Being Human with Steve Cuss
- Episodes
- 268
- Released
- weekly
- Latest episode
- Nov 2, 2026
About the podcast
From Christianity Today, Being Human with Steve Cuss is Christian counseling in podcast form. Steve Cuss, a former trauma and hospice chaplain, pastor, and leadership coach, guides listeners with a gospel-informed journey of discovery into the world of emotional health: everything from anxiety and reactivity, to triangulation, overfunctioning, and the Enneagram.
Episodes 268
Steve Cuss Shares an Exciting Update about His Future at Christianity Today
After eight years, Steve Cuss is putting Being Human temporarily on pause— to launch a new Christianity Today podcast examining healthy and unhealthy cultures in churches and Christian nonprofits. In this brief …
Show notes
After eight years, Steve Cuss is putting Being Human temporarily on pause— to launch a new Christianity Today podcast examining healthy and unhealthy cultures in churches and Christian nonprofits. In this brief update, he shares what listeners can expect. He also teases his upcoming book with his wife, Lisa. And, fear not! Being Human will return in 2027!
Episode Resources:
Scripture Referenced:
John 1:5 (ESV)
Sign up for Steve’s Newsletter & Podcast Reminders Capable Life Newsletter
Get the Assets & Liabilities pdf and the Life Giving List
Join Steve at an Upcoming Intensive Capable Life Intensives
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Steve & Lisa Cuss: How Stories of the Global Church Challenge Our Expectations of God
Steve and Lisa Cuss explore miraculous healing, refugee ministry, and faith amid uncertainty in this Being Human showcase of God’s expansive kingdom. Jackie Aviles prepared her family for her death before …
Show notes
Steve and Lisa Cuss explore miraculous healing, refugee ministry, and faith amid uncertainty in this Being Human showcase of God’s expansive kingdom. Jackie Aviles prepared her family for her death before experiencing healing. Ryan Keating’s ministry in Turkey grew from five registrants to feeding 5,000 refugee families. And author Ellen Vaughn braved a battered Russian helicopter to visit a Cambodian church orphanage. What do their stories reveal about trusting God when hope feels out of reach? Discover how God’s expansive kingdom takes shape through churches around the world—and people who carry one another’s hope.
More from Jackie Aviles:
Jackie Aviles’ website
Learn about Embassy Church
More from Ellen Vaughn:
Ellen Vaughn’s What Jesus Started: The World-Changing Power of the Local Church
Charles Colson with Ellen Santilli Vaughn’s The Body
Check out Ellen Vaughn’s website
More from Ryan Keating:
More about Ryan Keating
Scripture Referenced:
2 Corinthians 4 ESV
Psalm 118:24 (ESV)
Philippians 1:21 (ESV)
John 16:33 (ESV)
Sign up for Steve’s Newsletter & Podcast Reminders Capable Life Newsletter
Get the Assets & Liabilities pdf and the Life Giving List
Join Steve at an Upcoming Intensive Capable Life Intensives
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Ellen Vaughn Asks “Do You Trust God or Not?” Faith in the Middle of Suffering
Join Steve Cuss and author Ellen Vaughn, who once rode a rusty, cracked-fuselage Russian helicopter across Cambodia—and arrived to hear children from a local church orphanage singing “This Is the Day” in …
Show notes
Join Steve Cuss and author Ellen Vaughn, who once rode a rusty, cracked-fuselage Russian helicopter across Cambodia—and arrived to hear children from a local church orphanage singing “This Is the Day” in English, as they unpack stories from God’s Expansive Kingdom. Ellen’s chat with Steve captures the stories behind her book What Jesus Started: churches thriving in places marked by poverty, persecution, and violence. Vaughn reflects on what she learned from believers who don’t expect life to be easy, including the astonishing freedom of a Rwandan pastor who forgave the neighbor who killed members of his family. She also talks candidly about her husband Lee’s decade-long battle with brain cancer, Chuck Colson’s publishing integrity, and why the church must remain independent of political power.
More from Ellen Vaughn:Ellen Vaughn’s What Jesus Started: The World-Changing Power of the Local Church
More about C.S. Lewis Institute
More about The Killing Fields
Chuck Colson’s Prison Fellowship
Charles Colson with Ellen Santilli Vaughn’s The Body
Episode Resources:
More about Ellen Vaughn
Ellen Vaughn’s Being Elisabeth Elliot: The Authorized Biography: Elisabeth’s Later Years
Ellen Vaughn’s Becoming Elisabeth Elliot
Scripture Referenced:
Genesis 28:16 (ESV)
John 1:5 (ESV)
Psalm 118:24 (ESV)
Philippians 1:21 (ESV)
2 Corinthians 1:3–4 (ESV)
John 16:33 (ESV)
2 Corinthians 5:7 (ESV)
Isaiah 45:7 (ESV)
Sign up for Steve’s Newsletter & Podcast Reminders Capable Life Newsletter
Get the Assets & Liabilities pdf and the Life Giving List
Join Steve at an Upcoming Intensive Capable Life Intensives
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
When “You’ll Be Healed” Is the Wrong Thing to Say with Jackie Aviles
In 2016, doctors gave young mother Jackie Aviles six months to live. As cancer spread through her bones and lymph nodes, she prepared her children for her death and even chose a casket. Now, ten years …
Show notes
In 2016, doctors gave young mother Jackie Aviles six months to live. As cancer spread through her bones and lymph nodes, she prepared her children for her death and even chose a casket. Now, ten years cancer-free, Jackie tells Steve how faith, medicine, grief, and what she describes as God’s supernatural healing shaped her family’s journey. Jackie and her husband, pastor Emilio, also faced the pain of leading a church while grieving—and learned that listening can matter more than offering easy reassurance. Their conversation explores hope when healing doesn’t come, the difference between caring and carrying, and why peace may matter more than clarity.
More from Jackie Aviles:
Jackie Aviles’ website
Learn about Embassy Church
Episode Resources:
More about Matt Chandler
Learn about the Bright City Church team
Scripture Referenced:
2 Corinthians 4 ESV
Romans 5:3–5 ESV
Philippians 4:7 ESV
Romans 8:28 ESV
Philippians 1:21 ESV
Philippians 1:6 ESV
Isaiah 40:31 ESV
Isaiah 53:5 ESV
Mark 4:35–41 ESV
John 15:5 ESV
Sign up for Steve’s Newsletter & Podcast Reminders Capable Life Newsletter
Get the Assets & Liabilities pdf and the Life Giving List
Join Steve at an Upcoming Intensive Capable Life Intensives
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Small Acts and World-Changing Faith with Ryan Keating & Tommy Lee
Bad news isn’t the main story of the church. On Being Human, Steve Cuss talks with pastor Ryan Keating and Resource Global founder Tommy Lee about faith in action—from feeding thousands of refugees in Turkey to …
Show notes
Bad news isn’t the main story of the church. On Being Human, Steve Cuss talks with pastor Ryan Keating and Resource Global founder Tommy Lee about faith in action—from feeding thousands of refugees in Turkey to equipping Christian leaders and expanding access to education in Indonesia. As part of the “God’s Expansive Kingdom” series, these conversations explore global ministry, faith and work, and the lasting impact of small, faithful investments in people. Discover how noticing God at work can interrupt anxiety, renew hope, and help you see fresh possibilities in your own community.
Episode Resources:
Learn about & support Resource Global
Learn about Fellowship Church in Connecticut
Learn about Doctor Share
Timothy Keller’s Every Good Endeavor
More about Tommy Lee
More about Ryan Keating
Sign up for Steve’s Newsletter & Podcast Reminders
Get the Assets & Liabilities pdf and the Life Giving List
Join Steve at an Upcoming Intensive
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Steve & Lisa Cuss: Liturgy, Life-Giving Habits, and Mental Health with Douglas McKelvey & Alexandra Thompson
In this recap episode of Being Human, hosts Steve and Lisa Cuss explore how God's kingdom expands through mental health ministry and spiritual formation. They highlight innovative church-based counseling …
Show notes
In this recap episode of Being Human, hosts Steve and Lisa Cuss explore how God's kingdom expands through mental health ministry and spiritual formation. They highlight innovative church-based counseling models, including a "clinic in a box" concept, and community mental health collectives. The episode features interviews with clinical counselor Alex Thompson and Doug McKelvie, writer of the Every Moment Holy liturgy series. They discuss how ancient prayers provide grounding for modern struggles. Steve and Lisa also share personal stories of global ministry encounters, life-giving habits, and the power of liturgical prayer to connect believers across generations and cultures.
Episode Resources:
Learn about: Women Leaders Alliance
Build your Life Giving List
Partner with Cumberland Counseling Centers
Douglas McKelvey’s Every Moment Holy
Douglas McKelvey’s Every Moment Holy: Rites of Passage
Book of Common Prayer (online version)
Thomas Keating’s contemplative prayer
Explore the Hope Collective
More from Alexandra Thompson:
More about Alexandra Thompson, LCSW
More from Douglas McKelvey:
Every Moment Holy Website
Every Moment Holy Liturgy Downloads
Every Moment Holy Live Experience
Sign up for Steve’s Newsletter & Podcast Reminders
Get the Assets & Liabilities pdf and the Life Giving List
Join Steve at an Upcoming Intensive
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Douglas McKelvey’s Every Moment Holy
In this episode of Being Human, host Steve Cuss speaks with Douglas McKelvey, author of the Every Moment Holy series—books offering liturgical prayers for everyday and significant life moments. Both share …
Show notes
In this episode of Being Human, host Steve Cuss speaks with Douglas McKelvey, author of the Every Moment Holy series—books offering liturgical prayers for everyday and significant life moments. Both share personal journeys from skepticism toward formal liturgy to discovering its deep spiritual value. Douglas recounts how the Book of Common Prayer transformed his faith during a period of theological uncertainty, while Steve reflects on his experience as a hospital chaplain. They explore the power of communal liturgy, the specificity of prayers for modern moments, and how Douglas's latest volume, Rites of Passage, helps young adults connect with God throughout life's transitions.
Episode Resources:
Douglas McKelvey’s Every Moment Holy
Douglas McKelvey’s Every Moment Holy: Rites of Passage
Book of Common Prayer (online version)
More about Andrew Peterson
Scripture Referenced:
Psalm 131 ESV
More from Douglas McKelvey:
Every Moment Holy Website
Every Moment Holy Liturgy Downloads
Every Moment Holy Live Experience
Sign up for Steve’s Newsletter & Podcast Reminders
Get the Assets & Liabilities pdf and the Life Giving List
Join Steve at an Upcoming Intensive
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Is This the Church’s Bold Return to Mental Health Care? with Alexandra Thompson
In this episode of Being Human, host Steve Cuss chats with Alexandra Thompson, founder of Cumberland Counseling Centers, a Georgia-based nonprofit embedding state-licensed counseling clinics inside local …
Show notes
In this episode of Being Human, host Steve Cuss chats with Alexandra Thompson, founder of Cumberland Counseling Centers, a Georgia-based nonprofit embedding state-licensed counseling clinics inside local churches. Alex introduces her "clinic in a box" model, which allows churches to launch professional mental health services within weeks. The conversation covers trauma healing, EMDR therapy, faith integration, and the church's historical role as a community healing center.
Episode Resources:
More about Alexandra Thompson, LCSW
Partner with Cumberland Counseling Centers
Overview of EMDR
What Is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?
Scripture Referenced:
Mark 12:30-31 ESV
Sign up for Steve’s Newsletter & Podcast Reminders
Get the Assets & Liabilities pdf and the Life Giving List
Join Steve at an Upcoming Intensive
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Steve Cuss: Beyond the Headlines in God’s Expansive Kingdom
In this episode of Being Human, host Steve Cuss launches the new theme "God's Expansive Kingdom." Drawing from years of international travel, Steve shares inspiring stories of Christians making a difference …
Show notes
In this episode of Being Human, host Steve Cuss launches the new theme "God's Expansive Kingdom." Drawing from years of international travel, Steve shares inspiring stories of Christians making a difference worldwide—from floating hospitals in Southeast Asia to a small women's Bible study group running a halfway house for former inmates. He also addresses the prevalence of negative narratives about the church online, acknowledging that abuse must be exposed while cautioning against cynicism and shame-driven reporting. Steve emphasizes that despite troubling headlines, countless faithful believers are quietly and powerfully advancing God's kingdom globally.
Episode Resources:
Steve Cuss’s Managing Leadership Anxiety: Yours and Theirs
Scripture Referenced:
Luke 18:9–14 ESV
Sign up for Steve’s Newsletter & Podcast Reminders
Get the Assets & Liabilities pdf and the Life Giving List
Join Steve at an Upcoming Intensive
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Steve & Lisa Cuss: Social Media Extremes, Political Problems, and Moving from Legalism to Grace with Ryan Burge and Jessie Cruickshank & Julia Schmaltz
In this episode of Being Human, Steve and Lisa Cuss explore how politics, social media, and the stories we tell ourselves shape who we become. Pastor and political analyst Ryan Burge explains how social media …
Show notes
In this episode of Being Human, Steve and Lisa Cuss explore how politics, social media, and the stories we tell ourselves shape who we become. Pastor and political analyst Ryan Burge explains how social media amplifies political extremes, distorts public discourse, and increasingly allows partisanship to shape religious identity. Jessie Cruickshank and Julia Schmaltz, co-authors of Becoming Good News, unpack how internalized narratives, legalism, perfectionism, and the Christian “Übermensch” ideal—the pressure to become a superhuman believer—can hinder spiritual growth. Steve and Lisa use these conversations to offer a path toward self-awareness, grace, presence, and embracing weakness as essential to genuine faith and transformation.
Original Episodes:
Being Human: How Memory, Identity, and Story Shape Discipleship with Jessie Cruickshank & Julia Schmaltz
Being Human: How Politics Hijacked the Pulpit with Ryan Burge
Ryan Burge’s The Vanishing Church: How the Hollowing Out of Moderate Congregations Is Hurting Democracy, Faith, and Us
Jessie Cruickshank & Julia Schmaltz’s Becoming Good News: Reimagining Discipleship Through Identity, Story, and Science
Nietzsche’s concept of the Übermensch
More from Ryan Burge:
Ryan’s Graphs about Religion
Ryan on X (formerly Twitter)
More from Jessie Cruickshank and Julia Schmaltz:
Jessie Cruickshank’s Ordinary Discipleship podcast
Julia Schmaltz’s Sermons
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How Do Injury, Pain, and Faith Shape Our Identity with Dr. Eric Shoemaker
Host Steve Cuss welcomes physician Eric Shoemaker to explore the intersection of physical health, neuroscience, and spiritual fitness. Eric explains how injury and pain recovery mirror emotional and spiritual …
Show notes
Host Steve Cuss welcomes physician Eric Shoemaker to explore the intersection of physical health, neuroscience, and spiritual fitness. Eric explains how injury and pain recovery mirror emotional and spiritual healing, and breaks down the difference between the body's "threat" and "challenge" responses, showing how faith can reshape our nervous system's reactions. Steve and Eric discuss whole-body discipleship, identity in Christ, and practical micro-habits to help rewire the brain toward trust over fear.
Episode Resources:
Eric’s article The Neurobiology of Victory: How the physical reality of performance reveals the spiritual power of faith
Dan Allender’s Leading with a Limp: Take Full Advantage of Your Most Powerful Weakness
Scripture Referenced:
Genesis 32:22-32 (ESV)
More from Eric Shoemaker:
Eric Shoemaker’s Substack: The Divine Design Lab
Follow Eric on instagram
Sign up for Steve’s Newsletter & Podcast Reminders
Get the Assets & Liabilities pdf and the Life Giving List
Join Steve at an Upcoming Intensive
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
How Memory, Identity, and Story Shape Discipleship with Jessie Cruickshank & Julia Schmaltz
In this episode of Being Human, host Steve Cuss is joined by pastor and Harvard-trained brain scientist Jessie Cruickshank and first-time guest Julia Schmaltz to explore whether changing our internal narratives …
Show notes
In this episode of Being Human, host Steve Cuss is joined by pastor and Harvard-trained brain scientist Jessie Cruickshank and first-time guest Julia Schmaltz to explore whether changing our internal narratives can enable transformation. Jessie and Julia discuss their co-authored book, Becoming Good News, and examine spiritual growth and discipleship through the lenses of theology, neuroscience, and personal experience. They challenge unrealistic “superhuman” expectations in church culture, advocate for grace-based discipleship, and emphasize that spiritual maturity means becoming more fully who God created us to be—joyful, childlike, and close to Jesus.
Episode Resources:
Jessie Cruickshank & Julia Schmaltz’s Becoming Good News: Reimagining Discipleship Through Identity, Story, and Science
Jessie Cruickshank’s Ordinary Discipleship: How God Wires Us for the Adventure of Transformation
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Nobel lecture: The Quest for Peace and Justice
Nietzsche’s concept of the Übermensch
Jessie Cruickshank’s previous appearance on Being Human: Episode 171
Scripture Referenced:
2 Corinthians 3 (ESV)
Psalm 139 (ESV)
More from:
Jessie Cruickshank’s Ordinary Discipleship podcast
Julia Schmaltz’s Sermons
Sign up for Steve’s Newsletter & Podcast Reminders
Get the Assets & Liabilities pdf and the Life Giving List
Join Steve at an Upcoming Intensive
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
How Politics Hijacked the Pulpit with Ryan Burge
In this episode of Being Human, host Steve Cuss speaks with political scientist and pastor Ryan Burge about his book The Vanishing Church. They explore how American Christianity has become increasingly …
Show notes
In this episode of Being Human, host Steve Cuss speaks with political scientist and pastor Ryan Burge about his book The Vanishing Church. They explore how American Christianity has become increasingly radicalized by political partisanship, the role of social media algorithms in amplifying extreme voices, and the disappearance of moderate congregations. Burge discusses how partisanship now shapes religious identity rather than the reverse, the impact of COVID had on churches, and how the church has become a "hospital for the healthy."
Episode Resources:Ryan Burge’s The Vanishing Church: How the Hollowing Out of Moderate Congregations Is Hurting Democracy, Faith, and Us
Michael Wear’s CT review of Ryan’s work on the “big church sort”
Pew research: How the Pandemic Has Affected Attendance at U.S. Religious Services
A Look at The Donatist controversy
Who was Count Zinzendorf?
Scripture Referenced:
1 John 1:5 (ESV)
Mark 2:17 (ESV)
More from Ryan Burge:
Ryan’s Graphs about Religion
Ryan on X (formerly Twitter)
Sign up for Steve’s Newsletter & Podcast RemindersGet the Assets & Liabilities pdf and the Life Giving List
Join Steve at an Upcoming Intensive
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Carrying What Only God Can Carry
In this special travelogue episode of Being Human, host Steve Cuss records from Tinos, Greece, where he discovered a profound Orthodox Christian pilgrimage tradition. Pilgrims crawl a half-mile uphill to a …
Show notes
In this special travelogue episode of Being Human, host Steve Cuss records from Tinos, Greece, where he discovered a profound Orthodox Christian pilgrimage tradition. Pilgrims crawl a half-mile uphill to a famous church, seeking healing. Steve reflects on desperation, hope, and faith across traditions, he draws on MLK's words: "If you can't walk, crawl—but keep moving forward." He invites listeners to consider their own pace and bring their whole selves to God.
Episode Resources:
Learn about Christian Missionary Fellowship International
Read about the church of Our Lady of Tinos, Greece
History of Our Lady of Tinos (Panagia Evangelistria)
More about Fred Craddock
Scripture Referenced:
Revelation 21:5 (ESV)
2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV)
Sign up for Steve’s Newsletter & Podcast RemindersGet the Assets & Liabilities pdf and the Life Giving List
Join Steve at an Upcoming Intensive
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Steve & Lisa Cuss: When Jesus Meets the Judgmental with Listener Questions, Matt Smallbone, & Jenny Brown
Hosts Steve and Lisa Cuss address listener questions about navigating judgmental believers, generational anger, and caregiving burnout. They encourage listeners to define their own positions without trying to …
Show notes
Hosts Steve and Lisa Cuss address listener questions about navigating judgmental believers, generational anger, and caregiving burnout. They encourage listeners to define their own positions without trying to change others, explore emotions beneath anger, and build connections through small, consistent moments. Steve and Lisa also revisit recent guests Matt Smallbone and Jenny Brown to offer insights on relating to strong personalities, praying the Lord's Prayer intentionally, and recognizing unhealthy family patterns.
Episode Resources:
Matt Smallbone’s The Prayer Experiment: How Praying Like Jesus Realigns Everything - Our Thoughts, Our Hearts, and Our Posture Toward God and the World
Jenny Brown’s The Parenting Paradox: Loving Our Children by Giving Them Space to Grow
Explore the Enneagram
Brad Gray & Brad Nelson’s Bringing Heaven Here: How The Lord's Prayer Can Change Your Life and Our World
Brad Gray: The Lord's Prayer (documentary)
What is the Anger Iceberg
Scripture Referenced:
The Lord’s Prayer: Matthew 6:9–13 (ESV)
Read Matthew 7:3–5 ESV
More From Matt Smallbone:
Matt Smallbone’s website
Church of the City Downtown teaching podcast
More From Jenny Brown:
Jenny Brown’s Website
Jenny Brown’s Author Page
Jenny Brown’s Growing Yourself Up: How to bring your best to all of life's relationships
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Andrew Ollerton’s Holy Plot Twists
Host Steve Cuss speaks with theologian Dr. Andrew Ollerton about his book God's Book: An Honest Look at the Bible's Seven Toughest Topics. They discuss the importance of honestly engaging with difficult …
Show notes
Host Steve Cuss speaks with theologian Dr. Andrew Ollerton about his book God's Book: An Honest Look at the Bible's Seven Toughest Topics. They discuss the importance of honestly engaging with difficult biblical passages rather than avoiding them, and how wrestling with tough questions can deepen faith. Andrew shares his own intellectual and emotional struggles, including reconciling science with Genesis and coping with loss. They also explore the role of community, spiritual practices, and humility in staying connected to God.
Episode Resources:Andrew Ollerson’s God’s Book: An Honest Look at the Bible’s 7 Toughest Topics
More about Bear Grylls
Scripture Referenced:
Genesis 3 (ESV)
Matthew 1:1–17 (ESV)
Genesis 1–2 (ESV)
Joshua 6 (ESV)
The Book of Job (ESV)
Genesis 28:10–22 (ESV)
2 Kings 6:8–23 (ESV)
Luke 24:13–35 (ESV)
Numbers 22:21–35 (ESV)
Numbers 13–14 (ESV)
Joshua 14:6–15 (ESV)
More From Dr. Andrew Ollerton:
Andrew Ollerton’s website
Learn more about Andrew Ollerton
Andrew’s eight-session course: The Bible Course
Andrew’s The Family Bible Course
Sign up for Steve’s Newsletter & Podcast Reminders
Get the Assets & Liabilities pdf and the Life Giving List
Join Steve at an Upcoming Intensive
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Lee C. Camp Drops His Emotional Bombs
Host Steve Cus welcomes Lee C. Camp—professor, podcaster, and author—for a rich conversation about anxiety, systems theory, and human flourishing. Lee shares his personal journey with anxiety and depression …
Show notes
Host Steve Cus welcomes Lee C. Camp—professor, podcaster, and author—for a rich conversation about anxiety, systems theory, and human flourishing. Lee shares his personal journey with anxiety and depression, and how discovering differentiation through therapy transformed his relationships and emotional health. They explore legalism within the Churches of Christ tradition and its lasting emotional impact. The discussion also touches on societal reactivity, the purpose behind Lee's podcast No Small Endeavor, and the importance of creating hospitable spaces for honest dialogue. Lee closes with reflections on gliding, music, and simple morning rituals as grounding practices.
Episode Resources:
Malcolm Gladwell’s The Alabama Murders: Part 1: The True Church
Steve Cuss’ Managing Leadership Anxiety
David Schnarch’s Passionate Marriage
David McCullough’s The Wright Brothers
Books by Parker J. Palmer
Books by Thomas Merton
Murray Bowen’s family systems theory
More about Differentiation of self
Scripture Referenced:
Mark 12:30–31 (ESV)
More From Lee C. Camp:
Lee C. Camp’s Scandalous Witness: A Little Political Manifesto for Christians
Books by Lee C. Camp
Listen to No Small Endeavor and The Subtext
Sign up for Lee C. Camp’s newsletter
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Defusing the Invisible Volcano: Mastering Reactivity in Leadership and Faith with Steve Cuss & Clarissa Moll
Host Steve and Clarissa Moll explore how invisible dynamics like reactivity and anxiety affect leadership, relationships, and our connection with God. Steve shares six tools for diffusing …
Show notes
Host Steve and Clarissa Moll explore how invisible dynamics like reactivity and anxiety affect leadership, relationships, and our connection with God. Steve shares six tools for diffusing reactivity—vulnerability, laughter, curiosity, clarity, love, and redirecting anxiety—while emphasizing playfulness as an underutilized organizational resource. They discuss how collective laughter and singing reset the nervous system, and how God's playful nature, reflected in creation, makes these habits spiritually meaningful.
Episode Resources:
More about Trisha Taylor
More about The Chosen
More about Ladysmith Black Mambazo
More From Clarissa Moll:
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Sex and Porn Addiction, Misconceptions That Prevent Healing with Matt Wenger (vault episode)
Host Steve Cuss sits down with Matt Wenger for a candid conversation about addiction, intimacy, and healing. Together, they unpack the complexities of sexual addiction, the ripple effects it has on loved ones …
Show notes
Host Steve Cuss sits down with Matt Wenger for a candid conversation about addiction, intimacy, and healing. Together, they unpack the complexities of sexual addiction, the ripple effects it has on loved ones, and why recovery is best understood as a "team sport." Matt highlights the power of vulnerability, group support, and true intimacy as antidotes to the false connections addiction promises. Steve and Matt also shine a light on betrayal trauma experienced by partners, offering hope, empathy, and pathways toward healing for everyone impacted.
Episode Resources:
Explore Matt’s work at the Begin Again Institute
Understanding the Signs and Causes of Betrayal Trauma
Romans (from the New Testament) - It is mentioned in the context of discussing sin as an infection or condition rather than solely a moral issue.
Read The Great Commandment (in Luke, Matthew, and Mark’s gospels)
Read Romans 8:38-39
Read Romans 7 (Paul discuss sin struggles)
More about Matt Wenger
This episode of Being Human is from our vault.
Sign up for Steve’s Newsletter & Podcast Reminders
Get the Assets & Liabilities pdf and the Life Giving List
Join Steve at an Upcoming Intensive
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Matt Smallbone: The Most Impactful Prayer Practice You’re Not Doing (But Should Be)
In this episode of Being Human with Steve Cuss, Steve welcomes fellow Australian Matt Smallbone, a Nashville pastor and author of The Prayer Experiment. Matt shares how he overcame personal struggles with …
Show notes
In this episode of Being Human with Steve Cuss, Steve welcomes fellow Australian Matt Smallbone, a Nashville pastor and author of The Prayer Experiment. Matt shares how he overcame personal struggles with prayer—including a period of spiritual distance following a miscarriage—by committing to pray the Lord's Prayer multiple times daily. He explains it as a framework for reorienting from reactivity to connection with God. The conversation also explores family-of-origin dynamics, including the assets and liabilities of growing up in a pastor's household.
Episode Resources:
Matt Smallbone’s The Prayer Experiment: How Praying Like Jesus Realigns Everything - Our Thoughts, Our Hearts, and Our Posture Toward God and the World
Dallas Willard's Teaching on Prayer
Doctor Daniel Amen's Social Media Insights
Church of the City: Downtown Nashville
The Lord’s Prayer: Matthew 6:9–13 (ESV)
Jon Tyson’s sermon: Teach Us To Pray: Pray What You’ve Got
More From Matt Smallbone:
Matt Smallbone’s website
Church of the City Downtown teaching podcast
Sign up for Steve’s Newsletter & Podcast Reminders
Get the Assets & Liabilities pdf and the Life Giving List
Join Steve at an Upcoming Intensive
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jenny Brown: How Focusing on Yourself Can Help Your Children Thrive at Every Age
In this episode of Being Human, host Steve Cuss welcomes Australian family systems expert and author Jenny Brown to discuss her new book, The Parenting Paradox. Steve and Jenny weave together family systems …
Show notes
In this episode of Being Human, host Steve Cuss welcomes Australian family systems expert and author Jenny Brown to discuss her new book, The Parenting Paradox. Steve and Jenny weave together family systems theory, faith, and practical parenting wisdom. They explore how parents can reduce anxiety by focusing on their own growth rather than trying to fix their children. Key topics include managing reactivity, setting healthy boundaries, navigating social media challenges, and parenting adult children and grandchildren. Jenny emphasizes that parental success shouldn't be measured by a child's behavior, but by a parent's own principles and self-awareness.
Episode Resources:
Jenny Brown’s The Parenting Paradox: Loving Our Children by Giving Them Space to Grow
Bowen Family Systems Theory’s Eight Concepts
Understanding Differentiation of Self
Tim Keller’s Counterfeit Gods
Australia bans social media for children under 16
Read Matthew 7:3–5 ESV
More From Jenny Brown:
Jenny Brown’s Growing Yourself Up: How to bring your best to all of life's relationships
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Matthew and Joanna Raabsmith: Can Marriage Survive Betrayal and Sexual Addiction?
In this episode of Being Human with Steve Cuss, married couple Matthew and Joanna Raabsmith share their personal journey through Matthew's sexual addiction and the betrayal it caused in their marriage. Joanna …
Show notes
In this episode of Being Human with Steve Cuss, married couple Matthew and Joanna Raabsmith share their personal journey through Matthew's sexual addiction and the betrayal it caused in their marriage. Joanna, a marriage and family therapist, describes how a class on shame and guilt led to Matthew's confession. Together, they discuss the importance of honesty, self-awareness, and understanding family-of-origin patterns in achieving healing. Now co-authors and ministry leaders, they help other couples rebuild trust and intimacy after betrayal, emphasizing curiosity over judgment and offering hope for lasting restoration.
Episode Resources:
Joanna & Matthew Raabsmith & Dan Drake’s Building True Intimacy: Creating a connection that stands the test of time
Explore the Raabsmith’s Intimacy Pyramid
Faithful & True workshops and intensives
More about Mark and Debbie Laaser
What is The Murray Method's Trauma Egg
More From Matthew & Joanna Raabsmith:
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Play, Pray, Repeat: Unlock the Power of Life Giving Habits to Defuse Reactivity with Steve Cuss & Clarissa Moll
In this episode of Being Human with Steve Cuss, Steve and Clarissa Moll explore the concept of "life-giving habits" — intentional practices categorized into people, places, and activities that help reduce …
Show notes
In this episode of Being Human with Steve Cuss, Steve and Clarissa Moll explore the concept of "life-giving habits" — intentional practices categorized into people, places, and activities that help reduce reactivity and deepen awareness of God's presence. Steve explains how building a personalized list of God-given pleasures, from micro-habits like holding a spouse's hand to larger experiences like fly fishing, transforms everyday moments into acts of worship and gratitude. The conversation highlights how these habits build resilience, support community, and transcend cultural boundaries, ultimately inviting listeners to recognize and receive God's gifts more intentionally.
Episode Resources:
Download Steve Cuss’s Life Giving List
Steve Cuss’s Managing Leadership Anxiety
G.K. Chesterton’s Orthodoxy
Zephaniah 3:17 (ESV)
More From Clarissa Moll:
Sign up for Steve’s Newsletter & Podcast RemindersGet the Assets & Liabilities pdf and the Life Giving List
Join Steve at an Upcoming Intensive
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Steve & Lisa Cuss: Parenting and Healing From Generational Patterns with Dr. Lee Warren, Clarissa Moll, and Judson & Ryan Poling
In this episode of Being Human with Steve and Lisa Cuss, we recap the current series on family of origin, exploring how inherited patterns shape us spiritually and emotionally. Brain surgeon Dr. Lee Warren …
Show notes
In this episode of Being Human with Steve and Lisa Cuss, we recap the current series on family of origin, exploring how inherited patterns shape us spiritually and emotionally. Brain surgeon Dr. Lee Warren explains neuroplasticity and synaptic pruning, showing how early experiences wire the brain. Father-son duo Judson and Ryan Poling share their journey of breaking generational cycles, while Clarissa Moll discusses family roles and how upbringing shapes our view of God. Steve and Lisa weave in attachment theory, genograms, and parenting insights, offering a blend of neuroscience, personal storytelling, and faith-based wisdom to guide listeners toward healing and transformation.
Episode Resources:
Learn more about Attachment Theory
Listen to Prayer, Neuroscience, and the Presence of God with Strahan Coleman
More From Clarissa Moll:
More From Dr. Lee Warren:
Dr. Lee Warren’s The Life Changing Art of Self Brain Surgery
Listen to The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast
More From Judson & Ryan Poling:
Books by Judson Poling
Judson Poling’s articles at The Crucible Project
Sign up for Steve’s Newsletter & Podcast Reminders:
Get the Communication Styles Guide
https://capablelife.com/pages/podcast
Join Steve at an Upcoming Intensive
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Judson and Ryan Poling Share Their Father & Son Journey Through Masculinity, Emotions, and Faith
In this episode of Being Human with Steve Cuss, father and son Judson Poling, Ryan Poling explore masculinity, emotional health, and generational patterns. Judson, a Christian author and men's ministry leader …
Show notes
In this episode of Being Human with Steve Cuss, father and son Judson Poling, Ryan Poling explore masculinity, emotional health, and generational patterns. Judson, a Christian author and men's ministry leader, and Ryan, a clinical psychologist specializing in male identity, discuss why men struggle to access and express emotions, the socialization behind emotional suppression, and how unresolved family-of-origin patterns are passed down. They share personal reflections on their own relationship, including inherited strengths and liabilities, and emphasize that healing happens in community.
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Dr. Lee Warren on Using Neuroscience and Scripture to Rewire Your Brain
In this episode of Being Human, host Steve Cuss welcomes Dr. Lee Warren, neurosurgeon and author of The Life Changing Art of Self Brain Surgery. Drawing from his experiences as a military surgeon in Iraq and …
Show notes
In this episode of Being Human, host Steve Cuss welcomes Dr. Lee Warren, neurosurgeon and author of The Life Changing Art of Self Brain Surgery. Drawing from his experiences as a military surgeon in Iraq and the devastating loss of his son, Dr. Warren explains how functional MRI technology revealed the profound mind-brain-body connection. He discusses how intentionally choosing our thoughts can literally restructure the brain—what he calls "self brain surgery"—and how concepts like selective attention and gratitude offer genuine agency over emotional suffering. The conversation also explores how deeply ingrained family patterns shape our thinking and faith.
Episode Resources:
Dr. Lee Warren’s The Life Changing Art of Self Brain Surgery
Philippians 4:8 (ESV)
Gabor Maté’s The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness, and Healing in a Toxic Culture
More From Dr. Lee Warren:
Listen to The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast
Dr. Warren’s website
Dr. Warren’s No Place to Hide
Dr. Warren’s Hope Is the First Dose
Dr. Warren’s I've Seen the End of You
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How Do Family Roles Shape Our Faith and Freedom? with Clarissa Moll & Steve Cuss
In this episode of Being Human with Steve Cuss, host Steve Cuss and Clarissa Moll explore how family of origin shapes behavior, workplace dynamics, and faith. They discuss family roles, birth order …
Show notes
In this episode of Being Human with Steve Cuss, host Steve Cuss and Clarissa Moll explore how family of origin shapes behavior, workplace dynamics, and faith. They discuss family roles, birth order, triangulation, and unspoken emotional rules, examining how these patterns follow us into adulthood. Steve shares personal reflections on suppressing emotions and struggling to grieve, while Clarissa draws from her experience as a widowed parent. Together, they offer practical guidance on identifying triggers, finding trusted support, and using boundaries to pursue healing and freedom in Christ.
Episode Resources:
Pete Scazzero’s Emotionally Healthy Spirituality
Biography of Murray Bowen
Family Systems Theory’s Eight Concepts
More From Clarissa Moll:
Clarissa Moll’s The Bulletin podcast
Sign up for Steve’s Newsletter & Podcast Reminders:
Get the Communication Styles Guide:
https://capablelife.com/pages/podcast
Join Steve at an Upcoming Intensive:
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Steve & Lisa Cuss: Shame, Sexual Abuse, and Gaslighting with Christine Caine & Yana Jenay Conner
In this episode of Being Human with Steve Cuss, hosts Steve and Lisa Cuss explore how upbringing shapes relationship dynamics, feelings of shame, and our faith. Guest Christine Caine shares her powerful journey …
Show notes
In this episode of Being Human with Steve Cuss, hosts Steve and Lisa Cuss explore how upbringing shapes relationship dynamics, feelings of shame, and our faith. Guest Christine Caine shares her powerful journey through adoption trauma, childhood sexual abuse, and healing. Bible scholar Yana Jenay Conner reframes Jesus' "turn the other cheek" teaching as a dignified response to dehumanization. Steve and Lisa also address gaslighting and its impact on trust. Throughout, the episode emphasizes that family of origin work isn't about blame, but about pursuing healing, forgiveness, and flourishing rooted in God's transformative love.
Episode Resources:
Yana Jenay Conner’s Living Beyond Offence: Finding the Shalom of Jesus on the Path to Forgiveness
Christine Cain’s The Faith to Flourish: God's Design for a Rooted, Resilient, and Fruitful Life
More From Christine and Yanna:
Other books by Christine Caine
Christine Caine’s website
Yana Jenay Conner’s website
Yana Jenay Conner’s podcast Living Single with Yana Jenay
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Beyond Offense: Unpacking Forgiveness, Conflict, and Identity with Yana Jenay Conner
In this episode of Being Human, host Steve Cus sits down with Yana Jenay Conner, author of Living Beyond Offence: Finding the Shalom of Jesus on the Path to Forgiveness. They explore practical forgiveness …
Show notes
In this episode of Being Human, host Steve Cus sits down with Yana Jenay Conner, author of Living Beyond Offence: Finding the Shalom of Jesus on the Path to Forgiveness. They explore practical forgiveness, family of origin influences, and conflict avoidance. Yana shares insights on "turning the other cheek," the difference between hurt and harm, and setting boundaries the Jesus way. She also reflects personally on trust issues, self-reliance, and the challenge of praying for herself—revealing how childhood experiences shape our relationships with others and with God.
Episode Resources:
Yana Jenay Conner’s Living Beyond a Fence: Finding the Shalom of Jesus on the Path to Forgiveness
Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend’s Boundaries Updated and Expanded Edition: When to Say Yes, How to Say No To Take Control of Your Life
Check out The Bible Project
Psalm 139 (ESV)
More From Yana:
Yana Jenay Conner’s website
Yana Jenay Conner’s podcast Living Single with Yana Jenay
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Christine Caine Shares Her Adoption Story, Abuse Recovery, and Faith to Flourish
In this episode of Being Human, Steve Cuss talks with Christine Caine—speaker, bestselling author, and co-founder of A21—about her adoption story, childhood trauma, emotional healing, and identity in Christ …
Show notes
In this episode of Being Human, Steve Cuss talks with Christine Caine—speaker, bestselling author, and co-founder of A21—about her adoption story, childhood trauma, emotional healing, and identity in Christ. Christine shares how she discovered at age 33 that she was adopted, how she began healing from childhood sexual abuse, and how Scripture memorization helped renew her mind and strengthen her faith. She also reflects on the role of mentors Alan and Deb Hirsch in her recovery and discusses her book, The Faith to Flourish, explaining how the olive tree reveals God’s design for a rooted, resilient, and fruitful life—even in hardship. This conversation explores family of origin, Christian healing, resilience, and what it means to flourish in faith.
Episode Resources:
Christine Cain’s The Faith to Flourish: God's Design for a Rooted, Resilient, and Fruitful Life
Dan Allender’s The Wounded Heart: Hope for Adult Victims of Childhood Sexual Abuse
More about Alan and Deb Hirsch
More From Christine Caine:
Other books by Christine Caine
Christine Caine’s website
Sign up for Steve’s Newsletter & Podcast Reminders:
Get the Communication Styles Guide:
https://capablelife.com/pages/podcast
Join Steve at an Upcoming Intensive:
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