The Deep Dish

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:

Related Content:

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?

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Courtney and Melissa discuss the importance of pursuing spiritual growth during the summer, despite disrupted routines. They talk about practices and strategies that have helped them grow during the summer and on vacation. They recommend lots of resources for summer drop-in Bible studies and encourage listeners to consider living missionally by hosting a study or discussion group in their homes with their neighbors.

Resources Mentioned:

Related Resources:

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. What tends to happen to your routines for spiritual disciplines during the more relaxed summer months or in vacation seasons? Why do you think that is?

2. What distractions most often compete for your attention during the summer?

3. How have relationships with other believers helped sustain your faith during times when your own spiritual disciplines felt inconsistent?

4. How can women’s ministry leaders or churches help people remain connected and spiritually encouraged during less structured seasons like summer?

5. How can we pursue spiritual growth from a place of delight in Christ rather than guilt or pressure?

6. What opportunities will you have (in your neighborhood, while traveling, through hospitality, or in everyday conversations) to invite others into spiritual conversations or Christian community?

7. What is one step you want to take this summer to cultivate deeper communion with God?

Head to cozyearth.com and use our code DEEP for an exclusive 20% off, and if you see a post-purchase survey, be sure to mention you heard about Cozy Earth from us here at The Deep Dish!

Pick up a copy of Stand In Awe wherever books are sold or visit crossway.org/standinawe to learn how to get 30 percent off with a free Crossway plus account.

Get 20% off a course of your choice when you use code DEEPDISH20 at checkout. Learn more and register now at lifeway.com/academy. That’s lifeway.com/academy

Check out The Pour Over Podcast — politically neutral news for people who want the facts without the spin, and with a brief biblical perspective

Click here for more information about Women's Initiatives at The Gospel Coalition!

Click here to sign up for notification of on-demand access to keynotes and breakout sessions from our recent conference, TGCW26!

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Melissa Kruger and Courtney Doctor talk with Michael Graham about what Christians should know about artificial intelligence.

They discuss the benefits it could bring to society and how they personally use it. They consider theological categories and questions for how to evaluate which uses are helpful and which are dangerous. Finally, Graham explains the Christian Benchmark project and how it exposes the inherent biases in AI platforms.

Key Terms:

Resources Mentioned:

Related Resources:

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. Before listening to this episode, what was your view of AI (benefit, threat, or neutral)? Has that perspective changed?

2. What are some ways AI can be used for good in work, ministry, or everyday life?

3. Are there certain uses of AI that concern you? Why?

4. Why is it important to realize that AI isn’t a neutral source? How does that shape the way you interact with it?

5. How can we help younger generations develop discernment in addition to skills when it comes to AI?

6. What does it look like to trust God’s sovereignty in times of rapid cultural and technological change?

7. What’s one step you would like to take in using technology intentionally and faithfully?

Let this Mother’s Day be a reminder that she deserves care, too. Head to cozyearth.com and use our code DEEP for an exclusive 20% off, and if you see a post-purchase survey, be sure to mention you heard about Cozy Earth from us here at The Deep Dish!

Pick up a copy of Stand In Awe wherever books are sold or visit crossway.org/standinawe to learn how to get 30 percent off with a free Crossway plus account.

Get 20% off a course of your choice when you use code DEEPDISH20 at checkout. Learn more and register now at lifeway.com/academy. That’s lifeway.com/academy

Check out The Pour Over Podcast — politically neutral news for people who want the facts without the spin, and with a brief biblical perspective

Click here for more information about Women's Initiatives at The Gospel Coalition!

Click here to sign up for notification of on-demand access to keynotes and breakout sessions from our recent conference, TGCW26!

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Courtney Doctor talks with Wendy Alsup and Vaneetha Rendall Risner about their experiences of divorce. They share the Scripture passages that helped them keep going and talk honestly about what to say (and what not to say) to someone going through a divorce. They explain why it can be hard for a newly divorced Christian to go to church and why it’s vital to go anyway.

Resources Mentioned:

Related Resources:

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. How has divorce affected your family or close friendships? What were the hardest spiritual or emotional struggles you or those close to you faced during that season?

2. What promises of God are especially important to remember when walking through deep disappointment or loss?

3. If you knew a friend was going through a divorce, what might hold you back from reaching out to her?

4. In what ways have you seen the church support women (and their children) walking through unwanted divorce well? In what ways could the church provide more support or encouragement to the marginalized or hurting?

5. What suggestions from this conversation helped you understand how to walk with friends or family navigating divorce?

6. In seasons when you cannot control outcomes for your family, what does it look like to trust God?

7. What does gospel hope look like in the aftermath of something as painful as divorce?

Let this Mother’s Day be a reminder that she deserves care, too. Head to cozyearth.com and use our code DEEP for an exclusive 20% off, and if you see a post-purchase survey, be sure to mention you heard about Cozy Earth from us here at The Deep Dish!

Pick up a copy of Stand In Awe wherever books are sold or visit crossway.org/standinawe to learn how to get 30 percent off with a free Crossway plus account.

Get 20% off a course of your choice when you use code DEEPDISH20 at checkout. Learn more and register now at lifeway.com/academy. That’s lifeway.com/academy

Check out The Pour Over Podcast — politically neutral news for people who want the facts without the spin, and with a brief biblical perspective

Click here for more information about Women's Initiatives at The Gospel Coalition!

Click here to sign up for notification of on-demand access to keynotes and breakout sessions from our recent conference, TGCW26!

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Melissa and Courtney talk with Emily Jensen about how to broaden our understanding of worship to think of it as a response to God’s worth. Worship is more than singing on Sunday morning, but corporate worship is an essential part of the worship God desires. They talk about the role our feelings should play in how we think about worship and how to offer up the mundane moments of our lives to the glory of God.

Resources Mentioned:

Related Resources:

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. What is a hymn or worship song that has encouraged you recently?

2. Before listening to this episode, how would you have defined worship? How does the definition that worship is “our response to who God is and what he has done” expand or challenge your thinking?

3. What are some everyday moments in your life that could become opportunities for worship? What could that look like for you?

4. What’s the difference between using worship to change our feelings and worshiping because God is worthy, regardless of how we feel?

5. What has helped you approach worship, even when you feel anxious, distracted, or spiritually dry?

6. What modern-day idols compete for our worship?

7. How does the image of a child offering imperfect efforts to a loving parent shape the way you think about your own worship?

Pick up a copy of Stand In Awe wherever books are sold or visit crossway.org/standinawe to learn how to get 30 percent off with a free Crossway plus account.

Get 20% off a course of your choice when you use code DEEPDISH20 at checkout. Learn more and register now at lifeway.com/academy. That’s lifeway.com/academy

Check out The Pour Over Podcast — politically neutral news for people who want the facts without the spin, and with a brief biblical perspective

Click here for more information about Women's Initiatives at The Gospel Coalition!

Click here to sign up for notification of on-demand access to keynotes and breakout sessions from our recent conference, TGCW26!

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Courtney and Melissa talk about how to recognize and repent of the ways we may be relying on self-righteousness rather than the righteousness of Christ. They talk about tribalism, what happens when debatable issues are treated as primary, and how, paradoxically, the areas where we feel despair may point to areas of pride or self-righteousness in our lives.

Related Resources:

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. What are some things that come to mind (such as good practices or habits) that can quietly become a source of pride?

2. In what ways do you notice self-righteousness creep into Christian community in subtle or socially acceptable ways?

3. Are there particular areas of obedience or conviction where you feel tempted to compare yourself with others? What might that reveal about your heart?

4. In Philippians 3:4–10, Paul calls his impressive spiritual résumé “rubbish” compared with knowing Christ. What does this passage teach us about the difference between our righteousness and Christ’s righteousness?

5. Why do you think it can be so easy to trust in our own efforts rather than resting in Christ’s righteousness?

6. What are some red flags in your thoughts, attitudes, or conversations that might signal self-righteousness creeping in?

7. How can Christian communities encourage holiness and obedience without creating an atmosphere of pride, comparison, or tribalism?

Pick up a copy of Stand In Awe wherever books are sold or visit crossway.org/standinawe to learn how to get 30 percent off with a free Crossway plus account.

Get 20% off a course of your choice when you use code DEEPDISH20 at checkout. Learn more and register now at lifeway.com/academy. That’s lifeway.com/academy

Check out The Pour Over Podcast — politically neutral news for people who want the facts without the spin, and with a brief biblical perspective

Click here for more information about Women's Initiatives at The Gospel Coalition!

Click here to sign up for notification of on-demand access to keynotes and breakout sessions from our recent conference, TGCW26!

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Courtney and Melissa talk with New Testament scholar (and Melissa’s husband) Mike Kruger about the excellent evidence that Jesus physically rose from the dead and the difference that makes for our lives.

Dr. Kruger points out that because Jesus predicted his own resurrection, it validates his claims to be the Son of God and the Messiah. Dr. Kruger highlights the resurrection's transformative effects on early Christians, including their willingness to be martyred for their faith.

Related Resources:

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. Why do you think the resurrection continues to be questioned or dismissed in our culture?

2. Why is the resurrection not just one doctrine among many but central to the Christian faith? What would Christianity lose if the resurrection weren't true?

3. What evidence of Christ’s resurrection is particularly compelling to you?

4. Read 1 Corinthians 15 together. Paul says that if Christ hasn't been raised, our faith is futile—but if he has been raised, everything changes. As a result, what should change in

5. How does the knowledge that Christ is alive and reigning without rival make a difference in your life right now?

Pick up a copy of Stand In Awe wherever books are sold or visit crossway.org/standinawe to learn how to get 30 percent off with a free Crossway plus account.

Get 20% off a course of your choice when you use code DEEPDISH20 at checkout. Learn more and register now at lifeway.com/academy. That’s lifeway.com/academy

Check out The Pour Over Podcast — politically neutral news for people who want the facts without the spin, and with a brief biblical perspective

Click here for more information about Women's Initiatives at The Gospel Coalition!

Click here to sign up for notification of on-demand access to keynotes and breakout sessions from our recent conference, TGCW26!

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To celebrate the first birthday of The Deep Dish, Courtney and Melissa welcome special surprise guests to answer tough questions sent in by listeners. They talk about the difference between shame and the Spirit's conviction, how to seek advice about a conflict without gossiping, how to sit with the tension of a biblical text, how to keep the Sabbath, and more. 

Resources Mentioned:

Related Resources:

Pick up a copy of Stand In Awe wherever books are sold or visit crossway.org/standinawe to learn how to get 30 percent off with a free Crossway plus account.

Get 20% off a course of your choice when you use code DEEPDISH20 at checkout. Learn more and register now at lifeway.com/academy. That’s lifeway.com/academy

Check out The Pour Over Podcast — politically neutral news for people who want the facts without the spin, and with a brief biblical perspective

Click here for more information about Women's Initiatives at The Gospel Coalition!

Click here to sign up for notification of on-demand access to keynotes and breakout sessions from our recent conference, TGCW26!

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Courtney and Melissa discuss helpful practices they’ve used in their prayer lives, including developing regular rhythms, alternating prayer with Scripture reading, and incorporating confession of sin as a part of personal prayer. They talk about how to be faithful to a promise to pray for someone else and how to make prayer part of a friendship.

Rather than speaking from a place of prescriptive legalism, Melissa and Courtney speak with infectious enthusiasm about the possibilities of a rich and growing prayer life.

Resources Mentioned:

• The Deep Dish: Conversations with God
• Lord, Teach Me to Pray in 28 Days by Kay Arthur
• 5 Things to Pray for Your Kids by Melissa Kruger
• 5 Things to Pray for Your Spouse by Melissa Kruger
• The Power of a Praying Wife by Stormie Omartian
• Parenting with Hope by Melissa Kruger
• I’m Praying for You: 40 Days of Praying the Bible for Someone Who Is Suffering by Nancy Guthrie
• Piercing Heaven: Prayers of the Puritans edited by Robert Elmer
• Every Moment Holy series

Related Resources

• Prayer (Disciplines of Devotion series) by Courtney Reissig
• In Prayer, Structure Serves Spontaneity
• 7 Ways to Fight Distraction in Prayer

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. Do you have a routine for prayer? When and where do you usually pray?

2. What strategies do you use to organize your prayer time and guard against distractions?

3. How has God used prayer to rightly orient you toward seeking his will above your own?

4. When have you struggled to persevere in prayer or to accept an answer to prayer?

5. What benefits have you experienced as a result of praying with others (family, friends, or ministry partners)?

6. What next step will you take in your practice of prayer? What do you want to start, stop, or continue doing?

Pick up a copy of Stand In Awe wherever books are sold or visit crossway.org/standinawe to learn how to get 30 percent off with a free Crossway plus account.

Get 20% off a course of your choice when you use code DEEPDISH20 at checkout. Learn more and register now at lifeway.com/academy. That’s lifeway.com/academy

Check out The Pour Over Podcast — politically neutral news for people who want the facts without the spin, and with a brief biblical perspective

Click here for more information about Women's Initiatives at The Gospel Coalition!

Click here to sign up for notification of on-demand access to keynotes and breakout sessions from our recent conference, TGCW26!

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Melissa and Courtney talk with Jen Oshman about the lie that our worth is measured by what we possess. They discuss why we try to fill a God-shaped hole with earthly things and how to recognize materialism in our lives.

They talk about strategies to combat materialism, including inviting trusted friends into your financial decisions, seeking to be as generous to others as possible, and setting your heart on heavenly possessions rather than earthly ones.

Resources Mentioned:

• Heaven by Randy Alcorn
• The Treasure Principle by Randy Alcorn

Related Resources:

• Materialism, Money, and Me Culture
• Materialism Is Easy to Decry and Hard to Avoid
• Covetousness: The Sin Behind the Sin

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. In what ways do you see materialism connected to deeper desires in your heart? How might you be settling for lesser gifts instead of storing up treasure in heaven?

2. What types of things most often capture your attention or stir up desire (e.g., clothes, home decor, technology, experiences)?

3. What rhythms or practices (daily, weekly, or monthly) could help you become more mindful of how you consume, spend, and steward what God has given you?

4. Share a time when you experienced God’s abundant provision. How does remembering his care grow your desire to trust him and reflect his generosity?

5. What Scriptures or truths about God’s character help reorient your heart when you feel the pull toward “more”?

6. How could other believers help you with accountability or input in the areas of spending, consumption, and giving?

7. What’s one next step you would like to take based on what you’ve heard and discussed today?

Pick up a copy of Stand In Awe wherever books are sold or visit crossway.org/standinawe to learn how to get 30 percent off with a free Crossway plus account.

Get 20% off a course of your choice when you use code DEEPDISH20 at checkout. Learn more and register now at lifeway.com/academy. That’s lifeway.com/academy

Check out The Pour Over Podcast — politically neutral news for people who want the facts without the spin, and with a brief biblical perspective

Click here for more information about Women's Initiatives at The Gospel Coalition!

Click here to sign up for notification of on-demand access to keynotes and breakout sessions from our recent conference, TGCW26!

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.