In this episode of Further, Brenton and Chris are joined by Matt Yaley, pastor of counseling ministries, to talk about the “battle for the mind” and why it’s a real, ongoing fight for believers. They dig into how media and technology shape us—arguing there’s no such thing as neutral input—and why unmanaged consumption can slowly form our identity and desires. The conversation also turns inward, exploring the power of self-talk, the stories we tell ourselves, and what it looks like to intentionally “take thoughts captive” instead of just listening to the loudest inner voice. Matt explains Paul’s “put off / put on” framework from Ephesians 4 as a picture of sanctification—replacing old patterns of thinking with renewed, Christ-shaped ones. They wrap with practical next steps like community in the church, confession and repentance, caring for physical health, setting limits on news intake, and building a realistic, consistent rhythm in Scripture even if you need to start small.

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After a short break, Brenton Grimm and Pastor Chris Carr kick off the new year with a quick “All In” update—celebrating God’s faithfulness as Harmony reaches 48% and hearing how real spiritual transformation is taking root alongside the numbers. From there, they wade into a timely and often controversial question: what can Christians take from psychology, and how Scripture must remain the final authority. Chris offers a framework for engaging psychological science without either dismissing it outright or placing it above God’s Word, including a fascinating connection between neuroscience and the renewing of the mind. They then talk about why loving God with our minds feels especially urgent right now, and why the battle for kids’ identity is so intense in the pre-teen and teen years. The episode closes by unpacking why “activity produces identity” is spiritually crushing, and how union with Christ—and a truth-speaking community—reorients who we are.

Email us at further@harmonybiblechurch.org

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In this final episode of the year, Brenton and Chris wrap up their conversation around John 17 and what it means to live in the world without becoming like it. They talk about the two common extremes Christians fall into—blending in with culture or separating into a bubble—and why Jesus calls us to something harder. Chris also explains why believers shouldn’t be shocked by opposition, and why Jesus teaches us to respond with joy and faith instead of retaliation. They touch on spiritual warfare and how Satan and our own sin often overlap in the battle we see around us. The episode closes with a hopeful reminder about security in Christ, sanctification as being wholly dedicated to God, and why Christmas matters in the middle of heavy topics.

Email us at further@harmonybiblechurch.org

If you have a question that you'd like to be discussed on Further, send us an email at:
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Listen to last week's Sermon:
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Visit our church website at:
harmonybiblechurch.org

furtherpodcast.com