Ronnie McBrayer

In the final talk of his Advent series, and final installment of 2020, Ronnie turns to The Magnificat, Mary’s radical, revolutionary song. Hers is a defiant call to overturn the status quo.

For the third week of Advent Ronnie turns to the Psalms and the question of joy. Joy is not so much about what’s going on outside, as is what happens within our hearts.

For the second Sunday of Advent, Ronnie turns to the Psalm 85 with an emphasis on "chesed," the "unfailing love" of God.  (Note: Ronnie uses the title of 11 rock-n-roll songs throughout the talk, so listen close.)

For the first Sunday of Advent, Ronnie uses 1 Corinthians 1 and a series of stories to show that what we call "hope" is not wishful thinking. It is resiliency and perseverance, even when our faith is shaky.

Why does the little dog do all the barking? Ronnie answers this question and shows how it relates to each of us, revealing that love is the power that gives us all we need to be at peace.

"Who Are You?" We all have an identity: It is the complex - sometimes contradictory - construct that we have built for ourselves. That identity determines how we act and the type of people we become.

Two declarations are making their rounds these days: "Everything is Crazy!" and "All We Need Is Love." In this talk, following the words of Paul - with a little help from Van Morrison, Foreigner, and Bonnie Raitt - Ronnie brings the crazy and the love together.

In his conclusion to the series "Dreams That You Dream" based on the life of Joseph, Ronnie uses Joseph's own words to help us make meaning of our experiences. "You intended to harm me," Joseph told his brothers, "but God intended it all for good."

Tyrone Edwards said, “Every parting is a form of death, and every reunion is a type of heaven.”  In this episode Ronnie talks about life as it will be - and could be - as heaven is more than a final destination. It is a way of being in the world today. 

Enough blood and tears. There comes a time to seek peace and forgiveness, letting past injuries go. 

"You got to be tough if you are going to be stupid." This proverb is the hub around which this talk by Ronnie (and again, from the life of Joseph) centers. When we act stupidly, we have to toughen up because our own actions hurt us. The better option is to let our self-inflicted suffering open us up to a liberated way of living.

Being powerless in the face of injustice is one of the most common and infuriating experiences of being human. But what happens in those rare times when it is within one's power to take revenge? Ronnie explores how Joseph reacted in this exact circumstance in the eighth episode of his current series, "Dreams That You Dream."

This is an original song of mine  that was recorded live recently. I can't take credit for all the lyrics, as they are based on a couple of old spirituals. But, it's one of my faves, so I hope you enjoy it (and thanks to Bobby Rains for capturing it). - RM PS: That's Sarah Anne Davidson on acoustic guitar and background vocals and Nic Turner on lead guitar, with the rest of the Backsliders playing...

"What's in a name?" Sometimes everything. In this seventh installment of "Dreams That You Dream," Ronnie shows how the naming of Joseph's sons reflect his ability to close the door on the past, and with courage walk into the future.

In his continued exploration of the life of Joseph, Ronnie McBrayer explores the tension of these two statements, both of them true: 1) You have almost no control over what happens to you; and 2) You are the only one who can take responsibility for your own life. NOTE: Apologies for a rough spot in the audio about half-way through (technical gremlins). 

"Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away," wrote Sir Paul McCartney. Far away? Yes, but rarely is the past forgotten. In this fifth installment of "Dreams That You Dream," Ronnie shows how Joseph begins to integrate past with his present and future.

In Part 4 of Ronnie's series "Dreams That You Dream" on the life of Joseph, he takes on the "Best Worst Things" that can happen to us. Trouble has a way of creating new pathways, redirecting our lives in ways we could not have imagined. 

In Part 3 of Ronnie's series on the life of Joseph, it is "Life in the Pits." Ronnie makes the point that “Life and God aren’t the same things, and should not be confused with each other." While God is good, just, and loving, there is no guarantee that life will be the same.

So, you think your family is dysfunctional? Wait until you meet Joseph's!   In this second part of "Dreams That You Dream," Ronnie takes on the "Biblical Family," revealing that it's a model not always worth imitating.

This is the Introduction to a series of talks on the life of Joseph. "Dreams That You Dream" is an exploration of faith, resilience, and writing the long story that is your life.

Borrowing the title from Frederick Buechner's book, The Magnificent Defeat is the an examination of the wrestling match between God and the patriarch Jacob. It is an episode that shows the necessity of both struggle and surrender.

On the anniversary of Vincent Van Gogh's death, Ronnie profiles the painter by looking at his life, his early call to ministry, and how Vincent's suffering was the catalyst for the genius of his art. 

A look at Jacob's encounter with God at Bethel - and how God is everywhere - though we are usually unaware. Ronnie invite listeners to open their eyes, ears, and hearts to the Wondrous More.

In this talk Ronnie takes on the seeming collapse of today's society, and challenges listeners to see the collapse as an opportunity to build something better in its place.

In this Independence Day talk, Ronnie tells the story of Roger Williams: Anglican, Puritan, Heretic, Founder of Rhode Island, Baptist, Seeker, and defender of religious liberty. Williams' life and work remind us that the Kingdom of God is "a garden in the wilderness" of the current empires.