Life Over Coffee

Shows Main Idea – Because of my former relationship with Sovereign Grace Ministries, now Sovereign Grace Churches, people come to me asking for my take on that organization. They are frequently asking because they are in a Sovereign Grace church or are thinking about attending or leaving one.

Show Notes: https://rickthomas.net/podcast/ep-367-is-it-wise-for-me-to-attend-a-sovereign-grace-church/

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One-to-one interaction is the most efficient way to help another person change. For too many believers, discipleship in a community, in the context of a local church, is not the place where you see this kind of intentional reciprocality. Favorite books and popular preachers become our disciplers, which is not God’s best, no matter how wonderful the celebrity preacher or your favorite book is because those means of grace are passive instead of surgically illuminating and uniquely transformative. Nothing displaces a competent, caring friend who can exegete you with God’s Word in a customizable way while bringing solutions that fit who you are and what’s happening in your life.

Read Here: https://lifeovercoffee.com/a-crazy-idea-for-sanctification-the-local-church/

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Some relationships can become so painful that you must retreat while implementing self-protective measures to prevent being hurt again. The unintended consequence is that the strategies for protection can imprison you, which is what happened to Mable. Her husband was harming her so she did what any of us would do. In time, her fortress became her prison.

Read Here: https://rickthomas.net/when-the-thing-that-protects-you-becomes-your-prison/

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Sometimes stereotypical counseling can get in the way of what you want to do with an individual, especially when the counselee has a preconceived, pessimistic instinct about what might happen. You’ll see this with some teenagers because they sense a three against one setup—parents and counselor versus the teen. Knowing how to predict this possibility and customizing your care accordingly is essential.

Read Here: https://rickthomas.net/you-must-know-this-before-you-counsel-a-teen/

Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here https://rickthomas.net/donations/

Show Main Idea: There is a full-on culture war as social evangelists try to persuade, intimidate, censor, and influence anyone to their worldview. It’s no longer acceptable for conservatives to sit on the sidelines, siloing, hoping for a better day. Silo Christianity is when believers draw lines that separate themselves from those in the culture who need the gospel. They critique the other side but do not engage them. Jesus has called us to go and make disciples.

Show Notes: https://rickthomas.net/podcast/ep-366-webinar-engaging-the-culture-bringing-jesus-to-the-world/

Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here https://rickthomas.net/donations/

Shows Main Idea – Is it wrong for a church to have multiple campuses? What about one preacher who preaches video messages to several locations? In this episode of the Christianity Today podcast series, The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill, Mike Cosper shares the motive and method of Mark Driscoll’s desire to share the gospel globally.

Show Notes: https://rickthomas.net/podcast/ep-365-response-to-the-rise-and-fall-of-mars-hill-episode-11/

Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here https://rickthomas.net/donations/

Shows Main Idea – Making a decision that you hope won't end with disappointment is a tedious task. How can you ensure there is no future disappointment after you take the plunge? You do due diligence; you follow sound advice, but it leads you into hard times. Should you not have listened? How should you respond when life goes sideways after you take the advice of someone and do due diligence?

Show Notes: https://rickthomas.net/podcast/ep-364-how-can-you-know-your-decisions-wont-disappoint-you/

Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here https://rickthomas.net/donations/

Conflict is an unavoidable reality in a sin-cursed world. While we don’t wish for it, living in close relationships makes relational struggles inevitable, as sin disrupts peace and resists our desire for harmony. This webinar will equip you with practical, biblical guidance to navigate and resolve conflicts in a God-honoring way.

Watch Webinar: https://lifeovercoffee.com/podcast/ep-363-webinar-pursuing-conflict-for-unitys-sake/

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Spiritual dullness in a community of Christlike disciple-makers is hard to imagine, but it happens all the time. We can lull ourselves to sleep, lose our gospel edge, and before long, we are ticking the Christian boxes without thinking. If the practice continues, we will replace the meat we enjoyed with the milk of our former newborn babe life. The solution is to surround yourself with those who have a vision and plan to spur you to love and good works within a reciprocating community.

Read Here: https://rickthomas.net/how-to-resist-the-incremental-reality-of-becoming-a-dull-believer/

Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here https://rickthomas.net/donations/

Sometimes the words we share with our hurting friends are not the best to say, albeit I realize we can say them unwittingly. Oh, how I wish I could rewrite many scenarios in my zealous Christian youth when I had more words than wisdom. It was a ready, fire, aim approach to helping people. Saying the wrong thing is easy, so I am sharing these seven practical ideas to help you navigate these challenging times with your suffering friends. I trust that as you learn and practice these things, you will not succumb to unwise words or inhibiting fear prohibiting redemptive communication, and your friends will appreciate your proactive care.

Read Here: https://lifeovercoffee.com/seven-tips-to-help-your-friends-who-are-going-through-suffering/

Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.