CCEF Podcast: Where Life & Scripture Meet

Today’s episode is an audio lecture from one of our online courses, Helping Relationships, which is taught by Ed Welch. This lecture is titled “Pursue & Know People” and it covers one of the foundational ideas to this course and to all of biblical counseling: that we aim to know people well and pursue them like Jesus. Registration for this course is open through December 3. Register at ccef.org/school. The CCEF School of Biblical Counseling offers 6 courses that make up 2 certificates designed to equip you for biblical counseling. Our students include pastors, elders, ministry leaders, counselors, and any Christian wanting to grow in wise soul care. You can learn more at ccef.org/school.

Dive into the intriguing discussion on whether it's acceptable for Christians to feel negative emotions like anger and sadness. The complexities of human emotions are explored, emphasizing that such feelings aren't sinful. Discover how acknowledging these emotions can lead to personal growth and a stronger faith. The conversation highlights the importance of expressing sorrow to God, paving the way for deeper connections during life's challenges.

Mike Emlet, a speaker from the 2020 CCEF National Conference, dives into enhancing intimacy with God through Scripture and prayer. He challenges misconceptions about devotional practices, emphasizing the balance between discipline and dependence on God. Emlet shares personal insights, including how college life shaped his faith. Listeners learn the transformative power of meditation on biblical texts and practical tips for daily reflection, such as the Ignatian Prayer of Examen, to stay connected with God amid distractions.

This fall we’re taking a longer break from the podcast while we work on a new format with more frequent episodes. We’re excited to launch that in 2025! In the meantime, we’ll be sharing some previously released resources with you. Today’s episode is a rerun of an episode we released a few years ago titled “Rest.” We hope you’re encouraged by this episode to draw near to the God of rest. Mentioned in this episode: We’re thinking a lot about rest as we prepare for our national conference on the topic. We hope you’ll join us for the conference this October, whether online or in Chattanooga, TN. You can learn more at ccef.org/2024.

Clinical psychologist Ed Welch discusses trauma and scripture, emphasizing the importance of understanding trauma, practicing compassion, and finding strength in God's word. He explores the impact of suffering on individuals and the role of community support in times of adversity.

In this last episode of our miniseries on emotions, Alasdair Groves answers 11 questions submitted by our listeners. We hope these answers are edifying to you! You can read a transcript of this episode here.   Mentioned in this episode: We’re excited to be doing a giveaway of some CCEF-branded items! To enter, visit ccef.org/podcast-giveaway. Winners will be chosen and notified via email on July 5.   Are you looking for an answer to a particular question? See timestamps below to jump to that part of the episode. How does a Christian deal with a tendency to struggle with joy and happiness even when life is relatively good? [3:50] Is it a good thing when we can’t control our emotions? [11:56] Is the emotion of frustration a sin? [18:08] What about people who don’t know what they feel? [23:50] What about when a woman’s monthly period or menopause, where emotions “happen” to us and are not “our fault”? [28:00] How do I manage or overcome strong romantic emotions that are misleading? [35:22] What’s your encouragement for someone who says he’s a thinker, not a feeler? [39:48] What do you do with emotions that you should not act out on, but are still important to process? [42:02] How do you have empathy but also encourage resilience? [45:36] How do we handle anger, jealousy, negative emotions, and other things that may lead to bitterness? [50:55] Can you speak to rumination and sadness over relationships that are over? [54:12] For further study on emotions, we want to recommend to you Untangling Emotions, a book by Alasdair Groves and Winston Smith, where they seek to biblically frame emotions and consider how to wisely engage with them.

Is it okay to be happy? Was Jesus happy? Are you happy? Listen as Alasdair Groves considers these three questions. This is episode 5 in a miniseries on emotions, where we are considering how to understand Jesus’s emotions and how that helps us understand our own. Mentioned in this episode: we recently released our latest issue of the Journal of Biblical Counseling, which includes articles on topics such as trauma, the empty nest, faithfulness in marriage, and scrupulosity. Learn more here. Find a transcript of the episode here For more resources on emotions, including blogs, podcasts, videos, and more, click here.

Today we’re excited to share with you a recent project we’ve been working on. We started a new podcast called the CCEF Blogcast, where CCEF faculty read their own blogs. We hope you enjoy this special episode as Ed Welch reads his blog, “Become a Psalmist.” For more content like this, check out the CCEF Blogcast wherever you listen to podcasts. Music: "Created by Design" by Cody Martin

Alasdair Groves discusses Jesus' anger towards distractions and injustices, focusing on how it reflects his passion for justice and righteousness. The podcast explores Jesus' reaction to temple exploitation, hypocrisy, and the balance between anger and compassion in guiding people towards fellowship and love.

Explore the depth of compassion in Jesus' emotions, leading to action. Reflect on how God, as a good shepherd, has compassion for us. Learn about the upcoming CCEF National Conference on rest. Delve into the challenges of showing compassion and the importance of empathy. Reflect on embodying Jesus's compassion for personal growth and empowerment.