Christian Formation

There are 5 commitments to church membership here at Providence. The first two we touched on last week were "follow" and "gather." This week for the re-release episode, we are diving into the last three: gospel proclamation, a lifestyle of contribution, and a healthy partaking of the sacraments. Connect With Us providenceomaha.org | Instagram | Facebook Email Us formation@provi...

The word "commitment" may evoke a feeling of joy or discomfort. In today's world, commitment is most likely met with disdain and tension. However, we are called to commitments not only in daily life, but also in the church if you call yourself a member. In this episode re-release, we discuss church membership commitments as they relate to Providence members. Join the discussion and...

The Psalms are filled with rich imagery and a lot of emotion, however, not many of us know the true depth of how valuable the Psalms really are in shaping our view of God and our prayer lives. In this episode re-release, we discuss the background of the Psalms, why it is important for Christians to read the Psalms, and how reading the Psalms can shape our prayer life and view of God.  We are joine...

Every month, our church gathers to sing, pray, and read the Bible. We call these times Worship Nights because we believe them to center our attention (our worship) on Christ. But recently we have been asking ourselves, what is the difference between a worship night and a Sunday morning church gathering?  To compare these two is like comparing apples and oranges. (Which, counter to popular belief,...

Summer may evoke feelings of financial freedom or feelings of dread as air conditioners go out, cars need to be worked on, and other miscellaneous circumstances come up.    In this episode re-release , we address questions like, "What does it look like to give generously in hard times?" and "Do I need financially give or is giving of my time enough?" Join us as we look at our c...

In light of the ballot initiative, we revisit an episode from Season 5. On this week's episode, we discuss the topic of pro-life and the pro-life ministry work at Assure Women's Center, a nonprofit organization that offers free services to pregnant women in the Omaha area.  We are joined by Toni Clarke, who serves as the executive director at Assure and has worked at Assure for the last...

It is currently summer and for many of us, that can come with a renewed sense of energy. For others, it can come with some unease as we start to slow down and sense part of our souls that have withered and feel far from God. If you have wondered why God feels distant at times, you're not alone. Many Christians wonder this. While we don't have concrete answers, we discuss some possible re...

This episode seeks to provide wisdom in forgiveness—exploring why as Christians we are to forgive, why it is hard to forgive, and how to forgive others. Providence Resources Forgiveness Model Mentioned Women's Retreat 2022: Free Indeed Knowing God Podcast 042 - Life through Forgiveness 093 - Forgiveness by Forgiveness Other Articles Forgiveness Article   Mayo Clinic Connect With Us providence...

How do you work through your past issues to better love God and others? Is this something you can do on your own or should it be done only in community? How can we rewire our brains to be fully known and fully loved?   In this episode, Ravyn and Debbie discuss the importance of healing from past trauma, how to do that on your own, and how to do that with others. Additional Resources Books Transfor...

In this episode, Andrew and Ravyn introduce the topic of and definition of fencing the Lord's table. What is fencing the table? Why is fencing the table an act of love? How do we practically fence the table on Sundays? Tune in for discussions over these questions and more. Additional Resources Sermons Sermon on the Mount :: The Heart of Murder Christian Formation Episodes 141 - How to Take th...

In this episode, we discuss team leadership and what that looks like in a church with a lead pastor and an associate pastor verses a church with two co-pastors. Connect With Us providenceomaha.org | Instagram | Facebook Email Us formation@providenceomaha.org

In this episode, Andrew shares exciting details about his family's upcoming sabbatical. Join us as he reveals their travel plans, their spiritual and personal goals during the trip, and ways you can pray for them as they are disconnected from their normal routine. Connect With Us providenceomaha.org | Instagram | Facebook Email Us formation@providenceomaha.org

In this episode, we discuss what a sabbatical is, why it is important, and how regular rhythms of rest are helpful for the Christian life.  Connect With Us providenceomaha.org | Instagram | Facebook Email Us formation@providenceomaha.org

When you get married, it can be easy to either put your friends first, your family of origin first, or kids first instead of your spouse. We want this episode to serve as a helpful resource for how to love your spouse well and ensure that you are first and foremost investing in the relationship with them. Connect With Us providenceomaha.org | Instagram | Facebook Email Us formation@providenceomaha...

This is episode 4 of our dating and marriage relationship series where we address common questions from people in our church.  This episode seeks to provide wisdom for couples who have been married 8+ years, identifying common pain points and ways to press into the Lord together during marriage. Connect With Us providenceomaha.org | Instagram | Facebook Email Us formation@providenceomaha.org

This is episode 3 of our dating and marriage relationship series where we address common questions from people in our church.  This episode seeks to provide wisdom for newly married couples, identifying common pain points and ways to press into the Lord together during the first couple years of marriage. Connect With Us providenceomaha.org | Instagram | Facebook Email Us formation@providenceomaha....

Over the next couple of weeks, we are addressing the topics of dating and marriage, specifically certain questions we’ve received from individuals in our church family.  This is episode 2 of our dating / marriage relationship series and focuses on the topic of being equally yoked, or dating / marrying someone who is also a Christian. We address questions such as: - What if I “think” the person I a...

Over the next couple of weeks, we are going to address the topics of dating and marriage, specifically certain questions we’ve received from individuals in our church family.  This episode focuses on the topic of Sex Before Marriage and addresses whether it is a wise choice, where we see scripture address the topic, and our own thoughts on the issue. The questions we cover include: Where in the Bi...

All people need a substitute to escape God’s judgment and enjoy God’s presence. In Exodus, we see Israel has to learn that if they want to live with God, it is through a substitute. For us today, our access to God’s presence is solely by a great substitute that allowed God’s just wrath to pass over us, and instead offer life and forgiveness. We, then, must live in light of the great hope of our pa...

Making sense of judgment and de-creation in the Bible isn't easy. Oftentimes, it can cause us to question God's character or simply leave us confused. In this episode, we unpack the theme of judgment in the Bible, asking questions like: Is judgment good? What would be true about God if he didn't judge? How do we escape this judgment? Links - Sunday Exodus Sermons Connect With Us pro...

Why is circumcision such a big deal in the Old Testament? In Exodus 4, it seems as if God is going to take Moses’ life because of a failure to circumcise his son. Join us as we discuss why circumcision is so important for God’s people and what implications does it have for us today. Links - Sunday Exodus Sermons Bible Reading Tip - Write down different passages and / or questions as you are readin...

In this episode we seek to trace the theme of trusting God's means of salvation by looking at the ark in the stories of Noah and Moses.  Links - Sunday Exodus Sermons Bible Reading Tip - Ask yourself, "Have I seen something like this before?" When you recognize a theme or similar story in the Bible. Then, rest in it. Meditate on it and what God could be saying to you. Connect With U...

In this episode we seek to trace the theme of choosing/fearing God, or choosing evil. From Eve in the garden, to the midwives, to prophets, to Jesus, we see choices for good or evil throughout the Scriptures. And we too have a choice - trust God or trust the snake’s deception. Links - Sunday Exodus Sermons Bible Reading Tip - Ask yourself, have I seen something like this before? When you recognize...

In this episode, we discuss the snake imagery that spans the entire Bible and how  it can better help us appreciate God's redemptive plan for history. Some questions we hit in this episode are: What does the snake imagery in the Bible mean? Where do we see various instances of snake imagery? How does the snake imagery point back to God prevailing over all evil? We also give insight as to why...

In the last episode, we discussed what Lent is, the history behind it, and and reasons why we might want to consider observing Lent. In this episode, we talk about some common ways to practice Lent, including fasting, almsgiving, and prayer. Join us for the conversation! Resources The Good of Giving Up: Discovering the Freedom of Lent The 40-Day Sugar Fast: Where Physical Detox Meets Spiritual Tra...