On The Trail

How should Christians engage with Halloween? The answer may be more nuanced than you expect. In this episode, we're discussing the complexities of Halloween from a Christian perspective, focusing on spiritual warfare, the occult, and how families can engage with the holiday wisely. We touch on historical context, awareness of heightened fear and occult practices, and the need to walk in the Spirit...

"But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves" James 1:22 ESV. We've reached the close of our 3-2-1 Bible Study Method series, and the topic of the episode is APPLICATION. The goal isn't to master the Bible but for the Bible to master us. Once we've done the work of observation and interpretation, it's time to apply what we've learned. In this episode, we're looking at thre...

In this episode, we peer through three lenses of biblical interpretation. Each lens represents a phillosophy of sorts for how to approach interpretation, now that we've made our observations (see prior episodes). Lens #1 is INTENT. Understanding the author's intended message is key to accurate interpretation. Lens #2 is INERRANCY. Understanding that the Bible is true is key to accurate interpretat...

Welcome, Bible Study Detective! In this episode, we're wrapping up the S.T.O.R.I.E.S. Checklist with a deeper look at "Edits" and "Shifts." You'll learn what editorial comments are and how they open doors to understanding the biblical text. You will also discover how recognizing subtle (and not so subtle) shifts in the author's writing helps us move toward our goal of uncovering the author's inten...

This week we're continuing to unpack the Bible Study observation checklist S.T.O.R.I.E.S. with a deeper look at the clues of Order, Repetition, and Introductions. "Order" is about the arrangement within a passage and within its larger text. "Repetition" is about recognizing the strategic recurrence of words, concepts, locations, and more that serve to highlight both what is important in the text a...

This week is all about the Bible study checklist we remember with the acrostic S.T.O.R.I.E.S. When you approach the text of Scripture, what key things should you be looking for in how the text is put together? We hope this observational checklist helps you be a better Bible study detective! Here is an overview of the clues you'll be looking for: Speeches, Terms, Order, Repetition, Introductions &a...

In this episode, we continue our discussion of the 3-2-1 Bible Study Method, focusing on the principles of selection and arrangement in biblical texts. We explore how understanding these concepts can help us practice interpretation with an aim to find the author's intended message. Our conversation also touches on the importance of recognizing biases and worldviews, using the books of Samuel-Kings...

In this episode, we introduce the 3-2-1 Bible Study Method: 3 steps, 2 strategies, and 1 checklist for effective Bible study. This week we are giving special attention to the three steps: Observation, Interpretation, and Application. We emphasize the importance of understanding the author's intended message by looking for clues in our observations, paying attention to how each step builds off of t...

If there is one bias we definitely want to know, it's God's. We believe God is the author of reality. As such, we we want to see the world, ourselves, and our situations as He sees everything. What better place to start tuning our worldview lenses than a study of His Word? In this episode, we discuss the WHY of Bible study, the role of the Holy Spirit, and how this all fits into heart-focused disc...

How do you remember what God has done for you?  The podcast is on a break right now while we run our A Deeper Walk summer study BUT we could not resist popping up with a bonus episode for you for our birthday: Season Three . Episode Thirty . Three years of being on the trail together.  This episode looks at memorials in the Bible, exploring various biblical practices of remembrance. From the Ebene...

Whether you're guarding literal ground or the soil of your heart, your freedom in Christ is key. In this episode, we're closing our 4-part series on practical spiritual warfare. So you've removed the enemy's claim on a part of your life, ousted him from your land, and begun nurturing new habits to reclaim that area of your life and walk in repentance. What are some strategies for guarding the grou...

Why have some called "repentance" the happiest word in the English language? In this episode, we're continuing a 4-part series on practical spiritual warfare following a NEW acrostic: S.O.N.G. (Stephanie encourages you to "Whistle while you warfare.") At Deeper Walk, we teach a "no drama," legal approach to spiritual warfare. So, after you've removed the permission the enemy is claiming to a place...

What does it look like to evict demonic activity from your life? In this episode, we're continuing a 4-part series on practical spiritual warfare following a NEW acrostic: S.O.N.G. (Stephanie encourages you to "Whistle while you warfare.") At Deeper Walk, we teach a "no drama," legal approach to spiritual warfare. So, after you've removed the permission the enemy is claiming to a place in your lif...

Let's demystify spiritual warfare. Reclaiming ground we've surrendered to the enemy doesn't have to be complicated or scary. In this episode, we're starting a 4-part series on practical spiritual warfare following a NEW acrostic: S.O.N.G. (Stephanie encourages you to "Whistle while you warfare.") At Deeper Walk, we teach a "no drama," legal approach to spiritual warfare. So, when you've recognized...

Help for People Feeling Stuck - Listener Q&A On the Trail Podcast: Season 3, Episode 25 Let's get personal. Maturity and spiritual warfare issues touch us from the individual to the community. In this episode, we're answering some of your questions. Whether you're a single person in want of dating advice, a ministry leader shepherding communities through trauma recovery, a friend with a passio...

He Is Risen! Happy Easter Monday! So much of our sense of identity is formed faster than conscious thought. Do we have to just deal with what we're given, or do we have agency in our identity and maturity formation? This week we're bringing together brain science and biblical identity formation, talking about finding our heart values, building a tower of truth, and more.  Join us on the trail! 👉...

Happy Easter Week! Your sense of identity is deeper than what you can express in words. Last week we talked about the Fast Track of the brain that processes some of this nonverbal understanding. This week, we're looking at the brain's "mirror neurons" to deepen this understanding. Mirror neurons learn about "me" by looking at "you." This is one of the reasons why community and relationships with p...

How Do I Know Who I Am? - The Fast Track to Identity On the Trail Podcast: Season 3, Episode 22 How did God design our brain to form our sense of identity? In a new microseries, we're talking about our neurotheological identity. Our primary goal this episode is to understand that our brains operate not only at the speed of conscious thought but also faster than conscious thought. How does this "fa...

Breakthrough in Discipleship On the Trail Podcast: Season 3, Episode 21 Are you looking for breakthrough in your discipleship journey? This week we are contextualizing the BUILD Model of Breakthrough within the FISH Model of Discipleship. What does it look like to walk in your freedom and identity in Christ, in the Spirit, in Scripture, and in heart-focused community while addressing the physical...

Build Your Plan for Breakthrough  On the Trail Podcast: Season 3, Episode 20 Are you looking for breakthrough in an area of your life? Are you helping someone on their journey to breakthrough?  In this episode, we're beginning to pull the Breakthrough series together. How can we use the B.U.I.L.D. Maturity Model as a checklist or rubric for working through our breakthrough journey?  How can we app...

What is our authority in Christ and what does it look like on a practical ministry level? In this week's episode, we're covering a theology of our authority in Christ, and we're going over the biblical ideas of binding and loosing with steps for removing demonic permission: Confess, Cancel, Command, Commit. Join us on the trail. P.S. At Deeper Walk, we have many resources about spiritual warfare....

A lot of people want to know, can Christians be possessed? We would say no. But c an Christians give demons access? We would say yes .  In this week's episode, we're going over five main areas where people — including Christians! — give the demonic permission to claim a foothold in our lives. We remember these five areas with the acrostic SOUL-L: Sin, Occult, Unforgiveness, Lies we believe, and Li...

What can demons do? On the Trail Podcast: Season 3, Episode 17 The devil isn't a bumble bee. Leaving him alone doesn't mean he leaves us alone. In this episode we're starting the "Defeat Demons" topic within the Breakthrough series. We'll give a basic legal understanding for spiritual warfare, looking at the roles of permission and authority. We're also asking how demons can affect our bodies, our...

Not every thought that enters your head is yours. When we’re listening in prayer, how can we know the thought we’re hearing is from the Holy Spirit and not a demon or the pizza we ate last night? In this episode, we're looking at a practical discernment checklist, addressing some concerns regarding the occult or our imaginations, and more. Join us on the trail. P.S. If you're reading along with us...

Maturity & Walking in the Spirit  On the Trail Podcast: Season 3, Episode 15 So often our discipleship solutions are designed for adults and do not take into consideration the actual maturity of the people being discipled. Would you expect a child to have the same prayer skills as a grandparent? Whether we're talking physical or emotional maturity, or for how long we've known Christ, walking w...