Life Over Coffee With Rick Thomas

Sometimes the words we share with our hurting friends are not the best to say, albeit I realize we can say them unwittingly. Oh, how I wish I could rewrite many scenarios in my zealous Christian youth when I had more words than wisdom. It was a ready, fire, aim approach to helping people. Saying the wrong thing is easy, so I am sharing these seven practical ideas to help you navigate these challenging times with your suffering friends. I trust that as you learn and practice these things, you will not succumb to unwise words or inhibiting fear prohibiting redemptive communication, and your friends will appreciate your proactive care. Read Here: https://lifeovercoffee.com/seven-tips-to-help-your-friends-who-are-going-through-suffering/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

One of the most important questions you’ll ask when looking for a new church is the pastor leading the local church. What best describes your pastor? How does he affect others? Can he care for your soul? Finding a pastor is a tedious process that can even be daunting at times. Ensuring the proper leader leads the community is of utmost importance because he determines everything that flows from that local body. Read Here: https://rickthomas.net/what-do-you-look-for-in-a-pastor/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here https://rickthomas.net/donations/

Shows Main Idea – What would you do if Mark Driscoll was your pastor? You decide to stay in the church, but you’re opposed to the language, bullying, manipulation, and narcissism. How would you respond? Would you self-censor? Would you seek to be part of a redemptive effort to make a difference? Responding the right way to authoritarians is the topic of this episode from the Christianity Today podcast series, The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill. Show Notes: https://rickthomas.net/podcast/ep-362-response-to-the-rise-and-fall-of-mars-hill-episode-10/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here https://rickthomas.net/donations/

Shows Main Idea – Mike Cosper opened this episode by talking about the Cottingley Fairies found in five photographs taken by Elsie Wright and Frances Griffiths in 1918. In 1984, Elsie said the photos were fake, and Frances said people wanted to believe in them. This Christianity Today podcast episode about The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill discusses our need to believe in someone and a leader’s sinful desire to get us to believe in him. Show Notes: https://rickthomas.net/podcast/ep-361-response-to-the-rise-and-fall-of-mars-hill-episode-9/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here https://rickthomas.net/donations/

Shows Main Idea – This episode of the Christianity Today (CT) podcast series, The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill, is an interview with Josh Harris, the former “Christian” who wrote I Kissed Dating Goodbye. It’s an odd digression from the straight line Christianity Today had been running about what went wrong with Mars Hill. Show Notes: https://rickthomas.net/podcast/ep-360-response-to-the-rise-and-fall-of-mars-hill-episode-8/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here https://rickthomas.net/donations/

Shows Main Idea – In this episode of The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill from Christianity Today, the primary talking point is the church’s leadership. Should you have a group of leaders or one man at the top. In the case of Mars Hill, they began with a plurality that led them to its heights only to morph into the lead guy, which began the descent and ultimate fall of Mars Hill Church. Show Notes: https://rickthomas.net/podcast/ep-359-response-to-the-rise-and-fall-of-mars-hill-episode-7/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here https://rickthomas.net/donations/

Shows Main Idea – This sixth edition of Christianity Today’s podcast series, The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill, discusses the brand and how to promote yourself to become somebody. Then Mike Cosper shared how Mark Driscoll associated himself with the gospel community to spread his fame globally. Mark had a gifted team who knew how to build an analytically smart, algorithmic, cyber-preacher. And once they established his fame in the stratosphere, the Christian celebrities and organizations would not ignore him. Show Notes: https://rickthomas.net/podcast/ep-358-response-to-the-rise-and-fall-of-mars-hill-episode-6/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here https://rickthomas.net/donations/

All of us are victims. Adam dealt us a death blow. And to complicate matters, we’re also blameworthy. We are guilty victims or victim sinners. It’s not a comfortable thought, but it’s an accurate one. Everyone practically possesses these two polarizing truths. The more significant issue is not what we have done wrong, but what will we do about it? If you’re ready to focus on how you can change, I have some terrific news for you: it can happen today! Here are a few thoughts for the serious-minded person who wants to change their lives. Read Article: https://rickthomas.net/how-a-teen-can-react-when-stuck-in-the-cyclic-effect-of-victimhood/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here https://rickthomas.net/donations/

Shows Main Idea – This review of episode five in The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill podcast series begins with a warning similar to the last episode about prescreening it before listening to it with others. This episode is not just gross, but it could cause a woman to lapse to a horrible time in her past if she has gone through a manipulating and inappropriately physical interaction with a man. Please use caution before you recommend this episode. Show Notes: https://rickthomas.net/podcast/ep-357-response-to-the-rise-and-fall-of-mars-hill-episode-5/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here https://rickthomas.net/donations/

Shows Main Idea – This review is of episode four in the Christianity Today series, The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill. CT warns the listeners that you may want to prescreen this episode due to the sexual nature and language. It is a gross episode—the first half—that may leave you feeling dirty after hearing it. The key idea is, why was the message so popular when the messenger was so flawed? Show Notes: https://rickthomas.net/podcast/ep-356-response-to-the-rise-and-fall-of-mars-hill-episode-4/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here https://rickthomas.net/donations/

Shows Main Idea – In this podcast, I’m reviewing the third episode in the series from Christianity Today called, The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill, the church planted and led by Mark Driscoll. The title of this episode is “You Read Your Bible, Ringo?” My purpose in these reviews is not to restate what CT said about Mars Hill or Mark Driscoll but to learn from those things to be a better Christian. Show Notes: https://rickthomas.net/podcast/ep-355-response-to-the-rise-and-fall-of-mars-hill-episode-3/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here https://rickthomas.net/donations/

Shows Main Idea – Christianity Today (CT) put together a multi-episode podcast series that chronicles the story of Mars Hill Church (MH) led by Mark Driscoll. The church was planted in 1996 and dissolved in 2014. At its height, they had 15,000+ attendees/members from fifteen campuses. CT has produced this podcast series for the encouragement and admonition of the body of Christ. I will review each episode, not repeating the information in the podcasts, but hoping to put forth insights that we can apply to our lives and church cultures. This podcast reviews episode two. Show Notes: https://rickthomas.net/podcast/ep-354-response-to-the-rise-and-fall-of-mars-hill-episode-2/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here https://rickthomas.net/donations/

Shows Main Idea – Christianity Today (CT) put together a multi-episode that chronicles the story of Mars Hill Church led by Mark Driscoll. At its height, they had 15,000+ attendees/members from fifteen campuses. The church dissolved in 2014. CT has produced this series for the encouragement and admonition of the body of Christ. I will review each episode, not repeating the information in the podcasts, but hoping to put forth insights that we can apply to our lives and church culture. Show Notes: https://rickthomas.net/podcast/ep-353-the-rise-and-fall-of-mars-hill-episode-1-response/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here https://rickthomas.net/donations/

All Christians have one common problem that sits foundationally at the core of their being; it is the biggest struggle in their lives. It makes sense, right? If each person’s mightiest battle were unique to them and dissimilar to everyone else, you’d have to be omniscient in your soul care endeavors. Mercifully, we all trace back to one man, and from him comes our universal struggle. It’s excellent news. Read Here: https://rickthomas.net/the-number-one-all-time-counseling-problem-ever/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here https://rickthomas.net/donations/

Shows Main Idea – On August 8, Rick began experiencing what he would learn later to be COVID symptoms. Two weeks later, the doctors affirmed COVID, and he has been on bedrest and doctor's care since that time. Rick is out of quarantine, is not contagious, and is on the road to recovery. In this podcast, Rick walks through what happened, his experience with the flu, and where he is currently. Show Notes: https://rickthomas.net/podcast/ep-352-update-about-ricks-covid-journey-healing-and-future-plans/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here https://rickthomas.net/donations/

The whole world is at war. It’s a war between good and evil—as always. Some of the skirmishes are between military combatants, but the purpose of this piece is not between those warriors in the traditional theaters. I’m addressing those other warriors—specifically, those who have never been to war but have benefited from our most significant battles. I’m speaking to you and me. We have an adversary; he is the devil. He desires to devour us. The irony of our modern-day war is that it has come to us in the most innocuous of ways: should you take the vaccine or not? Read Here: https://rickthomas.net/whats-the-big-deal-with-you-get-the-vaccine-already/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here https://rickthomas.net/donations/

Shows Main Idea – Abuse cases continue to rise in the world and evangelical church. Christians are not impervious to the disastrous effects of abuse or the mishandling of abuse cases. Every week our ministry hears a story or receives a request from the abused, the accused, pastors, and biblical counselors. The noise is loud, and the division between Christians continues to rise. In this episode, I will speak to some of the complicating issues. Show Notes: https://rickthomas.net/podcast/ep-351-why-most-biblical-counselors-should-not-take-on-abuse-cases/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here https://rickthomas.net/donations/

Show Main Idea: Is there someone in your life with whom you have conflict? Stated differently, who bothers you? Has someone done something that has brought friction into your relationship with them? What if you flipped the question around: have you done something to someone that has caused friction? Did you know that you have no other choice but to resolve this problem? In this webinar, I will make a strong appeal to do all you can to reconcile with a fellow believer. Show Notes: https://rickthomas.net/podcast/ep-350-webinar-you-have-no-choice-but-to-resolve-conflict/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here https://rickthomas.net/donations/

Shows Main Idea – We’re nearing the end of 35 out of 40 days on the road, mainly in the midwest. In this episode, Rick shares highlights and interesting perceptions from traveling, speaking, and engaging with the body of Christ in the midwest. You will find much encouragement from these interactions. Show Notes: https://rickthomas.net/podcast/ep-349-overview-of-how-we-help-local-churches-practically-speaking/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here https://rickthomas.net/donations/

Show Main Idea: If you do not have a working definition of sympathy and empathy and, more vitally, a practical application of them, you may do much harm to those who need your care the most. This presentation is an exploration of clearing up the ambiguity between sympathy and empathy. Show Notes: https://rickthomas.net/podcast/ep-348-sympathy-and-empathy-you-need-to-know-this/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here https://rickthomas.net/donations/