Breaking Bread Podcast

Jacob had just made hash of his family relationships. Bethel was his place of transition, a backdrop that was undesired and unfamiliar to Jacob. While he was there, God spoke to him and said that "all the families of the earth will be blessed" through him. God uses Jacob's transitional spot as a redemptive moment in Jacob's life. In this episode Ted Witzig Jr. and Matt Kaufmann explain two redemptive lessons out of the story of Jacob. First, God intends our transitions to be a launching pad for the blessing of others and second, we are not the product of the backdrop of our circumstances.

Unwelcome circumstances landed Jacob in Bethel, an uncomfortable place. He happened upon this desperate place as he fled from his brother Esau. This in-between place was desolate, an unsettled place of transition. No doubt it marked a new low in Jacob's life. However, God had other plans for this transition. He met Jacob there and redeemed it. This is the first of three episodes in the Redeeming Transitions series. Ted Witzig Jr., interviewed by Matt Kaufmann, speaks to the issue of transitions. Hope is offered as we see how God intends to redeem our transitions as He redeemed Jacob's.

Thanksgiving is an ornament of grace in a believer's life. It springs from faith and leads to faith. To prepare our hearts for thanksgiving, Kaleb Beyer, Brian Sutter, and Matt Kaufmann tease out some of the finer points of being grateful. Be encouraged by the re-release of this "Living Joyfully" episode on thankfulness.

Being still helps us know God. Knowing God helps us to be still. And when we are, we identify with the rest of God. Such rest is a theme of the Bible. In this episode Brian Sutter and Matt Kaufmann conclude a three part series on being still and knowing God.

Meditating on the Word is widely encouraged in the Scripture. What does it look like and how is it practiced? As we reclaim the noise and distractions in our lives to rest and quietness, episode 2 provides some examples and illustrations around the discipline of meditation.

Being still should be easy. After all, it is the absence of effort. It is not work but rest. It is not noise but quietness. Why then is it so hard to do? While our gadgets, gizmos, culture and hurried lives present drag to this spiritual discipline, the true value of the practice lies in faith. In this episode Matt Kaufmann interviews Brian Sutter on cultivating the discipline of spiritual quietness.

How do we live out singleness? Though it embodies the New Testament Covenant and serves great purpose in the church it is not easily lived out. Challenges are many. Loneliness, sexual impurity and unhealthy identity are a few of the threats that plague the single. In this episode, we tackle these issues head on and see how the single has a unique opportunity to press toward Christ likeness.

Marriage is to oneness as singleness is to sufficiency. Both are visible testimonies of separate and critical concepts of the gospel. In this episode, we hope to explain how singleness uniquely and wonderfully supports the longer narrative of Scripture and the impact that it should have on the church.

Singleness [sing-guh l-nis] n. the state or quality of being single. Like trying to paint detail with a broad brush, the term "singleness" falls short in painting the finer points of the life of our unmarried brothers and sisters. Amber Miller, interviewed by Matt Kaufmann, exposes these finer points and attempts to paint a more accurate landscape of singleness in the church. This is the first episode in a podcast series devoted to redeeming the topic of singleness in the church.

Yes or no? At some point in the decision making process we have to decide. Once we do, we rest in a God who has a long history of blessing and redeeming the decisions of man. This episode will highlight the final principles of biblical decision making: seeking wise counsel, walking with God, and God's sovereignty.

Biblical Decision Making part 2 addresses three more decision making principles and the corresponding misconceptions. Most would agree that in Christian decision making prayer is necessary. Faith is essential. Waiting is inevitable. God wonderfully uses these principles in the decision making process for gains which are often overlooked.

The story of our lives in many ways can be chronicled by the many decisions we make. Biblical Decision Making is a podcast series that considers principled truths as well as common misconceptions in decision making. In Part 1, Breaking Bread host Matt Kaufmann interviews Arlan Miller and together they lay a foundation for God's purposes in decision making.

To see joyful living exampled, we need only to look at children. Laughter and smiles are a part of their every day. Brian Sutter and Kaleb Beyer suggest learning from children can provide a pleasant relief in our serious lives. Living with childlikeness is the last of five encouragements on living the joy filled life.

It is natural for thanksgiving to come on the eve of blessing. But how about from the ashes of difficulty? Kaleb Beyer and Brian Sutter suggest that gratefulness is an ear mark of the joyful life, not only because joyful living sends us to thanksgiving but thanksgiving sends us to joy-filled living. Living with an appreciative heart is the fourth of five encouragements contained in the "Living Joyfully" podcast series.

It is a great relief to know that a believer can live joyfully in spite of difficult circumstances. In this podcast, ACCFS clinicians Kaleb Beyer and Brian Sutter unpack two more practical helps for living joyfully – living in the present and living with acceptance. The Christian will understand that their faith in Christ sets them free to apply these techniques regardless of their difficult surroundings.

We should be joyful, however, all too frequently the believer in Christ is not. Living Joyfully is a 4 part podcast series which provides the biblical framework and practical helps for living joyfully in a not-so-joyful world. In the first episode, ACCFS staff Kaleb Beyer, Brian Sutter, and Matt Kaufmann explain how to live intentionally and how such living can restore joy.

In years gone by, the Scriptures provided meaning to the word "membership." Since then, culture adopted the term and has emptied it of its meaning. Now we commonly use the term out of biblical context. This podcast endeavors to restore biblical meaning to the term "member." In so doing, we believe, each member of Christ's body will be encouraged.

The Bible is full of examples of expectations going unmet. When we peer into these examples we find a common redemptive theme – God uses our failed expectations to meet His expectations for our good and His glory.

Solving the problem of unmet expectations is impossible, if the solution requires meeting our expectations. However, if we position unmet expectations in a larger understanding of the gospel we find them redeemable. Episode two is the second of a three part series on unmet expectations that carefully lays out this larger understanding.

More often that we would like, our expectations go unmet. Unmet expectations are unique losses that give rise to unique grief. From significant to trivial issues, unmet expectations are all too familiar and commonplace. The first episode of the three part series will construct an awareness of unmet expectations and an understanding of the loss and associated grief that rise from them.

Family worship does not come without opposition. To be sure, Satan wants to thwart our efforts. Yet, great hope can be offered to the struggling family when we find opportunity and redemption in these areas of opposition and struggle.

Careful intentional teaching concerning family worship is good practice. What forms does it take? ACCFS staff encourages parents in this sometimes daunting task. Resources, techniques, attitudes and strategies are shared to equip parents in this endeavor.

Much of worship is caught. Our children witness our lives day to day. They see our devotion and catch our patterns. Do we let them in on our worship? ACCFS staff discusses this critical component of worship development in our families.

A short explanation of why we at ACCFS chose "Breaking Bread" as the name of our podcast.

As parents, God has equipped us to lead family worship. Corporate Family Worship is the first of 4 episodes in a series of conversations concerning the topic of family worship. Specifically in this first episode Matt Kaufmann interviews ACCFS counselors Craig Stickling and Brian Sutter on the topic of family worship in the context of Sunday worship.

Challenges and problems will arise when adolescents are using cell phones. How should parents react to these challenges? ACCFS counseling staff presents the power of the cell phone contract.

ACCFS counseling staff carefully unpack the necessary teaching that needs to accompany an adolescent who has a cell phone.

Is your child ready to have a cell phone? Counselors Craig Stickling and Brian Sutter, interviewed by Matt Kaufmann help coach parents on the significance of cell phone use among our adolescents.