• The Episode about Forrest Frank and Miracles
    2025/09/08
    The latest episode of the Bible Belt Bros Podcast starts off in typical fashion with hosts Andrew and Dusty playfully bickering about espresso machines and coffee preferences, but it quickly evolves into something much more substantial. What begins as a lighthearted discussion about modern music trends transforms into a profound exploration of faith, miracles, and the complicated questions that arise when God seems to answer some prayers but not others. Dusty kicks things off with an observation about how our culture has developed an incredibly short attention span, particularly through TikTok and social media. He points out how major news stories can dominate headlines for a day or two before completely disappearing when the next viral trend emerges. This cultural shift, he argues, has fundamentally changed not just how we consume information, but how artists create music. Enter Forrest Frank, a Christian artist who has seemingly cracked the code on reaching today's generation with his faith-based content. The hosts dive deep into Forrest Frank's musical strategy, and it's fascinating to hear them break it down. Nearly all of his songs clock in under three minutes, which might seem insignificant until you realize this is entirely intentional. Songs like "Your Ways Better" and "God's Got My Back" are specifically crafted with repetitive, catchy choruses that work perfectly for TikTok dances and viral content. Dusty explains how these aren't traditional storytelling songs like you might find in country music or classic rock – they're engineered for an audience that has maybe 30 seconds to capture before scrolling to the next video. It's actually pretty genius when you think about it, even if it represents a massive shift from how music used to be created. The conversation takes a dramatic turn when they start discussing Forrest Frank's recent skateboarding accident and subsequent recovery. The details are pretty harrowing – while skateboarding, he hit the corner of a sidewalk with tremendous force, resulting in what appeared to be a severe back fracture. The hosts describe seeing the actual footage of the accident, the X-rays showing the break, and heartbreaking videos of Forrest Frank in excruciating pain, needing help just to get into bed. This wasn't a minor injury that could be easily dismissed; this was serious, documented medical trauma. But here's where the story gets incredible. Exactly fourteen days after the accident, Forrest Frank woke up and began his normal morning routine. Without thinking about his injury, he picked up his child before suddenly realizing he had forgotten to put on his back brace. The shocking discovery? He felt absolutely no pain. He could twist, turn, lift, and move completely normally. When he went back for follow-up X-rays, they came back completely clear – as if the break had never happened. Andrew, who has a healthcare background, provides a really thoughtful medical analysis of what happened. He explains why this recovery is so remarkable from a scientific standpoint. Typically, when bones heal, you see calcium deposits on X-rays, and the process takes much longer, especially for someone who isn't a professional athlete. The combination of the incredibly fast timeline, complete pain relief, and clear X-rays without any signs of the previous fracture pushes this into what he calls miracle territory. While he acknowledges that rapid healing can theoretically happen naturally, he estimates the odds at about one in a billion. What makes this episode particularly compelling is how the hosts use Forrest Frank's story as a launching point for a broader discussion about miracles and faith. They identify three different types of miracles found in the Bible: faith-based healing, where God responds to someone's active faith; sovereign choice miracles, where God acts regardless of the person's faith or requests; and what they call circumstantial miracles, where God intervenes to protect or further His purposes. Forrest Frank's healing seems to fit into this third category – not because he had extraordinary faith or was actively seeking a miracle, but potentially because God had bigger plans for his ministry that a long recovery would have derailed. The conversation gets really honest when they address the elephant in the room – the jealousy and frustration that some Christians feel when they see others receive miracles while they continue to wait for their own. They talk about Chance, a member of their church who has been in a wheelchair for years despite countless prayers and mission trips. The hosts don't shy away from how difficult and unfair this can feel, but they also share how Chance has chosen to embrace his circumstances rather than become bitter, even participating in church skits with humor and grace. This leads to perhaps the most profound part of the episode, where they tackle the mystery of why God performs some miracles and not others. They reference ...
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    30 分
  • Dusty is the Therapist as Andrew Vents about Church Plans vs God's Plans
    2025/08/18

    In this episode, Dusty becomes Andrew’s therapist as he vents about basically everything.

    The guys jump into a conversation that picks up from the last episode—this time digging into the idea of a whole church doing the same Bible study together. Andrew has... thoughts. Like, a lot of them. And Dusty? He mostly listens, throws in a few jokes, and keeps the mic from catching on fire.

    They talk about how their church is doing a 40-day reading plan through Matthew and Romans. The idea is that everyone’s on the same page—literally. If someone in accounting is reading the same thing as someone on the worship team, it makes spiritual conversations easier and less weird. You can be like, “Hey, what’d you learn today?” and it doesn’t feel awkward.

    But Andrew’s not totally sold. He’s got concerns about whether these group studies are Spirit-led or just pastor-led. He wonders if we’re really following God—or just doing what the church tells us. He brings up fasting, church schedules, leadership styles, and even his own issues with submitting to authority. It’s honest. It’s a little messy. It’s definitely real.

    Dusty pushes back a bit, reminding Andrew that submitting to leadership isn’t always bad. Sometimes you just do it. Even if you don’t feel it. Even if it feels like a fad. Because growth can still happen. And also... it’s just 40 days.

    They also talk about how church people are all at different spiritual levels. So one plan might feel too basic for some and too deep for others. But Dusty points out—it’s only 10 minutes a day. You can still go deeper on your own, and it might even open up chances for discipleship.

    By the end, Andrew admits it’s not really a leadership problem. It’s more of a “me” problem. He’s still doing the study, even though he doesn’t love it. And Dusty, well, he basically wins therapy today.

    If you've ever struggled with church plans, leadership, or just doing something you don’t feel like doing, this episode is for you. Also, if you're a tier 3 Christian subscriber... Andrew sees you.

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    33 分
  • Dusty Gets High with Students at Camp
    2025/08/11
    In this engaging episode of the Bible Belt Bros Podcast, hosts Dusty and Andrew dive deep into the transformative experience of youth church camp, exploring the spiritual highs, challenges, and lasting impact of these powerful ministry moments. Fresh off a week at youth camp, Dusty brings his slightly raspy voice and abundant enthusiasm as he shares firsthand accounts of what happened during their church's independent camp experience. Camp Experience and Structure The hosts discuss their church's decision to move away from the traditional Falls Creek camp experience, opting instead to rent out an entire camp facility for their youth ministry. This strategic choice allowed them greater flexibility, cost savings, and the ability to customize their program without being constrained by other camps' rules and schedules. Dusty explains how this approach enabled them to accommodate their growing youth group more effectively while maintaining their unique ministry style. The camp theme "Best is Yet to Come" takes on special significance as they reveal that their current youth pastor, Kyle Henderson, will be transitioning to lead pastor in September, adding an element of transition and anticipation to the week's activities. Daily Camp Structure and Spiritual Disciplines Dusty provides detailed insight into the camp's daily rhythm, which was intentionally designed to maximize spiritual growth and minimize distractions. The structured day began at 7:30 AM with loud music to wake everyone up, followed immediately by mandatory quiet time with God - a practice that set the spiritual tone for each day. This was followed by breakfast, morning worship, grade-specific small group breakouts (segregated by gender and grade level), lunch, and specialized afternoon breakout sessions. The afternoon sessions offered students choices based on their interests and calling, including sessions on ministry calling, Christian business leadership (led by Sarah from Boulder Coffee discussing the balance between service and sustainability), and worship leadership that emphasized leading people to Christ rather than just performing songs well. Musical Worship and Camp Songs The hosts discuss the camp's worship music, highlighting two significant songs that became anthems for the week. "Before and After" served as a powerful testimony song, particularly meaningful to Marin, a recent high school graduate developing as a worship leader. Despite losing her voice during camp, Marin's experience became a teaching moment about true worship leadership - focusing on leading people to encounter God rather than perfect vocal performance. "Hail Hill Lion of Judah" emerged as the high-energy, participatory song that got everyone moving and shouting. Dusty notes the challenge of translating these camp-specific songs to regular Sunday morning services, acknowledging that what works in the heightened atmosphere of camp may not translate directly to weekly worship experiences. Spiritual Moments and Conversion Experiences The conversation takes a thoughtful turn as they address the spiritual intensity of camp, including baptisms and rededications. However, they also tackle the concerning pattern they observed of students making repeated commitments - with one student reportedly getting "saved" five times and baptized multiple times during just this one camp week. This leads to a broader discussion about the effectiveness of emotional decision-making versus genuine life transformation. Andrew shares his frustration with what he perceives as circular movement rather than forward progress, questioning whether students are truly growing or simply repeating emotional experiences without substantial change. The hosts emphasize that their youth group "The Movement" should represent actual forward motion in spiritual growth, not repetitive cycles of the same decisions. The Reality of "Camp High" - Biblical and Practical Perspectives Perhaps the most substantial portion of the episode focuses on the phenomenon of "camp high" - the spiritual and emotional elevation students experience during intensive Christian retreats and camps. Rather than dismissing this experience, the hosts provide biblical grounding for understanding spiritual highs. Dusty draws parallels to Moses' experience on Mount Sinai, where his face glowed from being in God's presence, with that glow gradually fading over time. Andrew adds the account from Mark 9, where Peter, James, and John witnessed Jesus' transfiguration and Peter's desire to build shelters and remain on the mountain permanently. This biblical precedent validates the reality of spiritual highs while also demonstrating that the normal pattern involves returning to the valley for ministry and daily life. Understanding Why Camp High Occurs The hosts provide practical analysis of why camp experiences are so powerful. The removal of technological distractions (all phones were confiscated) combined with structured spiritual disciplines...
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    37 分
  • The Good Old Days of Bad Christian Haircuts and WWJD Bracelets
    2025/08/04
    In this heartwarming and humorous episode of the Bible Belt Bros Podcast, hosts Dusty and Andrew take listeners on an entertaining journey through Christian culture of the late 90s and early 2000s. What starts as a response to a listener email from their hometown becomes a delightful exploration of shared memories, awkward teenage moments, and the evolution of church youth culture. It Started with an Email The episode begins with the hosts sharing an unexpected email from Kerri, a listener who discovered their podcast on Amazon Prime Music and recognized them from their shared hometown of Aurora. This serendipitous connection leads to Dusty recounting a deeply embarrassing "core memory" from his youth - an awkwardly phrased question to Kerri's chicken farmer father that has apparently become family legend. The story perfectly encapsulates Dusty's self-aware humor about his social awkwardness, as he admits to accidentally insulting people without realizing it. WWJD and the Christian Accessory Phenomenon The conversation naturally transitions into a nostalgic discussion about the iconic "What Would Jesus Do" (WWJD) bracelets that dominated Christian culture in the late 90s and early 2000s. The hosts humorously theorize about why these bracelets disappeared, with Andrew jokingly suggesting "we all just now realized what Jesus would do, so we didn't have to keep asking." They explore whether these trends might cycle back like fashion trends, comparing them to bell-bottoms. The discussion expands to include other Christian acronyms and sayings from their youth, including "WAJD" (Walk As Jesus Did) from their former pastor Rusty, and "FROG" (Fully Rely On God). They playfully suggest these four-letter Christian acronyms might have been alternatives to actual four-letter words, imagining someone stubbing their toe and exclaiming "What Would Jesus Do!" Fashion and Style of Christian Youth Culture The hosts dive deep into the fashion trends that defined their Christian teenage years. They reminisce about wooden cross necklaces, nail jewelry twisted into cross shapes, and the practice of shaving religious symbols into their hair. Andrew shares a particularly amusing story about asking Pastor Rusty to shave a cross in his head, which ended up looking more like a plus sign, earning him the reputation as "a positive dude around school." Dusty shares a more recent and touching story about shaving a fish symbol in his hair when his mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, incorporating both the Christian fish symbol and a breast cancer ribbon before dyeing it pink. This moment shows how these symbolic gestures evolved from teenage fashion statements to meaningful expressions of faith and support. The Evolution of See You at the Pole One of the most thoughtful segments addresses the changes in "See You at the Pole," the annual prayer event at school flagpoles. The hosts contrast their authentic, student-led experiences with what they perceive as the more commercialized, production-heavy versions that developed over time. They express concern about how the original grassroots, student-driven nature of the event was lost when churches began organizing elaborate productions around it, complete with song leaders and structured programs. This discussion reveals their deeper understanding of how institutionalization can sometimes diminish the authentic spiritual impact of organic movements. They emphasize how powerful it was when students gathered on their own initiative, without pastoral oversight or structured programming. Church Architecture and Youth Ministry Philosophy The conversation takes an interesting turn into church facility design and youth ministry philosophy. They discuss the trend of separate youth buildings that was popular during their teenage years, complete with superior sound systems, game rooms, and coffee house atmospheres. Dusty fondly remembers their church's coffee house venue and the ability to shut down entire city blocks for outdoor concerts and events - something only possible in their small town of Aurora. Andrew introduces a more critical perspective, agreeing with their friend Kyle about the inefficiency of separate youth facilities. They explore how churches like Life Church have adopted more economical models by sharing resources across multiple locations, allowing for better quality equipment and materials through bulk purchasing and unified programming. Musical Memories and Mosh Pits No discussion of 90s/2000s Christian culture would be complete without addressing the music scene. The hosts reminisce about Christian concerts and the surprisingly common practice of moshing at Christian rock shows. They mention specific bands like TFK (Thousand Foot Krutch) and Disciple, noting how these bands eventually discouraged moshing as it became too violent. They contrast their memories of "Christian moshing" - which involved more jumping around and crowd surfing - with the fighting-style moshing ...
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    31 分
  • Post-It Notes from the Lord and We Walk Through the First Five Chapters in Matthew
    2025/07/21

    Welcome back to another episode of the Bible Belt Bros Podcast, where faith meets funny and Bible studies become comedy gold! This week, Dusty and Andrew dive headfirst into their church's 40-day devotional journey through the book of Matthew, and let's just say it's been... an experience.

    Dusty opens the episode with possibly the most humble-brag spiritual story ever told. After struggling with consistent quiet time (while his wife crushes it daily), he wakes up to find a Post-it note on his desk that says "Me first" - obviously from the Lord himself. Or was it from "the Lord" (aka his wife, who he's nicknamed after the Holy Spirit because they say suspiciously similar things)? Either way, Dusty's convinced he's operating on a special blue Post-it note level of divine communication.

    Biblical Deep Dives (Sort Of):

    • Matthew 1: They tackle the lineage chapter that everyone skips, discovering that Jesus's family tree includes some pretty questionable characters (looking at you, Rahab from their infamous "Swipe Left" episode)
    • Matthew 2: The wise men weren't at the manger (plot twist!), and King Herod's baby-murdering rampage leads to some surprisingly deep insights about what people do when they're protecting their territory
    • Matthew 3: John the Baptist gets rebranded as "John the Non-Denom" based on his decidedly non-traditional Baptist lifestyle of eating bugs and wearing camel hair
    • Matthew 4: Jesus's 40-day wilderness fast becomes a lesson in proper ministry preparation, plus the guys realize Jesus started his ministry at 29 (younger than both of them, which hits different)
    • Matthew 5: The Sermon on the Mount becomes a discussion about "over-giving" and why both hosts refuse to sign up for church volunteer opportunities (they're too important to be scheduled in advance, obviously)

    Between the laughs, there are actually some solid insights about God using imperfect people, the importance of fasting before major decisions, not banking on your parents' faith, and the radical concept of over-blessing people who might not deserve it.

    This episode perfectly captures what the Bible Belt Bros do best - finding the humor in trying to be good Christians while being completely honest about their struggles, pride, and the weird dynamics of church culture. From Post-it note prophecies to refusing to sign up for volunteer opportunities, they're keeping it real about what it actually looks like to do life in the church.

    Whether you're crushing your daily devotions or struggling to make it past day 5, this episode will have you laughing, thinking, and maybe feeling a little better about your own messy faith journey. Plus, you'll learn why you should never skip the genealogy chapters and why John the Baptist was definitely more non-denominational than Southern Baptist.

    Perfect for: Anyone who's ever felt spiritually inadequate, wondered about the weird stories in the Bible, or needed a good laugh about church life. Also perfect for people

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    34 分
  • When Church Hurt Comes From Inside the Building
    2025/07/15

    Welcome to the warm, carpet-stained pews of Christian comedy. If you’ve ever been to church and left with more emotional bruises than a youth group dodgeball game, this one’s for you.

    This is the Bible Belt Bros Podcast, where today we talk about something spiritual, something sacred, and something that’s honestly kind of annoying—church hurt. That glorious blend of disappointment, weird rules, and that one guy who took your seat for the last time.

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    43 分
  • Baptists Ban Sports Betting, But I'll Bet Money They're Gossiping in Church
    2025/07/07
    When is it Gossip? So apparently, 10,000 Southern Baptists walked into a convention center, and it wasn't the setup to a joke. It was the setup to cancel everything fun in my life. I'm talking about the Southern Baptist Convention's annual meeting, where they decided to target—and I quote—"pornography, sports betting, and same-sex marriage, as well as willful childlessness." Now, I get the first one. I understand the marriage thing. But sports betting? Really? You're coming for my FanDuel account? And "willful childlessness"? What's next, are they going to start monitoring who's using birth control? Are they going to have a fertility committee? "Excuse me, Brother Johnson, we noticed you only have two kids. Care to explain?" The Great Fantasy Football Controversy Here's where it gets personal. I'm sitting there listening to this news, and all I can think about is my church fantasy football league. Because apparently, according to these Southern Baptist overlords, I can't have a prize at the end of the season. No money involved. Just pure, competitive sadness. You know what happens when you play fantasy football with no money on the line? People quit. They just stop. Week 6 rolls around, their team is 1-5, and they're like, "Well, I'm done setting my lineup." Meanwhile, you're stuck with some guy who's been starting players on bye weeks for the last month because he checked out mentally sometime around Halloween. I've tried those church leagues with no money. It's like watching paint dry, except the paint is more exciting because at least it's making progress. These people will draft a team, lose three games, and then disappear faster than the church donuts after Sunday service. "Put ten dollars on it for a full season, guys. Come on." But no, apparently that's gambling now. That's the devil's work. Next thing you know, they'll be telling us we can't flip coins to see who pays for lunch because that's "games of chance." Welcome to Oklahoma, Where Everything Fun Is Illegal Living in Oklahoma, this hits different. We finally got some legal gambling options—you can play FanDuel, you can do prop betting on sites like PrizePicks. You pick two or three players, choose over or under on their stats, and if you're right, your five dollars can multiply. But here's the thing about these bets: they're really hard to win. Somebody's always going to get hurt. Somebody's going to have a bad game. Somebody's going to get in foul trouble. Just the other day, some guy placed a seven-game parlay and got all the way to the Thunder game. He was projected to win $238,000 off a ten-dollar bet. The Thunder lost with three seconds left on the clock. That's not gambling addiction—that's just Oklahoma sports breaking your heart in the most expensive way possible. The Baseball Betting Disaster I'll be honest with you: I used to bet on baseball, and it was the most frustrating experience of my life. Think about it—the best players in the league are batting .300. That means they fail seven out of ten times. And these are the good players. You'll bet on a team for a doubleheader, thinking, "They're going to win today." They lose the first game, then they win the second game 10-0, and you're sitting there like, "What did you not just do that the first game when I had money on it?" Baseball betting taught me that sports betting is just paying money to be disappointed in new and creative ways. It's like marriage, but with worse odds. The Gossip Problem (AKA The Real Issue) But here's the thing that really got me thinking. While the Southern Baptist Convention is worried about my five-dollar fantasy football bets, they're completely missing the real problem in our churches: gossip. Our pastor Michael preached on gossip recently, and honestly, it was one of his best sermons. Not because he wasn't preaching at me for once—though that was refreshing—but because he hit on something that actually matters. You know what gossip is? It's talking about someone else's issues with no intent to help them or solve the problem. Simple as that. And churches are absolutely terrible about this. The Prayer Request Loophole Here's how gossip works in church: "Hey, we need to pray for so-and-so because they're really struggling. They got drunk last week, and they're making poor decisions, and their marriage is falling apart, and did you hear about what happened at their job?" And everyone's like, "Oh yes, let's pray for them." But really, we just want the details. We want to know what happened. We want to be in the know. I used to make fun of people who gave "unspoken prayer requests." Like, if you're not going to tell me what's wrong, how am I supposed to pray for you? I need the gossip—I mean, the details—to properly intercede with the Lord. But now I get it. "Please pray for my friend Ben. He's dealing with some health issues." That's it. That's all you need to say. You don't need to go into his entire medical history and how he's not ...
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    37 分
  • Do Christians Actually Need Daily Quiet Time?
    2025/06/30
    Do Christians Actually Need Daily Quiet Time? Let me start with a confession: I tried to become a millionaire at QuickTrip this morning. Not through some elaborate business scheme or scratch-off lottery tickets, but through the tried-and-true method of spilling scalding coffee on my crotch and suing for damages. Turns out QuickTrip has gotten smart about their McDonald's-style hot coffee lawsuits. They've apparently just turned down the temperature so when their coffee inevitably shoots out of the spout directly into your lap, you don't actually get burned. Smart business move. Terrible for my get-rich-quick scheme. This minor disappointment happened on my way to grab coffee because I'd run out of espresso at home. My wife and I have this auto-ship thing for coffee, but we're always pushing it back because we think we're not drinking it fast enough. Classic overestimation of our own self-control. It's like when you buy a gym membership in January and then push back your first workout until February... then March... then next January. But here's the thing – even without coffee, even after failing at accidental lawsuit fortune, I still had to face the day. And that meant confronting a question that's been bouncing around Christian circles for decades: Do I really need to do a daily quiet time? The Quiet Time Identity Crisis First, let's establish what we're talking about here. A quiet time, for the uninitiated, is that sacred Christian ritual where you're supposed to read your Bible, pray, journal, and sit in contemplative silence while God presumably downloads wisdom directly into your brain like some kind of spiritual Wi-Fi connection. It's the Christian equivalent of kale smoothies – everyone knows they should be doing it, most people aren't, and the ones who are won't stop talking about it. I've been doing a version of this for seven and a half years now, thanks to a men's group from church. We dissolved the group six months ago, but for seven straight years, we'd message each other every morning with a simple "done" after completing whatever Bible study we were working through. Usually five to ten-minute lessons – we're not talking about seminary-level theological deep dives here. But here's where it gets weird: I've been doing my quiet time in the bathroom. On the toilet, specifically. I used to use an actual paper Bible, but then I realized that was probably disgusting, so now I just use my phone and a Bible app. Not sponsored, by the way, though if Life Church wants to cut me a check for the endorsement, I'm available. This bathroom setup has worked for me because it's consistent. I wake up, I go to the bathroom, I read. It's part of my morning routine like brushing my teeth or wondering why I stayed up so late watching YouTube videos about conspiracy theories involving birds (different story for another time). But lately, I've been wondering: Am I doing this because it's genuinely helping my spiritual life, or am I just checking a box? Is this relationship-building with God, or is it just ritual at this point? The Pride Problem Here's the uncomfortable truth: A lot of my quiet time motivation comes from pride. For seven years, I couldn't let the men's group down by not texting "done." Even now, months after the group dissolved, I still feel this compulsion to maintain the streak. It's like those people who refuse to break their Wordle streak even though they've stopped enjoying the game. There's also the modeling aspect. We're told as Christians that we should be examples to others, especially to our families. Our pastor makes sure to do his quiet time in a visible place so his family can see him prioritizing God. Meanwhile, I'm in the bathroom with my phone. Not exactly the inspiring spiritual leadership moment you'd see on a church brochure. My wife knows I do it, but my daughter doesn't. Though to be fair, explaining to a kid that Daddy has special God time in the bathroom might create more questions than answers. The Requirement Question So here's the big question that started this whole mental journey: Is a daily quiet time actually required? Like, biblically speaking? I've looked, and I can't find anywhere in Scripture that says, "Thou shalt read these words every single morning, preferably while caffeinated." It's not the eleventh commandment. Moses didn't drop a third tablet that said, "Also, get a Bible app." Jesus did set a precedent by withdrawing to quiet places to pray and talk with God. He'd leave his disciples behind – who, let's be honest, couldn't even stay awake to pray with him for an hour when he really needed them. So there's definitely biblical support for the concept of intentional time with God. But required? Logistically speaking, no. There's no verse that says you have to do a daily quiet time or you're going to Christian jail. Spiritually speaking? That's where it gets complicated. The Discipline Debate Here's the thing about spiritual disciplines: they're a ...
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    35 分