a Church Podcast

Thanksgiving, ideally, is the gratitude that comes from experiencing the fullness of life.  But what about ALL the fullness of life, including both the blessings and the challenges?  How do we follow Jesus' way of love when life is complicated?  Support the show

Curses and counter-curses were a normal part of life in the ancient world.  This meant that those who were poor, hungry, and hurting were often considered by others to be cursed.  And if you have been cursed then perhaps there is an enemy that you need to curse in return.  In this superstitious world, Jesus blesses those who feel cursed, setting us free from the cycle of fighting hate with hate. ...

What do we do when things don't go the way we want them to go?  The multitudes in the gospels are the people who have lost or are losing when it comes to life, politics, and even religion.  They are the hurting and ignored and yet it's among them that Jesus will center his kingdom movement of compassion and love.   Support the show

Sukkot is the Jewish celebration of harvest that includes spending time in a sukkah or tent as a reminder of the 40 years wandering in the wilderness.  The tent is a physical experience of the Biblical story, which creates space for all of our human experiences.   Support the show

Welcome Rev. Mack Mossett III and Calvary Baptist Church of Santa Monica to our combined worship service and Harvest Festival.   Support the show

We belong to God and we are loved because of the faithfulness of Christ.  Our faith in Christ isn't required!  If that's true what is the point of having a faith of our own?   Support the show

This is the most important sermon I've ever given.  Honestly, THE. MOST. IMPORTANT!  It's about a fight at a basketball game.  It's about prepositions.  And it's about being loved and accepted by God.   Support the show

A long time ago Jewish mystics wondered, "If God is everyone then how is there enough room for us and the rest of creation?"   The answer they proposed was that God somehow became smaller.     Support the show

Welcome Rev. Elizabeth Gibbs Zehnder who reminds us of God's love for all of us.   Support the show

The problem with reading the letters of Paul is that they include a lot of information, but not a lot of stories.  As a result, Paul often comes across as a robot disconnected from what it feels like to be human.  But if we read between the lines of his letter to the Philippians we might discover Paul's humanity and the very interesting story of the church to whom he's writing.  Support...

Welcome our guest preacher, Rev. Suzanne Swartz, giving a Labor Day reflection on James 1:17-27 and Mark  7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23.   Support the show

What is the book of Daniel all about?  Let's look back and see what we've discovered along the way.   Support the show

It's funny, not funny!  The dark reality behind Daniel's retelling of history is meant to reveal how our human violence is ridiculously (almost comically) foolish.  Why do we continue to believe that violence is the answer to violence?  There has to be a better way. Support the show

Daniel is depressed when an angel shows up with a message.  This message, however, has been delayed by a cosmic battle or spiritual struggle.  But can't God just show up when God wants to show up?  Can't God speak when God wants to speak?  Can God really get delayed?   Support the show

Was that a drag queen performance of the last supper?  Was that Jesus at the table as the DJ leading the party?  Oh those French!  But was this really anymore scandalous than all the meals that Jesus ate with those who were hated and rejected by society?  Wasn't Jesus' wide and inclusive love also considered offensive, blasphemous, and even satanic?   Support the show

What does greatness look like?  Daniel's vision of a Ram and a Goat is an evaluation of historical greatness from the perspective of heaven.  This vision then invites us to ask similar questions about what great leadership looks like and how we can stay healthy amidst the chaos and uncertainty of life.   Support the show

What does the familiar story of the Good Samaritan have to teach us about racial solidarity?  Our guest preacher is Dr. Phil Allen Jr. who is a theologian, ethicist, pastor, poet, documentary film producer and founder/president of Racial Solidarity Project.     Support the show

In Daniel's dream four monsters emerge from the sea to cause chaos and destruction.  While we might be tempted to fight their violence with violence, the evil ways of empires will only be overcome by God's way of love. Support the show

King Darius the Organizer was a good and intelligent king, so why was he so easily tricked into making an unjust law that could never be change?  Daniel was known for his exceptional wisdom, so why did he pray with his windows open when he knew it could get him thrown into the lion's den?  All of this drama could have so easily been avoided.  But that isn't how the story went and this is...

Rev. Mack Mossett III and Rev. Tim Vance speaking together in celebration of Juneteenth at Calvary Baptist Church in Santa Monica. Support the show

What does the writing on the wall mean in Daniel 5?  Mysterious writing on walls is never a good thing.  But what is the disembodied hand writing?   And what does it mean for King Belshazzar?  What does it mean for us?  0:00 - Introduction 1:30 - Conditioned by Modern Technology 3:04 - King Belshazzar throws a party for the gods of wealth and power 5:00 - Do we need to disprove other faith traditi...

Sometimes the Bible doesn't make sense.  Sometimes we're supposed to be confused because when we are certain we stop asking questions, we stop wondering, and we stop paying attention.  And in our certainty we become like the King, in Daniel 4, who is oblivious to the pains and experiences of others.   Support the show

King Nebuchadnezzar sees and hears only what he wants to see and hear.  But at Pentecost we are invited to see things not just from our own perspective, but from the perspective of different people, cultures, and languages.   Support the show

Have you ever woken up from a dream and the emotions you had in the dream stay with you?   King Nebuchadnezzar wakes up from a dream and even though he can't remember it he's still very much in his emotions.  He feels threatened by the dream so he reacts by threatening others.   We can't control our dreams, like we can control many things in life, but what's important is how we...

When we find ourselves in a new place or situation, we gain this forced awareness because we can't rely on our normal to be normal.  The book of Daniel is all about life in a new place (exile) where the Jewish community is wrestling with what values and traditions they can hold onto.  As we read through Daniel we are asked the same questions, "What, from our normal, is worth keeping and...