Commons Church Podcast

There are so many stories about people in the bible that, with eyes wide open, disturb. In the history of interpretation, explanations abound. We hear that these folks had it coming, that their differences were unacceptable, that they were vulnerable and weak. As disturbing as these stories feel, they don't disappear. They wait in the shadows as if to say, "Our pain is real and held by God in this...

There are so many stories about people in the bible that, with eyes wide open, disturb. In the history of interpretation, explanations abound. We hear that these folks had it coming, that their differences were unacceptable, that they were vulnerable and weak. As disturbing as these stories feel, they don't disappear. They wait in the shadows as if to say, "Our pain is real and held by God in this...

Upside Down Apocalypse is available July 5, 2022  In this series, we're going to take a look at a Jesus-centred interpretation of the book of Revelation. In this video we'll talk about: 00:00 Introduction 01:00 A Closer Look 03:25 Second Chances 04:40 Judgement and Redemption  06:55 Power and Control  08:29 Profound Hope This video is part 6 of 6. Preorder links: US https://www.amazon.com/Upside-D...

Upside Down Apocalypse is available July 5, 2022  In this series, we're going to take a look at a Jesus-centred interpretation of the book of Revelation. In this video we'll talk about: 00:00 Introduction 01:15 Har Megiddo 03:12 Ground Zero 04:20 The Rider on the White Horse 08:42 Subversion of our Expectations  This video is part 5 of 6. Preorder links: US https://www.amazon.com/Upside-Down-Apoca...

Upside Down Apocalypse is available July 5, 2022  In this series, we're going to take a look at a Jesus-centred interpretation of the book of Revelation. In this video we'll talk about: 00:00 Introduction 01:15 All the Sevens 02:40 The Trumpets 06:60 A Seventh Angel 10:42 Counter-Narrative In future videos, we'll talk about the genre of apocalyptic literature and look at some of the key moments an...

Upside Down Apocalypse is available July 5, 2022  In this series, we're going to take a look at a Jesus-centred interpretation of the book of Revelation. In this video we'll talk about: 00:00 Introduction 01:10 The Purpose of the Letters 02:58 The Economy of Laodicea 04:55 Water Sources In future videos, we'll talk about the genre of apocalyptic literature and look at some of the key moments and i...

Upside Down Apocalypse is available July 5, 2022  In this series, we're going to take a look at a Jesus-centred interpretation of the book of Revelation. We'll start by talking about: 00:00 Introduction 01:20 Where Apocalyptic literature comes from  04:30 Apocalyptic Language Games 09:28 666 and the Mark of the Beast In future videos, we'll look at some of the key moments and images from the book...

Upside Down Apocalypse is available July 5, 2022  In this series, we're going to take a look at a Jesus-centred interpretation of the book of Revelation. We'll start by talking about: 01:30 Why it's important to interpret Revelation through Jesus 06:04 The purpose of prophecy in the Hebrew tradition 09:40 How John uses Isaiah as the structure for his writing In future videos, we'll talk about the...

"Genesis is a book about origins: the origins of humankind, the origins of Israel, and the origins of the unique relationship between God and a particular people." —Nahum Sarna.  We will listen to the memory of ancient Israel wrapped in poetic narratives. We will spend time with the strangeness of these stories, attending to the faith embedded in them. We will let the text draw us into a cosmic ac...

"Genesis is a book about origins: the origins of humankind, the origins of Israel, and the origins of the unique relationship between God and a particular people." —Nahum Sarna.  We will listen to the memory of ancient Israel wrapped in poetic narratives. We will spend time with the strangeness of these stories, attending to the faith embedded in them. We will let the text draw us into a cosmic ac...

Cain and Abel is a compelling story and there are a lot of ways to read it. Here's an option that sees the characters as archetypes of human social development. Let me know what you think.

"Genesis is a book about origins: the origins of humankind, the origins of Israel, and the origins of the unique relationship between God and a particular people." —Nahum Sarna.  We will listen to the memory of ancient Israel wrapped in poetic narratives. We will spend time with the strangeness of these stories, attending to the faith embedded in them. We will let the text draw us into a cosmic ac...

"Genesis is a book about origins: the origins of humankind, the origins of Israel, and the origins of the unique relationship between God and a particular people." —Nahum Sarna.  We will listen to the memory of ancient Israel wrapped in poetic narratives. We will spend time with the strangeness of these stories, attending to the faith embedded in them. We will let the text draw us into a cosmic ac...

"Genesis is a book about origins: the origins of humankind, the origins of Israel, and the origins of the unique relationship between God and a particular people." —Nahum Sarna.  We will listen to the memory of ancient Israel wrapped in poetic narratives. We will spend time with the strangeness of these stories, attending to the faith embedded in them. We will let the text draw us into a cosmic ac...

Philippians 2 *** We all have a guilty musical pleasure. Admit it. A band we return to as the soundtrack to some other season. An album we replay because it.still. holds.up. The song we blast in the car when it comes on — lyrics flowing freely, dance moves optional. Because music stirs us, evokes emotion, forms memory, and helps us return to ourselves. Which is why we shouldn’t be surprised that,...

Heb 1 *** We all have a guilty musical pleasure. Admit it. A band we return to as the soundtrack to some other season. An album we replay because it.still. holds.up. The song we blast in the car when it comes on — lyrics flowing freely, dance moves optional. Because music stirs us, evokes emotion, forms memory, and helps us return to ourselves. Which is why we shouldn’t be surprised that, at times...

Ephesians 2:14-18 *** We all have a guilty musical pleasure. Admit it. A band we return to as the soundtrack to some other season. An album we replay because it.still. holds.up. The song we blast in the car when it comes on — lyrics flowing freely, dance moves optional. Because music stirs us, evokes emotion, forms memory, and helps us return to ourselves. Which is why we shouldn’t be surprised th...

We all have a guilty musical pleasure. Admit it. A band we return to as the soundtrack to some other season. An album we replay because it.still. holds.up. The song we blast in the car when it comes on — lyrics flowing freely, dance moves optional. Because music stirs us, evokes emotion, forms memory, and helps us return to ourselves. Which is why we shouldn’t be surprised that, at times, early Ch...

John 1:1-14 *** We all have a guilty musical pleasure. Admit it. A band we return to as the soundtrack to some other season. An album we replay because it.still. holds.up. The song we blast in the car when it comes on — lyrics flowing freely, dance moves optional. Because music stirs us, evokes emotion, forms memory, and helps us return to ourselves. Which is why we shouldn’t be surprised that, at...

We have just through Easter and we are now in the season of Eastertide, the 50 day celebration of resurrection. And that’s lovely but I think for a lot of us that are steeped in the evangelical industrial complex our relationship with Easter can feel a little complicated. Sure,  we love resurrection and we are glad Jesus died “for us” but sometimes there is this niggling feeling like it doesn’t qu...

We all have a guilty musical pleasure. Admit it. A band we return to as the soundtrack to some other season. An album we replay because it.still. holds.up. The song we blast in the car when it comes on — lyrics flowing freely, dance moves optional. Because music stirs us, evokes emotion, forms memory, and helps us return to ourselves. Which is why we shouldn’t be surprised that, at times, early Ch...

Easter Sunday is here. Resurrection has come for us. Today we awake knowing that the story is not over. And it is a celebration! But this is also our first Easter Sunday gathering together to worship in three years, and we are ecstatic. The Christian faith is an Easter faith. That means it is ultimately a joyous and hopeful view of the universe. Christ has triumphed over the enemies of life and lo...

Everything depends on Jesus, his dying and rising life. Everything. With a clear sense of who Jesus is—God most clearly revealed to us—and a clear focus on what he has done for us through the cross and resurrection, we live now with a hope and confidence that cannot be undone. Holy Week is the time in the Christian calendar when we pay closest attention to this part of the story. In the same way,...

John 9:1-7 *** Jesus endlessly fascinates. There is not a single moment, word, or action in his life that is not pregnant with something more.  There is a qualitative difference that is unmistakable about Jesus, though. John puts in simply, "In him was life and that life was the light of all people." (John 1:4) As John writes about Jesus, he knows that he is touching the infinite. He charmingly sa...

John 6:15-21 *** Jesus endlessly fascinates. There is not a single moment, word, or action in his life that is not pregnant with something more.  There is a qualitative difference that is unmistakable about Jesus, though. John puts in simply, "In him was life and that life was the light of all people." (John 1:4) As John writes about Jesus, he knows that he is touching the infinite. He charmingly...