Artisan Church Podcast

The work of the Spirit is disruptive, a holy fire, a rushing wind. Sometimes, it’s even disruptive to our “biblical” understanding of God. What are we to do when the Spirit seems to lead away from the Scriptures? Speaker: Pastor Scott Austin Part of the series “ Deconstruction Project: Faith for When Things Are Falling Apart ”

Joseph had holy dreams that changed his worldview. But it put him at odds with his brothers, ultimately ripping his family apart. God’s work might hurt before it heals . Part of the series “ Deconstruction Project: Faith for When Things Are Falling Apart ”

Processing the emotional aspects of deconstruction can be as hard as figuring out the spirituality of it all. We can take some reassurance from the Psalms of Lament, which legitimize the pain of religious experience. Speaker: Pastor Scott Austin Part of the series “ Deconstruction Project: Faith for When Things Are Falling Apart ”

John the Baptist spent his entire life—literally from before he was born!—understanding himself to be tied up in the story of Jesus. And yet near the end of his life, he was in crisis and plagued by doubt. Not even being a prophet can guarantee certainty. Speaker: Pastor Scott Austin Part of the series “ Deconstruction Project: Faith for When Things Are Falling Apart ”

“The wise man built upon the rock, the foolish man upon sand.” When the storms rage and your spiritual house falls, does that make you a fool? And what is underneath all that sand, anyway? Speaker: Pastor Scott Austin Part of the series “ Deconstruction Project: Faith for When Things Are Falling Apart ”

Our religious vocabulary matters, because it gives meaning to our life of faith. But some words we use (repeatedly!) can be confusing, or have evolved new meaning over the years. Today we examine a few of these words, considering what they mean to us. Part of the series “ Wintry Mix: A Series to Get Us Through to Spring ”

“Be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect.” This line tucked into the middle of Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount seems impossible. What could Jesus mean by this? We’ll explore this strange idea this week, and in doing so learn more about what it means to be beloved children of God. Speaker: Kristen Brown Part of the series “ Wintry Mix: A Series to Get Us Through to Spring ”

We celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., by engaging with the Hebrew prophet Amos, whose writing inspired some of Dr. King’s most challenging words: his letter to white moderate Christians. Speaker: Pastor Scott Austin Part of the series “ Wintry Mix: A Series to Get Us Through to Spring ”

How does vulnerability before God provide rest when we feel defeated and destroyed? Speaker: Carrie Starr Part of the series “ Wintry Mix: A Series to Get Us Through to Spring ”

An update from Pastor Scott about all that is going on lately at Artisan, what challenges we face, and what we can expect in 2020. Part of the series “ Wintry Mix: A Series to Get Us Through to Spring ”

In a world that seems more apocalyptic with each passing day, it would be easy to become infatuated with signs that the end is near. But God is with us now . It’s time to wake up from our dark dreams… and act! Speaker: Pastor Scott Austin Part of the series “ God in the Darkness: Awakening to Advent ”

How do we find joy in the midst of sorrow? Patience in desperation? The same way we find faith in the midst of doubt: with grit, perseverance, trust, and a willingness to get our hands dirty. Speaker: Pastor Scott Austin Part of the series “ God in the Darkness: Awakening to Advent ”

The world can seem like a hopeless place. Yet just like when saplings emerge from the stump of a tree, new life can grow out of that which seems dead. Let us hope in the promises of God! Speaker: Pastor Scott Austin Part of the series “ God in the Darkness: Awakening to Advent ”

We all long for the day when we find peace in our city and in our world, when nations are not at war, and when justice prevails. How then should we live while we wait for that day to arrive? Speaker: Pastor Scott Austin Part of the series “ God in the Darkness: Awakening to Advent ”

Christ the King Sunday, the last day of the liturgical year, typically focuses on Christ’s dominion over all creatures. This year, the lectionary Gospel reading gives us a dramatically unexpected picture of Christ’s reign: the story of his crucifixion. Speaker: Pastor Scott Austin Part of the series “ On the Road With Jesus: Traveling With the Teacher ”

In response to a seemingly harmless observation about the beauty of the temple, Jesus warns that it is all temporary, and that there are many trials coming for those who proclaim his name. Speaker: Pastor Scott Austin Part of the series “ On the Road With Jesus: Traveling With the Teacher ”

When we see death and destruction all around us, how can we begin to find hope without the resurrection? And what do people of resurrection have to offer a dying world? Speaker: Rose Percy, Bethel Church of the Nazarene Part of the series “ On the Road With Jesus: Traveling With the Teacher ”

A famous "Sunday School" story about a man who received forgiveness: it seems simple enough. But we had better not skip over the reconciling work he did! Speaker: Pastor Scott Austin Part of the series “ On the Road With Jesus: Traveling With the Teacher ”

Jesus told a story of two men who went up to pray. One was self-righteous, the other deeply humble. Which character we see ourselves in reveals a lot about our own spiritual state. Speaker: Pastor Scott Austin Part of the series “ On the Road With Jesus: Traveling With the Teacher ”

Jesus told his disciples a parable about a widow who petitioned a judge for justice against an opponent. As we try to apply this teaching to our time, we ask ourselves who each of these characters represents, and which one we most resemble. Speaker: Pastor Scott Austin Part of the series “ On the Road With Jesus: Traveling With the Teacher ”

On his way to Jerusalem, Jesus healed ten men at once. Only one showed gratitude. But the story has many other interesting aspects, leaving us with lots to ponder as we sort out its meaning for today. Speaker: Pastor Scott Austin Part of the series “ On the Road With Jesus: Traveling With the Teacher ”

In this introductory sermon, we begin to think about what it means to “travel with the Teacher”, especially when we find his lessons difficult to understand or accept. Speaker: Pastor Scott Austin Part of the series “ On the Road With Jesus: Traveling With the Teacher ”

“Alas for those who are at ease”, writes the prophet Amos. And the words don’t get more comforting to the comfortable from there. In the Christian scriptures, we find instructions for those who are rich—instructions that all Americans would do well to heed. Speaker: Pastor Scott Austin Part of the series “ Inside Out Faith: A return to the lectionary ”

In a country where national identity and religious identity are often hard to separate, it can be difficult to imagine a communal faith that is not poisoned by politics. Yet the biblical story often situates God’s deliverance within cities, tribes, and nations. What are we to make of this? Speaker: Pastor Scott Austin Part of the series “ Inside Out Faith: A return to the lectionary ”

To live faithfully into the story of God’s people, we must be willing to admit the worst things we have ever done, and to repent. This can seem soul-crushing! But take heart, because this is not the end . Speaker: Pastor Scott Austin Part of the series “ Inside Out Faith: A return to the lectionary ”