The Question We Asked Our Students
Ovilla Christian Chats
Erich, Julianne, and Pastor Matt hop into this delightful conversation with Jenni Osgood, LPC-A, about the connection that kids desire with their families. Jenni Osgood is a Licensed Professional Counselor Associate who provides individual and family counseling for OCS families. She is also the Guidance Counselor for high school students as they consider careers. "Do you think that you spend too much, just the right amount, or not enough time with your family?" When Jenni asked several middle and high school classes this question, she was surprised by the answers. Overwhelmingly,...
info_outline
Recapping the Worldview Conference
Ovilla Christian Chats
Welcome, Coach and Bible Teacher Ian White! Ian and Erich accompanied the high school students to the Biblical Worldview Conference in September, and for the first time, we also sent the 8th graders. We chat about what stood out at this conference, including: Melissa Dougherty and her talk on "New Thought" (Melissa and Alisa Childers discuss this topic ); this is something that is a part of our students' lives. "Your calling is seasonal but your purpose isn't." How can students be sure that everything heard at the Biblical Worldview Conference was biblical? Resources...
info_outline
Can Athletics Help Christians Flourish?
Ovilla Christian Chats
We want our students to grow both academically and physically—after all, we are embodied people! Perseverance and teamwork can be cultivated in the classroom, but they're certainly developed on the field and on the court. Julianne and Pastor Matt discuss sports with Jonathan Rogers, OCS Athletic Director. What does athletics have to do with a Christian worldview? Should Christians approach athletics differently? Highlights/Quotes: —Coaching is not that different from being a youth pastor—there's discipleship in both. —Just like in the church, every role matters. There's a larger...
info_outline
Alumni, Parent, Teacher: What Brought You Back?
Ovilla Christian Chats
It's a full house today! Erich and Matt welcome two alumni who are now teaching at OCS and have their children enrolled here. Caleb Rudolph and JoAnna Rozier, both graduates of the class of 2010, not only met and married OCS classmates, but they were in each others' weddings. Now, Caleb teaches high school English and is an adjunct DBU professor for dual-credit psychology at OCS. JoAnna is entering into her first year in 1st grade, having taught Kindergarten the past two years at OCS. We ask them: why have they decided to come full-circle and bring their families back to OCS? How does OCS...
info_outline
Why Do We Teach the Bible This Way?
Ovilla Christian Chats
Pastor Matt, Erich, and Julianne are joined by Ms. Shannon Williams, our new Elementary Bible teacher. We talk about how this will function in the classroom and what our students will be learning to prepare them for middle and high school Bible classes. Shannon spent the summer working on the scope and sequence of the Elementary Bible curriculum she is creating and implementing this year. She approaches this new role with tenacity and excitement as she partners with homeroom teachers to lay the foundation that the Bible is not a thousand separate stories about God or morality but rather one...
info_outline
Are Books That Important?
Ovilla Christian Chats
Christians should be people of the Word—that is, the Scriptures. This is God's chosen way to reveal himself and his plan of redemption. But should the Bible be the only book that Christians read? How do you choose good books: ones that stretch your imagination, solidify your faith, and stand the test of time? Join Julianne, Erich, and Pastor Matt from and in this discussion about books, including a list of titles we wholeheartedly commend. Recommendations: "10 Books That Screwed Up the World: And 5 Others That Didn't Help" by Benjamin Wiker () "Habits of the Household" by Justin Whitmel...
info_outline
Do You Have New Year's Resolutions?
Ovilla Christian Chats
Do you know what day in January is considered National Quitting Day for New Year's Resolution? Find out if you've made it past National Quitting Day in this conversation with Pastor Matt, Erich, and Julianne. Whether you've started a new Bible reading plan or want to improve your health, we all know the best way to keep your resolutions is to have accountability. How does the local church fit in with this? Resources Mentioned: by Gary Saul Morson by Jonathan Leeman "Life Together" by Dietrich Bonhoeffer
info_outline
Are the Holidays Hectic or Holy?
Ovilla Christian Chats
In a 2023 study by the American Psychological Association, 89% of responders said the holidays stress them out. () Julianne and Pastor Matt guess the top 10 reasons for increased stress as cited in the survey—see if you can get #1 before Erich reveals it. How can Christians re-orient their hearts and minds around this hectic time to participate in the anticipation of the return of Christ? Join us for this conversation about consumerism, stress, and the season of Advent.
info_outline
How Does Technology Shape Worldview?
Ovilla Christian Chats
Travis Seekins, Associate VP for Strategic Partnerships at Hardin-Simmons University, joins us for a fascinating conversation about technology, anxiety, and our personal identities. Highlights: Technology is neither good nor evil, but it is not neutral. It is not just there. It's working on you purposefully. When we give it our attention, it shapes our worldview. On average, a person checks their cellphone 144 times a day. This comes out to every 6.7 minutes. For the first time in human history, we have banished solitude. You need solitude to sit with your own thoughts so you can...
info_outline
Why the Biblical Worldview Conference?
Ovilla Christian Chats
This year, our entire Upper School attended the Biblical Worldview Conference, hosted by Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano. Students and faculty in grades 9-12 spent two days in worship, break-out sessions, and main lectures. Why did we send so many students this year? Head of School Bob Yttredahl is back on the podcast to recap his experience at the conference and why it is so important for our school culture. Bonus: can you guess which one of us loves Butterfinger Blizzards? Resources mentioned: by Carl Trueman by Jonathan Leeman If you're interested in listening to the...
info_outlineWe're joined by Joseph Arze, Worship Minister at ORBC, for a conversation about how music shapes our worldview.
Highlights:
• If you want something to be solidified in your mind, sing it.
• Music is like swift waters; it carves out channels in your brain to shape your thinking in a certain way.
• We often turn to music to confirm our feelings.
• One of the biggest obstacles to the gospel in our lives is forgetfulness.
Songs Mentioned:
All Sufficient Merit
All Glory Be to Christ
Verses to Consider:
Romans 12:1-2
Colossians 3
Psalm 32:10-11