The Whitehouse Church Podcast

I choose to believe because the world truly needs to be saved and the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, and the beautiful kingdom that he represents are honestly the hope of the world. As I have studied and travelled, as I have sought wisdom and truth, I keep coming back to Jesus as the centre of my life.

Part of what Jesus does on the cross is to take back the power that humans have handed over to demonic forces. By defeating the devil and his schemes Jesus sets the scene for a new creation and a new earth where humans fulfil their purpose as image bearers.

What have you made sacred that is should not be? What has become commonplace in your life that creates a stumbling block to your worship and faithfulness?

"The Son of Man must suffer and die, and if you want to be my disciple you must also pick up your cross and follow me. You must resist the beastly temptation to define good and evil, resist the temptation towards violence and greed; resist the beast. And in doing that you will find life!"

May the God of all Goodness and Mercy follow you on this Lenten journey and may the barren parts of your life be made fruitful through the grace of Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

We were blessed to hear from our dear friend Chevelle Hibberd today.

There are many things in the Bible that we can rightly call biblical, that we cannot rightly call Christian. If there is any confusion about whose opinion, tradition, or practice is most valid it is made clear for us here at the transfiguration; Jesus supersedes everything that came before him. “Listen to him!” The law and prophets testified about Jesus, but we must take our lessons directly from...

A terrible side effect of our disbelief in spiritual things is that we  fail to recognise their influence and fail to respond to them. There are two sets of values at play in the world, those that are consistent with the kingdom of God and those that are not. Those that  bring life and those that bring death. Those that seek to restore and  build, and those that seek to pull down an...

Whilst the cross has mostly been used as a symbol of service and sacrifice, it has also been turned into a symbol of power. Seeking military, political, or social power in the name of the cross of Christ is blasphemy. Committing acts of violence, greed, imperialism, judgement, genocide,  superiority, and power over people in the name of the cross is the antithesis of following Jesus. Second S...

Gabriel basically says, ‘Don’t be afraid of me, I’m afraid of you!’  Mary’s womb will become the temple of the enfleshed Word! The incarnate Son of God will be within her and before her angels tremble.

I am grateful for you. For those who have become old friends. For those  who are becoming old friends. I am grateful for the shared food and  memories, and I am grateful for the shared projects and passions. I am grateful for the partnership that we have in the gospel to share good news of hope and salvation through Jesus. I am grateful for your generosity and kindness, your patience and...

These people where very quick to make a loud public declaration of their faith when the thought Jesus was going to be a powerful warlord, but they just as quickly disappeared when things got hard.

We were thrilled to have Jarrod join us for an amazing conversation that covered everything from spiritual formation and practice, to historical and contemporary Anabaptism, to what it means to ‘decolonise’ faith in a time of ecological crisis. Even narwhals get a mention! Jarrod McKenna is an award-winning peace trainer and activist who has spent his life serving those whom society has pushed to...

We are not good at lament. Our suburban Christian faith is rarely resilient enough to survive significant suffering, sickness, disappointment, struggle, or setback. I know a lot of Christians who  have been through challenges and put on a brave face whilst privately experiencing the erosion of their hope, joy, and faith. The inability of Christians to lament, to question, and to grieve has ma...

Hebrew poetry isn't like poetry in English. Where we rhyme words, the Hebrew poets rhyme concepts! Once it has been pointed out you can't un-see it. In particular they used parallelism which we are going to look at today.

Saint Ignatius of Loyola was a 16th century priest who co-founded and led the religious order called the Society of Jesus, or simply the Jesuits. In 1548 St Ignatius wrote Spiritual Exercises, a simple set of meditations, prayers, and other practices. Perhaps the most well known of these exercises is 'The Daily Examen'. This practice helps to build intimacy and trust in God. It helps us to slow do...

One of the defining blessings of my life has been the unwavering  knowledge that my dad loves me and wants the best for me. The older I  get, and the older my kids get, the more I see the sacrifices and investment that my dad made to be there for me growing up. I know that he loves me. I know that I don’t have to be afraid of him, and that he isn’t angry or disappointed with me.

These commands were not meant to be perceived as a new law. They were  the basis of a new kind of community and a new kind of kingdom. Just as children learn their mother tongue simply by being exposed to a language, these new commands were to be the daily life of the Christian  community such that they became second nature to new believers rather than imposed rules. For us, taking these...

The wonderful Chevelle Hibberd shared again with us today. "As renewing as it is to remember Jesus's resurrection, the Lord's Supper harks back to a very ancient message that the Kingdom is about feasting, and the feasting is open to every nation."

Jesus had an entirely different set of priorities compared to the  synagogue leader. Setting this woman free was more necessary than  following the rules of the Sabbath. But this isn’t just a story about a  woman who is bound, it is a story about how Israel is bound. Jesus' desire to set this daughter of Abraham free reflects his desire to set Israel free.

From beginning to end the doctrine of Mark is vividly presented as an incarnation story with a persistent message. You must see Jesus not simply as a great teacher, an inspiring leader, and a miraculous healer. You must know Jesus the Son of God, crucified and risen.

The Old Covenant was written on tablets of stone, but the New Covenant is written on our hearts. In the past we were externally compelled by the law but now as we are transformed, we are internally compelled to become more like Christ, living out the way of the kingdom that is within us.

Are Jesus’ words harsh? Yes. Just as his words against the religious rulers were harsh. But under the circumstances I’ve described it makes much more sense. This is a situation loaded with historical racial tension where Jesus cuts straight to the heart of the matter and the woman responds with faith.

When we justify our judgemental wrath towards others by calling it righteous anger we are simply creating a theological loophole to baptise our sin! Anger is not the emotion of righteousness; it is the emotion of judgement. The emotions of righteousness are love and compassion. Jesus was moved with compassion.

The instruction here is short and simple: treat women with the respect they deserve as co-heirs of the grace of life, and don’t use your social and physical power to dominate women or your prayers will be hindered! This passage is not a treatise endorsing empire or kingship, the institution of slavery, or the patriarchal family, but rather a guide for Christians about how to remain faithful to the...