Peaceable And Kind

In this episode, Derek Vreeland shares his personal experience of taking a two-week break from church work for the first time in 25 years. He reflects on the importance of silence and solitude as spiritual disciplines, the lessons he learned about his limitations, the necessity of rest, and the realization that he is not defined by his productivity. Through this journey, he emphasizes the value of...

In this episode of the Peaceable and Kind podcast, host Derek Vreeland welcomes Joyce Koo Dalrymple, a pastor, author, and speaker. They discuss Joyce's spiritual journey, her experiences in ministry, and the role of women in the church, particularly in the context of the New Testament. Joyce shares insights from her Bible studies and emphasizes the importance of community and conversation in spir...

In this episode of the Peaceable and Kind podcast, host Derek Vreeland explores the intersection of politics, peace, and kindness. He describes the importance of the Hebrew term shalom and the Greek concept of eudaimonia as foundational concepts for a good life. Derek discusses the role of Christians in the political sphere, advocating for participation while maintaining trust in God rather than p...

In this episode, Derek Vreeland discusses the concept of living an unhurried life, emphasizing the importance of slowing down amidst the busyness of modern life. He shares personal experiences and insights from John Mark Comer's book, 'The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry,' and explores practical steps to cultivate stillness and simplicity in daily life. The conversation highlights the spiritual and...

In this episode of Peaceable and Kind, Derek Vreeland shares his deep love for the church and the community it fosters. He reflects on the significance of Holy Communion, discussing its role in worship and spiritual formation. Through personal anecdotes and biblical references, he emphasizes how Communion is not just a ritual but a transformative experience that shapes believers into the likeness...

In this episode, Derek Vreeland explores the values of the Kingdom of God as taught by Jesus on the sermon on the mount. These values are best seen through the lens of the Beatitudes. He emphasizes the dual citizenship of believers in both earthly nations and the Kingdom of Heaven, and discusses how cultural values differ across societies. The conversation delves into the Beatitudes, highlighting...

In this episode of Peaceable and Kind, host Derek Vreeland interviews Andrew Camp, the host of The Biggest Table podcast. Andrew shares his spiritual journey and how his love for cooking led him to explore the connection between food, hospitality, and spirituality. They discuss the importance of lingering at the table, the value of embodied experiences, and the role of hospitality in creating peac...

In this episode, Derek Vreeland discusses the difference between kindness and niceness. He emphasizes that while niceness is about being polite and agreeable, kindness is about mercy in action. Derek shares personal stories and examples from the life of Jesus to illustrate the distinction between the two. He also highlights how Jesus confronted religious hypocrisy and advocated for the protection...

In this episode, Derek Vreeland discusses the importance of prayer in maintaining an active relationship with God. He introduces the Jesus prayer, a simple 10-word prayer that has been used in the Eastern Orthodox tradition for centuries. Vreeland explains the four strands of the Jesus prayer: the cry for mercy, the discipline of repetition, the quest for stillness, and the veneration of the Holy...

In this conversation, Pastor and Author Derwin Gray and Derek Vreeland discuss football and conversations about race in Bible study and church life. They emphasize that the gospel is not just about individual salvation, but also about creating a diverse and unified family in Christ. They challenge the idea of colorblindness because it diminishes the beauty and diversity of God's creation. They als...

In this episode, Derek Vreeland discusses the theme of God's neighboring presence. He explores how the Bible tells the story of God's desire to be with humanity, from God walking with Adam and Eve in the garden to the New Jerusalem coming to earth. Derekalso introduces his Bible study series, 'God's Neighboring Presence,' which focuses on the three movements of God: incarnation, crucifixion, and r...

In this episode of Peaceable and Kind, host Derek Vreeland has a conversation with Kat Armstrong, a Bible teacher and author. They discuss their love for the Bible and how they discerned their calling to be Bible teachers. They also talk about Kat's newest Bible study series, the Storyline Bible Studies, which focus on the themes of mountains and valleys, sticks and stones, and saints and sinners....

In this episode, Derek Vreeland discusses the process of becoming more like Jesus through spiritual transformation. He explores the idea that the Holy Spirit is at work within us, forming us into the image of Jesus for the joy of God the Father. This transformation takes place in the context of Christian community and is facilitated by walking down spiritual pathways, or practicing spiritual disci...

In this episode, Derek Vreeland celebrates the one-year anniversary of his book, Centering Jesus. He shares his journey of discovering his calling as a pastor and writer, starting from his high school days to his time in college and seminary. Derek emphasizes the importance of keeping Jesus at the center of our spiritual formation, moral lives, and common life together. He describes the day the se...

In this episode, Peaceable and Kind host Derek Vreeland describes a way of conflict resolution using a script of healthy communication through negative emotions. This script comes with a number of ground rules that promote understanding, empathy, and active listening. A peaceable life is not found in avoiding conflict but working through conflict in a way that leads to forgiveness and shared solut...

In this episode of Peaceable and Kind, host Derek Vreeland interviews Karen Stiller, author of the book: Holiness Here. They discuss the art of writing, the relationship between holiness and love, and the experience of grief. Stiller emphasizes the importance of writing with love for the reader and being transparent and welcoming in one's writing. She also challenges the notion that holiness is ri...

In this episode, Derek Vreeland discusses the importance of prayer in cultivating a peaceable and kind life. We cannot become kind people as followers of Jesus without prayer. We don’t just learn principles of kindness and peacemaking. We need to become kind and peaceable people and that process of formation comes through prayer. One prayer we can rely on is the Serenity Prayer. In it we find the...

The horrific attempted assassination of former President Trump on July 13 captured the attention of a nation and the world. Christians have wondered how we can respond in a way that is consistent with the ways of Jesus. In this episode, Peaceable and Kind host Derek Vreeland describes what Christians believe moral evil is and the pathogens in our culture that made watching the assassination attemp...

In this episode, Derek Vreeland discusses the importance of using the Bible kindly and not as a weapon. The Bible is sacred. It contains God’s written words for us. The Bible is an inspired, orderly and diverse collection of ancient books that faithfully leads us to Jesus. And the Bible is too sacred to be used as bullets in our theological guns. The purpose of the Bible is not to win arguments or...

In this episode of Peaceable and Kind, Derek Vreeland interviews Dieula Previllon, author of the book Does God See Me? How God Meets Us in the Center of Our Trauma Healing Journey. Dieula shares her personal story of trauma and healing, and discusses the importance of recognizing and addressing trauma in our lives. God sees and cares for us in our pain, and that healing is possible through God's l...

In this episode, Pastor Derek Vreeland describes how nearly all wisdom can be summed up in patience. He shares personal experiences and reflections on the value of patience in getting older and in decision making. He also explores the concept of patience in the face of conflict and injustice, drawing insights from the teachings of Jesus and theologians like Miroslav Volf. The episode concludes wit...

Peaceable and Kind host Derek Vreeland dives into the disagreement between his peacemaker’s heart developed in his pastoral life with the media representation of hyper-violent masculinity that is hoisted upon the men of today. He shares how he reconciles those disparate identities and ideals within his faith. He also answers the question "Are you sure Jesus came to bring peace?" Books mentioned in...

Peaceable and Kind host Derek Vreeland dives into just what it means to be peaceable by looking into key verses about peace. He defines peace using the Hebrew word shalom which refers to well-being and human flourishing.   Quotes from Jesus and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. support this important theme in the Bible.  Scripture verses mentioned in this episode: Psalm 34:14 Matthew 5:3-10 1 Timothy 2:...

Peaceable and Kind host Derek Vreeland shares five ways you can be politically engaged, but rise ABOVE the ugliness and unhealthiness of our angry and divided political culture. Politics matter because politics affect people and people matter to God. So while politics matter, your soul matters more. The five practices keep you engaged in the world of politics without damaging your spiritual life. ...

What exactly does the Scripture say about kindness? Peaceable and Kind host Derek Vreeland discusses the second of the twin themes of this podcast—kindness. In a world that seemed to be getting more and more mean, God is calling us to choose a path of kindness which is a fruit of the Spirit. Kindness is mercy in motion. Kindness is who God is and we are striving towards becoming more like God.   ...