Attaching to God: Neuroscience-informed Spiritual Formation

What happens when someone is told a lie from childhood onward? And not just about themselves, but about all our people, their entire race?  And what happens when this racial lie turns abusive, oppressive, traumatic, and violent? In this episode Sheila Wise Rowe helps us understand, identify, and resolve racial trauma.  Sheila has over twenty-five years of experience as a Christian Counselor, Spiri...

Why does God feel so far away? Why are some of us stuck in our head, and some are stuck in our hearts? Maybe it has to do with our style of attachment. This episode features Krispin Mayfield who takes us on a tour of three different attachments styles, helps us understand why they might be holding back our experience of God, and what we can to do about it. Check out his new book: Attached to God:...

Following Jesus while ignoring our emotions is disastrous. But following the "what I feel is real" mantra is equally problematic. So, what is the role of emotion in our discipleship? Becky Castle Miller joins the shows to talk about the discipleship of the emotions.  She writes and speaks on emotional, mental, and spiritual health in the church, and she is working on a new book about Jes...

Seems like everyday we are hearing about toxic leadership and spiritual abuse in the church it is enough to make you despair.  It goes without saying, there is a lot of emotionally unhealthy churches around.   But today we are talking with a pastor who wants to turn that around—Ted Kim, from Evanston Vineyard (outside Chicago, IL).  Get the FREE ebook, The Brain God Gave Us , when you join the Emb...

The goal of autonomy keeps us from paying attention to what really matters, to what's really happening.  The ideal of freedom keeps us from paying attention to a world beyond ours heads.  Dr. Geoff Holsclaw talks with Jared Boyd (author, pastor, spiritual director, and founder of The Order of the Common Life) about the apprenticeship of paying attention, and what it means for our spiritual fo...

Can contemplative prayer be crucial not only for spiritual growth, but also for mental health? Can it help us overcome the busy brain of modern life? I'm joined with AJ Sherril to talk about his new book, Being with God: The Absurdity, Necessity, and Neurology of Contemplative Prayer . Find AJ on Facebook , Instagram , and Twitter . Get the FREE ebook, The Brain God Gave Us , when you join th...

Can the relational revolution in psychology help us connect to a relational God? Or, does our view of relationships affect our relationship with God. Dr. Todd Hall joins the podcast to talk about "relational spirituality", and how we need a psychological-theological paradigm for spiritual transformation.  You can find out more about Dr. Hall at his site and here at Spiritual Metrics . Ge...

Why we changed the name of this podcast to "Embodied Faith".  Basically, Embodied Faith = Emotional Life + Embedded Relationships (with ourselves, others, and God). Get the FREE ebook, The Brain God Gave Us , when you join the Embodied Faith community (connecting you to new episodes, posts, and other resources). Please subscribe and review on iTunes , Spotify , YouTube . If you would lik...

Too often churches focus on right thoughts and right willing.  The problem is this is way too LEFT- instead of RIGHT-Brained.  Too often our discipleship isn't fast enough to catch up with the speed of life.  But I Right-Brains work at the speed of life, and that is where lasting discipleship needs to happen.  This is what we are talking about in this episode with guest Michel Hendricks. Get...

Does neuroscience change our understanding of sin? Does it rob us of our sense of free will? What does salvation even mean if we take neuroscience seriously? New Testament professor Joel Green talks about how a properly biblical view of sin and salvation isn't at odds with the finds of neuroscience.  And he talks about why this matters for our spiritual formation.  Get the FREE ebook, The Bra...

Is there a way forward beyond certainty and after deconstruction ? Is it possible to hold to faith after such disappointment? Author and Pastor Brian Zahnd joins the podcast to talk about the crisis of faith and the journey of reconstruction. If you are in the midst of DECONSTRUCTION (or want learn more to journey with others through it), check out this short course on the 5 Shifts to make while D...

Many talk about the need for more self-esteem, and even more self-compassion.  But what about self-control?  Why are we so often our biggest enemies? Why do we do what we don't want to do? And what can we do about it?  Drew Dyck joins the podcast to talk about all this and more.  Drew is the acquisitions editor at Moody Publishers and a contributing editor at CTPastors.com .  He's also w...

In families, friendships, and at church, we are surrounded by people who have experienced and live with trauma.  Pastor and reconciliation activist Fred Liggin talks about what it means to be a trauma-informed church. Fred Liggin is a pastor and social entrepreneur ministering among the homeless and those struggling with poverty Williamsburg, VA, and is a justice and reconciliation advocate.  Trau...

What we attend to, what we pay attention to, becomes our reality.  It causes us to see some things and be blind to others. And this is never more true than SEEING the SACRED in our modern world.    Dr. Richard Beck, author of numerous books, professor and psychologist, talks about our disenchanted world, the ACHE caused by it, and how to find God today (find him at http://experimentaltheology.blog...

Why do we do what we don't want to do? Why are we at war within ourselves?  And what can we do about it? Jenna Riemersma (LPC) introduces us to "Internal Family Systems" (parts theory), how to grow in self-compassion, and how God is redeeming our hurts, brokenness, and sin.  Settle in if you are tired of trying so hard, unsure how to deal with negative feelings or destructive patter...

What's grace got to do with the brain? Isn't grace just a theological word about God?  But really grace has everything to do with every part of our relationships. Learning to live in grace is essential to being with others, with God, and with ourselves. We're talking about all this with Ed Khouri, co-founder of Equipping Hearts for the Harvest.  Ed ministers and trains within the in...

Enough with all this neuroscience, pyscho-bable, and and emotion language.  Shouldn't we just talk about the Bible and follow Jesus? We're talking about these common objections with Ed Khouri, co-founder of Equipping Hearts for the Harvest.  Ed ministers and trains within the intersection of trauma and addiction recovery, neuroscience, and spiritual formation.  Please join the Being With...

What is fear for?  Fear can save our lives, but the Bible tells repeatedly not to fear.  Can we learn to act in ways that are more faithful, even in the face of risk? Jason Clark has wrestled with these very demons in himself as a pastor, a professor, and as the leader of the Leadership and Global Perspectives Doctor of Ministry at Portland Seminary. Please join the Being With community for episod...

Are we really responsible for our actions? Or is it just brain chemistry and personal history?  Do we really have free will? And what does this mean for our understanding of sin?  I talk with Dr. Warren Brown, of Fuller Seminary, about how our brains make meaning for us and with others.  Check out his new book, "Enhancing Christian Life" (co-authored with Dr. Brad Strawn). Please join th...

Can we really change our minds? What is the practical application of all this neuroscience talk?  Can all this make us more street smart, not just book smart? Glad you asked!  Our guest, John Loppnow, a licensed marriage and family therapist, and life coach, leads us through practices that integrate faith and neuroscience. Find John at Presence and Practice. Please join the Being With community fo...

Our brains have different levels with different functions at each level.  This episode, with guest Maribeth Poole, looks at the relational brain and how to ATTUNE to each level for deep connection to others and to God. Don't miss an episode of the Being With podcast on neuroscience and faith.  Like, and subscribes, or join the community here (https://geoffrey-holsclaw.ck.page/47259e09a4). Lea...

Is lament a lack of faith, or the fullness of hope? Could the refusal to lament be a "spiritual defense" rather than spiritual maturity?  And what do we do when everything in life becomes meaningless? Today we are talking with Megan Anna Neff and Mark R. McMinn about integrating theology and psychology during those difficult times that inevitably come in life. They both co-authored Embod...

"I am NOT a Christian. We are Christian."  What if your "personal" devotions are anything but? What if you can't really be a Christian alone? What if we need to extend our minds in order to enhance our spiritual life.  These questions and more are what we are talking about in this episode, with guest Dr. Brad Strawn.  Check out his new book, Enhancing Christian Life: How E...

Neuroscience? If this podcast is all about neuroscience, spiritual formation, and faith, then we need some sort of definition of neuroscience. This episode talks about "relational neuroscience" (really "interpersonal neurobiology"), what it covers and why it matters. Please join the Being With community for episodes, posts, and other resources. Please subscribe and review on iT...

How do disciples grow in maturity? And why do some get stuck while others flourish? And what about the barriers of trauma and abuse?  Dr. Jim Wilder is our guest today.  He is a Clinical Psychologist & Neurotheologian at Life Model Works .  He is author of many books, recently Renovated: God, Dallas Willard and the Church that Transforms and co-author of The Other Half of the Church: Christian...