The Trench

In the final episode of The Trench, Christian explores how what we love orients our way of being in the world and how what we love is shaped by what we do. Join Christian as he says goodbye to the series by asking, "What do we truly love?"

Join Christian this week as he explores the reality that we cannot share a real love for Christ if we don't possess it ourselves.

This week, Christian explores how our friends help us see ourselves clearly. Sometimes, this may mean we see some encouraging things, and other times we may see the yucky parts of ourselves. Both of these realities are what make friendship such an essential part of our walk with Christ.

For many, the holidays can be a stressful time when it comes to reconnecting with family members. Join Christian this week as he explores some things to keep in mind as we interact with family over the holidays.

It's the beginning of another fasting season as we prepare for the Nativity of Christ. This week, Christian explores how our practice of fasting is also a practice at stepping outside of ourselves so that we can live for others.

This week, Christian explores how our lives are meant to be lived for others rather than used to serve ourselves.

Have you ever struggled with being content with your own life? Accepting your own strengths? This week Christian (with a little help from Kylo Ren) explores how we must live into our own lives if we have any hope of serving the Lord.

Connect with us at the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese's Department of Youth & Young Adult Ministries! youth.goarch.org

This week, Christian is joined by his wonderful wife, Michaela. Together, the two reflect on what marriage has taught them both about an experience of God's Love.

Over the last couple weeks, Christian has explored how God reveals Himself through different relationships in our lives. This week, Christian explores what children can teach us about the Mystery of God.

Friendship is a wonderful mystery wherein people share a heart. This week, Christian explores what our friendships can teach us about a relationship with Christ, the One who invites us into eternal and everlasting friendship with Himself.

Mentors play vital roles in our lives, helping us discern the movement of God. Join Christian this week as he has some help in exploring how Christ reveals Himself through these unique relationships.

Connect with us at the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese's Department of Youth & Young Adult Ministries!

In the first episode of the new season, Christian reflects on his summer and the many people he saw who bring him Christ's love in a real way.

Young people keep leaving the Church, and most of us are very concerned about this. This week, Christian explores this phenomenon through Attachment Theory and suggests that perhaps the Church is losing her young people because she has failed to be there for youth in the way that they need

Ever noticed how your thoughts seem to impact your day in a big way? This week, Christian explores this phenomenon, pointing toward how our thoughts also impact other people.

After a long hiatus, Christian returns to discuss neurobiology and some of its implications for how we live our lives as Christians.

This week, Christian is joined by Jacob Saylor, youth director at Assumption Greek Orthodox Church in Phoenix, Arizona. Together they explore some of the foundational points of building a Christian community.

A relationship with a spiritual father is one of the most important relationships in an Orthodox Christian's life. Join Christian and his pastor, Fr. James Coles, this week as they explore the role and the reason for the spiritual father, particularly in the mystery of confession.

It can be easy enough to say "I'm sorry," or even to forgive someone who slights us. But do we really understand the depth of the act of forgiving? Join Christian this week as he explores the role of forgiveness in our transformation into the likeness of Christ.

As Christians seek to form a community, the fitness phenomenon, CrossFit, has a great deal to teach us! Join Christian this week in exploring how CrossFit can show the Church what it means to be a community.

After the disciples encounter Christ, they run through the dark night back to Jerusalem to share the good news with the other disciples. Join Christian this week as he explores what sharing Christ with others looks like for Orthodox Christians.

We can't share Jesus Christ with other people unless we know Him ourselves. Join Christian this week as he explores how Christ comes to meet us through the Scriptures and the Breaking of the Bread in Liturgy.

Sometimes we can get stuck in talking about the Orthodox Faith as though it were a set of beliefs and ideas that are right, rather than looking at it as a Tradition that points us toward and leads us into an encounter with Christ. Join Christian this week as he explores Orthodoxy as the Faith that rests in the Person of Jesus Christ.

Join Christian this week as he discusses the responsibility that every Christian has in serving those who are poor and in need. Christian suggests that like any other of our relationships, serving those in need demands our reflection on its priority.

Join Christian and Steve Christoforou, host of "Be The Bee" and Director of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese's Department of Youth & Young Adult Ministries, as they reflect on what it looks like to share the experience of the Kingdom of God within the workplace

Connect with us at the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese's Department of Youth & Young Adult Ministries!

Boundaries are a confusing topic for Christians, often because we feel like we are supposed to be really nice and help everybody with everything. Join Christian this week as he explores the importance of boundaries for establishing Christian relationships as well as the implications of poor boundaries on the health of our relationships.

Last week, we explored how we tend to speak when should be listening, offering advice based on our experience. Join Christian this week as he explores how we can actually use our experience to foster connection through empathy, instead of using it to foster disconnection through sympathy.

Sometimes we undercut relationships by jumping to offer advice over identifying with people's problems. Join Christian this week as he explores an alternative route to sharing in the suffering of others.

Last week, we explored how Christ shows us the path of the Cross is the path of willing vulnerability. This week, Christian discusses the role of vulnerability in our lives as we seek close and intimate relationships.

Vulnerability is one of the most important and least understood parts of developing deep and intimate relationships. Join Christian as he explores how Jesus Christ shows us what vulnerability looks like and why it is so scary.

Having a relationship with God is just that—a relationship. It is personal, dynamic, and shareable. Join Christian this week as he explores the primary relationship in our lives: our relationship with the Lord.

As human beings, we find that we are surrounded by relationships everywhere we go. Could it be that relationality is something about what it means to be human? Join Christian as he discusses what it is to be human through the lens of being relational beings made in the image of a relational God.

So what is "The Trench”? In episode one, Christian discusses why "The Trench" and the centrality of relationships in the Christian life.