.
Things mentioned on the show
An article in the Atlantic, Why the Past Ten Years of American Life Have Been Uniquely Stupid
An article in the Atlantic, Why American Teens Are So Sad
Robert Putnam, Bowling Alone, The Upswing
Jesus and John Wayne by Kristen Dumez
Jerry's new book Resilient Faith: How the Early Christian "Third Way" Changed the World
The New Catechismal, contact Jerry for more
Notable quotes
“Politics is a really bad religion. We all need to be political, and involved to some degree, but we can’t expect from politics what we can only expect from God.
When we turn politics into God we’re in serious trouble. ”
“Jesus is not only the way to life, through his death and resurrection, Jesus is also the way of life.
Both are equally true and important.”
"Small is beautiful if it's faithful to God."
Our sponsor for this series
Are you looking for a gift for the teen or tween girl in your life that she will LOVE & you can TRUST? Simply Be Box is the perfect gift for her!
Simply Be Box is a faith-based subscription box for teen & tween girls filled with fun, positive, on-trend items, and encouragement to Simply Be who God created her to be.
What’s Inside a Simply Be Box:
Each box is focused around one of what they call the “Be Attitudes”. (Be You, Be Strong, Be Kind, Be a Friend…) These are reminders of who God created each girl to be and how He wants her to live.
Each box has both a seasonal & inspirational theme and includes something to…
· Read – Faith-based devotional, book, or bible study
· Do – Craft, game, puzzle, or activity
· Wear – Clothing, jewelry, or accessory
· Eat – Healthy snack or sweet treat
· Display – Candle, cross, sticker, sign, or magnet
· Use – Health & beauty product, accessory, or gadget
Boxes ship Quarterly - Fall Box in September, Winter Box in December, Spring Box in March, Summer Box in June
2 Ways to Subscribe…
1. Annual Subscription – Pre-pay for 4 boxes & save! [Total of $250 for 4 Boxes, includes shipping. Auto renews annually until paused or cancelled]
2. Seasonal Subscription – Auto renews each quarter until paused or cancelled [$67.50 per season, includes shipping]
Their goal at Simply Be Box, through the subscription box & community, is to help teen + tween girls grow in their relationship with Jesus, know & love how they are uniquely created and encourage them to live out their faith & be a light in this world.
Simply Be Box has provided a discount code for our The Open Door Sisterhood Podcast listeners! Use Code ODSSummer10 to receive $10 Off Your Subscription Purchase. Head over to their website SimplyBeBox.com and Subscribe Today! You can also follow them on Instagram @SimplyBeBox.
We are wrapping up The Brain Game series today with a Sister Straight Talk – which simply means we share our insights, a-ha moments, and chat as if we were sitting around a table with you over coffee.
In this episode we asked Dr. Lucretia Berry, founder of Brownicity to join us. We discuss the power of releasing lies, how neuroscience has helped us alter the way we manage thoughts, and how harnessing the brain can help us in conversations around race and healing.
We also talk about the three core lies: I am helpless, I am worthless, I am unloveable. If you have ever found yourself repeating one of these in your narrative, you aren’t alone. We share the one we are most likely to believe.
Join us as we reflect on neuroscience, faith, and life.
SHOW NOTES:
Lucretia’s website – brownicity.com
Hues of You – Lucretia’s book
We are wrapping up The Brain Game series today with a Sister Straight Talk – which simply means we share our insights, a-ha moments, and chat as if we were sitting around a table with you over coffee.
In this episode we asked Dr. Lucretia Berry, founder of Brownicity to join us. We discuss the power of releasing lies, how neuroscience has helped us alter the way we manage thoughts, and how harnessing the brain can help us in conversations around race and healing.
We also talk about the three core lies: I am helpless, I am worthless, I am unloveable. If you have ever found yourself repeating one of these in your narrative, you aren’t alone. We share the one we are most likely to believe.
Join us as we reflect on neuroscience, faith, and life!
THINGS YOU HEARD ON THE SHOW
Lucretia’s website – brownicity.com
Hues of You – Lucretia’s book
Switch On Your Brain By Dr. Caroline Leif
“We make our decisions and in the end our decisions make us.” – John Wooden
There are three core lies we believe:
I am helpless
I’m worthless
I am unloveable
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. - Phil.4:8
John A Powell “We have to be hard on systems and easy on people.”
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. - Romans 12:2
THANKS TO OUR SPONSOR
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