Encouraging Others Through Christ

Cliff Ravenscraft
Encouraging Others Through Christ

Launched in April 2006, this podcast, originally named the "About The Church" podcast, has journeyed through a remarkable evolution. Its inception saw me, your host, deeply rooted in fundamentalist, evangelical Christianity, even holding the title of associate pastor. However, over time, my spiritual perspectives have shifted. In 2011, the podcast took a turn when I broke ties with the traditional institution of the church and "performance-based Christianity," prompting a rebranding of the show to 'Encouraging Others Through Christ.' As we journeyed through 2011 to 2020, the content leaned into orthodox, evangelical beliefs but explored the concept of having a relationship with God and fellowship with other Christians outside what is typically known as "the local church." However, the year 2020 marked a new era for the EOTC podcast, and for me, as it saw the dawn of my 'Spiritual Awakening' and the initiation of my 'Deconstruction Journey.' This journey was an exploration of my relationship with God through the diverse spiritual experiences of people beyond the Orthodox Christian Worldview. While I still find The Bible inspiring, my spiritual lens now accommodates perspectives from Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Shamanism, New Age Spiritualism, and many other spiritual paths, infusing these learnings into our discussions since Episode 135. I still identify as a Christ Follower, but my contemporary interpretation of Christianity is seen as heretical and apostate by a large percentage of those from my religious upbringing. The name of the podcast remains unchanged as I believe in encouraging others through "Christ Consciousness" which is also known by many other names such as Universal Consciousness and Cosmic Consciousness to name a few. Are you on a Spiritual Awakening journey or stepping away from long-held beliefs through a Deconstruction process? The purpose of this podcast is to provide a safe space where we can map out our unique spiritual paths, cultivate a network of fellow seekers, and evolve together in our pursuit of self-discovery and spiritual awakening. Welcome aboard! - Cliff Ravenscraft

  1. 09/08/2023

    154 - Demystifying the Law of Attraction: A Workshop with Cliff Ravenscraft

    I recently published episode 705 of The Cliff Ravenscraft Show where I invited my great friend, Megan Porta, to have a conversation about our experiences with manifesting success and turning our dreams into reality. We included "The Law of Attraction" in the title. The feedback that has come in from that episode has been incredible. Most of the feedback was along the lines of surprise that I, Cliff Ravenscraft, am a strong believer in "The Law of Attraction." One person wrote that she was blown away when she heard that I enjoy the teachings of Abraham Hicks, telling me that she, herself, has been "a closet Abraham Hicks fan" for many years. I've received so many questions, requesting more insight about how the Law of Attraction works. I have also received a large number of emails from people who have grown up from a similar faith tradition, where they have felt drawn to learn more about the Law of Attraction, but fear how they would be perceived by others if anyone found out that they were studying it. They wanted to know how I, given how far I was into the Protestant, Evangelical, Fundamentalist worldview, was introduced to the Law of Attraction and how I overcame the warnings that this community has given against such study. I decided to take all my years of notes on the Law of Attraction and everyone's questions that I have received, and I created an evergreen resource in the form of a full Law of Attraction Workshop. This podcast is the full audio recording of that workshop. In this episode, I mentioned the link http://awakening.cliffravenscraft.com and I also told you that I'd include my email address, cliff@cliffravenscraft.com. I'd love for you to email me and let me know your thoughts on this episode.

    1h18min
  2. 09/08/2023

    153 - Inner Truth and Evolving Perspectives: My Heart-to-Heart with Lori Hammond

    In this special episode of the Encouraging Others Through Christ podcast, I had the pleasure of speaking with my good friend Lori Hammond. Lori and I met on Clubhouse back during the pandemic and we quickly bonded over our shared interest in hypnosis and hypnotherapy. Lori recently responded to a Law of Attraction episode I published in episode 705 of The Cliff Ravenscraft Show. She wrote... "Someday I would love to have a semi-private (or all the way private) conversation about religion. It's too bad Clubhouse isn't a thing anymore because that would be a fun place to do it. Your religious metamorphosis sounds very much like mine (raised in a very religious house and taught that hypnosis is "as the sin of witchcraft"). Every time I hear you mention religion or new age I'm curious where you are now... especially with the things you grew up believing." First, I pointed Lori to the following podcast episodes: EOTC 000 - Listen To This Episode First EOTC 135 - The Beginning of a New Season EOTC 136 - Am I A Heretic? EOTC 138 - A Divine Spiritual Being Having A Human Experience EOTC 141 - I Will Not Taste Death EOTC 142 - Hearing God Speak - An Esoteric Teaching of Jesus TCRS 655 - 655 – He Desires That We Would All Be One EOTC 143 - EOTC Mystery School - Sikhism - Judgement - Reincarnation - Past Lives - Karma I then invited Lori to have a one-on-one session with me where we would have the conversation that you will hear in this episode. Here's a summary of the key questions Lori asked during the conversation: Do you still have a relationship with the God of the Bible and Jesus today? What does that look like? How much did your pre-critical faculty period of a positive view of God come into play with your current relationship with God? You mentioned you don't believe in a hellfire and brimstone hell anymore. What do you think the afterlife is like when we die - where are we? What is your idea of hell? You talk about masterminds and small groups for connecting on spiritual topics. Since you don't go to church anymore, are you basically having mini church services with different people about spiritual things? As an introvert yourself, how would you recommend another introvert facilitate connecting with others to discuss spiritual topics? Stay Connected with Spiritual Awakening & Deconstruction Journey Opportunities. Sign up at https://awakening.cliffravenscraft.com

    1h12min
  3. 28/07/2023

    151 - Stepping Outside the Evangelical House - An Amazing Metaphor from Pete Briscoe

    In this episode I shared an audio clip from Pete Briscoe and his podcast titled "KindaVangelical." My friend, Richard Marcotte, pointed me to Pete's podcast recently and I was really moved by the metaphor he uses of "the house" to describe the the journey of those who are stepping away from the evangelical church. As someone who started the process of walking away from evangelicalism over a decade ago, I had forgotten just how guttural, emotional, and difficult that initial transition was. Pete's vivid descriptions brought me right back to that emotional time in my own life. I think his metaphor of the house, yard, street, and world beyond captures that tension and fear so many feel as they begin questioning the faith of their childhood. I know many in this community have never been a part of the evangelical church world. Some have wondered why I have expressed so much apprehension about speaking openly about having an open mind and listening to other perspectives. Pete explains succinctly how evangelicals are conditioned to distrust any teachings outside of their own as dangerous and evil. It's fear-based indoctrination, and it takes time to undo that thinking. Beyond the nostalgia and empathy Pete's audio clip prompted in me, I love the visual of the house threshold, representing the terrifying yet freeing act of stepping outside of one's insular belief system. That resonated with my own experience, and I hope provides encouragement to those of you navigating a similar journey now. Pete is one who still clings to faith in Jesus, though questioning evangelical dogma. For those still drawn to Jesus but feeling disillusioned with the evangelical church, you may find Pete's podcast a comfortable companion on your own transitional journey. I'm always excited to find thoughtful voices contributing to spiritual deconstruction and evolution. I hope Pete's observations, metaphors, and experiences resonate with you like they did for me. If you found this episode valuable, please consider sending me an email to let me know. My email address is Cliff@CliffRavenscraft.com.   Links Related To This Episode Pete's Podcast Website Pete's Podcast on Apple Podcasts Pete's Podcast RSS Feed = https://www.spreaker.com/show/5856797/episodes/feed Shiny Happy People Documentary on Amazon Join the community of those on Spiritual Awakening and Deconstruction Journey. You can get email updates related to our online and in-person gatherings. Sign up today at https://awakening.cliffravenscraft.com

    46min
  4. 21/07/2023

    150 - Beyond The Bible - A Journey to Understanding: Probing Questions with Brian Dixon

    In Episode 147, "Facing The Fear of Being Shunned: Navigating Spiritual Awakening & Deconstruction," I delved into the varied responses I received to my Facebook post on my Spiritual Awakening and Deconstruction journey. My friend Brian Dixon voiced some concerns about my post, my intention to create a space for others on a similar path, and my exploration of God's truth beyond biblical confines. Over the next few days, I felt an internal nudge suggesting I invite Brian to join my podcast for a deeper conversation about my journey. The idea wasn't to instigate a debate, but rather for Brian to ask insightful questions that could help him understand my spiritual path and how I arrived at this point. Brian graciously accepted the invitation, and this episode features our thought-provoking conversation from the afternoon of July 21st, 2023. Towards the end of our conversation, Brian shared his extensive religious education - a master's degree from a Bible college - and his lifelong commitment as a Bible-believing Christian. He expressed his love for defending the "Word of God". With this in mind, I'm considering inviting Brian back to the podcast, but this time, with roles reversed. I'd like to delve into his journey towards a firm belief in the inerrancy of Scripture. I'm aware that Brian has extensively explored his spiritual path, and as he states, he's prepared to present a defense for traditional Christianity that is gentle, respectful, and clear.As we close, the key takeaway I hope resonates with everyone is this: It is entirely possible to maintain a loving friendship and engage in open dialogue with those who hold strong beliefs different from our own. This, in itself, is a testament to our shared humanity and the capacity for mutual respect, despite our differences. Let our conversation serve as a beacon of encouragement in your own interactions and journeys. Find Brian J Dixon on Instagram and/or Facebook

    49min
4,7
de 5
9 avaliações

Sobre

Launched in April 2006, this podcast, originally named the "About The Church" podcast, has journeyed through a remarkable evolution. Its inception saw me, your host, deeply rooted in fundamentalist, evangelical Christianity, even holding the title of associate pastor. However, over time, my spiritual perspectives have shifted. In 2011, the podcast took a turn when I broke ties with the traditional institution of the church and "performance-based Christianity," prompting a rebranding of the show to 'Encouraging Others Through Christ.' As we journeyed through 2011 to 2020, the content leaned into orthodox, evangelical beliefs but explored the concept of having a relationship with God and fellowship with other Christians outside what is typically known as "the local church." However, the year 2020 marked a new era for the EOTC podcast, and for me, as it saw the dawn of my 'Spiritual Awakening' and the initiation of my 'Deconstruction Journey.' This journey was an exploration of my relationship with God through the diverse spiritual experiences of people beyond the Orthodox Christian Worldview. While I still find The Bible inspiring, my spiritual lens now accommodates perspectives from Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Shamanism, New Age Spiritualism, and many other spiritual paths, infusing these learnings into our discussions since Episode 135. I still identify as a Christ Follower, but my contemporary interpretation of Christianity is seen as heretical and apostate by a large percentage of those from my religious upbringing. The name of the podcast remains unchanged as I believe in encouraging others through "Christ Consciousness" which is also known by many other names such as Universal Consciousness and Cosmic Consciousness to name a few. Are you on a Spiritual Awakening journey or stepping away from long-held beliefs through a Deconstruction process? The purpose of this podcast is to provide a safe space where we can map out our unique spiritual paths, cultivate a network of fellow seekers, and evolve together in our pursuit of self-discovery and spiritual awakening. Welcome aboard! - Cliff Ravenscraft

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