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 GuthrieCount It All Joy by Helen RoseveareRelated Content:7 Things to Say to a Hurting Loved OneWhy Mentoring Is Better Than Asking AlexaThe Neglected Ministry of Asking QuestionsDiscussion 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?
--------
39:00
Romans 8 Deserves a Deep Dive
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 NewbellIn View of God’s Mercies by Courtney DoctorCelebrating Around the Table by Trillia NewbellRelated Content:Living in the Hope of Liberation from BondageThe Good News of Romans 8If God Is for Us: Standing Accused with Romans 8Discussion Questions: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?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?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?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?Reflecting on Romans 8:35–39, which truths are most meaningful to you in combating the lie that God doesn’t love you? How would you encourage another woman who is struggling to believe she is more than a conqueror through Christ (Romans 8:37)?
--------
45:19
Your Church Needs You to Show Up
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. EnglishSighing on Sunday by Megan HillA Place to Belong by Megan HillWestminster Confession of Faith“Father, I Stretch My Hands to Thee”Related Content:The Church Is Essential for DiscipleshipWant to Reach the Next Generation? Love the Church.5 Reasons to Keep Going to Church with Baby BrainLet’s Talk: Overcoming Church HurtDiscussion Questions:In what ways are you currently “showing up” (or not showing up) in your church community?What is most likely to keep you from showing up at church, either literally or figuratively?How have you experienced being known, loved, and cared for by the church?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?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?What change or next step would you like to take regarding your engagement in your church? How can your discussion partners pray for you?
--------
36:03
Sacrificial Yeses and Necessary Nos: Discern the Difference
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 4:6–18The Envy of Eve by Melissa KrugerWork Well with All Types of People (The Deep Dish - Episode 7)Related Content:Let’s Talk: Decision-MakingHow to Know When to Say NoMake It Your Ambition: Seven Godly Pursuits for the Next Generation by Jeremy WritebolHelp! I’m Afraid I Made the Wrong DecisionDiscussion Questions:What’s a situation in which you struggled to give a yes or no? What made that decision difficult?Do you tend to say yes or no more often? What usually motivates your yes or no?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?What situations has God used in your life to reveal your unique giftings?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?How has God provided rest for you during seasons of sacrificial yeses? What sabbath practices help you find rest in the Lord?
--------
42:36
Married for Good
Courtney Doctor, Melissa Kruger, Vanessa Hawkins, and Jen Wilkin have each been married for more than 25 years.In this conversation, they talk about how marriage was different from what they expected, what practices have strengthened their marriage through life's ebbs and flows, and they debunk some of the worst marriage advice they’ve heard. Recommended Resources:Single, Dating, Engaged, Married by Ben StuartSacred Marriage by Gary ThomasRelated Content:Growing Your Marriage While Having Young KidsSustaining the Covenant of Marital LoveMarriage in Gospel FocusA Biblical View of MarriageDiscussion Questions:What does spending quality time together look like in this season of your lives? What is the best (or worst) piece of relationship advice you have received? What made it helpful or harmful?What strengths do you see in yourself and your spouse? How have those strengths balanced out areas of weakness in different seasons of your lives?Can you think of a way you would like to rearrange your priorities in order to strengthen your marriage (or your future marriage)?What “one another” commands come the easiest to you? Which are most difficult, and how might you seek to live those out increasingly?In what ways has God used your marriage to sanctify you?What do you want to pray for your spouse, marriage, or yourself based on what you have heard and discussed?
The Deep Dish is a new podcast from TGC hosted by Melissa Kruger and Courtney Doctor that invites women into deep conversations about the deep truths of God. These discussions (which are always better served up with a slice of deep-dish pizza!) will equip women to engage in richer discipleship relationships in their local contexts. Tune in for warm conversations among friends—including special guests along the way—to dig deeper into God’s Word and explore how it applies to every area of our lives.
New Zealand