Season 2 Episode 7 of the Trauma-Informed Church Kid podcast.   Nine plagues have struck the gods of Egypt, providing both Pharaoh and the people chance after chance to repent. Now, the final plague is about to fall: the death of the firstborn. Not desiring the death of anyone, God makes a way for any who pledge allegiance to Him to be spared from the Destroyer: the angel of the bottomless pit. The blood of the Passover lamb will be the means by which the Destroyer will be kept at bay, the life of the blood marking and protecting all who live in that house. In order to make a separation between those who belong to God and those who belong to the gods, this is the cost it takes: the ransom for the lives of the firstborn. Join us as we look at Exodus 11-13, examining the narrative of the plague of the firstborn and the Passover. We will look at what "firstborn" means, and why (or if) they are the target of the plague. We will explore the shadowy figure of the Destroyer, and consider who is responsible for the deaths of the firstborn. We will ponder what it means for God to "pass over" and "pass through", and what relationship this has to being "redeemed". Finally, we will sharply challenge if the Passover lamb dies as a substitute. In the end, we take a serious and careful look at what it means to be "marked by the blood of the lamb", and how we can be marked by the blood of the Lamb today. I hope you will join me on this journey to find resurrection on the other side of deconstruction! Please like, subscribe, and/or leave a comment! Leave a question on Speakpipe as well: https://www.speakpipe.com/churchkidpod ----more---- SHOW NOTES/REFERENCES Bible Project series on redemption ----more---- SUBSCRIBE/FOLLOW LINKS Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0LQnbcTTqZUGfMLliJCJim... Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/.../trauma.../id1760390486 Podbean: https://churchkidpod.podbean.com/ X/YouTube: @churchkidpod FB DISCUSSION GROUP https://www.facebook.com/share/g/17ATR1fAsd/

Season 2 Episode 6 of the Trauma-Informed Church Kid podcast   Abraham's family continues to find themselves under the thumb -- and strengthened heart -- of Pharaoh, who thinks he is a god and the source of all order and life. First, Adonai shows him a wizard duel that should dispel this belief, but he persists. What follows is a decreation and deconstruction of all Egypt, from top to bottom. The gods of the nations are shown that order and life does not come from them, and it is made crystal clear to Pharaoh as well. What will it take for Pharaoh to listen? Will he ever acknowledge Adonai as the Most High God, or will he drag the people down with him (and the elohim) in his rebellion?   Join us as we look at Exodus 7-10, examining the narrative of the plagues as a judgment against the gods of Egypt. We will look at what "decreation" means, and why this is the best frame for the plages. We will explore who is the real target of the judgments which fall on Egypt, and the extent to which there are "innocent bystanders" to the plagues. We will ponder what it means to be "the people of God" -- is this about ethnicity, or faithfulness? And we will listen to the desperate pleading of Adonai to all of Egypt, whom He also loves deeply: repent, and you will be saved. In the end, we take a serious and careful look at the "Pharaoh"s in our lives, and how to face up to them and speak with the voice of God: "Let my people go!!" I hope you will join me on this journey to find resurrection on the other side of deconstruction! Please like, subscribe, and/or leave a comment! Leave a question on Speakpipe as well: Send a voice message to churchkidpod   SHOW NOTES/REFERENCES Exodus 7:14-8:32 | Ancient Faith Ministries Battle Wizards: Mauling at the Euphrates | Ancient Faith Ministries The plagues of Egypt – Walking With Giants Jannes and Jambres - Wikipedia Yamm - World History Encyclopedia  

Season 2 Episode 5 of the Trauma-Informed Church Kid podcast This is our first How of Hurt episode of the season! In this episode, we seek to understand trauma better. We will define trauma, find out what separates it from unpleasant or difficult events, learn about the signs and symptoms of trauma, examine the feedback loops and neuroplasticity that either reinforce or repair trauma, and discover the multiple types of trauma -- including all kinds of church hurt. I hope you will join me on this journey to find resurrection on the other side of deconstruction! ----more---- SHOW NOTES/LINKS 988 Lifeline -- https://988lifeline.org/ Find a Therapist near you -- https://www.psychologytoday.com/us   Trauma and PTSD in the WHO World Mental Health Surveys - PMC The Relationship Between PTSD and Suicide - PTSD: National Center for PTSD About Adverse Childhood Experiences | Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) | CDC Trauma is Trauma: How a limited definition of trauma may be stifling your therapeutic growth — Psychotherapy Practice - Intuitive Healing | NYC 2025_Trauma_and_Addiction.pdf Self-Harm and Trauma - PTSD: National Center for PTSD The amygdala and trauma: understanding what your brain is doing leading to roots for your recovery. Violence Leaves Its Mark on Our Genes For Generations, Study Finds : ScienceAlert Intergenerational transmission of trauma effects: putative role of epigenetic mechanisms - PMC ----more---- SUBSCRIBE/FOLLOW LINKS Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0LQnbcTTqZUGfMLliJCJim... Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/.../trauma.../id1760390486 Podbean: https://churchkidpod.podbean.com/ X: @churchkidpod FB DISCUSSION GROUP https://www.facebook.com/share/g/17ATR1fAsd/  

Season 2 Episode 4 of the Trauma-Informed Church Kid podcast The deliverer of Abraham's family returns to his people, but the job is not yet done. Pharaoh likes his power, he likes having his slaves, and he isn't about to let them leave. In fact, he makes it much worse for them: forcing them to work with fewer materials and then blaming them when they can't do what they used to. The appearance of Adonai in his throne room has strengthened his resolve: like clay in the sun, he hardens and cracks. Will Abraham's family do the same? Can they endure the suffering and come out on the other side? Join us as we look at Exodus 4-6, examining the response of Pharaoh and the Hebrews to the appearance of God in their midst. We will look at what "hardening" means, and see if this is something God is to blame for. We will explore how abusive systems never welcome deliverance, and how that deliverance can often be slow and painful. We will ponder the features of abusive systems, and identify them in the narrative: collusion/complicity, victim-blaming, pointing fingers, and the like. We will listen to the complaints of the people to Moses, and Moses to God, that He simply isn't doing enough to make things right. In the end, we take a long and hard look at the role of suffering in the process of healing, and attempt to understand how to be both strengthened (in a good way) and softened by suffering. I hope you will join me on this journey to find resurrection on the other side of deconstruction! Please like, subscribe, and/or leave a comment! ----more---- SHOW NOTES/REFERENCES https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/classical-quarterly/article/abs/divinity-of-the-pharaoh-in-greek-sources/10B843BD8305A47AFB789F70AF0E7D11 https://www.historyandmyths.com/2025/02/egyptian-creation-myths-legends-gods.html https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/get-out-of-your-mind/200901/a-human-life-is-not-a-problem-to-be-solved ----more---- SUBSCRIBE/FOLLOW LINKS Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0LQnbcTTqZUGfMLliJCJim... Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/.../trauma.../id1760390486 Podbean: https://churchkidpod.podbean.com/ X: @churchkidpod FB DISCUSSION GROUP https://www.facebook.com/share/g/17ATR1fAsd/  

Season 2 Episode 3 of the Trauma-Informed Church Kid podcast   The family of Abraham has been enslaved and oppressed by the head of the superpower of the day. One man who grew up within that empire discovered that he identified with the "stranger" and is forced to leave -- to become a "stranger in a strange land". Those who remain behind groan with a deep, soul-level pain to their Father. He "remembers and knows" them, like a mama bear hearing her cub's cries of pain. Adonai is coming near to bring comfort and judgment: to cause to be the things that currently are not.   Join us as we look at Exodus 3-4, examining the incident at the burning bush and understanding God's Name better. We will look at what the "mountain of God" is, and begin to understand sacred space. We will explore the figure of the "Angel of the Lord" and his relationship to the Second Person of the Trinity. We will ponder if there is a fundamental difference between the Jesus of the New Testament, and the God of the Old. We will listen to Moses' protests about his calling, and see the true role of divine anger or wrath. In the end, we center our understanding of God's response to trauma as "He Who Causes to Be" -- as Creator, as Father, as Redeemer, and as Husband. I hope you will join me on this journey to find resurrection on the other side of deconstruction! Please like, subscribe, and/or leave a comment!   SHOW NOTE REFERENCES Dr Michael Heiser -- YHWH Dr Michael Heiser -- The Two Powers in heaven Kenites The Angel of the Lord   ----more---- SUBSCRIBE/FOLLOW LINKS Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0LQnbcTTqZUGfMLliJCJim... Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/.../trauma.../id1760390486 Podbean: https://churchkidpod.podbean.com/ X: @churchkidpod   FB DISCUSSION GROUP https://www.facebook.com/share/g/17ATR1fAsd/

Season 2, Episode 2 of the Trauma-Informed Church Kid podcast.   At the beginning of Exodus, the family of Abraham is in trouble. They have settled in the land of a foreign empire, but they are treated with fear and suspicion as strangers. What will become of the ones who will be the light to the nations? We're not sure how or when exactly this came about, but in time the empire of Egypt does what all empires do: they treat humans as disposable. In service of building monuments to their own name and out of fear of those who are different, a series of Pharaohs enslave and oppress the family of Abraham. Does Adonai hear them; does he even care?   Join us as we look at Exodus 1-2, examining the difficult and uncomfortable issue of slavery in the Bible. We will look at the nature of "the stranger", and why Adonai cares so much about them. We will explore what the Scriptures say about the generational vortex of sin, reflect on the history of slavery in America and the West, wrestle with the complexities of a God who works with humans as they are, confess the bad which is in the Bible and the evil and wicked ways in which it has been used, and uncover the good that might be hard to see in the Scriptures. In the end, we center our understanding of slavery on the one who "took the form of a slave" (Phil 2:7) and opened the way to perfection for all the images of God -- oppressor and oppressed alike. ----more---- I hope you will join me on this journey to find resurrection on the other side of deconstruction! Please like, subscribe, and/or leave a comment! SUBSCRIBE/FOLLOW LINKS Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0LQnbcTTqZUGfMLliJCJim... Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/.../trauma.../id1760390486 Podbean: https://churchkidpod.podbean.com/ X: @churchkidpod   FB DISCUSSION GROUP https://www.facebook.com/share/g/17ATR1fAsd/

Season 2, Episode 1 of the Trauma-Informed Church Kid podcast!At the end of Genesis 11, humanity is in trouble. A series of three "falls" have left them at enmity with Adonai and with each other. They are subjected to death, they have succumbed to depravity, and now they find themselves enslaved by demons. What is solution to this problem? Can there be "good news" to come out of this? Enter Abraham: the man who is called by Adonai from among the nations to be the father of all who are faithful. He is promised that his family will be "like the stars" and will be the healing and blessing for all the nations. But how will this promise come about: just by "believing", or by obeying? Or both? And what is this reconstituted and resurrected family of God supposed to look like: diversity, or unity? Or both? Join us as we take a speed-run through Genesis, centering around Abraham. This will be a review of Season 1, and a teaser for Season 2 (which will focus on Exodus and Leviticus). We will examine the nature of the promise the faithful are given as "sons of Abraham", explore the strengths and weaknesses of both unity and diversity, look at what it means for God to show himself to us (and if we really want that), mourn the experience of being shepherded by religious wolves, try to understand what assurance of salvation is (and isn't), and wrestle with the uncomfortable realities of so-called "heroes" of the faith. In the end, we seek to learn what it means to follow the father of faith(fulness) and do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with our Father. May we all hear the words: "well done; good and faithful servant."I hope you will join me on this journey to find resurrection on the other side of deconstruction! Please like, subscribe, and/or leave a comment!----more----SUBSCRIBE/FOLLOW LINKS YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@churchkidpod Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0LQnbcTTqZUGfMLliJCJim... Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/.../trauma.../id1760390486 Podbean: https://churchkidpod.podbean.com/ X: @churchkidpod FB DISCUSSION GROUP https://www.facebook.com/share/g/17ATR1fAsd/

Is the House of David TV series, currently streaming on Amazon Prime, any good? Is it closer to "The Ten Commandments" or "Prince of Egypt" or "Exodus: Gods and Kings"? Or is it just like all the other examples -- and there are far too many -- of cringey, cheap, contrived, and cloying faith-based media? What about its use of extra-biblical traditions? Can we trust the filmmakers to finally give us art that is beautiful, accurate, and moving?   This is the penultimate episode in Season 1, in another bonus review. This is mostly spoiler-free, although it does get into details which are also in the biblical narrative. I turn my somewhat-jaded eye (and heart) onto this adaptation of the story of David and Goliath, and find myself pleasantly surprised and cautiously hopeful for the future of Christian media. I hope this is one more waypoint on your journey to find resurrection on the other side of deconstruction!

What is the center of a person? Why does our heart need to be pure? How does God heal the broken-hearted? If our heart is sick, do we have free will? How can we be more free -- by choosing what we want, or choosing well? How do we "see" with the "eyes of the soul" what to choose? Is this even possible when that "eye" is darkened? What is the difference between soul and spirit? Is the soul created at the same time as the body, and how can it exist apart from the body? What does that mean, and how does that relate to the Resurrection body? What about final judgment? How can we have a secure soul-attachment to our bodies?   This is the (finally) final episode of our Anthropology of Adam series, looking at the Greek words for heart, will, mind/spirit, and soul. We will take a close look at how the nous (mind/spirit) is central the health of the soul, and what it means to love Adonai with our whole being. I hope you will join me for a journey to find resurrection on the other side of deconstruction!   The Mind and the Heart in the Christian East and West Nous - OrthodoxWiki Nathan Jacobs Podcast -- apokatastasis Saint Origen - First Things What in Tarnation? | Ancient Faith Ministries Soul, Heart, and Mind: Orthodox video Powers of the Soul: Orthodox video  

What is "nature"? Did the first Christians change this because of Greek philosophy? What is a "person"? Whom am I, underneath all the "masks"? What does it mean to be Self-led, or self-controlled? What does it mean to partake of the divine nature, and how do we do that? What are passions, and how did we get them? How do we overcome them? Do we have a sin(ful) nature? Is it even possible for flesh to seek after God? And what purpose did the Law of God serve in this goal? What does it mean for our nature -- and person -- to find its rest in God?   This is the third of four in our Anthropology of Adam series. This one covers the Greek words for body, flesh, nature, being/essence, person, and individual/subject. This covers a ton of philosophical ground, but I hope it doesn't hurt your head too much. I always pray it doesn't hurt your heart. I hope that you can join me on this journey to find resurrection on the other side of deconstruction!   Orthodox Apologetics: Prosopon and Hypostases St Gregory of Nyssa: Differentiating Ousia and Hypostasis | Eclectic Orthodoxy The Christian Transformation of Greek Philosophical Concepts ---- The Distinction of ousia and hypostasis in the Formation of the Trinitarian Formula “One ousia and three hypostaseis”. Basil ousia and hypostasis Greek Trinitarian Terms in the Early Church (Part 1) – Krisis & Praxis Anthropological background: The human composite and spiritual healing Substance, Nature, and Human Personhood The "Sinful Nature" Translation Dilemma and the Upcoming NIV Revision - Jason Staples Our Heart is Restless Until It Rests in You - Augustine -

What is the human heart, according to the Bible? Is it the seat of thoughts, or emotions? How is it related to our desires and our wills? Is it "desperately wicked"? Can we trust our feelings? What does it mean to have our "bowels moved" for someone else, and is it really as gross as it sounds? Does God feel toward us like a Father, or like a Mother? Or does he just demand blood to satisfy his anger?   This is the second of three "Anthropology of Adam" episodes, where we will look at the words in the Hebrew Bible which represent who <adam> is. Along the way, we learn that our hearts are deep, murky waters with thoughts and intentions that can either incline toward or away from Adonai. We also discover that Adonai himself is inclined toward us, with a gut-level compassion that comes out of his "womb". I hope you will join us on a journey to find resurrection on the other side of deconstruction.Podcast episode from BibleProject about the "Womb of God"

What is "the flesh"? What is the best way to think of and treat our bodies? What is the relationship between the spirit and the body? Is our spirit the essence of who we really are? Or is that our soul? Is that something other than our body? Do we have souls or not? And will our bodies be part of the new heavens and new earth?This is the first of three "Anthropology of Adam" episodes, where we will look at the words in the Hebrew Bible which represent who <adam> is. Along the way, we learn that we are souls, composed of body and spirit, who are created good and despite the falls of humanity are still able to desire and seek out Adonai. I hope you will join us on a journey to find resurrection on the other side of deconstruction.

What are spiritual beings? Are they some kind of ethereal substance, or just in our minds? Are things in our minds real? Where do our thoughts come from? What about ideas? Can spiritual beings influence us, and in what ways do they do so?  Is that the same as being "possessed"? What does it mean to conform our wills to theirs? And what does it mean to actually have "free" wills?   In this episode, we take a look at what it means to be human, and what it means to be a spiritual being, and explore the overlap of the two. Along the way, we discover that humans are permeable creatures: designed to have our wills interact with the wills of the spiritual realm. In the end, we try to understand how all this relates to everyday life and becoming better "spiritual beings" ourselves. I hope you will join me on the journey of finding resurrection on the other side of deconstruction!   But We Have the Mind of Christ | Ancient Faith Ministries The Most Important Question -- Nathan Jacobs Podcast What's a Spirit When It's at Home? | Ancient Faith Ministries Bible Project video on spiritual beings Stimulus - Reaction - Response graphic  

What is the third "fall" of humanity? Why is it so bad for people to build a tower? Does it actually reach to the heavens? Why does God confuse their language and scatter the people? And who are the gods of the nations? Do they exist at all? What is their purpose? Is there anything we can learn from the Babel narrative about what God wants for his human family?   In today's episode, we take a closer look at the Genesis 11 Babel event and its connection to the redemptive plan of God: to lovingly shepherd his children back to him, in order to unite them in their diversity, so that the unique glory each possesses can participate in his life once more. I hope you will join us on a journey to find resurrection on the other side of deconstruction!   The Gods of the Nations | Ancient Faith Ministries Pentecost and the Ziggurat — Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick The Human Desire to Be Godlike - TheTorah.com Language Is Baffling – The Story of the Tower of Babel - TheTorah.com What-is-spiritual-warfare-from-Heiser-DEMONS-MS-unedited.pdf The Angels Who Left Their Former Estate - The Whole Counsel Blog The Unseen Realm Collection (10 book series) Paperback Edition

What the heck is happening in Noah's tent after the Flood? Why is Canaan cursed, and not Ham? What is the meaning of Ham's genealogical line? Does it mean that biological descent curses people? How much does God actually care about ethnicity, anyway? Isn't that what Israel being his chosen people is all about? What is the "table of nations", and why do the nations matter?   In this episode, we take a closer look at the relationship of the chosen seed and the sons of promise to the rest of the family of God -- the nations of the earth. We challenge the idea that ethnicity plays a major role in salvation history, and examine what the vocation of the "firstborn son" was supposed to be. Namely: to be a light to the nations. I hope you will join us on a journey to find resurrection on the other side of deconstruction!   Naked Bible 159: Noah’s Nakedness, the Sin of Ham, and the Curse of Canaan | The Naked Bible Podcast   Sukkot's Seventy Bulls - TheTorah.com   israels-early-inhabitants1_2021-12-01-174244_jgmx.jpg (700×993)

What does it mean to find "rest" in the Flood narrative? What does it mean for God to "remember" Noah? What about "remembering" our sins, or forgiving our sins? Does forgiveness like God forgives mean "forgive and forget"? Does Adonai need death or blood in order to forgive? What was the function of the sacrifice Noah offered after the Flood waters receded, and what is the deal with the "covenant" God makes with all flesh? Does the rainbow have a different meaning than just a pretty sign of that covenant?   Today we take a good long look at the consequences of the Flood, and what it means to search for rest in the midst of a world drowned in sin and needing purification. We explore the symbolism of the ark as a mini-cosmos and examine how the God we see in the Flood is a God whom we can trust to always bring justice -- just perhaps not in the way we think, or demand he should. I hope it is helpful for you in your process of finding resurrection on the other side of deconstruction!   Noah and God’s Rest in Hebrews 4 – Citizens & Sons Why did God flood the world? (Bible Project) A Cup of Wrath? (Bible Project) Are We Really Sinners in the Hands of An Angry God? - N.T. Wright Online Zakar: REMEMBER… and pass it on. – Hebrew Word Lessons What Is the Rainbow Really Teaching Us? - Jewish Theological Seminary  

Is Noah's Ark and the Flood a children's story? Was it a local flood, or a global one? What is the emotional response we see God give to human wickedness? Why was the Flood necessary, and how can that possibly be justice? Was there any chance for repentance or salvation? What does God require in order to offer forgiveness and purification? And what does it mean to be "saved through the waters" (1 Pet 3:20)?   This is a meditative episode, focused on the nature of God's judgment and his mercy. In it, we find a God who always deals with sin... but not always in the way we think. We also find a God who always provides a way out... but not always in the way we want. And through it all, we discover that we all must go through the waters of purification.   The Deluge as a Biblical Symbol - EARLY CHURCH HISTORY   Noah’s Ark: Josephus, Earlier Historians, & Church Fathers | Dave Armstrong   Coming to Grips with the Early Church Fathers’ Perspective on Genesis, Part 1 (of 5) - Reasons to Believe (the whole series is worth a look)

Who are the Nephilim? What is the story in the Bible about how they came to be? What is the "second Fall"? What does it mean to be a spirit in "conjugation" with the material realm? How does metallurgy, mercantilism, and music connect to the Nephilim? How does this connect to demonosis? Are there really giants as tall as the Pyramids in the Bible? And what is the connection of all of this to trauma -- spiritual or otherwise?This is an episode where we get mystical, taking a look at ancient near east mythology and its connection to our lives today. Along the way, we survey a lot of disputed scholarship, understand more about where human depravity comes from, and learn about what "shrinking the giants down to size" looks like in recovery from trauma. I hope you enjoy it!   Here There Be Giants - The Whole Counsel Blog   The Five(ish) Falls of Angels | Ancient Faith Ministries   Herodotus' narrative of the Nephilim ritual   Etemenanki - Wikipedia   Daijosai ritual   Story of Gilgamesh (YouTube video)   Genesis Marks the Spot (episode 1 of the series on reception history of Genesis 6)   Article about Og, the Rephaiim and other giants   The Ancient Near Eastern Context for Genesis 6:1-4 - Dr. Michael Heiser   Cross-referenced posts from Dr. Michael Heiser (Nephilim)

Today, I will give you a bonus holiday episode where I will be reviewing a book I have read recently: Anthony Delgado's The Gospel Is Bigger Than You Think. In this book, Delgado examines the "gospel of Middle America" that is focused on a moment of decision and conversion, often at the expense of discipleship and spiritual transformation. He presents a (biblical) alternative to this "cultural folk religion" that is deeper, broader, more enchanting, and "bigger" than we might have thought.Hope you like it!   (disclaimer: I was given a free copy of the Audible book for review purposes)   Amazon link to buy the book  

Today we sit down for "tea" with Dr Timothy Patitsas, who quite literally wrote the book on a beauty-first approach to healing from trauma. In our discussion today, we embark on a bit of a mystical journey: attempting to grasp with words the ineffable power of beauty to heal the soul. What is beauty? How does it impact the soul? How can it undo the intra/interpersonal excommunication, schism, and heresy caused by trauma? Why is beauty the foremost of the three transcendentals (beauty, goodness, and truth)? How does the modern psychoanalytic approach to counseling fail trauma sufferers? And how can we recapture a beauty-first approach to healing?   This is an interview I have been looking forward to having for a long time, and I am delighted to share it with you now! Please forgive the audio quality issues; I hope it will not detract too much from the important information we explore here. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and share this content to get the word out!   The Ethics of Beauty — St Nicholas Press Home | beauty first films   Some emerging research on how beauty, wonder, awe, and other ventral vagal states are being recognized as essential factors in the healing process Research Reveals the Healing Power of Beauty and Awe | Psychology Today Awe as a Pathway to Mental and Physical Health - Maria Monroy, Dacher Keltner, 2023 Awe: A Systematic Review within a Cognitive Behavioural Framework and Proposed Cognitive Behavioural Model of Awe | International Journal of Applied Positive Psychology GGSC-JTF_White_Paper-Awe_FINAL.pdf