In this live episode recorded at TGC25, Melissa and Courtney talk about why group Bible study is so important in the life of a church.  They make a case for doing Bible study homework for the sake of others. They share advice on the practicalities of how to run a study well, such as limiting time spent on icebreaker questions and giving guidelines for sharing focused prayer requests.

Recommended Resources

• Chosen Together (TGC25 keynote by John Piper on Ephesians 1:3–14)
• In View of God’s Mercies by Courtney Doctor (Bible study book)

Related Content

• How to Organize and Orchestrate a Bible Study
• 3 Questions to Ask When Choosing a Bible Study
• Four Types of Questions NOT to Ask in Your Small Group Bible Study
• Need a Fall Women’s Bible Study? Try One of These.

Rubric Questions for Choosing a Group Bible Study:

• Does this study require me to have my Bible open?
• Are the questions rooted in the text?
• Does this study account for various learning styles?
• Is it accessible to the women I'm leading?
• Does it speak to a current need in our church?

Five Levels of Communication:

1. Small Talk

2. Facts

3. Opinions and Ideas

4. Feelings

5. Deep Emotion

Discussion Questions

1. Which book of the Bible could you study over and over without ever getting tired of it?

2. What unique aspects of doing Bible study within the local church have you experienced?

3. When have you been part of studies that were aligned with what was happening in other areas of the church? What benefits did you experience from that alignment? What opportunities exist for future alignment?

4. What locations do you usually study in (home or church)? What benefits could come from hosting your group in different settings?

5. How prone is your study group to using “Christianese”? How can you be more intentional about using language that would make unbelieving friends comfortable joining your discussion?

6. How has prioritizing time in God’s Word and in prayer helped you love others better?

Melissa Kruger talks with her friends Hunter Beless and Laura Wifler about the role social media has played in their lives, both positive and negative. They talk about temptations that can arise from social media, which include neglecting other good pursuits to inspiring covetousness. They discuss why it can be helpful to take breaks and what red flags they look for in their own lives that show social media is doing them more harm than good. 

Resources Mentioned

• Journey Women podcast
• Titus: Displaying the Gospel of Grace

Related Resources

• Social Sanity in an Insta World
• The Danger of Self-Soothing Through Social Media
• Why I’m Staying on Social Media
• The Disaster and Delight of Social Media

Discussion Questions

• What one word would best describe your current relationship with social media?
• What benefits or positive experiences have you had from engaging with social media?
• In what ways does your social media consumption feed comparison or discontentment in your life?
• What would it look like to engage with social media in ways that glorify God and allow you to love others well? What would you start and stop doing?
• What practices or boundaries could you put in place to be a wise consumer of online content?
• Have you ever taken a break (or considered taking a break) from social media? What was the experience like?
• How can your discussion partners pray for you as you consider how to engage with social media in healthy, God-honoring ways?

Melissa Kruger and Courtney Doctor talk with Vanessa Hawkins about the Bible’s trustworthiness. They discuss why things like apparent inconsistencies and many different authors can actually point to the truth of the Christian Scriptures.They recommend resources to help listeners become familiar with biblical genre and the overarching narrative of the Bible to better understand how Scripture fits together.

Recommended Resources:

• How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth by Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart
• Surviving Religion 101 by Michael Kruger
• Canon Fodder
• The Whole Story of the Bible in 16 Verses by Chris Bruno
• From Garden to Glory by Courtney Doctor
• From Beginning to Forever by Elizabeth Woodson
• Nancy Guthrie

Related Content:

• The Biblical Canon
• Why You Can Trust Your Bible
• How to Face Apparent Contradictions in the Bible
• Gen Z’s Questions About Christianity: The Bible’s Authority

Discussion Questions:

1. What questions or doubts about the Bible’s reliability have you encountered from others or wrestled with yourself? 
2. What has been challenging about addressing those questions or concerns?
3. How is the nature of eyewitness testimony helpful in increasing our confidence in the Bible’s accuracy?
4. What consistencies within the Bible amaze you and grow your trust in God and his Word? Where do you see the beauty, harmony, and power of his Word displayed?
5. How does being familiar with the Bible’s overarching narrative help us read and understand it better? What steps can you take to increase your understanding of this narrative or to help others become more familiar with it?
6. What other details in this episode were surprising or served as helpful reminders of why we can trust God’s Word?

We’re sharing this episode of our Gospelbound podcast as a bonus episode for Deep Dish listeners because we know you love to read! In it, Melissa Kruger and Collin Hansen talk about what’s on their own summer reading list and share recommendations of other books they believe our listeners will enjoy. We hope this conversation will lead you to books that are edifying and enjoyable. Happy reading!

Collin's Summer Reading List

• Godric by Frederick Buechner
• The Fate of the Day by Rick Atkinson
• The Space Trilogy by C. S. Lewis 

Melissa's Summer Reading List

• Homecoming by Kate Morton
• The Lord's Work in the Lord's Way and No Little People by Francis A. Schaeffer 
• The Expulsive Power of a New Affection by Thomas Chalmers

For the full list of book recommendations mentioned in this episode, visit our website.

Courtney Doctor talks with Whitney Pipkin and Wendy Alsup, two of her friends who have known deep grief. They talk about why grief can be so surprising, why God allows it, and how to talk to a friend who is grieving (hint: it’s better to listen). Whitney talks about why we shouldn’t rush through grief; it’s appropriate to rage against death! Wendy says that we can see our grief as our resistance to the effects of the Fall. Listen to this episode and be comforted that even if grief feels strange and disorienting, you are not alone. 

Recommended Resources:

• We Shall All Be Changed by Whitney Pipkin
• Companions in Suffering: Comfort for Times of Loss and Loneliness by Wendy Alsup

Related Content:

• What I Misunderstood About Grief
• Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy by Mark Vroegop
• Grief Is Not an Enemy of Faith

Discussion Questions:

1. What personal experiences with loss have you (or those close to you) had? Or in what ways do you relate to feeling “immune” from loss?
2. How has experiencing suffering or loss changed you or your outlook on life?
3. How can believers grieve in ways that acknowledge the need to lament as well as maintain hope?
4. In what ways did this episode challenge you to be a better companion to someone walking through a season of suffering?
5. What Scriptures have comforted or ministered to you in hard seasons?
6. How did this conversation help you consider gratitude alongside grief and loss?

Melissa Kruger and Courtney Doctor respond to questions submitted by listeners such as what advice they have for newlyweds, how women can thoughtfully have relationships with their pastors and elders, their go-to verses for lonely times, and last but not least, their favorite pizza toppings!

New episodes of The Deep Dish will now be released every other Thursday. Sign up for exclusive content for women and updates on The Deep Dish podcast here. 

Recommended Resources:

• Parenting with Hope
• The Lord’s Work in the Lord’s Way
• “‘Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus”

Related Content:

• TGC Q&A Podcast
• Let’s Talk: Your Questions, Answered!

Questions Discussed:

• What’s a good way to get constructive criticism on Bible teaching without falling into people pleasing?
• What are some practical ways to teach a teen to read and study the Word without her feeling forced?
• How did you know it was time to go to seminary? What advice would you give women considering seminary?
• How do you grow relationships with pastors and elders as a female church member?
• What practical tips can you give on asking questions that get conversations going and reach the heart?
• I’m getting married this fall to a wonderfully godly man. Do you have advice or encouragement for newlyweds?
• What has helped you grow in affection for the Lord?
• What are your go-to verses for lonely seasons of life?
• What are your favorite pizza toppings?

Melissa Kruger and Courtney Doctor talk about how to seek out the counsel of wise friends and how to respond well when friends seek your counsel. They discuss how to ask good questions, how to deliver a gentle rebuke when necessary, how to follow up on requests for accountability, and how to point someone to Scripture without treating it like a Bible Band-Aid. Listen prayerfully to prepare yourself for opportunities that arise to bear one another’s burdens.

Recommended Resources:

• I’m Praying for You by Nancy Guthrie
• Count It All Joy by Helen Roseveare

Related Content:

• 7 Things to Say to a Hurting Loved One
• Why Mentoring Is Better Than Asking Alexa
• The Neglected Ministry of Asking Questions

Discussion Questions:

1. Considering examples of people who have supported you in difficult seasons, what qualities do you appreciate most in them?

2. In what ways have you struggled to balance extending both grace and truth in your own “kitchen-table counseling”?

3. How can we ensure any necessary rebukes we deliver are given with gentleness?

4. What helps you determine whether someone is “safe” to confess a burden or sin to?

5. In what ways could you make yourself a more approachable and available source of counsel for those who need your support?

6. How can your discussion partners pray for you as you point others to God in difficult situations?

Melissa Kruger and Courtney Doctor talk with Trillia Newbell about the depth and richness of Romans 8. They explain how to understand Romans 8 in the context of the previous chapters, why there’s no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, how to let that truth make a difference in your life, and how to respond to the question “If there’s no condemnation for me, why am I suffering?” We hope you will open your Bibles and dive in!

Recommended Resources:

• If God Is For Us by Trillia Newbell
• In View of God’s Mercies by Courtney Doctor
• Celebrating Around the Table by Trillia Newbell

Related Content:

• Living in the Hope of Liberation from Bondage
• The Good News of Romans 8
• If God Is for Us: Standing Accused with Romans 8

Discussion Questions:

1. Romans 8:1 says there is no condemnation for those in Christ. How does this verse reshape your thinking about areas of guilt or shame in your life?
2. What’s one area of your life where you need to intentionally walk in the Spirit rather than the flesh? What’s one step you can take this week to move in that direction?
3. How does the truth of Romans 8:18 (“the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us”) bring hope to seasons of waiting or hardship? How have you personally experienced this hope?
4. How did this conversation help you understand what “good” means in the context of Romans 8:28 ("all things work together for good")? How can this shift our expectations when life doesn’t go as planned?
5. Reflecting on Romans 8:35–39, which truths are most meaningful to you in combating the lie that God doesn’t love you? 
6. How would you encourage another woman who is struggling to believe she is more than a conqueror through Christ (Romans 8:37)?

Melissa Kruger and Courtney Doctor talk with Vanessa Hawkins about the vital and beautiful role church should have in the life of every Christian. They discuss what keeps people from regular church attendance and how to move beyond church hurt. They talk about why your church attendance and involvement is not only necessary for your own spiritual growth, but for the other members of the body of Christ.

Recommended Resources:

• Deep Discipleship by J. T. English
• Sighing on Sunday by Megan Hill
• A Place to Belong by Megan Hill
• Westminster Confession of Faith
• “Father, I Stretch My Hands to Thee”

Related Content:

• The Church Is Essential for Discipleship
• Want to Reach the Next Generation? Love the Church.
• 5 Reasons to Keep Going to Church with Baby Brain
• Let’s Talk: Overcoming Church Hurt

Discussion Questions:

1. In what ways are you currently “showing up” (or not showing up) in your church community?
2. What is most likely to keep you from showing up at church, either literally or figuratively?
3. How have you experienced being known, loved, and cared for by the church?
4. What has your participation in your church community taught you about God and what he values? What liturgies or traditions in your church are most meaningful to you?
5. What encouragement would you offer someone who has been hurt by people within the church? If this is you, what has helped you persevere in seeing the church's beauty?
6. What change or next step would you like to take regarding your engagement in your church? How can your discussion partners pray for you?

Courtney Doctor and Melissa Kruger discuss how to make decisions about using your time. They they talk about how to think of yourself with sober judgment, the wrong reasons to say “yes” and “no,” and how to recognize which callings in your life must be prioritized. Although there is no formula for determining when to say yes or no, there is always wisdom available from God when we ask for it!

Recommended Resources:

• 2 Timothy 4:6–18
• The Envy of Eve by Melissa Kruger
• Work Well with All Types of People (The Deep Dish - Episode 7)

Related Content:

• Let’s Talk: Decision-Making
• How to Know When to Say No
• Make It Your Ambition: Seven Godly Pursuits for the Next Generation by Jeremy Writebol
• Help! I’m Afraid I Made the Wrong Decision

Discussion Questions:

1. What’s a situation in which you struggled to give a yes or no? What made that decision difficult?
2. Do you tend to say yes or no more often? What usually motivates your yes or no?
3. What might pursuing time with the Lord in order to have a “transformed mind” look like in your life right now? What might need to change in order for you to prioritize this?
4. What situations has God used in your life to reveal your unique giftings?
5. In what ways do you experience tension between pursuing self-care/rest and sacrificial service? How can self-care and comfort become idols that influence our decision-making?
6. How has God provided rest for you during seasons of sacrificial yeses? What sabbath practices help you find rest in the Lord?