The story of ‘The Visit of the Wise Men’ in Matthew chapter two is an obscure and often overlooked story in our Bible narrative. This story gets buried and applied to the Christmas story but is there more to this story than just the gift giving aspect of the story.  In our conversation we will be discussion some interesting parts of the story and how God’s Word applies to us today through his bringing of the Wise Men to our Lord.

Doomscrolling, also known as doomsurfing, is the term used for persistent and excessive reading of negative news online. The constant bombardment of notifications, social media, and digital content has led to a rise in stress, anxiety, and burnout. The need to “always be on and knowing what is going on” is especially affecting our mental health and relationships. There is emerging recognition that this negative digital world is causing brain rot which is the loss of depth in our thinking ability, contemplation, feelings, and emotions, as well as our relationships in relationships and work. As a new media trauma, doomscrolling has been identified as impacting viewers’ emotional and psychological well-being, self-efficacy, and ability to respond to negative information. 

The story of ‘The Visit of the Wise Men’ in Matthew chapter two is an obscure and often overlooked story in our Bible narrative. This story gets buried and applied to the Christmas story but is there more to this story than just the gift giving aspect of the story.  In our conversation we will be discussion some interesting parts of the story and how God’s Word applies to us today through his bringing of the Wise Men to our Lord.

High-functioning depression is a non-medical erm that refers to having symptoms of depression but being able to carry out routine tasks with little issues. High-functioning depression is characterized as those who suffer with low mood, low energy, and anxiety that despite these symptoms, individuals can continue fulfilling their daily responsibilities and duties. 

Toxic shame is a feeling that you’re worthless. It happens when other people treat you poorly and you turn that treatment into a belief about yourself. When you feel toxic shame, you see yourself as useless or, at best, not as good as others. 

The purpose of Rubber Meets the Road Pastoral Conversations is to discuss the joys, sorrows and tribulations of pastors serving their Call to the ministry while they live in the shadow of the Cross. The focus of this pastoral conversation is to discuss the meaning of the Office of the Keys from the perspective of serving in mission field in multiple locations and the challenges that come with that ministry.

 This month’s conversation is with Pastor David Gunderson. Pastor Gunderson is a retired pastor living in the Kansas City area. Pastor Gunderson works as a marriage and family counselor with Lutheran Family Services.    Pastor Gunderson has served congregations in South Dakota and also served for 27 years as a chaplain in the South Dakota National Guard. In 2010 Pastor Gunderson was deployed for active duty with the Guard to Kabul Afghanistan for a year.

When you have bipolar behavior related to bipolar disorder, everyday life can feel like living on a rollercoaster over which you have zero control. That’s especially true if you’re facing both the challenges of bipolar disorder and being in ministry living in the shadow of the cross. However, there is hope to be found when you work with a Counselor whose basis is in Christianity, part of the body of Christ, who can help you develop better coping strategies and deepen your dependence on God. But there are additional challenges a person may face when serving our Lord in the ministry, such as fearing the reaction of others or feeling that you shouldn’t need counseling and are somehow failing God. In this podcast, we’ll be busting some myths about mental illness and ministry and looking at how you can find hope and healing when you open yourself up to the help available from solid Christian counselors.

The purpose of Rubber Meets the Road Pastoral Conversations is to discuss the joys, sorrows and tribulations of pastors serving their Call to the ministry while they live in the shadow of the Cross. The focus of this pastoral conversation is to discuss the meaning of the Office of the Keys from the perspective of serving in mission field in multiple locations and the challenges that come with that ministry.

 This month’s conversation is with Pastor Danny Tutwiler. Pastor Tutwiler is a retired pastor living in the Chicago area. Pastor Tutwiler leads a team of ministry veterans who each have involved in the renewal and growth processes necessary to turn around stagnant or declining congregations.

The Four Horseman of the Ministry are Isolation, Alienation, Division, and Loneliness. The Third Horsemen of the Ministry, Division so often leads to Depression which is a mental health and wellness issue that so many in the ministry deal with on a daily basis. Division leads to Depression, that takes us to Loneliness. A 2023 Gallup poll found that roughly 17.8% of Americans had or were being treated for depression. With the extreme pressures that most pastors deal with it’s hard to imagine what our numbers would truly look like if we really faced this problem. Depression is a disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest in things and activities that you once enjoyed. It can also cause difficulty with thinking, memory, eating and sleeping. Our episode will discuss the signs and symptoms of the different types of depression that people deal with along with some thoughts and ideas on how to more effectively deal with the issue of depression. 

The purpose of Rubber Meets the Road Pastoral Conversations is to discuss the joys, sorrows and tribulations of pastors serving their Call to the ministry while they live in the shadow of the Cross. The focus of this pastoral conversation is to discuss the meaning of the Office of the Keys from the perspective of serving in mission field in multiple locations and the challenges that come with that ministry.

This month’s conversation is with Pastor Ray Smith. Pastor Smith is a retired second career pastor living in Oklahoma. Pastor Smith currently services as a Circuit Visitor and is assisting serving a vacant congregation in his circuit.