The Deep Dive Spirituality Conversations Podcast

In this week’s episode, I share an augmented excerpt from my latest book: Astonished by the Word: Reading Scripture for Deep Transformation. I talk about the role of inspiration, attention and astonishment in the reading process and on how we move from “I should” read the Bible to “I MUST” read the Bible for the expansion of my soul in love for God and others. I begin with Augustine’s words from On Christian Doctrine: “So anyone who thinks that he has understood the divine scriptures or any part of them, but cannot by his understanding build up this double love of God and neighbor, has not yet succeeded in understanding them” and talks about how Augustine’s framework can be a method for reading Scripture at a deeper level today. Interested in updates on the book as it’s release date approaches including invites to free Zoom gatherings with Brian? Sign up today: www.drbrianrussell.org Read Augustine’s On Christian Doctrine https://amzn.to/3BbCRms Brian Russell’s Information Information on Brian’s Signature Deep Dive Spirituality Coaching for Pastors and Spiritually Minded Leaders: www.deepdivespirituality.com Brian Russell’s Books Centering Prayer: Sitting Quietly in God’s Presence Can Change Your Life https://amzn.to/2S0AcIZ (Re)Aligning with God: Reading Scripture for Church and World (Cascade Books) https://amzn.to/30tP4S9 Invitation: A Bible Study to Begin With (Seedbed) https://my.seedbed.com/product/onebook-invitation-by-brian-russell/ Connecting with Brian: Website: www.brianrussellphd.com Twitter: @briandrussell Instagram: @yourprofessorforlife Interested in coaching or inviting Brian to speak or teach for your community of faith or group? Email: deepdivespirituality@gmail.com Links to Amazon are Affiliate links. If you purchase items through these links, Amazon returns a small percentage of the sale to Brian Russell. This supports the podcast and does not increase the price of the items you may choose to buy. Thank you for your support. 

Dr. Matthew Lynch takes us on a deep dive into the challenging topic of Old Testament violence. Our conversation focuses on his latest book: Flood and Fury: Old Testament Violence and the Shalom of God. How do we read violent stories such as the Flood and the "conquest" of Canaan in light of the belief of a loving God. Pick up a copy of Flood and Fury: https://amzn.to/3MPbF3p Bio: Matthew J. Lynch is associate professor of Old Testament at Regent College in Vancouver, Canada. He is the author of First Isaiah and the Disappearance of the Gods, Portraying Violence in the Hebrew Bible: A Literary and Cultural Study, and Monotheism and Institutions in the Book of Chronicles: Temple, Priesthood, and Kingship in Post-Exilic Perspective. He is the co-founder of the OnScript podcast, a podcast focused on providing engaging conversations on Bible and theology. Connect with Matthew: Twitter: @MattLynch_OT OnScript podcast: https://onscript.study/podcast/ Web: https://www.regent-college.edu/faculty/full-time/matthew-lynch Brian Russell’s Information Information on Brian’s Signature Deep Dive Spirituality Coaching for Pastors and Spiritually Minded Leaders: www.deepdivespirituality.com Brian Russell’s Books Sign up for updates on Brian's next book (Astonished by the Word: Reading Scripture for Deep Transformation): www.drbrianrussell.org   Centering Prayer: Sitting Quietly in God’s Presence Can Change Your Life https://amzn.to/2S0AcIZ (Re)Aligning with God: Reading Scripture for Church and World (Cascade Books) https://amzn.to/30tP4S9 Invitation: A Bible Study to Begin With (Seedbed) https://my.seedbed.com/product/onebook-invitation-by-brian-russell/ Connecting with Brian: Website: www.brianrussellphd.com Twitter: @briandrussell Instagram: @yourprofessorforlife Interested in coaching or inviting Brian to speak or teach for your community of faith or group? Email: deepdivespirituality@gmail.com Links to Amazon are Affiliate links. If you purchase items through these links, Amazon returns a small percentage of the sale to Brian Russell. This supports the podcast and does not increase the price of the items you may choose to buy. Thank you for your support.  

In this week’s episode, Joshua Bertolotti of the Perennial Leader Project takes us on a deep dive into the writings and wisdom of Thomas Merton. We explore contemplation and how it helps us grow in love for God and others. Books Recommended by Josh: Merton, New Seeds of Contemplation https://amzn.to/42EXKSR –A Year with Thomas Merton: Daily Meditations from His Journals https://amzn.to/3M9GDlg –The Sign of Jonas https://amzn.to/42Ybjg0 Seneca, Letters from a Stoic https://amzn.to/3nXOtXe Connect with Josh: In Search of Wisdom Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/in-search-of-wisdom/id1557583455 Substack: https://substack.com/@perennial Webpage: https://www.perennialleader.com/ Instagram: @perennialpods Brian Russell’s Information Information on Brian’s Signature Deep Dive Spirituality Coaching for Pastors and Spiritually Minded Leaders: www.deepdivespirituality.com Brian Russell’s Books Centering Prayer: Sitting Quietly in God’s Presence Can Change Your Life https://amzn.to/2S0AcIZ (Re)Aligning with God: Reading Scripture for Church and World (Cascade Books) https://amzn.to/30tP4S9 Invitation: A Bible Study to Begin With (Seedbed) https://my.seedbed.com/product/onebook-invitation-by-brian-russell/ Connecting with Brian: Website: www.brianrussellphd.com Twitter: @briandrussell Instagram: @yourprofessorforlife Interested in coaching or inviting Brian to speak or teach for your community of faith or group? Email: deepdivespirituality@gmail.com Links to Amazon are Affiliate links. If you purchase items through these links, Amazon returns a small percentage of the sale to Brian Russell. This supports the podcast and does not increase the price of the items you may choose to buy. Thank you for your support. #contemplation #love #spirituality

Brian Russell talks about how to read the Bible for the love of God and neighbor. He introduces his latest book Astonished by the Word: Reading Scripture for Deep Transformation (releasing August 2023). He focuses on exploring Augustine’s words from On Christian Doctrine: “So anyone who thinks that he has understood the divine scriptures or any part of them, but cannot by his understanding build up this double love of God and neighbor, has not yet succeeded in understanding them” and talks about how Augustine’s framework can be a method for reading Scripture at a deeper level today. Interested in updates on the book as it’s release date approaches including invites to free Zoom gatherings with Brian? Sign up today: www.drbrianrussell.org  Read Augustine’s On Christian Doctrine https://amzn.to/3BbCRms Brian Russell’s Information Information on Brian’s Signature Deep Dive Spirituality Coaching for Pastors and Spiritually Minded Leaders: www.deepdivespirituality.com Brian Russell’s Books Centering Prayer: Sitting Quietly in God’s Presence Can Change Your Life https://amzn.to/2S0AcIZ (Re)Aligning with God: Reading Scripture for Church and World (Cascade Books) https://amzn.to/30tP4S9 Invitation: A Bible Study to Begin With (Seedbed) https://my.seedbed.com/product/onebook-invitation-by-brian-russell/ Connecting with Brian: Website: www.brianrussellphd.com Twitter: @briandrussell Instagram: @yourprofessorforlife Interested in coaching or inviting Brian to speak or teach for your community of faith or group? Email: deepdivespirituality@gmail.com Links to Amazon are Affiliate links. If you purchase items through these links, Amazon returns a small percentage of the sale to Brian Russell. This supports the podcast and does not increase the price of the items you may choose to buy. Thank you for your support.

Dr. Ted Goshorn takes us on a deep dive into the practice of prayer. He shares insights from his new book Prayer Changes us. Pick up a copy of Prayer Changes Us https://amzn.to/3H1e089 or go to www.advocatesc.org  Sign up for Brian's Centering Prayer Updates: www.centeringprayerbook.com Bio: The Reverend Doctor Ted Goshorn has a passion for equipping churches to transform their communities in the name of Jesus by serving at the intersection of the community’s needs and the church’s resources. He currently serves as the Senior Pastor of Mulberry Street United Methodist Church; a wonderful church community located in the heart of downtown Macon, Georgia. Resources Recommended by Ted: Charles Duhig, The Power of Habit https://amzn.to/3UVWNCD Heschel, Sabbath https://amzn.to/3V7DeYp Foster, Celebration of Discipline https://amzn.to/3owQKbu Brueggemann, The Psalms and the Life of Faith https://amzn.to/3KWJo8G Covey, Speed of Trust https://amzn.to/3N2JApJ Brian Russell’s Information Information on Brian’s Signature Deep Dive Spirituality Coaching for Pastors and Spiritually Minded Leaders: www.deepdivespirituality.com Brian Russell’s Books Centering Prayer: Sitting Quietly in God’s Presence Can Change Your Life https://amzn.to/2S0AcIZ (Re)Aligning with God: Reading Scripture for Church and World (Cascade Books) https://amzn.to/30tP4S9 Invitation: A Bible Study to Begin With (Seedbed) https://my.seedbed.com/product/onebook-invitation-by-brian-russell/ Connecting with Brian: Website: www.brianrussellphd.com Twitter: @briandrussell Instagram: @yourprofessorforlife Interested in coaching or inviting Brian to speak or teach for your community of faith or group? Email: deepdivespirituality@gmail.com Links to Amazon are Affiliate links. If you purchase items through these links, Amazon returns a small percentage of the sale to Brian Russell. This supports the podcast and does not increase the price of the items you may choose to buy. Thank you for your support.

Brandy Anderson takes us on a deep dive into spiritual direction from a Jungian perspective. We talk about writing, shadow work, and her approach to direction. She shares tools and perspectives that can help you grow in your self awareness and understanding so that you can surrender even more deeply to the God who loves you. Connecting with Brandy: Website: https://brandyanderson.net/ Instagram: @contemplativereflections Books Recommended by Brandy: De Mello, Awareness https://amzn.to/3KT2Lkc  Rohr, Breathing Under Water: Spirituality and the Twelve Steps https://amzn.to/3MAxvrN  Singer, The Untethered Soul https://amzn.to/3o31LBo  Brian Russell’s Information Information on Brian’s Signature Deep Dive Spirituality Coaching for Pastors and Spiritually Minded Leaders: www.deepdivespirituality.com Brian Russell’s Books Centering Prayer: Sitting Quietly in God’s Presence Can Change Your Life https://amzn.to/2S0AcIZ (Re)Aligning with God: Reading Scripture for Church and World (Cascade Books) https://amzn.to/30tP4S9 Invitation: A Bible Study to Begin With (Seedbed) https://my.seedbed.com/product/onebook-invitation-by-brian-russell/ Connecting with Brian: Website: www.brianrussellphd.com Twitter: @briandrussell Instagram: @yourprofessorforlife Interested in coaching or inviting Brian to speak or teach for your community of faith or group? Email: deepdivespirituality@gmail.com Links to Amazon are Affiliate links. If you purchase items through these links, Amazon returns a small percentage of the sale to Brian Russell. This supports the podcast and does not increase the price of the items you may choose to buy. Thank you for your support.

In this week’s episode, Amos Smith shares deeply from his personal experience in contemplative mysticism. We talk about silence, solitude, and the inner life including insights from his latest book (releasing in 2023): Journey of Holistic Mysticism: Experiencing the Integrated Spirituality of the Quakers. Amos Smith (D.Min) earned a Bachelor's degree in Comparative Religion from The University of California at Santa Cruz in 1993, a Masters of Divinity from Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley in 1998, and a Doctor of Ministry from Chicago Theological Seminary in 2008. He is a lifelong student of three streams: Progressive Christianity, Contemplative Christianity, and Eastern Mystic Christianity. Check out his books on Amazon: https://amzn.to/39oIxPs Connect with Amos Smith: Twitter: @amossmi Authors Recommended by Amos: Jean-Pierre de Caussade, Kitty Muggeridge, et al., Sacrament of the Present Moment, https://amzn.to/3ZlDN0Q Maximus the Confessor https://amzn.to/3ZjfUqT Brian Russell’s Books Centering Prayer: Sitting Quietly in God’s Presence Can Change Your Life https://amzn.to/2S0AcIZ  or sign up for information: www.centeringprayerbook.com  (Re)Aligning with God: Reading Scripture for Church and World (Cascade Books) https://amzn.to/30tP4S9  Invitation: A Bible Study to Begin With (Seedbed) https://my.seedbed.com/product/onebook-invitation-by-brian-russell/  Connecting with Brian: Website: www.brianrussellphd.com Twitter: @briandrussell Instagram: @yourprofessorforlife Deep Dive Spirituality Coaching for Pastors: www.deepdivespirituality.com  Interested in coaching or inviting Brian to speak or teach for your community of faith or group? Email: deepdivespirituality@gmail.com Links to Amazon are Affiliate links. If you purchase items through these links, Amazon returns a small percentage of the sale to Brian Russell. This supports the podcast and does not increase the price of the items you may choose to buy. Thank you for your support.   #mysticism #contemplative #prayer

Ben Gosden, pastor of Trinity Church in Savannah Georgia takes us on a deep dive into addiction, recovery and ministry. Years into a success ministry as a United Methodist pastor, Ben found himself struggling with alcoholism. Listen in as he shares a powerful testimony about the transformational power of 12 steps. We don't merely talk about alcoholism but about the deeper roots of addiction. Addiction isn't really even the problem per se; addiction is a solution but its a bad solution to even deeper problems. Connecting with Ben: Faith Revisted Podcast https://faithrevisitedpodcast.com/ Twitter: @bgosden Books Recommend by Ben: Merton, New Seeds of Contemplation https://amzn.to/3Z1ypjx Rohr, Breathing Under Water, https://amzn.to/3FDS1n7 Anne Lamont, Plan B https://amzn.to/3TukKQK Hirschfield, Twelve Steps for Everyone https://amzn.to/3Ly0dcd Brian Russell’s Information Information on Brian’s Signature Deep Dive Spirituality Coaching for Pastors and Spiritually Minded Leaders: www.deepdivespirituality.com Brian Russell’s Books Centering Prayer: Sitting Quietly in God’s Presence Can Change Your Life https://amzn.to/2S0AcIZ (Re)Aligning with God: Reading Scripture for Church and World (Cascade Books) https://amzn.to/30tP4S9 Invitation: A Bible Study to Begin With (Seedbed) https://my.seedbed.com/product/onebook-invitation-by-brian-russell/ Connecting with Brian: Website: www.brianrussellphd.com Twitter: @briandrussell Instagram: @yourprofessorforlife Interested in coaching or inviting Brian to speak or teach for your community of faith or group? Email: deepdivespirituality@gmail.com Links to Amazon are Affiliate links. If you purchase items through these links, Amazon returns a small percentage of the sale to Brian Russell. This supports the podcast and does not increase the price of the items you may choose to buy. Thank you for your support.

In this week's episode Dr. Jorge Acevedo takes us on a deep dive into his new book Everybody Needs Some Cave Time: Finding God in Dark Places. We talk about the transformations found in Scripture and also weave in themes of recovery ministry and transitions to new callings from God.   Buy a copy of Jorge’s latest: Everybody Needs Some Cave Time: https://amzn.to/3Jlsh0W Connecting with Jorge: Website: www.jorgeacevedo.com Books Recommended by Jorge: Bolsinger, Temper Resilience  https://amzn.to/41WwZcH McNeal, A Work of Heart: Understanding How God Shapes Spiritual Leaders https://amzn.to/3l1sVav Ortberg, Soul Keeping https://amzn.to/3ypJErg   Brian Russell’s Information Information on Brian’s Signature Deep Dive Spirituality Coaching for Pastors and Spiritually Minded Leaders: www.deepdivespirituality.com   Brian Russell’s Books Centering Prayer: Sitting Quietly in God’s Presence Can Change Your Life https://amzn.to/2S0AcIZ (Re)Aligning with God: Reading Scripture for Church and World (Cascade Books) https://amzn.to/30tP4S9 Invitation: A Bible Study to Begin With (Seedbed) https://my.seedbed.com/product/onebook-invitation-by-brian-russell/   Connecting with Brian: Website: www.brianrussellphd.com Twitter: @briandrussell Instagram: @yourprofessorforlife Interested in coaching or inviting Brian to speak or teach for your community of faith or group? Email: deepdivespirituality@gmail.com   Links to Amazon are Affiliate links. If you purchase items through these links, Amazon returns a small percentage of the sale to Brian Russell. This supports the podcast and does not increase the price of the items you may choose to buy. Thank you for your support.

In this week's episode Andrew Lang takes us on a deep dive into gaining awareness and control of your though life. What are the negative tapes and ideas that you allow to live rent free in your mind? Listen in and discover ways of finding freedom from fear, guilt and shame as well as other lies that diminish our capacity to live the abundant life. Buy Andrew's book: Unmasking the Inner Critic: Lessons for Living an Unrestricted Life https://amzn.to/3krjC3n  Books Recommended by Andrew: Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning https://amzn.to/3xN7yN0 Richard Rohr, Immortal Diamond https://amzn.to/3xOVTx1 -------Falling Upwards https://amzn.to/3xNHykD Menakem, My Grandmother's Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies https://amzn.to/3SwEtif  Brian Russell’s Information on Brian’s Signature Deep Dive Spirituality Coaching for Pastors and Spiritually Minded Leaders: www.deepdivespirituality.com Centering Prayer Updates and Invitations to Monthly Gatherings: www.centeringprayerbook.com Brian Russell’s Books Centering Prayer: Sitting Quietly in God’s Presence Can Change Your Life https://amzn.to/2S0AcIZ (Re)Aligning with God: Reading Scripture for Church and World (Cascade Books) https://amzn.to/30tP4S9 Invitation: A Bible Study to Begin With (Seedbed) https://my.seedbed.com/product/onebook-invitation-by-brian-russell/ Connecting with Brian: Website: www.brianrussellphd.com Twitter: @briandrussell Instagram: @yourprofessorforlife Interested in coaching or inviting Brian to speak or teach for your community of faith or group? Email: deepdivespirituality@gmail.com Links to Amazon are Affiliate links. If you purchase items through these links, Amazon returns a small percentage of the sale to Brian Russell. This supports the podcast and does not increase the price of the items you may choose to buy. Thank you for your support.