Episodes

  • Amy Julia Becker

    How do our churches and groups become communities of belonging? Our guest speaker, Amy Julia Becker, describes herself, "Through my writing and speaking, I desire to challenge assumptions about the good life, proclaim the inherent belovedness of every human being, and help us envision a world of belonging where everyone matters."

    Amy is the author of To Be Made Well, White Picket Fences, Small Talk, and A Good and Perfect Gift. In this conversation Amy Julia joins Kay Daigle to talk about ways that churches can become communities of belonging for people with disabilities.

    You can link to a video of this conversation if you prefer.

    Don't miss BOW's many other resources on caring well for our neighbors.


    Resources
    Amy Julia has suggested some resources that work for groups that include people with disabilities. Two ministries, With Ministry and Bethesda, have created resources for groups that include people of all abilities. Also Erik Carter's Wheel of Belonging that provides a visual picture of the things people with disabilities need in order to feel that they belong. All of these resources can help churches and their groups become communities of belonging.
    Timestamps:
    0:33 –Welcome & introductions
    03:37 - How are churches unwelcoming and how can we change that?
    08:51 - Include the disabled in conversations about making the church more accessible and welcoming.
    10:53 - Programs for those with disabilities & how to staff them
    12:44 - Welcoming those with intellectual disabilities
    15:05 - Resources to help churches
    15:48 - Congregations who welcome disruptive people
    21:23 - The church as a place of belonging
    28:06 - Helping the parents and the disabled themselves
    31:35 – Amy Julia's books
    38:03 – What we all can do to incorporate people with disabilities

    TranscriptKay >> I'm Kay Daigle and I'd like to welcome you to this episode of the Beyond Ordinary Women Podcast and Video Series. Our special guest today is Amy Julia Becker. Welcome, Amy Julia.

    Amy Julia >> Thank you for having me, Kay. I'm really glad to be here.

    Kay >> We are so excited to have you. Amy Julia is a writer, and I would call her a deep thinker. She's a disability advocate. She's a graduate of Princeton University and Princeton Seminary, where she earned a master of divinity degree. She's an author of a number of books, including A Good and Perfect Gift, White Picket Fences, Small Talk, and her latest book, To Be Made Well.

    So, Amy Julia, let's begin by telling our audience what happened in your life that really caused you to see the world differently and become an advocate for people with disabilities?

    Amy Julia >> Sure. Yeah. Well, again, thank you for having me. And I would say it's interesting because if I look back on my whole life, there have been multiple moments that have caused me to see the world differently. But the one that really changed my perspective or began a change in perspective in terms of disability came when I was 28 years old.

    And my husband I had been married for a number of years actually. At that point we got married pretty young and we were having our first baby. And when I gave birth on December 30th, 2005, two hours later, actually, the nurse called my husband out of the room. He came back into the room and told me that the doctors suspected our daughter had Down syndrome.

    I knew very little about Down syndrome at that time, or even anything related to disability and especially intellectual disability. And so I would not say that my perspective changed immediately, but that was the beginning of a really big shift in the way I thought about disability. But honestly, ultimately, it was a shift in how I thought about our humanity, not just in terms of my daughter, but in terms of all of us.

    Kay >> I read your book that tells that story, and I so appreciated just your honesty about your feelings and the journey that you went through in that time.

  • To BE the image of God---what does that mean and what difference does it make to you and me today?Nika Spaulding unpacks it for those of us who are unsure or perhaps our understanding is incorrect. To BE in the image of God is a crucial concept if we want to live out our identity in Christ and interact with people in the world around us as God asks us to do.Optionally, watch the video version of this episode.Nika's Suggested ResourcesBeing God’s Image by Carmen Joy ImesBullies & Saints: An Honest Look at the Good and Evil of Christian History by John DicksonBOW’s Resources on this topicLearning to Love our Neighbors podcast with Kay DaigleSexual Identity & Gender Identity podcast with Dr. Sandra Glahn and Dr. Gary BarnesRacial Reconciliation resourcesSexual Abuse & Church with Mary DeMuthCaring Well resourcesTimeStamps:0:32 – Intro01:04 - What does it mean to BE God’s Image?03:30 - How would the original audience of Genesis have understood this?10:01 - Where else does the Bible mention the image of God?15:44 - Are men and women equally God's Image?19:43 - Is the Bible anti-women?21:30 - Image of God wasn't generally taught for years23:12 - How the early church applied this24:35 - Common misunderstandings of the image of God25:47 - How do we apply this today?31:52 – Other resources to practically apply these truths TranscriptKay >> I'm Kay Daigle of Beyond Ordinary Women Ministries. Welcome to this podcast/video episode. Our special guest today is Nika Spaulding. Welcome, Nika.Nika >> Thanks, Kay. I'm excited to be here with you.Kay >> Well, it's always great to have you. We always love it when you are our guest. Nika is the Resident Theologian at St Jude Oak Cliff in the Dallas area. She has a Master of Theology from DTS and our topic today is about the image of God. We're talking about what it means to be God's image. Explain that a little bit for us, because I think we usually we would say what it means to be in the image of God, but what does it mean to be God's image?Nika >> Yeah, that's really good. I like that you clarify that because I think that's an important part of this conversation. We use the phrase image of God, or imago dei if you've heard the Latin one, this idea of humanity at the end of creation, God makes the heavens and the earth. He makes all these days; he fills the days. It's incredible.And then creation crescendos at the top and kind of breaks from the pattern. You sort of have a creation, day and night, creation, day and night, day, night. And then all of a sudden, the camera zooms in and God gets to the top of creation, which is in Genesis 1:26-27. Let's make mankind in our image male and female and you have this image language that gets picked up there.And what's really interesting about that is people forever have been talking about the image of God. It's a big idea in theology, but sometimes people will talk about it as if it's something you can do, or it's something that you receive, or maybe like you can bear it or you cannot bear it. And really I think an important distinction is, no, no, you just are the image of God. You don't do something to become the image of God. We just exist as the image of God because that's what it means to be human. It's all humans are the image of God rather than we can act like the image of God. And one of the distinctions that I like to make is sometimes people think that we are the image of God because we're rational.We were talking about pets before we hit record, and I love my dog more than I probably should. But I have to accept at some point that humans are more important than my dog. I may not emotionally accept that, but I can intellectually accept that on some level. And people will say, well, yeah, because you can reason, you can marry, you can logic, sort of all these things. And it's like, well, that then means people who with intellectual disabilities then don't image...

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  • Kaitlyn Schiess

    Politics and discipleship--do they go together? How should church leaders approach politics? Well, politics and discipleship do relate, but not necessarily the way that some of us as Jesus followers think. Because of the division and confusion about this subject, we at BOW called for help for this highly partisan election year. Author Kaitlyn Schiess joins Kelley Mathews to discuss what having a healthier and more biblical approach to politics would look like.

    Whether you're a church leader, a mentor or a parent, Kaitlyn can help you learn to communicate and assess political questions in a less strident way. Kaitlyn doesn't tell us how to vote, but instead she discusses about how to think and talk about this subject well.

    This episode is also available on video if you prefer.


    Politics & Discipleship Suggested Resources
    Kaitlyn Schiess, The Liturgy of Politics, https://www.amazon.com/Liturgy-Politics-Spiritual-Formation-Neighbor/dp/0830848304

    Kaitlyn Schiess, The Ballot and the Bible, https://www.amazon.com/Ballot-Bible-Scripture-American-Politics/dp/1587435969/

    Vincent Bacote, The Political Disciple, https://www.amazon.com/Political-Disciple-Theology-Public-Ordinary/dp/0310516072/

    Michael Wear, The Spirit of Our Politics, https://www.amazon.com/Spirit-Our-Politics-Spiritual-Renovation/dp/0310367190/
    Connect with Kaitlyn on these podcasts:
    The Holy Post Podcast, https://www.holypost.com

    Curiously, Kaitlyn, https://www.holypost.com/curiously
    Timestamps
    0:32 - Introduction
    1:19 - Why politics and faith?
    4:35 - Who needs this conversation?
    8:00 – How can church leaders/small group leaders, etc. approach politics in a healthy way?
    12:34 - What are common challenges for pastors/leaders during election year?
    16:47 - What are the deeper spiritual issues we need to grapple with?
    17:16 - How would you address politics in a Bible study or small group?
    22:19 - How is the Bible misused in our American culture?
    27:40 - What would it look like for a church to have a healthy relationship with politics?
    31:01 – Recommended resources
    33:39 - Biblical instruction for our political lives

    TranscriptKelley >> Welcome to the Beyond Ordinary Women Podcast. I am Kelley Mathews. And with me today is Kaitlyn Schiess. Kaitlyn is a friend from Dallas Seminary. I was long gone by the time she got there, but I went back on campus as a GTA and I actually interrupted a conversation she was having with Dr. Glahn, a mutual friend. And I learned later that that might have been the conversation where you guys were talking about you writing your first book. Was that right?

    Kaitlyn >> Yeah.

    Kelley >> Thank you. We're going to be talking about the church and politics because that's kind of like your shtick these days.

    Kaitlyn >> Yeah.

    Kelley >> And we welcome the wisdom you're going to share with us. So thank you for being here. Tell us how politics and faith became your go to topic.

    Kaitlyn >> Yeah, I keep joking that it wasn't something that a career counselor ever said. You know, you really should talk about the two things you're not supposed to talk about at the dinner table - theology and politics.

    Kelley >> Yeah.

    Kaitlyn >> When I went to college, I thought I was going to go to law school. So I started out as a political science major, switched to history, but thought the whole time I would go to law school. And went to a school in Virginia, Liberty University, that was very politically involved in the years that I was there. There were a lot of politicians on campus. There were a lot of media on campus asking students questions.

    So at the same time that I was at a place that politics and especially the relationship between faith and politics was really central to the conversation happening around me, I was also discerning a change that felt really scary at the time, really uncertain, from going to law school to going to seminary,

  • Nika Spaulding

    Kay Daigle

    What are the top 10 things not to do as a Bible teacher?  Experienced and gifted Bible teacher and preacher Nika Spaulding joins Dr. Kay Daigle in this fun and informative discussion of the top 10 mistakes that they've made themselves or seen other Bible teachers make that are best avoided.

    Are you a Bible teacher? If so, you've likely discovered some of these yourself, and we would love to hear from you. Reply with your comments so that all of us who teach the Bible can benefit from the wisdom of your experience. Check out the entire podcast episode or the video version to help you avoid the errors that Nika and Kay have made.

    Don't miss the helpful resources found below or download the resource file.

     

    Feel free to contact Kay at [email protected].


    Podcast Topics
    1:51 #10, Fail to compare interpretations from more than one source.
    5:07 #9, Steal other people’s material, including their stories.
    8:07 #8, Assume teaching is a gift and not also a craft.
    12:41 #7, Shoot from the hip.
    15:38 #6, Cram too much information into the talk.
    18:50 #5, Teach topically when you’re teaching through a book.
    22:30 #4, Try to be something or someone that you’re not.
    25:45 #3, Prep entirely alone without feedback during the process and afterwards.
    28:59 #2, Spend more time on illustrations and slides than in God’s Word.
    32:07 #1, Forget that ultimately only God can move through what you say.
    Suggested Resources for Top 10 Things NOT to do as a Bible Teacher:



    John Dyer’s Best Commentaries
    BOW’s webpage on Studying and Teaching the Bible



    TranscriptKay >> Hi. I'm Kay Daigle of Beyond Ordinary Women Ministries. Welcome to this podcast and video episode. Today I'm talking with Nika Spaulding. Welcome, Nika. We're glad you're here.

    Nika >> Oh, thanks, Kay. I'm glad to be here.

    Kay >> Nika is the Resident Theologian at St Jude Oak Cliff in the Dallas area, and she has joined us on a lot of episodes, actually. And we're so happy to have her on this one. She and I talked about it, I don't know, a month or two ago, just the topic and are finally getting together to discuss it. And we're excited about it, thinking it'll be a fun episode for all of you, particularly you Bible teachers, because, what we're going to talk about are the top 10 things NOT to do as a Bible teacher.

    I think that probably one or both of us have done most of these. There may be a couple that, I think I added one that I know for sure, I've seen somebody do and it wasn't good at all. So I think I did add one that I had not done but maybe Nika has done it. So it might be that we've done all of these at one time or the other. So anyway, we're going to start like any good top 10 with #10. So Nika,
    #10 – “Fail to compare interpretations from more than one source.”
    Do you want to start talking about it or do you want me to?

    Nika >> No, I can go and should we admit every time we've done it or should we just let people guess?

    Kay >> I think I've already admitted.

    Nika >> OK, fair enough.

    Kay >> Yeah.

    Nika >> This one I think I'm fairly certain I'm guilty of. And especially when you're first teaching the Bible, you can get overwhelmed with all the sources, right? You go, OK, I'm going to study John 1. And then you realize, oh my goodness, they're hundreds of commentaries on just John 1. And so if you're not careful, especially if you belong to a certain theological tradition or a church tradition, you can tend to only look at those types of interpretation. And you don't look at what have we said throughout church history? What do people from different traditions say about it?

    And so it's an easy mistake to make. But I know that when I started reading beyond my tradition, the passages became more rich and I began to understand them more deeply. And I think I became even more confident as I taught and looked at it.
    What about you, Kay?

    Kay >> I totally agree.

  • What does helping women who struggle with porn look like? What can Christians, especially Christian leaders, do? Dr. Joy Skarka joins Dr. Kay Daigle to share her personal experience and knowledge to help Christians understand how to care well for women caught up in porn. Joy provides a wealth of information and practical suggestions for both Christian women who influence or lead other women and also parents who desire to protect their children. Helping women who struggle with porn is essential to loving our neighbors.

    You can connect to the video version if you prefer. Don't miss the helpful resources found below or download the resource file.

    Feel free to contact BOW at [email protected].  Joy has previously joined BOW to discuss Recognizing Rape Culture which is available as both a video and podcast episode.


    Podcast Topics
    0:31 Introducing Joy Skarka and her ministry
    1:54 Joy’s story
    3:40 A growing problem for women
    6:03 How Christian women deal with this struggle
    7:22 How porn impacts women
    9:15 How should leaders begin conversations on this topic?
    14:41 Preparing in advance to help someone
    16:09 Helpful resources for parents
    18:51 Resources for adults
    19:19 How the struggle is different for men & women
    21:59 Shame from watching porn
    23:00 Discipling those caught up in porn
    29:45 Recovery is a journey
    30:32 Understand God’s design for sexuality
    31:52 Any woman can help another woman
    33:31 What resources does your ministry offer?
    Joy Skarka’s Suggested Resources:



    Joy Skarka, Her Freedom Journey: A Guide Out of Porn and Shame to Authentic Intimacy
    SHE Recovery
    Sexual Discipleship
    Authentic Intimacy resources on freedom from sexual sin
    Pure Desire Ministries
    Curt Thompson, Soul of Shame: Retelling the Stories We Believe About Ourselves

    Websites with Resources For Parents:

    Birds & Bees
    Defend Young Minds



    TranscriptKay >> Welcome to the Beyond Ordinary Women Ministries podcast and video series. Today, our special guest is Dr. Joy Skarka, who is on the Authentic Intimacy Team. She has been doing that since 2020 and she has built there a transformational ministry for women dealing with sexual shame and pornography. So welcome, Joy. We are so delighted that you were able to join us.

    Joy >> Oh, thank you, Kay. I just love the resources that you're creating, and I'm glad to be here.

    Kay >> Oh, thank you so much. Joy previously has joined us for a podcast and video on rape culture. So if you missed that, you might want to look back for that. Today, though, we are talking about caring for women struggling with porn. And Joy actually has a book coming out about that. It is going to be called Her Freedom Journey: A Guide Out of Porn and Shame to Authentic Intimacy. When does that book come out, Joy?

    Joy >> Yes, this July, July 2024. How come, Kay, we always get the hard topics on these podcasts, right?

    Kay >> Yes.

    Joy >> These are some hard topics that we're covering.

    Kay >> It really is. And I really wanted to start really by talking about how in the world you got involved in ministering to women who struggle with porn.

    Joy >> Right. It's not something people normally raise their hand and volunteer and say, hey, I want to talk about porn and helping women.

    Joy >> You don't see a lot of women talking about it. So I'd love to just share a little bit of my story. And I think to sum it all up, God, took my pain point and made it my passion. He really just brought me to this place where I just had this burning desire to help other women because I couldn't find that help. And so flash back, I was in college and I had just experienced a date rape, which is kind of why we talked about rape culture on the last episode. So this is a follow up to my story there.

    But I had experienced that trauma and I lacked a sex education, so I had no idea kind of what had happened, what was going on. And so that brought me to Google,

  • Do you want to lead small group discussions toward spiritual growth? Do you feel you're just treading water with your small group? What can you do as the leader to cultivate disciples?  Kelly Arabie and Kay Daigle talk about ways to lead small group discussions and promote spiritual growth at the same time. Grow as a leader so that you encourage spiritual maturity in this third of three videos/podcast episodes. Part 1 - Essentials, and part 2 - Preparation are available on podcast.

    You can connect to the video version if you prefer. Don't miss the helpful resources found below.  Feel free to contact BOW at [email protected].


    Podcast Topics
    1:29 Contrasting ways of leading small groups don't and do foster spiritual growth
    3:10 Primary elements of good discussions
    6:14 Allowing the Spirit to lead
    7:06 Continuing to grow as a leader
    7:46 Group dynamics
    8:24 Leader as shepherd
    9:24 Small group leader handbook
    9:49 A word to leaders implementing this process
    10:38 Action points from this episode
    Action Points for Leading a Small Group Toward Spiritual Growth 3: Discussions
    FYI: The “Open Questions” and Small Group Leadership Handbook resource links are found below, as well as on the “Podcast/Video Extras” page.

    Journal about these questions or discuss them with a more experienced leader:



    What do you think is the hardest part of leading a discussion and why?
    How have you seen a small group leader deal with a problem well?
    Why or why not should time for prayer as a group be prioritized?



    Resources:



    Action Points for Leading a Small Group Toward Spiritual Growth (PDF)
    Asking Open Questions (PDF)
    Women's Bible Study Small Group Leader Handbook (PDF)
    Leading Small Groups (webpage)
    Listening Well series
    Asking Powerful Questions series
    3 Practices for Spiritually Growing Small Groups (post)
    3 Suggestions for Powerful Group Prayer (post)
    Building Community in Small Groups? Share Life Stories (post)
    5 Steps to a Terrible Small Group (post)

  • To lead your small group toward spiritual growth requires preparation for the leader. Kelly Arabie joins Kay Daigle in the second podcast in this series of three so small group leaders can prepare well to be ready for the group meeting.

    Sometimes we think of leading a small group as simply getting each member to talk and at the same time keeping the conversation on track. But if our goal is spiritual growth for the group members, it requires more than showing up and reading questions from the lesson. This kind of leadership requires deliberate preparation in several areas for the leader.

    You can connect to the video version if you prefer, and don't miss the helpful resources found below. Feel free to contact BOW at [email protected] if you have questions. If you missed Part 1 of this series, Essentials, connect to the podcast.


    Action Points for Leading a Small Group Toward Spiritual Growth 2: Preparation
    (FYI: You can download the pdf version of these Action Points as well as the  “Asking Open Questions” resource linked below under Resources.)
    Journal about these questions, or discuss them with a more experienced leader:

    What has been your understanding of discipleship previously?
    How does it differ from what you heard on this video?
    How is your learning different when it arises in a group discussion than when it comes from a sermon or lecture?
    What most excites you about leading this kind of group?

    Resources for Small Group leaders



    Action Points for Leading a Small Group Toward Spiritual Growth (PDF)
    Asking Open Questions (PDF)
    Women's Bible Study Small Group Leader Handbook (PDF)
    Leading Small Groups (webpage)
    Listening Well series
    Asking Powerful Questions series
    3 Practices for Spiritually Growing Small Groups (post)
    3 Suggestions for Powerful Group Prayer (post)
    Building Community in Small Groups? Share Life Stories (post)
    5 Steps to a Terrible Small Group (post)



    Podcast Topics
    0:33 Intro & defining a disciple
    3:53 Discipleship in a small group
    4:48 What is the role of the small group leader then?
    5:42 What does the leader's preparation look like?
    7:51 What does shepherding the group members look like?
    8:18 Preparing in prayer
    9:36 Preparing through the content
    10:48 Action points for processing this episode

  • What essentials are necessary to lead your small group to spiritual growth? You can take actions right now that will help! Listen to encouraging ideas from Kelly Arabie, BOW Ministry Team Member, and then incorporate those necessary ingredients to foster discipleship in your group. You'll soon be focusing on the essentials to lead your group toward spiritual growth yourself.

    In this first of three episodes in this conversation, Kelly reveals her shepherd's heart as she explains and illustrates these necessary ingredients for Kay Daigle, Founder of Beyond Ordinary Women.

    Alternately, you can connect to the video version if you want to watch the conversation and also listen in. And please don't miss browsing the helpful resources found below for leading small groups. If you have questions, contact Kay Daigle at [email protected].


    Action Points for Leading a Small Group Toward Spiritual Growth 1: Essentials
    Reflect on these questions by personal journaling or having a conversation with a like-minded friend:

    What experiences have shaped your personal growth in small groups?
    What would your ideal small group achieve?
    What would it have to look like to make that happen?

    Evaluate which area of a healthy Bible study small group found below you most need help with as you consider why you need help:

    Peer Learning
    Bible-based questions
    Care
    Practical skills leading a discussion

    Reflect on this question through journaling or conversation with a like-minded friend:
             If you have never led a group, which area most concerns you and why?
    Resources:



    Action Points for Leading a Small Group Toward Spiritual Growth (PDF)
    Asking Open Questions (PDF)
    Women's Bible Study Small Group Leader Handbook (PDF)
    Leading Small Groups (page)
    Listening Well series
    Asking Powerful Questions series
    3 Practices for Spiritually Growing Small Groups (post)
    3 Suggestions for Powerful Group Prayer (post)
    Building Community in Small Groups? Share Life Stories (post)
    5 Steps to a Terrible Small Group (post)

  • What is rape culture? Dr. Joy Skarka joins Kay Daigle to discuss it and ways to better care for and support victims in the church. Often the church is guilty of supporting rape culture. Joy speaks from her personal experience as well as her study and ministry focus on sexuality with Authentic Intimacy. This is a must-see episode for every disciple of Jesus. You can choose to watch it on video if you prefer. Don't miss the helpful resources found below.



    Topics:

    2:26 - Joy's story
    4:01 – Clarification of terminology
    5:26 – What is rape culture?
    6:40 – Why do women not report rape?
    9:51 – Christians often encourage rape culture
    12:00 - Pornography's contribution
    14:02 - An example from a sermon
    15:47 – Women are Jezebels and men can’t control themselves – what do we do with that type of thinking?
    20:26 – The theology of women taught in our churches affects the handling of sexual abuse claims.
    21:46 – What practical steps can a woman in leadership in her church take to care for women who deal with sexual assault?
    24:04 - Responding well to a woman who has been raped
    26:18 - What can women do about “locker room” talk?
    29:15 – Final encouragement

    Resources:

    Suggested resources from Joy  Resources for Recognizing Rape Culture (PDF)  
    Rethinking Sexuality: God's Design and Why It Matters by Juli Slattery
    We Too: How the Church Can Respond Redemptively to the Sexual Abuse Crisis by Mary DeMuth
    Interview with Dr. Sandra Glahn, Author of Vindicating the Vixens 
    Sexual Abuse & the Church with Mary DeMuth 

  • Kelly Arabie

    Kay Daigle

    What are the best practices for women's Bible studies? Dr. Kay Daigle and Kelly Arabie provide practical help for Bible study leadership—small group leaders, administrators and teachers. Between them, Kelly and Kay have many years of experience teaching, leading small groups and developing their skills, often by trial and error. They hope to save you from their mistakes by sharing practical help for Bible study leadership.

    You can watch this episode on video. BOW has produced many other helpful videos on women's Bible studies that you may profit from watching. Each video also provides a link to the podcast version.

    Connect to these other resources designed to help you with Bible study leadership: Leading Small Groups, Bible Study Evaluation and Small Group Leader Handbook.

  • Virginia Grounds

    Virginia Grounds joins Sharifa Stevens to share her suggestions for persevering in ministry when encountering tough times. Virginia speaks from her many years of ministry experience, and any disciple of Christ will find her suggestions helpful when life is difficult.

    You can connect to the video version if you prefer.

    To find other BOW resources to help you persevere in ministry, watch these videos.

    Virginia's outline is available to download.

  • Dr. Sandra Glahn of DTS joins Sharifa Stevens of the BOW Ministry Team to discuss purity culture--why it came about, where it went wrong and how it can be corrected to be more biblical. Alternately you can watch it on video. Connect to the accompanying resources.

  • Jodie Niznik

    Why take a personal retreat? Jodie Niznik, author, speaker and Bible teacher, joins Kay Daigle to discuss how a personal retreat helps us maintain a healthy spiritual life. For those in places of spiritual leadership, it is a must. It is also very beneficial to any Christian to take time to be alone with God because it nourishes anyone's soul. If you are feeling tired spiritually, consider taking a personal retreat.

    Optionally, you can watch this conversation, and you may want to connect to all of BOW's resources on soul care.

  • Michelle Clifford

    Are the Christians in your church becoming pursuers of God? Or are they stuck, not growing and not knowing how to live out their faith?

    Michelle Clifford has created a unique curriculum, Pursuit, to develop passionate followers of Christ. In this BOW podcast episode, she and team member Kelley Mathews discuss why she created it, its elements and how it works. She points out how Pursuit is different from the programs we often consider discipleship. Michelle has found that those who participate are indeed becoming pursuers of God. Her ideas may be just what you need for your church or those whom you disciple.

    This episode is available on video if you prefer to watch.

  • Claudia McGuire

    How can we in the church show our support and love for widows? In this conversation with Kay Daigle, Claudia McGuire discusses the needs of widows and provides suggestions for churches and individuals to grow in understanding their grief and in finding practical ways to serve this community. Claudia's experience as a widow and a leader of a small group of widows provides her with the insights that can help us show support and love for widows.

    This episode is also available on video.

    BOW provides other resources that help Christians and our churches care well for others.

  • Oletha Barnett

    In this podcast episode Oletha Barnett concludes her series Fight Right on resolving conflict. Oletha suggests that we who are in conflict accept others' differences. That is the attitude required to resolve conflict, one of acceptance of others who are different than we are. Oletha calls us to accept others' differences in conflict.

    The video version can be found here. If you missed the previous podcast episodes, you can link to Part 1 - The Nature of Conflict or Part 2 - Biblical Resolution.

    Oletha has provided an outline to help you as you navigate conflict.

    If you'd like to watch the entire series on video, it's available.

  • Oletha Barnett

    In this second episode on the topic of conflict, Oletha Barnett talks about going the way of biblical resolution of conflict, navigating it God's way. Do you know God's way to resolve a conflict? Oletha Barnett shares her expertise as a Christian reconciliation specialist. This series is a must for us all!

    Oletha has provided an outline to help you as you navigate conflict.

    You can connect with the first episode The Nature of Conflict and don't miss the next episode, Accepting others' Differences.

    The entire series is available on video.

  • What is the nature of conflict? Oletha Barnett provides biblical help to those of us who encounter conflict, so it's a podcast episode for us all! In this first episode, she discusses the nature of conflict so that we understand it before trying to fix it.

    This series provides the foundation for conflict resolution.

    Don't miss the next two episodes in this series Fight Right: 2- Biblical Resolution and 3- Accepting Other's Differences.

    This episode is also available on video as an option. You may want to connect to all of BOW's videos on conflict.

    You can access an outline provided by Oletha here.

  • Dr. Kay Daigle

    With so many Bible studies to choose from, why study Who Is This Jesus?, a Bible study of the gospel of John. Kay discusses its purpose and what makes it unique in this short podcast.

    Or watch Kay on the video version.

    You may want to read our blog post, Choosing Bible study curriculum.

  • Why study Near to the Heart of God? Kay Daigle's Bible study of selected psalms will draw you near to God. In this podcast Kay explains why she wrote this study and how it will benefit you as the student.

    If you need help at times finding the right words for your prayers, the Psalms may be just what you need.

    You may want to read our blog post, Choosing Bible study curriculum.