123: Female Friendship — The Good the Bad and the Ugly

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We are created for relationships with others, but they aren’t always easy.

Women need friendships, but sometimes it feels really hard. Time constraints, gossip, comparison: there is just a lot to hurdle.

How can we find our identity in Christ so that our friendships are healthy, encouraging, and life-giving?

Rachel Chester sits down with Glenna Harding and Lindsey Lehtinen to discuss the challenges and necessity of friendship centered in Christ.

122: A Conversation with Bruce Wesley

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What does steak, fly fishing, and Braveheart have in common?

They are all things Bruce Wesley loves.

On this episode, Ryan talks with Bruce about his 28 years of serving as Lead Pastor at Clear Creek Community Church, his family, his passions, and what he would do if he wasn’t a pastor.

121: Does God Control Everything?

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Life is full of the unexpected: both good and terrible. Is God really in control of it all? And if he is, why do so many bad things happen? Are we still responsible for our choices? Ryan Lehtinen sits down with Lance Lawson and Aaron Lutz to discuss God’s sovereignty, humanity’s freedom, and what this means for our lives.

Resources:

Divine Sovereignty and Human Freedom by John M. Frame

Just Do Something: A Liberating Approach to Finding God’s Will by Kevin DeYoung

 

 

120: Is This the End Times? (Repost)

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Last year we recorded a podcast on the end times, before knowing we were going to walk through Revelation in 2022 as a church. Here’s the conversation with Rachel Chester and Yancey Arrington about how the Bible seems to describe a period of turmoil that directly precedes the return of Christ. Are we living in that time? What does the Bible really describe? How do we respond as Christians? But over all, this episode is about how to understand Revelation and what it means for us today.

The Bible and The Future by Anthony Hoekema

Surprised by Hope by N.T. Wright

 

 

119: How to Read Revelation

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Revelation is of the most popular books to read in the Bible, but it can also be the most intimidating.

Is it actually possible to understand Revelation?

Rachel Chester sits down with Jenna Kraft and Aaron Chester, teachers of How to Study the Bible, to discuss how to unlock the truth and beauty of the culmination of the entire biblical story.

Resources:

How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth by Gordon D. Fee

Clear Creek Classes: How to Study the Bible

 

 

 

118: What Happens When I Die?

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Often in our cultural imagination, the afterlife consists mostly of harps, wings, and eternal floating around on clouds. But is this really how the Bible describes heaven? What actually happens when we die?  Rachel Chester sits down with Yancey Arrington to discuss the true picture of a biblical hope for life after death and the ultimate fulfillment of God’s good promises.

 

117: Christmas Joy in the Mourning

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Christmas is full of celebration and anticipation; hope, love, joy, and peace. It’s a time when we love exchange gifts and celebrate with our family and friends. But, it is also a time of profound grief for many people. The season is hopeful, but what if we are sad? Families gather together, but what if we have lost someone? How can someone navigate the holidays in the midst of this type of grief? And how can others walk beside them and love them well? On this episode, Susan Wesley talks with Amy Ward and Meredith Harris about how they find joy in Christ during the hardest seasons of life.

116: Have Yourself a Merry Blended Christmas

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During the holidays, there is so much fun and celebration, but there are also difficult things that people must work through. One challenge for many is found in the complexity and accompanying emotions of a blended family. On this episode, Ryan Lehtinen talks with Brad and Amy Thompson about their experience of having a blended family and navigating the Christmas season.

Resources:

Clear Creek Classes (new classes starting in 2022) 

 

 

115: It’s Beginning to Sound a Lot Like Christmas

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‘Tis the season to celebrate! Thanksgiving has come and gone and now we turn all of our attention to Christmas. On this episode, our Clear Lake Campus worship leader, Brad Loser, sits down with two of our other campus worship leaders, JJ Cole and Aric Harding. They talk about some of their favorite Christmas traditions, the Christmas song they hate to hear, and discuss the new Christmas album that the Clear Creek Arts Team recently released.

 

https://youtu.be/i4prT46yqw0

 

114: When Food is the Enemy

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Food is a good gift from God meant to be enjoyed and shared. However, what is designed to be good can get distorted in a world of social media, negative body image, and diet culture. On this episode, Ryan Lehtinen talks with his wife, Lindsey Lehtinen — a licensed counselor — about what to do if you have a bad relationship with food.