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Most Christians think their struggle is physical… or just a lack of discipline. It’s not. It’s deeper than that. There is a part of you that was created to see God clearly… and most people don’t even know it exists. The Fathers of the Church called it the nous. And here’s the problem: Your emotions are leading. Your reasoning mind is justifying. And your nous… the very faculty meant to perceive truth… is being ignored. So instead of clarity, you feel confusion. Instead of peace, you feel pulled in different directions. Instead of growth, you feel stuck. This is not just struggle. This is fragmentation. And it goes all the way back to the fall. When Adam hid… when blame replaced responsibility… when division entered the human person… something inside us broke. That’s why you can want one thing… and do another. That’s why you can know the truth… and still feel trapped. As Epistle to the Romans 7 says: “I do not do the good that I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.” That’s not just sin. That’s a divided soul. In this video, I’m going to show you: What the nous actually is (and why you’ve never been taught this) Why your emotions feel so powerful right now How your mind is reinforcing the wrong things And how to begin restoring clarity, wholeness, and direction in your spiritual life If you’ve been feeling stuck, scattered, or spiritually exhausted… This will help you understand why. 👉 Watch the full video and take the first step toward becoming whole again.
Why Your Thoughts, Emotions, and Faith Feel Out of Sync
So, I just got a gel injection for the arthritis in my left knee. WOW!!! That hurt. As I was experiencing the pain, I realized that it will lead to something extraordinarily good. There is a spiritual lesson in this moment for me. I love Jesus. I pray that you will live Jesus!!! If we simply absorb content without transformation, without growing into the likeness of Christ in Theosis, then what’s the point?
Pain Leads To Healing
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Midweek Meeting With Bp Wayne & Fr Don
The Ladder of Divine Ascent: Spiritual Reality, Warfare, and the Healing of the Soul Something is wrong—and if you’re honest, you already know it. You’ve tried to grow spiritually. You’ve read, listened, prayed, and pushed yourself to “do better.” And yet, there’s still that underlying sense that something isn’t connecting… that your interior life remains fragmented, restless, even quietly tormented. This Monday night, we begin something very different. The Ladder of Divine Ascent: Spiritual Reality, Warfare, and the Healing of the Soul is not another study. It is not information for the sake of information. It is a 16-week formation program rooted in the ancient, unbroken tradition of the Church—designed not merely to teach you, but to transform you. For 1,400 years, the Church has preserved a map of the human soul. Its distortions, its wounds, and its path to healing. St. John Climacus did not write abstract theology. He wrote a diagnosis of the human condition and a prescription for restoration. And here’s the reality most modern Christians have never been taught: You are not just struggling with habits. You are not just dealing with emotions. You are not just “trying to grow.” You are living in a deeply interconnected spiritual reality. One that includes real warfare, real opposition, and a real path to union with God. In this series, we will walk step-by-step through the Ladder: Understanding the true nature of the soul (nous, heart, and body as one integrated reality) Exposing the spiritual roots of anxiety, anger, discouragement, and internal chaos Learning how the Fathers understood temptation, demons, and spiritual warfare—not symbolically, but actually Entering into the ancient path of purification, illumination, and union with God This is not about behavior modification. This is about healing the human person at the deepest level. If you’ve ever felt like your spiritual life lacks clarity… If you’ve sensed there must be something deeper than what you’ve been given… If you’re ready to stop circling the same struggles and begin real transformation… Then this is for you. Join us Monday night live or on a replay (and gain access to the other lecture in-depth series as well on the Nicene Creed and Enchantment) inside the St. Basil Global School of Catechism for only $10 per month. We’re not just going to talk about the spiritual life. We’re going to enter into it. Click here to learn more or join us: https://stbasil.faithandtrust.org/join-the-global-catechism-page Music by: bensound.com License code: URG7SJDYLWNE6ENI Artist: : TURNIQUE
The Ladder of Divine Ascent: Spiritual Reality, Warfare, and the Healing of the Soul
Why Orthodox Churches Are Dividing (And What’s REALLY Behind It) In this video, Father Don Purdum walks through three important and often misunderstood questions about Orthodox Christianity, offering clarity, pastoral insight, and real-world application. First, we address the issue of marriage and divorce in Orthodoxy. We explain that marriage is a sacred sacrament—an image of Christ and His Church (Ephesians 5). While many assume a priest can dissolve a marriage, we clarify that this authority belongs to the bishop, not the priest. As a Church, we strive for healing, reconciliation, and restoration wherever possible, while also recognizing that some situations are deeply broken and must be handled case by case. Second, we explore why the Orthodox Church does not have a single figure, like the Pope, who can call an ecumenical council. We explain that Orthodoxy is conciliar, not hierarchical—meaning decisions require agreement among bishops rather than flowing from one central authority. In part, this helps us understand why no new ecumenical councils have been convened since the 7th Ecumenical Council. Finally, we take on the difficult question of schisms and excommunications within Orthodoxy. We reflect on a recurring struggle throughout Church history, the temptation to pursue earthly power instead of the Kingdom of God. Looking at both historical patterns and current tensions, we show how disputes over authority and political pressures can lead to division. We close with a call for all of us to enter into prayer, repentance, reconciliation, and healing, especially as we seek unity within the broader Orthodox world.
Why Orthodox Churches Are Dividing (And What’s REALLY Behind It)
Lent is not just a season of discipline. It is a battlefield. In this live discussion, I’m opening up about my own Lenten journey — the struggles, the resistance, and the very real experience of spiritual warfare that often intensifies when we begin to take our faith seriously. But this is not just about struggle. This is about victory. On Good Friday, Jesus Christ did not simply suffer. He overcame. • The works of the devil — deception, division, and the distortion of truth • Sin — not just behavior, but the power that enslaves the human heart • Death — the final enemy that holds humanity in fear Through the Cross, Christ did something radically new. He did not just “fix” the old. He fulfilled it and established the New Covenant — not a contract, but communion. Not external law, but transformed life. This changes everything about how we understand suffering, temptation, and spiritual warfare. If Lent revealed anything, it’s this: the battle is real… but so is the victory. Join me live as we unpack: • What spiritual warfare actually looks like in daily life • What Christ truly defeated on the Cross • What it means to live in the New Covenant • How this applies to your life right now And stick around for a live Q&A at the end. 👉 Bring your questions. Let’s go deeper.
What Jesus REALLY Defeated on the Cross (It’s Bigger Than You Think)
Is the Bible Missing in Orthodox Worship? Here’s the Truth No One Told You I was recently asked, "How can Independent Baptists (like me) be sure the Orthodox faith is grounded in the Bible?" It’s a question many sincere Christians ask. And it deserves a gentle, honest answer. What if the issue isn’t whether Scripture is present… but whether we’ve learned how to hear it? In the Divine Liturgy, we don’t simply reference the Bible—we pray it. From beginning to end, the words, images, and rhythms are drawn from Scripture. Not as isolated verses, but as a living tapestry. “On earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10) is not just spoken—it becomes the very shape of our worship. This is how the Church has always known the Scriptures: not merely as text to analyze, but as life to be entered. The Nicene Creed? It is Scripture confessed. The teachings of the Fathers? Scripture illuminated. The catechism? Scripture formed in the heart. And yet… here is the deeper question: Do we know the Scriptures well enough to recognize them when they are sung, prayed, and lived? Theosis—our union with God—is not achieved through information, but transformation. The Word must become flesh in us, just as it did in Christ (John 1:14). So perhaps the invitation is this: Don’t just ask, “Is the Bible there?” Come and see. Listen. Pray. Enter in. And you may discover that the Scriptures have been speaking all along—more deeply than you ever imagined. Get your copy of my eBook, "ENTERING HEAVEN: A Complete Guide to the Life of Prayer" here: https://prayer.faithandtrust.org/entering-heaven-a-complete-guide-to-the-life-of-prayer-download-page
Is the Bible Missing in Orthodox Worship? Here’s the Truth No One Told You!
You have questions about Orthodoxy, faith, Scripture, tradition, and practical Christianity… We have answers. Join us in hour (7 pm EDT) for a live Q&A. You can find the feed on my profile. We hope to see you!!!
Faith Chat: Dynamic Discussions with Archbishop Wayne & Father Don
A few days ago, I had a few questions about icons. Below is a synopsis of the video I created answering the question... What if the problem isn’t that we see too much… but that we’ve forgotten how to see? When we walk into an Orthodox church, we are surrounded by icons. Christ. His Mother. The saints. And for many, there’s an immediate question: Why does this matter? Isn’t this just religious art? But the Church gently answers: no—this is something deeper. Icons are not decorations. They are windows into heaven. Saint John of Damascus once defended icons by reminding us: “I do not worship matter, I worship the Creator of matter, who became matter for my sake.” And this is the key. Because Christ became visible, the invisible God took on flesh, and now creation itself can reveal Him. So what are we doing when we venerate an icon? We are not worshipping wood and paint. We are honoring the life of Christ in His saints. We are seeing, with our eyes, what the Gospel proclaims—that humanity is called to theosis, to become “partakers of the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4). And here is the invitation: When you stand before an icon, you are not just looking at heaven. Heaven is, in a mysterious way, looking back at you. The Church, in her wisdom, engages all our senses—sight, smell, sound—so that worship is not an idea, but a participation. Not theory, but communion. So perhaps the question is not, “Why icons?” But this: Are we willing to let our vision be healed… so that we can see as the saints see? Learn more about the eBook on prayer at https://prayer.faithandtrust.org/entering-heaven-a-complete-guide-to-the-life-of-prayer-download-page
Why are So Many So Uncomfortable With Icons?
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