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The Deep Dish Podcast

Join us for The Deep Dish—a podcast from TGC! Inspired by our love of deep-dish pizza, and our even greater hunger for deep conversations about the deep truths of God, Melissa Kruger and I host discussions that equip you to engage in rich discipleship relationships in your local context. Tune in for warm conversations among friends—including special guests along the way—as we dig deeper into God’s Word and explore how it applies to every area of our lives.

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When You Want to Change Your Husband
 

In this episode, Melissa talks with Ann Wilson about the power of words in marriage and the importance of speaking life to one’s spouse. They talk about recognizing that every marriage has peaks and valleys and give practical advice for getting through the hard seasons.

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Covetousness: The Sin Behind the Sin
 

In this episode, Melissa and I talk with Jackie Hill Perry about the sin of covetousness and why it’s so hard to recognize and admit. Listen in if you want to get serious about putting to death the sin of covetousness in your own life.

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Making Decisions with Our Limits in Mind
 

In this episode, Melissa and I talk with Jen Wilkin about how to make decisions in light of our finiteness. We discuss why quitting is sometimes wise, how to think about decisions that will affect your family, and why it’s better to think of God’s will as a field rather than a maze.

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Social Media: Wisdom and Warnings
 

In this episode, Melissa Kruger talks with her friends Hunter Beless and Laura Wifler about the role social media has played in their lives, both positive and negative.  They discuss what red flags they look for in their own lives that show social media is doing them more harm than good.

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Season 1: Your Questions, Our Answers

In this episode, Melissa Kruger and I  respond to questions submitted by listeners, including advice for newlyweds, how women can thoughtfully have relationships with their pastors and elders, our go-to verses for lonely times—and, last but not least, our favorite pizza toppings!

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Your Church Needs You to Show Up

In this episode of The Deep Dish, Melissa Kruger and I talk with Vanessa Hawkins about the vital and beautiful role the church should have in every Christian’s life. We talk about why your church attendance and involvement are necessary not only for your own spiritual growth but for the other members of Christ’s body.

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Work Well With All Types of People

In this episode of The Deep Dish, Courtney Doctor and Melissa Kruger talk with their colleague Ann Westrate about how understanding each others’ gifts has enhanced their work as a team. Understanding the different gifts represented in a team helps enhance morale and strengthen relationships.

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Aging is a Discipleship Issue

In this episode of The Deep Dish, Melissa Kruger and Courtney Doctor talk with Jen Wilkin about how to embrace a more biblical view on bodies, aging, beauty, and youth. They discuss how to see aging as a gift rather than a disease and how we can prepare our spirits for the decline of our bodies.

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Mentoring in Real Life

Courtney Doctor, Melissa Kruger, Vanessa Hawkins, and Jen Wilkin share their experiences of mentoring and being mentored. They discuss the biblical impetus for life-on-life discipleship and how to overcome the intimidation factor when someone asks you to mentor her. They give practical advice on how to make a mentoring relationship work in real life.

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Conversational Bridges to Evangelism
 

In this episode, Melissa and I talk with Becky Pippert about how to develop godly confidence to engage in evangelistic conversations with love. Becky tells stories about sharing her faith with her own parents and talks about how to go from a natural conversation to a spiritual one.

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Becoming Good Stewards of Our Bodies
 

In this episode, Melissa and I talk with Lisa Whittle about how a whole body theology can keep us from obsessing or neglecting our bodies. We discuss the need for a foundational view of our bodies drawn from the whole of Scripture rather than isolated verses. 

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Waiting for God in the Gaps
 

In this episode, Melissa and I talk with Mark Vroegop about the gap moments of our lives when we have to wait. We discuss why waiting is so frustrating, what it means to wait on the Lord, what the Bible says about waiting, and how to recognize and avoid sinful patterns. 

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Can We Trust the Bible?
 

In this episode, Melissa Kruger and I talk with Vanessa Hawkins about the Bible’s trustworthiness. We recommend resources to help you become familiar with biblical genres and the Bible’s overarching narrative to better understand how Scripture fits together.

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Kitchen Table Counseling Within Your Local Church

In this episode, Melissa Kruger and I chat about how to seek out the wisdom of godly friends—and how to respond well when someone comes to you for advice. It’s a conversation meant to help you listen well, speak with grace, and carry one another’s burdens in love.

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Sacrificial Yeses and Necessary Nos

In this episode of The Deep Dish, Melissa Kruger and I talk about how to think of yourself with sober judgment and the wrong reasons to say “yes” and “no”. Although there’s no formula for determining when to say yes or no, there’s always wisdom available from God when we ask for it.

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Choosing Contentment

In this episode of The Deep Dish, Courtney Doctor and Melissa Kruger talk with Elizabeth Woodson about the true meaning of contentment and how to find it. They talk about the enemies of contentment as well as how the psalms of lament show us that grieving is compatible with contentment.

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Making Sense of God's Sovereignty

In this episode of The Deep Dish, Melissa Kruger and Courtney Doctor talk about the mysterious tension between the doctrine of God’s sovereignty and our own human responsibility. They discuss how what’s initially a troubling doctrine can become our deepest comfort.

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Introducing The Deep Dish

Courtney Doctor and Melissa Kruger introduce The Gospel Coalition’s new podcast for women, The Deep Dish. They talk about why women need to have deep conversations and what might stand in the way. Listen to find out about the guests and topics this first season will cover, and join them for deep conversations about deep truth!

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Going to Church
When It Hurts

 

In this episode, Melissa and I talk with Megan Hill about how God’s Word helps us understand the deep hurts that can come from God’s own people. Listen to this episode if you’ve ever experienced church hurt or want to care for those who have.

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The Dish on Gossip

 

In this episode, Melissa and I talk about why we’re so drawn to gossip, how to avoid it, and how to repent of it when you fail. They discuss some telltale phrases that are red flags for gossip, how to turn the conversation to something else, and when and how it’s right to confess gossip. 

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Live: Bible Study in the Local Church Matters
 

 In this live episode recorded at TGC25, Melissa and I talk about why group Bible study is so important in the life of a church. We share advice on the practicalities of how to run a study well by limiting time spent on icebreaker questions and giving guidelines for sharing prayer requests.

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Grief, Loss, and Gratitude in the Christian Life

In this episode, I talk with Whitney Pipkin and Wendy Alsup, two friends who have known deep grief. We talk about why grief can be so surprising, why God allows it, and how to talk to a grieving friend. Be comforted that even if grief feels strange and disorienting, you’re not alone.

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Romans 8 Deserves a
Deep Dive

In this episode of The Deep Dish, Melissa Kruger and I talk with Trillia Newbell about the depth and richness of Romans 8. We look at Romans 8 in the context of the previous chapters and discuss why there’s no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus. We hope you'll open your Bibles and dive in!

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Married for Good

In this episode of The Deep Dish, guests Vanessa Hawkins and Jen Wilkin share  their wisdom from more than 25 years of marriage. They talk about the ways marriage differed from their expectations, what practices have strengthened their marriages through life’s ebbs and flows, and the worst marriage advice they’ve heard.

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What Your Teenagers Need from You

In this episode of The Deep Dish, Melissa Kruger talks with Sandi Taylor and Ruth Chou Simon about parenting teenagers. They reflect on the principles of their parenting that have stayed the same even though their practices have changed as their children age.

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Conversations with God

In this episode of The Deep Dish, Courtney Doctor and Melissa Kruger talk with Nancy Guthrie about their prayer lives. They discuss why it makes sense to pray even when we believe God has already determined what’s going to happen, and why it makes sense to let God’s Word shape our prayers.

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