Seeds, Seasons & Soil: A Conversation on the Pastor as Gardener with Matt Erickson - Deeper Experiences with God - Episode 18

Gentle Spiritual Practices for your Weary Soul with Becky L McCoy - Deeper Experiences with God - Episode 2

Have you ever felt like you're in a season of life that's exceptionally wearisome? On this week’s episode Pastor Dave speaks with author, speaker and spiritual director, Becky L McCoy about her newly released book, In the Company of the Weary: 10 Gentle Spiritual Practices for your Tired Soul. Drawing from her own experiences of profound grief and faith burnout, Becky invites listeners to exchange outcome-driven spiritual performance for process-oriented, embodied connection with God — one gentle practice at a time.   Takeaways: * Visio Divina — seeing with the eyes of the soul. Becky introduces Visio Divina, the visual counterpart to Lectio Divina, as a practice of paying attention to what catches your eye (a piece of art, a landscape, or even just people-watching) and asking yourself what you notice, what you feel, and what God might be revealing through it. For Becky, it was this practice that unlocked curiosity as the posture at the heart of all spiritual formation. * Action:  Find a painting, a view, or something in your surroundings that catches your attention this week. Sit with it for a few minutes and ask: What am I noticing? What am I feeling? What might God be saying to me through this? * The underrated gift of silence. In a world, and oftentimes a church culture, that fills every quiet moment with noise, Becky shares how learning to sit in silence transformed her relationship with God. Silence isn't about emptying your mind; it's about becoming more present and attuned to what's already going on in there. * Action: Try one small experiment with silence this week — even five minutes in the car without a podcast or music. Notice what surfaces, and bring it to God. * Finding a gentler way to stay connected in a hard season. Both Dave and Becky acknowledge the reality of people “going dark,” or withdrawing from community during seasons of deep pain. Becky offers a compassionate reframe: rather than pushing through in the same ways, consider finding gentler, lower-capacity ways to stay connected — whether that's holding babies in the nursery or simply showing up and going through the motions, which is more spiritually significant than we might think. * Action: If you've been tempted to go dark, ask yourself: is there one small, low-pressure way I could stay even slightly connected to community this week? If you know someone who has gone quiet, consider reaching out with a simple, no-pressure acknowledgement. * Acknowledging single women in the church. Becky speaks honestly about how single women — whether never married, divorced, or widowed — often fall through the cracks of church structures designed around couples and families. She encourages these women to get honest with themselves and trusted leaders about their capacity, and to examine how much of what they do is driven by obligation rather than genuine calling. * Action: If this is you, take some time to honestly examine your current commitments. Which of them bring life, and which feel like obligation? Bring that question to God — and perhaps a trusted friend or your community. And if you know of single women in your church or community who serve, think of some gentle ways to appreciate and acknowledge them this week. Quotes of the Show: * “  When we talk about spiritual formation, when it lines up with the heart of God, it is very process-oriented and not outcome-oriented.” - Becky L McCoy * “ There are so many ways to connect with God that honor your human limitations.” - Becky L McCoy * “ Curiosity should be at the base of all of our spiritual practices” - Becky L McCoy Links: * “Rooms by the Sea” (Visio Divina): https://artgallery.yale.edu/collections/objects/52939 [https://artgallery.yale.edu/collections/objects/52939]  * Website: https://beckylmccoy.com/ [https://beckylmccoy.com/]  * Book Link: https://beckylmccoy.com/book/ [https://beckylmccoy.com/book/]  * Podcast: https://beckylmccoy.com/suckerpunched/ [https://beckylmccoy.com/suckerpunched/]

What's Missing in Our Discipleship Models - Deeper Experiences with God - Episode 20

Have you ever wondered what might be missing from your personal and the church’s corporate discipleship model? On this week’s episode with Pastor Dave, he reflects on gaps in modern discipleship, drawing from early church formation and his own pastoral experience. Contrasting his long-held model of askesis (training through spiritual disciplines of engagement and abstinence) leading to agape (Christ-like love) with the early church’s pattern of askesis leading to apatheia (abiding calm through surrendered relinquishment) and then to agape, he  invites listeners to practices like unhurried walking to cultivate slowing down. He also outlines six stages of faith, based on Pete Scazzaro's model in his book, "Emotionally Healthy Spirituality", arguing many churches lack a plan to guide people through the second half of this journey. Finally, he emphasizes patience as a neglected virtue in our instant-gratification culture. He invites listeners to reflect on where you are in your own discipleship journeys and where might God be challenging you to step into the gap.    Takeaways: * Rediscovering Apatheia. Dave introduces a missing step in modern discipleship: apatheia — not apathy, but an abiding inner calm that comes through surrendering our anxieties and cares to God. He draws on the early church's formation model and practices like unhurried walking as a way to cultivate this quality of stillness. * Action:  What is one care or anxiety you might cast upon the Lord this week, trusting that he cares for you more than you can imagine? Try going for a prayer walk as a step towards surrendering.  * A plan for the second half of the spiritual journey. Drawing on six stages of faith — awareness, learning, ministry/productive life, inward journey, outward journey, and being pervaded with love — Dave argues that many churches have a strong plan for the first half of the journey but leave people without a map for the deeper, inward stages. * Action: Which of the six stages are you in right now? Sit with that question and consider whether your current rhythms are serving where God has you in this season. * We often resist the hardest what we need the most. Dave challenges listeners that if you feel resistant to where the Spirit might be nudging you, that resistance itself might be worth paying attention to. What might you be resisting in your life right now?  * Action: Take space to sit with this question this week. Consider journaling, praying, or discussing it with a trusted friend or spiritual director. * The forgotten virtue of Patience. In a culture wired for instant results, Dave calls patience a deeply counter-cultural and undervalued spiritual virtue — one that God often uses quietly and slowly to form us into the people he intends us to be.  * Action: Where in your life is God asking you to be patient right now? Choose one area this week to intentionally slow down and trust his timing rather than forcing an outcome. Quote of the Show: * “   We often resist the hardest the thing we need the most.” - Pastor Dave Links: * Website: https://www.daveripper.com/ * Book Link: https://www.ivpress.com/experiencing-scripture-as-a-disciple-of-jesus?srsltid=ARcRdnozSLwlOR3rXlh5Rp4R0kSzNB2t_cI8-pmHSl_L4L2j8VYEOANk [https://www.ivpress.com/experiencing-scripture-as-a-disciple-of-jesus?srsltid=ARcRdnozSLwlOR3rXlh5Rp4R0kSzNB2t_cI8-pmHSl_L4L2j8VYEOANk]  * Podcast: https://www.daveripper.com/podcast

The Place God Sets You Down - Deeper Experiences with God - Episode 19

What if where you are right now is exactly where God wants you? On this week’s solo episode with Pastor Dave, he reflects on a powerful quote shared by renowned pastor Alistair Begg: "There's no ideal place to serve God except the place he sets you down." In a culture obsessed with chasing the next opportunity, the next city, or the next season of life, Dave invites us to slow down and consider that God's providence may already have us exactly where we need to be — for such a time as this.   Takeaways: * Kairos over chronos. Drawing on Ephesians 5:15–16, Dave unpacks two Greek words for time: chronos — the ordinary, clock-ticking passage of time — and kairos — the opportune, pregnant moment poised for something powerful to occur. He asks: what if now is that kairos moment for you? * Action: Take some time this week to meditate on this question for your current season of life. * The wisdom of staying. Rooted in the tradition of the Desert Fathers and Mothers, Dave explores how staying put — resisting the urge to uproot and replant — is often where the deepest growth and self-awareness are forged. * Action: What areas of your life are you tempted to want to leave rather than stay? Why do you think that is? What does this reveal about where your heart and walk with God is right now? * Co-creating with God. Ephesians 2 reminds us we are God's workmanship, created for good works. Dave challenges us to imagine what God might do through us if we patiently and creatively followed his lead, year after year, right where we stand. * Action: Take a walk somewhere that reminds you of God's creative hand this week and meditate on what it means to be God's workmanship. How might that shape the way you approach the harder parts of your current season? Quote of the Show: * “  What if for a moment we gave God the benefit of believing His hand is leading us?” - Pastor Dave Links: * Website: https://www.daveripper.com/ * Book Link: https://www.ivpress.com/experiencing-scripture-as-a-disciple-of-jesus?srsltid=ARcRdnozSLwlOR3rXlh5Rp4R0kSzNB2t_cI8-pmHSl_L4L2j8VYEOANk [https://www.ivpress.com/experiencing-scripture-as-a-disciple-of-jesus?srsltid=ARcRdnozSLwlOR3rXlh5Rp4R0kSzNB2t_cI8-pmHSl_L4L2j8VYEOANk]  * Podcast: https://www.daveripper.com/podcast

Seeds, Seasons & Soil: A Conversation on the Pastor as Gardener with Matt Erickson - Deeper Experiences with God - Episode 18

What season is your life with God currently in? Discover more how God moves in the Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter of our lives with this episode’s guest, Matt Erickson, senior pastor of Eastbrook Church in Milwaukee. He and Dave discuss a renewed vision for pastoral ministry drawn from Matt’s upcoming book, “The Pastor as Gardener [https://mwerickson.com/books/]”. Erickson shares about how “God must increase, I must decrease” and that fruitful ministry best comes from an overflow of life with God—describing decreasing as cooperating with God through prayer, listening, and releasing control. Erickson reflects on the church’s “winter” season of decline and disorientation as an invitation to return to first things. Through scripture and the influence of other theologians like Eugene Peterson, he shares more on Jesus’ “gardener” imagery in John as a new creation. As always, the episode closes with a led prayer for rootedness and fruitfulness.   Takeaways: * Fruitful Ministry Flows from Life with God - Matt emphasizes that the most meaningful work for God flows out of a deep life with God. Echoing John the Baptist’s words, “He must increase, I must decrease,” true fruitfulness comes not from striving but from surrender and dependence. * Action: Identify one area where you may be striving in your own strength. Practice “decreasing” by bringing it to God in prayer and asking Him to lead instead. * Discern the Season You’re In - Drawing from the rhythms of creation, Matt Erickson reminds us that our lives with God move through seasons—spring, summer, fall, and winter. Each season has its own purpose, whether growth, fruitfulness, pruning, or rest. * Action: Take time this week to reflect on which spiritual season you may be in right now. Ask God, “What are You inviting me to receive or learn in this season?” * Cultivate the Soil of Your Soul - Drawing on the image of the pastor as gardener, Matt reminds us that growth takes place when we cultivate the conditions for life with God—through listening, prayer, and openness to the Spirit’s work. * Action: Choose one way to “tend the soil” of your spiritual life this week: spend time in silence, journal about where God is at work, or take a reflective walk outdoors while praying. * God is the Ultimate Gardener - We see throughout scripture, from Genesis to Revelation, a recurring theme of the garden. Matt touches on some of those examples, reminding us of the slow, organic work that God does first that we can join in. * Action: Reflect this week on what the image of God as a Gardener says to you? Where do you need God to plant, tend, harvest or prune in the garden of your life right now? * Trust God’s Subterranean Work in Winter - Matt describes winter as a season when the ground lies fallow. It may look barren, but unseen work is happening beneath the surface. In the same way, seasons of decline or uncertainty—both in our lives and in the North American church—may be times when God is quietly preparing the ground for renewal. * Action: If you’re in a winter season, resist the urge to force growth. Instead, ask God what unseen work He may be doing beneath the surface of your life or community. Quote of the Show: * “ Don't spend so much time trying to force fruit. Send your roots down deep into God and let the fruit come. It is a natural thing. ” - Matt Erickson Links: * Website: https://mwerickson.com/ [https://mwerickson.com/]  * Book Link: https://www.eerdmans.com/9780802884145/the-pastor-as-gardener/ [https://www.eerdmans.com/9780802884145/the-pastor-as-gardener/]  * Podcast: https://mwerickson.com/podcast/ [https://mwerickson.com/podcast/]

The Art of Asking Better Questions: Nurturing Deeper Faith, Leadership, and Relationships with Dr. J.R. Briggs - Deeper Experiences with God - Episode 17

In this conversation, host Dave Ripper welcomes Dr. J.R. Briggs to explore how asking better questions can transform our lives, leadership, and walk with God. Drawing from J.R.'s book The Art of Asking Better Questions: Pursuing Stronger Relationships, Healthier Leadership, and Deeper Faith, they discuss the power of questions to connect, discern, heal, and draw out what God is already doing in us and others. The episode weaves personal stories, biblical insights (including Jesus as the ultimate question-asker), the concept of kairos moments, mentorship influences like Eugene Peterson and Gordon MacDonald, and practical ways to ask life-giving questions of God, ourselves, and others. Includes a guided reflective practice using the "inner compass" to notice God's presence and invitations. Guest Bio Dr. J.R. Briggs is the founder of Kairos Partnerships, an organization dedicated to serving hungry kingdom leaders through coaching, consulting, speaking, and teaching. He serves as Director of Leadership and Congregational Formation for the Ecclesia Network and teaches on leadership and spiritual formation at institutions including Friends University and Taylor University. J.R. is a prolific author of books such as Fail, The Sacred Overlap, and The Art of Asking Better Questions. He hosts the Resilient Leaders Podcast and lives in the greater Philadelphia area with his wife and sons. Key Topics & Highlights * Kairos Moments: Understanding kairos (opportune, God-invaded time) vs. chronos (sequential time). How leaders steward unexpected invitations—whether joyful or painful—and why faithful response benefits everyone. * The Power of Questions: Questions hijack the brain, foster connection, build trust, spark creativity, and reveal worldview. The quality of our lives and relationships often depends on the quality of our questions. * Personal Influences: J.R. shares his father's modeling of question-asking, studying Jesus' questions in the Gospels, and a 12-year mentorship with Eugene Peterson (sparked by bold questions at a thank-you event). * Mentorship & Formation: Stories of Eugene Peterson's key question ("What is God doing in your congregation right now?") and Gordon MacDonald's decade-based questions (e.g., "What kind of old man/woman do I want to be?"). * Growing Fruit on Others' Trees: Shifting from self-focus to educe (draw out) what the Holy Spirit is doing in others through curious, motive-checked questions. * Questions to God: Guests share honest questions they'd ask if God guaranteed an answer (e.g., Why is grace so hard to receive? Why mosquitoes? How to make sense of trauma?). Dave reflects on questions like "Lord, what is this time for?" and "What's Your unexpected invitation in my unwanted suffering?" * Questions We Ask Ourselves & God: Moving from statement-heavy prayers to question-filled ones (as in the Psalms); reminders that God not only loves us but likes us. Reflective Practice: The Inner Compass J.R. leads a guided prayer using a compass rose for noticing God's presence: * North (North Star / Faith deepening): Where does my trust in Christ need to grow? Who/where is Jesus guiding me deeper? * South (Southern Light / Longings): What do I long to become or do? Where do I need joy and delight in this season? * West (Setting Sun / Release): What must I let go of (fear, resentment, despair, false certainty)? * East (Rising Sun / Welcome): What new opportunity, relationship, or kairos moment do I need to embrace? Listeners are invited to sit with these questions prayerfully, even while multitasking. Resources Mentioned * The Art of Asking Better Questions: Pursuing Stronger Relationships, Healthier Leadership, and Deeper Faith by J.R. Briggs * Kairos Partnerships: kairospartnerships.org * J.R.'s website: jrbriggs.com * Resilient Leaders Podcast * Books by Eugene Peterson (e.g., pastoral theology works beyond The Message) * Gordon MacDonald’s A Resilient Life (chapter on decade-specific questions) Connect & Next Steps Subscribe to Deeper Experiences with God and share this episode with someone who might benefit from asking better questions in their faith journey. Find more episodes and show notes at podcast.daveripper.com. Follow Dave on social media or at Crossway Church (Nashua, NH) for updates. Grace and peace to you as you pursue deeper life with God through the simple, powerful practice of better questions.