The Building One Another Podcast

Join us as we revisit a "Greatest Hits" episode from the early days of the podcast. In this day and age of negativity, we can encourage people by calling things good!

"Times of refreshing" is such a wonderful word for us in the midst of lives that are often over-busy and very challenging. The Apostle Paul spoke of such times of refreshing coming from the presence of the Lord. Acts 3:20 There are people in your life who are Spirit-Lifters? Spirit-lifters lift your spirit and are conduits of such "times of refreshing" in your life. Ask yourself, "Who are these Sp...

Last week I tripped on a hose, discovered I had to redo a job because someone else dropped the ball, and I had to dig through ten boxes looking for a missing document. Have you ever done a joy check? Especially when you are feeling a bit annoyed? Consider this wonderful word the Apostle Paul writes directly after addressing a disagreement between two people, "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I wi...

People are the homes of our hearts. As you think about the houses and apartments in which you have lived, ask yourself, "What made this dwelling place a home and not merely a house?" In our homes we experience love, encouragement, tears, laughter, mercy and memory. If a person is a home of your heart, then that person offers love, encouragement, tears, laughter, mercy and memory. Such persons are...

The One-One-One Prayer is a wonderful way to pray more deeply for a person. The One-One-One Prayer prays for one person a day for one minute for one month. Think of a person you know seems outside of the life of faith or a person who is carrying a heavy burden.  Perhaps it's a family member or a neighbor, a fellow employee or someone you know in your community. Praying for a minute doesn't sound v...

How do you feel about being interrupted? You are cooking a meal, working on the computer, reading a book, scrolling on Facebook and bam someone interrupts you. Perhaps it's a phone call or a child tugging or an email or the doorbell. It's easy to be annoyed because interruptions can be irritating - you want to do what you are doing! Jesus was constantly being interrupted.  Nicodemus interrupts to...

A number of years ago, Pastor Walt Ungerer called attention to the story of the conversion of Saul. After Saul's dramatic encounter with Jesus, he began to preach about Jesus and a plot arose to kill him, "but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket." Acts 9:25* Walt asked the question, "Who are your rope holders?" Who, in your mome...

I think of Lent as a hopeful season. While Lent is a time for introspection, a time of confession and of coming to terms with the reality of our broken lives, it really not about us! It's about knowing, anticipating and discovering the joy of the Lord who lifts us! While Lent is a reflective time during which we consider our Lord's sacrifice for us, it is also a time to re-discover the passion, th...

In his book Hinge Moments, Michael Lindsay speaks of those "hinge" moments that pivot our lives in brand new directions.      Rebekah's whole world spun when she met Isaac.           Elisha's life dramatically turned when he met Elijah.                Saul's life whirled in a new direction when he met Jesus. At the heart of each of these hinge moments was a hinge person, the pivot person of a new...

Sometimes we encourage people with little forethought. We just impulsively say or do something that lift's someone's heart. At the same time, we all know people whose ongoing challenging situations slip from our minds in the busyness of our lives. Becoming a conscious encourager is a way to elevate these people over the long haul. Consider spending a mental moment in the beginning of your day thin...

In one of the great one-liners in the Bible the Apostle Paul wrote, "Knowledge puffs up but love builds up!" I Corinthians 8:1* It's well worth repeating out loud! Knowledge may lead to a swelled head yet love leads to a swelled heart! Of course, Paul wasn't opposed to knowledge. His own letters have much to say about the knowledge of God and the knowledge of our own selves. However, when on the b...

Sometimes we encourage people going through an intense but short-lived situation. Other times we know people who facing challenges that will be over a long haul. Sometimes over that long haul we may forget a person's ongoing need to cope. To be encouraging over the long haul, we ill discover a simple two-part rhythm is helpful: Remembering and Showing Up. Some of us remember each other's situation...

In his book Hinge Moments, Michael Lindsay speaks of those "hinge" moments that pivot our lives in brand new directions.      Rebekah's whole world spun when she met Isaac.           Elisha's life dramatically turned when he met Elijah.                Saul's life whirled in a new direction when he met Jesus. At the heart of each of these hinge moments was a hinge person, the pivot person of a new...

Think of the significant moments in your life when you said, "yes" to some invitation – to be with someone, to go somewhere, to join a group, visit a church and so on. Its remarkable how significant our response to a simple "come" may influence our live. The flip side is equally true. To be the one who offers, who says, "come," creates for others and for yourself the possibility of new experience...

The art of encouragement takes such a holy flexibility because everyone we seek to encourage is a unique person in a particular set of circumstances. One of the great concepts we learn in music and drama is "improv," short for improvisation. Improv is the capacity to take a risk as you create the new, try something different, look for a new way. Encouraging people is certainly an improv experience...

Consider how intensely personal spiritual encouragement may be. For example, the apostle Paul writes, "we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us."  I Thessalonians 1:8 Paul and those with him didn't just share ideas or concepts or faith but their own lives, that's as personal as it gets. He makes no mention of activit...

The literal words Luke uses to describe the father hugging the prodigal son, "He fell upon his neck," are precisely the same words Luke uses to describe the elders in Ephesus "falling on the neck," that is, hugging Paul. In both cases, Luke is describing people who by their very hugs are saying, "I love you and I'm not letting go of you!" Hugging is an oddly complex topic today because there are m...

This is the time to choose joy! There is much in our lives and in our day that distracts us from the Lord who loves us. Furthermore, we live in a culture of complaint. It's easy to criticize Christmas carols and church services and pastors and family members and just about everything and everyone. Yet, Christmas is about God breaking into our self-centered world with literal good news of great joy...

Many things distract us from what we are trying to do. While we'd like the days leading up to Christmas to center on reflection and anticipation, we find ourselves distracted by the many demands of the season. We also become aware of crises in the lives of people we know and in situations around our country and world. This is a good time to remember that sometimes what we feel are distractions are...

Join Stan and Lee as they welcome Bob Bohler who talks about his book "Pass Your Faith To Your Children." There is no more important task for a parent! Thanks for listening.

Surprises can thrill us, renew us and bring us joy, although we do know some surprises can be painful and very difficult to bear. Surprising people in a manner that sparks joy is one wonderful way to practice the words of I Thessalonians 5:11, "encourage one another and build up one another." One of the things we learn from Chip and Dan Heath's book "The Power of Moments", is that it takes thought...

Henry Smith wrote the wonderful worship song, "Give Thanks," It begins, "Give thanks with a grateful heart." You may find it on Youtube and sing along! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMTmZKotTYw As we celebrate Thanksgiving Day this year, begin with having a grateful heart that springs from the joy of the Lord who loves you. Then consider the People in your life, the Events of your life and the T...

Years ago, Bruce Larson and Keith Miller wrote about the difference between basement people and balcony people.[1] Basement people wear you out and tear you down. "It won't work. Why didn't you do it right? What's wrong with you?" Balcony people bear with you and build you up. "You can do it. I'm with you. You are amazing!" In our often tough and tense time, it's the balcony people who put us on o...

Think of times you have talked with people who share your faith when they are need of a word of encouragement. Do you ever mention words of faith – such as Jesus, God, faith, hope, trust – in such ordinary conversation – to encourage them in God - whether you are on the phone, at a coffeeshop or simply sitting outside? Some time ago, G. Campbell Morgan wrote: It has become very difficult for Chris...

When you awake in the morning, is your mind a jumble of disappearing dreams and the coming events of the day? Do you take a moment, still lying in bed, to center yourself on the Lord who loves you, ready yourself for the day to come? My friend, Lee Zehmer, likens this to the priming of an engine, whether it's an airplane engine, a lawnmower or a snowblower. To prime an engine means to give it a li...