The Allender Center Podcast

It feels as though we've been living in a year of Lent, Dan comments, let alone the past forty days as we near the end of Holy Week. So, on this Holy Saturday, Dan and Rachael begin a timely conversation about the reality, disruption, and defiance of the resurrection. The resurrection is not meant for only sometime in the future, but for the here and now. We need to remember that though death persists, it does not have the final say. This is why, as Rachael notes, we can hold onto hope and follow in the way of Jesus, doing the holy work of living in a way that stands at odds against the status quo structures of this world. Resources: Follow @aapi.liturgy on Instagram Listen to an episode on "Holding the Tension of Holy Saturday" Read an article by Abby Wong-Heffter titled "Racism and Sexual Harm: Seeds of White Supremacy and Anti-Asian Violence"

Dr. Pam Davis again joins Dan and Rachael to continue their conversation about how to help kids in this year of pandemic and the many other global and social events our kids are exposed to. This week, she talks about how we can differentiate between normal mental health struggles in children, when we may need to seek help, and how to tell the difference. Listen and learn what steps you can take to engage children's mental health and be reminded that this is not a normal time—we need an abundance of kindness both towards ourselves and those around us as we navigate this challenging season.

Dr. Pam Davis, Associate Professor of Counseling at Gordon-Conwell Seminary and Director of the Counseling Department at Charlotte campus, joins Dan and Rachael to engage the immense difficulty of parenting in a pandemic and speak directly to those working with children. You'll hear understanding affirmations and how Dr. Davis addresses the oftentimes overwhelming challenge of needing to care for yourself in order to care for your children, the importance of play, and other vital resources to utilize in this season. Resources: Learn more about Dr. Pam Davis and her work Listen to an episode from the early months of the pandemic titled "Parenting in the Midst of a Pandemic" Read an article by Dr. Pam Davis recently published in Psychology Today titled "Fostering Resilience in Children during a Pandemic" Read a blog post by Jay Stringer about "Good Enough Parenting in a Time of Crisis"

Following their conversation from last week about the impact of trauma on our body and our brain, Dan and Rachael turn their attention to ways we can begin to find healing in the midst of 'trauma overload.' This is not a prescriptive list of all the things you must do, but rather options available to you to start where and when you can. Ultimately, as Dan and Rachael come back to time and time again, it's about being faithful in the small and the kindness of God that brings about the transformation and healing we're most meant for. Resources: Register for "Trauma and the Body," an online event exploring the impact of trauma on relationships, self, and body

We're coming up on a full year of living in the midst of not only a global pandemic, but multiple crises on a national, communal, and personal scale. So today, Dan and Rachael dive into a much-requested topic from our listeners: What is trauma, and what happens to our bodies in the midst of trauma? It's important to name and honor what you're experiencing as many of us, if we're being honest, are not doing well, having hit our "pandemic wall" long ago. You'll hear our hosts begin to provide language and a framework for how trauma impacts our brains, our physical bodies, and share examples of what this looks like from their own experiences. It is our hope that by providing these definitions and categories you will be able to name what is happening in your body, be more prepared to engage trauma, and be able to tend to yourself, your family, and your community in this season. Resources: Register for "Trauma and the Body," an online event exploring the impact of trauma on relationships, self, and body Listen to the podcast episodes Dan refers to on "Not Doing Well" Listen to a podcast episode from the beginning of the year titled "Love and Courage in a Global Pandemic"

Picking up their conversation from last week, Dan and Cathy turn their attention to uncovering the roots of conflict in relationships and how we can move towards true connection. Oftentimes conflict arises because we cannot name what we truly need, or we cannot see past our own contempt—ultimately there is something keeping us from seeing the other well. Redemption is possible, but we must be willing to engage our conflict in a way we've not experienced before. Resources: Listen to the first episode in this series, "Conflict in Relationships" Purchase access to the recording of the one-day conference "From Conflict to Connection: A Conference for Couples" Listen to a podcast that introduces the archetypes of orphan, widow, and stranger: "Calling and Character: Prophet, Priest, King" Listen to a podcast episode titled "Reconnection in Marriage with Dr. Dan Allender and Dr. Steve Call"

There is no doubt that we are living in a time that heightens levels of conflict and contention in our relationships. Having just finished a one-day conference on this topic, Dr. Dan Allender and Cathy Loerzel talk today on the podcast about their recent, personal experiences with conflict, particularly in this pandemic era. In this season, the ways we engage in and relate to conflict look different. You'll hear Dan and Cathy talk about the reality of this conflict, what we can learn from our styles of relating in conflict, and how, underneath it all, is a deep-seated war with desire. Resources: Purchase access to the recording of the one-day conference "From Conflict to Connection: A Conference for Couples" Listen to a podcast episode on "The Reality of Marriage in COVID-19" Read a blog post by Jay Stringer titled "Good Enough Parenting in a Time of Crisis"

"How is your Sabbath?" As he opens the conversation on this week's podcast, Dr. Dan Allender invites us to consider this question of ourselves. You'll hear him and Rachael discuss the particulars of their own Sabbath practices, the wildness and play they each experience, and how Sabbath is not bound to a certain day or strict code of conduct. A true Sabbath is meant to engage both beauty and heartbreak, to stretch us, to grow us, and to show us the places where we long for the Kingdom of God in the here and now.

A "day of delight" is not an easy topic to engage in the midst of this season. Nevertheless, it is a vital practice that is needed more than ever before and, as Dan surmises, is less engaged than at any other time. Listen as Dan and Rachael engage the true meaning of Sabbath, how it is meant to be a taste of the coming Kingdom of God and what we are meant for, and common misconceptions that accompany this day of restoration.

This week on the podcast, Wendell Moss, a Teaching Staff member of The Allender Center, hosts special guest Dr. Brenda Salter McNeil for a conversation about her work in racial reconciliation. Dr. Salter McNeil is internationally recognized for her work in reconciliation, is an Associate Professor of Reconciliation Studies at Seattle Pacific University, and is the Associate Pastor of Preaching and Reconciliation at Quest Church in Seattle. You'll hear more about Dr. Salter McNeil's background, the transformative changes she's made in her work of racial reconciliation and her exhortations to both the White evangelical church and People of Color in the church.