Melissa and I discuss how to apply biblical discernment to when to prioritize wise self-care and when to put aside your needs for the sake of others. We discuss how to set wise boundaries while showing Christlike love, and moving beyond thinking about ourselves to turning our eyes to Jesus.

Melissa and I talk with Michael Graham about what Christians should know about artificial intelligence. We consider theological categories and questions for evaluating AI use. Graham explains inherent biases in AI and the Christian Benchmark project.

Melissa and I discuss how to recognize and repent of the ways we may be relying on self-righteousness rather than Christ’s righteousness. We talk about tribalism, debatable issues, and how the areas where we feel despair may point to pride or self-righteousness in our lives.

Melissa and I discuss helpful practices we've used in our prayer lives, including alternating prayer with Scripture reading, and incorporating confession of sin as a part of personal prayer. We talk about how to be faithful to a promise to pray for someone else and how to make prayer part of a friendship.

Melissa and I talk with Christine Hoover about why we need friends and how to make them. We discuss why our friendships may shift in our life stages, how our friends shape us, and how an idealized view of friendship runs counter to the gospel.

Melissa and I talk about the gap between our expectations for the holidays and the disappointment we often feel. We discuss how to be proactive in preparing our hearts to hope in the Lord rather than in perfection, and how inviting nonfamily into family holidays can bring great blessing.

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.

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. 

 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.

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.

​

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!

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.

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.

​

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.

​

Melissa talks with Amy Gannett and Laura Wifler about how to parent in a way that passes on the Christian faith. They talk about their own homes growing up and the importance of passing on a delight in the things of God. They encourage moms who might feel awkward and share some favorite children's resources.

I talk with Wendy Alsup and Vaneetha Rendall Risner about their experiences of divorce. They share the Bible verses that sustained them and talk honestly about what to say (or not say) to someone going through a divorce. They explain the difficulty of going to church and why it’s vital to go anyway.

Melissa and I talk with New Testament scholar (and Melissa’s husband) Mike Kruger about the excellent evidence that Jesus physically rose from the dead and the difference that makes for our lives. Dr. Kruger points out that Jesus's resurrection prediction validates his claims to be the Son of God. 

Melissa and I talk with Jen Oshman about the lie of materialism. We discuss why we try to fill a God-shaped hole with earthly things and how to recognize materialism in our lives.

We discuss strategies to combat materialism, including setting your heart on heavenly possessions rather than earthly ones.

Melissa and I have a laughter-filled conversation with Jen Wilkin about how we related to our siblings while growing up, how those relationships have changed over the years, and how to encourage kindness and love between siblings throughout their lives.​

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.

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.

​

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.

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.

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!

​

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.

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.

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.

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.

Melissa and I discuss the importance of pursuing spiritual growth during the summer, despite disrupted routines. We recommend lots of resources for summer drop-in Bible studies and encourage listeners to consider living missionally by hosting a study or discussion in their homes with their neighbors.

Melissa and I talk with Emily Jensen about how to broaden our understanding of worship as a response to God’s worth.

We talk about the role our feelings should play in how we think about worship and how to offer up the mundane moments of our lives to the glory of God.

To celebrate the first birthday of The Deep Dish, Melissa and I welcome special guests to answer tough questions sent in by listeners. We talk about the difference between shame and the Spirit’s conviction, how to seek advice about a conflict without gossiping, and more!

I talk with Colleen Chao about how her faith has grown and flourished through living with a terminal cancer diagnosis. We discuss what keeps her clinging to Jesus, and what excites her about the life to come. Colleen expounds a rich theology of suffering accompanied by contagious joy in the Lord.

Melissa and I talk with Raechel Myers and Amanda Bible Williams from She Reads Truth about how they learned to love the Bible. We discuss the challenges and rewards of studying Scripture, memorizing it, and learning to interpret it in community. ​

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.​

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. 

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. 

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.

​

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.

​

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.

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.

​

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.

​

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!