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Sharifa Stevens Dr. Beth Felker Jones Why are we Protestant? Have you ever wondered what the differences are? BOW's guest for this episode is Dr. Beth Felker Jones, Professor of Theology at Northern Seminary, sits down with BOW Ministry Team Member Sharifa Stevens to talk about being a Protestant. They discuss how it intersects and differs from other Christian traditions. What are the major beliefs that differ? We so appreciate that Dr. Jones approaches this topic with grace and humility, not with an adversarial attitude. Dr. Jones' Resources Dr. Jones' book Why I Am Protestant Church Blogmatics Substack Bethfelkerjones.com This episode is available on video as well. Timestamps: 00:21 Introductions 01:46 Who is your audience? 04:35 Orthodoxy isn't about thinking right but about a right relationship with God. 08:50 God cannot be caged by a fallible church. 11:31 Why is Scripture alone, Sola Scriptura, such an important Protestant distinction? 16:31 Why is it good that Ecclesiology, the study of the church (the structure, etc.) is not that specific? 21:18 What makes Protestantism good for women? 25:30 The greatest challenge for Protestants today 26:33 What would you say to those who say that Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox aren't Christians? 27:12 Resources TranscriptSharifa >> Hello and welcome to Beyond Ordinary Women Ministry. I am Sharifa Stevens, one of the hosts of Beyond Ordinary Women. And today, I am very excited to talk to Dr. Beth Felker Jones. Dr. Jones. I love saying that, so I'll say that every time. Dr. Jones with a Ph.D. from Duke University, is a midwestern writer and professor of Theology at Northern Seminary. She writes theology and fiction, has published numerous books and writes regularly at her Sub Stack, which is entitled Church Blogmatics. I had to say that slowly. A lifelong book lover, as she writes about relationships, identity and redemption. Dr. Jones' latest book is entitled Why I Am Protestant. And we'll be talking about that book today. You can discover more about Dr. Jones on our website BeyondOrdinaryWomen.org. Welcome, Dr. Jones. Dr. Jones >> Thank you. Delighted to be here with you. Sharifa >> Thank you so much for being here. Let's jump right in, shall we? Dr. Jones >> Yeah. Sharifa >> Okay, so in your book, as you were writing your book, Why I Am Protestant, who did you imagine reading your book as you wrote it? Who are your ideal readers? Dr. Jones >> This is really bad writing advice, but I have trouble imagining my reader and I tend to just write. Really, it's awful. It's awful writing advice. But I suppose I hoped I was writing for other Protestants who might be thinking through both the joys and challenges of being Protestant, as well as for Christians in other traditions who might want to understand something more about the Protestant tradition. So that dual audience to mix it makes it a little bit trickier. Yeah, I just wrote what I was feeling, and that's really what I did. So, yeah. Sharifa >> What prompted you to this feeling? What prompted you to write the book in the first place? Dr. Jones >> Yeah. Well, the book was written by invitation of Intervarsity Press. So really grateful for that invitation. And it's in a little series. There's also a book called Why I'm Roman Catholic, perhaps, by Matthew Levering, and in future, there'll be a Why I Am Orthodox volume. And Intervarsity Press' desire was to have a series here that is clear about conviction from theologians in these different traditions, but is also peaceful and kind and ecumenical. There are some kinds of books like this out there that are more fighting words. Right? And this is intended more as a heartfelt testimony to my own tradition than as a why I'm not these things and those things. So I was grateful to be tapped by IVP to write the book. But I had wanted to write a book like this for a long time because it's the case that I understand...

Kay Daigle Julie Pierce Julie Pierce reminds all who are leaders in any position of the importance of unplugging like a pro, taking time to decompress. In this conversation with Kay Daigle, Julie schools us on why it's so difficult to do. As an experienced leader and now a coach, Julie has lots of tips for ways to unplug that work no matter what your role or leadership position entails. Unplugging like a pro is doable and so necessary for the care of your soul and those who depend on you. Other resources Julie's website juliepierceleadership.com BOW's You As a Leader page Learn more about soul care in the series with Dr. Gail Seidel: 1. What Is It? 2. How is Your Soul? and 3. Nourishing Your Soul. Learn about burn-out in this 3-part series with Dr. Michelle Pokorny 1. The Burn, 2. On the Brink of Burnout, and Beating Burnout. Sign up for Julie's newsletter and download the document with questions to consider before unplugging. Or connect through the QR code below. This episode is available on video as well. Timestamps: 00:21 Introduction 02:06 What's going on in our culture that people don't unplug? 06:05 Why do you think ministry people don't unplug? 11:25 Learning to unplug 13:46 Preparing to turn your mind off 24:08 Knowing yourself and your needs 26:57 Unplugging also matters for those whom we serve and lead. 30:42 Final tips & tools 34:12 Other resources TranscriptKay >> Hi. I'm Kay Daigle. Welcome to the Beyond Ordinary Women Podcast and video series. My guest today is Julie Pierce. Julie, we are so glad to have you back. Julie >> I am thrilled to be here. Always loved being on the podcast with you. Kay >> Well, we love having you and you have such a wealth of information. I just want to get started so that the people who are listening can learn from you and learn how to unplug like a pro, because that's what we're talking about today. Let me tell you just a little bit about Julie. Julie does have a history of working on church staffs and leading communications and marketing efforts. And Julia and I met quite some time ago now on a church staff. We were working together on a church staff and those were the roles that she had. But she's also done leadership development in churches, and she now coaches executives and teams. There's a lot more about Julie on our website, so I don't want to go into every single thing that she's done, but it's a lot and she has a lot of experience in this area. And I know that you're going to want to hear everything that she has to say. You can find out more about her on our website, BeyondOrdinaryWomen.org. Go to the dropdown menu where it says About Us and go down to Video/Podcast Contributors and you can read more about what she's done. So Julie, this is a prevalent thing that people don't unplug. How would you describe what's going on in our culture that people don't unplug? Julie >> Yeah. Well, I love this topic because I desperately needed to learn how to do this. In other words, I learned the hard way. Kay >> Yeah. Julie >> And like we do so many of our lessons, right? Kay >> Yeah, pretty much I've learned everything I know, I learned the hard way. I messed up badly and learned. Yeah. Julie >> Yes. And so this was one of those things for me. And I think particularly now, we hear these phrases all the time. We're accessible 24/7. Everything is going 24/7, whether it's the news cycle or accessibility to anything and everything. You know, places rarely closed down, whether it's Sunday or at all. You know, there's, there are so many expectations as to be accessible and available all the time. Kay >> Yeah. Julie >> And we also live in a time where little things that can be blown up into huge things and everyone has this heightened sense of urgency all the time. And so we don't have a proper understanding or proportion for what priorities really are. And so it just adds on this pressure.

Dr. Sandra Glahn Dr. Lucas Rogers Don't miss this important conversation if you are a leader in your church! Dr. Lucas Rogers shares with Dr. Sandra Glahn what he has learned from his research on conservative churches rethinking women in leadership. His extensive study of churches going through this process provides wise and practical advice for any church leadership considering this issue. Dr. Rogers is available to consult with churches who are interested in being true to the Scriptures while being open to other interpretations. He suggests that it's not where the church ends up, but the process used that will determine the health of the church. Recommended resources Cultural Intelligence: Living for God in a Diverse, Pluralistic World by Darrell Bock The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion by Jonathan Haidt Women in the Church’s Ministry: A Test Case from Biblical Interpretation by R.T. France Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood: A Response to Evangelical Feminism from editors John Piper & Wayne Grudem Discovering Biblical Equality: Biblical, Theological, Cultural and Practical Perspectives by Ronald Pierce and Cynthia Westfall This episode is available on video for those who prefer to watch. Timestamps: 00:33 Introductions 02:57 Introduction to Dr. Rogers' research on conservative churches that landed on different sides of the issue 10:23 Various influences on the churches' decisions about this issue 14:08 The approaches to understanding Scripture in the various churches researched 16:20 Best practices to work through this issue 19:12 What Dr. Rogers learned from the three churches studied 26:32 Consulting with churches about the process of considering this issue after this study 28:59 The need to take the time necessary and involve the congregation 32:21 Resources used in this process, sunk costs bias and cultural engagement all affect this process. 35:13 Suggested books on both sides of the issue 38:33 Any other advice to help this process go well? 45:04 BOW resources on other issues facing the church TranscriptKay >> Hi. I'm Kay Daigle. Welcome to the Beyond Ordinary Women Podcast and video. We are so happy that you've joined us today. We have two special guests. We have Dr. Sandra Glahn with us. Welcome Sandi. Sandra >> Glad to be here as always. Kay >> Yeah, it's always a treat to have you. We always look forward to having you. Dr. Glahn is a professor at Dallas Seminary. She is a professor of Media Arts and Worship there. She's written over 20 books. She has so much to say about her that you just need to go to our website and read her bio because she has done a lot and she has produced a lot of work. And you can find her in many of our videos. So hopefully this won't be the last when you watch go on to BeyondOrdinaryWomen.org and search for her name. And you can connect with some of her other conversations that we've had. And Sandra invited another friend to be with us, the third male that we have had on our podcast. And it is Dr. Lucas Rogers. Welcome, Lucas. Lucas >> Thank you so much. Great to be here. Kay >> We are so happy to have you. Lucas is the lead pastor at Easton Bible Church in Hainesport, New Jersey. And he has both a master's and doctorate degrees from Dallas Seminary as well. And we're really happy to have you. And despite the fact that you're only the third man, we really appreciate it. Sandra >> That's true. Lucas >> Well, it's my honor. Kay >> Well, since our ministry is Beyond Ordinary Women, we have tended to focus on women in these conversations. But we're so happy to have you. And I'm going to turn around over to Sandi and Lucas to talk about our topic today, which I'm very excited about. I feel like many, many churches need to hear about the research that Lucas has done. Sandra >> So Lucas has done a hard look at the best practices for churches that are reconsidering wh...

Dr. Nika Spaulding   Dr. Nika Spaulding joins Dr. Kay Daigle once again in this episode on the Church Calendar. If you are unaware of what that is, Nika will help you not only be informed, but also appreciate its beauty and how it can deepen your faith. We are now at the beginning of the church calendar year with the period of time leading up to the coming of Jesus, Advent. Other BOW Resources with Nika on the Church Calendar Why Celebrate Advent? Why Celebrate Lent? Other resources Study from the Daily Grace Co. Easy Explainer for the calendar Great family devotional book on the calendar This episode is available on video as well. Timestamps: 00:32 Introduction to Nika and the church calendar 14:59 What is Pentecost? Why and how should be celebrate it in the church or even at home if our churches don't? 23:32 What is Ordinary Time? 27:12 So what? Why should we follow the church calendar? 32:34 Recommendations for someone leading in the church in any role 36:26 Resources on this topic TranscriptKay >> I'm Kay Daigle. Welcome to the Beyond Ordinary Women Podcast and video. Today, our guest is Nika Spaulding. Welcome, Nika. Nika >> Thank you. I'm excited to be here. Kay >> We're glad you're here. You know, I was looking at your bio. You sent us a new bio the other day, and it occurred to me that I never really asked you about having a zoology degree from the University of Oklahoma. What is that about? Nika >> Oh, so I will say I was originally pre-med. So while having a zoology degree is incredible, I originally thought I was going to go to med school. And O.U. weirdly doesn't have a biology program. They have a zoology program that feeds into a med school which is so strange because Oklahoma State has a biology program that feeds into a vet school. So it's not I don't know why we're you know, part of the reason why, though, I actually know the real reasons because we had world class scholars in that field at O.U. and we have world class research facilities, so they just kind of combine them. But even though I don't use my degree, I am utterly fascinated by the animal kingdom. And so it was a really fun degree for me to get. And it always surprises people when they find out that's my bachelor's degree. So I joke, though, with that degree, I'm not even qualified to like work at a zoo unless I'm in the gift shop. So I would have to go on to a lot more school. But, you know, there's always time if I decide to go that route. Kay >> Well, I love that. I wasn't sure if you started zoology because you just wanted to go in that direction and then God changed your mind or if there was something else behind it. Nika >> So it's definitely med school. And then to this day, I mean, even when I was a kid, if I saw blood, vomit, anything that doctors see on a routine basis, I get weak in the knees, I get sick to my stomach, I get all of these things. And I really was like, that's okay. I'm going to push through. And so I was on my way to the MCAT in college at O.U. and God was like, you really, you really don't get it, do you? And I finally was like, all right, Lord, what is it you would have me do? So took a hard left into theology. So I don't know anybody who has a zoology/theology degree other than me. I don't know anybody. And so, you know, but that's all right. Maybe there'll be more someday. Kay >> I don't know either. You're just unique. Probably in the whole world. Nika >> Sure. Well, it took me a while to figure out. I should probably follow God, so maybe I'm not unique in that way. I just went a weird route to that, but. Yeah. So it's fun, though. Kay >> Well, that's fun. Well, you also have a master of theology at DTS, and you have a DMin from Northern Seminary. So you have definitely made up for not having some sort of Bible degree, I suppose. Nika >> Yeah. Kay >> at O.U. So we are talking about the church calendar today,

Gwynne Johnson Kelly Arabie Gwynne Johnson and Kelly Arabie, authors of Soul Thirst: Discerning Your Divine Design, explain how seeking to fulfill our needs in the wrong places harms us and our relationships. They provide a roadmap to enable women to recognize what they are thirsting for in place of the only one who can provide true satisfaction. God alone quenches our soul thirst. This book is a blend of accessible story and biblical life principles that have transformed women around the world as they come to understand God’s design for the human heart. You can also watch this episode on video. Resources: Soul Thirst: Discerning Your Divine Design Website: www.soulthirst.net Podcast Embrace Your Life--a conversation with author Elizabeth Woodson Reimagining Discipleship: A Kingdom Perspective with Kay Daigle & Sharifa Stevens Timestamps: 00:20 Introductions 02:40 Writing Soul Thirst 011:58 What is soul thirst and how does it affect us? 14:55 Thirst, mind, will and emotions are involved 16:10 Thirsts common to many women 18:39 How to best use soul thirst 19:50 A template for thinking about life 22:56 Final words of encouragement TranscriptKay >> Hi. I'm Kay Daigle of Beyond Ordinary Women Ministries. I'm so excited to welcome you to this episode of our podcast and it’s also on video. We are just delighted to have you joining us, and I'm thrilled with our two guests today—Gwynne Johnson, Kelly Arabie. I've known both of them for many years now, and I consider them good friends of mine. Kelly and I actually met at D.T.S., where we were both starting DTS, I think the same semester and went through the same program. Definitely. So I got to know Kelly really well there. And Gwynne and I have crossed paths in many situations. We've been on a couple of boards together, so we've worked together on things. And I really have respected all of her ministry that she has done through the years. If you want to know more about Gwynne and Kelly and their backgrounds, go to our website BeyondOrdinaryWomen.org, and go to the pull down menu that is About Us. And look at Video Podcast Contributors. And you can read more about them, although I think they will probably talk some about some of their experiences as we go through this conversation today. So thank you both for coming. Welcome on our podcast. Gwynne >> Fun to be with you. Kelly >> Yes, thanks for having us. Kay >> Thank you. And you know, I did want to mention Gwynne and I are part of a group of women, and I just want to mention that because to me it's been such a helpful group, all of us who had been involved in ministry for years and we started gathering somebody invited us to gather together at Christmas and we so we started having Christmas luncheons together and we just became good friends and we pray for one another. We support one another and encourage one another and challenge one another. And it's been a great encouragement. So for those of you out there, you don't even have to be leaders, but everybody needs a group like that. So I just wanted to throw that in there too. Today we're talking about Gwynne and Kelly's book Soul Thirst that they co-wrote. And first, I just really kind of wanted to ask Kelly, what was it like to co-write this? How was your process here? Is it hard to do two people doing different things? Kelly >> You know, it was really fun. And I would say being able to collaborate with Gwynne and the conversations that we've had over the years were just such a blessing and a gift. It was a gift that Gwynne invited me to this project. And I'm sure she's going to talk a little bit about, you know, how this started with her ministry. But in 2008 was one of the first times that I think I went through Developing a Discerning Heart. And as part of that, Gwynne came and spoke to our small group, and we just talked about the study and how amazing it had been.

Dr. Nijay Gupta Dr. Kelley Mathews Dr. Nijay Gupta, author of Tell Her Story, joins BOW Team Member Kelley Mathews in this fascinating discussion of persecuted women in the early church. What can we learn from their stories? How do their stories encourage our faith and our own courage? What can we learn from them? What do we miss when we fail to study them? These women's stories provide models for us today to stand up for Christ, to know that he is better than anything that comes into our lives, and to be willing to cling to him no matter what happens to us or our country in the future. Recommended resources By Dr. Gupta  Tell Her Story: How Women Led, Taught, and Ministered in the Early Church Redeeming Eden: How Women in the Bible Advance the Story of Salvation by Ingrid Faro and Joyce Koo Dalrymple nijaykgupta.substack.com Christianity Today article by Dr. Gupta, "Junia, the Female Apostle Imprisoned for the Gospel" This episode is available on video if you prefer watching. Timestamps: 00:22 Introductions 01:40 Junia (Romans 16:7) and the conditions in Roman prisons, especially for women 13:25 What egregious activities would put a woman in prison? 17:17 Perpetua, whose diary provides great information about imprisonment, and Felicity, her slave girl 28:31 Blandina's story 29:30 Physical suffering in the Scriptures 37:26 Other resources TranscriptKelley >> Welcome to the Beyond Ordinary Women Podcast. I'm your host Kelley Mathews. And today I have with me Dr. Nijay Gupta. He is a professor at Northern Seminary and a prolific author. Welcome, Nijay. Dr. Gupta >> Hi, Kelley. Looking forward to our conversation. Kelley >> So this is going to be fun, I think. I mean, well, fun. That's relative, I guess. But it'll be intriguing I think. Nijay has written a lot of books. He's been a professor for a while. A lot of his books have to do with Paul and the New Testament letters that he wrote. But he's also written one particular book that is specific to our topic today, and it is called Tell Her Story came out a couple of years ago, and it basically tells about the women in the New Testament who were really involved in leading and participating in the mission of the church. So it has become quite popular, from what I understand. I certainly enjoyed it. Dr. Gupta >> Yes, thank you. Yeah, it's funny. I, you know, just had an idea to write this book, and I sent it to an editor friend of mine, Anna Gissing, and she was so excited. And then it just sort of took off from there. So a big thank you to Intervarsity Press for publishing it. Kelley >> Oh, they're great. So one of the women in that book we're going to start with. Our topic today is specific, not that broad of women involved in the church, but specifically ones who were imprisoned for their faith. And one of the women you cover in the book does hold that honor, I suppose. And we're also going to talk about one who is post biblical days who are still in the early church and maybe will hit a third one. So, Nijay, tell us who Junia is and why we need to know about her. Dr. Gupta >> Yeah. A lot of my work on this subject owes a debt to Romans 16, which is the last chapter of Paul's big letter to the Romans. And I used to think of Romans 16 as a bunch of kind of hellos that Paul gives at the end of the letter, almost like end credits in a movie. And you sort of get up, you don't pay attention. You leave the movie theater. And so I had a friend in seminary who actually memorized the whole book of Romans, and he asked me, how should I memorize Roman 16? And I said, You're at the end. Just finish it off. But there's that sense of you're preaching through Romans. You kind of, you know, have so much to work with. Just in the first four chapters, let alone get to chapter 11, let alone if you get to chapter 15 that I don't know if I hear from any very many sermons on Romans 16.

Laura Murray Laura Murray joins Kay Daigle to discuss her book Becoming a Person of Welcome: The Spiritual Practice of Hospitality. She increases our understanding of what hospitality is, suggesting that it is more about relationships than spaces. Perhaps you've never felt comfortable with hosting others in your home. You may not have a space that's conducive to what you've considered hospitality. Laura's wise counsel and suggestions based on her own experiences will open your mind to new ways to practice Christian hospitality. Recommended resources laurabmurray.com provides a list Laura's digital silent retreats For the church: Becoming Communities of Belonging  BOW's resources for You, As a Leader BOW's resources for Godly Living This episode is available on video as well. Timestamps: 00:21 Introductions 02:37 Why did you write about hospitality? 06:35 How do our thoughts of hospitality differ from the Scriptures? 10:10 Biblical hospitality takes the pressure off. 14:07 Is scriptural hospitality for everyone or only those with the gift of hospitality? 16:17 A word to those in ministry leadership 21:18 Spiritual practices for leaders 25:54 The book is a guidebook for spiritual practices & encouragement to persevere. 32:07 Spiritual practices in community & Laura's silent retreats 37:29 Recommended resources TranscriptKay >> Welcome to the Beyond Ordinary Women Podcast. I'm Kay Daigle. I'm your host today. And today we are talking with our guest, Laura Murray. Welcome, Laura. Laura >> Thanks for having me. Kay >> Oh, we're so excited that you're here. Laura is a pastor. She is an author. She's a spiritual director. She is the Director of Spiritual Engagement and Innovation at Fuller Seminary's Center for Spiritual Formation. That's kind of a long title. Laura >> It is long. Kay >> She is a retreat creator. And we'll mention that at the end as well, that she just has been doing many things. She has a lot of experience in the church and as a spiritual director. And so we're just delighted that you were able to be with us. You can find out more about Laura on our website. If you just go to the top menu and go to About Us and look at the Video/Podcast Contributors, and we will have more information about Laura and how you can get in touch with her. So we are talking today from your book Becoming a Person of Welcome: The Spiritual Practice of Hospitality. And I have to say that I was just really interested in that title when I saw it online somewhere that your book was going to be coming out and the spiritual practice of hospitality just really intrigued me as I read about that. And so tell us a little bit about it. We're not talking about just hospitality where are you having people over to your house, Laura >> Right. Kay >> This encompasses way beyond that, and I'm sure you picked that up as we go through. We're not going to tell you how to set your table. We're not going to tell you how to manage your menu or anything like that. We're going to talk about spiritual hospitality. So, Laura, just tell us where this idea of writing about hospitality begin. Laura >> Yeah, thanks for that question. And I was talking to somebody about this the other day, said, why did you decide to write on hospitality? And I thought, I think it found me. I didn't go searching for it. It found me. I was in the middle of my doctoral studies and the pandemic hit and shelter in place hit. And I didn't necessarily have a context for my studies. When you're doing a doctoral study, you have to have a context. And I had just stepped away from a role of pastoral ministry in a church and I found myself really struggling in my relationship with God because those anchors weren't there anymore. Like the anchors of worship or the anchors of gathering together, those things weren't there anymore. So I thought, if I'm struggling being with God,

Dr. Sandra Glahn Dr. Kelley Mathews Dr. Sandra Glahn, Professor at Dallas Seminary, joins BOW Team Member Kelley Mathews in this episode. They discuss the fascinating archaeological discovery of the Megiddo Mosaic and what it reveals about women and worship in the early church. The Mosaic was found in what is the earliest Christian church known in the world This Mosaic is currently on loan and can be seen at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C. Other resources: See pictures of the Megiddo Mosaic at the website of The Museum of the Bible. BOW's podcast series on how Biblical archaeology can enhance our faith with Angela Everett: 1. Biblical Archaeology: Why It Is Important; 2. Old Testament Discoveries; 3. New Testament Discoveries. Or link to the videos of each where you can see images of the archaeological finds: Part 1; Part 2: and Part 3. This episode is available on video as well. Timestamps: 00:20 Introductions of Dr. Glahn & the topic 02:23 What is the visual record of the church and why is it important? 06:18 Background of the Visual Museum of Women in Christianity 07:52 What was the archaeological find at Megiddo? And what does it tell us about the early Christian church? And particularly women? 14:27 The most significant thing about the mosaic itself 20:45 The incorrect and better narratives as to why there were so many women the early church 24:05 Display at the Museum of the Bible [Note: If you are interested, check to see if the Mosaic is still on display.] 24:35 Why was the Mosaic covered? 25:24 The deity of Christ 26:59 Where to see images of the mosaic TranscriptKelley >> Welcome to the Beyond Ordinary Women Podcast. I'm Kelley Mathews and I am delighted today to host Dr. Sandra Glahn, a longtime friend and colleague. And she's a seminary professor. But today we're going to talk to her in her context of being the co-founder of the Visual Museum of Women in Christianity. Welcome. Dr. Glahn >> Thank you. My pleasure. Kelley >> This is fun. Yeah. So today we're going to talk about something old, really old. And archaeology is a big part of biblical studies that gives us lots of background. And there have been some discoveries in recent years that really apply to women in particular. So tell us what we all heard of the Dead Sea Scrolls or most of us probably. And those were discovered decades ago and they've really revealed a lot. What are people saying is the biggest discovery since then? Dr. Glahn >> Since then. So it's a floor that was found in Megiddo, which is connected with Armageddon. That's where you hear the "magid" in there. So it's not just notorious. It's also known for some great stuff in church history and in biblical history. And some folks were digging in a prison courtyard and came upon a preserved floor that's a beautiful stone mosaic. And the thing I love about mosaics is they can look like they were set yesterday, whereas a fresco fades, a statue usually in 2000 years, loses a nose or an arm, or archer loses a bow or whatever. But the mosaics are much more preserved. And this floor was intentionally preserved. So it was clear that it was hidden for a reason, but it was intended to hide it for a long lasting preservation. So it wasn't just covered over with sand and dirt as the years went by, it was more like a plaster-ish substance that said, “We want to protect this, but we want to hide it.” So I should probably back up and tell you what in the world I do. I'm a seminary professor who mostly teach writing and all those hard verses about women in the Bible. What do I have to do with archaeology? And because that will be relevant in what we talk about. So one of the courses I teach at a seminary level is medieval art and spirituality. And we take men and women to Italy for about 17 to 19 days every other summer and look at the visual record of the church. That is particularly relevant for women because often when we teach church h...

  Dr. Nika Spaulding Dr. Kay Daigle Dr. Nika Spaulding makes the complex simple for everyday people. In this episode she joins Dr. Kay Daigle to discuss the first booklet in her series Theology in 10. Her purpose is to help us all easily understand theological issues. Her first booklet tackles the topic of the Trinity. It's hard to grasp, but Nika finds a way to simplify it so that all believers not only understand it but also apply this truth in real life. Don't miss Nika's easy explanation of the series and this topic. If you want to dig deeper into understanding the Trinity, consider ordering one of the resources that Nika suggests below. Resources: Theology in 10 at nikaspaulding.com Delighting in the Trinity: An Introduction to the Christian Faith by Michael Reeves The Deep Things of God: How the Trinity Changes Everything by Fred Sanders Trinity songs playlist Other topics with Nika: Series on justice Series on lament Series on Choosing Trustworthy Resources Trinity songs playlist This episode is available on video as well. Timestamps: 00:20 Introductions 01:35 How Nika got into theology 04:15 The desire to make theology simple for everyone 06:13 Nika's project to make theology accessible in 10 09:45 Elements included in 10 pages 11:47 Goals for the reader 13:31 Why start with the Trinity? 16:03 What are the "So Whats" from the Trinity? 31:54 How to get Theology in 10 32:18 Other resources 33:04 Nika's Closing comments on God's love for us--that all members of the Trinity love and save us.   TranscriptKay >> Hi. I'm Kay Daigle of Beyond Ordinary Women Ministries. I'm here today with Nika Spaulding. Welcome, Nika. Nika >> Thanks, Kay. Kay >> And welcome to all of you out there. We're so glad that you joined us for this conversation. We're going to be talking about theology for everyday people. And let me tell you just a little bit about Nika, why she is an expert in theology. She has a DMin in New Testament. And she also has a master's of theology from DTS. And she is a storyteller and a theologian. And I've heard her described herself as actually a Bible nerd. Nika >> That's so true. Yeah. Kay >> So those are things that I know about Nika. And she has been working on a new project, Theology in 10. I'll let her tell you about that. But it is that theology for everyday people that she has come up with. And so I really want to talk about all those things. And I could but first, I really thought, particularly since we're talking about you as the theologian and theology, that maybe some people don't know anything really about you. So tell us a little bit about your background and why you got into theology in the first place. Nika >> Yeah, it's such a good question. So I didn't grow up in the church, so the fact that I'm like now a Doctor of Ministry in the New Testament is like more shocking maybe to me than anyone. So I actually have a science background. I grew up in a non-Christian home. My parents are believers now. I grew up in a great home. I loved my family. But theology was this really foreign thing to me! This like I knew that books existed. I knew that theology was like a discipline, like zoology, which is my bachelor's degree or like psychology or all of these things. But I got to college and I thought for sure I was going to be a doctor because I love science and I wanted to help people. But to this day, if I see blood or vomit, I get weak in the knees and I pass out like till this day. And I knew this even going into college. So. Oh, yeah, everybody with common sense kept going “Maybe you should pick a different career,” but I didn't have enough common sense at 18. So eventually I realized, Okay, I'm not going to make it through medical school. So now what? And that started me on a journey of trying to figure out what is it that God was calling me to do. At that point, I was walking with the Lord faithfully.

Kay Daigle Claudia McGuire Most if not all of us have had questions about prayer at some point in our lives. Perhaps yours were never answered or the answers you heard didn't satisfy your curiosity. If so, this episode is for you. BOW Ministry Team Member Claudia McGuire is here to help. Don't miss her insightful and helpful conversation with Kay Daigle. This episode is also available on video. Other resources on prayer “Practical Prayer Solutions” with Kay Daigle & Kelly Arabie “Prayer & Obedience” with Claudia McGuire Book:  Prayer: How to Have a Conversation with God by Rosalind Rinker Timestamps: 00:21 Introductions 02:01 Prayer is hard for many reasons. 04:23 Why pray? 08:27 Is there a right or wrong way to pray? 11:34 Why did the disciples ask Jesus how to pray? 16:01 Why are my prayers not answered? 21:33 What role does faith play in prayer? 27:20 What is intercessory prayer? 31:02 Is there a prayer that God doesn't answer? 34:51 Does Jesus pray for us? 38:28 Do we need to work hard to be heard? 48:25 Other prayer resources TranscriptKay >> Hi. I am Kay Daigle. I'd like to welcome you to this episode of the Beyond Ordinary Women Podcast. Today I'm talking with Claudia McGuire. Welcome, Claudia. Claudia >> Thank you. Kay >> Claudia spent years on staff at a church in Plano, Texas, at Chase Oaks, and she now still does Bible teaching, and she speaks at retreats, leadership, training, conferences—whatever. And we are so glad that she is one of our BOW Ministry Team members. So she's not really a guest, but she is a co-worker in this ministry. And it's been a privilege to know Claudia since we were in seminary together. Claudia >> Thank you. You, too. I feel the same. Kay >> Yes. So today we're going to talk about prayer. We've talked about prayer previously, and we're going to talk a little bit about prayer today. We're going to talk about your Prayer Questions Answered. So if you have had a question, possibly Claudia will answer that question today because I think she's come up with some general questions that a lot of people ask. Is that right, Claudia? Claudia >> I think so. I've heard these questions. And then I've also just thought through these seem like logical questions to me. Some of them are kind of seem harder than others, but I think they're all relevant. Right? Kay >> Right. I totally agree. Claudia >> So I just have observed that over the years, as I've been in Bible study or led Bible study or been in small groups, or mission groups or, you know, all kinds of situations like that with I should say, fellow Christians, fellow Christ followers, I've just observed that there are people who seem to be uncomfortable with praying, right? Kay >> Yes. Claudia >> So just praying, just uncomfortable with it. Even if maybe they've been a part of your group for quite a while. Or even if maybe they've known the Lord for quite a while, there's this uncomfortable thing that happens. And, you know, not to call on them when it's prayer time and whatever situation you're in. Some don't like to pray aloud. I'm not saying that they don't pray. That some don't like to pray aloud. They just don't like that. Kay >> Yep. Claudia >> And some people are uncomfortable when other people pray. Like, I just kind of sense that sometimes from people. And then some others don't. We kind of touched on this in another recording that we did, but some others don't want to share requests because they feel God's not going to hear me, this isn't worth his time. Nobody wants to hear this or it's just something that I'm not ready to put out there before people, which is I understand that. So maybe we can address some of this mystery that seems to surround prayer or at least have a discussion of things that might keep us from praying in all kinds of situations. And hopefully as a result of this, that we who pray out loud or don't have a problem with prayer might disc...

Kat Armstrong Kay Daigle Leaders are always on the hunt for good volunteers. The question is what to look for in a potential volunteer. The answer? Recruit gifted volunteers. In fact, look for those more gifted than you are. What does it look like practically? Kat Armstrong discusses with Kay Daigle why and how to find and empower such volunteers. As a leader, this episode will make you think about what gifts you need in the people working under and with you. Keep in mind that you need to recruit gifted volunteers, people who are even more gifted than you are! Recommended resources Recruit the right volunteers  with Kat Armstrong How Should I Structure My Women's Ministry Team? Maximizing volunteers This episode is available on video as well. TranscriptKay >> Hi, I'm Kay Daigle with Beyond Ordinary Women, and I am delighted to welcome you to a series of videos that I'm doing with Kat Armstrong, who is the founder of Polished Ministry, a nonprofit. And Kat is sharing lessons in leadership that she has learned through leading in Polished. And we have some others that we're discussing as well. But this particular session we're going to talk about seeking leaders that are more gifted than you. And so, Kat, there are probably people out there wondering why in the world you would want to seek leaders more gifted than you, because don't you want to sort of be the one who knows all the answers and, you know, you're sort of at the top of the food chain. Why not? Kat >> Well, yes, I used to think that way. I read this book by John Maxwell, probably 15 years ago called Developing the Leaders Around You. And that book changed my mind about this. And he said, “Think about your leadership on a scale with zero being not such a great leader, got to work on some things, and ten being really high capacity person. He said, “Let's say that we're seven maybe six-and-a-half. If you start recruiting eight, nines and tens in your organization, they're going to bring you up. They're only going to encourage you in leadership and make you a better leader. And I think Stephanie and I, when we co-founded this organization, really took that to heart. But I started to see quickly that if we were going to reach our peers with the gospel—young, professional women (I only had experience in sales and marketing), we needed women who were great in accounting and logistics and administration and technology. Things that I'm not going to be able to learn really quickly or efficiently. But they know how to do it. And so we just decided let's recruit the smartest, fastest, most efficient women we can think of. And it is a little intimidating. I walk into a leadership team meeting, and I think everyone in here is better educated and could do a lot of things better than I can. But it just makes our team really strong. Kay >> Absolutely. I totally agree with you about that. Do you have an example to share of someone or a group that really was just an amazing recruit? Kat >> Sure. If we look at our staff right now, I wish I could talk about all of them. We don't have time to do that. But I think if you just go to our website, look at the headquarters staff, they're incredible. Felicia Benton really stands out in my mind is someone I watched behind a microphone and I thought, wow, she is better at interviewing than I have gotten in a decade. And I've really been practicing. We've done over 200 events. I bet I've interviewed a slew of people and it was like magic to watch her behind a microphone. And then I watched her emcee an event, and I thought of all the things I've read in the training I've been to that is just raw, natural talent right there. It's and now she's joined our staff as the regional director, and she helps all of our directors and see and speak. And so she's training people on how to do that. But I think she probably stands out as a great example for that. Kay >> Well,

Lynn Hoffmann Kay Daigle Lynn Hoffmann joins Kay Daigle in this conversation focused on shepherding a small group. Lynn shares from her extensive experience as a small group leader, including many years in 12 Step studies. What does shepherding a small group entail? Lynn suggests beginning with a well-defined purpose for your group. She focuses on the importance of making it a safe place for each group member. This episode provides specific and practical help for any small group leader who wants to disciple a group to flourish and follow Jesus. This episode is also available on video if you prefer. Recommended resources Steps into God's Grace by Lynn Hoffmann Small Groups' Page to see all of our resources Building Community in Small Groups--Share Life stories Leading a Small Group Toward Spiritual Growth series: 1. Essentials, 2. Preparation, 3. Discussions Intergenerational Small Groups Timestamps: 00:21 Introductions 02:01 Biblical shepherds 06:50 Why be in a small group to begin with? 14:55 Practicing confidentiality 23:24 How do you know if the group is growing together? 25:30 How do you connect with women outside of the group when needed? 30:22 Group should be about the "one another" verses 38:16 Picture yourself as the shepherd of your group 40:30 Lynn's final challenge 42:43 Other suggested resources TranscriptKay >> Hi. I'm Kay Daigle. Welcome to the Beyond Ordinary Women Podcast. Today I am talking with my friend Lynn Hoffmann. Welcome, Lynn. Lynn >> Well, thank you, Kay. I’m so glad to be here. Kay >> Well, we are so glad to have you today. I've been looking forward to this and a lot for a long time in fact, I've been trying to get Lynn on here for a long, long time. And I think we finally hit on some things she wanted to talk about. So here we are we're going to talk today about leaders as shepherds. We're going to be talking about shepherding small groups. And really shepherding is an aspect of discipleship. And so that's where discipling people were shepherding them. And so let me just tell you a little bit about Lynn, but you can find more about her on our website, BeyondOrdinaryWomen.org. Go to the dropdown menu where it talks about the “About Us” and look under video podcast contributors and you'll be able to read all the details about Lynn and all the things that she's done. But I will tell you that she's had years of involvement in recovery ministry. She taught she led groups, she's mentored women, and she wrote her own book that she began using Steps into God's Grace. And we'll let her talk about that at the end of our podcast a little bit. Now, she's the certified spiritual director so she's done a lot of different things. And I know that she's going to be a blessing to all of you out there. Since we're talking about shepherding, I thought we would just talk for just a few minutes about sheep a little bit and shepherding since it's used so much in the Bible and there's a reason because we are like sheep in a lot of ways. And I'm not going to talk about how we're like shape, but I'm going to talk about shepherding a little bit So I thought we would look at a few scriptures. I'm not going to really open all these and read the whole thing for you right now. But I would encourage you to read back through Psalm 23. I'm sure everyone is familiar. “The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want He makes me dwell down in green pastures. He restores my soul.” And all of that is the wonderful Psalm. It's one of my very favorite. So I think it's probably on everybody's top ten list, at least of passages. So we learn a little bit about a shepherd as we look at Psalm 23. It says that the shepherd thinks of what the sheep need, what kind of food they need. He leads them there. He protects them from their enemies. And he's a companion. He helps heal them. And we see all of that in Psalm 23. And then in John 10,

Sharifa Stevens Kay Daigle Sharifa Stevens, author of When We Talk to God: Prayers and Poems for Black Women, talks with Kay Daigle about her book. Although it's written with black women in mind, any woman can identify with most of the feelings that permeate this beautiful book. This is a book that prays women's feelings, as the Psalms do. There is something for each reader as Sharifa pours out her heart in these prayers and poems. Recommended resources sharifastevens.com sharifahstevens.substack.com Podcast series with Nika Spaulding: Understanding Lament & Practicing Lament The Psalms This episode is also available on video. Timestamps: 00:20 Introduction to Sharifa & her book 01:39 Sharifa's heart for the book and how it came to be 08:03 How do you see women of other backgrounds connect to the poems & prayers? 10:08 What did you hope that black women of faith would take from your book? 11:31 Women are worthy to talk to God. 15:22 Some of the prayers may be challenging but no topic is off limits with God 16:35 How did you deal with reliving difficult experiences? 18:54 Sharifa shares a favorite, "Moving On Up." 22:26 Resources TranscriptKay >> Hi. I'm Kay with Beyond Ordinary Women Ministries. Welcome to our podcast. Our guest today is actually one of our ministry team members, Sharifa Stevens. And today she is the one being interviewed rather than just one of our team members. So, Sharifa, it’s so great to see you as always. Sharifa >> It's always a pleasure to see you, Kay. Kay >> Now, Sharifa, according to her book, Sharifa is a writer, a poet, a speaker, and a singer. And it's all true. Sharifa >> It's true. This is going to be so fun! Kay >> I don't know... I'm not quite sure why you think this is so funny. That's the wonderful things that you are. Sharifa >> It is. It's wonderful. Kay >> She looks so sad. Sharifa >> I'm so sorry. I'm not. I'm so happy. Kay >> Anyway, we won't talk about you anymore if it'll make you feel better. Sharifa >> Okay. Kay >> You can read Sharifa's entire bio on our site BeyondOrdinaryWomen.org. So today we are talking to Sharifa because she has a book, and it is beautiful. It is one of the prettiest books I've ever seen. And it is When We Talk to God: Prayers and Poems for Black Women. So Sharifa, actually, I was just really blown away by your book, by the beauty of it, by so many of the poems and prayers in it. It just really touched my heart in a lot of ways. It reminded me a lot of the psalms, which mean a whole lot to me, because you had a lot of raw emotion in there like the psalmist, and it all came from your heart. And there's no doubt about it. That kind of expressed your deepest thoughts. And, you know, just like the Psalms that give us words to pray when we don't know what to say to God. I see your book is doing that for a lot of people there. There will be a lot of poems and prayers in here that will be very dear to many women who will read them and pray them over and over. I think, just like the Psalms, it will help people when they face difficulties be anchored in the Word when that happens. Thank you for doing this. Sharifa >> Thank you for those affirming words. And I am especially honored that you would draw a parallel to the Psalms because that was my goal. And I see the Bible as being so vivid and rich with emotional depth that it's not just an intellectual exercise to read the Bible. It is spiritual, and it's also emotional, and it reflects the fullness of God's love and of our humanity. And so in the book, I wanted to reflect some of that back to the frankness and intimacy of the Psalms and the prophetic voice of the prophets, and the thirst for justice that echoes throughout the prophetic books, and also the playfulness of the Song of Solomon. They're just different beats in the Bible. There's history, there's lamentation, there's so much praise,

Kay Daigle What does prayer with obedience look like? Claudia McGuire, BOW Team Member, talks with Kay Daigle about it. She uses Psalm 31 as her example of exactly how she prays and obeys God from reading and meditating on the Word of God. This is an episode for any Christian who is searching for a deeper prayer life and application for her Bible reading. Claudia's honest insights into her own prayer life are invaluable. Recommended resources involving prayer Why is Prayer So Hard? Part 1: A Matter of the Heart & Part 2: Life Issues Questions About Prayer Prayer for the Overwhelmed Entrusting the Future to God Practical Prayer Solutions Seeking Joy in the Psalms This episode is available on video if you prefer to watch. Timestamps: 00:18 Introductions 01:22 What does it mean to pray with obedience? 05:39 Psalm 31, an example of how to incorporate scriptures into your prayers and obedience 34:11 Other resources on prayer TranscriptKay >> Hi. I'm Kay Daigle. Welcome to our podcast for Beyond Ordinary Women. My friend who isn't actually a guest because she is a member of our ministry team, but this is Claudia McGuire, and we've had her on many times. Welcome, Claudia. I'm so glad you're with me today. Thank you. Claudia >> I'm happy to be here today. Thank you for asking me. Kay >> Right. Well, Claudia is going to talk about praying with obedience. Now, Claudia has lots of experience in the church world. She worked at Chase Oaks Church for almost two decades, I think, a long time. She still speaks and teaches Bible studies and does leadership stuff and will speak at a retreat or a training of any kind. And so today, she's going to talk about prayer. We've talked about prayer before, but today, Claudia wanted to talk about praying with obedience. So I have to ask you what does that mean to pray with obedience? Claudia >> Well, I think that is a great question. Kay >> You never expected one! Claudia >> I didn't very well, actually. I don't think we think about it. I'm wondering if we think about that aspect of prayer enough for those of us who who do pray. I think that we just don't take into account that prayer is more than just casting our cares on God, just throwing things at him and saying, “Help me. Get help me get out of this—or whatever.” There is an aspect of obedience, and that's kind of what I want to talk through as I go through this psalm. Psalm 31 is what we're going to look at. But prayer in itself, which is the ability to communicate with our creator. I think it started way back in the Garden of Eden, and Adam and Eve used to walk in the cool of the day in the garden and talk to God. And I don't really see or know specifically how that morphed into our current prayer life. You know how we pray today, but we do see prayers all throughout the Bible, and it’s just a privilege that I think our God has given us. Not only is it a privilege, but it's also something I think that involves an aspect of surrender when we come to God. It involves trust that he's there. It takes vulnerability on our part to actually come before the throne of grace, as the Bible calls it. And then, really when we open our hearts and our needs to the Father, that also involves listening and believing that he hears. So if we're actively praying about something without listening or looking for God to answer, we might be missing one of the biggest aspects of prayer, which is obedience. Like if I'm praying about something—my obedience or what I might hear or sense—it’s that I just really need to keep praying about this. It’s something I don't have a peace about. I have no idea what the answer is or the outcome is going to be. That could be my obedience is just keep praying about it. It could be that maybe God impresses on me to go to somebody. Maybe I need to ask her forgiveness. Maybe there's something that's creating a barrier between me and God. You know,

Dr. Sue Edwards Dr. Kay Daigle In this final episode of the three-part series Empowering Leaders to Survive and Thrive Through Conflict, Dr. Sue Edwards discusses biblical peace-making practices with Kay Daigle. Connect to the previous two episodes in this series: Get Ready for Conflict, Leaders; and Women's Tendencies in Conflict. Or watch all episodes on video. Recommended resources Oletha Barnett's podcast series, Fight Right: 1. The Nature of Conflict, 2. Biblical Resolution 3. Accepting Other's Differences. All are also available on video. All BOW videos on dealing with conflict Book:  Leading Women Who Wound: Strategies for an Effective Ministry by Sue Edwards & Kelley Mathews Elizabeth Woodson's short Leader Tip: Tell the Truth BOW's downloadable resource list Timestamps 00:21 Introduction to the topic 01:40 Deciding whether to approach the other person 04:08 Emotional health is necessary 05:17 How to identify women who are likely unhealthy 10:36 Contents of Sue's book 12:06 How Sue weathered the conflict she faced TranscriptKay >> Hi. I'm Kay Daigle of Beyond Ordinary Women Ministries. Welcome to the third in a series of our videos on conflict with Dr. Sue Edwards from Dallas Seminary. You can read her bio online. We began by discussing Be Prepared for Conflict. And in our last video, we talked about just the Tendencies of Women—not for all women, but many women tend to deal with conflict in a certain way. And in this video, we're going to talk about Peacemaking Practices for Sisters. And I'm excited about really getting into how to take care of conflict. I'd also like to let you know that we did a series with Oletha Barnett that really gave the foundational principles that Sue's going to kind of take some of those apart in a practical way for us no—to how to make peace and what the Bible says about conflict. And so that really is important for you to have those principles you may need to go back. That would be the third video in that series called Fight Right with Oletha Barnett, which you can find on our website. And also on our Vimeo page. So, Sue, as you think about this, what are the peacemaking practices for sisters? Sue >> Well, of course, as Oletha said, Matthew 18:15-17 gives us some really three different steps and that helps us know that we want to master that. Although it's easy to make things formulaic when you're in real situations. It's not quite that easy. But still the principles in these steps that Jesus taught us are wonderful. Kay >> Well, let me ask you, before you even get into those, how do you decide that you need to go to one of those practices? How do you know when you have to sort of attack the problem rather than let it settle? Sue >> Well, I know when there's a possible relational disconnect. That to me, relationships are so important for the unity of the body—that we women work together, that we love each other, we support each other. So if there is a possibility, if I see that woman at the grocery store and I go the other aisle or I'm still having imaginary conversations with her three or four days later, then I know that this needs to be dealt with. Or if I even get a sense that she's hurt or she's avoiding me. And what we want to do is come together, but in a sense of a learning conversation. In other words, I want to sit down with you because you are important to me. I love you as a sister in Christ, and I don't want anything to interfere with our relationship. And so if there's anything that might, so there's ways to do it that are not so scary. So, a lot of times we hate this. We think it's going to get mean and confrontational. It doesn't have to. And if that person is a healthy person, then you come at it with that kind of tone of voice and hard attitude because you think there's some issue, whether they did it, whether you did it, whatever. I would go and try to work that through. And if they're healthy,