Soil and Roots

22/02/2025

Our personal stories are deeply connected to God's story, shaping who we are and how we grow. Science and faith aren’t opposites—neuroscience actually backs up what theology has said for centuries: self-awareness and reflection are key to transformation. But in many Christian spaces, digging into our personal histories feels off-limits, even though understanding why we think, act, and love the way we do is essential to knowing God more deeply.

Telling our stories—especially the painful ones—brings healing. Research shows that revisiting and retelling experiences in safe spaces helps rewire the brain, shifting unhealthy beliefs and bringing freedom. The Bible itself is full of storytelling because God knows its power. But culture often tells us to "just move on." Instead, we should take time to share, reflect, and heal. Spiritual growth isn’t just about moving forward—it’s also about looking back with truth and grace.

Read "The Lies Have It" in full on the Soil and Roots Substack page: https://vist.ly/3mvn9r5

Taking Time to Explore our Stories with Authenticity

22/02/2025

God isn’t waiting for you to prove yourself. He meets you where you are and transforms you with His love.

Listen to the latest episode of the Soil and Roots podcast on YouTube and Spotify!

Watch on YouTube: https://vist.ly/3mvmnpu

Listen on Spotify: https://vist.ly/3mvmnpq

21/02/2025

As we continue to explore Jesus, the object of our formation, we marvel at one of His most compelling characteristics: his relational and emotional security.

He isn't anxious, rattled, confused, or manipulated by other people's perspectives and opinions. He operates from a rock-solid sense of identity.

If we are to become more like Him, is this type of groundedness also for us?

Catch episode 118 of the Soil and Roots podcast on YouTube and Spotify.

Watch on YouTube: https://vist.ly/3mvi29t

Listen on Spotify: https://vist.ly/3mvi29r

12/02/2025

Let’s explore the importance of storytelling in spiritual growth, healing, and self-awareness and how our personal stories are deeply connected to God’s greater narrative. There is an intersection of theology and neuroscience worth noting, and it reveals how repeated storytelling can rewire the brain and facilitate healing, particularly in trauma recovery.

Despite the biblical foundation of storytelling—over 40% of the Bible is narrative—modern culture prioritizes progress and achievement over reflection. Many churches and discipleship programs fail to encourage self-exploration, leaving the practice mostly confined to therapy and support groups. Yet repeatedly telling our stories is not a hindrance to spiritual growth but an essential part of it, just as God shares His story with humanity. True healing and transformation come when we take the time to process our past, not by simply "moving on," but by intentionally sharing and reshaping our narratives in a supportive community.

Check out "Read It Again!" on the Soil and Roots Substack page: https://vist.ly/3mutrms

The Power and Necessity of Sharing Our Stories

06/02/2025

Let’s talk about the story and our discipleship journey. How important is it for us to understand the overarching story of God's relationship with humanity? Though many modern Christian institutions focus more on instruction rather than transformation through story, how does this impact our spiritual formation?

Let’s explore the "meta-narrative" of God's pursuit of humanity, from creation to Jesus’ sacrifice and the ultimate restoration of all things. The key message is that God deeply desires to dwell with us, not just as a ruler but as a joyful and loving presence. Sitting in and with this story may well soften and mold our hearts.

Read "Losing the Plot" on the Soil and Roots Substack page: https://vist.ly/3muc79h

God's Meta-Narrative and Our Spiritual Formation

06/02/2025

Your daily rhythms aren’t random.
They’re shaping your soul.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆?

Tune in to the latest episode of the Soil and Roots Podcast!

Watch on YouTube: https://vist.ly/3mubgps

Listen on Spotify: https://vist.ly/3mubgpr

05/02/2025

What does the Bible mean by "good" in reference to the creation story? Is creation still good today? Are human beings "good"? How do we reconcile some sort of inherent goodness with the pervasiveness of harmful behaviors?

Doc, Brian, and Handsome Kyle delve into these and other challenging questions raised in the previous episode.

As our hearts continue to be formed, we seek to love more like Jesus loves. If we define love as "seeking goodness according to God's ideas," how do we define love and goodness in a world that can't agree on any such definitions?

Don't forget to tune in to our latest episode this week!

Watch on YouTube: https://vist.ly/3mu9ivr

Listen on Spotify: https://vist.ly/3mu9ivq

01/02/2025

The Bible is not about rules—it’s about relationship.
It tells the greatest story of God redeeming the world, and you are part of it.

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗛𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆?

Check out the Soil and Roots podcast on YouTube and Spotify.

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/thOEA-XKklA?si=23I103dNAwfLz7UT

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/025NSORSmBPTyEUFvHua8a?si=f097813c83214335

31/01/2025

A key barrier to our spiritual formation is relational trauma, which affects identity and healing, much like physical injuries. The process of healing requires time and the right conditions, yet Western culture often expects instant recovery, leading to unrealistic expectations for emotional and spiritual growth.

Jesus modeled deep, intentional relationships, spending significant time with a few rather than seeking large crowds. This suggests that meaningful spiritual formation requires prioritizing long-term, close-knit relationships over maintaining an overwhelming number of social connections. The challenge is to shift from a disconnected, fast-paced lifestyle to one that allows time for genuine, transformative relationships that nurture our spiritual growth.

Read "Do You Remember the Time?" on the Soil and Roots Substack page: https://vist.ly/3mtuczk

The First Key Element of Spiritual Formation

31/01/2025

We've turned our attention to exploring what it means to think, act, relate, and love like Jesus, and the answers aren't necessarily straightforward.

At the same time, coming to an agreement on definitions of key words such as "love" and "goodness" can be challenging in our modern culture. How can we love someone if we disagree on what love is? What does it mean to "seek goodness" if we can't agree on what's good?

So, let's dig in and wrestle with what it means to love God, ourselves, others, and creation.

Catch episode 116 of the Soil and Roots podcast on YouTube and Spotify.

Watch on YouTube: https://vist.ly/3mttnfs

Listen on Spotify: https://vist.ly/3mttnfn

24/01/2025

Peace with God → peace within → peace with others.

When we’re at odds with others, it’s often a reflection of unrest within. True peace starts by reconnecting with God.

Check out the latest episode of the Soil and Roots podcast on YouTube and Spotify.

Watch on YouTube: https://vist.ly/3mt97ts

Listen on Spotify: https://vist.ly/3mt97tq

24/01/2025

Today, we explore the intersection of spiritual formation and the challenges posed by narcissistic individuals, particularly within faith-based communities.

Spiritual formation requires intentional relationships with those who genuinely seek our good. Whereas Jesus gently invites us into greater interior peace and freedom, the narcissist seeks to confuse, control, and disorient. How do we become people of greater depth if we are also bound to a predatory person? In other words, how do we love our enemies?

Read "Mine! Mine! Mine!" on the Soil and Roots Substack page: https://vist.ly/3mt8pu2

Spiritual Formation and the Narcissist

23/01/2025

As we launch further into Season 6, Doc and Handsome Kyle rejoin Brian for the first Greenhouse episode of the season.

We are spending this season exploring what it means to think, act, relate, and love like Jesus. The guys briefly review the path we've taken to get here so far, and then wrestle with two key points leading into the rest of the season:

-What is the difference between being like Jesus and simply doing the things He said to do?

-Just how complex and mysterious is Jesus, the object of our formation?

Thanks for being with us!

Check out the latest episode on YouTube and Spotify!

Watch on YouTube: https://vist.ly/3mt79zn
Listen on Spotify: https://vist.ly/3mt79zk

15/01/2025

The spiritual journey isn't reserved for tomorrow, it's meant for today. Find God's grace in the midst of life's joys and struggles.

Check out the new season of the Soil and Roots podcast on Spotify and YouTube!

Listen on Spotify: https://vist.ly/3mshgfp

Watch on YouTube: https://vist.ly/3mshgfq

14/01/2025

Welcome to Season 6!

We've mentioned numerous times that the primary purpose of following Jesus is to become more like Him. We intend to think, act, relate, and love like Him more.

It's now time to explore what that really means—and it's not as simple as we might think.

As usual when we start a new season, today we'll review the key points from Seasons 1-5. Then, we'll look forward and sketch the idea-transforming route we'll take in this new season.

Thanks for coming along as we venture into exploring the object of our spiritual formation!

Check out the new season of the Soil and Roots podcast on Spotify and YouTube!

Listen on Spotify: https://vist.ly/3msfipd

Watch on YouTube: https://vist.ly/3msfipf

13/01/2025

Sometimes, our common ideas about discipleship and faith can feel inadequate or discouraging when our personal experiences fall short of biblical promises like peace, joy, or freedom from fear.

Let’s explore the concept of "withness"—being present with God, others, and oneself. True spiritual growth often happens through relational presence, not merely through teaching or correction. The profound impact of someone truly listening, being empathetic, and sharing in another's experiences can bring healing and transformation.

Read "Can I Get a Withness?" on the Soil and Roots Substack page: https://vist.ly/3mscn6g

The Formative Power of Being With Each Other

04/01/2025

Christian discipleship is often overly focused on a transactional approach—centered on sin and forgiveness—rather than fostering deep, relational connections with God and others. Jesus' ultimate goal was not merely forgiveness but reconciliation - divine friendship and relational transformation and not just behavior modification or intellectual instruction.

Let’s look at the five key elements that are so essential to our ongoing spiritual formation.

Read the article on SubstacK: https://vist.ly/3mrkgbp

How Our Earliest Years Impact Our Spiritual Formation Today

03/01/2025

Modern Christianity often operates on a limited view of humanity, seeing people as "brains on sticks" who simply need correct knowledge for spiritual growth. This approach overemphasizes teaching, such as sermons and Bible studies, while neglecting the relational, experiential, and emotional aspects of discipleship. This imbalance has also enabled the rise of leaders whose teaching ability is prioritized over their character and spiritual maturity.

True discipleship involves the holistic transformation of both our conscious and unconscious selves, including our ideas and desires. Let’s explore how we uncover these ideas and desires and how they are transformed.

Check out the full article on Substack: https://vist.ly/3mriijf

Exploring the Core Question of Spiritual Formation