Deep Light

About the Episode: 

Join us to hear from PCPC’s Ministry Leader of High School, Will Washington as we discuss Gen Z, their exposure to the brokenness of this world because of technology, and how this can affect outside pressures but also their awareness and hunger for truth and mission.  Will talks about how this generation will crave mentoring and that what lights kids up is the thought of living on a mission. Our children are really watching where we are anchoring in moments of crisis, doubt, or fear, and we want them to really sense that we are resting in Him being enough. If you are listening to this and you don’t feel you live this way, it’s never too late. One of the most powerful things that children can witness is your own transformation. What happens in the family is so transformational, and that’s how God designed it to be. The relational pursuit of seeking biblical answers with your children is powerful. As Will says in this episode, “The gospel is not what we do; it’s what Jesus has done, and that’s what changes us.”   

About Our Guests: 

Will Washington is the Ministry Leader of High School at Park Cities Presbyterian Church. Will grew up in Dallas and graduated from Highland Park High School in 2009. He graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 2012 with a B.A. in Philosophy and minors in Psychology and Religion and from Dallas Theological Seminary in 2017 with a Master of Arts in Christian Education. Before joining PCPC, Will worked for the youth ministries of several churches, as a counselor and Program Director at T Bar M Sports Camp, as a Bible teacher at Cornerstone Crossroads Academy, and as the Executive Director of Armour Up Ministries. He is also currently a broadcaster for Highland Park High School’s football, basketball, and baseball teams. In ministry, his passion is teaching God’s Word in the context of relationships and seeing Scripture fuel a love for Jesus and His mission in someone’s heart and life. He is also passionate about his Oklahoma Sooners and Boston Red Sox.  

Resources: 

The PCPC High School Ministry desires to help students connect to Christ and one another, abide in Christ, and extend Christ to the world. Our main opportunities to get connected are our weekly Small Groups, weekly High School Sunday Mornings, monthly Gatherings, and special events. See below for more information on how to get connected, and please let someone on our staff know if we can serve you in any way. Small Groups are at the heart of our ministry because we believe that discipleship happens best in smaller contexts. They are an opportunity for students to build deep and lasting relationships with leaders and each other while applying Scripture to their lives. Separated by grade and gender, they meet at various times weekly during the school year at host homes. If your student is not currently in a small group and you would like them to join one, there are opportunities for each grade/gender to get connected. For more information, contact [email protected]  

Check out upcoming events for High School Ministry here: https://pcpc.org/youth/high-school/  

For Middle School Ministry, please visit us here: https://pcpc.org/youth/middle-school/  

For PCPC Kids Ministry, please visit us here: https://pcpc.org/kids/   

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About the Episode: 

Join us today to hear from Mary Flo and Megan about a new, effective, and wholesome way to talk to your children about sex. There can be a lot of fear, awkwardness, and difficulty in approaching children with “the talk.” But rather than one serious conversation on the verge of pubescence, The Birds & Bees offer a simple way for parents to enter into these conversations that are not complicated, not sensual, but biblical and to the point of the beauty of His design. And then to talk about the boundaries that protect that beauty and that cause that beauty to flourish and then the brokenness outside of the boundaries. This method encourages parents to establish a family mission statement, offer open communication without shame, and anchor their children in knowledge from you which in fact becomes their protection. As Megan says, we want to start when they are young because we create a safe place that our kids can come to when they have questions. This way, over the years, we have established this pattern of trust and communication and this habit of: ‘I have a curious question, I can go to mom and dad, and I can trust that they will give me accurate information.’ Visit www.birds-bees.com and follow @birds_bees on Instagram for more guidance on how to have honest and open communication from the early stages that help give your children a strong foundation in your voice and your values as they grow and learn about the beautiful gift from God that sex is.  

About Our Guests: 

The Birds & Bees founder, Mary Flo Ridley, has been passionately sharing this message all over the world for 30 years. Mary Flo and her husband Dave have been married for 40 years, they have three married children and eight grandchildren. After growing up in El Paso, Mary Flo graduated from SMU. She loves playing with her grandchildren, baking, and traveling!  

Megan Michelson joined Mary Flo at Birds & Bees almost 6 years ago to help bring this message to a new generation of parents.  Megan was born and raised in Dallas, Texas and graduated from Baylor University. Before diving into the world of sex education, Megan was a middle school teacher.  She and her husband Blake have been married for 12 years and have three young kids. She's in the trenches of motherhood... so happy and so tired!  

Resources: 

The Birds and the Bees created an online course for parents of ages 1-10. Mary Flo and Megan created a curriculum with tired and busy parents in mind! Each session takes just a few minutes to watch and will give you practical, easy-to-use tools and leave you feeling equipped, empowered and even excited. https://birds-bees.com/pages/courses 

Tune into the Birds & Bees podcast to hear about topics like protecting our children from pornography, body exploration, and normalizing periods.  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-birds-bees/id1553412228  Follow them on Instagram! @birds_bees  

About the Host: 

A graduate of Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis, Mark Davis came to PCPC as our Youth Pastor in 2003 and became our Senior Pastor in 2009. He and his bride, Kristina, met at a Young Life Camp in 1988 and have five amazing kids, Kara (and husband, Drew), Madalyn (and husband, Jack), Cayden, Esther Kate, & Samuel.   

Verse: 

“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” -Proverbs 22:6  

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About our Guests and the Episode:  

We are excited to begin our transition from Relationships into Parenting with Tommy and Hannah Obenchain. Tommy and Hannah have been married for seven years and are parents to 18-month-old, Eliza. Mark talks with Tommy and Hannah about the beginning of their relationships as friends through dating, early marriage, and now as parents. We discuss discernment in the Lord’s will, courage in honoring one another in relationship, and patience in waiting for Him to lead us.  

About the Host:  

A graduate of Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis, Mark Davis came to PCPC as our Youth Pastor in 2003 and became our Senior Pastor in 2009. He and his bride, Kristina, met at a Young Life Camp in 1988 and have five amazing kids, Kara (and husband, Drew), Madalyn (and husband, Jack), Cayden, Esther Kate, & Samuel.  

Resources:  

Learn about PCPC’s Marriage Ministry here: https://pcpc.org/marriage/

For questions or information about any of our Marriage Ministries, please contact Melissa Hecht at [email protected].

PCPC offers a pre-marriage course called Union. UNION is a 9-week course for seriously dating, engaged, and newly married couples. We will cover topics such as the Biblical meaning of marriage, expectations, communication, in-laws, Biblical roles of husband and wife, money and stewardship, conflict management, forgiveness, and intimacy.  

For newly marrieds (up to ~3 years), PCPC fosters Small Groups. Newly Married couples are encouraged to join a small group community to study and discuss biblical marriage and the tools you need to be successful in your relationship. These groups are typically 5-6 couples and are facilitated by a seasoned married couple. These groups typically meet weekly for 12-18 months to focus solely on marriage themes.  

re|engage is a marriage enrichment program. Marriages in any condition can benefit, whether you are struggling to get along, your marriage is broken, or you simply want to grow closer together as a couple. re|engage examines God’s design for marriage and applies principles from the Bible to guide couples towards growth in their relationship with each other. You can expect to:  

 - Receive encouragement by hearing stories from other couples that have experienced victory in the midst of hard times.  

 - Be placed in a small group with a facilitator couple and other couples to work through a 16-lesson curriculum.  

Join us at 11:00 a.m. each Sunday in The Chapel for Cornerstone Family Foundations Sunday School Class. Family Foundations is a community at PCPC for adults who are mostly in their 30’s & 40’s and have pre-school to elementary aged children but is open to all who find community here. Our goal is to provide a “home base” on Sunday mornings where you can come to connect and be encouraged when you are not serving or worshipping. We understand life is busy so please just come when you can, we will be happy to have you anytime! We also offer monthly gatherings outside of Sunday mornings which help to provide more opportunities for connection and fellowship, especially for those who can’t be with us on Sundays. https://pcpc.org/communities/family-foundations/

Verse:

“Be still and know that I am God.” -Psalm 46:10

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About the Episode and Our Guests:  

Join us to hear from a group of friends who have walked through - and prayed through - life together for a long time. Flora, Stephanie, Michelle, and Eugenia discuss with Mark what fosters a safe place to be able to share and be vulnerable. This group of women started meeting as a gathering of young moms who got together to pray over their children. They didn’t begin with a plan, but they know that God did. From “Play and Pray,” their community of deep friendship grew through ages and stages, through ups and downs, with adjustment and flexibility. Tune in to learn about fellowship, our calling to simply love one another, and about how to pray both individually and as a group.  

Flora Neuhoff is married to Tom, and together, they have six children between the ages 28 to 15. They joined PCPC in 1993.  

Stephanie Briggs and her husband, TD, have four children ages 30, 29, 26, and 20. She and TD grew up in Dallas and started attending PCPC in 1991.  

Michelle Scudder and her husband, Mark, have three children ages 30, 28, and 26. They have lived in Dallas and gone to PCPC for 30 years.  

Eugenia Fersing is married to David, and they have twin girls who are 29, one daughter who is 25 and two grandbabies. They have been at PCPC since it started.  

About the Host:  

A graduate of Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis, Mark Davis came to PCPC as our Youth Pastor in 2003 and became our Senior Pastor in 2009. He and his bride, Kristina, met at a Young Life Camp in 1988 and have five amazing kids, Kara (and husband, Drew), Madalyn (and husband, Jack), Cayden, Esther Kate, & Samuel.  

Resources:  

To learn more about opportunities to find a Small Group, please visit https://pcpc.org/small-groups/.    

Growth in Christ happens several ways, and one way is through relationships with others. We were not meant to go at the Christian life alone. God designed us to need each other. We grow as we pursue Christ together.   

Small groups exist as a key place for relational discipleship, friendship, and Gospel-empowered service. They are a group of six-to-sixteen people who meet regularly in a home during the week. The hope is that Small Groups make disciples who make disciples, so that our church is strengthened, and lives are transformed (Ephesians 4:13) as the gospel is applied to all aspects of life. They are an integrated part of PCPC spiritual formation and mission.  

If you are new to PCPC or are looking for a way to grow deeper with others in our church, consider joining a small group that meets in a home! This is a great place to form new friendships, find a place of belonging and to be formed in Christ.  

There are currently two types of small groups that meet in homes: neighborhood-based and life-stage based. To learn more, email [email protected].  

"Running Scared: Fear, Worry, and the God of Rest," by Edward T. Welch  

Verses:

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” -Hebrews 10:24-25  

“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.” -Isaiah 26:3  

“In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” -Matthew 5:16   

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About the Episode: 

Join us today to hear Bill and Brenda Bogart open up with humility about how marriage is like a full-length mirror into yourself, your sin, and your selfishness. While this can cause deep brokenness, it is also a sanctifying tool for the Lord to show us where we need to grow. When we marry, we marry a sinner yet our primary identity and permanent identity is in the Lord who shows us grace and mercy. As Bill says, when we understand the Lord’s love for us, that’s when we can be most successful in loving our spouse.    

Brenda reveals that God has done His best work in the rich soil of brokenness. This is scary, yet even through pain, we can listen to the Lord through our relationships and community. Bill and Brenda also share their thoughts on comforting a friend in pain through listening with emotion; not to comment, not to fix it, not to agree with it even, but to truly listen and try to understand. Experiencing this type of love and Godly counsel in community is the essence of Christianity.   

Lastly, Bill and Brenda provide wise guidance to ask for help before the storm and to go find your counselor now so that they know you and know your story. Bill recommends that every couple needs an accountability couple, a pastor, mentors, and/or a counselor and that successful marriage is about humility. We desire for you to walk away from this episode with hope, love, and humility.  

About our guests, Bill and Brenda Bogart: 

Bill’s life mission is to work with couples on preparing for and improving marriage. He also mentors men around money and career. He married Brenda in 2005 and has 6 children and 2 grandchildren. They enjoy working in marriage ministry, taking long walks with their beagles, and an occasional bike ride around the lake.  

Brenda Bogart is a Dallas artist renowned for her compelling and conversation-starting collage work and paintings of famous, historical figures from Lincoln to Einstein. A visit to her airy studio readily reveals her inspiration. It is filled with a fascinating collection of centuries-old handwritten letters, colorful handmade papers from around the world, plus various eclectic objects she has collected during her travels. Her latest passion has been hosting collaborative collage workshops to benefit Jubilee Park and Community Center, a group that has revitalized a neighborhood in Southeast Dallas.  

About the Host: 

A graduate of Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis, Mark Davis came to PCPC as our Youth Pastor in 2003 and became our Senior Pastor in 2009. He and his bride, Kristina, met at a Young Life Camp in 1988 and have five amazing kids, Kara (and husband, Drew), Madalyn (and husband, Jack), Cayden, Esther Kate, & Samuel.   

Resources: 

DivorceCare- PCPC hosts DivorceCare, a weekly support group on Wednesdays from 6:45-8:15 P.M. DivorceCare is a ministry that works to help those affected by divorce or separation to face the challenges and move towards rebuilding life. Here is where you’ll find caring people who understand the issues, begin the healing process, and receive God’s comfort and support. The course is open to the community and covers topics such as "The Road to Recovery," "Grief and Depression," and "Financial and Legal Issues." Don’t try to go through divorce or separation alone.  

"When Sinners Say I Do," by Dave Harvey 

"Intimate Allies," by Dan Allendar  

For any follow-up questions from this episode or ideas for future content, please email us at [email protected]  

Verse to pray over: 

“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.” – Ephesians 4:2  

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About the Episode:

About our Guests:

Kari Stainback is a Counselor and Director of Women’s Ministries at PCPC. She received her Master’s in Biblical Counseling from Dallas Theological Seminary in 1997 and spent four years in private practice as a counselor to women on a variety of issues including depression, anxiety, grief, and relationship struggles. With great respect for confidentiality, Kari is available to counsel women. To schedule a time to meet with Kari, call her at 214-224-2738.  

Elliott Farris is 29 and the oldest of seven children. He lives in Richardson with one of his sisters and works as a retail manager. Elliott has attended PCPC for over two years and is involved in the Sunday morning Ambassadors class, as well as the Men’s Integrity Groups.  

Kelsey Glover is the Young Adult Women’s Discipler/Connector. She is currently a student at Dallas Theological Seminary (DTS), getting her masters in Christian Education with an emphasis in Women’s Ministry. She loves grabbing coffee with Young Women who are looking for ways to get plugged in, so holler at her if you’re interested! Contact [email protected].

Resources:

The Ambassadors Sunday Morning Community is a Young Adult class that welcomes all 20’s and 30’s - whether you are single, dating, engaged, newlyweds, or married. We meet on Sunday mornings at 11 a.m. and have fellowship, teaching, and discussion.  https://pcpc.org/communities/ambassadors/

PCPC Women’s Ministry has trained women who are available to help with your counseling concerns. We offer pastoral care and short-term counseling for women in the midst of personal struggles. This ministry serves any woman in our church community including PCPC members, regular attendees, and those seeking a church home.  https://pcpc.org/women/

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**UPDATE: We apologize for the confusion, but the audio for next week's podcast was posted today. If you heard a panel on Singleness, you are a week ahead. The correct audio on Friendship will replace it.**

About the Episode: 

We invite you to join us today to hear from two longtime friends, George and David, as they share about the importance of intimate friendship. A lot of times, we’ll present a facade of whatever we think is acceptable and whatever will gain our approval. If you’re accepted for your facade, you’re not really known for who you are. So, you’re lonely because you’re really not known and you’re really not accepted. But if you have a friend in your life who really knows what’s going on and still accepts you, then you’re really not alone or lonely. As David shares, the devil does his best work in isolation.   

We learn from George and David about how to hold an intimate friendship, and how to go deeper. David guides us in sharing that it’s all about the questions you ask:   

George and David discuss how the most important thing is just to listen. When we start talking and there is someone to listen, the light shines on our lives, and we can almost counsel ourselves. We just need someone to listen sometimes.   

Despair may happen. One of the things you want when that happens is a deep friend who you can turn to in those times. During one of these times for George, David shared the following and we hope it blesses you as much as it has blessed this wonderful friendship: ”Do all you can do today. Go home and be with your family. God gives us enough grace for today. Don’t borrow worry from the future.”  

About our Guests: 

George Hanson grew up in Florida and moved to Dallas in 1990 after graduating from Florida State University. He attended Southern Methodist University, earned his MBA in Marketing, and held several Marketing/Sales roles with companies such as Pioneer Electronics, Nokia, and Intuit. During the Great Recession, he transitioned to insurance and opened a Farmers Insurance Agency in 2010. He started attending Park Cities Presbyterian Church in 1991 and is currently an elder there. He met his wife Jennifer in the singles ministry, and they have three wonderful children: Haley, Laine, and Chase.  

David Newman grew up in Dallas and graduated from the University of Texas. He is the Chief Operating Officer of Family Legacy Ministry, an organization that seeks to glorify God by serving the vulnerable and orphaned children of Zambia so they can live up to their God-given potential. Prior to joining Family Legacy, he was the President of Newman Graphics, a division of ColorMark Printing located in Carrollton, Texas. He has been at Park Cities Presbyterian Church since it started and currently serves as an elder and co-teacher of Believers Fellowship Class. David is married to Leslie, and together they have three children: Bryan, Margaret, and John David.  

About the Host: 

A graduate of Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis, Mark Davis came to PCPC as our Youth Pastor in 2003 and became our Senior Pastor in 2009. He and his bride, Kristina, met at a Young Life Camp in 1988 and have five amazing kids, Kara (and husband, Drew), Madalyn (and husband, Jack), Cayden, Esther Kate, & Samuel.   

Resources: 

Find a group or source of community at PCPC here! (https://pcpc.org) For any follow-up questions from this episode or ideas for future content, please email us at [email protected]

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About the Guest:

Audrey Hardin is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Dallas and McKinney, Texas with

She holds certifications in attachment and trauma-informed

Audrey is also a Splankna practitioner and Certified Mental

Like the other Hardins, Audrey approaches the therapeutic

“My goal is to foster holistic growth

In addition to her private practice, Audrey is a

About the Host:

A graduate of Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis, Mark Davis came to PCPC as our Youth Pastor in 2003 and became our Senior Pastor in 2009. He and his bride, Kristina, met at a Young Life Camp in 1988 and have five amazing kids, Kara (and husband, Drew), Madalyn (and husband, Jack), Cayden, Esther Kate, & Samuel.

About the Episode:

We are excited to launch this series on Relationships. Join us to hear from Audrey Hardin, LPC, to discuss how we can foster relationships that allow us to live out our freedom in Christ. Often, it is through relationships that brokenness is magnified. Yet, God does not call us to live in relational hurt; He calls us to trust in Him. The way that we go about life, if we don’t resolve our hurts and losses, ends up being self-protective, and God does not call us to live in self-protection. He calls us to live and walk by faith in His love.

Tune in to hear Audrey’s wisdom and experience on how to evaluate where we are physically, relationally, spiritually, and emotionally, so that we can foster healthy relationships.

Resources:

Visit Audrey’s website for the workshops they offer: https://www.bpointl.org/workshops

Counseling & Coaching for Men, Women, and Couples Services here: Hardin Life Resources

And Blog here: Blog — Hardin Life Resources

For any follow-up questions from this episode or ideas for future content, please email us at [email protected]

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About our Guest:

Page considers it an honor to walk alongside those who are hurting, working together toward hope and healing. Page is active in her church and worked on the women’s ministry team during her time in graduate school. She mentors a high school group of girls, providing her a unique perspective on the challenges that many adolescents face. In her spare time, Page enjoys traveling, being outside, reading a good book, and spending time with her friends and family.

About the Host:
A graduate of Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis, Mark Davis came to PCPC as our Youth Pastor in 2003 and became our Senior Pastor in 2009. He and his bride, Kristina, met at a Young Life Camp in 1988 and have five amazing kids, Kara (and husband, Drew), Madalyn (and husband, Jack), Cayden, Esther Kate, & Samuel. Mark is a closet Architect and fountain pen apologist…don’t get him started!

About the Episode:
Join us for this episode to hear about how Page walks alongside children, parents, and families to a place of healing. “Counseling is a means of common grace,” she says and through counseling, she helps kids recognize body symptoms of anxiety and gradually work down from discomforts and helps individuals work through sitting in the discomfort and the thought trap that ‘I am not enough.’ She describes anxiety as a fear of the unknown or uncertainty that can be healthy until it is prolonged or affects sleep and normal life. We learn from Page how CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) helps connect feelings, thoughts, and behaviors to teach kids how to understand what they are thinking about. We learn about how counseling helps connect to themselves and to God. Page and Mark talk about the biggest complaint that children have is their parents are not listening. Whether you are the parent or not, we would love for you to hear this message of how being vulnerable and honest is the first step.

Resources:
Sparrow House Counseling is led by a passionate team of licensed professional counselors and psychologists who each have a heart to serve and provide both individuals and families with affordable, high-quality care. Our counselors are here to give a hand that you may begin a journey toward healing and restoration in any and every area of your life.

For any follow-up questions from this episode or ideas for future content, please email us at [email protected]

Verse to pray over:
“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story— those he redeemed from the hand of the foe, those he gathered from the lands, from east and west, from north and south.”

About our Guest:

After much counsel and prayer, in 2019, Paul decided to accept the call to be the first Regional Director for Metanoia Prison Ministries in Texas. The Miller’s are very excited for the opportunity to share the glorious gospel of Christ’s saving grace throughout the prisons in Texas. Paul believes that his life, with all of its highs and lows, victories and struggles, has prepared him to minister in the very difficult environment of prisons.  

Paul and Laura met in Dallas marrying in 2003. Jack came along in 2009 and is their greatest blessing. The Miller’s enjoy vacations at the beach, good movies, and walking the neighborhood with their dog, Thomas. In addition to his love for the Cowboys and playing chess, Paul is a foodie who loves to cook and enjoys sharing meals with friends and family. Laura enjoys caring for the family, helping Paul with the ministry, and creative DIY projects in her spare time. Jack keeps his parents entertained with all his creative endeavors, whether it’s a written story or an iMovie. Jack also enjoys scouts, choir, orchestra, his friends, and two guinea pigs.   

About the Host:

About the Episode:

Resources:

Key Quotes:

“God has not wasted your story.” - Mark Davis 

“If you will take that step out of the darkness of isolation, you will find that God will meet you there. And God will meet you there with His people and God will meet you there with a means of grace. And there is healing and there is restoration.” – Paul Miller  

Verse:

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