What happens when character formation breaks down in church leadership? Steve Cuss and psychologist-theologian Chuck DeGroat work through the hidden dynamics behind pastoral burnout, narcissism, and the slow erosion of integrity. They explore how unexamined coping mechanisms shape identity, why church boards often miss red flags, and what it really takes to create a culture of safety and true accountability. Steve and Chuck offer tools for healthier leadership—inside and outside the church.

Resources mentioned in this episode include:

The work of Chuck DeGroat at Western Seminary

Explore the Soul Care Institute

The work of Michael Gurian

Chuck DeGroat’s When Narcissism Comes to Church: Healing Your Community From Emotional and Spiritual Abuse

Chuck DeGroat’s Wholeheartedness: Busyness, Exhaustion, and Healing the Divided Self

Chuck DeGroat’s Healing What’s Within: Coming Home to Yourself--and to God--When You're Wounded, Weary, and Wandering

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What if your earliest relationships are still shaping your faith today? With this in mind, Steve Cuss sits down with Cyd and Geoff Holsclaw to explore how attachment theory influences our connection to ourselves, others, and God. From insecure attachment styles and coping mechanisms to trauma, church culture, and spiritual growth, Steve and the Holsclaws dive deep into the psychology behind our relational patterns—and how self-awareness and God’s love can lead to healing. Listen and join Steve as you navigate closeness or independence, maybe even rethink your faith journey.

Resources mentioned in this episode include:

The Pool of Siloam, Where Jesus Healed the Blind Man

Cyd & Geoff Holsclaw’s Center for Embodied Faith

Cyd & Geoff Holsclaw’s Landscapes of the Soul: How the Science and Spirituality of Attachment Can Move You into Confident Faith, Courage, and Connection

Bessel van der Kolk’s The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma

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How can we walk with people through a crisis without burning out?

Psychologist and professor Dr. Jen Ripley joins Steve to offer a practical guide for churches supporting people facing grief, trauma, and emotional distress. From setting boundaries to building strong community networks, Jen extends clear, compassionate wisdom for both pastors and lay leaders. This episode is a must-listen for anyone seeking to care well—without losing themselves in the process.

Resources mentioned in this episode include:

Charis Institute

Regent University School of Psychology and Counseling

The Church Cares

Ministering to Families in Crisis

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What do a layover in London and a territorial swan have to do with your spiritual growth? Host Steve Cuss unpacks how life’s in-between spaces—layovers, limbo seasons, and even awkward encounters—can become sacred ground that helps us destroy false needs. Drawing from biblical stories and personal insights, Steve challenges the false needs of control and perfection that block peace and presence. If you’ve ever felt stuck or spiritually adrift, this episode offers surprising insight, humor, and hope from the unlikeliest of places, even if you are only staying for a short time.

Resources mentioned in this episode include:

Learn more about Camp Elim 

Learn more about Dan Faulkner

Being Human: Pilot Episode

Being Human: Notice and Diffuse Reactivity

Being Human: Precious vs. Core Beliefs

Being Human: The Nature of Every Belief

Learn more about the Freedom Movement and Martin Luther King Jr. 

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Capable Life Intensives

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What if doubt isn’t the enemy of faith but the beginning of deeper belief? On this episode of Being Human, Steve Cuss explores spiritual deconstruction and the way writers like Frederick Buechner and Madeleine L’Engle paved the way for honest, Christ-centered wrestling with belief. Sharing personal stories and biblical insight, Steve unpacks how anxiety, reactivity, and certainty can block spiritual growth—and how curiosity and vulnerability open the door to true connection with Jesus and others. If your faith is shifting, this episode offers clarity, hope, and a path toward deeper belief and renewal.

Resources mentioned in this episode include:

A conversation with Philip Yancey on faith and doubt

Excerpts from the works of Frederick Buechner on faith despite doubt

Madeleine L’Engle on those without doubt (video clip)

Madeleine L’Engle on faith (video clip)

The meaning of the disciples’ doubt in Matthew 28:17

Jude 1:22 and what it means to have mercy on those who doubt 

John 8 and lessons of the woman caught in adultery

“Have Mercy on Those Who Doubt” by Jon Bloom

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Cohosts Steve and Lisa Cuss revisit powerful conversations with guests like Jinger Duggar, Strahan Coleman, Ian Cron, and Greg Robbins, diving deeper into themes of spiritual growth, emotional resilience, and inner healing. Exploring the intersections of faith, mental health, and discipleship, Steve and Lisa reflect on how practices like gratitude, vulnerability, and relational awareness help us experience God’s presence more fully. Whether you’re navigating anxiety, triggers, chronic illness, or something else this episode offers rich insights for anyone seeking wholeness and a deeper sense of home. 

Resources mentioned in this episode include:

“You’re the Dawn” from the album Posters

Beholding: Deepening Our Experience in God by Strahan Coleman

Thirsting: Quenching Our Soul’s Deepest Desire by Strahan Coleman

Strahan’s music on Spotify 

Revelation Simplified: A Commonsense Approach to the Bible’s Most Mysterious Book by Greg Robbins

Learn more about Greg’s work at gregrobbinsrevelationsimplified.com. 

Becoming Free Indeed: My Story of Disentangling Faith from Fear by Jinger Duggar Vuolo

People Pleaser: Breaking Free from the Burden of Imaginary Expectations by Jinger Duggar Vuolo

Learn more about Ian’s work at ianmorgancron.com.

The Road Back to You: An Enneagram Journey to Self-Discovery by Ian Morgan Cron

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Host Steve Cuss and theologian Greg Robbins unpack the often-misunderstood Book of Revelation. Far from being a roadmap to doom, Revelation offers a powerful message of hope, calling Christians to live with courage, sacrifice, and trust in God’s ultimate victory. They tackle Armageddon, explore the nature of true power, and reframe Revelation as a deeply pastoral text for discipleship. If you've ever wrestled with end-times anxiety, this conversation will refresh your view with biblical clarity and encouragement.

Resources mentioned in this episode include:

Revelation Simplified: A Commonsense Approach To The Bible's Most Mysterious Book

Revelation Simplified

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In this episode, Steve Cuss and Strahan Coleman explore the transformative power of prayer, the role of vulnerability in faith, and the ways suffering can deepen our connection with God. Strahan shares his journey through chronic illness and the spiritual awakening that followed, offering insights into how gratitude and prayer can reshape our experience of God’s love. At the center of Steve and Strahan’s conversation is the intersection of neuroscience with faith and the reasons why the church must create space for honesty, healing, and hope. This conversation is a powerful reminder that prayer is not just a practice but a pathway to presence amid physical pain.

Resources mentioned in this episode include:

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Reality TV alum Jinger Duggar Vuolo joins host Steve Cuss to share her powerful journey from fear-based religion to authentic faith and emotional freedom. She opens up about growing up under Bill Gothard’s teachings, breaking free from people-pleasing, and healing from spiritual trauma. Together, Jinger and Steve explore how vulnerability, community, and self-awareness can lead to lasting transformation. This episode offers encouragement for anyone navigating identity, faith, and the pressure to meet others’ expectations.

Resources mentioned in this episode include:

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Author, psychotherapist, and recovering addict Ian Cron joins Steve Cuss for a powerful conversation on addiction, identity, and faith. Ian shares his personal struggles with alcoholism, the complexities of living as a public figure, and the spiritual insights gained through recovery. Steve and Ian explore the nature of addiction as a misguided solution to deeper wounds, the process of deconstructing faith on the way to reconstruction, and the church’s unique role in offering forgiveness and healing. This episode offers a raw reflection on the journey toward wholeness and the power of love in relationships.

Resources mentioned in this episode include:

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