DCC Leadership Podcast

Are there words in the Bible that you struggle with understanding and applying to everyday life? Do you find it difficult to put passages of Scripture into your context in the year 2022? If you answered yes, then you're not alone, and this podcast is for you! In this first episode of the "Bible Words" series, Dr. Eddy Sanders helps us understand the person of Jesus as "Messiah and Christ." Our hope is that a deeper understanding of the word of God will transform and revolutionize your life.

In the final chapter of his letter to the Ephesians, the Apostle Paul explores the well-known imagery of the "Armor of God." It is vivid, memorable, and powerful, but its relevance and application go much deeper and speak to our current world that is filled with warfare. 2022 DCC Psychology graduate and army veteran, Matthew Scott, explores each piece of the armor and reminds us that the only way the armor of God is effective is when it is put on. The first step to putting it on, though, is "to stand." 

In this fifth episode of our "One Faith, One Body" series Matthew Anderson, a senior Psychology major, offers his insights from chapter 5 of Ephesians. Many people might read this chapter and think, "this is old-fashioned stuff; we don't need this for relationships today." But when we take a deeper look at the topic of unity and how this passage of Scripture shows us the perfect body of Christ, we understand exactly why Paul included it in his letter. This topic of unity is particularly relevant for our culture in 2022! 

Do you have a gift or talent that you love using? God has made each one of us very unique; this means that we are all born with different gifts, talents, and skills in order to grow the body of Christ. It also means that no man is an island--we can't do this all by ourselves. In this episode of the "One Faith, One Body" series, freshman Dwayne Rivera and Director of Learning Technology, Mr. Gary Hardy, tackle this topic by looking at Ephesians 4. You will be challenged to use your spiritual gifts to unite the body of Christ to grow in love and in the likeness of Christ. 

In the third episode of our "One Faith, One Body" series Zack Richardson, a sophomore Practical Ministries major, offers his insights into Paul's unveiling of the "mystery of Christ" and what it means for Jews and Gentiles to live together as one body. We are reminded in Paul's prayer for the Ephesians that Christ's love for us knows no bounds and that we serve a God who is  "able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine" (Eph. 3:20 NIV). 

One of the most difficult concepts for most Christians and non-Christians to grasp is God's grace. How could God love me with all my imperfections, mistakes and sinful attitudes? In this episode of our "One Faith, One Body" series DCC junior, Abram Navarrette, looks at Paul's explanation of grace vs. works and reminds us that "...it is by grace you have been saved" (Eph. 2:5b NIV). Living in this understanding should motivate us to live at peace with one another because we are now at peace with God. 

On this Memorial Day holiday, we return to our "Where Are They Now?" podcast series highlighting the ministries of DCC alumni. 2010 graduate Robert Courtney shares his journey of walking by faith and letting God direct his next steps. Rob currently serves as the Director of International Relations at the Morning Glory Christian Academy in San Raymundo, Guatemala. Facilitating this discussion is DCC Registrar and alumna, Crystal Laidacker. In this episode, we are reminded that being teachable, flexible and adaptable allows God to move us into areas of ministry and influence we may have never dreamed of or thought possible.

Do you like a good mystery? The Apostle Paul writes that God "made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment--to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ" (Ephesians 1:9-10 NIV). In this first episode of our new "One Faith, One Body" series Caleb Garrett, a graduating senior with a Practical Ministries degree, offers his insights into Paul's understanding of this mystery and what it means for us and the body of Christ. Over the several months we will hear from several DCC students as they share what they have learned from being in Dr. Eddy Sanders' Preaching the New Testament class. 

The writer of Proverbs states, "Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall" (Prov. 16:18 NLT). C. S. Lewis writes in Mere Christianity that, "According to Christian teachers, the essential vice, the utmost evil, is Pride. . . Pride leads to every other vice." In this final episode of the "Serve Like the King" series, DCC's Student Success Coach, Ms. Lorice Perry, looks at Samuel's confrontation with King Saul in 1 Samuel 15 and reminds all of us in leadership that disobedience to God leads to destruction. Humility is what Christ modeled for us and is the way we should interact with others (Phil. 2:3-8). 

How comfortable are you with waiting on God to move? Do you ever get impatient with God's timing and decide to take things into your own hands? In this episode of the "Serve Like the King" series, DCC's Director of Learning Technology and Associate Professor of Intercultural Studies, Mr. Gary Hardy, looks at the story of King Saul in 1 Samuel 13 and reminds us that God's way of doing things is always the best way. You will be challenged to look at events from God's point of view and be patient when it seems that God isn't moving as fast as we would like or expect.