This vs. That

Anchored Virtual

A podcast where we have conversations that explore what we think and why we think it.

  1. 1d ago

    Fearful vs. Wise Engagement in Parenting - Rebekah Hannah and Abbey Wedgeworth

    On this episode of This vs. That, we talk with Bekah Hannah and Abbey Wedgeworth about fearful versus wise engagement in parenting. Drawing from their recent books and their own experiences raising children, Bekah and Abbey help us think about what it looks like to prepare our kids for a difficult and unpredictable world without parenting from a place of fear or anxiety. We talk about why parenting formulas can be so appealing, how our desire to protect our children can sometimes become an attempt to control their experiences and outcomes, and why dependence on God offers something far more secure than getting everything right. Along the way, we discuss helping children navigate fear, doubt, difficult emotions, suffering, failure, and circumstances that are simply beyond our control. Becca and Abby share how they are learning to resist the impulse to immediately fix their children’s problems or tell them how they should feel, choosing instead to create space for honest questions, difficult emotions, and age-appropriate exposure to the realities of life. We also explore what it means to bring a non-anxious presence into our homes, how our reactions can reveal what we are wanting from our children, and why redefining our idea of the “good life” can free us to parent with greater wisdom and peace. Whether your instinct is to shield your children from hard things or push them quickly toward the right answer, this conversation encourages us to slow down, trust God with our children, and help them discover that even when life does not go the way they hoped, they are still known, loved, and kept by him.

  2. Sep 9

    Freedom in Christ vs. Living in Bondage - Portia Collins

    On this episode of This vs. That, we talk with Portia Collins about freedom in Christ vs. living in bondage. Drawing from her book Finding Freedom in Christ: An Eight-Week Study of Galatians and her own story of coming to understand the gospel more fully, Portia helps us explore what Paul means when he says that Christ has set us free. We discuss how biblical freedom differs from our culture’s idea of being free to simply do whatever we want, and why both lawlessness and legalism ultimately leave us in bondage. Along the way, we talk about the subtle ways Christians can begin attaching their identity and worth to ministry, parenting, spiritual disciplines, accomplishments, and other good things, and how disappointment and loss can reveal where we have been looking for something other than Christ to secure us. We also consider how our adoption as sons and daughters of God changes the way we understand obedience, identity, and our relationships with other believers, and why the law was never intended to be a means of earning salvation. Portia shares how the book of Galatians transformed her own understanding of the gospel and continues to draw her back to the finished work of Christ when she is tempted toward performance and self-reliance. Whether you tend toward trying to prove yourself through what you do or toward defining freedom on your own terms, this conversation reminds us that true freedom is not found in ourselves, our performance, or the absence of restraint, but in belonging to Christ and resting in what he has accomplished for us.

    Freedom in Christ vs. Living in Bondage - Portia Collins
  3. Sep 2

    Faithful Wounds vs. Church Hurt - Tim St. John

    On this episode of This vs. That, we talk with Tim St. John, counseling pastor at Lighthouse Community Church and author of After Church Hurt, about faithful wounds versus church hurt. We consider the important difference between the discomfort that comes from loving correction within the body of Christ and the destructive pain that results when sinful patterns are minimized, normalized, or protected within a church. Tim helps us think through why faithful wounds are an essential part of Christian community, how pastors and church leaders can cultivate a culture of humility and repentance, and what distinguishes ordinary relational failures from more serious patterns of church hurt. We also discuss how those who have been deeply wounded by a church can begin to process what happened, discern when it may be necessary to leave, and slowly rebuild trust in Christian community. Along the way, we talk about the importance of acknowledging and naming sin clearly, creating space for lament and grief, resisting the desire for a perfectly comfortable church, and learning to recognize the character and fruit of healthy church leadership. We also consider the unique role biblical counselors can play in caring for those who have experienced church hurt by listening patiently, helping them understand their experiences through Scripture, and continually pointing them toward the character and compassion of Christ. Whether you have personally experienced church hurt, are walking alongside someone who has, or are a pastor or counselor seeking to care faithfully for wounded people, this conversation offers a thoughtful framework for pursuing truth, healing, humility, and healthy life together in the church.

    Faithful Wounds vs. Church Hurt - Tim St. John
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A podcast where we have conversations that explore what we think and why we think it.

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