Christian Formation
327 episodes - English - Latest episode: 2 days ago - ★★★★★ - 27 ratingsThe goal of this podcast is to form disciples to live all of life with the presence of God, and we do this through conversations about theology, culture, and stories.
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Episodes
150 - The Goodness of God's Law
August 17, 2022 13:00 - 24 minutes - 17.1 MBOne of the most confusing parts of the Old Testament is the laws. We might wonder how to understand them, whether they are relevant for us today, and if we should care about laws that seem to be obsolete. With all these questions and doubts, it can cause us to ignore Old Testament law or gloss over it without a second thought. But what if we are misreading what God intends? What if God’s Old Testament law could be sweet to us today (Ps 19:10)? What if it is useful for us knowing the heart ...
149 - Can Ancient Stories Help My Relationship with God?
August 10, 2022 08:00 - 33 minutes - 23.3 MBAll people are impacted and captivated by stories. However, we can venture to say that not many people are hankering to read ancient stories from people groups all over the world. However, our Scriptures begin with a story and continue, with story after story. In this episode, we ask ourselves, "How do these ancient religious stories from people in the Middle East impact my Christian life today?" and "Why did God reveal himself in narrative-form?" This episode looks to answer these questio...
148 - Why should I read the Old Testament?
August 03, 2022 08:00 - 31 minutes - 21.5 MBThe Old Testament (OT) is often seen as hard-to-read stories that are out of date and boring. With this view, many Christians today don’t engage with ⅔ of our Scriptures. What if this has aided a shallow faith? What if we are missing a lot about who God is because of this problem? This episode aims to answer some common questions about the OT and draw people into seeing the OT as profitable and necessary for their Christian life today.
147 - *BONUS EPISODE* Discerning God's Will
July 06, 2022 08:00 - 29 minutes - 20.4 MBPlaced for a purpose: discerning God’s will when your heart wants to move. With the summer months especially, many of us can find ourselves in a place of wanting to travel, change jobs, or mix up something in our lives. However, when we have a continuous desire for change, how do we know if that is from God? How can we discern His will vs. our own wants and desires? In this episode, we invite Hannah Bidne, our college ministry intern, on to discuss discerning God's will versus our own want...
146 - Praying the Psalms
June 15, 2022 08:00 - 27 minutes - 18.8 MBIn this episode, we chat through how praying through the psalms will enrich your prayer life. What to expect: learning the value of the praying the psalms along with how to pray them and 4 different types of psalms.
145 - Practice of Men's and Women's Roles at Providence
June 08, 2022 14:00 - 27 minutes - 18.9 MBWhat men and women's roles look like at Providence Last week, we discussed the different views of men's and women's roles within the church. In this episode, we discuss what it practically looks like for our men and women leaders. We look at elders / pastors, staff members, teachings / trainings / classes and more.
144 - Theology of Men's and Women's Roles in the Church
June 01, 2022 08:00 - 29 minutes - 20.5 MBIn this episode, we look at differing views on men's and women's roles within the church and discuss the theology behind those views.
144 - Theology of Men and Women's Roles in the Church
June 01, 2022 08:00 - 29 minutes - 20.5 MBIn this episode, we look at differing views on men and women's roles within the church and discuss the theology behind those views.
143 - Bible Translations: Why so many?
May 25, 2022 08:00 - 27 minutes - 18.9 MBThe Bible has been translated into different languages throughout history... but how did we end up with many different English translations and how do we know which one to read? In this episode, we describe the different English Bible translations, as well as discuss how Providence chose the ESV Bible to preach from each Sunday and which translations would be helpful for personal study.
142 - Should children sit through "big church"?
May 18, 2022 08:00 - 21 minutes - 14.5 MBChildren in big church or children in KIDS ministry... is one a better answer? In this week's episode, we answer a listener's question as to whether or not children should be sitting in big church rather than attending KIDS ministry, and we explain Providence's stance on KIDS ministry overall.
142 - Should children sit through "big church"?
May 18, 2022 08:00 - 21 minutes - 14.5 MBChildren in big church or children in KIDS ministry... is one a better answer? In this week's episode, we answer a listener's question as to whether or not children should be sitting in big church rather than attending KIDS ministry, and we explain Providence's stance on KIDS ministry overall.
141 - Taking the Lord's Supper
May 11, 2022 08:00 - 28 minutes - 19.5 MBWe take the Lord's Supper, or communion, every Sunday, but we can easily take it for granted and lessen its significance. In this week's episode on the Christian Formation podcast, we discuss why we observe communion the way we do and what to think about when observing communion.
141 - How to Take Communion
May 11, 2022 08:00 - 28 minutes - 19.5 MBWe take the Lord's Supper, or communion, every Sunday, but we can easily take it for granted and lessen its significance. In this week's episode on the Christian Formation podcast, we discuss why we observe communion the way we do and what to think about when observing communion.
140 - Communion: 4 Different Views Today
May 04, 2022 08:00 - 30 minutes - 21.3 MBAt Providence, we practice the Lord's Supper differently than say the Catholic Church down the street or the Lutheran church on the other side of town... but why? In this episode, we explain the four different views of communion—Transubstantiation (Roman Catholic wiew), Consubstantiation (Martin Luther's view), Reformed (John Calvin's view), and Memorialism (Zwingli/Baptist/Our view). For further study on these views, check out this article from The Gospel Coalition.
139 - Proclaim and Protect, Contribute, Sacraments
April 27, 2022 08:00 - 33 minutes - 23.2 MBThere are 5 commitments to church membership here at Providence. The first two we touched on last week were "follow" and "gather." This week, we are diving into the last three: gospel proclamation, a lifestyle of contribution, and a healthy partaking of the sacraments.
138 - Commitments of Church Members
April 20, 2022 08:00 - 35 minutes - 24.2 MBThe word "commitment" may evoke a feeling of joy or discomfort. In today's world, commitment is most likely met with disdain and tension. However, we are called to commitments not only in daily life, but also in the church if you call yourself a member. In this episode, we discuss church membership commitments as they related to Providence members. Join the discussion learn with us!
137 - Hymns Unraveled
April 13, 2022 08:00 - 33 minutes - 23.2 MBLast week, we discussed the history and importance of hymns in our Christian lives. This week, we are diving into the meaning of two hymns—Come Ye Sinners and Oh the Love That Will Not Let Me Go. Join us as we unpack the meaning of these hymns and how they apply to our Christian lives.
136 - The Importance of Hymns
April 06, 2022 08:00 - 23 minutes - 16 MBWe've heard of hymns mentioned in traditional churches, but what does it mean when we talk about hymns today at Providence? Why do we sing some traditional hymns? In this episode, we discuss the history and importance of hymns in our Christian lives.
135 - Questions Over the Trinity
March 30, 2022 08:00 - 27 minutes - 19 MBWe finish our Trinity series by answering your questions. We dive into questions like, "How does the Trinity shape the way we pray?" "Did God the Father create creation?" and others. Join us as we ask these questions and deepen our understanding of who God is as Triune.
136 - Questions Over the Trinity
March 30, 2022 08:00 - 27 minutes - 19 MBWe finish our Trinity series by answering your questions. We dive into questions like, "How does the Trinity shape the way we pray?" "Did God the Father create creation?" and others. Join us as we ask these questions and deepen our understanding of who God is as Triune.
134 - The Holy Spirit: Trinity Series
March 23, 2022 08:00 - 35 minutes - 24.6 MBWe continue our Trinity series by discussing the Holy Spirit. If you have questions at any point during this episode, we encourage you to email us. We believe that understanding God matters to our Christian faith and shapes our relationship with Him. To submit your questions, please email [email protected]. We will either provide an email response or dig through your question on a Q&A episode.
133 - God the Son: Trinity Series
March 16, 2022 08:00 - 28 minutes - 19.4 MBWe continue our Trinity series by unpacking God the Son. We answer questions like, "Who is Jesus?" "Why is it important that He is a member of the Trinity?" and "How does he connect us to the Father?" If you have questions at any point during this episode, we encourage you to email any questions you may have. We believe that understanding who God is matters to our Christian faith and shapes our relationship with Him. To submit your questions, please email [email protected]. We ...
132 - God the Father: Trinity Series
March 09, 2022 09:00 - 35 minutes - 24.2 MBIn this episode, we discuss the Trinity and unpack one of the members of the Trinity—God the Father. We will define what it means that God is triune, and what it means for Him to be Father. For the next three weeks, we are going to unpack the Trinity—God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit and finish with a Q&A episode for any unanswered questions. We want to encourage all of you to think deeply about this topic, discuss it with friends, and send us any questions you may have....
131 - The New City Catechism
March 02, 2022 09:00 - 31 minutes - 21.6 MBCatechisms are a tradition that have been around for a very long time in church history but are not very well known in the church today. In this episode, we explore what catechisms are, why they are helpful for our Christian faith, and why our church is moving toward using the New City Catechism in our Kids ministry and City Groups.
130 - Biblical Parenting (with Dusty White)
February 23, 2022 09:00 - 30 minutes - 20.8 MBParents have a huge impact on their children's thoughts, emotions, coping mechanisms, and world view. How parents parent matters, especially for children's understanding of Jesus Christ and Christianity. In this episode, we explore some of the common struggles Christian parents face, as well as provide insight into our upcoming Parenting Conference. We invite Dusty White, our 2022 Parenting Conference speaker, to join us in discussing this topic. If you are listening to this before March...
129 - Pro-Life Ministry (with Toni Clarke)
February 16, 2022 09:00 - 34 minutes - 23.4 MBOn this week's episode, we discuss the topic of pro-life and the pro-life ministry work at Assure Women's Center, a nonprofit organization that offers free services to pregnant women in the Omaha area. We are joined by Toni Clarke, who serves as the executive director at Assure and has worked at Assure for the last 14 years. Join us as we unpack the pro-life view and its importance together.
128 - Why Does God Feel Distant?
February 09, 2022 09:00 - 34 minutes - 23.5 MBSometimes, we feel incredibly close to God, like He's sitting next to us 24/7. And sometimes, we are left wondering if God is near to us at all... if He has ever been near to us. If you have wondered why God feels distant at times, you're not alone. Many Christians wonder this. While we don't have concrete answers, we discuss some possible reasons why God may feel distant at times. If you have any thoughts or questions in response to this episode, please email us at formation@providenceom...
127 - More Than a Quiet Time
February 02, 2022 09:00 - 33 minutes - 22.7 MB"Quiet time" is a common term in Christian culture. For many, it means time alone with God and traditionally looks like reading one's Bible, praying, and journaling for 10 minutes in the morning. If this is what you are doing—yes and amen. Those times are good, however, in this episode, we challenge you to more than a traditional quiet time. We want you to truly commune with God, which—we argue—won't be as intimate if you only think of and speak to Him for 10 minutes each morning. Join us...
126 - To Know God
January 26, 2022 20:00 - 31 minutes - 21.5 MBToday, we are discussing what it means to really know God. On this episode, we go so far as to ask whether the entire goal of Christianity is to know God, to have a deep intimacy with Him. Join us as we challenge you to ask yourself, "Is knowing God the goal of Christianity?" and provide commentary on the benefit of knowing God in our own lives.
126 - Knowing God
January 26, 2022 20:00 - 31 minutes - 21.5 MBToday, we are discussing what it means to really know God. On this episode, we go so far as to ask whether the entire goal of Christianity is to know God, to have a deep intimacy with Him. Join us as we challenge you to ask yourself, "Is knowing God the goal of Christianity?" and provide commentary on the benefit of knowing God in our own lives.
125 - Am I Feeling Overwhelmed or Burned Out?
January 19, 2022 09:00 - 35 minutes - 24.6 MBIn order to run with zeal in ministry, we need to assess how our souls are doing. Asking questions like, "Is my soul healthy? Am I experiencing anxiety? What exactly am I feeling when I think of serving in my local church?" are helpful questions to unpack in the endeavor to find joy and zeal again in ministry. In this episode, we give practical examples of how to diagnose burnout in yourself and others based off the following questions. What does your personal life look like right now? Wh...
124 - Revisiting Practicing the Presence
January 05, 2022 09:00 - 32 minutes - 22.3 MBAs a church within a world that is prizes performance and checking boxes, sitting with God to experience Him seems strange, maybe even incorrect. Yet, the testimony of the church throughout the ages and the example of Christ himself is that silence and solitude are an integral part of the life of one who has committed themselves to walking with God. Join us as we find rest in God through being silent with Him. Read more here.
123 - New Year, New Habits
December 29, 2021 09:00 - 31 minutes - 21.5 MBFor our final episode of 2021, we have Jake and Aaron—two of our members at Providence—discuss how to create solid habits that stick for the new year. The majority of the conversation is over a book they read called Atomic Habits by James Clear. Join the discussion and let us know if these strategies helped you form better, God-honoring habits this year.
122 - Life Post Surgery
December 22, 2021 09:00 - 31 minutes - 21.3 MBAndrew, one of the pastors at Providence, underwent a kidney transplant surgery in the fall of 2021. He is now in recovery and is learning more about God's goodness, no matter his physical circumstances and outcomes. Join us as we are encouraged by and learn from Andrew's story of trust in God's sovereign plan.
121 - Seek Relationship with Jesus
December 15, 2021 09:00 - 25 minutes - 17.2 MBWe read books, listen to sermons, and indulge in podcasts about Jesus, but many of us might have the same frustrated thought, "WHY am I having trouble actually resting in Jesus?!" On this episode, one of Providence's pastors, Jared, dives into the difference between religious acts vs. remembering Jesus is a person, and what it looks like to seek relationship with Him. This is the final episode on our "Health for the Holidays" series. See episodes 119 and 120 if you are just tuning in and m...
120 - Slow Down
December 08, 2021 09:00 - 25 minutes - 17.8 MBDuring the busy holiday season, it is easy for all of us to fall into unhealthy patterns and sin tendencies. We continue our series on "Health for the Holidays" by discussing the idea of slowing down and communing with Jesus. One of Providence's pastors, Jared, references the book Gentle and Lowly by Dane Ortlund and Matthew 11:28–30 to teach us practical ways in how to slow down and rest in Christ.
119 - Health for the Holidays
December 01, 2021 09:00 - 24 minutes - 16.8 MBDuring the busy holiday season, it is easy for all of us to fall into unhealthy patterns and sin tendencies. On this episode, we discuss how to be spiritually healthy during the holiday season. One of Providence's pastors, Jared, references the book Gentle and Lowly by Dane Ortlund and Matthew 11:28–30 to teach us how to fully be ourselves and rest in Christ.
118 - Why Christians Should Practice Advent
November 24, 2021 09:00 - 29 minutes - 20.3 MBEvery year leading up to Christmas, Providence observes Advent, a season where we learn to both reflect on Jesus' coming to Earth and long for His return. In this week's episode, Madi Shultz, a member in our congregation, and Jake Peterson, one of our co-directors for the college ministry here at Providence, join the Christian Formation Podcast to explore what Advent is, why Christians should observe Advent, and practical ideas of how to observe Advent this Christmas season. Providence i...
117 - The Importance of Global Missions
November 17, 2021 09:00 - 28 minutes - 19.6 MBAs Christians, we value overseas missions, but why? Why do we use resources to send people overseas when we have people in our city who are not saved? In this podcast, we head back to episode 74 to revisit the importance of Global Missions in God's sovereign plan.
116 - Can I Wear Sweatpants to Church?
November 10, 2021 09:00 - 25 minutes - 17.9 MBReverence for God is something that we've been talking about a lot around the Providence office. One question that we've asked ourselves is, "Does what we wear on Sunday mornings reflect our reverence for God? Should we be dressing up or does what we wear really matter?" In this episode, we discuss whether our Sunday morning clothing reflects our reverence for God. Join us as we dive into what reverence means and looks like for us as Christians.
115 - Church Denominations—Do They Matter? (with Kent Sovine)
November 03, 2021 12:00 - 31 minutes - 21.6 MBWe see the term "unity" in the Bible, yet, we have so many different church denominations. Why is this and do we need to care about denominations? In this episode, we explore the advantages and pitfalls of church denominations and discuss why it is important to know how your own church's denomination operates. We are joined by Kent Sovine, who serves as the Multiplication Catalyst at the MidAmerica District for the Christian and Missionary Alliance, to provide us with a broad look at churc...
114 - Is Practicing Yoga OK for Christians?
October 27, 2021 08:00 - 36 minutes - 25.4 MBWith our recent discussion on the Enneagram and whether the origin of an activity should dictate whether or not we participate in that activity, we travel back in time to revisit our discussion on yoga from a year and a half ago. Yoga is prevalent in our culture today but its Hindu roots bring controversy in the church over whether or not we as Christians should be practicing yoga. In this podcast, we explore the history of yoga and look at scripture to see whether yoga is something we as C...
113 - The Enneagram
October 20, 2021 08:00 - 34 minutes - 24.1 MBWe explore the question of, “Should Christians engage in the Enneagram?” With its focus on self and mystical origin, is it OK for Christians to use? We don’t have concrete answers on this episode. For some of us, the Enneagram is OK in moderation, so long as our primary identity is in Christ. For others, they might avoid the Enneagram because it can lead to an excessive focus on themselves rather than Christ. And for some, the Enneagram’s origin might be a reason for them not to participate...
112 - A Discussion on Common Grace
October 13, 2021 08:00 - 20 minutes - 14.3 MBWe received a question from one of our congregation members about Common Grace. "What is common grace, where is common grace in the Bible, and how does common grace impact us if we acknowledge it exists?" In this episode, we dive into all of these questions and ask ourselves if Common Grace only applies to non-Christians or to believers as well. This episode asks more questions than provides specific answers, so please email in your thoughts to [email protected]. We would lov...
111 - Is God Disciplining Me?
October 06, 2021 14:00 - 21 minutes - 15.1 MBThroughout our summer in the Psalms series this past year (see episode 99 for more details), we saw the repeated theme of the psalmist suffering because of his own sin. This prompted the question of: "How do we know if we are suffering because of our sin or because of God’s discipline?" In this episode, we dive into how we would biblically define God’s “discipline,” where we see His discipline in scripture, and the relationship between sin and God’s discipline.
110 - What the Church Needs Today
September 29, 2021 18:00 - 30 minutes - 21.2 MB“What does the Church need today?” A person in our congregation asked us what the church needs to remember or hold on to in the midst of tension this last year. In this episode, we provide encouragement for our church family to remember the truth of God's word, the comfort of Jesus, the sovereignty of God, and wisdom that comes from God. We also discuss how these how these ideas will help us as we engage with issues in culture and in the church as a whole during difficult times.
109 - How to Come to Church
September 22, 2021 08:00 - 24 minutes - 17.2 MBWe wrapped up a 6-part series on the elements of our Sunday gatherings and why it’s important to consistently attend a church gathering. We also looked at all of the elements in our Sunday gathering and explained the meaning behind them (check out episodes 103–108 to hear more). In this episode, we take a step back and talk about how we should prepare our minds before we step into the church building so that we can better hear from the Lord and commune with the family of God each Sunday.
108 - Doxology and Benediction
September 15, 2021 08:00 - 24 minutes - 16.6 MB"Praise God from whom all blessings flow..." The Doxology has been sung for thousands of years and is one of the elements we have at the end of our Sunday gatherings. For our final episode on our Sunday Liturgy series, we dive into why we sing the Doxology and end with a Benediction every gathering.
107 - Scripture Reading and Preaching
September 08, 2021 08:00 - 29 minutes - 20.7 MBIn this episode, we continue our Sunday Liturgy series discussing the importance of Scripture Reading and Preaching in our Sunday gathering.
106 - Meet and Greet, Vision, Prayer
September 01, 2021 08:00 - 29 minutes - 20.1 MBWe continue our Sunday Liturgy series discussing the Meet & Greet, the Vision & Values (also called announcements in some churches), and Prayer during our Sunday gatherings. Join us as we share the value in meeting the person sitting next to you, the change in language when we talk about "announcements," and the value of prayer in every church gathering.