Deep Change

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Alex Tarasiuk and Dr. Steve Smith talk about learning how to experience transformational change through intimacy with God.

  1. 5d ago

    20 - "Do" Disciplines: Diligence

    Diligent by Grace: Introducing the "Do" Disciplines (2 Peter 1) We're kicking off a new series on the Deep Change Podcast, where we explore how to experience transformational change through intimacy with God. After working through the basics of Deep Change, the heart chart, and a biblical foundation series on covenant and the giving of the Spirit, we're now turning to the second part of the Key to Deep Change process: the "Do" disciplines. In this episode, we talk about: Why covenant matters. We look at how a covenant-based view of God changes the way we see security in Christ. We also ask why the "once saved, always saved" debate may not be the right question.Grace and effort together. Drawing on Ephesians 2 and 4, we discuss why our part in transformation is active, not passive. We get to participate in what God is doing.2 Peter 1:3–11. God has already given us everything we need for life and godliness. That is exactly why we can make every effort to add to our faith: goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, mutual affection and love.Why striving on our own fails. We name three motives behind self-powered effort: fear, duty and pride. We also talk about why that effort becomes brittle, and how to appropriate what God has already given us instead.The "reduced gospel" and the "missing middle." The gospel is more than justification and a future in heaven. God is also conforming us to the likeness of his Son.Theology that serves people. We discuss why our theology should be pastoral and lead us toward intimacy with God, not become a way to win arguments. We also touch on how transformation shows up across different Christian traditions.Peter's pastoral heart. We close by looking at how Peter wants us to be fruitful and to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

    20 - "Do" Disciplines: Diligence

  2. 6d ago

    19 - Biblical Foundations: Transformational Change

    Biblical Foundations of Deep Change: Sanctification by Faith, Not Flesh This conversation finishes a series on the biblical foundations of deep change and argues that transformation is rooted in God’s covenant character, not human striving. Alex Tarasiuk and Steve Smith walk through Paul, Peter, Galatians, Philippians, and key gospel scenes to show why surrender, not self-effort, is the pathway of Christian growth. Key topics In this episode, Alex Tarasiuk and Steve Smith argue that salvation and sanctification are both by faith, not one by faith and the other by flesh.They distinguish justification from transformation, with Steve preferring the word transformation because it emphasizes what the Spirit does in us.They unpack Philippians 3, where Paul counts his religious achievements as loss and rubbish compared with knowing Christ.They revisit Galatians 3:3 and the problem of trying to be perfected by the flesh after beginning by the Spirit.They connect the Galatian crisis to the first-century struggle over Gentile inclusion and pressure to return to Jewish law-keeping.They use Paul’s Damascus Road encounter to illustrate how God sometimes breaks human pride through humiliation and surrender.They trace Peter’s failures and restoration across the Gospels, showing that even serious failure does not cancel God’s calling.They emphasize that transformation is lifelong, with God continually unmasking areas that still need surrender.They close by framing weakness, brokenness, and mercy as essential parts of spiritual maturity.Reconsider sanctification as surrender to the Spirit rather than self-improvement.Identify one area of pride or self-protection that still needs to be surrendered.Read Philippians 3 and Galatians 3 with the question: what is the flesh trying to add?Reflect on Peter’s restoration as proof that failure does not cancel calling.Pay attention to “symptoms” in your life as indicators of deeper heart issues still being transformed.

    19 - Biblical Foundations: Transformational Change

  3. Oct 15

    18 - Biblical Foundations: Agape & Hesed

    Biblical Foundations: Hesed, Agape, and Why Love Is the Basis of Covenant This episode continues the Biblical Foundations series by exploring covenant as a relationship rooted in God’s loyal love, or hesed, and its New Testament counterpart, agape. Alex and Steve discuss why biblical love is more than a feeling or obligation: it is the foundation for transformation, obedience, and intimacy with God.Steve joins from Mexico during a counseling training. Together, they trace how Scripture presents God as faithful, merciful, and relational. Key topics Covenant as a deep relationship rather than a contract or transaction.The Hebrew concept of hesed: loyal love, loving kindness, mercy, and covenant faithfulness.How agape describes God’s covenant love—love based on God’s choice, not our worthiness.God’s self-description in Scripture as merciful, gracious, patient, and loving.How Exodus 34 and Lamentations 3 reveal God’s compassion and faithfulness, even in times of judgment and crisis.Why transformation grows from grasping Christ’s love, rather than focusing on obedience alone.Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 3 that believers would be rooted and established in love.Love as more than sentiment: an active response shaped by the Holy Spirit.What the Good Samaritan and the parable of the unforgiving servant teach about extending the mercy we receive.How covenant, love, and spiritual formation connect through dependence on the Spirit rather than guilt-driven effort.

    18 - Biblical Foundations: Agape & Hesed

  4. Oct 8

    17 - Biblical Foundations: The Missing Middle of the Gospel

    Biblical Foundations: Covenants and the Missing Middle of the Gospel This episode explores how covenant shapes the whole biblical story, from Adam and Abraham through Moses and into the new covenant in Jesus. Steve Smith and Alex Tarasiuk unpack why transformation is not just about forgiveness or future heaven, but about God actively conforming believers to the likeness of Christ in the present.They also explain why the gospel feels incomplete when the sanctification and Spirit-empowered middle is left out, and how that omission can lead to shame, burnout, and hopelessness. Key topics Steve defines covenant as more than a promise, describing it as an unbreakable relationship rooted in obligation and sign.The conversation starts with the Adamic covenant, where Adam breaks covenant by disobeying God’s command regarding the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.Steve traces the Abrahamic covenant through Genesis 12, 15, and 17, emphasizing God’s unilateral commitment, the covenant-cutting ritual, and circumcision as the sign.The discussion shows how covenant in Scripture is initiated by God pursuing humans, not humans trying to bargain their way to God.The episode highlights the Mosaic covenant and Sabbath as its sign, then contrasts it with the new covenant in Jesus, where the Spirit becomes the defining gift.Steve and Alex explain the “missing middle of the gospel” as the gap between justification and glorification, often called sanctification or transformation.The gospel is framed as good news not only because sins are forgiven, but because believers are being restored to what they were created to be.The conversation connects Romans 8, Jeremiah 31, and John 7 to show that God’s promise includes writing his law on the heart and giving the Holy Spirit.Steve explains that the Spirit is not only present for inspiration or signs and wonders, but for empowering holiness and ongoing change.The episode closes by tying covenant back to hope, arguing that without the middle, people are left with guilt, burnout, or a “roller coaster” faith.Justification - sanctification - glorification: the full arc of salvation, with sanctification as the missing middle.Covenant signs: circumcision for Abraham, Sabbath for Moses, and the Holy Spirit for the new covenant.The Spirit’s role: not merely inspiration or manifestation, but empowerment for holiness and transformation.Promise and obligation: God binds himself to his covenant promises, and believers are called to live by the Spirit.“This missing middle is called quite often sanctification.”“God accepts us up front.”“That is the good news of the new covenant.”

    17 - Biblical Foundations: The Missing Middle of the Gospel

  5. Oct 1

    16 - Biblical Foundations: Covenants

    Biblical Foundations: Covenants and the Missing Middle of the Gospel Steve Smith and Alex Tarasiuk continue their Biblical Foundations series by tracing how covenant shapes the entire story of Scripture. They move from Adam and Abraham to Moses and finally toward the new covenant in Jesus, showing why the gospel is not just forgiveness and heaven, but also present-day transformation by the Holy Spirit.In this episode, we argue that the “missing middle” of the gospel is sanctification—the lived process of being conformed to the likeness of Christ. We also show how covenant explains God’s promises, human obligation, and why so many believers end up stuck in shame, hopelessness, or a performance-driven faith. Key topics We discuss how the gospel is often reduced to justification and glorification, while sanctification gets left out.Steve Smith explains why Romans 8:29 is central to understanding the “missing middle”: God’s purpose is to conform believers to the likeness of his Son.We explore the problem with a “ticket to heaven” version of Christianity that ignores the Spirit’s ongoing work.We discuss how Christian life is meant to be lived out in love, light, wisdom, and spiritual strength.We explain how the new covenant promise in Jeremiah 31 includes God writing his law on the heart and remembering sins no more.We examine how covenant means God obligates himself to act, and how his promises depend on his character rather than human performance.We discuss why shame-based church culture produces a cycle of effort, burnout, guilt, and despair.We explore how the Holy Spirit is the sign and power of the new covenant—not just a doctrine or an experience category.We trace the difference between the Mosaic covenant and the new covenant through Jesus, the Pharisees, and Sabbath conflict.We emphasize that the gospel is good news because God not only forgives us but also empowers real holiness and transformation.Re-read Romans 8 with attention to sanctification and the role of the Spirit.Read Jeremiah 31 alongside Hebrews to see how the new covenant is framed.Reflect on whether your view of the gospel stops at forgiveness or includes transformation.Examine where shame, guilt, or performance may be driving your spiritual life.Consider how the Holy Spirit is described in Scripture as the power for holiness, not just inspiration.

    16 - Biblical Foundations: Covenants

  6. Sep 24

    15 - Biblical Foundations: The Fallout of the Fall

    Biblical Foundations: The Fallout of the Fall Alex Tarasiuk and Steve Smith continue their series on deep change by tracing the biblical roots of human brokenness in Genesis 3 and 4. They focus on how the fall is not only about death, but also about conflict, sorrow, pain, and the inward turn toward self-rule. We frame transformational change as something God must do in us, not something we can manufacture on our own. Key topics In this episode: Alex frames the series as a biblical exploration of deep change, especially for listeners who may think introspection sounds more psychological than biblical.Steve explains that Genesis 3 is not only about physical death, but also about separation from God, the loss of connection with the Creator, and the need for reconciliation.They unpack the curse language in Genesis 3 as a pattern of conflict, showing how rupture enters relationships, labor, childbirth, and human community.Steve highlights the Hebrew idea of pain and sorrow in ordinary human activities like work and childbearing, showing that the fall distorts what was meant to be normal and good.They connect Genesis 3 to Genesis 4, where Cain becomes the first clear picture of sin mastering a person through anger, resentment, and violence.Steve explains that God’s warning to Cain shows both divine nearness and human responsibility: sin desires to control, but Cain is still told to rule over it.The discussion emphasizes that humans often try to define good and evil apart from God, which leads to conflict between individuals, families, and nations.Alex and Steve connect this pattern to later biblical narratives, including Jacob and Esau and Naomi’s bitterness in Ruth, showing how hurt of the heart shapes sinful action.They stress that the fall produces both sin and sorrow, and that many destructive choices are rooted in woundedness as much as rebellion.The episode closes by pointing ahead to God’s covenant-making work in later Scripture, where divine intervention becomes the answer to human brokenness.

    15 - Biblical Foundations: The Fallout of the Fall

  7. Sep 17

    14 - Biblical Foundations: In the Beginning

    Reversing the Fall: Why Deep Change Starts With Scripture This conversation revisits the foundation of deep change by moving back to Genesis and asking what humans were created for in the first place. Steve Smith argues that transformation is not a self-help idea or a psychological framework, but a biblically grounded return to the intimacy, goodness, and alignment with God that existed before the fall. We discuss how Romans 7, Genesis 1 to 3, and Romans 8:28 connect into one story: God created humans for relationship, the fall introduced shame and self-rule, and spiritual transformation is God restoring people to what they were meant to be. Key topics Steve Smith grounds deep change in Scripture, not psychologyRomans 7 is presented as the Bible’s chapter on introspectionTransformation is framed as a return to created purposeGenesis is treated as the minimum revelation we need, not a full explanation of God“Good” in Genesis is a major themeHumans were created in God’s image for relationshipThe fall is described as a rejection of God’s reignPre-fall innocence is defined as openness, not ignoranceShame is understood as relational, not merely physicalKnowledge itself is not the problemThe tree of the knowledge of good and evil is about competing moral authorityThe conversation connects personal sin patterns to the larger fall narrativeIntimacy with God is the opposite of prideThe episode ends by framing transformation as restoration

    14 - Biblical Foundations: In the Beginning

  8. Sep 10

    13 - Deep Change: Continuing your Journey

    Deep Change Podcast - The Done Disciplines: Meditating on God’s Love This episode wraps up the third of the done disciplines and focuses on why meditating on God’s love is essential for intimacy with God. Alex Tarasiuk and Steve Smith unpack how a distorted view of God can fuel fear, shame, and self-punishment, and how Scripture reframes that relationship around love, trust, and transformation. We discuss how God’s love becomes experiential, not just theoretical, and why that matters for healing, obedience, and daily discipleship. Key topics In this episode, Alex Tarasiuk and Steve Smith close out the third done discipline by focusing on meditating on God’s love as a foundation for intimacy with God.Steve explains that many believers struggle to approach God because they carry a fearful, punitive image of Him shaped by family background, church experiences, or personal wounds.The conversation centers on Ephesians 3, where Paul prays that believers would grasp the height, width, depth, and length of Christ’s love and be filled with the fullness of God.Steve emphasizes that believers are already rooted and established in love, but often fail to fully grasp it in a way that changes how they live.Alex reflects on how an abusive or transactional environment can make God feel conditional, and Steve shares his own story of growing up angry and learning to expect punishment from God.Steve describes a turning point when, after self-condemnation over sin, he sensed God saying, “But I love you anyway,” which shifted him from mental agreement to lived experience.The discussion highlights Romans 8:28 and 8:29, with Steve explaining that God works all things toward the good of conforming believers to the likeness of Jesus.Alex and Steve talk about how meditating on God’s love changes interpretation: instead of reading hardship as divine rejection, believers can bring pain to God in trust.Practical examples include choosing passages like Romans 8:31 to 39, Ephesians 3:17 to 19, and 1 John 4 to focus the mind on God’s character and love.The episode closes by tying God’s love to deep change, showing that trust in His love is what makes real transformation possible.Notable quotes “But I love you anyway.” “It changes how we know God so that we will trust Him.” “Being rooted and grounded in love” is not theory. It is the ground of transformation."

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About

Alex Tarasiuk and Dr. Steve Smith talk about learning how to experience transformational change through intimacy with God.

Information

  • Creator
    Church Equippers
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    20
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Church Equippers
  • Show Website
    Deep Change