Welcome to the Gospel Coalition podcast, where we help to renew and

unify the contemporary church in the ancient gospel.

Today's podcast is a talk by Ellen Dykes on relational wholeness versus relational idolatry.

It was recorded at our 2024 Women's Conference.

Good afternoon and welcome to this breakout, relational wholeness, how Jesus helps us love people rather than crave or worship them.

And I want to start out by saying that this topic is not only a passion of mine,

it's something that's very personal to me.

And every time I get to teach on it, my heart is very tender as it is today,

knowing that some of the things we're going to talk about are going to be

resonating in real time for some of you. You know, in many ways, my own journey of sin, of relational

pain and struggle is why I'm actually here in front of you today. In the early 2000s, I did a

Google search, Christian plus Bible plus

codependency. And up came a book called When People Are Big and God is Small by Ed Welch.

And that book set me on a healing and transformative trajectory that really led to utter transformation in my life, but also a very

surprising journey of now writing and speaking and counseling related to this topic.

And so, friends, I don't know what brings you here today, but Jesus does, and he has exactly what you need.

Whether if it's good truth from his word, if it's comfort, maybe even some correction to walk forward in a path of change. So I don't know what he has for you,

but I know he is faithful and he will give it. So that's just pray, and then we're going to dig in.

So Jesus, we do look to you now, the one in whom are found all the treasures of wisdom and

knowledge, you, Lord lord who are bread of life

good shepherd door resurrection the way truth in life and we ask you to encourage comfort

illuminate for your glory and for our good amen now I want to mention I'm going to

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