The Northwood Podcast

Today, we’re going to be going over a passage in the Bible found in the Epistle of James 3:1-12. We won’t read it in total for the sake of time, but will be touching on a verse here or there, but here’s the gist. James compares the tongue to the rudder of a ship. This metaphor is meant to emphasize the point that we can create wonderful things with our words. We can build up a life, encourage...

Today, we are going to continue to talk about the topic of last week which was hope . We’ll approach the topic by way of the prophet Jeremiah who was challenged to purchase a piece of land during a time when his nation was under siege. From his vantage point this seemed like a poor investment, but what at first seemed a poor investment was in fact a choice to invest in a positive future; a future...

Today’s topic for conversation is hope; hope for our future, especially in the face of uncertainty and calamity. It may seem that there are few reasons to hope in the year 2021, especially after the year we’ve just had. Just when it seems that there is light at the end of the tunnel hope stalls out, and relief from the challenges we face seems still further off. As we wonder about the future, have...

One day, thousands of years ago, twelve persons were tasked with feeding thousands of people. Jesus turned the twelve and said, “You feed them.” The disciples pushed back, and gist of their response can be summarized in two words: With what? With what will we feed them? This question still haunts us today. The world is still filled with people in desperate need. We’d like to meet those needs, but...

Jesus once famously said, “Prophets are not without honor, except in their hometown” (Mark 6:4). In other words, the prophets we are most apt to miss are the ones most familiar to us. Might there be prophets in our midst that we fail to notice because of their familiarity and seeming insignificance? If so, what wisdom and insights might we be missing for our failure to see the prophets near and ar...

If you listened to last week’s message you’ll know that we began a two part series meant to prompt the question: In what ways might we bring healing and wholeness into a world that desperately needs it? This week we’ll pick up the story we where we left off and consider the fate of Jairus’ daughter. If you are interested in learning more about Northwood Christian Church, please check out our websi...

We will never be fully aware of the ways our lives impact those around us. We are, each and every day, influencing the lives of others for good or for ill. With this in mind, we should make every effort to be a healing presence in our communities and social networks. With each word and action we must try to bring life and wholeness into the lives of those around us; even strangers. This week’s epi...

The storms of life are bound to find us, and they can leave us feeling disoriented, afraid, or hopeless. Jesus once found himself asleep in a boat during a violent storm. His friends were flabbergasted at his ability to sleep in the midst of such chaos. What peace and calm did Jesus possess, and might that peace and calm find us in the midst of our own storms?  If you enjoyed listening to thi...

Mother’s Day Special: The Bible includes multiple instances where God’s ways and nature are described using feminine language and metaphor. When we do not see God reflected in our mothers, we cut ourselves off from a powerful example of God’s active love for us. If you enjoyed listening to this episode please subscribe to The Northwood Podcast. If you are interested in learning more about Northwoo...

God constantly strives to reconcile humanity in spite of all our divisions. The spirit of God is on the move calling all peoples across traditions together. We must try and become a part of this work; moving with the spirit as she calls all persons together in unity. If you enjoyed listening to this episode please subscribe to The Northwood Podcast. If you are interested in learning more about Nor...

Mark’s telling of the Easter story concludes with more questions than answers. It calls us to live in the tension between hope and fear. Much of life is lived in that tension. The message of Easter calls us to hope in spite of our fears. This episode of The Northwood Podcast considers what it may be like for us to find the faith to live as if our redemption were just around the corner. If you enjo...

Jesus once said that before a seed may grow it must first die a kind of death; fall to the ground and seemingly fade away. But we all know that what comes next is new life and rebirth. In a similar way we must discern what of ourselves we must let go of before we are transformed into the better persons we hope to become. Today’s episode considers what might happen if we are able to let go of what...

Jesus was once asked whether it was right to pay taxes to the Roman Empire. Questions about our civic responsibilities are still with us today. Today’s episode considers a question Jesus once presented to an antagonistic crowd: What Belongs to Caesar? In other words, what do we owe to our society, and what do we owe to God? If you enjoyed listening to this episode please subscribe to The Northwood...

We do well to avoid suffering but not at the expense of doing the right thing. Sometimes living well calls us away from security and complacency and out onto a more dangerous path. In fact, Jesus taught that the way to a life that matters will inevitably pass through suffering. Those who avoid danger and discomfort for the sake of protecting their material wellbeing may well lose all that really m...

Sometimes it is difficult to name the truth. It can be difficult to face what is true about ourselves, let alone speak our truth to others. This week’s episode considers what might happen when/if we confess the truth about our shortcomings and weaknesses so that we might step foot on the path to healing, wholeness, and restoration to our communities.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/p...

There’s no denying it. These are isolating times. Not only are we isolated from one another, but we have been cut off from our sacred spaces by a pandemic. We’ve avoided public gatherings in our houses of worship for safeties’ sake, but this has made many of us feel so alone. Today’s story is about a man who was also isolated, but discovered that God was with him even while he was unaware.  S...

In Isaiah 40 the inhabitants of Planet Earth are compared to grasshoppers. Upon first blush this does not seem flattering at all. I mean, if we are only as valuable as grasshoppers, then surely we are not worth very much? But what if our perception of grasshoppers is all wrong? What if the smallness of their size tells us nothing of their worth and value? Today we consider the question: What is a...