The Christian Clinician

Why the Church Is So Tired — Sabbath, Rest, and the Science of Stress with Dr. Amy Erickson and Dr. Gregory Wagenfuhr

Why does the church feel so tired? Many Christians know they need rest, but even after a day off, a vacation, or a slower weekend, the deeper restlessness often remains. In this episode of The Christian Clinician, Dr. Tanya Paynter talks with Dr. Amy Erickson and Dr. Gregory Wagenfuhr about their book Sabbath Gospel and a renewed vision of Sabbath, work, rest, and the mission of the church. This conversation moves beyond Sabbath as a personal health practice or weekly day off. Dr. Erickson and Dr. Wagenfuhr explain Sabbath as a much larger gospel reality: God’s rest, God’s kingdom, and the household of God breaking into a restless world. They discuss why the church is weary, how Christians often try to create rest on their own terms, and why false versions of rest can leave us more anxious, self-focused, and disconnected from one another. Together, they explore the idea of the “dream home”—the personal, cultural, and institutional ways we try to control life enough to finally feel secure. But that kind of rest never satisfies for long. True Sabbath rest is not found in control, success, productivity, or self-protection. It is received from God and then lived out in community as we learn to carry one another’s burdens. This episode also connects Sabbath to stress physiology, nervous system health, and Christian formation. When we stop seeing church as only a worship event and begin seeing it as a formative household of God, rest becomes more than something we take for ourselves. It becomes something we receive, practice, and give. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL EXPLORE * Why the church feels tired, weary, and spiritually exhausted * How Sabbath Gospel reframes Sabbath as more than a weekly day off * The difference between taking rest for yourself and giving rest to others * Why trying to build your own “dream home” often leads to deeper restlessness * How Sabbath exposes the false promise of control, success, and self-protection * Why Sabbath is connected to God’s kingdom, not just personal wellness * How the church can become a household of rest instead of another system of exhaustion * Why serving through your God-given gifts can become restful, life-giving work * How community, burden-bearing, and Christian fellowship shape stress physiology and formation EPISODE TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Sabbath, physiology, and why church forms us 00:45 Introducing Sabbath Gospel 01:38 Why write a book on Sabbath and the tired church? 04:12 Who this book is for: pastors, churches, and thoughtful Christians 06:14 Sacrifice, Christ’s blood, and Sabbath in the biblical story 10:02 The “dream home” and the false promise of control 13:53 Sin as something we commit and something we are caught in 16:26 Sabbath as more than a day off 18:14 Giving rest, not just taking rest 20:25 Sabbath as heart posture and practice 22:41 Sabbath, the Ten Commandments, Sabbath year, and Jubilee 26:40 The danger of using Sabbath only as a health practice 30:39 Why the church is tired: wrong work vs life-giving work 35:13 Church as a place of formation, not just a worship event 38:19 Practical questions for churches and communities 42:09 Where to find Sabbath Gospel and the authors JOIN THE CHRISTIAN CLINICIAN FACEBOOK GROUP Christian Women Health and Wellness: Support for Anxiety, Hormones, and Faith Join us for encouragement, practical health conversations, and weekly discussion tied to the podcast. https://www.facebook.com/groups/christianwomenhealthandwellness [https://www.facebook.com/groups/christianwomenhealthandwellness] RESOURCES MENTIONED * Sabbath Gospel by Dr. Amy Erickson and Dr. Gregory Wagenfuhr * https://www.amazon.com/Sabbath-Gospel-Narrative-Time-Church/dp/1514009544 * Matthew 11: “Come to me, all who are weary…” * 1 Corinthians 12 and the body of Christ * Dr. Gregory Wagenfuhr: www.gpwagenfuhr.com * Dr. Amy Erickson: https://stmarks.edu.au/about-our-people-dr-amy-erickson/ ABOUT THE GUESTS Dr. Gregory Wagenfuhr is a pastor, theologian, and co-author of Sabbath Gospel. His work explores theology, church formation, Scripture, and the life of the church in a tired and restless age. Dr. Amy Erickson is a theologian, scholar, and co-author of Sabbath Gospel. She serves at St. Mark’s National Theological Centre in Canberra, Australia, and brings deep biblical and theological insight into Sabbath, rest, the household of God, and the work of the church. ABOUT THE HOST Dr. Tanya Paynter is the host of The Christian Clinician, a podcast built on the belief that true whole-person health rests on five pillars: physical health, mental health, emotional health, relationship with God, and Christian fellowship — all connected and communicated through the nervous system. As a licensed naturopathic physician, Dr. Paynter bridges biblical truth and clinical science — helping Christians understand how our relationship with God and faith practices like worship, prayer, Sabbath, and community shape stress physiology, nervous system health, and long-term wellbeing. If you're searching for a faith-based functional medicine approach to health that addresses body, mind, spirit, and community together, The Christian Clinician was recorded with you in mind. WHERE TO FIND DR. TANYA PAYNTER Learn more at www.psalmmedical.com [http://www.psalmmedical.com/] Visit the podcast webpage at https://www.psalmmedical.com/podcast [https://www.psalmmedical.com/podcast] FOLLOW THE CHRISTIAN CLINICIAN ON SOCIAL MEDIA YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thechristianclinician [https://www.youtube.com/@thechristianclinician] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheChristianClinician [https://www.facebook.com/TheChristianClinician] Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/christianwomenhealthandwellness [https://www.facebook.com/groups/christianwomenhealthandwellness] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christianclinician/ [https://www.instagram.com/christianclinician/]

Why You Never Feel Like You Have Enough Time: Sabbath Reset Busy Christians Need (S3E23)

What if anxiety, poor sleep, and mood shifts are your body's way of telling you something about your relationship with God? In this episode of The Christian Clinician, Dr. Tanya Paynter closes the Sabbath series with a deeply personal application episode — sharing her own story of taking a priority assessment that revealed her actual life looked nothing like the priorities she believed she held. God, family, health, and business were ordered one way in her mind. Where she focused her time and resources told a completely different story. This episode is about the gap between the priorities we believe we hold and the ones our daily lives actually reflect — and what to do about it. Dr. Paynter explains how anxiety, disrupted sleep, irritability, and mood shifts can serve as early warning signals that our Godward orientation has drifted, and that we may be substituting learning about God for actually spending relational time with Him. From there, she walks through four practical, grace-filled steps to begin building micro-Sabbath habits into everyday life — small, sustainable ways to reorient your day around God rather than fitting God around your day. This episode is especially for you if you feel like you never have enough time, struggle to make God your first priority, find yourself substituting theology podcasts and worship music for actual conversation with Him, or notice stress and anxiety rising as your days get fuller. In This Episode, You'll Explore: * Why Sabbath rest is a daily orientation, not just a weekly practice * How your actual priorities — revealed by how you spend your time and resources — may differ from the ones you believe you hold * Why anxiety, poor sleep, irritability, and mood shifts can signal spiritual and relational drift * The difference between learning about God and spending relational time with Him * How to include God in ordinary daily tasks * How stress, sleep changes, and mood shifts become your early-warning system for spiritual drift * How we can use a small daily sacrifice of time as our worship to Him Episode Timestamps: 00:00 — When your stated priorities don't match your actual life 00:53 — Practicing Sabbath as a daily habit with God 02:10 — The priority test that exposed what was really first 05:02 — What your time and money reveal about your true priorities 06:42 — Learning about God vs. spending relational time with God 08:33 — Anxiety as a warning signal that something is off 10:13 — Bringing God into the ordinary tasks 11:29 — Practical Step 1: Evaluate 18:37 — Practical Step 2: Invite 19:22 — Practical Step 3: Remind 23:22 — Practical Step 4: Dedicate 26:23 — Recognizing stress, sleep changes, and mood shifts as signals 28:17 — Closing encouragement JOIN THE CHRISTIAN CLINICIAN FACEBOOK GROUP Christian Women Health and Wellness: Support for Anxiety, Hormones, and Faith Join us for encouragement, practical health conversations, and weekly discussion tied to the podcast. https://www.facebook.com/groups/christianwomenhealthandwellness [https://www.facebook.com/groups/christianwomenhealthandwellness] Scripture Referenced: * Romans 12:1–2 — living sacrifice; renewing the mind * Psalm 1 — meditating on the Word day and night ABOUT THE HOST Dr. Tanya Paynter is the host of The Christian Clinician, a podcast built on the belief that true whole-person health rests on five pillars: physical health, mental health, emotional health, relationship with God, and Christian fellowship — all connected and communicated through the nervous system. As a licensed naturopathic physician, Dr. Paynter bridges biblical truth and clinical science — helping Christians understand how faith practices like worship, prayer, Sabbath, and community shape stress physiology, nervous system health, and long-term wellbeing. If you're searching for a faith-based functional medicine approach to health that addresses body, mind, spirit, and community together, The Christian Clinician was made for you. WHERE TO FIND DR. TANYA PAYNTER Learn more at www.psalmmedical.com [http://www.psalmmedical.com/] Visit the podcast webpage at https://www.psalmmedical.com/podcast [https://www.psalmmedical.com/podcast] FOLLOW THE CHRISTIAN CLINICIAN ON SOCIAL MEDIA YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thechristianclinician [https://www.youtube.com/@thechristianclinician] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheChristianClinician [https://www.facebook.com/TheChristianClinician?utm_source=chatgpt.com] Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/christianwomenhealthandwellness [https://www.facebook.com/groups/christianwomenhealthandwellness] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christianclinician/ [https://www.instagram.com/christianclinician/]

Breaking Patterns of Anxiety, Insomnia, and Burn Out with Dr. Natasha Tubbs (S3E21)

Sabbath often gets reduced to "a day off." But what if Sabbath isn't just stopping work — what if it's a whole way of life that exposes anxiety, reshapes identity, and restores the nervous system over time? In this episode of The Christian Clinician, Dr. Tanya Paynter sits down with Dr. Natasha Tubbs to explore how practicing Sabbath as a way of life helped resolve debilitating anxiety, restore sleep, and reduce chronic pain and inflammation. Natasha shares her journey through burnout, overwhelming anxiety, and a nerve condition that affected her ability to speak and work — and what shifted when God revealed she was confusing capability with grace: saying yes to everything because she could, while her body was clearly saying no. Together, they unpack Sabbath not as self-care, not as a catch-up day, and not as something you earn by finishing your to-do list — but as worship. Natasha explains how a weekly 24-hour Sabbath reshaped the other six days of her week, helping her live from rest instead of crashing into it. The results were measurable: anxiety resolved, mental clarity returned, sleep improved, and pain and inflammation decreased. This episode is especially for the high-achieving Christian woman who feels like rest is irresponsible, who ties her worth to productivity, or who has tried "time off" but still doesn't feel restored. In This Episode, You'll Explore: * Why Sabbath is more than a day off — it's a way of life that reshapes the other six days * How anxiety can be rooted in identity, worth, and chronic over-functioning * Capability vs. grace: why you can do more than you were ever meant to carry * Why Sabbath is worship, not self-care — and why catch-up days don't restore the nervous system * How micro-Sabbath habits build rest throughout the week * How Sabbath practice can improve sleep, mental clarity, and stress reactivity over time * Why Sabbath exposes the "doing over being" problem and invites deeper trust in God Episode Timestamps:  * 00:00 — Sabbath exposes anxiety and the "doing over being" pattern * 01:33 — Introducing Dr. Natasha Tubbs * 02:37 — Burnout, nerve pain, and anxiety: what life looked like before Sabbath * 05:36 — Capability vs. grace: why "yes to everything" breaks the body * 07:22 — Sabbath as a way of life, not just one day * 09:55 — What Sabbath looks like practically in different seasons * 12:25 — Sabbath vs. self-care vs. catch-up day * 17:28 — Worth, performance, and why anxiety grows * 20:12 — What changed: anxiety resolved, sleep restored, pain and inflammation reduced * 23:22 — Micro-habits to start: put away the list, practice presence, build slowly * 29:25 — Where to find Dr. Tubbs  Join The Christian Clinician Facebook Group Christian Women Health and Wellness: Support for Anxiety, Hormones, and Faith Join us for encouragement, practical health conversations, and weekly discussion tied to the podcast. https://www.facebook.com/groups/christianwomenhealthandwellness [https://www.facebook.com/groups/christianwomenhealthandwellness] Resources Mentioned * Psalm 46:10 (be still and know) * Mark 2:27 (Sabbath made for man) * James 2 (faith and works) * Rich Villodas (quoted about Sabbath and worth) * Dr. Natasha Tubbs’ website: sabbathandshalom.com About the Guest Dr. Natasha Tubbs is an adjunct professor specializing in apologetics and leadership at Manna University in North Carolina. She is a writer with Women in Apologetics and contributes to ethical training in religious studies for AI. She is also transitioning into UX design and Python programming to help develop human-centered, ethically informed AI tools. Connect with Dr. Natasha Tubbs: Website: https://sabbathandshalom.com Instagram/Facebook: Natasha Tubbs About the Host Dr. Tanya Paynter is the host of The Christian Clinician, a podcast exploring faith, physiology, and the nervous system—how biblical practices shape stress response, emotional resilience, and long-term physical health. As a licensed naturopathic physician, she helps Christians pursue health without separating the body from the soul. Where to Find Dr. Tanya Paynter Learn more at www.psalmmedical.com [http://www.psalmmedical.com/] Visit the podcast webpage at https://www.psalmmedical.com/podcast [https://www.psalmmedical.com/podcast] Follow The Christian Clinician on Social Media YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thechristianclinician [https://www.youtube.com/@thechristianclinician] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheChristianClinician [https://www.facebook.com/TheChristianClinician?utm_source=chatgpt.com] Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/christianwomenhealthandwellness [https://www.facebook.com/groups/christianwomenhealthandwellness] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christianclinician/ [https://www.instagram.com/christianclinician/]

Sabbath Isn't Just a Day Off: Rest in Christ, Stress Recovery, and Burnout Prevention (S3E20)

Sabbath is one of the most misunderstood practices in the Christian life — and one of the most healing ones, physically and spiritually. In this teaching episode, Dr. Tanya Paynter walks through the biblical foundation of Sabbath from creation through the Ten Commandments, then shows how Sabbath ultimately points to Jesus — our true rest — under the New Covenant. This is not a legalistic rule to follow. It's an invitation into something deeper. Dr. Paynter also connects Sabbath to stress physiology and nervous system recovery. A weekend off does not automatically produce real rest if your body is still carrying chronic stress, low control, and unresolved strain. True Sabbath rest reorients your mind and attention toward God in a way that actually calms the stress response and allows the body to recover over time. This episode also introduces a new, yet Biblical, concept — Sabbath doesn’t have to be an entire day. It can include “micro-Sabbath” moments—short, intentional pauses throughout the day to step out of task-to-task pressure, check in with God, and let recovery accumulate even when a full day of rest feels impossible. If you feel exhausted even after time off, struggle to truly rest, or have wondered what Sabbath really means for Christian women today — this episode gives you a clearer, more freeing picture. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL EXPLORE * Why Sabbath is more than “a day off” and what Scripture says about how it’s tied to relationship with God * Sabbath in Genesis and the Ten Commandments: why it’s grouped with God-relationship commands * How Sabbath points to Jesus and the finished work of Christ (rest under the New Covenant) * Why a day off doesn’t always restore the body when stress remains high * What research suggests about Sabbath, burnout, wellbeing, and recovery * How micro-breaks and “mini Sabbaths” can reduce stress reactivity during the week * How Sabbath becomes reorientation—resting in God, not just resting from work EPISODE TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Sabbath isn’t just a day off 01:40 Sabbath in Genesis: creation and ongoing rest 03:17 Sabbath in the Ten Commandments and why it matters 06:10 Sabbath under the New Covenant: rest in Christ (Colossians 2; Hebrews 4) 09:03 What Sabbath looks like practically: worship, connection, delight 11:31 What research says: Sabbath, wellbeing, burnout, recovery 14:32 Why a day off doesn’t always equal recovery (stress load + control) 16:54 Micro-Sabbath breaks: rest throughout the day 18:50 Key takeaway: reorientation toward God, not just stopping 22:48 Invitation: micro-Sabbath throughout your day + next steps JOIN THE FACEBOOK GROUP! Join us for encouragement, practical health conversations, and weekly discussion tied to the podcast. Christian Women Health and Wellness: Support for Anxiety, Hormones, and Faith https://www.facebook.com/groups/christianwomenhealthandwellness [https://www.facebook.com/groups/christianwomenhealthandwellness] RESOURCES MENTIONED * Exodus 20:8–11 (Sabbath command) * Colossians 2:16–17 (Sabbaths as shadow; Christ the substance) * Hebrews 4 (rest in Christ) * Ezekiel 20:12 (Sabbath as a covenental sign) * Mark 2:27 (Sabbath made for man) * Commentary referenced: Enduring Word by David Guzik * https://enduringword.com/ [https://enduringword.com/] * Research * Speedling BB. Celebrating Sabbath as a Holistic Health Practice: The Transformative Power of a Sanctuary in Time. J Relig Health. 2019 Aug;58(4):1382-1400. doi: 10.1007/s10943-019-00799-6. PMID: 30972608. * Cheng A, Lee MH, Djita R. A Cross-Sectional Analysis of the Relationship Between Sabbath Practices and US, Canadian, Indonesian, and Paraguayan Teachers' Burnout. J Relig Health. 2023 Apr;62(2):1090-1113. doi: 10.1007/s10943-022-01647-w. Epub 2022 Sep 1. PMID: 36048354; PMCID: PMC9434070. * Tsuchiya M, Takahashi M, Miki K, Kubo T, Izawa S. Cross-sectional associations between daily rest periods during weekdays and psychological distress, non-restorative sleep, fatigue, and work performance among information technology workers. Ind Health. 2017 Apr 7;55(2):173-179. doi: 10.2486/indhealth.2016-0140. Epub 2016 Dec 24. PMID: 28025423; PMCID: PMC5383414. * Albulescu P, Macsinga I, Rusu A, Sulea C, Bodnaru A, Tulbure BT. "Give me a break!" A systematic review and meta-analysis on the efficacy of micro-breaks for increasing well-being and performance. PLoS One. 2022 Aug 31;17(8):e0272460. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0272460. PMID: 36044424; PMCID: PMC9432722. * Aziz S, Meier B, Wuensch K, Dolbier C. Take a break! Leisure participation moderates the workaholism-work stress relationship. Career Dev Q. 2023 Dec;71(4):315-329. doi: 10.1002/cdq.12336. Epub 2023 Oct 17. PMID: 38390370; PMCID: PMC10883458. ABOUT THE HOST Dr. Tanya Paynter is the host of The Christian Clinician, a podcast exploring faith, physiology, and the nervous system—how biblical practices shape stress response, emotional resilience, and long-term physical health. As a licensed naturopathic physician, she helps Christians understand how spiritual health affects both physical and emotional wellbeing, without separating the body from the soul. WHERE TO FIND DR. TANYA PAYNTER Learn more at www.psalmmedical.com [http://www.psalmmedical.com/] Visit the podcast webpage at https://www.psalmmedical.com/podcast [https://www.psalmmedical.com/cc-podcast] FOLLOW THE CHRISTIAN CLINICIAN ON SOCIAL MEDIA YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thechristianclinician [https://www.youtube.com/@thechristianclinician] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheChristianClinician [https://www.facebook.com/TheChristianClinician?utm_source=chatgpt.com] Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/christianwomenhealthandwellness [https://www.facebook.com/groups/christianwomenhealthandwellness] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christianclinician/ [https://www.instagram.com/christianclinician/]

Why You Feel Guilty for Resting — and How God Designed You for Play w/ Brianna Lambert (Created To Play Book Review) (S3E19)

Do you feel guilty for enjoying your hobbies? Like reading, baking, or camping somehow pulls you away from God instead of toward him? In this episode, Dr. Tanya Paynter sits down with Brianna Lambert — author of Created to Play: How Taking Hobbies Seriously Grows Us Spiritually — to talk about why Christians so often compartmentalize their faith from the things they love, and why that divide was never meant to exist. Brianna shares how she once felt deep guilt over the activities she enjoyed most, and how understanding God's character as the source of all beauty, goodness, and creativity changed everything. They explore how hobbies are not a distraction from worship — they are an opportunity for it. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL EXPLORE • Why the secular/spiritual divide in our daily lives is a false one • How play and hobbies connect us to our identity as image bearers of God • The difference between rest that restores and escapism • How shared hobbies build relationships — and open doors to the gospel • Practical ways to start small and find God in your ordinary, everyday moments EPISODE TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Why hobbies and shared activities build real relationships 03:26 Guilt, “secular vs spiritual,” and learning to receive good gifts from God 06:46 Rest vs escapism: how to discern the difference 07:50 A better definition of idleness: not doing what you were created to do 11:27 Redefining worship beyond singing and guilt about “not enjoying worship” 23:47 Play in community: family hobbies, church life, and everyday evangelism 31:30 The 10 “titles” of play + deep joys and temptations 35:13 What it means to take hobbies seriously (without turning them into performance) 41:36 Practical steps to start small and release productivity guilt RESOURCES MENTIONED * Created to Play: How Taking Hobbies Seriously Grows Us Spiritually — Brianna Lambert * Stuart Brown (play and lifelong development) * The “scholastics” framing of idleness/laziness (concept discussed) ABOUT THE GUEST Brianna Lambert is a writer and author from a rural community outside Indianapolis. Her articles and essays have appeared in Christianity Today, The Gospel Coalition, Common Good, and Mere Orthodoxy. She serves on staff at Gospel Centered Discipleship and in the women’s ministry at her local church. She is the author of Created to Play: How Taking Hobbies Seriously Grows Us Spiritually. Connect with Brianna Lambert: * Website: https://briannalambert.com [https://briannalambert.com/] * Substack: https://briannalambert.substack.com [https://briannalambert.substack.com/] * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/briannalambertauthor * Book availability mentioned: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Walmart (online) ABOUT THE HOST Dr. Tanya Paynter is the host of The Christian Clinician, a podcast exploring faith, physiology, and the nervous system—how biblical practices shape stress response, emotional resilience, and long-term physical health. She is a licensed naturopathic physician. WHERE TO FIND DR. TANYA PAYNTER Learn more at www.psalmmedical.com [http://www.psalmmedical.com/] Visit the podcast webpage at https://www.psalmmedical.com/cc-podcast [https://www.psalmmedical.com/cc-podcast] FOLLOW THE CHRISTIAN CLINICIAN ON SOCIAL MEDIA YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thechristianclinician [https://www.youtube.com/@thechristianclinician] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheChristianClinician [https://www.facebook.com/TheChristianClinician?utm_source=chatgpt.com] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christianclinician/ [https://www.instagram.com/christianclinician/]