Searching the Sacred

Season 6 | Numbers 6 | Seeking Shalom Shalom - It's one of those words we hear often and we think we know. But there are so many different ways it's been used. 'Peace' 'Restitution' 'Rebuild' From Deuteronomy to Numbers to Joel to Nehemiah.  What if shalom isn't something we give...but it's something we seek? What does it look like for 'peace' to be a verb and a noun?

Season 6 | Matthew 9 | Missing the Mark While eating with his new disciple, Matthew, and a group of Matthew's friends, Jesus gets confronted by some Pharisee's who don't like his choice of dinner companion.  The people at the dinner get labeled as 'sinners'. What does this mean and why might it be important for us to unpack? Jesus then talks about living in a way that brings wholeness, and not jus...

Season 6 | 1 Samuel 4 | Ichabod and the Adventure of the Captured Ark Did anyone know that there was an Ichabod in the Bible? What does his name have to do with the story of Israel? Why might this be an important reflection for us in our time? This might be a small and unknown passage, but it's loaded with good questions and insights.

Season 6 | Colossians 1 | We picked a passage from Paul! YES! We finally went there. We tackled a passage from Paul. Is this complicated? Yep. Is this difficult to talk about? Yep. Did we learn something and possibly see a path forward? Yep. Colossians 1 has this beautiful hymn that reminds us of Proverbs 8. How might this impact how we read Paul?!

Season 6 | Proverbs 8 | Wisdom: She Is Speaking Starting in verse 22, we hear a passage that may resonate with something we've heard before. These verses give shape for how many have grounded their theology and understanding of presence during the act of creation; most famously the apostle Paul.  But wisdom, she is speaking in this passage. What does it mean that wisdom is personified? What does i...

Bonus Episode!  Happy Holy Week Everyone As the Lenten journey comes to its fruition this week, we turn to Mark 15. Jesus is on the cross and cries out to God - 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?' Is this a cry of abandonment? Is this meant to be something utterly the opposite? What can this passage teach us about suffering and transformation? This is a long one...but take notes! It's a go...

Season 5 | Ruth Pt 12 | Blessing Not only has it been an absolute blessing to learn from Naomi and Ruth, but in this episode we ask the question, what is a blessing? What is the significance for Naomi? What might this teach us about God? How might that impact who we are and how we understand what we might be called to? At the end of the episode, we each take a moment to share a takeaway from our t...

Season 5 | Ruth Pt 11 | Finding Flourishing As we continue the conversation in chapter 4 of Ruth, we hear the people respond to the redeeming of Naomi and Ruth. We also hear the women of the city naming the child of Boaz and Ruth - calling him Obed.  What is the significance of how the people talk about Naomi and Ruth? And what is the significance of the name Obed? _ Each week, not only will we ha...

Season 5 | Ruth Pt 10 | Mr. So And So Part 10 launches us into chapter 4. We are nearing the end of our conversation on Ruth, but the focus shifts to Boaz and his work to become the Kinsman Redeemer. And in this episode we meet the mysterious 'so and so' who is actually next in line to marry Ruth. How does Boaz handle this? What does this story teach us about the patriarchy? Is it subversively fem...

Season 5 | Ruth Pt 9 | Boaz Part 9 is a deeper dive into Boaz. We know he practices gleaning. We know he respects Ruth. And we know he responds positively when woken up on the threshing floor. But who is Boaz? What does his name mean? And what can we learn from Boaz? _ Each week, not only will we have an episode for you to listen to; but for those who support us on  Patreon , we have a discussion...

Season 5 | Ruth Pt 8 | Uncovering the ”Feet” Part 8 of our dive into the book of Ruth is the episode about the 'FEET'. Ruth lies down next to Boaz, uncovers his feet, and seemingly requests for him to provide for her.  What is this all about? Is this a sexual thing? Is this a power thing and provision thing? Is it maybe both? Could it be that Ruth is actually reminding Boaz of how the system is su...

Season 5 | Ruth Pt 7 | Naomi Knows Welcome to Season 5 of Searching the Sacred. Season 4 was a deep dive into the first two chapters of Ruth. In this season, we will finish our study of Ruth by looking at chapters three and four.  In this first episode, we look at Naomi's encouragement of Ruth to glean in the field of Boaz. What does it mean to provide help? Why is helping easier than receiving he...

Advent Pt 2: Are We Willing To See | Matthew 2 Advent is a season of waiting and preparing. We are in the midst of the deepest dark or the year, the cold is settling into our bones, and Christmas is still coming.  As we prepare for the Christ to be born (both in the telling of an ancient story and spiritually in us again), what does the story of the Magi teach us about what it means to see? This i...

Bonus | Advent Pt 1: Fear in the City of Peace | Matthew 2 Advent is a season of waiting and preparing. We are in the midst of the deepest dark or the year, the cold is settling into our bones, and Christmas is still coming.  As we prepare for the Christ to be born (both in the telling of an ancient story and spiritually in us again), what does the story of the Magi teach us about what it means to...

Season 4 | Ruth Pt 6 | Boaz Sees Ruth Welcome to episode 6 of our season on the first two chapters of Ruth. In this series we are slowly making our way through this dynamic book. Episode 6 is reaching the end of chapter 2 and the closing of this season. Boaz, as a landowner, goes to the field and sees Ruth. Who is this guy? How does he engage people as a landowner? Why is his posture and approach...

Season 4 | Ruth Pt 5 | Gleaning Welcome to episode 5 of our series on Ruth. What does it mean to 'glean'? What can we compare it to in our culture today? And when is the story about God's sudden goodness and when is the story about persistence and effort? __ Each week, not only will we have an episode for you to listen to; but for those who support us on  Patreon , we have a discussion guide that...

Season 4 | Ruth Pt 4 | Valor and Might Welcome to episode 4 of our series on Ruth. In this next installment we discuss what it means for Ruth and Boaz to have these specific names - such as mighty and valorous. What does it mean for us to hold power and wield it with care for others? __ Each week, not only will we have an episode for you to listen to; but for those who support us on  Patreon , we...

Season 4 | Ruth Pt 3 | Returning to Israel Welcome to Episode 3 of our series on Ruth. In this episode we talk about Naomi and Ruth returning to Israel. __ Each week, not only will we have an episode for you to listen to; but for those who support us on  Patreon , we have a discussion guide that allows you to join the conversation.  __ This podcast is a partnership between 40 Orchards and Processi...

Season 4 | Ruth Pt 2 | Chesed Welcome to Episode 2 of our series on Ruth. In this episode we talk extensively about the special relationship between Naomi and her daughters-in-law - Ruth and Orpah.  Part of that discussion involves the Hebrew word 'Chesed', which is often translated as 'kindness'. But it's so much more than that.  __ Each week, not only will we have an episode for you to listen to...

Season 4 | Ruth Pt 1 | Into Moab Welcome back to Searching the Sacred. This season we won't be bouncing from passage to passage, but methodically moving our way through the book of Ruth.  Each week, not only will we have an episode for you to listen to; but for those who support us on Patreon , we have a discussion guide that allows you to join the conversation.  In this first episode we barely ma...

Season 3 | Learning to Pray Pt. 3: A Flourishing Humanity | Matthew 6 The conclusion to our series on prayer and Season 3! What is the significance of daily bread, forgiveness of debts, and not being tempted and delivered from evil? How do these go together and what do they teach us about what it means to be human?  And stick around for a re-imagining of The Lord's Prayer based on the totality of...

Season 3 | Learning to Pray Pt. 2: Welcome To The Household | Matthew 6 We are rounding out season 3 with a special three-part conversation on prayer. In Matthew 6, Jesus is in the midst of the Sermon on the Mount and he talks about how and where and what to pray.  Part 2 of our conversation focuses on the first half of the Lord's Prayer. What does it mean that this prayer is communal? Why the gen...

Season 3 | Learning to Pray Pt 1: Hypocrites and Heathens | Matthew 6 We are rounding out season 3 with a special three-part conversation on prayer. In Matthew 6, Jesus is in the midst of the Sermon on the Mount and he talks about how and where and what to pray.  Part 1 of our conversation focuses on verses 5-8, which lead up to the Lord's Prayer. Jesus tells his followers not to pray like the hyp...

Season 3 | Why A Test? | Genesis 22 Why does God test Abraham by asking him to sacrifice his son Isaac? This story is troubling on multiple levels...and has left many wondering what it could mean. We don't solve it, but we do enjoy asking some good questions.   __ We have started a  Patreon  site for those who would like to financially support this podcast. Click  HERE  to find our site and become...

Season 3 | Wrestling with Salvation | Joshua 1 What would it look like to reimagine Jesus by looking at two people who carried his name - Joshua and Isaiah?  The courage and strength expected of Joshua might be different from the battle-ready context that we often have assumed. And what does it mean to call people towards salvation when they have gone so far astray?   __ We have started a  Patreon...