Jesse and I are excited to have our pastor on the show today! We’re part of the discipleship program that he started at our church, and you’ve probably heard us talk about the program many times if you've been following me online the last few years.
Jesse actually joined the Discipleship Program shortly after we moved to TN. It ended up profoundly impacting his life.
I was more reluctant to be a part of it, but I finally said yes the next year... and well, my life will never be the same!
Many of you have asked me to share more details on the program, so I'm honored that Eric took time out of his schedule to record a podcast to explain more of the backstory of the Discipleship Program and how it came about.
In this episode, Eric explains how he used to live his life in a performance-based way. He saw his worth as being tied to what he accomplished. He also felt that he couldn’t trust others, and had to rely on himself to get things done.
Eric and his wife got stuck in a rut that they couldn’t find their way out of. They knew they needed help, so they accepted the opportunity to go away for a period of intense counseling. This turned his life upside down, even though he found it incredibly hard to have some very unhealthy patterns in his life exposed.
Because of what he learned through counseling and in-depth study, he knew he could never go back to where he once was. He invited 12 men to join him on this journey of studying and reading and growing together. This became the basis for the Discipleship Program that now has impacted hundreds of lives in our local community.
I’m so excited for you to hear Eric share about some of the foundational principles that have changed my life as well as some first steps you can take if you’re feeling stuck. (Also, Eric talks about some tools and resources you can dive into if you want to learn more about your emotions and how to live wholeheartedly.)
In This Episode:
[00:25] - Welcome back to the Crystal Paine Show! I give a little backstory about today’s guest, our pastor Eric Hoffman.
[03:37] - The first six months after we moved were a low point for Jesse. He struggled to find his worth outside of his work.
[06:36] - Being part of the Discipleship Program at our church is truly what God used to radically shift his perspective and understanding of God. It also helped him uncover and discover his giftings and the way he is wired.
[08:29] -I share how I was very reluctant to sign up for the Discipleship Program and talk about how exhausting and hard it was for me to go through it the first year. And yet, ultimately, it ended up changing my life in powerful ways. And then, Jesse and I have both had the opportunity to lead small groups through the program the last few years.
[10:36] - Eric takes us back to his less-compassionate days, and explains what brought him to where he is today.
[14:08] - We hear a story about Eric’s conversation with a friend in a coffee shop.
[16:12] - How did Eric manage to keep living out of the truths of what he had learned in day-to-day life?
[19:11] - I talk about how much the program has changed not only my life, but also those of the women I’ve gotten to walk through it with.
[22:37] - What are some first steps that people can take to get out of living in a rut? Eric shares a lot of practical tools and resources here.
[32:54] - Eric leaves us with a great idea of something that he and his wife do with their kids at the dinner table to teach them how to express their emotions in a healthy way.
Links and Resources:
Eric Hoffman Galatians for You by Tim Keller The Prodigal God by Tim Keller Counterfeit Gods by Tim Keller Timothy Keller Wholehearted 8-Part Message Series The Bible Project: Word Study: Lev - “Heart” The Voice of the Heart by Chip Dodd What Am I Feeling? by Dr. Josh Straub and Christi Straub Crystal’s Favorite Things on Amazon CrystalPaine.com MoneySavingMom.com YourBloggingMentor.com Crystal’s Instagram account (I’d love for you to follow me there! I usually hop on at least a few times per day and share behind-the-scenes photos and videos, my grocery store hauls, funny stories, or just anything I’m pondering or would like your advice or feedback on!) Have feedback on the show or suggestions for future episodes or topics? Send me an email: crystal@moneysavingmom.comNote: This post contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, we may receive a small commission — at no additional cost to you. Thank you so much for your support!
