What does it mean to be kind? How can someone cultivate a spirit of compassion? And is it okay if it doesn't necessarily come naturally?    On today's episode of the Calvary Life Podcast, Eric sits down with a Calvary pastor with a reputation for being the kindest man alive- Matt Doan. Together, they talk about the benefits and drawbacks of having a naturally warm personality, the ways that someone can cultivate a spirit of compassion towards others if it doesn't come naturally to them, and how God uniquely creates each and every one of us to display His personality and image to the world, no matter what our gifting is.    If you would like to learn more about ways you can show compassion to our community locally and globally, visit us online at calvarylife.org/reach! 

Calvary Life Podcast

Cultivating Compassion with Matt Doan

By the time a student graduates from high school in the United States, they will have spent approximately 18% of their life in class. So as believers, how do we take advantage of that time to train up mature leaders and followers of Christ? On today's episode of the Calvary Life Podcast, Eric sits down with Dave Seidman, Calvary Christian School's brand-new principal. Together, they discuss what makes Christian education "Christian", the importance of having believers in secular schools, and the value of first-grader's weddings.  If you would like to learn more about Calvary Christian School, visit them online at calvary.school. 

Christian Education with Dave Seidman

When believers fight against abortion, they're often faced with the question- what happens after the baby is born? How do we care for young mothers and children in positions of great need?    On today's episode of the Calvary Life Podcast, Eric sits down with Dianna Smiley, founder and executive director of Generation Her, a nonprofit for teen mothers and pregnant teens that seeks to empower teenage mothers and their children by equipping them with life skills and a supportive community.   Together, they talk about the journey of Dianna adopting her children, the needs teen and young mothers face in everyday life, and the power of caring for teen mothers and their babies even beyond the pregnancy stage.   If you would like to learn more about or get involved with Generation Her, visit them online at generationher.org or on Instagram and Twitter at @generationher. 

Loving Teen Mothers with Dianna Smiley

When someone says the Holy Spirit is working in them, what does that mean? How much of our spiritual growth is our responsibility, and how much is the Lord's?    This week on the Calvary Life Podcast, Eric sits down with Eryn Holm, one of Calvary's pastors and a current student at the Institute of Spiritual Formation at Talbot Theological Seminary. Together, they discuss what spiritual direction is, how spiritual disciplines play out in community, and ways that we can join in the Holy Spirit's work to promote growth in our lives.    Below, you can find links to some of the resources discussed in today's episode.   Spiritual Disciplines Handbook - Adele Calhoun Dark Night of the Soul - St John of the Cross Beloved Dust - Kyle Strobel and Jamin Goggin Relational Soul - Richard Plass and James Cofield   Recommended Apps:  Abide Dwell

Spiritual Direction with Eryn Holm

According to the CDC, about 1 child in 7 in the United States will be diagnosed with a disability. And while there are many avenues of support for these children, an often-overlooked group suffers as well alongside them- their siblings.  On today's episode of the Calvary Life Podcast, we meet Calvary member, doctor, and founder of A Touch of Guidance for Siblings of Special Needs Children Won Yu. Together, he and Eric discuss Won's experience as a doctor during the Covid-19 pandemic, his family's journey of growing with his son's developmental disorder, and how his son's diagnosis drew him and his wife to better serve the often-forgotten siblings of children with special needs.  If you would like to learn more about disability ministries at Calvary, check out calvarylife.org/bridge.

Supporting Families with Special Needs with Won Yu

"Compassion is not a relationship between the healer and the wounded, it is a relationship between equals." - Pema Chodron In today's episode of the Calvary Life Podcast, Eric sits down with Melissa Brosch, longtime Calvary member and Disability Ministries Pastor! Together, they explore Melissa's story of getting connected with disability ministries, the importance of honoring someone's age and stage in life, and why the best disability ministry is the one that doesn't exist. If you're interested in learning more about how to co-labor with people with disabilities, check out disabilityministryconference.com for training and resources. You can also find book recommendations from Melissa at the Calvary Bookstore, and on our website at calvarylife.org/bridge.

Disabilities and the Church with Melissa Brosch

If you knew that making the decision to follow God would lead you to spending decades in an impoverished country with a completely different language and culture, would you still choose Him?This was just one of the life-changing decisions faced by our guests on today's episode of the Calvary Life Podcast, Tom and Gayle Shook. Together with Eric, they share their journeys of finding Jesus, living and ministering in Mongolia, and how the Lord captured their hearts for refugees from all over the world. If you would like to learn more about what Tom and Gayle are doing these days, or find out more about Voice of the Refugees, you can reach out via email at thomasandgayle@gmail.com. You can also learn more about global missions at Calvary by visiting calvarylife.org/global. 

Powerful Faithfulness with Tom and Gayle Shook

When 2020 started, very few people knew what COVID-19 even was, let alone how greatly it would impact our regular way of life. For many, it meant a sudden halt to office life, school, and social calendars. But for some, like Chuck Gustafson, that impact was felt with life and death consequences.  In this week's episode of the Calvary Life Podcast, Eric got to sit down with Chuck Gustafson and talk about life with Covid. Chuck shares the story of catching the virus, the Lord's generous faithfulness in healing him, and how he is using his story to share God's love with everyone he meets.  You can now watch the Calvary Life Podcast, as well as just listen to it! Check us out on our YouTube page to watch all of this season's episodes.

Life After Covid with Chuck Gustafson

Is Facebook just for "old people" now? How harmful can Instagram be? And what exactly is TikTok, and how does it work?In today's episode of the Calvary Life Podcast, Eric Wakeling sits down for a crash course in social media with the expert- his seventeen year old daughter Grace Wakeling. Together, they explore the details of what TikTok is, how Gen Z uses different social media platforms for different purposes, and even discuss some of the parental guidelines in the Wakeling home!

Social Media Crash Course with Grace Wakeling

We're back with a brand new season of the Calvary Life Podcast! Kicking us off is a discussion with long-time Calvary member, clinical psychologist, and National Regional Director of Safe Families for Children Karen Bergstrom.  Together, Eric and Karen talk about the crisis of unsafe environments for children in this unique season of quarantine, and how the Church is uniquely equipped to step up to meet the need. They explore how Karen's family of origin impacted her heart for serving children, what it means to be a "turkey thrower", and why we should avoid being ones! If you'd like to join in with the mission of Safe Families, you can check out the Safe Families website at safe-families.org, or see the local ministries Calvary serves (including Safe Families) at calvarylife.org/local.  We also have a brand-new feature of the Calvary Life Podcast- video! If you'd like to sneak a peek inside the studio, you can watch Eric and Karen in-person (and socially distanced) on our Youtube and Facebook pages.

Safe Families and the Church with Karen Bergstrom

How do you read the Bible? Isn't it just like any other book? It may seem like a silly question on its surface, but it has far-reaching implications. On today's episode of the Calvary Life Podcast, Eric is joined by pastor, professor, and biblical scholar Craig Hill to explore this very topic!  Together, Craig and Eric discuss what it takes to read the Bible well, and how anyone can do it. They talk about studying the Bible vs reading it devotionally, the importance of approaching Scripture with humility, and how our culture and location can influence what we read in the biblical text. Craig also gives his recommendations for resources and tips to read the bible well. If you are interested in any of the resources mentioned in this episode, or if you would like to discover others, check out the Corner Bookstore at Calvary on Sundays before and after the service, throughout the week, and at calvarylife.org/corner.

How to Read the Bible with Craig Hill- Rebroadcast

When the Bible calls us to consider others as more important than ourselves (Philippians 2:3), how does this influence how we have conversations about race and culture? Are we willing to risk feeling uncomfortable for the sake of understanding our brothers and sisters in Christ?   Calvary Church is a community that is Better Together. And while cultural differences bring depth and beauty to every group, they can also provide opportunity for misunderstandings, hurt, and division.    In a continuation of last week's theme, Eric sits down with Victor Milan, one of Calvary's Hispanic Ministries pastors, to discuss racial justice and cultural diversity. They discuss how multitudes of small interactions can build up to big emotions, what it's like to not feel a sense of belonging to any one culture, and how a correct understanding of the Gospel is key to healing the woundings and bridging the gaps that can divide us all.    If you'd like to learn more about Calvary's Hispanic ministries, visit them online here. 

The Necessity of Cultural Conversations with Victor Milan

Ahmed Arbery. George Floyd. These names have dominated headlines in the past weeks for the tragedy and injustices they suffered. So as believers, how do we respond? How are we called to act when we encounter racial discrimination and oppression?  Today, Eric discusses this topic with Calvary's High School Pastor, Courtnie Dowdy. Together, they explore the idea and meaning of privilege, Courtnie's experience growing up as a black woman in predominantly white spaces, and what Jesus' life tells us about how we should respond to and work against racial injustice.  If you would like to explore this topic further, check out the resources Courtnie and Eric discussed below:  Books- I'm Still Here by Austin Channing Brown, Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson, Insider Outsider by Bryan Loritts Accounts to Follow- Jackie Hill Perry: Instagram, Twitter; Bryan Loritts: Instagram, Twitter; Jo Saxton: Instagram, Twitter; Albert Tate: Instagram, Twitter

Racial Injustice with Courtnie Dowdy

When the United States government restricts the gathering of people, is that an infringement on our religious freedom? What do we do if we believe our government leaders are foolish and wrong? What does the Bible say about how to behave when those in authority over us are hard to respect?  On this week's episode of the Calvary Life Podcast, Eric explores how we should consider our current circumstances as the Body of Christ- how we love the people we disagree with, submit to the government officials in authority over us, and protect our right to worship the Lord. In times as turbulent and challenging as these, it is vital we seek Biblical guidance on how to proceed in grace, truth, and love.  If you would like to learn more about how Calvary is serving our community in this time, or if you would like to sign up to give or receive aid, visit us online at calvarylife.org/help and calvarylife.org/pantry. 

When to Submit to Government

It's common to hear someone say that they "go to Church", but is the church a location? When we're not able to gather in person, what does that mean about the Church?  In today's episode of the Calvary Life Podcast, Eric discusses the idea of the Church being a people, not a building. He explores what that means for re-entering normal life, how we fulfill our role in the body of Christ, and how that impacts our understanding of community.  If you are interested in learning more about how Calvary is doing Sunday services in this time, visit us at calvarylife.org/live. 

What is the Church?

Calvary Life Podcast- where we share about life, faith, and God with people from Calvary Church.