Ponder Anew Podcast

In this episode we meet a new character -- Eve!  A podcast on a biblical understanding of loneliness, fellowship and marriage.

In this episode 2, we look at the garden of Eden and address some big questions:  How the Bible's editors were smarter than you; How much dirt is in God's fingernails; Whether humans have souls; and What paradise actually looks like.

We live in a world that ignores God's command to honor the sabbath.  We do so at a high cost.  First, a look at the sabbath within Scripture; then a reflection on what it might mean for us to recover the gift of sabbath in our lives.

In Genesis 1, we are told that as humans we are made in the "image of God."  What does it mean to be made in the "Image of God"?  Pastor Rob takes us on a tour of the past millennia of thinking on the matter.

A new season has begun.  We will be working through the book of Genesis (at least part of it!) this season. This podcast includes a reading of Gen 1:1-25, the first five and half days of creation. This podcast also includes reflection on how these Genesis passages reveal truth.

We couldn't end the fun just yet.  A final bonus Christmas episode on the names of Jesus, brought to us by the three kings!

To wrap up our mini-season on the names of Jesus, we will focus on the name given to Jesus by the Heavenly Father:  Beloved!

In this episode we take a look at the name of Jesus: "Emmanuel", which means "God is with us."  I explore how Jesus embraces this name; it turns out that Jesus is God with us, not simply when life is good, but also in the most difficult of circumstances. Also, I get out of the linguistic clouds of last episode and back into the mud of life with this episode!

In this episode you get two words for the price of one! Listen to find out which name of Jesus is explained. Hint: It has to do with hope!

For Advent 2021 we are offering a short-season (4 weeks) on the names of Jesus.  The podcasts are a bit shorter -- they will also used within small groups at St. Paul.  Even if you are not at St. Paul, hopefully these podcasts will open some avenues for prayer and faith these weeks leading up to Christmas. First episode:  The name Jesus itself!

We conclude season 2 with the story of Stephen's Martyrdom (Acts 6, 7 and 8).  He is the first to die for his faith in Jesus; but he is not the last.  In fact, Christians around the world are persecuted to this day. For this podcast, I invited a friend of mine, Nick Todd, to discuss the persecution of Christians around the world.  I realize the episode is long; around 16:18 we switch from a global...

It turns out that humans, even those living in Christian communities, make mistakes, complain, withhold love, get jealous and let us down!  What to do within a community when someone sins?  Acts 5 and Acts 6 present two different ways of dealing with failures and sin within a community.

Season 2, Episode 6 Masks, vaccines, all sorts of COVID-protocols have triggered deep discussions in our society about freedom, including religious freedom.  In this podcast, Pastor Rob offers a reflection on religious freedom from the book of Acts.  In a nutshell: Our freedom isn't just autonomy, but is a freedom to do God's will in our lives.

In this episode, Pastor Rob reflects on how we measure the health of a community or organization, especially a church. Note:  This episode may be a bit geekier than most.  Also thanks to a number of church members as well as Rev. Robert Wallace for conversation on this topic.

In this episode, we consider the community which the Holy Spirit gave birth to:  the community of Acts 2.  This miraculous community challenges and inspires our ideas about what church and community mean.

Tongue of fire and tongues of language.  There are a lot of miraculous things happening in Acts 2 aka Pentecost aka "The birthday of the church."   Pastor Rob reflects on what might be the less obvious but likely more significant miracles occurring in this passage.

Churchy people, in churchy places doing churchy things.  The only thing missing is mission, a sense of the community beyond itself.  Kind of sounds familiar!  A look at Acts 1, the first "Lutheran Church of Jerusalem" and what must happen for a group of people to become a community in mission.

In this episode we focus on the final words of the "earthly" Jesus to his disciples.  Why are these the final words?  Moreover, why did he still need to say anything after the resurrection?  A reflection on the community of witnesses over the centuries of which you are a part.

Welcome to Season 2:  The joy of Community. Pastor Rob invites us into a season 2, in which we will ponder the joy of community as we read together the (first part of the) book of Acts.  Why did Luke write it and why should we read it today?

We thought we were finished. But here is a true season finale on Rebuilding with Nehemiah! The focus is on how we tell our story.

Season finale!!  :-)  Pastor Rob reflects about the creation of the Old Testament (revealed in the book of Nehemiah!), the power of the word and yet our capacity to go terribly wrong in our interpretation.

What is happening in our world:  I can't find Cracklin' Oat Bran at the store! We learn from Nehemiah how to rebuild once the crisis is over -- when the question is no longer "how?" but "why?" and "so what?"

The long-term stress of rebuilding impacts Nehemiah and the community in both healthy and unhealthy ways.  Pastor Rob reflects on the impact of this season's long-term stress in our lives: Some times its like a heat that opens the most beautiful seeds.  Other times, its a sword in our hands that prevents us from opening our hand to God and others.

Let's face it, not all parts of the Bible are exciting.  Some sections read ancient history textbooks that seem to have little import for our life.  Pastor Rob looks at chapter 3 of Nehemiah (one such chapter!) and ponders how we can learn from such parts of Scripture.

Nehemiah demonstrates that faith and reason are not incompatible!  Rebuilding means discerning -- syncing up our hearts and heads.