In this episode, host Suanne Camfield interviews Steve Carter, Lead Pastor of Christ Church and author of Grieve, Breathe, Receive. Steve shares his journey of grief after stepping away from Willow Creek, the challenges he faced during a desert season, how he learned to loosen his grip on achievement and begin to hope again. Steve shares how God has brought redemption, healing and joy to his story as he's stepped back in to lead a local church once again.

In this episode, Suanne Camfield and pastor Aaron Foster explore the significance of Lent, sharing personal experiences and reflections on the themes of repentance, confession, humility and intentionality. They discuss why they love Ash Wednesday, the historical context of Lent, the invitation it offers to deepen one's relationship with God, and the importance of being intentional in spiritual practices during this season.

In this conversation, Suanne Camfield interviews Eric Camfield, the Founder & President of Altar Fly Fishing, also her husband of 27 years. Using his experience as a pastor, non-profit leader and transformational life coach, Eric talks about soul health, soul neglect and how understanding life rhythms and naming your desire for change are the first steps in creating the kinds of lives God intended for us. Eric also shares how his own experience with burnout ignited a passion to help others live more intentionally.

In this episode of Deeper Still, Suanne Camfield interviews Pete Stearns, the lead pastor of St. Mark's Community Church in Burlington, NC. Pete opens the episode by sharing an unexpected way his church got involved with relief efforts for Hurricane Helene, what he's discovered about the joys and challenges of becoming a lead pastor and how he's learned to preach without notes.

Suanne & Pete spend the second half of the conversation exploring the concept of sin, reframing its focus from behavior management to understanding it as a sickness form which there is only one cure. Pete emphasizes the role of the Holy Spirit, defining the process of sanctification, as the Spirit transforms our hearts and cultivates our character, as well as the need for consistency and community as we find our way.

Time Stamps

00:00 Introduction and Context Setting

02:37 Hurricane Relief Efforts and Community Response

09:00 Transitioning to a New Community and Family Life

13:31 Surprises of Lead Pastorship

18:03 Preaching Without Notes: The Process

22:57 The Theology of Sin: A New Perspective

28:18 Redefining Sin and Its Implications

33:23 The Journey to Freedom from Sin

38:16 Understanding the Role of the Holy Spirit

43:57 Sanctification: A Process of Growth

49:20 The Importance of Bearing Fruit in Community

In this episode, Danielle Schaeffer shares her journey as a parent of a disabled son, how that journey changed her perspective on the world they inhabit together and how her advocacy for the disability community led her to serve in the local church. Danielle also helps educate listeners on proper language surrounding disability as well as how the church can & should lead the way in creating welcoming spaces for all God's people.

Danielle currently serves as the Director of Disability Ministry at Christ Church, a non-denominational church in the suburbs of Chicago, and is pursuing her Masters of Divinity degree from Fuller Seminary.

Lee Strobel, former legal editor of the Chicago Tribune and bestselling author of more than 40 books, discusses the lasting the impact of The Case for Christ, the importance of never giving up on people far from God and how his approach to apologetics and evangelism have changed over time as God as shaped his own soul. You won't want to miss the story of his emotional interview with Charles Templeton, a former evangelist who turned agnostic, or why he decided to write 'Is God Real?' Lee also addresses how to answer questions about pain and suffering not only with reason & logic but with empathy and love.

In this episode, Dr. Soong-Chan Rah, award-winning author and seminary professor, discusses the importance of practicing a lived theology, the power of counter-cultural narratives, the role of the church in addressing individual and systemic sin, the significance of lament and how cancel culture actually reveals an insecurity in our identity as followers of Christ.

Suanne and Dr. Rah also spend some significant time highlighting the changing demographics of the American church and how that current reality calls us to rethink our practices and love our neighbor in deeper and evolving ways.

In this episode, Nancy Ortberg discusses her passion for leadership and the journey of discovering our calling. She emphasizes the importance of feedback and the cultivation of character and heart as we embrace our limitations. She explores the connection between leadership and spiritual formation, emphasizing the need to be deeply rooted in one's identity in Christ. She also emphasizes the need to find God in the gaps of our stories as we embrace lament and vulnerability.

Suanne interviews Jennifer Johnson Jordan, former professional beach volleyball player, Olympian and current head women's beach coach at UCLA. They discuss Jenny's journey as an athlete, her experience as an Olympian and her transition into coaching. Jenny's shares how her faith influences her coaching style and the importance of caring for the whole person. They also spend some time discussing the pressures and challenges faced by young athletes and their parents, as well as the responsibility coaches have at all levels to build up -- and not tear down-- the athletes under their care.

Jenny also shares her thoughts on the evolving landscape of women's sports and the importance of supporting and promoting female athletes. She reflects on the humility and impact of her father, Olympic gold medalist Rafer Johnson, and the lessons she has learned from him. Finally, she discusses her own journey as a head coach and the deeper reliance on God and trust in His plans that it has required.

Ever wonder if your everyday, ordinary life actually matters? If long obedience in the same direction really does pay off? If showing up for worship or for people who are suffering -- even when you don't feel like it or know exactly what to say or do--is the right thing?

Drew Dyck joins the podcast to discuss his book Just Show Up: How Small Acts of Faithfulness Change Everything. In this episode, Drew and Suanne cover everything from Drew's midlife crisis to the spiritual idea of plodding to how faithfulness in the small things is often more important than pursuing even our biggest dreams. Drew also shares why it's important to show up in person, how to set boundaries and extend grace when being present isn't possible, and gives listeners a special encouragement to put the screens away and pay attention to the people God has put in their paths.

Learn more about Drew and all of his books at drewdyck.com