Prodigal. What comes to mind when you hear that word? For some it may be Jesus’s beloved story of the father and the two sons. But for others, that word may be a son or daughter, husband or wife who has turned their back on the faith.
If you are an intentional follower of Jesus Christ, nothing can cause more pain than a child or spouse who suddenly turns their back on the Lord. Perhaps they become secretive and withdrawn. Then their sin comes out. Now there is public rebellion and repudiation. That brings alls sorts of emotions – shame, guilt, hopelessness and fear.
In today’s podcast, we are going to talk with Dave Harvey about his book Letting Go: Rugged Love for Wayward Souls. Dave has walked through this situations himself. And it drove deeper into the Scriptures. This book and this interview is some of the fruit of that digging.
Dave is the president of Great Commission Collective, a church planting ministry in the US, Canada and abroad. Dave pastored for 33 years and travels widely. He is the author of When Sinners Say I Do, Am I Called?, Rescuing Ambition, and I Still Do.
Dave and his wife Kimm have four children and four grandchildren and live in southwest Florida.
If you have a prodigal or know someone who does, this conversation is for you. Let’s start by finding rich help for thinking biblically about loving the wayward soul.
Listen below or on itunes here.Shortcode
Resources Mentioned in the Podcast
Letting Go: Rugged Love For Wayward Souls, by Dave Harvey and Paul Gilbert
When Sinners Say “I Do:” Discovering the Power of the Gospel for Marriage, by Dave Harvey
Am I Called? The Summons to Pastoral Ministry, by Dave Harvey
Rescuing Ambition, by Dave Harvey and CJ Mahaney
I Still Do: Growing Closer and Stronger through Life’s Defining Moments, by Dave Harvey
Parenting with Patience: Overcoming Anger In the Home – Participant Workbook.
Parenting with Patience Videos.
Topics Covered in This Week’s Podcast:
0:15 Introduction
3:34 Why was Letting Go written?
5:21 The weariness of loving a prodigal
7:56 Processing the grief and complex emotions of loving a prodigal
10:50 Prodigals are to be expected, according to Scripture
16:48 Characteristics of the wayward
22:53 What does “rugged love” look like?
