Life Over Coffee

The Christian life is beautifully simple, yet profoundly deep. God has not hidden the path of transformation from His children, nor has He left us to stumble in darkness as we grow up into Christ. His Word gives clarity, structure, and hope. If change required brilliance, personality, or rare gifting, only the strong would ever mature. But because change requires humility and a teachable heart, every believer—strong or weak, seasoned or struggling—can experience genuine transformation. In many ways, that is one of the sweetest truths about God: He does not require you to be extraordinary to grow; He simply requires you to be honest. Read, Watch, Listen: https://lifeovercoffee.com/four-sequential-steps-to-change-your-life/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

If you know someone who is not changing, do not despair. There is a way to help them. I'm not suggesting they will change even if you did everything perfectly, but there is a process for transformation that every Christian should know. I will break down those dynamics of change for you—the essential elements to lead someone into Christlike transformation. I hope the Lord will use these thoughts as you serve those you love so well. Read Here: https://lifeovercoffee.com/if-your-friend-is-not-changing-consider-this/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

Shows Main Idea – Is bringing a baby into our evil world right? Where is the line between God’s sovereignty and personal responsibility? We live in a broken world that is full of evil. Every future parent knows that when they bring a baby into the world, the child struggles with brokenness and fallenness while tempted and affected by our corrupted culture. Where is the balance? How are we to think about these things? Show Notes: https://lifeovercoffee.com/podcast/ep-42-bring-baby-evil-world/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

Before you go any further, pause for a moment and take a small test of the heart. Think about the person you most want to see change. Picture them—their face, their habits, the conversation that always leaves you heavy. What happens inside you when you think about them? Do you sigh with compassion or tighten with frustration? Are you patient, or are you quietly simmering, waiting for them to “finally get it”? The reason I ask is that the motives we bring into a relationship shape every method we use. If the motive is wrong—if it’s control, fear, or impatience—then even good words will fall flat. We can quote Scripture, give wise counsel, or plead for righteousness, but if our hearts are out of tune with God, our efforts will sound like clanging cymbals. Helping someone change is holy work, but it’s dangerous work when done in the flesh. It’s easy to slip from shepherding into steering, from serving into subduing, from loving into legislating. When we attempt to change people, we stop cooperating with the Spirit and start competing with Him. Read, Watch, or Listen: https://lifeovercoffee.com/forcing-others-to-change-will-blow-up-your-relationship-with-them/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

Sometimes, when people hear the term biblical counseling, they think about a two-tier system within Christianity: those who can counsel and those who cannot. When I talk to some Christians about biblical counseling, they step back mentally while disqualifying themselves by saying, “I can’t do that.” For them, biblical counseling connotes a two-tier structure of competency or something for professionals. This problem, among a few other liabilities with the biblical counseling movement makes it wise to change our thinking about how we do soul care. Read Here: https://lifeovercoffee.com/a-better-way-to-do-counseling/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

Shows Main Idea – How are we to think about parental discipline? Should we spank our children? What if we had a bad experience with our parents; how are we to respond to our children? What does the Bible say about correction, obedience, and the purposes of child discipline? This episode answers all those questions plus many more, giving you a solid foundation and direction on this vital topic. Show Notes: https://lifeovercoffee.com/podcast/ep-40-twelve-things-know-spanking-parental-discipline/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

In any discipleship situation, the discipler’s theology must inform their discipleship process. Theology and application act as guardrails to keep the counseling process moving in the right direction while avoiding the inevitable hazards that inferior theology and deficient applications cause. Maintaining this type of counseling equilibrium has several benefits, such as keeping the discipler from losing hope or even sinning while caring for others. The Bible provides us with an case study to make this point. Read Here: https://lifeovercoffee.com/the-problem-with-expecting-someone-to-change-1-0/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

Every person who comes to you does not always fully invest themselves in being free from their problems. I’m not suggesting they are insincere. I’m speaking to the complexity of some issues and the accompanying heart entanglements that have become part of a person’s life for so long that the habituation’s strength is more powerful than the motivation to change. Just because they share their trouble with you does not mean they will put in the effort to change. The unchanging person is a common occurrence, and the reasons for it are worth our consideration. Read Here: https://lifeovercoffee.com/seven-reasons-a-person-will-not-change-2/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

Shows Main Idea – I sat down with Mark Grant to discuss his experience as he went through our Mastermind training program. Mark was our first student and graduate of our training. He later became one of our supervisors, teaching our students. Mark finished the coursework in fifteen months, which was the quickest anyone had completed the course. Most of our students finish within 24 and 36 months. I hope you benefit as he shares his training experience, what God did in him, and what life has been like since. Show Notes: https://lifeovercoffee.com/podcast/ep-32-mark-grants-experience-training-program/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

Your friend comes to you with a secret sin. You are his accountability partner, and he asks you to keep his sin secret. How would you respond to him? Is it okay to pledge confidentiality or have an expectation of it? Does confidentiality have value in the context of confession? Are there instances where we should tell others about a transgression, even if the guilty party is against it? What biblical principles should guide us regarding secrets, secret keeping, sharing, and biblical communication? Read Here: https://lifeovercoffee.com/should-i-keep-my-friends-sin-secret/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.