The Ordinary Christian Podcast Craig Thompson

As parents, our “no” can often be more powerful than our “yes.” But, saying “no” comes with risk as well as reward. On this episode of the podcast, I sit down with two other pastors from Malvern Hill and discuss why saying “no” must be a part of our regular conversations with our children. We discuss a recent sermon, travel sports, ballet, screen time, social media, and internet gaming. Perhaps most importantly, we discuss the opportunity costs that come with the choices we make for our families.

Hopefully, along the way, we give other parents some extra tools in their tool kit to help make raising our kids a little easier.

One of the major topics in this podcast is Jonathan Haidt’s newest book, The Anxious Generation. Use this link to access information about the book and the research that supports it.

We also mentioned Brant Hansen’s book, The Men We Need.

If you find this podcast helpful, leave a review or share it with a friend!

Subscribe to The Ordinary Christian Podcast

In this episode of the Ordinary Christian Podcast, Craig Thompson interviews David Mathis about the theology of exercise. They discuss the importance of exercise in their personal lives and how it impacts their roles as husbands, fathers, and pastors. They explore the biblical metaphor of running and the idea of embracing difficulty for the sake of reward. They also touch on the different types of exercise and the importance of finding enjoyment in physical activity. Overall, the conversation highlights the connection between physical health and spiritual well-being. In this conversation, Craig Thompson and David Mathis discuss the importance of physical movement and exercise in the Christian life. They explore how our sedentary lifestyles can hinder our ability to glorify God and serve others. They emphasize the need for balance and moderation in caring for our bodies, avoiding both neglect and idolatry. They also discuss the impact of exercise on mental and emotional well-being, as well as its role in parenting and community building. Overall, they highlight the holistic nature of the Christian life and the importance of stewarding our bodies for the glory of God.

Takeaways


Regular exercise can make us better husbands, fathers, and pastors by increasing our energy levels and improving our overall well-being.
Embracing difficulty in exercise can train our will and help us develop discipline in other areas of life.
Different types of exercise, such as aerobic training, strength training, and balance training, all have their own benefits and can contribute to our physical and spiritual health.
Exercise should be enjoyable and bring a sense of playfulness to our lives.
The biblical metaphor of running can remind us of the importance of perseverance and finishing strong in our spiritual journey. Our sedentary lifestyles can hinder our ability to glorify God and serve others.
Caring for our bodies through exercise is a spiritual discipline that can enhance our mental and emotional well-being.
Physical activity can be a way to bond with our children and set a healthy example for them.
Exercise should be approached with balance and moderation, avoiding both neglect and idolatry.
Engaging in physical activity can lead to a more joyful and obedient Christian life.

Links


A Little Theology of Exercise by David Mathis
Your Health is a Spiritual Issue
We Need to Talk about Gluttony

If you find this podcast helpful, leave a review or share it with a friend!

Subscribe to The Ordinary Christian Podcast

Sound Bites


“Exercise should be enjoyable and carry with it some play.”
“Running is a biblical metaphor, a promise.”
“In the midst of suffering, there is something good that’s going to come out as a result.”
“When you have easy access to Doritos, we are not concerned with gluttony.”
“I want to let my light so shine in such a way that others see my good deeds and give glory to my father in heaven. That’s going to take movement.”
“I have a responsibility. God’s given me this body. It’s beautiful. Well, it’s beautiful as it can be.”

Chapters

00:00Introduction and Personal Background

08:23The Theology of Exercise and its Impact on Daily Life

16:00Training the Will through Exercise

29:24Personal Responsibility and Stewardship

36:24The Importance of Modest Upkeep

44:06Living a Happier, Obedient Christian Life

What if life is supposed to be hard? What if difficult is normal, and easy is the rare icing on the cake. If life is supposed to be challenging, then part of the struggles in our lives do not come about because life is so difficult, but because we have made too much of life easy and have created an expectation that easy is normal.

The Bible is filled with words of warning about difficult days and with words of promise that we are not alone in difficult days. But, the Bible is also full of verses that teach us about the joy and glory to be found in struggle and even in suffering. On this episode of the podcast, we take a brief dive into some of the positive aspects of suffering and struggle.

If you find this podcast helpful, leave a review or share it with a friend!

Subscribe to The Ordinary Christian Podcast

Bryan Plyler is a husband, father, aspiring angler, and the pastor of the River Church in Camden, SC. On this episode, Bryan shares about his recent health struggles that nearly left him without a voice and how God has worked in spite of that situation. He shares some helpful tips on anxiety and tells about lessons learned from hard spiritual struggles. The podcast closes with a good conversation on friends and how even friends of convenience are God’s kindness toward us and should be treasured.

If you find this podcast helpful, leave a review or share it with a friend!

Subscribe to The Ordinary Christian Podcast

We are failing our boys. No one denies that boys in our culture are struggling, but perhaps you are not aware of just how great the struggle is. Boys are failing or falling behind in nearly every category imaginable. Consider a few stats:


Nationally, 70% of high school valedictorians are female.
In 2010 only 44% of college applicants were male.
As of 2016, the dropout rate for boys is 40% higher than for girls.
2/3 of the population labeled as “learning-disabled” is boys.
For every 100 girls who repeat kindergarten, 194 boys repeat.
Boys make up 70% of medicated preschoolers and kindergartners.
Boys make up 80% of the suspects in juvenile courts.

On this episode, I offer some hope from the Bible and some suggestions for what you can do today to begin making boys healthier.

If you find this podcast helpful, leave a review or share it with a friend!

Subscribe to The Ordinary Christian Podcast

When we try to teach biblical discernment, it is difficult for the same reasons that teaching someone to play baseball is difficult. Baseball is a relatively simple game to play…if you know how to play baseball. If you do not know how to play baseball, it is a game filled with complicated, sometimes abstract instructions, skills, and coordination and you have already forgotten many of the beginning and intermediate steps in the process of learning how to throw and hit a baseball. 

If you are teaching biblical discernment, you have probably forgotten many of the steps involved in that process as well process. Discernment becomes second nature to you as you mature in Christ and grow in your knowledge, understanding, and application of God’s word.

But, for those who are new to the concept, we have to break discernment down into practical steps that can be used to arrive at a decision.



Subscribe to The Ordinary Christian Podcast